BENGALURU: A 21-year-old woman was seriously injured after allegedly jumping from the fourth floor of a hotel in AECS Layout, Kundalahalli, early Sunday, shortly after police arrived in response to a complaint of nuisance.The incident has sparked allegations of police misconduct, including claims of videography and a demand for a bribe, which the cops have denied. The injured woman, Monisha (name changed), a resident of Kundalahalli Colony & a BBA graduate employed with a private firm, is undergoing treatment at a private hospital in Marathahalli after sustaining multiple injuries.

Police said a group of young men and women had checked into three rooms on the hotel’s 4th floor Saturday and allegedly consumed alcohol, played loud music and partied through the night.In the early hours of Sunday, they stepped onto a balcony and shouted, prompting another hotel guest to lodge a nuisance complaint. A Hoysala patrol vehicle from HAL police station was sent to the hotel, and police personnel questioned the occupants. In keeping with standard procedure, the interaction was recorded on the cops’ body-worn cameras. Police said Monisha came out of one of the rooms, noticed the cameras, ran towards the balcony and jumped.She landed on the iron grills of a neighbouring building’s compound wall and suffered grievous injuries. Her friends, with police assistance, moved her to a nearby private hospital, from where she was later moved to another facility.One of her friends alleged that police demanded a bribe, claiming this led to panic and the woman’s action. He told media that police tried to enter the rooms, began recording the interaction citing a nuisance complaint, and demanded cash while refusing UPI payment.Body-cam footage can be verified, says police officerPolice, though, have denied the allegation, with a senior officer saying videography is mandatory during Hoysala patrol responses. He said the allegations would be verified through body-camera footage and action taken if any wrongdoing was found.Meanwhile, Monisha’s father has filed a complaint against the hotel, alleging negligence in ensuring balcony safety, and raised suspicion over her friends, hotel staff and police personnel who visited the spot. A case has been registered under BNS Section 125(b), and an investigation is under way, said DC K Parashurama.

The IPL 2026 mini-auction in Abu Dhabi delivered its usual mix of surprises, but perhaps the most talked-about narrative was the high-stakes chess match played out between Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) CEO, Kavya Maran, and the strategic team of Chennai Super Kings (CSK). Maran’s aggressive, almost calculated counter-bidding for two specific uncapped players forced CSK to splurge a record-breaking ₹28.40 crore for their targets, effectively draining a significant portion of their available auction purse.

The uncapped million-dollar duo

The focus of the financial slugfest was the acquisition of two promising uncapped Indian talents – Prashant Veer (All-rounder/Left-arm Spinner) and Kartik Sharma (Wicketkeeper-Batter).

CSK were determined to secure both players, seeing them as integral parts of their long-term vision to build a youthful core. However, Sunrisers Hyderabad were equally determined to make them pay for it.

The Prashant Veer bidding war

The bidding for Prashant Veer, the 20-year-old left-arm spin-bowling all-rounder from Uttar Pradesh, was the first sign of the impending financial storm. Starting from a modest base price, the bids quickly accelerated past the ₹5 crore mark. When CSK entered the fray, SRH (led by Kavya Maran) went head-to-head with them, pushing the price relentlessly.

SRH’s persistent escalation forced the Super Kings to dig deep, ultimately sealing the deal at an astonishing ₹14.20 crore. This bid instantly smashed the record for the most expensive uncapped player in IPL history.

Also READ: IPL 2026 Auction: Here’s why Cameron Green will receive only INR 18 crore even though KKR bought him for INR 25.2 crore

The Kartik Sharma echo

The déjà vu was palpable when uncapped Rajasthan wicketkeeper-batter Kartik Sharma came under the hammer. Once again, after initial interest from other franchises (including KKR and LSG), CSK showed their intent. Following their proven strategy, SRH jumped in late, driving up the price with surgical precision.

The contest culminated in CSK securing Kartik Sharma for the exact same amount: ₹14.20 crore. In a single auction, CSK had spent ₹28.40 crore on two domestic players, making Veer and Sharma joint-holders of the all-time uncapped player record.

