AGRA: Almost 20 days after a multi-vehicle pile-up on the Yamuna Expressway that claimed 19 lives, the fate of two victims—a woman passenger and a bus conductor—remains unresolved, with no physical remains conclusively traced to either of them despite extensive forensic examination. The Mathura administration has now constituted a five-member committee to probe the circumstances surrounding their deaths.The accident occurred in the early hours of Dec 16 near Milestone 127 under Baldev police station, when more than a dozen vehicles, including several buses, rammed into each other amid dense fog and caught fire. Eighteen people were burnt alive, while another succumbed to injuries at SN Medical College, Agra. Around 100 others were injured.Most bodies were charred beyond recognition. Police managed to recover 18 sets of burnt remains and carried out DNA profiling by matching samples provided by victims’ families at forensic laboratories in Agra and Lucknow. While 19 victims were officially identified, DNA samples of two missing persons—Parvati, a resident of Hamirpur, and Bholu, a bus conductor from Dholpur—did not match any of the recovered remains.Officials said Parvati was travelling by bus to Noida with her two children—Prachi (8) and Sunny (12)—to meet her husband when the pile-up occurred. After the collision, the bus caught fire, trapping passengers inside.As flames spread rapidly, Parvati broke the bus window and pushed both Prachi and Sunny out to safety. Recounting the moments before the fire spread, Prachi told TOI that their mother asked them to get down from the bus, saying, “You get down, I am getting down too.” While the children managed to escape, flames surrounded Parvati. “We kept screaming outside, but couldn’t save our mother,” Prachi said.Similarly, Bholu has also not been traced since the accident. His sister, Sitara, told TOI that he was on one of the buses that caught fire. “Where else could he have gone?” she said.With unanswered questions surrounding the two deaths, the Mathura administration on Friday constituted a five-member committee, headed by a magistrate-level officer, with representatives from the police, transport and health departments, to examine why their remains could not be recovered.Mathura DM CP Singh said on Saturday, “Based on DNA analysis and scientific examination, the charred bodies recovered were handed over to families. We remain in constant touch with the families of the two missing victims. I am sure things will be clear in the coming days.”

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are going into a crucial Week 18 game with their playoff chances on the line. One of the main doubts for fans has been whether or not star wide receiver Mike Evans will be able to participate. The positive news comes at a very important time for Tampa Bay after a season full of uncertainties.

Mike Evans’ injury status

Yes, the Buccaneers expect Mike Evans to play this week. Even though he missed a practice session earlier in the week, the team made it clear that the absence was just a day off for a veteran and not because of a new injury. Evans was fully involved earlier in the week, which means he is physically fit to play.After a tough 2025 season in which Evans had to deal with a lot of injuries, including a hamstring problem and a broken collarbone, the Buccaneers have been careful with his workload. Those setbacks kept him from playing as much as he wanted, but when he is on the field, Evans still looks like Tampa Bay’s most reliable offensive weapon.

What Mike Evans’ availability means for Tampa Bay

The time of Evans’ return is quite critical. The Buccaneers’ game against the Carolina Panthers is a high-stakes one that could make or break their season. If they win, Tampa Bay will still be in the running for the playoffs. If they lose, their chances of making the playoffs will be almost over.Evans is a reliable red-zone target and a proven deep threat for quarterback Baker Mayfield. Evans has proved that he still works well with Mayfield, even if he hasn’t played much this season. Since coming back from his collarbone injury, he has been routinely targeted and has made big plays, including touchdowns in two straight games.Evans is 32 years old and firmly in the veteran stage of his career. The Buccaneers have made it clear that his health is their first priority. Experienced stars across the league now use strategic recovery days, especially during weeks when they have to win. Tampa Bay’s way of doing things shows confidence, not worry.Evans himself has said that missing games made him remember how much he loves football. This has led to speculation that he could keep playing after this season, even if there are still rumors that he would retire. But for now, the main goal is still to assist the Buccaneers get through Week 18.Evans is likely to start and play his normal role in the Buccaneers’ offense unless anything goes wrong at the last minute. Tampa Bay will likely rely on him a lot at first, especially when the stakes are high. He can spread the field and get the defense’s attention, which might also give other receivers chances.Also Read: NFL playoff format explained: Everything you need to know

