MUMBAI: She was picked up by the police in South Bombay on the suspicion of being a sex worker, but her emaciated frame, tear-streaked face, and inability to speak any local language flummoxed the officers. It was late at night, and the policemen took her to the only place they believed could help at that hour: the one-stop centre (OSC) at KEM Hospital, Parel.Tucked away in a corner of the main medical building, this five-year-old OSC operates 24×7, providing medical, counselling, and legal assistance for women in distress. The OSC counsellor on duty swiftly organised a translator and uncovered the harrowing truth: the woman was trafficked from Bangladesh, and the perpetrator was her husband. As doctors examined her for wounds from violent encounters, she was told she could stay at the centre for a few days while the police figured out the next steps.

The OSC functioned seamlessly for this foreign woman, but social activists argue OSCs rarely fulfil their intended role as Nirbhaya centres for rape survivors. Thirteen years after the brutal gang rape of Delhi collegian Nirbhaya forced the govt to enact stringent laws and set up OSCs across India, rape survivors represent only a fraction of the women who reach them.Helping 1,000 YearlyTake the KEM Hospital OSC, for instance. Nearly 60% of the 807 cases (April 2024-March 2025) were about domestic violence; a mere 5% (42) were rape survivors. Advocate Audrey D’Mello, director of the non-profit Majlis Legal Centre, criticised OSCs—55 in Maharashtra and 700 across India —for devolving into “samjhauta (settlement) centres”.Academic dean Dr Harish Pathak, who is in charge of the KEM OSC, disagreed: “Our mandate now is to cater to women in distress. Whether she is a rape survivor, a victim of domestic violence, or cybercrime, we will provide her with medical and legal help.”The KEM OSC, with multiple cubicles for counselling interventions and a single shelter room, is considered small, admitted Shobha Shelar, the nodal officer of the District Women and Child Development Office, Mumbai city. Each OSC is supposed to have five beds, but this one has only one. “At times, the survivor needs medical attention and is admitted to the ward,” said Dr Pathak.The centre’s administrator, Sushma Gaikwad, said her 15member team has created a haven for women and children. “There is a gate, a security guard, and multiple case counsellors to help them,” she said. The centre caters to over 1,000 women and children annually. “There still isn’t much awareness about OSCs,” Gaikwad noted. “Rape survivors hence go to the police, who then direct them here.”6 More CentresMumbai has two OSCs, one at KEM and another at Jogeshwari Trauma Care Hospital. However, the latter isn’t fully staffed, and cases are sometimes referred out, said a state official.Now, a big centre with adequate infrastructure has been completed at Cama Hospital, near CSMT. “It was supposed to replace the KEM OSC, but given the need for such centres in the city, we now have permission to operate both,” said Shelar. The Cama centre will open after the Jan civic elections.“The union govt has also sanctioned five more centres for the suburbs. We are looking for hospitals that can grant us adequate space,” Shelar added.Police LinkMumbai police crime branch’s crime against women cell liaises between OSCs (or Sakhi centres) and local police stations. “When cases of violence against women are reported to the police station, a female officer records statements and registers an FIR. But, at times, a victim is unable to narrate or is stressed. We then seek help from the Sakhi centre,” said an officer from a suburban police station. He recalled a 14-year-old girl brought to the police station by her stepmother. “As the child seemed disturbed, we took her to the Jogeshwari OSC where counsellors helped her speak up about her father sexually assaulting her,” said the officer. The family disowned her, but the OSC offered her temporary shelter till she moved to a children’s home.Problems GaloreOSCs were meant to function as walk-in centres for women, but few know about it. D’Mello of Majlis said, “We were part of the drafting of this scheme, which envisaged a supportive mechanism with an administrator, counsellors for psychological support, a lawyer from state legal aid services, a policeman if she wishes to file a criminal case, and a shortterm shelter if needed.” She has been reviewing OSCs in Bihar and Maharashtra and found they had turned into ‘samjhauta centres’: The woman’s husband is called, she is counselled, and sent back with him. “There is no lawyer or policeman present,” said D’Mello.Launching more OSCs won’t serve the purpose if victims must run from place to place for help. “The truth is OSCs don’t have short-term shelters. The staff is not paid properly. The intention with which the scheme was envisaged hasn’t been achieved,” she said.A former employee said salaries fixed by the union women and child development ministry are low. “A multipurpose worker at the OSC gets Rs 15,000, but one can earn that in Mumbai by working as a domestic help with better hours and less stress than that associated with OSCs,’’ she said. Staff at the KEM Hospital centre not only get remuneration from the centre but also a token amount from a local NGO supporting their efforts.“The staff at the Jogeshwari centre doesn’t get such financial support, hence there is a huge shortage there,” said the former staffer. There is a geographical disadvantage. “Why will a rape survivor from, say, Mulund travel to Jogeshwari at a time she is feeling vulnerable?’’ asked a social worker. Dr Nayreen Daruwalla from NGO SNEHA said that OSCs in rural areas are located very far from where the victim lives, making access a significant challenge.

