With 11,499 people testing positive for coronavirus infection in a day, India's total tally of COVID-19 cases rose to 4,29,05,844, while the active cases further declined to 1,21,881, according to the Union Health Ministry data updated on Saturday.

The death toll climbed to 5,13,481 with 255 daily fatalities, the data updated at 8 am stated.

In a rare move, the US has slapped sanctions on Russian President Vladimir Putin and his foreign minister Sergey Lavrov, holding them "directly responsible" for Moscow's "unprovoked and unlawful" invasion of Ukraine.

The latest US sanctions build on other sweeping actions that America and partners took earlier this week targeting the core infrastructure of the Russian financial system, including sanctions against Moscow's largest financial institutions, the US Department of the Treasury said in a statement.

The conflict between Russia and Ukraine is expected to hit badly the Indian economy and the trade to a significant extent, domestic traders' body CAIT said on Friday.

The Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT) said the impact will jeopardise efforts to recover the domestic trade from the COVID-19 pandemic.

The pharmaceutical sector in the country can grow to USD 130 billion by 2030, industry captains said on Friday.

He, along with other industry leaders, participated in a 'CEOs Conclave' as part of 'BioAsia 2022', the Telangana government's flagship annual life sciences convention that concluded on Friday.

Bharti Airtel has decided to acquire an additional 4.7 per cent stake in Indus Towers from Vodafone Group, the company announced on Friday. The two companies signed an agreement on the condition that Vodafone will use the proceeds to invest in Vodafone Idea (Vi) and the latter will clear its pending dues with Indus Towers.

The said acquisition purchase would be at an attractive price representing a significant discount typically available for such large block transactions. In addition, Airtel is also protected with a capped price, which is lower than the price for the block of Indus shares sold by Vodafone on February 24. This shall be value accretive to Airtel and protect its existing significant shareholding in Indus Towers, the company said.

With international crude oil prices hovering around $100 a barrel owing to the Ukraine crisis, Vedanta’s Cairn Oil and Gas batted for import parity pricing on crude oil to boost domestic production. Cairn Oil and Gas is India’s largest private exploration and production company.

It also pushed for a relook of the enhanced oil recovery (EoR) policy by bringing down levies to 40 per cent from the current 70 per cent.

Debt-ridden telecom firm Vodafone Idea Ltd (VIL) on Friday said its board will meet on March 3 to discuss the fundraising option.

British telecom operator Vodafone Plc in a statement earlier stated that it will participate in VIL's fundraising process along with the Aditya Birla group.

SpiceJet on Friday said it will start six flights between India and Bangkok from March 10 onwards.

The airline will introduce daily direct flights connecting Delhi, Mumbai and Kolkata with the Thai capital, the airline's press release said.

New Delhi [India], February 25 (ANI): As COVID-19 cases continue to be reported below the 20,000 mark, Director of All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Randeep Guleria on Friday said the country is currently witnessing the 'tail' of the third wave, however, it will gradually reach the stage of endemic.

Speaking exclusively to ANI, Guleria said, "India is reporting a decline in COVID-19 cases. We will gradually move into a stage where it may become endemic but right now I think we are still seeing the tail of the third wave."

International oil prices retreated from an over seven-year high but was still above USD 100 a barrel and continue to pose threat to India's inflation rate and current account deficit.

While there are no supply concerns as the oil route remained open, consumers will feel the pinch when PSU oil firms start passing on the increase in international rates through a revision in petrol and diesel prices, which have been on a pause for over three-and-a-half-months in view of elections in Uttar Pradesh and four other states.

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