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Fadnavis joins Gudi Padwa rally in Nagpur, pledges development for state

Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis greeted people on the occasion of Gudi Padwa and the Hindu New Year on Thursday, reaffirming his commitment to propel the state forward and bring positive change in every person's life. The CM participated in a 'shobhayatra' (procession) organised on the occasion in his hometown Nagpur. Speaking to reporters during the event, Fadnavis emphasised conserving the culture and traditions. Asked about his resolution for the Hindu New Year, Fadnavis said he aims to take Maharashtra forward and bring positive change in the lives of every person in the state. The CM said he was very happy to participate in the Gudi Padwa 'shobhayatra' in Nagpur and extended best wishes to the entire nation. The festival is being celebrated with enthusiasm and pomp across the state, with people hoisting "gudis" at their houses, which is considered auspicious and believed to bring good luck and fortune. The word 'Gudi' means a flag and 'Padwa' is Pratipada, the f

Strike on Iran South Pars gas field coordinated with US: Israeli officials

Trump said in a social media post that Washington "knew nothing about this particular attack" and that Israel would not attack the gas field further unless Iran again attacked Qatar

Iran strikes took out 17% LNG export capacity for 3-5 yrs: QatarEnergy CEO

Missile strikes damaged key LNG facilities in Qatar, triggering fires and disrupting exports. QatarEnergy says repairs could take up to five years, impacting global gas supplies

The missing piece: A cohesive national framework on India's urbanisation

India's 2026 policy framework recognises the importance of urban growth, but falls short of offering a cohesive, data-driven national urbanisation strategy to guide planning and investment

US may lift sanctions on 140 mn barrels of Iranian oil on the seas: Bessent

The US hasn't been targeting Iran's energy assets in the war, he said. With regard to Kharg Island, a key Iranian export hub, it mounted a "precision strike" against the military assets

US will launch 'largest strike package yet' against Iran today: Hegseth

The US defence secretary reiterated that only President Donald Trump would decide when the war would end, adding that Iran's naval and missile manufacturing capabilities had been severely eroded

Crude at $100: Should you lock in home loan rates before FY26?

Rising crude oil prices amid tensions in West Asia could affect inflation and the RBI's rate trajectory. Borrowers may consider locking in home loan rates before the financial year ends

Sergio Gor in Sri Lanka for talks on sea lanes, port security amid Iran war

The US Special Representative for South and Central Asia Sergio Gor and Sri Lanka President Anura Kumara Dissanayake on Thursday discussed strengthening of bilateral relations and the island nation's position on the West Asia crisis. The US Special envoys' visit to Sri Lanka comes at a time when Sri Lanka came to be embroiled in the joint US-Israeli war against Iran since February 28. Gor met with Dissanayake at the Presidential Secretariat as part of "US efforts to safeguard vital sea lanes and secure ports, reinforce mutually beneficial trade and commercial ties, and advance a free, open, and prosperous Indo-Pacific for the benefit of both our peoples," a release from the US Pacific Command said. Gor and Dissanayake's "discussions focused on strengthening bilateral ties and Sri Lanka's position on the Middle East conflict and its challenges," the President's Media Division (PMD) said in a post on X. The US Special envoy will also travel to Maldives after Sri Lanka in the 5-day vi

JSW unit seeks govt help to secure gas supply amid Iran war shortage

India's small steel producers have warned of production halts due to gas shortages, Reuters reported earlier

Sikkim govt raises DA, DR by 5% for employees, pensioners from July 1

The Sikkim government has announced a 5 per cent hike in the dearness allowance (DA) and dearness relief (DR) for its employees and pensioners, respectively, an official notification said. The hikes will come into retrospective effect from July 1, 2025. As per the revised rate, the DA for employees and DR for pensioners drawing pay under pre-revised structure have been raised from 252 per cent to 257 per cent, the financial department circular issued on Wednesday said. For employees and pensioners under the revised pay structure, the DA and DR rates will go up from 55 per cent to 58 per cent, the circular added. The DA at these rates will also be admissible to the employees appointed on a contract basis.

Iran war lifts bottled water prices in India, wipes out tax cut gains

Bisleri, Coca-Cola, Pepsi, billionaire Mukesh Ambani's Reliance and Tata all compete for a share of the $5 billion market

US Fed holds rates, signals one cut in 2026 despite higher inflation

Inflation, as measured by the Fed's preferred gauge, was expected to end the year at 2.7 per cent , not far below its current rate and higher than the 2.4 per cent projected in December

