TODAY NEWS ON June 23, 2024

News Headlines for CAT, CLAT and IPM aspirants

National News Headlines

• NEET-PG postponed, CBI to probe NEET-UG allegations, NTA chief removed, as panel set up for agency overhaul
• 1,563 candidates to retake NEET-UG on June 23
• Six arrested in Jharkhand in NEET case; Sanjeev Mukhiya kingpin, says Economic Offences Unit
• Ministry of Education notifies seven-member panel to reform process of competitive exams
• INDIA bloc MPs to skip assisting pro tem Speaker in oath-taking of newly elected Lok Sabha MPs
• Erred in not crediting ICMR as co-inventor of Covaxin, says Bharat Biotech
• BSF to recalibrate deployment along Pakistan border in Jammu in the wake of terror strikes
• UAPA tribunal confirms ban on Tehreek-e-Hurriyat, Muslim League J&K faction
• Union Home Minister Amit Shah launches special programme to fast-track immigration services
• Modi, Sheikh Hasina hold extensive talks; India, Bangladesh ink pact to boost ties in maritime sphere, blue economy
• Agreements signed between India and Bangladesh to enhance cooperation in various sectors.

International News Headlines

• PM Modi likely to skip SCO summit in Kazakhstan in July; Putin, Xi, Sharif may attend
• Hinduja family ‘appalled’ by jail term order; files appeal in higher court
• Israeli strikes kill at least 42 in Gaza’s al-Shati refugee camp, Hamas media office says
• U.S. aircraft carrier arrives in South Korea as show of force against nuclear-armed North Korea
• ICC T20 World Cup 2024: Hardik, Kuldeep sparkle as India outclass Bangladesh by 50 runs, move closer to semis
• Euro 2024: Schick saves Czech Republic in draw against gutsy Georgia
• Archery World Cup Stage 3: Indian women trio claim gold
• T20 World Cup 2024: England eyes massive win over USA to stay alive in semifinal race
• States seek improvements in 50-year interest-free loan scheme

Headlines in Detail:

NEET-PG postponed, CBI to probe NEET-UG allegations, NTA chief removed, as panel set up for agency overhaul

With questions being raised about the “integrity of certain competitive examinations”, the Health Ministry announced the postponement of the NEET-PG entrance examination “as a precautionary measure”, just hours before it was due to be held on June 23 morning. This followed on the heels of decision to remove Subodh Kumar Singh from his position as Director-General of the National Testing Agency, which has come under fire for an alleged paper leak and irregularities in the NEET-UG examination, and other examinations which it conducts.

1,563 candidates to retake NEET-UG on June 23

The retest is being conducted after the National Testing Agency (NTA) cancelled the scorecards of 1,563 students who were granted compensatory marks for loss of time due to a delay in six centres in Meghalaya, Haryana, Chhattisgarh, Gujarat and Chandigarh.

Six arrested in Jharkhand in NEET case; Sanjeev Mukhiya kingpin, says Economic Offences Unit

Investigation into the NEET paper leak case led the Bihar Police to neighbouring Jharkhand where police arrested six people from Deoghar on Friday night. A team led by officials of the Economic Offences Unit (EOU) brought the six to Patna for questioning. Deoghar Police said five Nalanda residents Paramjit Singh, Baldev Kumar, Prashant Kumar, Ajit Kumar, Rajiv Kumar, and one Panku Kumar, were arrested from a house near AIIMS-Deoghar.

Ministry of Education notifies seven-member panel to reform process of competitive exams

The Ministry of Education said on June 22 it has constituted a high-level committee of experts led by former ISRO chief K Radhakrishnan to ensure transparent, smooth and fair conduct of examinations through the National Testing Agency. The seven-member committee will make recommendations on reforms in the mechanism of the examination process, improvement in data security protocols and the structure and functioning of the NTA, the Department of Higher Education in the Ministry said.

INDIA bloc MPs to skip assisting pro tem Speaker in oath-taking of newly elected Lok Sabha MPs

Indian National Developmental, Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) leaders, who are part of a panel to assist pro tem speaker Bhartruhari Mahtab in administering oath to newly elected Lok Sabha members, will not be performing their duties, a senior Opposition leader said on June 22. This could signal an escalation of tensions between the government and the Opposition. Congress’ Kodikunnil Suresh, DMK’s T.R. Baalu, and Sudip Bandopadhyay of the Trinamool Congress were part of the panel, but they will skip their duties to protest against the Centre’s decision to ignore Mr. Suresh despite his being the senior-most MP, sources said.

Erred in not crediting ICMR as co-inventor of Covaxin, says Bharat Biotech

Hyderabad-based Bharat Biotech International Limited (BBIL) and manufacturer of Covaxin, India’s first indigenous Covid-19 vaccine, said it had made an “inadvertent mistake” in not including scientists from the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) as ‘co-inventors’ in patent applications filed in India and abroad to protect the intellectual property rights around the vaccine. It would include their names in fresh filings for patent purposes, it said in a statement late on Saturday.

BSF to recalibrate deployment along Pakistan border in Jammu in the wake of terror strikes

The Border Security Force (BSF) is likely to “recalibrate deployment” along the Pakistan border in Jammu, in the wake of at least four terror strikes in the past few weeks .In just four days, between June 9 and June 12, ten people — including a jawan from the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) — were killed in militant attacks in the Reasi, Doda, and Kathua districts.

