MUMBAI: Marking a long-awaited milestone for the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR), the Navi Mumbai International Airport (NMIA) formally entered India’s commercial aviation map on Thursday with the arrival and departure of its first scheduled passenger flights.The inaugural arrival was IndiGo flight 6E460 from Bengaluru, which touched down at 8am and was welcomed with a ceremonial water cannon salute. Over half an hour later, NMIA saw its first departure – an IndiGo flight to Hyderabad – taking off at 8.40 am. Day 1 saw 48 flights connecting nine domestic destinations and serving over 4,000 passengers, with peak traffic between 5 pm and 7 pm.NMIA’s take-off marks a major expansion of air connectivity for Mumbai region, constrained for decades by existing airport operating out of a single runway and handling 950 flights every 24 hours.The ‘Navi’ or ‘newness’ factor was underscored even by aviation professionals. “For us, the new airport is called Navi,” said an airline pilot. It is the official call sign to be used by pilots and air traffic controllers in radio communication. “When the first flight was handed over to the Navi Mumbai tower, we radioed to the pilots, ‘Welcome to Navi’,” an aviation official said.There were teething troubles for flyers. Several passengers said road signages were unclear or missing at junctions, causing motorists to reach the cargo terminal before finding the passenger terminal. Approach roads were also under repair, with JCBs deployed for road-widening work.Despite Navi Mumbai Municipal Transport launching bus services on five routes, most flyers opted for app cabs as auto and taxi stands were not fully operational. Passengers travelling from areas such as Matunga and Dadar noted the distance to the new airport-around 35 km. “Signages are not clearly visible on Atal Setu when you enter Navi Mumbai,” said Matunga resident Dinesh Gandhi.Curious visitors also turned up to see the airport, but private security restricted entry to ticketed passengers.Day 1 operations began with four carriers: IndiGo, Akasa Air, Air India Express and Star Air. Developed and operated by Adani Airports Holdings Limited, NMIA is among India’s largest greenfield airport projects. Chairman Gautam Adani welcomed passengers from the inaugural flight and interacted with staff and frontline workers. “It’s a proud day for Mumbai and for India,” he said.Cultural performances featuring Maharashtrian lezim, dhol and tutari added local flavour. India Post released a commemorative First Flight Carried Special Cover flown on an IndiGo service to Goa.Demand to name the airport after D B Patil resurfaced, with former MP Sanjeev Naik saying it reflected the sentiment of Navi Mumbaikars.

MUMBAI: Marking a long-awaited milestone for the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR), the Navi Mumbai International Airport (NMIA) formally entered India’s commercial aviation map on Thursday with the arrival and departure of its first scheduled passenger flights.The inaugural arrival was IndiGo flight 6E460 from Bengaluru, which touched down at 8am and was welcomed with a ceremonial water cannon salute. Over half an hour later, NMIA saw its first departure – an IndiGo flight to Hyderabad – taking off at 8.40 am. Day 1 saw 48 flights connecting nine domestic destinations and serving over 4,000 passengers, with peak traffic between 5 pm and 7 pm.NMIA’s take-off marks a major expansion of air connectivity for Mumbai region, constrained for decades by existing airport operating out of a single runway and handling 950 flights every 24 hours.The ‘Navi’ or ‘newness’ factor was underscored even by aviation professionals. “For us, the new airport is called Navi,” said an airline pilot. It is the official call sign to be used by pilots and air traffic controllers in radio communication. “When the first flight was handed over to the Navi Mumbai tower, we radioed to the pilots, ‘Welcome to Navi’,” an aviation official said.There were teething troubles for flyers. Several passengers said road signages were unclear or missing at junctions, causing motorists to reach the cargo terminal before finding the passenger terminal. Approach roads were also under repair, with JCBs deployed for road-widening work.Despite Navi Mumbai Municipal Transport launching bus services on five routes, most flyers opted for app cabs as auto and taxi stands were not fully operational. Passengers travelling from areas such as Matunga and Dadar noted the distance to the new airport-around 35 km. “Signages are not clearly visible on Atal Setu when you enter Navi Mumbai,” said Matunga resident Dinesh Gandhi.Curious visitors also turned up to see the airport, but private security restricted entry to ticketed passengers.Day 1 operations began with four carriers: IndiGo, Akasa Air, Air India Express and Star Air. Developed and operated by Adani Airports Holdings Limited, NMIA is among India’s largest greenfield airport projects. Chairman Gautam Adani welcomed passengers from the inaugural flight and interacted with staff and frontline workers. “It’s a proud day for Mumbai and for India,” he said.Cultural performances featuring Maharashtrian lezim, dhol and tutari added local flavour. India Post released a commemorative First Flight Carried Special Cover flown on an IndiGo service to Goa.Demand to name the airport after D B Patil resurfaced, with former MP Sanjeev Naik saying it reflected the sentiment of Navi Mumbaikars.

