TODAY NEWS ON 3 MARCH 2022

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U.N. General Assembly asks Russia to pull back troops

India, once again, abstained as the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) voted 141-5 (35 abstentions) to condemn Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, calling on Moscow to unconditionally withdraw its troops. Voting on the resolution occurred after representatives of more than 120 countries, territories and associations, made remarks over two days at a special emergency session of the UNGA.

IAF sent four C-17s for evacuation on March 2

An IAF C-17 transport aircraft ready to fly for Romania to bring back Indian nationals, evacuated from war-torn Ukraine.

The Indian Air Force (IAF) has launched three C-17 transport aircraft today to Romania, Hungary and Poland in the morning on Wednesday, said Air Marshal Sandeep Singh, Vice Chief of Air Force. A fourth C-17 was sent later in the day. The C-17 was sent as it can do a non-stop flight to these countries.

Students fume at Embassy advisory to leave Kharkiv ‘at short notice’

There is anger and exasperation among hundreds of Indian students and professionals in Kharkiv after the Indian Embassy in Kyiv issued an advisory on Wednesday asking them to leave the city at a “short notice”.

Respond to Prashant Bhushan’s stand that one has right to refuse COVID-19 vaccine, Supreme Court tells Government

The Supreme Court on Wednesday asked the government to respond to advocate Prashant Bhushan’s “important” argument that a person has an absolute right to refuse COVID vaccine and States cannot compel them to take the vaccine on the pain of denying them basic rights.

Trinamool Congress sweeps civic polls in West Bengal

The Trinamool Congress swept the polls to the 108 civic bodies across West Bengal, winning 102 municipalities. In pockets across the State where the Opposition still had some sway, the results established the complete dominance of the ruling party.

PM Modi cites Biden’s ‘Make in America’ pitch for India’s ‘Atmanirbhar’ campaign

Citing United States President Joe Biden’s State of the Union address where he exhorted Americans to ‘Make in America’ and rely less on ‘foreign supply chains’, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday said India too ought to be ‘Atmanirbhar’ (self sufficient) and take cognisance of this “global trend.”

EU cuts Russian banks from SWIFT, bans RT, Sputnik

The European Union on Wednesday cut seven Russian banks from the SWIFT payment system and banned Kremlin-controlled media outlets RT and Sputnik from broadcasting into the bloc. The measures, effective immediately, were the latest ratcheting up of the Western-coordinated sanctions on Russia for its invasion of Ukraine, now in its seventh day.

Feb. trade deficit widens past $21 billion again

India’s merchandise exports rose 22.3% to $33.81 billion in February, while imports shot up 35% to surpass $55 billion, widening the trade deficit to $21.2 billion, as per preliminary foreign trade estimates. The trade deficit, which shrank to about $17 billion in January, had earlier hit a record $22.9 billion in November 2021, and had averaged $21.7 billion between September and December.

Space junk on 5,800-mph collision course with moon

The moon is about to get walloped by 3 tons of space junk, a punch that will carve out a crater that could fit several semitractor-trailers. The leftover rocket will smash into the far side of the moon at 5,800 mph (9,300 kph) on March 4, away from telescopes’ prying eyes.

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