Iran-U.S. deal under strain as Israel targets LebanonIsrael’s military said on Friday (June 19, 2026) that it had struck more than 80 Hezbollah targets in Lebanon and killed dozens of its members in response to what it described as ceasefire violations. “Overnight, the Israel Defence Forces (IDF military) struck more than 80 command centres, terrorists, launch positions, and additional terrorist infrastructure sites in the area of Nabatieh and additional areas in southern Lebanon, within the Security Zone and beyond it,” an Army statement said. “Furthermore, during the strikes, dozens of Hezbollah terrorists operating in the command centres were eliminated.” Meanwhile, a newly signed deal to end the West Asia war was already under strain, after talks in Switzerland were postponed and fighting flared between Israel and Hezbollah in Lebanon.Delhi High Court rejects Telegram’s appeal against temporary banDelhi High Court on Friday (June 19, 2026) declined to grant relief to Telegram, upholding the government’s decision for a temporary ban in view of the NEET-UG re-examination on June 21, 2026. The Court said that the centre followed all norms and due process, adding that the government is empowered under Section 69A to block Telegram. Justice Tejas Karia noted that the government’s proactive measures are the least restrictive, adding that it cannot be held that the order is disproportionate or there was no application of mind before taking the temporary ban decision, as alleged by the petitioner.Supreme Court declares right to walk on footpath a fundamental right, wants lawThe Supreme Court on Friday (June 19), in a judgment, declared the freedom to walk on demarcated and well-maintained footpaths a fundamental right which has priority over movement by motorised vehicles. “If a road exists, there must then be a duty to ensure that a footpath is demarcated and maintained for the walkers. This is an enforceable duty. The fundamental right to walk on demarcated footpaths shall override the privilege of a motorised vehicle,” Justice P.S. Narasimha, who authored the judgment, held. The judgment came in a case of the death of a five-year-old boy who was crushed to death by a truck while walking to the neighbourhood school with his father.Supreme Court flags ‘brain drain’ in legal profession, directs creation of fund for young lawyersObserving that the legal profession risks a “brain drain” if financially struggling young lawyers are compelled to abandon litigation for careers offering greater financial stability, the Supreme Court on Friday (June 19, 2026) directed the creation of a “Young Lawyers’ Professional Assistance Fund” in every State and Union Territory. A Bench comprising Chief Justice of India Surya Kant and Justice V. Mohana noted that the initial years of legal practice often impose severe financial hardships, particularly on first-generation lawyers and those from economically disadvantaged backgrounds. It pointed out that many promising young advocates are forced to leave the profession in order to continue supporting their families as “primary breadwinners”.Great Nicobar project: Jairam Ramesh says Environment Minister Yadav’s Nicobar defence ‘disappointing’Congress Rajya Sabha MP Jairam Ramesh on Friday (June 19, 2026) termed Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav’s latest defence of the Great Nicobar Island Project “disappointing and unsatisfactory.” He charged the Ministry of an “extraordinary level of non-transparency” in withholding reports, studies and plans on the project’s environmental safeguards. Mr. Ramesh was replying to a letter from Mr. Yadav dated June 13, which was itself a response to the Congress leader’s communication of June 3. The exchange is the latest in a sustained correspondence stretching back well over a year, in which Mr. Ramesh has repeatedly challenged the adequacy of the project’s environmental impact assessments and the secrecy around the High-Powered Committee (HPC) report on the proposed transshipment port’s coastal regulation status.‘Operation Tiger’: Aaditya Thackeray calls six dissident Shiv Sena (UBT) MPs ‘shameless and ungrateful’Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Aaditya Thackeray on Friday (June 19, 2026) termed his party’s dissident MPs “shameless, ungrateful, and corrupt” individuals who betrayed those that helped them win in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls. This is the first reaction on the matter amid speculation about the alleged rebellion of six Lok Sabha MPs of Shiv Sena (UBT), which could lead to a split in the party for a second time in a span of four years. In a rebellion dubbed as ‘Operation Tiger’, the six Sena (UBT) MPs in question — Sanjay Dina Patil, Sanjay Deshmukh, Sanjay Jadhav, Bhausaheb Wakchaure, Nagesh Patil-Ashtikar and Omprakash Raje Nimbalkar — are likely to join the ruling Shiv Sena led by Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde.T.N. Assembly unanimously adopts resolution against Karnataka government’s Mekedatu dam proposalThe Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly on Friday (June 19, 2026) unanimously adopted a resolution moved by Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay objecting to the proposal of the Karnataka government for constructing a balancing reservoir across Cauvery at Mekedatu. “This august House records its strong objection to the unilateral attempt of the Karnataka government to construct a dam across Cauvery at Mekedatu without respecting the