Eighteen members of a family were among at least 45 Umrah pilgrims from Hyderabad charred early Monday in a bus inferno triggered by a highway collision with a fuel tanker while travelling from Mecca to Medina in Saudi Arabia. Mohammed Shoeb, the lone pilgrim to survive, escaped because he was seated beside the driver when the bus burst into flames after ramming into the tanker around 1.30am (11pm IST). Both men broke through a window and jumped. Hyderabad police commissioner V C Sajjanar said the 46 passengers were part of a 54-member group that flew from the city to Saudi Arabia on Nov 9. They were to return on Nov 23 after visiting Islam’s holiest site. “Four members of the group hired a car to travel to Medina after completing Umrah rituals. Another four stayed back in Mecca,” Sajjanar said. The victims include 22 women and 11 children. Shoeb, whose brother also travelled to Saudi Arabia for the pilgrimage but wasn’t on the bus, remains in intensive care at Saudi German Hospital with injuries to his arms and legs. “I spoke to Shoeb. Going by what he said, some passengers were asleep during the crash. He was lucky to be in the cabin with the driver,” his sibling, Mohammed Sameer, told TOI over phone. Telangana govt to send team to Saudi to coordinate relief

“It is unclear if the tanker hit the vehicle while it was moving or was stationary.”Sameer and his family landed in Jeddah three days after the rest of the pilgrims and are yet to finish their Mecca rituals. PM Modi condoled the deaths in a post on X. “Deeply saddened by the accident in Medinah involving Indian nationals. My thoughts are with the families who have lost their loved ones. I pray for the swift recovery of all those injured. Our embassy in Riyadh and consulate in Jeddah are providing all possible assistance,” he wrote.Telangana govt has decided to depute a team, led by its minorities welfare minister Mohammad Azharuddin, to Saudi Arabia to coordinate relief efforts. Announcing ex gratia of Rs 5 lakh each to the kin of those who died, the govt said it would help arrange the funerals of the deceased in Saudi in accordance with traditions. Two members of each affected family would be flown to Saudi, it said. “The bodies were charred beyond recognition. DNA tests are also likely to be conducted to identify the victims,” said Azharuddin, adding a control room had been set up at Haj House (numbers 79979 59754/99129 19545) to provide more information to families of victims. The minister reaffirmed the state govt, in coordination with the foreign ministry and Saudi authorities, was making all possible efforts to provide assistance, guidance, and necessary support to the families. Police and govt officials, who are in contact with authorities in Saudi, said the Al-Makkah Travels-owned bus was about 25km short of its destination when the fatal crash occurred.Saudi authorities have started investigating the circumstances that led to the accident. In a 2023 report, the UN pointed out that Saudi had a high road fatality rate compared to other high-income countries. Transporting worshippers around Saudi’s holy sites has frequently proven dangerous, particularly during Haj, when roads can be chaotic with buses creating interminable traffic jams, sources said.

BENGALURU: IT and BPM firms are accelerating the use of advanced productivity tools that provide clients with real-time operational insights. Many of these tools include built-in time tracking, analyse workforce patterns, and proactively flag inefficiencies in performance trends. Tracking workforce productivity has been part of industry routines, largely at the clients’ behest, as companies seek to monitor billable employees and maintain effective oversight. Cognizant, Wipro, and LTIMindtree are using workforce management platform ProHance’s productivity solutions selectively, tailoring deployment to client requirements to shape project outcomes in hybrid work models. Meanwhile, TCS, French IT major Capgemini, and HCLTech are understood to rely on Sapience to gauge employee productivity, engagement, and performance, giving team leaders data-driven insights to strengthen overall efficiency. Many firms use multiple tools to track workforce efficiency. Capgemini employees log their work hours through an electronic timesheet application and Sapience Buddy, which captures data on work patterns and productivity, sources told TOI. Emails sent to TCS, Wipro, HCLTech, LTIMindtree, and Capgemini did not elicit responses till the time of going to press. Recent media reports also noted that a ProHance case study claimed Cognizant saved approximately $8 million in a year through the use of its productivity software.When TOI reached out to Cognizant, its spokesperson said, “We occasionally use various productivity measurement tools, a common industry practice, in selecting business process management or intuitive operations & automation projects, at the request of customers The purpose of these tools is to help better understand the client process steps and related time metrics to assess process design inefficiencies as part of the process transformation efforts. These tools are not designed or used to track or evaluate the individual performance of employees. Also, tools are used after obtaining the consent of employees, and it is made clear that these are not used for performance evaluation. Additionally, these tools have no impact on the composition of teams engaged in these projects, and any suggestion to the contrary is incorrect.” Cognizant also uses the D+ Scorecard, which generates performance scores for business unit heads across delivery, practice, and transformation teams, while Ideabox captures comprehensive initiative details-including timelines, stages, nominees, approvers, and expected benefits and dollar savings. During the pandemic, many firms adopted AI tools to monitor the productivity of remote employees and prevent fraud-efforts aimed at boosting client confidence.

