TODAY NEWS ON June 14, 2025
Source: The Print media ( THE HINDU, Indian Express and others)
Grief-stricken kin give DNA samples to identify victims
The air outside Ahmedabad’s Civil Hospital hung thick with unspoken grief. Dozens of families sat in rows, some clutching their family members, others staring blankly at the ground or photographs of loved ones on their mobile phones — waiting to give DNA samples that might finally bring their loved ones home. Inside the autopsy rooms, forensic teams moved through their grim work. Charred remains required careful examination; dental records became precious clues. The work continued through the night, matching what remained to names that once belonged to living, breathing people.
Black box recovered from roof of hostel mess building of B.J. Medical College: AAIB
The black box was recovered on Friday from the roof of the hostel mess building of B.J. Medical College where the Air India flight AI171 crashed into on Thursday (June 12, 2025), said the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB), a division of the Ministry of Aviation. Its analysis could provide vital clues about what triggered the disaster. A black box is a small device that records information about an aircraft during its flight. It helps in investigation of aviation accidents.
Search continues for woman and child missing after Air India flight crash at B.J. Medical College
Twenty-four hours after one of the worst aviation disasters in recent memory, Ravi Thakor stood outside BJ Medical College in Ahmedabad, visibly distressed as he continued his search for his mother and toddler daughter. Both were inside the hostel mess into which Air India’s Ahmedabad–London flight crashed minutes after take-off on Thursday, killing all but one on board.
DGCA enhances safety audit for Air India’s Dreamliner fleet
A day after Air India flight AI-171 crashed shortly after takeoff from the Ahmedabad airport, India’s aviation safety regulator, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), issued fresh inspection guidelines for the airline’s Boeing 787 Dreamliner fleet, which are powered by GEnx engines. These new guidelines will be mandatory from Monday, June 15.
News that one man survived the Ahmedabad flight crash weighs on some other sole survivors
News of the sole survivor of an Air India plane crash that killed the other 241 people aboard has led to endless online fascination, but it has also stirred up painful feelings for a handful of others who have had similar fates. Tens of thousands of people have searched for details about Vishwashkumar Ramesh since Thursday’s (June 12, 2025) crash, according to Google Trends. People have commented on social media that the idea seems unreal, remarkable, a work of divine intervention, and a miracle. But it has happened more than a dozen times before..
Iran launches new wave of missile attacks; explosions heard over Jerusalem
Sirens and a round of explosions, possibly from Israeli interceptors, could be heard booming in the sky over Jerusalem early Saturday (June 14, 2025) and the Israeli military said another attack was taking place. The Israeli military urged civilians, already rattled by an earlier wave of missiles, to head to shelter. The Iranian outlet Nour News, which has close links with the paramilitary Revolutionary Guard, said a new wave was being launched.
Iran’s Supreme Leader Khamenei warns Israel of “severe punishment”
Hours after Israel launched a major attack on Iran nuclear and military facilities, Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei threatened Israel would face “severe punishment”. Iran quickly retaliated by sending a swarm of drones. Iran had been censured by the U.N.’s atomic watchdog a day earlier for not complying with obligations meant to prevent it from developing a nuclear weapon. The leader added in a statement posted online, “The powerful hand of the armed forces of the Islamic Republic will not let (the attacks) go unpunished.” Other Iranian officials echoed his warning, pledging vengeance. From Washington, President Donald Trump said that the U.S. had not been involved in the attack and warned Iran against retaliations against American interests in the region.
Iran names replacements for commanders killed in Israeli strikes
Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, has replaced two top military commanders killed in a wave of Israeli strikes on Friday (June 13, 2025). State TV said he tapped Gen. Abdolrahim Mousavi as the new head of the armed forces, replacing Gen. Mohammad Bagheri. Mousavi was previously the top army commander. Mr. Khamenei chose Mohammad Pakpour to lead the paramilitary Revolutionary Guard, replacing Gen. Hossein Salami.
Why Israel struck Iran?
Israel has been preparing for this for years. It opposed the 2015 nuclear deal. It carried out several clandestine attacks inside Iran, including the 2020 assassination of Mohsen Fakhrizadeh, the father of Iranian nuclear programme. It took the war directly to Iran in April 2024, by bombing the Iranian embassy in Damascus. All while, Israel argued that Iran’s nuclear and ballistic missile programmes were “an existential threat” to itself. And on June 13, Israel carried out a massive attack in Iran, targeting the country’s nuclear facilities, ballistic missile sites, the residences of its top Generals and more than two dozen nuclear scientists. The Israeli attack, which lasted for hours, is the heaviest military blow to the Islamic Republic since the revolution.
India abstains on Gaza ceasefire resolution in UNGA, just six months after voting for a similar resolution
India abstained from a U.N. General Assembly resolution calling for a ceasefire in Gaza for the fourth time in three years, indicating a growing trend in the Modi government’s policy not to vote on statements critical of Israel’s bombardment of Gaza, in which 55,000 have been killed. India had voted in favour of a UNGA resolution for ceasefire in December 2024, making this a significant departure from India’s position just six months ago.
