Digest for 12 July, 2025
Air India Crash Probe Points to Engine Fuel Cutoff Seconds After Takeoff
A preliminary report into the Air India crash in Ahmedabad has ruled out defects in the aircraft's fuel control switch. However, the flight recorder indicates that seconds after takeoff, the switches for both engines were moved to 'CUTOFF' and then back to 'RUN', starving them of fuel. The cockpit voice recorder captured a pilot denying they had performed this action. The investigation continues, noting a non-mandatory 2018 FAA advisory about the switch design had not been implemented by the airline.
Indian Astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla to Return from ISS on July 15
Indian astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla is scheduled to complete his 14-day mission and return to Earth from the International Space Station on July 15, ISRO has confirmed. As the first Indian aboard the ISS, Shukla successfully conducted a suite of seven microgravity experiments critical for India's future space missions, including Gaganyaan. He and his crewmates will undock in a SpaceX Dragon spacecraft for a splashdown off the coast of California. ISRO reports the astronaut is in good health.
US State Department Lays Off Over 1,300 Employees in Major Reorganization
The U.S. State Department has fired more than 1,300 employees, including 1,107 civil servants and 246 foreign service officers, as part of a major reorganization by the Trump administration. Critics and former diplomats argue the move will severely damage America's global influence and ability to counter international threats. The administration has defended the cuts as a necessary step to create a leaner, more efficient department, marking a significant shift in the execution of U.S. foreign policy.
IIM-Calcutta Student Arrested for Allegedly Raping Classmate on Campus
A student at the Indian Institute of Management-Calcutta has been arrested for allegedly raping a female classmate inside a campus hostel. The woman's FIR states she was drugged and then sexually assaulted after being invited to the accused's room for a purported "counselling session." The incident at one of India's premier business schools has ignited serious concerns about student safety on elite campuses. Police have detained the accused student and are conducting a full investigation.
Four-Storey Building Collapses in Delhi, Rescue Operations Underway
A four-storey residential building collapsed in the Welcome area of northeast Delhi on Saturday morning. Multiple agencies, including seven fire tenders, are conducting rescue operations. Three people have been pulled from the rubble and rushed to a hospital, but authorities fear more individuals from a family of ten residing there may still be trapped. The incident highlights ongoing concerns about structural safety and unregulated construction in densely populated urban areas of the national capital.