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Bangladesh Nationalist Party’s acting chairman Tarique Rahman landed at the Sylhet airport in Dhaka on Thursday, ending more than 17 years of self-exile in the UK. His return ends a prolonged period abroad that began in 2008, when he left Bangladesh for medical treatment amid heightened legal and political pressures at home.Rahman, the elder son of former prime minister and BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia, is widely seen as the party’s principal face of the polls ahead of parliamentary elections slated for February 12, particularly as Zia remains unwell.

Since the ouster of former prime minister Sheikh Hasina, Bangladesh has witnessed recurring spells of violence. The recent killing of youth leader and key figure in Hasina’s ouster, Osman Hadi, has reignited tensions, with Hadi’s brother alleging that the murder was aimed at “sabotaging polls”.Rahman’s homecoming has been facilitated by the interim government. Earlier this month, foreign advisor Md Touhid Hossain said the government could issue a “one-time” travel pass within a day if Rahman wished to return. Chief advisor Muhammad Yunus also discussed Rahman’s return at a recent meeting, according to officials.

Who is Tarique Rahman?

Tarique Rahman, 58, is the elder son of former prime minister Khaleda Zia and acting chairman of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party. He has lived in self-exile in London since 2008 after leaving Bangladesh amid multiple criminal convictions, including money laundering and charges linked to an alleged plot to assassinate then prime minister Sheikh Hasina.

Over the past year, Bangladesh’s higher courts have acquitted him in all major cases, including the 2004 grenade attack and the Zia Orphanage Trust graft case, clearing legal hurdles to his political return. Widely regarded as the BNP’s de facto leader, Rahman has now announced plans to return and contest the February 2026 general elections.

Why it matters?

His decision to return comes at a time of intense political transition in Bangladesh. A nationwide uprising last year led to the resignation and exile of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, who had been in power for 15 years. In the aftermath, a Yunus-led interim government took charge. Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus was sworn in as Chief Adviser, a position equivalent to head of government in the interim setup, with a mandate to oversee reforms and ensure a fair electoral process ahead of upcoming 2026 polls. Rahman’s homecoming carries both symbolic and practical significance. It ends years of leadership from abroad and strengthens the BNP’s position as the main rival to parties contesting the February polls. Supporters see him as a potential prime ministerial candidate and a unifying force for opposition politics after years of exile and legal disputes.BNP leaders said Rahman will complete formalities to become a registered voter on December 27, a step that would allow him to play a direct role in electoral politics.Rahman earlier told BBC Bangla, “For some reasonable reasons my return has not happened… but the time has come, and I will return soon… I am running in the election [as well].”

Will Rahman be the next PM?

Bangladesh’s political order has been reshaped following the violent 2024 uprising that led to Sheikh Hasina’s ouster and the disbanding of her Awami League by the interim government led by Muhammad Yunus. With the Awami League barred from elections, traditional alliances have fractured, including the long-standing BNP–Jamaat partnership, the BNP is betting big on Rahman. The emergence of the student-led National Citizen Party, born out of the July protests and now registered with the Election Commission, has added further uncertainty to an already fluid electoral landscape.As Khaleda Zia, 80, is battling health issues, the BNP sees Tarique Rahman as its most viable leader going into the first election in nearly two decades without the Awami League. His decision to contest signals an effort to consolidate party unity, reclaim the Zia family’s political legacy, and project the BNP as the principal governing alternative.Political observers view the BNP as a frontrunner, and Rahman is being tipped as a possible prime ministerial candidate if the party secures a majority.

Khaleda Zia’s tenure

Bangladesh over the last three decades has alternated power between two rivals, now-ousted prime minister Sheikh Hasina and Rahman’s mother, former prime minister Khaleda Zia.Zia was the first female prime minister of Bangladesh and served from 1991 to 1995, and again from 2001 to 2006. Her tenure remains fresh in public memory, particularly among political factions that ousted Hasina on allegations of corruption. Her regime also saw allegations of atrocities and discrimination against minorities. In 2018, Zia was sentenced to five years in prison on graft charges.

Rahman’s schedule

According to BNP standing committee member Salahuddin Ahmed, senior party leaders will receive Rahman at the airport before he proceeds to a reception venue on the July Expressway, also known as the 300 Feet Road, where he is expected to address the nation.He will then visit Khaleda Zia at the hospital and return to his residence in Gulshan-2, Ahmed said. Details of Rahman’s first three days back were outlined by Ahmed at a press conference on Wednesday, as reported by Prothom Alo.On Friday, December 26, Rahman is slated to visit the grave of BNP founder and former president Ziaur Rahman at Sher-e-Bangla Nagar, followed by a visit to the National Martyrs’ Monument in Savar.On Saturday, December 27, he is expected to complete national identity card procedures to become a voter, visit the grave of martyred Osman Hadi at Dhaka University, and meet those injured in the July mass uprising at the National Orthopaedic Hospital in Shyamoli, Prothom Alo reported.

How the above nouns metamorphose into verbs in this pleasantly cruel season, is a terribly, true tale.While the cold air bringing in the respiratory change is a given, this year, the admixture of viruses (metapneumovirus, RSV, Rhino, influenza, etc) with the different particulate matter floating around (construction personified) is playing havoc with the airways of the citizens.

