Breaking News
DMK rejects Congress’ power-sharing demand | India News


DMK rejects Congress' power-sharing demand

DINDIGUL: Tamil Nadu’s governing DMK has rejected demands from a section of ally Congress’s state unit for a share in power after this summer’s assembly polls, with minister I Periyasamy asserting on Sunday that there “would be no coalition govt here”. Speaking in Dindigul, Periyasamy pointed out that Tamil Nadu had always been governed by a single party and the tradition would continue even after the ensuing elections. This is the first time DMK has formally rejected the demand, which has gained traction over the past several months. Periyasamy, DMK deputy general secretary and rural administration minister, admitted that Congress was within its rights to put forth the demand but made it clear that CM M K Stalin wasn’t inclined to accept. “Tamil Nadu has always had single-party rule. The CM is firm on this,” Periyasamy said.

.

Even within TN Cong, some do not press for a coalition government The remarks come amid the chorus for powersharing growing louder. Sections of Congress, including MP Manickam Tagore, have stressed that no party can win elections on their own in Tamil Nadu and the time has come for a discussion on coalition govts. Tagore had said the debate was no longer just about winning power but also about sharing it. Although DMK has credited its alliance for its successive electoral victories, the party has consistently resisted power-sharing demands. DMK’s other allies, too, are divided on the issue — unlike Congress, VCK, Left parties and MDMK do not insist on coalition govts. Even within Congress, there are voices, including that of state chief K Selvaperunthagai, who do not press for the demand. However, AICC incharge for Tamil Nadu, Girish Chodankar, has pushed for coalitions, suggesting political parties should call themselves “NGOs” if they declare they don’t want power. With inputs from agencies



Source link

UP Warriorz Women Playing XI vs Royal Challengers Bengaluru Women- Women’s Premier League 2026, Match 5


Royal Challengers Bengaluru Women will take on the UP Warriorz Women in the fifth match of the fourth edition of the Women’s Premier League. This article provides details about UP Warriorz Women’s Playing 11 vs Royal Challengers Bengaluru Women.

UP Warriorz Women Playing XI vs Royal Challengers Bengaluru Women- Women’s Premier League 2026, Match 5:

Openers: Kiran Navgire, Meg Lanning (c)

UP Warrirz Women would hope to get things going as far as winning matches are concerned when they go head-to-head against RCB Women in their second match of the tournament.

The Meg Lanning-led side would back their bowlers to restrict RCB Women to a manageable total, as the opposition has got players who can take the game away from them in the blink of an eye.

Your daily dose of cricket!

next

Along with the bowlers, the batters will also be entrusted to have a good outing and chase whatever target is set by the opposition.

The onus will be on the openers to lay a platform for the middle orders to capitalize on by playing in an attacking manner in the first six overs of the innings.

Middle-order batsmen and all-rounders: Phoebe Litchfield, Harleen Deol, Deepti Sharma, Deandra Dottin, Shikha Pandey, Shweta Sehrawat (wk), Sophie Ecclestone

The likes of Phoebe Litchfield, Harleen Deol, Deepti Sharma, and Deandra Dottin make UP Warriorz Women’s middle order a force to reckon with against any opposition.

All the above-mentioned batters will be banked upon to put on a strong show with the bat and make the opposition captain change her plans, which she had set for a particular batter in the upcoming match.

One of the biggest advantages that UP Warriorz have at their disposal is the fact that they bat deep, meaning that the top-order batters have the license to go for their shots right from the first ball.

Having said that, the responsibility will be on the top five batters to score the bulk of the team’s runs and not depend on the lower-order batters to finish the job, despite having depth in the batting department against RCB Women.

Bowlers: Asha Sobhana, Kranti Gaud

If we talk about UP Warriorz Women’s bowling lineup, it would aim to keep the RCB Women batters in check in what are expected to be good conditions for batting, especially in the second innings of the game, with dew playing its part.

The bowlers will have to be at the top of their game right from the start of UP Warriorz Women’s bowling innings, as they might get wet conditions to bowl in, meaning that they will have their task cut out.

Experienced bowlers like Deepti Sharma will have to put their hand up and control things in the middle overs, with Kranti Gaud keeping things under check in the first six overs by picking up wickets.