NEW DELHI: The road transport ministry has told states that no bus should be registered unless full compliance with mandatory safety requirements is established. It asked states to ensure that RTOs register buses only after “compliance with all mandatory safety standards”.The ministry has written to all chief secretaries in the light of recent instances of bus fires that have claimed lives. It has been said that the safety compliance must be verified when vehicles come for a fitness test at the Automated Testing Station (ATS). States have also been asked to take action against non-compliance.“Appropriate action, as per the law, for instances of non-compliance by bus body builders, transport operators, or the concerned inspecting/ approving authorities, to prevent incidents due to safety violations, may please be taken,” it has told states, seeking effective and immediate implementation.Specifying the requirement of mandatory compliance at the registration stage, the ministry said RTOs must ensure that each bus has been manufactured strictly as per the Central Motor Vehicle Rules and notified Automotive Indian Standards (AIS). It said that the validity of the bus body builder accreditation certificate must be verified, and a detailed bus body layout drawing showing emergency exits, door locations, gangways and sleeper arrangement has to be examined and must be retained on record.On the compliance of norms at the time of fitness test, the ministry has said that during inspection, fire safety equipment, emergency exits, structural condition and electrical system of the buses must be checked thoroughly.As per law, fitness certificates of buses are valid for two years till they attain eight years, and afterwards the fitness certificates must be renewed annually.The AIS norms specify that every bus must have two units of fire extinguishers (total capacity 10 kg), four exits (one exit for the emergency door, two for hatches and one for a window or glass) for buses of 12 m length. One additional hatch has to be provided for buses above 12 metres in length.Moreover, other mandatory provisions include the mandatory installation of fire detection and suppression systems in the engine compartment and other fire-prone areas; no separation between the passenger and driver compartments for all types of buses.

File photo: US President Donald Trump

US President Donald Trump has said American oil companies will be allowed to move into Venezuela to tap its vast crude reserves following a US military operation that led to the capture of President Nicolás Maduro.Speaking at a press conference on Saturday, Trump said major US energy firms would invest billions of dollars to repair Venezuela’s damaged oil infrastructure and restart production. “We’re going to have our very large United States oil companies, the biggest anywhere in the world, go in, spend billions of dollars, fix the badly broken infrastructure, the oil infrastructure, and start making money for the country,” he said.Trump added that the United States would then sell “large amounts” of Venezuelan oil to other countries, according to AP.“We’re in the oil business. We’re going to sell it to them,” Trump said during the news conference. He added that oil companies will pay to rebuild Venezuela’s oil infrastructure.At the same time, he made it clear that US sanctions remain in place. “The embargo on all Venezuelan oil remains in full effect,” Trump said. Venezuela has been under US oil sanctions since 2019 and currently produces about one million barrels of crude per day, much of which is sold on the black market at heavy discounts, as per AFP.Trump described Venezuela’s oil sector as a “total bust” for years despite holding the world’s largest proven crude reserves. He said the proposed US “partnership” would make Venezuelans “rich, independent and safe”, adding that Venezuelans living in the US would be “extremely happy” and “not going to suffer any more”, reported AFP.The president repeated similar remarks in a television interview, saying the US would be “very strongly involved” in Venezuela’s oil industry, without spelling out the details.Venezuela’s proven reserves are estimated at around 303 billion barrels, accounting for about 17 per cent of global reserves, as per The Hill.Trump’s comments came hours after Washington announced it had captured Maduro in an overnight military operation. Maduro and his wife were taken from a military base and flown out of the country aboard a US warship, with Trump saying they were headed to New York to face criminal charges. He also said the US planned to run Venezuela temporarily until a “safe, proper and judicious transition” of power could take place, reported AP.As part of a weeks-long military pressure campaign ahead of the raid, US forces seized at least two oil tankers that Washington said were operating in violation of sanctions.Trump also issued a warning to other political and military figures in Venezuela, saying “what happened to Maduro can happen to them,” according to AFP. He again accused Caracas of using oil revenues to finance “drug terrorism, human trafficking, murder and kidnapping”, allegations long denied by the Venezuelan government, as per AFP.Trump said he personally watched the military operation in real time and praised it as “extremely successful”, adding that US forces were prepared for further action if required.While US oil major Chevron already operates in Venezuela under limited sanctions waivers, Trump’s remarks signal a far deeper American role in the country’s energy sector once political control is restructured. How and when US oil firms would enter Venezuela, and under what legal framework, remains unclear.

