THE HEADLINES:
Energy security, trade and investment top the agenda of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s talks with acting President of Venezuela Delcy Rodríguez in New Delhi.
North Eastern Council’s meeting underway in Shillong; Union Home Minister Amit Shah chairs deliberations on tourism, agriculture, economic corridor development, infrastructure and connectivity.
Veteran film producer Pahlaj Nihalani passes away.
Republicans and Democrats jointly seek to end President Donald Trump’s military action in Iran; US House of Representatives passes resolution.
Southwest monsoon sets in over Kerala.
And, first World Yogasana Sports Championship to begin in Ahmedabad this evening.
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Prime Minister Narendra Modi today held wide-ranging discussions today with Acting President of Venezuela Delcy Rodríguez in New Delhi. In a social media post, the Ministry of External Affairs said that the leaders reviewed the full spectrum of bilateral relations and explored new avenues of cooperation in energy, trade, investment, healthcare, automobiles among others. It added that the leaders also exchanged views on global and regional issues of mutual interest. The Ministry noted that both sides reaffirmed their commitment to deepening the bilateral partnership and advancing the interests of the Global South.
Earlier, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar called on Ms Rodriguez. In a social media post, Dr Jaishankar said, India values her longstanding commitment to the India – Venezuela relationship.
Ms Rodriguez arrived in New Delhi yesterday on a five day visit to India. She is accompanied by a delegation comprising the Ministers of Foreign Affairs, Economy and Finance, Science and Technology and Transportation. The visit is expected to further strengthen bilateral ties and deepen engagement between the two countries across diverse sectors.
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President Droupadi Murmu has said that India and Lao People’s Democratic Republic share close civilizational ties, reflected in common heritage of Buddhism and the Ramayana. She added that this year both nations are celebrating the 70th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations which is a significant milestone in the bilateral relationship. Welcoming Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister of Lao PDR, Thongsavan Phomvihane yesterday at Rashtrapati Bhavan, President Murmu noted that in October 2024, Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited Lao PDR to participate in the ASEAN-related Summits. During the visit, several agreements were concluded, giving fresh momentum to cooperation between both nations.
The President said that while bilateral trade between India and Lao PDR has grown, there remains considerable scope for further progress in trade and investment. She said India would be happy to expand cooperation with Lao PDR in areas including information and communication technology, health, medicine, agriculture, irrigation, manufacturing, renewable energy and electricity.
Earlier, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar also called on the Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister of Lao PDR.
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The 73rd Plenary Session of North Eastern Council (NEC) is underway in Shillong, Meghalaya. Union Home Minister Amit Shah is chairing the session.
Discussion on progress made by the CM High-Level Task Forces constituted for critical sectors of regional development is high on the agenda. The Ministry of Development of North-East Region said that the deliberations are expected to facilitate coordinated action among States and stakeholders for achieving shared developmental goals. North East Vision Plan 2047 to provide a long-term roadmap for transforming the North Eastern Region into a vibrant hub of economic growth will also be discussed as also the connectivity, innovation, sustainability, and cultural prosperity by 2047.
Union Minister of Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER) Jyotiraditya Scindia, Meghalaya Governor C.H. Vijay Shankar, State Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma, Union Minister of State for DoNER Sukanto Majumdar, Union Home Secretary Govind Mohan, and Secretary of the Ministry of DoNER Sanjay Jaju are present in the meeting. Governors and Chief Ministers of Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Manipur, Tripura, Mizoram, Nagaland, and Sikkim are also present in the meeting along with several other dignitaries.
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Union Home Minister Amit Shah will arrive in Agartala this evening on a two-day visit to Tripura. During the visit, Mr. Shah will attend the foundation stone-laying ceremony of the Pushpabanta Palace Hotel, visit a Border Security Force (BSF) border outpost at Lankamura, and hold a high-level meeting with State and Central security officials. A high-level administrative and security meeting has also been organized by the State Government in connection with Mr Shah’s visit.
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Union Minority Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju today said that technology has played a crucial role in improving governance and ensuring the effective delivery of welfare schemes. He made the remarks while addressing the Reforms Utsav, celebrating 12 years of reforms, organised by the Ministry of Minority Affairs in New Delhi today. The Minister noted that the adoption of technology has enabled ministries to bring tangible changes to the lives of beneficiaries across the country.
Reiterating the government’s commitment to building a developed India by 2047, Mr Rijiju said the vision is to create an India where poverty is eliminated and every citizen has access to housing, drinking water, electricity, food security, and digital connectivity.
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Mera Yuva Bharat (MY Bharat) has been officially recognised by Guinness World Records for achieving the title of most users to take an online quiz in one week with over 3 lakh 90 thousand participants who completed the entire length of the quiz. Union Youth Affairs and Sports Minister, Dr Mansukh Mandaviya received the certificate in a ceremony held in New Delhi today. The record was achieved through the Viksit Bharat Young Leaders’ Dialogue 2026 Quiz from the 25th October to the 31st of October last year. Speaking on the occasion, Dr Mandaviya congratulated My Bharat team for this achievement. He highlighted that youth of the country are engaging with the platform in large numbers. The Minister noted that since the inception of this platform, My Bharat has engaged over 2 Crore 19 lakh registered youth across the country. The Minister urged youth to register, engage and connect over this platform to achieve India the goal of Viksit Bharat by 2047.
