MUMBAI, Apr 20: The rupee pared its initial gains and settled with a loss of 19 paise at 93.10 (provisional) against the US dollar on Monday, after fresh tension in West Asia led to an increased demand for the American currency and kept crude prices steady.
Forex traders said the local currency remained under pressure due to a fresh standoff between the US and Iran that led to a closure of the Strait of Hormuz, disrupting global supply.
At the interbank foreign exchange market, the rupee opened at 92.73 and touched an intra-day high of 92.70 against the greenback. It also hit the day’s low of 93.24 during the session before settling at 93.10 (provisional) against the dollar, registering a loss of 19 paise from the previous closing level.
The rupee strengthened 28 paise to settle at 92.91 against the US dollar on Friday, a day after gaining 19 paise in the preceding session on Thursday.
Anuj Choudhary, Research Analyst at Mirae Asset ShareKhan, said the rupee fell on a strong dollar and a surge in crude oil prices as global risk sentiments deteriorated after Iran said it closed the Strait of Hormuz again.
Choudhary said the rupee is expected to trade with a negative bias on renewed geopolitical tensions between the US and Iran. “However, the ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon may support the rupee at lower levels. USD-INR spot price is expected to trade in a range of Rs 93 to Rs 93.60.”
Meanwhile, the dollar index, which gauges the greenback’s strength against a basket of six currencies, rose 0.14 per cent to 98.03.
Brent crude, the global oil benchmark, was trading 4.64 per cent down at USD 94.57 per barrel in futures trade.
Analysts said the crude price bounced back from below the USD 90-a-barrel level reached on Friday, as the geopolitical situation turned volatile after a fresh standoff between the US and Iran prevented ships from crossing the Strait of Hormuz.
Domestic equity markets stayed almost flat, with the 30-share Sensex ending 26.76 points, or 0.03 per cent, up at 78,520.30, while the Nifty inching up 11.30 points, or 0.05 per cent, to 24,364.85.
Foreign Institutional Investors bought equities worth Rs 683.20 crore on Friday, according to exchange data. (PTI)
MUMBAI, Apr 20: Benchmark indices Sensex and Nifty closed almost unchanged in a volatile session on Monday as investors turned cautious amid mounting geopolitical headwinds and rising crude oil prices.
The 30-share BSE Sensex closed marginally up 26.76 points or 0.03 per cent at 78,520.30. During the day, it hit a high of 78,942.45 and a low of 78,203.30, gyrating 739.15 points.
The 50-share NSE Nifty edged up 11.30 points or 0.05 per cent to settle at 24,364.85.
Among the 30-Sensex firms, Trent, State Bank of India, Asian Paints, NTPC, Bajaj Finance and InterGlobe Aviation were the major winners.
Larsen & Toubro, Bharat Electronics, HCL Tech and Kotak Mahindra Bank were among the laggards.
Brent crude, the global oil benchmark, jumped 4.76 per cent to USD 94.68 per barrel.
“Renewed disputes over the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz injected volatility into global markets. Investors interpreted the recent disruptions in the Middle East as potential negotiation tactics rather than the onset of a full-scale conflict,” Vinod Nair, Head of Research, Geojit Investments Ltd.
With the ceasefire set to expire this week, market participants remain cautious, awaiting further developments, he added.
In Asian markets, South Korea’s benchmark Kospi, Japan’s Nikkei 225 index, Shanghai’s SSE Composite index and Hong Kong’s Hang Seng index ended higher.
Markets in Europe were trading lower. US markets ended significantly higher on Friday.
Foreign Institutional Investors (FIIs) bought equities worth Rs 683.20 crore on Friday, according to exchange data.
On Friday, the Sensex jumped 504.86 points or 0.65 per cent to settle at 78,493.54. The Nifty climbed 156.80 points or 0.65 per cent to end at 24,353.55. (PTI)
JAIPUR, Apr 20: Amid global uncertainties over the supply of crude and other fuels, Rajasthan’s Mangala oilfield has logged an increase in production by around 2,000 barrels per day, aided by the use of advanced exploration technologies.
The country’s largest onshore oilfield, discovered in 2004, started production in 2009 with its current daily output being estimated at 80,000 barrels.
