News Highlights: Govt extends monthly GST return, payment deadline

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Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut on Friday said it was the responsibility of the Congress to keep the INDIA bloc intact as it was the largest party in the opposition alliance. Raut's statement came in the backdrop of Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah's remarks expressing dismay over the lack of clarity on INDIA bloc leadership and agenda.   Industrial production, measured by the Index of Industrial Production (IIP), grows 5.2 per cent in November against 2.5 per cent a year ago.   A dense blanket of fog enveloped parts of the Delhi-National Capital Region (NCR) this morning, delaying more than 150 flights as North India remained gripped by a severe cold wave. Trains services and road traffic were hit as the visibility dropped to zero in several areas. In an update this morning, the Delhi International Airport Limited (DIAL), said that flight departures have been affected due to dense fog.  European climate agency Copernicus has confirmed that the year 2024 was the hottest year on record, and the first with a global average temperature 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels. The average global temperature was 15.1 degrees Celsius -- 0.72 degrees above the 1991-2020 average and 0.12 degrees higher than that in 2023, the previous record-holder. Every month from January to June 2024 was the warmest ever recorded for those months. The average temperature in 2024 was 1.60 degrees Celsius above the 1850-1900 baseline, the period before human activities like burning fossil fuels began significantly impacting the climat, the agency noted. 

Following the tragic stampede during the Vaikuntha Ekadashi ticket distribution in Tirupati, which claimed six lives and injured over 50 devotees, Yuvajana Shramika Rythu Congress Party (YSRCP) chief YS Jagan Mohan Reddy on Thursday expressed deep concern over the incident and demanded immediate accountability from the government and concerned authorities.

 

"Why proper arrangements were not made despite the anticipated heavy crowd?," questioned Jagan Mohan Reddy.

 

10:50 PM

Sebi issues guidelines to revamp nomination process for mutual funds

Markets regulator Sebi on Friday issued guidelines to revamp the nomination process for mutual fund folios and demat accounts to enhance transparency and minimise unclaimed assets in the securities market.

The new norms will come into effect from March 1 and cover a range of measures for investors and regulated entities, including Asset Management Companies (AMCs).

10:36 PM

Dua Lipa evacuates LA amid wildfires; calls situation "scary and devastating"

British singer Dua Lipa was among the thousands forced to evacuate Los Angeles due to the raging wildfires that have devastated Southern California.

The wildfires, which have already claimed lives and destroyed thousands of homes, left many residents scrambling for safety.

Taking to Instagram Story the 'Levitating' singer shared a video along with a note describing the difficult situation as "absolutely devastating" and "scary".

10:00 PM

Four Naxalites held in Chhattisgarh's Bijapur; explosives seized from them

Four Naxalites were arrested and explosives were seized from them in Chhattisgarh's Bijapur district on Friday, a police official said.

He identified the arrested Naxalites as Kosa Madvi (40), Sanna Hunga Uika (32), Sanna Mutta Uika (26) and Madkam Sukhram (25). "They were apprehended by the local police and Central Reserve Police Force between Murdanda and Timmapur under Awapalli police station limits during road opening and security duty exercise. A tiffin bomb, cordex wire, beer bottle bomb, electric wire, battery and other Maoist materials were recovered from them," the official said.

9:06 PM

BJP's poll body meets to finalise candidates for Delhi polls

The BJP's Central Election Committee, which includes Prime Minister Narendra Modi, met here on Friday to finalise the second list of party candidates for the Delhi Assembly polls.

The BJP's first list of 29 candidates for the polls to the 70-member Delhi Assembly came out on January 4. It has fielded former MP Parvesh Verma from the New Delhi seat against ex-chief minister and AAP supremo Arvind Kejriwal.

