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IndiGo has contracted its daily operations from 2,300 to approximately 1,800–1,900 flights | Photo Credit: Salman Ali Starting this month, IndiGo’s operations unravelled as thousands of flights were cancelled. The primary trigger was the airline’s failure to prepare for the new pilot rest and duty norms (Phase II), which came into full effect on November 1, 2025. These stricter mandates — specifically raising the weekly rest period of pilots from 36 to 48 hours and capping night landings — effectively shrank the available pool of pilot hours. The company informed officials that “misjudgement and planning gaps” led to the fiasco.IndiGo…

The US-India interim trade deal has become a proper political football. A deal which protects India’s vulnerable sectors and allows opportunities for its economy, especially its labour-intensive sectors to grow is a fair deal. The fact that it was thrashed out amid a torrent of abuse and relentless arm-twisting from the Trump White House, the fact that a degree of reciprocity permeates the ongoing deal despite American treaty allies and partners settling for more exploitative terms, suggest that India absorbed the pressure and managed to hold its ground despite the huge power differential.STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS ADThe Indian leadership has…

Shami was instrumental in Bengal gaining the first-innings lead before Nabi swung the tie in favour of J & K. | Photo Credit: RITU RAJ KONWAR For hundreds of fans thronging the Bengal Cricket Academy ground during the Ranji Trophy semifinal between Bengal and Jammu and Kashmir here, it was a privilege to witness the class of the experienced Mohammed Shami and the exploits of an impeccable Auqib Nabi — the two pacers among top-10 bowlers this season — on one platform.“Ab toh lelo Shami bhai ko (Now, please select Shami bhai). For how long will he keep pushing?” pleaded…

When you visit Fort Kochi in search of art, soak in some history as well. The town’s earliest colonial settlers, the Portuguese, arrived in 1503, followed by the Dutch in 1663, and then the British in 1795, who left vestiges of their culture, languages and history. But the invaders left more than just intangible heritage. Many of the buildings they built survive to this day, renovated into luxury boutique hotels that let you delight in their historical relevance and architectural splendour. With the sixth edition of the Kochi Muziris Biennale set to open in Fort Kochi in December, here are…

For nearly a decade, Pakistan promoted the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor as the foundation of its geopolitical revival, terming it a once-in-a-generation partnership that would elevate Islamabad from a fragile security state into the nerve centre of Eurasian trade and maritime strategy. CPEC was marketed with great aplomb as Pakistan’s ultimate escape route from its economic instability and strategic irrelevance. The recent Operation Herof 2.0 carried out by the Baloch insurgents has exposed how dangerously premature that calculus may have been.STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS ADThe recent coordinated insurgent offensive across Balochistan is not simply another eruption of separatist violence. It represents…

Netherlands’ captain Scott Edwards, right. | Photo Credit: PTI Netherlands skipper Scott Edwards inadvertently summed up the dilemma surrounding the growth of ICC Associate members ahead of his team’s T20 World Cup clash against India here on Wednesday.He agreed that the Associates needed to ‘play better’ and ‘win more games’ at World Cups, which could eventually open up opportunities. Meanwhile, he also argued: “I think, to get to the next level, a lot of it comes down to more opportunities against Test-playing nations.”Playing opportunities for Associate nations against full members are few and far between. Since the ODI World Cup…

It is James Bond and Diamonds Are Forever that one thinks of getting off the plane at Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport, where a fluttering banner proclaims ’Welcome to Bourbon City’. In the novel, Bond finds himself in Saratoga Springs and is introduced to a drink that is “fashionable in racing circles — bourbon and branch water.” Bond is obviously not swigging vodka martinis, shaken or stirred, all the time.Louisville is known for bourbon, the Kentucky Derby, boxing legend Muhammad Ali and of course Kentucky Fried Chicken, considering it is the final resting place of Colonel Sanders, founder of KFC.Dinner…

Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s stand-alone visit to Malaysia in February 2026, his first overseas visit of the year and his third to the country, carried symbolism well beyond protocol. It came after a seven-year gap and was framed as a fulfilment of a promise made when Modi could not attend the India-Asean and East Asia Summits during Malaysia’s Asean chairmanship in 2025. In Kuala Lumpur, this punctuality mattered. It signalled trustworthiness and respect for Malaysia’s regional role. Yet the visit also exposed the limits of India-Malaysia convergence in a region increasingly shaped by China, competing trade blocs, and fractured Asean…

New Zealand’s Glenn Phillips plays a shot during the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 cricket match between New Zealand and Canada at the M.A. Chidambaram Stadium, in Chennai on February 17, 2026. | Photo Credit: PTI He was named after former India cricketer Yuvraj Singh. Like his illustrious namesake, Canada’s Yuvraj Samra has roots in Punjab and bats left-handed.On Tuesday, the 19-year-old took those comparisons to the next level against New Zealand through some exquisite strokeplay, scoring a scintillating 110 (65b, 11×4, 6×6). His efforts powered Canada to 173 for four after opting to bat first.And when the North…

Ras Al Khaimah, which translates to head of the tent, is a lesser-known adventure-leisure destination in the United Arab Emirates, steeped in heritage. RAK, as the locals call it, is where the desert, mountains and sea offer visitors adventure and slow tourism experiences. About 100 kilometres from Dubai international airport, RAK is the northernmost Emirate among the seven Emirates that form the UAE.RAK, with its rustic setting and a population of around 4,00,000, makes for a quiet weekend getaway for residents of Dubai, Abu Dhabi, and Sharjah. Efforts are on, by the RAK Tourism Development Authority (RAKTDA), to step up…