United News of Bangladesh

While filming a historical drama about Tibetan resistance fighters in Nepal's Mustang region, actor Tenzin Rigzin Phurpatsang found himself confronting a painful part of his family's history. The 37-year-old first-time actor was shooting “Four Rivers Six Ranges,” a film about Tibetan fighters who helped the Dalai Lama flee Tibet in 1959. A year later, Phurpatsang's grandfather, Yeshi Wangyal, returned to Tibet after receiving CIA training and joined a separate guerrilla operation. He was later killed fighting Chinese forces. Phurpatsang, who was born in exile in India and now works as a model in New York, said filming the mountain battle scenes made him think about what his grandfather had experienced. “Wow, is that what my grandfather went through?” he recalled asking himself. The questions raised by the film — about Tibet's history, how it is remembered and who has the right to tell it — come at a time when international attention on Tibet has declined. The film premiered at the International Film Festival Rotterdam last year and was released in Indian cinemas on Sept. 18 after a delay linked to Chinese President Xi Jinping's visit to India. The future of Tibet and its people is also being closely watched as the 91-year-old Dalai Lama's succession plans become an increasingly important issue. At the same time, China has grown more powerful, the US has reduced its international role and India and China have been working to improve relations. Chinese state media has accused the film of promoting separatism and said it distorts history. China maintains that Tibet has always been part of the country. Director Shenpenn Khymsar rejects that criticism, saying the film is based on historical events and that Tibetans should be able to tell their own history. Phurpatsang also said younger Tibetans need to understand the history of the resistance movement. “When you don't talk about it, these stories … they become lost,” he said. Film shot secretly in NepalKhymsar grew up watching films such as “Seven Years in Tibet” and Martin Scorsese's “Kundun,” both released in 1997 and focused largely on the Dalai Lama's early life. He wanted instead to tell the story of ordinary Tibetans who joined Chushi Gangdruk, meaning “the land of four rivers and six ranges.” The fighters regrouped in Mustang's rugged mountains and conducted a 13-year guerrilla campaign against Chinese forces with US support. The movement ended in 1974 as US-China relations improved. Khymsar wanted to film in the same mountains as a tribute to the fighters. But he said Chinese surveillance and pressure on Nepal's Tibetan community made obtaining filming permits difficult. He submitted what he called a fake screenplay titled “The Himalayan Robin Hood” to secure permission and reduced the planned production from more than 45 days to 19. “The entire shoot was a covert operation,” Khymsar said. The production also faced other challenges. Many cast members had never acted before, so Khymsar selected and trained them, including some of his social-media followers. Some actors had never ridden horses, while the production could not afford a dedicated action director or stunt team. “I feel like the spirits of those warriors were there, helping me,” Khymsar said. Carole McGranahan, an anthropologist and University of Colorado Boulder professor specializing in Tibet, said there have been few major Hollywood films about Tibet in recent decades as studios sought greater access to China's lucrative film market. Khymsar said he is still facing difficulties finding international distributors for the movie. McGranahan said “Four Rivers Six Ranges” is significant because it represents a Tibetan account of Tibetan history. She also pointed to the upcoming film “Tenzing,” about mountaineer Tenzing Norgay, as another production that could introduce Tibetan history to a wider audience. Norgay, a Sherpa born in Nepal to Tibetan parents, moved to Darjeeling, India, as a child. He and Edmund Hillary were the first two people confirmed to reach the summit of Mount Everest in 1953. The new biopic stars Genden Phuntsok, Tom Hiddleston and Willem Dafoe. It is scheduled for a limited theatrical release Oct. 9 and will premiere globally a week later on Apple TV. “It's not just a film about Everest, or about Nepal or India. It's also about Tibet,” McGranahan said. Tibet remains sensitive issue in India-China ties“Four Rivers Six Ranges” was originally scheduled to open in India on Sept. 11, one day before Xi's visit for the BRICS summit and a meeting with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The neighboring countries have been trying to improve relations following a deadly border clash six years ago. Before Xi's visit, Khymsar said India's largest multiplex operator, PVR INOX, informed him that the film's release would be delayed by a week. “They said we cannot release it (yet). They got some pressure,” he said. PVR INOX senior vice president for corporate communications Deepa Menon said she had no specific information to provide when asked whether the company had faced government pressure. The Indian government did not immediately respond to questions about the delay. India and China have economic reasons to improve relations but continue to have competing strategic interests, said Manoj Kewalramani, a geopolitics expert at the Takshashila Institution in Bengaluru. India wants Chinese manufacturing expertise while avoiding excessive dependence on China. Beijing, meanwhile, wants greater access to India's large market but is concerned about creating stronger competition. Chinese companies are also cautious about