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1:52 AM

US long-term mortgage rates fall; 30-year at 2.67 per cent

US long-term mortgage rates declined this week to record low levels for the 15th time this year against the backdrop of an economy ravaged by the pandemic.

 

Mortgage finance giant Freddie Mac said Thursday that the average rate on the 30-year fixed-rate home loan fell to 2.67 per cent from 2.71 per cent last week. A year ago, the benchmark rate stood at 3.73 per cent.

 

The average rate on 15-year fixed-rate loans eased to 2.21 per cent from 2.26 per cent.

1:20 AM

Trump's move to his Florida estate challenged by neighbour

President Donald Trump's expected move to his Mar-a-Lago club after he leaves office next month is being challenged by a lawyer who says a 1990s agreement allowing Trump to convert the Florida property into a business prohibits anyone from living there, including him.

 

Attorney Reginald Stambaugh sent a letter this week to the Town of Palm Beach saying he represents a neighbor who doesn't want the president to take up residence at the 17-acre property because it would decrease the area's property values.

 

He also asserts that a microwave security barrier operated by the Secret Service is harming his client, who he says is exhibiting symptoms of microwave exposure. He did not give the client's name.

12:43 AM

Earthquake hits Alwar in Rajasthan; tremors felt in Delhi

A medium-intensity earthquake of magnitude 4.2 hit Alwar district in Rajasthan on Thursday, tremors of which were felt in Delhi-NCR, the National Center for Seismology (NCS) said.

 

The epicentre of the quake was Alwar in Rajasthan, according to the NCS.

 

 

The earthquake of magnitude 4.2 occurred at 11.46 pm at a depth of five kilometres, it said.

11:38 PM

PM may flag off Delhi Metro's driverless train soon

Prime Minister Narendra Modi may flag off the country's first driverless metro train later this month in the national capital, official sources said on Thursday.

 

The train will be flagged off on the Magenta Line (Janakpuri West- Botanical Garden) of the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC), they said.

 

"A proposal has been sent to the Prime Minister's Office to flag off the driverless train around December 25," a source said.

 

"Our driverless metro train, which will be the first in the country, is ready to be flagged off. We have made all preparations on our part," the source said.

9:09 PM

Stormy Mamata battles hard ahead of Bengal polls

Mamata Banerjee was Thursday waging a hardy battle with the Modi government that demanded three of her IPS officers on central deputation against her will, and another with mutinous TMC leaders led by a regional satrap seeking to thwart her bid for a third term in office.

 

As the West Bengal chief minister was busy containing the fallout of an internecine feud in her TMC following a rebellion by a redoubtable Suvendu Adhikari, the Centre shot off a fresh letter to her government to immediately relieve three IPS officers for central deputation.

 

Suitably provoked, a combative Banerjee dubbed the move "unconstitutional and unacceptable" and a "brazen attempt to control the state machinery by proxy", escalating tensions between the state and the Centre.

9:05 PM

'Cold day': Delhi records lowest maximum temperature of the season

Delhi recorded a "cold day" on Thursday as the maximum temperature dropped to 15.2 degrees Celsius, seven notches below normal and the lowest so far this season, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said. A "cold day" is when the minimum temperature is less than 10 degrees Celsius and the maximum is 4.4 degrees Celsius below normal.

 

The Safdarjung Observatory, which provides representative data for the city, recorded a minimum temperature of 4.6 degrees Celsius as frosty winds from the Western Himalayas continued to sweep the national capital. Ayanagar and Ridge weather stations recorded a low of 3.8 degrees Celsius and 3.5 degrees Celsius. The Palam weather station recorded the lowest day temperature of 13.2 degrees Celsius -- nine notches below normal. READ ON...

8:51 PM

Not satisfied with work done by Commission for Air Quality Management in NCR: SC

8:24 PM

Centre seeks 3 Bengal IPS officers, Mamata Banerjee says move 'unconstitutional'

The Centre Thursday shot off a fresh letter to the West Bengal government to immediately relieve its three IPS officers for central deputation, provoking a combative Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee to brand the move as "unconstitutional and unacceptable".

 

A defiant Banerjee also declared she will not allow the "brazen attempt to control the state machinery by proxy", in escalation of tension between the state and the Centre.

 

Five days after the West Bengal government said it will not relieve the three IPS officers, the Centre sent a fresh missive on Thursday, asking the state to immediately release them so they could take up their new assignments. READ ON...

 

 

8:03 PM

SC stays Delhi HC order on Bharti Airtel claiming Rs 923 crore GST refund

The Supreme Court on Thursday stayed the Delhi High Court order, allowing Bharti Airtel Ltd to claim Rs 923 crore in tax refunds by rectifying its goods and services tax (GST) returns for July to September 2017. The refund was denied earlier by the revenue authorities. A bench comprising Justices A.M. Khanwilkar, B. R. Gavai and Krishna Murari said: "The operation of the impugned judgment shall remain stayed."

 

The top court also sought response from the telecom firm and posted the matter for final disposal in the first week of March 2021.

 

"Issue notice. Dasti, in addition, is permitted. Rahul Jain, Advocate waives notice for respondent. List the matter in the first week of March, 2021 for final disposal," said the top court in its order, which came on the appeal filed by the Centre challenging the Delhi High Court order.

8:00 PM

Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan writes to PM Narendra Modi regarding investigation in gold smuggling case