Indian Sub-continent

KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) — China’s foreign minister made a surprise stop in Kabul on Thursday to meet Afghanistan’s Taliban rulers, even as the international community fumes over the hardline movement’s broken promise a day earlier to open schools to girls beyond Grade 6.

The official Bakhtar News Agency announced Wang Yi will meet with Taliban leaders “to discuss various issues including the extension of political relations, economic, and transit cooperation.”

NEW DELHI (AP) — The company behind a COVID-19 vaccine touted as a key tool for the developing world has sent tens of millions of doses to wealthy nations but provided none yet to the U.N.-backed effort to supply poorer countries, a sign that inequity persists in the global response to the pandemic.

COVAX had planned to make available 250 million doses from Novavax by March, but the U.N. agency in charge of deliveries says the first shipments now likely won’t be made until April or May.

Kanpur: Strict parking rules are going to be enforced at Central station here.

Beware, the riders of vehicles coming to drop the family or for any other work at the station.

They should be alert at least over challan if wrongly parked the vehicle.

If the vehicle is parked at any place on the station premises, there will be an e-challan.

This strictness will come into effect from the ensuing March 25.

Railway's checking staff and RPF jawans will take a photo of the vehicle's number plate from the mobile.

Kanpur: Replying to a query one junior doctor said that he had no information about the paucity of medicines at the Hallet Hospital. However, the patients there did not feel awkward in telling that doctors prescribe medicines that remain available outside the hall. A similar case rests with all the departments including orthopaedic, medicine etc.

The shortage of medicines in Hallett Hospital has been going on for the last several months, as reported.

It has now taken a new aspect. Earlier, medicines for only a few diseases were being procured from outside.

Kanpur: What caught everyone's attention was Baba ka Bulldozer on Ganga Mela held here on Wednesday. Various processions using tractors and camels were taken out on the occasion.

This Mela is celebrated every year after Holi on Anuradha Nakshtra to pay tribute to the freedom fighters.

They were released by the British government after being made captive during the 1857 war of independence.

On the historical background of the Mela, its origin could be traced back to the independence. It is celebrated to commemorate the victory of Indians over the Britishers.

New Delhi, Mar 22 (PTI) After the agitation to repeal farm laws, a group of farmers on Tuesday floated a new front to press for their demand for a law for guaranteeing minimum support prices for farm produce.

Raju Shetti, a two-term Lok Sabha member from Maharashtra and leader of the Swabhimani Paksha, said a decision to launch the MSP Guarantee Kisan Morcha was taken at a meeting of various farmers' organizations here.

New Delhi, Mar 23 (PTI) Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader Lalu Prasad, who was brought to AIIMS here on Tuesday, was kept under observation overnight in the emergency department before being discharged at around 3 am, official sources said.

The former Bihar chief minister, 73, was brought to AIIMS here at around 9 pm on Tuesday after being referred by a medical board of the Rajendra Institute of Medical Sciences (RIMS), Ranchi, as his health condition deteriorated there.

New Delhi, Mar 23 (PTI) Petrol and diesel prices on Wednesday were hiked by 80 paise a litre each for the second day in a row since the ending of an over four-and-half month election-related hiatus.

Petrol in Delhi will now cost Rs 97.01 per litre as against Rs 96.21 previously while the diesel rate has gone up from Rs 87.47 per litre to Rs 88.27, according to a price notification of state fuel retailers.

Chandigarh, Mar 23 (PTI) Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Wednesday launched an anti-corruption helpline number that will allow people to upload videos of officials asking for a bribe or indulging in other malpractices.

Mann launched the number -- 9501200200 -- on the martyrdom day of legandary freedom fighters Bhagat Singh, Rajguru and Sukhdev, and called it "an anti-corruption action line".

Mann, who was sworn-in as chief minister on March 16 at Khatkar Kalan, sought support of people in order to root out corruption within a month.

New Delhi, Mar 23 (PTI) Parliament on Wednesday approved the Rs 1.42-lakh-crore budget for the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir for 2022-23, with Rajya Sabha returning the relevant bills to the Lok Sabha.

The Lok Sabha had passed the bills on March 14.

The upper House returned the bills -- The Jammu and Kashmir Appropriation Bill, 2022, and The Jammu and Kashmir Appropriation (No.2) Bill, 2022.