US, EU seek WTO reform as meet starts

NEW DELHI: World Trade Organisation‘s ministerial meeting will kick off in Cameroon on Thursday, with reform of the 30-year-old multilateral body on top of the agenda of the US and European Union, while India will seek to push for farm trade reforms and retain the basic characteristics of the entity.At the meeting, which comes in…

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CCPA warns hotels, restaurants of action for levying ‘LPG, Gas surcharges’

NEW DELHI: The Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA) on Wednesday warned hotels and restaurants of action in case it found them levying additional charges under heads such as “LPG charges,” “gas surcharge,” and “fuel cost recovery” in food bills.The authority issued an advisory invoking provisions of Consumer Protection Act observing that such charges are being…

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India, Chile review progress in proposed trade pact talks ahead of WTO meet

India and Chile on Wednesday reviewed the progress of negotiations for a proposed free trade agreement (FTA), with both sides discussing ways to accelerate talks and deepen bilateral economic engagement, reported PTI.The issue came up during a meeting between Commerce Secretary Rajesh Agrawal and Chile’s Vice-Minister of International Economic Relations Paula Estevez Weinstein in Yaounde,…

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KV Ramana Murty named Sebi whole-time member

The Centre has appointed Kompella Venkata Ramana Murty as a whole-time member of the Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi) for a term of three years.His appointment completes the regulator’s full strength of four whole-time members, according to PTI. The other members currently serving on the Sebi board are Amarjeet Singh, Kamlesh Chandra Varshney…

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US stock markets today (March 25, 2026): S&P 500, Nasdaq & Dow rally over 1%; Brent crude slides on renewed hopes of Iran war pause

US stock markets jumped on Wednesday while oil prices declined as hopes resurfaced for a possible pause in the war with Iran, lifting investor sentiment across global financial markets.The S&P 500 rose 1.1% in early trading after the United States delivered a proposal to Iran aimed at halting the conflict. The Dow Jones Industrial Average…

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India should bring household gold stock into financial system, say experts

India must accelerate efforts to channel large household gold holdings into financial instruments, former Union minister P P Choudhary and senior market participants said, warning that continued physical hoarding limits the metal’s broader economic contribution, PTI reported.Speaking at an Assocham event, Choudhary, a member of the Parliamentary Standing Commission on Finance, said deeper financialisation of…

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Cabinet extends IVFRT 3.0 scheme for 5 years to make immigration faster, safer and more efficient

The Union Cabinet has approved continuation of the Immigration, Visa, Foreigners Registration and Tracking (IVFRT) scheme for another five years from April 1, 2026, with a budget outlay of Rs 1,800 crore, in a move aimed at strengthening border management and improving services for legitimate foreign travellers, the government said.The extension — not a fresh…

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Cabinet approves UDAN 2.0 at Rs 28,840 crore to expand regional air connectivity

The Union Cabinet has approved a modified UDAN (Ude Desh ka Aam Nagrik) scheme worth Rs 28,840 crore aimed at strengthening regional air connectivity through new airport infrastructure, enhanced financial support for airlines and operational assistance for smaller aerodromes.Under the revamped programme, 100 new airports will be developed in challenge mode, with an estimated average…

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