SAMBALPUR l saturday l october 03, 2026 l `9.00 l PAGES 12 l CITY EDITION Centre marks 28 strategic Ladakh sites on official map LAC friction points among sites identified The government said in a statement that formally identifying them on the Survey of India map of Ladakh will help streamline official cartography, facilitate accurate recognition and promote greater public awareness. Gogra and Hot Spring, key friction points during the 2020 India-China military standoff, are among the strategic locations identified on the map The Centre on Friday formally identified 28 strategic places and geographical features in Ladakh on the official map of India ■ 10 Comes after similar action in Arunachal ■ The list includes Alisha Giri, Brangsa, Chapchingal Pass, Kanishka Peak, Karun Pir mountain, Kuksel, Martand Giri, Parpik glacier, Skamri Glacier, Shachmirik Pass, Shkorga Valley and Zorawar Peak It comes nearly two months after the government identified a total of 27 places and features located in Arunachal Pradesh peaks and three mountains among the 28 places/features identified CHENNAI ■ MADURAI ■ VIJAYAWADA ■ BENGALURU ■ KOCHI ■ HYDERABAD ■ VISAKHAPATNAM ■ COIMBATORE ■ KOZHIKODE ■ THIRUVANANTHAPURAM ■ BELAGAVI ■ BHUBANESWAR ■ SHIVAMOgGA ■ MANGALURU ■ TIRUPATI ■ TIRUCHY ■ TIRUNELVELI ■ SAMBALPUR ■ HUBBALLI ■ DHARMAPURI ■ KOTTAYAM ■ KANNUR ■ VILLUPURAM ■ KOLLAM ■ TADEPALLIGUDEM ■ NAGAPATTINAM ■ THRISSUR ■ KALABURAGI Was terror attack on Flydubai, says UAE Presidential adviser cautions against conspiracy theories E x p r e ss N e w s S e r v i c e @ New Delhi UAE Presidential adviser Anwar Gargash on Friday described the cockpit attack aboard a Flydubai plane from Dubai to Tel Aviv as a “dangerous terrorist act”, and praised Indian pilot Captain Smit Machchhar for his role in preventing a potentially catastrophic outcome. Gargash said Machchhar “deserves every bit of appreciation” for demonstrating exemplary courage after he was allegedly attacked by his co-pilot during Flydubai Flight FZ1073 on Wednesday . He also cautioned against speculation, saying that “vigilance and caution remain essential in confronting the risks of extremism and terrorism. Gargash, a former UAE minister of state for foreign affairs, praised Machchhar for preserving the safety of those aboard the His (Smit) aircraft during the professionalism emergency . and moral sense in The flight, carry- the darkest of ing 174 people, in- circumstances cluding 27 children, make him a hero was travelling from Anwar Gargash, Dubai to Tel Aviv Presidential adviser, when the incident UAE occurred. According to reports, the co-pilot allegedly attacked Machchhar with a knife inside the cockpit, causing the aircraft to plunge nearly 14,000 feet in less than 30 seconds. Other crew members and passengers intervened and overpowered the attacker, restoring control over the aircraft. The plane was subsequently diverted to Saudi Arabia and landed safely in Tabuk. The co-pilot, identified by Israeli officials as an Omani national, was arrested after the landing. Gargash also hit out at conspiracy theories surrounding the incident. “Modern aircraft are not merely traditional control devices, but fully digital environments of surveillance.” Captain Smit Machchhar speaks in a video call with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, from the UAE | PTI PM to pilot: You showed spirit of non-violence G7 to release 100 mn barrels of oil reserves Donald Trump urged European allies, particularly Germany and AS diesel shortages have hit supFrance, to immediately release plies and pushed up fuel prices, emergency diesel reserves or the Group of Seven (G7) indusface a potential US diesel export trial nations on Friday anban. nounced the release of up to 100 Trump is under pressure to adElection million barrels of crude oil and dress surging prices ahead of Noissue diesel from their emergency revember’s midterm elections. Soaring diesel serves to ease soaring prices. The G7 said the reserves would price has Following the announcement, be released immediately over become a oil prices fell by $2. Brent was four months. The release will be source of down $1.80, or 1.76%, at $100.50 a coordinated through the Internaconcern for barrel, while West Texas Intertional Energy Agency . Trump as it mediate dropped $2.02, or 2.18%, Diesel and crude oil prices have could affect to $90.85 a barrel. been on the rise amid the deepenThe move is also expected to voters ahead of ing US-Iran conflict. Diesel shorthelp calm the Indian stock mar- the November age has also been linked to ket, which has recorded its long- midterm polls Ukrainian drone strikes