MUMBAI: On the last weekend before the city votes, citizen groups across Mumbai are stepping up efforts to directly engage electoral candidates, pushing them to commit publicly to transparency, accountability and long-pending civic demands.From voter manifestos and citizens’ charters to interactive town halls, resident associations and NGOs are using the final weekend before polling to put candidates on the spot and seek written assurances on local issues.In G North ward, which includes parts of Dadar and Mahim, residents drew up a detailed ‘voters’ manifesto’ and collected nearly 400 signatures. On Saturday, the residents will hold a public ‘Meet Your Candidate’ event at Shivaji Park. The voters’ manifesto calls regular, pre-scheduled ward meetings, public disclosure of questions raised and decisions taken in the BMC, and clear sharing of ward budgets, allocations and expenditure.NGO AGNI has organised a ‘Meet Your Candidate’ interaction on Jan 10 at the Radio Club in Colaba, where voters will have an open forum to engage with candidates contesting the polls.In Juhu, the Gulmohar Area Societies Welfare Group prepared a comprehensive citizens’ charter demanding stricter enforcement of civic norms in Gulmohar and JVPD. The charter seeks a ban on the parking of commercial vehicles in internal lanes, eviction of unlicensed hawkers with proper implementation of hawking zones, and a prohibition on cooking on footpaths and roads. It also calls for compliance by construction sites and developers with pollution, noise, parking and open-space norms.Residents of Madh Island and the neighbouring villages of Erangle, Aksa and Marve wrote to Congress candidate Sangeeta Koli, seeking firm commitments. The registered body, The Villages Welfare Foundation (TVWF), flagged demands such as construction and maintenance of the Versova-Madh Island bridge, improved coastal road connectivity, a walk-over bridge across the creek, and a full-fledged hospital, police and fire services.

India and the European Union moved their proposed Free Trade Agreement discussions forward during Union commerce and industry minister Piyush Goyal’s two-day visit to Brussels, which ended on January 9.Goyal was in the Belgian capital on January 8 and 9, where he held multiple high-level meetings with EU Commissioner for Trade and Economic Security Maros Sefcovic. The discussions focused on moving the long-running India–EU FTA talks forward, with both leaders offering clear guidance to their negotiating teams to resolve outstanding matters and speed up the process.The talks placed strong emphasis on balancing trade ambitions with domestic priorities. Both sides underlined that the agreement must protect farmers and micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs), while also helping Indian industries strengthen their participation in global supply chains.“In continuation of our efforts to secure a mutually beneficial India-EU Free Trade Agreement (FTA), I held high-level talks with the EU Trade and Economic Security Commissioner, Mr. Maros Sefcovic, in Brussels. During this dialogue, we deliberated across key areas of the proposed agreement. We reaffirmed our commitment to a rules-based trading framework and a modern economic partnership that safeguards the interests of farmers and MSMEs while integrating Indian industries into global supply chains,” Goyal said in a post on X.According to the Ministry of Commerce, the ministerial talks covered several critical aspects of the agreement. Progress across negotiating tracks such as Market Access for Goods, Rules of Origin and Services was reviewed, with both sides acknowledging steady movement on these fronts.The ministry said the discussions reflected strong political will in both India and the EU to resolve remaining issues through constructive engagement. The two sides also reiterated the need to finalise a fair, balanced and ambitious agreement that aligns with shared values, economic priorities and a rules-based trading framework.The ministerial engagement was built on earlier discussions held on 6 and 7 January 2026 between Commerce Secretary Rajesh Agrawal and European Commission Director-General for Trade Sabine Weyand. These meetings focused on taking stock of progress across negotiating areas, with officials working to “narrow divergences” and bring clarity to unresolved issues ahead of the minister-level talks.Before arriving in Brussels, Goyal visited Liechtenstein, where he led a business roundtable with senior executives from leading local companies. The discussions centred on the implementation of the India–EFTA Trade and Economic Partnership Agreement (TEPA). The visit marked the first-ever trip by an Indian Cabinet Minister to Liechtenstein and underscored the strengthening economic relationship following the operationalisation of the trade pact.During the interactions, Goyal said the India–EFTA TEPA extends beyond trade liberalisation, offering a broader framework for investment, technology collaboration, skill development and the creation of resilient value chains. He encouraged Liechtenstein companies to explore opportunities in India, particularly in the context of the $100 billion investment commitment made by EFTA countries.As part of the visit, the minister toured the headquarters of the Hilti Group and met its chief executive, Jahangir Doongaji. Talks focused on expanding localisation efforts, increasing value addition and scaling up global shipments from India. With Hilti operating in India’s construction sector for over 25 years, discussions also covered technology collaboration aimed at supporting safer and smarter infrastructure in line with India’s manufacturing and export objectives.Goyal also met Liechtenstein Prime Minister Brigitte Haas to discuss ways to deepen economic and investment cooperation under the India–EFTA TEPA. The leaders explored collaboration in skill development, vocational training and industry-academia partnerships, bringing together India’s young workforce and Liechtenstein’s advanced industrial expertise.

