New Delhi, June 24: Air India and Air India Express on Tuesday progressively resumed their services to the Middle East, with flights to Dubai and Muscat, respectively, as countries in the region reopened their airspaces.

With escalating tensions in the Middle East, especially after Iran launching missiles against US airbase in Qatar, some countries in the region shut their airspaces resulting in numerous flight diversions and cancellations, including by Indian carriers.

Tata Group-owned carriers — Air India and Air India Express — have restarted flights to cities in the Middle East.

Officials said Air India is operating Delhi-Dubai flight and Air India Express is operating Delhi-Muscat service.

On Tuesday, Air India said it will progressively resume flights to the Middle East as airspaces are gradually reopening in the region and most of the operations will resume from June 25.

“Flights to and from Europe, previously cancelled, are also being progressively reinstated from today, while services to and from the East Coast of the US and Canada will resume at the earliest opportunity,” the airline said in a statement.

Some flights may experience delays or cancellations due to consequential impacts and extended re-routings/flight times, but we are committed to minimising disruptions and our restoring schedule integrity, it added.

Air India Express, which is one of the largest operators to the Middle East, also said it is progressively resuming services to the Middle East from Tuesday with flights to Muscat, Riyadh and Jeddah.

The carrier flies to 13 cities in the Middle East, operating around 900 flights per week.

In a statement, the carrier said it is progressively resuming its operations to the Middle East from Tuesday as airspaces in the region reopen.

“Our first flight to the region today will be on the Delhi–Muscat route, followed by services on the Mumbai–Muscat, Kozhikode–Muscat, Kozhikode–Riyadh, and Jaipur–Jeddah routes,” it said.

The airline’s flights to key cities in the UAE — including Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Sharjah, Al Ain, and Ras Al Khaimah — as well as other cities in the Middle East, are scheduled from Wednesday.

IndiGo said its flight services to Gulf countries have stabilised and are operating as scheduled.

“However, as airspace over Iran remains restricted, some flights may take alternate routes, which could result in longer travel times,” the carrier said in a post on X.

The airspace closures in the Middle East and disruptions will result in increased operational costs for the Indian carriers.

Already, Air India is taking longer routes to fly to Europe and North America due to airspace closures.

New Delhi, June 24: India has expressed concern over the recent escalation in West Asia and welcomed reports of a ceasefire between Iran and Israel, while urging all parties to pursue dialogue and diplomacy to resolve regional tensions.

In an official statement released on Tuesday, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said, “We have been following developments overnight relating to the conflict between Iran and Israel, including the US action against Iran’s nuclear facilities and Iranian retaliation against US military bases in Qatar.”

While noting the seriousness of the situation, the MEA emphasised the need for long-term regional peace. “While we remain deeply concerned about the prospects for overall and sustained regional security and stability, we welcome reports of a ceasefire between Iran and Israel and the role played by the US and Qatar in bringing it about.”

Reiterating India’s longstanding position on conflict resolution, the statement added, “We wish to reiterate that there is no alternative to dialogue and diplomacy in order to address and resolve the multiple conflicts in the region.”

India also affirmed its willingness to contribute to peace-building efforts, stating, “India stands ready to play its part in these efforts and hopes that all concerned parties will work towards sustained peace and stability.”

New Delhi, June 24: Gold prices plummeted Rs 900 to Rs 98,900 per 10 grams in the national capital on Tuesday as the expectations of a ceasefire between Iran and Israel reduced the precious metal’s safe-haven appeal in the global market.

According to the All India Sarafa Association, the precious metal of 99.9 per cent purity had closed at Rs 99,800 per 10 grams in the previous market session.

Gold of 99.5 per cent purity depreciated by Rs 800 to Rs 98,300 per 10 grams (inclusive of all taxes). It had finished at Rs 99,100 per 10 grams on Monday.

“Gold is under pressure as safe-haven demand eases after the US confirmed a full ceasefire between Iran and Israel. The announcement came shortly after Iran attacked a US military base in Qatar, briefly heightening tensions before quickly calming them.

“With fears of further escalation fading, investors are booking profits and pulling back from gold,” Abans Financial Services’ Chief Executive Officer Chintan Mehta said.

Silver prices also diminished by Rs 1,000 to Rs 1,04,200 per kilogram (inclusive of all taxes) on Tuesday. The metal had ended at Rs 1,05,200 per kg in the previous market close.

Meanwhile, spot gold fell by USD 46.05 or 1.37 per cent to USD 3,323.05 per ounce in the overseas markets.

“Investors are closely watching Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell, who is set to testify before US Congress on Tuesday and Wednesday, which can provide any signals on the future policy path of interest rate cuts,” Saumil Gandhi, Senior Analyst – Commodities at HDFC Securities, said.

New Delhi, June 24: A team of international researchers has uncovered a new genetic cause for a rare developmental disorder that profoundly impacts brain growth and function in children.

The team led by the University of Otago–Ōtākou Whakaihu Waka from New Zealand pinpointed specific changes in a gene called CRNKL1 that can potentially cause a severe genetic disorder that results in affected individuals having profound pre- and postnatal microcephaly (smaller head circumference), with pontocerebellar hypoplasia (underdevelopment in brain stem and cerebellum), seizures and severe intellectual disability.

The finding sheds new light on the complex process by which human bodies create the “instruction manuals” essential for building and maintaining our brains, said Louise Bicknell, Associate Professor, from the Rare Disorder Genetics Laboratory in Otago’s Department of Biochemistry.

“Our bodies rely on a precise process called ‘splicing’ to read and process genetic instructions from our DNA and help generate the building blocks required in our body,” Bicknell said.

“While it’s known that problems with the machinery that coordinates splicing can cause various genetic disorders, this new finding adds to a small but growing recognition of the potentially severe impact on brain development in particular.”

In the study, published in the American Journal of Human Genetics, the team studied 10 families, of which nine showed genetic changes in the exact same spot in the CRNKL1 gene.

All the affected children shared the same severe features, highlighting the strong link between these specific genetic changes and the disorder.

The research findings clearly show that CRNKL1 is crucial for healthy brain development, said lead author Dr. Sankalita Ray Das, a Postdoctoral researcher in the Rare Disorder Genetics Laboratory.

The finding not only identifies a new genetic cause for a severe neurological disorder but also offers further clues into the complex ways our genes guide brain development, she said.

“Importantly, this knowledge has provided understanding for families affected by these severe conditions and lays the foundation for further research into why only the brain is affected by these genetic changes.”