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Rupee breaches 95 per dollar, hits record low amid West Asia conflict

The rupee weakened past the 95 per dollar mark for the first time to 95.21 per dollar, falling 0.3% from the previous close

Fire breaks out near Israeli oil refinery after Iranian missile attack

A fire broke out on Monday at an oil refinery in the northern Israeli city of Haifa for the second time during the monthlong war with Iran, according to footage from the scene. Video showed flames on a large refinery tank with thick black smoke that was quickly extinguished by Israel's fire and rescue services. It wasn't clear if it was a missile strike or debris that caused the blaze. Israel only has two refineries and the attack comes as Israel has launched attacks targeting Iran's South Pars natural gas field and as other petrochemical sites have been hit in the Islamic Republic during the war.

Year-end portfolio review: Book partial profits in silver and gold funds

Diversify internationally, continue SIPs in equity funds, and move towards medium and shorter-duration debt funds

Vijaypat Singhania, former Raymond chairman and aviator, dies at 87

Former Raymond chairman Vijaypat Singhania died here on Saturday evening, his family said. He was 87. His son Gautam Singhania, the group's current chairman and managing director, announced the death on the microblogging platform 'X'. Singhania passed away "peacefully" in Mumbai, and the last rites will be performed on Sunday, a Raymond Group spokesperson said. Vijaypat Singhania, a recipient of the Padma Bhushan, was also a keen aviator and held a world record for the highest altitude gained in a hot air balloon. He led Raymond as chairman for two decades till 2000. After handing over the reins of the company to Gautam, Vijaypat also transferred his entire 37 per cent stake in the company to his son. Vijaypat Singhania and his son were embroiled in legal disputes some years ago, but later they settled the issues.

PM inaugurates Noida airport, says it will drive growth in western UP

The Prime Minister positioned the Jewar airport as a key connectivity and economic hub for cities including Agra, Meerut, Aligarh, Ghaziabad, and Mathura

Delhi Police to reserve 20% constable posts for ex-Agniveers: MHA

Delhi Police will reserve 20 per cent of constable (executive) posts for former Agniveers, with exemptions from the physical efficiency test and relaxation in the upper age limit, according to a Ministry of Home Affairs notification. The move comes as part of amendments to the Delhi Police (Appointment and Recruitment) Rules, 1980, notified on Friday, formalising the force's recruitment policy in line with the Centre's broader plan to absorb Agniveers into security forces after their four-year tenure in the armed forces. Detailed procedures for conducting recruitment tests, including written examinations and physical measurements, will be issued separately by the Commissioner of Police. As per the notification, ex-Agniveers will get a three-year relaxation in the prescribed upper age limit for recruitment to the post of constable (executive), which currently stands at 18-25 years. Additionally, candidates from the first batch of the Agniveer scheme will be eligible for a further ...

India opposes China-led investment pact's inclusion in WTO framework

India on Saturday said it has strongly opposed the contentious China-led Investment Facilitation for Development (IFD) Agreement for its incorporation into the WTO framework. Incorporation of the IFD agreement risks eroding the functional limits of the WTO and undermining its foundational principles, Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal said in a social media post. This was stated by India in the ongoing 14th ministerial conference of the World Trade Organisation (WTO) in Yaounde, Cameroon. "At #WTOMC14, drawing inspiration from Mahatma Gandhi ji's philosophy of Truth prevailing over conformity, India showed the courage to stand alone on the contentious issue of the IFD Agreement and did not agree to its incorporation into the WTO framework as an Annex 4 Agreement," he said. Annex 4 of the WTO Agreement contains Plurilateral Trade Agreements that are binding only on the WTO members that have accepted them, unlike the mandatory multilateral agreements. As part of WTO reform

West Asia conflict impact on India's economy likely significant: CEA review

It said that early high-frequency indicators for March 2026 suggest a moderation in economic momentum, reflecting the initial impact of these global developments

Over 300 US troops wounded as Iran targets Saudi base in fresh attack

The number of Americans wounded in the Iran war has grown beyond 300, with more than two dozen troops injured this week from attacks on a Saudi air base. Iran fired six ballistic missiles and 29 drones at Saudi Arabia's Prince Sultan air base in an attack Friday that injured at least 15 troops, including five seriously, according to two people briefed on the matter. US officials initially reported that at least 10 US troops were injured, including two who were seriously wounded. More American forces are reaching the Middle East, with a Navy ship carrying about 2,500 Marines having now arrived in the region, US Central Command announced Saturday. The USS Tripoli, an amphibious assault ship, as well as the elements from the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit that are aboard, are based in Japan. They were conducting exercises in the area around Taiwan when the order came to deploy to the Middle East almost two weeks ago. Central Command said that in addition to the Marines, the Tripoli a

Two EC officials relieved of poll duties over BJP seal issue in Kerala

Kerala Chief Electoral Officer Rathan U Kelkar on Saturday sent the Deputy CEO and a section officer back to their parent departments over an EC document sent to political parties that bore a BJP seal. The decision was taken following an inquiry into the incident conducted by Additional CEO P B Nooh, IAS, a statement from EC said. Based on the inquiry report, the Deputy Chief Electoral Officer and the section officer were relieved of their election-related duties and sent back to their parent departments, the statement added. The controversy surfaced after the CPI(M) flagged the issue on the social media platform 'X', sharing an affidavit attached to a March 19, 2019, letter sent to political parties that bore the BJP Kerala seal instead of the Election Commission's official seal. The EC had termed it a "purely clerical error" and said it had been rectified immediately. It also said that the official responsible for the error had been placed under suspension.

