South Korea's exports of agricultural and food products climbed to a record high in the first half on the growing popularity of Korean culture, the agriculture ministry said on Thursday.

The combined outbound shipments of agricultural and food items amounted to $6.67 billion in the January-June period, up 7.1 percent from $6.22 billion tallied a year earlier, according to the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, reports news agency.

It marked the highest first-half figure on record, the ministry added.

By item, exports of instant noodles, or ramyeon in Korean, surged 24 percent on-year to $731.7 million over the cited period and shipments of sauce products climbed 18.4 percent to $228.4 million, while ice cream exports rose 23.1 percent to $65.5 million.

Actor Akshay Oberoi, who is gearing up for the release of his upcoming film, "Sunny Sanskari Ki Tulsi Kumari," has opened up about a heartfelt routine he shares with his son, Avyaan.

The ‘Isi Life Mein’ actor revealed that teaching his son basketball has become more than just a game — it’s a special bonding ritual that brings them closer every day. Sharing his passion for the game, Oberoi shared, “Basketball has always been a part of my life. I used to play regularly with my classmates back in the US, and those memories have stayed with me.”

“Now, seeing Avyaan take to the game with such energy and enthusiasm brings me immense joy. He’s an active child, full of life, and when we play together, it’s more than just a sport; it’s a bonding ritual. I want him to fall in love with the game the way I did.”

Amid relentless rainfall and deteriorating weather conditions in Uttarakhand, around 40 devotees returning from the Kedarnath Dham were rescued by the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) on Thursday after being stranded near the Sonprayag landslide zone.

The pilgrims were trapped following a sudden landslide that caused debris to block the route around 10 p.m. on Wednesday, making movement impossible.

The landslide occurred near Sonprayag, a crucial transit point on the Kedarnath Yatra route. Responding swiftly, SDRF teams reached the site and conducted a high-risk nighttime rescue operation.

As the US reciprocal tariffs deadline looms, hectic parleys are currently underway in Washington, DC, between officials of India and the US on finalising the proposed interim trade deal in the next couple of days.

While New Delhi is seeking greater market access for its labour-intensive goods such as garments, footwear, and leather — which are major job creators — Washington wants duty concessions for its agricultural and daily products, according to officials.

The Indian trade negotiators have extended their stay in US, signalling a last-minute push to iron out key differences. They have maintained that broader tariff cuts, especially on high-employment goods, are needed to reach the goal of doubling bilateral trade to $500 billion by 2030.

A huge fire broke out in a shop near Sri Govindaraja Swamy temple in Tirupati, Andhra Pradesh, early Thursday. There were no casualties.

The fire started from a shop dealing in iron scrap and spread to adjoining shops. Fire services personnel rushed to the spot and controlled the fire.

Three fire engines were deployed for the firefighting operation. According to police, the fire started around 3 a.m.

Preliminary investigation by the authorities indicates that a short-circuit caused the fire. Two shops were completely gutted, while canopies set up in front of the temple were also damaged.

Police registered a case and took up further investigation.

Meanwhile, a huge fire broke out in a rubber factory in Hyderabad on Thursday. No loss of life was reported in the incident.

President Lee Jae Myung said on Thursday the government has made utmost efforts on tariff negotiations with the United States, but he can't say whether the talks could be concluded by July 8, a deadline set by US President Donald Trump.

Lee made the remark during the press conference marking his first month in office, as Seoul and Washington continue talks to reduce the 25 percent reciprocal tariffs imposed by the Trump administration, reports news agency.

South Korea is "doing our best" for tariff talks with the U.S., but Lee said, "At this point, it is difficult to say with certainty whether they can be concluded by July 8."

Rescuers resumed the search operation in Himachal Pradesh’s Mandi district on the third day on Thursday to locate 34 people who went missing after cloudbursts and heavy rain triggered massive landslides and flash floods.

The India Meteorological Department has predicted a moderate flash flood risk in Kangra, Mandi, Hamirpur, Shimla, Sirmaur and Solan districts till Friday.

Amid heavy rain and broken roads, the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) team on Wednesday set an example of courage and dedication by carrying a pregnant woman in a palanquin for miles to reach a hospital in the Thunag area in Mandi district.

Torrential rain on Tuesday caused severe flooding, washing away 14 bridges, 148 houses and two shops, resulting in 11 deaths, largely in Mandi district. The death toll could rise as the survival of the missing people after more than 48 hours of disaster is getting dim.

South Korea's foreign reserves rebounded in June from the lowest level in five years, central bank data showed on Thursday.

The country's foreign reserves stood at US$410.2 billion as of end-June, up $5.61 billion from a month earlier, according to the data from the Bank of Korea (BOK). It marked the largest amount since January when the foreign reserves amounted to $411.01 billion.

The figure had declined for two consecutive months since April, reaching the lowest level since April 2020, when foreign reserves stood at $403.98 billion, reports news agency.

Last month's increase was attributed to a rise in the U.S. dollar-converted value of foreign currency assets denominated in other currencies due to a weaker dollar, as well as higher investment returns, the BOK said.

The Indian benchmark indices opened higher on Thursday amid positive global cues, as buying was seen in the IT, pharma and auto sectors in the early trade.

At around 9.25 am, Sensex was trading 68.28 points or 0.08 per cent up at 83,477.97 while the Nifty added 19.30 points or 0.08 per cent at 25,472.70.

Analysts said they are only consolidating the bullish rectangle breakout and as long as the 25,200-25,270 area is protected, bulls are merely taking a breather.

“Under 25,200, we risk 25,000. On the upside, the recent swing high at 25,670 is where the bullish trigger lies," said Akshay Chinchalkar, Head of Research, Axis Securities.

With the deadline for the US tariff pause expiring next week, it will be interesting to see if the current optimism globally holds up.

The Maharashtra cabinet subcommittee, headed by Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, on Wednesday gave approval for investment proposals worth Rs 1,35,371.58 crore for the thrust sector and high technology-based projects in the state.

The move is expected to promote industries and generate one lakh direct and indirect jobs in the state. These projects will also boost technological innovation, research and development.