Business

New Delhi, Dec 22 (PTI) Protesting farmer unions on Tuesday said that a decision on the central government's offer for fresh talks has been deferred to Wednesday, even as they remained adamant on the demand to repeal the three farm laws.

Addressing a press conference at Delhi's Singhu Border, farmer leader Kulwant Singh Sandhu said that 32 farmer unions from Punjab held a meeting and discussed the next course of action.

New Delhi, Dec 22 (PTI) Asserting that the new farm reform laws will herald a new era in Indian farming, Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar on Tuesday said the government is still willing to continue talks with protesting unions on all contentious issues.

The minister said the agriculture sector is the backbone of the Indian economy and the Narendra Modi government is focusing on doubling farmer's income by 2022.

Mumbai, Dec 22 (PTI) The Maharashtra government has decided to provide financial assistance to innovative startups which wish to file for patents, state Minister Nawab Malik said on Tuesday.

Addressing a press conference here, the Skill Development, Employment and Entrepreneurship Minister said in the first phase of the scheme, 125 to 150 startups will be supported with financial assistance of Rs 2 lakh to Rs 10 lakh.

Mumbai, Dec 23 (PTI) The Maharashtra government has allowed water sports as well as activities like boating and entertainment/amusement parks to resume as part of phase-wise easing of lockdown restrictions in the state.

A government circular, dated December 21, said all norms of social distancing and precautions to check the spread of COVID-19 will have to be followed during these activities.

It said water sports and other activities like boating will be allowed outside the COVID-19 containment zones.

22 Dec 2020; MEMO: Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, and Oman are closing their borders and suspending commercial flights over fears about a new coronavirus strain, the three Gulf Arab states said.

Saudi Arabia shut its land and sea borders on Sunday and suspended international commercial flights for a renewable week although foreign flights already in the country can leave, the Interior Ministry said.

22 Dec 2020; MEMO: The first direct commercial flight from Israel to Morocco took off from Tel Aviv's Ben Gurion Airport this morning  with outgoing US President Donald Trump's son-in-law and adviser Jared Kushner on board.

The El Al flight was decorated with Moroccan and Israeli flags and the word "peace" in Hebrew, Arabic and English, according to the Israeli Broadcasting Corporation.

Israeli Chief of Staff for National Security Meir Ben Shabbat was also aboard the flight.

22 Dec 2020; MEMO: British Ambassador to Iraq Stephen Hickey on Sunday blamed an armed groups' evasion for scaring investors and causing instability in the country.

On his Twitter, he wrote: "The rocket attacks on diplomatic missions do not lead except to scaring Baghdad's residents, scaring investment urgently needed for the economy, and increasing fears."

New Delhi, Dec 22 (PTI) The government on Tuesday invited expressions of interest for strategic disinvestment of its 63.75 per cent stake in Shipping Corp of India along with the transfer of management control.

The Department of Investment and Public Asset Management (DIPAM) has issued Preliminary Information Memorandum (PIM) inviting Expressions of Interest (EoI) from potential buyers by February 13, 2021.

Brussels, Dec 21 (AP-PTI) Problems increased Monday in the bid to put a trade deal between the European Union and the United Kingdom on the rails before a Brexit transition period ends on New Year's Day, with the EU legislature insisting ever more it will not have time to vet and approve an agreement.

British and EU negotiators were still deadlocked over fishing rights on Monday with only 10 days to go before a chaotic, costly economic break between both sides is to become official.

Ghaziabad, Dec 21 (PTI) Farmer protesting against the Centre's agriculture laws on Monday started a hunger strike and briefly blocked the Delhi-Ghaziabad road.

Superintendent of Police (City-II) Gyanendra Singh said farmers were persuaded to lift the blockade after which the National Highway-9 was opened to traffic.

On Monday, a group of 10 farmers initiated a hunger strike against the farm laws. They will be replaced by another group on Tuesday.