Israeli airstrike in southern Lebanon kills 3 journalists covering conflict

An Israeli airstrike on southern Lebanon on Saturday killed three journalists who were covering the latest Israel-Hezbollah war, their TV stations said. Hezbollah's al-Manar TV said that its longtime correspondent Ali Shoeib was killed Saturday in southern Lebanon. The Israeli military said that it had targeted Shoeib, accusing him of being a Hezbollah intelligence operative without providing evidence. Meanwhile, Beirut-based pan-Arab Al-Mayadeen TV said reporter Fatima Ftouni was killed in the same airstrike in the southern district of Jezzine along with her brother Mohammed, a video journalist. She had just been on air with a live report from southern Lebanon before the strike. Top officials in Lebanon condemned the strike, with President Joseph Aoun calling it a "flagrant crime that violates all laws and agreements that protect journalists." Al-Manar said in a report that an Israeli airstrike targeted journalists, leading to the "martyrdom of the icon of resistance media." A ..

Table Space leases 1.45 lakh sq feet commercial space in Gurugram

According to transaction documents accessed by Propstack, the company will pay rent for a chargeable area of 145,181 square feet, putting the monthly rent rate at ₹185 per square foot

Yellow alert in Delhi for Sunday; light rain, thunderstorms, winds likely

The national capital saw a slight decrease in the minimum temperature and a slight increase in the maximum temperature on a cloudy Saturday. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a yellow alert for Sunday, predicting a spell of light rain and thunderstorms. The Safdarjung weather station recorded a minimum temperature of 18.8 degrees Celsius, which is 0.7 degrees above normal and a decrease of 1.8 degrees from the previous day. The maximum temperature was recorded at 33.6 degrees Celsius, one degree above normal and an increase of one degree from Friday. Other weather stations reported similar trends, with Palam recording a maximum temperature of 32.1 degrees Celsius - 1.3 degrees higher than the day before. Palam's minimum temperature was 18.5 degrees Celsius on Saturday, which is 1.1 degrees lower than the previous day. While no rain was recorded on Saturday morning, IMD officials noted that cloudy skies persisted in parts of the city throughout the day. A yellow

India warns of growth risks from Middle East conflict as energy costs rise

This is raising concerns over inflation and growth in ‌India, the government review said

MEA denies report of Elon Musk joining Modi-Trump call on West Asia

On Friday, the NYT reported that the Tesla CEO joined the phone call between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Donald Trump that took place on Tuesday

Zelenskyy meets UAE President, discusses West Asia security concerns

Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy visited the UAE and met his Emirati counterpart Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan on Saturday, to discuss regional security in the Middle East. "For Ukraine, this is also a matter of principle: terror must not prevail anywhere in the world. Protection must be sufficient everywhere," Zelenskyy said in a post on X following his meeting with the Emirati leader. He said they discussed "the security situation in the Emirates, Iranian strikes, and the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, which directly affects the global oil market." The Emirates News Agency said the two leaders discussed "security developments in the region amid ongoing military escalation and their implications for regional and international peace and security, as well as their impact on international navigation and the global economy." During his visit to Saudi Arabia a day before, Zelenskyy said the two countries have agreed to "an important arrangement" on defence cooperation. Zelenskyy

Jaishankar meets French President Macron on sidelines of G7 Summit

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar met French President Emmanuel Macron on the sidelines of theG7 Foreign Ministers' Summit here and said he valued the discussion and his many insights. The external affairs minister paid a formal visit to President Macron on Friday. "An honour to call on the President @EmmanuelMacron of France last night," Jaishankar said in a social media post on Saturday. The external affairs minister said he conveyed the warm greetings of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. "Value the discussion and his many insights," Jaishankar added. He arrived in Abbaye des Vaux-de-Cernay in France on Thursday to participate in the two-day G7 foreign ministers' meeting with partner countries. While India is not a G7 member, it has been invited as a partner country by France, the current chair of the powerful bloc. In an address at a G7 foreign ministers' meeting in France on Thursday, Jaishankar flagged the concerns of Global South nations over energy, food, and fuel securi

Germany to review restarting coal plants as Iran conflict hits energy costs

While Germany is due to phase out coal by 2038, the review shows Europe's biggest economy may still fall back on the dirty fossil fuel in times of crisis

Travel crisis deepens as jet fuel shortage grips Asia, may spread to Europe

The amount of jet fuel lost because of the conflict is ultimately too much for the world's refiners to offset

Behind the Big Screen: After-lives of juvenile stars, journeys beyond sets

A revealing account of Bollywood's child actors-tracing their rise, struggles, and life beyond fame, while spotlighting exploitation, resilience, and the need for stronger safeguards