The USS Gerald R Ford, US Navy’s most expensive aircraft carrier, has come under renewed scrutiny after it was forced to leave its Middle East deployment following a fire onboard, even as longstanding concerns about its operational readiness remain unresolved.The carrier arrived at a port in Crete earlier this week after a fire broke out in its laundry area during deployment linked to operations involving Iran. The incident saw two sailors getting injured and led to more than 200 sailors being treated for smoke inhalation, according to US senator Tim Kaine, who raised the issue in a letter to Navy Secretary John Phelan, reported Bloomberg.

The development has drawn attention to broader questions surrounding the $13.2 billion warship, which was delivered in May 2017 after delays and has since faced persistent technical and testing challenges.

Lack of operational data

A recent assessment by the Pentagon’s testing office noted that “insufficient data are available at this time” to determine the operational effectiveness of the Ford-class carriers, citing incomplete realistic combat testing even years after induction.

The report cited by Bloomberg also flagged gaps in assessing “operational suitability,” including the reliability of key systems such as aircraft launch and recovery, radar performance, weapons elevators and the ship’s ability to sustain operations under enemy attack. The lack of sufficient test data means it remains unclear how effectively the carrier can detect, track or intercept threats such as enemy aircraft, anti-ship missiles or small attack craft, particularly under the strain of sustained combat operations involving continuous flight activity.Some previously identified issues also remain unresolved. While the Navy has developed fixes for certain combat system deficiencies highlighted in earlier classified assessments, the Pentagon testing office said “the fixes still remain largely unfunded.”

The old sewage issue

The supercarrier has also faced persistent sewage system failures even during active deployment. The carrier introduced a vacuum-based waste system adapted from cruise ships to reduce water usage. However, reports, including those cited by Gulf News, indicate that the system’s narrow pipes have struggled to cope with waste generated by a crew of over 4,600 sailors, leading to frequent clogs and repeated vacuum failures. NPR reported that emails it reviewed documented 205 sewage-related breakdowns within a four-day period, with engineering crews working extended shifts of up to 19 hours to manage leaks and overflows. During its 2025 deployment, the carrier averaged roughly one sewage-related maintenance call per day, according to Navy Times. Earlier reports, including from Forbes in 2022, noted that severe blockages required specialised acid flushing procedures costing around $400,000 each time, reflecting the recurring and costly nature of the issue.

Extended missions and amenity shortage

The report also pointed to logistical and personnel challenges, including a shortage of berthing space. It noted that an additional 159 bunks are required to adequately accommodate the ship’s crew and associated personnel, warning that such shortfalls “will affect quality of life onboard.” The issue could intensify with the addition of newer aircraft and drone systems. Despite these concerns, the Navy has maintained that the carrier continues to demonstrate operational capability. It said its assessments take into account both testing performance and real-world deployments, adding that operations so far have shown the ship’s ability to meet mission requirements while “continuing to improve.”The Ford has been deployed at sea for about nine months, exceeding the typical seven-month deployment cycle, after being involved in operations related to Venezuela before being sent to the Middle East under orders from US president Donald Trump. Senator Kaine said that the extended deployment has required sailors to “improvise with broken equipment and ship support systems,” and warned it could become the longest carrier deployment since the end of the Vietnam War.The Navy has said it will continue testing and make improvements based on ongoing assessments and operational experience, noting that evaluation of complex systems such as the Ford-class carriers continues well beyond initial deployment.(With inputs from agencies)

The government on Wednesday dismissed reports suggesting a change in LPG refill booking timelines, stating that the information being shared is incorrect and misleading. The Centre reaffirmed that the existing timelines “remain unchanged and continue to” function under the current time limit.The ministry of petroleum & natural gas clarified that reports circulating on social media claiming changes to LPG refill booking timelines are false, stating that the suggested revised intervals: 45 days for PMUY connections, 25 days for single non-PMUY connections and 35 days for double cylinder non-PMUY connections, have no basis. It further added that the country has adequate LPG supplies and assured citizens that there is no need to panic.

