NEW DELHI: At around 1 am on Wednesday, a demolition drive by the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) near Faiz-e-Ilahi Mosque in Turkman Gate, close to Ramlila Maidan, turned tense as some individuals resorted to stone-pelting, injuring multiple police personnel.Delhi Police have registered an FIR against unknown persons in connection with the incident, and approximately 10 people have been detained for questioning. Officials said four to five suspects have already been identified, with CCTV and body-camera footage being analysed to initiate further legal action.

A small group of individuals attempted to disrupt the drive, prompting officers to respond with measured and minimal force, including controlled use of teargas to disperse the crowd. The confrontation resulted in minor injuries to five police officials, who were promptly treated.The demolition targeted illegal constructions, including a dispensary and a community hall adjoining the mosque, which the Delhi High Court had declared unauthorised.Deputy commissioner of police (central) Nidhin Valsan added, “The action is still ongoing. We deployed our staff for security. Four to five officers suffered minor injuries. As soon as we get the CCTV camera footage, ground footage, and body camera footage, we will identify the miscreants and take legal action.”Deputy commissioner Vivek Agarwal of the city SP Zone said the operation covered approximately 36,400 square feet. “Senior police officers were present throughout the night, and an adequate police force was provided. The land belonging to the mosque remained unaffected. There was an incident of stone-pelting at night, but our teams were fully prepared. No member of the demolition staff was harmed. We used 32 JCBs, four excavators, pneumatic hammers, and several trucks to carry out the operation,” he added.The drive commenced shortly after midnight, with around 17 bulldozers, along with excavators and other heavy machinery, pressed into service. Authorities had undertaken extensive planning in advance, dividing the locality into multiple zones under the supervision of senior officers. Rapid Action Force personnel were stationed at key points, while additional police teams were deployed to ensure law and order.Traffic authorities issued advisories ahead of the operation, warning commuters of potential congestion around Ramlila Maidan and adjoining roads, while traffic diversions were implemented to ensure smooth movement.Delhi Police emphasised that the situation in Turkman Gate remains under control and reiterated their commitment to implementing judicial directives professionally and sensitively while ensuring the safety of personnel and residents.

NEW DELHI: Isro will usher in the new year with the first launch of 2026 — PSLV C62 mission — on Monday (January 12) at 10.17 am from the first launchpad at the Sriharikota spaceport. The rocket will launch an advanced earth observation satellite EOS-N1 (codenamed ‘Anvesha’), another ‘eye in the sky’ that will boost India’s surveillance powers from space. Besides the primary payload EOS-N1, PSLV will also be carrying an European demonstrator satellite and 17 other satellites belonging to Indian and foreign agencies.EOS-N1 is a hyperspectral imaging satellite developed primarily for the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO). It is capable of “seeing” in hundreds of wavelengths to identify materials on the ground—making it a high-priority asset for national security and surveillance. It will help India secure its borders because of its advanced remote sensing capabilities and will also be used in various fields such as agriculture, urban mapping and environmental observation.Besides EOS-N1, 18 secondary payloads, including Europe’s Kestrel Initial Demonstrator (KID), will piggyback on the primary satellite and will be placed in space. The KID mission will feature an experimental re-entry of a small capsule in collaboration with a Spanish startup, with a planned splashdown in the South Pacific Ocean. Other secondary payloads are cubesats from Indian startups and universities, including OrbitAID’s AayulSAT, CV Raman Global University’s CGUSAT-1, Dhruva Space’s DA-1, Space Kidz India’s SR-2, Assam Don Bosco University’s Lachit-1, Akshath Aerospace’s Solaras-S4 and Dayanand Sagar University’s DSAT-1.Bengaluru-based space startup OrbitAID Aerospace is set to make history with AayulSAT, India’s first on-orbit satellite refuelling payload. AayulSAT aims to extend satellite lifespans by enabling refuelling and servicing in orbit, addressing space debris and sustainability challenges.The upcoming PSLVC62 mission is also seen as a comeback for the PSLV programme following the earlier setback with PSLV-C61 in May 2025. The earlier PSLV-C61 mission had failed to launch EOS-09 earth observation satellite due to a technical issue in the rocket’s third stage, specifically a drop in chamber pressure, preventing the satellite from reaching its intended sun-synchronous polar orbit. While the first two stages performed normally, the anomaly in the third stage led to the mission failure.

Minneapolis shooting (AP photo)

