Country Financial News

(Reuters) -The U.S. government's Medicare health insurance program can begin negotiating prices for some prescription drugs this fall under a new program, a federal judge ruled on Friday, vindicating one of President Joe Biden's signature initiatives.

Dianne Feinstein was the first female senator to be elected from California, she served six terms and became the longest-serving woman senator in American history. She died on Friday at her Washington home at the age of 90. Feinstein served Senate for thirty years and was the key person in moving many important bills in the house.

(Reuters) — Amazon.com (NASDAQ:AMZN) was accused by officials of violating the terms of a U.S. labor board settlement, breaching a 2021 agreement which required the online retailer to let workers unionize.

Three Arrows Capital co-founder Su Zhu was apprehended in Singapore while trying to leave the country on Friday.

geopolitics into the centrestage of their electoral campaigns. While incumbent President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih has strengthened the country's bonhomie with New Delhi in his five-year tenure so far, the opposition camp led by rival presidential candidate Mohamed Muizzu have sharpened their anti-India rhetoric, and hinted at restoring the strong pro-Beijing ties that existed between 2013 and 2018.

Afghanistan's Taliban representatives are in the Russian city of Kazan for talks on regional threats as Russia attempts to maintain its influence in Central Asia

Jaishankar on Friday said India-Russia ties may not be spectacular but are very «exceptional and steady», adding that in many ways Moscow's relationship with the West has «broken down». Speaking at Hudson University, Jaishankar compared Russia's ties with India to that with other countries. "...if you consider international relations over the last 70 years, the US-Russian relations, the China-Russia relations, the US-China relations, pretty much every big relationship in the last 70 years has seen a great deal of volatility, you had sharp ups and downs," Jaishankar said, adding, «India-Russia relations is very exceptional. It's been very steady.» Noting the India-Russia relations may «not be spectacular», Jaishankar said they have stabilised at a certain level, but have not seen the ups and downs that Moscow's relationships with China, US, or Europe have been through. «And that's in itself a statement,» Jaishankar added. «Now, if one looks at Russia today...as a consequence of what is going on in Ukraine...it seems to them clear that in many ways Russia's relationship with the West has broken down,» he said. On why Russia's emphasis on India is increasing, Jaishankar said, "...India will and has come into calculations as well.

India’s External Affairs Ministry is examining a letter from the Afghan Embassy that says it plans to cease all operations in the Indian capital by Saturday, an official said Friday. India has not recognized the Taliban government which seized power in Afghanistan in August 2021. It evacuated its own staff from Kabul ahead of the U.S.

United Nations, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Friday said the world body lacks credibility and, to a large degree, effectiveness. Without naming India, Jaishankar lamented that the fifth largest economy of the world is not in the United Nations Security Council. Jaishankar made the remarks while participating in a discussion at Hudson Institute in Washington, DC.

₹13,500 crore in Telangana on Sunday, the prime minister's office said in a statement on Friday. The Prime Minister will also lay the foundation stone of important road projects related to Nagpur–Vijayawada Economic Corridor, inaugurate road projects related to Hyderabad-Visakhapatnam Corridor developed under Bharatmala Pariyojana, lay the foundation stone of key oil and gas pipeline projects and also flag-off the inaugural Hyderabad (Kacheguda)- Raichur-Hyderabad (Kacheguda) train service during his trip to Telangana.

Pakistan cricket team received upon its arrival in India reflects the love fans on either side of the border have for the players, said PCB supremo Zaka Ashraf in his desperate bid to do damage control after indirectly terming India "enemy nation". Pakistan arrived in Hyderabad on Wednesday, marking their first visit to India in seven years. On the same day, the PCB announced a pay hike for its players.

₹100 crore defamation notice amid controversy over her comments on the ‘sale of cows’. The International Society for Krishna Consciousness has vehemently denied the allegations and said on Friday that it had sent a legal missive to the MP. Gandhi had recently gone viral for insisting that the religious organisation is the "biggest cheat in the country which sells cows from its gaushalas to butchers".

TiE Global Summit (TGS) 2023, the flagship event of TiE Global, is set to bring together visionaries, industry leaders, investors, and entrepreneurs from across the globe. This is the 8th annual edition of the event. This premier entrepreneurial event is scheduled to take place from 15 – 17 November 2023 at Singapore Expo and Marina Bay Sands hotel.

