NEW DELHI: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Monday condemned the fatal assault case of Tripura student Anjel Chakma and his brother in Uttarakhand’s Dehradun.In a social media post on X, the leader of opposition in Lok Sabha pinned the blame of Chakma’s death on BJP, claiming that the hate crime was the result of “toxic content and irresponsible narratives.”

“What happened to Anjel Chakma and his brother Michael in Dehradun is a horrific hate crime. Hate doesn’t appear overnight. For years now it is being fed daily – especially to our youth – through toxic content and irresponsible narratives. And it’s being normalised by the hate-spewing leadership of the ruling BJP,” Rahul said.“India is built on respect and unity, not fear and abuse. We are a country of love and diversity. We must not become a dead society that looks away while fellow Indians are targeted. We must reflect and confront what we are allowing our country to become. My thoughts are with the Chakma family and the people of Tripura and North East. We are proud to call you our fellow Indian brothers and sisters,” he added.This comes after Chakma was assaulted by a group of miscreants in Dehradun on December 9 and later succumbed to his injuries on December 26 at a private hospital.According to police, the incident occurred on the evening of December 9 in the Premnagar police station area of Dehradun.“Two students from Tripura, Angel Chakma and his brother, Michael Chakma, lived near Nanda Chowki in the Premnagar police station area. This incident happened on the evening of the 9th, when they had gone to Selaqui for some work,” Superintendent of Police (City) Pramod Kumar said.He added that the two got into an argument with some local youths and another youth from the Northeast.“A fight broke out between them, during which it is reported that they were attacked with knives and other blunt objects. As a result, they were seriously injured. Their brother took them to the hospital, and subsequently, an FIR was registered,” he said.Meanwhile, Uttarakhand chief minister Pushkar Singh Dham expressed condolences and assured justice for Tripura student’s familyDhami spoke with Anjel’s father, Tarun Prasad Chakma, and promised strict action against the perpetrators. “This was a regrettable incident. We will ensure the culprits receive the harshest punishment,” he said.According to police, One suspect, a Nepalese national, is on the run, and a reward has been announced for his capture. Dhami assured support, stating, “We are with you in this hour of need. We’ll provide whatever help we can.”“Five accused have already been arrested in the case, while another accused is suspected of having fled to Nepal. A reward has been announced, and efforts are underway to arrest the remaining accused,” said Dhami.According to Uttarakhand CMO, the chief minister told Tarun Chakma that Uttarakhand has never had such an atmosphere, as students from across the country and abroad come here to study. Therefore, this incident is distressing for everyone.He further said that after the incident, he spoke with Tripura chief minister Manik Saha, Union home minister Amit Shah, and defence minister Rajnath Singh.Earlier, members of the Tipra Indigenous Students Federation (TISF), the student wing of Tipra Motha Party, held a candle march at Astabal Maidan in Agartala on Sunday, demanding justice for Anjel Chakma, a student hailing from Nandanagar, Debram Thakur Para, who was killed in Dehradun on December 9.Tripura chief minister Manik Saha said his Uttarakhand counterpart, Pushkar Singh Dhami, had assured him that justice would be delivered in the case of a Tripura student.

NEW DELHI: India’s outlook for 2026 improved amid geopolitical challenges due to ongoing reforms and optimism in the US-India relations, said a report by Invesco Strategy & Insights.In its “2026 Annual Investment Outlook Resilience and rebalancing”, Invesco mentioned that despite equity market underperformance amid geopolitical tensions, we are cautiously optimistic on India in 2026, due to ongoing reforms and signs of stabilization and room for potential improvement in US-India relations.“We expect India to remain the world’s fastest growing large economy, with growth modestly accelerating on Reserve Bank of India (RBI) rate cuts. Domestic economic reforms remain crucial for raising trend growth and for long-term resilience, in our view. We expect gradual progress given political constraints,” the report said.However, in terms of Emerging Market (EM) Equities, Invesco report said the EM equities have the most attractive valuations relative to other regions, albeit with wide variation within EM. “We anticipate Chinese stocks to continue to outperform while India may struggle.”We expect a weaker USD and better growth outside of the US to support performance of non-US assets, especially emerging market (EM) equities and EM debt.The report further mentioned that the global financial markets are poised for continued gains in 2026, supported by resilient private-sector balance sheets and a shift toward broader market leadership.The report highlighted that the lower US policy rates and greater fiscal spending in Europe, Japan, and China should lead to an improved global growth trajectory next year, and higher global equity markets.“With many major central banks on hold, Fed cuts should contribute to a soft dollar environment. Falling costs for hedging US dollar (USD) exposure are likely to encourage investors to increase hedge ratios and exert downward pressure on the dollar,” it said.The outlook points to a rebalancing of investment opportunities. While U.S. equities, particularly large technology and artificial intelligence-related stocks, remain expensive, Invesco sees more attractive valuations in non-U.S. markets, smaller-capitalization stocks and cyclical sectors.A pickup in global activity could support broader market participation and reduce concentration risks tied to mega-cap technology shares.

