Mid-Day Top News at this hour: Ghatkopar hoarding collapse accused claims arrest is illegal; Nifty, Sensex decline amid weak global cues and more

Representational Image. Pic/Pixabay

Welcome to Mid-Day's Top News at this hour! We bring you a curated selection of the most significant and compelling news from around the globe. Stay informed with the latest developments in nation, Mumbai, entertainment, sports, and more. Let's dive into the headlines shaping our world today.

Nifty, Sensex decline amid weak global cues

The Indian markets opened Thursday's trading session with a marginal decline amid weak global cues. The Nifty 50 index dropped by 85 points, or 0.37 per cent, to 24,526, while the BSE Sensex fell by 304 points to 80,406 during early trade. In the broader market on the National Stock Exchange, all major indices, including Nifty Next 50, Nifty 100, Nifty Midcap, and Nifty Small Cap, experienced selling pressure and declined. Among the sectoral indices, all except Nifty FMCG, Nifty IT, and Nifty Realty faced declines, with Nifty Media dropping by more than 2 per cent under high selling pressure.

Doda encounter: Two soldiers injured in gunfight with terrorists in Kastigarh area

The officials on Monday said that two soldiers were injured in an encounter with terrorists in a forest village in Jammu and Kashmir's Doda district early Thursday. They said security forces retaliated and the exchange of fire between the two sides continued for more than an hour. Two soldiers suffered minor injuries in the terrorist firing, the officials said, adding efforts are on to flush out the terrorists. Read more.

Ghatkopar hoarding collapse: Main accused claims arrest is illegal, cites weather data

The main accused in the Ghatkopar hoarding collapse case, Bhavesh Bhinde, has approached the Bombay High Court with a writ petition contending that his arrest is illegal. In his plea, the director of Ego Media Pvt Ltd sought to be released on bail and that the FIR against him be quashed, citing several grounds, one of which is that the May 13 incident - which resulted in 17 deaths and numerous injuries - was an act of God, and he could not be held responsible. Read more.

Oh three, kal aana

At the box office, two is a crowd, not company. So, what does that make of three films? On August 15, theatres will witness a three-way clash between Stree 2, Khel Khel Mein and Vedaa. Clashes not only eat into each film's box-office business, but also impact the industry at large. Trade analyst Taran Adarsh says that Stree 2, Rajkummar Rao and Shraddha Kapoor's sequel to their 2018 horror comedy, is way ahead of the competition. "Stree's fan base has multiplied over time. So, Stree 2 will undoubtedly be people's first choice," he states. Read more.

SL vs IND: Ready to be 'SKY high'

Though there are talks going on about who will lead India's T20 side in Sri Lanka - attacking batsman Suryakumar Yadav or all-rounder Hardik Pandya - coaches reckon that Suryakumar will be the ideal candidate for the job considering his vast international experience and attacking style of batting. Read more.