News Today Live Updates, 19 March | Crisis in sugar sector may deepen with drought ahead in Maharashtra

Latest News Live Updates | At least 179 sugar mills have shut crushing operations due to shortage of cane.

News Today Live Updates, 19 March | For the first time, the US has admitted to having been clueless about an attack under the “joint operation” with Israel against Iran. US President Donald Trump on Thursday said the US had no clue about Israel launching an attack on the South Pars Gas Field in Iran. He also said Iran did not know this and “unfairly attacked” Qatar’s LNG facility.

DeepMind founder Demis Hassabis announced on Wednesday that Jasjeet Sekhon, a senior leader at Bridgewater Associates, is moving to Google’s AI division to serve as its Chief Strategy Officer. While Sekhon is stepping down from his positions as Chief Scientist and Head of AI at Bridgewater, he isn’t cutting ties with the firm entirely; he is slated to join their board of directors following his transition to DeepMind.

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Two days before 50 question papers of the SSC Geography examination were stolen from a strong room at Sangola Vidyamandir and Junior College near Solapur, there had already been an attempted break-in at the same location. No action was taken.

Disclaimer: This is an AI-generated live blog and has not been edited by Indian Express staff.

Live Updates
Mar 19, 2026 08:11 PM IST
Mumbai News Live Updates | Crisis in sugar sector may deepen with drought ahead in Maharashtra
At least 179 sugar mills have shut crushing operations due to shortage of cane.
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Mar 19, 2026 08:09 PM IST
Delhi News Live Updates | Take all permissible actions to ensure peaceful and dignified Eid in Uttam Nagar, Delhi High Court tells police, Govt
APCR, civil rights group that moved court, says police did not act against people who had gathered in park and ‘called for murder’; HC tells police to be ‘extra cautious’
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Mar 19, 2026 08:03 PM IST
World News Live Updates | ‘Worst-case scenario’: WHO admits it is preparing for nuclear catastrophe threat in Iran war
WHO nuclear risk warning highlights fears of a catastrophe as US-Israel strikes on Iran’s atomic sites raise concerns over global fallout and safety.
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Mar 19, 2026 07:55 PM IST
India News Live Updates | ‘Has anyone raised their hand at you?’: Uttarakhand HC calls ‘Mohammad’ Deepak’s petition bid to ‘influence investigation’
Petition seeks quashing of FIR against him as well as action against ‘erring’ police officials
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Mar 19, 2026 07:54 PM IST
Lucknow News Live Updates | Arrest over Ganga iftar party: Owner says gave boat for hire, was taken by surprise over row
Varanasi resident Kashi Sahani says Naju Yadav, who took the 14 men who have been arrested for a ride, often hires boats from him
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Mar 19, 2026 07:40 PM IST
Chandigarh News Live Updates | Rs 8-crore dispute, gang rivalry suspected behind Chandigarh property dealer’s murder
Victim Chamanpreet Singh Chini (31) was working as a property dealer, primarily operating in Mohali, Kharar and Kurali.
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Mar 19, 2026 07:35 PM IST
Mumbai News Live Updates | Mumbai gets fully online property mutation system; no office visits needed: Bawankule
The system covers as many as 45 categories of property mutations under a single interface, including cases related to sale deeds, inheritance, gift deeds, leases, mortgages, land acquisition, reservations and road setbacks.
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Mar 19, 2026 07:17 PM IST
World News Live Updates | Chilling video: The moment a missile struck metres away from RT journalist in Lebanon
While reporting on the situation in southern Lebanon, RT news correspondent and a cameraperson had narrow escaped from being pounded by an Israeli missile strike.
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Mar 19, 2026 06:43 PM IST
Chandigarh News Live Updates | ‘Medical negligence’: State consumer panel orders Mohali hospital, doctors to pay Rs 45 lakh for teenager’s death
The order came on an appeal filed by Kavita, the mother of Gurpreet Kaur, who died in December 2021.
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Mar 19, 2026 06:42 PM IST
Pune News Live Updates | ‘Our identity is non-negotiable’: Pune’s queer community mobilises against transgender rights amendment bill
Critics argue that the Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Amendment Bill, 2026, replaces the right to self-identification with invasive medical boards, violating the landmark 2014 NALSA judgment.
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Mar 19, 2026 06:33 PM IST
Pune News Live Updates | ‘Our identity is non-negotiable’: Pune’s queer community mobilises against transgender rights amendment bill
Critics argue that the bill violates the landmark 2014 NALSA judgment.