It will have to be a complete effort from the bowling unit, with each bowler putting his hand up and contributing to his team in all three phases of the innings and increasing their team’s chances of winning by doing so.



Source link

North may remain in cold wave grip for 2 more days | India News


North may remain in cold wave grip for 2 more days
Tourists enjoy in the snow at south portal of Atal Tunnel in Himachal’s Rohtang. In the past 24 hours, minimum night temperatures were below 0°C at some places in the state and Jammu and Kashmir

NEW DELHI: Cold wave to severe cold wave conditions are very likely to continue in Delhi, Rajasthan, Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand for two more days (Jan 12-13), IMD said Sunday. The forecast and prevailing conditions in north India are in sync with the Met department’s earlier prediction about this winter witnessing four-five additional cold wave days, reports Vishwa Mohan. On Sunday, Pilani (east Rajasthan) was the coldest spot in the northern plains at 1.2 degrees C. IMD said cold wave conditions may continue in “isolated pockets” of north and northwest India on Jan 14 (Wednesday) and ease thereafter. It predicted “cold day” in isolated parts of Bihar till Jan 16. Dense fog is very likely to continue during morning hours over northwest India and Bihar for the next five days, it added.North, N-W India to see more coldwave days than normalD ense fog continuing during morning hours over the next few days means cold wave and foggy morning conditions may coincide with both Lohri and Makar Sankranti celebrations in most parts of north and northwest India, and parts of east India. The states in north and northwest India normally get four to six coldwave days from Dec to Feb, but this time the region is expected to get a total of eight to 11 such days, with the maximum number being reported in Jan. A coldwave is declared when the minimum (night) temperature of a meteorological station is 4°C or less in the plains and 0°C or less in hilly regions. Coldwave conditions can also be declared if temperatures are less than 10°C and below normal by at least 4.5°C. Releasing a forecast of minimum (night) temperatures, IMD said “no significant change” is likely over northwest India in the next three days, with a gradual rise of 2–3°C in the subsequent four days. However, it said, there may be gradual rise in minimum temperature of 2–3°C in Maharashtra over the next two days. There may not be significant change over the subsequent five days. During the past 24 hours (till 8.30am on Sunday), minimum (night) temperatures were below 0°C at many places in J&K, Ladakh, Gilgit, Baltistan, Muzaffarabad, a few places in Himachal Pradesh, and at isolated places in Uttarakhand. Minimum temperatures of 1–5°C were recorded at a few places in Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh, Delhi and north Rajasthan, IMD said. On the other hand, minimum temperatures of 5–10°C were recorded at many places in Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh; a few places in Odisha, Bihar, east Rajasthan and Gujarat; and at isolated places in Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Odisha, West Bengal, Sikkim, Assam, Meghalaya and Maharashtra. Minimum temperatures were 3–6°C “below normal” over northwest India (south Punjab, south Haryana, Delhi, Rajasthan), northwest Telangana and adjoining Maharashtra on Sunday. Over the rest of the country, they were “near normal” during past 24 hours.



Source link

Bangladesh crisis impact: SG puts sponsorship for top Bangladesh players in limbo | Cricket News


Bangladesh crisis impact: SG puts sponsorship for top Bangladesh players in limbo

VADODARA: Cricket seems set to bear the full impact of the escalating tensions between India and Bangladesh. TOI has learnt that India’s leading cricket equipment manufacturer SG, which currently sponsors some of Bangladesh’s top cricketers, including captain Litton Das and Mominul Haque, has put its contracts with the duo in a limbo.“Their sponsorship contracts were coming up for renewal. That process has been slowed down’ amidst the current heightened political and cricketing tensions between India and Bangladesh,” a source tracking developments told TOI on Sunday.