An ICE officer in its major immigration crackdown fatally shot a woman driving an SUV through her car window in South Minneapolis on Wednesday. US President Donald Trump called the incident “horrible thing to watch” and said that the woman was “a professional agitator.”The deadly confrontation escalated the intensity of situation in what was already heated-up immigration raid on Minnesota and its immigrants by Donald Trump administration. The administration confirmed the shooting and also informed that the woman was a rioter who in her vehicle attempted to run over law enforcement officers.A video of the incident immediately surfaced widely over social media, showing a Honda SUV apparently blocking unmarked law enforcement vehicles as they attempt to drive down a street that was covered with snow.The driver, identified by local media as 37-year-old Renee Nicole Good, tried to drive away as officers approached and attempted to open her door, prompting one agent to fire three shots as the vehicle pulled off.In the video, an officer is heard ordering the driver to get out of the car and attempting to open the door, after which the driver slowly reverses and then moves forward as if trying to flee. An officer positioned at the front fires three shots, and the SUV travels a short distance at point-blank before crashing into a parked car. The woman was taken to Hennepin County Medical Center, where she was pronounced dead, according to the Minneapolis police chief.Trump, who has ordered nationwide anti-immigration raids, accused the woman of trying to “viciously” run over the agent. Trump reacted to the event, taking in to his Truth Social, he wrote: “I have just viewed the clip of the event which took place in Minneapolis, Minnesota. It is a horrible thing to watch. The woman screaming was, obviously, a professional agitator, and the woman driving the car was very disorderly, obstructing and resisting, who then violently, willfully, and viciously ran over the ICE Officer, who seems to have shot her in self defense. Based on the attached clip, it is hard to believe he is alive, but is now recovering in the hospital. He further added in the post, “The situation is being studied, in its entirety, but the reason these incidents are happening is because the Radical Left is threatening, assaulting, and targeting our Law Enforcement Officers and ICE Agents on a daily basis. They are just trying to do the job of MAKING AMERICA SAFE. We need to stand by and protect our Law Enforcement Officers from this Radical Left Movement of Violence and Hate!”ICE’s federal agents have played a central role in the Trump administration’s immigration enforcement and deportation push, despite objections from some local officials.Last summer, the department of homeland security (DHS) launched an aggressive recruitment drive to add 10,000 ICE agents to its existing force of about 6,000, drawing criticism that newly deployed officers lacked adequate training.DHS secretary Kristi Noem said “any loss of life is a tragedy” but described the incident as “domestic terrorism,” alleging that Good had been stalking and obstructing ICE operations throughout the day. She said Good later “weaponized her vehicle.”The incident took place during protests against immigration enforcement in southern Minneapolis, in the midwestern state of Minnesota.DHS, which oversees ICE, said in a post on X that the woman had attempted to run over an officer, who then fired what it described as “defensive shots.”

What is happening in Minneapolis?

The administration deployed hundreds of agents to the city on Wednesday in what officials described as the largest crackdown since a Minnesota welfare fraud case drew national attention. Minneapolis mayor Jacob Frey said he was aware of the shooting involving an ICE agent and called for federal immigration officers to leave the city “immediately.”“The presence of federal immigration enforcement agents is causing chaos in our city,” Frey said in a statement on social media. “We’re demanding ICE leave the city immediately. We stand rock solid with our immigrant and refugee communities.”Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, who withdrew from the governor’s race following the welfare controversy, said his office was working to “gather information on an ICE-related shooting this morning.”

The Melbourne Stars host the Sydney Sixers at the MCG in a high-stakes clash that could shape the mid-table scramble of BBL|15. With the Stars sitting 3rd and the Sixers 4th, this match is a battle for momentum as the tournament heads toward the business end.

The headline act for this fixture is the family feud. Tom Curran has been a standout for the Stars with both bat and ball this season, playing a crucial cameo in the recent derby. He now faces his younger brother, Sam Curran, who has joined the Sydney Sixers squad. Sam’s arrival adds world-class all-round depth to the Sixers, and seeing the two brothers go head-to-head at the ‘G will be a marquee moment for the league.

The Stars started the season on fire with four straight wins but have hit a speed bump, losing their last two matches (against the Heat and the Renegades). The form of Glenn Maxwell and Marcus Stoinis with the bat. Both failed in the derby, and the Stars rely heavily on their explosive middle order. The top order, led by the tournament’s leading run-scorer Sam Harper, has been doing the heavy lifting.

The Sixers have had a rollercoaster season, currently sitting on 3 wins and 3 losses. They come into this match off a gritty win against the Brisbane Heat in a low-scoring thriller. The inclusion of Curran is massive. He replaces Kane Richardson (omitted/rested) or likely slots in for a rotational player to bolster the bowling and lower-order hitting. Babar Azam has shown flashes of class but will be keen to dominate on the big MCG stage.

MS vs SS, BBL|15: Match details

• Date and Time: January 08; 01:00 pm IST / 9:15 am GMT / 7:15 pm Local
• Venue: Melbourne Cricket Ground, Melbourne

MS vs SS, Head-to-Head Record in BBL

Matches played: 25 | Melbourne Stars won: 09 | Sydney Sixers won: 15 | No result/Tied: 01

Melbourne Cricket Ground Pitch Report

The pitch has been generally balanced this season. In the recent derby, the Stars posted 173, which was chased down, suggesting a good batting deck that offers value for shots. The big boundaries at the MCG always bring the spinners into play, but the seamers (Rauf, Siddle, Abbott) will enjoy the carry early on. Batting second has been slightly favorable at the MCG recently, as teams can pace their chase on the large outfield.

