Saudi Foreign Minister Prince <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/pakistan-saudi-foreign-minister-faisal-bin-farhan-al-saud-to-visit-today-270275">Faisal bin Farhan Al-Saud</a> arrived here on Thursday on a maiden visit to Pakistan.

The newly-appointed minister was received by his Pakistani counterpart Shah Mehmood Qureshi at the airport. Both sides, at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) office here, discussed bilateral relations, regional situation and matters of mutual interest, Dawn reported.

The Saudi foreign minister is also expected to meet Prime Minister <a href="https://www.wionews.com/opinions/calling-imran-khans-bluff-india-needs-to-realign-its-pakistan-policy-190867">Imran Khan </a>and other leaders during his one-day trip.

This is the first visit by the current Saudi foreign minister since he assumed office in October.

Earlier, a diplomatic source told Dawn that the purpose of the trip is to thank Prime Minister Imran Khan for not attending Kuala Lumpur Summit.

The source added that the visit was scheduled only a couple of days ago.

"The purpose of the visit is to thank Prime Minister Khan for his decision of not attending Kuala Lumpur summit, and express solidarity with Islamabad after Turkish President <a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/80000-syrian-migrants-marching-to-turkey-says-recep-erdogan-269633">Recep Tayyip Erdogan</a>'s allegations that Saudi pressure forced Pakistan to skip the event," he said on conditions of anonymity.

"The Saudis also want to dispel the impression, which was reinforced by Erdogan's allegations, that their attitude towards Islamabad is patronising," he added.

Earlier this month, Khan had decided not to attend the Islamic summit, which was held in Kuala Lumpur and was attended by leaders of Muslim countries, including Iran, Qatar, and Turkey as well as religious scholars.

The decision was reportedly taken after Saudi Arabia expressed its displeasure over Pakistan's decision to participate. Riyadh sees the summit as an attempt to present an alternative to the Jeddah-based Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC).

The decision came as a surprise because the Pakistan prime minister was the one with whom his Malaysian counterpart Mahathir Mohamad was about to address the summit.

However, both Pakistan and Saudi Arabia had rejected claims that Khan's decision was taken due to pressure from Riyadh.

Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al-Saud arrived here on Thursday on a maiden visit to Pakistan. The newly-appointed minister was received by his Pakistani counterpart Shah Mehmood Qureshi at the airport.

Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al-Saud arrived here on Thursday on a maiden visit to Pakistan. The newly-appointed minister was received by his Pakistani counterpart Shah Mehmood Qureshi at the airport. Both sides, at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) office here, discussed bilateral relations, regional situation and matters of mutual interest, Dawn reported. The Saudi foreign minister is also expected to meet Prime Minister Imran Khan and other leaders during his one-day trip. This is the first visit by the current Saudi foreign minister since he assumed office in October. Earlier, a diplomatic source told Dawn that the purpose of the trip is to thank Prime Minister Imran Khan for not attending Kuala Lumpur Summit. The source added that the visit was scheduled only a couple of days ago. "The purpose of the visit is to thank Prime Minister Khan for his decision of not attending Kuala Lumpur summit, and express solidarity with Islamabad after Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's allegations that Saudi pressure forced Pakistan to skip the event," he said on conditions of anonymity. "The Saudis also want to dispel the impression, which was reinforced by Erdogan's allegations, that their attitude towards Islamabad is patronising," he added. Earlier this month, Khan had decided not to attend the Islamic summit, which was held in Kuala Lumpur and was attended by leaders of Muslim countries, including Iran, Qatar, and Turkey as well as religious scholars. The decision was reportedly taken after Saudi Arabia expressed its displeasure over Pakistan's decision to participate. Riyadh sees the summit as an attempt to present an alternative to the Jeddah-based Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC). The decision came as a surprise because the Pakistan prime minister was the one with whom his Malaysian counterpart Mahathir Mohamad was about to address the summit. However, both Pakistan and Saudi Arabia had rejected claims that Khan's decision was taken due to pressure from Riyadh.

Saudi foreign minister arrives in Pakistan to thank Imran for pulling out of Malaysia summit

Pacer <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/watch-james-anderson-shreds-ashwins-photo-as-his-reaction-to-mankading-incident-207275">James Anderson</a> on Thursday became the fifth bowler in this decade to take a wicket on the first ball of a Test match.

The pacer achieved the feat in the ongoing first Test match between England and South Africa at the Supersport Park in Centurion.