Cairn Oil and Gas, the operator of the Mangala block, said the production increased after its subsurface and geoscience teams adopted advanced engineering solutions to unlock unexplored resources.
“As part of the redevelopment strategy, techniques such as sidetracking – where existing wells are reoriented to access previously untapped reserves – have been deployed, which reduces both costs and surface impact,” a company official said.
The company also implemented enhanced oil recovery (EOR) methods, including polymer injection and alkaline-surfactant-polymer (ASP) flooding, to improve recovery rates and sustain long-term production.
The official further said that the company is working on redevelopment and enhanced recovery strategies, with a long-term target of scaling production.
According to the official, one of the redeveloped wells alone started yielding nearly 2,000 barrels per day in the initial phase, indicating the success of the approach.
Experts said such incremental gains from mature onshore fields could provide a practical short-term cushion for India by supporting domestic output, reducing import dependence and containing costs.
Production at the Mangala oilfield saw a steady rise in the initial years, followed by a gradual decline, typical of mature onshore oil fields.
Since 2009, more than 500 million barrels of crude oil have been extracted from the field. The output remained robust at around 200,000 barrels per day until 2014.
The output started to decline from 2015, reaching the levels of 170,000 to 130,000 barrels per day. The downward trend continued from 2021 to 2025, with daily output falling further between 100,000 and 80,000 barrels. (PTI)
SRINAGAR, Apr 20: Deputy Inspector General of Police, South Kashmir Range, Javaid Iqbal Mattoo on Monday chaired a comprehensive review of crime, security, and anti-terror measures in Pulwama, directing officers to strengthen the security grid and intensify action against criminal and anti-national elements.
The Deputy Inspector General of Police, South Kashmir Range (SKR), Javaid Iqbal Mattoo-IPS, today visited District Pulwama and chaired a comprehensive crime and security review meeting at the Conference Hall of District Police Lines (DPL) Pulwama.
The meeting was attended by SSP Pulwama Ms. Tanushree-IPS along with other senior officers of Pulwama Police, including supervisory officers, SHOs, and investigating officers.
During the meeting, a detailed review of the overall crime scenario, investigation of cases, NDPS matters, and preventive measures was conducted.
The DIG also reviewed the prevailing security scenario with special focus on counter-terrorism efforts and strengthening of the anti-terror grid in the district.
Emphasis was laid on enhanced coordination among security agencies, intensified area domination, and strengthening of intelligence networks to thwart any attempts by anti-national elements. Officers were directed to maintain a high level of alertness and ensure a prompt and effective response to any security challenges.
The DIG SKR stressed the importance of professional policing, public cooperation, and proactive measures in maintaining peace and stability. He further directed officers to intensify action against drug trafficking and other criminal activities, while ensuring strict enforcement of law.
SSP Pulwama Ms. Tanushree-IPS briefed the chair regarding the district’s crime and security scenario and highlighted the steps being taken to curb criminal activities and maintain law and order.
Pulwama Police remains committed to maintaining law and order, strengthening the security grid, and ensuring the safety and security of the public. (KNC)
NEW DELHI, Apr 20: Batting for greater promotion of Sanskrit and its use even in quantum computing, BJP veteran Murli Manohar Joshi on Monday said India is not a ‘vishwaguru’ (global teacher) anymore and this term should not be used.
Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of an event here, Joshi also made a strong pitch for making Sanskrit India’s official language, saying many people, including B R Ambedkar, made efforts for it in the past, but the proposals were not cleared.
He was speaking to reporters at the inauguration of the central office of the Sanskrit Bharati, an affiliate of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS).
Asked about his view on India’s role in the promotion of Sanskrit at a time when India has become a ‘vishwaguru’ and is also emerging as an AI hub, the former Union minister said, “The notion that we are a ‘vishwaguru’… I personally believe nowadays that we should refrain from using this term. We are not ‘vishwaguru’ at present. We should aspire to be ‘vishwaguru’.”
“Indeed, we were ‘vishwaguru’ at one time. However, the reality today is that we are not,” he said.
From this point of view, Sanskrit is very significant today, Joshi said, batting for greater promotion of the ancient language and its use in modern scientific pursuits, including quantum computing. (PTI)
NEW DELHI, Apr 20: Heatwave conditions are very likely to prevail over isolated pockets of northwest, central and the adjoining parts of east India for the next four to five days, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said on Monday.
