On the afternoon of Sep 4, 1873, a few dozen Englishmen, Hindus, Muslims and Parsis gathered inside the municipal building in Fort, north of today’s BMC headquarters. Their shared aim was to create an effective system of local self-government for Bombay’s 6.5 lakh residents between Colaba and Tardeo. Over 160 years later, the BMC is India’s richest civic body, with a budget nearing Rs 75,000cr. Before BMC1669 | Bombay transferred to the East India Company; administered by the governor and senior officials, with no formal civic authority1803-1845 | City governed by a Court of Petty Sessions1845 | Court replaced by a Board of Conservancy, controlled by justices1858 | Administration handed to a triumvirate of commissionersMinutes of First MeetingThe minutes of the 1873 meeting (one Major Baker RE was voted to chair it) were meticulously written down by then municipal secretary H Winford Barrow. The business was to elect the chairman and members of the town council. He recorded :

Patriotic CorporatorsThey made the mighty British Empire quake :Dadabhai Naoroji | Pherozshah Mehta | Badrudin Tayebji | HP Mody | Jamnadas Mehta | SS Mirajkar | Yusuf Meherally | Sarojini NaiduBMC’s Formation & Aftermath1865 | Bombay Municipal Corporation created; Arthur Crawford appointed municipal commissioner for five years. Municipal Act vests full executive power in the municipal commissioner1873 | First meeting of the democratic civic body held1888 | Present Municipal Act enacted, later amended multiple times1889 | Construction of BMC headquarters at CST begins; earlier offices were in Girgaum and later near Kalaghoda1931 | Designation of ‘president’ changed to ‘mayor’; JB Boman-Behram becomes the first mayor1950 | Suburbs merged with the corporation1952 | Corporation becomes a fully elected body1956 | First woman mayor (Sulochana M Modi) appointed; extended suburbs merged1957 | Vaitarna scheme conceived, planned & executed1963 | 140 constituencies introduced1968 | First elections held1972 | Marathi adopted as the official language of the corporation1996 | Bombay renamed Mumbai

US President Donald Trump has announced that Microsoft will roll out “major changes” this week to ensure American households don’t end up footing the bill for the tech giant’s power-hungry AI data centres. “I never want Americans to pay higher Electricity bills because of Data Centers,” Trump wrote on Truth Social. He added that the “big Technology Companies who build them must ‘pay their own way.'”Following Trump’s call-out, Microsoft unveiled a five-point plan on Tuesday, promising to ask utilities to charge it more for electricity, replenish more water than its data centres consume, hire locally, skip property tax breaks, and provide free AI training to schools and small businesses.The announcement comes as utility bills have climbed across at least 13 US states due to the massive energy demands of AI infrastructure. Data from earlier reports showed electricity prices jumped roughly 6% year-on-year, with some regions like Maine seeing spikes as high as 36%.

Microsoft faces pressure ahead of midterms

Trump’s move signals a broader push to rein in Big Tech’s energy footprint before the upcoming midterm elections. His administration has been working to lower consumer costs across multiple fronts, from mortgage rates to prescription drugs like Ozempic.Microsoft, for its part, has already shown sensitivity to the issue. At a September town hall in Wisconsin, company president Brad Smith told residents: “I just want you to know we are doing everything we can… so that you all don’t have to pay more for electricity because of our presence.”The company even scrapped plans for a data centre in Caledonia, Wisconsin, after facing local opposition.

Nuclear deal and $1 billion loan power Microsoft’s AI ambitions

Microsoft’s energy strategy has taken some unconventional turns. The company signed a 20-year deal in 2024 to purchase power from the Three Mile Island nuclear plant in Pennsylvania — yes, the same facility that was home to America’s worst nuclear accident in 1979. The Trump administration backed this with a $1 billion federal loan in November 2025.The reactor set to reopen is separate from the one involved in the 1979 meltdown and is expected to come online by 2027, powering the equivalent of 800,000 homes.Trump hinted that more announcements with other tech companies are on the way. Meta, Amazon, and Google have all made similar pledges to cover their own utility costs amid growing consumer pushback.

In today’s second ODI against New Zealand at the Niranjan Shah Stadium in Rajkot, Team India faces a significant blow as their premier all-rounder Washington Sundar has been ruled out of the clash. Following India’s hard-fought victory in Vadodara, the team management confirmed that Sundar would be unavailable for the remainder of the series. In the game, meanwhile, New Zealand skipper Michael Bracewell won the toss and elected to field first.

Who steps in for injured Washington Sundar in the IND vs NZ 2nd ODI? Here’s India’s playing XI for Rajkot

In a significant blow to the hosts just moments before the match buildup, the BCCI revealed that star all-rounder Sundar would miss the Rajkot encounter. Captain Shubman Gill confirmed that Sundar, who played a vital cameo to help India cross the finish line in the first ODI, was ruled out after suffering an acute rib injury.

