Morning Digest | Amit Shah to review J&K security situation today; dozens of children rescued from liquor factory in Madhya Pradesh

The Hindu Morning Digest gives a select list of stories to start the day. Read the top news today on June 16, 2024

At least 58 children, including 20 girls, were rescued from a liquor factory in Madhya Pradesh’s Raisen district where they were working, with the skin on their hands found to be burnt due to exposure to chemicals. “This institute [liquor factory] is run under the supervision of the Excise Department of the Government. The office of the Excise Officer is also located in the same campus,” said National Commission for Protection of Child Rights chairperson Priyank Kanoongo. 

Union Home Minister Amit Shah will take stock of the security situation in Jammu and Kashmir in the wake of the recent terror attacks there and is expected to give broad guidelines to intensify counter-terror operations, sources said. The Home Minister will also review the preparation for the annual Amarnath pilgrimage set to start on June 29.

India has a “significant role” in finding a solution to the ongoing violence in Gaza, said Palestinian Prime Minister Muhammad Mustafa in a congratulatory letter written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi. In the letter written on June 12, Dr. Mustafa described the Israeli action against Palestinians as a “genocide” and urged an immediate ceasefire. India has maintained its long-held position on “two-state solution” for the Israel-Palestinian crisis while also maintaining relations with Israel which in the absence of a large number of Palestinian labourers opened up its Iabour market for Indian migrant workers.

The constituents of the Maha Vikas Aghadi put up a show of unity, and declared that they would contest the upcoming Assembly election in Maharashtra as an alliance. Nationalist Congress Party (SP) president Sharad Pawar and Mr. Thackeray said that they will not take back legislators who deserted them and joined rebel factions.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit his Parliamentary constituency Varanasi on June 18 for the first time after assuming office for a third consecutive term, during which he will release the 17th installment of PM-KISAN scheme amounting to more than ₹20,000 crore for 9.26 crore beneficiary farmers across the country.

The Union Public Service Commission will conduct the Civil Services (Preliminary) Examination, 2024 today, across the country at various exam centres. With a several lakhs of candidates appearing for the examination across the country, various state transport departments have made arrangements for their smooth travel.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Italian counterpart Giorgia Meloni have reviewed the progress of the bilateral strategic partnership and agreed to strengthen cooperation in global fora and multilateral initiatives, including the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor. The two leaders met on June 14 towards the end of Prime Minister Modi's day-long visit to Apulia, southern Italy, during which he thanked the Italian Prime Minister for the invitation to attend the G7 Summit.