World Happiness Report shows social media's harms; Finland happiest country

World Happiness Report 2026 ties social media use to declining youth well-being, especially teenage girls in English-speaking countries and Western Europe. Finland leads a ninth year; other Nordics in top 10. Under-25 ratings fell in US, Canada, Australia and New Zealand.

Cuba reels as Trump warns of “imminent action” and tightens an oil blockade, worsening blackouts, shortages, and strained hospitals. Some citizens call for change; others doubt U.S. moves. Havana vows resistance. Limited aid arrives, but uncertainty and hardship dominate the island.

The Fed kept rates at 3.50–3.75% and projects just one 0.25-pt cut this year. It sees 2.7% inflation amid oil spikes tied to the US–Israeli war with Iran, steady 4.4% unemployment, and slightly stronger growth. No hikes are expected; one dissent favored a cut. Powell briefs at 2:30 p.m. ET.

Nifty IT rose 2.8% after a 6-day slide as brokerages downplayed AI disruption. CLSA cited steady demand, no extra pricing pressure and low Middle East exposure; HDFC sees limited near-term AI impact, modest pricing and pre-Covid valuations capping downside.

EU proposes “EU Inc,” an EU-wide corporate form letting firms register online in 48 hours for €100, giving startups one rulebook and single-market access. Aimed at boosting competitiveness vs the U.S., it harmonises ESOPs and insolvency; labor and tax stay national. Needs EU/Parliament approval.

UK–India education ties surge post-FTA and UGC’s 2023 rules: nine UK universities cleared to open in India (15 expected); Southampton already live. Vision 2035 boosts joint/dual degrees and recognition. Push on skilling (incl. 100k women), and AI-ready academia–industry partnerships.

Microsoft may sue OpenAI and Amazon over a reported $50B deal making AWS the exclusive third‑party cloud for OpenAI’s Frontier platform, which Microsoft says breaches its Azure exclusivity. Per FT, talks aim to resolve the dispute before launch; Microsoft, Amazon and OpenAI declined comment.

Liverpool host Galatasaray at Anfield in the UCL last-16 second leg, trailing 0-1 from Istanbul. Slot backs a response; Anfield record strong, Gala poor away but buoyed by first-leg win. Salah/Konate likely start; Osimhen leads visitors. Kickoff 1:30 AM IST, Mar 19 on Sony Sports/SonyLIV.

Barcelona host Newcastle in the UCL Round of 16 second leg after a 1-1 first leg. Flick urges improvement; Barca score freely but leak goals and have a strong home record vs English clubs. Yamal chases a youth record; Gordon in form. Mar 18, 11:15 PM IST, Camp Nou; quarter-final spot at stake.

Led by New York and California, about three dozen states, cities and counties sued the Trump administration in the D.C. Circuit for revoking the scientific basis of U.S. climate rules and repealing EPA tailpipe greenhouse-gas limits. Plaintiffs include Michigan, Connecticut, Virginia.

At a Senate intelligence hearing, US DNI Tulsi Gabbard warned Pakistan’s advancing long‑range missile program could eventually yield ICBMs able to strike the U.S., grouping it with Russia, China, North Korea and Iran among states rapidly upgrading nuclear/conventional and cyber/kinetic capabilities.

IAEA chief Rafael Grossi says the agency hasn’t inspected Iran’s new underground enrichment site at Isfahan after a June visit was canceled due to strikes during the Israel war. Its status—empty or centrifuge-ready—remains unknown. Iran reported a harmless projectile near Bushehr.

Gulshan Group and IHCL will build a 57-storey Taj-branded hotel and residences in Noida’s Sector 129, investing ₹1,000 crore via accruals, sales, and debt. The project has a 150-room hotel and 74 ~7,500 sq ft apartments; 50% sold at ~₹35–100 crore. Completion by 2031; tallest Taj, first in Noida.

India’s LPG network faces pilferage, high carrying costs and weak state enforcement, exposed by a rural audit that “replaced” 44% hoses. Despite 33.5 cr connections and 10.56 cr under PMUY, IOCL’s LPG revenues fell with Rs 19,926 cr under-recovery. Supply shocks.

Delhi HC ruled both Peru and Chile may market the grape spirit as homonymous GIs—“Peruvian PISCO” and “Chilean PISCO”—rejecting Peru’s exclusive claim. Citing GI Act Sections 9/9A and TRIPS, it restored a 2025 ruling, ending a dispute since 2005 and requiring clear origin labels to avoid confusion.

In Truth Social posts, Donald Trump floated “finishing off” Iran and letting other nations handle the Strait to prod “non-responsive” allies. He reiterated that Iran is the top state sponsor of terror and claimed the U.S. is rapidly putting Tehran “out of business.”

