Month: June 2025

Following an onboard explosion and fire aboard MV Wan Hai 503 off the coast of Kerala, China, expressed gratitude to Indian authorities for their swift and professional rescue efforts.

Spokesperson for the Chinese Embassy in Indian, Yu Jing, in a post on X said, “On June 9, MV Wan Hai 503 encountered an onboard explosion and fire 44 nautical miles off Azhikkal, Kerala. Of the total 22 crew members on board, 14 are Chinese, including 6 from Taiwan. Our gratitude goes to the Indian Navy @indiannavy and the Mumbai Coast Guard for their prompt and professional rescue. We wish further search operations successful and the injured crew members a speedy recovery.”

The Chinese Embassy’s statement came after an explosion under deck was reported aboard MV Wan Hai 503 while it was en route from Colombo to Nhava Sheva. Four crew members were reported missing and five injured in the incident. Indian Coast Guard ships have since been deployed for firefighting and rescue operations.

The vessel was carrying containerised cargo and had a total of 22 crew members onboard. CGDO on task diverted for assessment.

Indian Coast Guard units were immediately diverted for assessment and assistance. ICGS Rajdoot off New Mangalore, ICGS Arnvesh off Kochi, and ICGS Sachet off Agatti have been diverted for assistance.

In a post on X, the Indian Coast Guard said an ICG aircraft assessed the scene and dropped an air-droppable.

“Quick response by India Coast Guard after explosion on Singapore-flagged MV WAN HAI 503, 130 NM NW of Kerala coast. ICG aircraft assessed the scene & dropped air-droppable. 04 ICG ships diverted for rescue.”

Fires and explosions have been reported from mid-ships to the container bay ahead of the accommodation block. The forward-bay fire is under control, but thick smoke continues to be observed. The vessel is listing approximately 10-15 degrees to port, and additional containers have been reported overboard.

Indian Coast Guard ships Samudra Prahari and Sachet are conducting fire-fighting operations and boundary cooling, while ICG ship Samarth is being deployed from Kochi. Further updates will follow, the Coast Guard added. (ANI)

Bollywood actress Katrina Kaif has been appointed the Global Brand Ambassador for the Maldives. The official handle of the Maldives National Tourist Board shared the update on Tuesday.

In a post on X, Visit Maldives stated, “Visit Maldives Unveils Katrina Kaif as Global Brand Ambassador for the Sunny Side of Life.”

Visit Maldives Unveils Katrina Kaif as Global Brand Ambassador for the Sunny Side of Life.https://t.co/WHVfuTQFV8

— Visit Maldives (@visitmaldives) June 10, 2025

This marks an important step by the Maldives National Tourist Board to promote tourism.

Last year, the row between New Delhi and Male erupted after three Maldivian deputy ministers made derogatory comments against Prime Minister Narendra Modi, over his pictures from the visit to Lakshadweep.

PM Modi had called for the Indian island cluster to be developed as a destination for beach tourism and the promotion of domestic tourism. The matter snowballed into a major diplomatic row, with New Delhi summoning the Maldivian envoy and registering a strong protest against the viral posts.

The three deputy ministers were suspended, and they remain under suspension with pay. Later, Maldives Tourism Ministry data showed that the number of Indian tourists visiting the Maldives has dropped by 33 per cent compared to last year.

However, toeing a reconciliatory tone after a diplomatic row with India, Maldives President Mohamed Muizzu requested debt relief measures from New Delhi while stating that India will continue to remain the country’s “closest ally.”

On the work front, Katrina Kaif was last seen in Sriram Raghavan’sMerry Christmasalongside Vijay Sethupathi. She has upcoming projects, including Farhan Akhtar’sJee Le Zara, which also stars Alia Bhatt and Priyanka Chopra. (ANI)

Former Delhi Chief Minister and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Atishi has been detained by the Delhi Police on Tuesday after she took part in the anti-demolition protests at Kalkaji’s Bhoomihin Camp.