BADLAPUR: The Bhartiya Janta Party has appointed Tushar Apte as Co-opted councillor, who is co-accused in Badalapur sexual abuse case, who as secretary of school trust has failed to report the offence under provision of the POCSO Act in which two school children were sexually abuse by sweeper.The appointment has reignited a major political and social controversy in Thane district, bringing back memories of the Badlapur sexual abuse case that had shaken Maharashtra. The decision was confirmed after the Kulgaon-Badlapur Municipal Council completed the process of selecting five co-opted councillors on Friday. Of the five, two were nominated by the BJP, two by the Shiv Sena and one by the Nationalist Congress Party.Apart from Tushar Apte, the other co-opted councillors include Shagof Gore from the BJP, Prabhakar Patil from the NCP, and Dilip Baikar and Hemant Chature from the Shiv Sena. Council chairperson Ruchita Ghorpade formally confirmed the appointments, following which the newly nominated councillors were felicitated.Tushar Apte was the secretary of the educational institution where the alleged sexual abuse of two minor girls took place. A case was registered against the school management under Section 21(2) of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act for failing to report the crime to the authorities. Apte was arrested 44 days after the incident and was granted bail within 48 hours. The case against him is currently sub judice.The Badlapur incident had sparked massive protests across city by parents and citizens, who demanded accountability from the school management and stricter safeguards for children. The main accused in the case, Akshay Shinde, a school sweeper, was arrested in August 2024 for allegedly sexually abusing two minor girls inside a school toilet.In a dramatic turn of events, Akshay Shinde was killed on September 23 in an alleged police encounter while being taken from Taloja prison in Navi Mumbai for questioning in a separate case filed by his wife. Police claimed he snatched a firearm from one of the officers and opened fire, leading to retaliatory firing.Defending Apte’s appointment, BJP councillor Rajan Ghorpade stated that Apte is a social activist and office-bearer of a reputed educational institution. He argued that Apte’s guilt has not been proven in court and claimed that his contribution to party work and election efforts led to his nomination.

Gujarat Giants Women vs Up Warriorz Women Live Score: UP Warriorz enter the tournament hoping for a turnaround under the leadership of Meg Lanning. The former Australia captain, who guided Delhi Capitals to three straight finals, has been brought in to halt a downward trend that saw the Warriorz slide from third to fourth and then finish bottom over the first three editions. Her presence is expected to add structure and composure to a side that looked unsettled last season, particularly when regular captain Alyssa Healy was unavailable.

Despite the change at the helm, the Warriorz still have areas to resolve. Wicketkeeping remains a concern with Shipra Giri the only specialist option in the squad. At the top of the order, Phoebe Litchfield offers versatility and could open alongside Kiran Navgire, while the onus of building innings will rest on the experienced middle-order pairing of Lanning and Harleen Deol.

The team’s bowling, however, appears well-stocked. World-class spin options Sophie Ecclestone and Deepti Sharma form the core, complemented by the experience of Shikha Pandey and the pace of Kranti Goud. The mix gives the Warriorz variety across phases, from new-ball control to death-over execution.

