Mumbai: Bombay high court directed the state govt to file an affidavit by Wednesday to outline short-term mitigating measures to tackle pollution at the Kanjurmarg dumping ground and to take the support of IIT-Bombay in fine-tuning the action plan.A bench headed by Justice Girish Kulkarni was hearing petitions that highlighted grievances of residents in the area adjoining the dumping ground.

Justice Kulkarni said, “It pains our hearts to see the impact of pollution on the lives of innocent residents. It is not an issue that we take lightly,” he said, and sought urgent mitigating steps, warning that HC would otherwise have to, as a “last resort,” appoint a contractor to oversee the actions. Additional govt pleader Jyoti Chavan said the state was taking the support of IIT-Bombay, and HC said it should as it doesn’t want the steps to remain on paper. “It appears that there is a genuine concern regarding odour and gases being emitted… There also appears to be uncertainty on the measures being taken by the contractor to scientifically, efficiently and effectively remedy the problems which have been repeatedly raised over several years,” HC said.On a claim that residents’ complaints are not addressed, it said such grievances “cannot be dealt with casually or… get entangled in red tape”. “In our opinion, the dumping site needs to have a 24×7 grievance redressal mechanism by providing minimum four telephone numbers as also two email IDs,” it said, adding that an effective response should be ensured within an hour of a complaint. Last week, after hearing advocate Abhijeet Rane for residents and Zaman Ali for NGO Vanshakti, as well as Saket Mone for a plant meant to manage the waste, HC had directed a special committee set up by the state to visit the site and look into the grievances of the residents. The committee conducted a site visit and met to discuss the issue. HC said it should now come up with practical solutions.The committee was tasked with preparing a robust blueprint on urgent measures to prevent pollution being generated from the dumping ground. —Swati Deshpande

Veteran leg-spinner and IPL legend Amit Mishra has shared his early predictions for the 2026 season, notably leaving the five-time champions out of his top contenders. Speaking on a recent episode of MensXP’s YouTube podcast, the former India international identified five teams he believes will dominate the upcoming season, following a high-stakes mini-auction in Abu Dhabi that saw several franchises overhaul their rosters.

Amit Mishra picks the semifinalists of IPL 2026

During the candid discussion, Mishra was asked to pick the teams most likely to reach the playoffs for the 19th edition of the league. Without hesitation, he narrowed the field down to five specific franchises, citing their recent squad depth and tactical acquisitions. Mishra went with Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), Mumbai Indians (MI), SunRisers Hyderabad (SRH), and Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB). He also added Gujarat Titans (GT) to the list.

“KKR, MI, SRH, RCB, and GT. I think four from these five will make the playoffs,” Mishra stated during the podcast.

Mishra’s predictions appear to be influenced by the aggressive recruitment strategies seen at the recent auction. KKR secured Australian star Cameron Green for a record ₹25.20 crore, signaling a massive shift in their middle-order power. Similarly, RCB brought in Venkatesh Iyer to bolster their local core. SRH strengthened their squad further with the addition of Liam Livingstone. MI focused on ‘homecoming’ and stability. They brought back Quinton de Kock for just ₹1 crore—a massive steal—to partner Rohit Sharma.

Also READ: IPL 2026 Auction: Complete squads of all 10 teams after the bidding event

No place for Chennai Super Kings in Mishra’s prediction

While Mishra did not explicitly detail why he left out the five-time champions, his comments come at a time when CSK have undergone a significant ‘youth overhaul.’ Mishra’s snub of CSK likely stems from their high-risk strategy. While they landed Sanju Samson in a blockbuster trade, they lost cornerstone players Ravindra Jadeja and Sam Curran to Rajasthan Royals. CSK spent ₹28.40 crore on just two uncapped players: Prashant Veer and Kartik Sharma. Analysts argue that by letting Matheesha Pathirana go to KKR, CSK have a massive void in death bowling that hasn’t been fully addressed by new signing Matt Henry.