Representative image (Picture credit: ANI)

NEW DELHI: The higher reaches of Kashmir witnessed fresh snowfall while the plains received rain on Sunday, bringing relief to residents as Chillai-Kalan, the Valley’s harshest 40-day winter period, set in after a prolonged dry spell, as per PTI.Officials said snowfall was reported from the Gulmarg tourist resort in north Kashmir’s Baramulla district, where around two inches of snow had accumulated.In Sonamarg, located on the Srinagar–Kargil highway, snowfall began early Sunday morning and continued till the last reports were received.Sadhna Top, the mountain pass connecting the Tangdhar sector along the Line of Control with the rest of the Kashmir Valley, recorded moderate snowfall, with about six inches accumulating since Saturday night.Light rainfall was also reported overnight in Srinagar and other parts of the Valley and continued intermittently through Sunday, officials said. The weather department has forecast an increase in snowfall and rain across Kashmir over the next 48 hours.The precipitation has brought much-needed relief after an extended dry spell that had led to a rise in common ailments such as cough and cold, particularly among children and the elderly. The rain and snow on the first day of Chillai-Kalan are traditionally considered a good omen by locals and seen as a sign of ample snowfall in the coming weeks.Authorities said preparations were in place to deal with heavy snowfall, with arrangements reviewed for roads, power and water supply, health services and essential commodities. “I took a review of both divisions, especially areas where it is expected to snow, all districts in the Valley and the higher reaches of Jammu. The administration has finalised all preparations, but, whether that would suffice, will only be known after tomorrow when it starts to snow,” CM Omar Abdullah said on Saturday.Despite possible hardships, the snowfall is expected to improve air quality and give a boost to winter tourism, which had suffered last year due to a largely dry winter.“Even if we face some hardships due to the snow, I do not think anyone should complain because we have been eagerly awaiting snowfall. It will clear the air, mitigate pollution, and kick off the winter tourism season,” he added.Chillai-Kalan, also known as the “big cold”, will continue until January 30, after which the Valley will enter the milder Chillai-Khurd and Chillai-Bacha phases.

BHAGWANPUR (EAST MIDNAPORE): A cultural programme at a private school in East Midnapore’s Bhagwanpur descended into chaos on Saturday night after renowned Kolkata-based playback singer Lagnajita Chakraborty was allegedly heckled and physically harassed for performing a devotional song. The incident has sparked a major political controversy, with police arresting the school owner. A departmental enquiry has been ordered against the officer-in-charge of the local police station. Lagnajita, a prominent name in the Bengali music industry, had been invited to perform at the annual function of a private school. According to the formal complaint lodged by the artist, trouble began when she started singing ‘Joy Maa’, a popular track from the film Devi Chowdhurani. Witnesses claimed that in the middle of the performance, the school’s owner, identified as Mehebub Mallick, interrupted her. Lagnajita alleged in her written statement that Mallick used derogatory language and ordered her to stop the song. “When I began the ‘Joy Maa’ song, the owner, Mehebub Mallick, verbally abused me, saying, ‘Enough of this… now sing something secular.’ It wasn’t just verbal; I was subjected to physical harassment as well during the commotion,” the singer’s complaint stated. Following the alleged insult and physical intimidation, Lagnajita and her band members walked off the stage and left the venue. They proceeded directly to Bhagwanpur Police Station to record their statements. The district administration has taken a serious view of the matter. Speaking to the media, East Midnapore’s Acting Superintendent of Police, Mitun Kumar De, confirmed that an FIR has been registered. The owner has been arrested and a departmental probe has been ordered against the local OC. “The accused is in custody. We are committed to ensuring he is brought to justice,” De said. He added that the police are investigating whether there were any procedural lapses by local officers and have assured the singer of full cooperation and security.

