Top news of the day: Iran prepares week-long funeral ceremonies for Khamenei; Defence Acquisition Council approves ₹52,000 crore worth military purchase, and more
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.
‘When all else fails, people still repose their trust in the judiciary’: INDIA bloc leaders in letter to CJI
Alleging manipulation of elections, partisan conduct by the Election Commission of India, and misuse of central investigative agencies against Opposition parties, INDIA bloc leaders, in a joint memorandum addressed to Chief Justice of India Justice Surya Kant, said they were taking the unusual step of reaching out to the CJI because they believed that “democracy is in jeopardy”. The letter, dated June 28, was released to the media by the Opposition on Friday (July 3, 2026). Signed by leaders of 24 Opposition parties, including independent MP Kapil Sibal, it detailed concerns over the Special Intensive Revision in West Bengal and Bihar. The leaders also made a direct accusation, alleging that they believed recently conducted elections in Delhi, Haryana, and Maharashtra had been “manipulated”.
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.
Supreme Court refuses to stay bail granted to Sonam Raghuvanshi in honeymoon murder case
The Supreme Court on Friday refused to stay the bail granted to Sonam Raghuvanshi, who was arrested in connection with the May 23 murder of her newlywed husband, Indore-based businessman Raja Raghuvanshi, during their honeymoon in the hill State. While the court acknowledged that the allegations against Ms. Raghuvanshi were “quite serious”, it declined to send her back to judicial custody after being informed that she had already been released. “Prima facie, we would have stayed the order of bail, but since she has already been released, we would not want to intervene,” the Bench observed, while posting the matter for further hearing on July 9.
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.
Plea in Supreme Court seeks an end to ‘coaching Raj’, dummy school nexus
A petition seeking to end India’s “coaching Raj” and the framing of a national framework designed to eradicate the “dummy school” nexus affecting children’s mental health is set to be listed in the Supreme Court. Urging the court to protect the sanctity of the fundamental right to equal educational opportunities, the writ petition filed by advocate Narendra Kumar Goswami said the state cannot run schools by day and “surrender children to coaching factories by night”.
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.
Madras High Court denies advance bail to DMK MLA for his objectionable remarks against T.N. CM Vijay
Tiruchendur DMK MLA and former Fisheries Minister Anitha R. Radhakrishnan was arrested at Authoor in the Thoothukudi district on Friday for allegedly making derogatory remarks against Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay during a public meeting held on June 20. The arrest came shortly after the Madras High Court dismissed an anticipatory bail plea filed by Mr. Radhakrishnan in a case registered by the Authoor police in the Thoothukudi district over his alleged objectionable remarks against the Chief Minister.
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.
Venezuela’s Acting President Rodríguez angrily defends earthquake response
Venezuela’s U.S.-backed acting President Delcy Rodríguez issued a fiery defence of her government’s response to last week’s devastating earthquakes. She lashed out at critics who say authorities reacted too slowly, pushing back on suggestions that the true death toll is far higher than the government has acknowledged and rejecting accusations that the nation’s shoddily constructed social housing exacerbated the disaster.
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.