Mumbai: A fire broke out at City Mall on New Link Road near PVR Cinema in Andheri West on Saturday afternoon. It took almost an hour to bring it fully under control, with no injuries reported, said officials.According to the Mumbai Fire Brigade (MFB), a fire call was received around 2:06pm, following which fire engines were rushed to the spot, arriving at around 2:24pm. The blaze was extinguished by 3:03pm.The fire was confined to an electrical duct located at the south-west corner of the mall at the third-floor level. Firefighters disconnected the electric supply and extinguished the blaze using three hose lines—two small hose lines and one first-aid line—along with three motor pumps. Smoke was reported in the electric duct, but the fire did not spread beyond the affected area.Multiple agencies, including the Mumbai Fire Brigade, police, 108 ambulance services, and ward staff, were mobilised as a precaution. A total of three fire engines, two jumbo tankers, one aerial water tower tender, one breathing apparatus van, and an ambulance were deployed at the site.The cause of the fire is yet to be ascertained.Dhaval Shah of the Lokhandwala Oshiwara Citizens Association (LOCA) said the irony of the situation is that there is a reservation in the Development Plan (DP) for a fire brigade in a portion of Chitrakoot grounds which has yet not been developed. “For a large area like Andheri, there is no fire station, and in case of a blaze, fire engines come either from Irla or Goregaon Fire Station. There is a mini fire station, but then that cannot cater to a large fire like this. We all know that the faster the blaze is doused, the lesser is the damage,” said Shah.

NOIDA: A 17-year-old boy from Delhi was apprehended after he crashed a Thar he had rented to take his girlfriend around into several vehicles in Sector 22 on Thursday, leaving three persons injured.The incident occurred when the teenager, who had taken the SUV on rent from an agency in Greater Noida despite being underage and without a licence, panicked and attempted to flee after spotting his family members looking for him. According to police, the boy had sourced Rs 10,000 from somewhere and stayed out with his friends for more than 24 hours, without his family’s knowledge.

On Thursday evening, he rented the Thar after looking up the agency online and drove to meet a friend near ESIC in Sector 22. The boy and his girlfriend — also a minor — were inside the car when he spotted his family members approaching him.As he reversed the Thar and tried to escape, he crashed the SUV into two cars, two scooters, and a Bullet motorcycle, causing significant damage and injuring three persons. One of the victims suffered severe head injuries and is currently undergoing treatment. The two others were released after first-aid. The impact of the crash was so intense that the Bullet’s fuel tank burst.A video of the aftermath shows the damaged vehicles scattered across the road. Local residents informed police, who arrived at the scene, seized the Thar, and detained the minors in the car. Sourav Rana, owner of the damaged Bullet, filed a police complaint, leading to a case being registered for rash driving, endangering life, and mischief under BNS sections.“During the investigation, it was found that the minor had rented the car to show off and take his girlfriend out for a ride. We will soon initiate action against the car agency for renting the vehicle to an underage person. Further investigation is underway,” a senior police officer said.

Shreyas Iyer, India‘s ODI vice-captain, has sparked optimism among fans and selectors by resuming batting practice following a severe spleen injury sustained during the third ODI against Australia in Sydney on October 25, 2025.

Shreyas Iyer’s injury timeline and recovery milestones

Iyer suffered a lacerated spleen with internal bleeding while diving for a catch to dismiss Alex Carey, leading to immediate hospitalization, a minor procedure, and intensive monitoring by BCCI medical teams in Sydney and India. Discharged after stabilizing, he missed the South Africa ODIs, Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, and early Vijay Hazare Trophy games for Mumbai, focusing on gradual rehab with light gym work starting ten days prior. Recent clean scans and unrestricted net sessions in Mumbai marked key progress, with no pain or fatigue reported post-batting. At the CoE, experts will conduct multi-layered tests including imaging, cardiovascular checks, acceleration-deceleration drills, endurance profiling, and simulated high-intensity nets to gauge match readiness under stress.​

Iyer signals India return after net session

The 31-year-old right-hander reported to the BCCI’s Centre of Excellence (CoE) in Bengaluru on December 26 for rigorous fitness assessments, after batting pain-free for 30-45 minutes at the Cricket Club of India nets in Mumbai. Sharing glimpses on social media, including a nets video and CoE photo, Iyer signals his determination to reclaim his spot in the middle order.​

Iyer’s CoE stay, lasting four to six days, will dictate timelines for his comeback, with Mumbai’s Vijay Hazare Trophy schedule – featuring matches against Chhattisgarh (December 29), and others – offering a potential platform in later stages.

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His disciplined approach, including core strengthening and movement drills, positions him well for ODI comeback against New Zealand and IPL 2026 with Punjab Kings, where leadership and No.4 stability remain crucial.

As Iyer pushes boundaries in rehab, his resilience could bolster India’s white-ball campaign just when middle-order firepower is needed most.

