# Delhi

• A Decision by the Union Home ministry has escalated the faceoff between centre and the Delhi government to a new level.
• Union home ministry has virtually stopped Delhi government from presenting its annual budget over queries on its proposed expenditure on advertisements and publicity in the 2023-24 financial year.
• Central government sources told that MHA has found the outlay for advertisements and publicity higher than heads like infrastructure development and Public welfare initiatives.
• Delhi government said the allocation for ads and publicity was the same as last year and it planned to spend almost 40 times more on infrastructure.

# Punjab

• Punjab police on Monday invoked the National security act against five arrested associates of fugitive Khalistan sympathiser and self proclaimed preacher Amritpal Singh.
• The decision to slap the NSA on the five men, four of whom had been shifted to a jail in Assam’s Dibrugarh on Sunday, was taken following leads of foreign funding of Amritpal’s allegedly subversive activities, havala transfers and a possible link with ISI.
• Meanwhile, after a pro khalistan mob attacked the Indian high commission in London on Sunday, another pro khalistan group damaged parts of the Indian consulate in San Francisco.

# Gold

• Heightened global uncertainties, weakness of the rupee and incoming festival season have combined to push up gold prices in India to around ₹60000 Kg per 10 gram mark for the first time.
• In the international market, gold prices crossed the psychologically important $2000 per ounce mark in intraday trade on Monday.
• In one month, the price of gold has jumped 7-8%.

# UN

• For the sixth year running, Finland was named the world’s happiest country in the annual UN sponsored index.
• With thousands of lakes and near endless forests, the Nordic country is known for its extensive welfare system, high trust in authorities and low levels of inequality among its 5.5 million of inhabitants.