8:58 PM

Judge sentences Trump in hush money case but declines to impose any punishment

Judge sentences Donald Trump in hush money case but declines to impose any punishment ahead of his White House return, reports AP

8:56 PM

National waterways to get Rs 50,000-cr investment in next 5 yrs

An investment of Rs 50,000 crore will be made to boost infrastructure along national waterways in the next five years, according to an official statement on Friday.

According to the statement, the investment proposals were announced in Inland Waterways Development Council (IWDC) meeting at Kohora in Kaziranga.

8:35 PM

Infosys accuses rival Cognizant of anti-competitive practices

India's Infosys filed a counterclaim against rival Cognizant in a Texas federal court on Thursday, accusing the U.S.-based firm of engaging in anti-competitive practices and poaching key executives. India's second-largest software company accused Cognizant of anti-competitive practices such as including clauses in contracts that stop clients from awarding IT services work to competitors and refusing them training on its software.

7:57 PM

India to join key session on AI, FDI at WEF 2025 for promoting investment

India will participate in a session on artificial intelligence (AI) and foreign direct investment (FDI) at the World Economic Forum annual meeting in Davos, the commerce and industry ministry said on Friday.

The session - AI and FDI: Challenges and Opportunities for Sustainable Investment - will be co-organised by Invest India and WAIPA and supported by World Investment for Development Alliance (WIDA).

7:55 PM

Himachal signs MoU with French agency for disaster risk reduction

The Himachal Pradesh government on Friday signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the French Development Agency (AFD) to implement the Himachal Pradesh-Disaster Risk Reduction and Preparedness Project (HP-DRRRP). The MoU was signed by Additional Secretary Nishant Thakur on behalf of the Himachal government and AFD Deputy Director for India Camille Severac in the presence of Chief Secretary Prabodh Saxena, a statement issued here said.

7:16 PM

PFC Consulting transfers Kudankulam project SPV to PGCIL

State-owned PFC on Friday said its arm PFC Consulting has transferred a project special purpose vehicle (SPV) to Power Grid Corporation of India Ltd for Rs 7.43 crore.

 

The SPV, Kudankulam ISTS Transmission Ltd is established for evacuation of power from Kudankulam Unit - 3 & 4 (2x 1000 MW), a regulatory filing said.

7:13 PM

LPG gas tanker overturns in Jharkhand's Ramgarh

A LPG tanker overturned in Jharkhand's Ramgarh district on Friday, police said. The accident happened on NH-33 in Chutupalu, disrupting traffic on the road for three hours, they said. The driver and his helper escaped unhurt, they said, adding that no leakage of gas was reported.

6:41 PM

U.S. Treasury to impose sanctions on 180 crude oil and fuel vessels transporting Russian oil

U.S. Treasury to Impose Sanctions on 180 Crude Oil and Fuel Vessels Transporting Russian Oil and Dozens of Oil Traders, reports Reuters

6:40 PM

US Treasury to place sanctions on Lukoil CEO Vorobyev, Surgut CEO Bogdanov, Gazprom Neft CEO

U.S. Treasury to Place Sanctions on Lukoil CEO Vorobyev, Surgut CEO Bogdanov, Gazprom Neft CEO Dyukov, reports Reuters

 

6:36 PM

Govt extends monthly GST return, payment deadline

The government on Friday extended the deadline for filing monthly GST sales return form GSTR-1 and GST payment by 2 days after taxpayers reported technical glitches in the GSTN system.

As per a notification by the Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC), the last date for filing GSTR-1 for December is January 13, while that for taxpayers opting for quarterly payment under the QRMP scheme for the October-December period will be January 15.

5:34 PM

India needs to be a global champion in sunrise sectors to achieve $32 tn eco target by 2047: Kant

India's G20 Sherpa Amitabh Kant on Friday said the country needs to become a global champion in sunrise sectors to achieve the target of becoming a developed nation and USD 32 trillion economy by 2047.

 

Addressing the 'Bharat Climate Forum 2025', Kant further said the US, Europe and India have lost the art of manufacturing, and this will have huge implications for the global economy.