MUMBAI: Chief minister Devendra Fadnavis on Wednesday slammed UBT-MNS coalition led by former CM Uddhav Thackeray and his cousin Raj for deliberately attempting to fuel the “Marathi vs Non-Marathi” narrative during the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) elections. Speaking to news agency ANI about attempts to polarise voters on linguistic lines, the chief minister said, “Marathi is my language. There must be development for the Marathi language.” However, he questioned the opposition’s definition of “development for the Marathi man,” asking whether it meant pushing Marathi-speaking people out of Mumbai or resorting to violence against workers. “We brought the Marathi man back to Mumbai by creating jobs through infrastructure projects and built homes for the people,” he said, adding that voters are aware of these efforts.

Fadnavis also addressed the Hindutva debate, stating that Hindutva is the BJP‘s “soul” and has never been used merely as an electoral slogan. He criticised rivals for distancing themselves from Hindutva for vote-bank politics and said they must answer to the people for misleading Marathi asmita (identity).Fadnavis claimed that his party has never sought votes by “flaunting Hindutva,” describing the ideology as its very “soul.”He said Hindutva is deeply ingrained in Marathi society and that his party respects the traditions and beliefs of every community.Taking an indirect swipe at AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi over his recent remarks regarding a woman wearing a hijab becoming the mayor, Fadnavis said that making claims about installing a mayor in hijab after forming an alliance with “Marathi Muslims” misleads the identity (asmita) of the Marathi people.“But when someone forms an alliance with ‘Marathi Muslims’ and claims they will install a mayor wearing a hijab, and misleads the identity (Asmita) of the Marathi people, at that time, we have to explain what Hindutva really is. That is when we place the talk of Hindutva before the people,” Fadnavis said.Fadnavis also targeted Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray, accusing him of abandoning Hindutva to appease a particular community for electoral gains. Addressing the issue of loudspeakers outside worship places, the Chief Minister claimed that his government had fulfilled Balasaheb Thackeray’s long-standing demand by ensuring their removal in accordance with the law and Supreme Court guidelines.“To distance oneself from Hindutva just for votes and to attract a particular community… Uddhav Thackeray truly needs to answer for this. Removing loudspeakers was Balasaheb’s dream. We used the law and the Supreme Court to get loudspeakers removed. It is now clear that regardless of whose government comes to power in the future, loudspeakers cannot be reinstalled. But those who claimed they would reinstall loudspeakers after coming to power are now ‘licking boots’ (acting as sycophants). They should be ashamed,” he said.The chief minister further highlighted that the Mahayuti alliance entered the civic poll campaign in a “serious and professional” manner from day one. He underlined that the BJP-led alliance fielded candidates from ordinary backgrounds, including vegetable vendors, middle-class individuals, advocates, and even people without their own homes. According to him, the campaign received an overwhelming public response, driven by the work showcased before voters. Fadnavis expressed confidence that Mahayuti would secure a majority and claim mayoral posts in 26 of the 29 municipal corporations going to the polls.The remarks come as Maharashtra heads into civic polls across 29 municipal corporations, including the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC). Voting for the BMC election 2026 will be held on January 15 from 7.30am to 5.30pm across 227 wards, with counting scheduled for January 16.

File photo: US President Donald Trump (Picture credit: AP)

US President Donald Trump on Wednesday renewed his push for the United States to acquire Greenland, saying the Arctic island is vital for American national security and for the “Golden Dome” defence system he claims Washington is building.In a post on Truth Social, Trump said, “The United States needs Greenland for the purpose of National Security. It is vital for the Golden Dome that we are building.” He argued that Nato should take the lead in ensuring Greenland comes under US control, warning that if Washington does not act, “Russia or China will” — something he said “is not going to happen.”Trump also linked Greenland’s future directly to Nato’s military strength, claiming the alliance would be far less effective without US power. “Militarily, without the vast power of the United States… Nato would not be an effective force or deterrent — not even close!” he wrote, adding that Nato would become “far more formidable and effective with Greenland in the hands of the United States.” He concluded by saying that “anything less than that is unacceptable.”The remarks come amid fresh tensions with Denmark and Greenland’s leadership. Earlier, he warned Greenland’s prime minister after Jens-Frederik Nielsen reaffirmed the island’s commitment to Denmark and rejected the idea of becoming a US territory. “That’s their problem. I disagree with them,” Trump said, adding that Nielsen’s stance would be “a big problem for him.”Speaking in Copenhagen alongside Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen, Nielsen said Greenland faced a clear choice and had decided to stand with Denmark, stressing unity within the Danish kingdom. While Greenland’s political debate continues to evolve, some voices on the island have argued that remaining under Denmark within Nato’s security framework is the wiser long-term option.Trump has repeatedly dismissed Denmark’s role, insisting that Greenland’s current defences are inadequate. He has claimed the island is vulnerable to Russian and Chinese naval activity and argued that US ownership — not leases or limited military access — is essential for effective defence. While acknowledging that the US already has bases and personnel on the island, Trump has said this is “insufficient” without full control.Denmark, meanwhile, has described the situation as a “decisive moment,” reiterating that Greenland is not for sale and rejecting Washington’s advances.The rhetoric has also raised alarm within US military circles. According to the Daily Mail, Trump has asked senior special forces commanders to prepare contingency plans for a possible invasion of Greenland, a move that has reportedly faced resistance from top military officials concerned about its legality and political feasibility.Despite the pushback, Trump has continued to frame Greenland as central to US and Nato security, warning that Washington will not allow either Russia or China to gain a foothold in the Arctic island.

