The BMC elections in Mumbai, held after a gap of nine years, attracted a commendable voter turnout of about 54-56%. Early exit polls hint at a likely triumph for the BJP-Shiv Sena alliance, which could signal the end of the Thackeray family’s 30-year dominance.

The US announced a far-reaching new round of sanctions against Iran, targeting senior security officials, a notorious prison accused of abusing detainees, and a sprawling network of front companies used to launder billions of dollars from oil.

Iran halted 800 executions under pressure from President Donald Trump over its crackdown on a wave of protests, but US military action remains an option, the White House said Thursday.