NEW DELHI: An earthquake of magnitude 4.4 struck the Delhi-NCR on Thursday, causing tremors that were felt across several parts of northern India.The quake shook buildings and prompted residents to rush outdoors, but there were no immediate reports of damage or injuries.According to the National Center for Seismology, the earthquake had a magnitude of 4.4 and its epicentre was located in Jhajjar, Haryana, at a depth of 10 kilometers.Earlier this year, on February 17, an earthquake shook the Delhi-NCR region. The quake, with a magnitude of 4.0 and a depth of 5 kilometres, struck at 5:36am, according to the National Center for Seismology (NCS). Strong tremors startled residents, many of whom rushed out of their homes in fear.The NCS reported the epicentre was located 9km east of New Delhi, with coordinates at latitude 28.59°N and longitude 77.16°E. The agency posted the details on X shortly after the quake.Delhi falls under Seismic Zone IV, as per the Delhi Disaster Management Authority. This classification marks the region as a “High Damage Risk Zone,” indicating a significant chance of moderate to strong earthquakes.
he statement, issued by Yunus’s press secretary Shafiqul Alam and shared on social media, cited international reports and data, including from the BBC and the United Nations
Yunus government’s message said that that the people of Bangladesh “deserve justice,” the victims “deserve closure”. (File pic/AFP)
Bangladesh’s interim government, led by Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus, urged India to act with “conscience and moral clarity” in response to its long-pending extradition request for former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, who is facing charges of crimes against humanity.
The statement, issued by Yunus’s press secretary Shafiqul Alam and shared on social media, cited international reports and data, including from the BBC and the United Nations, to underline allegations of civilian deaths under Hasina’s leadership.
“For too long, India has refused to comply with Bangladesh’s lawful request for the extradition of Sheikh Hasina. That position is no longer tenable,” the statement read. “India can no longer protect an individual who stands credibly accused of crimes against humanity. No regional friendship, no strategic calculus, no political legacy can excuse or obscure the deliberate murder of civilians.”
Calling on India to uphold the shared democratic values it holds with Bangladesh and the UK, the statement added, “We ask that India recognise the weight of this moment and honour the shared values of justice, rule of law, and democratic integrity.”
It concluded by asserting that the people of Bangladesh “deserve justice,” the victims “deserve closure,” and the world must see that “no leader, no matter how powerful, is above the law.”
The statement also pointed to recent media coverage and human rights reports that have detailed alleged atrocities during Hasina’s tenure, including forced disappearances and suppression of dissent. It called for international solidarity and accountability, emphasizing that silence in the face of such allegations undermines the credibility of democratic institutions and global human rights norms.
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Newsindia Act With ‘Conscience’ On Hasina Extradition Plea, Bangladesh Requests India
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Fast-changing geopolitics has compelled Delhi to reach out to China to reset ties, experts say
After years of border tensions, India and China appear to be gradually moving towards resetting ties – but larger challenges and suspicions remain.
The visit of two senior Indian officials to China late last month was seen as a sign of a thaw in bilateral relations.
In June, Indian National Security Adviser Ajit Doval and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh also made separate visits as part of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) meetings.
The SCO is a 10-member Eurasian security grouping that also includes China, Russia, Iran and Pakistan. Singh’s visit was the first by a senior Indian official to China in five years.
At the heart of India-China tensions is an ill-defined, 3,440km (2,100-mile)-long disputed border. Rivers, lakes and snow-caps along the frontier mean the line often shifts, bringing soldiers face to face at many points, sometimes sparking skirmishes.
The crisis escalated in June 2020 when the two forces clashed in the Galwan valley in Ladakh in what was the first fatal confrontation between them since 1975. At least 20 Indian and four Chinese soldiers died. Stand-offs between the militaries have since taken place in several places.
But geopolitical uncertainty and ground realities appear to have nudged the two sides to find common ground on several issues.
Late last year, they reached an agreement on the main friction points in Ladakh.
In January, Delhi and Beijing agreed to restore direct flights and relax visa curbs that were imposed after the 2020 clash.
The same month, Indian pilgrims were allowed to visit a sacred mountain, the Kailash, and a holy lake in the Tibet Autonomous Region after a gap of six years.
But experts point out there are other hurdles.
For India, China is the second-largest trading partner with bilateral trade reaching more than $127bn (£93.4bn) last year. It relies heavily on Chinese imports, particularly rare earth minerals.
