Junior Digest

Bahraich (Uttar Pradesh), June 10,2025: Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Tuesday unveiled the statue of Maharaja Suheldev in Bahraich and also inaugurated and laid the foundation stone of various public welfare projects on the occasion of ‘Vijayotsav’ of Maharaja Suheldev. Addressing an event at the inauguration of Maharaja Suheldev Memorial and his 40-feet statue. Yogi Adityanath said the work of honouring Maharaj Suheldev should have been done earlier, after independence. He asked why medical colleges were not built in his name and why were universities not built in his name earlier?
Earlier in the day, CM Yogi Adityanath inaugurated an exhibition at the BJP office in Lucknow as Prime Minister Narendra Modi completed 11 years in office. Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya and Brajesh Pathak were also present.Highlighting the Modi government’s achievements in the last 11 years, UP CM Yogi asserted that good governance and welfare of the poor will be remembered as a golden era that built a developed India and a self-reliant nation.”Welcome to today’s event commemorating Prime Minister Modi’s 11-year tenure in service, good governance, and the welfare of the poor,” CM Yogi said, addressing the event.

“Modi ji’s 11-year term in service, good governance, and poor welfare will be remembered as a golden era that built a developed India and a self-reliant nation,” he added.He asserted that over these eleven years, PM Modi strengthened India’s growth on the global stage, giving the country an international identity and making it a symbol of trust. Further taking a dig at the Opposition Congress over unstable administrations, he said, “Due to Congress-led governments and other unstable administrations in the sixty-five years following independence, the common citizen’s trust was broken, and India’s global image was tarnished. But over the past 11 years, under PM Modi’s leadership, a corruption-free, appeasement-free, unified India has been realised.”He emphasised that during this period, India has forged a new identity in social welfare, good governance, economy, and security.”Government transparency and accountability towards the public have become distinguishing hallmarks. A new harmony between development and heritage has been created,” the Uttar Pradesh CM added.Stressing PM Modi’s idea of “Sabka Sath Sabka Vikas”, UP CM said that the Mantra have become the face of the government.”Now, benefits are delivered not by who someone is, but impartially–and ‘Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas’ (together with all, development for all) has become the new face of governance,” he added.He pointed out the steps taken by the NDA government’s action against terrorism, highlighting the recent actions during Operation Sindoor.”Now, we have changed our nature concerning our response to terrorism, which was before 2014, that India favoured peace. PM Modi, by giving a new normal, has changed the entire concept – we will live in peace with friends, but if someone imposes war on us, induces terrorism in our country and is a threat to our security, the response will be surgical strike, air strike and Operation Sindoor – we have shown it with made-in-India and the world has realised India’s strength – just a few days back,” he added.

Chennai, June 26,2025: Creating history, the Four astronauts have started their research mission after entering the International Space Station (ISS) today.
In an update NASA said on Thursday, the hatch opened between the SpaceX Dragon spacecraft and the International Space Station following the arrival of Axiom Mission 4.
The spacecraft docked at 6:31 a.m. EDT (1600 hrs IST) to the space-facing port of the space station’s Harmony module.
Former NASA astronaut Peggy Whitson, ISRO (Indian Space Research Organisation) astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla, ESA (European Space Agency) astronaut Sławosz Uznański-Wiśniewski of Poland, and Tibor Kapu of Hungary now are aboard the space station after launching at 2:31 a.m EST (12.01 pm IST) yesterday on the company’s Falcon 9 rocket from Launch Complex 39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida for the fourth private astronaut mission to the orbiting laboratory, Axiom Mission 4.

The private astronauts plan to spend about two weeks aboard the orbiting laboratory, conducting a mission of science, outreach, and commercial activities.
Shukla became the first Indian astronaut to enter the ISS and second astronaut to fly to space after Rakesh Sharma in 1984.
The Ax-4 crew arrived and docked at the International Space Station and were greeted by NASA’s Expedition Crew for the welcome ceremony.
Once aboard the station, Expedition 73 crew members, including NASA astronauts, Nicole Ayers, Anne McClain, and Jonny Kim, JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency) astronaut Takuya Onishi, and Roscosmos cosmonauts Kirill Peskov, Sergey Ryzhikov, and Alexey Zubritsky welcomed the astronauts by hugging, triggering celebrations at ISS.