Inside operation Absolute Resolve

The United States revealed new details of the covert military mission that led to the capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, with senior officials describing an operation of unprecedented scale and precision involving more than 150 aircraft across the Western Hemisphere.According to General Dan Caine, chairman of the joint chiefs of staff, the mission, known as Operation Absolute Resolve, was carried out “during the darkest hours of January 2nd” and was the result of months of planning, rehearsals and interagency coordination.He said that President Trump gave a go-ahead for the mission at 10:46pm (ET).He described it as “an audacious operation that only the United States could do”, stressing that it integrated air, ground, maritime, space and intelligence capabilities on a scale rarely seen.“The Force included F-22s, F-35s, F-18s, EA-18s, E-2s, B-1 bombers, and other support aircraft, as well as numerous remotely piloted drones,” he said.“We arrived at Maduro’s compound at 1:01 a.m. Eastern Standard Time, or 2:01 a.m. Caracas local time, and the apprehension force descended into Maduro’s compound and moved with speed, precision and discipline towards their objective and isolated the area to ensure the safety and security of the ground force,” Caine added.Caine said the operation relied on the combined efforts of soldiers, sailors, airmen, marines and guardians working alongside intelligence agencies and law enforcement partners. “We watched, we waited, we prepared, we remained patient and professional,” he said, adding that the mission drew on decades of experience in complex joint operations and counter-terrorism efforts. Intelligence support from agencies including the CIA, NSA and NGA was described as critical to its success.At the core of the mission was an exceptionally precise extraction plan. “An extraction so precise it involved more than 150 aircraft launching across the Western Hemisphere in close coordination, all coming together in time and place to layer effects for a single purpose,” Caine said. That purpose was “to get an interdiction force into downtown Caracas while maintaining the element of tactical surprise”. He warned that failure by any single component “would have endangered the entire mission”, adding that “failure is never an option for America’s joint force”.President Donald Trump praised the military’s role, calling the operation one of “breathtaking speed, power, precision and competence”. Speaking at his Mar-a-Lago club and later in interviews with Fox News, Trump said the raid took place under cover of darkness, claiming that “the lights of Caracas were largely turned off”. “It was dark and it was deadly,” he said, adding: “No nation in the world could achieve what America achieved yesterday.”Trump said Maduro had been “highly guarded” inside a palace “like a fortress”, and that US forces had rehearsed the raid on a full-scale replica of the building. He said troops were prepared to breach reinforced rooms using “massive blowtorches”, but that Maduro failed to reach a secure space in time. The assault, according to Trump, lasted less than 30 minutes, with at least seven explosions reported across the capital.Venezuelan officials said civilians and members of the military were killed, though no figures were provided. Trump said only “a couple of guys were hit” on the US side, adding that no American personnel were killed and no equipment was lost. General Caine said those involved in the operation “were willing to give their lives for those on the ground and in the helicopters”.Following the capture, Trump said the United States would assume control of Venezuela in the immediate aftermath. “We’re going to run the country until such time as we can do a safe, proper and judicious transition,” he said, though he offered no timetable. The Justice Department later confirmed that Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, face narco-terrorism charges in the United States.

Pune: Candidates from across party lines in the Pune and Pimpri Chinchwad municipal elections have hit the ground with intensive outreach campaigns to attract voters ahead of a packed weekend.While a few candidates flagged off their campaigns on New Year’s Day, many formally began on Friday, setting the tone for a demanding schedule aimed at reaching as many voters as possible in the initial phase.