investing in India because of the risk of worsening relations, Kewalramani said. Tibet is particularly sensitive because developments there could affect India's territorial concerns involving Arunachal Pradesh, which India administers as a northeastern state. China claims the territory and calls it Zangnan, or “Southern Tibet.” India officially recognizes Tibet as part of China but hosts the world's largest Tibetan exile community, numbering about 70,000 people. The Central Tibetan Administration, the Tibetan government-in-exile, is also based in India. The country also has strong cultural and religious ties with Tibet. The Dalai Lama formally stepped down from his political role in the Central Tibetan Administration in 2011 but remains the most prominent global figure among Tibetans. “Because of the succession period looming, it becomes a bit of a powder keg,” Kewalramani said. According to China's account of the Modi-Xi meeting, Kewalramani said Modi assured Xi that India would not allow “anti-China activities” on its soil, which he interpreted as a reference to Tibet. The statement did not appear in India's account of the meeting. The period between the Dalai Lama's death and the time his successor reaches adulthood could be particularly uncertain for Tibetans, McGranahan said. Under a centuries-old tradition, Tibet could potentially be governed by a regent during that period. The Dalai Lama has said his successor should be identified according to Buddhist tradition and has indicated that China should not control the process. China, however, says it has sole authority to approve the next Tibetan religious leader and maintains that the reincarnation must be found in areas of Tibet under Chinese control. Against this backdrop, McGranahan said a feature film could help bring Tibet's history to a much wider audience. “There is something about a story, told through a feature film, that can reach more people and touch them, in public and, hopefully, powerful ways,” she said.

Rescuers recovered eight bodies from the base camp of Mount Himlung in Nepal on Thursday, raising the death toll from an avalanche during severe weather Sunday to 15. The Nepal National Mountain Guide Association, which is leading the search operation, said rescuers dug through thick snow at the mountain's base camp and found eight bodies inside tents. One person remains missing. “Due to continuing mountain hazards, recovery efforts have been temporarily concluded,” the association said, adding that the search could resume when weather and mountain conditions improve. Experienced mountain guides from the association had been working throughout the week, taking advantage of better weather to clear snow from the base camp. Rescuers also found 10 other climbers who were part of the group on Mount Himlung, a 7,126-meter (23,380-foot) peak in north-central Nepal. Nepal is home to eight of the world's 14 highest mountains, including Mount Everest. The Himlung avalanche is being described as one of the country's deadliest mountaineering disasters. Hundreds of foreign climbers travel to Nepal each year to attempt to climb some of the world's highest peaks. Many have died while facing severe weather and other dangers in the mountains. All those killed or still missing in this week's avalanche were Nepali nationals who were preparing for the arrival of foreign climbers during the autumn climbing season, which began this month. Nepal is also recovering from devastating floods in August that swept away several villages, killing more than 1,400 people and leaving nearly 6,000 missing.

The International Space Station could be an unusual contender for this year's Nobel Peace Prize, while experts are also considering figures and organizations involved in politics, humanitarian work and international justice. The Norwegian Nobel Committee is scheduled to announce this year's winner in Oslo on Oct. 9, renewing the annual speculation over who will receive one of the world's most prestigious awards. Predicting the winner is difficult, as the committee has made unexpected and sometimes controversial choices in the past. It received 287 nominations for this year's prize, with slightly more than a quarter going to organizations. Experts say the committee generally considers efforts that support lasting peace, international cooperation and institutions working to strengthen those goals. Space station seen as symbol of cooperationHaakon Gjerløw, director of the Peace Research Institute Oslo and a prominent Nobel Peace Prize forecaster, has included the International Space Station among this year's possible contenders. He said the ISS, or the international cooperation behind it, represents an uncommon example of countries working together on a shared goal at a time when global cooperation is facing growing challenges. The institute's annual watch list is closely followed by experts and others trying to predict the Nobel committee's decision. Trump, Carney also among contendersUS President Donald Trump, who has openly expressed his desire to receive the prize, has again been nominated. However, his possible selection could be controversial following the US-Israeli war with Iran that began in February. Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney has also attracted international attention this year, particularly over his disagreements with Trump on issues including US tariffs. Gjerløw's list also includes Ukrainian children's rights advocate Mykola Kuleba and Save the Children, Sudan's grassroots Emergency Response Rooms and the Committee to Protect Journalists. The International Court of Justice and the International Criminal Court have also been mentioned as possible joint recipients. The ICC has faced both criticism and support over its arrest warrants for senior figures including Russian President Vladimir Putin and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Trump has repeatedly criticized the ICC. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced in July a campaign aimed at dismantling what he called the threat posed by the court to US sovereignty. Later that month, the ICC's chief prosecutor was removed from office following sexual misconduct allegations. Gjerløw said the Nobel committee's decision has also been complicated by developments involving last year's laureate, Venezuelan opposition figure María Corina Machado. She symbolically presented her prize to Trump days after US forces removed Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro from power. Wars dominate this year's backdropThis year's Peace Prize will be announced amid widespread conflicts, including wars in Sudan, Ukraine, Yemen, Iran and the broader Middle East. Shawn Davies, a senior analyst with the Uppsala Conflict Data Program, pointed to rising international tensions and changes in the global security system. He linked the developments to what he described as declining US willingness to enforce international rules. Davies said Washington had moved from being a guarantor of the post-World War II international order to violating those rules in some cases. “I don't even think his own base would believe” Trump could win the prize now, Davies said, referring to what he described as the president's involvement in a continuing war in Iran. Jody Williams, who jointly won the 1997 Nobel Peace Prize for her work with the International Campaign to Ban Landmines, said she hopes the committee continues its recent trend of recognizing women. Only 20 of the 112 individual Nobel Peace Prize laureates over the award's 125-year history have been women. Over the past 15 years, eight women have won individually, compared with six men. Names circulating in prediction markets this year include Gaza surgeon Sara al-Saqqa and Yulia Navalnaya, a Russian opposition figure and widow of Alexei Navalny. Nobel announcements begin next weekNobel Prize announcements will begin Monday with the medicine prize, followed by physics on Tuesday, chemistry on Wednesday and literature on Thursday. The Peace Prize will be announced Friday, while the Nobel Memorial Prize in Economic Sciences will be announced on Oct. 12. The prize money this year is 12 million Swedish kronor, or about $1.2 million, whether the award goes to an individual, a group or an organization. Whatever the committee decides, experts expect the Peace Prize to generate political reactions. “Trump will be unhappy whoever gets the Nobel,” said Nelson Wiseman, a professor emeritus at the University of Toronto. “If Carney got it, it would make relations with Canada rockier than they are.”

Americans are deeply frustrated with President Donald Trump’s handling of the economy and rising prices, with most panning his performance and blaming his policies as higher costs threaten his party’s chances in November. A new poll from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research finds that only 17% of U.S. adults approve of the Republican president’s handling of the cost of living. Just 26% approve of his handling of the economy overall, marking a new low. A majority, 65%, of U.S. adults now blame Trump’s policies for persistently high costs more than factors outside of his control, signaling growing weariness over his aggressive use of tariffs and continued unhappiness with the war with Iran. The dismal numbers come just weeks before midterm elections that will determine whether Republicans maintain control of Congress and while Trump is hitting the campaign trail with an aggressive schedule of rallies. But Trump — who has asked voters to pretend that he is on the ballot as he tries to bolster turnout — remains deeply unpopular, with even many Republicans faulting him for failing to deliver on promised relief. “I was hoping it would be better or different, but it’s not really good,” said Robert Gault, 66, a retired factory worker from Bradford, Pennsylvania, who describes himself as a Republican. “Our president, I thought, was going to help the country, and so far he has not really seemed to have done that with the economy or in general. He’s not really done what I was hoping he would,” said Gault. “He said, ‘Make America Great Again.’ And I have not seen him do that.” Costs drag on Trump as the economic pain keeps coming Over the last few months, Americans have grown more worried about being able to afford basics like groceries and gas. About half of U.S. adults now say they are “extremely” or “very” concerned about being able to fill their tanks, up from 39% in July. About half are also highly concerned about being able to afford food. Prices are “extremely exorbitant. Just the cost of everything is going up as a result of fuel,” said Pedro Sanchez, 52, of Perris, California, who voted for Trump and works in law enforcement. “I used to have a lot more disposable income. I don’t have that any more. It’s gotten eaten up because of all these increases in the cost of everything.” Trump’s current approval on the economy is a 14 percentage point drop from March 2025, just after he took office for the second time. His struggles on the issue mark a significant departure from his first term, when the economy was often a point of strength. Trump spent much of the 2024 campaign hammering President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris, Democrats, on inflation and