A look at the top developments of the day:

  1. Moody’s lowers India’s economic growth forecast to 9.1% from 9.5% for 2022: India is vulnerable to oil prices, which have increased after Russia invaded Ukraine in February 24, the ratings agency said.
  2. As many as 21 person were killed after Russian forces attack Merefa town in Ukraine: A school and community centre were destroyed in the shelling.
  3. Kashmiri journalist Fahad Shah detained as his portal lacked stories on good governance, say police: Shah was booked under the Public Safety Act on March 14.
  4. West Bengal government was offered Pegasus for Rs 25 crore five years ago, claims Mamata Banerjee: The West Bengal chief minister said that she turned it down as the software could be misused to spy on officials.
  5. Enforcement Directorate issues fresh summons to TMC’s Abhishek Banerjee and his wife in Coal scam:Delhi High Court on March 11 had dismissed their plea challenging the central agency’s order. 
  6. After Congress’ poll debacle, G-23 leaders call for ‘inclusive leadership’: The statement came after 18 members of the dissenting group met to discuss the party’s ‘demoralising outcome’ in the Assembly elections in five states.
  7. Facebook ad policy gave BJP ‘unfair advantage’ in Indian elections, shows series of reports: The stories in Al Jazeera examined 5 lakh political advertisements placed on Facebook and Instagram between February 2019 and November 2020.
  8. Temperature soars beyond 40 degree Celsius in parts of Gujarat, Telangana and Maharashtra: In Delhi and its neighbouring states, the temperature was 6-8 degrees Celsius higher than the average of 29 degrees Celsius.
  9. Kerala High Court refuses to stay investigation in murder conspiracy case against Dileep: The actor and five others accused have been accused of conspiring to kill and threaten officials probing a 2017 sexual assault case.
  10. As Covid-19 cases rise in many countries, WHO warns it could be ‘tip of the iceberg’: The number of new infections jumped by 8% last week globally – the first weekly rise since the end of January.