TOI Correspondent from Washington: China’s leader Xi JinPing and US President Donald Trump solidified their “G-2” compact on Monday with mutual invitations of high-level visits even as Beijing, embroiled in a fresh spats with Japan and India, pressed its claims on Taiwan with little pushback from Washington.In a 45-minute phone call, China’s President Xi ratcheted up the Taiwan issue after Japan’s new leader Sanae Takaichi, in her first major foreign policy address since taking office in September, declared that a Chinese attempt to blockade or seize Taiwan would constitute a “direct threat” to Japan’s security and and invoked the country’s mutual defense treaty with the US.Xi-Trump telecon followed immediately, with Beijing asserting it underscored that Taiwan’s return to China is an integral part of the post-war international order and warning against external interference that could destabilize the Asia-Pacific. Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian elaborated in a briefing that Xi emphasized the “one-China principle” as non-negotiable, framing it as essential for mutual trust.Trump’s post on the call completely omitted any reference to Taiwan that China said it raised, and instead focused on trade issues and improvement in ties. Some experts interpreted it as a US retreat in the face of China increasing pressure on the Taiwan front after seeing Washington throw Ukraine under the bus. “I just had a very good telephone call with President Xi. We discussed many topics including Ukraine/Russia, Fentanyl, Soybeans and other Farm Products, etc. …Our relationship with China is extremely strong!…President Xi invited me to visit Beijing in April, which I accepted, and I reciprocated where he will be my guest for a State Visit in the U.S. later in the year,” Trump said in a rah-rah post on social media, with no mention of the discussion on Taiwan. Hours after the Xi call, Trump spoke by phone with Takaichi, affirming “close cooperation” between Washington and Tokyo on Indo-Pacific security. The White House described the exchange as productive, touching on supply chain resilience and joint exercises, but offered no specifics on Taiwan.The sequencing suggests Trump adopting a strategy of balancing great-power engagement with China – which he has repeatedly characterized as G-2 – without alenating allies, though critics say it could embolden Beijing’s assertiveness. Several U.S analysts are warning that Xi is “playing” Trump and “stringing him along” after the latter’s threat to unleash an economic fusillade on China turned out to be bluster.“Xi has secured Trump’s commitment to several meetings in 2026, as well as concessions from the administration on incredibly contentious issues: Taiwan and U.S. export controls. By every measure, China is diplomatically, strategically, and technologically better off than it was a year ago,” Foreign Affairs commentator Jonathan Czin wrote. Commentators also cautioned that Trump’s transactional diplomacy prioritizing economic concessions over strategic commitments in the Indo-Pacific risks alienating allies and partners like Japan and India. Trump has repeatedly talked up U.S-China relations – and his personal equation with Xi – in recent days even as several U.S analysts say Washington has come out worst in the fight the U.S President picked with Beijing. “This call was a follow up to our highly successful meeting in South Korea, three weeks ago. Since then, there has been significant progress on both sides in keeping our agreements current and accurate. Now we can set our sights on the big picture,” Trump said in his post on Monday, even as Beijing was was re-litigating a dispute with New Delhi over the Indian state of Arunachal Pradesh. The latest spat between China and Japan began when Takaichi, who was elected last month, told lawmakers that a hypothetical Chinese attack on self-ruling Taiwan, which at its closest point is about 70 miles from Japanese territory, could threaten Japan’s survival and trigger a military response from Tokyo.Beijing’s response was swift and severe. Foreign Minister Wang Yi accused Takaichi of sending a “shocking wrong signal” by openly contemplating military intervention, labeling it a “red line” crossed. China’s embassy in Tokyo summoned Japan’s ambassador, and the PLA issued warnings of a “crushing defeat” for any Japanese involvement in a cross-strait conflict. The feud escalated to the United Nations on November 22, where China’s envoy condemned Japan’s stance as “provocative meddling.” State media amplified the rhetoric, with the Global Times editorializing that Tokyo’s “reckless words” echoed U.S. “hegemony” and risked war.

