Continuing its downward journey, the wholesale price index based inflation rate touched seven year low of 3.03% for the week ended February 21. The annual inflation rate was at 3.36% a week before while at 5.69% during the same period last year.

Decline in prices of food articles, metals and transportation articles helped to reduce the inflation at seven year low, a big respite to UPA government, which is going to face public opinion in the forthcoming general elections in April-May period.

New Delhi, Mar 5 : The Indian government on Thursday rejected a proposal by the US collector to halt the controversial auction of Gandhi's iconic round glasses.

Union Minister of State for External Affairs Anand Sharma said India cannot enter into such agreements where it involves specific areas of allocation of resources.

New Delhi, Mar 5 : Chinese Ambassador to India Zhang Yan on Thursday said that China would support any country to fight terrorism, as it has become a common enemy to many countries.

"We are against all forms of terror. We support any country that is fighting against terrorism. Terrorism is a common enemy of any country whether it is Taliban or any other form. We should join our efforts to fight against terrorism," Yan said on the sidelines of a conference in PHD Chamber of Commerce here.

New Delhi - India's cricket board is looking at rescheduling matches for the Indian Premier League Twenty20 championship after the attack on Sri Lankan cricketers in Pakistan and a clash with dates for general elections in India, news reports said on Thursday.

General elections are scheduled to be held in India in five phases from April 16 to May 13.

The IPL matches, with several international players participating, were earlier scheduled to be held in major Indian cities between April 10 and May 24.

New Delhi, Mar 5 : The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) sent a revised schedule for the second session of Indian Premier League (IPL) to the Union Home Ministry on Thursday.

According to sources, the new schedule starts from April 10 and ends on May 24.

"We have taken care to ensure that host cities are not allotted a match two days before and after the polling day. We have submitted the schedule to the Home Ministry. It is up to them now to advice us," a top IPL source said.

New Delhi  - India's benchmark indices fell by about 3 per cent Thursday as investors booked profits after India's federal bank announced further interest rate cuts to boost a slowing economy.

Improved weekly inflation figures helped limit the losses, analysts said, with the two main indices ending about 2.5 to 2.9 per cent below their previous close.

India's weekly inflation rate, linked to a wholesale price index, stood at 3.03 per cent in the week ended February 21, its lowest in 14 months, according to official data.