Air India crash: Black box data being analysed to reconstruct events
A multi-disciplinary team led by the director general of the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) is conducting the investigation.
Air India's Boeing 787-8 aircraft, operating flight AI-171 to London Gatwick, crashed into a medical hostel complex shortly after take-off from Ahmedabad on June 12.
Vivek Mishra works as an Assistant Editor with Eastern Eye and has over 13 years of experience in journalism. His areas of interest include politics, international affairs, current events, and sports. With a background in newsroom operations and editorial planning, he has reported and edited stories on major national and global developments.
EFFORTS are underway to reconstruct the sequence of events that led to the Air India plane crash earlier this month, which killed over 260 people, the civil aviation ministry said on Thursday.
A multi-disciplinary team led by the director general of the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) is conducting the investigation.
The team began extracting data from the black boxes of the aircraft on June 24.
Over 270 dead in Ahmedabad crash
Air India's Boeing 787-8 aircraft, operating flight AI-171 to London Gatwick, crashed into a medical hostel complex shortly after take-off from Ahmedabad on June 12, killing more than 270 people, including 241 passengers onboard.
“Following the unfortunate accident involving Air India Flight AI-171, the AAIB promptly initiated an investigation and constituted a multidisciplinary team on 13 June 2025, in line with prescribed norms.
“The team, constituted as per international protocol, is led by DG AAIB, and includes an aviation medicine specialist, an ATC officer, and representatives from National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) which is government investigative agency from the state of manufacture and design, (USA), as required for such investigations,” the ministry said in its statement.
Crash protection module retrieved
According to the ministry, the team led by AAIB Director General GVG Yugandhar, along with technical members from AAIB and NTSB, started the data extraction process on June 24.
“The Crash Protection Module (CPM) from the front black box was safely retrieved, and on 25 June, 2025, the memory module was successfully accessed and its data downloaded at the AAIB Lab,” the statement said.
Black box data analysis underway
“The analysis of CVR (Cockpit Voice Recorder) and FDR (Flight Data Recorder) data is underway. These efforts aim to reconstruct the sequence of events leading to the accident and identify contributing factors to enhance aviation safety and prevent future occurrences,” it added.
Smoke billows from a burning market area at Guimara in Khagrachari district of Bangladesh on September 28, 2025, after it was set ablaze during a clash between Hill and Bengali residents over the alleged rape of a female student. (Photo: Getty Images)
AT LEAST three people were killed and dozens injured on Sunday in clashes in the Chittagong Hill Tracts of southeastern Bangladesh after protests over the alleged gang rape of a schoolgirl.
Violence spread from Khagrachhari town to Guimara despite restrictions and the deployment of security forces.
Police confirmed the deaths but did not disclose the identities of the victims. Witnesses reported homes and businesses were set ablaze during the clashes between Indigenous groups and Bengali settlers.
The home ministry said 13 army personnel and three policemen were among the injured.
Protesters alleged that the army fired on demonstrators, while the military denied responsibility and blamed the United People’s Democratic Front (UPDF), a rebel faction, for the violence. The interior ministry said weapons were being smuggled into the region from outside the country.
The unrest adds to political tensions as interim leader Muhammad Yunus prepares for elections in February, the first since Sheikh Hasina’s government was ousted in 2024.
Key takeaways:
Three deaths and dozens injured: Clashes broke out in Khagrachhari district following protests over the alleged rape of a schoolgirl. The violence spread to Guimara, 36 km away, despite the deployment of army, police and Border Guard Bangladesh personnel.
Victims not identified: Police confirmed three fatalities, but doctors at Khagrachhari Sadar Hospital did not clarify whether the dead were Indigenous people or Bengalis.
Rape case triggered unrest: The alleged gang rape took place on September 23. A Bengali teenager has been arrested with army assistance and is being held on six-day remand for questioning.
Blame and counter-blame: Protesters accused the army of opening fire on demonstrators. The army denied this and instead accused the UPDF rebel faction of instigating the clashes and firing shots.
Government response: Interior ministry chief Jahangir Alam Chowdhury said arms were entering the region from abroad. The home ministry pledged legal action against those responsible and urged residents to remain calm.
Background of unrest: The Chittagong Hill Tracts saw a decades-long insurgency that ended with the 1997 peace accord. Rebel groups like the UPDF rejected the deal and continue to demand autonomy, contributing to sporadic violence in the region.
By clicking the 'Subscribe’, you agree to receive our newsletter, marketing communications and industry
partners/sponsors sharing promotional product information via email and print communication from Garavi Gujarat
Publications Ltd and subsidiaries. You have the right to withdraw your consent at any time by clicking the
unsubscribe link in our emails. We will use your email address to personalize our communications and send you
relevant offers. Your data will be stored up to 30 days after unsubscribing.
Contact us at data@amg.biz to see how we manage and store your data.
In her first speech as Home Secretary to the Labour conference, Mahmood will also say that migrants should achieve a high standard of English and that she intends to be a 'tough' minister. (Photo: Getty Images)
MIGRANTS wanting to settle in the UK will need to have a job, not claim benefits, and take part in community work under new plans to be set out by Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood on Monday.