Shiv Sena (UBT) candidate from Ward No 33 (Shivane-Khadakwasala-Dhayri), Rahul Ghule, said, “These early interactions are followed by breakfast meetings at nearby hotels and restaurants, which often double up as networking sessions with local residents, traders and party workers. By late morning, most of us return to party offices to review feedback, fine-tune daily plans and coordinate volunteer teams.”The second half of the day is equally demanding. Evening hours are reserved for door-to-door visits across housing societies and old neighbourhoods, with candidates personally seeking support from families. Corner meetings and small sabhas at chowks and lanes continue late into the night, allowing candidates to address local issues in a direct and personalised manner before returning to party offices to plan the next day.Women candidates, on the other hand, are focusing on meetings with women’s groups, self-help collectives and neighbourhood associations, drawing large participation and discussing issues such as safety, water supply, health and education. In Ward No 3 of Pune, the Bharatiya Janata Party panel members formally launched their campaign on Friday evening with a traditional ceremony at the Jagadguru Sant Tukaram Maharaj Temple in Lohgaon.BJP’s candidates Shreyas Khandve, Anil Satav, Aishwarya Pathare and Ramdas Dabhade marked the occasion by breaking a ceremonial coconut, seeking blessings before beginning their outreach.The panel members of Ward No 3 said the weekend will be dedicated to maximum voter outreach. “Over the next 2 days, we will cover Lohegaon Gaothan, Sant Nagar, Wadachi Wadi, Airport Road stretches and nearby housing societies through door-to-door visits, corner meetings and interactions with senior citizens and women’s groups to understand local priorities,” they said.In Ward No 38 (Balajinagar Ambegaon Katraj), BJP candidate Rani Bhosale flagged off the campaign by visiting Shri Sadguru Shankar Maharaj Math. Bhosale said the presence of senior leaders and the support shown by the citizens boosted morale. She highlighted development works carried out in the ward such as roads, water supply, education and healthcare. She added that this time the focus would be on taking the ward to greater heights.Meanwhile, political activity was also visible in Ward No 2 (Phule Nagar-Nagpur Chawl), where a workers’ interaction meet was held at the residence of former MLA Sunil Tingre. Addressing party workers, Tingre said, “We remain committed to development and public welfare. We will effectively implement govt schemes, strengthening infrastructure and giving priority to local issues.”

The spotlight has  turned toward Usman Khawaja’s wife, Rachel Khawaja, following the veteran batter’s announcement of his retirement from international cricket. While Khawaja’s decision marked the end of a distinguished red-ball career, it also renewed public interest in his family – particularly Rachel’s personal journey, professional life and her outspoken stance against online abuse.

Rachel Khawaja, formerly known as Rachel McLellan, has become a widely discussed figure among cricket fans and the broader Australian public, not only because of her association with the cricketer but also due to her independent career and principled public voice.

Who is Rachel McLellan?

Background and education

Rachel was born and raised in Australia, with reports often linking her upbringing to cities such as Sydney or Brisbane. She pursued higher education at the University of New South Wales, where she completed a degree in Marketing.

It was during her university years that Rachel met Usman Khawaja around 2015. Their relationship grew steadily, leading to an engagement in 2016. Before their marriage, Rachel made the deeply personal decision to convert from Catholicism to Islam, a choice she has consistently described as her own and rooted in understanding and faith.

Marriage and family life 

The couple formalized their relationship with a nikah ceremony in 2017, followed by a wedding celebration in 2018. Since then, Rachel and Usman have built a family together and are parents to two daughters, Aisha Rahil and Ayla Fozia.

Despite Usman’s demanding international cricket schedule, Rachel has often spoken about maintaining balance between family life and professional commitments. The couple are widely regarded for their openness and mutual respect, often sharing glimpses of their family life while maintaining clear boundaries around privacy.

Career in Media and Business Development

Beyond being a cricketer’s spouse, Rachel Khawaja has established her own professional identity. She works as a Business Development Manager and is also a reporter and presenter with 7Cricket. Viewers regularly see her covering matches, producing cricket-related content, and engaging with fans through thoughtful storytelling.

Her visibility in sports media, combined with her role as a mother, has made her a relatable figure for many women navigating high-profile careers alongside family responsibilities.

Also READ: Maheesh Theekshana set to become father, shares baby bump photo with wife Arthika

Why Rachel Khawaja is trending now?

Rachel has recently been in the public eye for reasons beyond cricket. Following a Bondi Beach shooting incident in December 2025, she revealed that her family became the target of Islamophobic abuse on social media. Rachel shared screenshots of vile comments directed at her daughters, condemning the sustained hatred they face because of Usman’s faith.