PM Modi likely to skip SCO summit in Kazakhstan in July; Putin, Xi, Sharif may attend

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is likely to skip the Summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) to be held in Kazakhstan next month, and External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar is expected to officiate in his place. According to sources aware of the decision, Mr. Modi has decided not to travel to Astana for the summit to be held on July 3-4, although he had earlier confirmed his presence, and an advance security team had conducted its reconnaissance survey there.

Modi, Sheikh Hasina hold extensive talks; India, Bangladesh ink pact to boost ties in maritime sphere, blue economy

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on June 22 held extensive talks with his visiting Bangladeshi counterpart Sheikh Hasina to shore up cooperation in diverse areas including trade and connectivity. The two leaders decided to expand cooperation in several new areas and inked a raft of agreements, including to boost ties in the maritime sphere and blue economy. The key pacts signed by the two sides included one on forging strong ties in the digital domain and another on having a “green partnership”. The two sides also inked an agreement on railway connectivity.

UAPA tribunal confirms ban on Tehreek-e-Hurriyat, Muslim League J&K faction

A tribunal set up under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act on June 22 confirmed the Centre’s decision to impose a five-year ban on the Muslim League Jammu Kashmir (Masarat Alam faction) and Tehreek-e-Hurriyat, Jammu and Kashmir. The one-member tribunal of Delhi High Court judge Sachin Datta was constituted under the stringent anti-terror law in January to assess whether there was “sufficient cause” behind the imposition of the ban.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah launches special programme to fast-track immigration services

Union Home Minister Amit Shah on June 22 launched a special programme under which the immigration process of pre-verified Indian nationals and Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) cardholders will be fast-tracked, an official said. The Fast Track Immigration-Trusted Traveller Programme is a “visionary initiative” by the government, thoughtfully designed for Indian nationals and OCI cardholders, the official said.

States seek improvements in 50-year interest-free loan scheme

States have urged the Centre to make some improvements in the 50-year interest free loan scheme for pursuing capital investment projects, under which the Union government has proposed to give them ₹1.3 lakh crore this year, the same amount as 2023-24. Ministers from States made suggestions related to the ‘Scheme for Special Assistance to States for Capital Investment’, first launched in 2020-21, during pre-Budget consultations chaired by Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on June 22.

Hinduja family ‘appalled’ by jail term order; files appeal in higher courtBritain’s wealthiest family, the Hindujas, have said they were “appalled” by a Swiss court’s ruling of jail terms for some members and have filed an appeal in a higher court challenging the verdict finding them guilty of exploiting vulnerable domestic workers from India at their villa in Geneva. In a statement issued on behalf of the family on Friday, lawyers from Switzerland stressed their clients – Prakash and Kamal Hinduja, both in their 70s and their son Ajay and his wife Namrata – had been acquitted of all human trafficking charges.

Israeli strikes kill at least 42 in Gaza’s al-Shati refugee camp, Hamas media office says

At least 42 people were killed in Israeli attacks on districts of Gaza City in the north of the Palestinian enclave on June 22, the director of the Hamas-run government media office said. One Israeli strike on houses in Al-Shati, one of the Gaza Strip’s eight historic refugee camps, killed 24 people, Ismail Al-Thawabta told Reuters. Another 18 Palestinians were killed in a strike on houses in the Al-Tuffah neighbourhood. The Israeli military released a brief statement saying: “A short while ago, IDF fighter jets struck two Hamas military infrastructure sites in the area of Gaza City.”

U.S. aircraft carrier arrives in South Korea as show of force against nuclear-armed North Korea

A nuclear-powered United States aircraft carrier arrived on June 22 in South Korea for a three-way exercise stepping up their military training to cope with North Korean threats that escalated with its alignment with Russia. The arrival of the USS Theodore Roosevelt strike group in Busan came a day after South Korea summoned the Russian Ambassador to protest a pact reached between Russian President Vladimir Putin and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un this week that pledges mutual defence assistance in the event of war.

ICC T20 World Cup 2024: Hardik, Kuldeep sparkle as India outclass Bangladesh by 50 runs, move closer to semis

Hardik Pandya produced an all-round show while Kuldeep Yadav foxed Bangladesh batters with his guile as India all but assured themselves of a semifinals berth through a dominant 50-run victory in their second Super 8 game of the T20 World Cup here on Saturday.

Euro 2024: Schick saves Czech Republic in draw against gutsy Georgia

Patrik Schick chested home to earn the Czech Republic a 1-1 draw against debutants Georgia on June 22 in an entertaining match, but it leaves both teams in a tricky spot in Euro 2024 Group F.

Indian women’s compound archery team wins hat-trick of World Cup gold medals

Indian compound women’s archery team of Jyothi Surekha Vennam, Aditi Swami and Parneet Kaur continued their imperious form this season, securing a hat-trick of World Cup gold medals with a win over Estonia in the third stage of the event in Antalya on June 22. The trio, who had qualified as the top-seed, beat Estonia’s Lisell Jaatma, Meeri-Marita Paas and Maris Tetsmann, 232-229 in a one-sided final in Antalya. The women’s compound team thus has been unbeatable this season, having won the World Cup Stage 1 and Stage 2 gold medals in Shanghai and Yecheon in April and May respectively.

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