NEW DELHI: In a move that could significantly enhance the coverage of Employees Provident Fund Organisation, a proposal to increase monthly wage ceiling beyond the current Rs 15,000 is back on the table amid suggestions that it should be raised to Rs 25,000-30,000 a month.The wage ceiling refers to the salary threshold up to which it is mandatory for a worker in an establishment covered under EPFO to make monthly contributions.Govt had earlier discussed a proposal to increase the threshold to Rs 25,000 – but it was put on the backburner due to reluctance of employers, who wanted the limit to be retained, with some suggesting that a higher cap should come with lower contribution. Some of the employee unions, however, had demanded a Rs 30,000 cut-off.The current ceiling was fixed over a decade ago, in Sept 2014, making it optional for anyone earning over Rs 15,000 to be part of EPFO. Since then, salaries have gone up significantly, and minimum monthly wages in many states even for unskilled workers are now above this threshold. This leaves many low wage or minimum wage earners outside the ambit of the social security organisation. Earlier this week, Supreme Court asked the labour ministry to review the cap within four months.The move will widen EPFO’s subscriber base and bring more workers, especially in the unorganised sector, under the ambit of the retirement fund body. It comes at a time when the new labour codes have been notified, being likely to be implemented in the next few months with a clear focus to ensure that an employee’s wages add up to at least 50% of the total remuneration, with the remaining being allowances.Officials said by clearly defining wages, the labour codes would reduce disputes over eligibility. They also said at the current cap, the bulk of contributions amount to around Rs 15,000 and increase will push up the level, helping workers have a larger pool of money at their disposal when they retire, especially with the role of compounding playing out. Recently, EPFO had mandated a minimum 25% balance in a subscriber’s corpus while easing rules for withdrawal. Data available till FY24 has pegged the number of active contributing members under EPFO at nearly 7.4 crore, while nearly 32 crore member acco-unts exist under the retirement fund body, which include a mix of active and past contributors.

JIND: A woman in Haryana has given birth to her 11th child — a son — after having ten daughters, prompting renewed discussion around maternal health risks and the deep-rooted preference for male children. The woman, 37, and her husband Sanjay Kumar, a daily-wage labourer, have been married for 19 years.

The baby was born earlier this week at a private hospital in Uchana town in Jind district. “It was a high risk delivery but both mother and child are doing fine,” said Dr Narveer Sheoran of the Ojas Hospital and Maternity Home. The woman was admitted on January 3 and delivered the next day, returning to her village in neighbouring Fatehabad district within 24 hours. According to Dr Sheoran, three units of blood had to be administered during the delivery. “In the end, it was a normal delivery and things were managed well,” he said, adding that the delivery was handled by his gynaecologist wife, Dr Santosh. Speaking to PTI, Sanjay Kumar said, “We were keen that there should be a son and some of my elder daughters also wished to have a brother.” “It is my eleventh child now. I have 10 daughters too,” said the 38-year-old labourer. Married in 2007, Sanjay said most of his daughters are in school, with the eldest studying in Class 12. “Within my meagre means, I am trying to give my daughters a good education… Whatever has happened was god’s will and I am happy with it,” he said. As the story drew attention on social media, questions were raised about patriarchal attitudes and gender bias. Responding to this, Sanjay said, “it is not like that.” “I also think that girls are capable of achieving anything these days and they have proved their mettle in various fields. They are making everyone proud,” he added. In a video that has gone viral, Sanjay is seen being asked to name his ten daughters. He manages to do so but fumbles a couple of times. Haryana’s sex ratio has long remained a concern. While official figures show an improvement in recent years, the state continues to lag behind the national average.

West Indies all-rounder Jason Holder has dropped an honest opinion on the Indo-Pak conflict, and the way the players have brought the political issues onto the cricket field has caused a major upset for the Caribbean all-rounder.

The game of cricket has been largely affected by political conflicts between nations, and the Indo-Pak altercations have constantly bothered the two cricket boards. The PCB and BCCI have also been involved in various tiffs in recent times, and some continue to remain unsolved.

While the cricketers from both these nations have supported such doings, the fellow cricketers from other nations have found the matter going overboard. Jason Holder has also dropped a similar opinion on the Asia Cup trophy row involving the Indian team and PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi.

India-Pakistan controversy was fueled during the Asia Cup 2025

India and Pakistan have been longtime rivals in the game of cricket. The two nations that were divided back in 1947 with the independence of British India have held grudges over several issues since then and have fought wars to settle geopolitical conflicts.

However, after the 2025 attack on Pahalgam valley in the Indian territory of Kashmir, the Indian government denied keeping any friendly relations with the Pakistan Cricket Board. They also decided not to play any game against Pakistan, but the demand from the broadcasters largely affected them.

The Asia Cup marked several controversies brewing between the two sides as they snubbed each other’s request for handshakes, and players continued to attack each other both on and off the field. However, it went overboard when India denied taking the winners’ trophy at the hands of ACC Chairman Mohsin Naqvi, who is also the PCB Chief and holds a position in the Pakistan internal ministry.

