AGRA: In a heart-warming gesture, a 26-year-old groom from Muzaffarnagar refused a dowry of Rs 31 lakh and accepted only Rs 1 as shagun. Guests said the 24-year-old bride, who lost her father during the Covid pandemic, and her family had arranged the money neatly on a ceremonial plate during the tilak ceremony. But the groom bowed before it and returned it, saying, “I have no right to take this. This is the bride’s father’s hard-earned money. I cannot accept it.” His quiet act of resistance against the age-old practice initially left the gathering stunned before it drew resounding appreciation.

The groom’s parents supported his decision, while the bride’s family expressed deep gratitude. The wedding proceeded with renewed warmth as rituals, including the ‘jaimala’ and ‘kanyadaan’, were performed. The bride later left for her new home with smiles and dignity, as villagers praised the groom’s stand as a strong message against dowry and a step toward equality in marriage.Locals said Awadhesh Rana’s public return of the money, with folded hands, has become the talk of the district — a symbolic rebuke to dowry seekers. “Their wedding has now become a widely celebrated example of rejecting harmful social customs,” a villager said.Speaking to TOI on Thursday, Awadhesh, a cosmetics businessman from Nagwa village, reiterated his stance, saying, “During our wedding on Nov 22, my wife Aditi Singh’s family was giving Rs 31 lakh as dowry, but we returned it because we are against the dowry system.”Aditi’s mother, Seema Devi, originally from Saharanpur’s Rankhandi village, lost her husband, Sunil Singh, during the Covid pandemic. Since then, Aditi and her brother Anubhav have been living with their maternal grandfather, Sukhpal Singh, in Shahabuddinpur village. Aditi completed her MSc before her grandfather arranged her marriage with Awadhesh.

The 28th match of the Women’s Big Bash League 2025 pits Melbourne Renegades Women against Melbourne Stars Women at Junction Oval, Melbourne, on November 29, starting at 9:40 AM local time. Renegades sit third on the points table with 4 wins from 7 games and a net run rate of +0.570, while Stars hold second place with 4 wins from 6 completed matches and a superior +2.152 NRR. This Melbourne derby follows Renegades’ recent four-wicket loss to Perth Scorchers, contrasting Stars’ strong run including a 37-run victory over Hobart Hurricanes.​

Renegades started with back-to-back wins but have stumbled, losing three of their last five, though they hold a key edge having chased 142 in 18.5 overs to beat Stars earlier this season by four wickets. Stars boast four wins in five post their rain-affected opener, with recent triumphs like an 18-run win over Brisbane Heat showcasing batting depth. Key for Renegades will be bouncing back at home, where they recently fell short chasing 150 against Scorchers.

MR-W vs MS-W, WBBL|11: Match details

• Date and Time: November 29; 09:40 am IST/ 04:10 am GMT/ 03:10 pm Local
• Venue: Junction Oval, Melbourne

MR-W vs MS-W, Head-to-Head Record in WBBL

Matches played: 21 | Melbourne Stars won: 07 | Melbourne Renegades won: 11 | No result: 03

Junction Oval Pitch Report

The Junction Oval in Melbourne is known for its batting-friendly surface, providing consistent bounce and good carry that support fluent stroke play. Batters generally enjoy favourable conditions from the start of the match, enabling them to play aggressive shots and maintain steady scoring. While pacers may find some initial movement and bounce, the pitch tends to favour high-scoring contests as the game progresses. Its flatness and natural pace create an ideal platform for batters to dominate, although spinners can also become influential later in the innings with some turn. Overall, the pitch offers an exciting balance, presenting ample opportunities for both batters and bowlers to impact the match.