on Rusest losing streak in 25 years amid sian oil-processing facilities. Subpressure from high crude oil prices. sequently Russia imposed strict restric, The decision came after US President tions on diesel exports. RAKE S H KU M AR @ New Delhi r a j e s h k u m a r t h a k u r @ New Delhi “I was doing it for my own life but at the same time I also knew that I cannot let him kill all of them,” said Captain Smit Machchaar, who foiled an attempt by his co-pilot on Wednesday to crash an Israel-bound Flydubai flight. Machchaar was speaking to Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday in a video call from a hospital in the UAE. “Today is Gandhi Jayanti; you have demonstrated the true essence of nonviolence by living it,” Modi said. Hailing Machchaar’s grit, Modi added, “We Indians are not people who take lives, we are people who save lives,” he said. He told the pilot that prayers were being offered across India for his recovery, and that he had already spoken to the pilot’s mother and wife, adding he remained “just a phone call away India was waiting to .” welcome him, PM Modi told the pilot. Machchaar, who has flown for 17 years, said he opened the cockpit door when he realised the aircraft was going down. “I knew that it’s one last push,” he said, adding that he acted with whatever energy was left in him while lying injured in the cockpit. As i s h M e h ta @ Bhubaneswar Heat on poll panel Thousands, including members of CJP, SFI and AISA, took to the streets in New Delhi and Mumbai on Friday demanding the resignation of Gyanesh Kumar, Chief Election Commissioner. In the capital, police detained around 700 people | AP Odisha moots sand dune mgmt plan to protect nature’s sea walls Sudarsan Maharana @ Bhubaneswar Odisha has decided to prepare a ‘Coastal Sand Dune Management Plan’ to protect the unique biodiversity of dunes along its 574-km shoreline and curb coastal erosion. The decision was taken at a recent meeting of the Odisha Coastal Zone Management Authority (OCZMA). The OCZMA has outlined that the sand dune management plan will be prepared through an expert agency approved by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC). It will be framed under Clause 2.1.1(b) of the CRZ Notification, Sand dunes function as a natural sea wall, protecting inland areas from flooding and storm surges, while providing habitat and shelter for specialised plants, birds and insects official 2019, which mandates formulation of management strategies for all ecologically-sensitive areas identified in the coastal zone management plan. An official from the state Forest, Environment and Climate Change department said protect- ing sand dunes apart from other regulatory measures would help in reducing the vulnerability of the coasts from erosion, as the formations absorb wave energy and act as a natural barrier against erosion. “They function as a natural sea wall, protecting inland areas from flooding and storm surges, while providing habitat and shelter for specialised plants, birds and insects,” he said. Sand dunes in the state are largely found along the southern Odisha coastline, the Konark-Puri-Satapada belt and parts of the Ganjam coast. Portions of the northern coastline in Balasore also feature sand dunes combined with casuarina groves. Forest officials said the Centre has recognised sand dunes as one of the key geomorphological features under the coastal regulation zone (CRZ) notification, designating them as CRZIA - Ecological Sensitive Areas (ESAs) for the fact that the they serve as natural physical barriers for coastal protection and provide important habitats for coastal flora and fauna. The move comes amid growing erosion along the state’s coast in the recent years. A shoreline assessment conducted by the National Centre for Coastal Research (NCCR) covering 564.14 Youth found dead in car, murder case registered New Delhi: The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) has recommended the aviation regulator, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation, to ensure that trainee pilots of all Flying Training Organisations (FTOs) have sufficient practice in all critical exercises and emergency procedures before they are authorised for solo flights | P7 Rourkela: A 22-year-old youth was found dead under mysterious circumstances in an abandoned car near Bhojpur along the state highway (SH)-10. The locals alleged that the victim, identified as Abhijit Naik, was murdered. Police have detained 24-year-old Bibhuti Sahu, who was last seen with Naik, for questioning. Locals gheraoed the police station over the incident | P4 km of coastline across