Navi Mumbai: Animal rights activists reacted with shock and surprise as the Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation (NMMC) lodged an FIR against 2 women feeders who questioned the civic staff on why they were taking away healthy, sterilised stray dogs from Ghansoli bus depot on Friday.The FIR was filed at the behest of NMMC veterinary head, S Todkar, who alleged that the 2 feeders stopped govt officials from doing their duty and also abused and threatened them.However, the feeders denied using threats or abusive language, and said that they only asked the civic staff why and where they were taking the indie strays from Ghansoli bus depot. The Pure Animal Lovers (PAL) Foundation condemned the action taken against the feeders, and said that they will legally support them in this matter.“The 2 animal lovers in Ghansoli merely asked the NMMC officials why they were picking up vaccinated and sterilised dogs from the bus depot, and where they would keep them. The veterinary officer, Todkar, somehow got angry at the women and asked the Rabale police to lodge an FIR against them under serious BNS sections like 35(3), 132, 352, 351, 329 and 3(5). This is shocking, to say the least,” said Roshan Pathak of PAL.Pathak added: “NMMC levelled wrong allegations against the 2 feeders. Also, there are no proper shelters in Navi Mumbai, except for the sterilisation centre at Turbhe. So, where will all the picked-up dogs be kept? This is animal cruelty and harassment of the feeders.”The NMMC Commissioner Kailas Shinde told TOI: “The Ghansoli feeders were threatening and abusing our civic staff who picked up the stray dogs as per the Supreme Court directions. Hence, a police complaint was lodged. Also, we made a new dog shelter at our Turbhe centre.” Activist Vijay Rangare of Rakshak animal welfare group stated that they will meet NMMC officials on Monday to discuss this issue and also check where the Ghansoli dogs are being kept.Another Navi Mumbai-based activist, Madhu Shankar, commented: “It is sad how quickly the NMMC acts to pick up healthy stray dogs. However, when I complained about an illegal cowshed in Vashi where the bovines are being exploited, leading to a cow death, no civic action was taken.”Meanwhile, Pathak added: “Out of helpless frustration, 1 of the feeders cursed the NMMC officer. However, this cannot be called abuse.” Anupreeta Rao, one of the 2 feeders, said: “We now have to apply for bail against this FIR. We were polite with the NMMC staff, and not abusive.”

Lenders have sanctioned Rs 3,361.83 crore to 774 applicants under the Rs 20,000-crore Credit Guarantee Scheme for Exporters (CGSE) within a month of its rollout, as the government steps up support for exporters facing headwinds from steep US tariffs, official data showed as reported PTI.The scheme, approved by the Union Cabinet on November 12 and made operational from December 1, 2025, provides 100 per cent credit guarantee cover by the National Credit Guarantee Trustee Company Ltd (NCGTC) to member lending institutions (MLIs) for extending additional credit facilities of up to Rs 20,000 crore to eligible exporters, including MSMEs.“Applications worth Rs 8,764.81 crore (1,840 applications) received, out of which Rs 3,361.83 crore (774 applications) sanctioned by the lenders” till January 2, 2026, the Department of Financial Services (DFS) under the finance ministry said in a statement.Implemented by the DFS, the CGSE aims to enable banks and financial institutions to extend additional financial assistance to Indian exporters during a period of external trade uncertainties, helping them diversify markets and enhance global competitiveness. The scheme will remain valid till March 31, 2026, or until guarantees worth Rs 20,000 crore are issued, whichever is earlier.The DFS also highlighted progress under the Mutual Credit Guarantee Scheme for MSMEs (MCGS-MSME), which offers credit guarantees to incentivise MLIs to provide additional credit facilities of up to Rs 100 crore to MSME borrowers for the purchase of plant, machinery and equipment. As of December 2025, banks have sanctioned Rs 16,836 crore against 8.96 lakh applications under the scheme.Sharing broader banking sector performance, the DFS said scheduled commercial banks (SCBs) recorded their highest-ever aggregate net profit of Rs 4.01 lakh crore. Public sector banks (PSBs) posted a record aggregate net profit of Rs 1.78 lakh crore in 2024-25, while their net profit stood at Rs 0.94 lakh crore in the first half of 2025-26.Global deposits and advances of PSBs rose to Rs 146.27 lakh crore and Rs 114.85 lakh crore, respectively, in September 2025, compared with Rs 71.95 lakh crore and Rs 56.16 lakh crore in March 2015.The gross non-performing assets (GNPA) ratio of PSBs declined to 2.30 per cent (Rs 2.65 lakh crore) in September 2025, down from 4.97 per cent (Rs 2.79 lakh crore) in March 2015 and a peak of 14.58 per cent (Rs 8.96 lakh crore) in March 2018. The capital adequacy ratio of PSBs improved by 451 basis points to 15.96 per cent in September 2025 from 11.45 per cent in March 2015.

