Department Financial News

Narendra Modi in an interview on Wednesday raised concerns of extremists engaging in violence and intimidation overseas under the guise of freedom of expression while saying that the country is committed to the rule of law. In an interview with The Financial Times, PM Modi responded to allegations of India's plot to assassinate Khalistani extremist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun in the United States, saying that he will 'look into any evidence' pertaining to the incident. «If someone gives us any information, we would definitely look into it. If a citizen of ours has done anything good or bad, we are ready to look into it.

Alec Baldwin was captured on video at a pro-Palestinian rally in New York City on Monday during a heated argument with a protester.

Winter Session to 141, both Houses will reconvene for business on Wednesday. As the session resumes at Lok Sabha, Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw is to move a bill to amend and consolidate the law relating to the development, expansion and operation of telecommunication services and telecommunication networks; assignment of spectrum in Lok Sabha on Wednesday. While Mos Law, Arjun Ram Meghwal will be moving the bill to regulate the appointment, conditions of service and term of office of the Chief Election Commissioner and other Election Commissioners, the procedure for transaction of business by the Election Commission and for matters connected therewith or incidental thereto, as passed by Rajya Sabha, be taken into consideration. Union Minister for Information and Broadcasting, Anurag Singh Thakur to move that the Bill to provide for press, registration of periodicals and matters connected therewith or incidental thereto, as passed by Rajya Sabha, be taken into consideration. Apart from that bill to consolidate and amend the provisions relating to offences and for matters connected therewith or incidental thereto and the Bill to consolidate and amend the law relating to Criminal Procedure moved by Union Home Minister Amit Shah on December 19 will also be taken into consideration. Meanwhile, Mos Jitendra Singh will make statement regarding the status of implementation of the recommendations contained in the 376th Report of the Standing Committee on Science and Technology, Environment, Forests and Climate Change on Demands for Grants (2023-2024) (Demand No. 89) pertaining to the Department of Science and Technology, Ministry of Science and Technology.

India over an alleged plot to kill Khalistan separatist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun and expressed its willingness to engage with New Delhi in resolving the ongoing conflicts in Ukraine and West Asia. “I would say that we would welcome India’s constructive engagement in these two matters (wars in Ukraine and Gaza) as we welcome constructive engagement from countries around the world,” US state department spokesperson Matthew Miller said. He said the Joe Biden administration has focused a “great deal of time and attention” on the ties with India. Miller’s comments came ahead of foreign minister S Jaishankar’s Moscow trip later this week. India, which has maintained neutrality in the Ukraine war and continued its engagements with Russia, favours dialogue and diplomacy as the way forward to end the conflict. India has strong ties with Israel as well as with the Arab world. The country recently hosted the Sultan of Oman.

generative artificial intelligence and how to test and safeguard systems. The Commerce Department's National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) said it was seeking public input by Feb. 2 for conducting key testing crucial to ensuring the safety of AI systems.

Alphabet Inc. will pay $700 million and alter its Google Play policies to settle claims that the app store unlawfully dominates the Android mobile applications market, resolving antitrust complaints brought by attorneys general of about three dozen states and consumers. The deal, disclosed in a court filing late Monday, calls for changes to Play Store policies to reduce barriers to competition in the markets for app distribution and payment processing.

Harvard College received 17% fewer applications for early admission from high school seniors this year, according to the school’s website. The drop comes after incidents of antisemitism on campus in the wake of the Oct. 7 attack on Israel by Hamas.

There are various ways to keep your body warm in this bitterly cold season of the year but the best solution is always a room heater. The India Meteorological Department has said that North India might record colder weather in upcoming months due to a further drop in mercury by two to three degrees. Weather can be unpredictable, it’s better to be prepared now.

₹30,000 loss per cattle as per National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) norms," Union minister for fisheries, animal husbandry and dairying Parshottam Rupala had said in a written reply to Lok Sabha in July this year. Over 115.7 million animals were also vaccinated against the LSD till July 2023, Rupala had said.

the India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued no major warning in the state on Wednesday. The weather department said, "Squally weather with wind speed 40-45 kmph gusting to 55 kmph likely to prevail along and off South Tamil Nadu coast, over Gulf of Mannar and adjoining Comorin area. Fishermen are advised not to venture into these sea areas during above mentioned period." In the wake of no IMD alert, Tamil Nadu Chief Secretary Shiv Das Meena said the forecast of heavy rainfall by the IMD was also 'wrong'.

Kumar Kushagra made headlines in the 2024 auction as he was bought by Delhi Capitals for a whopping Rs 7.20 crore. Kushagra, with a base price of 20 lakh, attracted immediate interest from Chennai Super Kings (CSK) and Gujarat Titans. Eventually, it was Delhi Capitals who secured the talented player.