Here’s what the government said:

The ministry stated that “no such changes have been made. The existing refill booking timelines remain unchanged and continue to be under the existing system.” Presently, LPG refill bookings follow a uniform structure:

It also urged citizens not to believe or “circulate such misinformation” and to avoid unnecessary or panic-driven LPG refill bookings.“It is reiterated that adequate LPG stocks are available in the country, and there is no cause for concern,” the ministry added.Meanwhile, Indian Oil Corp Ltd has also soothed concerns about the timeline change reports. The oil firm stated that “reports claiming changes in LPG refill booking timelines are incorrect. There is no change in the existing timelines (25 days in urban areas / 45 days in rural areas), and LPG supplies remain adequate across the country. Please rely only on official sources and avoid panic.”In its statement, the ministry also cautioned the public against spreading or believing such misinformation. It also advised consumers to refrain from unnecessary or panic-driven refill bookings, reiterating that LPG stocks remain sufficient across the country and there is no cause for concern.

Fuel supply concerns arise amid Middle East crisis

As ongoing tensions in the Middle East region stretch through their fourth week, concerns are rising over fuel supply and prices in the country. Earlier, this week, Sujata Sharma, joint secretary, ministry of petroleum and natural gas said that the country continues to have adequate reserves of petroleum products. She noted that refineries are functioning at high operational levels with sufficient crude inventories.“All the refineries are operating at high capacity with adequate crude inventories. We have sufficient stock of petrol and diesel. The domestic production of LPG has been stepped up in the refineries,” she said.Sharma acknowledged that isolated instances of misinformation had led to confusion in certain areas, resulting in panic buying. She said such rumours had come to the notice of the ministry and were promptly addressed.She further added that around 7,500 domestic and commercial PNG connections were provided in a single day across 110 geographical areas. Highlighting potential reach, she noted that about “60 lakh such households where PNG connection can be provided” have been identified and encouraged eligible users to adopt PNG connections at the earliest.

Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang, whose company is at the center of the AI revolution, says workers in every profession from farming to carpentry should embrace artificial intelligence to future-proof their jobs. According to a report by Business Insider, speaking on the Lex Fridman Podcast, Huang argued that AI is not just coming for office jobs, but blue-collar workers should also pay attention. “If I were a farmer, I would absolutely use AI. If I were a pharmacist, I would use AI,” Huang said. “I want to see what it could do to elevate my job so that I could be the innovator to revolutionize this industry myself.”

Jensen Huang believes AI is transforming traditional roles

Huang also shared the examples of how AI can transform traditional roles. For carpenters, Huang said that coding represents big opportunity, adding,“A carpenter with AI is also an architect. Their artistry just elevated tremendously.” By learning to integrate AI into their work, he suggested, workers can expand their value and creativity rather than be replaced.Previously, Huang said that he is “certain 100% of everybody’s jobs will be changed” by AI. While Nvidia CEO acknowledged that some roles will be lost as tasks are automated, he also stressed on the fact that many new opportunities will also be created by AI. The key, he said, is for workers to learn how to use AI to automate repetitive tasks and focus on higher-value contributions.With anxiety about AI-driven layoffs growing, Huang’s advice is straightforward: become an expert in AI, no matter your job function. He noted that in hiring decisions, he would always prefer candidates who understand AI over those who don’t. “Every college student should graduate and be an expert in AI,” he said, adding that this knowledge could be the difference between landing a job and ending up unemployed.Huang also touched on the arrival of artificial general intelligence (AGI), saying the age of AGI is already here. Even his own role as CEO of one of the world’s most successful tech companies, he admitted, isn’t immune to AI disruption.

