A Gurugram court on July 12, 2025 remanded Deepak Yadav, father of 25‑year‑old tennis coach Radhika Yadav, to 14 days’ judicial custody. Deepak allegedly shot her four times with his licensed .32 bore revolver at their Sector 57 home the previous morning while she was cooking. Radhika had been training aspiring players by renting tennis courts—something Deepak repeatedly opposed. Despite widespread speculation, investigators found no link between the murder and her social media or music video activities. Police cleared Radhika’s mother of involvement. Deepak reportedly felt humiliated by taunts that he was dependent on his daughter’s earnings and claimed depression in the weeks before the crime. (PC: HT Photo)    

India’s Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) has released its preliminary report on the June 12, 2025 crash of Air India Flight 171 out of Ahmedabad. The probe reveals that seconds after takeoff, both engine fuel-cutoff switches were flipped from RUN to CUTOFF within a one-second interval, causing immediate loss of thrust . Cockpit audio captured one pilot asking why fuel had been cut off; the other denied responsibility. Though engines were briefly relit when switches were returned, recovery failed. Investigators found no mechanical defect. The cause remains under investigation—possible human error, malfunction, or sabotage. The crash killed 242 onboard and 19 on the ground, leaving just one survivor. (PC: India Today)

Between February and June 16, 2025, India's central government approved the diversion of 8,518.23 hectares of forest into non‑forest use—surpassing four times the size of Delhi's airport—despite a February Supreme Court directive prohibiting reduction of forest land without prior safeguards . Clearances spanned tiger reserves, protected areas, revenue, degraded, and unclassed forests, sanctioned via RECs, the FAC, and NBWL . Petitioners argue compensatory afforestation is misused by allowing it within legally protected forests, in direct contradiction to the 1996 Godavarman judgment and the Court’s own Feb 3, 2025 order. (PC: iStock)

The Adani Group has signed a major Memorandum of Understanding with Syama Prasad Mookerjee Port Kolkata (SMPK) to restore, beautify, and redevelop the 300‑metre historic Kumartuli Ghat along the Hooghly River. Known for its artisan community of idol‑makers, the ghat will undergo heritage‑compliant redesign led by conservation architect Anjan Mitra. The initiative emphasizes environmental sustainability, cultural sensitivity, and accessibility, transforming the riverside into a safer and more welcoming public promenade. As Adani Ports’ CSR flagship effort under SMPK’s “Swachhata” drive, this marks its first ghat‑restoration project on the Ganges. Completion is tentatively targeted before Durga Puja. (The Telegraph)  

In the wake of devastating monsoon floods and a cloudburst that washed away roads and bridges in Mandi’s Pandoh–Seraj region, the 750‑metre Mata Baglamukhi Ropeway has emerged as a crucial lifeline. It allows residents to bypass a broken 12‑kilometre road and transport essentials. More than 5,000 people across all 12 panchayats in Seraj Assembly constituency have used the ropeway since the disaster. Deputy Chief Minister Mukesh Agnihotri ordered that rides be offered free of cost. Locals like Bhoop Singh say the service has been indispensable for moving supplies and maintaining connectivity. Since June 20, Himachal has lost 91 lives in monsoon-related incidents. (PC: PTI)

The Geological Survey of India has designated Purulia in West Bengal as a rare earth elements (REE) hub, with G2‑level exploration now underway in two blocks – one in Purulia and the other in Karbi Anglong, Assam . Although the deposits in Purulia are modest, the advanced exploration signals India’s intent to reduce dependency on imported minerals vital for EVs, renewable energy and defense . Findings from GSI’s exploration—expected to be auctioned within a year—will be forwarded to state and central authorities. (PC: Reuters)

Following the June 12 crash of Air India Flight 171 in Ahmedabad, the flight’s cockpit voice and data recorders (black boxes) were recovered — one from a rooftop on June 13 and the other from wreckage on June 16. A specialized data-extraction kit from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board arrived 11 days after the crash and was used in India's new ₹9 crore AAIB lab in Delhi to access the memory module on June 25. The recovered recordings began revealing that engine fuel switches flipped to "cutoff" shortly after takeoff, triggering total engine failure and the subsequent crash. (PC: The Hindu)

Radhika Yadav, a 25‑year‑old former state‑ranked tennis player turned coach, was shot dead by her father, Deepak Yadav, in their Gurugram home on July 10, 2025. He fired five rounds from a licensed .32‑bore revolver—three bullets struck her in the back and neck, killing her instantly . The motive appears rooted in patriarchal insecurity: Deepak felt humiliated by neighbours' taunts that he was “living off his daughter’s income” from her tennis academy, which he had repeatedly asked her to shut down . Radhika had gained fame through sports and online content, including Instagram reels and a music video titled “Karwaan”. (PC: X)  

According to the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau’s (AAIB) preliminary report, Air India Flight 171’s fatal crash on June 12, 2025, was caused by both engine fuel control switches unexpectedly moving from RUN to CUTOFF shortly after takeoff from Ahmedabad. Cockpit voice recordings captured pilot confusion over the sudden dual-engine shutdown. Though the switches were returned to RUN within seconds, there wasn’t enough thrust to recover. Investigators found no mechanical fault yet, focusing on whether the incident was triggered by unintended pilot action or system malfunction. The crash resulted in 260 fatalities, marking India’s worst aviation disaster in recent decades. (PC: News 18)  

India’s Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) has released its initial findings on the June 2025 crash of Air India Flight AI171 in Ahmedabad. The report highlights that both engines of the Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner lost power due to an abrupt fuel cut-off just seconds after take-off. Cockpit voice recordings reveal one pilot questioning the other about cutting off fuel, suggesting possible human error. Although the fuel switches were reset and engines briefly reignited, recovery was not possible. No mechanical faults were found, and no immediate safety advisories have been issued to Boeing or engine manufacturers.