Rajasthan continues to reel under intense cold wave
Jaipur (PTI): Rajasthan continued to reel under an intense cold wave as icy northwesterly winds swept across large parts of the state.
Fatehpur in the Sikar district remained the coldest place in the state on Wednesday night at 1.6 degrees Celsius, followed by Nagaur at 1.9 degrees.
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Lunkaransar in Bikaner recorded 3.5 degrees Celsius. Dausa recorded a minimum of 4.4 degrees, Churu 4.9 degrees and Alwar 5 degrees Celsius, according to the Met department. Vanasthali in Tonk recorded a minimum of 5.2 degrees Celsius, while Pali and Jhunjhunu stood at 5.7 degrees each. Pilani recorded 5.8 degrees and Ajmer 6.5 degrees Celsius.
In Jaipur, chilly winds pushed the temperature down to 8.8 degrees Celsius, while Jaisalmer recorded 10.9 degrees and Pratapgarh 12.4 degrees Celsius.
Meanwhile, tea stalls did brisk business while bonfires were seen at several public places on Wednesday night and Thursday morning as residents struggled to cope with the chill.
The Met department said cold wave conditions are likely to continue, with night temperatures expected to remain below normal at several places over the next few days.
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Hormuz Strait disruptions have caused huge economic impact, energy instability in region: Navy chief
Mumbai (PTI): The Strait of Hormuz disruptions have caused severe economic impact and energy instability in the region, Indian Navy chief Admiral D K Tripathi said on Thursday amid the war in West Asia.
Speaking at an event where INS Sunayna, an offshore patrol vessel, set sail from Mumbai as Indian Ocean Ship (IOS) Sagar, the admiral said competition at sea has no longer remained confined to oil and energy.
It is now expanding towards resources that will shape future growth - such as rare earth elements, critical minerals, new fishing grounds and even data, he said.
The West Asia crisis began on February 28 after a joint attack by the US and Israel on Iran.
Iran's strikes on its neighbours along with its chokehold on the Strait of Hormuz have disrupted the world's energy supplies with effects far beyond West Asia.
"With the conflict in West Asia well into its fifth week, the disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz have caused severe economic impact and energy instability in the region," Tripathi said.
There is significant increase in the marine survey, deep-sea research activity, and Illegal Unreported and Unregulated Fishing (IUU), often encroaching upon the sovereign rights of littoral nations and exploiting gaps in monitoring and enforcement, he said.
Alongside these, threats such as piracy, armed robbery and narco-trafficking backed by unimpeded access of advanced technology to non-state actors, have also become more complex and challenging to counter, the Navy chief pointed out.
Last year alone, the Indian Ocean Region witnessed a staggering 3,700 maritime incidents of varying nature, the admiral said.
Additionally, narcotics seizures in the region exceeded USD 1 billion USD in 2025, highlighting the persistence and spread of such challenges in the region, he said.
