Motorbike stunt riders and herds of camels wowed the crowds gathered in New Delhi on Thursday (26) to celebrate Republic Day, an annual showcase of India’s military hardware and cultural diversity.
After the US and French presidents attended the last two events, the crown prince of Abu Dhabi, Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, was this year’s chief guest as everyone from bagpipe-playing troops to schoolchildren paraded along the landmark Rajpath boulevard.
The day marks the adoption of the...
A plume of black smoke rises from an area near the runway after a small plane crash, as seen from inside a building at London Southend Airport on July 13, 2025. (Photo: Reuters)
LONDON Southend Airport in Essex has been closed until further notice after a small plane crashed at the airport on England’s south-east coast on Sunday, according to police.
In a post on X, London Southend Airport said all flights to and from the airport have been cancelled while emergency services, police, and air accident investigators are at the scene.
“We remain on the scene of a serious incident at Southend Airport,” Essex Police said. The police said they were called just before 4 pm to reports of a collision involving a 12-metre (39.4-foot) aircraft.
It is not yet known how many people were on board the plane.
Photos published by British newspaper websites showed a fireball above Southend Airport, which is located around 35 miles (56 km) east of London.
The East of England Ambulance Service said it had deployed four ambulances along with other response vehicles to the site.
The airport’s website showed that five international flights were cancelled after the crash.
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'This fund will give hundreds of thousands of children, young people and their families a better chance,' Reeves said in a statement. (Photo: Getty Images)
THE UK government on Sunday launched a £500 million Better Futures Fund aimed at supporting up to 200,000 vulnerable children over the next 10 years.
According to the government, the fund will focus on helping struggling families by improving children's access to education and ensuring a safe home environment.
The announcement comes as prime minister Keir Starmer and chancellor Rachel Reeves face calls from Labour Party lawmakers to expand support for low-income families.
Earlier this month, Starmer was forced to scale back key parts of his welfare reform plan to secure parliamentary approval.
"This fund will give hundreds of thousands of children, young people and their families a better chance," Reeves said in a statement. "Our 'Plan for Change' will break down barriers to opportunity and give them the best start in life."
The finance ministry also said it plans to raise another £500million through contributions from local government, social investors and philanthropists.
Mel Stride, finance spokesman for the opposition Conservative Party, welcomed the funding but criticised Labour's economic approach, saying it had harmed struggling families.
The government is also reviewing the two-child limit on welfare payments to parents as it considers changes to several unpopular policies following a drop in its poll ratings.
(With inputs from agencies)
LORD NORMAN TEBBIT, the former cabinet minister who introduced the controversial “cricket test” to question the loyalty of migrants, has died at the age of 94. The test, later known as the “Tebbit Test,” suggested that immigrants who supported cricket teams from their countries of origin instead of England were not fully integrated into British society. His death was confirmed on Monday by his son, William, who asked for privacy for the family.
Tebbit first spoke about the test in 1990 as a Conservative MP. In an interview with the Los Angeles Times, he said, “A large proportion of Britain's Asian population fail to pass the cricket test. Which side do they cheer for? It’s an interesting test. Are you still harking back to where you came from or where you are?”
The comments drew criticism from migrant communities and the media. Tebbit later defended his stance in 2005 following the July 7 bombings in London, which involved suspects of Pakistani heritage. Speaking to the Today programme, he said, “We have generated home-grown bombers; a combination of the permissive society together with a minority population deeply rooted in its own moral code.” He added that better inner-city schooling could have helped integration.
In 2014, Tebbit said his views had changed. In an interview with the BBC, he praised British Asian players for energising cricket and said it helped them feel part of the nation. “Not only that, but it encourages the generations of British-born Asians to feel part of the nation – and those of long British ancestry to welcome them into our team,” he said.
He also suggested a new test for migrants based on whether their ancestors fought for the UK during World War II.
Tebbit served as MP for 22 years, held senior roles in government, and retired from the House of Lords in 2022. He was injured in the 1984 IRA bombing in Brighton, which paralysed his wife. Tributes were led by Rishi Sunak and Priti Patel, who described him as a “titan” and a “giant” of Conservative politics.
Highlights
FUEL control switches to both engines of the Air India flight that crashed shortly after takeoff were moved from the "run" to the "cutoff" position seconds before the crash, according to a preliminary investigation report released early Saturday.