Peace in border areas, therefore, is essential to boost economic ties.
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A brawl between Indian and Chinese forces in the Galwan valley in Ladakh left at least 20 Indian and four Chinese troops dead
With its increasing focus on Taiwan, Beijing also wants peace in its Himalayan border with India – for now.
But at a strategic level, China suspects that Western nations are using India to counterbalance its rise and growing influence.
So, in addition to solving the border dispute, Beijing would want improvements in other areas as well, as it hopes to counter Delh’s increasing dependence on the US and its allies for security.
This includes more Chinese exports; increasing investments in India, and the removal of visa restrictions for Chinese engineers and workers. (India had banned dozens of Chinese apps and imposed restrictions on Chinese investments in the aftermath of the 2020 clash, citing security concerns).
Fast-changing geopolitics – particularly in the US since President Trump assumed a second term in power – has also compelled Delhi to reach out to China, experts say.
“India thought it would be a very close strategic ally [of the US] but they were not getting the support they were expecting from Washington,” Professor Christopher Clary of University of Albany in New York tells the BBC.
Anbarasan Ethirajan/BBC
India is building up road infrastructure in Ladakh, a region at the heart of tensions between the two countries
During recent border tensions with arch-rival Pakistan in May, Delhi also witnessed the growing military co-operation between Beijing and Islamabad. Pakistan used Chinese made fighter jets, air defence systems and air-to-air missiles in the four-day conflict.
In the aftermath of the conflict, Trump repeatedly asserted that he had mediated between the two sides for a ceasefire.
This embarrassed Delhi which insists that it directly spoke with Pakistani officials to stop the fighting, and vehemently denies any third-party mediation.
Weeks later, Trump also hosted Pakistani army chief Asim Munir for lunch at the White House, much to the dismay of Delhi.
At the same time, the US and India are also engaged in frantic talks to reach a trade agreement. Trump has already threatened to impose reciprocal tariffs on several countries, including India, if a deal is not reached by 1 August .
“Given President Trump’s statements about the mediation between India and Pakistan and about the trade talks, there’s a feeling in Delhi that this is the time to reach out to countries like China,” Clary says.
Anbarasan Ethirajan/BBC
China has increasingly asserted its claim over parts of Ladakh and the entire northeastern state of Arunachal Pradesh
Strategic experts argue that Washington views Delhi as a bulwark against an increasingly assertive China. But given the US president’s unpredictability, there are now doubts in Delhi about how far the US will go to support India in any future conflict with China.
The Quadrilateral Security Dialogue – known as the Quad – involving the US, Japan, Australia and India has taken a back seat during the Trump administration’s second term.
“In recent years, China has also significantly increased its influence in other multilateral organisations like the SCO and the Brics grouping of emerging economies,” says Phunchok Stobdan, a former senior Indian diplomat.
So, India is taking a pragmatic approach, he says.
“At the same time, it does not want to be seen yielding too much to the Chinese demands for domestic reasons,” he adds.
And it’s not just the US – India is also keenly watching how its long-time ally and major weapons supplier Russia leaned towards Beijing due to the war with Ukraine.
Western sanctions in response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has increased Moscow’s reliance on China for energy exports.
Moscow also depends on Beijing for critical imports and investments, all of which has made Delhi wary of the Kremlin’s position in any future confrontation with China.
Getty Images
India is keenly watching how its long-time ally and major weapons supplier Russia has leaned towards Beijing
China is also using its industrial might to squeeze many nations that depend on its imports – and countries like India feel the restrictions might impact their economic growth.
“China has lately been utilising trade as a weapon against India, suspending crucial exports such as rare earth magnets and fertilisers. These actions could affect India’s manufacturing and agricultural sectors,” Mr Stobdan says.
Rare earth magnets are especially crucial for automobile, home appliance and clean energy sectors. China imposed restrictions on its imports starting from April, requiring companies to obtain permits.
An Indian automobile industry association has warned that production could be severely impacted if the restrictions are not eased soon. Following these apprehensions, the Indian government said it was holding talks with Beijing.
Though China is keen on boosting business, it hasn’t shown any signs of compromise on its other territorial disputes with India.
In recent years, it has increasingly asserted its claim over the entire north-eastern Indian state of Arunachal Pradesh, which Beijing calls Southern Tibet.