Her decision to speak out drew widespread support from fans, fellow journalists and members of the sporting community. Many praised her courage in confronting online hate head-on and using her platform to highlight the real-world impact of Islamophobia on families.

Also READ: In pics – Meet Andrew Strauss’ new wife Antonia Linnaeus-Peat

Mumbai: The NCP (SP) MLA Rohit Pawar-led Maharashtra Cricket Association (MCA) election has turned political as former India cricketer and BJP functionary Kedar Jadhav has alleged norms and orders of the Supreme Court (SC) are being flouted and favouritism in adding members. Jadhav alleged the new voter’s list released on Dec 25 revealed that 401 new life members were ‘suddenly inducted’ to raise the general body’s strength from around 150 to over 600. Of the new members, Jadhav alleged 25 members are close relatives or associates of the outgoing apex council members. Another 18 are relatives of Rohit Pawar and 56 members are directly or indirectly connected to him in his business or personal capacity as workers or employees. The list also includes 37 NCP netas, Jadhav alleged. Voting is scheduled on Jan 6. Jadhav who joined the BJP in April last year, filed his nomination papers in the ‘Category A’ meant for ‘Patrons, Benefactors, International Players and Life Members’.While Rohit Pawar was not available for comment, an MCA functionary said the matter is sub judice and there is nothing illegal or irregular about the membership. “All new members were inducted as per norms and under a committee led by a senior HC judge. We are fighting the polls on merit. Some people are unnecessarily politicising the issue,” a former MCA official said.Jadhav and Kamlesh Thakkar of Latur Cricket Association have filed separate writ petitions in Bombay high court, challenging certain decisions by Rohit. The hearing is scheduled for Monday. The voter list allegedly includes Rohit’s wife Kunti Pawar, his father-in-law Satish Magar, Revati Sadanand Sule, daughter of NCP (SP) MP Supriya Sule, Subhash Gulave of Baramati Agro, among others. The MCA is headquartered in Pune. Scrutiny of candidates was carried out on Saturday.Jadhav said the cricket administration had undergone a major scrutiny under what was famously referred to as the Lodha Committee recommendations which essentially were directed to ensure that dynasties and cozy clubs were not established in cricket administration. “The process followed by the MCA completely flouts all rules and recommendations of SC and in fact appears to be a disgraceful attempt to muscle majority in sports administration. Several key recommendations of the Lodha Committee are blatantly flouted and these members have been made without amending the Constitution and taking leave of SC to do so, which is a directive of SC applicable to BCCI and all the member state associations. A search carried out in this regard reveals that a number of cases filed by other associations including BCCI were ruled upon by SC when amendments or changes in their Constitution were required to be made. All these directives of SC have been thrown into the dustbin and a ‘might is right’ approach appears to have been adopted,” Jadhav said.Jadhav said another key recommendation of the Lodha Committee was that any office bearer of a cricket association is specifically barred from holding office in any other sports or athletic association but Rohit Pawar has flouted even this directive as he simultaneously holds the post of the president of the Maharashtra State Wrestling Association.