The innocent patient gets up with a tickle in the throat, which by the end of the day turns into an irritation, and then that night his nose starts watering. Next day, while sneezes abound, he feels malaise and a small cough shows up.The third day he has full blown fever with coloured phlegm and severe body ache. Besides home remedies, he sees his family doctor who gives well meaning medication.Half these cases turn around and make a slow recovery but the remaining, progress with intractable cough, wheezing and breathlessness necessitating investigations.The vulnerable (asthmatics, chronic lung sufferers,diabetics and those with various comorbidities) if not careful, get secondarily infected and these patients need nebulisers, sophisticated medication with probable antibiotics.Interestingly when we see such cases, while blood reports apparently correlate, a plain simple X-ray doesn’t pick up the shadowing in the lungs. Often a CT scan is needed which reveals the subtle but definite infection along with ground glassing depending on the case. By then the patient usually needs specialised care and supervision. The saga spans three weeks from start to finish.The unfortunate issue is that this is the season for parties, weddings, and public celebrations where, of course, masking is forgotten. To add insult to injury, pollution with resultant AQI, rises in the evening and only improves next morning after 10am, so all these evening gatherings are bathed in maximum smog.The abundant, unfortunately ‘Satan-like’ culinary availability with ice and other items, compounds the issue and of course the pain is felt only a few days later.So then?While the authorities are now doing their bit to curb what is ‘gone with the wind’, we need more action and precaution.The use of masks is warranted especially by the vulnerable and those suffering. to prevent the spread.Initiating the prescription early may nip the sniffles in the bud and prevent the cough.From antihistamines to inhalers, nasal sprays and nebulisers, follow informed symptomatic remedies from your family physician. Boosting immunity with antioxidants and topping up vitamins to optimum levels is a sine qua non.Vaccination prevention is a dictum which you should have welcomed in ‘come September’.The ultra careful are indulging in air purifiers and filters, especially for the vulnerable folks where a stitch in time can save nine.Home remedies are invaluable and abstinence from exacerbating items and events is the key. Postponing a function or turning down an invite is better, for it allows you to recoup and live for tomorrow and the day after.Stay away from cigarettes, burning incense and leaves, for smoke from any source and dust from any cause is a definite trigger.Eat sensibly, clothe protectively and enjoy your shawl and jacket season proactively.Try to be a ‘Dhurandhar’ of the season who can relish the cold clime, dodge the deadly grime and escape unscathed from the droplet attack which has to be curtailed at ‘Top Gun’ speed to allow all of us to breathe easy.Happy New Year!(Dr Hemant Thacker is a Consultant Physician & CardioMetabolic Specialist practising in South Mumbai and affiliated to TOI. Email: dochpt@gmail.com)

MI Cape Town will take on the Durban Supergiants in the first match of the SA20. This article provides details about the Durban Super Giants’ Playing 11 vs MI Cape Town for the first match of the tournament.

Durban Super Giants Playing XI vs MI Cape Town- SA20 2025-26, Match 1

Openers: Aiden Markram (c), Jos Buttler (wk)

The away team for the tournament opener, the Durban Super Giants, will look to put their best foot forward in order to challenge the MI Cape Town and eke out a win to get their campaign off to a good start.

The Aiden Markram-led side would hope to put on a strong performance in all three departments of the game against the defending champions.

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The onus will be on the opponents as far as DSG’s batting is concerned, to get the team off to a good start in the first six overs.

The opening pair comprising the captain Aiden Markram and Jos Buttler would be backed to fulfill their roles as a partnership and as individual batters.

If the openers are able to lay a platform for the middle-order batters to capitalize on, it will give DSG a chance to make full use of the good batting conditions that are expected to be on offer.

Middle-order batsmen and all-rounders: Tony de Zorzi, Heinrich Klaasen, David Bedingham, Wiaan Mulder, David Wiese

As far as DSG’s middle order is concerned, it includes names like Tony de Zorzi and Heinrich Klaasen, both of whom have the capability to take the game away from the opposition, and the team would hope for them to have a good outing.

Tony de Zorzi, who has the reputation of being vulnerable at the start, can be very destructive if he gets his eye in.

Heinrich Klaasen, on the other hand, is known for his six-hitting ability against spin, and the venue will also help him in clearing the boundary with ease, being a high altitude ground, meaning that the ball will travel a long distance.

The onus will be on the top five batters to control the innings for DSG against a potent bowling lineup that MI Cape Town have at their disposal.

Bowlers: Sunil Narine, Gerald Coetzee, Kwena Maphaka, Andile Simelane

If we talk about the bowling attack of the Durban Super Giants, it has a player named Sunil Narine in their ranks who has got a lot of wickets in T20 cricket and brings wth him a rich experience.

Other than Narine, DSG also has young Gerald Coetzee, Kwena Maphaka, and Andile Simelane, who will take care of the team’s fast bowling attack and will be assisted by fast bowling all-rounders Wiaan Mulder and David Wiese.

The visitors will have a total of seven bowling options at their disposal, with captain Aiden Markram being the second spinner in the playing XI.

All things said, it will have to be a complete effort by the bowling attack to restrict an aggressive and long batting lineup that the MI Cape Town have.