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Minister of State for Commerce and Industry Jitin Prasada has said that India is better placed in trade markets as compared to other countries, despite ongoing global disruptions and economic uncertainty. The Minister said this while addressing the inaugural ceremony of the Global Business Research Conference in New Delhi. Mr. Prasad hailed the recently concluded free trade agreements with several countries. He highlighted that these agreements are also providing the opportunity to Indian MSMEs to showcase their works to the entire world.
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The Enforcement Directorate (ED) is conducting massive search operations across nine spots in the border town of Champhai along the Mizoram-Myanmar frontier today. The agency said, the major crackdown is targeting a highly organized cross-border network involved in the large-scale smuggling of illegal Burmese supari (dry Areca nuts) into India.
The Directorate informed that the ongoing raids focus primarily on the residences and business premises of prominent local facilitators of the smuggling network. The investigation revealed that these individuals illegally brought in Myanmar-origin consignments via the Tiu River, stored them in local godowns and used fraudulent e-way bills and forged documents to pass them off as legitimate local purchases.
ED also said, the illicit pipeline facilitated the generation and systematic layering of hundreds of crores of rupees.
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Gujarat Police has launched a strict crackdown on Bangladeshi nationals residing illegally in the state. Under Operation Delta Hunt, 424 Bangladeshi nationals living illegally in Gujarat have been arrested in last 24 hours, while more than 782 suspected individuals are currently being questioned. The operation was initiated against individuals considered a threat to national security. Addressing a press conference in Gandhinagar, Deputy Chief Minister and Home Minister Harsh Sanghvi stated that every infiltrator who compromises the security of the state will be traced, legal action will be taken against them, and they will be deported to Bangladesh.
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The Uttar Pradesh government has decided to provide concessional bus ride to aspirants appearing for the state police constable exams to travel to their examination centres. Chief Minister of the state Yogi Adityanath gave instructions to the concerned officials regarding this in a review meeting.
The recruitment examination for Civil Police Constable and equivalent posts would be conducted on June 08, 09 and 10 in two shifts each day.
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Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta today visited Max Hospital in Saket, to meet those injured in the Malviya Nagar fire incident yesterday. She interacted with the injured and their family members and also reviewed the ongoing treatment with the attending doctors, and directed officials to extend all necessary assistance. An ex gratia of 10 lakh rupees has been announced to the next of the kin of each deceased. The seriously injured will receive 5 lakh rupees. The Chief Minister’s Office said that the medical expenses of the injured will be facilitated in coordination with the hospital authorities, ensuring that every patient receives the best possible care.
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Veteran producer and former chairperson of the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC), Pahlaj Nihalani has passed away in Mumbai today. He was 76. Born on January 10, 1950, Nihalani started his career as a producer with the 1982 movie ‘Haathkadi’. He is widely credited for giving actor Govinda his first big break with the 1986 movie ‘Ilzaam’. In January 2015, Nihalani was appointed as the chairperson of the Central Board of Film Certification.
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The US House of Representatives passed a resolution that seeks to halt President Donald Trump from taking further military action in Iran. The 215-208 vote was successful after four Republicans joined Democrats in a rare public show of disapproval of the war, which began in February. This is the fourth attempt by the House to rein in Trump’s war powers, which critics say lack congressional approval.
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The inaugural edition of the World Yogasana Sports Championship kick off at TransStadia in Ahmedabad, Gujarat, marking a historic milestone on the global sporting roadmap. Prime Minister Modi will virtually join the mega event in the evening to share his best wishes, as yoga enthusiasts and athletes from across the globe gather for the competition. We have a report from our Correspondent:
“The five-day event will witness participation from over 400 participants from 60 countries, including the United States. Organised under the aegis of World Yogasana and hosted by Yogasana Bharat, this milestone event aims to pave the way for the inclusion of Yoga in multi-sport events globally while spreading awareness about yoga and wellness globally. Competitors will participate in seven official Yogasana categories, including artistic and rhythmic yoga divisions, where participants will be assessed on strength, flexibility, balance, endurance, and precision under global standardised judging criteria. Aparna Khunt, AKASHVANI News, Ahmedabad.”
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The southwest monsoon has arrived in Kerala today. According to the IMD, the Monsoon is delayed by three days as the normal onset date of the Monsoon over Kerala was the 1st of this month.
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THE HEADLINES ONCE AGAIN:
Energy security, trade and investment top the agenda of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s talks with acting President of Venezuela Delcy Rodríguez in New Delhi.
North Eastern Council’s meeting underway in Shillong; Union Home Minister Amit Shah chairs deliberations on tourism, agriculture, economic corridor development, infrastructure and connectivity.
Veteran film producer Pahlaj Nihalani passes away.
Republicans and Democrats jointly seek to end President Donald Trump’s military action in Iran; US House of Representatives passes resolution.
Southwest monsoon sets in over Kerala.
And, first World Yogasana Sports Championship begins in Ahmedabad.
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