Top 10 world news: Israel 'boycotts' Cairo talks with Hamas; India General Election 2024 updates, and more

A Hamas delegation on Sunday (Mar 3) arrived in Cairo as talks to hammer out a Gaza truce gainmomentum. Mediators from Qatar and the US also arrived in Egypt’s capital on Sunday amid indications that Israel has agreed to the six-week truce deal currently in the works. In other news, aGerman minister on Sunday (Mar 3) claimed Russian President Vladimir Putin was seeking to destabilise the country using the wiretap leak. Defence Minister Boris Pistorius said, "It is about using this recording to destabilise and unsettle us," adding that he "hoped that Putin will not succeed".

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Gaza war: Israel boycotts Cairo talks with Hamas over unknown fate of hostages

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A Hamas delegation on Sunday (Mar 3) arrived in Cairo as talks to hammer out a Gaza truce gainmomentum. According to local media reports, mediators from Qatar and the US also arrived in Egypt’s capital on Sunday amid indications that Israel has agreed to the six-week truce deal currently in the works. However, the Jewish nation has reportedly boycotted the talks over the unknown fate of hostages still held by the Palestinian militant group.

Ukraine war: Russia demands explanation from Berlin over ‘call recording’ leak

In what comes as a massive embarrassment for Berlin, alleged call recordings of the German defence forces over the Ukraine war were posted on Russian social media by a state-backed journalist. Margarita Simonyan, the head of the Russia Today (RT) channel, posted the audio clip on her telegram channel, allegedly featuring German officers “discussing how to strike the Crimea bridge”, which links Russia to the Ukrainian peninsula.

PM Modi chairs brainstorming session to discuss ‘Viksit Bharat 2047’ plan

During the last formal meeting of the Council of Ministers ahead of the upcoming general elections, on Sunday (Mar 3) the Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi chaired a brainstorming session on the document ‘Viksit Bharat (Developed India) 2047,’ reported news agencies citing sources from the Government of India.

Pak PM Shehbaz Sharif announces aim to join G20, rakes up Kashmir: Top points

Weeks after the contentious February 8 elections and the political crisis that followed, former Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif of the Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz) (PML-N) leader and brother of the three-time ex-PM Nawaz Sharif won enough votes in the country’s National Assembly to retake the premiership.

Malaysia may launch new search 10 years after disappearance of flight MH370

A Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 mysteriously disappeared from radar screens on March 8, 2014, becoming one of Malaysia's deadliest aviation incidents.Ten years after the tragic incident, relatives of passengers on Sunday (Mar 3) pushed for a new search as they spoke of enduring grief and the struggle to find closure.

'I'm definitely giving up...,' Skipper Cummins on quitting Australia captaincy

Australia skipper Pat Cummins says that he'll quit the captaincy the day ace spinner Nathan Lyon retires. Cummins, however, backs Lyon to continue for four more years, given the spinner takes care of his body. The Aussie skipper made the remarks following Australia's 172-run win over New Zealand in the first Test on Sunday, March 3. Notably, Lyon took a six-fer in second innings to help Australia win - his 24th in the Tests.

Death toll rises to 10 in Russian drone attack on Ukraine's Odesa; Zelensky calls for Western air defence

The death toll after a Russian drone strike on an apartment block in the southern Ukrainian city of Odesa rose to 10, on Sunday (Mar 3) after rescuers found two more bodies of a woman and her eight-month-old baby. Meanwhile, the Ukrainian president called on Western countries to ramp up the delivery of air defence systems after a barrage of Russian strikes.

Lok Sabha polls 2024: Former Health Minister Harsh Vardhan quits politics, says ‘my clinic awaits my return’

India's former Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan on Sunday (March 3) announced his decision to quit politics stating that his clinic awaits his return.The development comes after the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Saturday (March 2) announced its first list of 195 candidates for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections that are set to take place in the month of May.

Yemen's Iran-backed Houthi rebel group says will continue sinking British ships after Rubymar attack

Yemen's Iran-backed Houthi rebel group on Sunday (March 3) said that it will continue to strike British ships in the Gulf of Aden after UK-owned vessel Rubymar sunk in the Red Sea."Yemen will continue to sink more British ships, and any repercussions or other damages will be added to Britain's bill," Hussein al-Ezzi, deputy foreign minister in the Houthi-led government, said in a post on X.

India: PM Modi set to attend ‘Bharat Shakti’ war game in Pokhran exhibiting indigenous capabilities

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to attend the war game ‘Bharat Shakti’ in Rajasthan’s Pokhran on March 12 which is likely to coincide with the Election Commission of India's announcement of the Lok Sabha election schedule.The top brass of the tri-services, including Chief of Defence Staff Gen Anil Chauhan, are also scheduled to attend the warfare event.