The South Korean Foreign Ministry on Wednesday welcomed the announcement of a ceasefire between Israel and Iran and praised the diplomatic efforts led by the US and other involved countries.

"We hope that all parties will faithfully implement the terms of the agreement so that tensions in the region can be eased swiftly," the ministry said in a statement.

As a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council, South Korea "will continue to participate in the international community's efforts to promote peace and stability in the Middle East," news agency reported.

Earlier on Tuesday, US President Donald Trump declared that a ceasefire between Iran and Israel had officially taken effect, urging both sides to maintain restraint.

To honor the life and legacy of revered freedom fighter Lal Singh, Desh Bhagat University marked his death anniversary by launching an advanced Audiometer machine at Desh Bhagat Hospital. This initiative adds a significant enhancement to the hospital’s ENT Department, improving hearing care services for the community. Desh Bhagat Hospital, a state-of-the-art, 300-bedded facility and a leader in healthcare and diagnostic services in the region, proudly announces the inauguration of the new audiometer. This cutting-edge equipment is designed to improve the accuracy and efficiency of hearing assessments, thereby elevating the standard of medical care provided to patients. The audiometer was inaugurated by Dr. Zora Singh, Chancellor of Desh Bhagat University, and Dr. Tajinder Kaur, Pro-Chancellor, in remembrance of Dr. Singh’s father, Lal Singh, a distinguished freedom fighter. 

Indian stock markets extended their gains for the second straight day on Wednesday, supported by strong buying in media and technology shares.

Investors were relieved after crude oil prices dropped and tensions between Iran and Israel eased following a ceasefire.

The Sensex closed 700.4 points higher at 82,755.51, gaining 0.85 per cent. The Nifty also rose by 200.40 points to settle at 25,244.75, up 0.8 per cent.

Titan Company, M&M, Infosys, Power Grid, TCS and Bharti Airtel emerged as the top gainers on the Sensex, with gains of up to 3.6 per cent.

On the other hand, BEL, Kotak Mahindra Bank and Axis Bank were the major laggards, falling as much as 3 per cent.

The Union Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on Wednesday approved a proposal from the Department of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare to establish the International Potato Centre (CIP)’s South Asia Regional Centre (CSARC) at Agra in Uttar Pradesh.

The major objective of this investment is to increase food and nutrition security, farmers income, and job creation by improving potato and sweet potato productivity, post-harvest management and value-addition.

The potato sector in India has the potential to generate significant employment opportunities in the production sector, processing sector, packaging, transportation and marketing value chain.

Hence, in order to untap and explore the huge potential in this sector, International Potato Centre’s South Asia regional Centre is being established at Singna, Agra, according to an official statement.

India’s wealth management market is undergoing a seismic shift, with the number of dollar millionaires expected to grow by over 55 per cent from 2024 to 2029 -- far outpacing the global average of 21 per cent, according to a Boston Consulting Group (BCG) report released on Wednesday.

From 2014 to 2024, organic growth varied sharply by region, with wealth managers in the Asia Pacific region (APAC) achieving rates of 50 per cent -- more than double that of their peers in EMEA (Europe, Middle East and Africa) and North America, driven decisively by emerging markets like India, the report states.

“A generational wave of first-time wealth creators, especially millennial entrepreneurs and corporate leaders, is reshaping the industry. As India rises as a wealth management powerhouse, sharp customer segmentation and the end-to-end integration of AI and GenAI -- from prospecting to advisory to service -- will be critical to staying ahead,” says Mayank Jha, Managing Director & Partner, BCG

Two workers lost their lives on Wednesday when a section of an under-construction tunnel collapsed near Choral on the Indore-Ichhapur National Highway, officials said.

The incident occurred around 4 a.m. at Tunnel Number 3, the part of a major infrastructure project, aimed at improving connectivity between Indore and Khandwa.

Deputy Superintendent of Police Umakant Choudhary said, "Persistent heavy rainfall loosened the surrounding soil and triggered the collapse. It caused the outer face of the tunnel to give way. One worker died on the spot, while the other succumbed to injuries in a hospital."

The official also added, "A MERG report has been filed, and we will investigate the matter once the post-mortem reports are received. The investigation will focus on whether safety protocols were adequately followed, especially given the ongoing monsoon season, which often heightens the risk of such accidents."

A total of 1,685 Afghan families with 7,474 members returned to their homeland from neighbouring Iran and Pakistan, Afghanistan's High Commission for Addressing Returnees' Problems said on Wednesday.

The refugees have come home via the Torkham border, crossing in eastern Nangarhar province, the Spin Boldak border, crossing in southern Kandahar province, the Islam Qala border, crossing in western Herat province, and the Pul-e-Abresham border, crossing in western Nimroz province, it said.

In a major step towards enhancing safety, reliability, and operational efficiency, Northern railways/Ambala division Division has successfully commissioned the Electronic Interlocking (EI) system at Khanalampura west terminals, replacing the age-old Mechanical Interlocking system . The aproximate cost of the project is 17 crore.This transition marks a significant technological upgrade in the railway signaling system, enabling automated route setting and improved train handling capacity. 

The police in Jammu and Kashmir's Srinagar district said on Wednesday that it has attached the property of a notorious drug peddler in the city worth Rs 1 crore, officials said.

A police statement has said, "In a major action against the drug menace, the Srinagar police have attached a residential property -- comprising a two-storeyed house along with land -- worth nearly Rs 1 crore, belonging to a notorious drug peddler, Pervaiz Ahmad Bhat, a resident of Takanwari in Karnabal."

Actress Priyanka Chopra Jonas, who will be next seen in ‘Heads of State’, has revealed that her daughter, Malti Marie Chopra is the showrunner of their house.

The actress recently spoke with ‘Entertainment Tonight’ at a red carpet, and said, “She definitely runs our house. She is so fun, precocious, loves everything about life, joyous, curious and kind. She makes everyday so amazing”.

When asked if she helped the actress get ready for the event, Priyanka said, “She did. She always does actually. Mostly, when she is with me, she does”.