WTO MC13 talks may get delayed one more day amid logjam on key issues
Negotiations at the World Trade Organization's (WTO) 13th ministerial conference are expected to be delayed by one more day as key issues, including farm and fish subsidies, remain unresolved. India, the US, and the EU are holding talks to address differences on agriculture, fisheries subsidies, WTO reforms, and e-commerce trade duty moratorium. South Africa withdrew its opposition to the China-led proposed Investment Facilitation Agreement. Key Points
Economic TimesIndia against EU bringing in new issues at WTO meet via backdoor
The EU has proposed that these issues be taken up as part of reforming the multilateral trade watchdog. Many proponents are calling MC13 as a reform ministerial . The EU has identified three areas of systemic importance - trade policy and state intervention in support of industrial sectors, global environmental challenges, and trade and inclusiveness - to reinvigorate the deliberative function of the WTO. Key Points
Economic TimesIndian official delegation heads for London for FTA talks
Negotiations for the India-UK free trade agreement are in the final stage. A high-level Indian delegation is heading to London to resolve remaining issues on goods, services, and rules of origin. The negotiations cover 26 chapters, including market access, skilled professionals, and import duties. The bilateral trade between India and the UK increased to USD 20.36 billion in 2022-23. Key Points
Economic TimesGovernment to set up panel to tackle 'challenges' of population growth
India News: The government will establish a high-powered committee to address the challenges arising from population growth and demographic changes. The committee will focus on issues related to population growth, demographic changes, urbanization, jobs, skilling, and faster development. Key Points
Times Of IndiaSurvey reveals dissatisfaction among air passengers in India over compromised comfort and service cutbacks
A survey conducted by LocalCircles, a community social media platform, revealed that nine out of ten respondents, consisting of about 13,000 air passengers, believe that Indian airlines have compromised on comfort and cut corners in the last 24 months. The survey highlighted a surge in complaints about excessive fares, flight cancellations, delays, boarding denials, damaged or misplaced luggage, steep hikes in onboard food prices, silent gate changes, and rude behavior from staff. Key Points
Economic TimesWhy do 'hot girls have stomach issues'? Diet culture, experts say
Restrictive diets and disordered eating could explain why "hot girls have stomach issues," experts told Insider. But we don't need to live in pain. Key Points
InsiderPM Modi raises India’s concerns on LAC standoff with Xi Jinping
During that brief meeting, PM Modi highlighted concerns India has about border issues along the Line of Actual Control, foreign secretary said. The Line of Actual Control has been disputed by India and China since the 1950s. Both countries went to war over it in 1962. Key Points
Economic TimesHuge progress in India-UK talks on free trade pact; looking to resolve issues during meetings this month:
There is a huge progress in the talks between India and the UK on the proposed Free Trade Agreement (FTA) and New Delhi is looking to resolve the pending issues during high level meetings scheduled this month between the two countries, a top official said on Monday. The 12th round of talks between the countries are in progress here. Key Points
Economic TimesNITI Aayog assessing impact of climate change, labour issues on exports
India has set a target of exports of $1 trillion each in goods and services by 2030. The aim is to raise the country's share of exports in global trade to 3% by 2027 and 10% by 2047 from the current 2.1%. Key Points
Economic TimesIndustry should take up issues on e-logs platform: DPIIT
During the meeting, major issues impacting the trade were resolved to the satisfaction of all the stakeholders, the DPIIT said. Under the national logistics policy, a new digital platform Ease of Logistics Services (e-logs) has been started. Through this portal, industry associations can directly take up issues which are causing problems in their operations and performance with government agencies. Key Points
Economic Times
Ahead of SCO meeting, India and China corps commanders hold talks
The Corps Commander-level talks at Chushul on the Indian side, started at 10 am and were underway till evening. The Indian delegation was led by 14 Corps Commander Lt Gen Rashim Bali. Key Points
The Indian ExpressBSP MP meets PM, draws his attention towards works done in Amroha
BSP MP Kunwar Danish Ali met PM Modi and discussed development works in his constituency and issues related to the welfare of Muslims. He also highlighted the need for addressing key issues associated with the Muslim community to make them a massive human resource for India's growth. Additionally, he drew attention to the problems faced by residents in Amroha and urged for the construction of a railway line, passport processing center, high court bench, and institutes like IIT and AIIMS in west UP. Key Points
Hindustan TimesShipment from abroad stuck at ports after new payment system glitches
In a two series tweet, CBIC said CBIC has noted difficulties being faced by members of the trade in making duty payments over the customs automated system. It maybe noted that an upgraded and modern system of payment is live since 1/4/ 2023. Our technical teams are working overtime to fix some teething issues and the problems being temporarily noticed will be resolved at the earliest. . Key Points
Economic TimesIndia to push for tangible outcomes on issues confronting global economy
