Blast Near Indian Embassy in Kabul, Dozens Injured and 5 Other Updates

1. Blast Near Indian Embassy in Kabul, Dozens Injured

A massive blast, on Wednesday morning, rocked the diplomatic area of Kabul, leaving around 50 people injured. It was said to be a suicide bomb attack and it took place at the Wazir Akbar Khan area which is near to the Indian Embassy in Kabul. Several houses, as well as buildings, were damaged in the blast and the Indian Embassy officials were reported safe, barring some damages to the building they were in. Union External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj confirmed the news on Twitter.

2. Babri Masjid Case: Charges Framed Against LK Advani, MM Joshi, Uma Bharti and Others

A special CBI court in Lucknow on Tuesday framed charges against senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders LK Advani, MM Joshi, Uma Bharti and others, under the Section 120B (punishment of criminal conspiracy) of the Indian Penal Code in relation to the Babri Masjid demolition case. However, they were granted bail by the court after producing personal bonds worth Rs 50,000 each. Other accused who appeared before the special CBI court were BJP MP Vinay Katiyar, Vishnu Hari Dalmiya, Sadhvi Ritambara, Ramjanmabhoomi Trust chief Nritya Gopal Das, Baikunth Lal Sharma alias Prem Ji, Ram Vilas Vedanti, Satish Pradhan, Champat Rai Bansal and Dharma Das.

All of them were named in the First Investigation Report (FIR) filed after the demolition of Babri Masjid on 6th December, 1992 and were accused of allegedly instigating the mob as well as conspiring behind the demolition of the disputed structure. All the 12 accused had to appear in the court on May 25 and 26, but sought an exemption. Then the CBI court called all of them on 30th May, warning them that no exemption would be allowed.

3. US Successfully Test Fires Interceptor Missile In Wake Of North Korea’s Threat

The Pentagon, on Tuesday, successfully test-fired an upgraded long-range interceptor missile developed in the country which shot down a US intercontinental ballistic missile and the step is widely seen as a test of US’ own ability to counter a North Korean missile. Pentagon’s Missile Defense Agency’s director, Vice Admiral Jim Syring said, “The intercept of a complex, threat-representative ICBM target is an incredible accomplishment…a critical milestone for this program”. These interceptors are tested by the US every two years, but out of the 10 test so far, only five have been successful, the last one being in 2014. The recent test by the Donald Trump administration comes just days after North Korea had launched a short-range ballistic missile, which traveled about 280 miles before landing in the Sea of Japan.

4. IIT Delhi Student’s Body Found Hanging in Her Hostel Room

On Tuesday, the body of Ph.D. student at the Indian Institute of Technology-Delhi (IITD) was found hanging from the ceiling fan in her hostel room. No suicide note was recovered from the 27-year-old, Manjula Devak’s room who was a final year water resources student at one of the most prominent colleges in India. Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police, Chinmoy Biswal said that her husband as well as parents, who live in Bhopal, have been informed about Manjula’s death and the police are investigating the matter. He added, “We are investigating all possible reasons behind her decision to take the extreme step since no suicide note was found on her person or from the scene. The Vasant Vihar police station is investigating the matter”.

5. Punjab Police Arrests Three Assam Youths In Pathankot

The Punjab Police on Wednesday arrested three Assam youths in Pathankot on the basis of suspicion and their links to the recovery of a bag that was found on Monday containing three Army uniforms. A joint search operation by the Indian Army, Punjab Police and other security agencies was launched in the area after the recovery of the bag. The three young men from Assam were taken into the custody for investigation and questions while the area still remains on high-alert in order to prevent a terror attack.

6. Market Hits Fresh High, Rupee Rebounds Against US Dollar

BSE’s Benchmark Sensex achieved a new intra-day high of 31,233.68 after gaining 74.28 points on Wednesday morning as investors opted for sustained buying. NSE’s Nifty also walked on a similar path and touched a fresh lifetime high of 9,638.70 after gaining 14.15 points. Indian Rupee, on the other hand, strengthened by 13 paise against the US Dollar on fresh selling of the American currency by exporters and banks. The greenback was valued at Rs 64.53 during the early trade on Wednesday.