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All shops, malls, markets and commercial establishments will remain shut today in view of 'Bharat Bandh' call, say protesting farmers. Stay tuned for Latest LIVE news

Modi

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		Farmers gathered at several national highways, key roads and some railway tracks in Punjab and Haryana today morning as part of their nationwide protest against the Centre&#39;s new agri laws. According to the Samkyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM), the Bharat Bandh is being observed from 6 am to 6 pm to mark four months of the farmers&#39; agitation at Delhi&#39;s three borders -- Singhu, Ghazipur and Tikri.</div>
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		The farmers have gathered at several highways and roads in the two states including in Bathinda, Ludhiana, Amritsar, Patiala, Mohali, Rohtak, Jhajjar and Bhiwani districts. A group of farmers who were holding a protest in Zirakpur and Kharar towns in Punjab, both on the outskirts of Chandigarh, said they were allowing ambulances and other emergency vehicles to pass.</div>
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		Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived in Bangladesh on a two-day visit during which he will attend the celebrations of the golden jubilee of the country&#39;s independence, the birth centenary of Bangabandhu&#39; Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and hold talks with his counterpart Sheikh Hasina. Modi is visiting Bangladesh on his first trip to a foreign country since the outbreak of the coronavirus.<br />
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LIVE: PM Modi invites Bangladesh entrepreneurs ​to invest in India

Business Standard

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Later in the day, PM Modi will be felicitated in Vadodara at a programme organised by the BJP women's wing in connection with the passage of the women's reservation bill in Parliament


The National Investigation Agency on Wednesday is conducting major raids across 6 states in 3 cases at 51 locations belonging to associates of Lawrence, Bambiha and Arsh Dalla Gangs


Forecasts for this fiscal year ranged widely from 4.6 per cent to 7.1 per cent


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Russia-Ukraine War

The year 2022 is coming to an end and a lot has happened that shaped the world in the year. Let's have a look at some of these significant events

In February 2022, Russia attacked Ukraine&amp;#39;s capital, Kyiv, from the north in an attempt to overthrow President Volodymyr Zelensky&amp;#39;s government. In the months following, artillery bombardment and street fighting continued, with Russia seizing multiple cities.

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After a slew of scandals in his term spanning three years, UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson resigned from office in July. Johnson was succeeded by Liz Truss, who took over the office in September.
						
						But after 45 days in the office, she resigned, becoming the shortest-serving PM in UK history. Her budgetary plans, at the centre of which were tax cut plans, had crashed the markets, making her lose the confidence of almost all her own MPs.
						
						In the days that followed, Rishi Sunak took over as Britain&amp;#39;s 57th prime minister and vowed to fix the mistakes made by his predecessor, Liz Truss.

Russia Invades Ukraine

In April, protests began in the nation following a sharp rise in food and fuel costs. Thousands demanded the resignation of now-ousted President Gotabaya Rajapaksa. The people faced long power cuts daily and shortages of basics, including fuel and food. Sri Lanka&amp;#39;s doctors said they were nearly out of life-saving medicines.
						
						Rajapaksa&amp;#39;s government was being blamed for the chronic mismanagement of the country&amp;#39;s finances. In July, protestors stormed Rajapaksa&amp;#39;s home, pushing him to flee the nation before resigning from office.

UK&amp;#39;s political crisis

In September, 22-year-old Iranian girl Mahsa Amini died after being detained for allegedly violating Iran&amp;#39;s laws requiring women to wear a headscarf. Authorities said she died of illness, but her family claimed she fell into a coma after being mistreated by the police. Sources said the police beat Amini with a baton and banged her head against a vehicle. At her funeral on September 17 in Saqez, women protested by ripping off their hijabs. Protests sparked by her demise have since roped in ethnic minorities and even school children. Thousands of women since then have been showing solidarity by cutting their hair and burning their hijabs in public.
						
						Now, the unrest has spread beyond a women&amp;#39;s right to a movement that is calling for an end to theocratic rule. The protests are now the most broadly supported movement in Iran in over four decades.

Sri Lanka economic crisis

In October, Chinese President Xi Jinping was handed a historic third term in office. He became the first leader of the ruling Communist Party after party founder Mao Zedong to get a third term in power.
						