Scott Boland of Australia celebrates with team mates (Photo by Darrian Traynor/Getty Images)

Australia have retained the Ashes with two matches still to play after Mitchell Starc claimed three of the final four wickets to halt England’s valiant fightback on the fifth day of the third Test at Adelaide Oval. The hosts secured an 82-run victory, leaving England unable to chase the challenging target of 435—a total that would have required a world-record fourth-innings run chase. Australia began Day 5 needing just four wickets to confirm their hold on the urn, with England resuming at 6-207 and still 228 runs short. Captain Pat Cummins described the win as “pretty awesome,” praising the team’s effort in a tough, drawn-out contest. Cummins, returning from a back injury that sidelined him for the first two Tests, noted that Test cricket in Australia is often a grind and lauded his teammates for their persistence. Steve Smith had led Australia to eight-wicket victories in Perth and Brisbane but missed the Adelaide Test due to vertigo, ruling him out just before the toss.

The day began with England pushing back, adding 102 runs in the morning session before Jamie Smith fell to Cummins for 60. England briefly narrowed the Ashes equation at lunch, leaving Australia needing three wickets to secure the series while the visitors required 126 runs to stay alive. No team in Test history has chased more than West Indies’ 418 in 2003 to win in the fourth innings. England skipper Ben Stokes admitted he felt his side could achieve a record chase, but Australia’s attack, led by Starc, proved decisive despite Nathan Lyon leaving the field with a hamstring injury. Starc removed Will Jacks (47), Jofra Archer (3), and set up Scott Boland to finish off Josh Tongue (1), leaving Brydon Carse stranded on 39 as England were all out for 352. Alex Carey was awarded player of the match for his crucial contributions—a century in the first innings, a half-century in the second alongside Travis Head’s 170, and seven dismissals behind the stumps. Stokes acknowledged the disappointment but praised his team’s resilience and urged them to focus on the remaining two Tests. Lyon’s injury, sustained while diving to stop a boundary, ruled him out for the rest of the match. England’s woes in Australia continue, with the team going 5,462 days without a Test win Down Under, extending a winless streak through series results of 5-0, 4-0, 4-0, and now 3-0. Melbourne will host the Boxing Day Test on December 26, followed by the New Year’s Test in Sydney.

PILIBHIT: A retired sub-inspector of Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) and his wife have been booked for allegedly killing a 28-year-old man over suspicion that he was having an affair with their daughter, police said on Saturday.Sukhdev Singh, the 28-year-old, was a resident of Tonadrpur village in Neuria area and had been involved in running an International English Language Testing System (IELTS) coaching centre from the premises of the accused couple — Puran Singh (62), a resident of Narayanpur village in Pilibhit’s Puranpur area, and his wife, Gurmeet Kaur.

Police said the case was registered on the complaint of the victim’s father, Harjinder Singh, a farmer, who alleged that Puran Singh suspected Sukhdev of having an illicit relationship with his daughter, which led to the killing. The daughter had recently left for Australia on a student visa on Dec 15.According to the complaint, Sukhdev had shut down his IELTS centre over a year ago. As Puran Singh and his wife did not have a son, they treated Sukhdev like a family member. On Saturday morning, Sukhdev reportedly received a phone call from Puran Singh and left home without disclosing the reason. Around 9.30 am, the family was informed that he had been shot dead. Harjinder Singh rushed to the spot and found his son’s body inside Puran Singh’s house.SHO Pawan Pandey said that “Puran Singh’s licensed pistol was used in the incident.” “The bullet pierced Sukhdev’s chest and exited, hitting a sofa in the room. Gurmeet Kaur also sustained a bullet injury to her shoulder and was admitted to a govt medical facility,” the SHO added. Meanwhile, Gurmeet Kaur gave a different account to the police, claiming that Sukhdev had taken Rs 50 lakh from her husband in instalments on the pretext of investing in a business and was avoiding repayment. She alleged that a dispute broke out over the money when Sukhdev visited their house on Saturday morning, during which he allegedly shot her with a pistol before turning the weapon on himself.Police said a forensic team collected evidence from the spot, and the bullet that injured Gurmeet Kaur would be sent for forensic examination to determine the weapon used. Based on the complaint filed by the victim’s father, a case has been registered against Puran Singh and his wife under BNS Section 103(1) (murder).

In a high-security Shenzhen laboratory, Chinese scientists have achieved what Washington spent years trying to prevent and what Europe’s leading chip equipment maker said was impossible: building a working prototype of an extreme ultraviolet (EUV) lithography machine, dubbed “China’s Manhattan Project,” capable of producing the cutting-edge semiconductor chips that power artificial intelligence, smartphones, and advanced weapons systems. The breakthrough, as reported by Reuters, could prove ASML’s CEO dramatically underestimated China’s semiconductor capabilities.The prototype, completed in early 2025 and now undergoing testing, was reportedly built by former engineers from Dutch semiconductor giant ASML who reverse-engineered the company’s technology. While ASML CEO Christophe Fouquet said in April that China would need “many, many years” to develop such technology, Reuters reports suggest Beijing may be years closer to chip independence than Western experts anticipated.

