Highlights of the day: Magnitude 6.3 earthquake hits western Japan

Latest news updates: Catch all the news updates from around the world here

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.

2:53 PM

SC seeks Haryana govt's reply on plea for FIR against police officials in 2013 custodial death case

The top court has consented to hear a petition seeking registration of a criminal case against police officials in whose custody a 32-year-old man had died in 2013 in Haryana's Faridabad district. A bench of justices Sudhanshu Dhulia and PB Varale has issued notice to the Haryana government and the state's director general of police on the petition filed by Anand Rai Kaushik, the brother of the deceased.

2:37 PM

Death toll from Russian missiles strike on Ukrainian city rises to eight, 18 injured

Three Russian missiles crashed into a downtown area of the Ukrainian city of Chernihiv on Wednesday, hitting an eight-floor apartment building and killing at least eight people, officials said. At least 18 people were injured in the morning attack, the city's acting mayor Oleksandr Lomako said.

2:24 PM

Indian Air Force evacuates civilians from Kargil to Srinagar

2:19 PM

News update: Namma Yatri launches ‘zero commission’ model cab services in Bengaluru

Namma Yatri stated that it has helped auto drivers earn Rs 420 crore and currently has a user base of 6 million, according to a report in The Hindustan Times.

2:05 PM

West Bengal police put on high alert to avert communal violence on Ram Navami

Multiple police stations across West Bengal are on high alert to avert any communal tension ahead of Ram Navami celebrations in the state, according to a report in The Indian Express. The Hindu Jagran Manch, affiliated with the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), has said that it will organise over 5,000 processions across the state at both ward and panchayat-level. 

2:01 PM

Clear that Israel intends to respond to Iranian attack, says Britain's foreign minister

During his visit to Israel, British Foreign Minister David Cameron stated that it is clear that the country intends to respond to the Iranian attack, adding that "we hope Israel acts in a way that does as little to escalate this as possible."

1:36 PM

Italy's foreign minister calls on Israel to stop military operations in Gaza

Emphasising that it was time for a cease-fire, Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani today called on Israel to halt its military operations in Gaza. Italy initially backed Israel's actions following the October 7 attack, but more recently it has moderated its stance in the light of the thousands of civilian deaths.

 

1:33 PM

India begins work on indigenous bullet train, targets over 250 km/h speeds

India has begun work on developing an indigenous bullet train expected to exceed speeds of 250 kilometres per hour (km/h), reported The Economic Times (ET), citing a senior government official. The design process is currently in progress at the Integral Coach Factory (ICF) in Chennai, under the supervision of Indian Railways. Read the details here.

1:24 PM

Iran's navy to escort Iranian cargo ships to Red Sea: Naval commander

Naval Commander Shahram Irani said today that Iran's navy is escorting Iranian commercial ships to the Red Sea, according to Tasnim news agency.

1:22 PM

Russia-Ukraine war updates: Few Russian airports impose temporary restrictions

The Russian aviation watchdog said today that airports in cities of Kazan, Kizhnekamsk and Nizhny Novgorod in Russia have imposed temporary restrictions for security reasons,

1:06 PM

Weather update: Schools in Odisha to remain closed from April 18-20 for heatwave

The Odisha government on Wednesday announced the closure of all schools in the state from April 18 to 20 in view of the India Meteorological Department's (IMD) heatwave forecast. The government said it decided to close down all schools including those run by the government, government-aided and private for three days keeping in view of a rise in day temperature.

 

12:58 PM

Chhattisgarh encounter: After encounter broke out in Kanker, a huge quantity of arms was recovered

12:55 PM

UCC in Uttarakhand gets Murmu's approval, says Uttarakhand CM Pushkar Singh Dhami

"UCC bill has been passed in Uttarakhand and the president has also approved this. The importance of UCC has been highlighted in the BJP BJP's 'Sankalp Patra'. We will soon implement this," Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami said today.

12:41 PM

PM Modi shares visuals of Surya Tilak

12:39 PM

Ayodhya's Ram temple priests perform ‘Divya Abhishek’ for Ram Lalla

Devotees converged towards Ayodhya's Ram Temple today, which opened early to mark the celebrations of Lord Ram's birth anniversary.