MUMBAI: A 27-year-old French national was molested by a scooterist on a Bandra West road a little after midnight recently.

French woman’s molester held within 24 hrs of plaint

The woman, working with the French consulate here for some time, was walking back to her place after visiting a friend at Pali Hill, just around a km away, when the scooterist started following her. He suddenly stopped next to her, molested her and sped away, police said.

While the incident happened around 12.25am on Nov 8, the consulate filed a complaint on Nov 14. Investigators reviewed over 50 CCTV recordings from the spot before identifying the suspect, Sunil Waghela (25). Based on the scooter’s registration number, Khar cops arrested him from his home, around 100m from Dharavi police station, Saturday night, less than 24 hours after the French consulate filed a complaint.As he is a scrap dealer from Dharavi, police are looking into whether he was stalking her, and what he was doing in Bandra at that late hour.“A few CCTV footage retrieved from the spot were overwritten, but we managed to retrieve footage of Waghela following the woman on a scooter. He stopped next to her and then sped away after molesting her,” said an officer from Khar police station. “It is suspected he had been stalking her for a few days.”An FIR was registered against the accused under BNS Section 74 for assault or criminal force to woman with intent to outrage her modesty after the embassy coordinated with police on Nov 14.DCP (Zone IX) Dikshit Gedam formed a special team led by ACP Adikrao Pol, and comprising senior inspector Sanjeev Dhumal, inspector Vaibhav Katkar, assistant inspector Bharat Satpute, and sub-inspectors Hanumant Kumbhare and Manik Ghogare that laid a trap near his Dharavi residence.“Waghela was caught late on Saturday after tracking his movement using technical assistance. When he was being taken away, his family members, relatives and people from his community created a ruckus before they were cleared by the police team,” said the officer.Waghela was produced before the Sunday holiday court in Bandra, which remanded him in police custody till Monday.

As global storytelling leans deeper into the emotional complexities of childhood, a striking contradiction emerges in India as children are everywhere on screen, but nowhere in focus. International series like ‘Adolescence’ and ‘The Death of Bunny Monroe’ have placed teen performers at the emotional epicentre of stories about grief, masculinity, abuse, crime, and trauma. Indian cinema, however, continues to treat children as figures confined to the fringes of the plot, but rarely ever the driving force.This debate exploded into public view after the Kerala State Film Awards chose not to honour any children’s films or child actors for the second year in a row. The jury argued that the entries used children merely as ‘visual elements’. This comes at a time when 15-year-old British newcomer, Owen Cooper, rewrote Emmy history for portraying a boy accused of murder in the four-part drama series ‘Adolescence’.

How global shows are rewriting the rules

For British writer Pete Jackson, placing children inside very adult material isn’t a provocation, but rather a mirror. Speaking to ETimes about why he gravitates toward young perspectives in heavy narratives like ‘Somewhere Boy’ and ‘The Death of Bunny Monroe’, Jackson offers a rather candid explanation, saying, “I wanted to explore this idea that there are no monsters.”

Jackson explains, “Our relationships with our own fathers and then our relationships with our own children are endlessly complex… There’s no monsters, you know. The world is only full of people trying their absolute best and usually getting it terribly wrong.”Jackson in his work refuses to smother the emotional violence of families. Instead, he asks audiences to experience the world as wide-eyed children, confused and powerless as adults go about making catastrophic choices that shape their realities.This approach would be nothing if not with extraordinary performers, like young Raphael Mathe, who plays Bunny Jr. Praising the young talent, Jackson says, “He’s just such a great actor… Bunny Jr’s an observer, and his journey is so complex. Rapha pulled that off. He was an absolute joy to work with.”Co-director Isabella Eklöf echoes Pete’s sentiments for the young star. She says, “Raphael is an extremely talented actor and a very sensitive boy. You can see everything in his eyes, and that makes him an astonishing actor.”

