Wednesday, June 18, 2025 | 29 Pages | `5 & for State (+4 pages) `6 Reg.No MCS/048/2021-23; RNI No. 1541/1957 M.p.c.s office Mumbai. PIN 400001 THE FREE PRESS JOURNAL Vol. 68 No. 219 | Leader in E-paper circulation l www.freepressjournal.in ● EDITIONS: ● MUMBAI ● INDORE ● PUNE ● BHOPAL ● NASHIK ● KONKAN ● E-paper ● Member: Audit Bureau of Circulation (July to December 2024) NATION ED issues summons to Cong’s DK Suresh in con woman Aishwarya case FPJ IMPACT NCSC takes cognisance Urvi Mahajani MUMBAI The National Commission for Scheduled Castes (NCSC) has taken cognisance of The Free Press Journal's June 16 report on municipal worker, Sunil Yadav, who has not received a single promotion in over 17 years of service despite earning seven academic degrees, including a PhD. The NCSC has directed its Pune office to examine Yadav’s case. Yadav, 43, a motor loader with the Solid Waste Management Department of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation and a member of the Schedule Caste Mehtar community, has approached the Bombay High Court seeking long-overdue recognition of his qualifications. His petition says that he joined BMC in 2005 as a safai karmachari conservancy worker - and was confirmed in 2007. Determined to break free from the cycle of poverty and social exclusion, Yadav said he worked night shifts, from 10 pm to 6 am, while simultaneously pursuing his studies. Over the years, he acquired a B.Com, BA in Journalism, MA in Globalisation and Labour, MSW, MPhil, and PhD from Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS). SEE CITY Briefs Modi holds talks at G7 Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on Tuesday, met with South Korean President Lee Jae-myung and President of Mexico Claudia Sheinbaum Pardo Obrador on the sidelines of the G7 Summit at Kananaskis in Canada. Prime Minister Modi also held a pull-aside with Lee Jae-myung, officials said. He also met with the Mexican president on the sidelines of the summit, they added. Earlier, on his arrival, the PM said that he would discuss important global issues and emphasise the priorities of the Global South as he meets world leaders during the summit. “Landed in Calgary, Canada, to take part in the G7 Summit. Will be meeting various leaders at the Summit and sharing my thoughts on important global issues. Will also be emphasising the priorities of the Global South,” Modi said in a post on X on Monday evening. The Outreach Segment of the 51st G7 Summit will have one session. He will also hold several bilateral meetings on sidelines of Summit. Google unveils safety charter As part of its efforts to crack down on online frauds, curb synthetic and misleading contents, promote cybersecurity and responsible AI development, Google on Tuesday unveiled a ‘safety charter’ for India. According to Google, the charter is a blueprint for tackling the online world’s new challenges collaboratively with the wider ecosystem. This entails keeping the end-user safe from online frauds and scams; cybersecurity for government and enterprise infrastructure; and building AI responsibly. SEE MONEY GAMES Cinema A glimpse of Shanaya Kapoor...behind the scenes Jos Buttler feels Shubman Gill will come into his own as captain on India’s tour of England Edit Need to revamp medical education FLIGHT CHAOS | Air India’s global operations disrupted as DGCA orders aircraft safety checks after Ahmedabad crash DREAMLINER WOES GROUND 7 FLIGHTS Dhairya Gajara Safety nod to 24 aircraft MUMBAI Air India’s international operations have been thrown into disarray after India’s aviation regulator, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), ordered enhanced safety inspections of the airline’s Boeing Dreamliner fleet. As a result, the airline was compelled to cancel or delay at least seven major international flights on Tuesday alone — a severe blow to its long-haul operations. The DGCA's order, issued shortly after the crash, has forced Air India to ground several of its Boeing 787-8 and 787-9 aircraft for detailed safety evaluations This follows the deadly crash of flight AI-171, which killed A new video shows people trying to jump off the hostel building using curtains and bedsheets to save themselves from the inferno after AI-171 crash. more than 270 people in Ahmedabad on June 12. The most prominent among these was AI-159, the rebranded Ahmedabad–London service, which had replaced the ill-fated AI-171. Scheduled to fly Tuesday morning, it was cancelled due to aircraft unavailability. 4Contd on | nation The DGCA confirmed that 24 of Air India’s 33 Boeing 787 Dreamliners have passed enhanced safety inspections. The checks followed the Ahmedabad crash involving one of the airline’s Dreamliners. In a key meeting with Air India and Air India Express officials, the DGCA stated no safety issues were found in the cleared aircraft but urged better coordination among engineering, operations, and ground handling teams. SEE NATION DGCA seeks training records of AI 171 pilots Agencies NEW DELHI India’s aviation safety regulator has asked Air India to submit training records of the pilots and flight dispatcher involved in last week’s deadly crash, according to government memos reviewed by Reuters. