National Political News:
1. 21st of June has been celebrated as International Yoga day. PM Modi led the 35000+ gathering at Rajpath, New Delhi, performing Yoga’s 21 asanas. Yoga sessions to celebrate the day were also held at Beijing (China), Times Square (New York), Eiffel Tower (Paris), Sydney (Australia), Seoul (South Korea), Tel Aviv (Israel) and Beirut (Lebanon).
2. Monsoons are in quick mode covering Kanyakumari in the South to Kashmir in the North with wide spread rains in the grain bowls of India viz. Punjab, Haryana, U.P. and M.P. Monsoons have been turbo charged by cyclonic conditions prevalent over Arabian Sea, known as Madden Julian Oscillation (MJO) moving from Middle East towards Bay of Bengal.
Heavy rains in Kashmir and Uttarkhand disrupt the Amarnath and Char Dham Yatra. Landslides block the way to the Himalayan shrines as a result of heavy rain. River Jhelum flows above the danger mark in Anantnag and Srinagar in Kashmir.
3. Kailash – Mansrovar Yatris can now travel thru Nathu La Pass on Sikkim – China border and then across the width of Tibet that is 1500 kms by bus to Darchen near Mt. Kailash from Gangtok in Sikkim.
4. A Delhi Court takes cognizance of a complaint against Union HRD Minister Smriti Irani for misrepresenting her educational qualifications in election affidavits as alleged by a complainant.
Congress and AAP have called for her resignation on this issue.
5. Sister superior Nirmala of Mother Teresa’s missionaries of charity has been laid to rest in St. John’s burial ground, Sealdah Calcutta. She expired after a brief illness.
International Political News:
1. A lone Taliban suicide bomber attacked Afghan Parliament which was in session. Two civilians including a woman and child were killed, 31 others were seriously injured. All Afghan MP’s were safely evacuated after the attack.
Afghan Govt. forces gain control of a northern district Chardera near the city of Kunduz from Taliban. Heavy casualties were inflicted on the insurgents by Afghan Govt. forces.
2. Indian origin, 44 year old Bobby Jindal, whose ancestry hails from Sangrur district of Punjab and is governor of Louisiana State of USA has announced his candidature for US presidency in the 2016 US elections. Jindal is a convert to Christianity from Hinduism.
3. Wikileaks reveal that 3 successive French Presidents – Jacques Chirac, Nicolas Sarkozy and Francois Hollande were spied on by the National Security Agency (NSA) of USA. Francois Hollande is the current President of France.
Business News:
1. Japanese Internet and Telecommunications investor Soft Bank has entered into a collaboration with Bharti Airtel Enterprises of Sunil Mittal. Soft Bank had announced earlier on a $10 million investment in various telecom/ internet projects in India.
2. Taiwanese manufacturer Foxconn to invest $20 billion in new solar energy projects in India. This investment will be a big push to the renewable energy sector.
SBG Cleantech, a solar energy project has a majority holding of Soft Bank.
The cost of construction in a solar energy project in India for the same capacity is half of that in Japan. India has twice the sun shine, half the cost, thus 4 times the efficiency, is the logic for the huge investments in this sector as claimed by the economists.
3. RBI Governor Raghu Ram Rajan warns of depressive conditions in the making in the western economies as interest rates are being kept there at near zero levels which can stoke deflation.
4. Chinese stocks have plunged 7% on tight liquidity conditions. The markets in China are down 20% from 7 year highs.
Science and Technology:
Scientific discoveries during the current year have revealed 854 hidden ultra-dark galaxies filled with mysterious dark matter in the region of Coma Cluster in the very outer space. The Coma Cluster is a large cluster of galaxies with over 1000 of them identified. Another cluster of galaxies, Leo Cluster along with Coma Cluster is known as the Coma Super Cluster.
Sports:
Cricket
1. Bangladesh defeat India in the second ODI played at Mirpur, Bangladesh. India were shot out for 200 runs in 45 overs. Bangladesh made 200 runs for 4 wickets in 38 overs. Bangladesh bowler, 19 year old Mustafizur Rehman took 6 Indian wickets for 43 runs in 10 overs. This is his second 5 wicket haul in the 2 ODI’s that he has played. He is a left arm spinner who bowls cutters at a speed of 125 kms/hour.
In the Third ODI India scored 317 in 49.5 overs for 6 wickets. Bangladesh replied with 240 runs all out in 47 overs and thus lost the match.
Soccer
Copa America tournament.
Brazil enter the Copa America soccer quarter finals with a 2–1 victory over Venezula.
Chile beat Urugay 1–0 in the quarter final to enter the semi-final in Santiago, Chile.
In Temuco, Chile, Peru beat Bolivia 3–1 to enter the semi-finals.
Argentina enter the semis by beating Colombia 5–4 in a penalty shootout.
Hockey
In the Hockey World League being played at Antwerp in Netherland, India beat France 3–2 in the opening match and then Poland 3–0 in the second match.
Chess
Vishwanathan Anand of India beats Jon Ludvig Hammer of Norway to reach the 2nd spot in the Norway chess tournament.