The injury occurred during the opening game in Vadodara, where Sundar complained of discomfort in his left lower rib area while bowling. His absence has forced a tactical reshuffle, leading to a maiden ODI call-up for Delhi’s explosive batter Ayush Badoni, who joins the squad as a direct replacement. Beyond his off-spin, Sundar’s composure in the lower-middle order is a major miss for India, as he has become a key “finisher” and a bridge between the top order and the tail. The team went with fast bowling allrounder, Nitish Kumar Reddy to fill the massive all-round void.

“One change, Nitish comes in for Washington.” Gill said at the toss.

India (Playing XI): Rohit Sharma, Shubman Gill(c), Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul(w), Ravindra Jadeja, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Harshit Rana, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna

Also READ: IND vs NZ: Pitch Report for 2nd ODI, Niranjan Shah Stadium Stats and Records

New Zealand’s tactical reshuffle and the debut of Jayden Lennox

The Rajkot match has become a platform for New Zealand’s redemption, most notably featuring the debut of left-arm spinner Jayden Lennox. Lennox has been brought into the playing XI to replace Adithya Ashok, as the Black Caps look to exploit any potential turn on the Rajkot surface. Despite the loss in the series opener, the Kiwis have retained their core of Devon Conway and Daryl Mitchell, banking on Lennox to provide the “X-factor” in the middle overs.

“We’ve made just the one change – Jaden Lennox is coming in and making his debut.” Bracewell said during the toss.

India’s lineup is uniquely structured today, appearing slightly light on spin-bowling depth without Sundar’s economical overs, leaving Kuldeep Yadav with the heavy responsibility of anchoring the middle overs on a batting-friendly Rajkot track. With the series on the line, the second ODI is less about previous records and more about whether New Zealand’s revamped bowling attack can dismantle the Indian “big three” or if the hosts will continue their winning streak at home.

Also READ: IND vs NZ: 85th century incoming? Virat Kohli’s record at Niranjan Shah Stadium ahead of Rajkot ODI against New Zealand

Wholesale prices increased in December, with inflation measured by the Wholesale Price Index (WPI) rising to 0.83%. This marks the second consecutive month of upward movement after two months of deflation, official data released on Wednesday showed. The return to positive inflation came after wholesale prices contracted in October and November, when WPI inflation stood at (-) 1.21% and (-) 0.32%, respectively. In the same month last year, wholesale inflation was higher at 2.57%. According to the industry ministry, the increase in December was driven by a rise in prices across several segments. “Positive rate of inflation in December 2025 is primarily due to an increase in prices of other manufacturing, minerals, manufacture of machinery and equipment, manufacture of food products, and textiles, etc.,” the ministry said. Food articles remained in deflation, but the pace eased significantly. Deflation in this category narrowed to 0.43% in December from 4.16% in November. Vegetable prices also continued to see negative inflation, although the contraction reduced sharply to 3.50% in December compared with 20.23% a month earlier. Prices of manufactured products showed further strengthening, with inflation rising to 1.82% in December, up from 1.33% in November 2025. Non-food articles recorded an inflation rate of 2.95% during the month, higher than the 2.27% seen in November. The fuel and power segment continued to remain in deflationary territory. Prices in this category fell by 2.31% in December, slightly more than the 2.27% decline recorded in the previous month. Retail inflation also moved higher during the month. Data released earlier this week showed that consumer price inflation increased to 1.33% in December from 0.71% in November, largely due to rising food prices. Against the backdrop of subdued inflation, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has lowered policy interest rates by a cumulative 1.25 percentage points so far in the current financial year. Last month, the central bank revised its inflation forecast for the year downward to 2% from 2.6%, citing rapid disinflation in the economy. The RBI, which uses retail inflation as its primary benchmark for monetary policy decisions, reduced the key policy rate by 25 basis points last month to 5.25%. At the time, it described the economy as being in a “rare Goldilocks period” of strong growth alongside low inflation. The central bank has also raised its GDP growth estimate for FY26 to 7.3%, up from an earlier projection of 6.8%. India recorded economic growth of 8.2% in the September quarter and 7.8% in the June quarter.

World Liberty Financial will collaborate with Pakistan’s central bank to incorporate its USD1 stablecoin into a regulated digital payments framework. (AI image)

Donald Trump’s family has just upped their stakes in Pakistan! World Liberty Financial, a cryptocurrency venture linked to US President Donald Trump’s family, has entered into an agreement with Pakistan. The development comes at a time of improving relations between Pakistan and the United States.According to a Reuters report, the deal will assess the use of World Liberty’s stablecoin for cross-border transactions. The report adds that the deal is among the first publicly disclosed partnerships between World Liberty, which is a crypto-focused financial platform launched in September 2024, and a national government.