Jason Holder drops an honest opinion on the Indo-Pak controversy

Players who come from outside to be part of the ACC or ICC tournaments in these two nations or even franchise leagues in these nations have also been affected by the growing tensions between these nations. Last time during the IPL, the Indian territory suddenly found itself under an attack from Pakistani forces.

West Indies all-rounder Jason Holder, who has played franchise cricket both in India and Pakistan with the IPL and the PSL, has opined that such things are going on at too serious a level. Holder brought up the Asia Cup Trophy row controversy during his mention on the Game on with Grace podcast.

Jason Holder said, “I don’t like the India–Pakistan beef. I saw India win the Asia Cup & they didn’t go to accept the trophy. It’s just too much, man.” Jason Holder’s remarks have come amid the rising tensions between the BCCi and the BCB.

Jason Holder said, “I don’t like the India–Pakistan beef. I saw India win the Asia Cup & they didn’t go to accept the trophy. It’s just too much, man.” (Game On With Grace) pic.twitter.com/b2DN0Fe04W

— Sheri. (@CallMeSheri1_) January 7, 2026

Jason Holder to make a switch from PSL to IPL in 2026

Jason Holder, the senior all-rounder from the West Indies, has played for several franchises in the IPL as well as the PSL. After having played for teams like the Sunrisers Hyderabad and the Chennai Super Kings in the IPL, he went on to play in the PSL.

After success with the PSL franchises, Holder has made it to the IPL auction again, where he was bought for a whopping INR 7 crores by the Gujarat Titans. The Titans have looked forward to an all-rounder for a long time, and finally, he makes the cut in 2026.

ALSO READ: Shaheen Afridi injury update: Pakistan confident of T20 World Cup fitness

NEW DELHI: Indian military retaliation against the terror attack in Pahalgam led Pakistan to frantically seek US mediation to make New Delhi pause the strikes deep inside its territory.Disclosures from US FARA (Foreign Agents Registration Act) filings reveal that between May 7, when IAF struck headquarters of JeM, LeT and Hizbul Mujahideen, and May 10, when Pakistan director general of military operations Major General Kashif Abdullah rang up his Indian counterpart Lt General Rajiv Ghai, Islamabad had launched an urgent lobbying campaign in Washington. Pakistani diplomats, including its ambassador and defence attache, initiated over 60 points of contact – comprising meetings, calls and emails – with high-ranking US officials and media outlets to solicit international intervention. The details are part of the filings by Squire Patton Boggs, hired by Pakistan for lobbying and which, like other US lobbying firms, are mandated to share with the US Department of Justice, the details and nature of their dealings. A majority of meetings were sought between the onset of Operation Sindoor and the eventual suspension of India’s military operations with requests to secure American mediation to “somehow halt” India’s retaliatory military operations. While Pakistan tried to dismiss the impact of India’s strikes, the records confirm a high-level of behind-the-scenes panic.Pakistan had hired lobbying firm Squire Patton Boggs originally to help it steer away from FATF grey list. An email from its representative and former US ambassador Paul W Jones to US diplomat Elizabeth K Horst on May 14, 2025, sought a meeting with Eric (Garcetti, US ambassador to India) to “discuss and hear his perspectives to move the relationship forward”.The email read: “Squire Patton Boggs is a registered agent of the govt of Pakistan. We’d very much appreciate your feedback on the attached one-page outline of ways forward in US-Pakistan relationship – Did we miss anything or would anything sound off-key in Washington? Separately, do you think we could try again to schedule a meeting with Eric to discuss and hear his perspectives on how best to move the relationship forward? Finally, I’d appreciate the opportunity to speak with you or a member of your team on FATF, in order to better understand the lay of the land.“The firm is said to have circulated documents in diplomatic circles on behalf of Pak “appreciating constructive role played by US and President Trump’s expressed willingness to support efforts aimed at the resolution of J&K”. The documents sought “critical minerals agreement” and bilateral relations with US independent of ties with its neighbours, shortly after Operation Sindoor.