Squads

Melbourne Renegades Women: Davina Perrin, Courtney Webb, Alice Capsey, Deandra Dottin, Georgia Wareham(c), Nicole Faltum(w), Tess Flintoff, Naomi Stalenberg, Sarah Coyte, Milly Illingworth, Charis Bekker, Sophie Molineux, Issy Wong, Sara Kennedy, Emma de Broughe

Melbourne Stars Women: Annabel Sutherland (c), Amy Jones (wk), Sophie Day, Meg Lanning, Rhys McKenna, Georgia Prestwidge, Ella Hayward, Sophie Reid, Maisy Gibson, Danielle Gibson, Kim Garth, Marizanne Kapp, Sasha Moloney

Also READ: WBBL|11: Sophie Devine’s all-round show powers Perth Scorchers to a dominant win over Melbourne Renegades

MR-W vs MS-W, WBBL|11: Today’s Match Prediction

Case 1:

• Melbourne Stars Women wins the toss and bowls first
• Melbourne Renegades Women’s powerplay score: 40-50
• Melbourne Renegades Women’s total score: 160-170

Case 2:

• Melbourne Renegades Women wins the toss and bowls first
• Melbourne Stars Women’s powerplay score: 50-60
• Melbourne Stars Women’s total score: 180-190

Match result: Team bowling first to win the game.

Also WATCH: Linsey Smith’s stunning grab sends Sophie Molineux packing as Hobart Hurricanes topple Melbourne Renegades in WBBL|11

This article was first published at WomenCricket.com, a Cricket Times company.

Black Friday no longer pulls Americans from Thanksgiving dinners for midnight mall queues, but it still draws more in-store traffic than any other day of the year — and remains the unofficial start of the US holiday shopping season.This year’s kickoff came as US consumer confidence slipped following the federal government shutdown, weak hiring and stubborn inflation, according to The Conference Board, AP reported. Retailers say shoppers have grown more selective and deal-focused, even as they continue to spend on big seasonal moments, creating what executives describe as a “halo effect”.“Consumers have been saying the economy is terrible while continuing to spend for years now, so the outlook is probably better than they are telling us,” Bill Adams, chief economist at Comerica Bank, said ahead of Black Friday.At Macy’s Herald Square in New York City, early-morning crowds searched for steep discounts on shoes, clothing, linens and cosmetics after doors opened at 6 a.m. Footwear — marked down by 40–50% — was among the busiest sections. But unlike in past years, the atmosphere was calm.Veronica Nam, 68, picked up Nike sneakers for her husband and spent $256 on Lacoste bedding she estimated was half-price. She said she would wait until after Christmas to buy gifts for other relatives amid fluctuating tariffs under President Donald Trump and several years of elevated prices. “Food is very expensive,” she said.Nearby, 19-year-old Nicholas Menasche was shopping with his mother before heading to Best Buy for video games. The banking intern plans to spend around $1,200 this holiday season — roughly the same as last year. “I’m here to buy stuff. Shoes and clothes,” he said. “It’s a great tradition. The stores are open really early.”Retailers spent spring and summer navigating tariff unpredictability, shifting shipments ahead of import taxes and absorbing some costs to avoid raising prices. Circana data showed 40% of general merchandise in September saw price hikes of at least 5% versus early 2025. Toys, housewares, baby products and sports gear were especially affected; 83% of toys saw at least a 5% price rise. Nearly 80% of US toy sales involve items made in China — a sector hit with steep Trump-era tariffs.Still, malls and analysts reported strong momentum heading into Black Friday. At Minnesota’s Mall of America, foot traffic has exceeded 2019 pre-pandemic levels in recent weeks, said Jill Renslow, the mall’s chief business development and marketing officer. “We’re seeing a very positive start to the holiday season,” she said. “The last few Saturdays in November have been very strong.”Online spending is also growing briskly. Between Nov. 1 and Nov. 23, consumers spent $79.7 billion, Adobe Analytics said — up 7.5% from a year earlier and ahead of its 5.3% forecast.Mastercard SpendingPulse projects holiday sales from Nov. 1 to Dec. 24 will rise 3.6%, compared with last year’s 4.1%.“Clearly, there’s uncertainty,” Mastercard Chief Economist Michelle Meyer said. “Clearly, consumers feel on edge. But at the moment, it doesn’t seem like it’s changing how they are showing up for this season.”