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), in a confidential memo, also directed all flying schools to conduct compliance checks related to training procedures. The requests are part of what the DGCA described as a “regulatory” review of the incident. The memos show that the DGCA sought details of action taken by Air India following recent audits carried out by the watchdog. The airline was asked to submit the requested documents by Monday. It remains unclear whether it has complied. Neither the airline The mortal remains of Capt Sumit Sabharwal, pilot of AI 171, were brought to his Powai home on Tuesday India’s aviation watchdog demands pilot training logs from Air India after last week’s fatal Dreamliner crash. All flying schools told to audit compliance amid broader regulatory review. nor the DGCA responded to requests for comment. The accident occurred on Thursday, when a Dreamliner crashed shortly after take-off from Ahmedabad. Indian students Give up or else...: Trump City rally against shifted from Tehran Natanz Gaza siege nixed Agencies DUBAI / WASHINGTON Agencies NEW DELHI Amid escalating Israel-Iran conflict, the Ministry of External Affairs on Tuesday said that Indian students in Tehran have been moved out of the city for safety reasons. In a press release, MEA stated, "Indian students in Tehran have been moved out of the city for reasons of safety, through arrangements made by the Embassy. Other residents who are self-sufficient in terms of transport have also been advised to move out of the city in view of the developing situation." "Separately, some Indians have been facilitated to leave Iran through the border with Armenia," it added. Earlier, all Indian nationals & persons of Indian origin in Iran were requested to remain vigilant, avoid all unnecessary movements, follow the Embassy's social media accounts and observe safety protocols as advised by the local auth- orities. They were advised to stay indoors. Earlier in the day, MEA official spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal stated that a 24x7 Control Room has been established in MEA. The MEA stated, "The Embassy remains continuously in touch with the community to extend all feasible assistance. Further advisories may be issued given the fluid situation." This also comes against the backdrop of Israel's warning to people, advising them to evacuate central Tehran, signalling a possible escalation in its military offensive on Iran. In a post on X, Avichay Adraee, a spokesman for the Israeli military, called residents of District C, located in the northeastern part of the city, to evacuate. "In the coming hours, the Israeli army will operate in this area, as it has over recent days in other parts of Tehran, to strike military infrastructure belonging to the Iranian regime," Adraee said. As Israel prepared for a more intense bombardment on Tehran, US President Donald Trump left the G 7 summit and headed back to Washington ruling out any moves towards a ceasefire, raising the prospect of imminent action. On reaching Washington Trump demanded that Iranian forces unconditionally lay down their arms and is suggesting that American forces may target Iran’s head of state if the Islamic Republic doesn’t cease targeting Israeli civilians or targets any American forces in the region. In a post on Truth Social, Trump wrote that the U.S. “know exactly where” Iran’s “so-called Supreme Leader,,” Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, is “hiding” and described him as an “easy target” who is currently “safe” in his current location. “We are not going to take him out (kill!), at least not for now. But we don’t want missiles shot at civilians, or Ameri- impacted he International Atomic Energy Agency said Israeli airstrikes on Iran's Natanz enrichment site have had "direct impacts" on the facility's underground centrifuge halls, the first time the United Nations' nuclear watchdog has assessed damage from the strikes in the underground parts of Natanz, which is the main enrichment facility of Iran's nuclear programme. "Based on continued analysis of high-resolution satellite imagery collected after Friday's attacks, the IAEA has identified additional elements that indicate direct impacts on the underground enrichment halls at Natanz," it said. Already, an above-ground enrichment hall had been destroyed, as well as electrical equipment that powered the facility. T can soldiers,” the president continued before adding: “Our patience is wearing thin. Thank you for your attention to this matter!” Earlier he had said that he wanted a "real end" to the nuclear problem with Iran, with Iran "giving up entirely" on nuclear weapons, according to comments that were posted by a CBS News reporter on X. He made the comments during his midnight departure from the G7 in Canada, the reporter said. Trump predicted Israel would not be slowing its attacks on Iran. 4Contd on | nation Manoj Ramakrishnan MUMBAI Mumbai police have denied permission to the India-Palestine Solidarity Forum and a group of political parties to hold a rally at Azad Maidan on Wednesday afternoon to protest against Israel's siege of Gaza. The organisers said that in the absence of a nod to gather at the ground, they will meet at a trade union office near Azad Maidan in smaller numbers. The rally was opposed by Hindu groups who threatened to hold counter rallies if the police did not stop the gathering. Both groups spoke to the police on Tuesday, after which the cops decided to deny permission. Dr Pravin Mundhe deputy commissioner of police, zone I, said that no permissions have been given. The Communist Party of India (Marxist), Communist Party of India, Republican Party of India, Samajwadi Tanks kill 59 in Gaza At least 59 Palestinians were killed on Tuesday when Israeli tanks fired on a crowd gathered for aid in Khan Younis, Gaza, according to medics. Eyewitnesses told Reuters that thousands had assembled along a main road hoping to collect food from incoming aid trucks when tank shells suddenly struck.Video footage showed bodies strewn across the street. The Israeli military acknowledged firing in the area and said it was investigating. Party, were among the groups planning the rally in response to a call by Leftist parties to observe June 17 as 'National Day of Solidarity with Palestine'. 