Patna: Five names from the BJP are being floated to succeed CM Nitish Kumar – Samrat Choudhary, Nityanand Rai, Sanjay Jaiswal, Dilip Jaiswal and Janak Ram.Samrat Choudhary: Deputy Chief Minister, the second most senior figure in the national cabinet. As a former BJP national president, he belongs to the Koeri community and fits the Luv-Kush chemistry promoted by Nitish, a Kurmi. Koeris constitute 4.2% of Bihar’s population. His greatest asset is his aggressive style. However, his RJD and JDU background may work against him.Nityanand Rai: The MoS alliance, trusted by Amit Shah and can play an important role in weakening RJD votes among the Yadav community. Former state BJP president with ABVP background. But many in the BJP feel that elevating him to the top post in Bihar could anger other OBC and EBC communities.Sanjay Jaiswal: Member of Parliament from Champaran West since 2009 and former Bihar state president of the Bharatiya Janata Party. He is considered a moderate but tough politician when it comes to confronting the opposition. Belons to Vaishya community. He is considered to be close to the top brass of the BJP and fits the caste chemistry of the party.Dilip Jaiswal: Bihar minister who led the state’s BJP when the NDA won 202 seats in the November assembly elections. He belonged to the Vaishya (Kalwar) community and was believed to be close to the Shah. Hailing from Kishanganj, he is a moderate and well-organized politician.Janak Ram: 53-year-old Dalit representative of the BJP in Bihar. He served as Mines Minister and SC and ST Welfare Minister. Janak, a former Gopalganj MP and DRC member, is considered an organizer. He belongs to the Ravidas community and keeps a low profile. He started his political career at the grassroots level of the PPP.
Oklahoma tornado path: Cleo Springs, Goltry, Fairview, Enid on alert as large wedge causes damage
Oklahoma Tornado Warning: As a dangerous storm moved across northwestern Oklahoma Thursday night, the National Weather Service (NWS) in Norman issued a tornado warning for Alpha County to the southeast and Major County to the northeast. The warning is in effect until 9:30 p.m. CST after radar detected strong rotation in a severe thunderstorm capable of producing tornadoes.
Large wedge tornado confirmed near Cleo Springs
Storm spotters have confirmed a large wedge-shaped tornado on the ground near Cleo Springs, Oklahoma. News 9’s live storm watchers reported that the tornado was moving northeast toward Gortry, producing heavy hail.
The area also saw hail the size of ping pong balls as the storm continued to move through the region.
Storm movement and affected locations
At around 8:58 pm CST, the storm was located about 4 miles north of Cleo Springs and moving northeast at about 25 mph.
Communities in the possible path of the storm include Helena, Cleo Springs, Goltry and Aline, and residents are on alert as the system moves through the area. Neighboring areas, including Fairview and Enid, are also closely monitoring the storm’s movements.
Hazards reported by the National Weather Service
The National Weather Service warned that the storm posed a serious threat due to tornadoes and large hail.
Flying debris could pose a significant hazard to anyone outdoors, according to the agency. Mobile homes may be damaged or destroyed, while roofs, vehicles, and windows may also suffer damage. Trees may also be damaged.
Emergency safety guidance for residents
Officials urged residents in affected areas to seek shelter immediately.
People should move to a shelter, safe room, or indoor room on the lowest floor of a sturdy building and away from windows. Anyone who is outdoors, in a vehicle or mobile home should seek the nearest sturdy shelter to avoid flying debris.
Authorities stressed that the situation remains active and dangerous as confirmed tornadoes continue to move through the area.
‘I made a big mistake…’: Brooke reveals key reason for England defeat
England captain Harry Brooke talks to Sam Curran and Jos Buttler. (Getty Images)
New Delhi: England captain Harry Brooke Admitted costly fielding errors – including conceding a ball Sanzhou Samson — played a decisive role in his team’s win over India in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup semi-finals on Thursday.Push boundaries with our YouTube channel. Subscribe now!Brooke admitted in his post-match speech that England misread the conditions and failed to execute their plan, especially on the field, which allowed India to register a daunting total.