Anderson had Dena Elgar (0) caught at the hands of the wicket-keeper Jos Buttler on the very first ball of the match.

Before Anderson, Suranga Lakmal (Sri Lanka), Mitchell Starc (Australia) and <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/south-african-quick-dale-steyn-retires-from-test-cricket-240928">Dale Steyn</a> (South Africa) were the only ones to take a wicket on the first ball of a match this decade. 
Lakmal has done this twice in this decade (2010 and 2017).

In the match, Anderson also became only the second English cricketer to play 150 Test matches. Overall, he has now become the ninth cricketer to achieve the feat.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/sachin-tendulkar-loses-security-cover-aaditya-thackeray-gets-an-upgrade-to-z-270171">Sachin Tendulkar</a>, <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/rahul-dravid-to-head-of-national-cricket-academy-experts-react-positively-234118">Rahul Dravid</a> (India), Steve Waugh, Ricky Ponting, Allan Border (Australia), Jacques Kallis (South Africa), Shivnarine Chanderpaul (West Indies) and Alastair Cook (England) are the other cricketers who have played more than 150 Test matches.

In the ongoing Test between England and South Africa, the visitors won the toss and opted to bowl first.

England's former skipper Sir <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/alastair-cook-slams-33rd-test-century-7th-against-india-in-farewell-innings-164898">Alastair Cook</a> holds the record for playing most matches for England. He played 161 Tests for the country.

The 37-year-old Anderson is currently the leading wicket-taker for England in the longest format of the game with 575 wickets to his name.

He also finished this decade with the second-highest wickets after taking 535 wickets. He made his debut at the age of 20 for England.

Pacer James Anderson on Thursday became the fifth bowler in this decade to take a wicket on the first ball of a Test match. The pacer achieved the feat in the ongoing first Test match between England and South Africa at the Supersport Park in Centurion.

Pacer James Anderson on Thursday became the fifth bowler in this decade to take a wicket on the first ball of a Test match. The pacer achieved the feat in the ongoing first Test match between England and South Africa at the Supersport Park in Centurion. Anderson had Dena Elgar (0) caught at the hands of the wicket-keeper Jos Buttler on the very first ball of the match. Before Anderson, Suranga Lakmal (Sri Lanka), Mitchell Starc (Australia) and Dale Steyn (South Africa) were the only ones to take a wicket on the first ball of a match this decade. Lakmal has done this twice in this decade (2010 and 2017). In the match, Anderson also became only the second English cricketer to play 150 Test matches. Overall, he has now become the ninth cricketer to achieve the feat. Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid (India), Steve Waugh, Ricky Ponting, Allan Border (Australia), Jacques Kallis (South Africa), Shivnarine Chanderpaul (West Indies) and Alastair Cook (England) are the other cricketers who have played more than 150 Test matches. In the ongoing Test between England and South Africa, the visitors won the toss and opted to bowl first. England's former skipper Sir Alastair Cook holds the record for playing most matches for England. He played 161 Tests for the country. The 37-year-old Anderson is currently the leading wicket-taker for England in the longest format of the game with 575 wickets to his name. He also finished this decade with the second-highest wickets after taking 535 wickets. He made his debut at the age of 20 for England.

James Anderson becomes fifth bowler in this decade to take wicket on first ball of Test

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/trump-says-he-and-xi-jinping-will-sign-china-trade-deal-270340">US&nbsp;President Donald Trump</a> on Thursday warned Russia, Syria and Iran against killing civilians in Syria's Idlib province and said Turkey was working hard to stop the "carnage."

"Russia, Syria, and Iran are killing, or on their way to killing, thousands if inocent (sic) civilians in <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/russia-backed-syrian-forces-gain-ground-in-idlib-269853">Idlib Province</a>. Don’t do it! Turkey is working hard to stop this carnage," Trump said in a tweet.

Syrian and Russian forces have intensified their bombardment of targets in Idlib, the last significant rebel pocket of Syria. Syrian President Bashar al-Assad has vowed to recapture it.

The leaders of Turkey, Russia and Iran agreed in Ankara in September to "de-escalate" conflict in Idlib after a months-long campaign that forced at least 500,000 civilians to flee. With diplomacy on a Syria peace settlement stalled, the de-escalation deal has been unravelling of late.

Turkish Presidential spokesman Ibrahim Kalin said on Tuesday that Russia will work to stop attacks in Idlib after talks with a Turkish delegation in Moscow.