six coastal districts in the state for the period between 1990 an 2022, has found that around 28.3 per cent of Odisha’s shores is affected by erosion. The assessment, findings of which have been tabled by Union Ports, Shipping and Waterways minister Sarbananda Sonowal in the Rajya Sabha this year, reveals that Jagatsinghpur has recorded the highest proportion of erosion at 47.6 per cent, followed by Ganjam 45.7 per cent and Kendrapara 45 per cent. Balasore recorded erosion along 23.8 per cent of its analysed coastline while Puri and Bhadrak reported 10.2 per cent and 4.6 per cent respectively . The first low pressure in the post-monsoon season is likely to form over the Bay of Bengal around October 13, on the run-up to the Dussehra festival. In its extended range outlook, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said an upper air cyclonic circulation may emerge over north Andaman Sea around October 12. Under its influence, a low-pressure area is likely to form over Andaman Sea. There is also a low probability of cyclogenesis, formation of a depression, over central parts of south Bay of Bengal and adjoining central Bay of Bengal around October 15, it added. However, there is no unanimity among models over the system’s further intensification. The European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF) model indicated the system’s west-northwestwards movement and intensifica- The system may tion into a low-pressure area over intensify into a south-east Bay of Bengal and addepression and joining Andaman Islands around then take form October 13. of a deep The system may further intensify depression over into a depression and then take form of a deep depression over west- west-central Bay of Bengal central Bay of Bengal around Octoaround ber 15. This could mean that the beginning of the Durga Puja festivities October 15 could witness showers this year. India Meteorological Usually October is a highly favo, Department rable month for cyclones in the Bay of Bengal because of warm sea surface temperatures and low vertical wind shear but it is too early to predict the system’s path and intensification. Experts are keeping a close watch on various models to ascertain more details about the anticipated system. In the past, Durga Puja has been rained out or experienced rainfall on several occasions. Navy to induct multi-purpose vessels for weapons trials The Indian Navy is set to commission its first multi-purpose vessel and a new shallow-water submarine hunter this month to add dedicated capabilities for weapons trials and coastal anti-submarine warfare | P7 ASIAN GAMES e x p r e s s r ea d AAIB calls for emergency training for pilots Dussehra stares at post-monsoon’s first low pressure Reservoirs go dry after worst monsoon season New Delhi: The country is heading into the postmonsoon and winter cropping season with a growing water concern after the 2026 Southwest Monsoon ended with rainfall 12.6% below normal, while the southern peninsula recorded a sharper 24% deficit. The shortfall has left several major reservoirs with significantly less water than both last year and their long-term average | P7 S Gold rush: India smash massive six IX gold in a day — this is by far the best day for India at the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games. If India were struggling to win gold medals in the first 10 days, the last three days have been quite productive. The day however, belonged , to the boxers and women’s hockey team. If three boxers secured a top of the podium finish, sending the country into a celebratory frenzy, the icing on the cake came later in the day on the hockey field. For the first time in 44 years, the women’s team rose from the lows of Paris 2024 to beat China 1-0 and clinch gold at the Asian Games. In the Indraneel Das Express @ asian games Nagoya process, they also sealed their berth for the LA 2028 Olympics on Friday Lalremsiami landed . the first strike in the tenth minute but from thereon, it was goalkeeper Bichu Devi’s heroics and a defence that ensured India a historic gold medal. Meanwhile, archers created history by winning India’s first-ever recurve gold. Sujeet Kalkal in wrestling was also unstoppable. The three boxers, who stood Indian women’s hockey team celebrate their gold medal | PTI on the top of the podium, were Lovlina Borgohain in the morning and two youngsters – Parveen Hooda and Ankush Panghal. With this, India have climbed to fifth place in the medals tally with 16 golds. 2 more gold in the offing On Saturday, India have a chance to add at least two more gold to the tally in men’s hockey and cricket team events.