“We thought the first innings was probably about grip, spin, good slide to the bat and India bowled well. I will put my hands up and admit I made a big mistake, dropping Samson. We didn’t do a good enough job on the field. We executed wrong and couldn’t do that against India,” Brooke said.The turning point came when Brook knocked Samson down with just 15 points. Jofra ArcherSamson dominated India’s innings with a commanding knock that proved extremely costly.Samson’s 89 off 42 balls helped India post a staggering 253/7, a total that ultimately proved to be beyond England’s reach.
polling
Should India win their semi-final against England?
“Yeah, catching the ball wins the game, doesn’t it? Unfortunately, it didn’t stay in my hands, and yeah, it was just one of those things. Unfortunately, I didn’t catch it and he also had a very, very good inning and won the game so to speak,” Brook said.The England captain admitted that the missed opportunity had been on his mind throughout the chase.“Obviously, as the game goes on, that goes through your mind. I kept looking at the scoreboard and he was adding runs. I was like, ‘I’ve got to score 80 or 90 points tonight. ‘Not ideal, but it’s happening now,” he added.Despite the defeat, Brooke found positives in England’s fierce chase, praising young batsman Jacob Besser’s fearless century in particular.Besser smashed 105 off just 48 balls; will jacks Contributed 35 runs in a counter-attacking partnership that briefly revived England’s hopes.“Bessel is absolutely unbelievable and he’s going to make a lot of money. To see him take the ball off his hands shows the world what he can do,” Brook said.England ended up with a score of 246/7, losing miserably despite a good performance from Bethell and a late blitz from Archer. However, Brook insists his side can still be proud of their campaign.“We had a great game; we should be very proud of our performance. We hung in there the whole game; unfortunately we were on the wrong side,” he said.
Iran using cluster bomb warheads in ongoing conflict: Israeli military
Iran using cluster bomb warheads in ongoing conflict: Israeli military
New Delhi: The Israeli military has revealed that Iran has recently launched multiple ballistic missiles carrying cluster bomb warheads towards Israel, scattering small bombs indiscriminately across large areas of the country.Cluster bombs, or cluster munitions, are weapons that release large numbers of small explosive submunitions over a wide area and are designed to target people and vehicles. According to the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), the warheads of such missiles open upon descent and disperse approximately 20 smaller munitions containing approximately 2.5 kilograms of explosives within a radius of approximately 8 kilometers.
Military analysts have warned that the introduction of these weapons would change the dynamics of the conflict. Instead of a single explosion at one location, cluster warheads can spread many smaller bombs over a large area, increasing civilian casualties and causing greater infrastructure damage.The Israel Defense Forces confirmed that during the current conflict and the war in June 2025, Iran repeatedly launched ballistic missiles carrying cluster bomb warheads at Israel. Last year, Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen also launched multiple missiles with cluster bomb warheads at Israel.Submunitions from cluster bomb warheads hit multiple locations in central Israel last Tuesday, wounding 12 people, Israeli medics said. Video on Sunday also showed two dozen fragments streaking across the sky after a cluster bomb warhead dropped bombs in central Israel.Israeli experts say Iran may have received help from outside sources for the deadly missiles. There is speculation that Russia or China may transfer military technology.Some submunitions do not explode when they hit the ground, but can still be dangerous to people. The IDF Home Front Command therefore warns people not to approach any missile debris that may be found on the ground, which can actually act as landmines.To date, a total of 123 countries have committed to achieving the goals of the 2008 Convention banning cluster munitions. Countries including the United States, Russia, China, India, Israel, Pakistan and North Korea have not signed the convention. The text of the 2008 convention says cluster bombs “kill or maim civilians, including women and children, impede economic and social development… hinder post-conflict recovery and reconstruction (and) delay or prevent the return of refugees and internally displaced persons… for many years after use”.“
Amit Shah unveils mascots ‘Pragati’ and ‘Vikas’ for India’s first digital census