It said isolated pockets of Haryana, Chandigarh, Delhi, Punjab, East Rajasthan, Vidarbha, Chhattisgarh, West Uttar Pradesh, West Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Gangetic West Bengal, Jharkhand, Odisha and scattered pockets of East Uttar Pradesh are expected to witness heatwave conditions on different dates between April 20 and April 25.
“Hot and humid weather conditions are very likely to prevail in isolated pockets over Gangetic West Bengal during April 20-26; Tamil Nadu, Puducherry and Karaikal during April 20–22; Kerala and Mahe, Coastal Andhra Pradesh and Yanam during April 20-24; coastal areas of Gujarat on April 24 and April 25,” the IMD said.
Also, warm night conditions are expected to prevail in isolated pockets over Haryana, Chandigarh, West Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Vidarbha on April 20 and April 21, Chhattisgarh on April 20, and Odisha between April 20 and April 22.
The IMD highlighted that moderate to intense thunderstorm activity can occur ver different states of south, central, east and northwest India on Monday. here is also a possibility of hailstorms over Madhya Maharashtra, arathawada, Madhya Pradesh Vidarbha and Chhattisgarh on Monday, ccording to the IMD. (Agencies)
JAMMU, Apr 20: Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah today announced immediate relief from the Chief Minister’s Relief Fund for victims of the Udhampur road accident.
An ex-gratia of ₹2 lakh will be provided to the next of kin of each deceased, ₹1 lakh to those seriously injured, and ₹25,000 to persons who sustained minor injuries in the accident.
The Chief Minister said that no amount of financial assistance can compensate for the irreparable loss of lives in the tragic incident, but the relief is being extended as an immediate measure to support the affected families.
He reiterated that the government stands firmly with the victims and assured all possible assistance.
RAMNAGAR, Apr 20: Survivors of the deadly Udhampur bus tragedy recalled scenes of sheer panic and desperate cries for help, crediting the Army’s swift and heroic rescue with saving numerous lives.
At least 21 people were killed and 29 others injured on Monday when a packed private passenger bus plunged nearly 100 metres down a treacherous hillside in Jammu and Kashmir’s Udhampur, crushing an auto-rickshaw before landing horrifically upside down on the road below.
An Army convoy passing along the winding hilly stretch rushed to the spot and led the intense rescue operation after the driver of the private bus lost control while negotiating a sharp blind curve near the hilltop Kagort village in the Ramnagar area around 10 am.
Amid piercing screams, mangled metal and entangled bodies, hope seemed to fade with each passing moment, survivors said, recalling the harrowing accident on the Udhampur-Ramnagar road, about 40 km from the district headquarters.
“Army personnel were the first to reach us, appearing like messiahs amid the chaos and confusion. They pulled us out of the wreckage. I had a miraculous escape — this feels nothing less than a second life for me,” said Neetu Rani (32), wife of Sanjay Sharma, speaking to PTI from her hospital bed.
Still shaken, she recalled the terrifying moments after the crash, saying there were cries for help all around as injured passengers lay trapped inside the mangled bus before rescuers arrived swiftly and began evacuating them.
Having sustained injuries to her back, legs and face, she said she was on her way to her maternal home in Udhampur when the accident occurred. Rani said the journey, meant to be a routine visit to her mother’s house, turned into a nightmare within moments as the bus lost control on the treacherous stretch.
“I have lost all my belongings, but life saved is everything. Nothing else matters now — I am just grateful to be alive,” she said, her voice trembling, adding that the horrifying moments of the crash would stay with her for a long time.
An Army soldier, who was leading a convoy from Udhampur to Ramnagar, said they swung into action immediately after noticing the civilian vehicle rolling down the hill.
“I was leading the convoy when the accident occurred on the way. The vehicle fell from a height of nearly 100 metres. We immediately secured the area and launched the rescue operation, thus saving many precious lives including those of men and women with great difficulty,” the soldier said.
Army personnel were soon joined by local villagers and police teams led by Deputy Inspector General of Police, Uhampur-Reasi Range, Shiv Kumar Sharma, who worked in close coordination to break open the mangled remains of the bus and extricate the injured on priority.
The rescuers pulled out survivors trapped in the wreckage before carefully retrieving the bodies of the deceased.
Sahil Thappa’s uncle Rajesh said they are thankful to the rescuers including the Army and the police for their prompt action. Thappa (19) was among nearly a dozen students heading for college on board the bus and had suffered head injuries in the accident.
During its violent descent, the bus struck an auto-rickshaw on the road below before crashing with massive force and landing upside down. The impact was so severe that the entire top portion of the bus was crushed, leaving the vehicle mangled and trapping several passengers inside the wreckage. Eyewitnesses described scenes of chaos, with injured passengers crying for help amid twisted metal and shattered glass.
A hydraulic crane was later brought in to straighten the overturned bus, allowing rescuers to access those still trapped and to clear the debris from the accident site.
The cause of the accident is yet to be officially determined, though initial reports suggest the driver may have failed to negotiate the sharp turn. An investigation has been initiated.
JAMMU, Apr 20:Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Monday hit out at the BJP-led central government over what he termed as its “unfulfilled promise” of restoring statehood to Jammu and Kashmir, and said there was “no clear answer” from it on the issue.
The chief minister also targeted the BJP over the issue of the implementation of women’s reservation in legislatures.
“There is no clear answer about the restoration of statehood in Jammu and Kashmir. They (BJP) say — ‘at the right time’. What does ‘the right time’ mean? I keep asking them — tell us clearly. If you say it is your promise, if you have given your word, does your word have no value? “Should we consider your promises so light that you repeat them everywhere — in the Supreme Court, in Parliament, in rallies, in elections– and then step back?”, Abdullah told a public rally in Nowshera border area of Rajouri district.
The chief minister urged the Centre to spell out a clear roadmap for restoring statehood.
“Explain to us what this ‘right time’ is, so that we can work towards it. Just like when we set exams for children — we tell them what marks are needed to pass, for first division, for distinction. They know what they must achieve. Similarly, tell us what conditions need to be met so we can reach that goal,” he said.
Asserting that his government was delivering on its commitments, Abdullah said, “We are fulfilling our promises. The promise you made to the people — where is it? Give us back statehood, because people voted for it — whether they voted for Congress, National Conference, BJP or any party.” He said the people had voted with the hope that the perceived injustice against Jammu and Kashmir would be addressed.
“Turning us from a state into a Union Territory felt like a punishment,” he said. “Let me ask those (BJP) we contested against, did they not make promises to the people? Where did their promises go?” Abdullah said.
He added, “Yes, their government was not formed in Jammu and Kashmir, but the central government is theirs. What was their promise? They said — participate in the election, and after that we will restore statehood to Jammu and Kashmir.” The chief minister said the BJP had outlined a three-step process. “They did not say that if you give power to another party, we will punish you. They said it would happen in three steps: first delimitation, then elections, then statehood,” he said.
“Delimitation happened — however it may have happened, it did happen. Then elections were held — not one, but two in a single year, 2024. First the parliamentary elections, then the assembly elections. They said that as soon as the elections are over, statehood will be restored. Today, one and a half years have passed; we are asking: where is that promise?” The chief minister also targeted the BJP over the women’s reservation.
“We had said in Parliament that we support the bill, but delimitation cannot be done without a census. What was the compulsion? What was hidden behind this bill?” he said, alleging attempts to push delimitation.
Referring to the delimitation exercise in Jammu and Kashmir, Abdullah said, “Have we forgotten how delimitation happened here? Seven seats were created — out of those, six were taken by the BJP. Clearly, delimitation was done to consolidate control.” “It is another matter that, by the will of the Almighty, their plans did not fully succeed, and people like Surender Chaudhary (currently deputy chief) won, so that such designs could be defeated,” he said.
Abdullah said that his party would continue to raise such issues. “That is why we keep confronting them, we keep questioning them. And when we do, they are not comfortable — they are not happy,” he said.
PARIS, Apr 20: Elon Musk has been summoned to Paris on Monday, where investigators are looking into allegations of misconduct related to the social media platform X, including the spread of child sexual abuse material and deepfake content.
