1. Mosul, Iraq's second largest city, falls to rebel group ISIS (Islamic State of Iraq and Al-Shams) as citizens and government forces flee.
- Its the second big city after Fallujah (in January) to be captured by al-Qaida offshoot ISIS insurgents.
- Mosul, referred as political and economic capital of Sunni Iraq, is located at a strategically vital intersection on routes linking Iraq to Turkey and Syria.
- Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki asks parliament to declare a state of emergency.
2. Reuven Rivlin to be the next president of Israel.
- The veteran Likud Party leader and former Parliament speaker, will have a 7-year stint at the ceremonial post.
- He will replace Shimon Peres, 90, after his term ends in late July.
3. Prime Minister disbands four cabinet committees - another legacy of previous UPA government - as part of his efforts to spur up decision-making processes.
- The scrapped committees are namely - Cabinet Committee on Unique Identification Authority (UIDAI), Cabinet Committee on Prices, the Cabinet Committee on Management of Natural Calamities and the Cabinet Committee on World Trade Organisation Matters.
4. ‘The Substance and the Shadow’ - autobiography of iconic Bollywood actor Dilip Kumar - has been released in Mumbai.
- It has been written by former journalist Udaya Tara Nayar.
- The 91-year-old actor, born as Muhammad Yusuf Khan in Peshawar (Pakistan), spent his childhood in Maharashtra.
- Known as ‘the ultimate method actor’, he has given hits like Mela, Naya Daur, Aan, Devdas, Madhumati and Mughal-E-Azam.
- He was honoured with Padma Bhushan, India’s third-highest civilian award in 1991, the Dadasaheb Phalke Award in 1994 and Pakistan’s highest civilian award Nishan-e-Imtiaz in 1998,
- He also holds the Guinness World Record for winning the maximum number of awards by an Indian actor.
5. PK Mishra has been appointed as Additional Principal Secretary to Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
- He, considered close to Modi, has held various key positions at the Centre and in the Gujarat government.
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