HYDERABAD: Over 24,600 Indians were deported from 81 countries in 2025, as per the latest ministry of external affairs data tabled in Rajya Sabha. It wasn’t the US but Saudi Arabia that recorded the highest deportations – over 11,000 in 12 months.While in comparison, only 3,800 Indians – mostly private employees – were deported from the US in 2025, these numbers are the highest recorded from the country in the last five years, the report says. Experts attribute it to the recent crackdown and increased scrutiny of documents, visa status, work authorisation, overstays, etc, by the Trump administration.Most deportations from the US were carried out from Washington DC (3,414) and Houston (234).

Most Indians deported for staying beyond visa validity Countries that saw a significant number of deportations of Indians include Myanmar (1,591), UAE (1,469), Bahrain (764), Malaysia (1,485), Thailand (481), and Cambodia (305). According to latest MEA data, common grounds for deportations, especially from Gulf countries, include overstaying visa or residency, working without a valid work permit, violation of labour regulations, absconding from employers, and involvement in civil or criminal cases.“This is a pattern with Gulf countries, which see a large migration of workers from India who either take up jobs as labourers in the construction sector, become caregivers, or work as househelp. Most of them are low-skilled workers who migrate through agents and, in many cases, in an attempt to earn extra money, end up involved in minor offences,” said Bheema Reddy, vice-chairman of Telangana govt’s NRI advisory committee. “In other instances, lack of awareness about local laws and regulations proves costly,” he added.In many cases, these migrant workers fall prey to fraud perpetrated by agents back home and are deported once caught by police abroad.Deportations from countries like Myanmar and Cambodia, however, follow a different pattern. “Most of these are linked to cyber slavery. These countries have emerged as major hubs of a multi-billion dollar cybercrime industry where Indians are lured with promises of high-paying jobs but are later trapped, forced to work in illegal operations, and eventually detained and deported,” Reddy explained.It is, therefore, important that workers are made aware of rules before they land on foreign shores, said Naga Bharani of Telangana Overseas Manpower Company. “People should be told to closely track their visa timelines, and comply with local rules. There is always an option to apply for a visa extension,” she said. Deportation of Indian students was the highest from UK, with 170 sent home in 2025. This was followed by Australia (114), Russia (82) and US (45).

In the United States, one in seven adults has chronic kidney disease (CKD), according to the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. This amounts to an estimated 35.5 million Americans. The lack of symptoms in the early stages makes matters worse. While several factors contribute to kidney disease, some everyday habits can be silently damaging this vital organ. In a video shared on Instagram, Dr John Valentine, a board-certified physician based in the US, explains five everyday habits that may put your kidneys at risk after 40 in women. What are they? Let’s take a look.

Taking ibuprofen regularly

Are you one of those people who like to pop pills like sweets? Well, this is your sign to stop. According to Dr Valentine, taking this over-the-counter pain and fever medication regularly may lead to kidney issues. “NSAIDs destroy kidney function permanently, and after years of use, you’ll need dialysis three times a week just to stay alive,” the doctor said. The NHS also recommends taking the smallest dose for the shortest possible time to reduce the risk of side effects.

Drinking too little water

Your kidneys need water to function. Not drinking enough water can severely harm them. “Chronic dehydration causes your kidneys to accumulate toxins and form stones that can cause sudden kidney infections, leading to sepsis and death,” the doctor said. In the Eatwell Guide, the government recommends drinking six to eight cups or glasses of fluid a day. This, of course, varies from person to person depending on age, activity level, health conditions and other factors.

Eating too much protein

Proteinmaxxing is a huge trend these days. While your body needs protein to function properly, overconsumption can lead to several health concerns, including kidney damage. “High-protein diets force your kidneys to work overtime, filtering waste, and after 40 this causes irreversible kidney damage, requiring a transplant,” the doctor said.Frequent urinationDo you wake up frequently at night to urinate? Frequent urination at night is not a good sign. According to Dr Valentine, it should not be ignored. “This is an early sign of kidney failure that most women dismiss until they’re in stage four chronic kidney disease,” he said. According to the National Kidney Foundation, frequent urination, especially at night, can be a sign of kidney disease. “When the kidney’s filters are damaged, it can cause an increase in the urge to urinate. Sometimes this can also be a sign of a urinary infection or an enlarged prostate in men.”

