Morning Digest: Oil prices drop below $90 as Trump says Israel-Iran war to ‘end soon’; Sharad Pawar among 27 elected unopposed to Rajya Sabha, and more

Morning Digest the Hindu March 10, 2026

U.S. President Donald Trump on Tuesday (March 10, 2026) pushed the idea of the Israel-Iran war ending soon, but remained vague on a timeline for ending the attacks that have rocked West Asia and shaken the global economy. U.S. markets jumped when Mr. Trump suggested earlier that the U.S.-Israeli assault was “very complete,” but during a later speech and press conference he offered shifting accounts of what to expect.

NCP (SP) supremo Sharad Pawar and Union minister Ramdas Athawale were among 26 candidates who were elected unopposed to the Rajya Sabha on Monday (March 9, 2026). After the last date of withdrawal of candidature, elections to 11 seats of the Upper House — five in Bihar, four in Odisha and two in Haryana — would be held on March 16.

The U.S. stock market careened through a manic Monday (March 9, 2026), going from a steep early loss to a solid gain as worries turned into hope that the war with Iran may not last that long. Oil prices whipped from nearly $120 per barrel, their highest since 2022, back toward $90. The U.S. stock market has a history of bouncing back relatively quickly from past military conflicts, as long as oil prices do not stay too high for too long.

As the Budget Session resumed, the Lok Sabha on Monday (March 9, 2026) failed to take up a resolution seeking the removal of Speaker Om Birla amid repeated adjournments as the Opposition insisted on a full-fledged discussion on the West Asia crisis and its impact on nearly 10 million Indians living in the region.

Raising concerns over the supply of commercial LPG cylinders amid the West Asia conflict, the Bangalore Hotels Association on Monday (March 9, 2026) warned that restaurants across Bengaluru may have to shut down if the supply is not resumed.

The government, sources said, has reached out to several Opposition leaders, seeking their opinion on bringing an amendment to advance the timeline on the implementation of the Constitution (One Hundred and Sixth Amendment) Act or Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam, which seeks to allocate 33% of the seats to directly elected legislative bodies, including the Lok Sabha and State Assemblies, for women.