NEW DELHI: West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee on Tuesday said she “loves Bangladesh as a country, because their language is same,” before training guns at the BJP-led central government and the Election Commission over the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the electoral roll, warning that the exercise must not be rushed ahead of the 2026 Assembly polls.Addressing an anti-SIR rally in Bongaon, the chief minister told the crowd, “If your name gets deleted, the central government should also be deleted.” Referring to claims that the aim of the SIR is to remove Bangladeshi nationals from the voter list, she asked why the exercise was being conducted in several BJP-ruled states as well and questioned the purpose behind the revision.“I love Bangladesh as a country, because our language is the same. I am from Birbhum, but one day they will call me Bangladeshi. PM Modi got votes in 2024 as per the same list. If your name gets deleted, the central government should also be deleted. Why conducting SIR in such a hurry?” she said.“Till I am here, I will not allow them to throw you out. Nobody can throw you out. If Bangladeshi is a problem, then why are you conducting SIR in Madhya Pradesh and UP?” she asked.She asserted that she has no fear of the ruling party, declaring, “BJP cannot fight and defeat me politically,” and accused the Centre of using the SIR exercise to target voters.Further indicating conditional support for the revision, Banerjee said, “If SIR is conducted over two-three years, we will support the exercise with every possible resource.” The chief minister accused the Election Commission of losing its neutrality, stating that the “EC is no longer an impartial body, it has turned into a ‘BJP Commission’.” She claimed that people would realise the “disaster” caused by the EC and BJP once the draft voter list is published after the SIR. “Does conducting SIR in BJP-ruled states imply the Centre accepts ‘ghuspaithiyas’ exist there?” she asked.These remarks come as the Election Commission has begun the second phase of the Special Intensive Revision across 12 states and Union Territories. The final electoral roll is scheduled to be published on February 7, 2026. The first phase was carried out in Bihar before its Assembly elections.The current phase covers Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Chhattisgarh, Goa, Gujarat, Kerala, Lakshadweep, Madhya Pradesh, Puducherry, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal.

The two most politically charged prosecutions of the season — the cases against James Comey and Letitia James — ended not with a dramatic courtroom revelation, but with something far more fundamental: the prosecutor who brought them should never have been a prosecutor in the first place. In one ruling, a federal judge dismantled the legal foundation on which the indictments rested and forced the Justice Department to confront how it allowed an unlawfully appointed attorney to lead cases of this magnitude.

How Lindsey Halligan landed at the centre of the storm

Lindsey Halligan had been a familiar face in Trump’s orbit long before she became a headline. She worked in insurance litigation, later joined Trump’s legal team, and held a White House role. Before any of that, she even appeared in the Miss Colorado USA pageant — a detail that made for easy social-media fodder but had no bearing on the courtroom battle that followed. What mattered was that Halligan had never served as a federal prosecutor, and yet she was suddenly placed at the head of one of the most powerful prosecutorial offices in the country.Her appointment as interim US attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia set off immediate debate, not because of her résumé, but because of the way she arrived in the job. A previous interim US attorney was pushed out, and Halligan was installed as a second interim replacement. That one administrative manoeuvre would unravel everything that came next.

Why the judge ruled her appointment unlawful

Federal law is clear: the attorney general may appoint only one interim US attorney before the role must be filled through Senate confirmation. The administration ignored that process entirely. By replacing one interim appointee with another, it bypassed the Senate, concentrated power in the hands of a loyalist, and turned a temporary exception into a revolving door.When the judge examined Halligan’s appointment, the conclusion was unavoidable. She had no lawful authority to hold the office, and therefore no authority to convene a grand jury, present evidence, or sign indictments. Everything she touched — including the Comey and Letitia James cases — collapsed instantly, because the law requires that prosecutors themselves must be legally installed before they can legally act.

