Top news today evening: Ukrainian airliner crash kills 176, Delhi Police identifies some of JNU attackers, and more

Ukrainian airliner crash: All 176 onboard killed, Iran finds black boxes 

A Ukrainian airliner crashed and burst into flames shortly after take-off from Tehran early on Wednesday, killing all 176 people on board. Debris and smouldering parts from the Boeing 737, which carrier Ukraine International Airlines said was last serviced two days ago, were strewn across a field southwest of the Iranian capital as rescue workers with face masks retrieved bodies.

Bharat Bandh: Violence, arson across Bengal, 55 arrested in Kolkata 

Protesters on Wednesday hit the road across the country as trade unions called for a day-long strike as part of a Bharat bandh call. In West Bengal, incidents of violence and arson were reported from various parts and PTI reported that around 55 people have been arrested from Kolkata as trade union activists along with Left and Congress supporters picketed in support of the 24-hour general strike against the “anti-people” policies.

Opinion | Friendship and progress 

Divisions, tensions and violence between groups and sects that political separatists promote not only damage our social lives, but also work as barriers to intellectual progress within as well as across nations. This isolationist view of the progress of knowledge is fundamentally defective, writes Nobel laureate Amartya Sen.

Explained: Key facts about US’s al-Asad air base in Iraq, attacked by Iran 

Iran launched missile attacks on US-led forces in Iraq early on Wednesday, including the al-Asad air base, in retaliation for the US drone strike on an Iranian commander whose killing raised fears of a wider Middle East conflict. The attacks came hours after US Defense Secretary Mark Esper said the United States should expect retaliation over the US killing of Iranian military commander Qassem Soleimani in a drone strike in Iraq on Friday.

Kangana Ranaut: Chhapaak is a tight slap on the face of perpetrators 

Kangana Ranaut has lauded team Chhapaak, including director Meghna Gulzar and actor Deepika Padukone, for weaving a film on the subject of acid attacks. Sharing how the film brings back memories of an acid attack on her sister Rangoli Chandel, Kangana said Chhapaak would help in curbing the open sale of acid in India.

Virat Kohli retains top spot; Marnus Labuschagne grabs career-best third-place 

India skipper Virat Kohli retained his top spot among batsmen while Cheteshwar Pujara and Ajinkya Rahane slipped in the latest ICC Test rankings issued on Wednesday. Australia’s Marnus Labuschagne grabbed a career-best third place thanks to a string of good knocks since December 2019.