NEW DELHI: India has sent an IAF officer to Dubai to take part in the inquiry to be conducted by the aviation authorities there into the Tejas fighter’s crash Friday, with the ill-fated jet’s flight data recorder (FDR) or “black box” expected to provide key information about the cause of the accident.The IAF officer will be “a member in attendance” at the inquiry, as per protocol, into the mishap that saw the single-engine Tejas Mark-1 jet crash into the ground after failing to recover from a “negative G-turn” manoeuvre during a low-level aerobatic display at the Dubai Airshow.The mortal remains of the pilot, Wing Commander Namansh Syal (37), were brought back to Sulur in Tamil Nadu on an IAF C-130J aircraft on Saturday night. “A dedicated fighter pilot and thorough professional, Wing Commander Syal served the nation with unwavering commitment, exceptional skill and an unyielding sense of duty,” IAF said.The IAF has not yet grounded its Tejas Mark-1 fighters in the ’45 Flying Daggers’ Squadron at Sulur and ’18 Flying Bullets’ Squadron at Naliya for safety technical checks. “The FDR, which would have recorded all critical flight parameters of the Tejas, such as speed, altitude, control inputs and other such things, will be crucial for reconstructing the sequence of events leading to the accident,” an officer said.While the exact reason for the crash will be determined by the inquiry, the pilot could have suffered a “blackout” or spatial disorientation due to “negative G-forces”, or there could have been a sudden loss of engine power or control malfunction in the fighter, as was earlier reported by TOI.“Pilots can suffer G-LOC or gravity induced temporary loss of consciousness during sharp turns or dives in supersonic fighters. That is why fighter pilots wear pressurised G-suits to counter the effects of gravity,” another officer said. The 13.5-tonne multirole Tejas, manufactured by Hindustan Aeronautics and powered by American GE-F404 turbofan engine, has had a stellar flight safety record ever since its first prototype took to the skies in Jan 2001, even as IAF wants a fighter with much better capabilities.Since IAF raised its first Tejas Mark-1 squadron at Sulur in July 2016, the crash at Dubai was only the second after a jet went down near Jaisalmer on Mar 12 last year. While the IAF court of inquiry report into that crash has not been declassified, the cause is attributed to an engine snag. While IAF has inducted 38 Tejas Mark-1 jets, the deliveries of 83 “improved” Tejas Mark-1A fighters contracted in Feb 2021 for Rs 46,898 crore will begin only in March next year, after a long delay. A Rs 66,500 crore contract for another 97 Mark-1A jets was inked with HAL in Sept this year.

US president Trump met New York City’s mayor-elect, Zohran Mamdani at the Oval Office on Friday, and the mood was far warmer than anyone expected. They both spoke about shared goals for New York City instead of their usual fights. During the press interaction, a reporter asked Mamdani if he still believed Trump was a fascist. Mamdani had barely started to reply, ” I’ve spoken about”, when Trump cut in, lightly patted his arm and said, “That’s okay. You can just say yes. It’s easier than explaining. I don’t mind.”Also read | Donald Trump and Zohran Mamdani meeting: 10 key moments from White House Oval Office Another reporter pressed Trump on Republican leader Elise Stefanik’s claim that Mamdani was a “jihadist.” Trump immediately shut it down. “No, I don’t,” he said when asked if he thought he was standing next to one. “I met with a man who is a very rational person.”Trump had previously called Mamdani a “100% Communist lunatic” and a “nut job.” Mamdani had framed himself as “Donald Trump’s worst nightmare.” But on Friday, both avoided personal blows and focused on affordability in New York, housing, groceries, and rising utility costs- issues that shaped both their campaigns. Trump brushed aside old clashes, including Mamdani’s criticism of deportation raids. He joked he had been called “much worse than a despot.” He also stepped in to defend Mamdani when reporters questioned why he flew to Washington instead of taking transportation that used less fossil fuels, saying, “I’ll stick up for you.”Also read | From ‘communist lunatic’ to ‘rational person’: Donald Trump takes a U-turn on Zohran Mamdani Mamdani said he had requested the meeting to discuss making New York more affordable. Trump admitted he had earlier warned he might pull federal funds if they did not “get along,” but said he no longer expected that to happen. Mamdani’s incoming chief of staff later told NY1 the two leaders still disagreed on many things but found common ground on safety and reducing crime. Trump had played a major role in the mayoral race. He endorsed Andrew Cuomo, questioned Mamdani’s citizenship and even suggested he could have him arrested if he refused to work with immigration agents. Mamdani, born in Uganda and now a naturalised American citizen, defeated Cuomo by arguing he would “stand up to Donald Trump.”

