LIVE: Forex jumps $4.47 bn to $620.44 bn during week ending Dec 22

Catch all the latest news updates from across the world

10:52 PM

Rajasthan cabinet expansion likely on December 30: Report

The expansion of the Cabinet in BJP-ruled Rajasthan is likely to take place on Saturday, official sources told news agency PTI.
 

The newly-inducted ministers will take oath at a ceremony in the Raj Bhavan at 3.30 pm. Governor Kalraj Mishra will administer the oath, they said on Friday.

Preparations for the oath ceremony are already underway at the Raj Bhavan.
 

Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma, meanwhile, has travelled to Delhi to meet the BJP high-command ahead of the Cabinet expansion.

10:39 PM

Britain to send around 200 air defence missiles to Ukraine to help protect civilians, infra from Russia

Britain is sending around 200 air defence missiles to Ukraine to help protect civilians and infrastructure from Russian drones and bombing, the British ministry of defence said on Friday.
 

The shipment comes as Russia unleashed one of its biggest missile attacks on Ukraine of the war, according to Kyiv, killing 18 civilians and wounding dozens others.
 

"(Russian President Vladimir) Putin is testing Ukraine's defences and the West's resolve, hoping that he can clutch victory from the jaws of defeat. But he is wrong," British Defence Secretary Grant Shapps said.

9:33 PM

Elon Musk leads world's richest to $1.5 trillion wealth gain in 2023

The combined net worth of the 500 richest people surged by $1.5 trillion in 2023, fully rebounding from the $1.4 trillion lost the year prior, according to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index.
 

Once again, their fortunes were closely correlated to the performance of tech stocks, which rose to fresh records this year despite recession fears, lingering inflation, lofty interest rates and geopolitical turmoil. Tech billionaires saw their wealth grow by 48% or $658 billion, propelled by intense hype around artificial intelligence.

9:13 PM

Three injured in gas cylinder explosion in Odisha's hospital Bhubaneswar

At least three persons were injured after a cylinder used for filling refrigerant gas in air-conditioners exploded at a private hospital here on Friday, police said.

The incident took place at the Hi-Tech Hospital at Pandara this evening. There was no patient and outsiders on the floor when the cylinder exploded, a hospital official said.
 

"The injured people are in the ICU," hospital CEO Jotirmay Panda told reporters.
 

"A cylinder burst when refrigerant gas was being pumped into the outdoor AC unit. Three employees of the hospital were injured and they are being treated," fire officer Abani Kumar Swain said.

8:56 PM

NATO monitoring situation in Poland, says Stoltenberg after 'Russian missile' enters its airspace

NATO is monitoring the situation in Poland, after a Russian missile appears likely to have entered the airspace of the country, member of the alliance, NATO's Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said on social network X.
 

"I spoke with (the Polish) President Andrzej Duda about the missile incident in Poland. NATO stands in solidarity with our valued ally, is monitoring the situation and we will remain in contact as the facts are established. NATO remains vigilant," Stoltenberg said.

8:28 PM

Chhattisgarh CM Sai allocates portfolios, Vijay Sharma gets home, O P Choudhary finance

Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai on Friday assigned portfolios, keeping Mineral Resources, Excise and General Administration Department with himself while giving home to deputy CM Vijay Sharma and finance ministry to IAS-officer-turned MLA O P Choudhary.

8:05 PM

Dense fog warning issued for 30 districts in Uttar Pradesh

Dense fog is likely to engulf 30 districts of Uttar Pradesh over the weekend, the state meteorological department said on Friday. According to a statement issued by the Met department on Friday, 30 districts, including Lucknow, will be affected by dense fog especially at night and morning on Saturday and Sunday.

7:47 PM

1,400 artistes to welcome PM Modi in Ayodhya on Saturday

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be welcomed by various groups of artistes from across the country as he arrives in Ayodhya Saturday to inaugurate the redeveloped Ayodhya railway station and a new airport before the consecration ceremony at the Ram temple on January 22.

In a statement, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath's office said more than 1,400 performers will present folk art and cultural programmes in a total of 40 stages set up along the route from the airport to the railway station, Ram Path.

