Passengers gathered at an information kiosk at Delhi Airport terminal 1 on December 5, when not a single flight of IndiGo had taken off from there

NEW DELHI: The stage is now set for “exemplary” govt action against IndiGo — a likely combination of steep fines along with regulatory glare on some airline officials among other things — for its schedule collapse earlier his month that affected over 5,000 flights and left lakhs of passengers stranded.The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) on Friday evening submitted its report on the “circumstances leading to operational disruptions” to the civil aviation ministry, which is also expected to shed light on why only the airline’s domestic network collapsed while international flights were barely affected.

Aviation minister Ram Mohan Naidu had said in Parliament govt will take “exemplary” action against IndiGo once the probe is over. “An enquiry committee, headed by (DGCA’s) joint DG Sanjay K Bramhane, submitted its report Friday evening. The report is confidential,” said a ministry spokesperson.It is learnt that the accountable manager of the airline, an expat, could have his approval withdrawn. While a number of factors led to the schedule collapse at India’s largest domestic airline, the failure of its operations control centre and a breakdown of trust between pilots and expats-led management added fuel to the fire.“We are not taking this situation easily. We are conducting an inquiry. We will take very, very strict action not only for this situation but also (to set) an example,” Naidu had said on Dec 8 in Parliament.Govt wants IndiGo to set its house in order given the critical role the airline plays in Indian vacation with over 64% domestic market share and also being the largest airline in terms of international traffic. In banking parlance, IndiGo and Air India Group are now “too big to fail” as all other players in the domestic market are either fledgling or struggling to survive.The unprecedented scale of flight disruptions — close to 5,000 — witnessed earlier this month is expected to lead to record penalties. IndiGo had cancelled only 2.4% of its 2,702 international flights between Dec 1 and 9. Domestic cancellations were 10 times higher at almost 25% of the 17,404 scheduled flights not being operated during the same time.IndiGo is also probing this collapse but govt action is going to be decided on the basis of the DGCA report. The regulator’s probe panel under joint DG Bramhane was set up on Dec 5, to “identify the underlying causes leading to widespread operational disruptions.”The panel was also to “assess the adequacy of manpower planning, fluctuating rostering systems, and implementation preparedness in the context of (new flight duty norms for pilots). Review the extent of compliance with the revised FDTL provisions, including analysis of gaps admitted by the airline. Ascertain the accountability and responsibility for planning failures that led to the breakdown of operational stability.”

Union home minister Amit Shah (ANI photo)

NEW DELHI: Union home minister Amit Shah on Friday said 40 kilograms (kgs) of explosives were used in an i20 car blast near Red Fort in New Delhi.Commending the J&K police for an “excellent investigation into the explosion,” Shah said, “3 tonnes of explosives were recovered before they could detonate, and the entire team involved in conspiring this plot was apprehended before the Delhi blast could take place.““The incident in Delhi happened with 40 kilograms of explosives, while 3 tonnes of explosives were recovered before they could detonate, and the entire team involved in conspiring this plot was apprehended before the Delhi blast could take place. He said that the investigation of this entire network was carried out very effectively by all our agencies,” Shah said, according to new agency PTI.The Union home minister said that in the coming days, the government will be “bringing a plan to launch a 360-degree assault on organized crime”.He also asked DGPs of all states should implement “extremely essential” common ATS structure for police at the earliest across the country.Inaugurating the ‘Anti-Terrorism Conference-2025’ in New Delhi, Shah said: “Everyone should move forward with the principle of ‘Duty to Share’ instead of ‘Need to Know’. He said that the central agencies and state police have made good use of technology at their respective levels, but technology developed in silos and data collected in silos are like a gun without bullets. It is better if all data can communicate with each other and are created using the same technology.” He further said: “For this purpose, the Ministry of Home Affairs, NIA, and IB should hold discussions to develop a seamless national-level framework for technology and data, and should support the states in strengthening it.”The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has till now arrested nine key accused in connection with the bomb blast that killed 15 people and injured several others in the 10/11 blast.The NIA said that while working closely with various central and state agencies, the NIA continues to move with “alacrity to unravel the complete conspiracy behind the terror attack.”Earlier this month, it had conducted extensive searches at the premises of several accused and suspects in J&K and Uttar Pradesh and seized various digital devices and other incriminating materials.The Union cabinet, days after the blast, described the November 10 car blast near Lal Quila as an act of “terror” in a description that signaled acknowledgement of the terrorists’ plan to cause large-scale mayhem by striking multiple targets.The designation of “terror incident” is significant because of the anti-terror doctrine worked out by the Modi govt in the wake of the Pahalgam attack. As per the new policy, a terror attack, as the PM had spelt out in his address to the nation, is proposed to be treated and dealt with as an act of aggression against the country.However, sources have refrained from saying whether the car blast near Red Fort fulfilled the criterion and said a determination would be based on what the investigation across states might throw up. The cabinet, however, signalled its intent to use all options available to it against terror.