The second G20 Sherpa meeting began on Thursday with side events on digital public infrastructure and green development. Kant said the Sherpa meeting will take stock of the progress made on various issues outlined by the country as the key agenda items for its presidency. Sixteen Sherpas are attending the meeting, including from Russia. Kant said the spotlight must turn to key economic issues that were confronting the world economy after the Covid-19 pandemic with a large number of countries battling recession and inflation. Key Points
Economic TimesAll things rural India, uneven economic growth: FM Sitharaman's Budget & economy perspective in-depth
Read the latest updates on the Indian economy and its growth momentum from Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman. Find out how the economy is recovering post-pandemic and showing its inherent strength. Key Points
Economic Times
Indian economy on course to retain growth momentum: Finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman
India Business News: Read the latest updates on the Indian economy and its growth momentum from Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman. Find out how the economy is recovering post-pandemic and showing its inherent strength. Key Points
Times Of IndiaFTA with EU will be the hardest nut to crack: Former Commerce Secretary Rajeev Kher
Former Commerce Secretary Rajeev Kher in an interview with ET said FTA negotiations prioritize preferential agreements over multilateralism due to the lack of commonality in issues among countries and the evolving role of non-trade issues. Kher added that friendshoring has emerged as a response to supply chain uncertainties caused by geopolitical tensions. Key Points
Economic TimesRo Khana slams Ramaswamy after Iowa town hall; says he is dangerous to our democracy
Congressman Ro Khanna criticized Republican presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy's lack of solutions for American issues during Ramaswamy's CNN town hall appearance. Khanna deemed the campaign rhetoric as dangerous to democracy, highlighting the absence of substantial proposals. Khanna, supporting Biden's re-election, emphasized the importance of addressing key issues like abortion rights, gun violence, job quality, and costs. Ramaswamy's stance on sending undocumented migrants back and ending birthright citizenship for their children was also discussed at the town hall. Key Points
Economic TimesIndia-UK FTA: Scotch whiskey, EV, services issues may figure in 14th round of talks in Jan
The upcoming round of FTA talks between India and the UK in January will address important issues such as duty concessions on scotch whisky and electric vehicles, as well as matters concerning the services sector. According to an official, significant progress has been made in resolving issues related to rules of origin and intellectual property rights. However, differences remain regarding customs duty concessions on scotch whisky and EVs, as well as liberalization of norms in sectors like banking, insurance, and legal services. Key Points
Economic TimesTravis Scott’s ‘UTOPIA’ show at the Pyramids of Giza cancelled
Travis Scott's concert at the Pyramids of Giza in Egypt has been cancelled due to production issues. Ticket holders will receive full refunds. Key Points
Hindustan Times
Indian govt issues high security warning for Apple users, says Mac and Watch users must update immediately
On Macs, the vulnerabilities lie in Apple's proprietary Safari web browser. There are several issues spotted on different macOS versions. Users must update to the latest software version. Key Points
India Today“We're back, happy chatting!” tweets WhatsApp after global outage
WhatsApp connectivity issues that affected thousands of users worldwide have been resolved, according to Meta Platforms. Downdetector.com reported over 37,000 issues in the US, 177,000 in the UK, and 15,000 in India. Key Points
mintInstagram down? Some users are facing issues with app, others are unable to login
According to Donwdetector, users started facing issues today around 7 AM, with more reports coming in the next 40 minutes. By 8:30 AM, over 3,500 users reported issues with the app. Key Points
India TodayEight more aid trucks expected to enter Gaza: UN official
"We have gotten in approximately 74 trucks. We're expecting another eight or so today," said UN Humanitarian Coordinator for Occupied Palestinian Territory. | World News Key Points
Hindustan TimesMaurya has been instructed not to indulge in such religious issues: Shivpal on Ramcharitmanas row
"All of us have said that we want to stay away from religious and communal issues. Swami Prasad Maurya has been instructed not to indulge in such religious issues. The BJP always wants that this issue should be raked up," he told reporter here on Tuesday. Key Points
The Indian Express
WTOs 5th day meet: Talks on to break impasse over agriculture, fisheries issues
The 13th ministerial conference of the WTO continues with discussions on key issues including agriculture, fisheries subsidies, and duty moratorium on e-commerce trade. India emphasizes finding solutions for public stockholding of grains and market access for agri commodities. DG Okonjo-Iweala urges members to reach meaningful agreements. Key Points
Economic TimesNo deadline for conclusion of India-UK trade pact talks: Commerce Secretary
The 'rules of origin' provision prescribes minimal processing that should happen in the FTA country so that the final manufactured product may be called originating goods in that country. Under this provision, a country that has inked an FTA with India cannot dump goods from some third country in the Indian market by just putting a label on it. It has to undertake a prescribed value addition in that product to export to India. Rules of origin norms help contain the dumping of goods. Key Points
