Latest news today (January 5): Presenting FE’s Breaking News today. We will keep you updated on all major news, views and much more throughout the day.

Assam: Transporters’ unions decide to call off strike after govt assurance

Transporters’ unions of Assam, whose strike against the new penal law on hit-and-run cases brought commercial vehicle services to a standstill on Friday, decided to call off their agitation, an official said. The strike will be withdrawn at 5 am on Saturday, he said. The decision to call off the 48-hour strike was taken following discussions with the state government. (PTI)

Indian economy to grow by 7.3 per cent in current fiscal

Indian economy to grow by 7.3 per cent in current fiscal against 7.2 per cent expansion in FY23, says the govt estimates. India’s GDP projected at Rs 296.58 lakh cr (USD 3.57 trillion at Rs 83/USD) this fiscal against Rs 272.41 lakh cr in FY23, adds Govt estimates.

Russia approves 2 candidates for ballot against Putin in March election

Russia’s national elections commission on Friday registered the first two candidates who will compete with President Vladimir Putin in the March election that Putin is all but certain to win. The commission approved putting Leonid Slutsky of the nationalist Liberal Democratic Party and Vladislav Davankov of the New People Party on the ballot for the March 15-17 vote. (PTI)

Iran leaders vow revenge at funeral for bomb attack victims

Iran’s president and the commander-in-chief of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corp on Friday vowed revenge at the funeral for the victims of twin Islamic State bombings two days earlier. Nearly 100 people were killed at a memorial in the city of Kerman on Wednesday for top commander Qassem Soleimani, who was assassinated in Iraq in 2020 by a US drone. (Reuters)

Cabinet clears proposal to name Ayodhya airport after Maharishi Valmiki

The Union Cabinet on Friday approved the proposal to name Ayodhya airport as ‘Maharishi Valmiki International Airport, Ayodhyadham’. Besides, at the Cabinet meeting, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, it was also decided to declare the airport as an international airport. (PTI)

Zimbabwe gold mine collapse leaves 11 miners trapped

Eleven subsistence mine workers found themselves trapped in an underground shaft following a ground collapse at Zimbabwe’s Redwing Mine, situated 270 km (167.77 miles) west of the capital Harare, as reported by authorities on Friday. The incident occurred on Thursday morning, and initial assessments by Zimbabwe’s mines ministry suggest that earth tremors may be the potential cause of the accident.

Another Hindu temple ‘attacked’ with pro-Khalistan graffiti in California

Vijay’s Sherawali Temple in Hayward, California, experienced an act of vandalism as pro-Khalistan graffiti was found defacing the Hindu religious site. This incident occurred just two weeks after a similar act targeted a prominent temple in the same U.S. state. The Hindu American Foundation (HAF) reported that unknown individuals vandalized the temple located in the Bau Area.

Audi sales jump 89 pc to 7,931 units in India, 2023

German luxury carmaker Audi on Friday reported 89 per cent growth in retail sales in India at 7,931 units last year as compared with 2022. The company had sold a total of 4,187 units in 2022. The sales growth last year was mainly driven by new launches — Q3 Sportback, Q8 e-tron, and Q8 Sportback e-tron — along with continued demand for the A4, A6, and Q5. Besides, top-end models like the Q7, Q8, A8 L, S5 Sportback, RS5 Sportback, RS Q8, e-tron GT, and the RS e-tron GT continued to witness strong demand. (PTI)

ISRO successfully flight-tests fuel cell

Today, ISRO announced the successful flight test of a fuel cell, conducted to evaluate its performance in space and gather essential data for the development of systems for upcoming missions. These fuel cells, which operate efficiently and generate only water as emissions, represent the future of power production in space habitats, according to the National Space Agency headquartered here.

India to provide USD 75 million to Nepal for reconstruction efforts in earthquake-hit areas: EAM

India will extend a financial package of USD 75 million for the reconstruction of infrastructure in Nepal’s western district affected by last year’s quake, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said on Friday. Jaishankar’s remarks came as he jointly inaugurated with his Nepalese counterpart N P Saud the Tribhuvan University Central Library and other reconstruction projects undertaken in Kathmandu after the 2015 earthquake in Nepal. Jaishankar arrived in Nepal on Thursday on his first visit to a foreign country in 2024.