Written by: Aarthi Ramnath, Raghav Bikhchandani & Yash Budhwar
Goodbye to all that: The end of news and the birth of the new
On August 29, we will publish the last edition of splainer’s news edition. It will also mark the culmination of my long stint in daily news—which began in 1999. But for splainer (and me), this is not an end but the beginning of a new engagement with the world—expressing the same values and mission but in fresh, exciting ways. In my rather personal essay—our Big Story today—I explain why.
Decoding the controversial report on the AI crash
Quick reminder: On June 12, Air India flight 171—headed from Ahmedabad to London’s Gatwick airport—crashed less than 40 seconds after takeoff—into the dining hall of a medical college hostel. The death toll: 279—38 were killed at the hostel and only one passenger survived the plane crash. See the CCTV footage from the runway below:
Here’s a clearer angle of the crash:
The leading theory: Experts largely focused on the ram air turbine (RAT)—which is automatically deployed in case of “an abrupt loss of electrical, hydraulic or engine power”—indicating a twin engine failure—considered a ‘rarest of rare event’. But no one has been able to figure out as to why both engines would fail at the very same time.
What happened now: The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB)—an agency of the Ministry of Civil Aviation—released a preliminary investigation report. It concludes that the plane crashed because the engine fuel switches were mysteriously switched off—likely because of pilot error.
First, the orange black boxes: The two Enhanced Airborne Flight Recorders (EAFRs), or black boxes—that each capture cockpit audio and flight data—were damaged in the crash. Indian officials used a “highly specialised” tool called the Golden Chassis—given by the US—to recover 49 hours of flight data and two hours of cockpit audio.
What the black box reveals:
In the flight's final moments, one pilot was heard on the cockpit voice recorder asking the other why he cut off the fuel. “The other pilot responded that he did not do so,” the report said. It did not identify which remarks were made by the flight's captain and which by the first officer, nor which pilot transmitted "Mayday, Mayday, Mayday" just before the crash.
Now, the preliminary report: Both engine fuel cutoff switches flipped from ‘RUN’ to ‘CUTOFF’ position one after another within a second—just as the aircraft reached its maximum speed of 180 knots during take-off. This immediately cut fuel supply to both engines, causing them to lose power.
But, but, but: Within seconds, the switches for both engines flipped back to ‘RUN’ position—likely in an attempt by the pilots to recover thrust, but it was too late. The aircraft was already losing altitude and soon crashed.
About the switches: Turning off the fuel requires someone to manually flip both switches to the ‘CUTOFF’ position. As you can see in the image below, neither of the switches are simple push-buttons that one may accidentally press:
Indian Express explains:
According to airline pilots and experts, the movement of the fuel control switches—critical switches that allow and cut fuel flow to the plane’s engines—have to be deliberate actions and their accidental movement is next to impossible. The switches have brackets on either side to protect them. Additionally, there is a stop lock mechanism that requires the pilots to lift the switch before moving it from either of its two positions—RUN and CUTOFF—to the other.
About that RAT: As we explained, the leading theories until now focused on the ram air turbine (RAT)—which was visibly deployed in photos taken before the crash. The switches may explain why the jet’s emergency-power generator kicked in.
The big Q: The report doesn’t tell us why the fuel switches were flipped—was it pilot error, mechanical failure, or electronic malfunction? Both pilots were highly experienced: “Sumeet Sabharwal, a pilot who served as the flight’s captain, had logged over 10,000 hours flying wide-body, or larger, aircraft, and his co-pilot, Clive Kunder, had over 3,400 hours of experience.” Former airline accident investigator Shawn Pruchnicki points out the cockpit audio reveals no signs of confusion or ill-intent:
In many cockpit emergencies, pilots may press the wrong buttons or make incorrect selections — but there was no indication of such a situation here, nor any discussion suggesting that the fuel switches were selected by mistake. This kind of error doesn't typically happen without some evident issue.”
A key point to note: The report also references a December 2018 US Federal Aviation Administration bulletin that noted “some Boeing 737 fuel control switches were installed with the locking feature disengaged.” The crashed plane had the same switch design. But we don’t know what happened with these switches—as they were not inspected before the flight. The reason: The bulletin was issued as an advisory and did not require a safety inspection.
