Denmark has taken a major step toward gender equality in defense, officially extending compulsory military service to women as part of a broader strategy to strengthen its national defense amid rising tensions in Europe.

Following legislation approved in June 2023, all women who turn 18 after July 1, 2025, will be required to participate in evaluation procedures to determine their eligibility for military conscription—mirroring the process already in place for young men.

Previously, women had the option to enlist voluntarily. As of last year, they represented roughly one-quarter of all individuals who joined the armed forces.

“In the world situation we’re in right now, it’s necessary to have more conscripts, and I think that women should contribute to that equally, as men do,” Katrine, a current member of the Danish Royal Life Guard, said.

Military conscription in Denmark operates by enrolling volunteers first, followed by a lottery draw to fill remaining spots if necessary.

In preparation for a more inclusive force, the Danish military is working to upgrade its facilities and gear to better support female recruits.

“There are different things that they need to improve, especially in terms of equipment. Right now, it’s made for men, so perhaps the rucksacks are a bit too large and the uniforms are large as well,” said Katrine.

The move comes as Denmark—along with its NATO partners—committed to increasing its defense investments. Among the planned changes is a longer mandatory service period, which is set to rise from four months to eleven months by 2026. Authorities also aim to expand the annual number of conscripts from approximately 5,000 to 7,500 by the year 2033.

India is mourning the loss of 270 lives following the country’s deadliest aviation disaster in decades, the crash of Air India Flight AI‑171. The tragic incident, which took place shortly after takeoff on June 12, has sparked an international investigation, with authorities racing to determine the cause of the fatal crash involving a Boeing 787 Dreamliner.

Early findings and black box data have begun to shed light on the final moments of the ill-fated flight and the possible causes behind the catastrophic failure. Here’s everything we know so far.

The Crash: What Happened?

On the afternoon of June 12, 2025, Air India Flight AI‑171 took off from Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport in Ahmedabad, en route to London Gatwick Airport. The aircraft, a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner, was carrying 242 people, including crew.

According to flight data and eyewitness reports, the aircraft failed to gain proper altitude during takeoff. Within 40 seconds, it lost power and control, nose-dived, and crashed into a medical college hostel and nearby residential buildings in the Motera district, erupting into a massive fireball.

Casualties

• Total fatalities: 270
  • 241 on board (passengers and crew)
  • 29 on the ground (students, staff, residents)
• Survivors: 1
  • Vishwash Ramesh, a British national seated in 11A, miraculously escaped with minor injuries.

Visual Evidence: What CCTV and Witnesses Revealed

Video footage from a nearby traffic surveillance camera showed the aircraft flying unusually low. The plane’s landing gear remained extended, and there were no signs of fire or explosion before impact. At approximately 17 seconds into the flight, the aircraft’s nose dipped sharply.

Eyewitnesses described hearing a low engine hum followed by a sudden silence and then a deafening crash. One hostel resident said, “It looked like the plane was never really airborne. Then it just dropped.”

Black Box Recovery and Analysis

Authorities recovered the Flight Data Recorder (FDR) and the Cockpit Voice Recorder (CVR), collectively known as the black boxes, from the wreckage two days after the crash.

The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) of India, with support from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) and Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), is leading the investigation. Boeing and General Electric (engine manufacturer) are also assisting.

The black boxes were flown under high security to New Delhi aboard an Indian Air Force aircraft and are currently being analyzed by experts.

Why Black Boxes Matter

The CVR and FDR record crucial data, including:

• Engine performance
• Flap and gear positions
• Pilot communication
• System warnings and failures
• Altitude, speed, and heading

India’s Civil Aviation Ministry confirmed the data extraction process has begun and will help “reconstruct the sequence of events and identify contributing factors to enhance aviation safety.”

Leading Theories: What May Have Caused the Crash

As the analysis unfolds, investigators are looking into several potential causes:

1. Simultaneous Engine Failure

Both engines may have lost power seconds after takeoff—a rare and catastrophic event. This could explain the sudden drop in altitude.

2. Electrical System Failure

There is evidence that the Ram Air Turbine (RAT) deployed—a device used when a plane loses all main electrical power. RAT deployment points to a complete electrical failure that may have affected key flight systems.

