In view of the recent developments between Israel and Iran, the Government of India has decided to evacuate from Israel those Indian nationals who wish to leave.
Their travel from Israel to India will be facilitated through the land borders and thereafter by air to India, according to the Ministry of External Affairs
“In view of the above, the Embassy of India in Tel Aviv would be making arrangements for the evacuation of Indians. All Indian nationals are requested to register themselves with the Embassy of India, ” it said
The Embassy also reiterated its earlier advisories urging all Indian citizens in Israel to remain vigilant and strictly follow the safety guidelines issued by Israeli authorities and the Home Front Command.
In view of the deteriorating situation as a result of the ongoing conflict between Iran and Israel, the Government of India has been taking various steps over the last several days for the safety and security of Indian nationals.
Congress’s Thiruvananthapuram MP was not invited to campaign for the Nilambur bypoll in Kerala by his party
Downplaying the prevailing tensions between him and his party, senior Congress leader Shashi Tharoor today admitted to “some differences” of opinion which he said he will discuss when someone from the party approaches him.
Notably, Congress’ Thiruvananthapuram MP was conspicuous by absence from the campaign trail in Nilambur while senior party leaders, including Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, drummed up support for their candidate. When asked by media persons, Tharoor said: “I wasn’t invited to the party. But that’s alright”.
“I have been working in Congress for the past 16 years. I have some differences of opinion with the party, and I will discuss them inside the party…Today I don’t want to speak about it. I need to meet and talk, let the time come, and I will discuss it,” the Congress MP was quoted as saying.
Tensions have been visible between Tharoor and Congress for a long time, but what seems to have really upset the party this time were his remarks on the 2016 surgical strikes.
Tharoor, who was a part of the all-party delegations sent by the Narendra Modi government to convey India’s view point on Operation Sindoor in foreign countries, upset the leadership for showing support for the BJP-led Centre’s military actions across the border in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.
His total support to the BJP-led Centre was seen as straying from the party line and he was openly checked by colleagues like Pawan Khera and Udit Raj, who also called him a “super spokesperson of the BJP”.
Senior Congress leaders, including Manish Tiwari and Anand Sharma were also a part of the all-party delegations, but Tharoor drew a much bigger traction, attention and appreciation in international, national and diplomatic circles during the tour with his statements.
Black box of Air India’s Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner plane that crashed on June 12 in Ahmedabad has sustained damage and may have to be sent to the US for data extraction process, according to those in know of the situation, though they are built to survive crashes, high-impact, fires, and deep-sea type of circumstances.
The government will take the final call on whether to send the crucial device to the National Transportation Safety Board in Washington DC for inspection. However, if it is sent to the US, Indian officials will accompany it to ensure all protocols have been followed.
The data and recordings will help investigators understand what happened between the take-off and the crash of the ill-fated Boeing Dreamliner last Thursday.
It is called a black box, actually it is a bright orange-coloured device which has been designed and built to withstand extreme conditions.
Every commercial aircraft comes equipped with a Flight Data Recorder (FDR) which records details on flight operation like altitude, speed, engine performance, control inputs etc and a Cockpit Voice Recorder (CVR) which records conversations between pilots, their communications with air traffic control along with other ambient sounds.
By analysing their data and recordings, investigators will be able to reconstruct the final moments of the aircraft and prevent such mishaps in future. There can be many causes for a crash like technical/ mechanical, design, human error (pilot or ATC), weather conditions, which need to be fixed for future flight safety. In the past the back box data has been a great help to determine the cause of the accident which further led to changes in aviation regulations, training procedures and improving aircraft design.
Union Minister of Road Transport and Highways laid the foundation stone of Indian School for Deisgn of Automobiles (INDEA) – India’s first institution dedicated to automobile design and management.
Unveiling the foundation stone of INDEA virtually, Gadkari said, “India’s automobile sector holds the key to economic growth, employment generation, and global competitiveness. As we strive towards the Prime Minister’s USD 5 trillion economy vision, our industry is evolving from being cost-driven to quality-led, anchored in smart design, robust safety, and sustainable practices.”
“The future will be shaped by strong R&D, innovation, and next-generation testing and certification. I am confident that the young talent trained at INDEA will become catalysts for change, turning knowledge into innovation, and innovation into national strength,” the minister added.
Held on the XLRI Delhi-NCR campus, the ceremony brought together a distinguished gathering of industry leaders, senior government officials, design and automotive professionals, academic stalwarts, and faculty members.
INDEA, developed under the aegis of XLRI’s Centre for Automobile Design & Management (XADM), aims to revolutionize design education in the country.
