THE HEADLINES::
- Centre asks oil marketing companies to build 30 days’ LPG reserves as West Asia conflict persists.
- National Family Health Survey shows major gains in maternal and child health; Institutional deliveries rise to 90.6 per cent.
- Myanmar President Min Aung Hlaing to arrive in India this morning on a five-day visit.
- IMD forecasts heavy rainfall and thunderstorm across several states in the country today.
- Indian athletes shine at Asian Under-20 Athletics Championships in Hong Kong; Clinch seven medals including four gold on day 2.
- In IPL Cricket, Gujarat Titans beat Rajasthan Royals by 7 wickets to set up title clash with Royal Challengers Bengaluru.
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The Government has asked public sector oil marketing companies to set up Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) reserves for at least 30 days as the West Asia conflict persist disrupting global energy supplies. Joint Secretary at the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas, Sujata Sharma stated this while talking to reporters yesterday during the inter-ministerial press briefing on the West Asia conflict. Outlining the precautionary measures to safeguard against supply shocks, Ms Sharma said, India was also working to increase crude oil storage capacity.
Additional Secretary (Gulf) in the Ministry of External Affairs, Aseem Mahajan, said that the government is closely monitoring developments in the Gulf and West Asian region. He said Indian Embassies and Consulates in the region are operating round-the-clock helplines to provide timely assistance to Indian nationals.
Director in the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways, Opesh Kumar Sharma, informed that the merchant vessel Nissos Keros, a crude oil tanker, has safely transited the Strait of Hormuz and is expected to arrive in Visakhapatnam on the 3rd of June. He said, the vessel is carrying around 2 lakh 70 thousand metric tonnes of crude oil.
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The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has released the National Family Health Survey-6 with the data reflecting India’s accelerated progress in maternal and child health, nutrition, and financial protection. The survey released yesterday, highlighted that institutional deliveries increased from 88.6 per cent to 90.6 per cent. We have a detailed report on this:
“The National Family Health Survey-6 showed 95.9 per cent of pregnant women received antenatal care, while mothers receiving antenatal care in the first trimester increased from 70 per cent to 76.2 per cent. It also said that India’s Total Fertility Rate (TFR) remains at two and vaccines received by children aged from 12 to 23 months remains consistently high above 96 per cent. The Health Ministry said that these improvements underscore the continued impact of national family planning programmes, including Mission Parivar Vikas.
The survey also records continued advancement in women’s digital inclusion and financial empowerment. It said that Women who had ever used the internet nearly doubled from 33.3 per cent to 64.3 per cent. The survey said that Ayushman Bharat-PMJAY and expanded health protection initiatives strengthen financial security in healthcare. WITH AKSHIT, THIS IS SWATI RAKHEJA, AKASHVANI NEWS, DELHI.”
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President of Myanmar, U Min Aung Hlaing will arrive at Bodh Gaya in Bihar this morning on a five-day visit to India. He will be accompanied by a high-level delegation comprising several Cabinet Ministers, senior officials and business leaders. This will be the first visit of President Hlaing to India in his current capacity.
“President of Myanmar U Min Aung Hlaing will offer prayers at Maha Bodhi temple and Sujata Temple in Bodh Gaya. Later today, he will arrive in New Delhi, where he will meet External Affairs Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar. On Monday, he will hold discussions with Prime Minister Narendra Modi on further strengthening the historical and civilisational ties between the two countries.
Briefing media in New Delhi, External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said, all issues that form part of the gamut of relations between Myanmar and India will come up for discussions during meeting between the two leaders.
As part of the visit, the Myanmar President will also travel to Mumbai on 2nd of June for business and industry interactions and site visits.
WITH SUPARNA AND ANUPAM, THIS IS JIGYASA PANDEY, AKASHVANI NEWS, DELHI.”
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Outgoing Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has called a Congress Legislature Party (CLP) meeting at 4 PM today to elect its new leader, with D.K. Shivakumar emerging as the frontrunner to succeed him. Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot has accepted Mr Siddaramaiah’s resignation and asked him to continue as caretaker Chief Minister until a new leader is chosen. All 136 Congress MLAs have been issued a circular to attend the CLP meeting. AICC General Secretary and Karnataka in-charge Randeep Singh Surjewala will observe the proceedings. After the new CLP leader is elected, he will meet the Governor to seek permission to form the government and finalise the date for the swearing-in of the Council of Ministers. Our Correspondent reports that the Cabinet formation exercise has already started with many aspirants trying to get ministerial berths.
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In Punjab civic body elections, the ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has won 958 of the 1,977 wards across 8 Municipal Corporations, 75 municipal councils, and 19 nagar panchayats. The Congress won 397 wards, while the Shiromani Akali Dal won 192 and the BJP secured 172 wards. The BSP managed just seven wards. Interestingly, Independents secured 251 wards, placing them third. A total of 7,554 candidates contested in these urban local body elections held on the 26th of this month.
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President Droupadi Murmu has extended greetings to the people of Goa on its Statehood Day today. The President said that Goa is renowned not only for its rich cultural heritage and warm hospitality, but also for its remarkable progress in education, technology, startups and sustainable development.
