Air India jet crashes after takeoff, 242 onboard: Unbiased Updates, June 12, 2025
An international aircraft carrying 242 people crashed shortly after takeoff Thursday morning.
Also, California Gov. Gavin Newsom takes the Trump administration to court, attempting to remove the National Guard and Marines from Los Angeles as anti-ICE protests ignite nationwide.
Plus, tensions have escalated in the Middle East, particularly with Iran as the nation is eager to settle nuclear talks. ,
These stories and more highlight your Unbiased Updates for Thursday, June 12, 2025.
Air India flight crashes with 242 onboard
An Air India flight bound for London has crashed shortly after takeoff early Thursday morning, June 12. Flight AI 17, carrying 242 people, went down in a residential neighborhood near the Ahmedabad airport, which is in the western part of the country.
“The building on which it has crashed is a doctors’ hostel… we have cleared almost 70% to 80% of the area and will clear the rest soon,” a senior police officer told Reuters.
Local media showed smoke rising from the crash site just minutes after the Boeing 787 Dreamliner left the runway.
The plane was en route to London’s Gatwick Airport, but it lost signal less than a minute into the flight. India’s civil aviation minister said rescue crews are on the ground, and emergency support teams are rushing to the site.
All flights out of Ahmedabad have been suspended.
Court hearing over Trump’s deployment of National Guard, Marines in Los Angeles
Can President Donald Trump deploy the National Guard and Marines to Los Angeles to assist with immigration raids? That’s the question before a federal court in San Francisco on Thursday morning.
California Gov. Gavin Newsom filed an emergency motion earlier this week to block the deployment after Trump ordered 4,000 National Guard members and 700 Marines to Los Angeles, where protests over U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) enforcement have become violent.
The administration referred to the lawsuit as a “crass political stunt endangering American lives.”
U.S. Northern Command said that 2,100 National Guard troops were already on the ground, with Marines anticipated to join them in the next 48 hours. Critics argued that military troops should not be deployed to handle civil unrest. The commander on the ground confirms that troops can temporarily detain individuals but cannot make arrests.
A curfew remained in effect overnight in Los Angeles, and similar protests continued nationwide.
In Spokane, Washington, a curfew and state of emergency were declared after demonstrations outside an ICE office. A former city councilman leading the protest was detained. In New York City, police arrested several demonstrators who refused to clear a crosswalk near City Hall.
In San Antonio, despite warnings from Texas Governor Greg Abbott, hundreds marched peacefully. No arrests were reported. And finally, a different kind of protest took place in Washington, D.C.
Trump and First Lady Melania were met with both “Boos” and cheers as they took their seats at the Kennedy Center for “Les Misérables.” This was the first show Trump had attended since he named himself chairman of the board in February after dismissing the entire trustees panel.
US scales back presence in the Middle East amid tension with Iran
The U.S. announced it was withdrawing non-essential personnel from embassies in Iraq, Bahrain and Kuwait, and authorizing military families to voluntarily leave the region due to rising concerns about potential conflict with Iran.
Trump stated that Americans are being relocated because it could “be a dangerous place” as tensions rise over Iran’s nuclear program and stalled negotiations.
CBS News now reports that Israel is preparing for a possible strike on Iran’s nuclear sites, and U.S. officials worry Iran could retaliate against American targets in the region. Iran’s defense minister issued a warning, saying if talks fail, the U.S. will “have to leave the region” and all American bases are “within reach.”
On Thursday morning, Iran announced plans to construct a new uranium enrichment facility after the U.N. nuclear watchdog voted to censure the country for failing to cooperate with inspections.
Meanwhile, a key Senate hearing on U.S. force posture has been unexpectedly postponed, and maritime agencies are warning of possible escalation in the Strait of Hormuz. All of this highlights a precarious moment in the Middle East, with diplomacy hanging in the balance and military posturing from all sides.
RFK Jr. names controversial vaccine advisers at CDC
A shakeup Thursday morning, June 12, at the CDC’s top vaccine advisory panel has raised eyebrows. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has named eight new members to the committee that recommends vaccines, just days after firing the entire group of 17 advisors.
Kennedy said the new members are “highly credentialed,” but at least four have publicly questioned vaccines or COVID mandates. That includes Dr. Robert Malone, known for promoting unverified COVID treatments, and Dr. Martin Kulldorff, who co-authored the contentious Great Barrington Declaration, a document that opposed lockdowns.
Critics argued Kennedy’s picks are political and risk undermining trust in public health. The revamped panel meets later this month, with significant decisions ahead, including possible updates to the HPV vaccine schedule.
Judge blocks Trump admin from continuing to detain pro-Palestinian activist
A federal judge has barred the Trump administration from continuing to detain Mahmoud Khalil, a Columbia University graduate student at the center of a high-profile deportation case. The judge granted Khalil’s habeas corpus petition but put his own ruling on hold until Friday morning, giving the administration time to appeal.
Khalil’s arrest for leading anti-Israel demonstrations at the Ivy League school sparked outrage. He is one of the first students detained in a Trump-led crackdown on antisemitism, targeting pro-Palestinian activists on college campuses.
He’s from Syria and holds a green card, also known as a permanent resident card. Khalil has asserted that he was solely a spokesman for the group. So far, it’s unclear if the administration will contest the decision.
Beach Boys music legend and founder Brian Wilson dies
Brian Wilson, the genius behind the Beach Boys, died at 82. The band that defined American summer started back in 1961. And six decades later, their sound still echoes at beach parties and cover bands across the country.
His bandmates posted this on Instagram: “Together we gave the world the American dream of optimism, joy, a sense of freedom — music that made people feel good, made them believe in summer and endless possibilities.”
They sold over 100 million records, with nearly three dozen platinum and gold hits. Beatles legend Paul McCartney called “God Only Knows” on the Pet Sounds album the “Greatest song ever written.”
Wilson struggled with mental health and addiction, but his music never lost its magic. His band was a must-see during the summer if they came to your town. Wilson’s cause of death has yet to be revealed.
New species of dinosaur related to T. rex discovered
Paleontologists have discovered a new species of dinosaur related to the iconic Tyrannosaurus rex. Experts reanalyzed two partial skeletons found in Mongolia’s Gobi Desert back in the 1970s after a University of Calgary student spotted them during a trip to Mongolia in 2023.
While visiting the central museum of dinosaurs in Mongolia, the student noticed features never seen in any known Tyrannosaurus species.
Scientists now say the fossils belong to a brand-new — and relatively small — tyrannosaur. Researchers named the new species Khankhuuluu mongoliensis, which BBC reported means “Dragon Prince of Mongolia.”
It was about 13 feet long, weighed roughly 1,700 pounds and was likely a fast, agile runner. They’re calling it a “missing link” between earlier, smaller tyrannosaurs and the massive apex predators like T. rex, which could top 10,000 pounds.
Ella Rae Greene, Editor In Chief
