National News
Is Priyanka Gandhi Vadra proving to be a trouble shooter after Ahmed Patel?

Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra hopped from 10 Janpath, residence of party president Sonia Gandhi to 12 Tughlak Road, residence of Rahul Gandhi on Friday during the meeting with Bhupesh Baghel. At the end of the three-hour meet, it’s status quo in Chhattisgarh and there is no word on leadership change in the state.
Priyanka was seen exiting from 10 Janpath and entering and exiting from Rahul Gandhi’s residence to formalize middle path in the state but there is no official announcement of any formula, also the Chhattisgarh CM did not answer on the rotational chief ministership.
It’s being said in political circles that Priyanka Gandhi’s intervention and Bhupesh Baghel’s involvement in Uttar Pradesh saved the day. Baghel maintains good relations with the Congress General Secretary in-charge of UP as about 50 people from the state are being put in UP to train the cadre by Bhupesh Baghel’s team and recently about 100 workers from UP were trained in Raipur.
The Chhattisgarh Chief Minister has put in all the resources in UP before that he was campaign in charge of Assam.
It is not the first time Priyanka Gandhi has intervened in crucial decision making process, she was instrumental in the appointment of Navjot Singh Sidhu as Punjab Congress President when he was sulking and was about to jump the ship. Before that when Sachin Pilot led a revolt in July 2020 it was Priyanka Gandhi who pacified Pilot and saved the government last year in Rajasthan, however, she was unable to stop the revolt of Jyotiraditya Scindia which led to the collapse of the government in Madhya Pradesh while Jitin Prasada who worked closely with her also left and joined the BJP.
While Scindia is a Union Minister, Jitin Prasada is expected to get reward soon.
Last year when G-23 leaders wrote a letter and after passing away of Ahmed Patel, she defused the tension by arranging a meeting with the group and Sonia Gandhi, since then there have been individual statements like from Kapil Sibal and some others but no collective movement has started.
For the party it was AP as Ahmed Patel was popularly called, was the chief trouble shooter but after his untimely demise due to Covid, the party was feeling the gap but PG (Priyanka Gandhi) has stepped in his shoes and along with Kamal Nath has been talking to leaders and working behind to solve problems, a close aide points out.
Coming back to Chhattisgarh, she in her intervention has asked the Chief Minister to placate sulking T.S. Singhdeo and it’s expected that final decision may be taken after Rahul Gandhi visits the state next month while the Chief Minister has showed his strength by rallying support of more than 50 MLAs which has not gone down well in the party.
On Friday, Bhupesh Baghel had three-hour meeting with Rahul Gandhi, after which, Baghel said that he has invited Gandhi to visit the state.
“I have apprised him of everything and discussed political as well as administrative issues… have requested Rahul Gandhi to visit Chhattisgarh,” he said. After the meeting Baghel went to Akbar Road, the party headquarters to meet the MLAs camping in support of him.
The Congress high command had summoned Baghel to Delhi on Friday to take a final call whether the powerful OBC leader should be allowed to continue as the Chief Minister or be replaced by T.S. Singh Deo, scion of the Surguja royal family.
Political temperature within the Congress in Chhattisgarh has all of a sudden soared as 56 party MLAs are openly backing Baghel and paraded before the party high command in New Delhi.
The issue in the state boiled after the two leaders were called to Delhi on Tuesday and both Singhdeo and Baghel met Rahul Gandhi in Delhi and was summoned again on Friday.
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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