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budget allocation on health to 2.5 per cent of GDP while also calling for a restructuring of the healthcare GST framework. In its pre-Budget recommendations, NATHEALTH underlined the need for the government to embark on transformative measures that prioritise bolstering healthcare infrastructure and making strategic investments to overcome supply side constraints. «India's public healthcare spending remains low, at only around 1.6-1.8 per cent of GDP. These allocations are insufficient to tackle the magnitude of healthcare challenges,» NATHEALTH said in a statement. It recommended «increasing budget allocation to 2.5 per cent of GDP to augment the social insurance schemes, boosting healthcare reforms and infrastructure and fast-tracking digital health services across India.» On the need for rationalisation of GST for the healthcare sector, it said, «Although increased budget allocation has been a longstanding request from the sector, there remains another persistent issue concerning the healthcare credit chain through GST.» Indirect taxation and lack of input credit for providers poses a significant challenge for the healthcare industry, NATHEALTH said, adding that it «strongly recommends outlining a reform agenda in the Finance Bill aimed at restructuring the healthcare GST framework». NATHEALTH President Ashutosh Raghuvanshi said, «India's healthcare demands urgent and strategic reforms.

rising intеrеst ratеs will shape the 2024 landscapе. Most of them expect the interest rates in 2024 to either stay at current levels or rise marginally, but they don't anticipate a significant impact on residential demand. Affordability and income outlook will be more critical factors in determining residential sales.

Could sails make a comeback for cargo ships on the high seas? Major players in maritime shipping, looking for ways to cut carbon emissions and save on fuel, are trying out new ways to use old-fashioned wind power. But the devices being tested on some bulk freighters are far from old-fashioned—more like high-tech airplane wings than the canvas sails that once powered schooners and sloops. One version is the “WindWings" device developed by the Minneapolis-based agricultural giant Cargill and BAR Technologies, a U.K.-based company that has designed boats and advanced sails for the America’s Cup race.

The maritime industry is booming, but coast-to-coast employers are struggling to find qualified workers. That's why organizations in Connecticut and Washington are training young adults to enter the field.

₹1.45 crores in a single day with Maharashtra leading the top five donor states list. In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Kapil Sibal said that Maharashtra donated ₹30.605 lakh, followed by Rajasthan with ₹12.981 lakh, Uttar Pradesh with ₹10.898 lakh, Delhi ₹10.589 lakh, and Karnataka ₹10.513 lakh. The Rajya Sabha MP wrote, "9 AM today Morning! Total raised: ₹1.45 Crores! A heartfelt thanks to all the donors.

MPs including Shashi Tharoor, Dimple Yadav and Manish Tewari suspended from Lok Sabha on Tuesday. As per the latest updates, Lok Sabha Chairman Om Birla on Tuesday suspended NCP leader Supriya Sule, Congress MPs Manish Tewari, Shashi Tharoor, Md Faisal, Karti Chidambaram, TMC's Sudip Bandhopadhyay, Samajwadi Party's Dimple Yadav and Bahujan Samaj Party's Danish Ali for the remainder of the winter session of Parliament. Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Arjun Ram Meghwal brought the motion to suspend the members.

Investing.com-- Gold prices fell slightly on Tuesday after several Federal Reserve officials downplayed expectations that a dovish pivot by the central bank was imminent, which helped stem recent losses in the dollar.

Investing.com-- The Japanese yen fell sharply on Tuesday after the Bank of Japan maintained its ultra-dovish stance and offered no cues on a planned pivot, while broader Asian currencies were muted as a post-Federal Reserve rally cooled. 

Sales of construction equipment — a barometer of economic activity — is expected to grow in strong double-digits for the second straight year to a record this financial year spurred by increased government spending on infrastructure development, ahead of general elections next year, said three of the country's leading construction equipment makers. Sales of construction equipment have risen by nearly a fifth since April and are likely to close the year at 125,000-130,000 units, breaching the previous peak of 107,779 units in FY23, said Dimitrov Krishnan, head of Volvo CE India. Prior to this, construction equipment makers had reported record sales of 98,000 units in the pre-pandemic year of FY19. «Among major markets (for construction equipment), while North America is still growing, China is a big problem with sales declining 50% this year.

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

Chilean voters have rejected a conservative constitution to replace the country’s dictatorship-era charter, a little over a year after turning down a proposed leftist charter

Russian state new agencies have reported that delegates from Russia's ruling party have unanimously backed President Vladimir Putin's bid for reelection at a party conference in Moscow

An explosion and inferno at Guinea’s main fuel depot in the capital of Conakry has left at least 13 people dead and 178 injured

U.S. Steel, the Pittsburgh steel producer that played a key role in the nation’s industrialization, is being acquired by Nippon Steel in an all-cash deal valued at approximately $14.1 billion

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sissi has won reelection to a third, six-year term in office

The longtime president of the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation, Larry Kramer, will step down from his role at the end of 2023

The European Union is imposing sanctions on Russia over its war against Ukraine, targeting the lucrative diamonds industry as well as more than 140 officials, companies and organizations

Benjamin Netanyahu has reiterated Israel's aim of achieving «total victory» against Hamas, stating that the war is not just Israel's but also the US's, as it is also a battle against the «Iranian axis.» He said that the Iranian axis of terror is threatening to close the maritime strait of Bab el-Mandeb and is presenting a threat to the freedom of navigation for the world.

“Indian markets are not necessarily in the bubble zone as of now. Markets are certainly in the higher than long-term average zone, but not in the Bubble zone," Rohit Agarwal, Senior Executive Vice President and equity Fund Manager,Kotak Mahindra Life Insurance Company Limited. In an interview with ETMarkets, Agarwal said: “In the last 3 years or so, market earnings have beaten the market expectations. Going forward, market expectations are mid-teens type of earnings,” Edited excerpts: The month of December started on a robust note with benchmark indices hitting fresh record highs. Where is the market headed in 2024? The macro has improved recently. With the State election results throwing some positive surprises, the equity markets have rallied.

By Yuka Obayashi and Mariko Katsumura

Punjab State Ministerial Service Union today and discussed their issues in detail ... Sharing the good news that we are going to give a new year gift to the employees...DA is increased by 4% which will be considered effective from 1st December 2023." After the meeting, PSMSU president Amrik Singh said the chief minister announced giving 4 per cent DA to state government employees.