Highlights: Dragon capsule with Shubhanshu Shukla docks successfully at ISS

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9:57 PM

Rajnath refuses to sign SCO communique over exclusion of Pahalgam terror attack

Defence Minister Rajanth Singh on Thursday refused to sign a joint communique of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) at a meeting of its defence ministers in Qingdao, China, as it omitted the Pahalgam terror attack and did not explicitly address India's concerns over Pakistan-backed cross-border terrorism.

9:02 PM

Irdai flags concerns on implementation of guidelines

As part of routine supervision, the Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (Irdai) initiated inspections at some health insurance firms, and flagged concerns with some companies on implementation of certain regulatory norms in the new health insurance master circular, people aware of the development said.

8:49 PM

N Chandrasekaran briefs Tata Sons board on long term care of AI victims

N Chandrasekaran, Chairman of Tata Sons, today briefed the board of directors on the steps taken by the Tata group to support the families affected by the Air India crash on June 8. Chandrasekaran informed the board that Tata Sons and Tata Trusts will jointly establish a dedicated trust to provide long-term assistance to the victims' families.

7:22 PM

Make GIFT IFSC competitive to attract HNI funds: Nirmala Sitharaman

Union Minister for Finance and Corporate Affairs Nirmala Sitharaman nudged financial sector regulators to pursue initiatives that catalyse the core mandate of the GIFT International Financial Services Centre (IFSC) to bring foreign capital into India through structured channels.

5:58 PM

Indian astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla becomes 1st Indian to enter ISS

Shubhanshu Shukla has become only the second Indian to travel to space and the first-ever to visit ISS with the Axiom-4 Mission.

5:35 PM

Credit growth to improve to 13-13.5% in FY26: India Ratings

India Ratings and Research (Ind-Ra) expects credit growth to improve marginally in FY26 to 13-13.5 percent, up from FY25 levels. However, the composition of loans is likely to shift, with continued slowdown in lending to non-banking financial companies (NBFCs) and the retail segment. This decline is expected to be offset by a revival in private capital expenditure (capex), which would support growth in the corporate segment, the rating agency said.

5:04 PM

Himachal floods: Death toll reaches 4; Search continues for 7 missing

Officials confirmed on Thursday that the death toll from Wednesday’s flash floods in Himachal Pradesh’s Kangra district has risen to four, following the recovery of two more bodies from a hydro project site. Search operations have been intensified to find the seven persons still missing since flash floods triggered by cloudbursts hit Kangra and Kullu districts on Wednesday.

4:41 PM

BJP uses Constitution to gain power: SP chief Akhilesh Yadav

Samajwadi Party (SP) chief Akhilesh Yadav slammed the BJP on Thursday, alleging that the saffron party uses the Constitution to gain power but as soon as it assumes office, it stops respecting the Constitution. Yadav stated despite taking an oath to uphold the Constitution framed by BR Ambedkar, BJP leaders display a "complete lack of integrity" in their actions.

4:23 PM

News update: Dragon capsule docks successfully at ISS

3:56 PM

AI plane crash: Govt says data extraction from black boxes underway; being analysed at AAIB Lab

The Centre on Thursday stated data is being extracted from black boxes, and analysis of cockpit voice recorder and flight data recorder is underway to reconstruct the sequence of events that led to the fatal crash of the Air India plane in Ahmedabad on June 12. Providing a detailed update a fortnight after the fatal accident that killed 270 people, the civil aviation ministry said the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) promptly initiated an investigation and constituted a multi-disciplinary team headed by the AAIB chief on June 13 in line with prescribed norms.

3:48 PM

40 civil servants of Uttarakhand adopt their first place of posting

Forty senior IAS officers of Uttarakhand have adopted their first place of posting to develop them further as desired by Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami. The chief minister had asked the IAS officers to adopt and develop their first place of posting and contribute to the building of a developed nation.

3:37 PM

CIA chief says ‘credible evidence’ Iran nuclear program severely damaged in US strikes

CIA and Trump administration officials are citing 'new intelligence' they say proves US strikes severely damaged Iran’s nuclear program. 