Agastya Nanda is all set to make his big-screen debut with the film ‘Ikkis’. Directed by Sriram Raghavan, the movie stars the lead actor along with the late legendary Hindi cinema icon, Dharmendra, Jaideep Ahlawat, and Simiar Bhatia. Ahead of its release this week, a report about the salaries of the cast members has surfaced on the internet. Let’s take a look at it.

‘Ikkis’ cast fees

Agastya NandaAgastya Nanda will be playing the lead character of Second Lieutenant Arun Khetarpal in the movie. According to Asianet and other reports, he was paid Rs 70 lakh for his role in the war drama.

Jaideep AhlawatJaideep Ahlawat, who has always proved his mettle with his acting performances, will be seen essaying an important role in the film. As per the reports, he charged Rs 50 lakh for the biopic.DharmendraThe late Hindi cinema legend, Dharmendra, who has been receiving praise for his performance after the audience watched the trailer, was paid Rs 20 lakh for the role.Simar BhatiaAkshay Kumar’s niece, Simar Bhatia, is set to make her Bollywood debut with ‘Ikkis’. And as per the report, the young talent has received Rs 5 lakh as her remuneration for the movie.

More about ‘Ikkis’

The film is based on the life of Paramvir Chakra awardee Second Lieutenant Arun Khetarpal, who was martyred at the age of 21 during the Indo-Pak of 1971. The film’s title refers to the age the soldier laid down his life for the country.Directed by Sriram Raghavan, the movie also holds importance as it will be Dharmendra’s last screen appearance. The film was scheduled to hit on December 25, 2025; however, the makers pushed the release date due to ‘Dhurandhar’ fever at the box office. The producer stated that movie deserves a solo release, and hence, the date was shifted to January 1, 2026.

NEW DELHI: Former IPL chairman Lalit Modi on Monday issued an apology for his recent social media remarks after a video featuring him with fugitive businessman Vijay Mallya triggered a backlash.In a post on X, Lalit Modi said he never intended to offend anyone, particularly the Indian government, and claimed his comments had been “misconstrued”.

“I apologise if I have hurt anyone’s feelings, especially the Indian government, for whom I have the highest respect and regard. The statement was misconstrued and was never intended to be as played out. Once again, my deepest apologies,” he wrote.The apology came after Lalit Modi posted a clip on Instagram in which he jokingly referred to himself and Mallya as “the two biggest fugitives of India”.“Let me do something to break the internet again. Happy birthday my friend #VijayMallya. Love u,” Lalit Modi captioned the post.After the video surfaced, the ministry of external affairs reiterated India’s position on those facing charges at home but living abroad.“We remain fully committed that people who are fugitives and are wanted by law in India return to the country. For this particular return, we are in talks with several governments, and processes are on,” MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said during a weekly media briefing in New Delhi.Both Lalit Modi and Vijay Mallya face legal cases in India over alleged financial irregularities, allegations they have denied.Lalit Modi, a former cricket administrator and the founder of the Indian Premier League, left India in 2010 after probes were launched into financial irregularities linked to the league’s early years. He has remained abroad since.Vijay Mallya is believed to be out on bail in the UK and has continued to oppose his extradition to India while a “confidential” legal matter.Earlier this year, a consortium of Indian banks led by the State Bank of India (SBI) won a London court appeal that upheld a bankruptcy order against Mallya. The case is part of a long-running effort to recover about £1.05 billion owed by Kingfisher Airlines.