Delhi asserts that Arunachal Pradesh is an integral part of the country and points out that people of the state regularly vote in elections to choose their state government and there’s no room for any compromise.
“If China and India would not abandon the concept of sovereignty, then they will continue to fight forever. If they can reach a deal on Southern Tibet [or Arunachal Pradesh], then the two countries would have eternal peace,” Prof Shen Dingli from the Fudan University in Shanghai tells the BBC.
For now, both Delhi and Beijing are aware that their territorial dispute cannot be solved in the near future.
They seem willing to strike a working relationship that’s mutually beneficial, and would want to avoid tensions altogether, rather than relying on any global power bloc for support.
HYDERABAD: Telangana police on Wednesday arrested five people, including three of the most senior office-bearers of the Hyderabad Cricket Association (HCA), in a case of forgery and misappropriation of funds. Among those arrested are president A Jagan Mohan Rao, treasurer C J Srinivas Rao and CEO Suneel Kante. Two top executives of a city-based cricket club too have been arrested. The role of another senior HCA office bearer is being probed.Sources said the investigators also took into account the findings of a vigilance and enforcement inquiry report on allegations against the HCA chief and others of harassing the SRH management for free tickets during IPL.Based on a complaint by Dharam Gurava Reddy, general secretary of Telangana Cricket Association (TCA), filed on June 9, CID filed a case under Sections 465 (punishment for forgery), 468 (forgery for the purpose of cheating), 471 (using as genuine a forged document or electronic record), 403 (dishonest misappropriation of property), 409 (criminal breach of trust by public servant, or by banker, merchant or agent), 420 (cheating) read with 34 (common intention). TCA is not recognised by BCCI. The complainant alleged president A Jagan Mohan Rao contested the HCA elections using a forged document. It was also alleged Rao, along with some HCA apex council members, misappropriated over Rs 2.3 crore from the association.CID officials told TOI they discovered Rao had used a forged cricket club membership to qualify for the 2023 HCA elections. “Rao furnished a forged membership of Gowlipura Cricket Club to contest in the elections and won,” said a CID official.CID arrested Gowlipura Cricket Club president G Kavita and her husband Rajender Yadav, who is the general secretary of the club, for aiding Rao in committing the offence. CID officials also alleged that Rao, along with treasurer C J Srinivas Rao and CEO Suneel Kante, who are apex council members of HCA, misappropriated HCA funds under the guise of performing their official duties. CID picked up Rao from his residence in Gachibowli, Srinivas from Padma Rao Nagarand Kante from Begumpet. Rajender Yadav and Kavita were taken into custody later in the night. HCA had copped a lot of flak this IPL season over excessive demands for complimentary passes. SRH had alleged illtreatment by HCA and threatened to shift their operations out of the city. The team management alleged that as against the agreement of giving 3,900 complimentary passes to the association for every match — 10% of the stadium’s capacity — the HCA president was asking for 20 more passes. The issue even threatened to derail a match between SRH and LSG.
A notable aspect of each letter is Trump’s direct threat to increase tariffs if any countermeasures are taken:
“If for any reason you decide to raise your Tariffs, then, whatever the number you choose to raise them by, will be added onto the [existing US tariff],” Trump stated in the 20 letters he’s sent so far.
According to reports, Indian nurse Nimisha Priya she is set to be executed in Yemen on July 16.
Priya, who hails from Kerala’s Palakkad district, moved to Yemen in 2008. (Photo: News18 Malyalam)
Nimisha Priya, a 37‑year‑old Indian nurse from Kollengode, Palakkad (Kerala), has been convicted of murdering her Yemeni business partner Talal Abdo Mahdi in July 2017. According to reports, she is set to be executed in Yemen on July 16. Human rights activist Samuel Jerome Baskaran, who has been actively involved in outreach to Yemeni authorities and the victim’s family, said, “The public prosecutor has issued the execution order to prison authorities. The execution is set for July 16,”adding that the Government of India can still step in to help save her life.
What Is The Nimisha Priya Case?
Nimisha Priya is a 37-year-old Indian nurse from Kerala who moved to Yemen in 2008 for better career opportunities. Like many Indian nurses working abroad, she was motivated by financial responsibilities back home and took up work in a private hospital in Sana’a.