Is there an end in sight to the chaos in the Middle East? Iran has set a high bar for a possible ceasefire with the United States, as tensions have been escalating since February 28. The ongoing military exchanges between the US-Israel coalition and Iran have created a constantly evolving situation. Meanwhile, apart from Tehran’s demands, the US has offered a 15-point proposal aimed at ending the ongoing conflict.What began as a targeted mission against then-Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who was killed on the first day of Donald Trump’s Operation Epic Fury, in coordination with Benjamin Netanyahu’s Operation Roaring Lion, has now escalated into daily, large-scale bombings across the region, including the cities like Dubai and Abu Dhabi.

Despite losing its longest-serving leader, the Tehran regime has consolidated power within the Iranian government and the IRGC, according to the Wall Street Journal. The report also detailed the demands of the regime now under Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei.

What Iran is demanding

According to the report, Tehran has asked the Trump administration to close all American bases in the Gulf region and provide reparations for attacks on Iranian territory. Additionally, Iran seeks to collect fees for ships transiting the Strait of Hormuz, similar to how Egypt charges for passage through the Suez Canal.The demand included the lifting of all US-imposed sanctions.The regime also wants guarantees that the war will not resume and an end to Israeli strikes on Iran-aligned militias, including Hezbollah in Lebanon. Allowing Iran to maintain its missile program without any negotiations to limit it remains a major sticking point.However, the Trump administration appears unwilling to entertain Tehran’s demands. A US official described them as “ridiculous and unrealistic.” Arab and US officials warned that such posturing could make reaching a deal with Tehran even harder than before Trump launched the war.The officials added that the first signals of the new diplomatic round came through Middle Eastern intermediaries late last week, and that there has been no direct contact between the US and Iran.

US offers 15-point proposal to Iran

US President Donald Trump has shared a 15-point proposal with Iran aimed at ending the ongoing conflict in the Middle East. “All starts with, they cannot have a nuclear weapon,” Trump said, signalling a renewed diplomatic push even as military operations continue, according to a New York Times report citing officials familiar with the matter.

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Pakistan initiated the conveyance of proposal that addressed the key issues including Iran’s ballistic missile and nuclear programmes, as Washington seeks an “offramp” from a war now in its fourth week, which has widened to involve multiple countries.Israel’s Channel 12 reported that Trump is proposing a one-month ceasefire, during which the sides would discuss a plan including the handover of Iran’s enriched uranium and a ban on further enrichment. The New York Times noted it had not reviewed the document directly but was told it also addresses maritime security concerns. Since the conflict began on February 28, Iran has effectively restricted Western shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, disrupting global oil and gas supplies and driving up prices.Following compliance with the plan, Iran would see an end to all sanctions, which have been in place in various forms for years, the Israeli report said. Iran would also receive assistance in developing civil nuclear energy at Bushehr, a key site that predates the 1979 Islamic revolution.It remains unclear how widely the proposal has been circulated within Iran’s leadership or whether Tehran is willing to engage on its basis. There is also no clarity on whether Israel supports the initiative. Despite the diplomatic outreach, hostilities show no immediate signs of easing. Israeli officials have indicated that military operations could continue for weeks.Acknowledging parallel diplomatic efforts, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said, “As President Trump and his negotiators explore this newfound possibility of diplomacy, Operation Epic Fury continues unabated to achieve the military objectives laid out by the commander in chief and the Pentagon.”

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Pakistan’s de facto head and army chief Asim Munir, have positioned themselves as possible intermediaries, leveraging reported ties with Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps to facilitate communication. Officials said Egypt and Turkey are also encouraging Tehran to engage constructively.Munir has reached out to Iranian parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, proposing that Pakistan host talks between the two sides, the report says. Supporting the initiative, Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said his country “fully supports ongoing efforts to pursue dialogue to end” the conflict. “Subject to concurrence by the US and Iran, Pakistan stands ready and honoured to be the host to facilitate meaningful and conclusive talks for a comprehensive settlement of the ongoing conflict,” he added.