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Pain due to war unavoidable; fight inflation despite growth hit: IMF chief

IMF chief Kristalina Georgieva on Thursday asked central banks grappling with the impact of the US-Israel war on Iran to fight inflation even at the cost of growth, arguing that "pain was an unavoidable consequence of any conflict". In her speech at the IMF Headquarters here, Georgieva also cautioned policymakers from across the world to reject "go-it-alone" actions such as export controls and price controls which can further upset global conditions. "A word of caution upfront: this being a classic negative supply shock, demand adjustment is unavoidable. We cannot go through it without some pain," she said, referring to the impact of costlier oil on global economies. "Policy makers can help to reduce this pain in multiple ways. Certainly, one way they can help is please do not make matters worse. So, I appeal to all countries to reject go-it-alone actions export controls, price controls, and so on that can further upset global conditions: don't pour gasoline on the fire," Georgie

US Q4 GDP growth revised down to 0.5% as economy slows more than expected

Last year's shutdown of the government was the key driver of the slowdown from the third quarter's 4.4 per cent growth pace

Record turnout: Assam 85.38%, Puducherry 89.83%; women lead surge

Assam and Puducherry surpassed their highest-ever poll-participation on Thursday by recording 85.38 per cent and 89.83 per cent respectively, the Election Commission said. Previously, the highest poll participation in Assam and Puducherry was 84.67 per cent (2016 assembly polls) and 86.19 per cent (2011 assembly polls) respectively, the poll authority noted. In Kerala, Assam and Puducherry, where assembly polls were held on Thursday, women voters outdid their male counterparts by lining up at voting centres. In Assam, while male participation stood at 84.80 per cent, female voter turnout was recorded at 85.96 per cent. Similarly in Kerala, the male poll participation was 75.01 per cent, while it was 80.86 per cent for women. In the Union Territory of Puducherry, 88.09 per cent of the male electors voted as compared to 91.33 per cent of the women. A total of 296 assembly constituencies in Assam, Kerala and Puducherry with a total electorate of over 5.31 crore went to polls, along

Kerala records over 78% voter turnout in high-stakes Assembly polls

Over 78 per cent of Kerala's voters on Thursday queued up across polling stations in 140 Assembly segments to elect the next government, with the state closing in towards its second best voter turnout in the process. The strong turnout will decide whether the ruling LDF secures a straight third term, the UDF makes a comeback, or the BJP springs a surprise in an otherwise bipolar contest. The polling process was largely peaceful, with only minor technical issues reported at a few locations. According to the figures released after 8 pm, 78.12 per cent of the 2.71 crore voters had cast their votes, and this is higher than the 74.06 per cent polling recorded in the 2021 Assembly elections. In the 1987 polls, the state registered 80.54 per cent polling. The highest-ever recorded turnout in the state during Assembly elections is 85.72 per cent in 1960, according to PIB data. Officials said the final turnout is expected to rise further as late voters in queues are counted. If the trend

Trump's hunt for Iran's uranium hindered by monitoring disruption

That leaves the global nuclear watchdog - and by extension the US - without a clear line of sight into one of the world's most dangerous stockpiles

Amazon considers selling in-house AI chips to firms amid demand surge

The disclosure offers a rare glimpse into the scale of Amazon's in-house chip operation, which produces general-purpose computing and AI accelerators

Fire breaks out at Mumbai airport Terminal 1 due to short circuit

A fire broke out at Terminal 1 of the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport in Mumbai on Thursday evening, a civic official said, adding that dousing operations were underway. No casualties have been reported, he said. The fire was reported at a three-storey structure near 1-B Circle at 6.35 pm and vehicles of the Mumbai Fire Brigade were rushed to the spot, the official said. The flames were confined to the ground floor, he said, adding that further details were awaited.

