THE HEADLINES:

• UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres urges immediate action to de-escalate West Asia crisis following US military strikes on Iran’s nuclear facilities.

• Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi arrives in Moscow to hold talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

• Under Operation Sindhu, over 1800 Indian nationals evacuated from Iran and Israel.

• Counting of votes for by-elections to five Assembly seats in four states begins.

• And at the Asian Para-Badminton Championship in Thailand, India register best-ever performance, winning 27 medals.

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United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres made an impassioned plea for peace during an emergency special session of the Security Council at UN Headquarters in New York, urging immediate action to de-escalate the crisis in Iran following the US military strikes on the Islamic Republic’s nuclear facilities. Calling for urgent efforts to prevent dangers of retaliation and deeper conflict in the region, Guterres said, we cannot – and must not – give up on peace.

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Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has arrived in Moscow for talks today. He will hold consultations with the Russian President Vladimir Putin and other senior officials regarding regional and international developments following the military aggression by the United States.

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US President Donald Trump hinted at the possibility of a regime change in Iran.He also questioned the current leadership’s ability to revive the nation. In a post on a social media platform, President Trump said if the current Iranian regime is unable to make Iran great again, why should not there be a regime change.

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US Vice-President J.D. Vance declared today that his country was not at war with Iran but only with its nuclear programme, leaving the door open for diplomacy. Speaking on the morning after Operation Midnight Hammer” attacking Tehran’s three nuclear facilities, Vance told the American television network, he thinks the President took decisive action to destroy that programme last night.

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Iran’s Parliament has unanimously approved a dramatic proposal to close the Strait of Hormuz, the world’s most critical oil and gas shipping route, in direct retaliation for US airstrikes on Iranian nuclear facilities at Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan. The parliamentary decision represents a potentially catastrophic escalation that could trigger global economic chaos, though final authority to implement the closure rests with Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, which has not yet issued a formal order to execute the blockade.

The Strait of Hormuz handles approximately 20 percent of global oil exports and a significant share of the world’s liquefied natural gas shipments, making it one of the most strategically vital maritime chokepoints on earth. Senior Iranian lawmaker and Revolutionary Guards commander Esmaeil Kowsari stated that parliament concluded the strait should be closed but emphasized that the Supreme National Security Council holds final decision-making authority.

The potential economic impact extends far beyond energy markets, with economists warning that a full closure could trigger cascading effects on global inflation and economic stability.Major economies in Asia and Europe, which rely heavily on West Asian energy supplies transiting through the narrow waterway, face the prospect of severe supply disruptions that could cripple industrial production and consumer markets.

China’s response remains critical to preventing the crisis, given Beijing’s massive dependence on Persian Gulf oil imports that transit through the strait. While Chinese officials have not yet issued an official statement, American diplomats are pressing their counterparts to intervene with Iranian leadership before the situation spirals beyond control. This is Vinod Kumar for Akashvani News from Dubai.

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Petroleum and Natural Gas Minister Hardeep Singh Puri said that the government has been closely monitoring the evolving geopolitical situation in West Asia since the past two weeks. In a social media post, Mr Puri said that under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, India has diversified its supplies in the past few years and a large volume of supplies do not come through the Strait of Hormuz now.

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Minister of State for External Affairs Pabitra Margherita welcomed a group of 285 Indian nationals who arrived in New Delhi last night on a special flight from Mashhad of Iran. He said that one thousand 713 Indian nationals have been evacuated from Iran under Operation Sindhu so far. He informed, that 2 to 3 more flights have been scheduled from Iran for the next two days. Mr. Margherita added the Ministry is in constant contact with all Indian nationals residing in Iran and Israel.

The Indian nationals in Iran have been advised to stay in touch with the Indian Embassy in Tehran through its emergency helpline, and with the 24×7 Control Room established by the Ministry of External Affairs in New Delhi.

Talking to media, the returning Indian nationals thanked the Indian government for their safe evacuation.

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With Israeli airspace closed and commercial flights suspended, the Indian missions in Israel and Jordan, in a joint effort, evacuated 160 Indian nationals in the first batch under Operation Sindhu. India launched Operation Sindhu last week to bring back Indians from Iran and Israel, given increasing hostilities between the two nations.

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The Government has debunked the claims made by several social media accounts that Indian Airspace was used by the United States to launch aircraft against Iran during Operation Midnight Hammer. The Fact Check Unit of Press Information Bureau termed the claim as fake, stressing that Indian Airspace was not used by the United States. It said that Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff of US, General Dan Caine explained the routes used by US aircraft during a recent press briefing.

