At least six people, including four children, were killed and more than 15 injured in two separate road accidents in Jharkhand’s Palamu and Latehar districts, officials said on Thursday.

Both accidents occurred within a span of a few hours.

The first accident took place late Wednesday night on the Tarhasi-Padma main road under the Tarhasi police station limits in Palamu district.

Unseasonal and continuous summer rain have severely impacted the tourism industry across the Western Ghats and southern districts of Tamil Nadu, causing widespread disruption and economic loss to those dependent on the sector.

With most popular tourist destinations temporarily closed, the hospitality and travel sectors have reported heavy cancellations and dwindling occupancy rates.

In the Nilgiris, a top tourist destination during the summer months, heavy rain has continued for nearly a week.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a red alert for the district until Saturday, further dampening travel plans.

"It is still raining heavily. We have closed all the tourist destinations in Udhagamandalam. Though we opened the rose garden on Wednesday, only a handful of tourists turned up," said Durga Devi, tourism officer for the Nilgiris district.

Police said on Thursday that it has arrested two hybrid terrorists along with arms and ammunition in Jammu and Kashmir’s (J&K) Shopian district.

Police said that two hybrid terrorists were arrested with arms and ammunition by the Army's 44 Rashtriya Rifles, Police, and 178 battalion of the CRPF at Baskuchan Imam Sahib in Shopian district.

“Two 56 rifles, 4 AK magazines, 102 AK rounds and 2 hand grenades were recovered from their possession. A FIR under relevant sections has been registered against the arrested terrorists," police said.

Five days after the Liberian-flagged vessel MSC ELSA 3, which sank in the Arabian Sea, close to the Kerala coast near Kochi, the state government has sought expert opinion to take legal action against the ship.

On Saturday, the ship, en route from Vizhinjam to Kochi port, capsized approximately 14.6 nautical miles (about 27 km) off the Thottappally coast.

Around 100 containers had fallen into the sea, and a day later, with the ship sinking to the bottom of the sea, the remaining near about 500 containers also sank with it.

The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA), chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on Wednesday approved two multitracking projects across Indian Railways in Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh to ensure seamless and faster transportation of both passengers and goods.

These projects include Ratlam-Nagda 3rd and 4th lines and Wardha-Balharshah 4th line. The total estimated cost of the projects is about Rs 3,399 crore and will be completed by 2029-30, according to the CCEA.

These projects, covering four districts across Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh, will increase the existing network of Indian Railways by about 176 km. The projects will also generate direct employment for about 74 lakh human-days during construction.

The decision will improve travel convenience, reduce logistic cost, decrease oil imports and contribute to lower CO2 emissions, supporting sustainable and efficient rail operations.

Authorities in Jamnagar district of Gujarat destroyed a massive cache of English liquor and beer valued at Rs 41.83 lakh, an official said on Wednesday.

The operation was carried out under tight security in the presence of top officials from the administration and police department. A total of 17,497 bottles of English liquor and beer were crushed using a bulldozer at a government-designated waste disposal site in a rural area near Jamnagar.

The liquor had been seized from multiple police jurisdictions, including Panchkoshi A. Division, Panchkoshi B. Division, and Kalavad Rural Police Station.

According to officials, 14,657 bottles were confiscated from the Panchkoshi A. Division Police Station area alone. An additional 2,292 bottles were seized under the Kalavad Rural Police Station, while 548 bottles came from the Panchkoshi B. Division jurisdiction.

A government school teacher was shot dead by two unidentified bike-borne assailants early Wednesday morning in Bihar’s Darbhanga district, officials said.

The victim, Mansoor Alam, hailed from Teesi Parsauni village in Madhubani district and had been serving as a primary teacher at Nasirganj Primary School in the Singhwada block for the past 15 years.

According to officials, Alam was on his way to school on a bicycle -- as he did every day -- when two unidentified men on a motorcycle intercepted him near the Bharwada-Kamtaul road under the Singhwada police station limits.

The assailants shot him twice, in the head and shoulder, leaving him dead on the spot. The incident occurred around 6 a.m. on Wednesday, barely 500 meters from the school.

The India Meteorological Department’s (IMD) forecast of an above-normal monsoon is expected to lead to a robust increase in agricultural production and rural demand while helping to keep inflation under control, according to a Crisil report released on Wednesday.

The IMD has predicted above-normal rainfall during the southwest monsoon season (June to September), estimating it at 106 per cent of the long-period average.

“If the forecast, which would mark the second consecutive year of above-normal monsoon, comes true, the economy could expect another year of healthy agricultural output, strengthening rural demand, and keeping a check on food prices,” the report states.

The National Capital Region (NCR) continues to reel under strong sunlight, with temperatures soaring to uncomfortable levels on Wednesday, and a heatwave persisted throughout the day.

According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), the maximum temperature was recorded at 39 degrees Celsius, while the minimum stood at 27 degrees Celsius.

Although no specific weather warning has been issued for Wednesday, the IMD has indicated a significant shift in weather patterns starting May 29, with strong winds, thunderstorms, and rainfall expected to hit the region.

The department has issued a Yellow Alert for Thursday, cautioning residents about gusty winds ranging between 30 to 40 km/h, accompanied by lightning and thunderstorm activity. The alert urges people to take necessary precautions and avoid open spaces during these weather events.

The Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC) is set to crack down on households and commercial buildings that illegally discharge sewage into the city’s stormwater drains (SWDs), a practice that has seen a sharp increase in recent years.

According to officials, the number of illegal sewage connections has surged from 1.3 lakh in 2023 to 2.1 lakh in 2025, posing significant risks to public health and causing frequent blockages during the monsoon.

Deputy Mayor M. Mahesh Kumar announced that the civic body will begin issuing notices to violators, giving them a week to disconnect illegal connections.

“If the connection is not removed within the stipulated time, it will be cut off by the corporation, and a fine of Rs 5,000 will be imposed. Larger buildings and commercial establishments will face higher penalties,” he said.