Job creation across India’s formal sector remained stable in June, with job postings rising modestly by 0.6 per cent, building on strong gains in May, a report said on Thursday.

Despite a 4.8 per cent decline year-on-year, job postings are still 80 per cent above pre-pandemic levels, underscoring the resilience of formal hiring activity, Indeed Hiring Lab said in a report.

According to the report, despite efforts by some employers to return to office routines, remote work continues to attract job seeker interest.

In June, 8.7 per cent of job postings included keywords like “work from home” or ‘hybrid work’ in their job descriptions.

This has increased by 1 percentage point over the past year but remains well below its peak of 11.3 per cent in 2020, the report stated.

Remote work remains appealing due to long commutes in urban areas, increased access to urban or global jobs from rural regions, and improved digital infrastructure, which was fast-tracked by the global pandemic.

India's Global Capability Centres (GCCs) are preparing for a talent expansion in 2025, with 48 per cent of GCCs planning to increase their workforce beyond 2024 levels, a report said on Thursday.

According to the report, early-career lateral talent (1–5 years) remains the primary hiring focus for GCCs, as they balance cost, capability, and adaptability.

"Hiring sentiment remains strong for FY26 with 48 per cent of GCCs expected to increase hiring, while 19 per cent will maintain similar hiring levels seen in FY24," said Taggd, a recruitment firm, in a joint report with Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) and JLL India.

GCCs are at the centre point in India’s growth story this year. For leaders building or scaling GCCs here, India’s unique context demands a strategic, location-aware, and talent-centric approach that goes beyond global playbooks,” said Devashish Sharma, CEO, Taggd.

The United States’ decision to impose a 25 per cent tariff on India should be seen not just as a challenge, but also as a major opportunity for the country, industry leaders said on Thursday.

Speaking on the development, Ranjeet Mehta, CEO and Secretary General of the PHD Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PHDCCI) said that the higher duty is not limited to India but also targets other major exporting nations such as China, Vietnam, and Bangladesh, with China and Vietnam facing even steeper tariffs.

He noted that the US is recalibrating its trade policy, leading to a shift in global supply chains.

Mehta admitted that Indian MSMEs and industries may face short-term difficulties due to the tariff, but in the long run, it could help India strengthen its position as a trusted global partner.

Music composer duo Sachin-Jigar has spoken about “Pardesiya” from the upcoming film “Param Sundari” and said that they wanted to create something timeless.

Sachin-Jigar in a joint statement: "‘Pardesiya’ is that rare song where everything is aligned — the emotion, the voice, the writing, and the moment. We wanted to create something timeless, something that feels like it’s been living in people’s hearts for years even though it’s brand new.”

The two said that having singer Sonu Nigam sing it and that too, releasing it on his birthday, felt “cosmic.”

“There’s a certain kind of magic he brings, an ache and depth that can't be imitated. Krishnakali’s voice added a haunting, almost ethereal quality, and we’re so proud of the textures that emerged when all three voices came together,” they said.

Sachin-Jigar added: “Amitabh Bhattacharya's lyrics elevated it — he doesn't just write words, he writes feelings. Romance is making a comeback in cinema, and Pardesiya is our way of saying — let’s slow dance with love again.”

A flood threat looms over rural areas of Dholpur district after heavy rainfall in Hadoti and surrounding regions led to the release of nearly 5 lakh cusecs of water into the Chambal River — first from Kota and later from the Navnera Barrage.

As a result, the water level in the Chambal rose sharply, reaching 141.10 metres by 10 P.M. on Wednesday, according to the Water Resources Department. The old Chambal bridge has submerged under the rising waters, prompting the district administration to call in the Army, which is expected to arrive in Dholpur on Thursday.

With Chambal water entering villages in the Sarmathura and Rajakheda subdivisions, the risk of flooding has significantly increased.

Based on specific intelligence, Central GST Ludhiana in Punjab on Thursday said it has conducted investigation against multiple firms in the field of audio-video productions and unearthed GST evasion of Rs 62 crore and arrested two people.

Prima facie, it appears that these firms have imported services worth Rs 342 crore from overseas entities and evaded GST, it said in a statement.

Investigation further revealed that they have not followed any documentation process mandated as per GST laws, which shows the blatant nature of tax evasion.

The two people who are involved in creating and operating these multiple firms were arrested on Wednesday.

With the two arrests made so far in this case, the investigation is ongoing to uncover the full extent of the network and the quantum of GST evasion involved.

Veteran actress Asha Parekh shared “cherished moments” with the “people” she “loves” Helen and Waheeda Rehman.

Asha Parekh shared a picture featuring the three “golden girls” sitting in a restaurant and enjoying a meal.

For the caption, she wrote: “Jab we met..Cherished moments with people I love.”

The three iconic figures from the golden age of Hindi cinema are known for their strong bond of friendship. Last year in June, the trio went to Srinagar for a holiday.

Asha had shared the picture on Instagram, where the trio posed on a houseboat and had captioned: “Enjoying the houseboat in Srinagar”, with hashtags #FriendsForEver #FriendsLikeFamily #Holiday #FunTime #BeautifulKashmir #Nostalgia and #MakingMemories.”

Citing India's higher tariffs on American goods, US President Donald Trump has declared a 25 per cent tariff on Indian imports. However, shipments worth over $25 billion, primarily of smartphones and pharmaceuticals, are currently exempted from these higher tariffs.

Pharmaceuticals and electronics (primarily smartphones) accounted for $10.5 billion and $14.6 billion of India's total exports to the US in FY25, respectively.

Trump has not yet included these key industries in the new tariffs that are slated to come into effect from August 1.

Four newly-appointed judges of the Telangana High Court were sworn in on Thursday.

Ghouse Meera Mohiuddin, Chalapathi Rao Suddala, Vakiti Ramakrishna Reddy and Gadi Praveen Kumar took oath as judges at a ceremony held at the High Court.

Chief Justice Aparesh Kumar Singh administered the oath.

President Droupadi Murmu on Monday appointed four advocates as Additional Judges of the Telangana High Court. They would be Additional Judges for two years from the date they assume charge of their respective offices.

About a month ago, the Supreme Court Collegium approved a resolution elevating four advocates as judges of the Telangana High Court. The names were sent to the collegium by the High Court a year ago.