1. Egyptian Court To Hear Al Jazeera Journalists’ Trial Today
A Cairo court on adjourned the trial of three Al Jazeera television journalists for four days after hearing the prosecution’s closing argument that their reporting had endangered Egypt’s national security. The trial will resume today. Australian journalist Peter Greste, who was released in February after 400 days in jail and deported, has not returned for the trial and the presiding judge only mentioned him once when reading out the names of the accused.
2. Special Court Hearing on Additional Spectrum Case
A special court will today hear arguments on the pleas filed by two companies, charge sheet by CBI in additional spectrum allocation case of 2002, which question its jurisdiction to deal with the matter. Special CBI Judge O P Saini will preside over the hearing and he said that the bail plea of former Telecom Secretary Shyamal Ghosh, an accused in the case, would also be heard today.
3. Egypt Court to Decide Mubarak Trial Appeal Today
Its a busy day for courts in Egypt as an appeals court set today as the verdict date on a prosecution’s plea against dropping murder charges against ex-president Hosni Mubarak over killing of protesters during the 2011 uprising that ended his 30-year rule. The Court of Cassation had met to examine the prosecution appeal and announced that the decision will be given today.
4. BCCI Advisory Panel: Sachin, Ganguly, Laxman will Meet in Kolkata
The newly appointed cricket advisory panel comprising Sachin Tendulkar, Sourav Ganguly and VVS Laxman will hold its first meeting in Kolkata today with BCCI president Jagmohan Dalmiya and secretary Anurag Thakur before the Indian team leaves for Bangladesh.
5. Employees of SBI Associate Banks to go on Strike
A section of employees of five associate banks of SBI will go on strike today to protest against the proposal for merger of associate banks with the parent. Bank employees under the banner of State Sector Bank Employees Association (SSBEA) will go on nationwide strike on June 4, S K Gautam, the Secretary of SSBEA, had said.
6. China Detains Dissidents, Activists Ahead of Tiananmen Square Anniversary
Chinese authorities detained dozens of outspoken dissidents and rights activists across the country ahead of the anniversary of the 1989 Tiananmen square military crackdown on the democracy movement. Some were placed under house arrest, others have been forced to go “on vacation” with police. Among those targeted by state security police was Bao Tong, 82, a former top ruling Chinese Communist Party aide to late former premier Zhao Ziyang, who fell from power in the wake of the 1989 “Beijing Spring.”
7. Shailesh Nayak is India’s Candidate for top WMO Post
Shailesh Nayak, an Indian scientist and bureaucrat, is contesting the election for the top post at the Geneva-based World Meteorological Organisation (WMO). “One of the decisions that will be taken on Thursday is the appointment of the next secretary general,” said Clare Nullis, spokesperson for WMO. The results of the election are due on June 4, said the WMO.
8. Anniversary of The First Pulitzer Prize
Today is the anniversary of the the esteemed Pulitzer Prize, an award for achievements in newspaper and online journalism, literature, and musical composition. The award was established in 1917 by provisions in the will of Hungarian-American publisher Joseph Pulitzer, and is administered by the Columbia University in New York. Prizes are awarded yearly in twenty-one categories. The winner in the public service category of the journalism competition is awarded a gold medal.
9. Nutan’s Birth Anniversary
Nutan Samarth Bahl, better known as Nutan, regarded as one of the finest female actors in the history of Hindi cinema was born today in 1936. Nutan was noted for playing unconventional parts, and appeared in more than 70 Hindi films in a career spanning over four decades.
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