Trump Family-led Firm’s Stablecoin Deal with Pakistan

As part of the agreement, World Liberty Financial will collaborate with Pakistan’s central bank to incorporate its USD1 stablecoin into a regulated digital payments framework. This would allow the token to function alongside Pakistan’s existing digital currency systems, the Reuters report said.Further specifics of the agreement involving SC Financial Technologies, a relatively low-profile firm connected to World Liberty, were not disclosed. Pakistan is expected to formally announce the deal later on Wednesday during a visit to Islamabad by World Liberty chief executive Zach Witkoff.At the same time, Pakistan has been advancing work on digital currency initiatives as part of efforts to curb reliance on cash and enhance cross-border payment channels, particularly remittances, which are a major source of foreign exchange. In July last year, Pakistan’s central bank governor said preparations were underway for a digital currency pilot, alongside the finalisation of laws to regulate virtual assets.Stablecoins are digital assets which are generally linked to the value of the US dollar. These have grown rapidly in scale over recent years. Under President Donald Trump, the United States has rolled out federal regulations that are widely viewed as supportive of the cryptocurrency sector, while governments globally are increasingly looking at how stablecoins can be incorporated into payment mechanisms and broader financial systems.World Liberty reportedly contributed to a big jump in revenues for the Trump family’s business interests, collectively known as the Trump Organization, including earnings from overseas sources during the first half of last year. In May 2024, MGX, a state-owned investment firm based in Abu Dhabi, used the World Liberty stablecoin to acquire a $2 billion equity stake in Binance, which is the world’s largest cryptocurrency exchange.

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RAJKOT: It’s time to recalibrate batting plans now that ODIs are being played with only one ball after the 34th over. With the ODI World Cup in South Africa less than two years away, teams are trying to gauge what a significantly older ball will mean at the back-end of an innings.Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!India’s batting coach Sitanshu Kotak was upfront about the challenges posed by the revised playing conditions. Forming a new template is one of the goals for the team management in this series. The presence of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli gives India an edge, as they are among the few active batters who grew up playing ODIs with an old, softer ball in the final phase of an innings.

“We will have to adjust in the batting department. We have to try to set up one template based on how we play after this new rule,” Kotak said, adding that the differences become clear late in the innings. “We played 25 overs any way with each ball. After this rule, you don’t feel the difference till the 42nd over, since it is 25 overs with one ball. We have to plan for the remaining eight overs,” he added.New Zealand opener Henry Nicholls was quick to point out the challenge his team faced. “At the end of our innings, the ball was obviously a lot darker and probably a lot softer as well, which made it harder to get away. It won’t be as easy to score as much right at the end. You need to take on the bowling a little bit earlier,” Nicholls said.

The management is studying the trend. The sample size is still too small to draw firm conclusions and there aren’t many ODIs scheduled over the next 20 months. Teams may have to wait for harder surfaces to fully understand the effect of the older ball after the 34th over. White balls are not expected to turn as soft or as discoloured outside South Asia.“Looking ahead to the World Cup, there will be (new) plans about how you go about the powerplay and the 30-40th over period,” Kotak said, adding, “It will also dictate the bowling combination.”

MUMBAI: A band plays as NCP candidate Kaptan Malik and his party workers hit the congested new mill road and its bylanes including Gandhi nagar at Kurla (West) on Friday evening.Addressing a gathering in a bylane near Mehboob Subhani Masjid, two-time corporator Malik lists the issues faced by the constituents of BMC Ward No. 165, including low pressure water supply and contaminated water, and assured them that a “capable corporator” would be able to resolve them.Malik, who had represented the neighbouring Ward No. 170, which has been reserved for women this time round, shows no sign of being a newcomer. He explains that his family had moved to Kurla in 1977 and has been associated with the area and its people since then.Malik is pitted against Ashraf Azmi of Congress, a two-term corporator who had represented Ward No. 165 from 2017-22.As Malik walks through the bylanes, announcements are made appealing to local residents to press the ‘ghadi wala button’ on the ballot unit on Jan 15, when the BMC goes to polls. Some of the party workers accompanying Malik request residents at their doorstep, “ Abhi change karna hai (Need to make a change now)”, while others shout slogans such as ‘Captan Malik, aage bado, hum tumhare saath hain (Go ahead, we are with you)’ and ‘ Jeetenge bhai, jeetenge, ghadi wala jeetenge ’.Malik is foregrounding civic issues, especially water woes and the need for playgrounds and gardens. He said he would organise a meeting with NGOs, residents, and various departments to resolve the issue of traffic congestion. He points that zero beautification has been carried out in the ward and traffic islands do not have high-mast lights. “I have spent my own money to address the issues of people, even when I was not a corporator,” says Malik, as he throws an open challenge to show any waterlogging in Ward No. 170, which he represented earlier.When locals point out that Gandhinagar playground is frequented by drug addicts and anti-social elements, and complain about garbage collection issues and the absence of a library for students, residents of Ward No. 170 provide testimonials for Malik, saying he is available even at 2am, and is a call away.