final award given by Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal on February 5, 2007, and the Supreme Court judgment on February 16, 2018, without obtaining the concurrence of the concerned basin States, and without securing any approval from the Union government,” read the resolution moved by Mr. Vijay.Kerala Budget charts plan to make State a leading ‘unified Port City’The Revised Kerala Budget for the financial year 2026–27, presented by Chief Minister V.D. Satheesan on Friday, outlines an ambitious vision to transform Kerala into one of India’s leading maritime and logistics hubs by leveraging the immense potential of the Vizhinjam International Seaport. Terming Kerala as a unified ‘Port City’, the Budget proposes harnessing the integrated strengths of the State’s 600-km coastline, 17 non-major ports, two major ports, and its extensive road, rail, sea, and inland waterway networks.Ex-Bengal minister Jyoti Priya Mallick quits TMC posts; Goutam Deb resigns as Siliguri mayorThe leadership crisis in the Mamata Banerjee-led Trinamool Congress (TMC) deepened on Friday (June 19, 2026) as former West Bengal Minister Jyoti Priya Mallick resigned from all party organisational posts citing health concerns, while senior North Bengal leader Goutam Deb stepped down as mayor of the Siliguri Municipal Corporation. Mr. Mallick, a longtime associate of the TMC supremo, said he had already communicated his decision to the party leadership. Deb, on the other hand, sent his resignation to the commissioner of the Siliguri civic body, foregoing his official vehicle and security detail, officials said.India calls Pakistan a ‘Frankenstein state’ at U.N.; accuses it of supporting terrorismIndia has slammed Pakistan at the United Nations, calling it a “Frankenstein state” that gets shocked when its “own monster bites back”, as it accused Islamabad of “hosting, training and deploying” terrorists. The remarks were made by Anupama Singh, First Secretary at India’s Permanent Mission to the United Nations, on Wednesday (June 17, 2026), after Pakistan and the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) raised the issue of Jammu and Kashmir during the Interactive Dialogue on the UN High Commissioner’s annual report.Board approves Jio IPO, DRHP to be filed on June 19 with SEBI: Mukesh Ambani“The Board of Jio Platforms has approved its DRHP, and it will be filed with SEBI today,” said Mukesh Ambani, CMD, Reliance Industries Ltd (RIL). Speaking at the Annual General Meeting in Mumbai on Friday (June 19, 2026), Mr. Ambani said “This is a deeply emotional moment for me, for the entire Reliance Family, and millions of its shareholders.” The relationship Reliance shares with its shareholders is “a deep and sacred relationship founded on pride, trust, respect, and shared growth” — a commitment deeply personal to Dhirubhai Ambani and equally sacred to mr, Mr Ambani said.Hormuz ship crossings spike after U.S.-Iran deal to end war, says marine trackerA total of 25 commercial vessels crossed the newly reopened Strait of Hormuz on Thursday (June 18, 2026), the highest number since mid-April, according to data from maritime tracking firm AXSMarine published on Friday. The spike came after Iran and the United States agreed to reopen the crucial route under an agreement to end the war, but before the cancellation of talks between the sides in Switzerland that had been planned under that deal. On June 18 “we observed 25 verified commercial vessel crossings through the Strait of Hormuz – the highest single-day count since 18 April and more than five times the average daily level recorded during the first ten days of June,” AXSMarine said in a news release.Andy Burnham wins key U.K. poll, paving way for bid to challenge PM Keir StarmerVeteran U.K. Labour politician Andy Burnham emphatically won a crunch by-election on Friday (June 19, 2026), securing a parliamentary seat and clearing the way for a widely expected leadership challenge against beleaguered Prime Minister Keir Starmer. Mr. Burnham, a former Minister who has been Greater Manchester Mayor since 2017, ensured his return to parliament by easily beating the hard-right Reform U.K. party’s candidate in the Makerfield constituency in northwest England.Lionel Messi’s family confirms father experiencing health-related issueAs Argentina legend Lionel Messi makes history at the World Cup, his father is experiencing a “health situation” that prompted family members to release a statement on Thursday (June 18, 2026). Jorge ​Messi is “under medical supervision” as he continues to recover from a medical condition that ‌was not revealed. The family statement said he is “progressing favorably.” Speculation about ​the star player’s 68-year-old father, Jorge, prompted a terse tone ⁠in the family statement.Manika Batra seeks Union Sports Minister’s intervention for Asian Games exclusionIndia’s leading women’s paddler, Manika Batra, has sought the intervention of the Sports Ministry and the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) after being omitted from the country’s table tennis squad for the Asian Games, questioning the transparency and consistency of the selection process. In a strongly-worded statement issued on Thursday (June 18, 2026) night, hours after the squad was officially announced, the former Asian Games medallist said her exclusion was “deeply disheartening, not only because of the outcome, but because of the manner in which the selection criteria appear to have been interpreted and applied.”