The Big Bash League 2025-26 season heats up as the Sydney Sixers take on the league leaders, the Hobart Hurricanes, in a high-stakes Match 31 at the historic Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG). The Hurricanes are in sensational form, having surged to the top of the standings with six wins from eight matches.

The Sixers, currently sitting in fourth, are equally dangerous and have been bolstered by the high-profile return of Steve Smith following the conclusion of the Ashes. With the Hurricanes looking to clinch the top spot and the Sixers aiming to climb the ladder, this clash between two in-form sides promises to be a thriller.

SS vs HH, BBL|15: Match Details

• Date and Time: January 11 (Sunday); 08:35 am IST / 03:05 am GMT / 2:05 pm Local
• Venue: Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG), Sydney

Head-to-Head Record in BBL:

Matches played: 21 | Hobart Hurricanes won: 11 | Sydney Sixers won: 9 | No result/Tied: 1

SCG, Sydney Pitch Report

The SCG is a venue that historically offers a fair balance between bat and ball. While it remains one of the better tracks for spinners in Australia due to its abrasive nature, the drop-in pitches used for BBL|15 have shown consistent carry for the pacers early on.  The average first-innings score at the SCG in T20s is around 155-165, but with the quality of batting in both these lineups, a score near 180 is likely needed. Interestingly, the team bowling first has won the last eight matches involving the Sixers, suggesting that the toss-winning captain will likely elect to bowl first to take advantage of any early movement before the pitch settles.

Also READ: Usman Khawaja’s explosive knock cruise Brisbane Heat to an emphatic victory over Sydney Thunder in BBL|15

Sydney Sixers vs Hobart Hurricanes: Team dynamics and key players

Sydney Sixers: The big news for the Men in Pink is the return of Steve Smith, who will likely open the batting alongside the international marquee signing Babar Azam. This provides the Sixers with arguably the most technically sound opening pair in the tournament. Moises Henriques and Josh Philippe add middle-order stability, while Sean Abbott, the league’s all-time leading wicket-taker, continues to lead a bowling attack that also features the disciplined Ben Dwarshuis. The addition of spinner Todd Murphy provides them with a tactical edge if the SCG surface begins to take turn.

Hobart Hurricanes: The defending champions are a well-oiled machine. They welcome back all-rounder Beau Webster from international duty, further strengthening a middle order that already features the destructive Nikhil Chaudhary and Ben McDermott. Even with skipper Nathan Ellis being managed for this game, the Hurricanes’ bowling remains lethal with Riley Meredith’s express pace and the spin duo of Rehan Ahmed and Rishad Hossain. Their ability to win matches outside Tasmania (having won their last three away games) makes them a formidable opponent even at the Sixers’ fortress.

SS vs HH, BBL|15: Today’s Match Prediction

Case 1:

• Sydney Sixers wins the toss and bowls first
• Hobart Hurricanes’ powerplay score: 45-55 (6 overs)
• Hobart Hurricanes’ total score: 165-180

Case 2:

• Hobart Hurricanes wins the toss and bowls first
• Sydney Sixers’ powerplay score: 50-60 (6 overs)
• Sydney Sixers’ total score: 175-190

Match result: Sydney Sixers to win the contest

Also READ: BBL|15: Full list of commentators and presenters at the Big Bash League 2025-26

Techno Paints and Chemicals CMD Akuri Srinivas Reddy with Indian cricketing legend Sachin Tendulkar

HYDERABAD: Paints manufacturer Techno Paints and Chemicals, a Hyderabad-based paints manufacturer, is planning to raise Rs 500 crore through an initial public offering (IPO) by 2026-27, its chairman and managing director Akuri Srinivas Reddy said on Saturday.He said the company will be filing its draft red herring prospectus (DRHP) with the capital markets regulator Securities & Exchange Board of India (Sebi) in 2026-27 and expects to wrap up the IPO within the same financial year.The company, which has roped in Master Blaster Sachin Tendulkar as its brand ambassador for three years, is also looking at expanding its footprint nationwide from just eight states currently, he said, adding that plans are also afoot to enter the Middle East market in 2026-27.It already has a presence in Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Gujarat, Delhi, Odisha, and Chandigarh and plans to expand to Himachal Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Rajasthan, West Bengal, and Uttar Pradesh by the end of this year.The company, which clocked revenues of Rs 210 crore in 2024-25, expects to post a Rs 450 crore turnover in the current fiscal and is targeting Rs 2000 crore by 2029-30, he added.“The Indian paint industry, which stands at around Rs 90,000 crore, is growing at a rate of 5-9% annually. The per capita consumption of paints worldwide is 15 litres per year while in India it is 4.5 litres offering immense potential,” Reddy said.Techno Paints, which manufactures decorative, industrial and specialty paints, has its research and development centre in Hyderabad and its manufacturing plant at Pashamylaram on the outskirts of Hyderabad.