promising to lower prices. Now, there’s widespread disappointment with his performance. About 7 in 10 Americans say Trump’s handling of the cost of living has been “worse than expected.” That includes roughly half of Republicans, who are also broadly concerned about being able to afford groceries and gas. “Groceries are just like kind of out of control. It seems like everything is going up,” said Bethany Lnenicka, 41, who operates a small farm in Fairfax, Iowa. “It’s just one thing and the next week it’s another thing. It’s just insane. And of course your income doesn’t go up.” A political independent who typically votes Republican and has voted for Trump three times, Lnenicka said she had hoped his second term would be more like his first. “I just do not feel like it has gotten a lot better,” she said. About 6 in 10 Republicans disapprove of Trump’s handling of the cost of living, according to the new poll, up from about half in April. “It definitely doesn’t feel like we have trended in the right direction,” agreed Kristen Slaven, 41, a mental health therapist who lives in Gluckstadt, Mississippi, and typically votes Republican. She said Trump is focused on the wrong things. “Obviously wars don’t help. When they’re necessary, I understand. But our focus on renaming bodies of water and pieces of land, that’s just stupid to me when people can’t feed their family,” she said. “I had hoped that it would be better,” Slaven added. Some Republicans are still willing to cut Trump some slack Despite their frustration, most Republicans, 67%, say factors outside of Trump’s control are more to blame for high prices. “I think inflation is a very difficult thing to tackle,” said Fred Naumann, 51, a Republican and longtime Trump supporter who lives in Green Bay, Wisconsin. Though he would like to see interest rates come down, Naumann, who works in the automotive industry, supports tariffs and the war with Iran, believing it was necessary. Overall, however, most Americans, 69%, continue to say the war has not been worth fighting, up slightly from 64% in July. Only 28% approve of how Trump is handling Iran. Americans are also unhappy with Trump’s trade wars. Only about 3 in 10 U.S. adults approve of how he is handling trade negotiations with other countries, down from about 4 in 10 in March. And 64% say he has “gone too far” on imposing new tariffs on other countries, up from 58% in January. Overall, the picture is not better. Only about 3 in 10 Americans approve of how Trump is handling his job as president. And about 6 in 10 say the country as a whole is “much” or “somewhat” worse off than when he began his second term. The issue on which Trump maintains relative strength is border security, with about half of Americans saying they approve of his performance. Trump faces more blame than Biden did Trump’s low grade on the economy rivals Biden’s 28% approval rating in June 2022, when there was record-high inflation during the COVID-19 pandemic. But Americans were less likely to blame Biden in the lead-up to that year’s midterm elections, a sharp contrast with the solid majority who hold Trump responsible now. In October 2022, 44% of Americans said Biden’s policies were responsible for high prices, while 55% blamed factors outside of his control. Sanchez, a Republican who voted for Trump, blames him, at least in part. “I think he has a lot to do with it. This war in Iran, the tariffs that he’s placing on other countries, obviously are affecting us. Those two things are things he’s been directly involved in that directly affect the economy,” he said. “I think with Biden, a lot of the stuff was outside of his control. It was all the COVID and how that affected everything else. I don’t think that there was much that he could have done.” He had high hopes for Trump’s return. Now, things seem worse than under Biden.  

Russian President Vladimir Putin said Thursday that bloc confrontation and the West's pursuit of unilateral security advantages lie at the heart of the current global security crisis. Speaking at the plenary session of the 23rd annual meeting of the Valdai Discussion Club, he warned that rhetoric seeking a "strategic defeat" of Russia carries severe risks of pushing the conflict into its most brutal phase. Putin said the West had for years nurtured aggressive nationalism and Russophobia in Ukraine, seeking to turn the country into a geopolitical instrument against Russia. Moscow's actions were a response to tangible threats to its own security, he said. The path out of conflict lies not in defeating one side, but in mutual compromise and a restored stable balance of forces, he said, adding that Europe must abandon bloc thinking and return to the principle of equal and indivisible security. On world order, Putin stated the old unipolar system is collapsing and the world is becoming multipolar. Western nations must adapt to this reality and cooperate while respecting the core interests of most countries, he said. He added that international relations require adherence not merely to written law, but also the spirit of law, established customs and moral restraints. Systematic breach of obligations and the transformation of diplomatic dialogue into propaganda erode the foundations of coexistence between states, he said. Putin said Russia stands ready to work with other nations to draw a roadmap toward a more stable multipolar international order. Founded in 2004, the Valdai Discussion Club held annual forum this year in Moscow under the theme: "Responsibility for the Future: Limits of the Possible, or Limitless Possibilities?" It gathered around 120 delegates from 40 countries and regions. 