Trump has sought a close relationship with Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan, even after Ankara's recent incursion against American Kurdish allies in Syria and Turkey's purchase of the Russian S-400 missile defence system.

US President Donald Trump on Thursday warned Russia, Syria and Iran against killing civilians in Syria's Idlib province and said Turkey was working hard to stop the "carnage.

US President Donald Trump on Thursday warned Russia, Syria and Iran against killing civilians in Syria's Idlib province and said Turkey was working hard to stop the "carnage." "Russia, Syria, and Iran are killing, or on their way to killing, thousands if inocent (sic) civilians in Idlib Province. Don’t do it! Turkey is working hard to stop this carnage," Trump said in a tweet. Syrian and Russian forces have intensified their bombardment of targets in Idlib, the last significant rebel pocket of Syria. Syrian President Bashar al-Assad has vowed to recapture it. The leaders of Turkey, Russia and Iran agreed in Ankara in September to "de-escalate" conflict in Idlib after a months-long campaign that forced at least 500,000 civilians to flee. With diplomacy on a Syria peace settlement stalled, the de-escalation deal has been unravelling of late. Turkish Presidential spokesman Ibrahim Kalin said on Tuesday that Russia will work to stop attacks in Idlib after talks with a Turkish delegation in Moscow. Trump has sought a close relationship with Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan, even after Ankara's recent incursion against American Kurdish allies in Syria and Turkey's purchase of the Russian S-400 missile defence system.

Don’t do it! Trump warns Russia, Syria, Iran against killing civilians in Idlib

A Delhi Court reserved till December 28 the verdict on a bail petition moved by fifteen accused who were arrested after a protest in Delhi's Daryaganj area against the amended citizenship Act turned violent last week.

Sessions Judge Satish Kumar heard the bail plea of the nine accused today and later reserved the verdict.

The Delhi Police had arrested 15 people and detained 40 on December 20 after police and protestors clashed in the area. All the 15 accused were then sent to 14-days judicial custody.

Initially, six accused moved the court seeking bail. On their petition, the court had issued a notice to the Delhi Police and slated the matter for hearing to December 28.

The other nine approached the court seeking bail later. Advocate Siddharth Aggarwal, representing the nine accused, told the court that the case of 436 [mischief] cannot be made against his clients.

"Police can call all the accused to police stations for questioning. What is the need to keep them in judicial custody?" he questioned.

Additional Public Prosecutor (APP), however, opposed the bail plea by asserting that the case is in the initial stage and the police are awaiting the Medicolegal Case (MLC) report.&nbsp;

A Delhi Court reserved till December 28 the verdict on a bail petition moved by fifteen accused who were arrested after a protest in Delhi's Daryaganj area against the amended citizenship Act turned violent last week.

A Delhi Court reserved till December 28 the verdict on a bail petition moved by fifteen accused who were arrested after a protest in Delhi's Daryaganj area against the amended citizenship Act turned violent last week. Sessions Judge Satish Kumar heard the bail plea of the nine accused today and later reserved the verdict. The Delhi Police had arrested 15 people and detained 40 on December 20 after police and protestors clashed in the area. All the 15 accused were then sent to 14-days judicial custody. Initially, six accused moved the court seeking bail. On their petition, the court had issued a notice to the Delhi Police and slated the matter for hearing to December 28. The other nine approached the court seeking bail later. Advocate Siddharth Aggarwal, representing the nine accused, told the court that the case of 436 [mischief] cannot be made against his clients. "Police can call all the accused to police stations for questioning. What is the need to keep them in judicial custody?" he questioned. Additional Public Prosecutor (APP), however, opposed the bail plea by asserting that the case is in the initial stage and the police are awaiting the Medicolegal Case (MLC) report.

Daryaganj violence: Court to pronounce order on bail plea of 15 accused on December 28

Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Thursday said that no previous government thought about the people living in unauthorised colonies of the national capital, who were given the ownership right of their lands only recently by the BJP led Central government.

"Prime Minister Narendra Modi removed the hurdle of 13 legal procedures by one Cabinet note and gave ownership right to 40 lakh people living in unauthorised colonies of the national capital," said Shah while addressing a gathering.

The Union Cabinet last month approved the Bill to provide a legal framework to grant ownership rights to the people living in unauthorised colonies in the national capital.

"There are 1,731 unauthorised colonies in Delhi where over 40 lakh people are living. These people have been living here for several generations but no previous government thought about them or their welfare," said Shah.