The report, issued by the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB), did not draw conclusions or assign blame for the June 12 crash, but stated that one pilot was heard asking the other why he had cut off fuel. The second pilot replied that he had not.
The Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner was on its way from Ahmedabad in western India to London when it crashed, killing 260 people. Among the dead were 241 of the 242 people on board and 19 people on the ground.
Switches moved one after another
The 15-page report said that after the aircraft reached its top recorded speed, "the Engine 1 and Engine 2 fuel cutoff switches transitioned from RUN to CUTOFF position one after another with a time gap of 01 sec".
ALSO READ: Watchdog warns Air India over pilot duty violations
"In the cockpit voice recording, one of the pilots is heard asking the other why did he cutoff. The other pilot responded that he did not do so," the report stated.
The aircraft quickly lost altitude following the switch movement.
The switches then returned to the "RUN" position, and the engines appeared to regain power. However, "one of the pilots transmitted 'MAYDAY MAYDAY MAYDAY'," the report said.
Air traffic controllers asked the pilots what was wrong, but soon observed the crash and alerted emergency responders.
Investigation focused on fuel switches
Earlier this week, specialist website The Air Current reported that the probe had "narrowed its focus to the movement of the engine fuel switches", while also stating that a complete analysis may take several months or more. It added that the focus of the investigation could still change.
According to the AAIB report, the US Federal Aviation Administration had issued an information bulletin in 2018 about "the potential disengagement of the fuel control switch locking feature".
The issue was not considered an "unsafe condition" requiring a more serious directive, and Air India told investigators it had not conducted the suggested inspections as they were "advisory and not mandatory".
Air India was found to be compliant with all airworthiness directives and alert service bulletins on the aircraft, the report noted.
The bureau said there were "no recommended actions to B787-8 and/or GE GEnx-1B engine operators and manufacturers", indicating that there were no immediate technical concerns with either the aircraft or the engines.
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The AAIB said the investigation is ongoing and that further evidence and information have been "sought from the stakeholders".
Boeing said in a statement that it would "continue to support the investigation and our customer", adding, "our thoughts remain" with those affected by the crash.
Air India stated that it was "working closely with stakeholders, including regulators".
"We continue to fully cooperate with the AAIB and other authorities as their investigation progresses," the airline said in a statement posted on X.
Passenger details and international assistance
The UN's International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) requires that a preliminary report be submitted within 30 days of an accident by the country leading the investigation.
Investigators from the United States and the United Kingdom have also joined the probe.
The aircraft was carrying 230 passengers — including 169 Indian nationals, 53 British citizens, seven Portuguese nationals and one Canadian — along with 12 crew members.
Dozens of people on the ground were also injured.
One British passenger survived and was seen walking out of the wreckage. That person has since been discharged from hospital.
Initial figures released by health officials in Gujarat put the death toll at 279, but forensic experts later revised the number after identifying multiple scattered and severely burnt remains.
(With inputs from agencies)
The Indian Navy and Coast Guard have consistently reported Chinese research vessel presence. (Representational image: Getty Images)
A Chinese research vessel was detected operating in the Bay of Bengal near Indian waters while attempting to conceal its presence by disabling its Automatic Identification System (AIS), according to a report by The Economic Times, citing French maritime intelligence firm Unseenlabs.
The French company conducted a 16-day satellite-based survey tracking ships through radio frequency emissions. It monitored 1,897 vessels, with 9.6 per cent showing no AIS activity, indicating attempts to avoid detection. The survey raised concerns amid increased Chinese activity in the region.
One Chinese research ship drew attention due to its repeated presence in the Indian Ocean and proximity to areas of recent naval operations. “While not broadcasting AIS, its RF signature was consistent and traceable, enabling our systems to monitor its movement over several days … We suspect that this prominent Chinese research vessel was likely operating with strategic intent,” the report quoted Unseenlabs.
The company said the vessel was likely engaged in seafloor mapping, acoustic environment analysis, and identifying submarine transit corridors—activities that can support surveillance and anti-submarine warfare operations.
The Indian Navy and Coast Guard have consistently reported Chinese research vessel presence. In this instance, the vessel was in international waters, 120 nautical miles from Indian military zones.
