National News
Akhilesh Yadav will leave state on March 10: UP BJP president

As Uttar Pradesh enters the final and the seventh phase of polling, State BJP President Swatantra Dev Singh said that after the poll results on March 10, Samajwadi Party (SP) chief Akhilesh Yadav will finally leave the state and will travel to London.
The State BJP President in an exclusive interview with IANS said, till the sixth phase of polling, the BJP will win more than 300 seats. Akhilesh Yadav, who claims to win 400 seats, will leave Uttar Pradesh on March 10 for London and close down his party office.
Asked about the SP Chief’s claims that the BJP will face defeat, Singh said, “Akhilesh Yadav’s comments should not be taken too seriously. He made such remarks in 2014, 2017 and in 2019 as well. Leaders like him have forged various alliances in the past and will lose their relevance during the current Assembly polls.”
The BJP is a disciplined party, he said, adding, “I recently met an electoral officer from Bengaluru, who said elections are taking place peacefully in Uttar Pradesh. Our party workers participate in elections by following all rules and regulations. There is no indiscipline in our party. Any individual can make any kind of claims against us? Our party workers focus on their work. They do not have any time for controversies.”
On the question of Sanghmitra Maurya, daughter of former Cabinet Minister Swami Prasad Maurya, campaigning against the party, Singh said, “She has not campaigned against our party. If and when the issue comes to our attention, we will take a decision on it.”
Singh further said, “The BJP talks only about development. But if there was an exodus of a particular community during the previous government, then it is our duty to inform the people about it. Whatever wrong doings the SP government had committed, people have a right to know about it. A party like the SP openly backs terrorists.”
On BJP asking for votes from Muslim women, Singh said, “Muslim women have become free from regressive practices such as Triple Talaq. They have been allotted houses under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana and have full faith in the Narendra Modi government. Muslim women have benefited from various welfare schemes launched by the Centre and the state government. They will surely vote in large numbers for the BJP.”
On the question why BJP has not fielded a single Muslim candidate, the State BJP president said, “BJP is a worker-based party. It reviews the candidates who were allotted tickets in previous elections after which they are finally given tickets.”
Asked how will the BJP fight the caste-based alliances in Purvanchal, Swatantra Dev Singh said, “This time people are voting in the name of development and the rule of law.”
How do you see the SP, Congress and the BSP faring during this election, he added, “All three parties are fighting to remain relevant. They are no match to the BJP, which is again going to form the government in Uttar Pradesh with full majority.”
How will you see the BJP performing during the last six phases of elections, he said, “The BJP will win more than 300 seats of the six phases held so far. This time women are actively participating in the electoral process and are voting in favour of Narendra Modi and Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath. People will vote only for development. The BJP will again form the government with an absolute majority in the state.”
Asked about the five poll issues on which the BJP is contest elections, he said, “Law and order, housing for the poor, toilets, free ration and transparent governance. All the opposition parties only want to exploit the poor. In a global pandemic like Covid-19, the BJP government worked to serve the poor and the marginalised sections of the society. Parties like the SP and the BSP are nowhere. The welfare schemes of the government both by the Centre and the state have successfully reached every village and people have benefited from them. Basic facilities like electricity have considerably improved in the state.”
National News
241 dead, one survivor as Air India Dreamliner crashes after takeoff from Ahmedabad: Air India

New Delhi, June 13: In what is being described as one of the worst aviation disasters in Indian history, an Air India Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner carrying 242 people crashed shortly after takeoff from Ahmedabad airport.
The aircraft, operating as Flight AI-171 from Ahmedabad to London Gatwick, plunged into a residential complex near BJ Medical College, killing 241 people on board.
The ill-fated flight had 230 passengers, 10 cabin crew, and two pilots. According to officials, only one person, a British national of Indian origin seated in 11A, survived the crash and is currently undergoing treatment at a local hospital.
The aircraft took off from Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport at 1.38 p.m. (IST) on Thursday before losing control moments later and crashing into a densely populated area, igniting a massive blaze and triggering emergency response teams across the city.
Air India confirmed the accident in an official statement on X: “UPDATE: Air India confirms that flight AI171, operating from Ahmedabad to London Gatwick on 12 June 2025, was involved in an accident. The 12-year-old Boeing 787-8 aircraft departed from Ahmedabad at 1338 hrs, carrying 230 passengers and 12 crew. The aircraft crashed shortly after take-off. We regret to inform that, of the 242 aboard, there are 241 confirmed fatalities. The sole survivor is being treated in a hospital.”
The airline also shared the nationality breakdown of passengers: 169 Indian nationals, 53 British, seven Portuguese, and one Canadian.
“Air India offers its deepest condolences to the families of the deceased. Our efforts now are focused entirely on the needs of all those affected, their families and loved ones. A team of caregivers from Air India is now in Ahmedabad to provide additional support,” the statement added.
The national carrier has pledged full cooperation with authorities investigating the cause of the crash and has established dedicated helplines for families seeking information.
Domestic callers can reach the support team at 1800 5691 444, while international callers are advised to dial +91 8062779200.
Regular updates will be provided through Air India’s official website and its X handle.
National News
Plastic nurdle spill from sunken cargo ship reaches TN’s Dhanushkodi sanctuary, raising alarm