Also READ: Ravichandran Ashwin predicts IPL 2026 semifinalists after mini auction

Mumbai: Wars of the future, India’s Chief of Defence Staff Anil Chauhan warned, will come without warning, unfold at breakneck speed, and stretch far beyond the battlefield—into cyberspace, outer space, electromagnetic spectrum, and, most critically, the human mind.Speaking at IIT Bombay Techfest on Monday evening, Chauhan described a new grammar of conflict—and termed it the “third revolution in warfare”, one loaded by multiple technologies, driven by surprise, super-intelligent systems, and asymmetric advantage.

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“Actually, we are at the cusp of an era where warfare is going to expand into newer and unknown domains,” he said. “Dynamism in warfare was also evident in the Israel-Iran conflict where actions in new domains particularly cyber, cyber-enabled ISR, information surveillance and reconnaissance, information operations and long-range precision effect shaped the strategic outcomes. Again, these new domains are the ones where actually you can create asymmetries between nations and those asymmetries actually help you win a war.“With that, he emphasised the need for Indian armed forces to maintain technological asymmetry if the nation wanted to be combat ready. “So multi-domain operations will no longer be an option but a necessity.” That will “require multi-domain capabilities and cross-domain control, command and control”.Interestingly, the DRDO’s Defence institute of Psychological Research which participated in the exhibition said they are introducing a new cadre of remotely piloted aircraft pilots in the army and navy that can man large drones to be used in surgical strikes and weapon delivery.Chauhan noted five trends altering warfare: high speed due to stealth technologies, sensor technologies that are making data available, robotics that will lead to man-to-machine combat, lighter and stronger weaponry with less dependence on global chains, and an intelligent battlefield armed with AI for faster decisions.The message found an institutional echo on campus. IIT Bombay recently announced a dedicated research Centre for Defence Technologies Innovation and Strategies, and the institute senate opened up a pathway for doctoral programmes, said IITB director Shireesh Kedare.The Powai institute has also decided to offer PhDs in other research centres like Centre for Traditional Indian Knowledge and Skills, Medical Technologies Research and Innovation Centre and Motilal Oswal Centre for Capital Markets. The Centre for Traditional Indian Knowledge and Skills is aimed at studying India’s knowledge systems with a focus on skill traditions that have endured for centuries. The idea, Kedare said, is to bridge a long-standing gap between ancient wisdom and modern engineering practice. “In most cases Indian knowledge is available in Sanskrit. Those who are experts in reading the old manuscripts do not have engineering reference to provide perspective for the information available in the ancient scripts,” he said. Earlier in the day, Infosys founder N R Narayana Murthy spoke on the adversities he faced when he started out —from staying in seedy hotels to eating one-dollar burgers, he said, no one can rise without sacrifice and hard work. Techfest’s lecture series opened with union minister Nitin Gadkari who said knowledge will be powerful as India becomes a US$ 5 trillion economy.

Mumbai: Bombay high court told a brother (59) and a sister (54), both residents of Ghatkopar West fighting over their parents’ property, that it would be in their interest to resolve their dispute amicably thereby restoring peace and harmony in their relationship.“After all, the bond between a brother and a sister is sometimes tightly woven, sometimes loosely held but never broken,” reminded Justice Jitendra Jain on Friday.

