Breaking News Updates: Phase 1 voting in Bihar records 60.13% turnout by 5 PM, says EC

As Typhoon Kalmaegi moves toward Vietnam, it evacuates thousands of people from coastal areas. The storm has become one of the most deadliest cyclone this year.

At least 140 people have lost their and hundreds missing in Philippines after unleashing devastating floods. After observing the death toll, Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Thursday declared a state of emergency.

Amid Bihar Assembly election, Union Home Minister Amit Shah during his address in Madhubani said, “Rahul Gandhi just made a statement about how many people from a certain caste our religion are in our Army. Shame on you, Rahul Gandhi. You’re dividing the Army on the basis of religion and caste. We respect brave soldiers of any caste or religion who join the army.”

Amid tensions between Ukraine and Russia, a massive drone attack on Russia’s southern city of Volgograd killed one person and caused a fire in an industrial area, a local official said Thursday as quoted by AFP.

The attack hit a 24-storey apartment block, damaging the balconies and nearby houses, Volgograd governor Andrey Bocharov wrote on Telegram.

Shooters on motorbikes attacked a Bangladesh political rally ahead of election, killing one person and injuring two others, including a candidate, officials said on Thursday as quoted by AFP.

This incident took place after parties began campaigning for the landmark elections. Major parties opened their campaigns on Wednesday for the elections slated for February 2026.

Amid escalating tensions between two South Asian neighbours last month, Pakistan and Afghanistan signed a ceasefire in Doha on October 19. But second round of peace talks ended in Istanbul last week due to disagreement over militant groups hostile to Pakistan operating inside Afghanistan.

The two will again resume talks in Istanbul on Thursday after the disagreement in the previous round.

“We hope that wisdom prevails and peace is restored in the region,” Pakistan Defence Minister Khawaja Asif told news agency Reuters on Wednesday.

Israel confirmed on Thursday that the remains recently transferred from Gaza by Hamas belong to Joshua Loitu Mollel, a Tanzanian student.

Mollel was killed during the attacks launched by Hamas on October 7, 2023, and his body was subsequently taken into the Gaza Strip. The return of his remains occurred on Wednesday as part of the terms of the recent Gaza ceasefire agreement, which was brokered by US President Donald Trump.

“Following the completion of the identification process… the ministry of foreign affairs informed the family of the abducted fallen hostage, Joshua Loitu Mollel… that their loved one has been returned,” the prime minister’s office said.

Lebanon’s Hezbollah, a Shia Islamist political party said on Thursday that the group had “a legitimate right to resist (Israeli) occupation”, and pledged full support to the Lebanese army.

According to Reuters, Hezbollah also said that, although Lebanon stay committed to the ceasefire, it is under no obligation to engage in political negotiations with Israel.

Union Minister and LJP(RV) chief Chirag Paswan casted his vote on Thursday at a polling booth in Khagaria in the first phase of the Bihar Assembly elections.

After casting his ballot, Paswan told ANI, “I have fulfilled my responsibility by casting my vote, and I would like every person to do the same to elect a government of their choice.”

The death toll rose to 142 and 127 missing as Typhoon Kalmaegi hit Philippines after unleashing devastating flooding, official figures showed Thursday, as the storm headed towards Vietnam.

Communities that directly faced the storm’s path are now coping with losses ranging from destroyed homes to disrupted livelihoods, while major rescue and cleanup operations continue under challenging circumstances.

Qatar Airways in a major move is set to sell its stake in Hong Kong-based Cathay Pacific Airways in a share buyback valued at $896 million, the companies announced.

Ending the Qatari carrier’s eight-year involvement with the airline, the announcement was made in late Wednesday by Cathay Pacific, which saw its profit by 4.2 per cent on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange on Thursday.

As Bihar kickstarts the Assembly elections, with the first phase on November 6, 16 delegations of seven foreign countries are witnessing the arrangements and preparations required during the polling which are made by the Election Commission of India for the smooth functioning of elections.  

The visit of these delegations from Indonesia, Colombia, the Philippines, France, Belgium, South Africa and Thailand is facilitated under the International Electors Visitor Program of ECI. Under the programme, a delegation from Thailand visited a polling booth in Patna.

Meanwhile, Bihar has recorded of 27.65 per cent in the first four hours of the first phase of the assembly elections, according to data from the Election Commission of India.

Tesla shareholders will decide on Thursday the fate of a massive pay package meant to retain Tesla CEO and billionaire Elon Musk. The package may award Musk about $1 trillion in shares.

Musk could leave the company “Tesla” if shareholders do not pay a staggering package.