How this invalidated the Comey and Letitia James prosecutions

Halligan did not merely participate in the prosecutions; she was the prosecutions. She alone presented the cases. She alone signed the indictments. She alone drove them forward, pushing past internal resistance and capitalising on the urgency created by an expiring statute of limitations in the Comey case. When her role was declared illegitimate, the indictments themselves evaporated. There was no backup prosecutor, no co-signatory, no safeguard built into the process. Removing her meant removing the cases entirely.The judge did not weigh the evidence or the political implications. She simply ruled that the legal mechanism used to bring the charges had failed. Without a properly appointed prosecutor, there was no prosecution.

What the charges actually were

James Comey was accused of giving false statements to Congress about media leaks during the FBI’s politically sensitive investigations. Letitia James was accused of mortgage-related fraud involving a Virginia property. Both figures are frequent critics of Donald Trump, which gave the prosecutions a political edge, but the judge avoided commenting on motive. The sole issue was whether the cases were brought by someone empowered to bring them at all.

Why this ruling reshapes Trump’s strategy

President Donald Trump, joined by Steve Witkoff, U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi, Karoline Leavitt, White House press secretary, Lindsey Halligan, White House Deputy Chief of Staff, Dan Scavino, and Arabella Kushner, watches play between Carlos Alcaraz, of Spain, and Jannik Sinner, of Italy, during the men’s singles final of the U.S. Open tennis championships, Sunday, Sept. 7, 2025, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)

Trump’s broader effort to pursue high-profile adversaries depended heavily on speed, loyalty and tightly controlled decision-making. That strategy now faces a structural problem: if the administration bypasses the rules that govern prosecutorial appointments, any case built on such appointments collapses upon inspection. In this instance, the urgency to file charges, the removal of a reluctant interim US attorney, and the rushed installation of Halligan created a chain of events that could not withstand legal scrutiny.The judge’s decision is more than a setback; it is a warning about the consequences of treating the Justice Department as a political instrument rather than an independent institution governed by clear statutory limits.

What happens next

The cases were dismissed “without prejudice,” which means the Justice Department can attempt to refile them. But doing so requires a lawfully appointed or Senate-confirmed US attorney, a willing grand jury, and a viable statute of limitations — especially in Comey’s case, where the deadline has likely already passed. Even if the administration appeals, time and procedure now work against it.The immediate impact is simple: the prosecutions of James Comey and Letitia James no longer exist. The broader impact is more profound. A judge has reminded the administration that the law governs not only defendants, but prosecutors too — and that even the most ambitious retribution campaign cannot function outside the boundaries of appointment, authority and constitutional process.

Interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS has surged interest after new videos and images appeared online, prompting many viewers to question whether the comet is spinning. Recent captures from Ray’s Astrophotography, social media posts, mission trackers, and early updates from NASA and ESA have intensified this curiosity. The footage appears to show shifting shapes, circular patterns, and changing brightness within the comet’s coma. Scientific agencies have verified none of these observations, but they have sparked lively debate among space watchers. As 3I/ATLAS makes its first and only journey through our solar system, astronomers expect upcoming high-resolution images to help determine whether these visual effects represent real rotational behaviour or common imaging artefacts.

New footage ‘unverified’ claims possible rotation in 3I/ATLAS and sparks debate

Online discussions began when several posts suggested that the latest imagery revealed a rotating structure around the comet. One widely shared clip, credited to Diego San Araujo, claims and compare the motion to a past image captured by the ESA ExoMars Orbiter. Although striking, this comparison has not been verified. Another user shared footage from Ray’s Astrophotography showing a similar effect, which some interpreted as a spinning core or rotating coma. The creator noted that NASA would release new images during a scheduled live event, adding further anticipation, but the claim of detectable rotation remains unconfirmed.Other posts added more dramatic observations, such as five objects appearing to circle a central point in stacked images. Viewers suggested that this effect could come from shifting coma features, dust jets or irregular outgassing patterns inside the comet’s inner core. Another claim referenced five perfect dust rings stretching 150,000 kilometres from the nucleus, described as detached shells drifting outward. These ideas have captured public imagination but remain unsupported by current scientific analysis. Until NASA and ESA release verified imagery and detailed measurements, these interpretations remain speculation.