NEW DELHI: General Upendra Dwivedi said on Tuesday the Army is ready to induct women in the infantry but that is contingent on societal acceptance.Stressing that women should not be seen as a “vulnerable commodity”, the General, during a media briefing, said the Army’s focus is on “gender neutrality”. “If standards are same, if capabilities are same, and in India as a nation, society is ready to accept it, it (combat role) can be done tomorrow,” he said.

He said uniform standards are essential, but achieving them remains a challenge due to medical and operational constraints. Gen Dwivedi said performance data of women officers will determine the opening of more roles, starting with supporting arms, followed by combat arms and eventually special forces, calling it a “sequential and welcome social change.”Also read | ‘We were ready for ground offensive’: Army chief’s blunt warning to Pakistan; flags 8 active terror campsGiving an estimate of the number of women in the Army currently, the Army chief had last year said, “In the NDA as of today, we have 60 women Army cadets and every year, we are looking at (inducting) 20 cadets. Also, in the Officers’ Training Academy (OTA)—Chennai and Gaya—we are looking at 120 per year.” When it comes to inducting women in the other ranks (ORs), it involves a change in Section 12 of the Army Act, he had said. The Army was looking at a 12 times increase in women’s induction in ORs by 2032. “Currently, the total number of women officers is 8,000,” he had said. The Territorial Army opened up for women and 110 vacancies will come up for women, he had added.Army modernising force for future warfare: GeneralTaking lessons from conflicts going on around the world, General Upendra Dwivedi said on Tuesday modernisation remains the urgent focus of the Indian Army. Dedicated regiments of drones with enhanced capabilities, rocket cum missile force, loitering munitions, new battalions like Bhairon equipped with modern technologies and advanced weapons and anti-missile defence radar and systems are on the cards.He said over 90% ammunition is now indigenised, underscoring the push towards self-reliance. “After Operation Sindoor, drones got a new thrust,” he said, adding that new drone formations have been raised and each command now has the capability to manufacture up to 5,000 drones depending on operational requirements. This capability can be enhanced to 20,000 or even one lakh drones depending upon the threat perception or conflict, he said.“As of today, we have raised 13 Bhairav battalions, which are meant to bridge the gap between lethal platoons and special forces within infantry battalions,” the Gen said.“Moving on to artillery, we have created a Divyastra battery. It will be part of the artillery regiment and will provide support to a division commander. Again, this involves UAS equipment. For counter-unmanned aircraft system ammunition, we have our powerful regiment, which we are currently raising three units of, and will later raise 12 more. We will then expand this further,” he added.

In a stunning turn of events at the Niranjan Shah Stadium in Rajkot, the second ODI of the New Zealand tour of India on January 14, 2026, saw a dramatic top-order collapse that left the home crowd in a state of disbelief. After securing a narrow victory in the series opener at Vadodara, India entered this day-night clash with the aim of clinching the series. However, the visitors had different plans, dismantling the world-renowned Indian batting engine with disciplined, high-quality pace and spin.

Early collapse rattles India against New Zealand in Rajkot

New Zealand captain Michael Bracewell made a bold decision to field first, a move that initially seemed questionable as India’s openers, Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill, navigated the first 10 overs with relative ease. The pair brought up the 50-run mark in just 8.4 overs, playing some exquisite drives that signalled another high-scoring day in Rajkot.