Ashleigh Gardner, Australia’s premier all-rounder, remains steadfast in her conviction that the team holds the title of the world’s best despite recent ICC tournament heartbreaks. The right-arm off-spinner and hard-hitting batter emphasized her focus on reclaiming glory at the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2026 in England and Wales, starting June 12. Drawing from her experience, Gardner insists minimal tactical overhauls are needed, prioritizing execution in high-pressure moments.

High ambitions drive Ashleigh Gardner targeting big impact for Australia

Despite back-to-back semi-final exits at the 2024 T20 World Cup—where South Africa chased down 134/5—and the 2025 ODI World Cup, losing to champions India in a record 338 chase, Gardner insists her team remains supreme. The 28-year-old all-rounder, with three prior World Cup titles and T20I stats of 19.93 batting average and 6.07 economy, eyes redemption in Group A alongside India, Pakistan, South Africa, and Nepal qualifiers.​

“The last couple of World Cups have been frustrating because of the way that they’ve ended. But I can sit here comfortably and say that I still believe that we’re the best team. It’s just making sure that we’re showing that in those moments where it really matters. So I’m certainly thinking about June next year, it seems like a long time away but it realistically isn’t and it’ll come around very quickly,“​Gardner stated to AAP news.

Also READ: Harmanpreet Kaur surpasses Meg Lanning’s record with a historic captaincy feat following T20I series triumph over Sri Lanka

Australia to begin their preparations hosting World Champion India

Australia’s buildup intensifies with a multi-format home series against 2025 ODI World Cup winners India in February-March 2026, featuring three T20Is, three ODIs in Brisbane, Hobart, and a one-off Test in Perth. This white-ball focus sharpens T20 readiness, especially with India as Group A rivals in a blockbuster Lord’s clash on June 28.​

Gardner, fresh off ODI centuries like 104* vs England and 115 vs New Zealand in 2025, dismisses major overhauls.

“I think there’s not going to be too many dramatic changes. I don’t think there necessarily needs to be. It’s more those small moments that I don’t think we won and kind of letting the game go in ebbs and flows. That’s going to happen at times, but making sure that if those things do arise, we have the tools and capabilities to recognise it and the tools to get out of that,” she added. Her leadership, honed captaining Gujarat Giants in WPL 2025, bolsters Australia’s depth amid English conditions suiting her spin.​

The series against India, post their World Cup triumph over South Africa, tests Australia’s top ICC T20I ranking edge despite recent slips. Gardner’s resolve signals a tactical tweak on pressure execution, blending veterans with youth for a seventh T20 crown.

Also READ: IND-W vs SL-W: Smriti Mandhana breaks Suzie Bates’ record in T20Is

This article was first published at WomenCricket.com, a Cricket Times company.