Former ASML engineers built China’s prototype using reverse engineering

The machine fills nearly an entire factory floor and is operational, successfully generating extreme ultraviolet light, though it has not yet produced working chips, according to two people with knowledge of the project who spoke to Reuters. The Chinese government has set a target of producing working chips by 2028, though sources close to the project say 2030 is more realistic—still years ahead of the decade-long timeline many analysts had projected.The breakthrough marks the culmination of a six-year government initiative described by sources as China’s version of the Manhattan Project. Huawei plays a key coordinating role across a web of companies and state research institutes involving thousands of engineers, Reuters reported.

China recruited ASML veterans with fake IDs and million-dollar bonuses

According to Reuters, the team includes recently retired Chinese-born former ASML engineers recruited with signing bonuses starting at $420,000 to $700,000. One veteran engineer received a fake identification card along with his signing bonus, and found other former ASML colleagues also working under aliases to maintain secrecy.The project falls under China’s semiconductor strategy run by Xi Jinping confidant Ding Xuexiang, who heads the Communist Party’s Central Science and Technology Commission. “The aim is for China to eventually be able to make advanced chips on machines that are entirely China-made,” one source told Reuters. “China wants the United States 100% kicked out of its supply chains.”

ASML monopolizes EUV technology that powers AI chips and military systems

EUV machines are critical for producing cutting-edge semiconductor chips that power artificial intelligence, smartphones, and weapons systems. ASML is currently the only company that has mastered this technology, with machines costing around $250 million each. The company told Reuters it took nearly two decades and billions of euros before producing its first commercially-available chips in 2019.ASML CEO Fouquet has repeatedly downplayed China’s semiconductor capabilities. In December 2024, he told Dutch media that China is currently 10 to 15 years behind the West in chipmaking. “By banning the export of EUV, China will lag 10 to 15 years behind the West,” he said. “That really has an effect.” In February 2025, he told The Wall Street Journal that export controls remain effective despite advances like DeepSeek’s AI model. “If you don’t have the most advanced technology at hand, you won’t be as good as the people who have it,” he insisted.The United States has blocked ASML from selling EUV systems to China since 2018, restrictions that expanded under the Biden administration in 2022. No EUV system has ever been sold to a customer in China, ASML confirmed to Reuters.Yet export restrictions have struggled to contain China’s ambitions. The country has been salvaging components from older ASML machines and sourcing parts through secondhand markets to build its prototype, with networks of intermediary companies sometimes masking the ultimate buyer, sources said. International banks regularly auction older semiconductor fabrication equipment, with auctions in China selling older ASML lithography equipment as recently as October 2025, according to a review of listings on Alibaba Auction.ASML told Reuters it “vigilantly guards” trade secrets and has “successfully pursued legal action in response to the theft of trade secrets.” The company won an $845 million judgment in 2019 against a former Chinese engineer accused of stealing trade secrets, but the defendant filed for bankruptcy and continues to operate in Beijing with Chinese government support, according to court documents.The Shenzhen prototype suggests that China’s biggest breakthrough in the semiconductor race may have come not from circumventing Western export controls, but from the very engineers who built the technology those controls were designed to protect.

Australia have retained the Ashes after defeating England by 82 runs in the third Test at the Adelaide Oval, racing to an unassailable 3-0 lead in the five-match series. The victory capped a dominant stretch for the hosts, who wrapped up the contest on the final day despite determined resistance from England’s lower order.

Chasing a daunting 435, England were dismissed for 352, falling short after briefly threatening to extend the match deeper into the afternoon. The result sparked celebrations among the home side and underlined Australia’s authority throughout the series so far.

England show fight but fall short on final day in Adelaide

England began Day 5 with faint hopes and responded with commendable grit. Jamie Smith, Will Jacks and Brydon Carse stitched together valuable runs to keep Australia waiting, frustrating the bowlers with disciplined defence and timely counterattacks.

However, the task remained steep against a relentless Australian attack. Just as England threatened to narrow the gap, wickets arrived at regular intervals, preventing any genuine late surge. The chase ultimately ran out of momentum, ending England’s hopes of salvaging the Test.

Mitchell Starc and Scott Boland finish the job for Australia

Australia’s bowlers held their nerve on the final day. Mitchell Starc struck three times, using pace and angle to break key partnerships, while Scott Boland delivered the final blow to end England’s resistance and seal the match.

The disciplined bowling effort ensured Australia maintained control despite England’s stubborn stand, closing out a win that reflected their superiority across all five days in Adelaide.