Assam CM orders shoot-at-sight in restive Dhubri
Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Friday (June 13, 2025) gave a shoot-at-sight order to check communal tension in Dhubri town, about 290 km west of Guwahati. The town, headquarters of the Dhubri district, has been on edge since the severed head of a cow was found in front of a Hanuman Temple on June 8, a day after Id-ul-Azha (Bakrid) was observed.
Marines seen standing guard at a federal building in Los Angeles
Marines were seen standing guard outside a federal building in Los Angeles on Friday (June 13, 2025) as they started to take over some posts from National Guard members after protests erupted last week over immigration raids and President Donald Trump deployed the troops to the city.
Air India flight to Delhi returns to Thailand after ‘security alert’
A Delhi-bound an Air India flight returned to Phuket following a security alert on Friday (June 13, 2025), an airline official said. The aircraft landed safely and is undergoing mandatory security checks at Phuket International Airport, the official said. “During the cruising phase of the flight a security alert was received, after which the pilot took a mid-air turn back to Phuket,” the official said. According to live flight tracking website Flightradar24, the flight AI 379 took off from Phuket at 9:30 p.m. and was scheduled to land in Delhi at 12:40 p.m. However, it landed back at the Phuket International Airport at 11:46 p.m., according to the website.
Axiom Mission 4 postponed again, this time due to glitch in ISS
The launch of Indian astronaut Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla’s mission to the International Space Station (ISS) has once again been postponed, this time due to a glitch in the ISS. National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) said that it, along with Axiom Space, is postponing the launch of Axiom Mission 4 to the ISS. As part of an ongoing investigation, NASA is working with Russia’s space agency Roscosmos to understand a new pressure signature, after the recent post-repair effort in the aft most segment of the ISS’s Zvezda service module. Postponement of Axiom Mission 4 provides additional time for NASA and Roscosmos to evaluate the situation and determine whether any additional troubleshooting is necessary.
Oil soars more than 9% after Israel strikes Iran, rattling investors
Oil prices surged more than 9% on Friday (June 13, 2025), hitting their highest in almost five months after Israel struck Iran, dramatically escalating tensions in the Middle East and raising worries about disrupted oil supplies. Brent crude futures jumped $6.29, or 9.07%, to $75.65 a barrel by 0315 GMT after hitting an intraday high of $78.50, the highest since January 27. U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude was up $6.43, or 9.45%, at $74.47 a barrel after hitting a high of $77.62, the loftiest since January 21. Friday’s (June 13, 2025) gains were the largest intraday moves for both contracts since 2022 after Russia invaded Ukraine, causing energy prices to spike.
Judge orders Trump to return control of National Guard to California
A judge has ordered U.S. President Donald Trump to return control of the California National Guard to the state, saying the President’s decision to deploy them to protest-hit Los Angeles over Governor Gavin Newsom’s objections was “illegal.” U.S. District Judge Charles Breyer wrote of the President in the ruling, seen by AFP, “His actions were illegal ... He must therefore return control of the California National Guard to the Governor of the State of California forthwith.” The White House almost immediately launched an appeal that could make it all the way to the Supreme Court. “Donald Trump will be relieved of his command at noon tomorrow,” Mr. Newsom said in televised comments after the ruling was issued.
World Bank, IFC approve $700 million loan for Pakistan’s Reko Diq project
The International Finance Corporation (IFC) and the World Bank (WB) have approved a concessional loan of $700 million for a major mining and resource development initiative in Pakistan, according to a media report. “The Reko Diq project is located in Balochistan province, which is known as a mineral-rich region of the country. This approval by lenders is a significant victory for Pakistan,” The Express Tribune newspaper reported. “As a result of this approval, the private sector is expected to invest $2.5 billion in the Reko Diq project, one of Pakistan’s most important initiatives,” the report said.
Vaibhav Suryavanshi, teenage sensation, scores 190 off just 90 balls
Teenage sensation Vaibhav Suryavanshi scored a scintillating 190 off just 90 balls in a preparatory match for India’s Under-19 team ahead of their upcoming tour of England. Rajasthan Royals has posted a video of him playing a shot on its Instagram account. At the age of 14, playing for Rajasthan Royals in the IPL 2025, Suryavanshi became the youngest centurion in men’s Twenty20 cricket. He smashed his 100 in just 35 balls to register the second fastest-century in IPL history.
World Test Championship final: Markram’s century, Bavuma’s grit put South Africa on brink of historic win over Australia
Hobbling captain Temba Bavuma and hundred-hitter Aiden Markram pushed South Africa to the brink of a sensational victory over Australia in a gripping World Test Championship final at Lord’s on Friday. Bavuma, elevating the drama with a strained left hamstring, and opener Markram capitalized on ideal batting conditions. They partnered for an unbroken 143 runs against one of Australia’s greatest bowling attacks to have South Africa 69 runs from an historic triumph.
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