Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday announced he will run in the 2024 presidential elections, seeking to extend his rule. "I've had different thoughts at different times, but this is a time when a decision has to be made. I will run for the office of president," Putin said. According to reports by Russian media outlets, Putin told Lieutenant Colonel Artyom Zhoga, a Russian military officer, about his decision to participate in the upcoming vote at a Kremlin ceremony. Russian media quoted the officer saying all of Russia and its "reunified territories" support Putin's decision to heed the "request to participate". Though Putin has governed Russia for over two decades as president or prime minister, he is yet to formally announce his candidacy for the March 2024 polls. 

Britain's top recruiters have alerted the Bank of England that demand for permanent staff has dropped at the second fastest rate since the pandemic. Ahead of the central bank's interest rate decision next week, a jobs snapshot showed economic uncertainty and hesitancy to commit to hiring weighed down activity in November. While availability of candidates rose at the quickest pace since 2020, permanent appointments fell sharply. With inflation still stubbornly high, the bank is expected to keep rates unchanged at 5.25%. But the latest data showed few signs of the labour market fuelling further price pressures. Governor Andrew Bailey is monitoring for evidence of inflation persistence after pausing a round of 14 consecutive interest rate increases in September.

The Income Tax department has recovered around ₹250 crore in unaccounted cash so far from raids on an Odisha-based distillery group. Premises linked to Congress Rajya Sabha MP Dhiraj Sahu were also searched. Huge stacks of cash were found stashed away in almirahs across locations in Odisha, Jharkhand, and West Bengal. Tagging a news report on the raids, PM Modi tweeted: "Countrymen should look at these piles of currency notes and then hear the addresses of its (Congress) leaders on honesty. Every penny looted from people will have to be returned. This is Modi's guarantee." The raids launched against Boudh Distillery Private Limited on Wednesday are continuing.

India's drug regulator, the Indian Pharmacopoeia Commission (IPC) has issued a safety warning that Meftal Spas, a commonly used painkiller, can trigger a severe allergic reaction called DRESS syndrome. An analysis by the Pharmacovigilance Programme of India (PvPI) found that Meftal's key ingredient mefenamic acid causes Drug Reactions with Eosinophilia and Systemic Symptoms (DRESS). Symptoms appear 2-8 weeks after intake, including skin rash, fever, organ damage, and swollen lymph nodes. Meftal is often prescribed for arthritis, dysmenorrhea, dental pain, and fever. The regulator advised healthcare professionals to inform patients of risks and stop usage if symptoms appear.

A six-year-old girl was raped at a wedding in eastern Rajasthan’s Dausa district on Thursday. The girl had gone to attend the wedding with her parents at a hotel. While playing, she went missing for a long time before being found unconscious by her mother. There were blood stains on her clothes. She was rushed to JK Lone Hospital in Jaipur where she is in critical but stable condition. Inspector General Umesh Chand Dutta said teams are questioning guests present at the event and checking CCTV footage, while forensic teams gather evidence. Police have launched a manhunt for the unidentified perpetrator.

Fantasy RPG Baldur's Gate 3 stormed the gaming industry's major awards night, Game Awards 2023, picking up six prizes including the top Game of the Year honor. Accepting the trophy, developer Larian Studios called the epic game based on Dungeons & Dragons "a labour of love". Survival horror game Alan Wake 2 also impressed, winning awards for direction, narrative, and art direction. Other key winners included Cyberpunk 2077 for best ongoing game, puzzle adventure game Cocoon, and The Last of Us for best adaptation. Revealing the game of the year was Willy Wonka star Timothée Chalamet, an avid gamer himself who visited iconic Japanese developer Hideo Kojima's studio recently.

"The committee broke every rule...Tomorrow, the CBI will be sent to my home to harass me," Trinamool's Mahua Moitra told media after her Lok Sabha expulsion today over 'cash-for-query' allegations. Moitra accused the ethics panel of "weaponization" and "tenacious witch-hunt" of a "single woman with no political lineage". Though the Opposition demanded she be allowed to speak, Moitra was denied the chance. Earlier she had walked out of questioning calling it "filthy". Sonia Gandhi backed Moitra's stand. The panel dismissed her charge of being silenced saying she left midway herself. Tomorrow the CBI may harass me, Moitra fears.

Trinamool MP Mahua Moitra's five-year journey as a Lok Sabha member ended Friday as she was expelled over the alleged "cash-for-question" case. Though Moitra and the Trinamool Congress wanted to defend herself on the floor of the House, she was denied the chance to speak. "There was no evidence of any cash, any gifts anywhere. The recommendation of expulsion was solely based on the complaint that I shared my login. But there is no rule whatsoever in this regard," Moitra reiterated outside the Parliament after her expulsion. Claiming that it was a "kangaroo court," Moitra added key witness Darshan Hiranandani was not even heard by the ethics committee. The ethics committee report which recommended the expulsion of Mahua Moitra was tabled on Friday and within hours the West Bengal MP was expelled.

Former UK Prime Minister David Cameron, in his new role as UK Foreign Secretary, urged Republican lawmakers during a visit to Washington to provide Ukraine with more long-range weapons. "There is nothing that will drive Russia further back and put Putin more on the back foot than actually seeing that Crimea, which is legally part of Ukraine, is properly under attack from Ukrainian forces," Cameron said. This would require sending additional long-range weapons to Ukraine. Cameron argued that aid to Ukraine so far has been "tremendous value for money," saying that for 10% of the U.S. defense budget, "nearly half of Russia's prewar military assets have been destroyed." The comments come as Republicans recently blocked $44 billion in new aid to Ukraine in the Senate.

In a significant political development, Lalduhoma of the Zoram People's Movement (ZPM) took the oath as the new Chief Minister of Mizoram. The swearing-in ceremony, held at the Raj Bhavan complex in Aizawl, saw several ZPM leaders also assuming ministerial responsibilities. The ZPM, a relatively new political entity registered in 2019, secured a landslide victory in the assembly elections, claiming 27 seats out of 40. This triumph resulted in the displacement of the Mizo National Front (MNF) led by outgoing Chief Minister Zoramthanga. The ZPM's ascent reflects a notable shift in Mizoram's political landscape.