The Union Home Minister said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi cares about those living in these areas.

"Prime Minister Modi said that a lot of poor people have been living in these areas for generations but cannot take loans or have the ownership of their properties, as these colonies are not authorised," said Shah.

The Home Minister also said that 4,526 houses will be provided to the poor people and 2,088 units have been provisioned for the people belonging to the economically weaker sections of the society in the city.

Accusing Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal of stealing credit for the Central government's developmental works, Shah quipped that Kejriwal might try to take credit for this as well.

The National Capital Territory of Delhi (Recognition of Property Rights of Residents in Unauthorised Colonies) Bill, 2019, was passed by Parliament on December 4.

The new legislation regarding the regularisation of unauthorised colonies recognises and confers rights of ownership or transfer or mortgage to the residents of such colonies on the basis of power of attorney, agreement of sale, will, possession letter, and other documents.&nbsp;

Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Thursday said that no previous government thought about the people living in unauthorised colonies of the national capital, who were given the ownership right of their lands only recently by the BJP led Central government.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Thursday said that no previous government thought about the people living in unauthorised colonies of the national capital, who were given the ownership right of their lands only recently by the BJP led Central government. "Prime Minister Narendra Modi removed the hurdle of 13 legal procedures by one Cabinet note and gave ownership right to 40 lakh people living in unauthorised colonies of the national capital," said Shah while addressing a gathering. The Union Cabinet last month approved the Bill to provide a legal framework to grant ownership rights to the people living in unauthorised colonies in the national capital. "There are 1,731 unauthorised colonies in Delhi where over 40 lakh people are living. These people have been living here for several generations but no previous government thought about them or their welfare," said Shah. The Union Home Minister said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi cares about those living in these areas. "Prime Minister Modi said that a lot of poor people have been living in these areas for generations but cannot take loans or have the ownership of their properties, as these colonies are not authorised," said Shah. The Home Minister also said that 4,526 houses will be provided to the poor people and 2,088 units have been provisioned for the people belonging to the economically weaker sections of the society in the city. Accusing Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal of stealing credit for the Central government's developmental works, Shah quipped that Kejriwal might try to take credit for this as well. The National Capital Territory of Delhi (Recognition of Property Rights of Residents in Unauthorised Colonies) Bill, 2019, was passed by Parliament on December 4. The new legislation regarding the regularisation of unauthorised colonies recognises and confers rights of ownership or transfer or mortgage to the residents of such colonies on the basis of power of attorney, agreement of sale, will, possession letter, and other documents.

No previous government thought about people living in Delhi's unauthorised colonies: Amit Shah

In Bihar's Samastipur Union Minister of State (MoS) for Home Affairs, Nityanand Rai said that stone-pelters of Kashmir were called in Uttar Pradesh to protest against the Citizenship Amendment Act. Citing a news report, Rai said that attempts were made to spoil the atmosphere in the entire country including Uttar Pradesh.

Rai said that there was no participation of common people in this disturbance but those who do vote bank politics are behind this movement. During his visit to Samastipur, the minister appealed to the workers to give the right information about this law to the public. He said that the wrong information and rumours are being spread by the opposition parties regarding the new citizenship law.

While talking to reporters, Rai attacked the Congress and those opposing this citizenship law and said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah had clearly stated that the citizens of the country are not going to be harmed by this law.&nbsp;

The Union Minister of State for Home Affairs said that the opposition should tell what harm is being caused to the people of the country by this law.&nbsp;

He said that PM Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah have been constantly appealing to the people to maintain a state of harmony in the country.

In Bihar's Samastipur Union Minister of State (MoS) for Home Affairs, Nityanand Rai said that stone-pelters of Kashmir were called in Uttar Pradesh to protest against the Citizenship Amendment Act.

In Bihar's Samastipur Union Minister of State (MoS) for Home Affairs, Nityanand Rai said that stone-pelters of Kashmir were called in Uttar Pradesh to protest against the Citizenship Amendment Act. Citing a news report, Rai said that attempts were made to spoil the atmosphere in the entire country including Uttar Pradesh. Rai said that there was no participation of common people in this disturbance but those who do vote bank politics are behind this movement. During his visit to Samastipur, the minister appealed to the workers to give the right information about this law to the public. He said that the wrong information and rumours are being spread by the opposition parties regarding the new citizenship law. While talking to reporters, Rai attacked the Congress and those opposing this citizenship law and said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah had clearly stated that the citizens of the country are not going to be harmed by this law. The Union Minister of State for Home Affairs said that the opposition should tell what harm is being caused to the people of the country by this law. He said that PM Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah have been constantly appealing to the people to maintain a state of harmony in the country.

