NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Monday rejected the bail pleas of Umar Khalid and Sharjeel Imam — lodged in Tihar jail under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) linked to 2020 Delhi riots.The bench of justices Aravind Kumar and NV Anjaria said that prosecution material disclosed a prima facie case against Umar Khalid and Sharjeel Imam, thereby attracting the statutory bar to bail under Section 43D(5) of UAPA.

The bench added that the Khaild and Imam can pray for bail after one year after the completion of examination of protected witnesses.Meanwhile, the top court granted bail to 5 other accused in the case, adding twelve strict conditions.All seven accused had challenged Delhi high court’s order denying them bail on September 2.Why SC rejected Umar Khalid and Sharjeel Imam bail?The top court said that not every accused involved in the case stands on same footing. It said that both Khalid and Imam had a “formative role” in the conspiracy .“Umar Khalid and Sharjeel stand on different footing and it can’t be ignored in terms of parity and culpability. It becomes a court to examine bail pleas individually to see whether pre-trial liberty is attracted. Liberty is of foundational importance at the same time, the constitution does not conceive liberty in isolation,” the top court said.“This court is satisfied that the prosecution material disclosed a prima facie allegation against the appellants Umar Khalid and Sharjeel Imam. The statutory threshold stands attracted qua these appellants. This stage of proceedings does not justify their enlargement on bail. Apart from death or destruction the provision encompasses acts that disrupt services and threaten the economy,” it added.The court said that in prosecutions under the UAPA, delay in trial does not operate as a “trump card” which automatically displaces statutory safeguards.“The UAPA as a special statute represents a legislative judgment as to the conditions on which bail may be granted in pre-trial stage. Delay serves as a trigger for heightened judicial scrutiny. The discussion has been confined to delay and prolonged incarceration. UAPA offences are rarely confined to isolated acts. The statutory scheme reflects this understanding,” it said.“Section 43D(5) of UAPA departs from general provisions for grant of bail. (But) it does not exclude judicial scrutiny or mandate denial of bail in default,” it added.Meanwhile, during the hearing, the advocates who appeared for them mostly argued on the delay and the unlikelihood of the commencement of the trial. It was also stated to the court that they have been under custody for over five years in a case in which they are facing serious allegations of committing offences under the UAPA.The contentions were also made that there is no proof of violence that they instigated the riots, even after five years have passed.What are the chargesKhalid along with several others have been charged in connection to an alleged conspiracy behind the communal riots which took place in Delhi in February 2020.Khalid was arrested in September 2020, charging him under several sections of the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act including terrorist activity and conspiracy.Additionally he was also charged under provisions of the Indian Penal Code including murder, rioting, sedition, conspiracy and promoting communal enmity.According to Delhi Police, 53 people died in the violence and more five hundred people were injured.On September 2, the Delhi high court denied bail to Imam, Khalid and seven others — Mohd Saleem Khan, Shifa Ur Rehman, Athar Khan, Meeran Haider, Shadab Ahmed, Abdul Khalid Saifi and Gulfisha Fatima. On the same day, another high court bench rejected the bail plea of co-accused Tasleem Ahmed.In its order, the high court observed that, prima facie, the role attributed to Imam and Khalid in the alleged conspiracy was “grave”, noting that they had delivered inflammatory speeches along communal lines to “instigate mass mobilisation of members of the Muslim community”.

Fans erupted in frenzy as Travis Head‘s ferocious 91 not out overshadowed Joe Root‘s gritty 160 on a thrilling Day 2 of the 5th Ashes Test at Sydney Cricket Ground on January 4, 2026. Australia, already clinching the series 3-1, trail England‘s first innings 384 by 218 runs at 166/2 after 34.1 overs. The Pink Ashes finale delivered edge-of-seat drama with centuries contested and boundaries flying under Sydney skies.​

Joe Root’s resilient century takes England to a formidable total

England resumed at 211/3 with Root on 72 and Harry Brook on 78, building momentum on a batter-friendly pitch. Root anchored the innings masterfully, converting his overnight score into a majestic 160 off 242 balls with 15 fours, his 41st Test ton equalling Ricky Ponting‘s mark. He shared a crucial 169-run stand with Brook (84 off 97, 6×4, 1×6) before Brook fell to Scott Boland at 226/4, then added 94 with Jamie Smith (46, 6×4, 1×6) to push past 300 in 69.1 overs.​