Oil rebounds above $100 as Hormuz remains blocked, supply fears linger

Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad-Bagher Ghalibaf said in a statement on X that three clauses of the ceasefire proposal have been violated

Israel seeks to begin peace talks with Lebanon soon, says Netanyahu

Netanyahu said he had directed the cabinet to begin direct peace talks with Lebanon, focusing on the disarming of Hezbollah and efforts to establish peaceful relations between the two countries

India caps refinery margins after windfall export tax to curb losses

After imposing a windfall tax on fuel exports, India has moved to cap refinery margins in a bid to offset losses on domestic fuel sales, sources said. The war in West Asia has had two prolonged impacts - spike in international oil prices that has led to record losses on petrol and diesel sales as retail rates have not changed in tandem. Secondly, it has given bumper margins to refineries, who irrespective of retail price freeze, price their products at imported cost. The government last month imposed a Special Additional Excise Duty (SAED) on exports of diesel and aviation turbine fuel (ATF), as part of efforts to curb windfall gains by refiners and boost domestic fuel availability amid tight global markets. Alongside, refining margins have been capped at USD 15 per barrel, with any earnings above that threshold treated as a discount on fuel sold to state-run marketing companies, effectively transferring excess gains to offset retail losses, sources said. The oil marketing companie

US to host Indian delegation in April to discuss trade deal: Sergio Gor

The US on Thursday said it looked forward to hosting the Indian delegation here later this month to discuss the bilateral trade deal agreed to in February. US Ambassador to India Sergei Gor made the announcement of the Indian delegation's upcoming visit to Washington after a meeting with America's Trade Representative Jamieson Greer here. Gor, who is currently on a visit to the US, also met Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and several other US officials. "Highly Productive meeting with @USTradeRep Ambassador Greer to discuss advancing @POTUS trade priorities in South and Central Asia," Gor said in a post on X. "The United States and India have previously agreed to a trade deal, and we look forward to welcoming an Indian delegation to Washington later this month," he said. The meeting comes a day after Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri launched the India-US Trade Facilitation Portal here as the two countries eye the USD 500 billion bilateral trade target. India and the US announced a

Early signs of stress from West Asia crisis visible across sectors: FICCI

Early signs of stress are visible across sectors, warranting proactive measures to mitigate immediate risks as well as to build long-term resilience, industry lobby FICCI said in a report on the implications of the West Asia conflict released on Thursday. The report emphasises that this crisis, while being challenging, also presents an opportunity for India to accelerate structural reforms aimed at strengthening economic resilience and reducing external vulnerabilities. The government may consider the provision of emergency financing for MSMEs and issuance of advisories to address force majeure-related risks in public procurement contracts, ensuring that businesses are not penalised for delays caused by factors beyond their control, says the report. The report also suggests that the government may initiate consultations within the GST Council to explore a roadmap for the inclusion of petroleum products under GST. This would help reduce cost burdens, improve supply chain efficiency a

PM Modi attacks TMC over lawlessness, alleges infiltration in Bengal

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday attacked the ruling TMC over alleged lawlessness and accused the ruling party of encouraging infiltration and unleashing 'maha jungleraj'. Addressing an election rally here in Birbhum district, he alleged the Trinamool Congress' slogan of 'Maa-Mati-Manush' (mother, land, people) has become nothing more than rhetoric. "Cottage industry has been declining in West Bengal, while the TMC has turned making crude bombs into a cottage industry," Modi said. The Bogtui carnage of 2022, in which around 10 women and children were burnt alive in the district, bears testimony to the TMC's 'maha jungle raj', the Prime Minister asserted. "Land grabbing by infiltrators under the TMC regime has reached dangerous proportions. Infiltrators are usurping the jobs of locals by accepting contract work for less money. They will be deported and their facilitators jailed after the BJP comes to power in Bengal," he said. Modi charged the TMC with insulting adivasis,

China denies reports of support to Iran's military during war with US

China's Defence Ministry on Thursday denied reports that Chinese firms provided satellite imagery and semiconductor chip manufacturing equipment to the Iranian military in the midst of the US-Israeli war against Iran. China firmly opposes the dissemination of speculative and insinuating disinformation targeting China by relevant parties, Defence Ministry spokesperson Zhang Xiaogang said. He was responding to questions on reports stating that Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corporation (SMIC) had provided chip manufacturing equipment to the Iranian military, and a Chinese commercial satellite company had released images of US military bases in the Middle East. Zhang said China firmly rejected remarks by US officials who claimed they were aware of actions taken by China and Russia to help Iran and would respond if necessary. "China's position on the Iran issue is above-board and straightforward. We have always upheld an objective and impartial stance," Zhang said, noting th

What are the available rates and tenures for Personal Loans?