4Contd on | nation Khamenei isolated as inner circle shrinks SC frowns on ‘ban’ Agencies DAMASCUS Iran’s 86-year-old Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei is becoming more isolated. Several of his top military and security aides have been killed in Israeli airstrikes, significantly weakening his inner circle and increasing the chance of strategic mistakes, according to sources close to his decisionmaking process. As per Reuters, one of the sources, who regularly attends meetings with Khamenei, described the risk of miscalculation to Iran on issues of defence and internal stability as "ex- (L to R) Ayatollah Khamenei, Shadmani, Hajizadeh, Kazemi and Hossein Salami. tremely dangerous". Israel's military said on Tuesday it had killed Iran’s wartime Chief of Staff, Ali Shadmani. Several senior military commanders have been killed since Friday including Khamenei's main advisers from the Revolutionary Guards, Iran's elite military force: the Guards' overall commander Hossein Salami, its aerospace chief Amir Ali Hajizadeh who headed Iran's ballistic missile program and spymaster Mohammad Kazemi. These men were part of the supreme leader's inner circle of roughly 15-20 advisers com- prising Guards commanders, clerics, and politicians, according to the sources who include three people who attend or have attended meetings with the leader on major issues and two close to officials who regularly attend. Khamenei makes the final decision on important matters, G7 DRAMA Meloni ‘eye roll’ grabs eyeballs FPJ News Service MUMBAI Italian PM Giorgia Meloni momentarily abandoned the art of diplomatic poker faces on Monday when she was caught rolling her eyes after French President Emmanuel Macron whispered into her ear at the G7 roundtable in Alberta, Canada. She was seen leaning over to hear what Macron was whispering to her. A clip of the moment shows Macron shielding his mouth and muttering away. Moments later, Meloni was dramatically rolling her eyes in reply before jerking away. It followed an equally awkward encounter between Ca- nadian PM Mark Carney and US President Donald Trump. Carney cut Trump off from taking more questions after he was asked about his immigration policy. Back to Meloni and Macron. Naturally, cameras had a field day, and social media did what it does best: transformed a micro-expression into a memeworthy moment. The footage was shared across platforms faster than Macron’s approval ratings fluctuate. An X user wrote, "The G7 is off to such a good start. Meloni is awesome, she can't hide her disdain for the globalist elite." “Meloni with the eye roll of the century. She’s torn Macron apart in previous speeches so this isn’t a shock," another commented. Comments ranged from “C’mon spill the tea. What did you tell Meloni to evoke that priceless eye roll?" to "This is why he gets slapped by his wife". Perhaps the most inspired remark? A suggestion to crown Meloni head of the “UNERC — United Nations Eye Roll Committee”. though he values advice, listens attentively to diverse viewpoints, and often seeks additional information from his counsellors, according to one source who attends meetings. Years of Western sanctions have caused widespread economic misery that analysts say could ultimately threaten internal unrest. The stakes could barely be higher for Khamenei who faces an escalating war with Israel, which has targeted nuclear and military sites and personnel with air attacks, drawing retaliatory Iranian missile fire. 4Contd on | nation on Thug Life film Online report NEW DELHI The Supreme Court on Tuesday expressed concerns over the "extra-judicial ban" on the screening of Tamil feature film Thug Life, starring Kamal Haasan directed by Mani Ratnam, in Karnataka. A bench comprising Justice Ujjal Bhuyan and Justice Manmohan was hearing a PIL filed by one Mahesh Reddy seeking di- rections to allow the screening of 'Thug Life', which was not released in Karnataka after certain groups issued threats against its exhibition following the remarks of Kamal Haasan, the lead actor and one of the producers of the film, that Kannada was born out of Tamil. 4Contd on | nation SENA UBT MAN’S SWITCH EXPOSES RIFTS WITHIN BJP Ravikiran Deshmukh MUMBAI Sudhakar Badgujar’s entry sparks unrest within party ranks for his ‘links’ with Saleem Kutta The Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena (UBT) suffered a blow Tuesday with the defection of Sudhakar Badgujar, a former close aide of MP Sanjay Raut, to the BJP. But far from a celebration, his entry has exposed serious fissures within the saffron party. Badgujar's past links with underworld figure Salim Kutta—allegedly close to Dawood Ibrahim and involved in the 1993 Mumbai blasts—had earlier drawn fierce condemnation from BJP leaders. Minister Nitesh Rane had even waved pictures in the Assembly showing Badgujar dancing at a party where Kutta was present. Yet on Tuesday, BJP Minister Girish Mahajan—who oversees party affairs in Nashik—formally inducted Badgujar into the party. This sparked unrest among state and local leaders. 4Contd on | nation