3:35 PM

Khamenei issues first statement since ceasefire

Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, in a video message posted on X, praised his nation for its “victory over Israel". This marks his first public statement since the United States announced a ceasefire between Iran and Israel.

2:54 PM

SC to hear petition on Maratha reservation in Maharashtra in July

The top court on Thursday decided to hear in July a plea over the issue of Maratha reservation in Maharashtra. The matter came up for urgent listing before a bench of Justices K V Viswanathan and N Kotiswar Singh. The counsel appearing in the case referred to a June 11 order of the Bombay High Court deciding to hear afresh the pleas against the constitutional validity of the law providing Maratha reservation from July 18.

2:50 PM

272 Indians, 3 Nepalese nationals evacuated from Iran

India has evacuated 272 Indian and three Nepalese nationals from Iran following the conflict with Israel, officials said on Thursday. A special flight carrying them arrived in Delhi a little past midnight from the Iranian city of Mashhad.

2:47 PM

Discussions on restoring statehood to J&K should conclude soon: CM Omar Abdullah

Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah said on Thursday that discussions on restoring statehood to the Union Territory should be concluded soon so that people can get what they have been demanding. Talking to reporters on the sidelines of a special national integration camp organised by the Jammu and Kashmir, Ladakh NCC Directorate here, Abdullah also lauded the sanctioning of several projects for the Union Territory.

1:38 PM

Google VP donates Rs 1 crore to TTD's SV Pranadana Trust

Google Vice President Thota Chandrasekhar donated Rs 1 crore to the SV Pranadana Trust of the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) on Thursday, the temple authorities said. The cheque was handed over to TTD Chairman B R Naidu by Chandrashekhar in Tirumala.

1:03 PM

Kamakhya temple doors open after four days of 'Ambubachi Mela'

The doors of Kamakhya temple atop Nilachal hill were opened to devotees on Thursday after four days of 'Ambubachi Mela', officials said. The mela is held for four days every year when the temple doors are closed, coinciding with the ritualistic menstrual cycle of Goddess Kamakhya.

12:21 PM

2 killed, 50 injured as double-decker bus overturns on Lucknow-Agra Expressway

Two passengers were killed and about 50 were injured when a double-decker bus travelling from Bihar to Delhi overturned and plunged into a ditch on the Lucknow-Agra Expressway in the Saifai area early Thursday, police said. The accident occurred near the Mandi village when the speeding bus lost control while attempting to overtake a truck.

12:17 PM

Rajnath refuses to sign SCO document for not focusing on challenge of cross-border terrorism

The perpetrators and sponsors of terrorism must be held accountable, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh told a conclave of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) on Thursday, even as he chose not to sign a communique by the bloc for not explicitly addressing India's concerns over Pakistan-backed cross-border terrorism.

12:04 PM

'Namaskar from space': Astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla greets from Dragon spacecraft

"This is a small step, but steady and solid step towards India's human space programme," says Shubhanshu Shukla in live webcast from space. 

10:34 AM

Himachal flash floods: Search operation to find missing people intensified, others rescued

Search operations have been intensified to trace 10 people missing since the flash floods triggered by cloudbursts in Himachal's Kangra and Kullu districts, officials said on Thursday. Two persons died while about 20 were feared swept away due to heavy rains on Wednesday evening but some of the missing people have since been rescued.

10:05 AM

Encounter breaks out between security forces, Naxalites in Chhattisgarh's Narayanpur

An exchange of fire took place between security forces and Naxalites in Chhattisgarh's Narayanpur district on Thursday, according to a police official. The gunfight erupted in the Abhujmaad forest during an anti-Naxalite operation, which was launched by a joint team of security personnel following intelligence reports about the presence of Maoist operatives.

9:34 AM

There should be no place for double standards in combating terrorism: Rajnath Singh at SCO meet.

"It is imperative those who sponsor, nurture and utilize terrorism for their narrow and selfish ends must bear the consequences," says Rajnath Singh.

8:55 AM

We must unite in our fight against terrorism for our collective safety, security: Rajnath Singh at SCO meet

Some countries use cross-border terrorism as an instrument of policy and provide shelter to terrorists, says Rajnath Singh.