The crew is scheduled to remain at the space station, conducting microgravity research, educational outreach, and commercial activities for about two weeks before a return to Earth and splashdown off the coast of California.

The International Space Station is a springboard for developing a low Earth economy. NASA’s goal is to achieve a strong economy off the Earth where the agency can purchase services as one of many customers to meet its science and research objectives in microgravity.

This begins their 14-day mission on the orbiting laboratory conducting microgravity research, technology demonstrations, and outreach engagements.

New Delhi, June 28,2025: Parag Jain, the 1989-batch Indian Police Service (IPS) officer of Punjab cadre who played a key role in Operation Sindoor, will be the new Chief of Research and Analysis Wing (RAW), replacing Ravi Sinha.

Jain will take office from July one.

“The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet has approved the appointment of Parag Jain, IPS, to the post of Secretary, Research & Analysis Wing (R&AW), under Cabinet Secretariat, for a tenure of two years from the date of assumption of the charge of the post until further orders, whichever is earlier…” an official said.

Jain has more than two decades of experience and is currently head of the Aviation Research Centre (ARC), which played an important role in Operation Sindoor monitoring Pakistani aircraft and airspace during the operation.

He also worked in Jammu and Kashmir during the abrogation of Article 370.

Tehran/Jerusalem, June 13,20 Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz said on Friday that Israel has launched a “preemptive strike” on Iran.

Israel Defence Forces (IDF) confirmed in a statement that its jets have completed the first-stage attack, notably strikes on dozens of military targets, including nuclear targets in different areas of Iran.

Chief Commander of Iran’s Islamic Revolution Guards Corps Hossein Salami and Gholam-Ali Rashid, commander of Iran’s Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters, were assassinated as a result of the airstrikes, the official news agency IRNA reported.

The Israeli airstrikes also killed two Iranian nuclear scientists, identified as Mohammad-Mehdi Tehranchi and Fereydoun Abbasi, the report said.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in a video address that the goal of the ongoing operation is “to strike Iran’s nuclear infrastructure, Iran’s ballistic missile factories, and Iran’s military capabilities,” and will continue “for as many days as it takes.”

Explosions were reported in Tehran and counties of Natanz, Khondab and Khorramabad, the Iranian state TV reported, adding that multiple casualties, including women and children, were reported in a residential building in Tehran.

Both Israel and Iran closed their airspace following the attack. Israel has declared a nationwide state of emergency.

In a statement, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio denied any U.S. assistance or involvement in the “unilateral” attack, adding that Israel had told Washington that it believed the strikes were necessary for its self-defence.

Earlier on Thursday, U.S. President Donald Trump warned of a possible “massive conflict” in the Middle East, saying that “I don’t want them going in” as direct talks between the United States and Iran are ongoing.

“I want to have an agreement with Iran. We’re fairly close to an agreement … As long as I think there is an agreement, I don’t want them going in because that would blow it,” he told reporters in the White House.

Tehran/Jerusalem, June 14,2025: Iran’s air defence has downed two Israeli Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II fighter jets as well as a large number of micro aerial vehicles, capturing a female Israeli pilot, the semi-official Tasnim news agency reported.

The Iranian army has not officially confirmed the report.

The Israel Defence Forces (IDF) rejected the report. In a statement, IDF Arabic-language spokesman Avichay Adraee called the allegations “completely baseless.”

The statements come amid heightened tensions following Israel’s large-scale strikes on Iranian military and nuclear facilities, which have raised fears of broader regional escalation.

Iran’s state-run Press TV reported that Iranian air defences had shot down an Israeli drone near the Fordow nuclear facility, located close to the central city of Qom.

Early Friday, Israel carried out airstrikes on Tehran and other cities across Iran.