Gujarat Giants come into the opener with a more positive recent memory, having made the playoffs last season after two disappointing campaigns. Under the captaincy of Ashleigh Gardner, they carry a strong overseas contingent but are still searching for a settled Indian batting presence to anchor the lineup.

Beth Mooney is expected to handle wicketkeeping duties and set the tone at the top, while Sophie Devine’s return after missing the 2025 season adds further depth and experience. The Giants’ pace unit is led by Renuka Singh Thakur, with Kim Garth and Kashvee Gautam providing support.

Spin is another area of strength for Gujarat, with Gardner, Georgia Wareham, Rajeshwari Gayakwad and Tanuja Kanwar giving the side multiple options depending on conditions.

With both teams in phases of transition, the opening clash offers an early opportunity to lay down a marker and shape the narrative of their WPL campaigns.

Teams (from):
UP Warriorz: Shweta Sehrawat, Deepti Sharma, Sophie Ecclestone, Meg Lanning (C), Phoebe Litchfield, Kiran Navgire, Harleen Deol, Kranti Goud, Asha Sobhana, Deandra Dottin, Shikha Pandey, Shipra Giri, Simran Shaikh, Charli Knott, Chloe Tryon, Suman Meena, G Trisha, Pratika Rawa

Gujarat Giants: Ashleigh Gardner (C), Beth Mooney, Sophie Devine, Renuka Singh Thakur, Bharti Fulmali, Titas Sadhu, Kashvee Gautam, Kanika Ahuja, Tanuja Kanwer, Georgia Wareham, Anushka Sharma, Happy Kumari, Kim Garth, Shivani Singh, Danni Wyatt-Hodge, Rajeshwari Gayakwad, Ayushi Soni

India’s office real estate market posted its strongest performance on record in 2025, with annual gross leasing touching an all-time high of 86.4 million square feet, according to Knight Frank India’s latest India Real Estate – Office and Residential Market (H2 2025) report.Leasing activity rose 20% year-on-year, surpassing the previous peak achieved in 2024 and marking a 43% increase over pre-pandemic levels recorded in 2019. The surge underscores sustained occupier confidence and India’s growing prominence as a global business destination.Bengaluru continued its dominance as the largest office market grossing 28 mn sq ft, a historic best for this market. Hyderabad (11.4 mn sq ft), National Capital Region (NCR) (11.3 mn sq ft), Pune (10.8 mn sq ft) and Chennai (10.1 mn sq ft) all crossed a 10 mn sq ft benchmark, with Mumbai (9.8 mn sq ft) narrowly missing the line. GCCs drove demand commanding 38% of the total absorption, the report highlighted.Global Capability Centres (GCCs) emerged as the dominant demand driver, accounting for 38% of total office absorption during the year. Bengaluru alone captured nearly half of GCC-related leasing, reinforcing its status as India’s primary hub for research, technology, and global operations. Flexible workspace operators and third-party IT services also posted their highest-ever annual leasing volumes, reflecting renewed confidence among technology-led occupiers.Despite robust demand, new office supply lagged behind leasing activity. Office completions increased 9% year-on-year to 54.8 million sq ft in 2025, with Bengaluru and Pune accounting for the bulk of new additions. The supply-demand imbalance led to firm rental growth across all major markets, with NCR and Hyderabad witnessing annual rental appreciation of 10%, followed by Mumbai and Bengaluru at 6% each, the report mentioned. Knight Frank noted that Grade A office space continued to dominate occupier preferences, accounting for over 90% of total leasing during the year, as companies increasingly prioritised modern infrastructure, sustainability, and long-term operational efficiency.With demand momentum expected to carry into 2026, and limited near-term supply additions, the Indian office market is poised to remain one of the strongest performers globally despite ongoing geopolitical and economic uncertainties.