New Delhi: Ahead of the 2027 Census starting on April 1, Home Minister Amit Shah on Thursday launched four digital tools for the country’s first digital census and unveiled two census mascots – female enumerator ‘Pragati’ and male enumerator ‘Vikas’. The four digital platforms include a self-enumeration portal that will allow respondents to submit household information online within 15 days before field operations begin in their respective states/UTs, another first. They can enumerate themselves in 16 languages. The Indian Ministry of Home Affairs said in a statement that the mascots “Pragati” and “Vikas” will become the friendly images of the 2027 census and also symbolize the equal participation of men and women in achieving the determination to make India a developed country by 2047. Through these mascots, messages, objectives and key messages related to the 2027 Census will be disseminated to all levels of society in an effective and citizen-friendly way.The four advanced digital platforms soft-launched by Shah on Thursday were developed by the Center for Development of Advanced Computing (C-DAC). These include the House List Block Creator (HLBC) app, the House List Operations (HLO) mobile app, the Self-Enumeration Portal, and the Census Management and Monitoring System Portal (CMMS).A Home Office spokesperson said this calibrated adoption of technology combines innovation with inclusivity to ensure the 2027 Census remains accurate, secure and comprehensive.HLBC is a web mapping application that enables supervisors to digitally create blocks of housing listings using satellite imagery to ensure standardized geographic coverage across the country. HLO is a secure, offline mobile application for enumerators to collect and upload house listing data. It enables direct data transfer from site to server, eliminating traditional paperwork. All house listing data will be collected through this app, which can only operate using registered mobile numbers. The app is compatible with Android and iOS platforms and can be operated in 16 regional languages.The Self-Enumeration Portal is a secure, web-based facility that allows eligible respondents within households to submit their household information online up to 15 days prior to the start of field operations. After successful submission, a unique self-enumeration ID (SE ID) will be generated. The SE ID will be shared with enumerators, who can verify the information against the ID. CMMS The portal is a A centralized web-based digital platform designed to plan, manage, execute and monitor all census-related activities across administrative levels. Officials at divisional, district and state levels can track enumeration progress, field performance and operational readiness in real-time through integrated dashboards.Census data will be collected door-to-door via a secure mobile app. The participation of 3 million enumerators, supervisors and other census officials across the country will ensure comprehensive coverage.The launch of the Census 2027 mascot and digital platform was attended by several senior officials, including the Union Home Secretary, Registrar General of India and Census Commissioner.The Center had notified its intention to conduct the 2027 census on June 16, 2025, more than five years after the decennial census was suspended in 2020 due to the coronavirus pandemic. The 2027 Census will be conducted in two phases and is the largest census exercise in the world. While the first phase of census, housing and house registration will take place between April 1 and September 30, 2026, with states being free to choose a period of 45 days during this six-month period, the census phase is likely to take place in February 2027. In the first phase, data on housing conditions and household amenities will be collected, while in the second phase demographic, social and economic details of every person in the country will be recorded.The reference date for Census 2027 will be 00:00 on March 1, 2027, for all states and Union Territories, except for Ladakh UT and snow-bound non-synchronous areas of Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand, where the reference date will be 00:00 on October 1, 2026.
Superman Axar Patel comes to the rescue: rewards that have never been achieved…efforts that will always be available
India’s Axar Patel throws a catch to Shivam Dube of England’s Will Jacks during the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2nd cricket semi-final match between India and England at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai, Maharashtra. (Ministry of Public Transport)
TimesofIndia.com in Mumbai: will jacks c Dubey b Arshdeep Singh. That’s the record for Will Jacks being fired. But what happened next was even more dramatic. It’s that kind of athleticism and awareness that turns catches into big moments.Rarely do you get blindsided and give your team a much-needed breakthrough, but it’s not mentioned on the scoreboard. Despite the tough progress, Shivam Dube will always be mentioned on the scorecards, but Axar Patel’s never-taken catch could go down as one of the most iconic defensive efforts in the history of Indian cricket.
