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Chennai: The escalating tensions in the Middle East saw a spurt in the prices of crude, natural gas, gold and silver on Monday. Analysts warn that prices could move further northwards if the tensions remain heightened. In the Multi Commodity Exchange, crude prices gained 8.5 per cent to Rs 6600 per barrel from the Friday closing level of Rs 6092. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) prices moved up 7.6 per cent on Monday, a day after Iran supreme leader Ayatollah Khamenei died in a US-Israeli strike. ...Read More >
Pune: Mercedes-Benz, India's biggest German luxury car maker, on Monday introduced the all-new V-Class, its luxury van, at an introductory price of Rs 1.4 crore at pan India showroom. The V-Class with a long wheelbase and with 6 seats in three rows, will be manufactured at its Chakan factory, near Pune, to provide the price advantage to buyers. The V-Class competes with premium MPVs like the Toyota Vellfire and Lexus LM in the Indian market. "The demand for spacious luxury vans is growing in ...Read More >
New Delhi, Mar 2 (PTI) Shares of oil marketing companies and paint manufacturers declined on Monday in-line with a weak trend in equities as deepening conflict in West Asia drove crude oil prices higher. The stock of Indian Oil Corporation tumbled 4.53 per cent, Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Ltd dropped 3.36 per cent, and Bharat Petroleum Corporation Ltd declined 2.81 per cent on the BSE. "A sustained rise in oil remains a key monitorable for India, given its implications on inflation, fisca ...Read More >
NEW DELHI -- Foreign Affairs Minister Anita Anand will not say whether or not Canada sees U.S.-Israeli strikes on Iran as a violation of international law. The minister faced repeated questions about the conflict while taking part in a media scrum in New Delhi, filling in for Prime Minister Mark Carney who abruptly cancelled his scheduled meeting with reporters. The United States and Israel launched a major attack on Iran Saturday that killed the Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Iranian ...Read More >
Amethi (UP), Mar 2 (PTI) Several people, including four students, from Uttar Pradesh's Amethi are stranded in Iran amid the ongoing joint strikes by the United States and Israel, police said on Monday. They are all residents of Bhanauli village under the Musafirkhana area here, they said. According to police, the four students -- Kunail (18), Syed Imam Ali (20), Mohammad Aamir (25) and Taraheer Fatima (25) -- along with Sadaf (30), Musaithyab (35), Nusrat Hussain (55), and their families are s ...Read More >
Chennai, Mar 2 (PTI) DMK would struggle to win even 25 to 30 seats in the upcoming Assembly elections if the Congress exits its alliance, TVK leader C T R Nirmal Kumar claimed here on Monday. Speaking to reporters following a series of state-wide cadre meetings, Kumar asserted that the ruling party's current strength is heavily dependent on its partners. "If the Congress is not there, DMK cannot cross 25 to 30 seats. This is the ground reality today. Even in 2006, the DMK would not have crosse ...Read More >
New Delhi [India], March 2 (ANI): The central government has retained an 8.25 per cent annual rate of interest to be credited on Employees' Provident Fund (EPF) accumulations in members' accounts for the financial year 2025-26, according to the Ministry of Labour and Employment of India. The interest rate would be officially notified by the Government of India, following which the Employees' Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) would credit the rate of interest into the subscribers' accounts. Th ...Read More >
Kolkata, Mar 2 (PTI) West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday launched a blistering attack on the EC over deletions in the post-SIR rolls, alleging a "nexus" between the poll panel and the BJP to disenfranchise genuine voters, and help the saffron party in the upcoming assembly elections. Banerjee, in her first reaction after the publication of West Bengal's post-Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls on February 28, claimed that the deletions had been carried out "deli ...Read More >
Bhubaneswar, Mar 2 (PTI) BJD president Naveen Patnaik on Monday urged the Centre to take immediate steps for safe evacuation of Odias who were stranded in West Asia due to the disruption of air connectivity amid escalating conflict. A swift action will not only protect lives but also reassure countless families back home who are waiting to hear about the well-being of their loved ones, said Patnaik, a five-time former chief minister of Odisha. Though the exact number of Odia people stranded in ...Read More >
Barwani (Madhya Pradesh) [India], March 2 (ANI): Holi 2026 is just around the corner, and the festive mood has begun to show across the country, even among political leaders. On Monday morning, Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav was seen enjoying the spirit of Holi while he was travelling to Barwani for the Krishi Cabinet meeting. During his bus journey, the Chief Minister joined a folk singer and was seen singing "Phag," a traditional Holi folk song. Yadav was seen enjoying and humming ...Read More >
