Beijing continues to ‘harden its position’ along the border with India: U.S. Secretary of Defence
Beijing continues to “harden its position” along the border that it shares with India, U.S. Secretary of Defence Lloyd J. Austin said on Saturday while stating that the People’s Republic of China (PRC) adopts a more “coercive and aggressive approach” to its territorial claims. Mr. Austin also asserted that Indo-Pacific is their “priority” theatre of operations and is at the “heart” of American grand strategy.
Legal battle over validity of Places of Worship Act gains momentum
The legal battle over the validity of the Places of Worship (Special Provisions) Act of 1991, which underlines the need to protect the liberty of faith and worship, is gaining steam in the Supreme Court. Several petitions have been filed in the top court questioning the law’s role, as they say, in perpetuating the “crimes of the barbaric invaders” who built mosques after destroying temples centuries ago. The Muslim bodies, such as the Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind, have countered that a dent in the 1991 Act would be the first blow to the secular fabric.
30 Para SF personnel, including a Major, named in Nagaland botched encounter chargesheet
Thirty personnel from the Army’s 21 Para Special Forces, including a Major, have been named in the chargesheet submitted to the courts in connection with the botched encounter in Nagaland’s Mon district in December 2021 that resulted in the death of 13 civilians, according to Nagaland Police.
Protests against Prophet remarks | In U.P., BJP members seek ‘revenge by bulldozer’
A Prayagraj-based political activist Javed Mohammad was among 255 persons arrested across eight districts in Uttar Pradesh in connection with the stone-pelting and illegal gathering during protests after Friday prayers against the comments made on Prophet Muhammed by two BJP leaders recently. As the State government intensified its crackdown against the Muslim protestors on Saturday, several members of the ruling BJP, including its state president Swatantra Dev Singh, endorsed using bulldozers to demolish the properties of the accused persons.
Left terms Mamata Banerjee’s move to convene Oppositon meeting ‘a unilateral move’
West Bengal Chief Minister and Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee's letter to other Opposition leaders on Saturday, inviting them for a meeting in Delhi on June 15 to formulate a common strategy regarding the July 18 presidential elections could end up dividing the Opposition ranks.
Opposition parties should elect President who can protect citizenry from BJP's onslaught: Congress
The Congress on Saturday said Opposition parties should rise above their differences and elect a President who can protect the Constitution, institutions and the citizenry from the “ongoing onslaught” by the ruling BJP. Congress chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala said while his party has not suggested any particular name, “we owe it to our people to elect a President who can apply a healing touch to the fractured social fabric and defend our Constitution”.
Blame game begins as BJP wins third Rajya Sabha seat in Maharashtra
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) trounced the tripartite Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) coalition in Maharashtra by winning three out six seats in a fiercely contested battle for the Rajya Sabha. The ruling government’s inability to win four seats is now being blamed on the independents and smaller parties who are believed to have ditched the MVA over the manner of functioning of Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray. The Shiv Sena however has rejected the theory and blamed the loss on horse-trading by the BJP.
Terror cases | Enforcement Directorate identifies assets worth ₹1,250 crore
The probe by the Enforcement Directorate into terrorism-related cases has resulted in the identification of properties worth about ₹1,250 crore as proceeds of alleged crimes under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act. While assets valued at ₹884 crore currently stand attached, the others worth ₹98 crore have been confiscated under the Fugitive Economic Offenders Act (FEOA).
Pakistan hopes for relief on FATF ‘grey list’ sanctions
Pakistan government sources quoted in media reports indicate that Islamabad is confident it has “completed” its task list.
FIH Pro-League | Sreejesh saves penalty stroke, Indian men shock Olympic champions Belgium
Goalkeeper PR Sreejesh saved a penalty stroke in an exhilarating shoot out after making some breathtaking saves in regulation time as the Indian men’s team stunned Olympic champions Belgium 5-4 in the first match of the two-legged FIH Pro Hockey League in Antwerp on June 11, 2022.
Beijing warns of ‘explosive’ COVID-19 outbreak as Shanghai begins mass testing
China’s capital Beijing is facing an “explosive” COVID-19 outbreak connected to a bar, a government spokesman warned on Saturday, as the commercial hub of Shanghai began mass testing to contain a jump in cases tied to a popular beauty salon.
Taunts and trolls go on in WhatsApp groups in Kanpur
Some Hindus were attacking Muslims or supporting the BJP over WhatsApp messages. Meanwhile, some Muslims attacked Nupur Sharma or supported Zafar Hayat Hashmi, who had given the call for closing down shops in the area on June 3, according to WhatsApp conversations seen by The Hindu. Both groups also have videos on the messaging platform through which they explain how the other community allegedly started the violence.
No major rain in Cuttack during second India-South Africa T20 match
Ahead of the second T20 international match in Cuttack between India and South Africa on Sunday, the Regional Meteorological Center (RMC) at Bhubaneswar ruled out possibility of any major rain during the evening.
