The Indian stock markets started the week on a weak note as tensions escalated in the Middle East, after the United States bombed three nuclear facilities in Iran, showing clear support for Israel in the ongoing conflict.

The development made investors cautious, leading to a fall in benchmark indices on Monday. The Sensex dropped 511.38 points, or 0.62 per cent, to close at 81,896.79. During the intra-day, it moved between a high of 82,169.67 and a low of 81,476.76.

Similarly, the Nifty also ended in the red. It fell 140.50 points, or 0.56 per cent, to settle at 24,971.90. The index had touched an intra-high of 25,057 and a low of 24,824.85 during the session.

Interestingly, broader markets performed better than the frontline indices. The Nifty Midcap100 closed with a gain of 0.36 per cent, while the Smallcap100 rose 0.70 per cent.

The state ruling Aam Adami Party that was riding high on its “overall development and pro-people policies” in the past three years on Monday retained its Ludhiana (West) Assembly seat despite seeing a low turnout of 51.33 per cent -- a drop from the 64 per cent in the 2022 Assembly polls.

However, prominent Opposition parties, the Congress, the BJP and the Shiromani Akali Dal, entered the poll fray with the slogan of "badlaav" ahead of the 2027 Assembly polls.

AAP’s Rajya Sabha Member of Parliament, Sanjeev Arora, who was leading from the first round, defeated his closest rival and two-time legislator Bharat Bhushan Ashu of the Congress by a margin of 10,637 votes.

BJP’s greenhorn Jiwan Gupta finished third.

Arora, who started his campaign in March, polled 35,179 votes, while the Congress leader Ashu got 24,542 votes and the BJP’s Gupta 20,323 votes.

A team of US researchers has turned a deadly fungus into a potent cancer-fighting compound, according to a new study released on Monday.

After isolating a new class of molecules from Aspergillus flavus -- a toxic crop fungus linked to deaths in the excavations of ancient tombs -- the researchers modified the chemicals and tested them against leukemia cells.

The result was a promising cancer-killing compound that rivals FDA-approved drugs and opens up new frontiers in the discovery of more fungal medicines, according to the study by University of Pennsylvania’s School of Engineering and Applied Science.

Kartik Aaryan has officially completed the Croatia schedule for his upcoming romantic drama “Tu Meri Main Tera, Main Tera Tu Meri.”

The actor spent nearly a month filming across picturesque locations in the European country. On Monday, Aaryan took to his Instagram handle and announced a wrap up on the happing schedule. He posted an image of himself lying on a ship and wrote, “And its a Wrap for over a month long and happening Croatian schedule #TuMeriMainTeraMainTeraTuMeri.” In the image, Kartik is seen lying shirtless on a sea vessel, with a hat placed beside him on the deck.

The 34-year-old actor had been sharing glimpses from the Croatia shoot on Instagram, and yesterday, he posted a series of photos and videos offering a peek into how he balanced a hectic shooting schedule with moments of fun and relaxation. From exploring scenic locations to indulging in local experiences, Kartik blended work with wanderlust.

A new study on Monday warned that a single pellet of recycled plastic can contain over 80 different chemicals, adding that recycled polyethylene plastic can leach chemicals into water causing impacts in the hormone systems and lipid metabolism.

The plastic pollution crisis has reached global levels, threatening both planetary and human health, and recycling is proposed as one of the solutions to the plastics pollution crisis.

However, as plastics contain thousands of chemical additives and other substances that can be toxic, and these are almost never declared, hazardous chemicals can indiscriminately end up in recycled products, said researchers from University of Gothenburg and Leipzig.

In a shocking case suspected to be linked to a land dispute, a mother and son were found murdered inside their home in Mahddipur village under Pasraha police station in Khagaria district on Monday morning.

The victims have been identified as Phul Devi (60) and her son Pankaj Kumar (35). Both were shot dead and the accused also used a sharp-edge weapon to slit Kumar's throat.

According to preliminary investigations, the incident is believed to be connected to an ongoing dispute over 8 bighas of land.

The victim’s daughter, Savita Kumari, told police that the attack occurred while her mother and brother were asleep.

“There has been a longstanding land dispute. My father, Saatan Singh, is already in jail related to this matter. The accused may have targeted my mother and brother to avenge an earlier incident in which the opposing party's relative was killed,” she said.

South Korean former President Yoon Suk Yeol attended the eighth hearing of his insurrection trial on Monday, but was tight-lipped on a new investigation by independent counsels over his failed martial law bid.

Yoon arrived at the Seoul Central District Court around 10 am to attend the eight hearing of his insurrection trial on charges of leading an insurrection and abusing his power through his December 3 imposition of martial law.

It was Yoon's first trial after his case was transferred to the special counsel team, led by Cho Eun-suk, last week.

Yoon also did not respond to questions about corruption allegations involving his wife, Kim Keon Hee.

While geopolitical tensions in the Middle East, including the ongoing Iran-Israel conflict, pose certain challenges to global trade dynamics, India’s export sector remains resilient and adaptive, the Federation of Indian Export Organisations (FIEO) said on Monday.

The country’s trade with both Iran and Israel, while important, constitutes a small share of the overall export-import basket.

"The government and industry are jointly monitoring developments to ensure minimal disruption," FIEO President S.C. Ralhan said.

"We do anticipate some short-term impact on demand and logistics, particularly in the Gulf region, which serves as a crucial hub for Indian exports. Increased shipping costs, longer transit times, and rising marine insurance premiums may add pressure, especially in price-sensitive sectors," he said in a statement.

Actress and fashionista Sonam Kapoor chopped off 12 inches from her long black tresses to donate to charity.

Sonam shared a video of herself getting a haircut and flaunting her new look and credited her genetics for long thick hair.

In the clip, she was heard saying: “Hi everyone, so I decided to cut 12 inches of my hair. It doesn't seem that much on this video, but it's a foot of hair. My hair has become really long because of my genetics, i.e. Anil Kapoor.”

She added: “I have very long hair and thick hair. And I just felt it was time to kind of chop a lot of it off and give it away to charity. And my hair stylist, Pete, who has been doing my hair and has been taking care of my hair for the last couple of years, and I decided to cut a lot of it off.

It's still really long hair, but I'm very happy and refreshed for the summer. Lots of love!”