The fallout: Indian pilot associations are furious at what they see as a “reckless and unfounded insinuation of pilot suicide”:
Pilots undergo extensive psychological and professional screening, recurrent training, and operate under the highest standards of safety, responsibility, and mental fitness. To casually suggest pilot suicide in the absence of verified evidence is a gross violation of ethical reporting and a disservice to the dignity of the profession.
Point to remember: Boeing has been quick to blame pilot error for its worse plane accidents—including the 2018 Lion Air crash in Jakarta and the Ethiopian Airlines flight that crashed five months later. In both cases, the cause was later determined to be a design defect during manufacturing—which Boeing was finally forced to acknowledge.
What’s next: This is just the preliminary report—the full report will be published within 12 months of the incident.
Reading list: Hindustan Times has more on the recovered black box recording. Wall Street Journal and Indian Express offer the unanswered questions, and some reading between the lines. BBC News asks the big Qs that arise out of the investigation. Times of India has more on the pilots’ response. Check out our Big Story on the initial theories from the Air India flight crash.
Speaking of aircraft engines: According to a Bloomberg News report, Delta Air Lines is reportedly ripping engines off new European jets to use on old US planes to avoid tariffs as it navigates a supply shortage. (Quartz)
The Vedanta scandal: A new East India Company?
The context: Vedanta Resources is a London-listed mining giant owned by Indian billionaire Anil Agarwal. The company's Indian arm, Vedanta Limited, has a massive footprint in the country, running dozens of mines that extract everything from aluminium and zinc to iron ore and oil—employing 97,000 workers across its operations. Over a decade ago, tribals in Odisha won a historic Supreme Court victory that shut down its bauxite mine. But it has not slowed down Vedanta—which was exposed by a 2023 global investigation for attempting to severely weaken environmental laws.
What happened now: Vedanta received a dhamaka from an unexpected source—a US-based short seller, Viceroy Research. Its new report accuses the conglomerate of running a “financially unsustainable” operation—draining money from its Indian operations—Vedanta Ltd—to keep its UK-based parent company, Vedanta Resources afloat.
The heart of the allegation: The Indian mining behemoth, built on the back of forest clearances, tribal evictions, and environmental bending, is allegedly being used to funnel cash out of the country—to prop up a near-empty shell of a company in London:
The Delaware short seller holds the India-based unit is being forced to acquire more debt on a recurrent basis which is depleting its own cash position. The fresh capital is being raised in the guise of operational requirements entailing capital-intensive projects that it “cannot afford”.
Viceroy bluntly describes the UK company Vedanata Resources as a “parasite” with no real business of its own.
A new East India Company?: The money made by pillaging Indian resources, forests and people is being siphoned off as dividends, loans, and brand fees to the UK parent. Vedanta Ltd has handed over nearly $1.16 billion to the parent company over four years—including from subsidiaries like Hindustan Zinc and ESL Steel which pay brand fees even though they don’t use the Vedanta brand.
Also this: Viceroy also claims the books are being window-dressed to look clean—with lots of hera pheri around interest paid on company debt.
To nobody’s surprise: Vedanta has dismissed the report as “malicious”, “selective”, and “baseless”—accusing Viceroy of sensationalising public information and trying to derail its upcoming corporate rejig. Investment analysts like JP Morgan are also keeping calm and carrying on.
Reading list: India Today and BBC News have reports on Vedanta’s biggest controversies in India. The Hindu and Mint have the best explainers on Viceroy’s allegations, but both are paywalled. Read Economic Times for more background on the firm behind the claims.
A strange tale of the Russian lady of our forests
During a routine patrol of a forest near Gokarna on July 11, Karnataka police made a bizarre discovery—a cave-dwelling Russian woman named Nina Kutina and her two daughters—aged six and four. Turns out Kutina has spent eight years hiding in Karnataka’s forests after overstaying her business visa. She even gave birth to her daughters in the wild.
According to police officials:
[Kutina] loved meditating and performing pooja for the gods in the forests. Fearing detection if she checked into any hotel, she chose to stay in the forests…when warned about snakes in the area, she replied that “the snakes are our friends and they don’t harm us unless we trouble them. She claimed that during their visits to nearby waterfalls for bathing, snakes would roam around them without showing any aggression
To be fair, Kutina didn’t go entirely feral. She often took her kids to Gokarna to buy groceries and charge her phone, but always returned to their cave. Sadly for Kutina—and perhaps happily for her children—cops have found her passport and initiated deportation proceedings. (Indian Express)
what caught our eye
business & tech
- Before answering thorny questions on things like Palestine, abortion, or immigration, Grok first checks what Elon Musk has said—online or on X.