NEW DELHI: Dense fog blanketed Delhi and large parts of North India on Monday, triggering widespread disruption across air and rail networks, with hundreds of flights cancelled or delayed and trains running hours behind schedule, leaving passengers stranded and frustrated.At the Indira Gandhi International (IGI) Airport, at least 128 flights — 64 departures and 64 arrivals — were cancelled, while eight flights were diverted due to low visibility conditions. Nearly 200 flights were delayed, with an average departure delay of around 24 minutes, according to flight-tracking website Flightradar24. Visibility at the airport dropped to as low as 50 metres, forcing operations to continue under CAT III conditions, an advanced landing system used during dense fog. Delhi’s AQI also crossed 400 on Monday, hitting ‘severe’ category of air pollution.Delhi International Airport Ltd (DIAL) said runway visibility was gradually improving but warned that departures and arrivals could remain affected.IndiGo cancelled 80 flights across its network due to bad weather, with around half of those cancellations at Delhi airport. Other affected airports included Mumbai, Bengaluru, Kochi, Hyderabad, Kolkata, Amritsar, Chandigarh, Jaipur, Dehradun, Indore, Patna and Bhopal. While the airline did not explicitly disclose the number of cancellations in its advisory, it acknowledged that fog-related disruptions were likely to extend into the afternoon hours. “Fog continues to persist across Delhi and several airports in northern India. Visibility remains reduced and, as a result, flight movements are presently slower than normal,” IndiGo said in a post on X.The airline has been cancelling flights in significant numbers since the start of the fog season on December 10, following earlier large-scale disruptions caused by stricter pilot duty norms. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has designated December 10 to February 10 as the official fog window this winter, during which airlines must deploy CAT-IIIB-compliant aircraft and pilots trained for low-visibility operations.Airlines including IndiGo and Air India urged passengers to regularly check flight status and assured them that safety remained the top priority as operations continued to adjust to fluctuating weather conditions.Rail services hitRail services were also hit hard. Several trains were delayed by hours at New Delhi and Hazrat Nizamuddin railway stations, prompting passenger complaints. Gagan, travelling to Kanpur, told ANI that his train was delayed by eight hours, while students expressed concern about missing meals, exams and connections due to prolonged delays. Taxi drivers at stations reported a sharp drop in business as late-arriving trains reduced passenger movement.The fog also raised safety concerns on roads, with commuters warning of increased accident risks due to poor visibility. Meanwhile, smog reduced visibility in parts of Mumbai, adding to travel woes.

NEW DELHI: Australia coach Andrew McDonald has thrown his support behind Melbourne Cricket Ground curator Matt Page and cautioned against authorities intervening in pitch preparation. Page and his staff have come under heavy criticism after leaving around 10 millimetres of grass on the surface for the fourth Ashes Test against England.The conditions offered significant movement and bounce for the seamers, making batting difficult, with England clinching a four-wicket victory inside two days.

The early finish resulted in a major financial hit for Cricket Australia, which is set to refund tickets for days three, four and five, leading to an estimated revenue loss of Aus$10 million (US$6.7 million).McDonald said Page had done an “outstanding” job over the years and felt the batters also needed to take responsibility for failing to post competitive totals.“The perspective that I always use is we have bad Test matches as well — this Test we weren’t at our best and sometimes these things can happen.“We support him in what he’s done and are really proud of the evolution of the MCG.“He’s found a nice balance for a long period of time.”International Cricket Council match referee Jeff Crowe is yet to submit his assessment of the pitch. An “unsatisfactory” rating would result in the venue receiving a demerit point.Cricket Australia are also expected to conduct an end-of-season review into the management of Test match pitches.Chief executive Todd Greenberg has suggested that a more interventionist approach may be required, pointing out that shorter Tests are “bad for business”.However, McDonald said he was firmly against interference, stressing that curators in Australia traditionally operate independently of captains and Cricket Australia when preparing pitches.“I don’t want to get to a situation … where we are asking for specific surfaces and tailor-made,” McDonald said.“I don’t think Australia will ever go there, and I don’t think they’ve ever been there, to my knowledge.”

KALYAN: The seat-sharing formula between the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) and Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray faction) for the upcoming Kalyan-Dombivli Municipal Corporation (KDMC) elections has been finalised. Of the total 122 seats, Shiv Sena (UBT) will contest 68 seats, while the MNS will field candidates in 54 seats.According to MNS’s Ex-MLA Pramod (Raju) Patil, the MNS will begin distributing AB forms to its candidates from Sunday evening, marking the formal start of its election preparations. Nomination filing will start from Monday and is expected to be completed within the next two days.