Speaking to reporters, Atishi launched a scathing attack on the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party and Chief Minister Rekha Gupta, saying that the BJP and Rekha Gupta will be cursed by the slum dwellers.

“BJP is going to demolish these jhuggis tomorrow, and I am being jailed today because I am raising my voice for these slum dwellers. ‘BJP aur Rekha Gupta ko jhuggi waalon ki haay lagegi.’ … BJP will never come back,” Atishi said.

Earlier on Monday, the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) issued an official notice to all residents of Bhoomiheen Camp in South Delhi’s Kalkaji Extension, directing them to vacate their premises given the upcoming demolition of illegal huts, following directions from the High Court.

According to the notice, residents have been asked to vacate voluntarily within three days–June 8, 9, and 10. The notice states that failure to comply will lead to demolition action by the authorities.

The DDA further read, “Any belongings left inside the huts during demolition will be removed, and the agency will not be held responsible for any damage or loss to personal property.

“The DDA has appealed to residents to maintain peace and cooperate with officials to ensure a smooth and orderly process.

AAP MP Sanjay Singh accused the Delhi BJP government of “running bulldozers” on people’s houses, shops, and their jobs.

On June 1, the demolition drive at Madrasi camp in Jangpura, South East Delhi, as authorities act on court orders to clear encroachments in the area along the Barapulla drain.

The operation was carried out to resolve the flooding issues caused by the narrowed drain, which obstructs water flow during heavy rains. (ANI)

Nearly three weeks after the end of a brief but intense conflict between India and Pakistan, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar has issued a stern warning against future terrorist provocations, reiterating that India will not hesitate to strike back regardless of location.

“If they are deep in Pakistan, we will go deep into Pakistan,” Jaishankar said in an interview with POLITICO during his official visit to Brussels for high-level trade talks with the European Union. The remarks reflect one of the Indian government’s strongest stances on cross-border terrorism in recent months.

“It [Pakistan] is a country very steeped in its use of terrorism as an instrument of state policy. That is the whole issue,” Jaishankar told POLITICO. When asked whether the conditions that triggered last month’s hostilities still existed, he said, “If you call the commitment to terrorism a source of tension, absolutely, it is.”

The conflict erupted in early May following a deadly terrorist attack in an Indian-administered region that claimed the lives of 26 civilians, mainly Hindus. India blamed Pakistan for sponsoring the attack, a charge Islamabad has denied. The clash saw days of missile exchanges and aerial strikes between the two nuclear-armed neighbours, culminating in a ceasefire declared on May 10.

While both countries claimed victory, their versions of events varied. India initially rejected Pakistan’s claims of downing several Indian fighter jets. However, a senior Indian military official later acknowledged aircraft losses without providing specific details. Images circulating online suggested that at least one Mirage and one Rafale — both French-made — had been downed. According to POLITICO, U.S. and French officials indicated Pakistani forces used Chinese technology to take down one of the jets.

Pressed on the aircraft losses, Jaishankar did not confirm specific details but said the matter would be addressed by the appropriate authorities at the right time.

Jaishankar emphasised that Indian air strikes had severely degraded Pakistan’s military infrastructure. “As far as I’m concerned, how effective the Rafale was or frankly, how effective other systems were — to me, the proof of the pudding is the destroyed and disabled airfields on the Pakistani side,” he told POLITICO.

“The fighting stopped on the 10th for one reason and one reason only, which was that on the 10th morning we hit these eight Pakistani airfields, the main eight Pakistani airfields and disabled them,” he said. “And don’t take my word for it, these are images which are available in Google. You can look at those runways and those hangars, which have taken the hit.”

Jaishankar also accused Pakistan of continuing to train and deploy terrorists across the border. “Pakistan is training ‘thousands’ of terrorists in the open and unleashing them on its southern neighbour,” he said.

