THE HEADLINES:-
- Union Home Minister Amit Shah to launch Land Port Management System in New Delhi today.
- Five-day BRICS Agriculture Ministers’ Meeting to begin today in Indore, Madhya Pradesh.
- Indian Embassy in Muscat confirms rescue of all 24 Indian seafarers aboard MT Marivex after fire incident south of Strait of Hormuz.
- Iran and Israel announce halt in attacks against each other, but warn of retaliation if ceasefire breached again.
- US Federal court strikes down President Donald Trump’s one lakh dollar H-1B visa fee.
- In Men’s Cricket, India ‘A’ to take on Sri Lanka ‘A’ in opening match of “Tri Nation Series” at Dambulla this morning.
<><><>
Union Home Minister Amit Shah will launch the Land Port Management System (LPMS) in New Delhi today. This initiative reflects the government’s commitment to smart border management, aiming to enhance efficiency, transparency, and security in cross-border trade and passenger movement through technology-driven solutions.
The Ministry of Home Affairs said the launch of Land Portal Management System will be a landmark step in India’s move towards a modern, technology-enabled border management system. It added that the platform aligns with the goal of strengthening trade facilitation, connectivity, national security, and the vision of Viksit Bharat by 2047. LPMS is a digital platform designed to integrate operations across land ports into a unified system. It will enable secure, real-time exchange of logistics and regulatory information, bringing land ports on a par with digital systems already in place at airports and seaports.
The system will also provide end-to-end digital workflows for cargo and passenger processing, including slot booking, payments, tracking, and single-window clearances, while improving coordination among government agencies and private operators. On the occasion, the Home Minister will also inaugurate newly developed stakeholder accommodation facilities at Dawki in Meghalaya and Srimantapur Land Port in Tripura, strengthening infrastructure support for border management and personnel. SHIVANG MISHRA, AKASHAVNI NEWS, DELHI.
<><><>
The 5-day BRICS Agriculture Ministers’ meeting will begin today at Indore in Madhya Pradesh. The BRICS Agriculture Working Group meeting will also be held simultaneously under India’s BRICS Presidency this year.
The conference runs till June 13. It begins with meetings of the Agriculture Working Group. Key topics include food security, farm innovation, climate-friendly farming, agricultural trade and empowering small farmers. On June 12, a special dialogue among agriculture ministers will be held. It will focus on food security through small farmers, women and youth. On June 13, the main ministerial meeting of BRICS nations will take place. A joint document on agricultural cooperation and innovation will be prepared. Foreign delegates will also get a taste of Indore’s rich culture and heritage. They will visit historic sites like Rajwada, Chappan Dukan, Sarafa and Mandu. Abhinav Goel, Akashvani, Bhopal.
<><><>
Union Steel Minister HD Kumaraswamy and Civil Aviation Minister Rammohan Naidu visited the Visakhapatnam Steel Plant accident site last night. Mr Kumaraswamy expressed condolences to the families of the deceased workers and announced an ex-gratia of 25 lakh rupees for next of the kin of the deceased and 10 lakh rupees for those injured. In addition, affected families will be allowed to continue residing in steel plant quarters, their children will receive free education and one member of each family will be provided permanent employment. Mr. Kumaraswamy said Prime Minister Narendra Modi has also announced financial assistance of 2 lakh rupees to the families of the deceased and 50,000 rupees to the injured through the Prime Minister’s National Relief Fund. To determine the cause of the accident, the Union Steel Ministry has constituted a special committee comprising experts from other steel plants.
Eight people were killed in the fire accident at the Visakhapatnam Steel Plant of Rashtriya Ispat Nigam Limited yesterday evening.
<><><>
India has undergone a remarkable transformation, driven by the principles of Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas, Sabka Vishwas and Sabka Prayas under the visionary leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the last 12 years. During this period, the Modi government carried out many flagship initiatives for the welfare and empowerment of the poor, farmers, women and youth. Akashvani News brings you a special feature on the Government’s efforts over the last 12 years across key sectors. Today, we focus on the measures taken by the government towards health services.
In past 12 years, the Government has significantly strengthened India’s health system which is now more accessible, affordable, and quality- driven. In 2018, Prime Minister Modi launched the world’s largest health insurance programmes, Ayushman Bharat – Pradhan Mantri Jan Aarogya Yojana. Under the scheme, free health insurance up to five lakh rupees per family per year is being provided to socio-economically deprived families. Under the scheme, more than 44 crore Ayushman Cards have been created and treatment worth over one lakh 80 thousand crore rupees have been provided. In a landmark expansion of the scheme in October 2024, the government launched Ayushman Bharat Vay Vandana, extending health insurance coverage to all senior citizens above 70 years. Talking to Akashvani News, Rohit Singh of Delhi said that with this card, he can now avail treatment at private hospitals as well.
The government has also established one lakh 86 thousand Ayushman Arogya Mandirs to provide primary healthcare at every neighbourhood.
The Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya Janaushadhi Pariyojana also providing quality-assured generic medicines at significantly lower prices than market prices. Talking to Akashvani News, Dilip kumar, a resident of Bihar said that the medicines at Jan Aushadhi Kendras are available at very low prices.
The government has expanded medical education to meet rising demand for health professionals. The number of AIIMS, which was only eight in 2014, has now gone up to 23, while the number of Medical colleges increased from 387 to 818. The Ministry of AYUSH, formed in November 2014, established traditional medicine as an active part of India’s health system. A total 942 AYUSH institutions have been opened till 2025. With Anand Kumar, ANUPAM MISHRA, AKASHVANI NEWS DELHI.