3. Landing Gear and Flaps Malfunction

The landing gear was never retracted, potentially causing excess drag. Investigators are analyzing whether the gear and flaps malfunctioned or if the pilots were unable to raise them due to other system failures.

4. Pilot Actions

Pilots issued a “mayday” distress call approximately 17 seconds after takeoff, reporting a critical failure. However, radio contact was lost almost immediately after, and investigators are reviewing whether crew response protocols were followed.

5. Sabotage or Fuel Contamination

Though still speculative, the AAIB is not ruling out the possibility of sabotage, fuel contamination, or maintenance negligence. Investigators are conducting toxicology and fuel quality checks.

Regulatory and Industry Response

Air India and DGCA Actions

• All 33 Boeing 787 Dreamliners in Air India’s fleet have been ordered for immediate inspection.
• Power assurance checks, electrical system reviews, and maintenance record audits are underway.

Government Intervention

India’s Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has pledged to overhaul safety compliance enforcement.

The Indian Parliament’s Civil Aviation Committee has scheduled a special session for July 9 to assess:

• Crew fatigue regulations
• Technical oversight capacity
• Airline training standards

The Human Toll

The disaster decimated families and communities. Victims included medical students, schoolteachers, business travelers, and entire families. Memorial services have been held across India and abroad.

Survivor’s Testimony

Vishwash Ramesh, the sole survivor, described the moment of impact:

“There was no time to think—just fire and noise. I don’t know how I’m still here.”

He is being treated for burns and psychological trauma at a hospital in Delhi.

The crash of Air India Flight AI‑171 is a devastating chapter in aviation history. As investigators work around the clock, the world awaits answers—answers that could shape how we fly and how aviation safety is managed for decades to come.

The findings from the black boxes, pilot decisions, system logs, and aircraft maintenance history will not only provide closure to the victims’ families but also serve as a lesson for a growing global industry where safety must never be compromised for speed.

An Israeli air raid on western Gaza City struck a beachfront café on Monday, resulting in the deaths of at least 20 Palestinians, according to medics and eyewitnesses.

The strike targeted Al-Baqa Cafeteria, a coastal venue popular among residents, journalists, and activists. Emergency responders confirmed that 20 bodies had been recovered, along with several dozen injured individuals. Search operations are ongoing at the site, where the blast left a significant crater.

The Israeli military stated it targeted “several Hamas terrorists” in northern Gaza, and confirmed an internal review of the strike is underway.

“I was on my way to the café to use the internet just a few meters away when a massive explosion hit,” said Aziz Al-Afifi, a cameraman with a local production company.
“I ran to the scene. My colleagues were there, people I meet every day. The scene was horrific – bodies, blood, screaming everywhere.”

Footage shared online appeared to capture the moment of the explosion and its chaotic aftermath, showing bodies scattered on the sand near the beachfront café, which had been built using open-air tents.

Al-Baqa had grown into a gathering point for members of the media, digital workers, and community organizers due to its internet access and seating along Gaza’s Mediterranean shoreline.

The Israeli military added that “steps were taken to mitigate the risk of harming civilians using aerial surveillance,” and reiterated that “the incident is under review.”

This strike came amid a larger overnight offensive across the Gaza Strip, forcing large numbers of families to flee. Dozens of civilians were injured and five others killed in separate incidents, local sources reported. Many were rushed to Al-Ahli Hospital in Gaza City.

The escalation follows a major evacuation directive, one of the most expansive since hostilities resumed in March.

Amid calls for de-escalation, the pressure continues to mount on Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. On Saturday, US President Donald Trump stated that Netanyahu was actively seeking a deal with Hamas “right now”. This followed remarks from a senior Hamas official noting intensified mediation efforts for a new ceasefire and hostage agreement, though negotiations remain at an impasse.

An earlier ceasefire agreement that began in January fell apart by March after Israeli strikes resumed. Though that deal was supposed to unfold in three phases, it never advanced beyond the first.

Subsequently, Israel imposed a full halt to humanitarian aid shipments to Gaza. After 11 weeks and growing international pressure, the blockade was partially lifted, enabling limited aid under a newly created and controversial group — the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF). While backed by Israel and the US, the GHF’s distribution efforts have been marred by recurring deadly incidents involving Palestinians trying to access aid.