“We are not going to live with it. So our message to them is that if you continue to do the kind of barbaric acts which they did in April, then there is going to be retribution, and that retribution will be against the terrorist organisations and the terrorist leadership,” he said. (ANI)

Raja Raghuvanshi’s mother, Uma Raghuvanshi, on Tuesday demanded justice for her son and said that the accused should be given life imprisonment.

“I want justice for my son. The accused should be hanged. They should be given a strict punishment. I believe more people are involved in the case since one individual could not have orchestrated and carried it out,” said the grieving mother of the deceased.

Speaking about her daughter-in-law, Sonam Raghuvanshi, Uma said, “We were happy to welcome her into the family. We didn’t pay attention to her past; we could only see what lay ahead. Raja was very happy with the marriage. The last time I talked to them was on May 23. I had no suspicions until the very end.”

Meanwhile, Vipin Raghuvanshi, brother of the deceased Raja Raghuvanshi, also levelled fresh allegations against his sister-in-law and the prime accused, Sonam Raghuvanshi, in the ongoing investigation into the Meghalaya honeymoon murder case.

The brother of the deceased alleged that the accused, Sonam, staged her surrender and that more than five individuals were involved in the crime.

He also claimed that Sonam Raghuvanshi’s mother kept information from their family and that she also knew about the alleged affair between Raj Kushwaha and her daughter, Sonam.

The fourth accused, identified as Anand in the Raja Raghuvanshi murder case, was also sent to transit remand for 7 days on Tuesday.

Three other accused— Akash Rajput, Vishal Singh Chauhan, and Raj Singh Kushwaha received transit remand for 7 days on Monday.

Speaking to ANI, Additional DCP Rajesh Dandotiya said, “The fourth accused, Anand, was brought here by Shillong Police. He is being presented in front of the court for transit remand. Shillong Police will take all four accused with them and investigate further. Anand is a resident of Indore, and all three accused are friends of Raj Kushwaha.”

“Raj used to work as an accountant at Sonam Raghuvanshi’s office. Vishal and Anand were students in their first and second years, and Akash was unemployed. None of them has any criminal record. All four accused are between 20 and 25 years of age. All the interrogation has been done by the Shillong Police,” said the official.

The DCP said all four will be taken to Shillong following the completion of transit remand formalities later today. According to the police, Sonam Rahuvanshi, the wife of the deceased and Raj Kushwaha are the prime accused.

The Meghalaya Police brought Sonam Raghuvanshi to Phulwari Sarif police station in Bihar’s Patna after receiving her three-day transit remand.

On Monday, the Meghalaya Police got the transit remand of the three accused in Indore’s Raja Raghuvanshi murder case.

This comes after the victim, Raja Raghuvanshi, was allegedly killed during a honeymoon trip in Meghalaya by contract killers reportedly hired by his wife, Sonam Raghuvanshi.

A senior Uttar Pradesh police official said Sonam was found near a dhaba on the Varanasi-Ghazipur main road.

Afterwards, the UP police kept her at the Sakhi One Stop Centre in Ghazipur. After the arrival of the Meghalaya Police, she was taken to the District Hospital for a medical examination.

Earlier, Meghalaya Deputy Chief Minister Prestone Tynsong confirmed the arrest of four individuals in connection with the murder of Raja Raghuvanshi.

Addressing the media on June 9, shortly after Sonam Raghvanshi surrendered to the police, Tynsong stated that the authorities are still searching for one remaining suspect.

He informed that Sonam voluntarily turned herself in, and all those apprehended would be brought to Shillong for further investigation.

The Meghalaya Special Investigation Team (SIT) Chief Herbert Pyniaid Kharkongor said that, according to the post-mortem report, the deceased Raja Raghuvanshi sustained two head injuries.