Kavya Maran’s psychological warfare in the auction room

Maran’s involvement in the bidding for the two uncapped players stood out as a masterclass in auction-day strategy. Representing SRH, a franchise well known for its sharp auction instincts, Maran astutely identified CSK’s urgency to secure versatile Indian talent—especially with the need to plan for a long-term replacement for Ravindra Jadeja following his move to Rajasthan Royals. By deliberately pushing the bids well beyond the players’ realistic market value and then stepping away at the right moment, Maran ensured CSK paid a premium. The move didn’t just disrupt CSK’s plans; it significantly dented their purse, restricting their flexibility later in the auction and underlining SRH’s tactical brilliance under Maran’s leadership.

Also READ: IPL 2026 Auction: Fans erupt as CSK signs Prashant Veer and Kartik Sharma at record prices; making them joint most expensive uncapped players

The Trump administration has expanded its travel ban to include five additional countries while imposing new restrictions on others.The administration’s June announcement had already banned visitors from 12 countries, including Afghanistan, Myanmar, Chad, Republic of Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, and Yemen.The new expansion adds Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger, South Sudan, and Syria to the list of banned countries. Additionally, travel has been fully restricted for individuals with Palestinian Authority-issued travel documents.Burundi, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan, and Venezuela were already facing heightened restrictions under the previous ban.The administration has also implemented partial restrictions for 15 more countries: Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Benin, Côte d’Ivoire, Dominica, Gabon, Gambia, Malawi, Mauritania, Nigeria, Senegal, Tanzania, Tonga, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.“It is the policy of the United States to protect its citizens from foreign nationals who intend to commit terrorist attacks, threaten our national security and public safety, incite hate crimes, or otherwise exploit the immigration laws for malevolent purposes,” stated the White House.“The United States must exercise extreme vigilance during the visa-issuance and immigration processes to identify, prior to their admission or entry into the United States, foreign nationals who intend to harm Americans or our national interests,” it added,These changes are part of the administration’s broader efforts to strengthen US entry standards for travel and immigration.

Mumbai: BMC is not cooperating with the probe into the large-scale tampering of land records that allegedly involved public servants who made hundreds of manipulated or fake city survey maps in Madh island, the special investigation team (SIT) told Bombay high court on Tuesday.A bench of Justices A S Gadkari and R R Bhonsale perused the SIT’s report and the statements of witnesses alleging civic officials being bribed, pointed out by petitioners, and asked the public prosecutor why no action has been taken by the probe team against errant BMC officers despite prima facie material being available in the report. The prosecutor cited a lack of proper cooperation from BMC. Advocate Sumit Shinde for the petitioner submitted that even in Dec last year, HC had directed officials of the state’s revenue department officials and BMC to cooperate with the SIT’s probe and hand over all necessary documents, but a year on, the grievance of non-cooperation persists. HC asked the additional commissioner of the western and eastern regions of BMC to be present before the SIT and provide all necessary details of subordinate civic officers who were allegedly found to have facilitated illegal structures on coastal regulation zone land in Madh island. The bench said the names and details of these officers would enable action to be taken against by the SIT. The court was hearing a petition filed last year in connection with a large number of fake maps in the suburbs that led to the SIT being set up to investigate the loss to the state exchequer. On Tuesday, following an order of HC passed on Nov 28, the SIT led by the joint CP (crime) submitted a status report on the investigation. In Feb, the state govt had said the maps in question were forwarded to the forensic science laboratory and that the reports were awaited. HC had earlier directed all BMC ward officers/assistant commissioners in Mumbai suburban district; CRZ authority; deputy collector, Bandra/Malad; additional collector, Malad/Bandra, additional collector, western suburban, Bandra; all talathis/gram mahsul adhikaris in Mumbai suburban district; and all city survey officers to cooperate with the investigation and hand over all necessary documents as may be sought for by the SIT. The bench also asked the BMC counsel for a status update before adjourning the matter to Jan 27.

