A look at the headlines right now:

  1. BJP fails to counter united Opposition in UP, wins just two seats in bye-elections across 10 states: Shiv Sena alleged discrepancies in counting at Palghar.   
  2. India’s GDP growth rises from 7% to 7.7% in last quarter of 2017-’18: The government estimated a 6.7% growth in GDP in the financial year 2017-’18.
  3. Two more die of Nipah infection in Kerala taking the toll to 16, says reports: As many as nine people are now under surveillance at the Kozhikode Medical College Hospital for symptoms of the virus.
  4. Commonwealth Games gold medallist Sanjita Chanu fails dope test, provisionally suspended: The Indian weightlifter had won a gold in the women’s 53kg category in the recent Gold Coast CWG.  
  5. Government receives no bids for Air India stake sale: Thursday was the deadline for submission of expressions of interest for the disinvestment.
  6. United States renames Pacific Command US Indo-Pacific Command in a gesture to India: The command is responsible for the country’s military activity in the greater Pacific region, and has about 3,75,000 civilian and military personnel.  
  7. Denmark passes law to ban use of burqa, niqab from August 1: The government said the bill is not aimed at any particular religion and does not ban headscarves, turbans or the Jewish skull cap.  
  8. Delhi High Court grants P Chidambaram interim protection from arrest till July 3: The court asked the former union finance minister to cooperate with the CBI during questioning.
  9. Two-day bank strike ends, unions claim it is a ‘total success’: Transactions worth Rs 43,400 crore were affected, the unions said.  
  10. Botswana seeks ECI’s help after Opposition party moves court against use of EVMs made in India: The African nation has urged the Election Commission to India to demonstrate before the court that the machines cannot be hacked.