Stokes (0) departed cheaply to Mitchell Starc soon after, but Root hit 150 off 226 balls amid partnerships like the 50-run seventh-wicket effort with Will Jacks (27). Michael Neser shone with 4/60, dismissing Root caught-and-bowled at 384/9, followed by Josh Tongue (0), as England folded in 97.3 overs at 3.93 RR. Boland (2/85) and Starc (2/93) supported, with surprise wickets from Marnus Labuschagne and Cameron Green, handing Australia a target to chase aggressively.​

Travis Head’s explosive counterattack puts Australia on the driving seat at the end of Day 2

Australia’s reply ignited with openers Head and Jake Weatherald racing to 57/0 in 12 overs, crossing 50 in 9.2 overs. Weatherald (21, 4×4) fell lbw to Stokes at 57/1, but Head’s onslaught—50 off 55 balls (9×4)—propelled a 105-run second wicket alliance with Labuschagne (48, 7×4). They hit 100 in 20.3 overs and 150 in 28.5, despite DRS drama including Weatherald’s review and England’s failed lbw call on Labuschagne.​

Stokes struck again, snaring Labuschagne at 162/2 in 30.6 overs, but unbeaten Head (91 off 87, 15×4, SR 104.59) dominated England’s attack. Matthew Potts leaked 58/0 in 7 overs, Brydon Carse 43/0 in 9, and Tongue 31/0 in 10, as Australia motored at 4.85 RR with 43/1 in last 10 overs. Rain and gloom ended play early, leaving Head poised to eclipse Root’s effort and tilt Day 3 decisively.

Also READ: Ashes 2025-26: Fans go gaga as Joe Root equals Ricky Ponting with a magnificent 41st Test ton vs Australia on Day 2 of Sydney Test

Here’s how fans reacted:

Only batter to score more than 400 runs in BGT 2025 – Travis Head.

Only batter to score more than 500 runs in Ashes 2026 – Travis Head.

THE MOST IMPACTFUL BATTER IN INTERNATIONAL CRICKET IN THIS DECADE. 🦁 pic.twitter.com/dqzCiBqMfX

— Johns. (@CricCrazyJohns) January 5, 2026

Travis Head scored more than 400 runs as a middle order batter in the BGT.

Travis Head scored more than 500 runs as an opener in the Ashes.

HEAD – ONE OF THE MOST VERSATILE BATTER. pic.twitter.com/iEND1td7n1

— Mufaddal Vohra (@mufaddal_vohra) January 5, 2026

Half a decade has passed and there is no doubt that Travis Head is the best cricketer of this decade. pic.twitter.com/XCqFeEGNry

— Vivek (@Hailkohli18) January 5, 2026

Travis Head might be the only player whom nobody can decode—how he does what he does. pic.twitter.com/ldXA1ufslz

— 𝐊𝐨𝐡𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐭!𝟎𝐧_👑🚩 (@bholination) January 5, 2026

Travis Head in The ashes series 2025-26.

21(35), 123(83), 33(43), 22(22), 10(28), 170(219), 12(22), 46(67), 91*(87) Today. pic.twitter.com/6yl2HerIyt

— The sports (@the_sports_x) January 5, 2026

Travis Head was the highest run scorer in the 2024-2025 BGT series & now he’s again the highest run scorer of 2025-2026 Ashes.

Travis Head’s prime in international cricket is not discussed as much as it should be, but he is silently dominating every series. pic.twitter.com/1z97EVzNiI

— Sohel. (@SohelVkf) January 5, 2026

Only batter to score more than 400 runs in BGT 2025 – Travis Head.

Only batter to score more than 500 runs in Ashes 2026 – Travis Head.

THE MOST IMPACTFUL BATTER IN INTERNATIONAL CRICKET IN THIS DECADE. 🦁 uff off pic.twitter.com/kIRp4tmVrM

— Tripurari Chaudhary (@TripurariMedia) January 5, 2026

Travis Head scored more than 400 runs as a middle order batter in the BGT.

Travis Head scored more than 500 runs as an opener in the Ashes.

