Latest news with #Melchior
Hans India
17-06-2025
- General
- Hans India
Melchior assumes charge as ALC principal
Vijayawada: Andhra Loyola College (ALC) marked a significant transition on Monday as Fr Dr S Melchior assumed office as the new Principal during the annual faculty orientation programme held at the seminar hall here. Correspondent Fr Dr M Sagayaraj welcomed Fr Melchior, commending his unwavering dedication to Jesuit education. Fr Melchior brings a wealth of experience, holding postgraduate degrees in Management and Psychology, and a Ph D in Human Resource Management. His extensive prior roles at ALC include Vice-Principal for six years, Director of ALCAA, Sports Director, Secretary of Loyola Society, Hostel Warden, and Professor of Management. Speaking on the occasion, Fr Melchior emphasised the core Jesuit educational pillars: value-based learning, academic excellence, and holistic formation. He urged faculty to nurture students in line with the Jesuit ideal of 'cura personalis' – care for the whole person – to foster ethical, purposeful, and socially responsible graduates. He also outlined plans for collaborative initiatives with premier Jesuit institutions both in India and abroad, envisioning growth through strategic partnerships. Rector Fr Dr PR John, chairman of the Staff Association Dr G Sahaya Baskaran, Academic Officer of APSCHE Srirangamand Dean of Student Activities Dr L Subha also participated.
Russia Today
15-02-2025
- Politics
- Russia Today
Ukrainian F-16 downed by friendly fire
Ukraine may have accidentally shot down one of its own F-16 fighter jets due to the Biden administration's decision to withhold critical coordination technology, according to a column by a member of The Wall Street Journal's editorial board on Friday. The crash in late August killed Ukrainian pilot Aleksey Mes, 30, who had recently returned from training in Denmark. The General Staff of the Ukrainian Armed Forces said at the time that an F-16 fighter jet had crashed while repelling a Russian missile attack. Moscow did not comment on the incident. An investigation is ongoing. The crash is likely to have been a case of friendly fire involving Ukraine's western-provided Patriot air defense system, columnist Jillian Kay Melchior claimed, citing a Ukrainian lawmaker and other sources, who spoke on condition of anonymity. READ MORE: French jets will swiftly be shot down if flown by Ukraine – Rostec The allegation was first made by Ukrainian lawmaker Maryana Bezuglaya days after the crash. Melchior cited a source with firsthand knowledge of the investigation as saying that physical evidence at the crash site suggested the jet was shot down by a missile. According to Melchior, the Biden administration withheld the Link 16 tactical network, a key technology that helps ground-based air defense systems distinguish between friendly and enemy aircraft. Link 16 provides real-time situational awareness by connecting all network members, including aircraft, ground units, and air defense. Neither Ukraine's F-16s nor its Patriot systems were equipped with Link 16 when the jets arrived in Ukraine in mid-2024, the column noted. 'Link 16 is such a vital and sensitive tool that the US might have been reluctant to provide it – in keeping with the abundance of caution that characterized the Biden administration's Ukraine policy.' While the US has been one of Ukraine's largest military backers, delivery of advanced weaponry was often delayed over concerns about escalating the conflict with Russia. Washington initially hesitated to provide long-range missiles, advanced air defense systems, and fighter jets, only to approve their transfer after months of debate. The F-16s, delivered to Kiev by Denmark and the Netherlands, were seen as a potential game-changer. However, their effectiveness has been limited by outdated radar systems and the absence of Link 16. Ukraine has received fewer than 20 F-16s so far, and the crash in August was the first reported loss of one of the aircraft. READ MORE: NATO F-16 pilot killed in Russian strike – TASS Last year, Russian President Vladimir Putin said that F-16s would not be able to change the situation on the battlefield. If the jets are used against Russia from airfields in third countries, Moscow will consider them legitimate targets for its armed forces, he warned.
