• Pilot ejects safely; aircraft may be written off.
• Exact cause remains under investigation.
• Third Tejas loss reported since induction.

The Indian Air Force (IAF) has lost another HAL Tejas light combat aircraft in an accident earlier this month, Indian media reported, with the pilot ejecting safely as the fighter suffered severe damage during landing.

Initial reports described a suspected technical glitch involving onboard systems, while other accounts pointed to a possible brake failure after touchdown that led to a runway overrun and major airframe damage. The exact cause remains under investigation.

Indian media said the accident occurred during landing after a routine training sortie at an operational or forward air base, and that the aircraft may be written off due to the extent of damage.

Following the incident, Indian media reported that the IAF has grounded its fleet of around 30 single-seat Tejas jets to conduct intensive technical checks and a safety probe.

This is reported to be the third Tejas aircraft lost since induction. The first crash occurred near Jaisalmer in March 2024 after a firepower demonstration, with the pilot ejecting safely.

A second loss was reported during an aerobatic display at the Dubai Airshow in November 2025, when pilot Namansh Syal was killed after being unable to eject safely; an inquiry into that crash is still underway, according to the information provided.

The latest accident comes amid delays in the Tejas Mk1A programme, with deliveries described as running nearly two years behind schedule despite an order for 180 Mk1A fighters, Indian media reported.

Last September, India’s defence ministry signed another deal valued at INR 623.7 billion to procure 97 Tejas Mk-1A aircraft, described as a multi-role fighter capable of air defence, maritime reconnaissance and strike missions.

The IAF has not issued an official statement on the latest incident so far, according to the information provided.

• Power outages likely due to heavy snow and strong winds.
• Nearly 54 million people in storm’s path from Washington to Maine.
• Blizzard conditions expected, travel described “extremely treacherous.”

New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani on Sunday ordered the shutdown of the city’s entire traffic network for all but emergency travel ahead of a massive snowstorm expected to hit the northeast United States.

Tens of millions of Americans from the US capital, Washington, to the northern state of Maine braced for the storm, with up to two feet (60 centimetres) of snow forecast in some areas.

The National Weather Service said blizzard conditions would “quickly materialise” from Maryland up to southeastern New England, making travel “extremely treacherous.”

Snow could fall at a rate of two to three inches per hour at the peak of the storm, with nearly 54 million people in its path, it said.

Power outages are likely due to heavy snow and strong wind gusts, forecasters said.

In New York, which has more than eight million people, Mamdani said streets, highways and bridges would be shut down from 9:00 pm Sunday (0200 GMT) until noon Monday.

“New York City has not faced a storm of this scale in the last decade,” he said, explaining the state of emergency.

“We are asking New Yorkers to avoid all non-essential travel.”

The ban will not affect essential workers or New Yorkers needing to travel due to emergencies, according to Mamdani.

‘Worst yet to come’

New Jersey Governor Mikie Sherrill declared a state of emergency beginning midday Sunday, freeing up funds and allowing the swift deployment of resources to address the weather crisis.

In Boston, Mayor Michelle Wu closed all public schools and municipal buildings on Monday.

“We ask everyone to plan ahead, stay safe and warm, and stay off the roads to help our public works and public safety efforts,” Wu said.

The National Weather Service said “moderate to major” coastal flooding affecting waterfront roads and properties was possible from Delaware up to Cape Cod in Massachusetts.

The storm comes just weeks after the region recovered from another devastating weather system that was linked to more than 100 deaths.

“The worst is yet to come,” New York Governor Kathy Hochul told a press briefing Sunday.

“Whatever you need — any groceries, any medicines you need to be refilled at the pharmacy, any pet food you need to have — do it right now.”

Then, she advised, “just settle in.”

“Watch some more Olympics, read a book, catch up on the news, call your family members, call your moms — especially your moms.”

• Cautiously optimistic Iran “ready for any potential scenario”.
• Iran and US to hold new round of talks on Thursday.
• Tehran ready for concessions if US conciliatory.

Iran and the United States are heading into a third round of nuclear talks in Geneva amid renewed diplomatic signalling, pressure rhetoric and cautious optimism from both sides as negotiations continue over Tehran’s nuclear programme.

Both sides will hold a third round of nuclear talks on Thursday in Geneva, Oman’s Foreign Minister Badr Albusaidi said on Sunday, as concerns persist over the possibility of wider military confrontation between the long-time adversaries.

The United States has strengthened its military presence in the Middle East, with President Donald Trump warning that “really bad things will happen” if no agreement is reached to resolve the dispute over Iran’s nuclear programme.

“Pleased to confirm US-Iran negotiations are now set for Geneva this Thursday, with a positive push to go the extra mile towards finalising the deal,” said Oman’s foreign minister, who is mediating indirect talks between Washington and Tehran.

Reuters reported that Iran was offering fresh concessions on its nuclear programme in exchange for the lifting of economic sanctions and recognition of its right to “peaceful nuclear enrichment”.

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian expressed cautious optimism in a post on social media, saying recent negotiations had “yielded encouraging signals” while stressing Tehran’s readiness for “any potential scenario”.

Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff, who is leading the US negotiating team, said the US president was curious about why Iran had not yet “capitulated” and agreed to curb its nuclear programme.

“I don’t want to use the word frustrated… but he’s curious as to why they haven’t capitulated,” Witkoff said in a television interview.

Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi responded in a post on X, saying: “Curious to know why we do not capitulate? Because we are Iranian.”

He also told CBS that a diplomatic solution with the United States remained within reach.

Iran denies seeking nuclear weapons

Indirect talks last year did not bring any agreement, primarily due to friction over a US demand that Iran forgo uranium enrichment on its soil, which Washington views as a pathway to a nuclear bomb. Iran has denied seeking such weapons.

The US joined Israel in hitting Iranian nuclear sites in June, effectively curtailing Iran’s uranium enrichment, with Trump saying its key nuclear sites were “obliterated”. But Iran is still believed to possess stockpiles enriched previously, which Washington wants it to relinquish.

“They’ve been enriching well beyond the number that you need for civil nuclear. It’s up to 60% (fissile purity),” Witkoff said. “They’re probably a week away from having industrial, industrial-grade bomb-making material, and that’s really dangerous.”

Fresh concessions being considered by Iran include sending half of its highly enriched uranium abroad while diluting the rest.

Washington has also sought to expand the talks beyond the nuclear issue to cover Iran’s missile programme and its support for regional armed groups. Iran has publicly rejected this, although sources have told Reuters that, unlike the missiles, support for armed groups may not be a red line for Tehran.

Another topic of friction is the scope and mechanism of lifting sanctions on Iran. A senior Iranian official told Reuters on Sunday that Iran and the United States still have differing views.

Witkoff also said he has met at Trump’s direction with Iranian opposition figure Reza Pahlavi, son of the shah ousted in Iran’s 1979 Islamic Revolution. He did not provide further details of the meeting.

Pahlavi, who lives in exile, served as a rallying figure for some of Iran’s opposition during anti-government demonstrations last month, in which thousands of people are believed to have been killed, the worst domestic unrest since the revolution era.

Earlier in February, Pahlavi said US military intervention in Iran could save lives, and urged Washington not to spend too long negotiating with Tehran’s clerical rulers on a nuclear deal.