Bangladesh Test captain Najmul Hossain Shanto has admitted that the uncertainty over his team’s participation in next month’s T20 World Cup in India is taking a psychological toll on the players, even as they try to behave as if “everything is ok”. Shanto also criticised Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) director M Najmul Islam for branding former captain Tamim Iqbal an “Indian agent” after Tamim called for a calm and pragmatic resolution to the ongoing standoff.Bangladesh’s World Cup campaign has been overshadowed by controversy after the BCB approached the ICC seeking a change of venue for the team’s matches, citing security concerns in India.

“First of all, if you look at our World Cup results, we’ve never really played consistently good cricket. Last year, we did play well, but there were even better opportunities, and we couldn’t capitalise on them.“But you’ll see that something always happens before every World Cup. I can say this from my experience of three World Cups – it does have an effect,” Shanto told reporters on Friday.“Now, we act as if nothing affects us, that we are fully professional cricketers. You guys also understand that we are acting – it’s not easy,” he added.Shanto said the players are doing their best to block out the distractions and focus on performances.“Of course, it would be better if these things didn’t happen, but this is partly beyond our control,” he said.The T20 World Cup begins on February 7, with Bangladesh slated to play four matches in India — three in Kolkata and one in Mumbai.The BCB has demanded that the fixtures be shifted to Sri Lanka following the release of pacer Mustafizur Rahman from the IPL on the BCCI’s instructions, with the Indian board citing unspecified “developments all around”.“I don’t know the details of how it happened, or how it could have been controlled. Still, I’d say that even acting in such circumstances (is difficult),” Shanto said.“With the right mindset if we go to the World Cup and play anywhere, we should focus on how to do our best for the team,” he added.Shanto also expressed strong disappointment over BCB director M Najmul Islam’s remarks about Tamim Iqbal.“Very sad, very sad because such comments were made about a cricketer – a former captain, and in my opinion one of Bangladesh’s most successful cricketers whom we grew up watching,” Shanto said.“As players, we expect respect – whether someone is a former captain, a regular player, successful or not. At the end of the day, a cricketer hopes for respect,” he added.Calling the BCB “supposed to be our guardian”, Shanto said the comment was unacceptable.“Parents should correct you at home, not in front of everyone. So such a comment from someone who is supposed to be our guardian is very difficult to accept. I completely reject it as a player,” he concluded.

MEERUT: A 50-year-old Dalit woman was killed after she stepped between her daughter and the men who abducted her on Thursday in Meerut’s Kapsad village. She was struck on the head with a sharp weapon by abductors before they fled with her 20-year-old daughter. Police said local residents Paras Som, 23, and Sunil Kumar, 25, were the ones involved in the crime. Meerut SSP Vipin Tada said police have doubled the number of investigation teams from the initial five to 10. “An FIR has been filed against two persons under BNS sections for murder and abduction, along with relevant provisions of the SC/ST Act. Based on the clues, teams have also been sent to Haryana and Delhi,” the SSP said. The incident took a turn after it emerged that the woman and the accused belonged to different communities.Meerut Zone ADG Bhanu Bhaskar told TOI, “We have assured the family that every possible measure is being taken to recover their daughter and bring the perpetrators to justice.” Meerut DM VK Singh, added, “A total of Rs 10 lakh has been given to the family from the CM relief fund, and they will receive an additional Rs 12 lakh by the time the chargesheet is filed in court.” “Paras misbehaved with my daughter. When I protested, he started beating and abusing me. He hit my head with a sharp instrument,” the woman said hours before succumbing to her injuries at a local hospital. The accused are on the run, police said.As outrage spread, politicians visited the family on Friday. Former Union minister and ex-MP of Muzaffarnagar Sanjeev Balyan said, “I asked them to have a little patience.” BSP supremo Mayawati posted on X, “Govt must take these incidents of violation of women’s dignity and subsequent murder with utmost seriousness and take immediate and strict action against the culprits to prevent criminal elements from committing such heinous acts in the future.” SP chief Akhilesh Yadav wrote on X, “…BJP govt reached a point of no return in its patronage of criminals… There can be nothing worse than a situation where people lose all hope in their govt.”