Upgrading Air Logistics Services by Enhancing Quality and Security - Nippon Express Bangladesh Ltd. (hereinafter "NX Bangladesh"), a group company of NIPPON EXPRESS HOLDINGS, INC., has opened a new air freight handling facility -- Nippon Express Bangladesh Air Freight CFS -- in Bangladesh’s Gazipur District, marking the occasion with an opening ceremony held on Wednesday, September 16. With exports of apparel and other goods on the rise, Bangladesh is seeing growing demand for air freight logistics services offering higher standards of quality control and security. Against the backdrop of this expanding logistics demand, NX Bangladesh has opened a new facility and consolidated its hitherto separately managed warehouse operations therein with the aim of improving air cargo handling quality and streamlining operations. Features - Favorable location near the airport; integrated management system Located approximately 10 km from Dhaka International Airport, the facility handles everything from cargo receiving to exterior inspection, weighing, labeling and conveyance to the airport under an integrated management system.

The identity and motive of an Omani copilot accused of stabbing the captain of a FlyDubai flight remained unclear Thursday as investigators worked to determine what caused the incident that sent the plane into a steep descent and forced it to land in Saudi Arabia. The Boeing 737 was carrying 174 people from Dubai, United Arab Emirates, to Tel Aviv when the incident occurred. Israeli passengers said the injured Indian captain managed to open the cockpit door, allowing them to enter and restrain the copilot. The plane reportedly descended from 33,000 feet to 17,000 feet in about a minute. Passenger Asaf Rajuan said the situation left them feeling helpless but that they acted instinctively to survive. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the copilot had been arrested. Video recorded inside the plane by dentist Shota Musayev, who treated the captain, showed the suspect on his knees with his hands tied behind his back. Saudi and UAE authorities have provided few details, saying investigations are underway. Saudi Arabia's lack of diplomatic relations with Israel could complicate cooperation between the countries. Capt. Smit Machchhar, who has been praised for his actions during the incident, was in stable condition, according to the Indian Embassy in Saudi Arabia. The condition of the copilot was not immediately known. Netanyahu said the suspect was an Omani national and was being questioned in Saudi Arabia. He said it was too early to determine whether Iran had any involvement and that Israel had received no specific warning about the incident. US President Donald Trump said he discussed the incident with Netanyahu and suggested the copilot could have been a terrorist, though no motive had been established. Netanyahu said the UAE president, Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, agreed that Israeli investigators could participate in questioning the suspect. Israel's Foreign Ministry said passengers included citizens of Israel, India and the UAE, while the US State Department said four passengers were American citizens. FlyDubai said it would suspend flights to and from Israel. The flight had left Dubai about two and a half hours earlier when it suddenly descended before making an erratic turn near the Jordanian border. It eventually landed in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia, about an hour later, according to Flightradar24. Philip Kean, head of the New Zealand flight school where Machchhar trained, described the safe landing as "miraculous," saying the aircraft was not designed to withstand such a steep descent. A person who heard the plane's communication with air traffic controllers said the aircraft was initially turned away by Saudi Arabia and Jordan before being allowed to land in Tabuk. The person said the pilot issued a "mayday" call and reported a hijacking, while passengers could be heard screaming in the background. The person spoke anonymously because they were not authorized to discuss the communications publicly.

Russia's new jet-powered drones are challenging Ukraine's air defenses by flying at speeds of hundreds of kilometers per hour, leaving crews only seconds to detect and intercept them. As more drones reach Kyiv, Ukrainian defense companies are racing to develop faster interceptors using new propulsion systems and artificial intelligence. The urgency has grown as Russia increases attacks on infrastructure supporting Ukraine's war-hit economy, including energy facilities, railways, telecommunications networks, industries, gas stations and grain exports. Russia's ballistic missiles are another concern as Ukraine faces shortages of interceptor missiles. Kyiv is increasingly experiencing conditions similar to a front-line city, with explosions heard day and night and residents seeking shelter from attacks. Ukrainian officials say new interceptors have successfully hit some jet-powered drones, which fly higher and faster than conventional propeller-driven models. Volodymyr Serdiuk, commander of an air-defense unit, said the drones move so quickly that crews often cannot properly lock onto them. His team begins its night shift at 8 p.m., monitoring radar and using heavy machine guns and other weapons. But the drones often fly too high and fast to be effectively targeted. Ukraine also uses electronic warfare and artificial intelligence to guide drones into narrower flight paths, giving interceptors a better chance of reaching them. However, the fastest Ukrainian interceptors generally travel at 300 to 400 kph, making it difficult to counter the newest Shahed-type drones. Ukrainian crews are training with a new interceptor designed to reach higher speeds while preventing its batteries from overheating. F-16 fighter jets can also intercept the fastest drones, but many require maintenance. Meanwhile, Ukrainian defense manufacturers are working to expand interceptor production. Oleksii Babenko, CEO of Vyriy Drones, said companies are developing faster interceptors, new propulsion systems and autonomous guidance technology. He estimated that scaling up production could take three to four months, while military analyst Taras Chmut said it could take six months or longer.