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The counting of votes is underway for the by-elections to five Assembly seats in four states. The counting is taking place in Gujarat for the Visavadar and Kadi constituencies. Votes are also being counted for the Nilambur seat in Kerala, the Kaliganj in West Bengal and the Ludhiana West in Punjab. The polling was held for these constituencies on the 19th of this month. 

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Union Home Minister Amit Shah chaired a review meeting on combating Naxalism in Raipur last evening. Directors General of Police, Additional Directors General of Police and senior officials of seven Left Wing Extremism affected states, namely  Chhattisgarh, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Jharkhand, and Odisha, participated in the meeting. Mr Shah reiterated that the country will be free from Naxalism by March 31st next year.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah said that the Naxals who rest every year during the rainy season will not be able to sleep peacefully this monsoon because our security forces will continue their operations. Addressing a review meeting on Naxalism in Raipur, Union Home minister said

He said that the Central and Chhattisgarh governments will fulfil all promises made to surrendered Naxalites and will also strive to provide even greater assistance.Vikalp Shukla, Aakashwani news, Raipur.

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Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla will inaugurate the National Conference of Estimates Committee of Parliament and State and UT Legislative Bodies, in Mumbai today. He will also release the 75th Anniversary Souvenir of the Estimates Committee of Parliament. A report from our correspondent:

Chief Minister of Maharashtra, Devendra Fadnavis and Chairperson of Committee on Estimates, Parliament of India, Dr. Sanjay Jaiswal are scheduled to address the inaugural session of the National Conference in Mumbai today.

During the two-day Conference, delegates will deliberate on the theme, ‘Role of Estimates Committee in effective Monitoring and Review of Budget Estimates for ensuring Efficiency and Economy in Administration’ , Governor of Maharashtra, C.P. Radhakrishnan will deliver the Valedictory Address on the concluding day tomorrow. Prarthna, Akashvani News, Mumbai.

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Now news from the world of sports. At the Asian Para-Badminton Championship in Thailand, India has registered the best-ever performance, winning 27 medals. 

The medals include four gold, 10 silver and 13 bronze. Among the medallists were Paris Paralympics gold medallist Nitesh Kumar, Paris Paralympics silver medallist Thulasimathi Murugesan, and Paris Paralympics bronze medallist Manisha Ramadass.

In Cricket Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy, India will resume their second innings with 96-run lead on Day 4 at Headingley, Leeds this afternoon. At the end of day three’s play, which was cut short due to rain, India ended with at 90 for 2, with KL Rahul  batting on 47 and skipper Shubman Gill  batting on 6. Earlier, India kickstarted the final session having secured a six-run lead over England, who were bundled out for 465 runs in their first innings in reply to Team India’s first innings total of 471 runs. Subhman Gill hit 147 runs while Rishabh Pant scored 134 to India’s big score.

In Hockey, the Indian men’s hockey team ended its FIH Pro League 2024-25 campaign with a 4-3 victory against hosts Belgium in Antwerp yesterday. India’s hard-fought win over Belgium ended their longest-ever losing streak in men’s hockey. Meanwhile, Indian women’s hockey team suffered their sixth consecutive defeat after losing 2-0 against hosts Belgium in Antwerp . With Sanyukta Yadav’s report, Aishwarya Rai Nigam, Sports Desk Akashvani.

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The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has forecast heavy to very heavy rainfall at isolated places over East Rajasthan and West Madhya Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Gujarat, Madhya Maharashtra, Nagaland, Manipur, Assam and Bihar today.

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TODAY’S NEWSPAPERS HEADLINE,

• West Asia crisis blows up with US striking three Iranian Nuclear sites. Hindustan Times writes about PM Modi calling Iranian President urging de-escalation and saying “Diplomacy is the way forward.”
• “West Asia tensions may choke LPG supplies” as Saudi Arabia,UAE and Qatar meet 95 percent of India’s cooking gas requirements, notes The Economic Times.
• Indian Navy set to commission stealth frigate ‘Tamal’ in Russia on First of July, cites The Tribune.
• The Pioneer says “DGCA revise guidelines to prioritise safety” particularly during night operations or on wet runways.
• “All three Pahalgam attackers from Pakistan, says NIA after arresting 2 in J&K for sheltering terrorists” states The Indian Express.
• And finally, For the first time, Delhi University’s school of open learning is offering a flexible new opportunity by launching certificate courses in eight foreign languages, writes The Times of India.

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THE HEADLINES ONCE AGAIN,

• UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres urges immediate action to de-escalate West Asia crisis following US military strikes on Iran’s nuclear facilities.

• Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi arrives in Moscow to hold talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

• Under Operation Sindhu, over 1800 Indian nationals evacuated from Iran and Israel.

• Counting of votes for by-elections to five Assembly seats in four states begins.

• And at the Asian Para-Badminton Championship in Thailand, India register best-ever performance, winning 27 medals.

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