Despite the worsening situation, Israeli forces continued launching aerial assaults on heavily populated zones in Gaza City — including Shujaiya, Tuffah, and Zeitoun neighborhoods. Online videos documented the widespread destruction, showing explosions, rising flames, and thick smoke engulfing residential districts.

One reported strike hit a school in Zeitoun being used as a shelter for displaced families.

“Explosions never stopped… it felt like earthquakes,” said Salah, 60, a father from Gaza City.
“In the news we hear a ceasefire is near, on the ground we see death and we hear explosions,” he added.

Five individuals were also confirmed dead in an attack on Al Shati refugee camp, west of the city.

Ahead of the bombardment, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) had instructed residents to evacuate parts of northern Gaza. However, many civilians instead moved within Gaza City, opting not to relocate southward as advised.

“We had no choice but to leave everything behind,” said Abeer Talba, a mother of seven who fled Zeitoun.
“We got phone calls recordings in Arabic telling us we were in a combat zone and must evacuate immediately.
This is the seventh time we’ve been forced to flee,” she said. “We’re in the streets again, no food, no water. My children are starving. Death feels kinder than this.”

As humanitarian conditions worsen, concerns are growing that Israel may soon expand its ground operation deeper into Gaza territory.

Some Israeli media outlets have speculated that military leadership may be nearing the conclusion of the current phase of operations, as prolonged fighting risks shifting into a guerrilla-style conflict — with rising casualties among civilians, hostages, and soldiers.

Prime Minister Netanyahu’s next steps remain under close watch. While he has historically favored continued military pressure on Hamas, international and domestic demands for a new ceasefire agreement are intensifying.

Israel’s latest military campaign was launched following a deadly attack in which around 1,200 people were killed and 251 taken hostage.

Since then, more than 56,000 Palestinians have died, according to Gaza’s Hamas-controlled health ministry.

The Senate engaged in an all-night session to deliberate on the massive budget package that is a cornerstone of President Trump’s agenda.

Nicknamed the One Big Beautiful Bill Act and spanning nearly 1,000 pages, the proposal funnels increased funding to border enforcement, national defense, and energy infrastructure, while offsetting costs through reductions in healthcare and nutrition assistance.

Though Republicans control both chambers, party lines are blurred as lawmakers grapple with the scale of welfare cuts tied to sustaining $3.8 trillion in tax relief.

If the Senate passes it, the legislation moves to the House for a final stamp before reaching President Trump’s desk.

From late Monday into Tuesday, senators debated dozens of amendments in a “vote-a-rama” marathon lasting over 22 hours.

Around 06:00 EST (11:00 GMT), Vice President JD Vance arrived on Capitol Hill—suggesting Republicans may soon need his tie-breaking vote. The party is bracing for up to three defections; exceeding that would force Vance’s intervention.

Notably, Elon Musk has emerged as a vocal critic of the bill and Senate Republicans, lambasting those who “campaigned on reducing government spending” only to later support “the biggest debt increase in history.”

Musk, who previously led a government task force known as Doge (Department of Government Efficiency) to slash spending, parted ways with the administration over this very legislation.

With the national debt hovering around $36 trillion, the new legislation could push that figure up by another $3.3 trillion, according to recent estimates from the Treasury.

Experts from the Congressional Budget Office warn the bill’s proposed cuts could strip nearly 12 million Americans of their health insurance.

Republican efforts to deepen welfare reductions aim to safeguard the $3.8 trillion Trump tax cuts. One such amendment, offered by Senator John Cornyn, would have trimmed Medicaid funds to states offering coverage to undocumented immigrants accused of serious crimes—but it failed to pass.

Democrats have vigorously resisted these reductions, attempting to amend the legislation. Senator Ed Markey, for instance, proposed removing a provision he argued would undermine rural hospitals—though his amendment also failed. Similar attempts to restore food assistance faced party-line defeats.

Two Republican senators joined Democrats in opposing the motion to even debate the bill, citing the need for more revisions. One of them, North Carolina’s Thom Tillis, announced his retirement afterward, criticizing the bill as a betrayal of voter promises:
“Too many elected officials are motivated by pure raw politics who really don’t give a damn about the people they promised to represent on the campaign trail.”