Pune/Nashik: Conviction over securing a flat under a 10% EWS quota in 1995 by showing lower income has put a question mark over Manikrao Kokate’s continuation as an MLA and as a Maharashtra cabinet minister. A Nashik sessions court upheld Tuesday a Feb 20 trial court judgment convicting and sentencing the sports minister and NCP functionary, along with his brother Vijay Kokate, to two years of rigorous imprisonment in the housing quota cheating case. The siblings had secured two flats. The court, however, set aside the trial court’s direction to Maharashtra Housing and Area Development Authority and deputy collector to cancel the allotment of flats to the Kokate brothers and restore possession as earlier.Kokate represents Sinnar in rural Nashik. The ruling triggers the risk of “immediate disqualification” under the Representation of the People Act for sentences of two years or more, unless a higher court stays the conviction.Public prosecutor Sudhir Kotwal said the matter must now go to the high court. “Under the law, Kokate’s disqualification is certain unless he gets a suspension of his sentence and a stay on his conviction from the high court. Even with urgent circulation, this may take eight to 10 days. There is no bar on disqualification in the intervening period,” Kotwal said.Assembly speaker Rahul Narwekar said he had not yet received the order. Supreme Court ruling from 2013 states disqualification is immediate, despite a three-month window to appeal. Relief comes only if conviction itself is stayed.Kokate’s lawyer Avinash Bhide disagreed. “We have a month’s time to secure a stay and suspension from the high court. Even after that, the matter goes before the speaker,” Bhide said.After the trial court ruling, Kokate had secured bail and on March 5, a sessions court stay on conviction and sentence during pendency of appeal. That protection has lapsed. “Once a sessions court confirms conviction in appeal, it has no power to grant bail. The matter goes to the high court,” Kotwal said.The prosecution said the brothers applied for flats under the EWS quota, declaring annual income of Rs 25,000 each, below the Rs 30,000 eligibility ceiling. “Allotment relied on affidavits. When falsity emerged, onus lay on the deponents to prove otherwise,” Kotwal said. Prosecutors said Kokate failed to disclose improved finances even by 1995, citing documents showing supplies of 70 tonnes, 80 tonnes and 120 tonnes of sugarcane in 1993, 1994 and 1995 to the Kopargaon cooperative sugar mill, yielding substantial earnings. “This line weighed with the sessions court while affirming conviction and sentence,” Kotwal said. Opposition parties accused BJP-headed govt of double standards, citing the swift disqualification of Congress MP Rahul Gandhi after his 2023 defamation conviction and contrasting it with the continued tenure of Kokate. “Govt should immediately dismiss Kokate,” Maharashtra Congress chief Harshvardhan Sapkal said. NCP state president Sunil Tatkare said the party would decide its next course of action after discussing the ruling with party chief and deputy CM Ajit Pawar.

Cameron Green & Matheesha Pathirana (Agency Image)

NEW DELHI: Kolkata Knight Riders were the biggest spenders in the IPL players’ auction on Tuesday, shelling out a record Rs 25.20 crore to sign Australian all-rounder Cameron Green and investing a further Rs 18 crore to bring in Sri Lankan fast bowler Matheesha Pathirana.Uncapped Indian talent drew massive attention, with Uttar Pradesh’s 20-year-old left-arm spinner Prashant Veer and Rajasthan’s 19-year-old wicketkeeper-batter Kartik Sharma both landing lucrative Rs 14.20 crore deals with Chennai Super Kings. Having entered the auction at a base price of Rs 30 lakh each, the pair went on to become the highest-paid uncapped players in IPL auction history.

Another major gainer was Jammu and Kashmir pacer Auqib Nabi Dar, who was snapped up by Delhi Capitals for Rs 8.40 crore after starting at a base price of Rs 30 lakh.India internationals Prithvi Shaw and Sarfaraz Khan were initially left without buyers despite solid recent form. However, both found teams during the accelerated round, with Sarfaraz joining Chennai Super Kings for Rs 75 lakh and Shaw being picked up by Delhi Capitals for the same amount. Sarfaraz had earlier grabbed headlines by smashing a 22-ball 73 for Mumbai against Rajasthan in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy on the eve of the auction.

Delhi Capitals also made a late move to sign New Zealand pacer Kyle Jamieson for Rs 2 crore.Green’s acquisition saw him overtake Mitchell Starc’s Rs 24.75 crore deal to become the most expensive overseas player in IPL auction history. His signing followed an intense bidding duel between Kolkata Knight Riders and Chennai Super Kings, with KKR ultimately prevailing. The franchise also entered the race for Venkatesh Iyer before stepping aside, allowing Royal Challengers Bengaluru to secure the all-rounder for Rs 7 crore.