Heavy rain, gusty winds hit north India; snow in J&K, Himachal hills

Heavy rains and gusty winds hit the northern states on Wednesday, with a few places in Himachal Pradesh and Jammu and Kashmir receiving snow. The national capital Delhi also witnessed a turbulent weather in the evening as gusty winds, dust storms and thunderstorms, accompanied by rain, swept across parts of the city. Meanwhile, the India Meteorological Department, in an X post, said it has issued "an orange warning for light to moderate thunderstorm with lightning and gusty wind activity along with light to moderate rain over Jammu region and Himachal Pradesh", along with some other states. Some areas in the higher reaches of Kashmir received fresh snowfall on Wednesday, while rain lashed most parts of the Valley. Pir Ki Gali in Shopian district and Sonamarg in Ganderbal district received snowfall, even as most mountains in the Valley -- which have been receiving intermittent snow since Sunday -- remained covered by layers of white. The plains, including Srinagar, were lashed by r

Coal India's arm CMPDIL raises ₹470 cr via anchor investors ahead of IPO

Central Mine Planning and Design Institute (CMPDIL), an arm of state-owned Coal India, on Wednesday said it has mobilised Rs 470 crore from anchor investors, ahead of its initial share-sale opening for public subscription. Life Insurance Corporation (LIC), Nippon India Mutual Fund (MF), Edelweiss MF, ICICI Prudential MF, Baring Private Equity India Fund, General Insurance Corporation of India and Edelweiss Life Insurance Corporation are among the anchor investors, according to a circular uploaded on BSE's website. Also, Societe Generale, Citigroup, Goldman Sachs and BNP Paribas Financial Markets participated in the anchor round. As per the circular, the state-owned firm allotted 2.73 crore equity shares to 22 funds at Rs 172 per piece, aggregating the transaction size to Rs 469.74 crore. Of these funds, LIC has been allocated shares to the tune of Rs 105 crore. CMPDIL's Rs 1,842-crore initial public offering (IPO) will open for subscription on March 20 and conclude on March 24. T

US states, cities sue Trump over his move to scrap climate regulations

The suit, which also follows an earlier challenge filed by a coalition of environmental groups, also includes the states of Michigan, Connecticut, and Virginia and cities of New York, Boston, Chicago

IAEA says status of Iran's Isfahan enrichment facility remains unknown

A projectile hit an area near Iran's Bushehr nuclear power plant on Tuesday evening, however it caused no damage or injuries, Iran told the IAEA

Pakistan extends airspace ban on Indian airlines for another month

Pakistan on Wednesday extended the airspace ban for Indian aircraft for another month. The Pakistan Airport Authority (PAA) made the decision through a fresh Notice to Airmen (NOTAM). The notice was issued days before the previous one was set to expire on March 23. PAA said that Pakistan's airspace would remain closed to all aircraft registered in India till April 24, adding the restriction would continue to apply to aircraft operated, owned, or leased by Indian airlines or operators. It added that the restriction also covered Indian military flights. Pakistan's airspace is divided into two Flight Information Regions (FIRs) - Karachi and Lahore, according to a Pakistan Civil Aviation Authority (PCAA) document from 2022. The NOTAM applies to both the Karachi and Lahore FIRs. India and Pakistan closed their respective airspace to each other's airlines last year due to tension in the wake of an attack on Pahalgam that killed 26 people.

Chanakya and Sun Tzu: Making a pragmatic case for India-China engagement

It is time for India and China to walk the same path, with the former's wisdom and the latter's strategy converging, not clashing, to forge a new dawn for Asia, argue authors of Chanakya and Sun Tzu

Govt says 19.5 mn more beneficiaries can be added under Food Security Act

The Centre on Wednesday said that there is scope to add 1.95 crore beneficiaries under the National Food Security Act (NFSA). Under the NFSA or food law, the Centre provides 5 kg of foodgrains per person per month free of cost to Priority Households (PHH) beneficiaries through ration shops. Antyodaya Anna Yojana (AAY) households get 35 kg of free foodgrains per month. In a written reply to Lok Sabha, Minister of State for Food and Consumer Affairs Nimuben Jayantibhai Bambhaniya said the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana (PMGKAY) under the NFSA provides for coverage of up to 75 per cent of the rural and up to 50 per cent of the urban population for receiving free of cost foodgrains. As per the Census 2011, the total beneficiaries come to about 81.35 crore. The coverage under the PMGKAY is substantially high to ensure that all the vulnerable and needy sections of society get their benefits. "At present, against the intended coverage of 81.35 crore, the States/UTs have identifi

Iran threatens to hit energy assets in Gulf after attack on South Pars

Iran's state television published a threat Wednesday, saying that the Islamic Republic would be attacking oil and gas infrastructure in Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. The threat resembled other attack warnings put out by Iran during the war, copying the style used by the Israeli military. Iran specifically threatened Saudi Arabia's Samref Refinery and its Jubail Petrochemical Complex. It also threatened the UAE's Al Hasan Gas Field and the petrochemical plants and a refinery in the Qatar. It comes after Iran said its South Pars gas field and associated infrastructure came under attack earlier Wednesday.