Highlights of the day: Six dead, 1,500 tourists stranded as landslides, rain wreak havoc in Sikkim

Catch all the latest updates from around the world here

5:45 PM

Kuwait fire: IAF's C-130J Super Hercules on stand-by at Hindan airbase for bringing back bodies of Indians

Indian Air Force's C-130J Super Hercules transport aircraft is on standby at Hindan airbase near Delhi to bring back the bodies of Indian-origin individuals who died in a fire in Kuwait, according to Defence officials on Thursday.

 

Kuwait's Foreign Minister Abdullah Ali Al-Yahya assured Union Minister of State for External Affairs Kirti Vardhan Singh of swift repatriation of the mortal remains of Indians killed in a fire at a labour housing facility in Mangaf area on Wednesday.

5:27 PM

Spymaster Ajit Doval reappointed national security adviser: Govt order

The government on Thursday reappointed former IPS officer Ajit Doval as the National Security Adviser (NSA), according to an official order.

His appointment will be co-terminus with the term of Prime Minister Narendra Modi or until further orders, it said.

4:35 PM

Vi to sell stake to Nokia, Ericsson to settle part of outstanding dues

Vodafone Idea plans up to Rs 2,458 crore preferential share allotment to Nokia and Ericsson to settle part of its outstanding dues.

4:23 PM

Vi board approves preferential allotment of shares worth Rs 2,458 cr

Voda Idea board approves preferential allotment of shares worth Rs 2,458 cr to Nokia Solutions and Networks India, and Ericsson India: filing.

4:17 PM

Maratha quota: Jarange suspends indefinite fast; gives 1 month to govt to accept community's demands

Maratha quota activist Manoj Jarange suspended his indefinite fast over the reservation issue on Thursday, six days after beginning it, giving the Maharashtra government a one-month deadline to meet the community's demands.

3:54 PM

UK PM Sunak to push for decisive support for Ukraine at G7 Summit

India has reaffirmed its stance that dialogue and diplomacy are the best approaches, while British Prime Minister Sunak is advocating for strong and unwavering support for Ukraine. "We must be decisive and creative in our efforts to support Ukraine and end [Russian President] Putin's illegal war at this critical moment," Sunak stated ahead of the summit talks.

3:31 PM

Crude oil softens on Fed rate decision, ample supply outlook

Oil prices slipped on Thursday as investors digested that the U.S. Federal Reserve had likely pushed back an interest rate cut to December and as U.S. crude and fuel stocks rose. Brent crude futures was down 43 cents, or 0.5%, to $82.17 a barrel by 0902 GMT. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) US crude futures fell 46 cents, or 0.6%, to $78.04. Both benchmarks had gained nearly 1% in the previous session.

3:22 PM

Palm oil imports in May jumps 74% on rising demand

India's palm oil imports surged 74 per cent to 7,63,300 tonnes in May this year from 4,39,173 tonnes in the year-ago period, as the world's largest vegetable oil buyer stocked up the commodity to meet rising domestic demand, industry body Solvent Extractors Association (SEA) said on Thursday. The total vegetable oil imports rose to 15.29 lakh tonnes in May this year from 10.58 lakh tonnes in May 2023, it added.

2:57 PM

Indian ship recyclers' revenue likely to rise 15% this fiscal: CRISIL

The Indian ship recycling industry will see revenue growth of 15 per cent this fiscal after two years of decline, accoring to Crisil ratings.

2:43 PM

Ten individuals injured in blast at explosives factory near Nagpur

Ten workers were injured, three of them seriously, in a blast at an explosives-manufacturing factory near Nagpur city on Thursday afternoon, police said.

2:41 PM

Prepare well for Maharashtra assembly polls to ensure victory: Goyal urges BJP cadres

Senior BJP leader from Maharashtra and Union minister Piyush Goyal has said that active participation of party members was crucial to preparing for the upcoming Maharashtra assembly polls to fix shortcomings in the party system.

2:32 PM

Market share of top 5 cement makers to rise to 55% by Mar 2025: ICRA

Top five domestic cement manufacturers are likely to expand their market share to up to 55 per cent by March 2025, through organic and inorganic expansions, leading to further consolidation, said a report from rating agency ICRA.

 

2:21 PM

Delhi govt was aware of expected scorching heat in capital, it did nothing: BJP's Bansuri Swaraj

BJP leader Bansuri Swaraj attacked Delhi government on the prevailing water crisis situaion in the national capital. “In March, IMD had predicted that Delhi will face scorching heat. Delhi Minister Atishi and AAP government should have taken some steps with regard to it. An all-party meeting should have been called, attention should have been paid to the infrastructure of the Delhi Jal Board and pipes repaired but they did not do anything,” she said.

2:18 PM

Postal department recruitment fraud: CBI searches 67 locations in Odisha

The CBI is undertaking searches at 67 locations in Odisha in connection with an alleged recruitment fraud in the postal department, officials said Thursday.

 

1:52 PM

Reliance Jio JV gets space regulator's approval to operate satellites

A joint venture between Reliance Industries' Jio Platforms and Luxembourg-based SES to provide gigabit fibre internet has got the approval from the Indian space regulator to operate satellites there, Reuters reported citing a government official.