Indian Sub-continent

NEW DELHI, Jun 13 (NNN-PTI) – Two boys were killed and two others went missing, after venturing into the rough sea in Mumbai, the capital city of India’s south-western state of Maharashtra, officials said today.

The boys, aged between 12 and 16, went into the sea last night, ignoring calls from a lifeguard at the city’s Juhu beach.

“The boys went missing nearly half a kilometre from the shore,” a local government official said.

COLOMBO, Jun 13 (NNN-XINHUA) – Over 700 people were killed in road accidents in Sri Lanka, during the first four months of this year, the police said today.

Police spokesman, Nihal Thalduwa, told the media that, a total of 8,202 accidents occurred during the given period; out of these incidents, 2,799 involved motorbikes, while another 1,399 involved three-wheelers.

Thalduwa said that, 220 motorcyclists, 102 passengers and 179 pedestrians were among the fatalities, advising drivers to be careful to avoid accidents.

NEW DELHI (AP) — An earthquake struck the eastern India-controlled Kashmir region Tuesday, sending tremors throughout New Delhi and parts of northern India. The quake was also felt in Pakistan-controlled Kashmir and Pakistan.

The quake had a 5.4 magnitude and its epicenter was in Doda, a small town in India-controlled Jammu and Kashmir, according to India’s National Center for Seismology. The quake was at a depth of 6 kilometers (3.7 miles).

In Pakistan, many people fled their homes and offices in the capital, Islamabad, and the city of Lahore.

BENGALURU, India (AP) — Pakistan’s army and civil authorities are planning to evacuate 80,000 people to safety along the country’s southern coast, and thousands in neighboring India sought shelter ahead of Cyclone Biparjoy, officials said Tuesday.

The cyclone is forecast to slam ashore in the densely populated region on Thursday. It is likely to be the most powerful to hit western India and Pakistan since 2021, and follows devastating floods that ravaged Pakistan last year, leaving 1,739 people dead and causing $30 billion in losses.

MUMBAI, June 12 (Reuters) - A storm off India's west coast has strengthened to become a powerful cyclone and could hit India's western state of Gujarat and southern parts of Pakistan this week, the Indian weather department said on Monday.

The cyclone, named Biparjoy, is expected to make landfall on Thursday afternoon between Mandvi in Gujarat and Karachi in Pakistan with maximum sustained wind speed of 125-135 km (78-84 miles) per hour, gusting to 150 km (93 miles) per hour, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said.

BENGALURU, June 12 (Reuters) - India's outsourcing giants are slashing hiring and getting projects done with existing workers, a rare pullback that could weigh on the economy and affect engineering students who have seen information technology as the sector of choice for decades.

The slowdown, triggered by global uncertainty in demand, is unprecedented in an industry that is one of the biggest hirers in India's services sector since the 1990s and provides an assured career path and prosperity to hundreds of thousands of students each year.

NEW DELHI, June 12 (Xinhua) -- Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday chaired a high-level meeting to review preparedness for Cyclone Biparjoy, which has intensified near the western coastal areas.

Modi advised local authorities to take every possible measure to ensure that people living in vulnerable locations are safely evacuated, and ensure maintenance of all essential services with preparedness for immediate restoration in the event of damages, said an official statement.

ISLAMABAD (AP) — The Pakistani government on Monday welcomed the arrival of the first shipment of discounted crude from Russia under a key deal between Islamabad and Moscow.

Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif hailed it as a “fulfillment of promises” to the nation while Information Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb tweeted that it marked a “true service” for the people.

Islamabad, Jun 11 (PTI) The first shipment of discounted Russian crude oil has arrived at the port city of Karachi, Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif announced on Sunday, a development that is expected to provide relief to the people hit by skyrocketing inflation.

Pakistan, which is currently grappling with high external debt and a weak local currency, is hoping that snapping crude at discounted rates from Russia will stabilise oil prices in the country.

Kurukshetra, Jun 12 (PTI) A large number of farmers gathered at Pipli in this district on Monday to attend a mahapanchayat being held to press for minimum support price for sunflower seed and other demands.

Apart from leaders of various khaps and Bharatiya Kisan Union leader Rakesh Tikait, Olympic medal-winning wrestler Bajrang Punia, one of the grapplers who have been demanding action against outgoing Wrestling Federation of India chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, were present at the mahapanchayat.