The Hindu Morning Digest: June 30, 2025
Trump says he's not planning to extend pause on global tariffs beyond July 9
U.S. President Donald Trump says he is not planning to extend a 90-day pause on tariffs on most nations beyond July 9, when the negotiating period he set would expire, and his administration will notify countries that the trade penalties will take effect unless there are deals with the United States. Letters will start going out 'pretty soon' before the approaching deadline, he said. 'We'll look at how a country treats us — are they good, are they not so good — some countries we don't care, we'll just send a high number out,' Mr. Trump told Fox News Channel's 'Sunday Morning Futures' during a wide-ranging interview taped Friday and broadcast Sunday.
Remarks of Trinamool leaders on law college rape put party in a tight spot
The remarks by Trinamool Congress leaders on the gang rape of a law student at the city South Calcutta Law College and bickering between its own leaders has put the party in a tight spot. Since June 27, when the Kolkata Police arrested three persons including a former student leader associated with the student wing of ruling party in connection with the crime, the Trinamool Congress has been busy dissociating with the prime accused Monojit Mondal. However, the remarks by senior party MP Kalyan Banerjee and MLA Madan Mitra have come as a bigger embarrassment to the party.
Inquiry into Puri Rath Yatra stampede to be completed in 30 days: Odisha Minister
Odisha's Law Minister Prithiviraj Harichandan on Sunday said that an administrative inquiry into the Puri stampede incident that left three people dead and 50 others injured would be completed within 30 days. The stampede took place near Shree Gundicha Temple in Puri early on Sunday (June 29) during a ceremony related to the ongoing Rath Yatra festivities. Mr. Harichandan said that Development Commissioner Anu Garg will submit her inquiry report to the Chief Minister within the stipulated 30 days.
Maharashtra scraps three-language policy for primary education, sets up panel to make recommendations
Maharashtra scrapped the introduction of the three-language policy for Classes 1 to 5 in State government schools on Sunday, after two months of sustained opposition by academics, activists, and political parties, including the Nationalist Congress Party, which is part of the ruling coalition in the State. To decide the future of the policy, the government set up an expert committee to be headed by economist and educationist Narendra Jadhav.
52 villages adjoining LAC, LoC in Ladakh to be reserved areas
Fifty-two villages along the Actual Line of Control (ALC) have been declared reserved by the administration of the Union Territory of Ladakh to enable residents of these identified areas to avail reservation benefits in recruitment and other sectors, a notification issued on Sunday said. The Ladakh administration has achieved yet another milestone with the issuance of an official notification declaring specific areas as adjoining the Actual Line of Control under the provisions of the Jammu and Kashmir Reservation Act, 2004, as amended by the Ladakh Reservation (Amendment) Regulation, 2025, an official spokesperson said.
Water body or low-lying land? A dispute that lies at the heart of Delhi's depleting wetlands
A long-running tug of war between two government agencies in Delhi over Tikri Khurd lake, which spans over 40 acres in Narela, is symptomatic of why wetlands and water bodies are depleting in the national capital. It's been eight years since the Centre formulated wetland rules – which made it mandatory for all States and Union Territories to form State wetland authorities and identify and notify all wetlands – but not a single wetland has been notified in the Capital.
Delhi-bound Air India flight from Tokyo's Haneda Airport diverted to Kolkata
A Delhi-bound Air India flight from Tokyo's Haneda Airport was diverted to Kolkata on Sunday due to 'persistent warm temperature' in the cabin. The aircraft, however, landed safely, Air India said in a statement. Alternative arrangements are being made to fly our passengers to Delhi at the earliest, the airline statement said.\
Congress targets Centre over Indian defence attache's remarks on 'loss of fighter jets' during Operation Sindoor
Citing an Indian defence attache's remarks in Indonesia that the Indian Air Force lost fighter jets to Pakistan during Operation Sindoor because of 'political constraints', the Congress on Sunday charged the government of 'misleading' the country. The party also asked why Prime Minister Narendra Modi was 'refusing' to preside over an all-party meeting to take the Opposition into confidence, and why the demand for a special session of Parliament was rejected.
