| Good morning, There's good news from Canada, where Prime Minister Narendra Modi held a bilateral meeting with his counterpart, Mark Carney, on the sidelines of the G7 Summit. India and Canada have agreed to restore High Commissioners to each other's capitals. The move comes over a year after former Canadian prime minister Justin Trudeau alleged the Indian government's involvement in the killing of Khalistani leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar, turning diplomatic ties on their head. Things got even more tense last October when both countries pulled their top diplomats. Modi’s visit to Alberta is seen as a move to help repair and strengthen relations. Both countries are planning to work more closely to tackle transnational crime. In this spirit of cooperation, India’s central security agencies had compiled intelligence on eight Canada-based gangsters and terrorists, which was to be shared with Canadian authorities. My colleague, Mahender Singh Manral, has more details. On that note, let’s get to today’s edition.
Big Story The Israel and Iran conflict is threatening to take a darker turn as US President Donald Trump mulls his next steps. Israel's Benjamin Netanyahu has been pressing Trump to join their efforts in crushing Iran's nuclear power. Crucially, Israel wants access to the massive US-made 'bunker buster' bombs to take out Fordo, a nuclear site in central Iran. Messaging: So far, Trump has refrained from letting the US troops directly join the attack, but his escalating threats on social media against Iran have deepened the uncertainty around the conflict. In messages on Truth Social, Trump asserted, "We now have complete and total control" of Iranian skies. He added, "We know exactly where the so-called “Supreme Leader” is hiding. He is an easy target, but is safe there - We are not going to take him out (kill!), at least not for now." Trump warned, "Our patience is wearing thin", following it up with the message, "UNCONDITIONAL SURRENDER!" High stakes: If Trump were to join the conflict, he would risk undermining his foreign policy on ending "forever wars". Iran and its proxies in Syria and Iraq could retaliate with attacks on US bases. Trump also puts any hopes of a nuclear deal with Iran into jeopardy. Clear out: As the conflict entered its sixth day this morning, Iran and Israel continued to exchange fire. Thousands have begun streaming out of the Iranian capital, Tehran, amid the Israeli military's call for evacuation. India has also asked its nationals to leave the capital. The Indian Embassy arranged for at least 100 Indian students to cross the border into Armenia. Also read: The Iran-Israel conflict has not directly impacted Indian markets — yet. Things could change if Israel starts targeting Iran’s crucial oil installations.
Only in Express India's crackdown on illegal Bangladeshis has ignited fear among migrant workers from Bengal. Consider this: At least seven persons from West Bengal were detained by Mumbai Police and erroneously pushed into Bangladesh on June 14. All of them have been brought back to India following the intervention of the Bengal government. Bengal migrant workers, harassed by residents and detained by authorities, are now afraid to leave their state.
From the Front Page Roots: The June 12 Air India plane crash has shed light on the interesting demographics of the island of Diu. Seven Portuguese nationals were onboard AI171, and all had their roots in Diu, a former Portuguese colony. Of the island's over 50,000 population, at least half the households have members who have taken up Portuguese or British citizenship. Concerns: Meanwhile, the cancellation of Air India Boeing flights amid safety checks and the closure of airspace over West Asia have disrupted air traffic, resulting in flight delays. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has said no major safety concerns were found in the recent surveillance of Air India’s Boeing fleet. However, the DGCA raised concerns over maintenance-related issues. Gear up: The Ministry of Defence is working to reduce the time required for procuring vital equipment and ammunition. These efforts include replacing field evaluation trials with simulation, fast-tracking contract negotiations, and incentivising the private sector.
Must Read Whodunnit: In 2023, a 53-year-old Sheela Sunny was slapped with the stringent Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act after officials found suspected LSD stamps in her scooter. She spent 72 days in jail before the court granted her bail. The case collapsed when the seized stamps tested negative for LSD. Now, as the police probe who framed Sheela, the case has come very close to her home, with her son and his wife under the lens. The cursed gift: Earlier this month, a land dispute in Jharkhand's tribal village of Lapung turned violent, resulting in clashes with the police. At the heart of the matter is 56 acres of land (once belonging to the Ratu dynasty royals), and a 1960 contract that bound tribals to an agricultural exchange for eternity. A summer to shine: We are just two days away from the England vs India test series. With legends Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma out of the game, KL Rahul has become the most senior player on the team. In the 58 tests he has played, Rahul does not have a standout series to show. Sriram Veera writes that the time may have come for the opener to emerge out of the shadows and hog the limelight by leading from the front. Can he?
And Finally... Time travel has long been a popular science-fiction trope. Classics like The Time Machine and Back to the Future, and even contemporary films like Interstellar, have embedded time travel into the collective cultural conscience. In his weekly column, 'Thinking Matter,' Shravan Hanasoge explains why the physics of time travel is more complicated than we think. 🎧 Before you go, don’t forget to tune in to the latest ‘3 Things’ podcast episode. Today’s lineup: Revising GDP calculations, radiation-leak fears in Iran, and India’s nuclear arsenal. That’s all for today, folks! Until tomorrow, Sonal Gupta | 
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