Patil taken dig at Mahayuti’s alliance in KDMC saying that while the Mahayuti’s alliance exists on paper, it lacks unity at the grassroots level. “The alliance has happened in words, not in spirit,” Patil said. He alleged that several leaders who were earlier associated with the MNS had switched to the Shiv Sena (Shinde faction) and the BJP ahead of the elections after paying money in the hope of securing tickets. “They have not received nominations there and are now calling us, asking to be taken back. The doors of the MNS are permanently closed for them,” he said.Patil also pointed to growing unrest within the BJP and the Shiv Sena (Shinde faction), stating that many aspirants are likely to be denied tickets in the civic polls. With municipal elections being held after a gap of nearly 10 years, every party has a large number of ticket-seekers, he said, adding that the disappointment of workers who have toiled for five to ten years but may not get nominations is natural.Apart from the 54 seats allotted to the MNS, the remaining seats will be contested by Shiv Sena (UBT). The alliance plans an aggressive campaign in Kalyan and Dombivli, including a joint public rally of MNS chief Raj Thackeray and Shiv Sena (UBT) president Uddhav Thackeray. A request has been made to both leaders to keep a day reserved for the joint rally.Expressing confidence, Patil said the alliance would win the KDMC elections and that the MNS would have its mayor in the municipal corporation.Reacting to recent remarks made by Jain monks, Patil said religious figures should refrain from making political statements. “Saints and monks should focus on their spiritual duties and avoid comments that could benefit any political party during elections,” he said.

MUMBAI: Former Nepal prime minister Baburam Bhattarai on Saturday offered a wide-ranging critique of South Asia’s political economy, arguing that the region’s persistent poverty, inequality and instability are the result of extractive institutions, weak state capacity and a failure to build inclusive democracies. Speaking at IIT Bombay’s TechFest, Bhattarai said Nepal’s own turbulent political history — marked by monarchy, conflict and fragile governments — holds important lessons for the region.Bhattarai, an architect by training who later entered politics through Nepal’s pro-democracy movement, reflected on the country’s decade-long struggle against monarchical rule, saying it ultimately gave him the opportunity to help draft Nepal’s new constitution. He said Nepal consciously drew from India’s constitutional experience. “I borrowed many phrases and ideas from the Indian Constitution, whose author was the Babasaheb Ambedkar,” Bhattarai said.Describing Nepal’s recent uprisings as a “wake-up call” for the political and economic elite, Bhattarai said they were rooted in deep institutional failures. He cited corruption, low state capacity and chronic political instability, noting that Nepal has seen “30 governments in 30 years”, which has prevented sustained policy-making and long-term development.Linking Nepal’s experience to wider regional trends, Bhattarai said South Asia’s development record was deeply troubling. “Forty percent of the world’s poor live in South Asia. That is a slap to the face,” he said, arguing that a nation’s prosperity depends on inclusive institutions rather than “extractive and feudal” ones.Bhattarai said Nepal stagnated for decades under authoritarian monarchies and rigid traditional hierarchies. “While the West criticised, thought and voted, we remained stuck,” he said, adding that Nepal’s geopolitical position had further constrained its growth. “We have been caught between two powers and isolated for a millennium, and we got trapped in a cycle of dependency and unequal relationships,” he said. As a result, Nepal today has the lowest levels of foreign investment in South Asia, he added.Calling for structural reforms, Bhattarai stressed the need for land, labour and social justice reforms to address inequality and exclusion. He also warned of widening wealth gaps and environmental degradation across the region. “We share the rivers and the mountains, so we have to get together to take care of them,” he said, making the case for regional cooperation on climate and natural resources.Bhattarai also underlined the importance of deeper economic integration in South Asia as a pathway to prosperity. Recalling the SAARC summit in the Maldives in 2011, he said he had urged then Indian prime minister Manmohan Singh and Pakistan’s prime minister Yusuf Raza Gilani to set aside bilateral disputes and cooperate for regional growth and stability.Critiquing ideological extremes, Bhattarai said South Asia must move beyond what he described as the binary of unregulated economic liberalism and rigid state fundamentalism. He argued for a pragmatic middle path, which he termed “scientific humanism”, that balances markets, the state and social justice.“We have fought for democracy,” Bhattarai said. “Now we have to use it wisely.”

Income Tax alert! The Income Tax Department is sending emails and SMSes to taxpayers, just ahead of the year-end, alerting them of mismatches in their deduction and exemption claims while processing Income Tax Returns. The blunt emails are being received by two categories of income tax payers – the salaried individuals whose claims are not reflecting in Form 16, and the wealthy individuals who appear to have donated money running into lakhs for charities. Form 16 is a consolidated statement of salary paid and tax deducted at source, which employers submit to the Income Tax Department on behalf of their staff. The income tax notices suggest that the assessment of income tax returns and the release of refunds have been paused for these categories of taxpayers. The unexpected arrival of these “do not reply” emails from the Income Tax Department in the inboxes of certain taxpayers has caused unease, according to an ET report.