Amir Saeid Iravani, Iran’s UN envoy, said that at least 78 people were killed as a result of Israel’s strikes, while 320 others were injured, most of whom were civilians.

Chief of Staff of the Iranian Armed Forces Mohammad Bagheri, Chief Commander of Iran’s Islamic Revolution Guards Corps Hossein Salami, Gholam-Ali Rashid, commander of Iran’s Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters, and Commander of the IRGC’s Aerospace Division Amir Ali Hajizadeh were killed in the Israeli airstrikes on Tehran.

Late Friday, Israel reported that Iran launched nearly 100 missiles toward central and northern Israel in two massive barrages, causing significant damage and injuring 41 people, two of whom are in critical condition.

Katra (J&K), June 6,2025: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday inaugurated the world’s highest Chenab rail bridge in Reasi district of Jammu and Kashmir.

The PM was accompanied by Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, Union minister Dr Jitendra Singh, Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha and Chief Minister Omar Abdullah.

Before the inauguration, the PM inspected the bridge and spoke to the engineers and the labourers, who turned the dream into a reality.

The Chenab rail bridge is the architectural marvel; it is located at a height of 359 meters above the river, and is the world’s highest railway arch bridge. It is a part of the Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Rail Link (USBRL) project.

The 1,315-metre-long steel arch bridge is built to withstand seismic and wind conditions. A key impact of the bridge will be in enhancing connectivity between Jammu and Srinagar.

Through the Vande Bharat train moving on the bridge, it will take just about 3 hours to travel between Katra and Srinagar, reducing existing travel time by 2-3 hours.

The 272-km USBRL project is built at a cost of around Rs 43,780 crore, and includes 36 tunnels (spanning 119 km) and 943 bridges.

The project establishes all-weather, seamless rail connectivity between the Kashmir Valley and the rest of the country, aiming to transform regional mobility and drive socio-economic integration.

Mumbai, June 12,2025: The National Stock Exchange of India (NSE) said that it has received approval from the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) to launch monthly electricity futures contracts.

This marks a significant milestone in deepening India’s power markets and supporting long-term structural reforms initiated under the Electricity Act, 2003.

The launch of monthly electricity futures by NSE aims to provide market participants with effective hedging tools against electricity price volatility, enable more accurate price signals in the power sector and encourage capital investments across the electricity value chain—generation, transmission, distribution, and retail.

Ashishkumar Chauhan, MD & CEO, NSE, said, “This approval is only the beginning of NSE’s vision for a broader electricity derivatives ecosystem. Plans are underway to gradually introduce contracts for difference (CFDs) and other long-duration electricity derivatives such as quarterly and annual contracts subject to regulatory approvals.”

Stockholm [Sweden], June 12,2025: Union Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal, during his three-day official visit to Sweden on Thursday, expressed confidence that the future lies in India and expects the country’s economy to grow eight times by 2047.While talking in Stockholm, Sweden, the minsters said, “The opportunities, the skills, the potential, the demand, the decisive leadership that India has–seeing all this, even Swedish companies believe that the future lies in India.” He further added that, “the economy, which will grow eightfold by 2047, everyone wants to benefit from that.”Piyush Goyal also addressed the ongoing India-EU Free Trade Agreement negotiations, conveying optimism regarding their progress.He said, “We are very much on track to achieve that (FTA). More than half the chapters are ready – in terms of content, we are almost 90 per cent ready for market access. The important issue to be addressed between us is non-tariff barriers.”Recently, Swedish Minister for International Development Cooperation and Foreign Trade Benjamin Dousa, also said that a comprehensive free trade agreement between India and the European Union should tackle both tariff and non-tariff barriers to maximise benefits for both regions.Earlier this week, Union minister Piyush Goyal said that with this FTA, India will be able to offer greater opportunities for Sweden.The FTA negotiations between the two sides are expected to conclude in 2025. India last month said the two sides engaged in a forward-looking and substantive dialogue to address global trade challenges and reaffirm their shared resolve to conclude the India-European Union Free Trade Agreement (FTA) by the end of 2025.This FTA between India and EU represents significant opportunity for both regions to reduce regulatory barriers that currently impede trade flows, while strengthening economic ties that could benefit both regions’ long-term growth prospects.

