West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee reviewed the Gangasagar Mela preparations and urged the central government to recognize it as a national fair. She highlighted the unequal funds allocation compared to Kumbh Mela and mentioned that last year, one crore people visited. She also addressed the need for a bridge on the Muri Ganga with ₹1,500 crore allocated for its construction.
Canadian pension fund CDPQ is in early negotiations to raise $300-400 million for its Maple Infrastructure Trust in India to fund recent toll road acquisitions. Managed by Rothschild, the fundraising will also allow other investors to offload holdings. With an enterprise value of ₹16,000 crore, Maple recently acquired assets worth ₹5,718 crore from Ashoka Concessions.
Tamil Nadu Governor RN Ravi left the state assembly session without delivering his customary address after the national anthem was not played following the state anthem 'Tamil Thai Vazhthu'. Despite his appeal, Chief Minister MK Stalin denied his request. This led to criticisms, with some calling the Governor's actions childish.
In one of the biggest deals worldwide for a biosimilar brand, Ahmedabad-based Intas agreed to buy Udenyca-the brand name for medication pegfilgrastim-cbqv-from US-based Coherus BioSciences. Udenyca will be sold in the US by Accord BioPharma, the specialty division of Intas Pharma.
The unusual fog over parts of the United States has sparked conspiracy theories, with some claiming it is a bioweapon due to its chemical odour and flu-like symptoms.
In New Delhi, the BJP has accused AAP's Arvind Kejriwal of overspending on his residence renovation, while AAP claims the BJP is tampering with Delhi's voter rolls. Kejriwal highlights extensive voter registration fraud, urging the Election Commission for stricter verification. Meanwhile, the BJP cites a CAG report showing major cost discrepancies in Kejriwal's renovation project.
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has announced his resignation amidst internal government turmoil and rising discontent over his leadership. He will stay in his role until a new Liberal Party leader is chosen. Trudeau's resignation follows the departure of his finance minister and the looming threat of a no-confidence vote in Parliament.
Mamata Banerjee claimed Indian fishermen were tortured in Bangladesh after being detained. She met the fishermen after they returned to India and offered compensation. One fisherman's wife received ₹2 lakh since her husband died. Each fisherman received ₹10,000. The fishermen suffered physical abuse in Bangladesh, which they shared despite being reluctant to speak.
The Supreme Court has moved several petitions about Amazon and Flipkart's alleged antitrust practices to the Karnataka High Court. This action is aimed at preventing conflicting rulings from different courts. The case was initially filed by Delhi Vyapar Sangh, accusing the companies of violating competition laws through exclusive arrangements and deep discounting.
An all-party delegation in Maharashtra has demanded the resignation of NCP minister Dhananjay Munde over lawlessness concerns in Beed. The delegation, including BJP MLA Suresh Dhas, urged the governor to have Munde step down during the inquiry. This has caused tension within the BJP-led alliance as Dhas raised allegations against Munde, prompting internal party conflicts.
India is fencing its border with Myanmar in Manipur to stop illegal immigrants. The Border Roads Organisation is working in Tengnoupal district. The Union Home Ministry reimposed restricted area regulations. The Manipur government is monitoring foreigners' movement with special permits. Ethnic violence in the state has resulted in several deaths since May 2023.
Financial services secretary M Nagaraju stresses the need for collaboration between banks and infrastructure finance companies to fund large-scale projects, focusing on greenfield ventures. He emphasizes preventing fraud and fostering innovative financial strategies to achieve the vision of a developed India by 2047.
Motilal Oswal Alternates has raised over Rs 1,750 crore for its sixth real estate fund to invest in top eight cities of India. The fund has committed Rs 1,000 crore in projects in cities such as Mumbai, Pune, and Kolkata. They aim to complete fundraising in the next two months.
Union Budget 2025: RSS-affiliated unions proposed several measures during their pre-budget consultations with Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman. They suggested raising the tax-exempt income to ₹10 lakh, expanding MGNREGA to 200 days of work, and introducing a comprehensive manufacturing policy to limit Chinese imports. They also sought a special agriculture package and other economic measures.
Recent reports have revealed that Tesla CEO Elon Musk has now taken up the cause of Tommy Robinson who is a convicted and proved criminal and is in jail for a pretty long time now.
The Himachal Pradesh government, led by CM Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, is sponsoring a holiday for 20 orphans in Goa, referring to them as 'children of the state'. In other news, political leaders are advocating for Bharat Ratna honors for prominent figures like Nitish Kumar, former PM Dr Manmohan Singh, and the late BJP leader Sushil Kumar Modi.
The Financial Intelligence Unit-India (FIU-IND) and the Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI) signed an agreement to share relevant intelligence and information from their databases. This collaboration aims to enhance the implementation of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act and its associated rules, as highlighted by the finance ministry's statement on the ongoing coordinated efforts.
There a latest reports revealing that Elon Musk has consumed the addictive anesthetic Ketamine for treating his depression. He also said so during an interview in March last year. However, this issue has suddenly flared up for all the wrong reasons. Here's what we know
The Indian government has launched the PLI 1.1 scheme for specialty steel, making it more investor-friendly by lowering investment thresholds and easing compliance requirements. This aims to reduce dependence on imports. The scheme focuses on critical sectors such as infrastructure, renewable energy, and automobiles. Applications opened on Monday and will close at the end of January.
Consumers are urging that the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) make hallmarking for silver jewellery mandatory, stated Minister Pralhad Joshi on the 78th BIS foundation day. Currently, hallmarking is only compulsory for gold jewellery. Since mandatory hallmarking began in June 2021, over 442.8 million gold items have been marked officially.
The outbreak of Human Metapneumovirus (HMPV) in China has raised international alarm, evoking comparisons to the COVID-19 pandemic that profoundly impacted the global landscape.
Indian Oil Corporation (IOC) is expecting over six bids to establish a 10,000 tonnes per year green hydrogen plant at its Panipat refinery. The renewed tender includes updated eligibility and qualification criteria, aiming to attract more participation following two previously cancelled tenders. Companies like Linde, GH4India, and NTPC Green are anticipated to submit bids.
India's services sector activity reached a four-month high in December due to robust demand. New orders continued to rise for the 41st consecutive month. While employment growth slowed, it remained strong. Price inflation eased but companies faced higher costs. The finance and insurance sector saw significant growth and new job creation.
There happens to be utmost chaos and confusion at a China hospital after videos of rows of children attached to IV drips surrounded by concerned and exhausted parents emerged on social media. These children are all reportedly affected with the new HMPV virus.
