Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) Chairman and Managing Director DK Sunil said on Friday that there is “absolutely no problem” with the Tejas fighter jet, calling the recent crash in Dubai an unfortunate event. Speaking at the ANI National Security Summit, he stressed that Tejas is completely safe and maintains one of the best safety records globally, adding that the Dubai accident will not affect its future. The crash occurred on November 21 during the Dubai Air Show 2025 and resulted in the death of Wing Commander Namansh Syal. It was the second Tejas crash since the aircraft joined the Indian Air Force a decade ago; in last year’s Jaisalmer crash, the pilot managed to eject safely.

Addressing concerns that the incident might hurt HAL’s reputation, Sunil said that while people are free to share their views—especially on social media—the company has full confidence in its abilities. He explained that criticism often surfaces whenever an indigenous system is involved, but the armed forces and the industry have no doubts about HAL’s capability. He pointed to aircraft like the HTT-40 trainer and various helicopters developed by HAL as proof of its competence.

Sunil reiterated that despite critics, Tejas remains a successful and highly safe aircraft, and the Dubai crash will not influence its trajectory. On export plans, he said HAL is working toward becoming a global player in line with government policy. He added that the company already has orders for 180 Tejas jets and expects a strong export market as part of India’s growing international outreach.
Disclaimer: This image is taken from Wikimedia Commons.

Russia strongly condemned the leak of a recording of a call between top advisers to Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin, calling it an unacceptable attempt to undermine Ukraine peace negotiations and labeling it a form of hybrid warfare. Bloomberg News published a transcript of the October 14 call, in which Trump envoy Steve Witkoff reportedly advised Putin’s foreign policy aide, Yuri Ushakov, on how to present a Ukraine peace plan to Trump. While Bloomberg confirmed that it reviewed the recording, it did not disclose how it gained access to such a sensitive conversation between officials from the world’s two largest nuclear powers.

Ushakov stated that his discussions with Witkoff were not meant for publication and should not have been leaked. He described the leak as “unacceptable” and said it appeared intended to disrupt Russia-U.S. negotiations. Speaking to Kommersant newspaper, Ushakov noted that some of his conversations were conducted over encrypted government channels, which are rarely intercepted unless deliberately compromised. He also suggested that while some WhatsApp communications could theoretically be accessed, the leak did not appear to originate from the call participants themselves, and he plans to address the matter directly with Witkoff.

In a related statement, Kirill Dmitriev, CEO of the Russian Direct Investment Fund and a Putin investment envoy, dismissed Bloomberg’s reporting of an October 29 call with Ushakov as “fake.” Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov added that certain media outlets are being used in a hybrid information war by European countries against Russia, aiming to weaken ties with Washington. Bloomberg has not responded to Russian criticism or clarified how it obtained the recordings. Kommersant’s top Kremlin reporter, who interviewed Ushakov, ran the story under the headline: “Who set up Steve Witkoff?”
Disclaimer: This image is taken from Reuters.

A document signed by President Vladimir Putin states that Russian authorities must boost the number of people who identify as Russian and speak Russian in the Ukrainian territories taken over since the 2022 invasion. The decree, released on Nov 25 and titled Strategy of Russia's National Policy to 2036, outlines plans to ensure that by 2036, at least 95 per cent of the population identifies as Russian. Historically, ties between Russia and Ukraine meant many Ukrainians were sympathetic to Russia and commonly used both languages. However, since the invasion, that sentiment has largely disappeared, and surveys show a sharp decline in Russian language use.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said Kyiv was prepared to move forward with a US-backed proposal to end the conflict, Europe’s deadliest since World War Two. But Ukraine fears being pressured into accepting an agreement shaped around Russian demands, including surrendering territory. Putin justified the 2022 invasion by claiming Russia aimed to “demilitarise and denazify” Ukraine and protect Russian-speakers in the east. Within six months, Moscow declared the Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson and Zaporizhzhia regions as part of Russia, though it does not fully control them.

The new policy, which takes effect in January, claims that securing these eastern areas has created the basis for “restoring the unity of historical Russian territories.” It calls for steps to strengthen Russian civic identity, promote the Russian language, and counter what it describes as attempts by hostile countries to create ethnic or religious divisions. The decree states that success will be measured by reaching a target of at least 95 per cent Russian civic identification by 2036.