He trotted to his left, hands outstretched, nearly tripping but holding on, and then deftly relayed Shivam Dubey through deep. The two players then hugged each other and the team rushed toward Al-Aqsa a second time, letting out celebratory grunts.The fifth-wicket partnership of 77 off 39 balls between Jacob Bethell and Will Jacks started to look threatening.However, this is not the first time that Axar has produced a stunning performance in England’s run-chase. Earlier, he turned from the circle and sprinted at full speed to evade Harry Brooke’s errant drive over cover. Despite the distance, the ball seemed to escape his hands, but he fully stretched himself in the dive and managed to make a stunning catch.For Axar, the two catches took on a different meaning when he felt the ball was following him down the field when he got another chance in the final over of Hardik Pandya’s over. While the Jacks’ catch was more important in the game, Brook’s catch was the more difficult of the two.“Both of them are different. When I caught Harry Brooke, I thought it was a very good catch for me. I thought it was tough. But if you look at the situation and the way the batsmen were batting, Will Jacks’ catch was very important to break the partnership at that time. So it was very difficult for me if you ask me. But defensively, I think Harry Brooke’s catch was tougher. I thought the ball was behind me today,” Axar said during a media interaction after Team India. Seven consecutive wins against England.In a high-scoring game, those defensive efforts made the most sense. England paid the price for Sanju Samson’s early reprieve and India took their chances. In a game with 499 runs scored and a seven-run win, the scorecards would mention Al-Aqsa only once. But the nation will remember him for his double effort that helped the Men in Blue secure a narrow victory and set up a clash with New Zealand in Sunday’s championship clash.It will also be another homecoming for local boy Aqsa. After missing both the group stage games against the Netherlands and the Super Eights against South Africa, the all-rounder from Nadiad is now in high spirits and eager to play in front of his hometown fans.
India’s Axar Patel attempts a catch at the boundary during the 2026 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup second cricket semi-final match between India and England at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai, Maharashtra. (Ministry of Public Transport)
Before the 2023 World Cup, fate is cruel. He missed the tournament due to injury and did not feature in the two matches in Ahmedabad, the nail-biting match against Pakistan and the final against Australia at the Narendra Modi Stadium on November 19. He has waited for over two years to play for India at home and missed out on a bilateral T20I match against South Africa due to illness.“Yeah, that’s why he won’t be playing in these games. (laugh) [Maybe I didn’t play those matches for this, the World Cup final]. This is very important to me. I’ve been waiting for this for so many years. Playing a game on your home court in front of your family is a very proud moment. I think in two years I will be playing at my home stadium. This is also the final of the ICC T20 World Cup. My son will also be in the stands watching the games live. That’s what I’m very proud of,” Aqsa said.Ahmedabad and the World Cup final do not bring happy memories as fans still carry the scars of heartbreak from November 19, 2023. March 8 now offers the city the chance to write a new chapter, with local heroes determined to erase the memory of a night that broke the hearts of a billion people.
polling
Which catch from Axar Patel was more impressive in your opinion?
“Interior design hand-drawn renderings Interior design hand-drawn renderings… (Home players did not participate in that game [laughs]),” Aksa replied crisply when asked about India, Ahmedabad and the World Cup final.After two sleeps, he has the opportunity to change the narrative around the venue, in front of his people and on his grounds.
Oprah and Gayle King video sparks weight loss concerns; ‘Is it the ozone?’
Talk show host Oprah Winfrey has sparked concerns about her health and weight loss after appearing at the Chloé show at Paris Fashion Week with long-time friend Gayle King.