Speaking on the occasion, Dr. KS Casimir, Director, XLRI Delhi-NCR, remarked, “This ceremony marks a major leap in our vision of creating an institute that seamlessly blends design thinking, technical prowess, and industry alignment. Nitin Gadkari’s digital presence as Chief Guest is not only an honour but also a strong endorsement of the vital role that design can play in India’s mobility future.”
Echoing the sentiment, Avik Chattopadhyay said, “INDEA is designed to be more than just an educational institute—it is a movement to elevate India’s design capabilities. Guided by the vision of our Prime Minister Narendra Modi, we are confident INDEA will become a key enabler in India’s journey to becoming a global design and innovation hub.”
The event also served as a platform to initiate future collaborations between academia and industry, fostering conversations around sustainable mobility, indigenous innovation, and the global positioning of Indian design talent.
Billionaire Elon Musk’s SpaceX faced another setback after its Starship vehicle exploded during a static fire test in Texas on Wednesday, sending a dramatic fireball high into the sky.
The company said the Starship “experienced a major anomaly” at about 11 pm while on the test stand preparing for the tenth flight test at Starbase, SpaceX’s launch site at the southern tip of Texas.
“On Wednesday, June 18 at approximately 11 p.m. CT, the Starship preparing for the tenth flight test experienced a major anomaly while on a test stand at Starbase. A safety clear area around the site was maintained throughout the operation and all personnel are safe and accounted for.
“Our Starbase team is actively working to safe the test site and the immediate surrounding area in conjunction with local officials. There are no hazards to residents in surrounding communities, and we ask that individuals do not attempt to approach the area while safing operations continue,” it said.
This is not the first time Musk’s SpaceX has suffered a setback
Despite failures the company has continued testing, calling each flight an opportunity to gather crucial data for improvements.
To restore the site into a thriving green space, approximately 2.35 lakh native and fast-growing trees were planted using the Miyawaki technique.
It is a feel good story that can become a source of inspiration for cities burdened with dumpsites and tonnes of legacy waste.
Transformation of a decades-old dumpsite into a 20-acre green urban forest in Rajkot is an example of this transformative initiative, offering scope for replication in other cities and regions facing challenges like legacy waste, land degradation, and environmental restoration.
According to the Ministry of Housing and Urban Development, the city generates approximately 700 tonnes of municipal solid waste in a day, all of which was being disposed of at the Nakrawadi dumping site.
Over time, the site had accumulated nearly 16 lakh tonnes of legacy waste.
The Rajkot Municipal Corporation undertook a landmark effort to remediate the site, aiming not only to eliminate the waste but also to transform the area into a clean, green urban forest under the “Lakshya Zero Dumpsite” initiative led by it ministry, states its official statement
However the remediation was a difficult process starting with a detailed survey to assess the legacy waste, followed by processing using advanced machinery, segregation of refuse-derived fuel (RDF), semi-compost, and inert materials.
The RDF was transported to the waste-to-energy plant in Jamnagar, inert materials were sent to a Secured Landfill Facility (SLF), and over 50,000 tonnes of semi-compost were used for land leveling and soil enrichment.
To restore the site into a thriving green space, approximately 2.35 lakh native and fast-growing trees were planted using the Miyawaki technique.
The Miyawaki technique is a method of forest restoration developed by Japanese botanist Akira Miyawaki. It involves planting a variety of native tree species very close together in a small area, creating a dense, biodiverse forest that grows much faster than traditional methods. This technique is particularly effective in urban areas where space is limited, according to experts .
Meanwhile, to ensure sustainable water management, water-harvesting ponds were created for groundwater recharge, and drip and sprinkler irrigation systems installed to optimize water use and support the plantation.
Planners faced challenges like managing over 16 lakh tonnes of mixed and compacted waste—its segregation and processing. The heavy contamination required extensive land preparation and soil enrichment. Workers and nearby residents were also affected by foul odours and air pollution, posing health risks. Monsoon rains also disrupted operations and the need for a steady supply of treated water for plantation required the laying of a 12 km pipeline.
But the gains too were multiple—significant financial, social, and environmental impacts and resource conservation by recycling legacy waste into useful products and reducing the need for raw materials.
The project also ensures health and safety by improving air quality through afforestation, waste processing and creation of green spaces.
On the economic front, the transformation of waste into energy, compost, and other value-added products generates new income streams, supports eco-tourism, and reduces the local government’s financial burden for waste management, officials said
Srinagar: Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Thursday said that students evacuated from Iran will be brought back to the Union Territory from Delhi in deluxe buses.
