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The Federal Reserve raised its key short-term interest rate by a quarter percentage point Wednesday, pushing ahead with its aggressive campaign to tame inflation despite financial turmoil following Silicon Valley Bank’s collapse. The federal funds rate is now between 4.75% to 5%. However, the Fed also signalled for pausing further rate hikes amidst the recent financial sector turmoil after the failure of two banks. Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) said the US banking system is sound and resilient.
The Padma Bhushan, India's third-highest civilian award, was bestowed upon Aditya Birla Group chairman Kumar Mangalam Birla on Wednesday. President Droupadi Murmu conferred the award upon KM Birla at the Padma awards ceremony held at the Rashtrapati Bhavan in Delhi. Kumar Mangalam Birla was awarded the Padma Bhushan for his commendable contribution to the field of trade and industry. He is now the fourth member of his family to have received a Padma award.
The Padma Bhushan, India's third-highest civilian award, was bestowed upon Aditya Birla Group chairman Kumar Mangalam Birla on Wednesday. President Droupadi Murmu conferred the award upon KM Birla at the Padma awards ceremony held at the Rashtrapati Bhavan in Delhi. Kumar Mangalam Birla was awarded the Padma Bhushan for his commendable contribution to the field of trade and industry. He is now the fourth member of his family to have received a Padma award.
At a meeting with senior officials this evening to review preparedness of the healthcare system, the Prime Minister advised mock drills in hospitals, and a need for vigilance. He emphasised the need for lab surveillance, genome testing and testing of all Severe Acute Respiratory Illness cases today as the country witnessed an uptick in Covid-19 and influenza. He also underscored the need for maintaining respiratory hygiene and Covid-appropriate behavior.
A 2.7 magnitude earthquake struck the national capital on Wednesday, the National Centre for Seismology said. The quake occurred at 4:42 pm. The epicentre was in west Delhi and the depth was five kilometres, it said. A powerful earthquake of 6.8-magnitude had jolted the city on Tuesday night and its epicentre was in Afghanistan's Hindu Kush region, while its depth was 156 kilometres.
Amid an uptick in COVID-19 cases, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will hold a high-level meeting on Wednesday to review the situation and public health preparedness, officials said. India has recorded 1,134 new coronavirus cases, while the active cases increased to 7,026, according to the Union Health Ministry data updated on Wednesday.
Delhi's Rouse Avenue Court sent Manish Sisodia to Judicial Custody till April 5, 2023 in excise policy scam case, the ANI reported.
Supreme Court agrees to constitute a bench to hear pleas challenging the pre-mature release of 11 convicts who had gang-raped Bilkis Bano and murdered her family members during the 2002 Godhra riots.
India recorded 1,134 new coronavirus cases, while the active cases increased to 7,026, according to the Union Health Ministry data updated on Wednesday. The death toll climbed to 5,30,813 with five deaths with one each reported by Chhattisgarh, Delhi, Gujarat and Maharashtra and one reconciled by Kerala, the data updated at 8 am stated.
An earthquake of 6.8 magnitudes shook parts of Pakistan on Tuesday, killing nine people and injuring over 160 others, local media reported. The epicentre of the earthquake was Afghanistan's Hindu Kush region, while its depth was 180 kilometres, according to the Pakistan Meteorological Department. Earthquake tremors were felt in Lahore, Islamabad, Rawalpindi, Quetta, Peshawar, Kohat, Lakki Marwat, and other areas of the country. Strong tremors were also felt in Gujranwala, Gujrat, Sialkot, Kot Momin, Madh Ranjha, Chakwal, Kohat and in Gilgit-Baltistan areas, local media reported.
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Maharashtra reports one Covid death, 334 new cases in last 24 hours
Amid rising Covid-19 cases in the country, Maharashtra on Wednesday reported one Covid death and recorded 334 new cases, the state Public Health Department said on Wednesday. With the fresh infections, the active cases in the state stand at 1,648. According to the bulletin, the recovery rate in the state is 98.16 per cent.