The video of the two quickly went viral. Oprah Wearing jeans and a jacket. She tied her hair into a ponytail and wore sunglasses. Some people shared the video and expressed concerns about the 72-year-old’s health.
One person who shared the video asked: “What’s in this?” ozone Is Oprah here?
“I’m worried Oprah might OD on Ozempic. Welfare check, please!” another additional. Another one commented “Her head looks too big for her body. Ozpik or Oprah.”
King’s appearance also drew commentary. “Gail King is still hanging on…” one person said of the TV personality. Another claimed that while Oprah seemed healthy, Kim did not.
Does Oprah Winfrey take Ozempic?
Winfrey confirmed she takes a weight loss pill but never specified whether it was Ozempic, which is a specific brand.
In a January 2025 podcast, she said she took GLP-1 agonists, which may include brand names such as Ozempic. At the time, Oprah said: “One of the things I realized when I first ran for office was GLP-1 For years I thought thin people just had more willpower, they ate better food, they were able to last longer, they never ate potato chips, and then I realized, when I first took GLP-1, ‘Oh, they’re not even thinking about that. They only eat when they are hungry and stop when they are full. “
GLP-1 drugs work by mimicking the GLP-1 hormone released by the body after eating. As a result, people feel full and gastric emptying also slows down.
Oprah originally confirmed in 2023 that she took weight loss drugs. She was speaking to People magazine at the time but did not specify which medication she was taking.
“I use it now because I feel like I need it, as a tool to manage rather than yo-yo. It quiets the noise of food,” she told the publication. She also highlighted the challenges in her weight loss journey, sharing: “Part of me feels like… I have to do this the hard way. I have to keep climbing. I have to keep suffering. I have to do it because otherwise I’m cheating myself in some way.”
She also shared the struggles she initially faced – “I couldn’t exercise anymore. I couldn’t climb faster or run faster. I only ate one meal a day. There was nothing I could do,” Oprah said when explaining why she turned to diet pills.
Nitish Kumar is a cunning strategist who allowed CM to take his place
File photo: Nitish Kumar
New Delhi: After two decades in charge of Bihar, Nitish Kumar He eventually gave up the seat he created, triggering a backlash from angry supporters and criticism from the opposition, which called it another example of bjp Like Maharashtra “cannibalizing” its allies.But Kumar appears to have left quietly, posting on X his desire to work in Parliament.As evidenced in his statement, the aloofness with which he left office was matched by the ruthless cunning with which he ensured he remained in the prime minister’s seat after 2005, no matter who he went with and which ally had more MLAs. After all, it was all a move by ‘Pathu Ram’, who won the majority and ousted Lalu Prasad as president. RJD It was established in Patna in 2005 and later joined hands with the RJD and Congress in Bihar. In 2015, as part of the ‘Mahagathbandhan’, he humiliated Narendra Modi’s newly elected Bharatiya Janata Party in Delhi. He returned to the NDA in 2017, then moved to the RJD and Congress in 2022 before re-alliing with the BJP in January 2024. During this time, he resigned and was sworn in as Chief Minister.