In 2015, Nimisha entered into a business partnership with Mahdi, who agreed to help her run a clinic since Yemeni laws restrict foreign nationals from owning such facilities outright. According to Nimisha and her supporters, Mahdi began to exploit her: confiscating her passport, misappropriating funds, allegedly abusing her physically, and threatening her freedom of movement.
In July 2017, Nimisha attempted to sedate Mahdi by injecting him with sedatives to recover her passport. But the dosage proved fatal. Panicked, she and a colleague dismembered Mahdi’s body and tried to conceal the crime by disposing of the remains in a water tank.
The Arrest, Conviction And Death Sentence
Nimisha was arrested at the Yemeni border in August 2017. In 2018, she was tried by a Yemeni criminal court and sentenced to death. The court found that she had premeditated the act of injecting Mahdi with sedatives, illegally administered drugs, causing his unlawful death, dismembered his body and attempted to conceal the crime by hiding the remains in a water tank.
According to the court, these actions demonstrated intent, and the subsequent steps she took to cover up the murder further compounded the severity of the offence.
Her appeal was rejected by higher courts, and in November 2023, the Supreme Judicial Council confirmed her death sentence. Yemeni authorities, now controlled by the Houthi rebels, approved her execution, scheduling it for July 16, 2025.
Legal Dead-End and Diplomatic Hurdles
India does not maintain formal diplomatic ties with the Houthi-led administration in Sana’a, making direct government-to-government negotiations difficult. The Ministry of External Affairs has stated that it is “engaged in efforts” to prevent her execution and continues to provide consular assistance through unofficial channels.
Yemen’s legal system permits the concept of “blood money” (diyat) — a form of financial compensation that can lead to a pardon if the victim’s family agrees. Nimisha’s mother and a group of volunteers have tried to reach out to Mahdi’s family with an offer reportedly worth $1 million. However, no response has come so far.
Public Appeals and Ongoing Campaigns
Multiple NGOs, legal rights groups, and Indian citizens have rallied in Nimisha’s support. Campaigns have been launched seeking presidential intervention and urging the Indian government to intensify its efforts. Social worker Samuel Jerome Baskaran has also traveled to Yemen and confirmed that the execution date has been officially set.
Her mother, Prema, has written letters pleading for help, and groups have demanded Prime Minister Narendra Modi intervene to save her life, much like the government did in the past in the case of Indian citizen Kulbhushan Jadhav in Pakistan.
With just days to go, all eyes are on whether a last-minute reprieve — either through diya payment or a pardon — can prevent Nimisha Priya’s execution.
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Newsexplainers Why Has Indian Nurse Nimisha Priya Been Sentenced To Death In Yemen?
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Despite the uncertain global backdrop, India’s growth is likely to remain resilient, driven by a growth in capex (capital expenditure), Singaporean fund Temasek said on Wednesday.
“Growth will also be accelerated by the recovery in domestic consumption, and the rapid pace of production arising from supply chain reorientation.” Temasek said in its presentation on the 2025 review .
The investor said a US-India trade deal looks promising along with other free trade agreements that the government is pursuing. India remains a key geopolitical player both in the region and globally. The current government is eager to advance and strengthen relations with strategic partners, it said.
“We maintain a positive outlook, given India’s strong domestic market, especially in areas such as consumer, financial services, and healthcare,” it added.
Gains from the Singapore based portfolio companies and direct investments in key markets, including India, China, and the US has led to the growth in portfolio value of Temasek, the firm said on Wednesday.
Temasek posted a record net portfolio value (NPV) of S$434 billion for the financial year ended 31 March 2025, marking a S$45 billion increase over the previous year.
India’s share in Temasek’s portfolio grew from 5% in March 2021 to 8% in March 2025.
“Our direct investments in markets like China, the US, and India has contributed in uplifting our net portfolio value over the year. The growth reflects the impact of shifting macroeconomic conditions on asset prices as well as the long-term prospects of our investments aligned with structural tailwinds in these markets,” Temasek’s Chief Investment Officer Rohit Sipahimalani said.
Early this year, Temasek and its partner EQT sold O2 Power to JSW Neo Energy for $1.4 billion.
Temasek said it has set up offices in emerging markets such as India and China, to capture opportunities fuelled by the growth of middle-income population and local industries.
Union Bank of India share price in focus: Shares of Union Bank of India fell 6% during Wednesday’s intraday trading session on July 09, reaching to ₹141.54, following the release of its Q1FY26 business update, which showed a quarter-on-quarter (QoQ) decline in both deposits and loan growth.