						This came as China&amp;#39;s economy was running out of steam after decades of high growth. Many expect Xi&amp;#39;s third term may see China revert to more old-school economic management, focusing on shoring up the heavy industry and continuing a crackdown on big tech.

Uprising mounts again in Iran

In a historic first, rich countries agreed to pay for losses and damages caused by climate change. For 30 years, developing nations have been calling for developed countries to compensate for the costs of climate disasters caused by climate change. And rich nations that caused the pollution resisted the demand. But this changed in 2022.

Chinese President Xi Jinping starts record third term in power

In 2022, inflation was rising worldwide, with food and energy prices hitting record highs. The hike was mainly driven by pent-up consumer demand after the pandemic and Russia&amp;#39;s invasion of Ukraine. As the pandemic waned, people wanted to return to normalcy and spend more. This led to companies demanding higher prices. Companies also hired more to serve the pent-up demand. They had to increase wages to attract workers and raise prices to compensate for that.

A landmark deal UN Climate Change Conference (COP27)

In September, Queen Elizabeth II, Britain&amp;#39;s longest-serving monarch, died at 96 after reigning for 70 years. Many said her death would mark a turning point for commonwealth nations as many may disassociate themselves.

The global economy at crossroads

In October, Brazil&amp;#39;s former president, Luiz In&amp;aacute;cio Lula da Silva beat Jair Bolsonaro in the country&amp;#39;s closest presidential race in history. Silva&amp;#39;s win marked Latin America&amp;#39;s shift to the left and pointed to an extraordinary comeback for a man in jail for corruption three years ago.

Queen Elizabeth II dies

In October, billionaire Elon Musk closed his $44 billion deal to buy Twitter after months of dilly-dallying, drama and a lawsuit. The Tesla owner&amp;#39;s Twitter takeover is also one of the biggest tech acquisitions of all time. May fear that Musk&amp;#39;s takeover may turn the social media giant into a hotbed of hate speech.
					
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Brazil elections

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In January, Google rolled out end-to-end encryption in group chats for messages app users enrolled in the beta programme

Blend launches Blend Studio: AI tool for ecommerce photography

New Delhi [India], March 16 (ANI/PNN): Blend, an AI-powered design and photography application for DTC brands and ecommerce sellers, recently launched Blend Studio - the Chat GPT for product photos.

Celebrity and Travel Photographer Rahul Lokare from Flamingo Productions creates waves of change in the world of photography.

Xiaomi 13 Pro

Priced at Rs 79,999 for the 12GB RAM and 256GB on-board storage, the Xiaomi 13 Pro offers a novel imaging experience on top of a premium package

3 Myanmar nationals with bullet wounds cross into India

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	Three Myanmar nationals with serious bullet wounds were admitted to a hospital in northeast India on Friday after they crossed the border, police said.<br />
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	About a dozen people from Myanmar moved into the Indian state of Manipur late Thursday after firing by Myanmar forces in the border town of Tamu, said Vikramji Singh, a police officer.<br />
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	They were given shelter by the residents of Moreh, an Indian border town, who took them to a hospital, Singh said.<br />
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	Authorities on Friday pushed eight of the Myanmar nationals back into their home country and hospitalized the injured &quot;purely on humanitarian grounds,&#39;&#39; Singh told The Associated Press.<br />
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	The security crackdown in Myanmar following its Feb. 1 military coup has sent people fleeing across the border into India.<br />
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	India&#39;s state and federal authorities haven&#39;t given any figures, but some state ministers have said the number could be in the hundreds. One Indian village has given shelter to 34 police personnel and one firefighter who crossed into India over the last two weeks.<br />
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	India&#39;s federal government and the state of Mizoram are at odds over the influx.<br />
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UN renews mandate of North Korea experts, asks missile probe