7:30 PM

Forex jumps $4.47 bn to $620.44 bn during week ending Dec 22

India's forex reserves jump $4.47 billion to $620.44 billion during the week ended December 22, says RBI.

7:10 PM

ED attaches properties of Uttarakhand trust in scholarship scam

ED today said that it has provisionally attached two immovable properties worth Rs 1.97 Crore (approx) in the form of land and building situated in Dehradun and Haridwar, Uttarakhand belonging to the Deen Dayal Sharma Educational Trust which runs the Institute of Professional Studies, Roorkee, in the case of SC/ST Scholarship Scam.

6:55 PM

Canadian police launches probe into firing at residence of Indian-origin in Surrey Ottawa

Canadian police have launched an investigation into reports of shots fired at the residence of an Indian-origin businessman in Surrey in the British Columbia province, causing damage to the property.

According to several media reports, gunshots were fired at the residence of the son of Satish Kumar, the president of Lakshmi Narayan Mandir, in Surrey on Wednesday.

6:41 PM

Over 80 million ITRs filed for the AY 2023-24 till date, a record: Income Tax dept

Over 80 million ITRs filed for the AY 2023-24 till date, which is a record, the Income Tax department said Friday. According to the tax department, this milestone has been reached for the first time. The total filing for AY 2022-23 was 7,51,60,817.

6:23 PM

Pakistan inflation projected to ease to 20-22% for FY24

Pakistan's inflation rate will ease to around 20-22% in the 2024 financial year, the central bank governor said on Friday in a report issued weeks ahead of a national election which could help restore political and economic stability to the country.
 

The bank will continue to take decisions to prevent high inflation from becoming entrenched, it said, adding that Pakistan's economy missed by a large margin its fiscal and primary surplus targets in FY23, with real GDP contracting to 0.2%.

5:58 PM

IMD issues warning for very dense fog in Haryana, Chandigarh, and Delhi

"Dense to very dense fog (visibility 50 metres) is likely over most parts over Haryana-Chandigarh-Delhi from night of 29th December to morning of 31st December and will continue for next 3 days at some places," IMD said in a tweet.

5:50 PM

Cement, crude oil production decreased in November

As per latest govt data, the cement production decreased by 3.6 per cent in November, 2023 over November, 2022. Crude oil production (weight: 8.98 per cent) also decreased by 0.4 per cent in November, 2023 over November, 2022.

5:18 PM

India's eight core sectors grow 7.8% in November

As per latest government data, India's eight core sectors grow 7.8 per cent in November. The combined Index of Eight Core Industries (ICI) increased by 7.8 per cent (provisional) in November 2023 as compared to the Index of November 2022. The production of Coal, Electricity, Fertilizers, Natural Gas, Refinery Products and Steel recorded positive growth in November 2023.

5:07 PM

Xi Jinping expects China's economic output to exceed $17.72 trillion this year

China's President Xi Jinping said on Friday the country's economic output was expected to exceed 126 trillion yuan ($17.72 trillion) this year, Reuters reported citing state broadcaster China Central Television (CCTV).

4:51 PM

Next steps after examining ruling, discussion with legal team: MEA on Qatar row

India on Friday said its next steps in the case relating to eight former Indian Navy personnel will be decided after examining the ruling of a Qatari court and discussions with the legal team handling the matter, news agency PTI reported.
 

Qatar's Court of Appeals has commuted the death sentences handed out to the Navy veterans by another court earlier.

4:38 PM

Security forces launch search operation in J&K's Rajouri Jammu

Security forces on Friday launched a search operation in a forest area in Jammu and Kashmir's Rajouri district following information about the movement of suspicious elements, officials said.

4:23 PM

India's Apr-Nov fiscal deficit at 50.7% of FY24 target

India's fiscal deficit for the first eight months of this fiscal year through November stood at Rs 9.07 trillion, or 50.7 per cent of annual estimates, government data showed today. The fiscal deficit narrowed from 58.9 per cent reported in the comparable year-earlier period.

4:15 PM

China appoints Dong Jun as new defence minister, says state media

China on Friday appointed Dong Jun as new defence minister, its state media reported. The development comes amid increased South China Tensions and China's aggressive stance towards "integrating" Taiwan as its part despite strong protest from the latter.

