After Delhi, part of canopy collapses at Rajkot Hirasar international airport amid heavy rain in Gujarat
A part of the canopy at Rajkot Hirasar international airport terminal collapsed following heavy rain in Gujarat on June 29. A video, which is now viral on social media, shows the canopy collapsing at the passenger pickup and drop area outside the airport terminal. No injury or deaths have been reported so far due to the accident, according to officials. The new greenfield airport was inaugurated by PM Modi in July 2023. The Airport Authority of India (AAI) built the new airport 25 km from Rajkot at Hirasar village.
JCO among 5 Army soldiers swept away in flash floods while crossing river during tank exercise in Ladakh
Five soldiers of the Army, including a Junior Commissioned Officer (JCO), drowned when their T-72 tank sank due to flash floods in the Shyok river near the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in the Nyoma-Chushul area in Ladakh early on June 29, officials said. The incident occurred near Mandir Morh, 148km from Leh, during an exercise around 1 a.m., the officials said.
NEET (UG) cheating case: CBI conducts searches in Gujarat
The CBI is conducting searches at multiple locations in Godhra, Ahmedabad, Kheda and Anand districts of Gujarat in the Godhra cheating case. The central agency also arrested another accused Jamaluddin, journalist with a Hindi daily, in Hazaribag, Jharkhand, for allegedly assisting principal and vice-principal of Oasis School in Bihar for the the alleged paper leak matter, according to CBI source.
Arvind Kejriwal sent to judicial custody till July 12 in Delhi Excise policy case
A court on June 29 sent Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal to judicial custody till July 12 in a corruption case related to the alleged excise policy scam. Mr. Kejriwal was produced in the court by the CBI after the end of his three-day custodial interrogation. The CBI sought 14 days jail for Mr. Kejriwal, saying his incarceration was required “in the interest of the investigation and justice”. Allowing the plea, Special Judge Sunena Sharma said that Kejriwal be produced in the court on July 12.
NEET exam row: Pradhan slams Congress, says it wants to run away from discussion in Parliament
Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan on June 29 slammed the Congress, saying it wants to run away from a discussion in Parliament over the NEET exam issue. Replying to a question on the opposition targeting the BJP-led Centre over the NEET exam issue, Pradhan said, “The Congress does not want a discussion. It wants to run away from the discussion. It’s only intention is to create chaos, confusion and create obstacles in smooth functioning of the entire institutional mechanism.” He said the President had also talked about the NEET exam issue, being raised by the Congress, in her address in Parliament.
IMD warns of heavy rainfall in northwest and northeast India for next 5 days
The IMD on June 29 predicted heavy to very heavy rainfall in northwest and northeast India over the next four to five days. A low-pressure area is currently situated over the northwest Bay of Bengal, adjoining the north Odisha-Gangetic West Bengal coasts, the weather office said. Cyclonic circulations have formed over northeast Rajasthan, east Uttar Pradesh bordering Bihar, and northwest Uttar Pradesh at lower tropospheric levels, it added.
Karnataka High Court quashes cancellation of registration of Centre for Wildlife Studies under FCRA
The Karnataka High Court has annulled orders issued by the Ministry of Home Affairs that led to the cancellation of registration of Centre for Wildlife Studies (CWS) under the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act. Founded by scientist K. Ullas Karanth, Bengaluru-based CWS faced suspension of registration under the FCRA on March 5, 2021. This suspension was extended and later turned into cancellation of registration on September 4, 2023, following a show-cause notice issued by MHA on December 3, 2021.
Government approves 40% risk allowance for NDRF rescuers, says Amit Shah
The Union government has approved a 40% hardship and risk allowance for NDRF rescuers, keeping in mind the tough operations undertaken by them, Union Home Minister Amit Shah announced on June 29. He said this while welcoming a 35-member expedition team of the NDRF that recently scaled the 21,625-foot-high Mt Manirang in Himachal Pradesh. Officials said this allowance would be granted over and above salaries. Special forces like the National Security Guard and the Special Protection Group get a 25% hardship allowance owing to the special charter of their duties.
Congress targets PM over report on Adani group ‘taking’ Chinese help in solar project
Congress leader Jairam Ramesh on June 29 slammed Prime Minister Narendra Modi over a news report that the Adani Group has “selected eight Chinese companies to help” its solar manufacturing project and called for a strategy “to wean India of its dependence on China”. He said it has to be ensured that the taxpayers’ money does not benefit Chinese companies.
