After repeatedly claiming that the India–Pakistan war was halted due to his mediation, US President Donald Trump has finally changed his tune. Speaking to the media at the White House after hosting Pakistan’s Army Chief Asim Munir, Trump said he was glad the two sides chose to de-escalate. In his words: “So happy that two smart people decided not to keep going with that war. That could have been a nuclear war.”The shift in tone comes just a day after Prime Minister Narendra Modi clarified in a phone call with Trump that India hadn’t paused Operation Sindoor due to any mediation efforts.
Read more: India didn’t pause Pak strikes over mediation: PM to Trump | Hook News Wrap
Day 7 of the Israel–Iran war
Early Thursday, Iranian strikes hit a major hospital in southern Israel, injuring several people and causing “extensive damage”. Iran also targeted a high-rise apartment in Tel Aviv, wounding at least 40 people.Meanwhile, Israel launched an attack on Iran’s Arak heavy water reactor — another strike on Iran’s nuclear infrastructure. Iranian state television claimed there was “no radiation danger whatsoever” and said the facility had already been evacuated before the strike.
Trump approves Iran attack plan: Report
American broadcaster CBS has reported that President Trump has already approved plans to attack Iran. Citing a senior intelligence source and a Pentagon official, the report says the plan was signed off on Tuesday. However, Trump is yet to make a final decision on whether the US will formally join Israel’s air campaign.
Microsoft to axe thousands of jobs: Report
American tech giant Microsoft is reportedly planning to cut thousands of jobs, primarily in sales. According to a Bloomberg report, the layoffs are expected early next month. While most of the cuts are expected in sales, they may not be limited to just those teams. This comes barely a month after Microsoft laid off 6,000 employees, largely from its product and engineering divisions. The company is restructuring as it doubles down on artificial intelligence.
Indian equities: Flat trade
After two days of losses, Indian equities were largely flat on Thursday. The Sensex closed near 81,500, while the Nifty hovered around 24,800. Of the fifty contituents of Nifty, 33 declined while 17 closed with gains. Tata Consumer was the top gainer up over 2%, while Adani Ports was the key laggard.
Sitaare Zameen Par: CBFC asks for cuts
The CBFC, popularly known as the Censor Board, has reportedly cleared Amir Khan starrer Sitaare Zameen Par after asking the makers to implement some changes. According to Bollywood Hungama, the changes include replacing a Michael Jackson reference with lovebirds in one scene. The board also reportedly asked that a quote by PM Modi be added after the opening disclaimer.