He allowed the sister’s appeal against the city civil court’s Nov 2018 order that refused to take her written statement—in a defamation suit filed by her brother—due to delay. On Dec 17, Justice Jain directed both to remain present the next day. He sought an undertaking not to use abusive language against each other, but they can litigate regarding their claim on the property. The sister, through advocate Ramprakash Pandey, agreed. The brother refused, and insisted he would pursue the defamation suit.Justice Jain said facts of the proceedings “reminds this court about two festivals viz Raksha Bandhan and Bhaubeej”. “The significance of these two festivals in our country is a reflection of the eternal bond between brothers and sisters, a heartfelt celebration of love, support, trust and protection between siblings… However nowadays, sadly, siblings don’t stand together but against each other in the court of law,” he said.Justice Jain further said, “During life’s high and lows or when a storm blows, a sister does not fear for she knows that standing by her is her brother who will protect her from every wrong… He is her shield, her strength, her weakness… Likewise, a brother knows his sister like his own mind, knowing that there will never be anyone as trusting and kind. Having a sister is like holding a mirror to one’s soul, seeing you for who you are, understanding your silence. The beauty of this loving bond is that even when they are miles apart, they are always close at heart”.Noting the trial court’s refusal to condone delay was on an erroneous basis as the proceedings were not served on the sister, Justice Jain set aside the order and permitted her to file her written statement within 8 weeks. He did not accept the brother’s advocate Arvind Taral’s submission to impose heavy cost as no negligence can be attributed to her. Justice Jain noted the proceedings are “nothing but an attempt to clog the system...” “In today’s day and age” the special bond between brother and sister “is fraught with disputes, emotional tension or unresolved conflict.” The root cause of broken sibling relationships “can be attributed to greed, ego and desire of a materialistic life… Siblings should learn to give up than to give in to litigation,” he concluded.

Uorfi Javed sparked concern after sharing images from a Mumbai police station in the early hours of Monday. Taking to Instagram Stories, she revealed that she and her sisters had gone through a deeply unsettling night, calling it the scariest experience of her life. While she did not initially disclose details, Uorfi later spoke to us exclusively about the incident that took place at her residence in the early hours and led her to seek police intervention. Recalling what happened around 3.30 am, she says, “Someone kept ringing my doorbell for about 10 minutes. When I went out to check, a man was standing outside asking me to open the door and insisting on being let in, while another was standing at the corner. I told him to stop the nonsense and leave, but he refused to go. It was only when I warned him that I would call the police that he finally left.”

At the time of the incident, Uorfi was at home with her sisters, Dolly and Asfi. Speaking about what followed, she alleges that the men involved were residents of the same building. She says, “They were from the 13th floor. These men claimed they were politically connected and behaved as if they could do anything.” According to her, the situation escalated even after the police arrived. “We called the police, but they misbehaved with us and with the police. They were rude and kept saying ‘nikal nikal’. They denied everything,” she adds. Uorfi further claims that she overheard them attempting to tamper with evidence. “When we were leaving for the police station, we heard them asking the security guard to delete the CCTV footage, saying that they were related to a politician,” she says. Talking about the official action taken so far, she shares, “An NC has been registered. Now we will have to wait and see what happens next.” Describing the emotional toll of the episode, Uorfi admits the experience left her shaken. She says, “When someone comes at 3 am and asks a girl to open the door and then refuses to leave, it is scary. Especially when girls are living alone, situations like this can be terrifying.” She has also approached her housing society regarding the safety lapse. “I have submitted a written complaint because I do not feel safe. I want to know what action will be taken against them,” she says, adding that the society committee is likely to hold a meeting to decide the next steps.

India and New Zealand have concluded negotiations on a free-trade agreement, but its immediate impact on merchandise trade is likely to be limited given bilateral flows of just $2.1 billion in FY2025, according to a Global Trade Research Initiative (GTRI) analysis.The agreement, finalised on December 22 following a phone call between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon, is India’s seventh trade pact in recent years and is expected to be signed in the first quarter of 2026.