Anti-CAA protest: Stone-pelters from Kashmir were called to create unrest in UP, says MoS Home Affairs Nityanand Rai

A recently conducted study on mobile phone usage reveals that Indians, on an average, spend more than 1,800 hours on their smartphones in a year.&nbsp;

Global smartphone giant VIVO carried out the study titled ‘Smartphone and their impact on human relationships’ in association with Cybermedia Research (CMR).&nbsp;

The study looked at uninhibited smartphone usage as well as factors that influence smartphone users, their actions, moods and preferences.

Some of the key features that the study highlighted about an average Indian smartphone user included the fact that around 75 per cent of the people surveyed agreed to own a smartphone in their teens of them 41 per cent were hooked to the device even before graduating from high school.

Here's looking at some of the top findings from the study.&nbsp;

- An average Indian spends one-third of their waking hours on their phone - roughly 1800 hours annually.&nbsp;

- 1 in 3 people feels that they can’t even have a 5-minute conversation without checking their phones.

- Over 70 per cent felt that the growing influence of smartphones is likely to impact mental and physical health.

- 3 out of 5 people believe in technology detox and say that it’s important to have a life separate from mobile phones.

The study was conducted based on an online survey with people, ageing 18 to 45 years - from across the top 8 cities in India.

As many as 2,000 Indians were surveyed for the study of which 36 per cent were females and 64 per cent were men.

A recently conducted study on mobile phone usage reveals that Indians, on an average, spend more than 1,800 hours on their smartphones in a year. Global smartphone giant VIVO carried out the study titled ‘Smartphone and their impact on human relationships’ in association with Cybermedia Research (CMR).

A recently conducted study on mobile phone usage reveals that Indians, on an average, spend more than 1,800 hours on their smartphones in a year. Global smartphone giant VIVO carried out the study titled ‘Smartphone and their impact on human relationships’ in association with Cybermedia Research (CMR). The study looked at uninhibited smartphone usage as well as factors that influence smartphone users, their actions, moods and preferences. Some of the key features that the study highlighted about an average Indian smartphone user included the fact that around 75 per cent of the people surveyed agreed to own a smartphone in their teens of them 41 per cent were hooked to the device even before graduating from high school. Here's looking at some of the top findings from the study. - An average Indian spends one-third of their waking hours on their phone - roughly 1800 hours annually. - 1 in 3 people feels that they can’t even have a 5-minute conversation without checking their phones. - Over 70 per cent felt that the growing influence of smartphones is likely to impact mental and physical health. - 3 out of 5 people believe in technology detox and say that it’s important to have a life separate from mobile phones. The study was conducted based on an online survey with people, ageing 18 to 45 years - from across the top 8 cities in India. As many as 2,000 Indians were surveyed for the study of which 36 per cent were females and 64 per cent were men.

Study reveals Indians spend over 1,800 hours glued to their smartphones annually 

India's only international English news channel WION is hosting the 'Mission Smart Cities 2020'&nbsp;event in Delhi on December 27, 2019, at 5 pm IST. 
&nbsp; 
The '100 Smart Cities Mission' was launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2015 to drive economic growth and improve the quality of life by enabling local development and harnessing technology. 
&nbsp; 
The Mission Smart Cities 2020 event by WION will focus on key topics. 'Session 1'&nbsp;of the event will be focused on designing the future of India and unravelling the buzzword “Smart Cities”.

Session 2 will deal with India’s real estate outlook on growth, sustainability, and economy.

From climate neutral cities, technology and transport to government initiatives and co-working spaces, stakeholders and industry stalwarts would discuss the opportunities and challenges of smart cities and real estate at the event. 
&nbsp; 
Hardeep Singh Puri, Union Minister for Housing and Urban Affairs, Civil Aviation would grace the event as the Chief Guest. Mr Puri would share his views and insights on 'Mission Smart Cities 2020'.

The event would be aired from 5 pm to 6:30 pm IST - Live on WION, its social media pages and on the website.&nbsp;

India's only international English news channel WION is hosting the 'Mission Smart Cities 2020' event in Delhi on December 27, 2019, at 5 pm IST. The '100 Smart Cities Mission' was launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2015 to drive economic growth and improve the quality of life by enabling local development and harnessing technology.