HEAD – ONE OF THE MOST VERSATILE BATTER. pic.twitter.com/cm2OjGql7W

— jatin shrivastava (@jatinshriv2913) January 5, 2026

Travis Head ends the day on 91* as Australia fight back strongly after Joe Root’s 160 pic.twitter.com/MV0uBNIf6L

— Root Jaiswal (@JaiswalRoot) January 5, 2026

Day 2, Stumps

Australia: 166/2, trail by 218 runs ⚡

– Travis Head is on 91 not out#Ashes2025 #Australia pic.twitter.com/XsbNqYKFo1

— CricketTimes.com (@CricketTimesHQ) January 5, 2026

TRAVIS HEAD MAKES ASHES HISTORY! 🔥2nd Aussie opener with 500+ runs in a 21st Century Ashes series, after David Warner did that in 2013/14. pic.twitter.com/lXTL9awleZ

— The sports (@the_sports_x) January 5, 2026

Also READ: Alastair Cook opens up on possibility of becoming England’s next head coach

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Reference #18.7fdd417.1767602662.3f7faa2b

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India has urged the US to roll back the additional 25% tariffs, senator Lindsey Graham claimed on Sunday. Graham said that Vinay Mohan Kwatra, the Indian Ambassador to the United States, met him last month to discuss New Delhi’s reduced purchases of Russian oil and asked him to convey the same to the US President Donald Trump, seeking the removal of the additional duties.Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One, alongside Trump, the senator said, “I was at the Indian Ambassador’s house a month ago, and all he wanted to talk about was how India is buying less Russian oil. And he asked me to tell the President to relieve the 25% tariff.” These additional duties were imposed by Trump in August last year, alleging that India’s purchase of Russian oil was supporting Moscow’s war machine in Ukraine. With these in effect, the overall duties came to 50%.

Remarks from the US senator came amid renewed trade tensions between the two countries, as Trump has once again threatened India over the continued imports of Russian oil. “PM Modi’s a very good man. He’s a good guy. He knew I was not happy. It was important to make me happy. They do trade, and we can raise tariffs on them very quickly,” the US president told reporters. Meanwhile, India has maintained a firm stance, defending its energy purchases from Russia, highlighting the need to secure domestic energy supplies.The issue came to light after the recent US strike on Venezuela, the South American oil-producing nation. Venezuela holds the world’s largest proven oil reserves, estimated at over 303 billion barrels, around 17% of global reserves. The production has, however, fallen to about 1 million barrels per day due to sanctions and underinvestment, according to OPEC.Back in December, Trump and PM Modi held a telephonic conversation, which coincided with the fresh round of negotiations between the two nations. During the call, both leaders highlighted the importance of maintaining momentum in bilateral trade despite ongoing tariff tensions. Just days before the call, Trump had threatened new tariffs on Indian rice imports after a US farmer representative at a White House roundtable raised concerns about alleged dumping by India, China and Thailand

Sunil Grover is known for leaving everyone in splits with his comic timing and apt mimicry of many stars – be it Salman Khan or Amitabh Bachchan. In this week’s episode of ‘The Great Indian Kapil Show’, Sunil was seen as Aamir Khan and he’s clearly broken the internet with it. Netizens found his mimicry so apt and authentic that they couldn’t stop gushing over him. While he left everyone in splits with his Aamir act, he also took a funny reference at Jaya Bachchan‘s comment on the paparazzi. During this episode which featured Kartik Aaryan and Ananya Panday, as Sunil came in dressed as Aamir Khan, he posed for the paparazzi and completely aced the ‘3 Idiots’ actor’s body language. As he posed for the paps, he told one of them, “Kapde acche pehne hue hai tumne. Pant acchi hai aaj.” Though it sounded innocent on the surface, many viewers quickly picked up on what they felt was a sly reference to Jaya Bachchan’s recent remarks about photographers and their clothing.