VIENNA, June 17,2025: It is very likely all the roughly 15,000 centrifuges operating at Iran’s biggest uranium enrichment plant at Natanz were badly damaged or destroyed because of a power cut caused by an Israeli strike, the U.N. nuclear watchdog chief told the BBC on Monday.

The International Atomic Energy Agency and its Director General Rafael Grossi had previously said the centrifuges at the underground enrichment plant at Natanz may have been damaged as a result of an airstrike on its power supply, even though the hall housing the plant itself did not seem to have been hit.

“Our assessment is that with this sudden loss of external power, in great probability the centrifuges have been severely damaged if not destroyed altogether,” Grossi said in an interview with the BBC.

“I think there has been damage inside,” he said, going further than in an update to an exceptional meeting of his agency’s 35-nation Board of Governors hours earlier.

Israel’s airstrikes have put at least two of Iran’s three operating uranium enrichment plants out of action. The above-ground pilot enrichment plant at Natanz was destroyed, Grossi repeated in his update to the board.

Grossi told the board no damage was seen at the separate Fordow enrichment plant dug deep into a mountain, later telling the BBC: “There is very limited if any damage registered (there)”.

While the IAEA has not been able to carry out inspections since the attacks, it makes extensive use of satellite imagery.

Grossi elaborated on the damage to four buildings at the Isfahan nuclear complex, including a uranium-conversion facility that turns “yellowcake” uranium into uranium hexafluoride, the feedstock for centrifuges, so it can be enriched to higher fissile purity.

“Four buildings were damaged in Friday’s attack: the central chemical laboratory, a uranium conversion plant, the Tehran reactor fuel manufacturing plant, and the UF4 (uranium tetrafluoride) to EU (enriched uranium) metal processing facility, which was under construction,” he said.

Grossi later went further, telling the BBC: “In Isfahan you have underground spaces as well, which do not seem to have been affected.”

A senior diplomat told Reuters those underground spaces are where much of Iran’s most highly enriched uranium stock is stored, but it will require closer examination to fully assess the situation there.

New Delhi, June 14,2025: Prime Minister Narendra Modi is visiting Canada on June 16-17 to participate in the G-7 Summit. He is also visiting Cyprus and Croatia.

PM Modi’s visit to Canada is at the invitation of Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney. He will travel to Kananaskis in Canada on June 16-17 to participate in the G-7 Summit.

This will be Prime Minister Modi’s 6th consecutive participation in the G-7 Summit. At the Summit, Prime Minister will exchange views with leaders of G-7 countries, other invited outreach countries and Heads of International Organisations on crucial global issues, including energy security, technology and innovation, particularly the AI-energy nexus and Quantum-related issues. Prime Minister will also hold several bilateral meetings on the side-lines of the Summit, a statement said.

Prior to his visit to Canada, Prime Minister Modi will be visiting Cyprus from June 15-16, at the invitation of the President of Cyprus Nikos Christodoulides. This will be the first visit of an Indian Prime Minister to Cyprus in over two decades.

While in Nicosia, Prime Minister Modi will hold talks with President Christodoulides and address business leaders in Limassol. The visit will reaffirm the shared commitment of the two countries to deepen bilateral ties and strengthen India’s engagement with the Mediterranean region and the European Union, a statement said.

In the final leg of his tour, PM Modi will visit Croatia on June 18, at the invitation of the Prime Minister of Croatia Andrej Plenković.

This will be the first ever visit by an Indian Prime Minister to Croatia, marking an important milestone in the bilateral relationship. Prime Minister Modi will hold bilateral discussions with Prime Minister Plenković and meet the President of Croatia, Zoran Milanović.

The visit to Croatia will also underscore India’s commitment to further strengthening its engagement with partners in the European Union.