<><><>
Indian Embassy in Muscat, Oman has confirmed the rescue of all 24 Indian seafarers aboard MT Marivex after a fire incident south of the Strait of Hormuz. The embassy also thanked the Omani authorities for their swift response. Earlier yesterday, during an inter-ministerial briefing, the spokesperson of the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways, Opesh Kumar Sharma said, a fire was reported at around 1:30 PM. Mr Sharma said, based on the preliminary information received, all Indian seafarers are presently safe. He further informed that whether the ship was hit by a projectile is still being verified.
<><><>
Iran and Israel have announced to halt attacks against each other. The announcement was initially made by US President Donald Trump, who said in a post on Truth Social that both sides are looking to do an immediate ceasefire and final negotiations on peace are proceeding. He however cautioned that the process could still be affected by what he described as “ignorance or stupidity.” Mr Trump also made it clear that the blockade will remain fully in force until a final agreement is reached.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu also said in a statement that their Defence Forces are holding attacks against Iran. However, Mr Netanyahu warned that if Tehran makes the mistake of resuming attacks, Israel will respond with overwhelming force.
<><><>
India has deeply regretted the renewed attacks in West Asia as Israel and Iran traded fresh missile attacks yesterday triggering escalation in the region and jeopardizing the ceasefire. India has called on all parties to immediately de-escalate tensions and ensure that civilians are not harmed. In a statement, the External Affairs Ministry also appealed to conclude ongoing negotiations for a diplomatic solution so that peace and stability can return to the region.
The Indian Embassy in Iran has also advised Indian nationals to avoid any travel to Iran, in view of the recent developments in the region.
<><><>
In the United States, a federal judge has ruled that the fee of 1 lakh US Dollar for H-1B applications imposed by President Donald Trump was unlawful. US District Court judge Leo Sorokin in Boston, Massachusetts, said in a ruling that the Policy imposes a tax on H-1B petitions without the requisite delegation by the Congress.
“US-based Indian diaspora advocacy groups have welcomed the federal court’s decision, contending that it was appropriate for preserving US’ competitive edge in innovation and entrepreneurship. Chief of Policy and Strategy at the Foundation for India and Indian Diaspora Studies (FIIDS), Khanderao Kand said, the court’s decision restores predictability and fairness to the employment-based immigration system. Executive Director of Indiaspora, Sanjeev Joshipura said, all stakeholders connected with H-1B visas will heave a sigh of relief after the court order. The H-1B programme is one of the most sought-after US work visas that allows American companies to hire skilled global talent. Trump’s order proposing a USD 100,000 annual fee per H-1B worker left many uncertain about visa reforms and new requirements. CHIRAG JHA, AKASHVANI NEWS, DELHI.”
<><><>
In Men’s Cricket, India ‘A’ will take on Sri Lanka ‘A’ in the opening match of “Tri Nation A Series” at the Rangiri Dambulla International Stadium in Sri Lanka this morning. The match will begin at 10 AM, Indian Time. Tilak Varma led Men in Blue will be up against hosts Sri Lanka and Afghanistan in the triangular contest. India ‘A’ will next face Afghanistan ‘A’ at the same venue on Thursday. All the matches will be played in Dambulla, with the final match scheduled on 21st of this month.
<><><>
TODAY’S NEWSPAPERS,
- “Garib Kalyan at heart of governance, says PM Modi as NDA marks 12 years” is a front page headlines in The Statesman.
- ” Crisis deepens for Mamata as her Lok Sabha team breaks, rebel TMC MPs reach out to BJP, writes The Indian Express.
- Israel, Iran trade strikes; may revive full-scale war in region. Govt tells all indians to leave Iran immediately” writes The Asian Age.
- “India sees surprise current account surplus in January -March, strong services receipts, higher remittances offset war disruptions, leads The Financial Express.
- Giving impetus to the digital modernisation push in Indian Railways, “Waitlist gets a crystal ball: Railways to unveil AI tool to predict ticket confirmations says The Pioneer.
- As Delhi battles extreme heat and rising fire incidents, “Surge in fire incidents linked to overloaded electrical systems” writes The Delhi Tribune.
- The Statesman on it’s editorial page writes “For years,India’s electric vehicle debate was driven largely by environmental concerns. Yet the strongest argument for electrification may be India’s enduring vulnerability to imported Oil.
- And finally ‘Consensual pre-marital relationships no stain on character’: SC orders man’s appointment as cop. Informs the Hindustan Times.
<><><>
THE HEADLINES ONCE AGAIN:-
- Union Home Minister Amit Shah to launch Land Port Management System in New Delhi today.
- Five-day BRICS Agriculture Ministers’ Meeting to begin today in Indore, Madhya Pradesh.
- Indian Embassy in Muscat confirms rescue of all 24 Indian seafarers aboard MT Marivex after fire incident south of Strait of Hormuz.
- Iran and Israel announce halt in attacks against each other, but warn of retaliation if ceasefire breached again.
- US Federal court strikes down President Donald Trump’s one lakh dollar H-1B visa fee.
- In Men’s Cricket, India ‘A’ to take on Sri Lanka ‘A’ in opening match of “Tri Nation Series” at Dambulla this morning.
<><><>