Mehbooba Mufti; MK Stalin

NEW DELHI: People’s Democratic Party (PDP) chief Mehbooba Mufti on Friday lost her cool with a journalist who asked her to speak in Urdu instead of Kashmiri, which the former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister was using at the time.As soon as she began her press conference in Kashmiri at the PDP headquarters in Srinagar, a journalist asked her to speak in Urdu.“Do you want a translation? Why? Translate it. Why don’t you ask Stalin to speak in English or Urdu?” Mufti snapped, referring to Tamil Nadu chief minister MK Stalin, who speaks only Tamil, his native language.She further urged Kashmiri journalists to “show some respect” for their language.“This is the only thing that is left now, so respect the Kashmiri language a little,” the former chief minister said, before continuing her address in her mother tongue.

Mufti also spoke about the lynching of two Hindu youths in separate incidents in neighbouring Bangladesh, drawing a parallel with the “intolerant” situation in India.“The intolerance in the entire country has increased. Lynchings are taking place. What is happening in Bangladesh pains us, but those who criticise it remain mute spectators when lynchings take place here,” she told reporters.The PDP chief further urged the Jammu and Kashmir government to send ministerial teams to various states to ensure the “safety” of Kashmiris living there.“Our government should send a ministerial team to every state and especially to Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, and Haryana, where most such incidents take place,” she said.Mufti’s remark came in the wake of an alleged assault on a shawl seller from the Union territory in Uttarakhand. She also took credit for the arrest of the accused.“I immediately put out a tweet and tagged the Uttarakhand DGP, seeking his intervention. That is why the accused was arrested. There are still some officers in the police who respond. But three incidents took place in 72 hours? In Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh and Haryana. What is happening is distressing,” she added.(With PTI inputs)

RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat addresses the Bharatiya Vigyan Sammelan in Tirupati, Andhra Pradesh. (PTI Photo)

NEW DELHI: RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat on Friday said there is “no contradiction” between science and dharma, asserting that both ultimately seek the same truth through different methods.He made the remarks while addressing the Bharatiya Vigyan Sammelan in Tirupati, Andhra Pradesh.According to Bhagwat, dharma is often “misunderstood” as religion, whereas it is actually the “science governing the functioning of creation.”“Dharma is not religion. It is the law by which creation runs. No one can function outside it,” he stated, adding that “imbalance” in dharma causes “destruction.”He further noted that science had historically “distanced” itself from dharma on the assumption that it had no place in scientific inquiry, a view he described as “fundamentally incorrect”.“There is no conflict between science and dharma or spirituality. The methodologies may differ, but the destination is the same — knowing the truth,” the RSS chief remarked.Bhagwat elaborated further, saying that science is based on external observation, experimentation and repeatable experience, while spirituality follows a similar approach through inner experience and disciplined practice. Spirituality, he added, also emphasises direct experience that should be attainable by everyone.He said science focuses on modifying matter through external means, whereas spirituality operates in the inner, subtle realm. Bhagwat also noted that modern science has begun viewing consciousness as universal rather than local, drawing parallels with ancient Indian philosophical concepts such as “Sarvam Khalvidam Brahma” and “Prajnanam Brahma.”Emphasising the importance of language, Bhagwat said Indian languages uniquely capture the essence of dharma and stressed the need to communicate scientific knowledge in mother tongues. He cited Finland as an example where students are taught in their native languages up to the eighth grade, supported by specialised teacher training.He expressed confidence that by integrating material progress with dharma, India could offer a “new vision” to humanity and enable nations to move forward collectively as “caretakers of creation.”