Holding your urine

This is your sign to stop controlling your urge to urinate. Women often tend to hold pee more commonly than men. “It’s the one almost every woman does without realising the risk, holding your urine regularly. After 40, your bladder and kidney function decline rapidly. Holding urine causes bacteria to multiply and travel to your kidneys, causing severe infections. Repeated infections scar your kidneys permanently,” the doctor said. The physician noted that about 93% of women do this without being aware of its dangers.“Women who regularly hold urine have five times the risk of kidney disease. Once your kidneys fail, you’re on dialysis for life or you die waiting for a transplant. Kidney failure is irreversible.”

Bottom line

“If you don’t want your kidneys to shut down after 40, stop these five habits now before it’s too late,” Dr Valentine said. These everyday habits may seem harmless, but there is more than meets the eye. By removing these habits from your life, you can reduce your chances of kidney disease. These changes, over time, can lead to significant improvements in your health.Note: The information provided in this article is for educational purposes only and is not intended as medical advice. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional before starting any new medication or treatment, or before changing your diet or supplement regimen.

Students create a large charcoal portrait of former PM Vajpayee on his birth anniversary in Moradabad, Thursday

Atal Bihari Vajpayee was not only a politician and Prime Minister, he was the conscience-keeper of India’s democracy and a statesman who taught the nation how to combine courage with compassion, conviction with inclusiveness, and nationalism with humanity. His impeccable legacy continues to inspire the transformational changes being carried forward by the Modi govt.Vajpayee’s life remains a guiding light for all those who believe that governance can be effective, corruption-free, and rooted in concern for the common man. Appropriately, his birthday, Dec 25, is observed as Good Governance Day.His decency, simplicity, sensitivity and poetry endeared him to people across generations. I have fond childhood memories of his regular stays at our Mumbai home.One afternoon, while I was playing marbles in the living room, he noticed me struggling to hit a marble. Sitting beside me, he placed his palm on his knee and accurately flicked a marble with his index finger to strike the target nearly eight feet away. I was awestruck. That moment forged an intimate bond with ‘Chachaji’, as we children called him.As a school-going boy, I had gone to the airport tarmac to meet him as he embarked on a four-day tour of western Maharashtra. When he learnt my holidays had started, he invited me to accompany him. I was completely unprepared, yet Chachaji ensured I was comfortable – buying me Kolhapuri chappals and clothes at the first stop.I remember a speech he delivered in Sangli honouring the legendary Lata Mangeshkar. For nearly an hour, Vajpayee mesmerised the audience with his reflections on Indian culture, tradition and music-without a word of politics. It reminds one of PM Modi‘s Mann Ki Baat, which similarly rises above politics to engage with society at large.Vajpayee was a deeply grounded leader, rooted in India’s civilisational ethos. He was the first Indian leader to address the UN General Assembly in Hindi, a precedent later followed by PM Modi, who uses the national language not only at multilateral forums but even while addressing leaders of English-speaking nations.His legacy continues to inspire us. In my constituency of North Mumbai, a successful Skill Development and Job Center is named after him. This year’s budget provided for setting up 50,000 Atal Tinkering Labs in govt schools to encourage innovation and a scientific temper.His philosophy of strength – India conducted nuclear tests during his tenure – tempered with sensitivity is visible today in PM Modi’s governance, where decisive action to strengthen national security goes hand in hand with compassion through initiatives such as free homes, toilets, foodgrains, cooking gas connections, healthcare coverage, and direct benefit transfers.In his I-Day address in 2000, Vajpayee declared, “To reform is to improve the life of every citizen. There is no scope for apprehension or fear about economic reforms.”His govt undertook far-reaching reforms in banking, telecom, insurance, pensions and disinvestment of sick PSUs, while simultaneously expanding social initiatives such as universal primary education and Antyodaya Anna Yojana, which provided highly subsidised foodgrains to the poorest households. PM Modi is taking these, and other transformational initiatives forward in a mission mode as Reform Express.Vajpayee clearly understood that enduring national strength rests on robust infrastructure. Landmark initiatives such as the Golden Quadrilateral and Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana transformed connectivity, integrated markets, and brought remote regions into the national mainstream.These initiatives laid the foundation for India’s present-day infrastructure transformation. It was Vajpayee who recognised the strategic importance of a tunnel connecting Himachal Pradesh to Ladakh and J&K. PM Modi fittingly named it the Atal Tunnel, honouring the visionary.For BJP, Vajpayee is special – a founding member and its first president. In the party’s first national convention in 1980 he prophetically said, “Andhera chhatega, sooraj niklega, kamal khilega” (Darkness will disappear, the sun will rise, the lotus – BJP’s symbol – will bloom).For BJP, he is not merely a leader of the past, he is a moral compass for the present and future. Under PM Modi’s leadership, India is fulfilling many of the aspirations he envisioned-a confident, self-reliant nation that commands respect across the world.(The writer is Union minister of commerce & industry)