A total of 90 students from Jammu and Kashmir were among 110 people who were evacuated from the conflict-hit region of Iran on Wednesday. They were first shifted to Armenia before being flown to Doha, and landed in Delhi early Thursday morning.
In a post on X, the Chief Minister’s Office said, “The Chief Minister has taken note of the request of the students evacuated from Iran regarding the quality of buses arranged to transport them from Delhi to J&K.”
It added that the Resident Commissioner has been directed to coordinate with the Jammu & Kashmir Road Transport Corporation (JKRTC) to arrange proper deluxe buses for their journey home.
“The Resident Commissioner has been tasked with coordinating with the JKRTC to ensure proper deluxe buses are arranged,” the Chief Minister’s Office said.
Abdullah also shared the update on his official X handle.
In geopolitics it is the play of words that matter and though US President Donald Trump on Wednesday credited “very smart” leaders of India and Pakistan for deciding on not continuing a war, he again claimed credit for preventing a “war” between India and Pakistan
Trump praised both Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Pakistan Army chief Asif Munir, whom he met for lunch for their roles in de-escalating tensions in May, while insisting that he stopped the war
“I stopped the war between India and Pakistan. I love Pakistan, and Modi is a fantastic man. I spoke to him last night, and we will make a trade deal with Modi of India,” the US President was quoted as saying.
According to Trump, Munir played a key role in calming the situation from the Pakistan side and PM Modi on the Indian side. “This man (Asim Munir) was extremely influential in stopping it from the Pakistani side, and PM Modi from the Indian side,” Trump said.
Trump has repeatedly claimed credit for negotiating the Operation Sindoor ceasefire between India and Pakistan, which India has dismissed.
PM Modi yesterday unequivocally told Trump that India never asked for and will never accept any third-party mediation to resolve the issue of Pakistan’s illegal occupation of parts of Jammu and Kashmir.
In his 35-minute phone call with Trump, PM Modi also made it clear that India’s counter-terrorism operation, Operation Sindoor, is ongoing, according to Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri
However, Pakistan has thanked Washington for playing a mediating role. Munir also credited the US President for the ceasefire between India and Pakistan.
White House spokeswoman Anna Kelly was quoted as saying that Trump would host Munir after he called for the US President to be nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize for preventing a nuclear war between the two nations.
Comes amid the backdrop of the recent India-Pakistan conflict, the Trump-Munir meeting is significant. It also comes amid reports on the possibility of Pakistan aiding Iran in the ongoing conflict with Israel.
Speculations are also abound amid limited or controlled information from the two warring countries
Claims, counterclaims and warnings flying from all around continued to add to the confusion and the growing threat to widening scope amid the deadly conflict between Iran and Israel. Speculations are also abound amid limited or controlled information from the two warring countries.
Following US President Donald Trump’s call to Iran to surrender, Iran’s supreme leader Ayatollah Khamenei said the country stands united and would not surrender. Khamenei also warned that any US strike will have “serious irreparable consequences”.
Iran claimed to have fired hypersonic missiles at Israel in the latest round of strikes.
Explosions were also heard over Tel Aviv, according to reports
Trump, meanwhile, insisted on no US hand in Israel’s bombing campaign, but warned Iran that his patience is wearing thin. “They should have made that deal…In the end, they decided not to do it. And now they wish they did it,” he was quoted as saying
However, analysts and some newspaper reports insist that Trump had “approved a military attack plan targeting Iran but withheld the final authorisation if Tehran met his demands.”
While Israeli warplanes targeted Tehran and the military issued a warning on social media for civilians in an area known as District 18 to evacuate, Russian President Vladimir Putin stepped in with a chilling warning to the US and Israel over alleged plots to assassinate Khamenei.
Terming such actions “reckless and catastrophic,” Putin stated any attempt to eliminate Iran’s top leadership would cross a red line and provoke severe regional consequences. Reportedly, he also asked the US and Israel to abandon “regime change fantasies,” warning that destabilising Iran could trigger a wider Middle East war.
Amid rising reports of US-Israeli military coordination targeting Iran, the US Office of the Director of National Intelligence claimed that Iran was armed with the largest number of ballistic missiles in the Middle East.
Female constables in the Chhattisgarh police force share how they joined the Maoist rank and file at an early age, recount experiences as cadres in jungles and how their lives took a turn for the better, writes Deepanwita Gita Niyogi
Many former Maoist cadres are inducted in the Chhattisgarh police force post surrender. Photo Credit: By arrangement
Rita Punem (name changed) belongs to the Gond tribe. Today, the 40-year-old mother of three children is a constable in the Chhattisgarh police force. But her life wasn’t always this way. Once an active Maoist cadre, she surrendered along with her husband in 2014. Soon after, she secured her current job.