India's only international English news channel WION is hosting the 'Mission Smart Cities 2020' event in Delhi on December 27, 2019, at 5 pm IST. The '100 Smart Cities Mission' was launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2015 to drive economic growth and improve the quality of life by enabling local development and harnessing technology. The Mission Smart Cities 2020 event by WION will focus on key topics. 'Session 1' of the event will be focused on designing the future of India and unravelling the buzzword “Smart Cities”. Session 2 will deal with India’s real estate outlook on growth, sustainability, and economy. From climate neutral cities, technology and transport to government initiatives and co-working spaces, stakeholders and industry stalwarts would discuss the opportunities and challenges of smart cities and real estate at the event. Hardeep Singh Puri, Union Minister for Housing and Urban Affairs, Civil Aviation would grace the event as the Chief Guest. Mr Puri would share his views and insights on 'Mission Smart Cities 2020'. The event would be aired from 5 pm to 6:30 pm IST - Live on WION, its social media pages and on the website.

Designing India's future: WION's 'Mission Smart Cities 2020' event to take place in Delhi on Friday

Equity benchmark indices closed 0.7 per cent lower on Thursday, dragged by public sector banks, ahead of the expiry of December series futures and options (F&amp;O) contracts.

At the closing bell, the BSE S&amp;P Sensex was down by 298 points to 41,164 while the Nifty 50 slipped by 88 points at 12,127.

Except for Nifty metal and media, all sectoral indices at the National Stock Exchange were in the red. Nifty PSU bank dropped by 1.44 per cent, pharma by 0.97 per cent, IT by 0.45 per cent and FMCG by 0.44 per cent. Nifty metal, however, moved up by 0.58 per cent.

Among stocks, government-owned Oriental Bank of Commerce fell by 4.2 per cent, Punjab National Bank by 1.3 per cent and State Bank of India by 0.3 per cent.

Private lender Yes Bank too dragged down by 4.4 per cent at Rs 48.95 per share after a rating downgrade by Brickwork.

Telecom major Bharti Airtel and index heavyweight Reliance Industries closed 1.9 per cent lower while Sun Pharma dived by 1.8 per cent and Adani Ports by 1.7 per cent.

However, ONGC closed 2.5 per cent higher at Rs 129.15 per share. Metal majors were on a high with Vedanta moving up by 1.9 per cent at Rs 150.90 per share, JSW Steel by 1 per cent and Tata Steel by 0.9 per cent. NTPC, Coal India, Eicher Motors and Asian Paints too closed in the green.

Meanwhile, Asian stock markets were in the positive zone following Christmas Day. The Shanghai Composite was up by 0.85 per cent and the Nikkei 225 in Japan was 0.6 per cent higher. South Korea`s Kospi ticked up by 0.36 per cent but Hong Kong`s Hang Seng fell by 0.15 per cent. 
&nbsp;

Equity benchmark indices closed 0.7 per cent lower on Thursday, dragged by public sector banks, ahead of the expiry of December series futures and options (F&O) contracts.

Equity benchmark indices closed 0.7 per cent lower on Thursday, dragged by public sector banks, ahead of the expiry of December series futures and options (F&O) contracts. At the closing bell, the BSE S&P Sensex was down by 298 points to 41,164 while the Nifty 50 slipped by 88 points at 12,127. Except for Nifty metal and media, all sectoral indices at the National Stock Exchange were in the red. Nifty PSU bank dropped by 1.44 per cent, pharma by 0.97 per cent, IT by 0.45 per cent and FMCG by 0.44 per cent. Nifty metal, however, moved up by 0.58 per cent. Among stocks, government-owned Oriental Bank of Commerce fell by 4.2 per cent, Punjab National Bank by 1.3 per cent and State Bank of India by 0.3 per cent. Private lender Yes Bank too dragged down by 4.4 per cent at Rs 48.95 per share after a rating downgrade by Brickwork. Telecom major Bharti Airtel and index heavyweight Reliance Industries closed 1.9 per cent lower while Sun Pharma dived by 1.8 per cent and Adani Ports by 1.7 per cent. However, ONGC closed 2.5 per cent higher at Rs 129.15 per share. Metal majors were on a high with Vedanta moving up by 1.9 per cent at Rs 150.90 per share, JSW Steel by 1 per cent and Tata Steel by 0.9 per cent. NTPC, Coal India, Eicher Motors and Asian Paints too closed in the green. Meanwhile, Asian stock markets were in the positive zone following Christmas Day. The Shanghai Composite was up by 0.85 per cent and the Nikkei 225 in Japan was 0.6 per cent higher. South Korea`s Kospi ticked up by 0.36 per cent but Hong Kong`s Hang Seng fell by 0.15 per cent.

