Air India has hired 9,000 employees, including 5,000 crew members, in the last two years to meet the workforce requirement for its expanding fleet and network, the airline's chief Campbell Wilson said on Friday.

In a message to staff, he said the airline's domestic market share rose from 24 per cent in FY23 to 27 per cent in FY24 and the international market share climbed from 21 per cent to 24 per cent during the same period, on the back of network expansion and service improvements.

Polls opened on Saturday in Sri Lanka's crucial presidential election -- the island nation's first major electoral exercise since its worst economic meltdown in 2022.

Some 17 million people are eligible to vote at over 13,400 polling stations.

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Friday raised concerns over reports of adulteration in the renowned Tirupati laddu, a sacred offering given at the Sri Venkateshwara temple in Andhra Pradesh. In a social media post, Gandhi called for a thorough investigation into the matter, emphasizing the importance of preserving the sanctity of religious places.

West Bengal Junior Doctors front has decided to call off their strike on Friday. They will partially rejoin their duties at emergency and essential services in state-run hospitals from Saturday. But OPD services will remain suspended. "We will withdraw our sit-in outside Swasthya Bhawan on Friday," agitating doctors said.

The Ministry of Home Affairs on Friday granted the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) sanction to prosecute Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader and former Railway Minister Lalu Prasad Yadav in the land-for-job case.

The case involves alleged irregularities during Lalu Prasad’s tenure as Union Railway Minister from 2004 to 2009, during which jobs were reportedly offered in exchange for land parcels transferred or gifted to Lalu Prasad’s family or associates.

Indostar Capital Finance shares surged as much as 13 per cent on the BSE, clocking a 52-week high of Rs 339.7 per share on Friday. The rally in the stock came after the company's board approved the sale of its subsidiary, IndoStar Home Finance Private Limited (IHFPL) to WITKOPEEND B.V for an amount of Rs 1,750 crore.

However, the stock soon pared gains and at around 9:49 AM was up 4.08 per cent at Rs 313.65 per share on the BSE. In comparison, the BSE Sensex traded at 83,322.08, around 137 points higher around the same time.

The Adani Group has emerged as the frontrunner to acquire a 46.64 per cent promoter stake in ITD Cementation India, a move that is expected to bolster the infrastructure conglomerate’s in-house civil engineering expertise, according to a report by the Economic Times. If the acquisition goes through, it will be valued at Rs 5,888.57 crore (approximately $700 million), which includes a fully subscribed open offer to follow the promoter stake purchase.

The impact of the US Federal Reserve’s rate cut might be muted in India as much of it was already priced in, Chief Economic Advisor V Anantha Nageswaran said on Thursday.

Speaking on the issue, Economic Affairs Secretary Ajay Seth told reporters that the Fed rate cut would not have a significant impact on foreign inflows into India.

Anil Ambani-promoted Reliance Infrastructure (R-Infra)’s board on Thursday approved a preferential issue to raise Rs 3,014 crore through the issuance of up to 12.56 crore equity shares at a price of Rs 240 per share.

The company said the preferential issue will be made to Risee Infinity Private Limited, a promoter group company, and to other investors, namely Florintree Innovation LLP and Fortune Financial & Equities Services Private Limited, resulting in an increase in the promoters’ equity stake.

Coordinated attacks across Lebanon targeted communication devices, resulting in devastating consequences. In the latest attacks, at least 20 people lost their lives and over 450 were injured, authorities said, according to a report by Al Jazeera.

The latest attack comes just a day after 12 people were killed and more than 2800 others were wounded in a coordinated explosion of pagers in Lebanon.

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