Air India cancelled five international flights today, all operated by Boeing 787-8 Dreamliners. This comes after the June 12 crash of flight AI 171 from Ahmedabad to London, which killed 241 people on board and 33 on the ground. The cancelled flights include Delhi to Dubai, Vienna, Paris, Ahmedabad to London, and London to Amritsar. Another Dreamliner returned to Hong Kong due to a technical issue, and a San Francisco–Mumbai flight was delayed in Kolkata. The DGCA has ordered detailed safety checks on all 787s with GEnx engines. Air India has retired the AI 171 call sign to honour the victims. (PC: NDTV/ Reuters)

Khalistani separatists staged an "ambush" protest in Calgary, Alberta, during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Canada for the G7 Summit. Viral videos show extremists shouting violent anti-India slogans, tearing and stomping on the Indian flag, and playing hate-filled songs. Canadian journalist Daniel Bordman described the protest as chaotic and aggressive. Independent journalist Mocha Bezirgan said banned group Sikhs for Justice was involved. India’s Sikh leaders, including from Patna Sahib Gurudwara, condemned the use of children in the protests. PM Mark Carney's invitation to Modi was seen by many as a shift away from separatist appeasement towards economic priorities. (PC: India Today)

A devastating Air India Boeing 787 crash occurred on 12 June 2025, shortly after take‑off from Ahmedabad, killing 241 of the 242 on board and at least eight people on the ground. Among the victims were Welsh businessman Akeel Nanabawa, his wife Hannaa Vorajee, and their 4‑year‑old daughter Sara, returning home to Gloucestershire. Akeel, from Newport, led a successful recruitment firm, and Hannaa served as Director at Peace Inclusion, championing minority rights. Community members describe them as selfless volunteers whose compassion and energy touched many. Their family issued a statement expressing profound heartbreak. The crash, with only one known survivor, is under investigation, while national tributes and community mourning spread across the UK and India. (PC: The Guardian)

On June 17, 2025, the Indian Embassy in Tehran urged all Indian nationals and persons of Indian origin to relocate to safer parts of the city, citing rising Israel–Iran tensions and directed those able to exit Tehran to do so by any means. It provided 24×7 helpline numbers and a special Telegram channel for real‑time updates. India’s MEA also established a control room in Delhi and is coordinating student relocations from high‑risk zones within Iran, liaising with Armenia and UAE for evacuation routes. The embassy continues to monitor developments closely.

On June 17, Air India’s Boeing 777‑200LR flight AI180 from San Francisco to Mumbai encountered a left‑engine snag during its scheduled stop at Kolkata’s Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose Airport. Landing on time at 00:45 IST, the aircraft experienced a technical glitch, delaying its onward journey. Around 05:20 IST, the captain ordered all passengers to deplane as a precautionary safety measure. Ground crews inspected the idle jet while arrangements were made to rebook travelers. There were no injuries. The incident follows a troubling streak for the national carrier: a Delhi‑bound Dreamliner returned mid‑air from Hong Kong yesterday and a separate Dreamliner crash in Ahmedabad recently claimed nearly 270 lives.

A British Airways Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner flight from London Heathrow to Chennai turned back mid-air on Sunday due to a technical issue. Flight BA35 dumped fuel over the Strait of Dover and landed safely at 1:50 PM. Hours later, an Air India Dreamliner from Hong Kong to Delhi also returned as a precaution. Both planes are the same model involved in the recent Air India crash in Ahmedabad that killed 241 people. BA confirmed the Heathrow return was “a standard precaution” and not an emergency. Investigations are underway. Boeing and Air India have not issued statements on the incidents. (PC: The Standard)

India has started evacuating its students from Iran through Armenia amid escalating tensions between Israel and Iran. The Indian Embassy in Tehran is closely monitoring the situation and coordinating with local authorities and universities, including Shiraz University of Medical Sciences. Israeli Defence Forces spokesperson Effie Deffrin assured full cooperation in India's evacuation efforts. At least 224 people have died in Israeli strikes on Iran, while Iran's fresh missile attack on Israel killed 8. Iran has advised residents of Tehran to evacuate. Meanwhile, Iranian civilians are seeking refuge in Turkey as fears of a prolonged conflict grow in the region. (PC: AFP)

Prime Minister Modi’s June visit to Cyprus his first in 23 years follows India‑Pakistan clashes and comes after Turkey publicly supported Pakistan. Analysts interpret the trip as a strategic signal to Ankara and Islamabad, aiming to weaken the China–Pakistan–Turkey axis . Cyprus, embroiled in a territorial dispute with Turkey, is viewed as a geo-strategic gateway into the Mediterranean and Europe and a vital node in the India–Middle East–Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC). Modi’s engagement seeks deeper defense, maritime, cyber cooperation, enhanced trade and energy ties, EU connectivity, and infrastructure collaboration during Cyprus’s upcoming EU presidency. The visit underscores India’s ambition to bolster Mediterranean influence and counter adversarial alliances. (PC: X)

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has sharply criticized the BJP and several BJP-led states for branding Bengali-speaking Indians as “Bangladeshis,” despite their valid documentation. She highlighted the recent case of 36‑year‑old Mehbub Sheikh, a Bengal-born mason arrested in Maharashtra’s Mira Road, whose voter ID, Aadhaar, PAN, ration card, and panchayat-certified family tree were ignored. Taken by BSF at 3:30 am on June 14, he was forcibly pushed into Bangladesh even after state authorities and migrants’ board intervened. Mamata urged pride in speaking Bengali, Gujarati, Marathi, or Hindi, while condemning what she called discrimination and livelihood denial. The episode underscores escalating regional tension over migrant identity. (PC: PTI)

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been conferred the Grand Cross of the Order of Makarios III, Cyprus’s highest civilian honour, during an official ceremony in Nicosia on June 16, 2025. Awarded by President Nikos Christodoulides, the accolade recognizes Modi’s instrumental role in strengthening India‑Cyprus relations and global peace, security, sovereignty, and prosperity. Modi dedicated the award to “the friendship between our nations,” 1.4 billion Indians, and shared values of peace and mutual understanding. This marks Modi’s 23rd international honour, reinforcing his growing stature as a global statesman committed to regional stability and inclusive development.