The tide turned in the 13th over when Kristian Clarke induced a rare error from Rohit. The Hitman, looking to clear mid-off, sliced a cross-seam delivery to Will Young at sweeper cover, departing for 24. While captain Gill continued his fine form to reach a fluent 56 off 53 balls, his dismissal in the 17th over by Kyle Jamieson triggered the real panic. India went from a comfortable 99/1 to a precarious 118/4 in just under seven overs.

The biggest blow to the Indian camp was the departure of Virat Kohli. Having recently surpassed Kumar Sangakkara to become the second-highest run-scorer in international history, Kohli looked set to anchor the innings. Instead, he was stunned by a slower delivery from Clarke, dragging the ball onto his stumps for 23. Shortly before, Shreyas Iyer fell for 8, chipping a catch to Bracewell, leaving the middle order exposed and the run rate plummeting.

Fans stunned as India struggles for momentum in 2nd ODI

The reaction on social media and in the stands was one of collective anxiety. Fans, who had expected the Rajkot surface to be a “flat track” paradise, watched in silence as the boundaries dried up. Following the flurry of wickets, India went through a grueling period of 63 balls without a single boundary, highlighting the stranglehold New Zealand’s bowlers—particularly Jayden Lennox and Bracewell—had over the game.

By the 30th over, India stood at 142/4, with KL Rahul (13*) and Ravindra Jadeja (11*) attempting to piece together a shattered innings. The scorecard told a tale of two halves:

• Powerplay 1: 57/0 (India in control)
• The Squeeze (Overs 21–30): Only 20 runs for the loss of 2 wickets.

The absence of Washington Sundar (ruled out due to a rib injury) meant Nitish Kumar Reddy was drafted in, but the burden fell squarely on the shoulders of Rahul and Jadeja. For New Zealand, Clarke emerged as the hero of the afternoon, boasting figures of 3/37 in 6 overs. As the match moves into the final twenty overs, India face a massive uphill battle to post a total that can challenge the disciplined Black Caps.

Also READ: Virat Kohli replaces Rohit Sharma as the No. 1 ODI batter; Travis Head makes big leap in ICC Test rankings

Here’s how fans reacted:

No hundred for Virat Kohli today 💔💔#ViratKohli #ViratKohli𓃵 #INDvNZ pic.twitter.com/b1HcBTcwJq

— Saabir Zafar (@Saabir_Saabu01) January 14, 2026

What a Coincidence 😳😭

It reminds me 19th november

-Rohit sharma with same shot got out
-Shubman Gill with same shot got out
-Virat Kohli with same shot got out.

Dejavu 😭💔#IndvNZ #IndvsNZ pic.twitter.com/gnNQ4I4dWj

— 🤍 (@diva_0387) January 14, 2026

#INDvNZ Situation is similar to 2023 world cup final (4 wickets down) and there is a lot of talk that the team has changed their intent especially KL Rahul. But in useless bilateral also KL Rahul and Jadeja are afraid to play their shots. Let’s see where they finish today.

— Subrato (@subrato312) January 14, 2026

19 november madness all over 🥀#INDvNZ pic.twitter.com/uYB3gfHfih

— Shreya.♥️ (@Here4VK18) January 14, 2026

bro what is this match even
giving me nightmares already of 23 WC Final💀

> awesome start then rohit getting caught after lofting a shot over covers
> gill falls to a pull
> kohli looks good but chops on
> klr & jadeja zeherball
> all rounder injured and replaced#INDvNZ pic.twitter.com/0NoXeADfwJ

— Aish (@AishIdiot) January 14, 2026

“Kuch nahi bhai mid overs main Jadeja aur KL ki batting dekh rha hoon😶😶#INDvNZ pic.twitter.com/9luOz75tUc

— खटाना भाई (@CricwormAnna) January 14, 2026

#IndvNZ
The lack of ability to play sweeps and reverse sweeps from Indian top order really hurting their ability to score. And to top that the degrade in ability to score off spinners. Its really out there.
The NZ spin bowling had been smart and sustained! @bhogleharsha

— CitizenKunal (@kun8l) January 14, 2026

Kohli’s streak of 50+ scores has ended 😐#INDvNZ #ViratKohli pic.twitter.com/RlfHpN1ABN

— Muhammad Yasir (@MuhammadYa85859) January 14, 2026

63 balls between two consecutive boundaries for India!