Mumbai: School education in India rarely changes all at once. Yet through 2025, a series of reforms that had moved gradually through policy pipelines began appearing simultaneously in classrooms, examination systems, and administrative frameworks. Structural reorganisation, shifts in assessment patterns, and the expanding role of technology unfolded in parallel across school boards and states. The year stood out less for a single headline reform than for the cumulative effect of multiple transitions — structural, technological, and administrative.New structure for schoolingMaharashtra, the first state in the country to adopt the Kothari Commission’s 1966 recommendation of a 10+2+3 education structure, conducted its first Class 10 board examination in 1975. Five decades later, school education across each educational board in India has undergone another major structural reset. By Sept 2025, most CBSE, state, and private schools began transitioning to the 5+3+3+4 stage structure, reorganising schooling into four phases — Foundational (ages 3–8), Preparatory (8–11), Middle (11–14), and Secondary (14–18) — formally replacing the long-standing 10+2 system.“The transition has been quite smooth. This classification is actually better because it includes pre-primary education into the formal educational setup, allowing us to build the foundational stage from nursery to the second standard together for the first time,” said Hari Vishwanath, principal of Delhi Public School (DPS), Nerul.Two board examsIn July, the CBSE announced that Class 10 students would be allowed to appear for two board examinations to seek improvement in up to three subjects — chosen from science, mathematics, social science, and languages. While the first exam remains mandatory, students may reappear for three papers to improve their scores. The board notification said the move aims to “reduce the high-stakes nature of board examinations and the coaching culture,” adding that modular models for conducting board exams could be explored in the future.However, as the first exams under the new system are yet to be held, teachers and academicians have questioned its practical impact, pointing out that the roughly two-month gap between the two windows may be insufficient for meaningful improvement. “It’s old wine in a new bottle,” said the principal of a CBSE school in Madhya Pradesh. “There used to be two sets of exams before also; children who used to fail could reappear. Now only the ‘compartment’ or repeater tag has been removed.” Different state boards though still continue to have a single board exam.Beyond rote learningThe shift away from rote memorisation toward competency and conceptual understanding is being phased in at many different levels across education boards, with CBSE’s revised examination pattern serving as one of the clearest illustrations. Up to 80% of the Class 10 board paper will now be competency-driven, with marks allocated to questions testing analysis, application, and conceptual clarity rather than factual recall. Similar reforms are underway across state boards, alongside the rollout of competency-based and reduced-content curricula for Classes 7, 9, and 11. This shift in methodology is also visible in state boards, at a gradual pace.“Questions from the end of every chapter have disappeared in the textbooks. Now we have to emphasise the concepts and work on the understanding a child develops,” said Latha Janardhan, head teacher of the Anthony D’Souza School, in Byculla Mumbai.School meets skill economyThe push toward vocational and skill-based education gained momentum in 2025 across all boards, with mandatory exposure introduced from Class 6 in CBSE schools and a sharper focus on employability-linked learning in senior classes. Union education minister Dharmendra Pradhan announced at IIT Madras that skill-based subjects would be introduced at the Class 11 and 12 levels.Schools are expanding structured skill programmes across all boards and mediums “We have introduced learning modules in areas such as communication, coding, robotics, and financial literacy,” said Sonal Mittal, principal of EuroSchool, Bengaluru. Parveen Cassad, senior principal of Centre Point School, Nagpur, explained the rationale: employers and universities now expect students to be adaptable and capable beyond textbooks, as rapid changes in technology and the job market demand transferable skills.Testing the teachersA Supreme Court ruling on Sept 1, 2025, brought the Teacher Eligibility Test (TET) into focus, invoking Article 142 to declare the exam a constitutional requirement linked to the right to quality education under Article 21A. The verdict placed an estimated 20–30 lakh teachers in the public sector under a two-year deadline, mandating that those with more than five years of service remaining clear the TET with at least 60% marks by Sept 2027, failing which they could face compulsory retirement or termination.The decision triggered protests across several states, particularly among veteran teachers, who termed the move unfair and disruptive. Madhav Suryavanshi of the Shikshan Vikas Manch noted that the TET’s historical pass rate of just 3–4% raises fears of widespread job losses and heightened insecurity within an already understaffed public education system. He argued that a differentiated or moderated difficulty level for teachers with 15–20 years of service could have ensured quality benchmarks without destabilising schools.Other reformsAmong other key reforms in 2025, artificial intelligence and computational thinking will be introduced into the curriculum from Class 3 onwards. Schools began rolling out holistic progress cards that assess skills, attitudes, and co-curricular development alongside academic performance. The year also saw the establishment of PARAKH, a national body to standardise assessments and monitor learning outcomes, alongside the continued expansion of digital learning platforms such as DIKSHA and PM e-VIDYA to support blended and remote education.ChallengesDespite these reforms, significant challenges remain. The Annual Status of Education Report by NGO Pratham found that only 23.4% of Class 3 students in government schools could read a Class 2-level text, highlighting persistent learning gaps. A report by the Centre for Teacher Accreditation pointed to a shortage of qualified teachers, particularly in rural areas, and insufficient training in NEP-aligned pedagogy. Additionally, the uneven rollout of the NEP across states — due to policy differences, teacher resistance, and the need to adapt content to regional languages — continues to slow the pace of reform.