The flip-flop is not just about the party but also about the ideology and the actors who have gone from being “never for Modi” to being willing partners of the Prime Minister. But through his ideological shift, Kumar has carved out a never-before-seen niche – as an OBC politician bringing the ‘Mandal+’ era to the fore in a backward state, and as a strategist striving to carve out a personal constituency for himself. He also stands out because he is a rare figure – an OBC politician from the north who can govern the country well and is not tainted by corruption charges.Kumar’s equality with voters was reflected in the 2025 assembly elections. As his increasing gaffes and eccentricities, coupled with a long absence from the public eye, raise questions about his mental acuity, the opposition has stepped up its efforts to demand that the BJP appoint its own chief minister, as it has done in Maharashtra. The BJP has increased Kumar’s campaign rallies and announcements. This is said to have done the trick by reinforcing the message of “Jodya Modi-Nitish ke hit hoi” (Modi-Nitish partnership will prevail). On the road to solidifying his position as governor, Kumar received help from the low threshold set by his former comrade Lalu. He raised the issues of “integrity” and “crime”, which he and the BJP have been discussing for years to put the rival RJD at a disadvantage.But the real cunning lies in coming up with a strategy to overcome the RJD’s caste advantage in a state with an overwhelming OBC/Dalit population. Kumar set a template here that was later followed by other states. Kumar, who hails from the OBC Kurmi caste, which accounts for a minuscule proportion of the population, was quick to classify the OBC population according to their status of “development” (backward and most backward). He has monopolized the loyalty of a large section of the “aspirational” OBC community while turning “Yadavisation” into a cudgel with which to defeat his opponents. The “Yadav vs. non-Yadav” polarization sustained him for two decades. Kumar tried the same with ‘Dalits vs Mahadalits’ but failed as political compulsions forced him to dilute the ‘Mahadalit’ label by including the stronger community.The game-changer was that when he looked for individual voters, he focused on the pan-caste category “women”. From his earliest days signaling reservation through Panchayat, to providing bicycles to girls, to microfinance/self-help groups, to providing relief to women, the JDU leader has blended his ‘welfarism’ with ‘development’ to win the loyalty of a key voting bloc. The question remains whether women vote independently of family and caste factors, but it consolidates the pro-JDU segment on multiple levels, downplaying factors such as anti-incumbency.To have managed to forge personalized loyalties in the quicksands of competitive caste politics since Lalu was ousted from the Patna throne is an unparalleled feat.
Dubai’s 2026 Ramadan anti-begging operation: Police cracked down on “beggars in luxury cars” and arrested 37 beggars of different nationalities during the crackdown
Taking advantage of Ramadan charity in 2026? Dubai police arrest 37 beggars
Dubai authorities step up annual anti-begging campaign RamadanDubai Police announced the arrest of 37 beggars of different nationalities during the second week of Ramadan. The arrests are part of an ongoing law enforcement operation aimed at preventing individuals from taking advantage of the charitable spirit that traditionally marks the holy month of Ramadan.Officials said the arrests were carried out by the Suspicious Persons and Criminal Phenomena Unit of the General Directorate of Criminal Investigations in coordination with police stations across the emirate. The operation is part of the annual Fight Begging campaign, a coordinated initiative to combat illegal begging and raise awareness of appropriate channels for charitable giving.
begging Dubai steps up crackdown during Ramadan 2026
Ramadan is a time when Muslims around the world increase their charitable giving and acts of generosity. However, authorities said some people used the period to appeal to public sympathy to illegally enrich themselves.Brigadier General Ali Salim Al Shamsi, director of the department overseeing the operation, said the campaign aimed to curb such acts and maintain security and social order in the city. Police have observed that beggars often use emotionally manipulative tactics to attract donations, including using children, people with disabilities or people who pretend to be sick to gain sympathy.Authorities say the move has helped reduce panhandling cases over the years, along with increased enforcement and public awareness. A further 37 arrests were made the following week, following a further 37 arrests in the first days of Ramadan. In the first week alone, 26 beggars were arrested in the emirate as part of the same operation, underscoring the scale of the enforcement effort.
Dubai police step up crackdown as beggars target Ramadan generosity
Cases uncovered during the crackdown suggest that some individuals involved in begging may not actually be in financial difficulty. In one widely reported early case of the movement, authorities arrested a beggar who was found in possession of three luxury cars, illustrating how organized panhandling can sometimes be used as a profitable activity.In a separate incident, a suspect detained during Ramadan was found with thousands of dirhams collected over a short period of time, reinforcing police warnings that the public’s generosity can sometimes be exploited.