Powerica and Sai Parenteral open IPOs Mar 24–27. Powerica: ₹375–395 band, ₹700 cr fresh + ₹400 cr OFS; diesel gensets, Cummins partner. Sai Parenteral: ₹372–392 band, ₹409 cr; pharma/CDMO. Separately, GSP Crop Science’s ₹400 cr IPO saw 1.61x subscription (₹240 cr fresh).

MNRE adds ALMM List-III for solar ingots/wafers, mandating approved domestic wafers for all projects from June 1, 2028. Modules already covered; cells added this June. Enlistment requires matching ingot capacity. Aims: drive backward integration, improve quality/jobs, cut import reliance.

Strait of Hormuz disruptions expose India’s LPG vulnerability: 60% import dependence, no strategic reserves unlike crude, and only ~22 days’ operational stock for a JIT network serving 330m users. Costly pressurised storage limits buffers; experts urge layered resilience.

The West Asia conflict is slowing Indian startups’ Gulf expansion. Firms pause projects in UAE/Saudi as demand softens and travel curbs hit. PhonePe defers IPO; iMeUsWe delays USD pricing after user drop. Established ops mostly stable. Edtech sustains services, adding flexible, supportive measures.

India’s rupee hit a record 92.63/$ as the Middle East war lifts oil near $100, spurring $8bn outflows and macro risks. RBI is damping losses, but pricier energy may widen the CAD and stoke inflation. Analysts see underperformance vs yuan/SGD, risk toward 95; options price more weakness.

H-1B holder in India shared a Reddit calc showing $120k savings could last nearly nine years in Bengaluru (₹1L/month), even after three months of US rent “dual burn.” The post sparked debate over costs, inflation and career impact amid visa-stamping delays

Cabinet approved ₹33,660 crore BHAVYA scheme to develop 100 industrial parks, aiming to boost manufacturing, investment, jobs and ease of doing business.

Aqua Titan, a Russian oil tanker, U-turned from China to India after a U.S. nod to boost Indian imports. Due Mar 21 at New Mangalore with Urals, it’s among at least seven diversions. India bought 30m barrels; Japan and S. Korea returning may lift prices. Zouzou N to Sikka Mar 25 with CPC Blend.

Luxury watch retailer Just In Time opened a Connaught Place flagship, its sixth Delhi-NCR outlet in six months, taking it to 82 stores in 18 cities. Eyeing North India growth and omnichannel retail, it champions niche global brands. Actor Ayushmann Khurrana joins as brand ambassador.

WhatsApp arrives on select Garmin smartwatches (Fenix, Forerunner, Venu, Vivoactive) via the Connect IQ Store, letting users read chats, view up to 10 messages, reply with a keyboard or emojis, react, and decline calls. Requires a paired iOS/Android phone with WhatsApp; end-to-end encryption remains

Pronto, a platform organizing India’s domestic help market, connects households with trained pros in minutes. Founder Anjali Sardana, 23, raised $25M (Epiq Capital) as daily bookings rose from 1k to 18k in 7 months. Focus: rapid supply expansion, rigorous training.

CSK will host ROAR’26, a pre-season fan event and reunion at M A Chidambaram Stadium on March 22. Past and present stars including Muralitharan, Hayden, Bravo and Raina will attend. Expect practice, OG entries, interactive match-ups and an A R Rahman show. Tickets on sale; IPL 2026 starts Mar 30.

ReNew Energy Global is set to raise about $800m via a five-year offshore loan, underwritten by Standard Chartered and SocGen at roughly SOFR+185 bps, to refinance debt on an operational hybrid power project. The deal would be among India’s largest 2026 refinancings; ReNew’s portfolio is 19.2 GW.

OPPO A6s 5G launches in India at Rs 18,999 (4/128) and Rs 20,999 (6/128), Aurora Gold and Plum Purple. Dimensity 6300, 6.75-inch 120Hz LCD, 50+2MP rear, 5MP front, 6,500mAh with 45W. ColorOS 15 (Android 15), AI GameBoost/LinkBoost. On sale via Amazon/Flipkart/OPPO Store 

Starfield arrives on PS5 April 7 with its biggest update yet: DualSense features and PS5 Pro performance/quality modes, the paid Terran Armada DLC (new story, enemies, locations; free for Premium owners), and the free Free Lanes update adding intra-system travel, new encounters, and X-Tech upgrades.

UNIQLO names Indian cricket star Jasprit Bumrah its India brand ambassador, launching a LifeWear campaign focused on simple, high‑quality comfort. Featuring the AIRism Oversized T‑shirt, a 30‑sec film shows his off‑field ease. 

Air conditioning cools but dries and recirculates indoor air, weakening nasal–throat defenses and irritating airways. It can trigger cough, congestion, sinus issues, and asthma. High-risk: children, elderly, respiratory patients. Mitigate: 24–26°C, clean filters, ventilate, humidify, hydrate.

Apple released its first Background Security Improvement updates—iOS/iPadOS 26.3.1 and macOS 26.3.1/26.3.2—bringing small, silent security patches. It fixes a WebKit Same Origin Policy bypass via the Navigation API. Replaces Rapid Security Response.

