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[00:00:09] Hello, this is your daily dose of news from Onmanorama. These are the major news stories of Tuesday, March 18, 2025. Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore, two veteran NASA astronauts who have been stuck on the International Space Station for nine months, began their return journey to Earth early on Tuesday morning on a long-awaited flight home to cap an unusual mission.
[00:00:30] After a replacement crew arrived on the space station Saturday night, Wilmore, Williams, and two other astronauts undocked from the ISS at 10.35am Tuesday to begin a 17-hour trip back to Earth. They are expected to reach Earth at 3.27am on Wednesday. Wilmore and Williams were the first crew to fly Boeing Starliner in a June test flight for the capsule. After issues with the craft's propulsion system, NASA deemed it too risky to bring the astronaut duo back home and opted to fold them into the Agency Crew-9 mission instead.
[00:00:59] Starliner returned to Earth empty in September. Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke about the Maha Kumbh but did not pay tribute to those who were killed in the January 29 stampede at the gathering, said leader of the opposition, Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday. Speaking to the media after the Prime Minister's speech in the Lok Sabha, during which he thanked the people of Uttar Pradesh, for their support in organising the mega-event in Prayagraj, Gandhi expressed his concern.
[00:01:23] He stated that while he agreed with the Prime Minister's remarks about the Kumbh being an integral part of Indian tradition, history, and culture, his only complaint was that Modi did not offer any tribute to those who lost their lives in the stampede. Gandhi further pointed out that many young people had hoped for work opportunities at the Kumbh, and therefore, the Prime Minister should have addressed this issue.
[00:01:44] Responding to a question about not being given a chance to speak, Gandhi remarked that according to democratic norms, the leader of the opposition should be given an opportunity to speak, but they were not allowing him to do so. He added that this is the new India. Tension escalated in central Nagpur on Monday as stones were thrown at police following rumours that Quran was burned during a right-wing group's protest demanding the removal of Aurangjab's tomb. The violence left at least four people injured.
[00:02:10] The unrest escalated in the Chitnis Park and Mahal areas, prompting police to fire tear gas shells to disperse the mob. Violence reportedly spread to Kotwali and Ganeshpeth in the late afternoon. The trouble began after Bajrang Dal members staged a demonstration near the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj statue in Mahal. According to police, rumours circulated that the Quran had been burned during the protest. A complaint was later filed at Ganeshpeth police station in the evening, alleging the burning of the holy book. The authorities have imposed prohibitory orders in the city.
[00:02:41] A special court in Mumbai on Monday acquitted gangster Chhota Rajan in the murder of the driver-cum-bodyguard of Iqbal Kaskar, brother of Underworld Don Dawood Ibrahim. Special Judge A.M. Patil, designated under the Maharashtra Control of Organized Crime Act, acquitted Rajan in the 2011 case. Rajan, who is at present lodged in Delhi's Tihar Jail, was produced before the court via video conference. The court informed him that he has been acquitted in the case.
[00:03:08] Though the special court acquitted Rajan, he will continue to remain in jail as he is serving a life sentence for the murder of journalist Jyoti Moyde. The gangster is also facing trial in other criminal cases. Israel vowed on Tuesday to continue fighting in Gaza until all hostages are returned as it unleashed its most intense strike since a ceasefire, with the health ministry in the Hamas-run territory reporting more than 400 people killed.
[00:03:32] Hamas accused Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of deciding to resume war after an impasse in truce negotiations, and warned that the return to fighting could be a death sentence for hostages still alive in Gaza. The strikes were by far the biggest and deadliest since a truce took effect in January. Hamas has not responded to the strikes so far. Netanyahu warned Hamas this month, of consequences it cannot imagine if it does not free hostages still in Gaza, and Israeli media reported on plans aimed at ramping up pressure on Hamas dubbed, the Hell Plan.
[00:04:02] The White House said Israel consulted US President Donald Trump's administration before launching the wave of strikes, which the health ministry in Gaza said killed mostly women and children. That brings us to the end of this episode. Thanks for listening to, Daily News Dose, from On Manorama. This newscast is produced using AI Voice Tools. Follow OnManorama.com for detailed updates on the latest news, and be sure to come back tomorrow. We'll see you next time.