Representatives from 50 countries will be gathering in New Delhi on March 19-20 for an informal World Trade Organization (WTO) ministerial meeting. “The informal meeting of ministers will provide an opportunity to engage in free and frank discussions with the hope that it will lead to political guidance on some major issues,” the Ministry of Commerce and Industry said in a statement. It will look at the issues both at the negotiating table and also in other areas.

Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao, who is rallying support for establishment of a non-BJP and non-Congress alternative, will meet his West Bengal counterpart Mamata Banerjee on Monday in Kolkata. Rao had recently said a non-Congress and non-BJP front should be formed in the country, as he called for a “qualitative change” in politics and had also announced that he was ready to take on the mantle of leading a political front.

The special CBI court in Ranchi will pronounce the judgment in the fourth fodder scam case against RJD chief Lalu Prasad Yadav on March 19. The court was to pronounce the verdict in the Dumka fodder scam case on Saturday but has now deferred it to Monday. Hearing in the case was wrapped up on March 5 but the judgment has been repeatedly delayed due to filing of fresh pleas by Lalu. The fourth fodder scam case is related to fraudulent withdrawal of Rs 3.13 crore from Dumka treasury (now in Jharkhand) when Lalu was the chief minister of Bihar.

Holding the BJP-led Goa government responsible for the closure of mining leases in the State, mining industry stakeholders have planned a protest in Panaji on March 19.Various stakeholders of the mining industry, including truck owners and ship operators, will take part in the stir that is aimed at putting pressure on the state and the central governments for resumption of the mining activity. The five-decade-old mining industry in the State came to a grinding halt from March 16 with the Supreme Court order of a ban on iron ore extraction.

South Africa pacer Kagiso Rabada will have his appeal against a Level 2 breach of the ICC Code of Conduct heard on Monday. Fast bowler Rabada was found guilty of "inappropriate and deliberate physical contact with a player" after leaning with his shoulder into Steve Smith when he dismissed the Australia captain in the first innings of South Africa's six wicket win in the second test in Port Elizabeth. The result levelled the four-match series at 1-1. The 22-year-old, who took 11-150 in the game, was fined 50 per cent of his match fee and given three demerit points, which took him past the tally of eight that triggers an automatic two-game suspension.

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