Business

New Delhi, Oct 19 (PTI) In continuation with its efforts to rightsize the Railways, the Railway Board has issued an order closing down the Indian Railway Stations Development Corporation (IRSDC) that was set up for the redevelopment of stations across the country.

This is the second organisation under the Railway Ministry to be shut down after the closure of the Indian Railways Organisation for Alternative Fuel (IROAF) on September 7, 2021.

17 Oct 2021; MEMO: Qatar's Emir, Sheikh Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, on Sunday met in Doha with head of northern Iraq's Kurdish Regional Government (KRG) Nechirvan Barzani, Anadolu reports.

The meeting dwelt on bilateral cooperation and a host of issues of mutual concern, said a statement released by the Amiri Diwan, the emir's office.

Barzani started an official visit to the Gulf country on Saturday for talks with Qatari officials.

16 Oct 2021; MEMO: Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian held talks with his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi on the Iran nuclear deal alongside bilateral relations and regional and international developments, according to the country's foreign ministry on Saturday, Anadolu reports.

The two top diplomats discussed over the phone "the latest status of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA)," the ministry said in a statement. JCPOA is the formal name of the nuclear agreement.

16 Oct 2021; MEMO: German Chancellor Angela Merkel on Saturday arrived at the Huber Mansion in Istanbul to meet with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Anadolu Agency reports.

Merkel and Erdogan boarded a golf cart and visited the beach area of the mansion.

Standing next to the flags of Turkey and Germany, the two leaders greeted local and foreign journalists in the area.

Later, the two leaders left the area for the scheduled meeting.

16 Oct 2021; MEMO: The United Kingdom may consider the purchase of Turkish drones, Turkey's minister of industry and technology revealed yesterday.

Speaking to CNN Turk, Mustafa Varank said that "the UK is very interested in Turkish armed drones. Now, they have to decide. We presented them with the options. Right now, they're seriously considering these options."

New Delhi, Oct 17 (PTI) Petrol and diesel price on Sunday was hiked again by 35 paise a litre and the auto fuels now cost a third more than the rate at which ATF is sold to airlines.

The fourth straight day of 35 paise per litre hike sent petrol and diesel rates to record highs across the country.

The price of petrol in Delhi rose to its highest-ever level of Rs 105.84 a litre and Rs 111.77 per litre in Mumbai, according to a price notification of state-owned fuel retailers.

New Delhi, Oct 14 (PTI) The wholesale price-based inflation eased to a six-month low of 10.66 per cent in September, helped by moderating food prices even as crude petroleum witnessed a spike.

WPI inflation has remained in the double-digit for the sixth consecutive month beginning April, and a lower rate of inflation was recorded in March at 7.89 per cent.

Chatra (Jharkhand), Oct 14 (PTI) Coal Minister Pralhad Joshi on Thursday said closure of some mines, and inundation of a few others due to monsoon led to the crisis but there is no need to panic as the situation is improving.

Visiting the Ashoka mine of the Central Coalfields Ltd (CCL) at Piparwar in Chatra district of Jharkhand, Joshi said the power plants in the country will continue to receive the required amount of coal.

"We are witnessing an improvement now," he said, asked about the current situation.

8 Oct 2021; MEMO: Turkey has made a request to its NATO ally, the United States, to buy 40 Lockheed Martin-made F-16 fighter jets, reports Reuters.

According to the report, Turkey is looking to modernise its air force after the purchase of F-35 jets fell through.

The order needs to be approved by the US State Department as well as the US Congress which can block deals.

13 Oct 2021; MEMO: Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett said that FIFA President Gianni Infantino had suggested organising the 2030 FIFA World Cup in Israel in partnership with other countries in the region, led by the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

Bennett met Infantino in his office in Jerusalem on the first visit by a FIFA president to Israel, his office said in a statement.