Top Congress leaders on Saturday are attending a crucial meeting of the working committee, the party's highest decision-making body.

They are deliberating on the current political situation in the country and the party's further action against the government after it replaced the UPA-era rural employment scheme Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act, 2005 (MGNREGA) with the new Viksit Bharat-Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) Act (VB-G RAM G).

Delhi’s air quality deteriorated sharply once again on Saturday, with Air Quality Index (AQI) slipping back into the ‘very poor’ and ‘severe’ categories after a brief improvement earlier in the week. A thick layer of smog coupled with dense winter fog enveloped large parts of the national capital, triggering health concerns and impacting daily life.

Inflows into mutual fund (MF) schemes via systematic investment plans (SIPs) have topped ₹3 trillion for the first time in a calendar year, as investors increasingly rely on the staggered investment route amid market volatility.

Investors put ₹3.04 trillion into MF schemes through SIPs until November this year, as against ₹2.69 trillion in the entire 2024, data from the Association of Mutual Funds in India (Amfi) shows.

India on Friday condemned the killing of Dipu Chandra Das, stating that over 2,900 incidents of violence against minorities have been reported in Bangladesh during the tenure of the interim government led by Muhammad Yunus.

Speaking at the weekly media briefing, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said.

The New Delhi-based Punjab National Bank (PNB) on Friday said it has reported fraud of over ₹2,000 crore to the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) against the erstwhile promoters of two entities.

This includes a loan account of SREI Equipment Finance for a fraud of ₹1,241 crore, and one of SREI Infrastructure Finance for a fraud of ₹1,193 crore. The state-owned lender has made provision for the entire outstanding amount, according to a stock exchange filing.

Over 24,600 Indians were deported from 81 countries in 2025, according to the latest Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) data tabled in Rajya Sabha on December 18. Saudi Arabia recorded the highest number, with over 11,000 Indians sent back during the year.

In comparison, 3,800 Indians, mostly private employees, were deported from the US in 2025, the highest in the last five years.

Congress leaders on Friday paid tributes to former prime minister Manmohan Singh on his first death anniversary, saying his humility, honesty and legacy would continue to inspire the future generations.

Describing Singh as a transformative leader, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge said he reshaped the country's economic path and expanded opportunities for millions through economic reforms and lifted millions out of poverty.

The Delhi High Court on Friday directed the Centre to file a detailed response to a petition seeking lowering of goods and services tax on air purifiers in view of worsening air quality in the national capital.

A vacation bench of Justices Vikas Mahajan and Vinod Kumar granted 10 days' time to the central government to file its reply to the petition and listed the matter for further hearing on January 9.

Adani Group has completed as many as 33 acquisitions worth about Rs 80,000 crore (USD 9.6 billion) across its businesses since January 2023, signalling sustained access to capital and steady execution following the short-seller allegations that jolted markets nearly three years ago.

The Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court has observed that the Centre could consider framing a legislation to regulate the use of internet by kids, similar to a law in Australia.

Until such a legislation is in place, the state and national commission for protection of child rights could draft an action plan to create awareness among children on child rights and safe use of the internet, the court said.

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