Kentucky’s Senator Rand Paul also opposed the measure, citing concerns about ballooning debt and Medicaid cuts.

Once the Senate resolves its version, the House could vote as early as Wednesday on the compromise bill, which previously passed there by just one vote.

However, staunch fiscal conservatives in the House’s Freedom Caucus have threatened to block the Senate’s version, citing its addition of more than $650 billion in new deficit spending.

Still, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt has stated that Trump remains “confident” the bill will reach his desk by July 4 for final approval.

Musk has again floated the idea of launching a new political party should the bill pass.

In a sharp rebuke on Truth Social, Trump wrote:
“Elon may get more subsidy than any human being in history, by far, and without subsidies, Elon would probably have to close up shop and head back home to South Africa.”

June 2025 has become the hottest ever recorded in both Portugal and Spain, as an unrelenting heatwave continues to sweep across Europe.

Spain’s weather agency, Aemet, reported that this “extremely hot” June has shattered all previous records, with temperatures even exceeding the usual highs of midsummer months like July and August.

Portugal’s meteorological service confirmed a blistering 46.6°C as the highest temperature for June, recorded in the eastern town of Mora.

Across the continent, the impact has been severe. In western Turkey, intense wildfires have forced the evacuation of over 50,000 residents, primarily from the Izmir region. Fires were also reported in Bilecik, Hatay, Sakarya, and Manisa. Authorities say 263 separate blazes have broken out across the country in just three days.

Meanwhile in Italy, two individuals died due to heat-related incidents. Hospitalizations in Tuscany have surged by 20%. Twenty-one out of 27 Italian cities have been placed under the highest heat alert, while several regions — including Lombardy and Emilia — have advised residents to avoid going outdoors during peak heat hours. In Lombardy, working outdoors has been restricted during midday hours through September.

“Rising temperatures, rising seas, floods, droughts, and wildfires threaten our rights to life, to health, to a clean, healthy and sustainable environment, and much more,” said the UN’s human rights chief, Volker Turk, addressing the Human Rights Council on Monday.

In Greece, temperatures have hovered near 40°C for several consecutive days, prompting evacuations from seaside communities around Athens due to raging wildfires that destroyed multiple homes.

France experienced unprecedented heat this week, with numerous cities enduring their hottest June day and night on record. The Eiffel Tower’s upper section was closed, and the government declared a red alert for the Paris region and 15 others. Over 1,300 public schools were either fully or partially shut on Tuesday.

Aemet reported that some parts of the Iberian Peninsula reached temperatures above 43°C overnight. In cities like Seville and Barcelona, nighttime lows remained uncomfortably high, at 28°C and 27°C, respectively. A modest dip in temperatures is expected starting Thursday.

The UK also faced unusually high heat, with temperatures peaking at 33.1°C at Heathrow — just below the record for the hottest June day. Wimbledon recorded its warmest-ever opening day at 32.9°C.

Germany’s meteorological agency warned of potential record-breaking highs of nearly 38°C on Tuesday and Wednesday. The Rhine River, a key trade route, saw reduced water levels, limiting how much cargo barges can carry and increasing freight costs.

In the Balkans, heat has begun to ease slightly, but the region too has faced wildfires — including reported incidents in Montenegro.

The environmental toll continues to rise. Warmer Adriatic Sea temperatures are allowing invasive species like the poisonous lionfish to thrive. At the same time, Europe’s mountain glaciers are suffering, with ice loss now accelerating faster than ever.

Heatwaves are intensifying due to climate change caused by human activity, experts say. According to the UN’s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, such extreme heat events will become more frequent and severe as the planet warms further.

“The warmer, thirstier atmosphere is more effective at drying soils, meaning heatwaves are intensifying, with moderate heat events now becoming extreme,” explained Richard Allan, a climate science professor at the University of Reading.

“Rising temperatures, rising seas, floods, droughts, and wildfires threaten our rights to life, to health, to a clean, healthy and sustainable environment, and much more,” Turk reiterated, emphasizing the urgent need to transition away from fossil fuels and invest in climate adaptation strategies.