The central government is formulating a new policy to financially assist states in upgrading their highways, shifting away from declaring them as National Highways. Prime Minister Modi has directed the road transport ministry to develop a model by July end.
Deepak Yadav, a mason traveling home to Baghpat, was fatally beaten on a Delhi-Saharanpur train after a dispute over a seat. The assault, carried out by a group of approximately 20 men, lasted for nearly 10km.
In Aligarh, a Pocso court sentenced Shailesh Manjhi to life imprisonment for the 2020 rape and assault of an eight-year-old girl. Manjhi, who worked near the brick kiln where the girl’s family lived, lured her with a false story before committing the crime.
India has been actively evacuating its citizens from Iran amidst escalating tensions, with over 827 nationals already returned and plans underway to bring back hundreds more. Around 800 Indians have approached the embassy in Tehran for evacuation, with the total number of evacuees expected to exceed 1,100 soon.
Election Commission officials defended the amendment restricting access to poll-day webcasting feeds, citing voter privacy and protection from intimidation. They emphasized that the footage is an internal tool, not for public sharing, aligning with legal obligations to protect voter secrecy.
A judges committee investigating the ‘cash in kothi’ case involving Justice Yashwant Varma has raised suspicions about an unidentified man seen near the burnt currency sacks. The panel suggests this individual may have collaborated with Justice Varma’s staff to remove cash between 1 am and 7 am.
The India Meteorological Department has issued red and orange alerts for extremely heavy rainfall across several states in the coming week. Northwest India is expected to receive significant rainfall from June 21-27, with heavy showers in Jammu-Kashmir-Ladakh, Himachal Pradesh, and Uttarakhand.
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh stated that Operation Sindoor, a response to the Pahalgam attack, was paused only after Pakistan requested a ceasefire, but it is not over. Singh warned Pakistan against supporting terror activities, emphasizing India’s readiness to take action. He highlighted the importance of unity and the armed forces’ commitment to yoga for discipline and focus.
Pakistan refuted Indian media claims of requesting a ceasefire during the recent military standoff, asserting it responded decisively to Indian actions. Islamabad stated that de-escalation occurred only after interventions from the United States and Saudi Arabia, who conveyed India’s willingness to halt hostilities if Pakistan reciprocated. While valuing peace, Pakistan affirmed its right to respond to any aggression.
A Royal Navy F-35 fighter jet remains grounded at Thiruvananthapuram airport due to a persistent hydraulic issue. Despite ongoing efforts by engineers from the aircraft carrier, the snag has not been resolved. There are plans to move the jet to a hangar, as specialized teams from the UK and the US are expected to inspect it, potentially extending its stay.
Following unsuccessful attempts by ONGC’s crisis management team, three well control specialists from Cudd Well Control, US, have initiated intensive site preparations to contain a massive gas blowout at ONGC’s Rudrasagar rig in Assam. The US team’s deployment marks a critical escalation in efforts to manage the situation, which has led to the evacuation of 350 families.