Shreyas Iyer’s first net Season after injury at cci on 24th December

He batted around one hour without any discomfort and went to coe the next day
He is currently at coe pic.twitter.com/zUj4KnL6sL

— Sawai96 (@Aspirant_9457) December 26, 2025

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Mumbai: With New Year celebrations around the corner and in the wake of a deadly fire at a Goa nightclub which claimed 25 lives earlier this month, the Mumbai fire brigade has stepped up inspections across the city. They carried out fire safety checks at 1,221 establishments under a Special Fire Safety Drive between Dec 22 and 26, 2025.During this inspection, action was taken against 59 establishments found violating fire safety norms, while 20 others were issued notices. Further action was also taken against four establishments that were found to be storing excess LPG cylinders than permitted.The inspections covered hotels, restaurants, pubs, bars, rooftop venues, and party halls, which typically witness heavy footfall during year-end celebrations. The inspections included 10 malls, 25 five-star hotels, 148 pubs, bars, and clubs, 19 rooftop venues, and 628 restaurants, among others. Action has been initiated under provisions of the Maharashtra Fire Prevention and Life Safety Measures Act, 2006, officials said.Before starting inspections at any establishments, wards have been issuing notices in most cases, stating, “In light of the upcoming New Year celebration and associated events, there is a significant increase in public gatherings at hotels, restaurants, and other venues. To ensure the safety and well-being of all attendees, it is crucial to verify compliance with fire safety norms and health licensing conditions as mandated by the concerned authorities. As a precautionary measure, the Fire Compliance Cell, along with the ward, is initiating a Special Inspection Drive for inspection of hotels, restaurants, pubs, banquet halls, game zones, theatres, etc., to check requirements of fire compliance certificate and health license conditions on the grounds of upcoming New Year celebration and related events.”The special fire safety drive will continue until Dec 28, after which routine inspections and enforcement will resume, said the civic body. Establishments have been directed to ensure functioning fire-fighting systems, clear exit routes, and compliance with occupancy norms.Mumbai Fire Brigade (MFB) on Dec 19, also issued a notice to the National Sports Club of India (NSCI), Worli, citing multiple lapses in fire prevention and life safety measures at its sprawling sports complex. The notice was issued following an inspection conducted on Dec 19, 2025, under the Maharashtra Fire Prevention and Life Safety Measures Act, 2006. However, NSCI said all corrective actions have been taken.The BMC has also appealed to citizens to remain vigilant while attending New Year events and to immediately alert authorities if fire safety lapses are noticed.The renewed enforcement push follows growing concern over fire safety compliance at entertainment venues, particularly after a recent fire at a restaurant in Goa. On Dec 6, 2025, a catastrophic fire broke out at the Birch by Romeo Lane nightclub in Arpora, North Goa, resulting in the deaths of 25 people and injuring approximately 50 others.It may be recollected that a few years ago in Mumbai, on Dec 29, 2017, a massive blaze gutted two eateries in Lower Parel’s Kamala Mill Compound, which killed 14 people. All 14 were found dead in the bathroom of the resto-bar, where they probably rushed for shelter on seeing the flames. The cause of the fire was derived as ‘flying embers’, i.e., burning/lighted flying embers from the lighted charcoal segree came in contact with the combustible cloth material used for curtains in one of the restaurants and very rapidly spread to the unauthorised highly combustible thatched roof of another restaurant.

England’s Ben Stokes celebrates with teammates (AP/PTI)

England produced a stunning Boxing Day result at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on Saturday, pulling off a memorable four-wicket win over Australia that carried significance well beyond the Ashes scoreline. Although Australia had already sealed the urn with a commanding 3-0 lead in the series, the victory marked a rare and much-needed breakthrough for the visitors, ending a 19-Test winless run in Australia. The result also sent ripples through the ICC World Test Championship 2025–2027 standings. Australia had entered the match with a flawless record and a perfect 100 per cent points percentage. The defeat brought that run to an end, handing them their first loss of the current cycle and opening up the race for the rest of the field.

Australia remain firmly at the top of the table despite the setback, but their points percentage has dropped from 100 to 85.71. While they are still well placed to qualify for the WTC final, the cushion they enjoyed over New Zealand has been reduced, making the contest at the top slightly tighter. For England, the win provided a valuable boost in an otherwise challenging campaign. Ben Stokes’ side have now collected 12 points in the cycle, lifting their points percentage to 35.18. However, they continue to sit seventh in the standings, with significant ground to make up on India and the teams placed above them.

WTC Points Table:

WTC Points Table

New Zealand and South Africa stand to gain the most from Australia finally dropping points. With the leaders no longer perfect, the battle for top spot, and the confidence that comes with it, is very much alive. India currently occupy sixth place with a points percentage of 48.15. With Australia and New Zealand maintaining strong positions, India will need an almost flawless run in their upcoming fixtures to push into the top two. England, while still behind India, will be aiming to close that gap after adding another win to their tally. The focus now shifts to Sydney, where the final Test of the Ashes series begins at the SCG on January 4. Australia will be eager to reassert their authority, while England will hope the momentum from Melbourne helps them climb further up the World Test Championship table.