NEW DELHI: National security adviser Ajit Doval, widely referred to as India’s ‘spymaster or James Bond’, has revealed that he does not use a mobile-phone or internet in his day-to-day work. When asked if he used mobile or internet for routine work, the NSA replied, “It is true that I do not use internet. I also do not use a phone, except for family matters or for speaking to people in other countries, which is necessary. I manage my work that way. There are many other means of communication as well, and some additional methods have to be arranged that people are not aware of.” He said this while addressing the inaugural session of Viksit Bharat Young Leaders Dialogue 2026 at Bharat Mandapam here Saturday. Doval, who has been NSA since 2014, said it is important to take the right and farsighted decisions at the utmost time, particularly for the youth. However, the former IB director advised it is important to think about what “the next two steps will be before a person takes the first step”. He said India needs to strengthen itself as “we had a painful history of attacks and subjugation”. “We were a very advanced civilisation. We never broke anyone’s temples. We did not attack any foreigners, even when the rest of the world was weak, we did not understand the threats to our security. And, so history taught us a lesson. It is important that we remember that lesson because if the youth forget it, then it would be tragic for the country,” the NSA said. “Revenge is not a good word, but it can be a huge force. We have to avenge our history and take this country to the point where it is great again not just in terms of border security, but economy, social development, every aspect,” he said. The NSA spoke about the importance of decision-making in leadership and nation-building. “One common thing between when I was young and how I am today is the ability to make decisions. Whether you realise it or not, decision-making always walks with you. Youth take small and big decisions in daily life, and as you grow, these small decisions add up to big ones,” he said. “Napoleon once said, ‘I am not afraid of 1,000 lions led by a sheep, but I am afraid of 1,000 sheep led by a lion’. That is how important leadership is,” he explained. Expressing confidence in India’s future, Doval said, “India will be developed. The level to which our country has been brought under PM Modi, it will soon achieve the goal of being a developed nation. The real question is – who will lead the nation towards that development? If you want to be leaders on the path of Viksit Bharat, you must start making decisions now, and those decisions should be taken with a forward-looking vision, not just for today but for the future.“

Thane: In Thane city, which once gave undivided Shiv Sena its first share of power and muscle, the political contest is the ultimate test of legitimacy for deputy CM Eknath Shinde. While a win in his home ground would validate Shinde’s claim as the “true heir” of Balasaheb Thackeray’s legacy, a defeat could further diminish the presence of Shiv Sena (UBT), which is already struggling for relevance here.Thane’s political churn mirrors its urban transformation. Once a quiet suburb, the city began changing at the turn of the century as spiralling property prices in Mumbai pushed developers and homebuyers northwards. The widening of Ghodbunder Road, coupled with the conversion of industrial tracts into residential zones, fuelled rapid vertical growth. Its strategic position at Mumbai’s gateway attracted migrants from across Maharashtra and beyond, as well as upwardly mobile residents from distant suburbs seeking lifestyle upgrades in gated communities. But civic governance failed to keep pace with this expansion.

“From water supply and sewerage to waste management and public transport, the same set of deficiencies cuts across neighbourhoods,” said activist Dr Mahesh Bedekar. NCP (SP) MP Supriya Sule, at a rally, pointed to unresolved issues with water supply, roads and waste management despite crores being spent. A passenger rights activist said inadequate public transport and parking facilities have worsened congestion and stretched commute times. In upscale Hiranandani Estate, resident Lipson Paul said, “Despite being among the highest tax-paying areas, mosquito infestation, repeated road digging and poor public transport remain unresolved.” At the city’s far edge Diva, resident Ananda Patil said, “We still lack reliable drinking water and proper roads. Promised hospitals remain on paper, forcing us to depend on Dombivli for healthcare.”CM Devendra Fadnavis, at a recent visit, said solutions would become visible in the coming years. Shinde pointed to the city’s changing skyline as evidence of projects cleared during his tenure as CM. Thane continues to be a Sena citadel despite repeated attempts to weaken its grip. The party’s dominance was underlined in the 2017 civic polls, when it won 67 of 131 seats and elected a mayor on its own, a rarity in recent municipal contests. The grip tightened after Shinde’s 2022 rebellion as he absorbed rival leaders. Yet, the contest is not without risk. Observers said Shinde’s biggest challenge is to erase the “traitor” tag and reframe himself as the rightful successor to Balasaheb and the late Anand Dighe. “It is no coincidence that Sena has fielded its strongest candidates in core areas and aggressively inducted rivals,” said an analyst. MNS leader Avinash Jadhav, however, said voter fatigue over misgovernance could favour new faces fielded by the Sena (UBT)-MNS alliance. Sena (UBT)’s Rajan Vichare said voters were disillusioned by unfulfilled promises.

KOLKATA: Actor-singer and winner of Indian Idol Season 3 in 2007, Prashant Tamang passed away at the age of 43 on Sunday.Prashant hailed from the Darjeeling hills and was once associated with the Kolkata Police.

West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee posted on X, “Saddened by the sudden and untimely demise today of Prashant Tamang, the popular singer of ‘ Indian Idol’ fame and an artist of national renown. His roots in our Darjeeling hills and one-time association with Kolkata Police made him particularly dear to us in Bengal. I convey my condolences to his family, friends, and countless followers.”
Tributes and condolences have flooded social media, as many expressed shock over the singer’s sudden demise.Fellow artist Amit Paul took to his Instagram story and wrote, “How’s it even fair!!! Keep smiling Dosti!!! The world won’t be the same without you!!! I still cannot process this. My brother, my friend, my dosti @prashanttamangofficial has left for the heavenly abode. I can’t believe I’m having to write this.”BJP MP Raju Bista from Darjeeling also reacted to the news and shared a lengthy tribute to the late singer.“The untimely demise of Prashant Tamang, the popular singer and actor who shone brightly on the stage of Indian Idol across the entire Hindi and Nepali music worlds, has left the entire realm of art and music, including Hindi and Nepali, stunned and deeply heartbroken,” a part of his statement read.Bista, while remembering his journey in the field of music and acting, added, “Having won “Indian Idol 2007,” Prashant Tamang Ji introduced Nepali songs and music on a broad scale not only to the Gorkhas of India but to the world at large, etching his name among those luminaries who made the talents of Gorkhas renowned on the global stage in the field of music. After clinching the Indian Idol title, he did not confine himself solely to the field of music but entered the world of acting alongside singing in the Nepali blockbuster film ‘Gorkha Paltan,’ and thereafter worked in dozens of films.“Nagaland minister Temjen Imna Along also paid his homage, remembering Tamang as his “dear friend.”Hailing from Darjeeling in West Bengal, Prashant Tamang rose to fame as the winner of Indian Idol Season 3. Alongside his music career, he ventured into acting, notably appearing in Paatal Lok Season 2. He was also set to feature in Salman Khan’s upcoming film, Battle of Galwan.(With agency inputs)

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.

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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.