Sensex falls by 298 points, PSU banks underperform

Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Thursday accused <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/arvind-kejriwal-praises-centre-for-developing-peripheral-expressways-to-curb-pollution-268220">Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal</a> of stealing the development work done by the Centre. &nbsp;&nbsp;

Shah slammed Kejriwal and said that the chief minister has done something new, "why approve budgets or get developmental work done? &nbsp;Simply put your name on work done by others," Shah said.&nbsp;

Earlier this month, the Delhi chief minister praised the central government for peripheral expressways that helped in bringing down pollution levels in Delhi.

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Home Minister Amit Shah: Citizenship Amendment Bill par sansad ke andar charcha hui, koi kuchh bolne ko tayar nahi tha, idhar udhar ki batein karte the. Bahar nikalte hi isme bhram failana shuru kiya aur Dilli ko ashant kiya. (1/2) <a href="https://t.co/90lQBAWqn7">pic.twitter.com/90lQBAWqn7</a>
— ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/1210111367543316480?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 26, 2019</a></blockquote>
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Kejriwal said over 40 thousand trucks, a contributor to the pollution, did not enter the national capital as they took the Eastern and Western Peripheral Expressways.

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Amit Shah in Delhi: Modi ji ne sabko majboor kiya kaarya sanskriti follow karne ke liye,magar Delhi CM Kejriwal aise hain ki jo nayi nayi chiize karte rehte hain. Unhone nayi shuruaat ki,bhai sochna bhi kyu, budget bhi kyu dena,kisi ke kare karaye par apne naam ka thappa lga dena <a href="https://t.co/06KGYcfOQ3">pic.twitter.com/06KGYcfOQ3</a>
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"We are grateful to the Central government for the Eastern and Western Peripheral Expressway. This measure has stopped 30 to 40 thousand trucks from entering Delhi," he said while discussing ideas on curbing pollution levels in Delhi earlier this month.

The national capital will be heading for Assembly elections next year. During the last Delhi Assembly polls in 2015, Kejriwal led his party (AAP) to a historic win by securing 67 seats in the 70-member Delhi Assembly.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Thursday accused Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal of stealing the development work done by the Centre. Shah slammed Kejriwal and said that the chief minister has done something new, "why approve budgets or get developmental work done?

Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Thursday accused Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal of stealing the development work done by the Centre. Shah slammed Kejriwal and said that the chief minister has done something new, "why approve budgets or get developmental work done? Simply put your name on work done by others," Shah said. Earlier this month, the Delhi chief minister praised the central government for peripheral expressways that helped in bringing down pollution levels in Delhi. Home Minister Amit Shah: Citizenship Amendment Bill par sansad ke andar charcha hui, koi kuchh bolne ko tayar nahi tha, idhar udhar ki batein karte the. Bahar nikalte hi isme bhram failana shuru kiya aur Dilli ko ashant kiya. (1/2) pic.twitter.com/90lQBAWqn7 — ANI (@ANI) December 26, 2019 × Kejriwal said over 40 thousand trucks, a contributor to the pollution, did not enter the national capital as they took the Eastern and Western Peripheral Expressways. Amit Shah in Delhi: Modi ji ne sabko majboor kiya kaarya sanskriti follow karne ke liye,magar Delhi CM Kejriwal aise hain ki jo nayi nayi chiize karte rehte hain. Unhone nayi shuruaat ki,bhai sochna bhi kyu, budget bhi kyu dena,kisi ke kare karaye par apne naam ka thappa lga dena pic.twitter.com/06KGYcfOQ3 — ANI (@ANI) December 26, 2019 × "We are grateful to the Central government for the Eastern and Western Peripheral Expressway. This measure has stopped 30 to 40 thousand trucks from entering Delhi," he said while discussing ideas on curbing pollution levels in Delhi earlier this month. The national capital will be heading for Assembly elections next year. During the last Delhi Assembly polls in 2015, Kejriwal led his party (AAP) to a historic win by securing 67 seats in the 70-member Delhi Assembly.

