Evening News Briefing: India mourns Khamenei’s death; Nitish Kumar files for House nomination and more

Here are the top 5 stories of the day

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi reaches out to Gulf leaders to express condolences over Khamenei’s death

India expressed its official condolences on the death of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri went to the Iranian Embassy in New Delhi to sign a book of condolences on behalf of the government. Meanwhile, Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke to leaders of several Gulf states and Israel as tensions between the US-Israeli bloc and Iran escalated, with discussions focusing on regional stability and the security of the large Indian diaspora in the region. Read more

Nitish Kumar files for Lok Sabha nomination, marking leadership shift in Bihar

Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Thursday submitted his nomination to the Lok Sabha in the presence of Union Home Minister Amit Shah after he decided to resign from the state’s top post. The move, which comes months after the NDA’s electoral victory in Bihar, is widely seen as a transition that could see the BJP install its own chief minister in the state, marking a major shift in the alliance’s political set-up. Read more

Global sentiment improves, Sensex gains 900 points, Nifty ends above 24,750 points

Indian stocks recovered strongly on Thursday after falling for two consecutive sessions due to the Middle East crisis, with the Sensex rising 900 points and the Nifty closing above 24,750 points. Reports that Iran may consider abandoning its nuclear program under certain circumstances were supported by rising global markets, assurances about oil supply routes and strength in heavyweight stocks such as Reliance Industries. Read more

US confirms first use of precision strike missiles in Operation Epic Fury

The US military has confirmed the first use of Lockheed Martin’s precision strike missiles in Iran’s Operation Epic Fury. Central Command stated that this long-range missile launched from the HIMARS platform has deep strike capabilities and is representative of a new generation of surface-to-surface weapons. It is designed to replace the old ATACMS system and expand the US Army’s strike range to more than 499 kilometers.Read more

Second Iranian warship approaches Sri Lanka after US submarine sinks frigate

Sri Lanka is assessing Iran’s request to allow a second warship to enter its waters after a US submarine destroyed the Iranian frigate IRIS Dena in the Indian Ocean near the island nation. More than 100 crew members were reportedly on board the approaching vessel, while Sri Lankan authorities continued to carry out rescue operations and treat injured sailors following the attack south of the Galle that killed at least 87 Iranian personnel. Read more