All eyes turn to the iconic Wanderers Stadium for a tense rematch as the Joburg Super Kings welcome reigning champions MI Cape Town. JSK, placed securely in the top half of the standings, will be eager to settle scores after going down to MICT in a rain-affected nail-biter earlier this week. For MI Cape Town, the clash carries added urgency, with victory essential to revive their playoff ambitions following a slow beginning to their campaign.

JSK enter this match in second place on the points table, though they have felt hard done by the weather, with two of their last three fixtures ending in no results. Despite these interruptions, Faf du Plessis and James Vince have remained a formidable opening pair, consistently providing explosive starts. On the bowling front, Nandre Burger and Richard Gleeson have been the primary threats, though they will need more discipline against a deep MICT batting lineup.

MI Cape Town, currently languishing at the bottom of the table, finally found a spark in their recent 4-wicket win over JSK at Newlands. That victory was fuelled by a clinical bowling performance from Corbin Bosch and Rashid Khan, followed by an aggressive cameo from Nicholas Pooran. With Ryan Rickelton leading the tournament’s run-scoring charts with 204 runs, the champions have the firepower to climb the rankings if their star-studded bowling attack, featuring Kagiso Rabada and Trent Boult, can find its rhythm early in the innings.

While JSK has been the more consistent side this season, MICT’s recent psychological edge from their win on January 6 makes this an unpredictable clash between two of the most popular franchises in the SA20.

JSK vs MICT, SA20 2025-26: Match details

• Date and Time: January 10 (Saturday); 9:00 pm IST / 03:30 pm GMT / 5:30 pm Local
• Venue: The Wanderers Stadium, Johannesburg

JSK vs MICT, Head-to-Head Record in SA20:

Matches played: 7 | MI Cape Town won: 4 | Joburg Super Kings won: 3 | No result/Tied: 0

Wanderers Stadium Pitch Report

The pitch at the Wanderers Stadium is a traditional South African “Bullring” surface, famously known as a batter’s paradise due to its high altitude and lightning-fast outfield. Stroke-makers will enjoy the consistent bounce and carry, which allows the ball to come onto the bat nicely right from the powerplay. However, recent overcast conditions and moisture from seasonal rain could offer the seamers some lateral movement and extra zip in the opening overs. While history favours high-scoring encounters, captains generally prefer to bowl first here to exploit any early assistance for the pacers before the surface flattens out.

Also WATCH: 6,6,6,6,6,6: Dewald Brevis and Sherfane Rutherford unleash a flurry of sixes on MI Cape Town bowlers in SA20 2025-26

Squads

Joburg Super Kings: Faf du Plessis (c), Rilee Rossouw, Wiaan Mulder, Donovan Ferreira (wk), Matthew De Villiers, Dian Forrester, Shubham Ranjane, Duan Jansen, Janco Smit, Akeal Hosein, Richard Gleeson, James Vince, Imran Tahir, Reece Topley, Prenelan Subrayen, Daniel Worrall, Rivaldo Moonsamy, Nandre Burger, Steve Stolk, Neil Timmers, Jarren Bacher

MI Cape Town: Ryan Rickelton (wk), Rassie van der Dussen, Nicholas Pooran, Jason Smith, Jacques Snyman, Tom Moores, George Linde, Rashid Khan (c), Kagiso Rabada, Trent Boult, Dane Piedt, Karim Janat, Thomas Kaber, Tiaan van Vuuren, Tristan Luus, Daniel Lategan, Reeza Hendricks, Dwaine Pretorius, Corbin Bosch

JSK vs MICT, SA20 2025-26: Today’s Match Prediction

Case 1:

• MI Cape Town wins the toss and bowls first
• Joburg Super Kings’ powerplay score: 50-60 (6 overs)
• Joburg Super Kings’ total score: 190-200

Case 2:

• Joburg Super Kings wins the toss and bowls first
• MI Cape Town’s powerplay score: 45-55 (6 overs)
• MI Cape Town’s total score: 180-190

Match result: Team batting first to win the contest

Also READ: Faf du Plessis recalls MS Dhoni’s iconic act after Donovan Ferreira’s stunning run-out for Joburg Super Kings in SA20 2025-26