The final rites of two children aged 5 and 8, who lost their lives in a firecracker factory in Banaskantha district of Gujarat, were performed on Thursday at Nemawar ghat on the Narmada river in Dewas district of Madhya Pradesh.

Two other victims -- aged 11 and 12 -- were among those who lost their lives in a blast that occurred in a firecracker factory in Deesa, Banaskantha.

Government officials have said two persons who lost their lives are yet to be identified through DNA test.

All the victims were residents of Harda and Dewas districts in Madhya Pradesh.

Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has announced a major relief for domestic consumers of electricity, reducing per unit price by Rs 7.41 while promising more relief for the citizens in the coming days. The announcement has been welcomed as it brings the much-needed relief to consumers who have been suffering due to high inflation, inflated electricity bills and soaring fuel prices.

Sharif also announced a reduction in commodity prices of industrial units by Rs 7.59 during a special event attended by cabinet members and business community on Thursday.

The announcement comes a month after the government negotiated and convinced the International Monetary Fund (IMF) for reduction in electricity prices, which was later on approved by the country's National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (NEPRA). The IMF allowed Pakistan to reduce utility rates by Rs 1 per kilowatt.

 The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has strongly criticized the Democratic Teachers’ Front for opposing crucial education reforms aimed at improving government schools in Punjab. Senior AAP spokesperson Neel Garg condemned the Teachers’ Front for attempting to politicize initiatives that are designed to enhance the quality of education and create better learning environments for students.

Neel Garg emphasized that if the Democratic Teachers’ Front is so interested in politics, it should openly declare itself a political party instead of obstructing positive changes in Punjab’s education system. He pointed out that under the Right to Education Act, it is the responsibility of local representatives—from village sarpanches to MLAs—to actively contribute to the development of government schools. Their involvement is essential for the upliftment of school infrastructure and academic standards.

Highlighting the Punjab government’s latest directive, Garg explained that all government schools in the state are now being monitored by MLAs and ministers, who are responsible for reviewing development work and inaugurating completed projects. He described this as a progressive step that ensures accountability and improves the overall administration of government schools.

In a significant move to help passengers recover lost or stolen mobile phones, the Railway Protection Force (RPF) has successfully onboarded with the Central Equipment Identity Register (CEIR) portal of the Department of Telecommunication.

CEIR portal is DoT’s crucial digital tool to recover mobile phones by blocking the IMEI number, tracking and managing of lost or stolen devices.

This initiative follows the success of a pilot program in the Northeast Frontier Railway. The all-India roll out of this program across Indian Railways on Thursday would benefit millions of Railway Passengers.

In the inauguration launch and training programme for CEIR portal, RPF Director General Manoj Yadava said: “The collaboration of RPF with the Department of Telecommunication for operating CEIR portal marks a significant milestone in railway security. By harnessing digital technology, we aim to provide passengers with a transparent and effective mechanism to recover their lost or missing mobile phones. This initiative strengthens law enforcement capabilities and fosters greater trust among railway commuters. We remain committed to safeguarding passenger property and ensuring a secure travel experience across the railway network.”

Actress Sara Ali Khan has never shied away from embracing her spiritual side. As part of her religious journey, the diva offered prayers at the Chandramauleshwara Temple in Unkal, Karnataka.

The 'Kedarnath' actress looked pretty in pink and white ethnic wear as she took blessings of Lord Shiva. Sara took to her IG and posted a collage of pictures posing on the temple stairs in a sans-makeup look. We could also see the tika on her forehead.

Sara is often seen visiting religious sites like Kedarnath ever since her debut. The stunner even received backlash for visiting Hindu temples despite coming from a family of Nawabs.

Recently, she reacted to the trolls saying that she does not wish to see things through the lens of religion and the caste divide in society.

India added the second highest number of unicorns at six, as compared to top global tech startup ecosystems, in 2024 -- taking the combined valuation of current Indian unicorns to more than $220 billion, a report showed on Thursday.

Unicorns’ share in total funding in 2024 stood at 33 per cent, according to a report by Nasscom, in collaboration with Zinnov, which was launched on the sidelines of the ‘Startup Mahakumbh’ event here.

In 2024, the Indian tech startup ecosystem witnessed a 23 per cent surge in funding, with total tech funding rising to $7.4 billion.

The number of deals also saw a 27 per cent uptick compared to 2023. This revival was further underscored by a 2.1X increase in newly founded tech startups during the year, bringing the total number of Indian tech startups to an estimated 32,000–35,000, according to the report.

Sunrisers Hyderabad won the toss and elected to field first against Kolkata Knight Riders in Match 15 of Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 at the Eden Gardens here on Thursday. Hosts Kolkata Knight Riders have made one change in their playing XI with Moeen Ali coming in for Australian pacer Spencer Johnson, whereas visitors Sunrisers Hyderabad also made a few changes with Kamindu Mendis making his IPL debut in place of Abhinav Manohar. Simarjeet Singh replaces Travis Head.

Sunrisers Hyderabad captain Pat Cummins said, "We are going to have a bowl first. It looks like a pretty good wicket. I'm terrible at reading wickets. Have a crack with the ball. We have played in the final. They played really well last year.

Sony Entertainment Television's reality show 'Celebrity MasterChef' has reached its climax. The Top 5 celebrity contestants are here to turn up the heat in the kitchen, each one determined to claim the coveted title.

The Top 5 celebrity contestants of the show are - Tejasswi Prakash, Nikki Tamboli, Faisal Shaikh, Gaurav Khanna, and Rajiv Adatia.

An elated finalist, Nikki Tamboli expressed, "I am incredibly proud of myself as this is my very first talent-based reality show. Reaching the Top 5 comes with a huge responsibility, as the expectations from the judges and chefs are at an entirely next level. Being in the Top 5 also ignites a stronger drive within me, pushing me to do my absolute best. Right now, I can honestly say that I am on cloud nine, and with just a few more steps to go, I am determined to give it my all."

AAP MP Raghav Chadha on Thursday raised serious concerns over the Indian government’s policies regarding the entry of US-based company Starlink and the US-imposed tariffs on Indian goods. Chadha demanded that the government must clarify its stance on national security, data privacy, and the potential misuse of Starlink before granting it approval. This discussion took place as the Indian government prepares to issue a broadband services license to Starlink.

Government Waived Google Tax

Raghav Chadha strongly questioned the government’s unwavering loyalty toward the US. Citing the recent Finance Act amendment, which removed the Google Tax or Equalization Levy, he highlighted that while this decision benefited US tech giants like Meta, Amazon, and Google, India suffered a revenue loss of approximately ₹3,000 crore.

Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann on Thursday announced that the state government is equipping the Punjab Police with best infrastructural facilities and modernizing it on scientific lines to enable it for tackling the law and order situation effectively.

Addressing the gathering after flagging off 139 New Vehicles for the Police stations across the state, the Chief Minister said with this initiative the Station House Officers (SHOs) in 454 Police stations across the state have got new vehicles. He said that this is contrary to earlier trends when the new vehicles were given to the top officers instead of those at grass root level. Bhagwant Singh Mann said that SHOs are the real face of the Punjab police as they are directly connected with people and have huge responsibility of maintaining law and order.