This is the first election in over two decades where Uddhav Thackeray and his cousin, the MNS chief Raj Thackeray, are fighting the polls together. In an interview to TOI, Uddhav said the Shiv Sena (UBT) and MNS have come together for the sake of Marathi and Mumbai unlike the MahaYuti which is bound together by the spoils of office. Excerpts from an interview:Q. Are the BMC poll dynamics different this time, you have tied up with your cousin Raj Thackeray?A. All elections are different. But these elections are being fought with deceit and bad intent to erase the identity of Mumbai and the Marathi manoos. So it is different in that sense.BJP is saying this tie-up with MNS is an opportunistic alliance. So? BJP has gone with Congress in Ambernath, AIMIM in Akot. What was that for? For playing sports? We’ve come together to preserve Mumbai and Maharashtra’s Marathi identity whereas unabated corruption is the glue that keeps BJP and Eknath Shinde together in MahaYuti. In the last five years, you have had an alliance with almost all parties in Maharashtra. What is new about the alliance with MNS?See, we were in alliance with BJP. We went with Congress because BJP forced us to go there. They failed to keep their promise and broke our trust. To teach BJP a lesson, we went with Congress and formed the govt. With MNS, Marathi is the common theme and agenda along with Mumbai’s interest.Your alliance with the Congress broke…The Congress announced unilaterally that they are going solo. So it is their issue now. We will see what happens on Jan 16 now.There has been a lot of rebellion in the Sena (UBT) and MNS rank and file.Elections and ticket distribution are always testing times. We can only field one candidate from one seat. So there are many good candidates, some get upset and leave. We have put up 70-80% new faces. Those old faces knew they would not win and stepped back. Today’s politics is the IPL (Indian Political League). We don’t know who is playing which side.Corruption has become one of the main issues in the BMC elections this time. Both sides accuse the other of causing a massive loss to the exchequer. BJP says the city suffered for decades under the Sena (UBT) regime.Corruption was never so transparent in BMC as it is under the present govt. In the 4 years from 2022 to 2026, they have indulged in corruption to the extent of Rs 3 lakh crore. They have given out work orders of Rs 3 lakh crore, doled out advances to favourite contractors. These are all kickbacks. And now they are asking us questions. In the 4 years after the chief minister appointed an administrator to the BMC, it was he and the urban development minister who ran BMC. In our time, there was an elected body and all parties were in the standing committee. Today we don’t even know what tenders are floated and what work orders are given. Supreme Court had to scrap a tender, but no action was taken against contractors. The chief minister has said BMC’s fixed deposits (FDs) are not meant for hoarding. Are FDs meant for distribution to contractors? FDs are meant to keep the system running for the next 100 years.They have said that they are spending on infrastructure.BMC now has a committed liability of Rs 3 lakh crore. Who is going to pay all this? Once their term is over, one will go to Nagpur and the other to a five-star farm and the third to his uncle in Baramati. They are giving money to contractors through advance mobilisation and taking kickbacks. The entire city is dug up and air quality levels are worse than ever before. People are forced to breathe cement and dust. This is development without planning. They are cutting trees that give oxygen.You said 2 Gujaratis will swallow Mumbai?See, who has got the contracts to install electric meters in Mumbai? Who is developing Dharavi? Who has got the Deonar dumping ground land? Who is getting the salt pan lands, all 256 acres? Who got the Kurla Mother Dairy land? Who is getting all the TDR from Dharavi? Who is getting to create another Dharavi in Mulund? Where is the bullet train terminus coming up? If you answer these questions, then you will know what I’m saying. I’m not against development, but we want to expose their real face, which is hidden under the garb of development.There is also a communal element to the campaign this time?They come and talk about Hindu-Muslim and Khans. But they only want to create divisions among people and make money.The real Shiv Sena and MLA disqualification case is pending in the SC even now.Yes, after CJI Ramanna, we have had justices UU Lalit, DY Chandrachud, Sanjeev Khanna, Bhushan Gavai and now CJI Suryakant. So there have been 6 CJIs till now. I wonder if we will end up saying “Ab tak 56”. We are counting the number of CJIs, what else can we do? We are counting the judges who are counting days. After the BMC polls, this petition will have no meaning. Justice delayed is justice denied.

Vaibhav Sooryavanshi continued his sensational form with a stunning century, while Aaron George also reached triple figures as India U-19 crushed South Africa by 233 runs in the third and final youth ODI, completing a commanding 3-0 series sweep on Wednesday. Sooryavanshi’s brilliance earned him both the Player of the Match and Player of the Series awards. Sent in to bat, captain Sooryavanshi, who had blitzed a 24-ball 68 in the previous match, was once again in destructive mood. The 14-year-old from Bihar smashed 127 off just 74 balls, belting ten sixes and nine fours, showcasing his fearless strokeplay.

Opening partner Aaron George backed him up superbly, crafting 118 off 106 deliveries. Together, the duo put on a massive 227-run partnership that set the tone for India’s imposing total of 393 for 7. South Africa’s chase never got off the ground, as they were bowled out for 160 in 35 overs. Ntando Soni (3/61) and Jason Rowles (2/59) led the bowling effort for India at Willowmoore Park, sharing five wickets between them. Chasing a steep target, South Africa stumbled early, losing three wickets for just 15 runs in the fourth over. Kishan Singh wreaked havoc at the top, dismissing Jorich Van Schalkwyk (1), Adnaan Lagadien (9), and Lethabo Phahlamohlaka (0). The 19-year-old Singh, who had already taken four wickets in the second ODI, was once again the standout bowler. A brief fightback from Daniel Bosman (40) and Jason Rowles (19) proved insufficient, as South Africa slid to 99 for six in the 23rd over. Late resistance from Paul James (41) and Corne Botha (36 not out) only delayed the inevitable. Sooryavanshi’s third Youth ODI century further cemented his rising reputation. In 18 matches, he has scored 973 runs at an average of 54.05 with a strike rate of 164.08, including three centuries and four fifties. India had already secured the series with a 25-run DLS win in the opener and an eight-wicket victory in the second ODI, making this final triumph a fitting conclusion to a dominant campaign.