NEW DELHI: Indian fast bowler Umran Malik, often compared with Pakistan’s legendary Shoaib Akhtar for his raw pace, has been left out of Jammu and Kashmir’s squad for the Ranji Trophy preparatory camp in Pondicherry. The decision has surprised many fans, especially given Malik’s experience at the international level. Picked by Kolkata Knight Riders for Rs 75 lakh at the IPL 2025 auction and retained this year, the pacer has represented India in 10 ODIs and eight T20Is, but his recent domestic form has not been convincing enough for selection.

Umran was part of Jammu and Kashmir’s squad for the first half of the Ranji Trophy season. However, he featured in only one match, against Rajasthan in Srinagar, where he failed to take a wicket. His struggles continued in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, where he played five matches and picked up six wickets. Despite that, Malik was dropped from the squad for the Vijay Hazare Trophy and has now also missed out on the Ranji Trophy preparatory camp. The reason for the snub, however, is still unknown.“To prepare the J&K Team for the tournament & acclimatise the team, the Management has decided to send its team to Pondicherry. The players and Members of Support staff of the team will travel directly to Chennai under the arrangements of JKCA on 16th January, 2026 from their respective locations,” wrote the JKCA in a statement.“The team will then travel in the Bus from Chennai to Pondicherry arranged by the Cricket Association of Pondicherry. No individual movement from Chennai to Pondicherry is allowed.”He is not the only notable omission. Senior opener Qamran Iqbal, who scored a memorable century in Jammu and Kashmir’s famous Ranji Trophy win over Delhi at the Arun Jaitley Stadium, has also been left out. In contrast, the Jammu and Kashmir Cricket Association (JKCA) has included Dikshant Kundal and Kawalpreet Singh, while Umar Nazir and Shubham Pundir have been recalled to the squad.Jammu and Kashmir will begin the second phase of their Ranji Trophy campaign against Pondicherry at the Siechem Stadium from January 22 to 25. They will then face Himachal Pradesh from January 29 to February 1 at the Atal Bihari Vajpayee Cricket Stadium in Nadaun. Head coach Ajay Sharma is set to join the team on January 17.Jammu and Kashmir are currently placed second in Elite Group D with 20 points from five matches, just behind table-toppers Mumbai. The knockout stage of the Ranji Trophy will be played from February 6 to 28.

The White House on Saturday shared a first-hand account of the US raid that led to the capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro. The post detailed a Venezuelan security guard’s claim that regime forces were overwhelmed in what he described as a “massacre”. “Stop what you are doing and read this,” White House Press secretary Karoline Leavitt wrote while sharing the account online.

The post, presented as an interview with a Venezuelan security guard who claimed to have been on duty during the raid, describes a sudden and overwhelming assault that left Venezuelan forces unable to respond. According to the account, radar systems “shut down without any explanation” before swarms of drones appeared overhead.Also read: Wars without declarations: The American way“We were on guard, but suddenly all our radar systems shut down,” the guard said. “The next thing we saw were drones, a lot of drones, flying over our positions. We didn’t know how to react.”The guard claimed that only a handful of helicopters followed, deploying what he estimated to be “maybe twenty men”. He said that the Venezuelan forces were “technologically unmatched.” “They didn’t look like anything we’ve fought against before,” he said.When asked how the confrontation unfolded, the guard replied: “It was a massacre.”“We were hundreds, but we had no chance,” he said, describing gunfire delivered with “precision and speed”, adding that it appeared as though each attacker was firing “300 rounds per minute”.The guard also described a weapon that he could not identify, which he likened to a sonic or acoustic device. “It was like a very intense sound wave,” he said. “Suddenly I felt like my head was exploding from the inside. We all started bleeding from the nose. Some were vomiting blood. We fell to the ground, unable to move.”

The guard claimed the attackers suffered no casualties, adding: “Those twenty men, without a single casualty, killed hundreds of us. We had no way to compete with their technology.”He concluded with a stark warning to other countries in the region. “I’m sending a warning to anyone who thinks they can fight the United States,” he said. “They have no idea what they’re capable of.”