“Given the limited scale of bilateral trade, the India–New Zealand FTA is less a trade breakthrough than a framework for deeper cooperation,” said Ajay Srivastava, founder of GTRI, in the report prepared on the deal.Bilateral trade between the two countries stood at $2.1 billion in FY2025, including goods and services. India exported $711.1 million to New Zealand, led by aviation turbine fuel, textiles and clothing, pharmaceuticals and machinery. New Zealand’s exports to India, worth $587.1 million, were dominated by raw materials and farm-linked inputs such as wood products, scrap metals, coal and wool.Dairy, the most politically sensitive sector in the negotiations, remains commercially marginal. New Zealand’s dairy exports to India totalled just $1.07 million in FY2025. India, home to millions of small dairy farmers, has consistently resisted opening the sector.“India has preserved its policy space in sensitive areas, especially dairy, which remains outside the scope of meaningful market access,” Srivastava said.Services trade, though less visible, outweighs goods in value. New Zealand government data shows India exported $255.8 million in services to New Zealand in FY2025, while services imports from New Zealand reached $550 million, driven largely by education. India does not publish country-wise services trade data.The FTA spans 20 chapters, covering trade in goods and services, rules of origin, customs facilitation, dispute settlement and newer areas such as investment promotion, MSME cooperation, sustainability, intellectual property and traditional knowledge.Tariff concessions are asymmetrical. New Zealand will eliminate duties on 100% of its tariff lines from the date of entry into force, including around 450 lines that earlier attracted tariffs of about 10% on Indian exports such as textiles, apparel, ceramics and automotive components. India has offered market access on 70% of tariff lines, with sensitive farm products managed through tariff-rate quotas, minimum import prices and safeguard measures.“The structure of tariff concessions reflects India’s calibrated approach, opening selectively while protecting politically sensitive agricultural sectors,” Srivastava said.On services and mobility, New Zealand has committed in 118 services sectors and introduced provisions for student work rights, post-study visas and a temporary employment pathway allowing up to 5,000 skilled Indian professionals to work in the country at any time. India has offered services market access in 106 sectors.Investment is a key pillar of the pact. New Zealand has committed to facilitate $20 billion in foreign direct investment into India over 15 years, backed by a rebalancing mechanism similar to provisions in India’s agreement with EFTA countries.“An FTA alone will not unlock the full potential of India–New Zealand economic ties,” Srivastava said. “The real impact will depend on how both countries use it to strengthen supply chains, expand services trade, deepen education and skills partnerships, and leverage the Indian diaspora.”The report said doubling bilateral trade by 2030 would require stronger business engagement, improved connectivity, simpler visa regimes and mutual recognition of professional qualifications, particularly in IT, healthcare and aviation.

NEW DELHI: SG Pipers have booked their place in the final of the Global Chess League (GCL), where they will face defending champions and table toppers Continental Kings.As Monday saw a dramatic end to the league stage, Pipers lost their last league match 6-11 to Alaskan Knights, but still qualified for the final because they finished with a better game-point tally than Ganges Grandmasters.

Both teams ended with 15 match points, but Pipers edged ahead with 84 game points compared to the Grandmasters’ 83.The final league match was tense for Pipers. They needed either a win or at least six game points to stay ahead in the standings. Alaskan Knights, on the other hand, needed a win to secure a place in the third-place playoff and came out strong.World champion D Gukesh capitalised on a mistake by Fabiano Caruana, while Arjun Erigaisi beat Anish Giri with the black pieces. These results gave the Knights eight crucial points and kept the pressure on Pipers.For SG Pipers, Hou Yifan once again delivered a key result.The three-time women’s world champion won her third match in a row, defeating Kateryna Lagno in just 20 moves. Despite this, the match went down to the wire.Draws by R Praggnanandhaa and Nino Batsiashvili meant that everything depended on Leon Luke Mendonca’s game on the prodigy board. Mendonca held his nerve and secured a draw against Daniel Darda after 42 moves. That draw proved vital and helped Pipers reach the final.Earlier in the day, Ganges Grandmasters kept their hopes alive with a big 12-3 win over American Gambits. Viswanathan Anand drew with Hikaru Nakamura, while Vincent Keymer, Raunak Sadhwani, and Stavroula Tsolakidou registered important wins.However, their effort was not enough, and they will now play Alaskan Knights in the third-place match.In the other league match, Continental Kings defeated Mumba Masters 10-9. Despite wins from Shakhriyar Mamedyarov and Bardiya Daneshvar, losses on the top boards cost Mumba Masters the match.