The groundwork for Australia’s triumph was laid earlier in the Test through a powerful batting display in the second innings. Travis Head’s commanding 170 anchored the innings, while Alex Carey’s fluent 72 provided crucial middle-order support.

Their contributions pushed Australia to a position of dominance and set England an imposing fourth-innings target that proved beyond reach. The pair’s efforts were central to shaping the match and applying sustained pressure on the visitors.

Australia retain the Ashes in just 11 days

The Adelaide victory followed eight-wicket wins in Perth and Brisbane, meaning Australia wrapped up Ashes retention in just 11 days of cricket – one of the fastest series clinches in nearly a century.

With two Tests still to play, Australia have already secured the urn, highlighting the gulf between the sides over the opening three matches.

Also WATCH: Nathan Lyon rattles Ben Stokes’ off stump with a beauty on Day 4 of the third Ashes Test in Adelaide

Here are the reactions of fans:

Goodbye Bazball 👋🏻 #AUSvENG pic.twitter.com/HbL6mmSfD7

— Lachy (@Lachy_Steele) December 21, 2025

Australia retain the Ashes 🏆#ashes #AUSvENG pic.twitter.com/U0Am9pVVEW

— Adelaide Oval (@TheAdelaideOval) December 21, 2025

Quickest Ashes victories (5+ match series)
8 days – aus 1921
11 DAYS – AUS 2025/26
11 days – aus 2002/03
11 days – aus 2001

#AUSvENG

— Swamp (@sirswampthing) December 21, 2025

Australia have gone 3-0 and they’ve retained the Ashes

It’s staying put where it should be

You bloody beauty

Let’s gooooooooooooo

💚💛💚💛🇦🇺🦘#AUSvENG #Ashes #ashes25 pic.twitter.com/Ml3c1XGbN2

— JAKE FLAGPIES23 🏆🖤🤍 (@IncrediblyBozza) December 21, 2025

A match-winning performance from Alex Carey: 106 & 72 ✨#Ashes2025 #AlexCarey #CricketTwitter pic.twitter.com/2KukXGbLGm

— CricketTimes.com (@CricketTimesHQ) December 21, 2025

Bazball is officially dead. England’s playing Tests like T20s, no control from players. It works against weak sides/bowling, but crumbles vs stronger squads. From 3rd Test, they switched to normal if they’d done it in start, series might’ve turned out different. #Ashes #AUSvENG

— Anurag Bhattarai (@Anurag_Bhttri19) December 21, 2025

Wicketkeepers clinching POTM honors in #TheAshes:

– Ian Healy – Trent Bridge, 1997
– Adam Gilchrist – Edgbaston, 2001
– Alex Carey – Adelaide Oval, 2025#AUSvENG pic.twitter.com/qiK01eJHk2

— Arshy (@imArshit) December 21, 2025

Worst Aussie team in a decade? Yet they’ve sealed the Ashes in just over 10 days. Ruthless dominance! 💥🇦🇺

#Ashes #AUSvENG pic.twitter.com/Y9IYXkGegZ

— tillu badmas 💀 (@SiddharthKaura2) December 21, 2025

We can laugh at Bazball all we like, but chasing 435 in Adelaide and finishing 352 all out is not nothing. England were 82 runs short of a miracle Ashes chase. Give those batters a bit more game awareness and this exact style was close to stealing it. #Ashes #AUSvENG
#Ashes2025 pic.twitter.com/7i7gXfnY2G

— Wallflower (@mariyatresa) December 21, 2025

🚨ENGLAND IN THE LAST 18 TESTS IN AUSTRALIA:🚨

Lost, Lost, Lost, Lost, Lost, Lost, Lost, Lost, Draw, Lost, Lost, Lost, Lost, Draw, Lost, Lost, Lost, Lost.#Ashes #Ashes2025 #AUSvENG #Adelaide pic.twitter.com/nhQ0P7ReIf

— urstruly (@VikashChou70911) December 21, 2025

This was a very good movie, I rated it 5/5 👌 #AUSvsENG #AUSvENG #Ashes #Ashes2025 #ashes25 pic.twitter.com/zhu4TxOjQx

— JAKE FLAGPIES23 🏆🖤🤍 (@IncrediblyBozza) December 21, 2025

I just remembered Starc was on two warnings for running on the pitch and another one would have seen him banned from bowling for the rest of the innings. Just as well that didn’t happen as he took 3 wickets today and we would have been 2 bowlers down. #ausveng #Ashes

— Rory Burnside (@RoryBurnside) December 21, 2025

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