Top 10 Headlines: Russian FM Lavrov lambasts US; Japan PM Kishida to visit India & more

India's legitimate energy transactions with Russia shouldn't be politicised: Sources

Days after the US cautioned India on buying discounted crude oil from Russia, government sources stressed that legitimate energy transactions should not be politicised. India's high dependence on imports is evident from the fact that nearly 85% of the country's crude oil requirement, i.e 5 million barrels a day has to be imported. While most of the imports are from West Asia- Iraq (23%), Saudi Arabia (18%) and UAE (11%), 7.3% of India's crude oil imports are from the US. As per government sources, the US might account for around 11% of India's crude oil imports in the upcoming months.

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Zelenskyy’s adviser says ceasefire impossible while Russia's attacks on Ukraine continue

Amid escalations in the Russia-Ukraine war, Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s adviser, Oleksiy Arestovych on Friday said that the Russian troops were slowing down advancements. Arestovych said that the Russian troops were taking hits in areas and the remaining were being put to areas they feel confident. The President’s adviser also added that it was impossible to have a ceasefire agreement while the fighting continued.

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Japan's PM Fumio Kishida to visit India on March 19 for 14th India-Japan Annual Summit

Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida is scheduled to visit India for a two-day trip from March 19 for the 14th India-Japan Annual Summit. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Japanese counterpart will hold talks on Saturday and discuss the strengthening of bilateral ties in diverse areas and advancing cooperation for peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific and beyond.

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Russia's Lavrov dubs Ukraine 'Pentagon's biggest' bio lab project; 'Created across world'

In a massive allegation, Russia's Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has claimed that the United States had created several biological laboratories across countries, including many on the territories of former Soviet republics. Accusing the US of creating more than 300 such labs, the Russian FM claimed that Ukraine is probably the biggest project for the Pentagon.

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Veerappa Moily ‘dissociates’ himself from G23; avers 'there cannot be a parallel Congress'

Even as the dissenting G23 Congress leaders hold parleys over reforms and leadership issues in the party, some leaders continue to back the Congress leadership. Former Union Minister M Veerappa Moily, who was earlier part of the G23 has disassociated with the group saying there cannot be a parallel Congress. 

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Omar Abdullah accuses 'The Kashmir Files' makers of 'manipulating facts'

Former J&K CM and National Conference (NC) leader Omar Abdullah on Friday hit out at the makers of 'The Kashmir Files', accusing them of 'manipulating facts' and lying about the incidents that had taken place during the exodus of Kashmiri pandits in the 1990s. Affirming his party's support to the community, Omar Abdullah asserted that there was a need to create an environment where Kashmiri pandits can return to the valley, and claimed that the makers of the film, did not want them to return.

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Desperate Pak PM Imran Khan begs own party's rebel lawmakers to abstain from trust vote

In a last-ditch attempt to save his government, Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan on Friday wrote a letter to members of the national assembly asking them to abstain from voting on the no-confidence motion against him. Apart from the letter, the Pakistan Premier is also holding a massive rally where over 10 lakh people are invited, Pakistan's Interior Minister Sheikh Rasheed Ahmad announced. Rasheed also hit out at the dissenting PTI leaders who were holed up in the Sindh House, however, he assured that unlike the events of March 11, they won't storm into the place. 

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Russian FM Sergey Lavrov slams US, asserts it wants to establish 'American Village'

In a key development, Russia's Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, on Friday slammed the United States amid the ongoing war in Ukraine. In an interview with Associated Press, Lavrov spoke about the economic sanctions imposed on Russia and asserted that Washington seeks to establish a "unipolar world," which would not be like a "global village" but more like an "American village." Moreover, he added that the United States is influencing the entire Western world.

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Cyclone Asani: IMD predicts low-pressure area, heavy rains over Andaman & Nicobar Islands

On March 19, a low-pressure area over the southeast Bay of Bengal and the surrounding south Andaman Sea is expected to become a well-marked low-pressure area, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) informed. Last week, the Indian Metrological Department had issued a warning that a low-pressure region was building over the southwest Indian Ocean and that it was likely to grow into a cyclone by early next week. The IMD issued a warning this week that the cyclone is expected to make landfall in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands on March 21, most likely.

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Tamil Nadu tables Budget for FY 2022-23, notes fall in revenue deficit; Key highlights

The DMK-led government in Tamil Nadu tabled the budget for the 2022-23 financial year in the Assembly on Friday highlighting that the revenue deficit of the state has come down for the first time in eight years. The budget was presented in a paperless form by State Finance Minister PTR Palanivel Thiagarajan. Speaking during the presentation of the Budget, the finance minister said that the revenue deficit of the state has decreased by over Rs 7,000 crore taking it down from 4.15% to 3.08% adding that failure to get GST compensation of the Centre will result in the loss of Rs 20,000 crore to the government. 

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Image: Republic World