Hamas fires missiles at Tel Aviv, prompting sirens in Israel for first time in months

Mangaluru, Dec 2: Mangaluru International Airport responded to a medical emergency late on Monday night. Air India Express flight IX 522, travelling from Riyadh to Thiruvananthapuram, was diverted to Mangaluru Airport after a passenger in his late 30s experienced a medical emergency on board.

The Airport’s Operations Control Centre received an alert regarding the passenger’s health condition. The airport activated its emergency response protocol, mobilising the airport medical team and coordinating with stakeholders including CISF, immigration, and customs. 

Upon landing, airport medical personnel attended to the passenger, assessed his condition, and arranged to shift him to a local tertiary-care hospital for further treatment. The passenger’s relatives accompanied the passenger, who incidentally received necessary medical care on board, which helped stabilise the situation.

Following the handling of the emergency, the flight departed for Thiruvananthapuram at 2:05 am on Tuesday.

"We appreciate the cooperation of all parties involved, and this incident reaffirms our ongoing commitment to prioritising passenger safety and readiness to respond to unforeseen emergencies with professionalism and care," the Airport spokesperson said. 

Constitution Day, also known as Samvidhan Divas, is observed every year on November 26 to honor the adoption of the Constitution of India and to recognize the visionary effort that shaped the world’s largest democracy.

Historical Background

It’s on November 26, 1949, the Constituent Assembly of India formally adopted the Constitution.This date is commemorated to acknowledge the completion of nearly three years of drafting, debate, and refinement.

On January 26, 1950, the Constitution came into force, marking India’s transition from a dominion to a sovereign republic.

The date 26 January was chosen to honor the “Purna Swaraj” declaration made in 1930 that marked the relentless efforts & sacrifices of the many. 

Why Constitution Day is Celebrated

* To honor & remember the framers of the Constitution, especially Dr. B. R. Ambedkar, the Chairman of the Drafting Committee, & many others. 

* To remind the citizens of the values, responsibilities, and rights enshrined in the Constitution.

* To promote constitutional values & literacy among students, institutions, and the general public.

* To reaffirm the nation’s commitment to justice, equality, liberty, fraternity and secular values. 

Vision and Significance of the Constitution

It establishes the fundamental political and legal framework for the nation.

Defines the structure, powers and functions of:
    •    The Executive
    •    The Legislature
    •    The Judiciary
    •    Guarantees a comprehensive set of Fundamental Rights, including:

-Equality before law
-Freedom of speech & expression
-Protection of life and personal liberty
-Freedom of religion
-Embeds Directive Principles of State Policy, guiding governance toward social justice and welfare.
-Introduces Fundamental Duties to ensure civic responsibility among citizens.

Key Features Celebrated on Constitution Day

-The Indian constitution is considered one of the longest written constitutions of the world. It’s systematically drafted considering almost all aspects that properly fits to the country. 

-Blend of multiple global constitutional principles while staying rooted in Indian values and realities.

-Framework that balances Federalism, Secularism, Democracy and Rule of Law. This makes everyone-from President to common man-below the law & are equal in the sight of law. 

-Another feature is that it’s based on built-in mechanisms for amendments, ensuring the Constitution grows with changing needs.

Message of the Day

The core ethos of this  Constitution Day is not merely about looking back at history-it’s a reminder of the continuous duty to protect democratic values, respect diversity and uphold the principles that define India as a sovereign, socialist, secular and democratic republic.

Happy Constitution Day to all my compatriots

New York/Washington: US President Donald Trump has again claimed to have solved the conflict between India and Pakistan, repeating his assertion during a meeting with New York City Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani in the Oval Office.

Mamdani flew to Washington DC for his first meeting with Trump in the White House on Friday. Trump said he “enjoyed” the meeting, which he described as “great.”

During remarks in the Oval Office, with Mamdani standing next to him, Trump repeated his claim that he solved the May conflict between India and Pakistan.

"I did eight peace deals of countries, including India and Pakistan,” he said.

On Wednesday, Trump had said he threatened to put 350 per cent tariffs on India and Pakistan if they did not end their conflict, repeating his claim that he solved the fighting between the nuclear-armed neighbours and that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had called him to say “we're not going to go to war.”

Since May 10, when Trump announced on social media that India and Pakistan had agreed to a “full and immediate” ceasefire after a “long night” of talks mediated by Washington, he has repeated his claim over 60 times that he “helped settle” the tensions between India and Pakistan.

India has consistently denied any third-party intervention. India launched Operation Sindoor on May 7, targeting terror infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir in retaliation for the April 22 Pahalgam attack that killed 26 civilians. India and Pakistan reached an understanding on May 10 to end the conflict after four days of intense cross-border drone and missile strikes.

Mamdani emerged victorious in the closely-watched battle for New York City Mayor, becoming the first South Asian and Muslim to be elected to sit at the helm of the largest city in the US.

He had been the front-runner in the NYC Mayoral election for months and defeated Republican nominee Curtis Sliwa and political heavyweight former New York State Governor Andrew Cuomo, who ran as an independent candidate and was officially endorsed by Trump just hours before the elections.

Indian-descent Mamdani is the son of renowned filmmaker Mira Nair and Columbia University professor Mahmood Mamdani. He was born and raised in Kampala, Uganda and moved to New York City with his family when he was 7. Mamdani became a naturalised US citizen only recently, in 2018.