In a filing to the exchanges on Tuesday, the public sector lender reported a 0.85% QoQ drop in global gross advances to ₹9.74 lakh crore, though it reflected a 6.83% year-on-year (YoY) improvement. Domestic advances stood at ₹9.38 lakh crore, down 0.83% QoQ but up 6.75% YoY.
Meanwhile, the bank’s domestic RAM portfolio stood at ₹5.45 lakh crore as of June 30, 2025, marking a 2.5% increase over the previous quarter and a strong 10.31% growth compared to the same period last year. Within the RAM segment, retail advances showed particularly robust momentum, rising 5.63% sequentially and 25.60% year-on-year to ₹2.29 lakh crore.
While overall domestic advances slightly declined QoQ, strong growth in retail lending and the broader RAM segment indicates a strategic focus shift toward retail and MSME segments, which helped offset weakness in other lending categories.
Domestic deposits declined 2.54% QoQ to ₹12.39 lakh crore, while improving 3.62% YoY. Domestic CASA deposits fell 5.43% QoQ to ₹4.03 lakh crore. The total business of the bank grew 5.01% YoY to ₹22.14 lakh crore.
Recent Developments
The lender announced plans to raise ₹6,000 crore through a mix of equity and debt to fund its business growth. The decision was disclosed in a regulatory filing made on June 25.
According to the filing, the board approved raising equity capital not exceeding ₹3,000 crore in one or more tranches through a public issue (further public offer), rights issue, private placements, including qualified institutional placements (QIP), or a combination of these methods. The move is subject to approvals from the government, relevant regulatory authorities, and the bank’s shareholders.
Additionally, the board approved a proposal to raise funds via Basel III-compliant bonds—specifically, Additional Tier-1 (AT-1) bonds not exceeding ₹2,000 crore and Tier-2 bonds not exceeding ₹1,000 crore, which may include foreign currency-denominated issuances.
Is more downside likely for the stock?
Drumil Vithlani, Technical Research Analyst at Bonanza, said, “Union Bank of India is currently consolidating within a defined range of ₹159– ₹138, indicating a sideways trend in the near term. Until a decisive breakout on either side occurs, the view remains range-bound.”
“From an indicator perspective, the Relative Strength Index (RSI) is trading below the midpoint, signaling a lack of directional momentum. Traders holding positions may consider maintaining them with a strict stop loss below ₹138, while fresh directional trades should be avoided unless the range is breached decisively,” he further added.
Disclaimer: The views and recommendations given in this article are those of individual analysts. These do not represent the views of Mint. We advise investors to check with certified experts before taking any investment decisions.
Senior Scientist at the Meteorological Centre in Shimla, Shobhit Katiyar says, “Light to moderate rainfall was recorded in several parts of Himachal Pradesh over the past 24 hours, particularly in the low and mid-hill regions. Sirmaur district recorded the highest rainfall at 10 cm, followed by Mandi at 9 cm, and Kangra at 6 cm…Light to moderate rainfall is likely to continue in the low and middle hill regions of Himachal for the next five days, with Una, Bilaspur, Mandi, Sirmaur and Kullu districts likely to witness heavy rainfall over the next two days. In view of this forecast, we have issued yellow alerts for these districts. Una and Bilaspur are under alert for two days, while Mandi, Hamirpur, Solan, Sirmaur and Kangra districts will remain under yellow alert on July 9, 10, and 11…”
Rescue operations under way in Vadodara district after several vehicles fall into river.
At least nine people have been killed after the collapse of a bridge over a river in India’s western Gujarat state, according to authorities.
Gujarat’s Health Minister Rushikesh Patel said several vehicles fell into Mahisagar River when a portion of Gambhira Bridge collapsed on Wednesday morning.
The bridge in the state’s Vadodara district had been constructed in 1985, added Patel.
Anil Dhameliya, a senior civil servant, told reporters at least nine bodies had been recovered, with five others injured in the incident. Rescue operations were under way, he said.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi said the accident was “deeply saddening” and offered condolences to the families of those who died.
India’s infrastructure has long been marred by safety concerns, sometimes leading to major disasters on highways and bridges.
In 2022, a colonial-era cable suspension bridge collapsed into the Machchu River in Gujarat, sending hundreds plunging into the water and killing at least 132.
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