Lalit Modi and Vijay Mallya

NEW DELHI: Reacting to a video that surfaced showing fugitives Lalit Modi and Vijay Mallya at a party in London, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on Friday reiterated that India remains firmly committed to bringing back individuals wanted by law to face justice in the country.Also Read | Lalit Modi hosts birthday bash for Vijay Mallya’s 70th birthday“We remain fully committed that people who are fugitive and are wanted by law in India, they return to the country. For this particular return, we are in talks with several governments, and processes are on,” MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal told reporters at a weekly briefing in New Delhi.He added that there were several legal processes involved, but reiterated the government’s commitment to ensuring the return of such individuals to India.“As you know, in several of these cases, several layers of legalities are involved. But we remain committed to bring them back to the country so they can face trials before the court here,” Jaiswal said.The MEA’s remarks come days after Lalit Modi shared a video on Instagram from Mallya’s 70th birthday celebrations, in which he referred to himself and his fellow fugitive as the “two biggest fugitives from India.”“Let me do something to break the internet again. Happy birthday my friend #VijayMallya. Love u,” he wrote in the caption.Modi hosted the celebration at his upscale six-bedroom residence in London’s Belgrave Square, among the most expensive neighbourhoods in the UK. Several of Mallya’s associates travelled from India to attend the party.Mallya, who turned 70 on December 18, is the former owner of the now-defunct Kingfisher Airlines and previously owned the Bengaluru franchise in the Indian Premier League (IPL). He left India for the UK in 2016 after multiple cases were filed against him over alleged financial irregularities and loan defaults involving thousands of crores of rupees.Modi, a former cricket administrator and the founder of the IPL, left India in 2010 after investigations were launched into alleged financial misconduct and irregularities during the league’s early years.

Mumbai’s Rohit Sharma and Angkrish Raghuvanshi (PTI Photo)

Mumbai batter Angkrish Raghuvanshi was taken to hospital in Jaipur after suffering a serious head injury during the Vijay Hazare Trophy match against Uttarakhand on Friday, triggering concern among players and fans alike. The 21-year-old was hurt while fielding at the Sawai Mansingh Stadium and had to be stretchered off the ground immediately.According to media reports, Raghuvanshi, who represents Kolkata Knight Riders in the IPL, was shifted to a nearby medical facility for further checks. Images and videos of him being carried off the field quickly circulated on social media, highlighting the severity of the incident and prompting widespread worry.

Earlier in the match, Raghuvanshi contributed 11 runs from 20 balls as Mumbai piled up a formidable 331 for seven. The total was built on a series of solid and impactful performances across the batting order.Rohit Sharma, coming off a commanding 155 not out in Mumbai’s opening game of the tournament, was dismissed for a duck on this occasion. However, Mumbai recovered well through half-centuries from Musheer Khan and Sarfaraz Khan. Musheer scored 55 off 56 balls, striking seven fours, while Sarfaraz added 55 from 49 deliveries, which included six boundaries and a six.Wicketkeeper-batter Hardik Tamore provided the late surge, remaining unbeaten on 93 from 82 balls with seven fours and two sixes. Skipper Shardul Thakur chipped in with 29, while Shams Mulani made a valuable 48, as Mumbai accelerated from 230 for six to reach 331 for seven at the end of 50 overs. For Uttarakhand, Devendra Bora was the standout bowler, finishing with figures of three for 74.Mumbai had begun their Vijay Hazare Trophy campaign in emphatic fashion, crushing Sikkim by eight wickets. That match was headlined by Rohit’s blistering century, as Mumbai chased down a target of 237 in just 30.3 overs.The opening fixture was played in front of a near-capacity crowd of around 20,000 on Christmas Eve, with fans witnessing a trademark ‘Hitman’ onslaught that featured 18 fours and nine sixes, setting the tone for Mumbai’s campaign.

