Britain’s Secret Intelligence Service — better known as MI6 — has just appointed its first-ever female chief in its 116-year history. Prime Minister Keir Starmer made the historic announcement, naming Blaise Metreweli as the new head of the agency. Known by the code name ‘C’, the MI6 chief is the only publicly named member of the organisation and reports directly to the Foreign Secretary. 47-year-old Metreweli previously served as Director General, overseeing technology and innovation at MI6. She has also worked with MI5, the UK’s domestic security service.
Israel-Iran war: Day 4
Iran has said it fired hundreds of missiles targeting Israel early Monday. According to PTI, Israeli emergency services have reported at least five deaths and dozens injured, marking the fourth day of the war. Iran also vowed further retaliation over Israeli attacks on its military and nuclear infrastructure, which have reportedly killed at least 224 people in Iran since last Friday. Meanwhile, reports say Indian authorities have begun relocating Indian students in Iran to safer areas with the help of local officials.
PM Modi: Top civilian honour of Cyprus
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been awarded the highest civilian honour of Cyprus — the Grand Cross of the Order of Makarios III. PM Modi is currently in Cyprus as part of his three-nation tour. This marks the first visit by an Indian prime minister to the country in over two decades. On Monday, he held delegation-level talks with the Cypriot President to strengthen bilateral ties.
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Census plan notification
The Ministry of Home Affairs has issued a notification to conduct India’s 16th census, including caste enumeration, in 2027, after a gap of 16 years. The reference date for snow-bound areas like Ladakh will be the first of October 2026. For the rest of the country, it will be the first of March 2027. The exercise will involve 34 lakh enumerators and supervisors, and about 1.3 lakh census functionaries — all equipped with digital devices.
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Good news for homebuyers
The State Bank of India, the country’s largest lender, has cut its lending rate by 50 basis points after the Reserve Bank’s policy rate reduction. With this move, the bank’s Repo Linked Lending Rate now stands at 7.75 per cent, while its External Benchmark-Based Lending Rate has been reduced from 8.65 to 8.15 per cent.
Indian equities gain
Indian equities bounced back from last week’s slump. Both the Sensex and the Nifty gained nearly one percent on Monday. The Sensex inched closer to 82,000, while the Nifty surged to nearly 25,000.