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	The UN Security Council has unanimously adopted a resolution to renew the mandate of UN experts monitoring sanctions against North Korea hours after members met to discuss Pyongyang&#39;s latest test firings of banned ballistic missiles.<br />
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	The ballistic missile launches were the first since US President Joe Biden took office on Jan. 20 and appeared aimed at increasing pressure on his administration while nuclear negotiations between Washington and Pyongyang remain stalled.<br />
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	Negotiations faltered after the second summit between North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and former US president Donald Trump collapsed in February 2019 when the Americans rejected North Korean demands for major sanctions relief in exchange for a partial surrender of its nuclear capabilities.<br />
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	The Security Council has been meeting virtually because of the COVID-19 pandemic and email voting began after the North&#39;s missile launches on Thursday morning. The US holds the council presidency this month and the unanimous result of the vote was announced Friday afternoon by acting US deputy ambassador Jeffrey DeLaurentis.<br />
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France launches 2-year experiment with medical marijuana

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	France&#39;s government launched a two-year nationwide experiment with medical marijuana Friday with a view to its eventual legalization.<br />
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	Some 3,000 patients around the country will be given medical cannabis treatments and their health will be monitored by the national medicines watchdog, the Health Ministry said in a statement.<br />
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	The first prescription was issued Friday at the Clermont-Ferrand University Hospital in southern France.<br />
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	The goal is to gather data about the effectiveness and safety of therapeutic marijuana, and to prepare eventual logistical circuits for future distribution, the ministry said.<br />
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	Among those eligible will be cancer patients, people with nerve pain that is not treatable by other methods, people with certain forms of epilepsy and people in palliative care.<br />
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	Several European countries have already legalized medical marijuana.<br />
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	The French project was approved by parliament in 2019 but delayed because of the coronavirus pandemic.<br />
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Biden invites 40 world leaders to virtual Leaders' Summit on Climate

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	US President Joe Biden has invited 40 world leaders, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, to the Leaders&#39; Summit on Climate to underscore the urgency and the economic benefits of stronger climate action, the White House said.<br />
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	The two-day summit will be held virtually on April 22-23 and will be telecasted live for public viewing.<br />
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	&ldquo;It will be a key milestone on the road to the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP26) this November in Glasgow,&rdquo; the White House said on Friday.<br />
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	Besides Modi, other leaders invited for the summit include Chinese President Xi Jinping, Russian President Vladimir Putin, Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga, Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Saudi Arabia King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud and UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson.<br />
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	Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and Bhutanese Prime Minister Lotay Tshering are the other two leaders from South Asia to be invited for the two-day mega conference on climate change.<br />
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	The White House said a key objective of both the Leaders&#39; Summit and the COP26 will be to catalyse efforts to keep limiting warming 1.5 degree Celsius&#39; goal within reach. The summit will also highlight examples of how enhanced climate ambition will create good paying jobs, advance innovative technologies and help vulnerable countries adapt to climate impacts, it added.<br />
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I will be CM in the event of NDA forming govt in Pondy: Rangasamy

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	AINRC founder N.Rangasamy said on Friday there need to be no doubts as to who will be the next Chief Minister in the event of NDA forming the next government in Puducherry after the April 6 polls.<br />
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	&quot;I will definitely be the Chief Minister of the next dispensation,&quot; he said at an election meeting in Thattanchavady assembly segment from where he is contesting.</div>
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	Rangasamy is also contesting from Yanam, an enclave of Puducherry in Andhra Pradesh.<br />
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	AINRC is heading the NDA in Puducherry, other constituents being the BJP and AIADMK.<br />
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	Rangasamy, who was Leader of the opposition in the outgoing Assembly, urged voters in Thattanchavady to ensure that he is elected with a massive margin.</div>
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	CPI affiliated to the Congress-led secular democratic alliance is locking horns with Rangasamy in Thattanchavady.<br />
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Gadkari takes on Cong for its guarantee to nullify CAA in Assam if voted to power