NEW DELHI, March 2 (Xinhua) -- India and Canada on Monday signed a long-term deal worth 1.9 billion U.S. dollars for uranium supply aimed at expanding nuclear energy generation projects in India. The significant deal was inked in the presence of visiting Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Carney was in New Delhi on a four-day official visit. The uranium supply deal would contribute towards India's vision for its nuclear power program under the federal ...Read More >
DUBAI: An Indian national was killed on Monday when an explosive-laden unmanned boat struck an oil tanker off the coast of Muscat Governorate, according to reports. "The Maritime Security Centre reported that the oil tanker MKD VYOM was attacked by an unmanned boat 52 nautical miles off the coast of Muscat Governorate," Oman's Ministry of Defence said in a statement. It said that the attack resulted in a fire and explosion in the engine room and the death of one crew member. The remaining 21 c ...Read More >
NEW DELHI -- Foreign Affairs Minister Anita Anand is refusing to say whether Canada believes the American and Israeli strikes on Iran that sparked an escalated conflict in the Middle East are consistent with international law, after her government declared support for the action to prevent the Islamic theocracy from obtaining nuclear weapons. Speaking to reporters instead of Prime Minister Mark Carney on Monday -- the prime minister cancelled the only news conference of a four-day trip to India ...Read More >
Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, Mar 2 (PTI) Maharashtra minister and Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Shirsat on Monday took a jibe at Sanjay Raut by saying the Shiv Sena (UBT) Rajya Sabha MP should talk to US President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in connection with the Iran war. Raut had earlier attacked the Centre and questioned its foreign policy in connection with the war and the killing of "friend" Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Speaking to reporters in Chh ...Read More >
New Delhi: Telecom major Vodafone Idea (VIL) on Monday joined hands with Swedish communications gear maker Ericsson to modernise its post-paid services, while supporting its ongoing network expansion across the country. Ericsson will continue to strengthen VIL's network footprint through the deployment and integration of new network sites, capacity augmentation, and coverage expansion, according to the company's release. The company also said that these efforts will lead to enhancing indoor cov ...Read More >
New Delhi, Mar 2 (PTI) The All India Football Federation (AIFF) on Monday invited bids for the commercial rights of both men's and women's club competitions for a period of 15 years minimum starting with the 2026-2027 season. The AIFF has offered two packages for bidding pertaining to men's and women's club competitions. Package A consists of Indian Super League (or seniormost men's league) and Federation Cup (or seniormost cup competition). Package B comprises Indian Women's League (IWL) and ...Read More >
New Delhi, March 2 (UNI): In a shocking act allegedly fueled by greed, a man was murdered by his friend and accomplices, his body was chopped into pieces, and it was dumped in the Yamuna after he refused to give them money, an official said on Monday. Four individuals, including a woman, have been taken into custody in connection with the murder that occurred on February 18. The prime accused, Happy, alias Suraj, had befriended Anroop Gupta nearly a year ago. Gupta ran a canteen at Chhattisgar ...Read More >
Mumbai: Mourning the death of Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, 'Bigg Boss 19' fame Farrhana Bhatt described him as a messiah who will forever remain in the hearts of countless admirers. "Woh ek aisi shaksiyat hai, jinko kabhi bhulaya nahi jaa sakta. He will be alive in our hearts, and definitely Allah unki shahadat qabool kare. Kashmiri jitne bhi log hai bahot hie iss chiz jhulaz chuke hai, dil dahel chuka hai sabka (He is such a personality who can never be forgotten. He will rema ...Read More >
Hyderabad: Vijay Deverakonda and Rashmika Mandanna's wedding has captured the hearts of millions across the country. After their intimate wedding ceremony in Udaipur on February 26, the couple is all set to host their grand reception at Taj Krishna in Hyderabad on March 4, 2026. Initially planned as an ultra-exclusive event, the couple has decided to implement stricter security measures following advice from authorities. Due to the overwhelming excitement surrounding their wedding, the couple a ...Read More >
Chennai: The inordinate delay in finalizing the seat-sharing for the coming Assembly elections by both the major coalitions, one led by the DMK and the other by the AIADMK-BJP combine, has triggered speculations of possible realignments ahead of the polls with many fearing the breaking of the decade long ties between the DMK and the Congress, going by the latest averments of AICC leader Girish Chodankar. Chodankar telling a news agency in Delhi that the 25 seats offered by the DMK when it resum ...Read More >
