External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar reaffirmed India's commitment to an 'India First' approach in trade negotiations with the US, EU, and UK. Speaking at Business Today Mindrush 2025, he emphasized balancing the costs of action and inaction, especially regarding access to sensitive technologies. "We have to carefully assess their costs and benefits, as well as weigh the price of action versus inaction," he said. He highlighted India’s strategy to expand beyond Asian economies, engaging Gulf and Western markets. The Ministry of External Affairs confirmed ongoing discussions with Washington for a mutually beneficial agreement.(PC: India Today)

Donald Trump’s envoy Steve Witkoff dismissed UK PM Keir Starmer’s plan for an international force in Ukraine as “a posture and a pose.” In an interview with Tucker Carlson, he praised Vladimir Putin, calling him “super smart” and denying Russia’s territorial aggression. Witkoff, leading US ceasefire talks, repeated Kremlin narratives, questioned Ukraine’s legitimacy, and failed to name occupied regions. He claimed a Black Sea ceasefire is imminent. Meanwhile, Russian drone strikes on Kyiv killed three, including a child. Ukraine dismissed his claims as misinformation. (PC: Reuters)

Pope Francis, 88, was discharged from Rome’s Gemelli Hospital after a five-week stay due to a severe respiratory infection. Before leaving, he waved from the hospital balcony in his first public appearance in weeks. Using a wheelchair, he greeted well-wishers, telling one woman, “Brava!” His longest hospitalization since becoming pope in 2013 included critical moments where his life was at risk. Doctors estimate a two-month recovery at home. Vatican officials denied speculation about his resignation. Catholics worldwide continue to pray for his health. ( PC- Reuters)

Ishan Kishan marked his debut for SunRisers Hyderabad in IPL 2025 with a stunning 106 off just 47 balls against Rajasthan Royals on March 22. His explosive century, achieved in just 45 deliveries, added significant firepower to SunRisers' already formidable batting line-up, helping them post 286/6 in 50 overs. Kishan’s knock complemented blitzes from Travis Head and Abhishek Sharma, making it a dominant batting performance. The team continued their attacking form from last season, nearly breaking their own record of 287 runs in an electrifying start to the season. (PC: India Today)  

    Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) set IPL 2025 ablaze, posting a massive 286/6 against Rajasthan Royals (RR) at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium, Hyderabad—the second-highest total in IPL history. Ishan Kishan led the charge with a stunning century, his maiden IPL ton, while Travis Head’s 67 off 31 balls provided further firepower. Abhishek Sharma’s 24 off 12 gave SRH a flying start. RR’s bowlers struggled, with Jofra Archer conceding heavily. Winning the toss and fielding first backfired for RR, as they now face an enormous chase to start their campaign. (PC: The Economic Times)  

A couple in Margate, Kent, were left puzzled after discovering a bizarre "skeleton-like" figure during a walk on the beach on March 10. Paula and Dave Regan found the strange creature partially buried in sand, surrounded by seaweed. The figure had a fish tail and an alien-like head, leading them to initially believe it was driftwood or a dead seal. Paula described the back part of the figure as "soft and squidgy" but not decomposed. The couple shared photos online, sparking online curiosity, but its identity remains a mystery. (PC: People.com)

The much-anticipated IPL 2025 El Clasico between Chennai Super Kings (CSK) and Mumbai Indians (MI) will take place at MAC Stadium in Chennai. MS Dhoni, who has been with CSK since its inception, will be the focal point, with the team relying on its strong spin attack to exploit the pitch conditions. MI, without India’s pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah, will miss a key weapon in their bowling ranks. Dhoni is just 19 runs away from surpassing Suresh Raina’s record of 4687 runs to become CSK’s highest run-scorer in IPL history. (PC: The Hindu / PTI)  

In the second match of IPL 2025 at Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium, Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) faced Rajasthan Royals (RR). RR's stand-in captain, Riyan Parag, won the toss and elected to bowl, aiming to exploit the flat pitch for a successful chase. SRH's explosive openers, Abhishek Sharma and Travis Head, started aggressively, reaching 24/0 in just 2 overs. Their powerful batting lineup, including Ishan Kishan, Nitish Reddy, and Heinrich Klaasen, set a formidable total. RR's bowlers, notably Jofra Archer and Sandeep Sharma, struggled against SRH's dominance. In response, RR's Indian batting core, with Parag at the helm, faced the challenging task of chasing the steep target. SRH's pace duo, Pat Cummins and Mohammed Shami, effectively contained RR's batsmen, leading SRH to a comprehensive victory. (PC: The Economic Times)

Indian race walker Priyanka Goswami has set a new national record in the women's 35km event at the Dudince Race Walking Meet in Slovakia. She completed the race in 2 hours, 57 minutes, and 53 seconds, surpassing the previous record of 2:57:54 set by Manju Rani at the 2023 National Open Race Walking Championships in Ranchi. Goswami's achievement adds to her impressive track record, which includes a silver medal in the 10,000m race walk at the 2022 Commonwealth Games, where she clocked 43:38.82, breaking a three-year-old national record. Her consistent performance continues to elevate India's presence in international race walking competitions. (PC: Twitter)

Boeing has initiated a global workforce reduction, resulting in the layoff of approximately 150 to 180 employees at its Boeing India Engineering Technology Center (BIETC) in Bengaluru. This move is part of a broader strategy to reduce the company's global workforce by 10%, equating to around 17,000 positions, amid financial challenges and production issues with its 737 MAX aircraft. Despite these layoffs, India remains pivotal to Boeing's operations, with nearly 6,500 employees based at BIETC facilities in Bengaluru and Chennai. The company emphasizes that the layoffs have been strategically implemented to minimize disruption to customers and maintain safety and quality standards. (PC: News18 & Boeing)