Wider United Arab Emirates crackdown on begging
The event is not limited to Dubai. Authorities across the United Arab Emirates have stepped up patrols and inspections during Ramadan as part of wider efforts to curb begging and related scams. For example, Ras Al Khaimah police arrested 19 beggars early in Ramadan, with one suspect reportedly receiving Dh11,000 in one day.Likewise, law enforcement in Sharjah reported the arrest of 95 people involved in begging since the start of Ramadan, signaling nationwide efforts to address the issue.
UAE laws impose severe penalties
Begging is considered a criminal offense under UAE law. Beggars could face up to three months in jail and a fine starting from Dh5,000, or both. Penalties are more severe for those who form an organized begging network or recruit others to beg, with possible jail terms of six months or more and fines of up to Dh100,000.
Dubai’s message for Ramadan this year: Donate to charity, not beggars
Authorities have also warned against online panhandling, in which individuals solicit money through social media or messaging platforms. If such digital complaints involve misleading claims or fraudulent fundraising, they may fall under cybercrime laws and be subject to additional penalties.
UAE public urged to donate through official charity
Police are urging residents and visitors not to donate directly to beggars but to support licensed charities to ensure donations reach those in real need. Officials also encourage the public to report begging incidents through official channels, including the police hotline 901, the ‘Police Eyes’ feature on the Dubai Police app or the e-Crime platform involving online begging cases.The authorities stressed that the purpose of the crackdown was not only to enforce the law but also to protect the true spirit of Ramadan. By preventing the exploitation of charitable impulses, officials hope to ensure that donations go to legitimate humanitarian causes rather than organized or deceptive panhandling.Police said they may step up surveillance in busy public areas, mosques, markets and residential areas as patrols continue throughout Ramadan, leading to the potential for more arrests.
India’s ‘humid heat wave’ getting worse, study says
Pune: India’s summer heatwaves – humid, suffocating heatwaves that have a greater impact than dry heat – are not only becoming more frequent but also becoming more intense through specific atmospheric knock-on effects that have now been identified. A study published in the Journal of Atmospheric Science in January 2026 by scientists from IMD and the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology (IITM), Pune, explains for the first time the precise mechanisms behind these “moist heat waves”, with the findings having direct implications for early warning, public health and climate preparedness.IITM scientist Rajib Chattopadhyay told TOI that their earlier research identified two types of summer heat waves in India and categorized them as dry and humid. “Dry varieties in the predominantly hot Northwest Plains did not show an increasing trend. However, wet varieties, where high humidity mixes with heat to disable the body’s cooling system, showed a statistically significant and accelerating trend. The current study provides clues to the mechanisms that exacerbate humid heat waves in India,” he said.Scientists traced its trigger to the Rossby atmospheric wave pattern off the west coast of Europe. These waves cross the Europe-Middle East-Indian Ocean path and reach over India as high-altitude high-pressure systems, suppressing clouds and baking the surface. “But what made the severe heat wave worse was the second factor – anomalous warming in the southernmost Bay of Bengal. When this warm region generates its own circulation pattern and the two systems arrive in northwestern India at the same time, they overlap and amplify each other,” Chattopadhyay said.The anticyclone intensifies and lasts longer while transporting moisture westward towards India, creating a deadly combination of heat and humidity. The team verified this using a mathematical atmospheric model run under 129 different experimental configurations.“The model results show a clear pattern. When warming in the Bay of Bengal coincides with atmospheric waves from Europe, temperatures and ‘felt’ heat indices increase significantly in northwest India. We also found that if there is a slight change in the atmospheric fluctuation pattern, areas of stronger thermal stress move towards the eastern and southeastern coasts of India,” Chattopadhyay said.Observational data show that the heat and moisture signal in these areas has been strengthening in recent decades, he said. “In experiments studying climate conditions, we found that the interaction between atmospheric waves and Bay of Bengal warming is most effective when jet stream speeds are within the range found under current conditions. This is important because climate change is expected to affect large-scale atmospheric patterns, including jet stream and wave behavior.“