Graeme Smith on SA20 growth, viewership boom, ticket sales & league expansion

“In fact, another leading Indian sports equipment manufacturing company, Sareen Sports Industries (SS) had cancelled the sponsorship contracts of four-five top Bangladesh cricketers last year, when trouble began in Bangladesh. However, things may change if the relations improve between the two countries,” informed another source.The increasing tension between India and Bangladesh is thus set to result in Bangladesh’s cricket industry being hit badly financially.“It’s not just about player contracts not being renewed for now. The political instability and uncertain times in Bangladesh has meant that SG has stopped the distribution of its cricket equipment in Bangladesh since the last six months. In fact, there used to be a lot of sports apparel which used to be manufactured in Bangladesh’s factories and then supplied to SG and other sports equipment manufacturers in India. That supply line too has dried up for the past year or so,” informed the source.In a nutshell, the tensions between the two countries are set to badly hurt Bangladesh’s sports industry, as India’s leading sports manufacturers have stopped sponsoring the country’s players, and halted the distribution of their sports equipment to Bangladesh.The tensions between the neighboring countries flared up when the BCCI asked the Kolkata Knight Riders to release Bangladesh’s star left-arm pace bowler, Mustafizur Rehman, from their squad, from his contract in IPL-2026 after they bought him in the auction on Nov for Rs 9.20 cr. Reacting strongly to the development, the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) raised serious concerns over the security situation in India and requested the International Cricket Council (ICC) to move their four matches in the 2026 T20 World Cup from India to Sri Lanka.The BCB have twice formally requested the International Cricket Council to relocate Bangladesh’s fixtures to Sri Lanka for the World Cup. The ICC is yet to decide on their request. Currently, Bangladesh are placed in Group C of the tournament, with fixtures against the West Indies, Italy, and England in Kolkata on February 7, 9, and 14, respectively. Their final group-stage match will be against Nepal in Mumbai on February 17.



Source link

Suspected Pak drones seen over LoC, IB, search op on | India News


Suspected Pak drones seen over LoC, IB, search op on

JAMMU: Security forces picked up movement of suspected drones in several forward areas along the International Border (IB) and Line of Control (LoC) in Samba, Rajouri and Poonch districts of J&K on Sunday evening, officials said. All flying objects came from the Pakistan side, and returned after hovering over Indian territory for a few minutes, they said. According to officials, security forces have launched a search operation on the ground after noticing the suspected drone activity in the forward areas. In a related development, security forces launched a massive search operation after intel agencies detected satellite communication by suspected terrorists near the IB in Rajpura area of Jammu’s Kanachak sector Sunday. Massive search operation on near IB in Kanachak sector of JammuArmy troops guarding the Nowshera sector along the LoC in Rajouri, fired from medium and light machine guns on observing drone movement over GaniaKalsian village around 6.35 pm, officials said. Another drone was noticed at Khabbar village in Teryath in Rajouri district at 6.35 pm. The flying object, with blinking light, came from the direction of Dharmsal village in Kalakote and moved further towards Bharakh, officials said. A drone-like object with blinking light was also seen hovering for several minutes over Chak Babral village in Ramgarh sector of Samba around 7.15 pm, they said. Another drone-like object was seen moving from the direction of Tain towards Topa in Mankote sector, located along the LoC, in Poonch district at 6.25 pm. Earlier on Friday night, security forces recovered an arms consignment, allegedly dropped by a drone that originated in Pakistan, in Paloora village of Ghagwal near the IB in Samba district. The recovery included two pistols, three magazines, 16 rounds and a grenade, they added. In another development, security forces launched a massive search operation after intelligence agencies detected satellite communication by suspected terrorists near the IB in Jammu’s Kanachak sector on Sunday. The communication was traced to a Thuraya satellite device around 3pm, and its GPS location was tracked, said officials. “Soon after, a joint team of the Army, J&K Police’s SOG, BSF, and CRPF, cordoned off the area and launched a search operation,” an official said. While nothing suspicious had been discovered so far, further combing was under way, officials said. The SSP Poonch chaired a meeting with Village Defence Group members from the border village of Jhullas on Sunday, and directed the volunteers to remain alert and committed to protecting their villages while strictly sticking toSOPs.



Source link

Appeasers, dividers still active: PM Modi at Somnath | India News


Appeasers, dividers still active: PM Modi at Somnath
PM Modi at Somnath temple in Gujarat’s Gir Somnath district on Sunday