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	Senior BJP leader Nitin Gadkari Friday lashed out at the Congress for its &quot;guarantee&quot; to the people of Assam of bringing in a legislation in the state assembly to nullify the Citizenship (Amendment) Act if voted to power in the state.<br />
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	The union road transport minister said Congress is engaged in opportunistic vote bank politics and has compromised the country&#39;s security by its minority appeasement.<br />
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	Without taking any name, he said some people and some party have supported infiltration in Assam and tried to give the infiltrators voting rights, which is not beneficial for the country.<br />
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	BJP&#39;s political agenda on the other hand is development, unity and security of the country and the party is fully committed to it, he said addressing poll rallies at Dharmapur and Golakganj and at a press conference here.<br />
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	&quot;The CAA is a central law. No one can change it in an Assembly. Rahul Gandhi does not know that or what?&quot; he said.<br />
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	Gadkari&#39;s comment follows the one by BJP national president J P Nadda, who while releasing the party&#39;s Assam poll manifesto earlier this week had said CAA had been passed by Parliament and would be implemented in the country. It had trigerred state-wide protests by political parties and the All Assam Students Union, which had been in the forefront of the 2019 agitation against CAA.<br />
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Latest News: 'Bharat Bandh' evokes no response in Himachal Pradesh

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	The nationwide call for &#39;Bharat Bandh&#39; by protesting farm unions under the banner of Samyukt Kisan Morcha failed to evoke any response in Himachal Pradesh on Friday.</div>
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	Vehicular traffic was normal and business establishments remained open in almost all parts of the state.</div>
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	However, the Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU) held demonstrations at several district headquarters in the state, including capital Shimla, to reiterate their demand to repeal three contentious farm laws passed by the Centre.</div>

Latest News: SAT sets aside Sebi's order in WhatsApp leak case

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	In the high profile WhatsApp case, the Securities Appellate Tribunal (SAT) has set aside Sebi&#39;s insider trading charges against few individuals, who circulated alleged unpublished price sensitive information about the financial results of half-a-dozen companies.</div>
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	The case pertains to the circulation of Unpublished Price Sensitive Information (UPSI) in various private WhatsApp groups about certain companies, including Bajaj Auto, Bata India, Ambuja Cements, Asian Paints, Wipro and Mindtree, ahead of their official announcements to the stock exchanges.</div>

Latest News: Suez Canal steps up efforts to remove blockage

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	The Suez Canal stepped up efforts on Friday to free a giant stuck container ship and end a blockage that has sent shipping rates for fuel tankers soaring and disrupted global supply chains for everything from grains to baby clothes.</div>
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	Shipping rates for oil product tankers have nearly doubled after the 400-metre (430-yard) long Ever Given ran aground in the vital trade waterway on Tuesday.</div>
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	Efforts to free it may take weeks and be complicated by unstable weather conditions, threatening costly delays for companies already dealing with Covid-19 restrictions.</div>

Latest News: SC reserves verdict in Maratha reservation case

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	The Supreme Court Friday reserved judgement on a batch of petitions challenging the Bombay High Court verdict which had upheld the grant of reservation to Marathas in admissions and government jobs in the state.</div>
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	A five-judge Constitution bench headed by Justice Ashok Bhushan concluded hearing of arguments in the matter in which submissions were also advanced on whether the landmark 1992 Indra Sawhney verdict (called the Mandal judgement), which put a cap of 50 per cent on reservations, requires re-consideration by a larger bench.</div>
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	K K Venugopal, Attorney General has addressed his arguments in reply to the submissions made in the writ petition... Tushar Mehta, Solicitor General appearing for the UOI (Union of India) and state of Gujarat adopts the submission of the Attorney General. Hearing completed. Judgment reserved, said the bench, which also comprised justices L Nageswara Rao, S Abdul Nazeer, Hemant Gupta and S Ravindra Bhat.</div>

BJP national president JP Nadda holds a roadshow in Chennai

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India's forex reserves rise to $582 billion

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	The country&#39;s foreign exchange (forex) kitty rose $233 million to $582.271 billion in the week to March 19, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) said on Friday.</div>
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	The overall reserves had risen $1.74 billion to $582.04 billion in the previous reporting week.</div>
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	The increase in the overall reserves during the reporting week was largely on account of a swelling of the foreign currency assets, which rose $157 million to $541.18 billion.</div>

Latest News: Financial services space set for disruption over next 10 yrs, says Kamath

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	Not just banking but the entire financial services space is set for disruption over the next 10 years, which will lead to reduction in transaction costs, veteran banker K V Kamath said on Friday.</div>
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	He said technology is transforming the way banking is done and bankers need to internalise this.</div>
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	Citing the first wave of change brought about in the banking space 20 years ago, Kamath said it changed the sector in a positive way.</div>

