Pakistan’s deadly airstrikes in Afghanistan this week have sparked global alarm and calls for ceasefire, as the world grapples with the implications of another major conflict near Iran.

The European Union called Pakistan’s attack on a medical facility in Kabul “another deadly escalation in a conflict that needs to end as soon as possible” and urged an “immediate ceasefire.”

India's Axis Bank will invest ₹1,500 crore ($162.28 million) in its ​consumer lending arm, Axis Finance, ​the country's third-largest private lender said on ‌Wednesday.

In January, Reuters reported that the lender was rethinking a stake sale in Axis Finance after the central bank eased its rules on overlapping activities between banks and their subsidiaries.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday praised the contributions of retiring Rajya Sabha members, saying their experience and participation strengthened parliamentary traditions.

Speaking during the farewell session in the Upper House, PM Modi said, "...Discussions take place on various issues in the House, and every member plays a unique role in them.

The Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) has reportedly struck over 100 targets in Tel Aviv in retaliation for the killing of Ali Larijani, a former top security official, according to state broadcaster Press TV.

The strikes were launched in response to what Tehran described as unprovoked American-Israeli aggression.

Iran on Tuesday (local time) confirmed the death of its national security chief Ali Larijani, hours after Israel claimed responsibility for killing him in an airstrike.

In a statement, the Secretariat of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council (SNSC) said Dr Ali Larijani was killed along with his son Mortaza Larijani, SNSC deputy for security Alireza Bayat, and several bodyguards in an Israeli strike, reported Press TV.

United States (US) President Donald Trump on Tuesday said the US would withdraw from its military operation in Iran in the “very near future”, even as he made it clear that an immediate exit was not on the cards.

Speaking from the Oval Office, Trump stated that Washington was “not ready to leave” at present but added “We will be leaving in pretty much the very near future.”

Israel on Tuesday claimed that its airstrikes in Iran killed senior Iranian security official Ali Larijani and Basij paramilitary force commander Gholamreza Soleimani on Monday.

“Larijani and the Basij commander were eliminated overnight and joined the head of the annihilation program, Khamenei, and all the eliminated members of the axis of evil, in the depths of hell,” Israel's Defence Minister Israel Katz said.

The Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi) on Tuesday proposed easing nomination norms for demat accounts and mutual fund folios to simplify investor onboarding and reduce compliance friction.

In a consultation paper, Sebi suggested making nomination the default option for new accounts, requiring investors to explicitly opt out if they choose not to appoint a nominee.

Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei has rejected proposals for reducing tensions or for a ceasefire with the United States that were conveyed to Tehran by two intermediary countries, a senior Iranian official said on Tuesday.

Khamenei's stance for revenge against the US and Israel was very tough and serious in his first foreign policy session, the official said, without clarifying whether the leader attended the session in person.

Brokerage firm Anand Rathi Shares & Stock Brokers has initiated coverage on India’s building materials sector with a positive outlook, citing a gradual recovery in demand, especially in rural and semi-urban areas, a better pricing environment supported by rising trade flows and commodity prices, and comfortable valuations.

According to the brokerage, building material companies have reported muted year-on-year (Y-o-Y) revenue growth for the past 12 quarters.

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