India may shelve three privatisations as weak demand derails the IDBI Bank sale and cools interest in Shipping Corporation of India and HLL Lifecare. High reserve prices, liabilities and inefficiencies deter bidders. A rethink, including an SCI–Container Corp merger, could hit divestment targets

OPPO Find X9 Ultra tipped for global launch with 6.82-inch 144Hz LTPO AMOLED (1440×3120), SD 8 Elite Gen 5, 16GB/512GB, and 7,050mAh battery with 100W wired/50W wireless. Quad cams: 200MP main, 200MP 3x, 50MP 10x, 50MP ultrawide; 50MP selfie, Hasselblad Master Mode. Metal frame, faux leather options

A Wednesday morning fire in a Palam, southwest Delhi, residential unit sparked a major rescue. Thirty fire tenders rushed after a 7 am alert. A total of 9 casualties as of now. Police are at the scene; firefighting and search continue; cause remains unknown.

KKR will invest up to $310M with PMI Electro Mobility and its e-bus arm Allfleet India, taking a majority stake in Allfleet and a minority in PMI. Allfleet plans 5,000+ e-buses, supporting India’s PM-eBus Sewa drive for 10,000 buses. Deal expected to close mid-2026, pending approvals.

Canada invited 4,000 CEC candidates in the latest 2026 Express Entry draw (CRS 507; profiles before May 11, 2025, 6:57 pm UTC). It’s the 16th draw of 2026 and 5th CEC, reflecting focus on in‑Canada talent. CEC leads with 28,000 ITAs; it targets workers/grads with 1+ year Canadian skilled experience.

Bangladesh Cricket Board faces a government probe into alleged manipulation in its 2025 elections and its boycott of the 2026 T20 World Cup in India. BCB calls it ICC-prohibited interference; Tamim Iqbal sought a review. A 15‑day inquiry is underway; ICC sanctions or monitoring are possible.

Amid oil surge from the West Asia conflict, banks see the rupee underperforming Asian peers. Barclays urges long CNY/INR on China’s export strength and oil buffers; HSBC backs resilient SGD on potential policy tightening. India’s oil sensitivity, deficits, weak flows weigh; hedge funds pare risk.

Summer doubles eye strain: intense UV outdoors plus more screens, with heat/AC drying tears. Expect dryness, headaches, and blur; UV can cause long-term harm. Protect with UV400 sunglasses, 20-20-20 breaks and hydrate. Seek care for sudden vision loss, severe pain, light sensitivity.

Consumer courts face crippling vacancies and a 500k+ backlog; over a third of cases exceed 3 years. Many SCDRCs lack presidents/members. Andhra Pradesh, Meghalaya lead; Telangana, Manipur lag. SC let HCs hear appeals where bodies fail. IJR urges time-bound hiring, staffing, budgets, data, mediation

Sebi penalised 18 entities Rs 2.8 cr, barred them up to 5 years, and ordered disgorgement of Rs 2.94 cr plus 12% interest to its IPEF for rigging Retro Green Revolution shares via circular trades and Telegram tips. The Choksi group led the scheme. Probe covered Sep 2020–Dec 2021 under PFUTP.

Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw told the Lok Sabha that Vande Bharat trains have advanced safety features, including anti-climbing and high-resolution cameras. In Muzaffarnagar, camera footage plus AI identified stone-throwers, tracing a suspect from a tiny image to his home, enabling arrests.

Security forces in J&K launched combing operations across Rajouri, Doda, and Poonch after locals reported suspected terrorist movement. Searches span Khandli-Palma, Marmat, Sarlea, Dandi Dhara, and Ari Sarooti. Suspects reportedly moved toward forests; no contact established yet.

UAE FM Abdullah bin Zayed condemned Iran’s ongoing missile/drone strikes, offered condolences to victims from Palestine, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Nepal, cited UNSC 2817, vowed self-defense and readiness. Australia confirmed minor damage at Al Minhad Air Base.

OpenAI launched GPT-5.4 mini and nano, lightweight models bringing GPT-5.4 capabilities with faster, cheaper output for real-time tasks. Mini excels in fast coding, multimodal UI screenshot parsing and subagent roles; nano targets simple, repetitive tasks. Available via API, ChatGPT and Codex.

Iran launched missiles at Israel and Gulf states after Israel killed top Iranian officials, prompting interceptions over Saudi Arabia and Dubai. Israeli strikes hit Beirut and the Bekaa, causing casualties. Explosions were heard in Irbil. Riyadh downed a drone and hosts Arab-Islamic ministers.

The US DOT finalized a rule restricting CDLs for non-citizens to H-2A, H-2B, and E-2 visa holders with passport and I-94; EADs no longer accepted. Non-domiciled CDLs max 1 year, in-person renewals, tighter English checks. Up to ~194,000 drivers may exit; DOT expects limited freight impact.