Chennai, June 10: A plastic nurdle spill from the sunken cargo ship MSC ELSA 3 has spread into the newly declared Dhanushkodi Greater Flamingo Sanctuary in Ramanathapuram district, threatening one of India’s most fragile coastal ecosystems.
The MSC ELSA 3, a Liberian-flagged vessel, sank off the Kochi coast a few weeks ago while carrying 640 containers, including 13 with hazardous materials, 12 with calcium carbide, 367 tonnes of furnace oil, and 84 tonnes of diesel.
The ship’s cargo manifest remains undisclosed, fuelling speculation about the full extent of environmental risk.
Dhanushkodi Sanctuary, located within the Gulf of Mannar Biosphere Reserve, supports 128 species of birds — including Greater and Lesser Flamingos — and is home to sea turtles, crustaceans, molluscs, and fish. Its dunes, marshes, and seagrass beds form part of the Central Asian Flyway for migratory birds.
The nurdles — tiny plastic pellets used in industrial manufacturing — resemble fish eggs and can be deadly to marine life. When ingested, they cause internal blockages, starvation, and often death. They also absorb toxins, entering the food chain and posing long-term health hazards.
About 80 bags, each weighing 25 kilograms, have reportedly washed ashore along a 12-km coastal stretch. Affected sites include the Dhanushkodi old church, Irattaithalai, Mugandharayan Chathiram, Gothanda Ramar temple, and Patchappatti village.
Carried by ocean currents from the Thiruvananthapuram-Kanniyakumari coast, the spill now threatens the adjacent Gulf of Mannar Marine National Park, home to vital coral reefs and seagrass beds.
Experts warn these habitats could be smothered by plastic debris, blocking sunlight and disrupting photosynthesis.
Ramanathapuram District Collector Simranjeet Singh Kahlon said, “We’ve identified between 15 and 30 nurdle bags along the coast. A special team has been deployed for cleanup, and additional teams are monitoring for further debris.”
He urged the public not to panic, stating that swift action was underway.
The disaster evokes memories of the 2021 X-Press Pearl incident in Sri Lanka, where 1,680 tonnes of nurdles led to mass marine deaths and crippled fisheries.
Studies showed severe impacts on plankton and larval life forms, threatening entire food chains.
Cleanup efforts in Ramanathapuram face challenges due to the nurdles’ buoyancy and small size, worsened by monsoon waves that break them into microplastics.
With the 61-day annual fishing ban nearing its end, fishermen fear reduced fish catches and consumer hesitancy could harm their livelihoods if the spill worsens.
Environmentalists are calling for urgent intervention, cargo transparency, and long-term containment measures to prevent irreversible damage to one of India’s most critical marine ecosystems.
National News
Eight Punjab and Haryana HC judges take lead to boost Kashmir tourism post Pahalgam terror attack

Srinagar, June 9: To give a boost to Kashmir tourism post Pahalgam terror attack, eight judges of the Punjab and Haryana High Court are visiting the valley along with their families.
The visit of the legal personalities along with their families carries a powerful message for the revival of tourism in Kashmir, which got shattered after the Pahalgam terror attack.
On April 22, Pakistan-backed terrorists of Lashkar-e-Kashmir (LeT) killed 26 civilians, including 25 tourists and a local pony owner.
The pony owner sacrificed his life while trying to protect the tourists from the bullets of the terrorists.
The terror attack caused outrage in the entire country, and to avenge the killings of innocent civilians, the Indian Armed Forces carried out airstrikes against terror infrastructure in Pakistan under Operation Sindoor.
In retaliation for India’s attack on terrorist infrastructure, Pakistan resorted to heavy mortar shelling on civilian facilities in Poonch, Rajouri, Baramulla, Kupwara and Bandipora districts.
Eighteen civilians were killed in Pakistan shelling, 13 of them in Poonch district, in addition to the destruction of scores of homes, shops, a temple, a mosque, a church and a Gurudwara.
The itinerary of the visiting high court judges includes visits to the Mughal Gardens of Nishat and Shalimar, Shikara rides on the Dal Lake, a visit to the historic Pari Mahal and buying a few handicrafts at the local market.
There could be no better omen for the revival of tourism in Kashmir than the decision of the honourable justices of the High Court to come here along with their families.
Coinciding with the visit of these dignitaries, local tour and travel operators and hotel owners are reporting a gradual rise in the tourist bookings that had virtually stopped after the Pahalgam terror attack.
Tour and travel operators and others connected with the tourist industry have expressed hope that the visit by the most respected legal dignitaries, like the high court judges, will restore confidence among visitors, both domestic and foreign, that Kashmir is a safe tourist destination.
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