KKR later turned their attention to Pathirana, entering the contest after Delhi Capitals and Lucknow Super Giants pulled out. Coming in at a base price of Rs 2 crore, Pathirana became the costliest Sri Lankan player ever sold at an IPL auction.

Under existing IPL rules, Green will receive Rs 18 crore for the season, with the remaining amount going towards the BCCI’s player development programme, while Pathirana will pocket his full amount as it falls within the salary cap. KKR managing director Venky Mysore expressed satisfaction with the franchise’s marquee signing. “We are very happy. Something that we were focussed on and hoping. Quite happy with price at which we got him. Would have been a concern if it had gone higher. We were keen and attached but had it affected our rest of auction, we would have let him go,” Mysore said at a press conference.

“He will add lot to our team and with our new power coach Andre Russell, we know what he does, with bat and ball, couldn’t be happier.“The rule the BCCI made on the Rs 18 crore, our standpoint is there is no concern, in any case it’s an outflow for franchise,” he added.

Green, who has previously represented Mumbai Indians and Royal Challengers Bengaluru, has featured in 29 IPL matches, scoring 707 runs and taking 16 wickets. Reacting to his move, Green said, “I’m so excited to be part of Kolkata for this year’s IPL. To get down to the Eden Gardens, to get used to the atmosphere. I hope it is a great year for us. So see you soon. Ami KKR!”

Elsewhere, Bangladesh left-arm pacer Mustafizur Rahman was bought by KKR for Rs 9.20 crore, while uncapped Madhya Pradesh fast bowler Mangesh Yadav joined Royal Challengers Bengaluru for Rs 5.20 crore after a bidding war with Sunrisers Hyderabad.

Sunrisers Hyderabad also spent big, paying Rs 13 crore for England batter Liam Livingstone, while Lucknow Super Giants secured Australian wicketkeeper-batter Josh Inglis for Rs 8.60 crore. Punjab Kings made their first purchase of the day by signing Australia’s Cooper Connolly for Rs 3 crore, and Australian all-rounder Jack Edwards was picked up by Sunrisers Hyderabad for the same amount.

In the accelerated round, New Zealand’s Tom Banton went to Gujarat Titans for Rs 2 crore, while Adam Milne was snapped up by Rajasthan Royals for Rs 2.40 crore. South African batter David Miller returned to Delhi Capitals for his base price of Rs 2 crore, though New Zealand opener Devon Conway remained unsold.

Quinton de Kock rejoined Mumbai Indians at his base price of Rs 1 crore. Spencer Johnson went unsold, while Anrich Nortje was signed by Lucknow Super Giants for Rs 2 crore. South African pacer Lungi Ngidi was also picked up by Delhi Capitals for his base price of Rs 2 crore.

The mini auction featured a pool of 359 players — 246 Indians and 113 overseas — with the 10 franchises competing to fill up to 77 slots, including 31 reserved for overseas players.

You don’t have permission to access “http://www.ndtv.com/world-news/chile-president-elect-jose-antonio-kast-calls-for-end-to-venezuelas-dictatorship-under-nicolas-maduro-9828686” on this server.