Raja Raghuvanshi and his wife, Sonam, both residents of Madhya Pradesh’s Indore, had gone missing during their honeymoon in the northeastern state of Meghalaya. Raja Raghuvanshi’s body was later recovered in Meghalaya. (ANI)

Josh Marden, the head curator at Beckenham County Ground, revealed that India head coach Gautam Gambhir and the management had a clear message regarding their preparations for the highly anticipated England tour: “We want a good pitch”, reported Revsportz.

India has begun fine-tuning its preparations for the five gripping Tests in England, which are slated to begin on June 20 at Headingley. The tourists have hosted a training camp at the South East London venue in Beckenham as they solidify their preparations for the first bilateral Test series without its batting bigwigs Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma, marking the beginning of a new era.

After the internal meeting, Gambhir and the coaching staff spoke to Marden and sent a clear message about the desired pitch conditions. The ask was simple: “a good pitch” that wasn’t too flat or too green, a realistic setting that genuinely offered help in preparing for the match.

“Yes, the coaching staff, including Gautam Gambhir and others, spoke to us after their internal meeting. Their message was clear: “We want a good pitch.” Not something too flat or too green, but something that will genuinely help with match preparation. They wanted more realistic conditions, not just batting drills. So we adjusted a few things, grass cover, net width, and length extensions. The feedback has been great since then,” Marden told Revsportz.

Traditionally, the strip India is training on has been a batting paradise in white-ball formats. To make it more ideal for a red-ball setup, Harden outlined the various measures they have taken to offer “enough life” for the seamers.

“Yes, and no. The soil here naturally plays batter-friendly, so visually, the wicket may look dry or flat. But we manage grass density, not just what you see, but how thick it is. The pitches currently used by India and Australia have slightly more grass than our usual white-ball surfaces. It’s a subtle balance. Even with a brown surface, there’s enough life in it for seamers, if you hit the right length,” he added.

India Squad: Shubman Gill (c), Rishabh Pant (vc, wk), Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul, Sai Sudarshan, Abhimanyu Easwaran, Karun Nair, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Ravindra Jadeja, Dhruv Jurel, Washington Sundar, Shardul Thakur, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna, Akash Deep, Arshdeep Singh, Kuldeep Yadav. (ANI)

A Chinese aircraft carrier group visited Japanese waters over the weekend before leaving to perform fighter jet drills, according to a Taipei Times story.

The Liaoning aircraft carrier, two missile destroyers, and one rapid combat supply ship went around 300 km southwest of Japan’s easternmost island of Minamitori on Saturday, according to a ministry statement, Taipei Times reports.

According to a ministry spokesman, this was the first time a Chinese aircraft carrier approached that portion of Japan’s exclusive economic zone (EEZ). “We believe the Chinese military is attempting to improve its operational capability and ability to conduct operations in remote areas,” the official stated, as reported by the Taipei Times.

China’s expanding military power, as well as its deployment of naval and air assets to enforce disputed territorial claims, have alarmed the United States and its Asian-Pacific allies. According to the Taipei Times, Japanese Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi told reporters that the government had “conveyed an appropriate message to the Chinese side,” but did not specify whether it had submitted a formal protest.

Fighter aircraft and helicopters took off and landed on Sunday after the Liaoning and her escorting warships exited Japan’s exclusive economic zone, according to a ministry statement. Japan sent its cruiser Haguro to the area to monitor the situation, according to a Taipei Times report.

The Liaoning cruised between two southern Japanese islands within the EEZ last month, from the East China Sea to the Pacific, while doing takeoffs and landings on deck, according to the ministry. In September of last year, the carrier sailed between two Japanese islands near Taiwan and entered Japan’s contiguous waters, which extend up to 24 nautical miles (44 km) from its shore, according to the Taipei Times.

Tokyo deemed the measure “unacceptable” and raised “serious concerns.” According to the Taipei Times, a state has the power under international law to regulate natural resources and other commercial activity within its exclusive economic zone. (ANI)

United States President Donald Trump is sending an additional 2,000 National Guard troops to support Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and federal law enforcement officers in Los Angeles, the Department of Defence confirmed.