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Mar 19, 2026 06:16 PM IST
Chandigarh News Live Updates | Punjab makes fresh pitch for global investment
Industry leaders, policy push signal renewed momentum at investors summit
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Mar 19, 2026 05:50 PM IST
Kolkata News Live Updates | EC sends 15 IPS officers from Bengal for election observer duty in TN, Kerala, then pauses order for 5
Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee lashed out at the EC’s ‘proactiveness’, alleging that the transfers were executed without state consultation.
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Mar 19, 2026 05:44 PM IST
India News Live Updates | Train to Sikkim: Sevoke-Rangpo railway project achieves major tunnel breakthrough, commissioning likely by Dec 2027
Sevoke-Rangpo railway project advances with a major tunnel breakthrough, bringing Sikkim closer to rail connectivity and targeting commissioning by December 2027.
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Mar 19, 2026 05:18 PM IST
India News Live Updates | Two decades on, Chhattisgarh puts number of tribals displaced by Maoist violence at 31,098
The push came over three years after an association of such IDPs approached the Commission in March 2022, alleging that the governments of Telangana and Andhra Pradesh were “taking away their lands” in forest areas.
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Mar 19, 2026 04:45 PM IST
Mumbai News Live Updates | Massive land record fraud hits up to 2 lakh families; Maharashtra orders statewide audit
Revenue Minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule admits misuse of Section 155 for fraudulent ownership changes.
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Mar 19, 2026 04:43 PM IST
Kolkata News Live Updates | ‘BJP will win in Bhabanipur by more than 25,000 votes’: Suvendu Adhikari sets stage for ‘rematch’ with Mamata Banerjee
West Bengal Assembly Elections 2026: Following his 2021 victory in Nandigram, Suvendu Adhikari has launched an aggressive campaign in Bhabanipur, claiming CM Mamata Banerjee will lose again.
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Mar 19, 2026 04:43 PM IST
Lucknow News Live Updates | ‘Bowing to Ram akin to paying homage to Bharat Mata’: In Ayodhya, President Droupadi Murmu invokes ‘Ram Rajya’ ideals
President Droupadi Murmu on Thursday said the ideals of Ram Rajya—marked by equality, dignity and social harmony—should guide India’s journey towards becoming a developed nation, as she addressed a gathering at the Ram Temple complex in Ayodhya. Speaking on the occasion of the installation of the Shri Ram Yantra at the second-floor sanctum of the temple, Murmu described her visit as a “deeply spiritual experience” and called the temple a “sacred symbol of India’s cultural and civilisational resurgence”. Murmu highlighted that the depiction of Lord Ram’s return to Ayodhya after victory over Ravana finds a place in the original, hand-written […]
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Mar 19, 2026 04:36 PM IST
India News Live Updates | Supreme Court quashes FIR, proceedings against YouTuber Elvish Yadav in 2023 snake venom case
YouTuber Elvish Yadav was booked in November 2023 and arrested on March 17, 2024, for the alleged use of snake venom at a rave party in Noida.
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Mar 19, 2026 04:24 PM IST
India News Live Updates | Railways begins DPR survey for Gauge Conversion of Kangra Valley railway line
Kangra Valley railway gauge conversion moves ahead as Railways begins DPR survey, aiming to upgrade infrastructure and improve connectivity in Himachal Pradesh.
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Mar 19, 2026 04:12 PM IST
India News Live Updates | Covert ‘call centre’ busted in Srinagar cyber fraud crackdown; 7 held
In late night raids in Srinagar Wednesday, the Counter Intelligence Kashmir (CIK) wing of the J&K Police has claimed to have busted an ‘international cyber fraud racket’. At least seven people have been detained and several communication equipment seized. After receiving technical inputs regarding the functioning of an alleged “covert call centre” engaged in fraudulent online activities targeting foreign and local nationals, the CIK-CID constituted specialised teams comprising technical experts and field operatives and carried out systematic surveillance, digital intelligence gathering and verification across multiple locations. After the initiation investigation, Police said that a key operational hub at the Industrial […]
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Mar 19, 2026 04:00 PM IST
Kolkata News Live Updates | ‘Don’t want what happened to my daughter to be repeated’: RG Kar victim’s mother says she agreed to be BJP candidate from Bengal’s Panihati
The mother of the junior doctor who was raped and murdered at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital may be fielded by the BJP as a candidate from the Panihati constituency of West Bengal.
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Mar 19, 2026 03:57 PM IST
Chandigarh News Live Updates | West Asia conflict hits ‘big fat Punjabi wedding’: Ludhiana fixes LPG quota, daughters’ marriages to get priority
Due to the LPG crisis, the Ludhiana district has set a quota of six 5-kg commercial cylinders per function, subject to verification by the authorities.