Inside the ‘Bomb Factory’

FARIDABAD: In a quiet Faridabad home Dhoj village, terror was being ground to powder. The co-accused in the Delhi car blast Dr Muzammil, turned flour mill into a chemical workshop. Pictures of the mill and electrical machinery, recovered from the house of a taxi driver in Faridabad, Haryana, reveal the chilling scale of his preparations.How an everyday grain grinder became tool to powder chemicalsA flour mill is essentially a grinder—it has heavy rollers or blades to crush solid material into fine powder. While it is normally used for grains, it can also be used to grind chemical compounds into fine powder, which can then be used in reactions to make explosives.

A day before the November 10 blast that killed 15 people, a video resurfaced showing 2,600kg of ammonium nitrate stored in a secluded cleric’s house from where Muzammil had rented a room for just Rs 1,500 a month. Investigators say this stash formed a critical part of the terror module. Evidence recovered from Muzammil’s lodgings at Al-Falah University, along with those of co-accused Umar Un Nabi—the driver of the i20 used in the blast—suggests that the terror plot had been meticulously planned for over two years. Diaries and notebooks contained coded references, names, numbers, and repeated mentions of “operation,” pointing to multiple intended attacks.Evidence allegedly recovered from room Al-Falah University’s room no 13 (where Muzammil Ganaie lived) and Umar Un Nabi’s room (No 4) points towards an elaborate terror plot. According to investigators, the notebooks and diaries were filled with coded references, names and numbers with dates from November 8-12, suggesting the doctors were planning multiple attacks. The word ‘operation’ was scribbled repeatedly on the diaries.Umar, who was driving the i20 that blew up near Red Fort metro station on November 10 and Muzammil, who had rented the two rooms in Faridabad from where nearly 3,000kg of ammonium nitrate and other explosive substances were found last week, had both joined Al-Falah in close succession during the pandemic – Umar in 2021 and Muzammil six months after that, the sources said.The diaries were also found to contain names of 2530 people, most of whom are either from Jammu & Kashmir, Muzammil and Umar’s home state, or Faridabad and nearby areas, giving investigators an idea of the contours of this white coat terror module.

Saudi Crown Prince MBS (left), US President Donald Trump (ANI)

The TOI correspondent from Washington: US President Donald Trump doubled down on his support for foreign skilled labor at a US-Saudi investment forum on Wednesday, presenting the need for overseas professionals to train American workers in high-tech manufacturing as part of his MAGA agenda even as his base bristled with resentment at his framing. Speaking alongside Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Trump declared, “I love MAGA – This IS MAGA!” as he defended the need for foreign workers. But his remarks, which explicitly welcomed “thousands of people” from abroad to staff multibillion-dollar chip factories, sparked a fierce backlash from MAGA loyalists who accused him of abandoning “America First” principles in favor of “tech bros” and globalist donors, while insisting the US has enough talent for the jobs. In remarks that were parsed endlessly in MAGA-sphere, Trump linked the trillions in investment he claims to output from immigration stance, arguing that without foreign expertise, projects arising from the inflow would stall. “You can’t open a massive computer chip factory for billions of dollars, like in Arizona, and think you can hire people off an unemployment line to run it,” he said. “They have to bring thousands of people and I will WELCOME those people.” The framing is in line with expert opinion that the US lacks talented workforce in niche areas.“Those people will teach OUR people how to make computer chips. And in a short period of time, our people will do great and those people can GO HOME!” Trump insisted, positioning the policy as a bridge to long-term American dominance. He referenced a real-world example, recounting how he halted an immigration raid on South Korean engineers at a Georgia battery plant, telling officials: “Stop it. Don’t be stupid.”But many MAGA faithful expressed skepticism insisting that current policy is not geared towards sending foreign workers back, even as they expanded their fight to stop even foreign college admissions which they say provides another channel for immigration. Trump has also made known his support for the inflow of foreign students, saying they are needed to keep American universities solvent. The MAGA supremo acknowledged the political tightrope, quipping, “I may take a little heat from my people, the people that love me. They happen to be toward the right of center. Sometimes WAY right.” He dismissed critics as “unbelievable patriots” who “just don’t understand our people need to be taught,” adding that his poll numbers might dip but rise among “smart people.” Traditionally, surveys show that Trump polls better among the less educated voters and his numbers dip among college graduates. The foreign workers issue, part of the larger debate on immigration, looks set to become a lightning rod in the mid-term Congressional elections a year from now.

Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) is no longer an illness confined to smokers or older adults, and leading pulmonologists across India are raising the alarm. With rising pollution levels, changing lifestyles, and growing exposure to environmental toxins, COPD is emerging much earlier and in people who have never touched a cigarette. To understand the shifting landscape, we spoke with two of India’s most respected respiratory specialists, Dr. Vivek Nangia of Max Super Speciality Hospital, Saket, and Dr. Manu Madan of Medanta Hospital, Noida. Their insights reveal the hidden risks driving today’s COPD surge, the early symptoms people continue to overlook, and the daily habits that can make or break long-term lung health.

Dr. Vivek Nangia: The biggest misconception people have about COPD is that COPD is only linked to smokers, that only smokers can have COPD. Unfortunately, nowadays with increasing exposure to the polluted air around us, exposure to biomass fuel, some people have occupational exposure. So even in them, non-smokers are also developing COPD. Almost 50% of the COPD burden is being seen in non-smokers these days.

Dr. Vivek Nangia: COPD is diagnosed late primarily because its symptoms develop slowly and gradually over a period of time, usually its seen in adults, therefore its seen as a process of aging that is resulting in breathlessness. So any patient whose being coughing for 8 weeks or so, slowly becoming more breathless, loss of weight, loss of appetite , must get themselves screened for COPD especially if they have a history of smoking, or exposure to air pollution only then it can be detected early with the help of simple chest x ray and pulmonary function test PFT

Dr. Vivek Nangia: So, basically the lung damage in COPD progresses over a period of time. There is airway narrowing, damage to the air sacs, air trapping inside which causes breathlessness to the patients. So all this happens slowly and gradually over a period of time. While the lung damage may not be reversible, the disease with regular inhaler therapies, with pulmonary rehabilitation, prevention of infections, prevention of exacerbations can be well managed on a long term basis.

Dr. Vivek Nangia: So, the air pollution has impacted the patients already suffering with COPD in two ways, one we are seeing newer patients now, those who never had COPD in the past but now are complaining of cough, breathlessness, chest tightness, finding it difficult to breathe and are being diagnosed as COPD and second are those who already have COPD and are now experiencing frequent exacerbations. So, the numbers have gone up and also that the symptomatology has gone up, the severity of illness has gone up in these patients.

Dr Manu Madan: Cigarette smoking is one of the most significant risk factors for COPD. In addition to cigarette smoking, vaping and e-cigarette use, air pollution, exposure to biomass fuel fumes at home, childhood infections, prior infections such as tuberculosis, occupational exposure to harmful substances, and certain genetic factors are also important causes of COPD.

Dr Manu Madan: Diet, sleep, and stress levels are important factors that significantly affect lung health.An antioxidant-rich diet that includes fruits, vegetables, and anti-inflammatory foods high in omega-3 fatty acids may benefit COPD patients. Conversely, a diet high in carbohydrates can be detrimental. Sleep and stress are closely interconnected; when one is affected, it often impacts the other, which in turn influences overall health, including lung function. In conclusion, a well-balanced diet combined with mindfulness and regular physical activity can significantly improve not only overall mood and sleep but also lung health.

Dr Manu Madan: Since pollution is a significant cause of respiratory illnesses and the exacerbation of underlying lung and heart diseases, it is important to take precautionary measures for people living in polluted cities. These measures can include:1) Track air pollution levels and avoid going outdoors on days with high pollution, especially for high-risk individuals such as the very young, the elderly, pregnant women, and people with underlying heart and lung conditions.2) Use masks, either N95 or surgical masks. Avoid wearing N95 masks for prolonged periods.3) Perform steam inhalation and gargle regularly, especially after returning from a polluted environment.4) The use of indoor plants can be beneficial.5) Using an air purifier may help if you plan to stay indoors for most of the day.

Dr Manu Madan: COPD is generally considered to develop after the age of 40; however, due to certain genetic conditions and changes in environment and lifestyle, it is increasingly being observed at earlier ages. Some reasons for the early onset of COPD include:1) Air pollution in developing countries has led to a worsening of lung health.2) Impaired lung growth during childhood due to maternal smoking, low birth weight, and childhood infections.3) Use of e-cigarettes and hookah among youth4) Alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency, a genetic disorder5) With the advent of industrialization, exposure to harmful gases increased.