Simply put your name on work done by others: Amit Shah slams Delhi CM Kejriwal  

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/west-bengal-cm-mamata-banerjee-leads-protest-march-against-caa-in-kolkata-on-monday-269999">West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee</a> on Thursday led another mass rally in Kolkata against the Citizenship Amendment Act. She asked the students to continue their protest in a democratic manner.&nbsp;

"I will tell all the students to continue their protest for their democratic rights, in a democratic way," she said today.&nbsp;

The chief minister also announced Rs 5 lakhs each to the families of those who lost their lives in Karnataka's Mangaluru during protests.

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West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee during protest against <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/CitizenshipAmendmentAct?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#CitizenshipAmendmentAct</a> &amp; NRC, in Kolkata: We will pay cheque of Rs. 5 lakhs each to the families of those who lost their lives in Mangaluru during protests. <a href="https://t.co/tq8CCxD0hF">pic.twitter.com/tq8CCxD0hF</a>
— ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/1210123083673030656?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 26, 2019</a></blockquote>
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The West Bengal chief minister has been calling for rallies against the new citizenship law and the National Register of Citizens (NRC). The Citizenship Amendment Act seeks to grant citizenship to non-Muslim migrants from Pakistan, Afghanistan and Bangladesh.&nbsp;

On Tuesday, Banerjee led a march from Gandhi Statue to Vivekananda House in Kolkata. Many TMC workers, senior party leaders, and protesters joined her as she took to the streets.

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West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee during protest march against <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/CitizenshipAmendmentAct?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#CitizenshipAmendmentAct</a> and <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NationalRegisterofCitizens?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NationalRegisterofCitizens</a>, in Kolkata: I will tell all the students to continue their protest for their democratic rights, in a democratic way <a href="https://t.co/WE5KmaY5BJ">https://t.co/WE5KmaY5BJ</a> <a href="https://t.co/E8z3RqhvAy">pic.twitter.com/E8z3RqhvAy</a>
— ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/1210110704650350592?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 26, 2019</a></blockquote>
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Last week also she had taken out a massive march to protest against the Act.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/mamata-has-taken-unconstitutional-route-by-seeking-outside-intervention-on-caa-wb-guv-269261">West Bengal Governor</a> has called Banerjee's stance against the implementation of the CAA as unconstitutional.&nbsp;

In a series of tweets last week, Governor Jagdeep Dhankar said that Banerjee has taken an "unconstitutional route by her public stance on CAA and ignored my appeal. This has immeasurably caused damage to our democratic fabric".&nbsp;

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Thursday led another mass rally in Kolkata against the Citizenship Amendment Act. She asked the students to continue their protest in a democratic manner.

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Thursday led another mass rally in Kolkata against the Citizenship Amendment Act. She asked the students to continue their protest in a democratic manner. "I will tell all the students to continue their protest for their democratic rights, in a democratic way," she said today. The chief minister also announced Rs 5 lakhs each to the families of those who lost their lives in Karnataka's Mangaluru during protests. West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee during protest against #CitizenshipAmendmentAct & NRC, in Kolkata: We will pay cheque of Rs. 5 lakhs each to the families of those who lost their lives in Mangaluru during protests. pic.twitter.com/tq8CCxD0hF — ANI (@ANI) December 26, 2019 × The West Bengal chief minister has been calling for rallies against the new citizenship law and the National Register of Citizens (NRC). The Citizenship Amendment Act seeks to grant citizenship to non-Muslim migrants from Pakistan, Afghanistan and Bangladesh. On Tuesday, Banerjee led a march from Gandhi Statue to Vivekananda House in Kolkata. Many TMC workers, senior party leaders, and protesters joined her as she took to the streets. West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee during protest march against #CitizenshipAmendmentAct and #NationalRegisterofCitizens, in Kolkata: I will tell all the students to continue their protest for their democratic rights, in a democratic way https://t.co/WE5KmaY5BJ pic.twitter.com/E8z3RqhvAy — ANI (@ANI) December 26, 2019 × Last week also she had taken out a massive march to protest against the Act. West Bengal Governor has called Banerjee's stance against the implementation of the CAA as unconstitutional. In a series of tweets last week, Governor Jagdeep Dhankar said that Banerjee has taken an "unconstitutional route by her public stance on CAA and ignored my appeal. This has immeasurably caused damage to our democratic fabric".

Kolkata: Mamata leads another anti-CAA march, tells students to continue their protest

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