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Mar 19, 2026 03:35 PM IST
Kolkata News Live Updates | ‘Undeclared Emergency’: Mamata accuses ECI, BJP of ‘deliberate design to seize control’ of Bengal
CM Mamata Banerjee also attacked the ECI for removing senior officers from their posts in a ‘calculated attempt to cripple Bengal’s administrative machinery’.
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Mar 19, 2026 03:34 PM IST
Chandigarh News Live Updates | LPG supply concerns in Himachal: Congress MLA Anuradha Rana urges 25-day refill rule for rural consumers
Himachal Assembly Speaker Kuldeep Singh Pathania acknowledged the seriousness of the LPG issue and assured the House that the matter would be conveyed to the state government for appropriate action.
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Mar 19, 2026 03:28 PM IST
Delhi News Live Updates | All stacked up, and no gas to use: Amid LPG crisis, housing societies along Dwarka Expressway in Gurgaon are waiting for PNG for over a year
There are more than 15,000 residential flats in these sectors. Residents have paid Rs 7,000-8,000 for connections, but no meters have been installed yet. They have taken up the matter with the GMDA and the gas company, HCG.
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Mar 19, 2026 03:28 PM IST
India News Live Updates | Railways plans new terminals to ease rush at 151-year-old Jaipur Junction station
Jaipur Junction expansion plan aims to ease rush with new railway terminals, improving passenger flow and reducing congestion at the historic station.
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Mar 19, 2026 03:11 PM IST
Ahmedabad News Live Updates | Advisory panel, wider scope of ‘aggrieved persons’, and new terminology: What’s inside new Gujarat Bill on Disturbed Areas Act
The Gujarat High Court had stayed the implementation of the amendments to the Disturbed Areas Act, particularly sections that expanded the Act’s scope based on ‘demographic imbalance’.
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Mar 19, 2026 03:09 PM IST
Mumbai News Live Updates | 27,416 bogus crop insurance claims without crop; 5 FIRs filed in Jalgaon, 48 CSC operators under lens
Over 71,000 irregular applications; Rs 293 crore claims tied to Rs 748 crore exposure; govt saves Rs 250 crore payout using satellite imagery
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Mar 19, 2026 02:58 PM IST
Ahmedabad News Live Updates | 2 dead, 11 injured as short circuit and cylinder blasts gut Surat embroidery factory
According to officials, the fire broke out in a ground-plus-three-storey building at Bharatnagar, near Maruti Chowk in Kapodara
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Mar 19, 2026 02:57 PM IST
Mumbai News Live Updates | Rare March Weather Shift: Why Mumbai Is Set to Receive Unseasonal Rain After a Heatwave
IMD links incoming showers and thunderstorms to interacting weather systems, offering temporary relief from soaring temperatures
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Mar 19, 2026 02:55 PM IST
Kolkata News Live Updates | TMC booth president found dead in Bengal’s Minakhan, family points to ‘enemies’ within party
The police have sent Kazi Mashiur Rahman's body for a post-mortem examination. His family claims that internal party factionalism and his protests against a local concrete road project may be the reasons behind the alleged murder.
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Mar 19, 2026 02:46 PM IST
India News Live Updates | Kummanam Rajasekharan to contest from Aranmula as BJP releases second list for Kerala Assembly polls
Kummanam Rajasekharan Aranmula candidacy announced as BJP releases second list of candidates for Kerala Assembly elections.
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Mar 19, 2026 02:30 PM IST
Delhi News Live Updates | Sitaram Diwan Chand, Delhi’s iconic chhole bhature shop in Paharganj, shuts; others find ways to tackle LPG crisis
Shops like Sharmaji ke Chhole Bhature in Lajpat Nagar, and Jain Chawal Wale and Bhogal’s Chhole Bhature in Connaught place are continuing to serve. Prices are up in some places, though.
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Mar 19, 2026 02:28 PM IST
Mumbai News Live Updates | ‘Submit report on UCC in a month’: Maharashtra Legislative Council Deputy Chairperson Neelam Gorhe directs govt after BJP legislator’s demand
BJP MLC Parinay Phuke had raised the motion, addressed to Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, seeking clarity on the implementation of UCC. 
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Mar 19, 2026 02:24 PM IST
World News Live Updates | When energy becomes a weapon: South Pars, Ras Laffan, and the fires burning across the Gulf
Gas and oil fields destroyed across the Middle East — South Pars struck, Ras Laffan damaged. Here's what's happened, who hit what, and the long-term global fallout.