Owen Cooper and the ‘Adolescence’ phenomenon

If 2025 had a breakout star, it was Owen Cooper, who, at 15 became the youngest actor in Emmy Award history to win Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie, for his devastating portrayal in ‘Adolescence’, a series built around a 13-year-old boy detained for murdering his classmate. The narrative unfolds in four long, single-take episodes that places the camera and the emotional burden, on the able shoulders of the child star.

Interestingly, the global reaction was euphoric. India, in particular, embraced the show, prompting filmmaker and leading man, Stephen Graham to express disbelief in an interview with Rolling Stone, “I got a text saying how big ‘Adolescence’ is in India. My first response was, ‘Hold on… did you say India?’ It’s produced an unbelievable ripple effect.”The reactions from Indian filmmakers were even more interesting, with Sudhir Mishra calling the show “the best news in years,” adding, “It violates every rule taught by bad script writing schools. It spirals down instead of soaring up.”Alia Bhatt called the series “truly perfection,” and filmmaker Karan Johar going a step further, calling it a “masterclass for parents”. In a lengthy social media post, he wrote, “Everything you do rubs off on your child. Adolescence is a wake-up call… the pandemic is NOW, and we just don’t see it.”Anurag Kashyap, meanwhile, paired his praise with criticism. He lauded the show saying, “I am numb and envious and jealous that someone can go and make that. The performances from the child actor Owen Cooper and Stephen Graham, who is not just playing the father but is also the co-creator of the show. The amount of hard work that has gone into the show. I can’t even imagine the rehearsals and prep they did so they could shoot every episode in a single shot.” However, he didn’t hold back on his criticism for the Indian branch of the streaming platform, saying, “How do we ever create something so powerful and honest with a bunch of the most dishonest and morally corrupt @netflix.in backed so strongly by the boss in LA?”

Meanwhile in India, children get left out of their own stories

Today’s most acclaimed adult dramas trust children with thematic weight that Indian filmmakers still hesitate to give them. As global television elevates childhood into a site of emotional truth, Indian cinema faces a crisis of representation, as highlighted by the Kerala State Film Awards.

“Just by casting children, it doesn’t become children’s cinema”, says Prakash Raj

Jury chairman Prakash Raj’s explanation for withholding the awards was direct, “We did not find a single film or even an attempt to make a children’s film… The child actors appeared out of sync with their age and were used merely as props.”This sparked immediate backlash. Devananda, acclaimed for ‘Malikappuram’, accused the jury of ignoring talent. He said, “They turned a blind eye to the upcoming generation. If those children had received the awards, it would have inspired many others.”

Questioning the double standards

Posting a still from ‘Sthanarthi Sreekuttan’, filmmaker Vinesh Viswanath noted the irony saying, “In a world of no worthy entries for Best Child Actor, they stand tall.”He asked , “Would they ever declare no award if they felt performances were subpar? The lack of limelight in children’s categories seems to make it easier to dismiss them.” He further emphasized that ‘Sthanarthi Sreekuttan’ hadn’t received certification as a children’s film from the Central Board of Film Certification, which may have impacted its eligibility. He called this “an outdated criterion” and insisted, “We need to rethink the parameters of what defines a children’s film today.”

Government’s response

Minister Saji Cheriyan defended the jury, saying only 10% of the 137 films met quality standards, but promised, “The government will hold discussions with industry stakeholders soon. If support is needed to promote films for children, we will provide it. There will definitely be awards in these categories next year.”

Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) underwent a significant squad overhaul ahead of IPL 2026 auction as part of owner Kavya Maran’s vision to rebuild the team for sustained success. The retention choices emphasize restructuring while focusing on core strengths and strategic auction flexibility.

SRH retain core players for IPL 2026

SRH retained a compact but effective core including skipper Pat Cummins, accomplished Indian all-rounder Nitish Kumar Reddy, T20 specialist Harshal Patel and Sri Lankan pace sensation Eshan Malinga. These retentions provide leadership, skill balance and a strong bowling attack foundation, crucial for SRH’s competitive aspirations.

The franchise made some bold calls by releasing seasoned campaigners including Adam Zampa, Mohammed Shami (traded to Lucknow Super Giants), and South Africa all-rounder Wiaan Mulder. This move aimed to free up a sizeable purse and reallocate resources towards younger, high-potential talent. Additionally, the decision to trade Shami reflects a long-term team planning approach, potentially increasing auction firepower.

SRH’s plan for IPL 2026 auction

SRH enters the IPL 2026 auction with a moderate purse balance, offering them enough flexibility to bid aggressively for promising domestic talent and suitable overseas options. Their goal is to balance experience and youth, fixing gaps identified in IPL 2025 through strategic auction purchases.