16.4 FOUR by Shubman Gill
27.1 FOUR by KL Rahul

Out of these 62 no-boundary deliveries,

Virat Kohli played 18
Shreyas Iyer played 17
Jadeja played 14
Rahul played 12
Gill played 1#INDvNZ #ShubmanGill #ViratKohli

— CricTrend (@CricTrend_CT) January 14, 2026

Virat Kohli’s fans after his dismissal #INDvNZ #ODIs pic.twitter.com/aHssEgF1VS

— Sarcasm (@sarcastic_us) January 14, 2026

India Deep trouble 🥲 #INDvNZ https://t.co/gWO1IbRUvk pic.twitter.com/cs0jl9eeF3

— premnath pk 😍♥️🦋🌹💜🍫 (@PremnathPk) January 14, 2026

Also READ: IND vs NZ: Who replaces injured Washington Sundar? Here is India’s playing XI for the Rajkot ODI

Shreyas Iyer in Australia (PTI Photo)

India batter Shreyas Iyer recently spoke about the serious spleen injury he suffered during the third ODI against Australia. He said he did not understand how bad the injury was at first. The realisation came only after he was taken to the hospital. He described the pain as “excruciatingly painful”.Despite the setback, Iyer made a strong comeback. He scored 49 runs in India’s opening ODI win against New Zealand in Vadodara.Talking about the injury, he said, “It was painful, excruciatingly painful. I didn’t realise how tough that injury was until I got to know that spleen is an important part of our body and it’s an organ and I didn’t even know about the word.

“Then the next day when I was admitted to the hospital, after that I realised, ‘Wow, okay, this was a severe injury.’ Yes, it was (spleen was learnt as a new word that day).”Iyer said the injury forced him to slow down. He explained how difficult it was for someone like him, who likes to stay active all the time. “This process, I felt that I had to give myself a little bit of time not to over-exert myself because I’m someone who can’t sit in one place. I want to keep doing one thing or another,” he told the broadcaster.“But this injury especially gave me time to reflect upon myself, rejuvenate and also relax as much as possible because it’s not that you can get up and start working out straight away.”He followed the medical advice closely during recovery. “You need to give yourself a lot of time and I was told that within six to eight weeks, you will be back to normal and then you can start training. So I just followed the proper guidelines, which I was provided with and then after that it was a smooth sailing ride.”Speaking about his batting approach after returning, Iyer said he is not forcing anything. “Honestly speaking, I’m not trying to do anything. It’s just the instincts.” He added that he now wants to react naturally and stay in the moment.Iyer also spoke about batting with Virat Kohli. He said their talks are simple and light. “See, the communication has always been funny.” Their main focus is to stay positive, build a safe total, and give confidence to the bowlers. He feels this mindset helps the team perform better and win matches.

NEW DELHI: Encroachments, deforestation, illegal mining and expanding urban infrastructure in the Aravali ranges have severely damaged groundwater recharge, biodiversity, air quality and climate regulation, according to a new study.The research, titled Eco-restoration of the Aravali Landscape, was undertaken by the Sankala Foundation with support from the Embassy of Denmark in India and the Haryana State Forest Department.

According to news agency PTI, it highlighted that large-scale diversion of forest land, particularly around the Sariska and Bardod wildlife sanctuaries before the 1980s, led to a sharp decline in native forest cover, fragmenting wildlife habitats and critical water catchment areas.Launching the report on Wednesday, Union environment minister Bhupender Yadav said the Aravali range, one of the world’s oldest mountain systems, is a crucial ecological barrier for the National Capital Region and the Indo-Gangetic plains. However, he noted that the fragile ecosystem, spread across four states and 29 districts and supporting over 50 million people, faces severe threats from deforestation, unsustainable land use and rapid urbanisation.The study said these pressures have weakened the Aravali’s role as a green barrier, accelerating desertification and threatening ecological stability in northern India. It found forest patches in the study area to be highly degraded and fragmented, with invasive species such as Prosopis juliflora, Lantana camara and Parthenium hysterophorus suppressing native biodiversity and altering ecological functions.According to the report, all villages in the pilot area depend entirely on groundwater for irrigation, contributing to aquifer depletion and forest stress. Over 43 per cent of households rely on forests for firewood, fodder and medicinal plants, with women playing a key role in resource collection, while alternative livelihood options remain limited.The study proposes a site-specific, community-inclusive eco-restoration model in four villages of Gurugram’s southern Aravali belt. It aims to create a replicable framework combining scientific assessment, local participation and adaptive governance, with afforestation and water-retention measures identified as essential for climate resilience.

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