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Mar 19, 2026 01:48 PM IST
World News Live Updates | Iran War Day 20: Iran strikes Qatar’s Ras Laffan Industrial City in retaliation to South Pars attack; crude prices spike
The latest attacks led to the benchmark Brent crude futures rising again from $100 to around $112 per barrel on Thursday morning.
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Mar 19, 2026 01:29 PM IST
Ahmedabad News Live Updates | ‘Maintaining guideline of 2 subzis on plate is tough’: Gujarat’s iconic college canteens face LPG supply crunch
With many students in Gujarat relying on campus canteens for affordable meals and snacks, operators say a prolonged LPG cylinder shortage could seriously disrupt daily food services.
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Mar 19, 2026 01:12 PM IST
India News Live Updates | India to extend Myanmar pulse deal for 5 years to secure ‘dal’ supplies amid global supply chain shocks
The move comes at a time when the US and Israel’s war with Iran has caused global supply chain disruptions, posing threats to fuel and fertilizer security.
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Mar 19, 2026 01:08 PM IST
World News Live Updates | ‘Key decision makers weren’t allowed express opinion’: Former US counter-terror chief Joe Kent being probed by FBI, say reports
Following his resignation, Kent spoke to the rightwing commentator Tucker Carlson in a podcast, claiming that the dissenting voices were not taken into consideration during the decision-making process that led to US airstrikes on Iran on February 28.
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Mar 19, 2026 12:47 PM IST
Mumbai News Live Updates | Hammering ‘Hindu khatre mein hai’ narrative: Congress leader Husain Dalwai says Maharashtra’s new anti-conversion law could target interfaith couples
In an interview, Husain Dalwai says the argument that the Hindu population is shrinking doesn't match the actual numbers. The Maharashtra Freedom of Religion Bill is a calculated distraction from real issues such as hospital infrastructure and the closure of government schools, he claims.
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Mar 19, 2026 12:40 PM IST
World News Live Updates | Middle East crisis: IndiGo resumes Dubai flights; Etihad, Qatar Airways to continue limited ops
Emirates announced it is operating reduced flights due to the partial reopening of regional airspace. No new flight details have been released for Thursday, March 19.
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Mar 19, 2026 12:35 PM IST
India News Live Updates | Assam Assembly elections 2026: BJP fields CM Himanta in Jalukbari, Pradyut Bordoloi in Dispur | Full list
Pradyut Bordoloi had joined the BJP on Wednesday after submitting his resignation to Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge late Tuesday.
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Mar 19, 2026 12:20 PM IST
India News Live Updates | ‘Guided by respect to party’: Pradyut Bordoloi’s son steps down as Assam Congress candidate day after father joins BJP
In a letter addressed to Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, Prateek said he would continue to remain a member of the party
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Mar 19, 2026 12:20 PM IST
Delhi News Live Updates | Iftar gathering called off day before event as DU bans cultural programmes on campus
While the order, signed by Dean Anju Vali Tikoo, did not mention the Iftar event explicitly, the notice effectively prevented the event from taking place on Wednesday.
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Mar 19, 2026 12:12 PM IST
Delhi News Live Updates | Amidst tension in Uttam Nagar, Delhi Police seek more companies of paramilitary forces for Eid 
More than 150 pickets have been set up in Delhi's Uttam Nagar and its neighbouring area, Chhawla, to prevent any untoward incidents during Eid. The local police have also appealed to people not to spread rumours.
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Mar 19, 2026 11:59 AM IST
India News Live Updates | ‘In Rajasthan’s Shekhawati haveli towns, the race the save fading frescoes’
In February, the Rajasthan government allocated Rs 200 crore for the conservation of these 600-odd havelis across the Shekhawati region and said it would step up efforts for a UNESCO tag. For the region’s havelis, long threatened by government apathy, lack of funds and illegal acquisition, the measure offers an opportunity to restore their former glory.
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Mar 19, 2026 11:38 AM IST
Pune News Live Updates | For the first time, Pune RTO to switch to 3-letter vehicle registration as MH-12 series nears exhaustion
The 3-letter registration format has been currently implemented only in Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Ahmedabad, and Chennai.
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Mar 19, 2026 11:29 AM IST
India News Live Updates | Gold Rate Today, March 19: Check 18, 22 and 24 carat gold prices in Chennai, Mumbai, Delhi, Kolkata and other cities
Today's 18, 22 and 24 Carat Gold Prices in Chennai, Bangalore, Hyderabad, Mumbai, Delhi: The gold price in India today, March 19, stands at ₹15,464 per gram for 24 karat gold, ₹14,175 per gram for 22 karat gold, and ₹11,598 per gram for 18 karat gold.