AHMEDABAD/RAJKOT: India must remain vigilant against “merchants of appeasement” who are still active and hatching conspiracies to divide the country, PM Modi said Sunday while projecting Gujarat’s ancient Somnath temple as a model of resistance to what he termed “religious terrorism”. PM Modi carried the broader theme of resilience to the Vibrant Gujarat Regional Conference in Rajkot, where he assured investors that the country offers “extraordinary certainty” amid global turbulence. At a rally in Somnath, where the shrine was rebuilt over centuries of pillage by invaders, the PM accused unnamed historians and politicians of obfuscating what had happened. “Those with a mindset of religious extremism tried to disguise religious terrorism as merely motivated by wealth. They even wrote books to conceal the cruel history of hatred, atrocities and terrorism,” he said.PM Modi: In face of great global uncertainty, India stands outPM Modi said the temple’s history was inseparable from the valour of protectors like Raval Kanhardev, Veer Hamirji and Vegda Bhil, who never received due recognition for thwarting a succession of attempts to destroy the shrine. “There are no parallels anywhere in the world to Somnath’s retaliation against religious terrorism.” Harking back to how Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel faced hurdles after pledging to renovate Somnath and objections by some quarters to former President Rajendra Prasad’s 1951 temple visit, the PM said the “same forces” continue to pursue that agenda. “Only their methods have changed. In place of swords, they are now using vile means against India,” he said. In Rajkot, 200km from Somnath, PM Modi cited recent assessments by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and rating agencies S&P and Fitch as evidence of rising global confidence in India’s economy. S&P upgraded India’s rating outlook after 18 years, he said, while IMF has described the country as the engine of global growth. “In the face of great global uncertainty, India today stands out,” PM Modi said. “There’s political stability, continuity in policy, and the rapid expansion of the neo-middle class with rising purchasing power.” The PM pointed to sectoral shifts, saying that from importing nine of every 10 mobile phones in 2014, India now ranks second globally in manufacturing handsets. The country has also become the largest consumer of mobile data and hosts the world’s largest real-time digital payments platform through UPI, he said. It has the third-largest startup ecosystem, ranks among the top three in solar power generation and has emerged as the third-largest aviation market, PM Modi said. “This Reform Express won’t halt,” PM Modi said before reprising his Red Fort punchline, “Yehi samay hai, sahi samay hai (This time is the right time).



Source link

Drama at sacked IAS Puja Khedkar’s house: Domestic help ties her and family up, sedates all, steals valuables | Pune News


PUNE: Pune police have begun an inquiry after former IAS probationer Puja Khedkar alleged that a domestic worker sedated her and her parents before stealing valuables from their home, officials said on Sunday.Khedkar contacted the police late on Saturday night to report the alleged incident at the family’s bungalow on Baner Road, according to the news agency PTI.

Pune Headlines Today — Key Stories You Shouldn’t Miss.

How events unfoldedPolice said she claimed that a recently hired domestic help, reportedly from Nepal, mixed sedatives into food or drinks, rendering her and her parents — Dilip and Manorama Khedkar — unconscious. She alleged that the accused then tied them up and fled with mobile phones and other valuables.Khedkar told police she later managed to free herself and contacted authorities using another phone, an official said.Police officials said the incident was reported verbally and that no written complaint has been submitted so far. Details of the items allegedly stolen have also not been formally provided. Despite this, a preliminary investigation has been initiated.‘Not the 1st time in news’The family has previously been in the news. Last year, police registered a case against Dilip and Manorama Khedkar over the alleged abduction of a truck driver following a road rage incident in Navi Mumbai.Khedkar is also facing allegations of misrepresentation in her application for the 2022 UPSC civil services examination to claim reservation benefits. She has denied all accusations against her.



Source link

WATCH: Shree Charani plucks a stunner to dismiss Beth Mooney in WPL 2026



The Women’s Premier League 2026 produced another moment of sheer brilliance as Shree Charani pulled off a stunning caught-and-bowled effort to dismiss Beth Mooney during the fourth match of the tournament. The high-voltage clash between Delhi Capitals Women and Gujarat Giants Women at the Dr DY Patil Sports Academy in Navi Mumbai had fans on their feet, with the spectacular dismissal quickly going viral on social media.

Delhi Capitals Women won the toss and opted to bowl first, a decision that initially looked challenging as the Gujarat Giants openers came out firing and dominated the powerplay with authority.

Gujarat Giants’ strong opening partnership

Gujarat Giants Women got off to a solid start courtesy of a fluent opening stand between Mooney and Sophie Devine. The duo added 94 runs for the first wicket, laying a strong foundation for a big total. Mooney, in particular, looked in sublime touch, finding gaps with ease and punishing anything loose from the Delhi bowlers.