- Also, Elon Musk’s AI company xAI issued an apology after Grok sparked outrage by making antisemitic comments and praising Hitler on X.
sports & entertainment
- James Gunn’s ‘Superman’ earned $122 million domestically and $95 million overseas—providing optimism for DC Studios’ upcoming slate of superhero films.
- The Hindu looks at the evolution of Superman’s theme song in its various adaptations and reboots.
health & environment
- According to the UN World Meteorological Organization, sand and dust storms affect about 330 million people in over 150 countries—taking a toll on people’s health.
- Four out of the ten rivers that flow through Bangladesh have failed to meet the minimum level of water flow. These rivers included the Ganges and Old Brahmaputra.
meanwhile, in the world
- The ICE raids have everyone scared. CNN has the tragic story of a farmworker who fell from a greenhouse roof during one raid and died from the injuries.
- The Guardian gives a glimpse inside Ukrainian museums that now house fragments of war and occupation.
- Gaza ceasefire hangs in the balance… again. Hamas and Israel on Saturday accused each other of blocking attempts to strike a deal.
- Financial Times looks at what electricity rationing will look like for the Dutch government as well as the rest of Europe.
meanwhile, in India
- Washington Post (splainer gift link) has a good read on India’s deportation drive—where Muslim men were beaten, detained, had their homes razed, and in some cases, thrown into the sea.
- Birkenstock has dragged Indian counterfeiters to court—prompting factory inspections near Delhi and Agra after fakes were found being made and exported.
- A student’s self-immolation over ignored sexual harassment complaints at a Balasore college has sparked a political firestorm in Odisha.
- An IIM Calcutta student has been arrested for alleged rape—only for the survivor’s father to later deny the charges, saying his daughter is “fine and is sleeping.”
- During the voter roll cleanup in Bihar, the Election Commission says it found large numbers of people from Nepal, Bangladesh, and Myanmar—none of whom will make it to the final list.
Three sporty things to see
One: Chelsea swept aside Paris Saint-Germain 3-0 at the FIFA Club World Cup final in East Rutherford, New Jersey—just six weeks after the Parisians thrashed Inter in the Champions League final. The player of the match was 23-year-old Cole Palmer—who scored two goals and assisted on the third—all within the first half. DAZN’s YouTube channel has the full highlights. Check out Chelsea’s third killer blow below:
After the game ended, PSG’s head coach Luis Enrique attacked Chelsea striker Joao Pedro, causing a melee—which got just as much media attention as the game itself. See the sore loser below:
The really cringe bit: Donald Trump did his best Jay Shah impersonation—aided and abetted by his pal FIFA chief Gianni Infantino. After Trump presented the trophy to Chelsea captain Reece James, he refused to leave the winners’ stage—because everyone knows the real winner is always Don. Below are the awkward af celebrations. (The Guardian)
Two: Across the pond, #1 seeded Jannik Sinner won his first Wimbledon title by beating two-time defending champion Carlos Alcaraz in a four-set affair: 4-6, 6-4, 6-4, 6-4. There was no Alcaraz comeback—a la the French Open. Below is Sinner’s best play of the match.
On Saturday, Iga Świątek won her first women’s singles title, thrashing USA’s Amanda Anisimova in straight sets: 6-0, 6-0. Anisimova put down her poor performance to being ‘frozen with nerves’. Check out Świątek’s winning moment below. (BBC News)
Three: Moving on to some old-fashioned cricket feuding. After England bowled India out for 387 late on day 3 at Lord’s, openers Zak Crawley and Ben Duckett had to face an over of India’s best bowler, Jasprit Bumrah. With six minutes to go until the end of the day’s play, Crawley did everything he could to waste time—and avoid the risk of facing a second over. Captain Shubman Gill didn’t appreciate the dramebaazi—and told him to “grow some fucking balls”—a thaka tantrump for which he is likely to be fined. You can watch the entertaining sequence of events below. (The Guardian)
feel good place
One: Guide to effective traffic policing.
Two: It’s leg day at the gym!
Three: There are bathroom singers and then there is this.