TODAY NEWS ON July 04, 2026
News Headlines for CAT, CLAT and IPM aspirants
Source: The Hindu , Indian Express and others
PM Modi to make first official visit to New Zealand next week
New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon said on Friday that Prime Minister Narendra Modi will make his first official visit to New Zealand next week. “Prime Minister Modi’s visit is historic, with this being the first to New Zealand by an Indian Prime Minister in 40 years,” Mr. Luxon said in a statement. The visit reflects the growing momentum in the New Zealand-India relationship. Discussions between the leaders will include trade and investment, maritime security, education, technology, tourism, sport, and global issues, the statement added.
France deaths rose by 30% during heatwave
France endured a rise of nearly 30% in the number of deaths recorded during the week of June 22, the peak of a record-breaking heatwave that battered the country, the public health authority said Friday. Public Health France said in a new report there had been “an increase of 29.1%, corresponding to 2,025 additional deaths compared with the previous week” while noting that the figure was probably “an underestimate”. The number of deaths increased by 62% in the Paris region during the week starting 22 June, the report said. In June, France experienced a record-breaking heatwave which lasted around 11 days and saw temperatures climb above 40°C in many places.
Iran’s slain leader Khamenei laid in state in Tehran for week of mass funeral events
Iranian leaders began paying their respects on Friday before the coffin of the country’s late supreme leader Ali Khamenei, killed in the U.S.-Israeli strikes that triggered the war in West Asia, as Tehran prepared for a vast funeral. Khamenei’s body arrived at Tehran’s Grand Mosalla on Friday ahead of ceremonies which are expected to draw millions. Iran is staging a week of mass funeral processions for Khamenei — killed in February by U.S. and Israeli airstrikes at the start of a four-month war — in a show of public devotion to the Islamic Republic’s theocratic state and revolutionary fire.
Defence Acquisition Council approves ₹52,000 crore worth military purchase
The Defence Acquisition Council, chaired by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, on Friday accorded Acceptance of Necessity for defence acquisition proposals worth nearly ₹52,000 crore aimed at enhancing the operational capabilities of the Army, Navy and Air Force. The Ministry of Defence stated that for the Indian Army, the DAC approved the procurement of the Anti-Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Electronic Warfare System Akash Tarang, Man Portable Anti-Tank Guided Missile systems, Medium Range Surface-to-Air Missile (MRSAM) weapon systems, Very Short Range Air Defence Systems, Active Protection Systems for tanks and jet-based Kamikaze drone systems.
Heatwave disrupts Fourth of July events across eastern U.S.
A dangerous heat wave upended Fourth of July celebrations across swaths of the central and eastern U.S. on Friday (July 4, 2026), forcing officials in the nation’s capital and elsewhere to cancel or postpone dozens of parades, concerts and fireworks displays. Among the events disrupted by the sweltering heat was the Great American State Fair on the National Mall in Washington, a centerpiece of President Donald Trump’s efforts to mark the nation’s 250th birthday.
Eight held from Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh for suspected terror links
Eight persons, including two teenagers, have been arrested by the Gujarat Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS) for their alleged links to the Pakistan-based terror outfit Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM), officials said on Friday (July 3, 2026). ATS officials said they were trying to establish a Jaish network in Gujarat and other parts of the country, and planning terror attacks.
Customised model suitable for Ladakh will be adopted under Article 371, says Home Ministry draft
A customised sui generis model, which is most suitable for Ladakh, will be adopted under the provisions of Article 371 for the Union Territory of Ladakh, said the draft shared by a team of Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) with the leaders of civil society groups of the region on Friday (July 3, 2026).
Centre orders blocking of battery management apps used to turn off e-rickshaws
The Union government on Friday (July 3, 2026) issued orders to block battery management apps after some users discovered they were able to remotely use them to shut down e-rickshaw batteries even as those vehicles were transporting passengers, an official said. The developers of three such apps —named by a Ministry official— Shenzhen Grenergy Technology, Shenzhen Ruichuang Lineng Technology, and Daly BMS, did not respond to queries from The Hindu.
IT Ministry to summon Meta officials over report on child sexual abuse advertisements on Instagram
The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology is summoning Meta over a recent report about the proliferation of child sexual abuse material (CSAM) advertisements on Instagram. IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw directed “Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) officials to summon Meta on the matter of Instagram ads promoting child sexual abuse material in India,” an official said.
RSS calls for Hindu unity, seeks strict action against those guilty
In its first official reaction to the Ayodhya Ram temple embezzlement controversy, the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) on Friday (July 3, 2026) appealed to Hindus to “remain united” and urged the authorities to ensure strict punishment for those found guilty. It cautioned against “conspiracies (by) anti-Hindu, anti-national forces” to exploit the incident and “malign Hinduism and society”. Calling the alleged theft from the temple’s donation boxes “unfortunate”, RSS general secretary Dattatreya Hosabale said the incident had hurt the sentiments of Ram devotees and the wider Hindu society.
Places of Worship Act does not bar acquisition of religious sites for public purpose, says Allahabad HC
The Allahabad High Court on Thursday held that the Places of Worship (Special Provisions) Act, 1991, protects the religious character of places of worship but does not prohibit the State from acquiring such properties for a genuine public purpose, such as road widening or infrastructure development. The observation was made by a Division Bench of Justice J.J. Munir and Justice Arun Kumar while dismissing a petition filed by six Muslim shopkeepers from Varanasi’s Dalmandi area challenging the proposed road-widening project linked to the Kashi Vishwanath Corridor. The petitioners alleged that the project would lead to the demolition of their shops, which they said were their sole means of livelihood.
Finance Ministry relaxes restrictions on four China-linked companies to bid for government power projects
In a sign of a further thawing in India’s stance on Chinese investments, the government has issued an order allowing four companies with Chinese ownership or links to bid for projects tendered by the Indian government in the power sector. The order, dated June 24, 2026, was issued by the Procurement Policy Division of the Department of Expenditure under the Ministry of Finance and has been reviewed by The Hindu. Under the relaxation provided, four companies — TBEA Energy India, Nanjing Electric India, New Northeast Electric India, and Taikai Electric (India) — have been granted exemption from the restrictions for a period of two years.
At least 40 killed after bus falls into ravine in Pakistan’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa
At least 40 people, including women and children, were killed when a bus they were travelling in fell into a ravine in northwest Pakistan’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa on Friday, officials said. The incident took place when the Peshawar-bound bus entered Dera Ismail Khan district in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province after crossing Balochistan’s Sherani district. It is suspected that the brakes of the bus failed, and it skid off the road while navigating a tough bend in the mountainous area.
Death toll from massive strikes on Kyiv rises to 30
Ukraine said on Friday that the death toll from a massive barrage on its capital had risen to at least 30 people as both Kyiv and Moscow vowed fresh assaults. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said his forces would “definitely” retaliate for the Wednesday to Thursday overnight pummelling, as he inspected an apartment block that was partially destroyed. UN chief Secretary-General Antonio Guterres condemned Russia’s barrage and repeated a call for a ceasefire.
FIFA World Cup 2026 | Messi, Argentina beat Cabo Verde 3-2 in extra time thriller, advancing to Round of 16
Lionel Messi and Argentina beat Cabo Verde 3-2 on Friday (July 3, 2026) and advanced to the World Cup Round of 16 in a thrilling match in which the tiny island nation challenged the reigning champion until the final minutes of extra time. The go-ahead score for Argentina was credited as an own goal after Cristian Romero’s header deflected off Cabo Verde’s Diney Borges in the 111th minute.
LAST MONTHS G.K.
X