Business

Mumbai, Apr 22 (PTI) The rupee declined 32 paise to close at 76.49 (provisional) against the US dollar on Friday, in line with a sell-off in domestic equities and a firm greenback in the overseas markets.

Persistent foreign capital outflows also dented investor sentiment, forex traders said.

At the interbank forex market, the rupee opened sharply lower at 76.31 against the greenback and lost further ground during the session. The domestic unit witnessed an intra-day high of 76.19 and a low of 76.50.

New Delhi, Apr 21 (PTI) India on Thursday reiterated that it has been looking at keeping its economic ties with Russia stable and that it procures "very little" Russian crude oil.

External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said this when asked at a media briefing about reports that India is buying more Russian crude oil.

Bagchi said India's position on Russia has been "clear and steadfast"

Rameswaram (TN), Apr 22 (PTI) Eighteen more Sri Lankan nationals who fled the crisis-hit island republic arrived in India on Friday, with the hapless families who landed at Dhanushkodi in the wee hours being accommodated at the Mandapam refugees camp.

They rued the severe crisis that has crippled the country's economy and said even milk powder could not be afforded by them and alleged government apathy towards citizens.

The 18 people, among whom there were children, came in two batches in as many boats and were dropped off at Arichalmunai.

22 April 2022; MEMO: The European Commission announced on Thursday that the EU will send €20 million (almost $22 million) of humanitarian aid to Lebanon to ease the food insecurity exacerbated by Russia's war in Ukraine, Anadolu News Agency reports.

"To support the most vulnerable segments of the population in Lebanon, the EU has allocated an additional €20 million in humanitarian aid to respond to rising food insecurity and other needs," the EU executive body said in a statement.

21 April 2022; MEMO: The White House has given up on asking Saudi Arabia to pump more oil after being repeatedly rebuffed by the Kingdom, The Wall Street Journal reports.

According to the report, the act from the US came with the latest sign of a growing rift between the two nations.

21 April 2022; MEMO: Some NATO members want the war in Ukraine to continue for Russia to get weaker, Turkiye's Foreign Minister said Wednesday, Anadolu News Agency reports.

According to the report, Turkiye's Foreign Minister, Mevlut Cavusoglu, said Turkiye did not think that the Russia-Ukraine war would last that long after the peace talks in Istanbul.

April 2022; MEMO: The Tunisian central bank said yesterday it had signed a $700 million loan deal with Africa Export Import Bank (Afreximbank).

The deal was signed in Egypt on 13 April and the loan falls within the framework of mobilising external resources included in the state budget for the year 2022.

The loan, which has a 5.76 per cent annual interest rate, will be repaid over seven years, including a two-year grace period.

New Delhi, Apr 20 (PTI) British Prime Minister Boris Johnson's two-day visit to India from Thursday is expected to give a fresh push to the proposed free trade agreement, boost cooperation in the Indo-Pacific and enhance defence ties, and he will not lecture New Delhi on how to respond to the Russian invasion of Ukraine, people familiar with the development said.

20 April 2022; MEMO: Turkiye suspends the export of butter and cream to meet increased food demand in the summer, a time of increased tourism, Anadolu News Agency reports.

According to the report, the Turkish Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry suspended the export of butter and cream to avoid shortages.

20 April 2022; MEMO: A Chinese technology company has secured three oil and gas subsea cable supply projects with the United Arab Emirates, local UAE media reports.

According to the report, ZTT Submarine Cable & System has signed an agreement with UAE's National Petroleum Construction Company (NPCC) on three oil and gas subsea cable supply projects set to be delivered to the end-user, Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC).