Top News, Dec 25: Azerbaijan Plane Crash, Allu Arjun's Financial Aid To Stampede Victims, Christmas Celebrations, More


(MENAFN- Live Mint) Top news, Dec 25: From Allu Arjun announcing financial aid to victim's kin, Azerbaijan plane crash, and Christmas celebrations, here are today's top stories.

Allu Arjun's financial aid

Days after a woman died in a stampede during the Pushpa 2's screening at Sandhya Theatre in Hyderabad on 4 December, Telegu superstar Allu Arjun and the makers of the film on Wednesday announced financial assistance of ₹2 crore for the family of the woman, reported news agency PTI.

In between, Allu Arjun's father and veteran producer Allu Aravind, along with Dil Raju and others, visited a private hospital where a boy injured in the stampede is undergoing treatment.

N Srinivasan's resignation

N Srinivasan , chief executive officer (CEO) and managing director (MD) of India Cements and other members of the board have tendered their resignation with immediate effect on Wednesday, December 25, following UltraTech Cement's 32 per cent acquisition of the South-based cement maker.

On Wednesday, ICL informed that pursuant to the completion of the transaction and due to the consequent cessation of control by the existing promoters over the company, N Srinivasan has stepped down as Vice Chairman and Managing Director.

Azerbaijan plane crash

Hours after the horrific crash of Azerbaijan Airlines' Embraer ERJ-190 flight in Kazakhstan's Aqtau city , the news agency AFP reported that 28 people had survived the initial impact. Among them, 21 individuals, including an 11-year-old girl and a 16-year-old teenager, were hospitalized.

Meanwhile, Kazakhstan's Ministry of Emergencies reported that 39 people died in the crash. According to the details, the Azerbaijan Airlines flight was carrying 62 passengers and five crew members, flying from Baku to Grozny, Russia.

Govt to cut fiscal deficit to 4.5%

The government will continue its focus on improving quality spending, strengthening the social security net and bring down the fiscal deficit to 4.5 per cent of the GDP in FY26 , a finance ministry document said.

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman is schedule to present the Budget for 2025-26 in Parliament on February 1.

Bhimtal accident

The Uttarakhand government has announced a compensation of ₹10 lakh for the families of the deceased, ₹3 lakh for the families of those seriously injured in the bus accident that occurred on Wednesday. It has also promised Rs15,000 to ₹25,000 for the families of those with minor injuries.

At least 4 died, and 23 others were injured after a bus fell into a 1,500 feet deep gorge in Uttarakhand's Bhimtal. Uttarakhand CM PS Dhami condoled the death of 4 people.

Maha Kumbh 2025

Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav on Wednesday accused the Uttar Pradesh government of 'mismanagement' and delayed security arrangements at the mega religious event 'Mahakumbh ', set to take place in January 2025 in Prayagraj.

Flagging issues regarding security arrangements, local concerns and overall administration in Prayagraj, the SP chief shared a video on X and requested the government to take immediate corrective action.

Christmas celebrations

It is that time of year when everything around is beautifully lit up. Churches across the world are witnessing large numbers of devotees gathering for prayers. And for millions of Americans, it also means gathering with family and friends to celebrate with gifts, Christmas carols, and delicious food.

However, most grocery, retail, and restaurant chains would be closed on Christmas Day, as most of them had been open on Christmas Eve. But, if you're not in the mood to cook on Christmas, and really need to grab something quick, then McDonald's and other eateries can be a great option.

X's subscription rate

Elon Musk owned social media platform X has confirmed that it is hiking the subscription charges for its Premium tiers in India by up to 35 percent. The updated pricing came into effect from December 21, 2024 and existing subscribers will be charged at the new rate with their next billing cycle.

X Premium+ users will now have to pay ₹1,750 per month, up from ₹1,300. Meanwhile, the annual price for Premium+ users has also gone up from ₹13,600 to ₹18,300.

Similarly, X Premium Plus subscriptions have gone up from $16 to $22 per month, while the annual subscription price has risen from $168 to $229.

Rohit Sharma may open at Boxing Day Test

Indian skipper Rohit Sharma is all set to open for the Boxing Day Test against Australia in the ongoing Border-Gavaskar Trophy at Melbourne on 26 December.

According to various reports, Rohit may walk out to open the batting with Yashasvi Jaiswal in the fourth Test on Thursday. KL Rahul is also expected to bat in place of Shubman Gill at number 3.


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