Monday’s deployment is in addition to t’he 2,000 National Guard troops ordered to deploy by Trump on Saturday twarning of tougher action against those protesting immigration arrests.

“At the order of the President, the Department of Defence is mobilising an additional 2,000 California National Guard to be called into federal service to support ICE & to enable federal law-enforcement officers to safely conduct their duties,” Sean Parnell, Assistant to the Secretary of Defence for Public Affairs, wrote on X.

The latest deployment comes on the same day California filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration, asking a judge to declare the deployments unconstitutional.

In response to Monday’s filing, a White House spokesperson said California Governor Gavin Newsom should prioritise prosecuting “anti-ICE rioters” rather than suing the Trump administration.

“It’s pathetic that Newsom is more focused on saving face than protecting law enforcement and holding criminals accountable,” White House Deputy Press Secretary Anna Kelly said. “As the President said, Newsom should thank him for restoring law and order.”

During a news conference, California Attorney General Rob Bonta has strongly criticised Trump’s decision to federalise the state’s National Guard troops, calling it “unnecessary, counterproductive, and unlawful”.

This is California’s 24th lawsuit in 19 weeks against the Trump administration, Bonta said.

Bonta argues that Trump’s order abuses federal authority, violating the 10th Amendment and federal law, as it was made without Governor Gavin Newsom’s authorisation and against the wishes of local law enforcement, as per CNN.

The order “abused the federal government’s authority and violated the 10th Amendment and federal law,” according to Bonta, who said Trump made the order “without authorisation from Governor Newsom and against the wishes of local law enforcement.”

Further, Bonta said Hegseth ignored Newsom’s request to rescind the deployment.

In a post on X, California Governor Gavin Newsom has accused Trump of “creating fear and terror to take over a state militia and violate the US Constitution.”

Notably, the protests erupted after ICE agents conducted raids across the city, arresting dozens of undocumented immigrants. (ANI)

The detained crew of the Gaza-bound aid ship “Madleen”- including Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg and other prominent international volunteers were docked at Israel’s Ashdod port on Monday evening following a controversial interception at sea, CNN reported.

According to Israel’s foreign ministry, the intercepted activists underwent medical checks upon arrival. Defense Minister Israel Katz said they were shown a screening of “the horror film documenting the October 7 massacre” by Hamas, but “when they saw what it was about, they refused to continue watching.” He accused Thunberg and others of ignoring Hamas atrocities by “closing their eyes to the truth.”

The Freedom Flotilla Coalition (FFC), which organized the mission, alleged that the Israeli military “attacked” and “unlawfully boarded” the ship in international waters while it was attempting to deliver baby formula, food, and medical supplies to Gaza which remains under an 11-week aid blockade.

The activists were detained after Israeli quadcopters reportedly sprayed the ship with a white paint-like substance, jammed communications, and played disturbing noises over the radio. In a livestream from the ship, activist Yasemin Acar showed the white substance on the deck, stating it was affecting her eyes. Later, in a pre-recorded video posted by FFC, Thunberg said, “If you see this video, we have been intercepted and kidnapped in international waters by the Israeli occupational forces, or forces that support Israel.”

CNN further reported that the intercepted aid was confiscated and would be rerouted to Gaza through official humanitarian channels, according to Israeli authorities. However, human rights attorney and FFC organizer Huwaida Arraf said, “Israel has no legal authority to detain international volunteers aboard the Madleen. This seizure blatantly violates international law and defies the ICJ’s binding orders requiring unimpeded humanitarian access to Gaza.”

The operation was also condemned by Amnesty International. “The operation of intercepting and blocking the Madleen in the middle of the night and in international waters violates international law and put the safety of those on the boat at risk,” said Agnes Callamard, the organisation’s secretary general.

Meanwhile, U.S. President Donald Trump weighed in, calling Thunberg a “strange” and “young, angry person” and recommending that she “go to an anger management class,” according to CNN. He added, “Israel has enough problems without kidnapping Greta Thunberg.”