Nvidia has acquired the assets of AI chip startup Groq in a $20 billion. The deal represents a 3x premium over Groq’s valuation just months ago and it is being viewed as a defensive play to protect Nvidia’s dominance against a rising trend of tech companies preferring custom silicon, specifically Google TPUs. The move is said to be driven by two key factors: the need for cost efficiency and the demand for higher processing speeds. Nvidia is currently struggling to meet the overwhelming global demand for its GPUs, and tech companies are looking for specialised alternatives as AI race hots up.Nvidia lost billions after Meta reportedly struck deal with Google for TPUsEarlier this year, Nvidia issued a statement defending its market position after a report claimed that one of its biggest customers, Facebook parent company Meta, is in advanced talks to spend billions on Google’s competing AI chips. This hit Nvidia’s stock, erasing roughly $250 billion in market value.

Difference between Nvidia GPU vs Google TPU

Before we jump on to Nvidia vs Google debate, it must be understood the difference between the products offered by both the companies. Nvidia GPUs have are ‘General Purpose’, which means they can be utilised for AI, gaming, crypto mining and scientific simulations. Google TPUs, however, are specialised chips designed for speeding up the “tensor” math that powers machine learning. Apart from flexibility, other differences include speed and efficiency. While Nvidia’s GPUs offer excellent speed, it has overhead for general tasks and are costly. Google’s TPUs are ultra-fast for specific AI training/inference (running an AI model and getting an answer with less lag), and can be mixed-and-matched with Nvidia GPUs to increase efficiency and lower cost.

Why Nvidia struck deal with Groq

Groq offers a technology similar to Google’s TPUs. According to the company’s website:Groq builds fast AI inference. Groq LPU AI inference technology delivers exceptional AI compute speed, quality, and affordability at scale. Groq AI inference infrastructure, specifically GroqCloud, is powered by the Language Processing Unit (LPU), a new category of processor. Groq created and built the LPU from the ground up to meet the unique needs of AI. LPUs run Large Language Models (LLMs) and other leading models at substantially faster speeds and, on an architectural level, up to 10x more efficiently from an energy perspective compared to GPUs.By acquiring Groq’s fast and efficient LPU technology to complement its powerful GPUs, Nvidia is trying to neutralise the risk of a rival offering a low-cost alternative that could have ‘shrunk’ the company’s dominance to the “training-only” market. The strategic deal will allow Nvidia to capture the entire customer lifecycle through a tiered offering – directing premium clients toward high-end GPUs for heavy-duty model training and steering price-sensitive users toward LPUs for high-speed inference.

A world in warming, under most circumstances, tipping toward deep cooling does seem counterintuitive; yet, Earth’s geological record is replete with such episodes when rising greenhouse gases were followed by abrupt climatic reversals. Today, scientists increasingly look to the oceans for an explanation, where the quiet work of microscopic organisms regulates the exchange of carbon between the atmosphere, water, and rocks. Long timescales are involved, but their cumulative effects can be dramatic. How ancient climate shifts unfolded has become crucial to understanding future risk, as modern warming alters marine ecosystems that once helped nudge the planet into an ice age.