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Mar 19, 2026 10:44 AM IST
Mumbai News Live Updates | In Your Neighbourhood: More accessible, less intimidating, this Colaba gallery is rethinking how Mumbai experiences art
Strangers House in Colaba doesn’t feel like a gallery when you first walk in. There is no white cube, no hushed reverence around the art. Instead, it feels like you’ve entered someone’s home, one that has been lived in, left behind, and quietly reassembled over time. “I wanted to see how people could come together without fear of judgment,” said Sumesh Sharma, who curates the space. “Strangers can walk in, and they should feel at home.” It is this simple idea that shapes the gallery. Inside, the space carries a calm, almost silent presence. Artworks hang on the walls as […]
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Mar 19, 2026 10:33 AM IST
India News Live Updates | BJP announces candidates for bypolls in Goa, Karnataka, Nagaland, Tripura  
BJP candidates list for bypolls includes nominees for five assembly seats across Goa, Karnataka, Nagaland and Tripura ahead of April 9 voting.
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Mar 19, 2026 10:33 AM IST
Hyderabad News Live Updates | ‘Adulterated’ paneer: 3,900 kg milk products seized in Hyderabad, was ‘exposed to dust, flies, contaminants’
Six people were arrested. Police said the ‘adulterated’ products were sold to hotels, caterers at Rs 280 per kg.
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Mar 19, 2026 10:26 AM IST
World News Live Updates | ‘Finish off Iran’: Trump’s ultimatum to NATO allies as oil prices skyrocket past $112
President Donald Trump has amped up his bid to rope in NATO allies to the Iran war. Amid the mounting tensions over the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, Trump has now threatened “finish off” Iran before allowing countries that rely on the strait to take charge of securing it. The Strait of Hormuz is a vital global energy corridor, which facilitate the passage of 20% of the world’s oil transit. ALSO READ | Trump denies US knowledge in Israel’s South Pars assault, warns Iran against striking Qatar LNG plant again In a series of posts on Truth Social, Trump […]
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Mar 19, 2026 08:49 AM IST
World News Live Updates | ‘Unfairly attacked’: Trump backs Qatar, denies US role in Israel’s South Pars assault
US President Donald Trump said Washington had no prior knowledge of Israel’s strike on Iran’s South Pars Gas Field. At the same time, he warned Tehran over its attack on Qatar’s LNG infrastructure.
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Mar 19, 2026 07:34 AM IST
World News Live Updates | Qatar declares Iranian attaches ‘persona non grata’ after missile strike causes ‘significant damage’ to Ras Laffan industrial city
Iran missile strike on Qatar damaged the Ras Laffan Industrial City gas hub, prompting strong condemnation from Qatar Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the expulsion of Iranian military and security attaches amid rising regional tensions.
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Mar 19, 2026 07:30 AM IST
India News Live Updates | Nagpur riots, one year on: Chargesheets filed in all FIRs except one naming VHP, Bajrang Dal members
A 1,900-page chargesheet against 87 accused filed within months of the March 17 violence; police say chargesheet in case against right-wing leaders is ready, but state government approval under Sections 295A and 153A is yet to come
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Mar 19, 2026 07:16 AM IST
India News Live Updates | Why are more locals entering Goa’s drug trade? Quick cash, peer pressure, and more
A reply tabled by Goa chief minister Pramod Sawant, in the recent Legislative Assembly session states that the information was compiled based on investigation records, intelligence inputs and disclosures of the apprehended accused in narcotics smuggling cases.
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Mar 19, 2026 07:00 AM IST
India News Live Updates | One fell unconscious, 2 went looking: Workers killed cleaning Chhattisgarh hospital’s septic tank
Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai Wednesday said any such work would be carried out in future only after permission is taken from the municipal corporation failing which criminal action shall be taken.
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Mar 19, 2026 06:34 AM IST
India News Live Updates | A decade on the run, undone by one digital slip: How a 2016 murder unravelled in Kerala, with AI help
For nearly a decade, the absconding family, who spoke multiple languages, stayed on the run, moving from state to state using forged documents. Then, one small slip — a digital trail — gave them away.
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Mar 19, 2026 06:22 AM IST
India News Live Updates | Choice of food to phone ownership: 33 questions Odisha residents will be asked from April 16
The HLO, considered the first phase of the Census, will be conducted in the state from April 16 to May 15.
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Mar 19, 2026 06:18 AM IST
India News Live Updates | Nitish Kumar set for unopposed return as JD(U) chief
Party may look for new working president amid speculation over Sanjay Jha’s Rajya Sabha role.
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