Netanyahu sees 'opportunities' to free Gaza hostages
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Sunday that his country's 'victory' over Iran in their 12-day war had created 'opportunities', including for freeing hostages held in Gaza. 'Many opportunities have opened up now following this victory. First of all, to rescue the hostages,' Mr. Netanyahu said in an address to officers of the security services.
Intercepted Iranian communications downplay damage from U.S. attack: Reports
Intercepted Iranian communications downplayed the extent of damage caused by U.S. strikes on Iran's nuclear program, the Washington Post reported on Sunday, citing four people familiar with classified intelligence circulating within the U.S. government. A source, who declined to be named, confirmed that account to Reuters but said there were serious questions about whether the Iranian officials were being truthful, and described the intercepts as unreliable indicators.
Lando Norris holds off Oscar Piastri to win Formula 1's Austrian Grand Prix
In the week when the 'F1' movie hit theaters, Formula 1 delivered some real-life cinematic moments of its own. Teammates fought for the lead and came close to colliding as Lando Norris held off a race-long challenge from his McLaren teammate Oscar Piastri to win the Austrian Grand Prix on Sunday and lift his title hopes. Norris and Piastri battled for the lead early on, with the Australian briefly into the lead before Norris took the position back. A rash lunge by Piastri nearly caused a collision soon after.
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India Gazette
34 minutes ago
- India Gazette
Odisha: Devotees throng Puri on fourth day of annual Rath Yatra
Puri (Odisha) [India], June 30 (ANI): On the fourth day of Rath Yatra, devotees gathered in large numbers to witness and be part of the grand event. The Rath Yatra began on June 27 from Jagannath Temple here. July 5 will mark the conclusion of the event, known as 'Bahuda Yatra'. A devotee named Anita, who got the opportunity to pull the chariot, shared her excitement and said, 'We have been feeling lucky for the last two days because when we first came here, the Lord gave us darshan on the chariot. There was a huge crowd, but even amidst that, it seemed like he was protecting us.' 'After the stampede yesterday morning, our family members were worried. However, we don't feel any chaos here. Everything is good here and everyone is kind. We are very blessed to see such beautiful scenes,' she further added. Another devotee, Deepak Rawat, who was attending the Rath Yatra for the first time, said, 'I have come here for the first time and Lord Jagannath has given me a wonderful opportunity to pull the chariot. I want to thank Lord Jagannath so that he can provide such opportunities to everyone and fulfil everyone's wishes.' Three devotees lost their lives and several others were injured in Sunday's stampede at the world-famous Rath Yatra of Lord Jagannath in Puri. Odisha Law Minister Prithiviraj Harichandan called the stampede 'very unfortunate' and said that appropriate action will be taken after the completion of investigation. 'The incident is very unfortunate. The state government has taken strict action and a senior officer will investigate the incident. We will take action once we get the report of the investigation,' Harichandan told reporters. He added, 'Mahaprabhu, with his wish, he gives darshan to his devotees. Tomorrow, the devotees will have the opportunity to offer prayers. I prayed to Mahaprabhu for the well-being of everyone.' Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi expressed deep sorrow over the incident and announced a financial assistance of 25 lakh to the families of each deceased devotee. He also assured that strict action would be taken against those responsible and pledged to prevent such tragedies in the future. Following the incident, the state government has ordered a high-level administrative inquiry to be supervised by the Development Commissioner. Puri Superintendent of Police Pinak Mishra has been appointed in place of the previous SP, and Puri Collector Siddharth Shankar Swain has been replaced by Chanchal Rana. Odisha DCP Vishnu Pati and Commandant Ajay Padhi were also suspended for negligence of duty. (ANI)
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First Post
36 minutes ago
- First Post
Iran's nuclear programme wasn't 'obliterated' or 'set back decades', as Trump said
Contrary to Donald Trump's assertions, Iran's nuclear infrastructure was damaged and not destroyed and experts and leaked intelligence assessments indicate the programme could be revived within months read more A satellite image shows airstrike craters over the underground centrifuge halls of the Natanz Enrichment Facility, following US airstrikes amid the Iran-Israel conflict, in Natanz County, Iran. Maxar Technologies/Reuters Despite US President Donald Trump's repeated assertions that Iran's nuclear programme has been 'obliterated' and 'set back decades,' early intelligence assessments suggest otherwise. A preliminary analysis from the US Defence Intelligence Agency (DIA), reported in American media, indicated that American and Israeli airstrikes on June 21 only delayed Iran's nuclear activities by a matter of months, not decades, and certainly not eliminated them. The DIA's report, though classified, was cited by multiple sources familiar with internal assessments. These officials suggested that the damage, while significant, did not dismantle the core industrial and technological infrastructure that underpins Iran's nuclear ambitions. The