Ruble surges in 2025: Russian currency emerges as top performer against US dollar; why it’s a headache for its war economy

The Russian currency Ruble emerged as the top-performing major currency against the US dollar this year, surging 45% since January. This unexpected strength caught Russian officials off guard and poses challenges for the country’s war-affected economy. The currency is now trading around 78 per dollar, similar to levels before Russia’s Ukraine invasion, as reported by…

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Rs 15,000 crore lifeline: Government finalising SWAMIH-2 fund — hope for 100k middle-class homebuyers

NEW DELHI: The government is set to launch SWAMIH-2 Fund, a Rs 15,000-crore initiative aimed at helping nearly 100,000 middle-class homebuyers complete their stalled housing projects. This follows the success of SWAMIH-1, which has already completed 55,000 dwelling units. The government has allocated Rs 1,500 crore as seed capital in Budget 2025-26 for this purpose.The…

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Navi Mumbai International Airport begins operations: 48 flights, 4k passengers on day one; first IndiGo flight lands from Bengaluru

Navi Mumbai International Airport (PTI) NEW DELHI: The greenfield Navi Mumbai International Airport (NMIA) became operational on Thursday, nearly three decades after it was conceived to ease congestion at Mumbai’s primary airport.An IndiGo Airbus A320 from Bengaluru made a landing at 8 am and was welcomed with a traditional water cannon salute, marking the start…

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Revised railway fares from December 26: Ministry notifies ‘rationalised’ structure; what changes for passengers

NEW DELHI: Railways on Thursday announced a “rationalisation” of fares for passengers, effective for tickets booked on or after December 26. It aims to balance passenger affordability with the sustainability of railway operations.According to the Ministry of Railways press release, there will be no fare increase for suburban services and season tickets, covering both suburban…

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Budget 2026–27 : CII reccomends institutional reforms and fiscal consolidation; stresses debt sustainability

The Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) urged the government to focus on institutional reforms and fiscal consolidation in the upcoming 2026-27 budget to maintain India’s growth momentum. The industry body presented these recommendations on Thursday, emphasising debt sustainability, fiscal transparency, revenue collection, and spending efficiency as key areas for improvement.“India has achieved a rare convergence…

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