At the Multi Commodity Exchange, Gold for August contract was trading half a per cent up at 143,200 rupees per 10 grams, and Silver for September contract was trading marginally lower at 228,421 rupees per kilogram, when reports last came in.

Two powerful earthquakes measuring 7.5 and 7.2 magnitude struck north of Caracas last week, leaving widespread devastation. Authorities said tens of thousands of people remain missing, with rescue and relief operations continuing.

The Finance Minister invited French businesses and investors to partner with India in its journey towards Viksit Bharat 2047. She called for strengthening the India-France Strategic Partnership to achieve shared prosperity. She said India and France are trusted partners in shaping the global AI ecosystem. She noted that this partnership offers new opportunities in trusted AI, digital infrastructure and next-generation technologies. 

Highlighting the growing economic ties, Ms Sitharaman said bilateral trade between the two countries has doubled over the past decade. She also appreciated the presence of around one thousand French companies operating in India. The Minister said India has emerged as a leading digital economy. She highlighted Digital Public Infrastructure such as Aadhaar, UPI, DigiLocker, ONDC and India Stack. She added that India accounts for nearly half of the world’s real-time digital payments.

Ms Sitharaman said India’s clean energy transition is creating significant investment opportunities in renewable energy, green hydrogen, battery storage, offshore wind and smart grids. She highlighted the target of achieving 500 gigawatts of non-fossil fuel capacity by 2030, along with the National Green Hydrogen Mission and the Production Linked Incentive schemes.

The Finance Minister highlighted the growth of the International Financial Services Centres Authority. She said it has emerged as a leading global financial hub with more than 1,200 registered entities as of June this year. It has banking assets of 111 billion dollars and cumulative banking transactions worth 176 billion dollars. She said it offers expanding opportunities in banking, fund management, leasing, Global Capability Centres, reinsurance and sustainable finance.

In Women’s Cricket, India defeated the West Indies by 26 runs in their first warm-up match ahead of the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup in Cardiff, UK yesterday. After being invited to bat first, Harmanpreet Kaur-led Women in Blue posted 179 for 8 in the stipulated 20 overs, powered by Bharti Fulmali’s unbeaten 56 runs off 40 balls. Star batter Smriti Mandhana contributed 39 runs. In reply, the West Indies could only score 153 for 8 in 20 overs. Indian spinner Shreyanka Patil bagged 4 wickets, while Radha Yadav picked up 3.

India will next face hosts England in their next warm-up fixture tomorrow. The Women in Blue will kick off their T-20 World Cup campaign against arch-rivals Pakistan at Edgbaston on Sunday. 

The International Cricket Council (ICC) has announced a star-studded list of commentators for the upcoming Women’s T20 World Cup in England and Wales. The female-led commentary team features several Indian names, including former captain and international stars like Mithali Raj, Anjum Chopra, and Veda Krishnamurthy. Dinesh Karthik will join the commentary box as a male counterpart, as also India’s Jatin Sapru. The 10th edition of the Women’s T20 World Cup will kickstart on Friday with hosts England facing Sri Lanka in the opener at Edgbaston in Birmingham.

Union Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal has said Assam’s renowned GI-tagged Tezpur litchi is reaching international markets. He said the first export shipment of Tezpur litchi departed for Dubai with the support of the Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority, APEDA. 

In a social media post, Mr. Goyal stated that the initiative will give the region’s litchi global recognition, help farmers secure better prices, and create new opportunities for agricultural products from Northeast India.

The Prime Minister noted that as a result of these tireless efforts, today the country has gained a new identity on the global stage, from infrastructure to the digital revolution. Mr Modi underlined that to realise the resolve of a developed India, the Government will continue to move forward relentlessly on this path of service, good governance, and prosperity.

The Ministry of Coal has notified the Coal Exchange Rules, 2026, paving the way for the establishment of Coal Exchanges in the country to enable transparent and market-driven coal trading. According to the Ministry, the new framework will transform coal marketing from the traditional one-to-many sales model to a competitive many-to-many trading platform, improving price discovery and efficiency.

The Coal Controller Organisation will regulate and register the exchanges. The Ministry said the initiative is expected to strengthen energy security, support industrial growth, and contribute to the vision of Viksit Bharat through a more competitive and efficient coal market. The rules are available at the website <www.coal.gov.in>.

The Union Home Minister paid tributes to Lord Birsa Munda on his death anniversary today. In a social media post, Mr Shah said, Lord Birsa Munda sounded the conch of freedom against British rule through the Ulgulan Movement. Calling him the immortal symbol of tribal pride, patriotism, and cultural consciousness, the Home Minister noted that Birsa Munda organised tribal society to protect their rights and heritage and gave the conservation of water, forests, and land the form of a people’s movement. He further underlined that even today, the struggles of Birsa Munda against religious conversion and his dedication to tribal glory remain an inspiration for millions of countrymen.