Meanwhile, Vice President C.P. Radhakrishnan will participate in the Statehood Day celebrations at the Kala Academy in Panaji today.
“The Statehood Day celebrations in Goa today will highlight the state’s remarkable transformation over the last four decades. After liberation from Portuguese rule in 1961, Goa became a Union Territory along with Daman and Diu. A defining moment came in 1967, when Goans voted in the historic Opinion Poll to retain Goa’s distinct identity. The recognition of Konkani as the official language in 1987 paved the way for statehood, and Goa became India’s 25th state on 30th May that year.
Today’s program includes release of a commemorative stamp on renowned cartoonist Mario Miranda, launch of a coffee table book, presentation of awards and citizen welfare initiatives.
Later in the day, the Vice President will visit the CSIR-National Institute of Oceanography in Goa, where he will tour research and technology exhibits and interact with scientists and release a Coffee Table Book of CSIR-NIO. Mahesh Chopade for Akashvani News, Panaji.”
Prime Minister Narendra Modi also extended his greetings to the people of Goa. He said this occasion is an opportunity to remember all those who worked tirelessly for the state’s progress and identity.
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The Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls begins in Odisha today. The month-long exercise being conducted by the Election Commission of India will continue till the 28th of June and cover over three crore thirty-three lakh voters across the state. The revision aims to update the voters’ list by removing duplicate, deceased, and ineligible entries, while including all eligible voters. More than forty-five thousand Booth Level Officers have been deployed for door-to-door verification and distribution of forms.
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The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has forecast heavy to very heavy rainfall over West Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Odisha, Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, Karaikal and Andaman and Nicobar Islands today. The IMD has also predicted thunderstorm accompanied with hailstorm over Haryana, Punjab, Delhi, Rajasthan, Vidarbha and Chhattisgarh. The Met department said that Northeastern states and Coastal Karnataka are likely to experience thunderstorm accompanied with lightning. Heatwave conditions are likely to prevail over West Madhya Pradesh and Telangana.
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India continued its impressive performance at the Asian Under-20 Athletics Championships in Hong Kong, taking its medal tally to eight including four gold, two silver and two bronze and climbing to second place in the standings behind China.
On the second day of the competition yesterday, Indian athletes won seven medals, including four golds. The standout performance came from 19-year-old Pooja Singh, who clinched gold in the women’s high jump with a leap of 1.93 metres. India’s three other gold medals came from Nitin Gupta who won the men’s 5,000-metre race walk while Amanat Kamboj topped the women’s discus throw, and Rahul Jakhar bagged the yellow metal in the men’s decathlon.
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In Cricket, Gujarat Titans stormed into the final of the IPL 2026 with a commanding seven-wicket victory over Rajasthan Royals in Qualifier Two at New Chandigarh last night. With this victory, Gujarat Titans have set up the title clash against defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru, which will be played in Ahmedabad tomorrow at 7:30 PM.
Chasing a formidable target of 215 runs, the 2022 champions produced a batting masterclass, reaching 219 for three in just 18.4 overs. Skipper Shubman Gill led from the front with a scintillating 104 off 53 balls while Sai Sudharsan scored 58 runs. Gill was adjudged Player of the Match.
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TODAY’S NEWSPAPERS HEADLINE,
- “Ministry of Home Affairs clears record CAPF deployment for 57-day Amarnath pilgrimage”, says The Pioneer.
- “IMD lowers monsoon outlook and puts off date of onset to June” is a top headline in The Hindu. “Decade’s driest monsoon looms: Met cuts estimate to 90% of 50-year average”, notes The Indian Express.
- Under the headline, “Next energy challenge: Cheap power, costly transition”, Financial Express writes that though consumers understand the long-term savings for a push to Green Energy, the challenge is affordability at the point of purchase.
- Hindustan Times carries a picture of Blue Origin’s New Glenn rocket exploding in a massive fireball during a test on a Florida launchpad as the firm was preparing the vehicle for its fourth launch slated to deploy a batch of satellites for Amazon’s Leo.
- In its editorial “Breather for now? For how long?”, The Times of India writes that as a tentative US-Iran deal awaits Trump’s signature, the global economy is hoping for a break. But geopolitics as well as politics in Trump camp & among Iran hardliners, means conflict can restart after a few months.
- And finally, “Demand for gold turning cold on steep duty hike”…under that headline, The Economic Times says that gold sales have fallen 70% on muted customer sentiment already hurt by surge in fuel and food prices.
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THE HEADLINES ONCE AGAIN,
- Centre asks oil marketing companies to build 30 days’ LPG reserves as West Asia conflict persists.
- National Family Health Survey shows major gains in maternal and child health; Institutional deliveries rise to 90.6 per cent.
- Myanmar President Min Aung Hlaing to arrive in India this morning on a five-day visit.
- IMD forecasts heavy rainfall and thunderstorm across several states in the country today.
- Indian athletes shine at Asian Under-20 Athletics Championships in Hong Kong; Clinch seven medals including four gold on day 2.
- In IPL Cricket, Gujarat Titans beat Rajasthan Royals by 7 wickets to set up title clash with Royal Challengers Bengaluru.
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