“What you saw at the Asia Cup was just the trailer,” says Biju Nair, the former Services coach, who shaped Aaron George since his early teens. “Picture abhi baaki hain,” he insists.It captures the essence of Aaron. What the U-19 Asia Cup in Dubai last week revealed was control, maturity and restraint. What it concealed — by design — was his range, power and flair.

The full film, Nair insists, is yet to unfold.The teenager though, has never been one for excessive words. He prefers to let his bat do the talking.“I know what works best for me,” Aaron says. External factors like crowd, noise, occasion, and opposition stay outside his bubble.In the just-concluded U-19 Asia Cup in Dubai, Aaron, the captain, lived up to his hype, scoring two impactful knocks — an 88-ball 85 against Pakistan in the league game. It became the spine of the chase: not flashy, but chose his response and owned the ball-versus-bat battle. This was followed by a composed 58 against Sri Lanka. Everything, however, unravelled in the final against Pakistan.“Everyone had an off day,” he rued.Aaron also chose to play down the altercations between the Indian and Pakistani players during the summit clash.Against Pakistan, there was confidence without bravado. It was leadership through composure, even if it showed only a slice of his true attacking range.Aaron grew up in Hyderabad, but his roots run deep in Kerala. His father Easo Varghese hails from Mavelikara, mother Preeti, from Kottayam.A former sub-inspector with the Hyderabad Police, Easo spotted something special when Aaron was just four. At his in-laws’ place, the boy picked up a plastic bat and instinctively played with a straight bat. No slogging. No wild swings. Just balance, poise.“That’s when I knew,” Easo recalls. “There was something natural there,” he tells TOI.Training began at home. Easo used 50-gram plastic balls and turned the living room into a miniature cricket pitch.“The emphasis was unwavering: straight bat, still head, eyes level. Those early routines laid the foundation for a batter built on efficiency rather than excesses,” Easo recollects.A significant turn came when Aaron met B Subhash, an NIS coach and family friend.From 2014 to 2017, Aaron attended the HCA camp free of cost, and was the youngest participant there, holding his own against older boys until the camp shut down. Later, Nair stepped in, adding structure, discipline and tactical depth to his game.“He’s much more than what people have seen,” Nair insists. “He’s a far better striker of the ball than what he showcased at the Asia Cup.”In 2022, the selectors made a bold decision. With an opener’s slot available, they chose not to protect Aaron in age-group cricket but tested him in senior league division matches. He played five games that year and four more in 2023. The learning curve was steep, but it forged resilience.“They wanted to see if he could survive,” Easo says. “He didn’t just survive, he adapted.”That year at the U-16 Vijay Merchant Trophy, Aaron smashed 303 against Bihar, a knock that underlined his burgeoning talent. Later that year, at the BCCI High Performance camp in Vijayawada, he followed it up with a composed 83 against Delhi in the Vinoo Mankad Trophy.This year, Aaron wasn’t just part of the Hyderabad U-19 setup, he was leading it. As an opener, he scored 373 runs in five matches at a striking rate of 145, steering Hyderabad to the Vinoo Mankad title.What stands out is his evolution. Once a classical opener, Aaron has seamlessly adjusted to the No. 3 role while donning the India jersey — repairing and rebuilding when early wickets fell — accelerating when the moment demands.His idols reflect that balance and hunger to expand his game.“He admires Virat Kohli’s intensity and AB de Villiers’ philosophy of finding empty spaces and playing with intelligence,” Easo adds.“AB is a complete package. An all-round sportsman,” Aaron adds.Easo understands his son’s need for expanding his repertoire. After serving with the Hyderabad Police from 1995 to 2008, Easo transitioned to the corporate world. That journey of discipline, change and persistence shaped the way he raised his son.With the U-19 World Cup approaching, preparation is meticulous — mental conditioning and yellow fever vaccinations. Aaron knows everyone has off days. What matters is the response.The Asia Cup gave a glimpse of his potential. Nair believes the U-19 World Cup in Zimbabwe and Namibia next month could reveal Aaron’s complete package.