Britain and France have ended a pilot program designed to reduce the number of migrants crossing the English Channel in small boats, the British government said Wednesday. The Home Office said in a statement that the so-called "one in, one out" arrangement is no longer accepting new cases. Under the agreement, migrants who reached Britain after crossing the Channel could be detained and returned to France. In return, an equivalent number of asylum seekers who had applied through legal and safe routes could be transferred to Britain. About 1,500 people have been returned to France under the arrangement, while slightly fewer have been transferred to the UK. The agreement was initially intended to run for three years but included a provision allowing either side to end it early. "We continue to work with France to relentlessly tackle small boat crossings, and we've made real progress," the Home Office said. Although the program has ended, deportation flights will continue in the coming weeks for people who have already been detained under the scheme. The situation has changed significantly compared with last year, with small boat crossings falling to a five-year low this year. The decline has been attributed partly to increased police patrols and stronger surveillance in northern France. Around 19,000 people have crossed the Channel so far this year, about 40% fewer than during the same period last year. The dangers of the journey were highlighted Monday when a 10-year-old child and two women reportedly died after being trampled on a boat carrying more than 100 people. Cooperation between Britain and France on preventing small boat crossings weakened after the UK's departure from the European Union in 2020. However, the two countries have reached several agreements in recent years aimed at addressing the issue. Small boat crossings have become a major political issue in Britain. Public frustration over successive governments' efforts to control the crossings has contributed to protests and riots and helped fuel support for the right-wing Reform UK party.

An Indian airline captain has been praised for his bravery after a copilot allegedly stabbed him during a FlyDubai flight bound for Israel, prompting passengers and crew to intervene and helping prevent a possible disaster. Capt. Smit Machchhar, from Mumbai, was seriously injured while flying the Boeing 737 from Dubai, United Arab Emirates, to Tel Aviv, Israel, on Wednesday. Witnesses and Israeli authorities said the aircraft descended sharply as the incident unfolded and passengers rushed into the cockpit to restrain the attacker. The flight, carrying 174 people, was diverted and made an emergency landing in Tabuk, northwestern Saudi Arabia. Machchhar was taken to a hospital and was in stable condition, the Indian Embassy in Riyadh said Wednesday night. Embassy officials were in contact with his family and Saudi authorities. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi praised Machchhar as a hero on Thursday, saying he showed "immense courage" despite being seriously injured and helped protect the lives of others. Little information is publicly available about Machchhar. His LinkedIn profile says he has worked for FlyDubai for about four years. Before that, he spent 11 years with Indian low-cost carrier SpiceJet, where he served as a senior commander and line training captain. He has more than 9,750 hours of flying experience, according to the profile. Machchhar is married with two children. He trained at Mainland Air in Dunedin, New Zealand, for 18 months from 2008, the school's CEO Philip Kean told 1News. Kean said Machchhar performed well during his training and later returned to India, where he worked as a recruiter for the school. "We're all very proud of him here and wish him a speedy recovery," Kean said. SpiceJet also praised Machchhar's "heroic courage" and "selfless actions" in a post on X, calling him a hero. The incident prompted a major security response in Israel, with fighter jets scrambled amid concerns that the plane could have been hijacked. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the attacker, identified as an Omani national, was arrested in Saudi Arabia and was being questioned there. His motive was not immediately known. Netanyahu also praised Machchhar's bravery, saying the captain fought back after being stabbed, opened the cockpit door and helped passengers and crew restrain the attacker. "He saved the lives of 174 people, including Israeli citizens and other nationals," Netanyahu wrote on X. In Ghatkopar East, the Mumbai neighborhood where Machchhar's family lives, neighbors described him as easy-going and praised his courage. "He has a lot of bravery in him," said neighbor Ami Sapani.