Putin has repeatedly questioned Ukraine’s existence as a separate nation. Alongside long-standing opposition to NATO’s expansion, he has framed protecting Russian-speakers and reuniting historically Russian lands as central goals of the “special military operation.” Kyiv denies that Russian-speakers in Ukraine face discrimination. Russia continues to claim that neo-Nazi ideology has spread through Ukrainian society since the 2014 uprising that ousted the pro-Russian president of that time.
Disclaimer: This image is taken from Reuters.

Australian far-right Senator Pauline Hanson wore a burqa in Parliament on Monday (Nov 24) as a political statement aimed at banning the Muslim garment in public, prompting accusations of racism from Muslim senators. Hanson donned the burqa shortly after being denied permission to introduce a bill that would prohibit burqas and other full-face coverings in public spaces across Australia. This marked the second time she has used the garment in Parliament to push for such a ban.

Her appearance sparked outrage in the Senate, leading to the suspension of proceedings when she refused to remove the burqa. Mehreen Faruqi, a Greens senator from New South Wales, described Hanson’s actions as “blatant racism,” while independent senator Fatima Payman from Western Australia called the stunt “disgraceful.”

Leaders from both sides of politics condemned her actions. Labor Senate leader Penny Wong said they were “not worthy of a member of the Australian Senate” and moved a motion to suspend Hanson. After Hanson refused to leave, Senate proceedings were halted. Hanson, representing Queensland, first gained national attention in the 1990s for her strong opposition to Asian immigration and asylum seekers and has consistently campaigned against Islamic clothing. She previously wore a burqa in Parliament in 2017 while calling for a national ban.

Her One Nation party holds four Senate seats, including two won in May’s election amid growing support for far-right, anti-immigration policies. In a Facebook statement, Hanson defended her actions as a protest against the Senate rejecting her proposed bill, saying she wore the garment to highlight what she described as its threat to national security and the mistreatment of women, and challenged Parliament to ban the burqa if they opposed her actions.
Disclaimer: This image is taken from Pexels/Faruk Tokluoglu.

Author and columnist Sean Kelly argues that even though Labor holds a strong majority and the opposition is distracted by internal conflict, there are indications that Anthony Albanese’s government may squander the chance voters have given them. Kelly speaks with Guardian Australia’s political editor Tom McIlroy about his new Quarterly Essay, where he explores Labor’s shift from idealistic ambitions to a more pragmatic approach. The former staffer to Rudd and Gillard says that although Albanese’s cautious style has helped him win two elections, it may now prove to be the prime minister’s biggest vulnerability.
Disclaimer: This Podcast is taken from The Guardian.

Australia exports more weapons and ammunition to the United Arab Emirates than to any other nation. This week, Team Defence Australia occupies a prominent spot at a weapons exhibition in Dubai. However, human rights groups are urging the government to halt defence exports to the UAE amid reports that its arms are being supplied to a militia accused of mass killings in Sudan. Senior journalists Ben Doherty and Henry Belot discuss with Nour Haydar Australia’s expanding involvement in the global arms trade.

Disclaimer: This podcast is taken from The Guardian.

The US government released blurry footage showing a fishing boat moving through the Caribbean Sea before disappearing in a flash of light. Andrew Roth, the Guardian’s global affairs correspondent, tells Annie Kelly that this US airstrike near Venezuela’s coast was just the first in a series targeting what President Donald Trump calls “narco-terrorists.” With US aircraft carriers and 10,000 troops now being sent to the region, Roth explains what is known about US plans for Venezuela, the diplomatic breakdown that led to this situation, and which members of the Trump administration are pushing this aggressive policy. Tom Phillips, the Guardian’s Latin America correspondent, examines Trump’s claim that Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro leads an organized crime syndicate. He details the corrupt system Maduro has built to shield himself, compares the current situation to previous US interventions in the region, and discusses how other Latin American countries are responding to the US threat.

Disclaimer: This Podcast is taken from The Guardian

Singapore is making waves on the global technology stage with a strategic leap forward in quantum computing. Marking a major milestone under its National Quantum Strategy, Singapore is set to become the first country outside the United States to host Quantinuum’s Helios quantum computer by 2026. This partnership not only positions Singapore as a pioneering hub for quantum innovation but also promises to accelerate developments across pharmaceuticals, finance, and advanced material sciences with cutting-edge computational power.
Disclaimer: This Podcast is taken from CNA.