Out of 86,563,502 laboratory samples, 8,140,479 have tested positive (09.40 per cent) forCOVID-19 until today.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, today chaired a high-level meeting to assess the Covid-19 and influenza situation in the country in terms of preparedness of health infrastructure and logistics, the status of the vaccination campaign, the emergence of new Covid-19 variants and influenza types and their public health implications for the country.
9:39 PM
Zelensky visits frontline
President Volodymyr Zelensky said that he visited military positions near the frontline town of Bakhmut in eastern Ukraine, as a Russian strike battered a residential building leaving dozens injured.At least one person was killed and 32 more injured in the block of flats in Zaporizhzhia, a city near the frontline, just before Zelensky announced his visit to the front, the mayor said.And officials announced the death toll from a separate overnight drone attack by Russia on a school south of the capital Kyiv had risen to seven, with another nine injured.
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Amritpal's mentor Papalpreet helped him escape police dragnet
The brains behind pro-Khalistan fugitive Amritpal Singh's escape from the police dragnet was 38-year-old Papalpreet Singh, who was in close contact with Pakistan's ISI and was taking instructions from it, officials said on Wednesday. They said Papalpreet Singh is considered one of Amritpal Singh's mentors who had been advising him on various issues. Papalpreet had been working with Amritpal closely since he returned to India last year and took over the reins of 'Waris Punjab De', an organisation founded by actor Deep Sidhu, who died in a road accident in 2021
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A giant Tricolour put up by the Indian High Commission team atop the High Commission building in London, UK
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Union Home Minister Amit Shah meets Padma awardees as he hosts a dinner for them
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President Murmu confers the Padma Bhushan award on Kumar Mangalam Birla in the field of Trade & Industry
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PM Modi's meet to assess Covid-19, Influenza situation
PM directed officials to enhance Whole Genome Sequencing of Positive Samples with the designated INSACOG Genome Sequencing Laboratories. This will support tracking of newer variants, if any, and timely response: PMO
PM emphasized Covid appropriate behaviour including wearing of masks in hospital premises by both patients, health professionals and health workers. He also stressed that wearing of masks is advisable when senior citizens and those with co-morbidities visit crowded areas: Prime Minister's Office (PMO)
He directed that effective monitoring of IRI/SARI cases, and testing for Influenza, SARS-CoV-2 and Adenovirus be followed up with States. Further, Prime Minister stressed the need to ensure availability of required Drugs & Logistics for Influenza & Covid-19 across Health Facilities along with availability of sufficient beds & health human resources: PMO
He highlighted that Covid-19 pandemic is far from over and there is a need to monitor the status across the country on regular basis. Prime Minister advised to continue focusing on 5-fold strategy of Test-Track-Treat-Vaccination & Covid Appropriate Behaviour, enhance Lab Surveillance & testing of all Severe Acute Respiratory Illness (SARI) cases. Mock drills should be conducted regularly to ensure that our hospitals are ready for all exigencies: PMO
8:20 PM
The month of Ramzan to begin on 24th March 2023, announces Maulana Khalid Rashid Firangi Mahali
8:18 PM
Boris Johnson faces high-stakes grilling over 'partygate'
Boris Johnson is back where he likes to be: at the center of attention. But he's not so happy about the reason. Britain's former prime minister faces a grilling Wednesday by a committee of lawmakers over whether he misled Parliament about rule-breaking parties in government buildings during the coronavirus pandemic
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Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma shares on Twitter, the resolution adopted by Assam Assembly against BBC
Topics : Narendra Modi Coronavirus Manish Sisodia Delhi AAP Earthquake Pakistan Credit Suisse Death toll Maharashtra Switzerland UBS Bank Pro-Khalistan terrorists
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First Published: Mar 22 2023 | 8:31 AM IST