White House has pushed back hard against this narrative, with Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt calling the idea that 'unnamed Iranian officials' could know the extent of the damage 'nonsense,' asserting instead that 'their nuclear weapons program is over.' STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD IAEA director: Damage 'severe but not total' Echoing the cautious tone of US intelligence, Rafael Grossi, the director general of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), told CBS News that while the strikes had caused severe damage, the destruction was not total. He emphasised that Iran still retained the ability to resume uranium enrichment within a matter of months, noting that the necessary capacities remained in place. He explained that Iran could operate a few cascades of centrifuges to produce enriched uranium, or even less than that. Grossi also warned against assuming that Iran's nuclear program had been eliminated. He said that, frankly, one could not claim that everything had disappeared and that nothing remained. He stressed that Iran's knowledge base and industrial capabilities were still intact, making it possible for enrichment activities to resume once operational challenges were overcome. Intercepted Iranian communications suggest limited damage The Washington Post reported that intercepted communications between senior Iranian officials seemed to show a consensus that the attacks were less devastating than initially feared. The newspaper cited four individuals with knowledge of the intercepted messages, suggesting that Iranian leadership had assessed the damage to their facilities as relatively contained. However, the credibility of these communications remains a subject of debate within intelligence circles. Another source, quoted by Reuters, confirmed their existence but labelled them 'unreliable indicators' of the real state of Iran's nuclear programme. A disputed narrative from the Trump administration Trump has remained unwavering in his version of events. In an interview with Fox News' Sunday Morning Futures, he described the operation as a 'spectacular military success,' claiming the nuclear programme was 'obliterated like nobody's ever seen before'. His defence secretary, Pete Hegseth, echoed this, insisting the strikes marked the 'end to their nuclear ambitions'. Yet, during a Pentagon press briefing, Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Dan Caine struck a more measured tone. Caine admitted that the full battle damage assessment was still ongoing and said it was 'too early' to determine exactly what capabilities Iran retained. He did, however, note that initial assessments showed 'extremely severe damage and destruction' at the targeted sites in Fordow, Natanz and Isfahan. Enrichment capacity could rebound quickly Despite the high-impact nature of the strikes, experts, including Grossi believed that Iran could resume uranium enrichment relatively quickly. He said if Iran wished to do so, it would be able to start the process again. He said that Iran was a very sophisticated country in terms of nuclear technology, and that its ability to restart centrifuge operations was based on years of accumulated knowledge that could not simply be undone. Grossi also highlighted the absence of IAEA inspectors on the ground as a critical blind spot. Since the strikes, Iran has denied inspectors access to the targeted facilities, citing security and political concerns. Tehran's UN ambassador, Amir Saeid Iravani, insisted inspectors were 'in Iran' but said they could not access specific sites. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Khamenei and mixed Iranian messaging The response from Iran's leadership has been uneven. Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei reportedly dismissed the airstrikes as ineffective, saying they achieved 'nothing significant'. Yet Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi acknowledged that the damage was 'excessive and serious'. This inconsistency has fuelled speculation that Iran may be deliberately downplaying the impact while preserving the appearance of resilience. Iran's military leadership, meanwhile, has expressed scepticism over Israel's commitment to the recently declared ceasefire. Armed forces chief Abdolrahim Mousavi said Tehran was prepared to respond 'with all our power' if provoked again. Diplomatic options still on the table Despite the heightened tensions, Grossi reiterated the importance of a diplomatic resolution. He said that the situation, following the military strikes, would ultimately require a long-lasting solution, which could only be a diplomatic one. He also noted that although Iran had consistently asserted its nuclear program was intended for peaceful purposes, the IAEA had been unable to verify those claims because Iran had refused to answer very important questions. Military action, limited impact While the Trump administration has celebrated the June 21 strikes as a decisive blow against Iran's nuclear programme, a growing body of evidence from intelligence assessments and international experts suggests a far more modest result. The damage to Iran's nuclear infrastructure was 'severe' but by no means 'total,' and the core capabilities — technological, industrial, and intellectual — remain intact. Iran could, according to the IAEA, begin spinning centrifuges again within months. As Grossi warned, military strikes alone are unlikely to end Iran's nuclear ambitions. With inspectors still barred and the region on edge, the enduring solution appears to lie not in airpower but in diplomacy.