How ancient oceans pulled carbon from the air and cooled the planet

Over the years, evidence has sharpened for a dramatic climate transition during the Ordovician period through various synthesis works, like the review in the Annual Review of Earth and Planetary Sciences on the causes and consequences of Ordovician cooling. About 445 million yrs ago, Earth moved from a warm greenhouse state to widespread glaciation without any obvious decline in atmospheric carbon dioxide at the outset. Geological proxies suggest that enhanced carbon removal and not reduced volcanic emissions played a decisive role. This cooled concurrently with major changes in marine life, indicating a biological driver located within the ocean carbon cycle.The Ordovician seas were dominated by planktonic organisms that fixed carbon through photosynthesis. As these organisms proliferated, more organic carbon sank to the seafloor, reducing the amount returned to the atmosphere. As this biological pump developed, it essentially helped to energise chemical weathering on land by lowering atmospheric carbon dioxide, and more carbon was pulled down through the reactions of rocks. The result was a tightly coupled system where marine biology and geochemistry were interlaced in a feedback capable of reshaping global climate, a sobering example of how life itself can become a planetary force.

How microscopic marine organisms influence global temperatures

Phytoplankton, though perhaps invisible to the naked eye, represent one of the most vital elements in marine food chains and are considered capable of exerting strong controls over climate. While they are growing, these organisms absorb carbon dioxide from the atmosphere as they are a sink for it, which eventually gets stored in both ocean waters and sediments. If environmental conditions are right for big blooms, the efficiency of this transfer will be higher, thus the cooling effects will be stronger. During the Ordovician, evolutionary changes likely improved plankton productivity, enabling larger volumes of carbon to be locked away for long periods.Modern climate research shows that plankton respond sensitively to temperature, nutrient supply, and ocean circulation. Warming can initially stimulate growth in some regions, but sustained heat alters species composition and nutrient mixing. If future oceans experience changes in the same order of magnitude as in the geological past, the balance between the transport of carbon to depth and the transport to the atmosphere may become unpredictable. The Ordovician example suggests that biological responses do not always stabilise climate, and under specific thresholds, they may accelerate transitions toward cooler states.

When oceans changed composition and ice began to spread

The Ordovician cooling was not a story of carbon removal alone. Changes in ocean chemistry and the distribution of oxygen supplemented this path toward the climate outcome. Increased burial of organic carbon raised atmospheric oxygen levels, which in turn intensified wildfires on land and changed terrestrial vegetation. Such changes further amplified weathering rates and drew down additional carbon dioxide. Cascading effects linked marine productivity with atmospheric composition and surface processes, generating conditions favourable for the formation of ice sheets.The cooling oceans also changed the circulation patterns that led to the production of cold, dense waters at high latitudes. As the polar regions became colder, ice sheets expanded rapidly and reflected more of the sunlight back to space, thus global cooling was strengthened. This albedo feedback is what keeps the planet at a glacial state, at least until higher carbon dioxide levels can be returned by volcanic emissions and reduced weathering. The sequence underscores how tightly coupled Earth systems are, in which changes in ocean life can flow through to the atmosphere and cryosphere.

What ancient ice ages reveal about today’s warming oceans

Drawing lessons from the Ordovician does not mean that global warming today will soon pitch the planet into an ice age. Timescales are very different, and human-driven emissions are unfolding much faster than ancient biological feedbacks. Yet history does show that the Earth’s climate can respond nonlinearly when important thresholds are crossed. Small marine organisms, through the power of cumulative action, have in the past changed atmospheric chemistry enough to alter global conditions.Today’s oceans are undergoing rapid change, including warming, acidification, and deoxygenation-all drivers that impact plankton behaviour. If these changes alter the efficiency of the biological carbon pump, then long-term climate trajectories could shift in unexpected directions. The Ordovician record illustrates that gradual trends alone do not ensure climate stability and that the tiny forms of life can, when conditions are right, serve to help guide the planet toward radically different states.Also Read | A hidden Arctic world: Methane mounds and life found 3.6 km below the Greenland Sea