Brussels/New Delhi, June 10,2025: External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, who is visiting Belgium, has said in an interview to Politico that India is not going to live with terrorism emanating from Pakistan anymore, and that New Delhi stands ready to strike deep in Pakistan if provoked by terrorist attacks.

“It [Pakistan] is a country very steeped in its use of terrorism as an instrument of state policy. That is the whole issue,” Jaishankar told Politico during a visit to Brussels.

Asked if the conditions that led to the outbreak of war last month were still in place, he said: “If you call the commitment to terrorism a source of tension, absolutely, it is.”

Asked to clarify about reports of Indian fighter jets downed by Pakistan, Jaishankar didn’t deny the destruction of Indian Air Force planes, but said the appropriate authorities would communicate on the matter when ready.

He stated that India’s fighter planes and missiles had inflicted far more extensive damage on the Pakistani Air Force than vice versa, forcing Pakistan to sue for peace.

“As far I’m concerned, how effective the Rafale was or frankly, how effective other systems were — to me the proof of the pudding are the destroyed and disabled airfields on the Pakistani side,” he said.

“The fighting stopped on the 10th for one reason and one reason only, which was that on the 10th morning we hit these eight Pakistani, the main eight Pakistani airfields, and disabled them.”

“And don’t take my word for it, these are images which are available in Google. You can look at those runways and those hangars which have taken the hit,” Jaishankar added.

Jaishankar asserted that Pakistan was training “thousands” of terrorists “in the open” and “unleashing” them on India.

“We are not going to live with it. So our message to them is that if you continue to do the kind of barbaric acts which they did in April, then there is going to be retribution, and that retribution will be against the terrorist organisations and the terrorist leadership.”

“And we don’t care where they are. If they are deep in Pakistan, we will go deep into Pakistan,” he added.

Vijayawada, June 20,2025: Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu has announced that additional incentives will be provided to industries and projects that invest in the state’s backward regions.

The Chief Minister emphasized that establishing industries would spur development in those regions, create employment for locals, and thereby distribute prosperity across the state.

The 7th State-Level Investment Promotion Board (SIPB) meeting was held under the chairmanship of Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu and approved 19 projects worth Rs 28,546 crore in total. These investments are expected to create employment opportunities for 30,270 individuals. So far, across the seven SIPB meetings, approvals have been given to investments totaling Rs 5,34,684 crore, generating job prospects for 4,73,969 people.

The Chief Minister stressed that locals should receive the majority of jobs in the upcoming industrial projects in the state. Therefore, skill development for youth should be treated as a core policy objective.

Naidu reiterated that the coalition government is committed to balanced development across all regions of Andhra Pradesh. A plan is being drawn up to ensure that incoming investments are distributed evenly across the state.

The Chief Minister made it clear that companies allotted land must establish their units within the stipulated timeline. He instructed officials to engage in discussions with representatives of such companies. He also mentioned that MSME parks are being established in every Assembly constituency across the state, and these should be utilized to promote entrepreneurs under the ‘One Family – One Entrepreneur’ initiative.

The Chief Minister directed that details of all industries, projects, investments, and jobs created should be made available on an online portal. He suggested mapping these industries based on clusters.

Dhaka, June 12,2025: Former Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has urged party leaders and activists to stand by the people, unite them, and launch a robust movement to oust the “illegal” interim government led by “conspirator and mob king”, Chief Advisor Mohammed Yunus.

In her latest audio message, the 77-year-old Awami League president called Yunus, his aides, and student coordinators criminals, accusing them of plundering public funds, killing Awami League members, and looting their homes and businesses.

She alleged that the leaders of the so-called Anti-Discrimination Movement are now ironically fostering discrimination across the country, promoting the rampant rise of Islamic extremism and eroding its political fabric, reports the party’s media agency Daily Republic.

Sheikh Hasina noted that the anti-quota movement remained peaceful until July 15, but thereafter, protesters began attacking police, torching government buildings, and blocking roads.