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Umran Malik (Photo by Hannah Peters/Getty Images)

After recovering from injury, fast bowler Umran Malik is eager to return to the Indian cricket team. He relies on his natural ability to bowl at speeds exceeding 150 kmph, along with newly developed skills like slower deliveries and improved yorkers.Malik has been absent from the Indian team since July 2023 after taking 24 wickets in 10 ODIs and 8 T20Is. Despite the setbacks, he maintains a positive outlook.“Let me tell you one thing. Those who bowl 150 are not strike bowlers; they are attacking bowlers. They will be hit for 30 (runs) in four (overs) but will also give you wickets. A fast bowler is like that. He should know what he has to do,” Umran told select media after J&K’s Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy match against Uttar Pradesh.“A bowler who bowls at 150 knows that he is a king and he has to back himself. Not everyone can bowl 150kph. It takes real guts to bowl at 150kph and I have been doing this for the last five years.”“Bowling 150kph is an art, you can’t go directly from 137 to 145. Do training, do whatever you want — this is natural, this is all natural. You need to train yourself accordingly, eat properly, rest properly, keep your body fresh so that you’re ready for the process tomorrow. Speed is my natural aspect, how can I compromise on that? Training, running, cardio –you have to maintain. There is no special diet. Pace is my strength. I have to regain my strength.”Umran has faced multiple injuries and illness but never lost confidence in his abilities.“It is not that I will feel bad mentally. I know that I will do well now. I will come back to the India team. I have confidence in myself because I am the only one who bowls at 150. But now I am bowling slower (balls) as well, which I am working on, and also the yorker. I am doing that in red-ball formats too, I’m working hard there. The rest is up to the selectors when they let me play. I am doing better now. Playing again for India is my aim now,” he continued.Despite strong competition in India’s white-ball bowling unit, Umran remains confident. “When I was playing earlier, there was this much competition. Now also the competition is the same. I don’t think there is any competition. When I am fully fit and take wickets like this, why won’t they let me play? They will let me play if I take wickets. That’s it,” he added.The 26-year-old pacer has set a straightforward goal of becoming J&K’s highest wicket-taker in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy.“I have a simple target: to play all matches (for his home state) and become the highest wicket-taker for my team in Syed Mushtaq Ali,” he stated.Umran has already claimed five wickets in two matches, including a 3/37 against UP where he dismissed key players with his pace.“Anyone can get injured. Any batsman, bowler, fielder, anyone can get injured. You just have to know how to get out of it,” he added.“I never think about my career. I think about what I have to do the next day, what training I have to do — bowling, batting, fielding. It’s all in God’s hands who has a career and who doesn’t.“If your mindset is stable, I think you will perform better after the injury. It feels good now that the ball is coming nicely out of my hand. When a bowler has full rhythm after an injury, I think it is best for him. I think injury also teaches you a lot of things… your mindset, your body, what to do. If we play cricket for 10 years, there will be injuries. You have to keep your mindset strong. You have to keep those people with you who are positive. You have to stay away from negative people during an injury.”He dismisses concerns about losing pace with age, adding, “You can never bowl at 150 directly. You can bowl 138, 140, 142. It starts like that. I think that as long as I play, I should be positive. I don’t want to show pace to anyone. I want to show my wickets. Even if I bowl from 150 to 140 after 10 years, it doesn’t mean that I will bowl from 150 to 135 or 130.”Regarding his red-ball cricket aspirations, Umran remains open to all formats: “There is nothing different. Yes, I am ready to play in all formats.”

Dana White drops big UFC 324 announcement as major title fights land in Las Vegas (Image Via Getty)

Dana White surprised fans on Thursday night when he announced a huge lineup for UFC 324, which will take place on January 24, 2026, at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. He revealed the matchups during half-time of the Chiefs vs Cowboys Thanksgiving game on CBS, sharing the full card live on national television.The interim lightweight title bout between Paddy Pimblett and Justin Gaethje grabbed most headlines. Dana White also affirmed that Amanda Nunes will return from retirement to face Kayla Harrison, while Sean O’Malley will battle Song Yadong in a critical bantamweight bout. The news came only a few hours after lightweight champion Ilia Topuria quit the sport to pay attention to a family issue.Justin Gaethje and Paddy Pimblett headline UFC 324 as Amanda Nunes and Sean O’Malley join the cardOn January 24, 2026, in Las Vegas, Dana White said during the CBS broadcast that Justin Gaethje and Paddy Pimblett would compete for the interim lightweight title.He said, “This event starts our new deal with Paramount, and it is packed with champions.” As part of the new deal, the main card will now begin at 9 p.m. ET, one hour earlier than past events.This fight became possible after Ilia Topuria announced on Thursday afternoon on X that he will not compete in the first quarter of 2026. Topuria wrote that he is “going through a difficult moment” and wants to “focus on my children.” With the champion out, Gaethje and Pimblett were the clear choices to compete for the interim title. Pimblett is on a strong win streak after beating Michael Chandler, while Gaethje last fought when he defeated Rafael Fiziev.The card grows even stronger with Amanda Nunes returning to face Kayla Harrison for the women’s bantamweight title. Nunes has not fought since she retired in June 2023, shortly after her win over Julianna Peña. Dana White called her “the greatest female fighter ever” and said this is “the biggest women’s fight we have seen.”Sean O’Malley will return to the cage two losses to Merab Dvalishvili, including a unanimous decision at UFC 306 and a submission loss in June, would help. He will meet Song Yadong, still among the most active competitors in the category. As the victor of Gaethje versus Pimblett meets Topuria once he returns to action, lightweight stars Arman Tsarukyan, Charles Oliveira, and Max Holloway will watch carefully.Also Read: Dana White’s Bold UFC White House Choice Sparks Questions As MMA Icon Gets Sidelined