Reference #18.2ef63717.1765918645.1680158

https://errors.edgesuite.net/18.2ef63717.1765918645.1680158

India’s ‘Homebound’ has advanced to the shortlist for the Best International Feature Film category at the 98th Academy Awards, the Academy announced while unveiling shortlists in 12 other categories. These include documentary, original song, original score, cinematography, sound, visual effects, makeup and hairstyling, and the newly introduced casting category. Overall, 15 films have moved forward from 86 eligible countries and regions.The International Feature Film shortlist showcases cinema from around the world. The selected titles are Argentina’s ‘Belén’, Brazil’s ‘The Secret Agent’, France’s ‘It Was Just an Accident’, Germany’s ‘Sound of Falling’, Iraq’s ‘The President’s Cake’, Japan’s ‘Kokuho’, Jordan’s ‘All That’s Left of You’, Norway’s ‘Sentimental Value’, Palestine’s ‘Palestine 36’, South Korea’s ‘No Other Choice’, Spain’s ‘Sirât’, Switzerland’s ‘Late Shift’, Taiwan’s ‘Left-Handed Girl’, Tunisia’s ‘The Voice of Hind Rajab’, and India’s ‘Homebound’.Members of the Academy from all branches participate in the preliminary voting process, which requires viewing the eligible films. For the final nomination round, members who opt in must watch all 15 shortlisted films before casting their votes.Set in a village in northern India, ‘Homebound’ follows two childhood friends preparing for the national police examination, a career they believe will bring dignity and stability. As they edge closer to their goal, their friendship is tested by setbacks and growing disillusionment.Explaining the inspiration behind the film, director Neeraj Ghaywan said, “Homebound started with this op-ed essay in The New York Times. It was a true story that happened in India, and it was a story of friendship and what happened to these friends during the journey [during] the pandemic… I wanted to use that as a base friendship, as a strong way to talk about our bigger concerns that the world is now grappling with, which is that what makes migrants leave their homes in rural India or across the world? What are the things that motivate them? It’s not just jobs, it’s not just money, it’s also existential.“

NEW DELHI: The 10-day-long cat and mouse game between Indian law enforcement agencies and the Luthra brothers finally ended on Tuesday as their aircraft touched down at Delhi airport at 1.45pm. The duo — Saurabh and Gaurav Luthra — was arrested by a team of Goa police at immigration.They will be flown to Goa on Wednesday morning after a Delhi court on Tuesday granted a two-day transit remand.“We have arrested Saurabh and Gaurav,” Goa director general of police (DGP) Alok Kumar told TOI.The brothers were sent back to India from Bangkok on an ‘emergency certificate’ on Tuesday morning as their Indian passports were suspended by the ministry of external affairs shortly after they flew to Thailand.Anjuna police will produce the Luthra brothers before a judicial magistrate first class (JMFC) at Mapusa on Wednesday to seek their custody for investigation.The duo had fled India on an IndiGo flight on Dec 7, hours after a deadly blaze led to the death of 25 people at their Arpora-based nightclub, Birch by Romeo Lane. They were staying at the Indigo hotel in Phuket and returned to India on an IndiGo flight as well.On Tuesday morning, the duo was spotted at the Bangkok airport wearing masks and surrounded by immigration security officials. They were allotted seats on either side at the very back of the aircraft with security personnel accompanying them. They were produced at the Patiala House Court in New Delhi at around 6.45pm where Goa police sought three days’ custody. The JMFC granted two days of transit remand. They were medically examined and taken back to the airport after that. The brothers folded hands and nodded when reporters asked them why they fled the country.“After taking custody of the deported Luthra brothers in New Delhi and on obtaining a transit remand, Goa police is bringing both the accused to the state. A police team is likely to land in Goa along with deported and arrested accused at around 11am on Wednesday,” Goa police’s public relation officer DySP Nilesh Rane said.Goa police had registered an FIR against them under various sections of the BNS, including culpable homicide not amounting to murder. Last week, a local court in Delhi had rejected the transit anticipatory bail of both the accused in connection with the case.Once a lookout notice was issued, the ministry of external affairs (MEA) decided to impound their passports, which meant that they were staying without valid travel documents in Thailand. India and Thailand signed a formal extradition treaty in 2013, which came into force on June 29, 2015.The duo was detained last week by Thai authorities for staying in that country illegally. A special team had subsequently gone to Phuket on Saturday to complete the deportation process. The brothers were then brought to the Bangkok detention centre. The Indian embassy in Thailand consequently issued an emergency certificate — a one-way travel document — to the Luthras since their passport was suspended by the Indian govt.So far, Goa police have arrested Gurgaon resident Ajay Gupta, 55, a partner of the Luthra brothers, New Delhi natives Rajiv Modak, 49, chief general manager, and Priyanshu Thakur, 32, gate manager, along with UP natives Rajveer Singhania, 32, bar manager, Vivek Singh, 27, general manager, and Bharat Kohli from Delhi.When the fire broke out at the nightclub at around 11.45pm on Dec 6, there were more than 150 tourists attending an event. A preliminary investigation by police and the directorate of fire services concluded that the fire broke out after electric firecrackers struck the wooden ceiling during the event.