During a heartfelt conversation about her earlier life as an insurgent, Rita opened up. “I thought about the future of my children and decided to surrender. It was the best option for a stable future,” Rita, who joined the Maoists when she was in Class 9, said. “As a young girl, I was influenced by the idea of escapism. I was immature at that time and liked to be part of a different world.”
However, life in the forest as an insurgent, is not a bed of roses. Rita shared that her past life caused a lot of trouble on a daily basis. “In the forest, one had to change places regularly to evade arrest. Every day, I had to traverse a minimum distance of seven km. During menstruation, it used to be difficult to either walk or run. But there was no other choice.”
An alternative life
Left-wing extremism is India’s biggest internal security threat. According to the Ministry of Home Affairs, 90 districts in 11 states of the country are affected by the movement which started in Naxalbari in 1967 as a retaliation to class oppression, land alienation and inequality.
As part of the central government policy, surrendered Maoists are usually inducted in the police force. Dhirendra Sahu, who is based in Chhattisgarh’s Rajnandgaon district and works on this issue, pointed out that many insurgents who surrendered before the police actually did so for permanent jobs and monetary assistance.
Rita shared that her decision was also influenced by what she came across at that time. “Many cadres were surrendering and I thought of doing the same with my husband, who was in the same unit as me.” It is common for those who surrender to receive death threats. “I used to feel that I would be targeted post surrender, but at present there is not much apprehension about that.”
Unlike Rita, Diasha Yadav (name changed) did not get a chance to surrender. She was arrested in 2016. Diasha, who is also a constable, pointed out that inductions happen at an early age. “Most of the time, Maoists visit schools in remote villages for the induction. They run Bal Sangathans. Their passionate speeches attract teenagers.”
As Diasha knew how to fire, as part of the rehabilitation package, she bagged the police job in 2020. Today, as a married woman with a daughter, she enjoys a decent salary of about Rs 34,000.
Lure of freedom
In recent years, there has been a transformation. Many female Maoist cadres now take on combat roles. This gives them a feeling of overthrowing the shackles of patriarchy. But though promising to be gender just, many women, who have been either rescued from Maoist camps by security forces or have surrendered before the police, were disillusioned. Married women are not allowed to have children which impinges on their rights.
A photo from the insurgency-affected Abhujhmad region of Chhattisgarh where inductions usually take place. Photo Credit: Deepanwita Gita Niyogi
According to Rita, some women join on their own. “But sometimes, families try to force marriage on women and then they run away and join the cadres.” Though today, about 50 to 60 percent Maoist cadres are women, many of them occupy lower ranks, especially in Chhattisgarh, which has been the hotbed of insurgency for decades.
A source said on the condition of anonymity that women are preferred as they can penetrate forests and mobilise the masses without suspicion. “It is easy to lure women who find it attractive to break away from stereotypical gender roles. When villagers are killed in cross-firings, it becomes easy to incite people, especially women, for revenge. That is also how many women join the insurgents,” the source explained.
Simi Metami (name changed) is a Maria Adivasi woman and works as a constable just like Rita. The 30-year-old joined in 2005 when Salwa Judum broke out in Chhattisgarh. It was a militia-type uprising backed by the state government and the police to wipe out Maoists.
The reporter came across a memorial dedicated to a slain Maoist commander during an assignment in Abujhmad. Many have been destroyed or razed by forces. – Photo Credit: Deepanwita Gita Niyogi
Simi was not even 16 at that time. “I had not studied at all but after I joined the Maoists, my commander taught me a bit of this and that.” She shared that there was no other choice but to join. “The Maoists wanted my elder brother to join, but my father did not agree. He wanted to be secure in his old age. So, I joined in my brother’s place. I was away from home for five-six years.”
The woman shared that though, initially, it feels liberating to live inside jungles, get trained in arms and build bunkers, eventually some women resent the hardship. “In the monsoon, high fever and malaria are common. Not being able to give birth also demoralises some women.”
Though many former Maoist cadres who surrender for a fresh start are absorbed in the police force, some are given other jobs as well. The reporter had met and interviewed two youths a few years back who got jobs at a tourist resort in Bastar district. According to government data, about 1657 former Maoist cadres have surrendered since 2019.
The Left-wing insurgency or the Maoist movement originated from Naxalbari, a village in North Bengal, in 1967. Khemu Singh, now 74, was once associated with the uprising in Naxalbari, went underground and was in jail for seven years. Singh admitted that the intensity of the movement had lessened in recent years. According to him, it has taken a different turn now. This has perhaps caused the surrenders even though in Chhattisgarh mass issues are being neglected.