Understanding the nature of Interstellar Comet 3I ATLAS

3I/ATLAS was discovered on 1 July 2025 by NASA’s ATLAS survey telescope in Rio Hurtado, Chile. NASA confirmed that its trajectory originates from beyond the solar system, making it the third known interstellar object to enter our neighbourhood after 1I ʻOumuamua in 2017 and 2I Borisov in 2019. The number three marks its numerical order among known interstellar visitors, and the letter I identifies its category.Astronomers determined that 3I/ATLAS follows a hyperbolic orbit, meaning it is not bound to the Sun. Once it exits the solar system, it will never return. Its speed is too high for the Sun’s gravity to pull it into a closed orbit, which distinguishes it from typical comets formed within our own system. This makes the object scientifically significant, as it offers a rare sampling of material forged in distant and unknown star systems.

Path, speed and visibility of 3I ATLAS

NASA confirmed that 3I/ATLAS poses no threat to Earth at any stage of its journey. Travelling at more than 210,000 kilometres per hour, it passed its closest point to the Sun on 30 October 2025 and has since moved into a position where it becomes visible before dawn on the low eastern horizon. The comet cannot be viewed with the naked eye and requires a medium-sized telescope. Its distance from Earth is too great for direct visibility, once measuring about 1.8 astronomical units during its earlier approach.Throughout November and December, early morning observers can track it rising in the pre-sunrise sky. Although faint, the comet remains accessible for dedicated amateur astronomers using equipment with sufficient aperture.

Scientific importance of studying 3I ATLAS

Scientists believe that 3I/ATLAS may contain high levels of carbon dioxide, a characteristic shared with comets that form in extremely cold and remote regions far beyond the main planetary zones of their native systems. This composition provides a rare opportunity to study the building blocks of celestial objects formed around distant stars.The comet also made a noteworthy flyby of Mars between 2 and 3 October 2025, passing at approximately 29 million kilometres. This was its closest approach to any planet during its brief traversal of the solar system, giving planetary scientists additional data to examine.Disclaimer: The visuals circulating online are unverified, and no space agency has confirmed any rotational motion or unusual activity in 3I ATLAS. Current claims are based on user-generated footage and should be treated as speculation until NASA or ESA release validated observations.

The TOI correspondent from Washington:

Tragedy struck with brutal finality at the Dubai airshow when an Indian Air Force Tejas fighter jet crashed during a negative-G manoeuvre, killing Wing Commander Namansh Syal and plunging the biennial spectacle into grief. Hours later, a heartfelt Instagram post from US F-16 demonstration pilot Taylor “FEMA” Hiester cut through the noise, emerging as a stark reminder of the bond that unites aviators across flags and frontiers. Hiester, a captain with US Air Force’s Thunderbirds-inspired demo team, was prepping for his own routine when the Tejas went down and erupted in flames. His reflective post – shared with 150,000 followers – captured shock, sorrow and solidarity. He revealed that his team chose to withdraw from their final performance, a rare step in a world driven by tight schedules and multimillion-dollar deals.“Though the show made the shocking decision to continue with the flying schedule, our team along with a few others made the decision to cancel our final performance out of respect to the pilot, his colleagues and family,” Hiester, 34, wrote.He described walking past the Tejas crew, motionless beside an “empty parking spot”, ladder still on the ramp, the pilot’s belongings untouched in his rental car. “I suppose each of us contemplated their new reality that came in an instant,” he added – an image that distilled the dread every fighter pilot carries into the cockpit.As the airshow pressed ahead with upbeat announcements, Hiester felt uneasy. Crowds cheered, sponsors were thanked, and a closing line – “Congratulations to all of our sponsors… we’ll see you in 2027” – clashed sharply with the grief still hanging over the tarmac. “It was uncomfortable for me for a lot of reasons, some of them selfish,” he wrote, imagining his own team breaking down their gear amid blaring music and carnival energy.That dissonance became a “gift”: a reminder that beyond rockstar treatment and sponsor demands, what endures are the teammates who become family, he wrote. “The people you invest in, the people that you love and the people that love you back… will be the only way you live past your own individual end,” Hiester concluded.The Texas-born F-16 Viper pilot with over 1,500 flight hours has become an emblem of the global aviator brotherhood – one in which an American ace grieves an Indian pilot with the intimacy of shared skies. Tributes filled forums and pilot circles. “Humanity and camaraderie is still alive. Long live the brotherhood of men in uniform,” wrote one user.

