The number of India’s high net-worth individuals (HNWIs), with assets exceeding $10 million, is expected to increase by 9.4 per cent from an estimated 85,698 in 2024 to 93,753 by 2028, reflecting the country’s expanding wealth landscape, according to Knight Frank’s The Wealth Report 2025 released on Wednesday.

In 2024, the number of Indian HNWIs increased by 6 per cent year-on-year to 85,698 from 80,686 in 2023. India is home to 3.7 per cent of the wealthy individuals globally and currently stands in the 4th position after the US (905,413 HNWIs), China (471,634 HNWIs), and Japan (122,119 HNWIs).

Facing continuous harassment in Pakistan and Iran, refugees from Afghanistan have called on the ruling Taliban government and various human rights organisations to take action on their behalf.

The refugees stated that despite holding valid legal documents they continue to face the threat of illegal detention, deportation, and discrimination by the local authorities, especially in Pakistan.

"Police officers detain Afghan refugees under any pretext, whether they have legal documents or not. They deport everyone, leaving their wives and children stranded without support," a refugee told Afghanistan's TOLO news network.

Rights activist Mohammad Khan Talebi Mohammadzai stated that the situation of Afghan refugees in host countries, especially Pakistan, is extremely concerning.

Afghanistan’s rising star Azmatullah Omarzai has capped off a stellar ICC Champions Trophy campaign by reaching the summit of the ICC ODI all-rounder rankings.

At just 25, Omarzai has dethroned his own teammate, veteran Mohammad Nabi, to claim the No. 1 spot, highlighting his meteoric rise on the international stage.

Omarzai’s all-round brilliance in the Champions Trophy, which included a maiden five-wicket haul against England and a crucial fifty against Australia, propelled him to the top with a career-high 296 rating points. His impact wasn't limited to the all-rounder charts—he also surged 12 places in the batting rankings to No. 24 after scoring 126 runs in the tournament.

Increased violence in the three easternmost provinces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) is raising deep concern for civilians, including aid workers, a UN humanitarian official said.

Bruno Lemarquis, the UN resident humanitarian coordinator for the DRC, voiced alarm over the recent increase in targeted violence against civilians, including relief workers, and civilian infrastructure in Ituri, North Kivu and South Kivu provinces.

Lemarquis said in a statement that the attacks, including the abduction of dozens of patients from two hospitals, are serious violations of international humanitarian and human rights laws. They threaten operations providing relief to millions of civilians.

The total coal production from captive and commercial mines in the country for the financial year 2024-25 has jumped by 32.53 per cent to 167.36 million tonnes (MT) as of February 2025 from 126.28 MT during the same period of the previous financial year, according to official data released on Wednesday.

Coal dispatch has also witnessed a significant surge, with total dispatch for the financial year reaching 170.66 MT, surpassing the 128.45 MT recorded in the previous year. This marks a 32.86 per cent year-on-year growth, ensuring a stable and uninterrupted coal supply to key sectors such as power, steel, and cement, according to a Coal Ministry statement.

Bhaskarpara Coal mine of M/s Prakash Industries Limited has also commenced coal production on February 15, 2025, with a Peak Rated Capacity (PRC) of 15 MT, the statement said.

Australia's star batter Steve Smith has announced his retirement from One-Day Internationals, bringing an end to a remarkable 14-year career in the 50-over format. He will continue to be available for Test and T20I selection.

Smith's decision came just after Australia’s semi-final defeat to India by four wickets in the ICC Champions Trophy, where Smith top-scored with 73 runs in what turned out to be his final ODI innings.

The 35-year-old batter has played 170 ODIs, scoring 5800 runs at an average of 43.28 and a strike rate of 86.96, including 12 centuries and 35 half-centuries. He finished his career as the 12th highest run-getter for Australia in ODIs. Having made his debut as a legspinning allrounder, he also picked 28 wickets and took 90 catches.

About 93 per cent of women entrepreneurs exhibit a strong financial discipline, actively managing their finances, keeping meticulous records, and ensuring timely payments, a new report said on Wednesday.

Women entrepreneurs believe that financial awareness and smart decision-making are vital to the success of their businesses. According to the report by NeoGrowth, 81 per cent of women business owners operate independently, without relying on others. This trend is especially prominent among those over 40 years of age, who have built confidence over time.

However, younger entrepreneurs, particularly those in the 21-30 age group, tend to seek support from their families or peer networks as they grow their businesses.

Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya will attend the official send-off ceremony of the 49-member Indian team for the Special Olympics World Winter Games here at Major Dhyan Chand Stadium in the national capital on Wednesday.

The Special Olympics World Winter Games are scheduled to be held from March 7 to 17 in Turin, Italy.

The Indian team, comprising 30 athletes, three officials, and 16 support staff including coaches, is the largest contingent. The special athletes will be competing in six disciplines – Alpine Skiing, Cross Country Skiing, Floorball, Short Speed Skating, Snowboarding, and Snow Shoeing.

Under the vision of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Union Sports Ministry has laid strong emphasis on supporting specially-abled athletes. In this connection, the Sports Authority of India (SAI) provided 11 national coaching camps for these athletes in various Indian cities – Chandigarh, Narkanda, New Delhi, Gwalior, Noida, and Gurgaon – to help them prepare well for the World Winter Games.

India will play a key role as a manufacturing hub in achieving Hyundai Motor Company's aim of selling 20 lakh electric vehicles in the global market by 2030, according to the company’s president and CEO Jose Munoz.

Addressing Hyundai Motor India employees at a town hall meeting in the company’s headquarters in Gurugram on the outskirts of Delhi, he said the company’s new factory that is coming up at Talegaon in Maharashtra would not only help meet domestic demand but also position HMIL as a global manufacturing hub.

HMIL aims to reach a total annual production capacity of 1.1 million vehicles when its facility at Talegaon becomes fully operational. The company HMC will continue to support HMIL to expand its EV offering and invest in the necessary infrastructure to support this shift, he added.

J&K Police said on Wednesday that a suspected grenade attack took place during the night intervening March 4 and 5 on a police post in Baramulla town.

A police statement said that at approximately 9.20 p.m., a blast-like sound was heard from the backside of Police Post Old Town, Baramulla, causing concern among the general public.

"No casualty or damage was reported. Police parties immediately cordoned off the area in coordination with sister agencies. During the search, at around 10.40 pm, a grenade pin was recovered from the rear side of the Police Post outside its boundary wall, which is suspected to be of a grenade and leading police to suspect it was an attempted grenade attack. The grenade landed and detonated inside Police Post Old Town in an area where no damage or casualties occurred. The impact crater is yet to be located," the police statement read.