Mumbai: A city district consumer commission recently ordered Niva Bupa Health Insurance Company Limited to reimburse Rs 66.50 lakh to a Juhu resident for an overseas cancer claim, ruling that the company was guilty of deficiency in service and unfair trade practice. The commission held that the insurer had wrongfully cancelled the policy based on an alleged non-disclosure of the pre-existing condition Asthma, which bore no medical nexus to the claimant’s life-threatening cancer diagnosis. “The opposite party has failed to prove that the illness, asthma, had any nexus to the colo-rectal cancer treatment for which the claim arises, or that disclosure would have altered the opposite party’s decision to provide overseas cover. The opposite party has therefore failed to discharge its onus that the non-disclosure of illness of asthma was a suppression of material fact to the risk of cancer treatment overseas,” the Mumbai Suburban District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission said. The complaint was submitted in 2022.The commission further said that the insurance company’s conduct of arbitrary cancellation of policy and subsequent refusal to allow cashless pre-authorization, thereby forcing the complainant to incur or seek reimbursement for overseas medical expenses had caused financial loss and mental trauma during active cancer treatment. These acts amount to deficiency of service and unfair trade practice, the commission said.The complainant, Alok Bector, had purchased the comprehensive “Heartbeat-Family First Platinum Policy” in 2017, which offered worldwide coverage, including the USA. In August 2018, during the policy’s subsistence, he was diagnosed with colo-rectal cancer, prompting him to seek advanced treatment in the United States. Following his diagnosis, the insurance company repudiated his claim and attempted to cancel the policy by citing his failure to disclose his history of asthma. The company was also ordered to pay Rs 40,000 as compensation.The commission said the wrongful cancellation had been previously settled by the Ombudsman in March 2020. The company, according to the Commission, failed to prove that the non-disclosure of asthma was a suppression of a material fact that would have impacted the risk associated with overseas cancer treatment.The dispute over Bector’s subsequent claim, which amounted to over Rs 88 lakh for his treatment at the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Research Centre, was rejected by the insurer on procedural grounds. It was argued that the policy mandated all overseas claims for specified illnesses must be processed via a cashless facility (pre-authorization), not reimbursement.However, the commission rejected this defence. It observed that the insurer’s own wrongful act of cancelling the policy in Dec 2019—even before Bector could obtain pre-authorization—made the cashless option impossible to pursue. The policy was eventually renewed, but the company’s action had already forced Bector to incur expenses and seek reimbursement.Regarding jurisdiction, the company had contended that the claim amount of over Rs 1 crore exceeded the district commission’s limit. The commission clarified that under the Consumer Protection Act, jurisdiction is determined by the value of the consideration paid, which in this case was the cumulative premium amount of less than Rs 50 lakh.Advocate Rohit Lalwani and Sajal Khan, representing the complainant, stated, “The Commission’s order underscores the importance of consistent policy enforcement. Once a cancellation of the policy is declared unjustified, the insurer cannot rely on resulting procedural gaps to deny coverage. While insurers are entitled to enforce policy conditions, such conditions cannot be applied in a manner that is unfair to the Insured Party and is evidently being cited only as a technicality to avoid honouring the claim.“