For those not in the know, Jaya Bachchan had said during a chat with Barkha Dutt, “I am the product of the media, but my relationship with paparazzi is zero. Who are these people? Are they trained to represent the people of this country? You call them media? I come from the media. My father was a journalist. I have tremendous respect for such people,” she said.She further added, “But ye jo bahar drain-pipe type gande gande pants pehen kar, haath me mobile le ke. They think just because they have a mobile, they can take your picture and say what they want and the kind of comments they pass.” Meanwhile, Aamir has also reacted to Sunil Grover’s mimicry of him. He said that he couldn’t stop laughing. “I wouldn’t even call it mimicry. It was so authentic, I felt like I was watching myself. I saw a small clip, and now I’m going to watch the whole episode.”

You simply have to ask a few consistent questions about any stock you’re considering. (AI image)

The word “quality” gets thrown around a lot in investing. Everyone claims to buy “quality stocks”, and every other fund calls itself a “quality fund”. But when you dig a little deeper and ask, “What exactly do you mean by quality?”, the answers often become vague. People point to well-known brand names, or to high share prices, or to whatever did well in the last bull market.For us, a quality company is not one that simply sounds impressive. It is one that consistently turns its business advantages into real cash, earns good returns on the money it invests, and treats minority shareholders fairly. That’s not a slogan; it’s a set of very specific behaviours.Start with the basics. A quality business is one that can grow its sales and profits steadily over long periods without relying on constant doses of fresh debt or equity. If you look at its track record over, say, the last 10-15 years, you should see revenues and earnings climbing at a healthy pace, not lurching from boom to bust. There will be bad years and good years, of course, but the direction over time should be unmistakably upwards.Take a company like Berger Paints. Between 2015 and 2025, its revenues have grown from around Rs 4,000 crore to nearly Rs 12,000 crore, while profits rose from roughly Rs 250 crore to almost Rs 1,200 crore. Across that period, its return on capital employed stayed broadly in the 25-30 per cent range. Meanwhile, its debt remained low or even declined as a share of the balance sheet. That’s what quality looks like in numbers: the business keeps growing, and each rupee invested continues to earn attractive returns.Then there is cash flow. It’s surprisingly easy for a company to show accounting profits while actual cash is stuck in receivables, inventory or dubious “other assets”. A quality company tends to convert a large part of its profits into cash from operations over time. If you see a pattern where the reported profit over, say, five years totals Rs 3,000 crore, but cumulative operating cash flow is only say Rs 1,500 crore, you have to ask why. In the best businesses, those two numbers are not worlds apart.The balance sheet tells its own story. Quality companies don’t habitually stretch themselves with dangerous levels of leverage. That doesn’t mean all debt is bad; in some industries, a reasonable amount is normal. But if borrowings surge every few years just to keep the lights on, or if interest costs eat up a growing share of profits, that’s a sign of weakness, not quality.And then there is behaviour, which often matters even more than numbers. How do promoters treat minority shareholders? Do they regularly pledge their shares to borrow money? Do they keep issuing new shares and diluting existing investors? Do they engage in related-party transactions that seem to benefit their private interests more than the company’s? Are auditors stable and independent, or do you see resignations, qualifications and frequent changes?Many of the worst blow-ups in Indian markets looked fine on a simple price chart until very late in the story. The early warning signs were usually in governance and capital allocation. At Value Research Stock Advisor, we place a lot of weight on these softer factors. Sometimes, we pass on a company even if the financials look attractive, simply because we don’t like what we see in the way management conducts itself. We’ve learned that it’s better to be roughly right about a slightly less exciting company than disastrously wrong about a glamorous name with poor governance.It’s also important to remember that a strong brand or a dominant market share does not automatically equal quality if it comes with sloppy capital allocation. A company that earns a high return on capital but keeps reinvesting in low-return projects will actually dilute its quality over time. In contrast, a management team that is disciplined about where it invests, and is willing to return excess cash to shareholders when it can’t deploy it sensibly, enhances quality.None of this requires you to become a forensic accountant. You don’t have to build complex models. You simply have to ask a few consistent questions about any stock you’re considering: does this business make good money, does it turn that money into cash, does it reinvest wisely, and does it treat me, the minority shareholder, with respect? If the answer to all of these is “yes”, you’re probably looking at a quality company.In our work at VRSA, we try to pass the listed universe through exactly this kind of lens before anything even reaches the stage of a formal recommendation. That’s why you’ll often see a bias in our ideas towards companies with clean balance sheets, decent history and reasonable governance track records, even if they are not the hottest names of the moment. We would rather miss a spectacular but fragile story than compromise on quality.Over long periods, quality tends to show up in the share price as well, despite all the noise along the way. In the example of Berger Paints, an investor who held from around Rs 124 in 2015 to approximately Rs 500 in 2025 would have earned roughly 15 per cent annualised, even though there were plenty of ups and downs in between. That return didn’t come from magic. It came from a business that kept doing the boring, difficult things right.When you hear the word “quality” next time, don’t think of it as a label someone slaps on a stock. Think of it as a habit pattern in a company’s life: steady growth, strong returns on capital, real cash generation, sensible leverage, and honest, competent stewardship. If you tilt your portfolio towards such companies and avoid the ones that only look impressive, you give yourself a much better chance of sleeping well while your wealth grows slowly in the background.(Ashish Menon is a Chartered Accountant and a senior equity analyst in Value Research’s Stock Advisor service.)(Disclaimer: Recommendations and views on the stock market, other asset classes or personal finance management tips given by experts are their own. These opinions do not represent the views of The Times of India)