Devine complemented her opening partner perfectly, rotating the strike well before switching gears with powerful strokes down the ground and through the covers. With both batters well set, Delhi Capitals were in desperate need of a breakthrough to halt the momentum.

Shree Charani produces moment of magic to dismiss Beth Mooney

The breakthrough finally arrived in the ninth over, and it came in spectacular fashion. On the very first ball of the over, Charani delivered a length ball that Mooney smashed back fiercely. The ball flew straight back at the bowler, who reacted instinctively. It initially popped out of her hands, but Charani showed remarkable presence of mind to grab it on the second attempt in her follow-through.

The athletic effort stunned Mooney, who had to walk back despite playing the shot with authority. The dismissal not only broke a threatening partnership but also shifted the momentum back in Delhi’s favour. The official broadcaster later shared the clip on social media, with fans hailing it as one of the best catches of the season so far.

Here’s the video:

Also READ: WPL 2026 – Georgia Wareham outshines Phoebe Litchfield in Gujarat Giants’ narrow win over UP Warriorz; fans react

Sophie Devine sizzles with her batting masterclass

While Mooney’s dismissal gave Delhi a much-needed boost, Devine ensured that Gujarat Giants did not lose steam. The experienced New Zealand all-rounder put on a batting masterclass, dismantling the Delhi bowling attack with a blend of timing, power, and intelligent shot selection.

Devine attacked both pace and spin with ease, clearing the ropes and peppering the boundaries at will. She looked set for a well-deserved century and was cruising in the 90s before Nandani Sharma finally brought an end to her magnificent knock. Devine was dismissed for a brilliant 95, falling just five runs short of a hundred.

Also READ: WPL 2026: Nat Sciver-Brunt and Harmanpreet Kaur power Mumbai Indians to dominant win over Delhi Capitals

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





Source link

Kanpur cops bust alleged conversion racket, arrest 3 | India News


Kanpur cops bust alleged conversion racket, arrest 3

KANPUR: The Kanpur Dehat police in UP have claimed to have busted an alleged religious conversion racket in Akbarpur, arresting three people, including a woman, on charges of converting people from the scheduled castes by offering them incentives. The police are now investigating the interstate network and possible foreign funding links. Police said there were complaints from Akbarpur residents about mass conversions to Christianity, allegedly done by luring people with valuables and money. An FIR was registered on Jan 9 under the UP Prohibition of Unlawful Conversion of Religion Act 2021, following a complaint by a local, Ram Bharose. A police team investigating the case arrested three people on Jan 10. They have been identified as Daniel Sharad Singh (Jhansi), Hariom alias Hariom Tyagi (Akbarpur), and Savitri Sharma (Akbarpur town). Police said the accused revealed they ran a vocational training centre registered in Andhra Pradesh. Using this as a cover, they would allegedly convert people from the scheduled castes by preaching Christianity and offering them incentives. Police said they have recovered photos, videos, Bible lessons and details of people allegedly converted from the accused’s phones.



Source link

Bag near minister’s bungalow in south Mumbai triggers panic; US citizen had left shoes, clothes to give away | Mumbai News


Mumbai: An abandoned bag found near a minister’s bungalow in south Mumbai triggered panic on Sunday until police determined that it had been left by a US citizen who wanted to give away his clothes and shoes, officials said.The incident came to light around 9.30 am, when security personnel posted at minister Nitesh Rane’s bungalow at Marine Drive informed the police about a bag lying near the adjacent servant quarters, they said.

Mumbai Headlines Today — The Biggest Updates You Need to Know.

Personnel from the Marine Drive police station and a Bomb Detection and Disposal Squad (BDDS) team rushed to the spot and cordoned off the area, an official said.During an inspection, the cops found a pair of shoes, clothes and a note inside the bag, the official said.After scanning CCTV footage from the area, police tracked down the bag owner, who turned out to be a US national in his 40s. The man had reached Goa by then, he said.The man told the police that he had been staying at a hotel in the Marine Drive area. Before leaving for Goa early on Sunday, he placed the bag near the servant quarters of the minister’s bungalow with a note that read, “shoes and clothes are free. Anybody can take it”, the official said.After ensuring that there was nothing suspicious in the bag, the area was cleared, he added.



Source link