At present, people with family in the UK who have lived there for five years, or those who have legally stayed in the country for 10 years on any type of visa, can qualify for "indefinite leave to remain" — permanent residence.
Those meeting these requirements gain the right to live, work and study in the UK, apply for benefits, and later apply for British citizenship.
Under the new proposals, Mahmood will say that migrants must also make social security contributions, not claim benefits, have no criminal record, and volunteer in their community in order to remain in the UK.
She will outline the plan at the ruling Labour Party’s annual conference, with a consultation on the changes expected later this year, according to a party press release.
The announcement follows a pledge from the opposition Reform Party, which is leading in current national polls, to abolish "indefinite leave to remain". Reform said it would instead require migrants to reapply for visas every five years.
That plan would affect hundreds of thousands of people who already hold leave to remain status.
"These measures draw a clear dividing line between the Labour government and Reform, whose recent announcement... would force workers, who have been contributing to this country for decades, to leave their homes and families," the Labour Party statement said.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer on Sunday described Reform’s proposal as "racist" and warned it would "tear the country apart".
In her first speech as Home Secretary to the Labour conference, Mahmood will also say that migrants should achieve a high standard of English and that she intends to be a "tough" minister.
Immigration remains a key political issue in the UK. Mahmood will tell party members that if Labour fails to address it, "working people will turn away from us... and seek solace in the false promises" of Reform leader Nigel Farage.
Chancellor Rachel Reeves is also scheduled to address the conference on Monday. She will "vow to invest in Britain's renewal" and announce plans to boost youth employment, according to a Labour press release.
(With inputs from agencies)
Keep ReadingShow less
The presentation ceremony was delayed by more than an hour, with reports saying India did not want to receive the trophy from Pakistan Cricket Board chairman and Asian Cricket Council head Mohsin Naqvi. (Photo: Getty Images)
India beat Pakistan by five wickets to win ninth Asia Cup title
Team did not attend delayed trophy presentation ceremony in Dubai
Tilak Varma hit unbeaten 69, Kuldeep Yadav took 4-30
Abhishek Sharma named player of the tournament
INDIA defeated Pakistan by five wickets on Sunday to win a record-extending ninth Asia Cup title but did not attend the trophy presentation ceremony.
India remained unbeaten to retain the Asia Cup crown — they also won the previous edition held in the 50-over format — but Suryakumar Yadav’s side did not collect the trophy in Dubai.
The presentation ceremony was delayed by more than an hour, with reports saying India did not want to receive the trophy from Pakistan Cricket Board chairman and Asian Cricket Council head Mohsin Naqvi.
"I have been informed by the ACC that the Indian cricket team will not be collecting their awards tonight," presenter Simon Doull announced. "So that does conclude the post-match presentation."
Chasing 147, India relied on Tilak Varma’s unbeaten 69 to reach the target with two balls left. Varma shared a 60-run fifth-wicket stand with Shivam Dube, who made 33 before falling at the end of the 19th over.
With 10 needed off the last over, Varma hit a six before Rinku Singh struck the winning boundary. The Indian players ran to celebrate, while Pakistan players shook hands among themselves.
Kuldeep Yadav was instrumental in India’s win with figures of 4-30, bowling out Pakistan for 146. He finished as the tournament’s leading wicket-taker with 17 scalps. Opener Abhishek Sharma was named player of the tournament for his 314 runs at a strike-rate of 200, including three fifties.
India slipped to 20-3 and later 77-4, but Varma steadied the chase with three fours and four sixes in his knock.
"It was a bit of pressure, but I wanted to stay at the wicket and finish the game," said Varma, who was named player of the match. "I was prepared to bat anywhere and I was backing on my game."
Sanju Samson contributed 24 runs, while Dube provided key support to take India across the line in front of a crowd dominated by Indian fans.
"It is a tough pill to swallow," Pakistan captain Salman Agha said. "We could not finish well in the batting. Bowling, we gave everything."
Bumrah retaliates
Tensions carried over from the teams’ earlier meetings in the tournament, with political posturing and on-field exchanges.
Jasprit Bumrah dismissed Haris Rauf for six in the first innings and responded with a gesture mirroring one Rauf had made towards the crowd in the previous match.
Put in to bat after no handshakes at the toss, Pakistan began strongly as Sahibzada Farhan scored 57 and Fakhar Zaman made 46 in an opening stand of 84. But from 113-1, Pakistan collapsed to 146 all out in 19.1 overs.
Kuldeep broke the stand in the 13th over, removing Saim Ayub, and later took three wickets in the 17th, including Agha for eight. Pakistan lost six wickets for 21 runs as Zaman fell short of his fifty.
India and Pakistan, who have not played a bilateral series in more than a decade, only face each other in multi-nation tournaments at neutral venues.
India had beaten Pakistan in both earlier meetings in the competition. In the Super Four clash, Farhan made a gun celebration after his half-century, while Rauf gestured towards the crowd in a manner seen as mocking India’s military.