Accusing the SAD members of targeting police and military personnel, she highlighted her administration’s work in domestic security, stating that it necessary actions to protect lives and property. “We did nothing wrong.”

She also slammed her rival party – the Bangladesh Nationalist Party led by ex-PM Khaleda Zia – for engaging in looting and terrorism and condemning the Jamaat-e-Islami for murders and cutting tendons.

Sheikh Hasina firmly stated that she never agreed to “sell out the country to foreigners.”

Stating that she never once agreed to sell out the country’s Saint Martin Island or allow a military base in the Bay of Bengal, she said “I could have come to power in 2001 if I had agreed to sell gas. I gave shelter to 10 lakh Rohingyas on humanitarian grounds.

“I did not want conflict with the Myanmar government and did not allow insurgency and militancy using our land. Is this my crime?”

She further alleged that Yunus, his advisers, and coordinators would eventually flee the country, but those responsible for looting and killing would face justice. She criticised Yunus for failing to hold accountable those who killed police and Awami League members, instead granting them indemnity.

New Delhi, June 26,2025: Union Home Minister Amit Shah today emphasised the importance of language in preserving a nation’s identity and cultural heritage, stating that it is not merely a means of communication, but the very soul of a nation.

“Our roots, traditions, history, and culture cannot progress without language. Just as it is important to keep languages alive, it is equally important to enrich them,” Shah said while speaking at the Golden Jubilee celebration of the Rajbhasha Department at Bharat Mandapam here.

Speaking on the government’s ongoing efforts to promote linguistic diversity, Shah highlighted the ‘Bhasha Sangam’ initiative under which students across all schools in the country are being taught 100 commonly used phrases in the 22 languages recognised by the Constitution.

He stressed that until a person takes pride in their own language, expresses themselves in it, and develops the ability to think, analyse, and make decisions in their own language, they cannot free themselves from a colonial mindset.

Reflecting on the achievements of the Department of Official Language, Shah said its 50-year journey has been shaped by struggle, dedication and determination.

He underscored the importance of conducting administrative work in Indian languages, aligning with the spirit of the nation and upholding the self-respect of these languages.

“If a country wants to function according to its own consciousness, progress based on its culture and preserves its self-respect, it is essential that its administration operates in its own languages. It was with this noble objective that the Department of Official Language was established,” he said.

Shah said over the past 11 years, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has launched several initiatives under the ‘Ek Bharat, Shreshtha Bharat’ programme. Events such as Kashi-Tamil Sangamam, Kashi-Telugu Sangamam, Saurashtra-Tamil Sangamam, Shashwat Mithila Mahotsav, and Bhasha Sangam have provided platforms to strengthen national unity and celebrate India’s linguistic and cultural diversity.

Present on the occasion were Minister of State for Home Bandi Sanjay Kumar, Lok Sabha MP Bhartruhari Mahtab, Rajya Sabha MP Sudhanshu Trivedi, Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta, Rajya Sabha MP Sudha Murthy and others.

BANGKOK/PHNOM PENH, June 14,2025: Thai and Cambodian officials met on Saturday to try to ease tensions amid fears of military clashes after a long-running territorial dispute reignited, leading both countries to mobilise troops on the border.

The two neighbours share an 820-km (510-mile) land border, parts of which are undemarcated and include ancient temples that both sides have contested for decades. The latest standoff followed a brief skirmish on May 28 that left a Cambodian soldier dead.

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The row comes at a challenging time for Thailand’s government, which is losing popularity in prolonged struggle to spur economic growth. Paetongtarn’s administration is under pressure to take a tougher stand on Cambodia, accompanied by initially strong rhetoric from the Thai military.

Thailand’s foreign ministry said the meeting of the Joint Boundary Commission (JBC) in Phnom Penh would continue into Sunday and the atmosphere of the talks had been good.

“Thailand sincerely hopes that it would further contribute to deescalating the tensions, paving the way for a sustainable solution in the future,” spokesperson Nikorndej Balankura told a press conference in Bangkok.

Cambodia’s information ministry said it would not comment until after the meeting concludes.