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is set to announce India’s ODI squad for the upcoming three-match ODI series against New Zealand in the first week of January, with a selection committee meeting scheduled for January 3, 2026.

Following a dominant performance in the recent T20I series against South Africa at home, the focus shifts to the three-match ODI series against New Zealand, starting on January 11. Notably, the selectors have already named the squad for the T20I series against the Black Caps.

When Will The BCCI Announce The India ODI Squad?

BCCI’s selection panel, led by Ajit Agarkar, is expected to hold an online meeting on Wednesday, January 3, to finalize the squad for the upcoming ODI series against New Zealand.

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They will also play a five-match Test series, for which the BCCI already announced the team—the same team for the ICC T20 World Cup 2026 in India and Sri Lanka in February and March.

Now, a One Cricket report suggested that the national selectors will meet the first week of January to confirm the ODI squad for the New Zealand series, and an official announcement from the BCCI is likely by the evening of January 3 or January 4, 2026.

The Big Comeback: Rohit Sharma & Virat Kohli’s ODI Return

All eyes are on the return of senior stalwarts Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma to the 50-over setup. The Indian batting icons have been in scintillating form in the ongoing Vijay Hazare Trophy 2025-26 after dominating the recent ODI series against South Africa at home.

Kohli and Rohit’s inclusion would significantly bolster India’s top order for the big series, as New Zealand has already named a second-string squad for the ODI leg to rest their key players for the T20I leg of the India tour, keeping in mind the upcoming ICC T20 World Cup 2026.

Key Selection Headaches & Players in Focus

The BCCI selectors face a pleasant yet tough challenge with multiple players vying for limited spots in the ODI squad for the upcoming home series.

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– Middle-Order Conundrum: With KL Rahul’s recent ODI outings under scrutiny, performers like Ishan Kishan, who has been on fire and recently hit a stunning century in the ongoing Vijay Hazare Trophy 2025-26, are pressing hard for a recall.

And then Shreyas Iyer is also in line for a comeback.

– The Shubman Gill Question: India’s Test and ODI captain is under the radar after being left out of the T20 World Cup squad. However, Gill is now fully fit from a neck injury, but his form is still a major concern for the selectors. He managed only 80 runs across three innings at home.

India Squad for T20I Series Against New Zealand:

India: Suryakumar Yadav (c), Abhishek Sharma, Tilak Varma, Sanju Samson (wk), Shivam Dube, Ishan Kishan (wk), Hardik Pandya, Arshdeep Singh, Jasprit Bumrah, Harshit Rana, Washington Sundar, Rinku Singh, Varun Chakaravarthy, Kuldeep Yadav, Axar Patel.

NEW DELHI: It is justice by “sixth sense”. While going through bail petition of a rape convict, Supreme Court got the sense this was a consenting relationship that turned sour and resulted in conviction and a 10-year prison term for the man. It then decided to tread a different path for adjudicating the case. It interacted with the convict and the victim, along with their parents, and the case ended with their marriage and quashing of conviction. As the convict was in jail, a bench of Justices B V Nagarathna and Satish Chandra Sharma directed MP police to bring him to SC under police protection. It took the court nine months to decide the case as notice was issued in March on his plea and conviction was quashed in Dec and in between they got married.“This is one of those rare cases where on intervention of this court the appellant herein, who had applied to seek suspension of his sentence, was ultimately benefitted by quashing of his conviction as well as the sentence. …when the matter came up before this court by assailing the rejection of suspension of sentence by HC, on a consideration of facts of the case, we had a sixth sense that the appellant and the prosecutrix could be brought together…” the bench said.On direction of the court, both the parties, along with their parents, appeared in court and the judges personally interacted with them in chamber to know about the nature of their relationship. As they expressed willingness to get married which was also approved by their parents, SC granted the man bail to come out of jail for marriage. The two got married in July. Court thereafter posted the case for Dec to take stock of their married life and passed the final order for quashing of conviction after court was informed that they are living happily together.“Consequently, we invoked our powers under Article 142 of the Constitution to do complete justice in the matter by quashing the complaint as well as the conviction and sentence passed against the appellant… owing to a misunderstanding the consensual relationship between the parties was given a criminal colour and converted into an offence of false promise of marriage whereas the parties, in fact, intended to marry each other. It was only owing to the appellant seeking postponement in the date of marriage which may have led to insecurity in the mind of the respondent and filing of the criminal complaint,” the bench said.In this case, both became friends in 2015 on a social media platform and both developed a liking and fondness for each other. Thereafter, both the parties entered into a consensual physical relationship. As marriage between them could not fructify, she filed an FIR in 2021 under Section 376 and 376(2)(n) of IPC (regarding rape). He was convicted by trial court which sentenced him to rigorous imprisonment for 10 years. He challenged the order in HC where his appeal is still pending. He moved SC after his bail plea was rejected by HC.SC also directed his job at a govt hospital be restored with back wages. He was suspended after conviction. “A direction may be issued to chief medical officer, Sagar, MP to revoke the order of suspension and pay arrears of salary to the appellant,” it said.