The world’s richest man and Linda Yaccarino – the former CEO of X – have been summoned for “voluntary interviews,” while other employees of the platform are scheduled to be heard as witnesses throughout this week, the Paris prosecutor’s office said.
It remains unclear whether Musk and Yaccarino will travel to Paris. A spokesperson for X did not respond to questions from The Associated Press and Yaccarino’s current company, eMed, did not answer a request sent to the press email.
The reason for summoning Musk
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Musk was summoned after a search took place in February at the French premises of X as part of an investigation opened in January 2025 by the cybercrime unit of the Paris prosecutor’s office. Musk and Yaccarino have been invited in their capacities as managers of X at the time of the events investigated. Yaccarino was CEO from May 2023 until July 2025.
“These voluntary interviews with the executives are intended to allow them to present their position regarding the facts and, where appropriate, the compliance measures they plan to implement,” prosecutors said. “At this stage, the conduct of this investigation is part of a constructive approach, with the ultimate objective of ensuring that platform X complies with French law, insofar as it operates within the national territory.”
Asked whether Musk would risk sanctions if he skipped the hearing, the Paris prosecutor’s office declined to comment.
What is being investigated
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French authorities opened their investigation after reports from a French lawmaker alleging that biased algorithms on X likely distorted the functioning of an automated data processing system. It expanded after the platform’s AI system, Grok, generated posts that allegedly denied the Holocaust, a crime in France, and spread sexually explicit deepfakes.
It’s looking into alleged “complicity” in possessing and spreading pornographic images of minors, sexually explicit deepfakes, denial of crimes against humanity and manipulation of an automated data processing system as part of an organized group, among other charges.
Grok, which was built by xAI and is available through X, sparked global outrage this year after it pumped out a torrent of sexualized nonconsensual deepfake images in response to requests from X users.
Grok also wrote in a widely shared post in French that gas chambers at the Auschwitz-Birkenau death camp were designed for “disinfection with Zyklon B against typhus” rather than for mass murder – language long associated with Holocaust denial.
In later posts on X, the chatbot reversed itself and acknowledged that its earlier reply was wrong, saying it had been deleted, and pointed to historical evidence that Zyklon B was used to kill more than 1 million people in Auschwitz gas chambers.
French prosecutors alert US authorities
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In March, the Paris prosecutor’s office alerted the US Department of Justice and the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) – the US federal agency responsible for regulating and overseeing financial markets – suggesting “that the controversy surrounding sexually explicit deepfakes generated by Grok may have been deliberately orchestrated to artificially boost the value of the companies X and xAI – potentially constituting criminal offenses,” prosecutors said.
The Paris prosecutor’s office said this could have been done “ahead of the planned June 2026 stock market listing of the new entity formed by the merger of Space X and xAI, at a time when company X was clearly losing momentum.”
Justice Department brushes off French call
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According to the Wall Street Journal, the Justice Department told French law enforcement authorities it wouldn’t facilitate their efforts to investigate Musk’s X. The newspaper reported that the Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs, in a two-page letter last week, accused the French of inappropriately using its justice system to interfere with an American business.
“This investigation seeks to use the criminal legal system in France to regulate a public square for the free expression of ideas and opinions in a manner contrary to the First Amendment of the United States Constitution,” said the letter quoted by The Wall Street Journal.
The letter also said France’s requests for U.S. assistance “constitute an effort to entangle the United States in a politically charged criminal proceeding aimed at wrongfully regulating through prosecution the business activities of a social media platform.”
French judicial authorities didn’t respond to requests for comments.
Reporters Without Borders’ lawsuit
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Meanwhile, Reporters Without Borders (RSF) said it has lodged a new complaint against X with the cybercrime unit of the Paris prosecutor’s office, It “targets the platform’s policies that allow disinformation to flourish,” RSF said, accusing the U.S. billionaire’s company of repeated violations of the public’s right to reliable information.
“Disinformation campaigns are flooding X, some of which have accumulated several hundred thousand views. Although the staff at Elon Musk’s platform are well aware of the situation, this has not stopped them from responding to RSF’s repeated alerts with automated refusals to remove the content in question,” RSF said. “This is a deliberate policy instated by X, and it is incompatible with the public’s right to reliable information.” (AP)