NEW DELHI: On his last day in office, CJI Bhushan Ramakrishna Gavai, the second from Dalit community to head the judiciary, said it is worrisome that caste is being weaponised by the socially and economically uplifted among SC/ST communities to corner a major portion of reservation in jobs.CJI Gavai also expressed concern over the spiraling social tendency to indulge in hate speech and said it is for Parliament to debate and, if needed, legislate new norms and mechanisms to curb the phenomenon. Reasonable restrictions on free speech under the Constitution appear inadequate to deal with rampant hate speech on social media. “Personally, I think that some sort of regulatory mechanism needs to be put in place,” the CJI remarked.Speaking to TOI, CJI Gavai said it is high time that Centre and the states sub-categorised SC/ST communities to enable those who continue to be socially, economically and educationally backward among these communities to reap the benefits of quota in govt jobs.As regards the verdict of a seven-judge bench headed by him that had permitted states to sub-categorise castes within SC communities based on socio-economic backwardness and the degree of under-representation in govt jobs, ensuring that the larger pie of quota in jobs went to the most backward, the CJI said that despite criticism from his own community, he strongly feels that the ‘creamy layer’ among SC/ST communities must give way to the deprived among these communities.Asked about the best and worst moments in his tenure as CJI, he said that while the judgment against bulldozer justice was the most satisfying one he had delivered, the way Justice Ujjal Bhuyan criticised his majority view in a recent verdict that overturned the earlier SC verdict on Bills passed by Assemblies marked a low for him. “He could have criticised my decision. But he was personal in his criticism. That left a bad taste,” the CJI said.Asked about the meagre representation of women in Supreme Court, the CJI said this is mainly on account of very few women judges at present finding a place among those in the zone of consideration. “This is because the selection of women judges for HCs picked up late, and I’m sure that in another five years, there will be many women HC judges in the zone of consideration for elevation to the apex court.”Given the option to choose between the Collegium system and one akin to the quashed National Judicial Appointments Commission (NJAC) which was put in place unanimously by Parliament, the CJI said the present system (Collegium) has worked well, especially since the Collegium started interacting with the recommended persons individually to test their suitability.On the pendency of more than five crore cases in trial courts, he said the strength of trial court judges (around 21,000 at present) needs to be increased in a phased yet continuous manner.Among the important judgments penned by him, the series of rulings that strengthened the protection of environment, ecology and forests are closest to his heart. The unanimous verdict in the Presidential Reference, the one for sub-categorisation of SC/STs and the striking down of Tribunal Reforms Act, all of which required long hours of deliberation, too figured among the favourite judgments of CJI Gavai.

Isaac Johnson cause of death: How did the Chicago MMA star die at 31 (Image via Getty)

Isaac Johnson was a 31-year-old MMA and Thai‐boxing fighter from Chicago. On Friday night, he competed in a heavyweight Thai boxing match at the Matador Fighter Challenge, held at Cicero Stadium in Cicero, Illinois. Near the end of his fight, he collapsed in the ring. He was rushed to Loyola University Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead just after midnight. Authorities say they have opened a death investigation and are waiting on the autopsy report to determine the cause of death.