Kolkata, March 2: As the holy month of Ramadan continues, Muslims across India will observe the 13th Roza on Tuesday, March 3, 2026, with devotion, fasting and prayer. Each fasting day is defined by two key moments: Sehri, the pre-dawn meal before Fajr, and Iftar, the meal at sunset that marks the end of the fast. These timings determine the daily boundaries of fasting and are followed with great care by devotees. Fasting, known as Sawm, is one of the Five Pillars of Islam. From dawn to sunset, ...Read More >
New Delhi: The Department of Commerce, under the Ministry of Commerce & Industry, convened a high-level stakeholder consultation to address the impact of the emerging geopolitical situation on India's export-import (EXIM) cargo and strengthen the export ecosystem. Stakeholders discussed the evolving operational environment, including changes in global shipping routes, transit timelines, vessel scheduling, container availability, freight and insurance costs and the impact on time-sensitive expor ...Read More >
Hyderabad: Mercedes-Benz has launched the 2026 iteration of the V-Class in India. The luxury van features several exterior and interior upgrades and a new petrol engine option. It is the facelifted version of the previous V-Class, which was sold between 2019 and 2022. The 2026 Mercedes-Benz V-Class is priced at Rs 1.4 crore (ex-showroom). In India, this new luxury van will compete with cars like the Lexus LM and Toyota Vellfire, BMW X7, and Audi Q7. 2026 Mercedes-Benz V-Class: Design The 2026 ...Read More >
Mumbai: Mid-growing confusion over the exact date of Holi celebrations this year, Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Nirupam on Monday sought to clarify the situation, linking the uncertainty to a lunar eclipse coinciding with the festive period. Speaking to IANS, Nirupam said the rare overlap of the festival calendar and the celestial event has resulted in differing interpretations among priests and religious bodies regarding the appropriate day and time for observance. "There is considerable confusion t ...Read More >
Bhubaneswar: As the Rajya Sabha election date gets closer, the political temperature in Odisha continues to rise; the state unit of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has reportedly purchased 16 sets of nomination forms for the election to four seats. MLAs of the saffron party namely Saroj Kumar Pradhan, Ashrit Pattanayak, Dusmanta Kumar Swain, Raghunath Jagadala and Pratap Chandra Nayak bought a total of 16 sets of nomination forms from the returning officer today. They purchased the nomination ...Read More >
NEW DELHI: The Central Board of Trustees (CBT) has recommended an 8.25% rate of interest on Employees' Provident Fund (EPF) deposits for the financial year 2025-26, offering continued relief and stable returns to over six crore subscribers amid global economic uncertainties. The decision was taken at the 239th meeting of the CBT chaired by Union Labour and Employment Minister Mansukh Mandaviya in New Delhi on Monday. The interest rate will be officially notified by the Government of India, foll ...Read More >
New Delhi, March 2 (SocialNews.XYZ) In a unique initiative to celebrate women in sport, a massive nationwide athletics league at 250 locations will be held under the Union Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports' ASMITA (Achieving Sports Milestone by Inspiring Women Through Action) programme to celebrate International Women's Day on March 8, Minister of State for Sports, Raksha Nikhil Khadse announced in New Delhi on Monday. "There can't be a better opportunity to integrate our young women across ...Read More >
Guwahati, March 2 (SocialNews.XYZ) Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Monday said that public feedback received during the ongoing Jana Ashirwad Yatra has been overwhelmingly in favour of the BJP, asserting that people across constituencies are seeking continuity of the present government. Sharing his experience from the yatra, Sarma said he has covered 12 Assembly constituencies so far, and the response from the people has been "unanimous", with crowds echoing the sentiment of "Phir e ...Read More >
Chandigarh, March 2 (SocialNews.XYZ) Amid escalating conflict in parts of the Middle East, Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann on Monday announced a round-the-clock helpline to assist stranded Punjabis, asking families to call 0172 2260042, 0172 2260043 or WhatsApp +91 94787 79112 for immediate support. Stating that the state government is in constant touch with the Government of India to ensure their safe and prompt return, he said Punjab will extend full support and cooperation to those ...Read More >
New Delhi, Mar 2 (PTI) Equity investors became poorer by Rs 6.59 lakh crore on Monday as markets faced a massive drubbing amid rising tensions in West Asia that weighed heavily on sentiments. The 30-share BSE Sensex tanked 2,743.46 points or 3.37 per cent to 78,543.73 in early trade. It later ended at 80,238.85, down 1,048.34 points or 1.29 per cent. The market capitalisation of BSE-listed companies eroded by Rs 6,59,978.08 crore to Rs 4,56,90,693.19 crore (USD 5 trillion). "Indian equities w ...Read More >
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