In the group-stage match, Indian captain Suryakumar Yadav did not shake hands with Agha, and both teams continued the no-handshake stance throughout the tournament.
(With inputs from agencies)
Keep ReadingShow less
ONS said population growth was fastest in England at 1.2 per cent, compared with 0.7 per cent in Scotland, 0.6 per cent in Wales and 0.4 per cent in Northern Ireland. (Photo: Getty Images)
UK population grew by 755,300 to 69.3 million in the year to mid-2024
Net international migration accounted for 98 per cent of growth
Births exceeded deaths by 16,239, but natural change was negative in Scotland and Wales
Net migration has since declined to 431,000, ONS figures show
THE UK population grew by 755,300 in the year to mid-2024, reaching an estimated 69.3 million, according to figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS). This was the second-largest annual increase in more than 75 years, driven mainly by immigration.
Net international migration accounted for 98 per cent of the growth. An estimated 1,235,254 people immigrated to the UK, while 496,536 emigrated, resulting in net migration of 738,718. Births exceeded deaths by 16,239, with 662,148 births and 645,909 deaths recorded.
ONS said population growth was fastest in England at 1.2 per cent, compared with 0.7 per cent in Scotland, 0.6 per cent in Wales and 0.4 per cent in Northern Ireland. Natural change was negative in Scotland and Wales, where deaths outnumbered births. The proportion of people aged 65 and over continued to rise across the UK.
The ONS noted that net migration has since declined, with updated data showing it fell to 431,000 last year. The reduction was linked to fewer non-EU nationals arriving on work and study visas and more departures of people with study-related visas.
Nigel Henretty of the ONS said: “The UK population has increased each year since mid-1982. The rate of population increase has been higher in recent years, and the rise seen in the year to mid-2024 represents the second largest annual increase in numerical terms in over 75 years. Net international migration continues to be the main driver of this growth, continuing the long-term trend seen since the turn of the century.”
Nigel Farage, leader of Reform UK, said: “The Labour government are continuing the Boriswave and our lives are all getting poorer because of it. Only Reform will control our borders.”
Keep ReadingShow less
Pakistan's players celebrate after defeating Bangladesh in the Asia Cup 2025 Super Four Twenty20 international cricket match between Bangladesh and Pakistan at the Dubai International Stadium in Dubai on September 25, 2025. (Photo by SAJJAD HUSSAIN/AFP via Getty Images)
INDIA and Pakistan will face off in a high-stakes Asia Cup final in Dubai on Sunday (28), with political and on-field friction overshadowing their first-ever title clash in the regional tournament.
Pakistan secured their place in the final after edging past Bangladesh by 11 runs on Thursday (25), setting the stage for a blockbuster meeting with defending champions India.
The showdown comes months after deadly fighting between the nuclear-armed neighbours, who have not played a bilateral series in over a decade.
Their most recent meetings in the group stage and Super Four round of this Asia Cup saw India skipper Suryakumar Yadav refusing to shake hands with counterpart Salman Agha.
Players from both sides also skipped post-match handshakes after the first and second encounters.
India comfortably won both the games, stretching their unbeaten run against Pakistan to seven matches dating back to 2022 -- three one-day internationals and four T20Is. India lead 12-3 in T20 matches.
In the Super Four clash, opener Sahibzada Farhan mimicked a gun celebration after his half-century, while pacer Haris Rauf made gestures appearing to mock India's military action during the four-day border conflict in May that left more than 70 people dead.
"Look, my message to the players is just focus on cricket and that certainly we will be doing," said Pakistan coach Mike Hesson after the team's narrow win over Bangladesh.
"In terms of gestures there has always been passion in terms of high-pressure games."
India, the reigning T20 world champions, remain tournament favourites.
They have won all five of their matches in this 17th edition of the Asia Cup, played in the T20 format, and are chasing a record-extending ninth title.
Opener Abhishek Sharma has been in scintillating form with successive half-centuries, while left-arm wrist spinner Kuldeep Yadav leads the bowling charts with 12 wickets.
But their fielding has been suspect, with 12 dropped catches in the tournament so far.
Spinner Varun Chakravarthy blamed the "ring of fire" created by the stadium's 350 floodlights for the butter-fingered display.
"We have to pick up our fielding, and definitely, the fielding coach has a lot to say," Chakravarthy said.
India, who won the 50-over Asia Cup in the previous edition, play Sri Lanka in an inconsequential Super Four match in Dubai on Friday (26).
Pakistan, two-time Asia Cup champions, will rely on their pace duo of Shaheen Shah Afridi and Rauf to provide early breakthroughs, while spinners Abrar Ahmed and Mohammad Nawaz will aim to contain India's powerful batting lineup.
Their batting, however, remains a concern after collapsing to 49-5 against Bangladesh before recovering to post 135-8 which proved to be a winning total.
Suryakumar downplayed the on-field rivalry after hammering Pakistan for the second time in the tournament, but Hesson believes his team can throw up a challenge to the number one ranked T20 side.
The Asia Cup is being widely seen as a dress rehearsal for the T20 World Cup to be co-hosted by India and Sri Lanka in February-March.