Highlights of the day: Magnitude 6.3 earthquake hits western Japan

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9:44 PM

Terrorists shoot dead migrant labourer from Bihar in targeted attack in Jammu and Kashmir

8:17 PM

Magnitude 6.3 earthquake hits western Japan

An earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 6.4 hit southern Japan late on Wednesday, the Japan Meteorological Agency said. The epicentre of the earthquake was Bungo Channel, a strait separating Japanese islands of Kyushu and Shikoku, the agency said, adding that no tsunami warning had been issued.

7:26 PM

ICICI Lombard Gen Insurance Q4 net profit jumps 18.9%

Largest private sector general insurer ICICI Lombard on Wednesday reported an 18.9 per cent increase in its March quarter net profit at Rs 520 crore.

The city-based company had reported a post-tax net profit of Rs 437 crore in the year-ago period.
 

For the fiscal year 2023-24, the company reported an 11 per cent increase in the profit after tax at Rs 1,919 crore, up from Rs 1,729 crore in the year-ago period.
 

The Gross Direct Premium Income grew 22 per cent to Rs 6,073 crore for the reporting quarter, up from Rs 4,977 crore in the year-ago period, it said, adding that it was higher than the 9.5 per cent.
 

The solvency ratio was 2.62 times on March 31, 2024, as against 2.57 times on December 31, 2023, and 2.51 times a year ago.

7:17 PM

Wrestler Sakshi Malik listed among 100 most influential people by Time magazine

Olympic medallist Indian wrestler Sakshi Malik has been listed among the 100 most influential people of 2024 by Time magazine. Sakshi, India's only female Olympic medallist in wresting, has been honoured for her relentless fight against alleged sexual harassment of female wrestlers by former Wrestling Federation of India president Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh. Sakshi along with two-time World Championships bronze medallist Vinesh Phogat and Tokyo Olympics bronze winner Bajrang Punia spearheaded the protest against Singh at the Jantar Mantar here, demanding his arrest for intimidating and allegedly sexually harassing female grapplers of the country.

5:53 PM

Apple and CleanMax form JV

Apple today announced joint venture with leading renewable developer CleanMax to invest in a portfolio of six rooftop solar projects with a total size of 14.4 megawatts.

5:31 PM

Adani Group completes Ambuja Warrant subscription, infuses Rs 20,000 crore to increase stake to 70.3%

Adani Group completes Ambuja Warrant subscription, infuses Rs 20,000 crore to increase stake to 70.3 per cent, says the company in a statement.

4:56 PM

Elon Musk likely to unveil $2-$3 billon India investment during visit

Tesla chief Elon Musk is likely to announce an investment in India of $2-$3 billion, mainly for building a new factory, when he visits New Delhi next week to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi, news agency Reuters reported citing soureces.

Musk will meet Modi on Monday during his India trip, when the billionaire is expected to unveil his plans to enter the world's third-biggest auto market.

4:34 PM

No flight services at Thiruvananthapuram airport for 5 hours on April 21

Taking to social media platform X (formerly twitter), Thiruvananthapuram International Airport (TIAL) said, “Dear passengers, on April 21, 2024, flight services will be suspended from 1600 hrs to 2100 hrs to enable the smooth continuation of the holy Painkuni Arattu procession of Sree Padmanabhaswamy Temple through our airport.” Read here for more details.

 

4:19 PM

Dalits atrocity case: Court in AP convicts YSRCP MLC Thota Trimurthulu, 8 others

A court in  Visakhapatnam has convicted YSRCP candidate for Mandapeta Assembly seat, Thota Trimurthulu and eight others for tonsuring and assaulting a group of Dalits in East Godavari district in 1996, and sentenced them to 18 months simple imprisonment, along with a penalty. The incident took place on December 29, 1996 at Venkatayapalem village in undivided East Godavari district.

4:17 PM

Pakistan High Court orders government to Restore X in 1 Week

After more than two months of disruption ordered by the interior ministry, a Pakistan High Court today said the government must restore social media platform X within one week, a lawyer stated. The platform has been rarely accessible since February 17, when jailed former prime minister Imran Khan's party called for protests against a government official's admission of vote manipulation in February's election.  "The Sindh High Court has given the government one week to withdraw the letter, failing which, on the next date, they will pass appropriate orders," Moiz Jaaferi, a lawyer challenging the ban, told  news agency AFP.

4:12 PM

Modi govt will eliminate Naxals in very short period of time: Home Minister Shah

A day after security forces gunned down 29 Maoists in Chhattisgarh, Union Home Minister Amit Shah said  that the Narendra Modi government will eliminate Naxals from the country in a very short period of time. Shah said since the formation of a BJP government in Chhattisgarh three months ago, more than 80 Naxals have been eliminated, more than 125 arrested and more than 150 have surrendered. "I can say with conviction that operations against Naxals will continue in the times to come, and under the leadership of Modi, we will uproot Naxalism from our nation in a very short period of time," he said.

3:51 PM

UK PM Rishi Sunak tells Israel's Netanyahu to exercise restraint in wake of Iran's missile attacks

In the wake of Iran's missile attacks, British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has called on his Israeli counterpart Benjamin Netanyahu to exercise restraint as his Foreign Secretary David Cameron landed in Tel Aviv for talks today. In a phone call, Sunak reiterated the UK's “steadfast support” for regional stability.

3:48 PM

Ready to deal with any Israeli attack: Iran's military

Iran stated today its military was ready to withstand any attack by Israel, with the air force saying it was prepared for action. Iran's navy commander also announced that it was escorting Iranian commercial vessels to the Red Sea. Iran carried out its first-ever direct attack on Israel last weekend in retaliation for a suspected Israeli strike on an Iranian diplomatic compound in Damascus on April 1. Israel's war cabinet was meeting on Wednesday to discuss options.

3:19 PM

33,899 Palestinians killed since Oct 7, says Gaza health ministry

At least 33,899 people in Gaza have been killed and 76,664 wounded since October 7, according to the Gaza Health Ministry. Fifty-six have been killed and 89 injured in the past 24 hours, the ministry added in a statement.

3:16 PM

Ex-Maharashtra minister Eknath Khadse receives threat call, investigation on

An official stated today that former Maharashtra minister Eknath Khadse has received a call from an unidentified person threatening him with dire consequences following which police have began an investigation into it. Khadse, who is currently with the NCP (SP), earlier this month said he would return to the BJP soon.