The All India Football Federation (AIFF) on Friday proposed a new structure for the Indian Super League (ISL), under which the league would be owned and operated by the national body in accordance with its new constitution for the next 20 seasons.According to the new proposal the AIFF formulated after a meeting with the ISL clubs, the league will implement a promotion and relegation system from the upcoming season. Each season will be calculated from June 1 to May 31 of the next year.“We have sent the proposal to the clubs, we have to wait for their response in the next couple of days before finalising our plan,” an AIFF source told PTI.“Let the clubs respond, we will try to find a solution after hearing them.”It is expected that the AIFF and the clubs will have two more rounds of meetings — one on Sunday and the other on Monday.If all goes well, the ISL season may start in the first week of February, according to the source.According to the proposal, the ISL will have a predetermined ‘Central Operational Budget’ for every year that would come from yearly contributions from all ‘revenue share holders’ proportionate to their revenue share in the league.“This would be known as the ‘League Membership Contribution’. Any operational expenses required for the league to be conducted and for clubs to comply with their applicable licensing criteria with the addition of prize money distribution would be capped and borne out of this budget,” the proposal said.“Governance would be overseen by a Board that would be empowered by the AIFF general body with certain operational autonomy over commercial matters of the League. The jurisdiction of the board would be limited to the utilisation of unrestricted funds within the yearly operational budget earmarked for the same.”Each club, under the proposal, will pay the AIFF a ‘standard participating fee’ of Rs 1 crore a year at the beginning of the season. This would, however, be independent of any calculations of the ‘Central Operating Expenditure’.“This amount would be fully reimbursable from the central revenue prior to distribution of ‘Net Revenue’. The total participation fee for all clubs would be put at 20% of the ‘central operational budget’ of the League. In case the Board decides to raise the ‘central operational budget’ by 10% in the future, the ‘standard participation fee’ would proportionately increase.”Any profit, or savings from the operational budget, will be distributed equally amongst all revenue shareholders in proportion to the respective revenue shares.On December 20, a proposal from 10 ISL clubs for “perpetual” operational and commercial ownership of the country’s top-tier competition failed to get the approval of the AIFF’s General Body, which formed a committee to look into the matter.The AIFF panel was tasked with holding discussions with representatives of five clubs – Chennaiyin FC, Mumbai City FC, Delhi Sporting Club, NorthEast United FC and Mohun Bagan Super Giant from December 22 to 29.Under the AIFF’s proposal, the total outlay of the first season of the ISL will be Rs 70 crore with the AIFF’s revenue share pegged at 10 per cent (that is Rs 7 crore) in the first season, while 50 per cent (Rs 35 crore) will come from the clubs — 14 as of now unless there is any pull out.But interestingly, a revenue share of 30 per cent has been reserved for a potential commercial partner. The AIFF is yet to get a commercial partner as it did not receive any bid after a tender was floated on the supervision of a Supreme Court-appointed committee under a retired SC judge.Though the AIFF has included a 30 per cent revenue share for a potential commercial partner in the proposal, it is learnt that since the number of matches this season could be less than earlier years, the ISL can be run with a ‘central operating budget’ of less than the proposed Rs 70 crore.

