Scheduled Commercial Banks (SCBs) in India have achieved a significant milestone by recording the highest-ever aggregate net profit of ₹23.50 lakh crore in FY2023-24, compared to ₹22.63 lakh crore in FY2022-23, according to the Ministry of Finance.

The asset quality of SCBs has also improved remarkably, with the gross non-performing asset (NPA) ratio declining to 2.67% (₹4.75 lakh crore) in June 2024 from a peak of 11.18% (₹10.36 lakh crore) in March 2018. Public Sector Banks (PSBs) reported a similar improvement, with their gross NPA ratio dropping to 3.32% in June 2024, compared to 14.58% in March 2018 and 4.97% in March 2015.

Additionally, the provision coverage ratio (PCR) of SCBs has risen from 49.31% in March 2015 to a robust 92.52% in June 2024, reflecting increased resilience in the banking sector.

Israel's government has approved a plan to encourage the expansion of settlements in the occupied Golan Heights.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the move was necessary because a "new front" had opened up on Israel's border with Syria after the fall of the Assad regime to an Islamist-led rebel alliance.

Netanyahu said he wanted to double the population of the Golan Heights, which Israel seized during the 1967 Six-Day War and is considered illegally occupied under international law.

Israeli forces moved into a buffer zone separating the Golan Heights from Syria in the days following Assad's departure, saying the change of control in Damascus meant ceasefire arrangements had "collapsed".

India and Sri Lanka Monday (December 16, 2024) adopted a futuristic vision to expand their partnership, resolved to soon conclude a defence cooperation pact and decided to ramp up energy ties by establishing electricity grid connectivity and multi-product petroleum pipelines.

The decisions were taken during wide-ranging talks between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayake.

Prime Minister Modi said both sides decided to emphasise investment-led growth and connectivity for the India-Sri Lanka economic partnership, and it was decided that physical, digital and energy connectivity will be key pillars of the cooperation.

The Indian women’s squash team entered the quarterfinals of the WSF World Team Squash Championship after beating Australia 2-1 in Hong Kong, China on Wednesday.

Anahat Singh beat Jessica Walt 11-9, 11-6 and 11-8 in her match to take a lead in the tie. Nirupama Dubey ranked 206 in the world, lost 11-8, 8-11, 9-11 and 9-11 to Sarah Cardwell to level the tie at 1-1.

Akanksha Salunkhe then led her team into the final eight after beating Alex Haydon 11-8, 11-5 and 11-6 in the final match.

The last time the women’s team made it to this stage was back in 2012 when the tournament was held in Nimes, France.

Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami Thursday said that Uttarakhand is striving to become the first state in the country to implement a dedicated yoga policy. He emphasised that the policy will play a crucial role in integrating Ayurveda and Yoga into the healthcare sector.

Addressing the 10th Ayurveda Congress and Arogya Expo 2024 on Thursday, he said that delegates from 50 countries and over 3,000 experts are participating in the event. The CM urged the AYUSH Ministry to establish All India Institute of Ayurveda in Uttarakhand. Union Minister of State Prataprao Jadhav said production of AYUSH products increased eightfold in a decade. India exports AYUSH and herbal products to 150 countries, he said.

Indian tourists may soon be able to visit Russia without needing a visa, with the new arrangement possibly starting as early as spring 2025.

In June, Russia and India held talks about a bilateral agreement to ease visa rules, aiming to introduce visa-free group tourist exchanges.

This follows a move in August 2023, when Indian travelers became eligible for e-visas to Russia, which are typically processed within four days.

In 2023, India was one of the top five countries receiving e-visas, with around 9,500 issued to Indian citizens, making up 6% of the total.

Most Indian visitors to Russia travel for business or work. In 2023, over 60,000 Indians visited Moscow, a 26% increase from 2022.

Britain today became the first European nation to join the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP), becoming the 12th member. The bloc comprises Canada and Japan, Australia, New Zealand, Brunei, Chile, Malaysia, Mexico, Peru, Singapore, and Vietnam.

The UK, following its 2016 Brexit referendum, is attempting to establish new trade deals abroad after signing the accession treaty with most EU members.

Established in 2018, the bloc safeguards against Chinese hegemony in the region, providing British companies access to a market of over 500 million people, contributing over 15% of the world’s GDP.

The Karnataka Renewable Energy Development Limited (KREDL) bagged the second prize in the State Energy Efficiency Performance Award (SDA Group-1) category at the National Energy Conservation Awards 2024.

The award ceremony was organised by the Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE) under the Union Ministry of Power on Saturday (December 14, 2024) as part of National Energy Conservation Day celebrations.

“Karnataka has consistently ranked among the top-performing states in energy efficiency, earning the “Front Runner” designation for three consecutive years — 2020, 2021-2022, and 2023 — in the State Energy Efficiency Index (SEEI). In the SEEI 2024, Karnataka achieved the second-highest score in the nation, further solidifying its reputation as a leader in energy efficiency and sustainability,” said a press release from the Energy Department.

The government on Sunday (December 15, 2024) unveiled a major policy for cargo promotion, ‘Jalvahak’, to boost long haul cargo movement via inland waterways across National Waterways (NW) on rivers Ganga, Brahmaputra and Barak.

The policy was unveiled by Union Minister of Ports, Shipping and Waterways Sarbananda Sonowal at an event where he flagged off cargo ships — MV AAI, MV Homi Bhaba along with MV Trishul with two dumb barges Ajay and Dikhu from the GR Jetty, in Kolkata. This marks the beginning of fixed Scheduled Sailing Service of cargo vessels from Haldia for NW 1 (Ganga) and NW 2 (Brahmaputra), a Ministry statement said.

“With its advantage of being an economical, ecologically sound and efficient mode of transportation, we want to boost cargo movement via waterways, to decongest the railways and roadways. Jalvahak scheme incentivises long haul cargo on NW1, NW2 & and NW16, and provides an opportunity for the trade interests to explore movement of cargo via waterways with positive economic value proposition,” Mr. Sonowal said at the event. Further, the regular scheduled freight service, which began from Kolkata, will ensure that the cargo is transported and delivered within a stipulated time frame, he stated.

The South Korean government plans to invest 2.7 trillion won ($1.9 billion) in developing technologies to combat climate change next year, the Ministry of Science and ICT announced on Sunday.

This represents a 3.9 percent increase from the 2.6 trillion won allocated for the initiative in 2024, according to the ministry.

The investment forms part of the government’s 10-year plan to advance scientific technologies by 2032 in response to global warming, Yonhap News Agency reported. South Korea has committed to reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 40 percent from 2018 levels by 2030 and achieving carbon neutrality by 2050.

The 2025 budget will focus on developing core renewable energy technologies, such as next-generation solar batteries and large-scale floating wind power systems. It will also prioritize advancements in carbon-neutral technologies, including next-generation nuclear power systems and hydrogen power.