Here are the top 5 stories of the day

India condoles Khamenei’s death as PM Modi reaches out to Gulf leaders

India has formally conveyed condolences following the death of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, with Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri visiting the Iranian Embassy in New Delhi to sign the condolence book on behalf of the government. At the same time, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has spoken with leaders from several Gulf nations and Israel as tensions escalate between the US-Israel bloc and Iran, with discussions focusing on regional stability and the safety of the large Indian diaspora across the region. Read full story

Nitish Kumar files Rajya Sabha nomination, signalling shift in Bihar leadership

Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar filed his nomination for the Rajya Sabha on Thursday in the presence of Union Home Minister Amit Shah, following his decision to step down from the state’s top post. The move comes months after the NDA’s electoral victory in Bihar and is widely seen as a transition that could allow the BJP to appoint its own chief minister in the state, marking a significant shift in the alliance’s political arrangement. Read full story

Sensex jumps 900 points, Nifty closes above 24,750 amid improved global sentiment

Indian equity markets recovered strongly on Thursday after two sessions of losses linked to the Middle East crisis, with the Sensex gaining 900 points and the Nifty closing above the 24,750 mark. The rebound was supported by reports suggesting Iran may consider giving up its nuclear programme under certain conditions, along with gains in global markets, reassurances on oil supply routes and strength in heavyweight stocks such as Reliance Industries. Read full story

US confirms first combat use of Precision Strike Missile in Operation Epic Fury

The United States military has confirmed the first operational use of Lockheed Martin’s Precision Strike Missile during Operation Epic Fury in Iran. CENTCOM said the long-range missile, launched from a HIMARS platform, provides deep-strike capability and represents a new generation of surface-to-surface weapons designed to replace the older ATACMS system and extend the US Army’s strike range beyond 499 kilometres. Read full story

Second Iranian warship approaches Sri Lanka after US submarine sinks frigate

Sri Lanka is assessing Iran’s request to allow a second warship to enter its waters after a US submarine destroyed the Iranian frigate IRIS Dena in the Indian Ocean near the island nation. More than 100 crew members are reported to be aboard the approaching vessel, while Sri Lankan authorities continue rescue operations and treat injured sailors following the attack that killed at least 87 Iranian personnel south of Galle. Read full story