By David Milliken and Andy Bruce

Pakistan is seeking discounts in oil imports from Russia and has urged Moscow to strike a long-term oil deal while remaining within the price cap at USD 60 per barrel, a media report said on Friday. Pakistan, which is currently grappling with high external debt and a weak local currency, is hoping that snapping crude at discounted rates from Russia will stabilise oil prices in the country, The Express Tribune newspaper reported. «Pakistan wanted Russia to set a benchmark of USD 60 dollars per barrel 'free on board' (FOB) — the actual price charged at the port — to import crude oil on a long-term basis.

Home Minister Amit Shah said on Friday that the time has come to change both the size and scale of the Indian industry and the need of the hour is companies should go multinational. Addressing the 118th annual session of the PHD Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PHDCCI), he said the network of small industries along with big industries will have to be strengthened, and the chamber will have to come forward strongly to provide guidance and infrastructure in this.

Manipur’s Bishnupur district, a little girl spent her free time punching and kicking at an improvised punching bag she made at her residence, paving her way to learn Wushu at Sports Authority of India (SAI) training centre in Imphal. On Thursday, the girl – Naorem Roshibina Devi — clinched a silver medal in the women’s 60-kg Sanda final at the ongoing 19th Asian Games in Hangzhou, China. In the match, Xiaowi Wu of the host country defeated her 2-0. Roshibina had hoped to script history by clinching India’s first gold in Wushu at the Asian Games after her terrific performance at the semi finals defeating Vietnam’s Thi Thu Thuy Ngyugen 2-0, needing only 2 rounds of 2 minutes each. “ I’m happy about my performance but I could have been happier if I would have been the champion and also if the situation in my home state was resolved” said the talented and aggressive Sanda fighter while reacting to the media after the final bout.

Pannun, the chief of banned outfit Sikhs for Justice (SFJ), for threatening to turn the Cricket World Cup, starting on October 5 at Narendra Modi stadium, into «World Terror Cup», an official said on Friday. In the first information report (FIR), the Cyber Crime Branch of the Ahmedabad police said people from across the country have received Pannun's threat via a pre-recorded voice message sent from a foreign number. The complaint filed by sub-inspector H N Prajapati of the Ahmedabad Cyber Crime Branch said it has come to their notice that many people received a pre-recorded threat voice message from the phone number +447418343648.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) — Albemarle (NYSE:ALB) Corp will pay more than $218 million, including more than $103 million to financial regulators, to settle a U.S. probe into its scheme to bribe government officials in multiple foreign countries, the Department of Justice said on Friday.

By Marc Jones

Make in India' in the defence sector, the Indian Air Force is going to place orders for 156 more Prachand Light Combat Helicopters, with HAL, which would be deployed at both the China and Pakistan front by the IAF and the Indian Army. The two services have already inducted 15 of these choppers in their fleet in the last 15 months after holding trials in the most extreme weather conditions and terrain in the world. «The Indian Air Force as the lead service has moved a proposal to the government for buying 156 more Prachand choppers as a joint acquisition case which is likely to get approved soon,» senior defence officials told ANI. Recently, Indian Air Force chief Air Chief Marshal VR Chaudhari had announced from foreign soil about the force's intent to buy around 100 more Light Combat Aircraft Mark 1A to push indigenisation. The combined total of the two projects in terms of worth is over Rs 1.5 lakh crore. Of the 156 choppers, 66 would be inducted by the Indian Air Force while the rest 90 would be acquired by the Indian Army. Meeting the Indian Air Force requirement of being a completely Indian Designed, developed and manufactured weapon system, the Prachand has been extensively test-flown by Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL). The attack helicopter has been built as per the requirements of the Indian armed forces to operate both in desert terrains and high-altitude sectors. Prachand is the world's only attack helicopter that can land and take off at an altitude of 5,000 metres (16,400 ft), which makes it ideal to operate in the high-altitude areas of the Siachen glacier and Eastern Ladakh. It is also capable of firing a range of air-to-ground and air-to-air missiles and can destroy air defence operations of the