A personal loan can be very useful in a sudden funds crunch, but may carry higher interest rates due to the higher risk it carries

Holiday homes turn income assets as rental villas gain traction

Second homes across India are increasingly seen as income assets, with buyers balancing lifestyle aspirations and rental yields amid rising demand for managed villas and short-term stays

Ather Energy doubles its experience centre network to 700 last fiscal

Electric two-wheeler manufacturer Ather Energy on Thursday said it almost doubled the number of its Experience Centres (ECs) to over 700 across India in the just-concluded financial year. This rapid expansion has played a key role in driving Ather's growth across markets, improving accessibility and enabling the company to scale across both existing and new markets, the company said. Ather said it has added over 350 new Experience Centres, effectively doubling its retail network from 351 centres in India as of March 31, 2025. Over the past year, the company said, its expanded retail footprint has helped the company reach a much wider set of customers, contributing to its national market share rising to 18.7 per cent in March 2026, according to Vahan data. "The last year has been about scaling our retail footprint as a key lever for growth. While we've increased our Experience Centre count across all geographies, the expansion in Middle India and to some degree in Rest of India has

Iran warns of 'strong response' if Israel continues strikes on Hezbollah

Iran's parliament speaker warned Thursday that continued Israeli attacks on Hezbollah in Lebanon would bring "explicit costs and STRONG responses." Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf issued the warning in a message on X. He insisted, like other Iranian officials, the two-week ceasefire extended to Lebanon, something denied by both Israel and the U.S. "Ceasefire violations carry explicit and STRONG responses," he wrote. "Extinguish the fire immediately." Qalibaf has been discussed as a possible negotiator who could meet U.S. Vice President JD Vance this weekend in Islamabad, the capital of Pakistan.

CBI set to take over ₹590 cr Haryana govt funds fraud at IDFC First Bank

The CBI is all set to take over the case of embezzlement of Rs 590 crore from the Haryana government's accounts maintained with IDFC First Bank in Chandigarh, official sources said Thursday. The Haryana government had decided last month to hand over the probe to the central agency, they said. "We are in the process of taking over," an official in the know of the development said, adding that an FIR will be registered soon on the basis of the case registered by the Haryana State Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau (SV & ACB) FIR. According to the IDFC First Bank, the alleged Rs 590-crore fraud was committed by its employees and others in accounts held by the Haryana government with the private sector lender. The SV & ACB has arrested a number of people in the case, of which two are ex-IDFC First Bank employees and the rest are private persons who own a partnership firm. According to the police and ED allegations, Haryana government funds were supposed to be deposited by ...

Assam assembly polls record nearly 76% turnout till 3pm as voting continues

A voter turnout of nearly 76 per cent was recorded till 3 pm on Thursday in the assembly elections in Assam, where the BJP-led NDA is seeking a third consecutive term in power, while the Congress is looking to reclaim a state it lost a decade ago. Polling began at 7 am for the 126-member assembly, and 75.91 per cent of the state's 2.5 crore voters had exercised their right till 3 pm, defying overcast skies and rains in many parts of the state. The polling will continue till 5 pm. In the 2021 assembly elections, held in three phases, voter turnout of around 82 per cent was recorded. A total of 722 candidates are in the fray in this single-phase election, which is largely witnessing a direct contest between the BJP-led ruling coalition and the opposition bloc helmed by the Congress. Chamaria in Kamrup recorded the highest turnout of 84.43 per cent till 3 pm, while New Guwahati witnessed the lowest at 60.57 per cent, officials said. This is the first assembly poll in the state after