Isaac Johnson cause of death: What happened to the MMA fighter in the fight

Johnson faced an opponent in a high-stakes bout advertised as part of the Matador Fighter Challenge. The fight looked like any other competitive match until Isaac Johnson collapsed near the end. Emergency medical staff at the stadium and paramedics responded quickly. He was transported from the ring around 8:38 p.m. and arrived at the hospital, where doctors tried to save him, but he didn’t survive.

Investigation and cause pending for Isaac Johnson

Authorities from the town of Cicero and the Cook County Medical Examiner’s Office have launched an investigation into Johnson’s death. An autopsy has already been scheduled, but officials have not yet released any official cause or manner of death. Promoter Joe Goytia confirmed that Johnson passed all required pre-fight medical tests, yet still the tragic collapse happened.

Tributes for Isaac Johnson, a true warrior

After the news of Isaac Johnson’s death spread, the MMA community, fans and fellow fighters paid tribute to him. Many remembered his energy, his smile, and his willingness to fight hard. He was smiling even moments before he went down. This is the sport we play, and he was a true warrior to the very end. His passing has deeply saddened many people who followed his career.Also Read: Olympics winner Noah Lyles unveils romantic surprise for fiancee Junelle Bromfield in Las Vegas, and it will melt your heart

Rishabh Pant made his frustration clear with his teammates during Day 2 of the 2nd Test in Guwahati. (Agencies)

Stand-in captain Rishabh Pant’s voice dominated Day 2 of the second Test in Guwahati, with several stump-mic moments revealing India’s rising frustration as South Africa strengthened their position. With Shubman Gill unavailable due to injury, Pant took charge on the field, and his constant instructions, reminders and corrections became one of the major talking points as India struggled to control the game. India’s over-rate issues and inability to take wickets only added to the pressure. Pant repeatedly demanded urgency from his bowlers and fielders between deliveries. In one clip, he said, “Yaar 30 seconds ka timer hai” (There’s a 30-second timer), followed by “Ghar pe khel rahe ho kya? Ek ball daal jaldi.” (Are you playing at home? Bowl one quickly.) He also reminded Kuldeep Yadav about the two warnings India had already received, saying, “Yaar Kuldeep, dono baar warning le li” (Kuldeep, we’ve already taken two warnings). As delays continued, Pant grew sharper in tone, telling his team, “Pura ek over thodi na chahiye. Mazak bana rakha hai Test cricket ko.” (We don’t need a whole over. You’ve made a joke out of Test cricket.) While organising the field, Pant insisted on handling the placements himself, saying, “Field mere ko karne de. Tu tappe se daalne ko dekh. Baaki ho jaayega kaam.” (Let me set the field. You just focus on bowling quickly. The rest will fall in place.)Watch Pant’s heated stump-mic moments here At another moment, urging his side not to drop intensity, he said, “Bhai kal poori din mehnat kari hai yaar. Chhodenge nahi. Kaam karte raho.” (We worked hard all day yesterday. We can’t let it slip now. Keep at it.) When Washington Sundar prepared to bowl, Pant again referred to the timer, saying, “Guys play with the timer, there’s 1 minute timer for every over. come on yaar” (Play according to the timer, there’s a one-minute limit for every over, come on.) Pant’s comments reflected the tense phase India found themselves in, especially after South Africa’s lower middle order continued to frustrate the hosts. Senuran Muthusamy and Kyle Verreynne put on an 88-run stand for the seventh wicket before Ravindra Jadeja finally broke through.

At lunch, South Africa reached 428 for 7 in 137 overs. Muthusamy was unbeaten on 107 from 203 balls, while Marco Jansen moved to 51 off 57 deliveries. Pant’s on-field exchanges became a key storyline on a day when South Africa controlled the contest and India searched for breakthroughs.