Australia batting maestro Meg Lanning expressed immense pride upon her appointment as captain of UP Warriorz for the Women’s Premier League 2026 season, calling it a ‘real honour’ to lead the revamped side. The franchise made the announcement on January 4, 2026, signaling a bold leadership shift ahead of the tournament’s fourth edition starting later this month. Lanning steps into the role with a glittering resume, having guided Delhi Capitals to three straight WPL finals before her INR 1.9 crore move to Warriorz at the mega auction.​

UP Warriorz names Meg Lanning their new captain for WPL 2026  

Warriorz handed the captaincy to Lanning, succeeding Deepti Sharma, who steered the team during the 2025 season amid Alyssa Healy‘s injury absence. Healy, the original skipper for 2023 and 2024, missed the entire 2025 campaign due to a foot stress injury and subsequent knee issues, paving the way for Deepti’s interim leadership that yielded just three wins from eight matches, landing fifth. Both Healy, who went unsold and Deepti, re-signed for INR 3.2 crore via Right to Match, were released pre-auction as Warriorz rebuilt under head coach Abhishek Nayar.​

Nayar praised Lanning’s poise, stating she offers a rare combination of experience, clarity, and calmness ideal for high-stakes games, backed by her 952 runs in 27 WPL outings, third on the all-time list.

“Meg brings a rare combination of experience, clarity, and calmness that sets her apart as a leader. Her understanding of the game, ability to manage high-pressure moments, and connect with players makes her the ideal captain for this group,” Nayar was quoted as saying by Cricbuzz.

A seven-time World Cup winner with Australia, including one ODI title and four T20 crowns as captain, Lanning’s tactical acumen shone in leading the Delhi side to consistent finals. The franchise eyes redemption after playoff glory in 2023 (third place, eliminator loss to Mumbai Indians), fourth in 2024, and a dismal 2025 bottom finish.​

Also READ: From emerging player to WPL 2026 winner: Deepti Sharma shares bold predictions for the Women’s Premier League

Lanning’s thoughts on taking charge of UP Warriorz ahead of WPL 2026

As per Cricbuzz, Lanning highlighted the squad’s blend of global stars and Indian talent, vowing collective effort to chase the elusive WPL title.

“This talented group… I’m really looking forward to the challenge ahead. We’ll work hard together and give ourselves every opportunity to lift the trophy,” Lanning shared, noting the league’s rising standards in its fourth year.

Key buys like England‘s Sophie Ecclestone (INR 85 lakh RTM) and Australia’s Phoebe Litchfield (INR 1.2 crore) bolster a core featuring retained Shweta Sehrawat, aiming for better cohesion after past inconsistencies.​

Under Lanning’s steady hand, Warriorz stand poised to overcome their history of near-misses and end the title drought. Capri Sports’ franchise heralds this as a fresh chapter, with Lanning’s proven coolness under fire from Australia’s dominant era setting the stage for WPL 2026 success. Cricket fans are eagerly awaiting her influence from the dugout at Lucknow’s Bharat Ratna Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ekana Cricket Stadium.​

Also READ: 3 reasons why Gujarat Giants will excel under the leadership of Ashleigh Gardner in WPL 2026

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