Also READ: BBL|15: Joel Davies’ all-round brilliance guides Sydney Sixers past Brisbane Heat in a low scoring thriller

Squads:

Melbourne Stars: Thomas Rogers, Sam Harper (wk), Campbell Kellaway, Blake Macdonald, Glenn Maxwell, Marcus Stoinis (c), Hilton Cartwright, Tom Curran, Mitchell Swepson, Haris Rauf, Peter Siddle, Sam Hain, Liam Hatcher, Hamish McKenzie

Sydney Sixers: Daniel Hughes, Babar Azam, Josh Philippe (wk), Moises Henriques (c), Jordan Silk, Jack Edwards, Joel Davies, Ben Manenti, Hayden Kerr, Ben Dwarshuis, Sean Abbott, Sam Curran, Mitchell Perry, Lachlan Shaw

MS vs SS, BBL|15: Today’s Match Prediction

Case 1:

• Melbourne Stars wins the toss and bowls first
• Sydney Sixers’ powerplay score: 50-55 (6 overs)
• Sydney Sixers’ total score: 170-180

Case 2:

• Sydney Sixers wins the toss and bowls first
• Melbourne Stars’ powerplay score: 45-50 (6 overs)
• Melbourne Stars’ total score: 160-170

Match result: Team bowling first to win the contest.

Also READ: BBL|15: Jamie Overton shines in Adelaide Strikers’ thrilling win over Sydney Thunder

NEW DELHI: Members of a parliamentary committee on Wednesday debated whether opposition parties, which have refused joining their panel formed to study a bill aimed at “decriminalisation” of politics, should be invited to offer their views on the proposed law and if the leader of opposition can be removed from office under its provisions.Law Commission of India chairperson Dinesh Maheshwari was among the key figures who shared their views with the Joint Committee of Parliament scrutinising the Constitution (130th Amendment) Bill and two related bills, which seek removal from office of PM, CMs and ministers if they are under arrest for 30 days and more on serious criminal charges.A BJP MP, sources said, flagged a scenario when the governing party refuses to name the replacement for PM and CMs in case they are removed from office due to their detention and said amendments should be made to plug this loophole to rule out such a possibility that can cripple governance, especially in times of crisis in the country or a state.If such a case arises, then the president of the country or the governor of a state should be legally empowered to use their discretion if a replacement of the arrested head of govt is not forthcoming, he suggested.Congress and most other opposition parties have refused to join the committee, which is headed by BJP’s Aparajita Sarangi, as they have slammed the bill as unconstitutional and politically motivated.The committee has only two MPs from the opposition among its members-Supriya Sule of NCP(SP) and AIMIM’s Asaduddin Owaisi.When one of them suggested that opposition parties should be invited to offer their views on the bill, several MPs questioned the proposal noting that they had ignored repeated suggestions by Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla to join the panel. Some members also wondered if the leader of opposition can be removed from office under the bill’s provisions. Though the two LoPs in Parliament, and LoPs in state assemblies enjoy certain govt protocols, they are not considered part of the executive and are not covered under the current provisions of the bill. Sources said Maheshwari and Hyderabad-based National Academy of Legal Studies and Research’s VC Sri Krishna Deva Rao agreed with the idea behind the bill’s aim for decriminalisation of politics amid several suggestions made by them and committee’s members.

India’s Ruturaj Gaikwad (PTI Photo/Kunal Patil)

Ruturaj Gaikwad’s absence from India’s squad for the upcoming New Zealand series has triggered fresh debate around the BCCI selection committee’s approach. The CSK batter comes into the discussion on the back of a century against South Africa in his most recent outing, yet he still failed to find a place in the squad. His omission has coincided with the return of Shreyas Iyer, who has been named in the team after recovering from an injury sustained during the Australia tour. While Iyer’s inclusion remains subject to final fitness clearance, the selectors chose not to name Gaikwad even as a backup option, further fuelling questions over selection priorities.

Former India batter Robin Uthappa admitted he found Gaikwad’s exclusion difficult to comprehend and spoke at length about the mental toll such decisions can take on players. Reflecting on the realities of Indian cricket, Uthappa highlighted how players are often forced to operate under constant pressure. “Buddy, it’s very hard to process. You have to make it make sense, right? It takes a toll, and you need to almost kind of find silver linings to kind of lean back on,” Uthappa said on his YouTube channel. “In these circumstances, it’s not the easiest thing to do. It’s hectic, and you’ve to find a way to see silver linings.” Uthappa also pointed to what he described as a “survival mode” mindset that dominates Indian cricket, stressing the importance of mental strength to navigate such challenges. “One of the challenges with Indian cricket is that you’re constantly operating on survival mode. And to switch from that mindset, it takes immense amount of resilience, immense amount of self-talk and positive self-talk, and you’ve to be able to be a silver linings guy,” he added. Gaikwad made his ODI debut in 2022 but has found opportunities hard to come by since then. Across nine matches, he has scored 228 runs at an average of 28.50, with one century and one fifty to his name. Uthappa further underlined how the road can be even tougher for players who do not come from India’s traditional cricketing powerhouses. He stressed that constant effort and persistence are essential to break through at the highest level. “And you’ve to find a way to keep fighting, keep fighting, keep fighting, especially if you don’t come from one of three big states in India, which is Mumbai, Delhi, and Punjab. If you’re not from one of those states, then you’ve to keep pushing yourself, pushing yourself,” Uthappa said.