Mumbai: Mumbai woke to an unexpectedly crisp and cool Saturday morning, offering residents a brief but refreshing pause from the city’s usual warm and humid November weather. Minimum temperatures slipped just below 21°C, creating a mild pre-winter nip that early risers welcomed as they stepped out to clear skies and gentle winds. For a few hours, the city felt closer to the beginnings of winter rather than its characteristic tropical climate.

However, the soothing weather masked a far more persistent problem. A thin but stubborn layer of smog lingered over the skyline, blurring visibility and dulling what could have been a picture-perfect morning. Despite the pleasant breeze, the haze refused to lift, serving as a sharp reminder of Mumbai’s growing air-quality concerns.

According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), clear skies are expected to persist through the day, with temperatures likely to rise to around 33°C by afternoon. The cool early-morning conditions are also expected to continue for the next few days. But meteorologists caution that there is little indication so far that the city’s deteriorating air quality will improve anytime soon.

Mumbai’s Air Quality Index (AQI) hit 292, firmly in the ‘unhealthy’ category today morning. This marks a stark deterioration compared to the moderate levels recorded earlier this month. Several neighbourhoods, particularly those with dense populations and industrial activity, reported alarming readings.

The Wadala Truck Terminal logged the highest AQI of the day at 382, categorised as ‘severe’, signalling dangerously poor air. Chembur and Colaba followed, both reporting AQI levels of 312, placing them in the severe range as well. Worli recorded 308, while Mazgaon stood at 305, indicating that smog levels were high across large swathes of the island city.

Suburban areas fared slightly better, though air quality remained far from healthy. Parel–Bhoiwada recorded an AQI of 140 and Kandivali East 157, falling within the ‘poor’ category. Meanwhile, Govandi (203), Santacruz East (227) and Malad West (233) continued to register ‘unhealthy’ air, showing that very few parts of Mumbai were spared from the pollution spike.

For context, an AQI of 0–50 is considered good, 51–100 moderate, 101–150 poor, 151–200 unhealthy and anything above 200 severe or hazardous. With most parts of the city now firmly above that threshold, Mumbai’s winter-like mornings may feel pleasant, but they come at a heavy environmental cost.

New Delhi, Nov 21: In a tragic incident, an Indian Air Force Tejas fighter jet crashed during a demonstration at the Dubai Air Show on Friday, and the pilot lost his life.

Taking it to X, IAF said, “An IAF Tejas aircraft met with an accident during an aerial display at Dubai Air Show, today. The pilot sustained fatal injuries in the accident. IAF deeply regrets the loss of life and stands firmly with the bereaved family in this time of grief.”

It further added that, “A court of inquiry is being constituted to ascertain the cause of the accident.”

The crash occurred during the biennial Dubai Air Show, one of the world’s largest aviation exhibitions. The event has seen major announcements this week.

Notably, this is the second crash involving a Tejas aircraft, the first one being in 2024 near Jaisalmer.

In March 2024, a Tejas fighter went down in Rajasthan’s Jaisalmer, the first such accident in the aircraft’s 23-year history since its maiden test flight in 2001. The pilot ejected safely in that case.

LCA Tejas is a 4.5-generation, all-weather and multi-role fighter aircraft. The aircraft is designed to be a multi-role aircraft capable of taking up offensive air support, close combat and ground attack roles at ease.

It is also designed to undertake ground maritime operations.

At the Dubai Air Show, India and Germany, on November 19, revived high-technology defence collaboration after nearly three decades, with Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) signing a landmark contract with German state-backed sensor major HENSOLDT.

The pact, finalised on Day 3 of the event, focuses on the joint development of a cutting-edge LiDAR-based Obstacle Avoidance System (OAS) for Indian military helicopters. This breakthrough has already generated significant buzz across global aerospace circles.

The deal for this LiDAR-based Obstacle Avoidance System (OAS), signed by Indian DPSU Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) and German government-backed HENSOLDT, marks a significant return to high-technology cooperation after earlier partnerships in aerospace and maritime programmes.

Bengaluru, Nov 21: The BJP on Friday mocked the Congress-led government in Karnataka over the alleged leadership crisis in the state and dared Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, to confirm that Siddaramaiah will continue as the state Chief Minister for the full term.

Addressing a press conference at the party office, Leader of the Opposition in the Karnataka Assembly, R. Ashoka, released a poster on the completion of 2.5 years of the Siddaramaiah government, criticising it for the “price hike” of essential commodities.

The poster was titled ‘Two-and-a-Half Years: A Heavy Burden on Kannadigas – Exposing the Congress Government’s Misdeeds’.

He accused the government of being a “burden” on the people and a “disaster” for the farmers.

The BJP leader claimed that “Siddaramaiah has threatened to remove the Congress MLAs who went to Delhi. Reports in the media also say he has threatened not to release MLA development funds to those legislators.”

“On one side, D.K. Shivakumar is going to Delhi and making statements. On the other side, Siddaramaiah questions why others went to Delhi. This is the two-and-a-half-year circus of the Congress party,” he mocked.

He accused the Congress-led government of being “hollow, and a burden on people”.

He also questioned the state government on the alleged power-sharing formula.

Drawing a sharp contrast between the Centre and the state government, Ashoka said, “Prime Minister Narendra Modi reduced GST rates so that people could consume pure ghee and remain healthy. But the Congress government has increased prices even on that ghee.”

He accused the government of being a “champion in price hikes, illegalities, scams, and excessive borrowing”.

“They are champions in driving farmers to death, champions in contractors’ suicides, champions in igniting caste conflicts, and champions in sending maximum money to Delhi. In just two-and-a-half years, you have become champions in everything negative,” he remarked.

He taunted the Congress, claiming, “The very MLAs who elected Siddaramaiah as CM had gone to Delhi to tell Kharge they don’t want him anymore. Yet Siddaramaiah claims there is no revolt or confusion.”