A youth performs ‘Gatka’, an ancient form of Sikh martial arts, during a procession on the eve of Guru Gobind Singh’s birth anniversary, in Amritsar

NEW DELHI: Extolling the valour of the Sahibzade (sons) of the tenth Sikh Guru, Guru Gobind Singh, PM Narendra Modi Friday said their supreme sacrifice represents the ultimate expression of India’s indomitable courage, against the cruel Mughal Sultanate, shaking the very existence of religious fanaticism and terror.The PM said the saga of the ‘Sahibzades’ sacrifice should have been on the lips of every citizen, but unfortunately, even after independence, the mentality of slavery continued to dominate. “That is why, for decades after independence, attempts were made to suppress such truths,” he added.Asserting that India has resolved to free itself from the “colonial mindset” once and for all, the seeds of which were sown by British politician Thomas Babington Macaulay in 1835, Modi said that in this effort India’s linguistic diversity is emerging as a source of strength. The PM said it will be ensured that 10 years from now the nation is completely free from the “mentality of slavery”.“Macaulay had tried to crush India’s language diversity, but now, as our nation frees itself from the mentality of slavery, linguistic diversity is becoming our strength,” Modi said while speaking at a programme at Bharat Mandapam on ‘Veer Bal Diwas’, observed annually since 2022 to commemorate the martyrdom of Sahibzadas Baba Zorawar Singh and Baba Fateh Singh the sons of Guru Gobind Singh (10th Sikh Guru).“The valor and ideals of Mata Gujri, Shri Guru Gobind Singh Ji, and the four Sahibzadas continue to give strength to every Indian even today; they remain our inspiration,” the PM said.“Sahibzada Ajit Singh Ji, Sahibzada Jujhar Singh Ji, Sahibzada Zorawar Singh Ji, and Sahibzada Fateh Singh Ji – at such a tender age, they had to confront the mightiest power of that time. That battle was between the fundamental values of India and religious fanaticism,” the PM added.“Our Sahibzadas were very young at that time. But Aurangzeb, in his cruelty, did not care about their age. He knew that if he wanted to frighten Indians into conversion, he would first have to break their morale but not one of the four Sahibzadas wavered,” the PM added.“The memories of our sacrifices and valor will no longer be buried. The heroes and heroines of our nation will no longer be pushed to the margins,” Modi said.Addressing children and youth in the audience, the PM also stressed that “Gen Z & Gen Alpha” will lead India to the goal of a “Viksit Bharat”.

HYDERABAD: A 26-year-old woman was burnt alive by her husband inside their rented house in Tilak Nagar in the early hours of Wednesday. The victim, Chityala Triveni, a hotel worker, succumbed to her burns at Gandhi Hospital at around 4 am and her husband, 32-year-old daily-wage labourer K Venkatesh, was arrested on Thursday.

According to the complaint lodged by Triveni’s father, Chityala Appaiah (48), a farmer, the couple had moved from their native Huzur Nagar to Hyderabad five years ago. They had been living for the past year at a house in Tilak Nagar along with their two children, Naresh (8) and Sathvika (6). Family members told police that Venkatesh had been accusing his wife of infidelity and harassing her for several years.At around 12.30 am on Wednesday, neighbour M Madhu, a food-delivery executive returning from work, noticed flames coming from Venkatesh’s house and alerted other tenants.Also read: Techie kills wife: How friend’s ‘divorce notice’ claim became the trigger; probe reveals new detailsMadhu went to the room and found the front door open. He saw Triveni engulfed in fire and neighbours rushed her to Gandhi Hospital, where she died while undergoing treatment, Nallakunta inspector K Maruti Prasad said.During a preliminary probe, the couple’s son Naresh told investigators that his father woke him up, showed him a bottle of petrol and took the boy outside before giving him a samosa and saying, “your mother will die today”. Venkatesh then doused Triveni with petrol and set her ablaze. Sathvika, who was sleeping on a mattress near her mother’s cot, ran out of the room after her mother was set alight. “The girl woke up hearing her mother scream and her father run out. She also ran out of the house. She did not sustain any injuries,” the inspector said.Based on Appaiah’s complaint, Nallakunta police registered a case under Section 103(1) (murder) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita against Venkatesh. The accused was arrested on Thursday night from Nallakunta. The body was handed over to relatives after post-mortem on Thursday. The accused will be produced before the court for remand on Friday.