Breaking News Live Updates: UP ATS arrests 2 over Pakistan network links

Some 1,500 ships trapped in Gulf due to Iran conflict: IMO

Around 1,500 ships and their crews are trapped in the Gulf due to the Iranian blockade in the strait of Hormuz, the secretary general of the UN's International Maritime Organization (IMO) said in Panama on Thursday. "Right now, we have approximately 20,000 crewmen and around 1,500 ships trapped," Arsenio Dominguez told the Maritime Convention of the Americas.

Gold extends gains as US-Iran peace hopes ease inflation concerns

US jobless claim applications rose to 200,000 last week but remain at historically low levels despite elevated inflation

UN rights chief says Tunisia must end repression of civil society, media

The United Nations rights chief demanded Thursday that Tunisia end a pattern of widening repression targeting civil society organisations, journalists, rights defenders and opposition figures. "The continued repression and restrictions on civic space by the Tunisian authorities undermine the rights of people protected under the country's constitution and its international human rights obligations," Volker Turk said in a statement.

4.1 magnitude quake hits central Nepal, tremors felt in Kathmandu

An earthquake of 4.1 magnitude hit Dhading district of central Nepal on Thursday morning, a government agency said here.
There was no immediate report about any damage caused by the quake, tremors of which were also felt in capital Kathmandu.
The epicentre was situated 90 kms west of Kathmandu.
“An earthquake measuring 4.1 magnitude with its epicentre at Charange Phedi of Dhading was registered at 11.14 am on Thursday,” according to the National Earthquake Monitoring and Research Centre.
Nepal, which experiences multiple quakes in any given year, lies in one of the most active tectonic zones (Seismic zones IV and V). It makes the Himalayan nation extremely vulnerable to earthquakes. (PTI)

5 Delhi Police personnel killed on duty in 2024, 2 died in criminal attacks: NCRB

Five Delhi Police personnel were killed on duty in 2024, according to the latest NCRB data released by the Union Ministry of Home Affairs.

The data showed that two personnel were killed by criminals, gangsters or dacoits, while one died after accidentally firing a service/self weapon. Two others lost their lives in accidents during duty.

Delhi recorded a total of five on-duty police deaths during the year, placing it among the Union territories with the highest such fatalities after Jammu and Kashmir, which reported nine deaths.

Across the country, 283 uniformed police personnel were killed on duty in 2024. Of them, 242 deaths were caused by accidents, while 18 personnel were killed by Extremists and five by terrorists or 'jihadi' elements, the data showed.

China sentences former defense ministers Wei Fenghe, Li Shangfu to death with reprieve: Xinhua

China’s state news agency Xinhua reported Thursday that former defense ministersWei FengheandLi Shangfuwere both sentenced to death with a two-year reprieve on graft charges.

Russia says Ukraine launched a major drone attack after Moscow shunned ceasefire offer

Russia said its air defence systems intercepted 347 Ukrainian drones overnight in what appeared to be one of the largest aerial attacks since the start of the war, days after Moscow rejected Ukraine’s ceasefire proposal and ahead of Russia’s Victory Day celebrations, as cited by AP.

According to Russia’s defence ministry, drones were shot down across more than 20 regions, including Moscow. The strike marked Ukraine’s second-largest drone attack since Russia launched its full-scale invasion over four years ago.

The largest attack was recorded in March, when 389 drones were reportedly launched.

The latest assault comes ahead of Victory Day, Russia’s most significant secular observance marking the defeat of Nazi Germany in World War II. Russian authorities have announced a unilateral ceasefire in Ukraine for Friday and Saturday.

Women linked to IS fighters return to Australia from Middle East

A group of Australian women linked to IS arrived in Australia on Thursday, years after allegedly travelling to Syria to join the group’s self-declared caliphate.

The women and their children, all Australian citizens, returned after securing passage from Syrian refugee camps where they had remained since the collapse of the Islamic State group, as cited by AFP.

According to reports, three women and eight children arrived at Melbourne Airport on a Qatar Airways flight from Doha.

Another flight carrying a woman and her son from the Syrian camp also landed in Sydney, Australian media reported.

Russia warns diplomats in Kyiv to evacuate in case of strike

Russia warned foreign diplomats in Kyiv that it could target the Ukrainian capital if Kyiv disrupted World War II commemorations in Moscow this weekend, as hostilities between the two countries continued into Thursday.

Moscow did not provide further details on the warning, while Ukraine did not immediately respond, as cited by AFP.

Meanwhile, both sides exchanged strikes overnight. Russian officials said 13 people were injured in the border city of Bryansk, while Ukrainian authorities reported one person injured in Dnipro.

Australia says to reserve 20% of gas exports for domestic use

Bus and oil tanker collide in Indonesia, killing at least 16 people

At least 16 people were killed and four others injured after a passenger bus collided head-on with a fuel tanker truck on a highway in Indonesia’s Sumatra island on Wednesday, officials said, as cited by AP.

The accident took place around midday on the Trans-Sumatra Highway in North Musi Rawas regency of South Sumatra province, when an intercity bus carrying at least 20 passengers crashed into a tanker truck travelling in the opposite direction, according to Mugono, an official with the local disaster management agency.

FBI raids Virginia Democratic lawmaker’s office in corruption investigation

The FBI conducted raids at the office and business premises linked to senior Virginia Democratic lawmaker Louise Lucas as part of an ongoing corruption investigation. US authorities confirmed they were executing a court-authorised federal search warrant in Portsmouth, Virginia. Lucas, however, dismissed the action as politically motivated after reports linked the probe to a marijuana dispensary business she co-owns.

CJI Surya Kant welcomes Centre’s move to raise Supreme Court judges’ strength

Chief Justice of India Surya Kant welcomed the Centre’s decision to increase the sanctioned strength of the Supreme Court from 34 to 38 judges, including the CJI. He said the move would help tackle the growing pendency of cases and speed up hearings, especially Constitution Bench matters. The government is expected to bring legislative provisions for the expansion soon.

'Won’t be bound by NPT': North Korea reaffirms nuclear weapons stance

North Korea said it would not be bound by the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) “under any circumstances”, reiterating that its status as a nuclear-armed state would not change due to international pressure. Pyongyang’s UN envoy Kim Song made the remarks during a UN review meeting of the treaty, accusing the US and allied nations of questioning North Korea’s sovereign rights.

Srinagar Police demolishes alleged drug peddler’s illegal structure in Noorbagh

Srinagar Police demolished an allegedly illegal residential structure belonging to a suspected habitual drug peddler in Noorbagh as part of the ‘Nasha Mukt Jammu & Kashmir Abhiyaan’. Police said the accused, Hilal Ahmad Sheikh, was involved in multiple NDPS cases and the structure was allegedly built using proceeds from narcotics trafficking. Authorities also claimed the construction violated revenue laws and legal procedures.

UP ATS arrests 2 over Pakistan network links

The Uttar Pradesh Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) arrested two suspects allegedly linked to Pakistan’s ISI and gangster Shahzad Bhatti in connection with a terror conspiracy case. Officials said the accused used social media to build sleeper cells and allegedly surveyed sensitive institutions and police establishments. Investigators recovered chats, video calls and location-sharing records from their phones. Police said a police station was also filmed and the footage allegedly sent to handlers in Pakistan.