Hamas demanded the immediate release of the detainees, calling the interception “a flagrant violation of international law” and an attack on civilian volunteers. On the ground in Ashdod, around 15 people protested with placards reading, “Resist genocide” and “Stop state terror.”

The French foreign ministry confirmed that six of its nationals were onboard and said President Emmanuel Macron had requested their swift return. Paris also called on Israel to allow “immediate, large-scale, and unhindered access for humanitarian aid to Gaza.”

The Madleen is part of the Freedom Flotilla Coalition, a group that has long challenged Israel’s naval blockade of Gaza. Prior to its interception, the ship had publicized its journey online, and activists were aware of the risks, with Thunberg telling CNN, “We know that previous experiences with flotillas like this have resulted in attacks, violence and even cases of death.”

Despite mounting international pressure, aid deliveries into Gaza remain minimal. A UN-backed report warned in April that one in five people in Gaza faces starvation. FFC said the confiscated aid included baby formula and essential medical supplies.

Last month, another Freedom Flotilla vessel allegedly came under drone attack near Malta in international waters. Although no direct evidence was provided, the FFC blamed Israel. The Israeli military declined to comment.

The Madleen departed from Sicily last Friday and was intercepted before reaching Gaza, reaffirming Israel’s stated policy of preventing all unauthorized sea access to the strip. (ANI)

Rudresh Kuttikar, Chief Medical Officer (CMO) of Goa Medical College and Hospital, who was berated by state health minister Vishwajit Rane, has demanded that Rane must issue a public apology “immediately” in the same casualty department, where the minister allegedly humiliated the senior doctor during an inspection.

Supported by the Goa Association of Resident Doctors (GARD), the doctors have warned to go on strike if the minister fails to apologise. Kuttikar informed that the incident escalated after someone’s relative, who came asking for a B12 injection in the emergency department, was invited to visit the outpatient department (OPD) instead.

“We demand that he (Rane) apologise publicly, and the minister should come to the casualty department and apologise. If our demand is not met, we may go on strike. The incident on June 7 was when someone’s relative came asking for a B12 injection. It was not an emergency injection. We said you have to go to the OPD,” the CMO told reporters here.

Dismissing the minister’s apology earlier, Kuttikar labelled it a “studio apology,” asking that the apology be issued where the incident happened. He remains adamant that the minister must issue an apology before the public.

“I have seen the video (of the minister apologising), but it is a studio apology. All doctors demand that an apology should happen where the incident happened. It should happen in front of people. Like the video of my humiliation went viral. The same thing should go viral because I was completely humiliated that day. I want every person to know about his apology,” he said.

Speaking on the demands of the resident doctors, Goa Medical College Dean SM Bandekar told ANI that he informed the state health ministry about the doctors’ demands and was waiting for a response. Moreover, the hospital has agreed that videography must be prohibited in the patient treatment area.

“There has been no order to suspend the doctor, and there has been no inquiry. I assured them that there has been no suspension. The second demand is that the (health) minister and the ministry should apologise publicly. I have informed the ministry about their letter, and we are waiting for a response from the ministry. The third demand they have made is that there should be no videography in the patient treatment area, we agree to this too. They also want FIR to be registered against the person who shot the video that day (during the visit of the Goa Health Minister), we will identify that person,” he added.

A massive protest broke out at Goa Medical College (GMC) on Monday as doctors, Heads of Departments, interns, and medical students united in anger against Health Minister Vishwajit Rane, demanding a public apology and an end to VIP culture in hospitals.

The protests came after an incident in which Health Minister Rane used harsh language against Dr Rudresh Kuttikar during a visit to GMC. The Health Minister was accused of humiliating and disrespecting a senior doctor, Dr Rudresh Kuttikar, during an inspection.

The protest saw widespread participation from medical professionals across departments. (ANI)