Also READ: IPL 2026 Retentions – Kavya Maran’s SRH react after trading Mohammed Shami to Lucknow Super Giants

Sunrisers Hyderabad: Retention, Release, Trade and Purse

Players released: Abhinav Manohar, Atharva Taide, Sachin Baby, Wiaan Mulder, Simarjeet Singh, Rahul Chahar, Adam Zampa, Mohammed Shami (traded to Lucknow Super Giants)

Players retained: Pat Cummins (captain), Abhishek Sharma, Heinrich Klaasen (wicket-keeper), Travis Head, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Ishan Kishan (wicket-keeper), Harshal Patel, Jaydev Unadkat, Aniket Verma, Kamindu Mendis, Eshan Malinga, Brydon Carse, Harsh Dubey, Smaran Ravichandran, Zeeshan Ansari

Purse remaining: INR 25.5 cr

Slots remaining: 10 (2 overseas)

Also READ: Kolkata Knight Riders: Full List of KKR Retentions, Releases, Remaining Slots & Purse | IPL 2026 Auction

Actress Mahima Chaudhry has emerged as a powerful advocate for women’s health, leveraging her personal journey as a breast cancer survivor to spread awareness about the life-saving importance of early detection. Speaking passionately at the Young Women Breast Cancer Conference 2025, the actress delivered a compelling call to action. In a recent event, she urged women across all age groups to make regular medical screenings a non-negotiable priority, emphasizing that vigilance and prompt checks are the most critical tools in the fight against the disease.

Mahima stresses that breast cancer often shows “no symptoms”

Speaking passionately at the Young Women Breast Cancer Conference 2025, Mahima recounted the moment her cancer was discovered in 2022, Mahima shared that her diagnosis came as a complete surprise. She explained that breast cancer can remain undetected without proper testing, no matter how healthy one feels or appears.

“There were no symptoms. I didn’t go in for a breast cancer screening. I just went in for a yearly check-up. I had no clue I had breast cancer. Cancer is something that you can’t recognize on your own early. It can only be detected early through tests. So if you keep going in for a yearly check-up, you will be able to detect it early and seek early treatment…” she told ANI on the sidelines of the event.

Mahima notes “huge difference” in cancer treatment today

Mahima also reflected on how much the healthcare landscape has evolved since her diagnosis. She pointed out improvements in affordability, access, and awareness, calling them encouraging signs for patients undergoing treatment now.“Since my diagnosis three to four years ago, there has been a huge difference in cancer treatment in India. Many generic medicines are much cheaper now, you get better support from pharmaceutical companies, and there’s much more awareness of cancer… I got a lot of motivation by hearing the stories of other people fighting strongly against cancer…” she said.

On the work front

Mahima was last seen in The Signature, starring alongside Anupam Kher. The film, produced by KC Bokadia and Anupam Kher Studio, centres on the story of Arvind (played by Kher), whose life is thrown into turmoil when his wife collapses just before a long-awaited trip.

Nearly one in four Indian enterprises has suffered losses of more than $ 1 million from cyber breaches in the past three years, according to PwC’s latest 2026 Global Digital Trust Insights survey. The exposure is particularly high among large firms, with the report noting that 45 per cent of companies earning $5 billion or more annually faced breaches costing at least $ 1 million.According to news agency PTI, cybersecurity spending is set to rise, with 87 per cent of Indian organisations planning to increase budgets over the next year. While this marks a slight dip from last year’s 93 per cent, PwC said it still indicates “a strong signal of sustained investment.” Nearly one-third of respondents expect to raise spending by more than 10 per cent, and 38 per cent anticipate hikes of 6–10 per cent.The survey, based on responses from 138 Indian business and technology executives, found AI leading budget priorities at 46 per cent, followed by cloud security at 33 per cent. PwC highlighted that “25 per cent of businesses say their most damaging data breach in the past three years cost their organisation at least $ 1 million.”Security leaders are increasingly turning to AI-enabled cyber defence, with 60 per cent prioritising AI threat-hunting capabilities and 47 per cent focusing on agentic AI, as per PTI. But talent shortages pose a major challenge: nearly 60 per cent of respondents cited limited expertise in using AI for cyber defence, while 50 per cent identified insufficient skills as the biggest internal roadblock to adopting AI for cybersecurity.Despite the constraints, organisations are responding proactively. According to PTI, companies are prioritising investments in AI and machine learning (61 per cent), consolidating security tools (51 per cent), deploying automation (49 per cent), and upskilling or reskilling staff (49 per cent) to strengthen cyber readiness.