Time of India
39 minutes ago
- Time of India
Stampedes, war, plane crash, and floods: India's 2025 mid-year report paints a tragic picture
India faced a challenging six months. Stampedes at Kumbh Mela, New Delhi Railway Station, Bengaluru, and Puri caused many deaths. A terror attack occurred in Pahalgam. India and Pakistan had military confrontations. An Air India flight crashed in Ahmedabad. Floods and landslides affected northeastern India and Himachal Pradesh. These events resulted in numerous casualties, injuries, and displacement across the country. Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Stampedes kill scores at religious and public events Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads India-Pakistan tensions Air India flight crash Floods and landslides India has witnessed one of the most difficult six-month periods in recent memory. A series of deadly stampedes, an aviation disaster, military confrontation with Pakistan, and widespread flooding have left hundreds dead and many more injured or displaced. As the country steps into the second half of 2025, it carries the weight of these crises while bracing for what may come next. Kumbh Stampede : The year began with a tragedy at one of India's largest religious gatherings. On January 29, a stampede during the Maha Kumbh Mela in Prayagraj killed 30 people and injured 60. The incident occurred around 2 am when large crowds were gathering at the Sangam. According to police, barricades placed at the ghats broke, causing people to step on devotees who were resting on the weeks later, on February 15, 18 people were killed and 15 injured in a stampede at New Delhi Railway Station. The victims, mostly pilgrims heading to Prayagraj, were caught in chaos on platforms 12, 13, and 14. Delhi Police attributed the panic to delays and confusion between the Prayagraj Express and the Prayagraj Special trains amid June 4, celebrations turned tragic in Bengaluru. After Royal Challengers Bengaluru won their first IPL title, massive crowds gathered near the Chinnaswamy Stadium. A stampede occurred, killing 11 people and injuring 33 as lakhs of fans crowded the than a month later, another stampede struck during the Rath Yatra in Puri on June 29. Three people died and more than 50 were injured. The incident raised new concerns about public safety at major events, especially after the Bengaluru April 22, 2025, five militants from The Resistance Front, an offshoot of Lashkar-e-Taiba, opened fire in the Baisaran meadows near Pahalgam tourist spot. They targeted 26 civilians, mostly Hindu tourists, and 20 others were injured. The attackers used AK-47s and M4 carbines, reportedly questioning victims' religion before executing them. One local Muslim pony operator was also killed as he tried to interveneIn May, relations between India and Pakistan reached a critical point. A terror attack in Pahalgam prompted India to launch airstrikes on May 7. The operation targeted nine terror camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. According to government sources, over 100 militants were responded by launching drones and missiles on Indian cities in Punjab and Rajasthan. The exchange escalated into a four-day conflict, resulting in casualties and infrastructure damage on both sides. A ceasefire was reached on May 11, but tensions continue to March 22, Air India flight AI 171 crashed minutes after takeoff from Ahmedabad's Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport. The London-bound Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner went down in a residential area, hitting two buildings. The crash killed all 242 passengers and crew on board. It marked India's worst aviation accident in over a monsoon rains caused widespread flooding in northeastern India starting in late May. According to Sphere India, at least 47 people died due to floods and landslides — 17 in Assam, 12 in Arunachal Pradesh, six each in Meghalaya and Mizoram, three in Sikkim, two in Tripura, and one in Assam alone, more than four lakh people across 15 districts were affected, as per the state's disaster management authority. In Manipur, flash floods displaced over 56,000 people due to overflowing rivers and breached from June 22 to 29, Himachal Pradesh saw flash floods that killed 17 people and caused heavy damage to roads and bridges. Early estimates by the state's Public Works Department placed the damage at Rs 300 crore. Northern states, including Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand, continue to experience the impact of ongoing rains.