ITR stuck: Why are you receiving tax alerts?

A December 23 release from the Income Tax Department described the exercise as one meant to assist assessees and encourage voluntary compliance. However, the sharp wording of the emails has left many taxpayers confused about their next steps. Those who have received alerts from the tax department are uncertain whether they should ignore the messages or retract the claimed benefits and file revised returns before the December 31 cut off.Also Read | ITR filing: Received ‘nudge’ from Income Tax Department for tax return & refund claims? Here’s what you need to doThe reasons cited by the Income Tax Department include incorrect permanent account numbers (PANs) of recipient charities, organisations not being registered under Section 80G of the Income Tax Act, or refund claims under the old tax regime that “appear to be high compared to the gross salary.”

Tax experts, however, point out that many such emails have been issued even where all details furnished by taxpayers are correct. According to the ET report, several individuals have expressed confusion after being questioned over donations made to a well known foundation in southern India that works in the area of yoga and spiritual development. As per the existing rules, taxpayers are eligible to claim a deduction of 50% of the qualifying donation amount.At the same time, this deductible amount is capped and cannot exceed 50% of the total contribution made to a trust or non profit organisation registered under Section 80G.Taxpayers who made contributions of over Rs 2 lakh appear to be the main recipients of these emails, which, notably, are not formal notices and do not reflect on the income tax portal.The messages cite several grounds for placing income tax return processing on hold. These include leave travel allowance claims that are significantly higher than the figures reported by employers in Form 16, capital gains declared in the return that do not seem to align with entries in the Annual Information Statement and the Taxpayer Information Summary, an unusually high house rent allowance claim, or donations reported above the permissible deduction threshold.The AIS and TIS are auto generated records prepared by the department using transaction level information and details reported by various third parties.Also Read | Income tax refund: Your refund may be delayed if revised return not filed by December 31, 2025 deadline – here’s why

Uncertainty on Tax Refunds

There is also increasing uncertainty over the timeline for receiving tax refunds, even among those who remain confident that claims in their income tax returns are accurate.“A policy that may have been conceived with good intentions has been undermined by ineffective communication. The use of charged terms such as ‘false claims’ for donations flagged by risk systems has rattled taxpayers who have followed the rules,” said Mohit Bang, partner at Hyderabad based chartered accountancy firm Trivedi & Bang. “We are increasingly seeing cases where taxpayers with legitimate and properly supported claims are being swept up by these automated notices,” he told ET.Bang noted that it reflects a deeper mismatch when contributions made via traceable banking channels to institutions approved by the government are described as “potentially false.” He added, “If the objective is to make compliance simpler, the department needs to fine tune its data analytics to minimise false positives. Automated communications should guide and correct, not intimidate, so that law-abiding citizens are not subjected to unnecessary stress despite full disclosure.”He also pointed to another concern, saying that refunds are being delayed for more than four months from the date returns are filed, while notices highlighting such issues are being issued barely a week before the filing deadline.According to Ashish Karundia, founder of chartered accountancy firm Ashish Karundia & Co, “The existing reporting framework already has strong safeguards in place, with recipient organisations required to submit Form 10BD and issue donor specific certificates in Form 10BE, which taxpayers rely on while filing their returns. “This information is easily accessible for system driven verification of legitimate claims. In the same way, although employers often impose internal deadlines for declaring investments or deductions, usually around November or December, there is no legal bar on claiming genuine deductions that were not communicated to employers within those timelines,” he told ET.In the case of salaried taxpayers, differences between figures in Form 16 and the income tax return often arise because investment details could not be submitted to employers in time.“Even though the objective may be constructive, the release of these communications toward the end of the year has unsettled many compliant taxpayers. A better approach would have been to engage earlier during the filing season, giving individuals sufficient opportunity to reconcile differences or revise returns in an orderly manner. Such messages should function as advisory nudges for compliance, not as suggestions of incorrect reporting, especially when claims are valid and properly supported,” Karundia said.