Mid-Day Top News at this hour: MVA calls for statewide bandh over Badlapur sexual assault; bomb threat on Air India flight in Kerala and more

Pic/PTI

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 the nation, Mumbai, entertainment, sports, and more. Let's dive into the headlines shaping our world today.

Nifty, Sensex open higher; Analysts predict new all-time high next week

IN PHOTOS: Security beefed up in Badlapur amid Congress, Shiv Sena (UBT) leaders visit

3 months agoPHOTO GALLERY

Indian stock markets experienced a surge on Thursday during the opening session, following a flat performance the previous day. Both the Nifty 50 and Sensex indices opened higher, reflecting renewed investor optimism. The Nifty 50 index climbed by 93.20 points, or 0.38 per cent, to reach 24,863.40 points. Meanwhile, the BSE Sensex saw a gain of 301.94 points, or 0.37 per cent, bringing it to 81,207.24 points.

Badlapur sexual assault: MVA calls for statewide bandh, CM Eknath Shinde terms protest politically motivated

While the poll-bound Opposition has come up with a strategy to corner the government over the Badlapur sexual assault case by calling for a state bandh on August 24, CM Eknath Shinde has alleged that Tuesday's stir was politically motivated and planned. "Protests don't happen this way. The number of local protesters could be counted on fingers," he said. Read more.

Kerala: Bomb threat on Air India flight, full emergency at Thiruvananthapuram airport

A full emergency was declared at the Thiruvananthapuram International Airport on Thursday following a bomb threat on Air India flight from Mumbai. The aircraft is currently being inspected by security agencies, including a bomb detection squad. The passengers who travelled on the flight are presently waiting for their luggage to be delivered. Read more.

Why India struggles for global medals

The Sports Authority of India's (SAI) National Centre of Excellence (NCoE) in Kandivli is spread across 37 acres. But, the extent of the shambles at the centre is a poor reflection of the facilities our athletes deserve. What was once a thriving ground for development of promising athletes across disciplines now houses trainees from only two sports - wrestling and hockey. And, the hockey turf is in such unplayable condition, that the girls' team has travelled in Bhopal to train. Read more.

Amar Kaushik: ‘We know what our third part will be'

"Maza aa raha hai," is the first thing Amar Kaushik tells us, when we sit down to discuss his latest release, Stree 2. The director's elation is justified. The Rajkummar Rao and Shraddha Kapoor-starrer's gross collections reportedly zoomed past the Rs 300-crore mark on Wednesday. "We all knew the buzz was good, but the numbers are unprecedented. What mattered to me was not the early box-office figure. [Those numbers can be attributed to] the first part's success, so they aren't to our credit. It's the numbers after the third day that I care for. We have made a film that people have liked; that's very important to us," he beams. Read more.