Karuvannur Cooperative Society bank scam: Party yet to get any notice from ED, says CPI(M) Kerala State secretary Govindan
The CPI(M) Kerala State Secretary M.V. Govindan said in New Delhi that he is yet to receive any notice from the ED about the agency’s purported move to arraign the political outfit as an accused of the Karuvannoor Service Cooperative Bank loan scam. Mr. Govindan said anti-Left forces and the Right-wing media had attempted to lay down a smokescreen of lies to put the CPI(M) on the defence.
Nine arrested in Gauhati University mark sheet scam
The Assam Police have arrested nine persons, including the prime accused, in an alleged mark sheet scam involving officials of Gauhati University. The scam came to light after Azizul Haque, an undergraduate student at the Ganesh Lal Choudhury College in western Assam’s Barpeta, was found to have possessed a forged mark sheet. The college is affiliated with Gauhati University.
BJP will be wiped out from Jharkhand after assembly elections, says Hemant Soren
Former Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren on June 29 slammed the BJP for allegedly hatching a conspiracy against him and claimed that the saffron party will be wiped out from the state after the upcoming assembly elections. Addressing JMM workers at his residence, Mr. Soren said there would be a “revolt against those who plotted the conspiracy” to confine him in jail and “people of Jharkhand would not spare the BJP”. “Time has come to put the last nail in BJP’s coffin. In coming days, the BJP will be wiped out from Jharkhand,” the JMM executive president said.
Attacker injures police officer guarding Israel’s embassy in Serbia before being shot dead
An attacker with a crossbow wounded a Serbian police officer guarding the Israeli Embassy in Belgrade on June 29, Serbia’s Interior Ministry said. The officer responded by fatally shooting the assailant. Interior Minister Ivica Dacic said in a statement that the attacker fired a bolt at the officer, hitting him in the neck. He said the officer than “used a weapon in self defence to shoot the attacker, who died as a result of his injuries.” The policeman was conscious when he was transported to Belgrade’s main emergency hospital, where an operation to remove the bolt from his neck will be performed, it added.
Russian shelling of Ukrainian front-line villages kills four and hits top floors of an apartment bloc
Russian shelling of front-line villages in eastern Ukraine killed four people while rescuers in the city of Dnipro dug through rubble after a Russian attack ripped through a nine-story residential building, leaving one dead, officials said on June 29. The attacks came as Russia continues to stretch out Ukrainian forces in several areas along the 1,000-kilometer front. Moscow has stepped up airstrikes in a bid to drain Ukraine’s resources, often targeting energy facilities and other vital infrastructure.
Iran seesawing vote results put race between reformist Masoud Pezeshkian and hard-liner Saeed Jalili
Seesawing results released early on June 29 in Iran’s presidential election put the race between little-known reformist Masoud Pezeshkian and hard-liner Saeed Jalili, with the lead trading between the two men while a runoff vote appeared likely. Iranian state television reported the results which did not initially put either man in a position to win the June 28 election outright, potentially setting the stage for a second round of voting to replace the late hard-line President Ebrahim Raisi who died in a helicopter crash last month.
Trump gloats over Biden’s debate performance at a Virginia rally
Former President Donald Trump gloated on June 28 over President Joe Biden’s often halting performance at the first debate ahead of the November election, saying Democrats have no better choices while calling the Democratic incumbent “the most incompetent president” in U.S. history. Trump spoke to thousands of supporters on June 28 at a rally in Chesapeake, Virginia, a day after President Biden’s disappointing performance sparked concerns among his allies and other Democrats who were hoping for a more vigorous candidate to secure and improve his chances at re-election. President Biden repeatedly stumbled, paused and could not complete sentences, prompting some people to wonder whether they could replace him ahead of November.
2024 T20 World Cup Final | History and heartbreak beckon as the T20 extravaganza reaches much-awaited climax
India has not won an ICC title since 2013. South Africa has reached the final of a men’s World Cup for the first time, after seven semifinal defeats. Come June 29, at the grand finale of the 2024 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup at the Kensington Oval, a jinx will be broken. This is a battle between the two unbeaten teams in the tournament. India, having overcome all challenges posed by varying conditions and quality opposition, will believe that a second T20 World Cup trophy is within arm’s reach.
India women vs South Africa women: South Africa fights back after India posts record-breaking total
India posted the biggest ever total in the history of women’s Test cricket by scoring a mammoth 603 for six declared before South Africa Women fought valiantly through Sune Luus and Marizanne Kapp on day two of the one-off Test, in Chennai on June 29. The hosts resumed the day at the overnight score of 525 for four with skipper Harmanpreet Kaur and Richa Ghosh beginning the proceedings. Playing her fifth Test, the India skipper raised her maiden half-century in the long format, scoring 69 of 115 balls while Richa (86) also got her career-best knock of 86 to extend India’s domination.