Operation Absolute Resolve

The account surfaced as US officials continue to defend the legality and necessity of the raid that saw Maduro seized in a predawn operation and flown out of Venezuela. The mission followed months of covert intelligence-gathering by the CIA, including drone surveillance and human sources close to the Venezuelan leader, which allowed US planners to map his movements in minute detail.Chair of the joint chiefs of staff Gen Dan Caine previously said the intelligence operation meant the US knew “where Maduro moved, what he ate and even what pets he kept”. Elite Delta Force commandos rehearsed the extraction on a full-scale replica of Maduro’s compound before launching the raid.US forces reportedly disabled air defences, plunged parts of Caracas into darkness and cleared a path for helicopters carrying special operations troops. Maduro was captured within minutes and transferred to a US warship before being flown to the United States to face charges.President Donald Trump has framed the operation as a decisive blow against drug trafficking in Latin America.

US banks have flagged concerns over President Donald Trump’s call to sharply cut credit card interest rates, warning that such a move could restrict access to credit and hurt households and small businesses that rely heavily on cards, AFP reported.Trump said on Friday that from January 20, marking the first anniversary of his administration, he wants a 10 per cent cap on credit card interest rates. Posting on Truth Social, he said Americans should no longer be “ripped off” by card issuers charging interest rates of 20–30 per cent.In a joint statement issued late Friday, five major banking industry groups said they shared the president’s goal of making credit more affordable, but cautioned against the proposed cap.“At the same time, evidence shows that a 10 per cent interest rate cap would reduce credit availability and be devastating for millions of American families and small business owners who rely on and value their credit cards,” the associations said.They added that such a cap, if implemented, could push consumers towards “less regulated, more costly alternatives”.The statement was issued by the American Bankers Association, Bank Policy Institute, Consumer Bankers Association, Financial Services Forum and the Independent Community Bankers of America.Credit cards remain the primary source of consumer credit in the US, with usage rising sharply in recent years as households lean on borrowing to maintain spending, including for essential expenses. Federal Reserve data shows that total outstanding credit card debt crossed $1.23 trillion by the end of September, making it the fourth-largest category of household debt after mortgages, student loans and auto loans.According to the Fed, credit card interest rates currently stand at 21 per cent or higher and can go up to 38 per cent for borrowers with higher risk profiles. This compares with an average of about 12 per cent a decade ago.With midterm elections due in November, Trump is under pressure to deliver on campaign promises to lower the cost of living amid persistent inflation and growing consumer stress.However, Senator Elizabeth Warren, the top Democrat on the Senate Banking Committee, questioned Trump’s intent, noting his administration’s efforts to weaken the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.“Begging credit card companies to play nice is a joke,” Warren said in a statement. “Trump doesn’t care about affordability.”

Shahid Kapoor and Vishal Bhardwaj are working together again on their fourth movie, ‘O Romeo’. The film will be released in theaters on February 13, 2026.The first look of the Shahid Kapoor‘s look from the film dropped a while ago on his social media handle.

Shahid Kapoor in ‘O’ Romeo’

Taking to Instagram, Shahid Kapoor unveiled the first look with the caption, “Romeo O Romeo where art thou O’ROMEO ! Catch a peek into the world of #ORomeo. Out Tomorrow! The first look has Shahid Kapoor sporting a body tattoo, clad in a jeans, jacket and ganji. He sports a menacing smile, baring his teeth with blood and brusie marks on his face and hands.

More about Shahid Kapoor’s look from ‘O’Romeo’

According to Pinkvilla, Shahid Kapoor will be seen sporting a full body tattoo for the visionary filmmaker’s movie. This radical transformation is said to be central to his character’s identity and psychological depth, marking a first-of-its-kind look not only for the actor but also possibly for the Indian cinema as a whole. The physical transformation demanded intense preparation, with the creative team paying meticulous attention to the tattoo’s design, placement, and narrative relevance. The look is reportedly not cosmetic but deeply embedded into the story, reflecting the character’s inner turmoil, rage, and emotional scars.Reportedly, every department, from performance and aesthetics to storytelling, is said to be operating at peak precision. The actor-director duo is leaving no stone unturned to deliver a cinematic experience that is raw, unsettling, and unforgettable. Shahid and Vishal Bhardwaj are known for their work in films like ‘Haider’ and ‘Kaminey’.

Upcoming projects

Apart from ‘O Romeo’, Shahid Kapoor will also be seen in much-awaited ‘Cocktail 2’ alongside Kriti Sanon and Rashmika Mandanna.

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