Economic TimesUCC draft focuses on rights of women: U’khand panel chief
The draft of the proposed Uniform Civil Code (UCC) for Uttarakhand focuses on safeguarding the interests of women, children, and the differently-abled. It covers issues such as marriage, divorce, succession, guardianship, custody, and inheritance. The draft is expected to be submitted to the state government by the end of July and may serve as a template for a pan-India code. The UCC aims to subsume customary laws across faiths and tribes and govern issues related to marriage, divorce, inheritance, and maintenance. The issue has gained attention after Prime Minister Narendra Modi made a case for UCC. | Latest News India Key Points
Hindustan TimesAre select metals prices indicating China’s economic revival? 5 metal stocks with upside potential of up t
Few days back, there was a sudden spurt in oil prices, though they might have cooled down a bit. The question is why this sudden spurt when there has not been any rise in tension in the Middle east and it is not even the peak season where demand for heating oil could have led to sudden rise. Now combine this with price trends in some non ferrous metals like copper which have inched upward to form a one year high. While to some it might appear far-fetched at this point of time as there have been many false starts, are the commodity markets giving an indication that finally there are some green shoots in the Chinese economy? The risk is the US election result. Will the election results help in resolving the trade issue or continuation of the issues ? Key Points
Economic TimesArun Goel's resignation: issues with CEC simmered; escalated over past few days
Arun Goel resigned as election commissioner in India due to disagreements with chief election commissioner Rajiv Kumar. The disagreements were not about major policy issues but were related to the composition and size of EC teams heading to states for poll preparation reviews and the formats of press briefings. Despite these disagreements, there was no recorded case of 'dissent' between the duo at Nirvachan Sadan. Key Points
Economic Times
More govt measures for air traffic amid fog disruptions
India's civil aviation ministry has asked airport officials in Delhi, Mumbai, and four other cities to set up "war rooms" to monitor operations and report any issues three times a day due to ongoing chaos caused by dense fog. The government has also requested incidence reporting and the establishment of control rooms to address passenger inconvenience. The delays and cancellations have prompted the regulator to issue new procedures and the Delhi airport to accelerate runway maintenance. The weather conditions are expected to continue, with a cold wave alert and spells of dense fog forecasted for the next two days. | Latest News India Key Points
Hindustan TimesUK envoys head to India as nations seek to conclude trade deal
The two countries aim to conclude almost two years of talks and reach a commercial agreement. This deal would be significant for both nations, with Sunak using it as a benefit of Brexit and Modi gaining a boost as he prepares for an upcoming election. While most points of contention have been resolved, political decisions still need to be made on pending issues. The window for finalizing the deal is small due to next year's national polls in India. Key Points
Economic TimesIndia-EU work stream on CBAM, FDI, WTO to address trade, tech issues
Officials said that the two sides have established a work stream under the India-EU TTC wherein issues have been clubbed under five broad areas—market access, World Trade Organization, FDI, CBAM and global value chains. The work stream will address key issues in these areas. Key Points
Economic TimesAI stocks tumble after short-seller attack on C3.ai
Artificial intelligence (AI) stocks fell on Wednesday after a short seller alleged accounting issues at retail darling C3.ai Inc , dampening investor interest in the group of small companies that have wildly outperformed the market this year. Key Points
ReutersLAC impasse with China, bilateral ties with Russia: What Jaishankar discussed with Qin Gang and Sergey Lavrov
On the sidelines of the SCO meeting being held in Goa, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar held talks with his Chinese and Russian counterparts on Thursday. EAM Jaishankar discussed the LAC border row with Qin Gang and his talks with Sergey Lavrov focussed on enhancing bilateral ties. Key Points
India TodayProposed social security pact, visa, agri issues to be flagged in India-US trade policy forum meet
New Delhi, Jan 5 (PTI) India will flag issues such as proposed social security agreement, visas, and promoting agri trade in the meeting of India-US Trade Policy Forum (TPF) during January 13-14, a top government official said. US Trade Representative Katherine Tai will be here for a meeting with Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal. […] Key Points
ThePrintCall of Duty: Warzone December 14 Update Patch Notes: Check out fixes, nerfs, audio improvements, MTZ, DG
The Call of Duty: Warzone December 14 update introduces a new map, Urzikstan, and integrates MW3, offering players enhanced customization. Notably, the DG-56, Bas-B, and MTZ Interceptor face nerfs, addressing overpower issues. An audio fix improved player experience, focusing on footsteps. The update also includes gameplay adjustments and bug fixes for a smoother Warzone experience. Key Points
Economic TimesIs Apple mulling a surprise iPhone upgrade soon? Here's what we know so far
After the latest version of the iPhone launch, issues related to Wi-Fi have been surfacing. Apple is reportedly working on upgrading its phone to fix the issue. But it is to be seen whether the surprise upgrade is to bring a compatible iPhone to the market. Key Points
Economic Times