Government banks across Rajasthan were closed, and around 11,000 bank employees and officers in the state joined the nationwide strike on Wednesday to press for their demands.

The protest is part of a larger movement by bank employees in support of 17 key demands.

According to Mahesh Mishra, General Secretary of the Rajasthan State Bank Employees Union, major banking associations have supported the strike.

PNB, Bank of India, Indian Bank and Union Bank of India are observing strikes, he said.

"The major issues being raised include opposition to bank privatisation, demand for the reinstatement of the old pension scheme, a ban on outsourcing, implementation of a five-day banking week, and effective measures for the recovery of corporate loans," he said.

Megastar Amitabh Bachchan has commenced his work on the new season of quiz-based reality show “Kaun Banega Crorepati”.

The star took to his blog, where he shared a string of pictures from the rehearsals and wrote: “Shuru kardiya kaam.”

He shared that the prep has begun and is happy to be with people and their desires to improve life.

“And the prep begins the beguine .. to be back to the people .. to be with them in their desires to improve life and livings .. the opportunity that changes lives .. in an hour..my love and regard.”

“Kaun Banega Crorepati” is the official Hindi adaptation of “Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?” franchise. It is presented by actor Amitabh Bachchan, who has hosted the show for its entire run except for its third season, during which Shah Rukh Khan replaced him.

Even in moderation, consumption of ultra-processed foods is linked with measurable increases in risk for chronic diseases such as diabetes and cancers, according to research.

The study showed that low but regular intake of processed meat, sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs), and trans fatty acids (TFAs) can increase the risk of diseases like Type 2 diabetes, ischemic heart disease (IHD), and colorectal cancer.

While the risks have long been known, systematic characterisation of the dose-response relationships between these foods and health outcomes is limited, said the researchers from the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation at the University of Washington.

In the paper published in the journal Nature Medicine, the team showed that consumption of processed meat between 0.6 grams and 57 grams daily can raise the risk of type 2 diabetes by at least 11 per cent compared with no consumption.

Chelsea head coach Enzo Maresca praised new signing Joao Pedro and expressed satisfaction after his team booked a place in the FIFA Club World Cup final with a 2-0 win over Fluminense on Wednesday (IST).

"The last few years have not been what this club deserves, but this year luckily things went pretty well, and now we are in the final," said Maresca. "We are very proud to help the team be back where they deserve to be."

"We are very happy and very proud to be in the final on Sunday because this is the first edition of the (revamped) Club World Cup and the best clubs in the world are here," the Italian added.

Pedro, making his first start for Chelsea since joining from Brighton & Hove Albion last week, made an immediate impact. The 23-year-old Brazilian striker scored on either side of halftime at MetLife Stadium near New York City, reports.

A total of 51 deaths caused by dengue have been reported across Bangladesh since the start of this year, indicating a sharp increase compared to the last two years.

As of Tuesday, dengue cases were reported from 60 districts of the South Asian nation. During the same period in 2024, cases were reported from 54 districts, while in 2023, the number was 56.

This faster and wider spread of the disease has raised serious health concerns, local media reported on Wednesday.

According to the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) of Bangladesh, three more people died from dengue in 24 hours till Tuesday morning, bringing the number of deaths from the mosquito-borne disease to 51 in 2025.

Additionally, 425 new patients were hospitalised across the country, raising the total number of infections to 13,188 since January.

The new cases reported in the country include 120 in Barishal, 98 in Chattogram, 36 in Dhaka Division (outside city areas), 38 in Dhaka North City Corporation, 55 in Dhaka South City Corporation, 18 in Khulna, 11 in Mymensingh, 48 in Rajshahi, and one in Sylhet.

New Atletico Madrid signing Matteo Ruggeri says he didn't think twice when the club came calling for him to play in La Liga.

The 22-year-old full back joined Atletico a week ago from Atalanta for a fee in the region of 17 million euros (about 20 million U.S. dollars), with a five-year contract until the end of June 2030.

"When my agents told me that Atletico was interested, I had no doubts. I said 'yes' straight away. It's too big an opportunity; I couldn't let it slip away. I'm really pleased to be here," the Italian said on to club website, as quoted.

Ruggeri will compete with Javi Galan for a place on the left of the Atletico defense, but admitted he will have to adapt if Atletico coach Diego Simeone plays with a flat back four.

Three people were killed and several vehicles fell into the Mahisagar (Mahi) River after a section of the Gambhira-Mujpur bridge in Padra taluka of Gujarat's Vadodara collapsed on Wednesday,

The bridge, which connects the Anand and Vadodara districts, gave way during peak morning traffic hours, resulting in fatalities and injuries to three others.

According to initial reports, four vehicles, including two trucks, a Bolero SUV, and a pickup van, were crossing the bridge when it suddenly crumbled.

Eyewitnesses said a loud cracking noise was heard moments before the vehicles dropped into the river. Fire brigade teams, local police, and members of the Vadodara district administration rushed to the spot and launched immediate rescue operations.

While cancer has seen some significant advancements in treatments that have shown promise and increased lifespan, however, it also causes serious side effects, which can affect quality of life.

A new study by researchers from Australia is shedding new light on the reasons behind these side effects, news agency reported.

The team from Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research (WEHI) in Melbourne discovered that the protein MCL-1 -- a key target in cancer drug development -- plays not only a role in preventing cell death in cancer cells but also supplying energy to normal cells.

As a result, drugs that inhibit MCL-1 can inadvertently damage healthy tissues that rely on this protein for energy, especially in organs with high energy demand like the heart and liver, leading to the severe side effects observed in clinical trials, said the team.

A nationwide strike is underway on Wednesday, following a call by ten trade unions to protest against the Centre's alleged "anti-worker, anti-farmer, and pro-corporate" labour policies.

The general strike, or 'Bharat Bandh', was called by a joint platform of the central trade unions, receiving support from farmer organisations and rural worker groups.

The participating unions include the All India Trade Union Congress (AITUC), Indian National Trade Union Congress (INTUC), Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU), Hind Mazdoor Sabha (HMS), Self-Employed Women's Association (SEWA), Labour Progressive Federation (LPF), United Trade Union Congress (UTUC), as well as farmers' groups like Samyukta Kisan Morcha and various rural and public sector worker unions, including those from the Railways, NMDC Ltd, and steel industries.

At the core of the agitation is opposition to the four new labour codes passed by Parliament. Trade unions argue that these codes dilute workers' rights by restricting the right to strike, increasing working hours, and reducing employer accountability when labour laws are violated.

Apple has announced that Sabih Khan, an Indian-origin executive with 30 years of experience at the tech giant, will be its new Chief Operating Officer (COO).

Khan will take over from Jeff Williams, who is stepping down from the role this month and will retire later this year. The leadership change comes at a time when Apple is facing challenges, such as slowing iPhone sales and tariff issues.

Jeff Williams, who has been with Apple for more than 27 years, will continue to lead the company’s design team and health projects until his retirement.

After that, Apple’s design team will report directly to CEO Tim Cook. Cook praised Williams for his remarkable work, calling him a key figure in Apple’s success.