There are some things that look harmless from the ground but can become extremely dangerous when viewed from the cockpit of an aircraft. A laser pointer is one of them. For someone standing on the ground, pointing a laser at an aircraft flying overhead may appear to be a harmless prank, an experiment, a way of attracting attention or simply an act of curiosity. But inside the cockpit, particularly during takeoff, approach or landing, that apparently tiny beam can suddenly become a serious aviation-safety threat. The latest figures released by the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) show that the problem is declining, but it remains far too common. On September 17, 2026, the FAA reported that pilots had reported 4,470 laser strikes in the United States during 2026, representing a 24 percent decrease from the same period the previous year. This is the third consecutive year in which reported laser strikes have declined. However, the FAA says the numbers remain too high...
COVID-19 has not only uprooted economies, but also destroyed individuals both financially and healthwise. My daily routine was brought to a standstill during the second wave of the pandemic, as the notorious disease caught me. But even as the symptoms subsided, the lingering effect of the virus has been disrupting my life. Here I talk about my journey that went through the post-covid recovery and how it reshaped my thinking of health both mentally and physically. After being a victim of corona a lot of things have changed in my body and in my thoughts. I was still working in a college near Chandigarh, when, one early morning while riding towards my work I felt that something was just not right with me. By the time I reached the hostel room of the college, I was just not feeling the energy to move ahead. This happened during the second wave of the pandemic. Private colleges had partially opened and they had allowed some essential staff to stay within the hostel and look after dail...