4:01 PM

Russia launches 122 missiles, 36 drones in 'most massive aerial attack' since invasion, says Ukraine

Russia launched 122 missiles and 36 drones against Ukrainian targets, officials said Friday, killing at least 13 civilians in what an air force official said was the biggest aerial barrage of the 22-month war.

 

The Ukrainian air force intercepted 87 of the missiles and 27 of the Shahed-type drones overnight, Ukraine's military chief Valerii Zaluzhnyi said. Air Force commander Mykola Oleshchuk wrote on his official Telegram channel: “The most massive aerial attack” since Russia's full-scale invasion in February 2022. According to the Ukrainian air force, the previous biggest assault was in November 2022 when Russia launched 96 missiles against Ukraine. This year, the biggest was 81 missiles on March 9, air force records show. 

3:43 PM

Ram temple inauguration by PM, a 'gross misuse of religious sentiments', says Yechury

CPI(M) general secretary Sitaram Yechury on Friday said the inauguration of Ram temple in Ayodhya by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the presence of other Constitutional functionaries was a "gross misuse of religious sentiments" for BJP's political gain, mews agency PTI reported.

Addressing the media, Yechury said that the Constitution clearly defines secularism as the separation of religion from politics and the state.

He said that the inauguration of the temple represents an overt politicisation of religion, which contradicts the principles of the Constitution.

3:32 PM

Jharkhand reduces qualifying age for old-age pension from 60 to 50

In Jharkhand, qualifying age for old-age pension to be reduced from 60 to 50, says Chief Minister Hemant Soren.

3:01 PM

EAM Jaishankar visits school named after Rabindranath Tagore in Russia's St Petersburg

S Jaishankar, External Affairs Minister expressed his pleasure at visiting the school named after Gurudev Rabindranath Tagore in St. Petersburg. He highlighted the heart-touching love that Rabindranath Tagore had for India, and he found the passion for India at the school truly moving.

2:47 PM

Fuel retailers hike ethanol procurement prices by Rs 6.87: Oil ministry

India's state fuel retailers have increased the purchase prices for ethanol produced from C-heavy molasses by 6.87 rupees per litre, as announced by the oil ministry on Friday through the social media platform X.

 

This new purchase price, set at 56.28 rupees per litre, is intended to incentivize and enhance the production of ethanol, a key component used for blending with petrol. Currently, more than 10% of petrol sold in India consists of ethanol, and the government has set a target to increase blending to 20% by the year 2025.

2:15 PM

No decision yet on Kharge, Sonia Gandhi attending Ram temple consecration ceremony

No decision yet on Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge, Sonia Gandhi attending consecration ceremony of Ram temple in Ayodhya, said party sources.

2:13 PM

CM Patnaik launches 3rd phase of Odisha's flagship health scheme

Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik inaugurated the third phase of the state's flagship health scheme, Biju Swasthya Kalyan Yojana (BSKY). Patnaik highlighted that with the expansion in this third phase, it is projected that over 11 million families, encompassing nearly 90 per cent of the state's population, will receive health assurance under BSKY.

1:57 PM

Govt expanding meeting requirement of medical professionals: Mandaviya

Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya stated on Friday that the government is adopting a comprehensive approach to healthcare, focusing not only on upgrading and expanding infrastructure but also on establishing more institutions to address the demand for medical professionals. Speaking at an event after laying the foundation stones for two critical care blocks and a BSL-3 laboratory in Vijayawada, Andhra Pradesh, he emphasized the importance of collaborative efforts between the central government and states to fulfill the healthcare needs of the people. The Health Minister assured the states of the central government's support in their healthcare initiatives.

1:36 PM

Manipur reports 1st case of JN.1 Covid, patient travelled from Delhi

Manipur has recorded a new case of COVID-19 after a significant period without fresh infections. The affected individual, a resident of Paomata in Senapati district, traveled from Delhi to Dimapur by air and then proceeded from Dimapur to Senapati by road. The specific variant of the virus is yet to be determined, as samples have been sent for genome sequencing to gather more details.