At least eight people were killed in a dynamite blast at a Railway crusher site in Hunasodu village in Karnataka's Shivamogga district. The loud blast that occurred around 10.20 pm on Thursday night, resulted in mild tremors in and around Shivamogga.

The blast was so powerful that shockwaves were felt in the surrounding area. as per the police. District Collector KB Shivakumar confirmed that there have been eight casualties so far.

The total number of global coronavirus cases has topped 96.8 million, while the deaths have surged to more than 2.07 million, according to the Johns Hopkins University.

In its latest update on Thursday morning, the University's Center for Systems Science and Engineering (CSSE) revealed that the current global caseload and death toll stood at 96,823,968 and 2,073,866, respectively.

Bajaj Finserv, the holding company of the financial services business of the Bajaj group, has reported a 15 per cent growth in its net profit for the October – December (Q3FY21) at Rs 1,290 crore, compared to Rs 1,126 crore in the corresponding period of FY20.

The consolidated total income of the company rose 9.61 per cent to Rs 15,961 crore in Q3FY21, compared to Rs 14,561 crore in Q3FY20.

The Competition Commission of India (CCI) has approved e-commerce marketplace Flipkart's proposed acquisition of 7.8 per cent equity stake in Aditya Birla Fashion and Retail.

Aditya Birla Fashion had approved the issuance of equity shares on a preferential basis to Flipkart for Rs 1,500 crore.

Shares of Reliance Industries (RIL) extended their winning run to the fourth straight day, up 3 per cent on the BSE, to hit an over two-month high of Rs 2,110 in Thursday's early morning trade. The stock was trading at its highest level since October 23, 2020. It hit a record high of Rs 2,369, on September 16, 2020.

Despite a run-up of 14 per cent from its low of Rs 1,856 touched on December 21, the stock has underperformed the market and fallen 1 per cent in the past three months as against a 23 per cent rally in the S&P BSE Sensex.

Mortgage lender HDFC Ltd has signed an agreement to sell its 24.48per cent stake in Good Host, a company engaged in the business of managing student housing facilities, for Rs 232.81 crore, according to a regulatory filing.

The corporation has today entered into a share purchase agreement for sale of 47,75,241 equity shares of Re 1 each, representing 24.48 per cent of the issued and paid-up share capital of Good Host,Housing Development Finance Corporation Ltd (HDFC) said in the late night regulatory filing on Wednesday.

Indian share market opened at a record high on Thursday, with the BSE Sensex index scaling the 50,000 level for the first time.

It opened at 50,096.57 and touched a fresh all-time high of 50,126.73 points. At 09:17 am, the Sensex was up 223.17 points or 0.45% at 50,015.29, and the Nifty was up 63 points or 0.43% at 14,707.70. About 1034 shares have advanced, 267 shares declined, and 68 shares are unchanged.

A day after the government offered to suspend the three farm laws that have led to major protests at Delhi borders, farmer unions will hold a meeting on Thursday to take a call on it. The farmers' agitation at the borders of the national capital has entered 57th day now.

On Wednesday, the government had proposed to put the laws on hold for one and a half years during which a solution 'can be reached with mutual dialogue'. The Centre's offer to suspend the laws is aimed at resolution of the stalemate.

US President Joe Biden has reversed the US process of withdrawing from the World Health Organization (WHO).

Hours after being sworn in as the 46th president of the United States, Joe Biden on Wednesday reversed the US process of withdrawing from the World Health Organisation.

Instant messaging app WhatsApp, continued to defend its updated privacy policy that has landed it in controversy. In its latest effort, a WhatsApp spokesperson's statement on Wednesday claimed that the company's updated policy 'does not expand the ability to share data with Facebook'. Earlier, the ministry of electronics and information technology of India (MeitY) wrote to WhatsApp CEO Will Cathcart, asking for the new policy to be revoked or withdrawn for Indian users.

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