Latest News: Adani Green Energy acquires 75 MW solar capacities from Sterling & Wilson

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	Adani Green Energy on Friday said it has acquired 100 per cent stake in two special purpose vehicles (SPVs) that own 75 MW operating solar projects in Telangana from Sterling &amp; Wilson.</div>
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	The projects, commissioned in 2017, have long-term power purchase agreements (PPA) with the Southern Power Distribution Company of Telangana.</div>
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	&quot;Adani Green Energy Limited has completed acquisition of 100 per cent of the share capital and all the securities of Surajkiran Solar Technologies Private Limited and Dinkar Technologies Private Limited from Sterling and Wilson Private Limited,&quot; it said in a BSE filing.</div>

Latest News: Current fiscal most challenging for Indian Railways, says Goyal

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	Acknowledging that this fiscal was the &quot;most challenging&quot; for Indian Railways, Minister Piyush Goyal on Friday said it was time to rewrite the future of the national transporter as &quot;self-sustaining, punctual, green and first choice of business&quot;.</div>
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	At a review meeting with Railway Board members and general managers of zonal railways, Goyal said in the future, the success of Indian Railways would define the success of the nation.</div>
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	During the lockdown, all services of the railways had come to a grinding halt and even now, only special trains are plying.</div>
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	&quot;The year was the most challenging for the railways. During Covid-19 the railways has demonstrated the resolve to fight back and emerge stronger. The mindset of the railways has transformed. The use of new technologies and innovation has created new standards and benchmarks.</div>

Latest News: India and Pakistan hold brigadier-level meet on ceasefire pact

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	Indian and Pakistani armies held a brigadier-level meeting at Poonch-Rawalkot crossing on Friday as a follow-up to their agreement to observe ceasefire along the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir.</div>
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	Last month, the Indian and Pakistani armies recommitted themselves to the 2003 ceasefire on the LoC. The return to the ceasefire was agreed upon by the director-generals of military operations of the two countries.</div>
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	&quot;Post the DGsMO Understanding 2021, a Brigade Commander Level Flag Meeting was held between Indian and Pakistan Army at Poonch-Rawalkot Crossing Point on 26 Mar 2021 to discuss implementation mechanism as per the understanding,&quot; the army tweeted.</div>

Latest News: India to buy oil from cheapest supplier; Saudi min response 'undiplomatic', says Pradhan

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	With Saudi Arabia giving cold shoulder to its plea for easing production controls, India on Friday said it will buy oil from any country that will give it at cheaper rates and on favourable business terms.</div>
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	Refiners in the world&#39;s third-biggest oil importer are snapping up more cargoes from outside the Middle East in an attempt to diversify suppliers.</div>
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	The US in February overtook Saudi Arabia to become India&#39;s second-biggest supplier but that happened prior to the March 4 decision of the OPEC+ alliance to keep a tight rein on output.</div>

Extend my heartiest thanks to PM Modi who graced the occasion even amid pandemic: Bangladesh PM Sheikh Hasina

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LIVE: Two passenger trains collide in Egypt

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	Two passenger trains collide in Egypt. At least 32 killed, 66 injured, according to news agency AFP report</div>

LIVE: India is delighted that 'Made In India' vaccines are treating people of Bangladesh, says Modi

LIVE: During Covid, both countries worked in tandem. India is delighted that &#39;Made In India&#39; vaccines are treating people of Bangladesh, says PM Modi in Dhaka

LIVE: PM Modi invites Bangladesh entrepreneurs to invest in India

All shops, malls, markets and commercial establishments will remain shut today in view of 'Bharat Bandh' call, say protesting farmers. Stay tuned for Latest LIVE news

Explore News

LIVE: PM Modi invites Bangladesh entrepreneurs ​to invest in India

All shops, malls, markets and commercial establishments will remain shut today in view of 'Bharat Bandh' call, say protesting farmers. Stay tuned for Latest LIVE news

Explore News

LIVE: PM Modi invites Bangladesh entrepreneurs to invest in India