Happy Media

 The Economic Times Madan Kumar 29.11.2020 ATNA: Lalu Prasad’s RJD has offered unconditional support to former NDA ally LJP if it fields Reena Paswan, the widow of former Union minister Ram Vilas Paswan, as its candidate for the Rajya Sabha seat vacated due to the LJP founder’s death on October 8. The by-election for the RS seat will be held on December 14. Following BJP’s announcement on Friday declaring former deputy CM Sushil Kumar Modi as its candidate, RJD on Saturday urged LJP chief Chirag Paswan to field his mother as his party’s candidate for the Rajya Sabha seat. “RJD strongly feels that the late Ram Vilas Paswan was a big leader from Bihar. It would have been a befitting tribute to him if the NDA had named his wife Reena Paswan as its candidate for the Rajya Sabha seat vacated by his death. But the BJP opted for Sushil Modi. Now, if LJP fields Reena Paswan as its candidate, our party will extend its unconditional support to her candidature,” RJD spokesperson and former ML...

  The Economic Times 30.11.2020 Chinese Scientist are now arguing that the coronavirus originated in India in July-August 2019 when an unbearable heatwave in May-June that year forced animals and humans to share the same water sources.  Various outlets of the state-run Chinese media have been carrying reports in recent days stating that a number of imported food products from dierent countries, including a consignment of sh from India, were found to have traces of the COVID-19 alleging that the virus may have entered China through foreign routes.  Asked whether that is China's official view too, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian told a media briefing here that “even though China was the first to report  coronavirus  but doesn't necessarily mean China is where the virus  originated ”. “So we believe the origin process is a complex scientific issue which requires joint efforts on COVID-19 cooperation from the scientific community worldwide. Only ...

 The Economic Times Amit Mudgil NEW DELHI: Domestic stocks advanced last week on strong foreign inflows amid the beginning of transition to Biden administration in the US. The gains were, however, capped due to weak economic data globally, including a rise in jobless claims in the US, and doubts over AstraZeneca's vaccine efficacy. For the week, the Sensex rose 267.47 points or 0.60 per cent, while the Nifty added 109.90 points or 0.85 per cent. This truncated week will see the release of auto sales data and PMI readings, the kick start of Burger King IPO, RBI's policy review, OPEC's virtual meet and investors' reaction to India slipping into recession. Investors would also keep an eye on vaccine development. The market would be shut on Monday on account of Gurunanak Jayanti. Here's what investors would watch out for next week: Reaction to GDP numbers:  Tuesday would see investors reacting to GDP numbers, which showed that the economy shrank 7.5 per cent in the Sept...

The Economic Times Saikat Das & Kalyan Parbat 23.10.2020 Mumbai | Kolkata:  Vodafone Idea  (Vi) has got an initial proposal for up to $2 billion (₹15,000 crore) line of credit from a consortium led by US investment firm Oak Hill Advisors, bankers and  industry  executives aware of the matter said. Sixth Street, Twin Point Capital and Varde Partners are among other global investors in the consortium that has given a non-binding term sheet to Vi, they said. The proposed funding model will likely be a blend of bonds and warrants that will give the consortium members an option to convert part of the loan to shares of the company at a later stage, they said. The loss-making telco owned by UK’s Vodafone Group and India’s AV Birla Group needs funds urgently to bolster its 4G network, arrest a steady loss of customers to rivals and pay arrears to the government. Negotiations are on to finalise the terms, an executive with knowledge of the matter told ET. The consortium i...

ET Prime Aesha Datta Dear Tariq, Welcome to yet another edition of Prime Vantage, the weekly newsletter only for our members, in which ET Prime’s domain specialists bring you insights from the sectors they love, and love to track. Today, we look at a topic related to the environment. Media reports suggest that the State Bank of India (SBI) is preparing to lend INR5,000 crore for an Australian coal mine owned by Adani Enterprises, a project that has faced opposition because of environmental concerns. But would such a move, that tens of other large global banks have already refused to take, benefit SBI? French asset manager Amundi has threatened to pull out of its investments by divesting the green bonds issued by SBI in 2018. Amundi owns about USD20 million of the USD650 million issue. Not just that, in big or small percentages, several global behemoths, which have publicly announced policies to distance themselves from coal in general and this project in particular, hold shares in SBI....

 Dawn Anwar Iqbal Naveed Siddhique 25.11.2020 Pakistan has handed over a  dossier  on India’s terror campaign to United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, urging him to prevail on New Delhi to desist from its illegal and aggressive activities. The secretary general promised to “study the dossier and take appropriate action”, said Pakistan’s envoy to the UN Munir Akram, who presented the dossier to the UN chief on Tuesday afternoon. Pakistan reserved the right to “act in self-defence” against India’s unending aggressions, Akram warned. Pakistan also plans to draw the attention of relevant UN bodies, including the Security Council, to India’s sponsorship of terrorism. Later, at a news briefing at the Pakistan Mission, Ambassador Akram explained how India’s irresponsible behavior could jeopardise the entire region. “There is a complacency because there has been a deterrence between India and Pakistan since the 1988 nuclear tests,” said the Pakistani envoy when asked...