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Sources said that a new sector commander of the Rashtriya Rifles (RR) is likely to take charge soon. An inquiry was on to establish if standing operating procedures were violated in recent attacks by terrorists on Army personnel, they said.

France on suspicion of human trafficking, have applied for asylum. There were 11 unaccompanied minors on board Airbus A340, according to sources. Six of them have shown interest in applying for asylum.

NEW DELHI : The Indian Railways will invest at least ₹7 trillion over the next decade to lay a record 50,000 kilometres (km) of new train tracks to modernize its network and boost train speeds, a top railway ministry official said. Encouraged by significant progress in laying new lines over the past couple of years, Railways now wants to go into mission mode to improve connectivity with modern tracks that can handle higher speed trains such as Vande Bharat, the official said on the condition of anonymity. Laying new tracks will be part of a new Vision 2047 document for the national transporter, under which it expects to add 100,000 km of new alignments, including some replacements, doubling and gauge conversion works over the next 25 years costing ₹15-20 trillion.

₹10 trillion capital spending in 2023-24 Union budget. And this spending is expected to continue for a few more years till the investment cycle is established where private and public spends complement to strengthen infrastructure. India will spend ₹143 trillion on infrastructure between fiscals 2024 and 2030, more than twice the ₹67 trillion spent in the past seven financial years from 2017, according to Infrastructure Year Book 2023 released by ratings agency Crisil.

NEW DELHI : Spain is pushing for a high level visit from its Prime Minister to India in 2024 according to people aware of the matter. The focus of both countries will be on deepening defence ties and inking migration and mobility agreements. The move comes after Spain’s Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez missed the G20 Leaders Summit in Delhi in September due to a positive covid diagnosis.

An attorney for Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathway says testimony from billionaire Jimmy Haslam supports Berkshire's claim that Haslam tried to bribe employees at the Pilot truck stop chain amid a dispute over the company's future

For most Americans dreaming of a white Christmas, this year’s prospects aren’t good

A storm has brought heavy rain and strong winds across northern Europe, bringing down trees and prompting warnings of flooding on the North Sea coast

The holiday travel rush is hitting its peak as mild weather and lower flight cancelation rates raise hopes for merrier drivers and airline passengers than last year

The Department of Transportation is investigating possible deceptive practices in airline loyalty programs after federal lawmakers raised concerns about how airlines are calculating points and rewards

The federal government on Friday reopened railroad crossings in two Texas border towns, five days after the shuttering of rail operations there disrupted trade and caused outrage

GSP) are expected to figure in the meeting of India-US Trade Policy Forum (TPF) in January here, an official said. US Trade Representative Katherine Tai will be here for a meeting with Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal. «Both sides will discuss ways to increase trade and investments between the two countries during the two-day meeting from January 13, 2024.

French judges on Sunday began questioning the 303 passengers, mostly Indians, of a Nicaragua-bound flight detained by French authorities at Vatry airport, 150 km east of Paris, since Thursday over suspected "human trafficking", according to local media reports. «The judges have the authority to extend the detention order being used by border police by eight days initially and for another eight if required. They have two days to complete speaking to the passengers.

Delhi Metro from Shahdara to Tis Hazari on the Red Line. Passengers services began a day later on Christmas. Since then, the Delhi Metro has emerged as Delhi's lifeline and the entire National Capital Region (NCR), the DMRC said in a statement on Sunday.

Christmas 2023: Christmas is almost here, and churches all over India are getting ready for the big day. They're shining with lots of bright colors and decked out in Christmas decorations, making everything look really cheerful. The streets of Aizawl in Mizoram are transformed into a dazzling spectacle of lights and decorations.

Paytm, while sharing his to-do list ahead of the New Year, called out for suggestions from users for the fintech app. The Paytm app will have increased AI-based customer support. The CEO shared that they have changed the Paytm app’s Home Screen.

Department of Health and Family Welfare, Karnataka reported 104 fresh Covid cases on Saturday, bringing the total active caseload to 271 in the state. The positivity rate rose to 5.93 percent, although fortunately, no new deaths were reported in the past 24 hours. As of now, 258 individuals are in home isolation, while 13 are hospitalised, with six in ICU.

flights from Geneva airport were delayed and some were cancelled during the holiday rush Sunday, as dozens of ground staff went on strike over a wage dispute. The workers began their strike at 4:00 am (0300 GMT) to protest conditions provided by their employer, the Dubai National Air Travel Agency (Dnata). Dnata personnel, who handle about a fifth of the traffic through Cointrin airport, were striking to demand «dignified working conditions and decent wages», the SSP public sector union said on X, formerly Twitter. Around 80 strikers gathered in front of the airport before dawn, wearing bright yellow safety vests and brandishing union flags and posters with messages like: «Dnata is killing me» and «Precarious work means grounded flights». The airport acknowledged that the work stoppage was delaying flights during the busy Christmas rush. «Some of the employees of a service provider are on strike today, causing an impact on our operations,» it said in a statement, apologising to passengers for the inconvenience. Airport spokesman Ignace Jeannerat stressed that there were no problems facing flights not assisted by Dnata personnel. «A majority of operations are going very smoothly,» he told AFP. Luggage left behind Dnata reportedly counts around 600 staff at the airport, who handle various ground operations, including ticketing services and baggage handling, for a number of international airlines such as British Airways, Air France and KLM. Jeannerat said Dnata had been tasked with assisting 85 of the 417 flights scheduled for Sunday, a day when the Geneva airport was expecting 52,000 passengers to travel through. All flights being handled by Dnata's competitor Swissport «are functioning normally… Zero problems,»

tourist tax on hotel nights next year, coinciding with the city hosting the Olympics. The current tourist tax in Paris ranges from 0.25 euros to five euros per night, depending on the type of accommodation. The government's plan to triple the tourist tax is part of its 2024 budget, set to be expedited through parliament without a vote before Christmas. The proposed increase, a 200-percent surge, is intended to contribute to funding public transport for the Olympic events. Paris hoteliers have expressed strong opposition to the government proposal. The UMIH hotel and restaurant union and the GNC group of hotel chains jointly issued a statement condemning the move, stating that it poses a threat to the competitiveness of the hospitality sector and France's international image during the high-profile Paris 2024 Olympics. Government estimates suggest that the tripled tax would generate 423 million euros annually, surpassing the 200 million euros initially deemed necessary for funding public transport. Catherine Querard, the president of GHR, a union representing the hospitality and catering sector, expressed concern that the increased tax rate could lead to a rise in hotel prices, placing blame on the industry. Hotels have already adjusted their rates for the Olympic period, spanning from July 26 to August 11. President Emmanuel Macron's government, lacking a majority after the 2022 elections, plans to use article 49.3 of the French constitution to push through the 2024 budget without a parliamentary vote.

Iran's navy on Sunday added domestically produced sophisticated cruise missiles to its arsenal, state TV reported. The TV said both Talaeieh and Nasir cruise missiles have arrived at a naval base near the Indian Ocean in the southern Iranian port of Konarak, some 1,400 kilometers (850 miles) southeast of the capital, Tehran.

Amsterdam is set to implement a significant increase in tourist taxes starting next year, potentially claiming the title of the European Union's city with the highest tourist taxes. According to local reports, the tourist tax is expected to surge by 12.5%, reaching a potential €21.80 per night for an average room rate of €175 per person by 2024. This increase also extends to cruise passengers, with fees rising from €8 to €11 per visitor.