US President Donald Trump (Photo credit: AP)

The United Nations Security Council on Monday approved a US-drafted resolution endorsing President Donald Trump’s 20-point peace plan for Gaza, giving the proposal a binding international mandate after two years of conflict.The resolution received 13 votes in favour with zero vetoes, while Russia and China abstained. It authorises the creation of an International Stabilisation Force, or ISF, which the US said that several unnamed countries have expressed willingness to join.

The force would be tasked with entering Gaza, overseeing demilitarisation, securing key areas and supporting the delivery of humanitarian assistance. It would also coordinate its operations with Israel and Egypt, Gaza’s southern neighbour.However, Hamas has rejected the resolution, arguing that it does not address Palestinian rights and imposes an unwanted external authority on the territory. In a statement on Telegram, the group said the plan “imposes an international guardianship mechanism on the Gaza Strip, which our people and their factions reject,” and added that giving the stabilisation force a mandate to disarm resistance groups “strips it of its neutrality, and turns it into a party to the conflict in favour of the occupation”, news agency Reuters reported.The draft resolution states that the ISF would work on the “permanent decommissioning of weapons from non-state armed groups,” including Hamas, which would be required to surrender its weapons under Trump’s proposal. The draft also calls for the creation of a newly trained Palestinian police force to eventually take over policing responsibilities in Gaza, replacing the Hamas-run force currently in place.US ambassador to the UN Mike Waltz told the council that the stabilisation force would be “tasked with securing the area, supporting the demilitarization of Gaza, dismantling the terrorist infrastructure, removing weapons, and ensuring the safety of Palestinian civilians.” He described the initial ceasefire phase, which began on 10 October with the exchange of hostages and detainees, as a “fragile, fragile first step.”The plan also proposes the establishment of a Board of Peace, which Trump is expected to head, and a World Bank-supported trust fund to support Gaza’s reconstruction. The vote took place as global actors sought to maintain the fragile ceasefire following the war that began with Hamas’ 7 October 2023 attack on Israel, which killed about 1,200 people. Israel’s subsequent offensive has killed more than 69,000 Palestinians, according to the Hamas-run Gaza health ministry.

A dramatic batting collapse saw favourites India A slump to an eight-wicket defeat against Pakistan Shaheens in the Asia Cup Rising Stars tournament on Sunday. (Image credit: Agencies)

NEW DELHI: A dramatic batting collapse saw favourites India A slump to an eight-wicket defeat against Pakistan Shaheens in the Asia Cup Rising Stars tournament on Sunday. After choosing to bowl first, the Shaheens mounted a strong comeback to dismiss India A for just 136 despite the opposition cruising at 91 for three by the 10th over.Pakistan made light work of the 137-run chase, achieving the target with 40 balls remaining to register their second win in a row, while India fell to their first defeat after a commanding opening victory over the UAE.

Mohammad Faiq sealed the win in style, launching Naman Dhir for a massive six over deep mid-wicket, sparking wild celebrations in the Shaheens’ camp.Faiq and Maaz Sadaqat — who finished unbeaten and carried Pakistan home — were visibly fired up as they headed back to the dugout. High-fives, roars and bear hugs followed as the players celebrated the emphatic result.Watch the video hereOpener Sadaqat was the star of the chase, smashing an unbeaten 79 off 47 balls, including seven fours and four sixes, after earlier taking two wickets with his left-arm spin. His innings included a stroke of luck when Vaibhav Suryavanshi spilled a simple catch at point.Earlier, India A opted to bat first and got off to a flying start thanks to teenage sensation Suryavanshi’s 28-ball 45 and Naman Dhir’s brisk 35 off 20 balls. But the innings unraveled quickly as medium pacer Shahid Aziz led Pakistan’s charge with 3/24 from three overs.Saad Masood and Sadaqat picked up two wickets each, triggering a collapse that saw India lose eight wickets for just 35 runs in the final 10 overs, having looked set for a total close to 175-180.Suryavanshi, fresh off a record century in the previous match, continued to attack but mistimed a big hit and was caught at long-on by Faiq, who did well to stay inside the ropes off Sufiyan Muqeem’s bowling. The wicket — confirmed after multiple replays — proved the turning point as Pakistan’s bowlers tightened their grip and choked India’s scoring.Riding on that momentum, Aziz, Masood and Sadaqat showed excellent discipline to finish the job, ensuring a commanding win for the Shaheens.