Asiatic black bear cub was successfully rehabilitated and released back into the wild by the Department of Environment and Forest Arunachal Pradesh, Wildlife Trust of India (WTI) and the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW). The bear was radio-collared and released in Pakke Wildlife Sanctuary and Tiger Reserve. A male Asiatic black bear cub was rescued by the Sagalee Social Forestry Department earlier this year and despite attempts to find its mother, she could not be located. As the cub was too young to survive on its own in the wild, it was admitted to the Centre for Bear Rehabilitation and Conservation (CBRC) in Pakke for nursing and care. Jointly run by the Wildlife Trust of India (WTI), the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW) and the Department of Environment and Forest Arunachal Pradesh, CBRC is the only facility in India, dedicated to hand-raising and rehabilitating bear cubs. After months of care and specialized rehabilitation provided by the dedicated team of veterinarians and keepers at the centre, the cub underwent a soft-release procedure.

Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu dedicated to the people one Arunachal State Guest House at the holy city of Gaya in Bihar. The guest house besides offering accommodation to Buddhist pilgrims from Arunachal Pradesh, will also double up as a convention and cultural center. Under the administration of state Department of Karmik and Adhyatmik Affairs (DoKAA), the project was executed by the state Water Resources Department (WRD). Speaking on the occasion, Khandu profusely expressed gratitude to Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar for allotting the land to the state government for construction of the guest house. He informed that it was a dream project of his late father and former Chief Minister Dorjee Khandu to have a facility for Buddhist followers of the state who throng Gaya at least once a year. Bodh Gaya is one of the most religiously important places in India. Gaya, as a pilgrimage site, is revered by both Buddhists and Hindus.

Macro Trends Advisors founding partner Mitch Roschelle joins 'Varney & Co.' to discuss the housing market under the Biden administration as monthly mortgage payments continue to soar. 

Apple Inc. will stop selling the latest versions of its smartwatch in the U.S. due to a patent dispute, taking some of its best-selling devices off the market during the busy holiday season.

Mint in a recent interview that foreign investors are keen on India especially at a time of slowing global growth. But they want to have access to all the information needed for calculating the costs and rate of return on their investment before making a decision. Stephenson’s point is that the return on investment has to be higher than the cost of capital.

H-1B workers to renew their visas without leaving the United States has successfully passed review by the White House Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs (OIRA). The State Department announced last month that the pilot program is scheduled to launch in January with an initial participation cap of 20,000 individuals. However, comprehensive details regarding eligibility and the operational aspects of the pilot will be shared when the notice is published in the Federal Register. Having cleared the OIRA review on December 15, this milestone represents the final regulatory hurdle before the official publication of the program. This initiative is part of a broader strategy by the government to reduce wait times for consular services. Currently, individuals on H-1B specialty occupation visas, commonly used in the tech industry and valid for three years, need to get an appointment at a US embassy or consular office for a visa stamp after traveling abroad. The extended wait times for visa services, particularly in countries like India, the principal source of H-1B workers, have introduced uncertainties into travel plans for both these workers and their employers. The new pilot program addresses this challenge by allowing eligible H-1B workers to renew their visas within the United States, eliminating the need for international travel solely for visa renewal purposes. This move is particularly significant given that H-1B visa holders, a substantial number of whom come from India, often face prolonged wait times for visa appointments, causing disruptions to their professional and personal plans.

Brazil’s lower house has approved a major reform of the nation’s notoriously complicated tax system

Activision Blizzard has agreed to pay about $54 million to settle discrimination claims brought by California’s civil rights agency on behalf of women employed by the video game maker

Southwest Airlines is paying $140 million to settle a government investigation over a meltdown last holiday season that led to thousands of canceled flights

House Rent Allowance (HRA) option if provided by employer as a part of salary. But one question that usually crops up is whether both rent receipts and rent agreement required as proof to make the claim? «Rent agreement is important but may not be a sufficient document on its own to claim HRA exemption for tax purposes,» says Akhil Chandna, Partner, Grant Thornton Bharat. «Rent receipts serve as evidence that the employee has actually paid the rent amount mentioned in the rent agreement. Hence, it is advisable for an employee to maintain rent receipts along with the rent agreement; and furnish these before the assessing officer when questioned.» Mere execution of a rent agreement does not guarantee actual rental payments, explains Tarun Kumar Madaan, Tax Head, Coherent Advisors. «Some individuals may execute rent agreements with family members but not make rental payment transactions. In such cases, the absence of rent receipts and proof of actual payments could lead to the denial of the HRA claim by the assessing officer.»