Mumbai: A 74-year-old woman, retired from a reputed national level educational institution, was threatened with arrest in a fake money laundering case by fraudsters who pretended to be Delhi crime branch police and CBI officers and cheated her of Rs 4.62 crore. The accused asked the septuagenarian to send all her money to them for ‘scrutiny’, assuring it would be returned to her once it is cleared.The senior citizen on Tuesday lodged an FIR with the west region cyber police station against the unidentified accused. The crime took place between Oct 11 last year and Jan 4 this year.On Oct 11 last year, the complainant first received a WhatsApp video call from an unidentified person who said he was from the Telecom dept. The accused told her that a sexual harassment case was registered against her. When the woman refused her involvement in any wrong act, another person identifying himself as Sushil Kumar Gautam, IPS, Delhi police, asked her to lodge a complaint. The accused told her that her Aadhaar card was used in opening a bank account which was then used in money laundering and that there were illegal financial transactions of Rs 6 crore. The officer told the woman that a case of money laundering was registered against her for it. The complainant told the ‘officer’ that she did not have any such bank account, as mentioned by the accused. The accused told her that one person ,Sandeep Kumar, had been arrested in the money laundering case and she can also be arrested any time. He threatened her and asked her to answer his questions or they would come to her house to arrest her and her family members. He asked her not to tell anyone about this investigation and if she told anyone, they would be arrested too. The accused then collected information about her bank accounts, savings, fixed deposits etc. A fake CBI officer told her that it was a sensitive case. The complainant again requested that she had no involvement in any crime. The accused then asked her to send all her money to them for ‘security procedure’. Scared, the woman sent Rs 4.62 crore over 10 transactions to various accounts provided by them.When she called them up for a refund, the accused gave her evasive replies and demanded more money. This is when she got the number of the Delhi police from the internet and contacted them to inquire about IPS officer Sushil Gautam. She was told there was no officer in the Delhi crime branch with this name and that she had been cheated.

Shreyanka Patil (PTI Photo/Atul Yadav)

BENGALURU: Eleven months is a long time — even longer in sport. It was a period that nearly derailed young all-rounder Shreyanka Patil’s career.Rehabilitation replaced matchdays, and recovery milestones mattered more than wickets. Yet the prolonged time away from the field also brought with it important life lessons.Having missed key moments with both the Indian team and Royal Challengers Bengaluru, Shreyanka is set to return in RCB colours this week as the Women’s Premier League (WPL) season gets underway.The 23-year-old opened up about the grind behind her comeback and the lessons the injury taught her during a virtual media interaction on Wednesday.“I thought it was just a one-off injury and I’d be back in a couple of months. I never imagined I would be away from the field for more than a year,” Shreyanka said. “Missing out on the WPL was a big blow, and then missing the World Cup hurt me a lot.”The injury, however, allowed the Karnataka player to interact with several cricketers, including Jasprit Bumrah and Suryakumar Yadav. Shreyanka recalled picking Bumrah’s brains on the sidelines of a session at the Centre of Excellence (CoE).Shreyanka found an unlikely source of strength in Bumrah’s words, drawn from his own battles with time away from the game. His advice on patience, trusting the process, and not rushing the body helped her navigate the toughest phase of recovery.“He told me, ‘It’s okay — what you’re going through, everyone will go through. You’re facing this at a very young age. Don’t fight it — just be in it,” Shreyanka said. “That was lovely advice, because he’s also gone through a lot.”Shreyanka returned to the field after 11 months last September, turning out for the Barbados Royals in the Women’s Caribbean Premier League. She described the moment as a fresh beginning.“I was excited. When I bowled the first ball, I said, ‘I’m fine now.’ All my nerves eased down,” she recalled.Shreyanka also spoke about her reaction to being retained by RCB. “I was at a loss for words. I was shocked because they placed their trust in someone who hadn’t played for almost a year,” she said.Although RCB will play all their matches away from their home ground, the M Chinnaswamy Stadium, this season, Shreyanka believes fan support will remain unwavering. “Wherever we go, we have our fans,” she signed off.RCB will take on the Mumbai Indians in the tournament opener on Jan 9 in Mumbai.

Mumbai: The recent war of words between NCP and BJP—which escalated after deputy CM Ajit Pawar dubbed the ally corrupt—prompted state NCP chief Sunil Tatkare to attempt damage control. “I have spoken with Ajit Pawar, chief minister Devendra Fadnavis and revenue minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule from BJP. I agree that things reached this point. But I am hopeful now that there will be no further comments and misunderstandings,” he said on Wednesday when asked about BJP leaders targeting his party chief. While BJP had raked up the Rs 70,000-crore irrigation scam in which Ajit Pawar was accused of being involved, the latter accused it of corruption in Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad, where the two parties are pitted against each other. Even Fadnavis had waded into the row, asking those who were questioning BJP’s governance to “look in the mirror”. Tatkare launched NCP’s manifesto for the BMC polls. Its vision of “Mumbai for all” promises social justice along with progress. It vows to waive property tax for houses up to 700sqft and provide free water supply for residents of old chawls and slums. The manifesto sets a target of 500km new roads over the next five years. Economic hubs such as BKC, Worli and the eastern suburbs will be developed to create employment centres, it said. The manifesto also promises to introduce a module in schools to promote equality, brotherhood and good citizenship.To combat pollution, it promises to make Mumbai a ‘Green City’ by planting 10 lakh trees and promoting electric buses and CNG vehicles. The party also plans to build 1 lakh new affordable houses and introduce smart water meters by 2030, and also supports garbage collection tax. The manifesto promises to implement an AI-powered ‘smart traffic signal’ system and expand the CCTV and WiFi networks under the Smart City initiative, as well as offers fare concessions for persons with disabilities in Metro. The party has planned facilities for stray dogs and licences for pet dogs. The party’s vision includes a ‘Safe Mumbai’ campaign for women, featuring increased police patrolling, dedicated helplines, and construction of working women’s hostels. Also, it promises to provide free training and loans for women entrepreneurs.

Jacob Bethell is a name that will echo in the halls of England cricket for years to come. On January 7, 2026, the 22-year-old batting prodigy did more than just steady a sinking ship at the Sydney Cricket Ground; he announced himself as a world-class talent by smashing his maiden Test century against Australia. In a script that felt almost too perfect, this milestone at the SCG was not only his first international ton but the very first First-Class century of his professional career. While his Bazball adjacent aggression and clinical footwork left the Australian bowlers searching for answers, it was the raw, unfiltered reaction of his family in the stands that became the defining image of the 2025-26 Ashes.

Jacob’s Bethell’s maiden test ton at the SCG

Stepping into the high-pressure number three slot on Day 4, Bethell faced a daunting task with England trailing significantly and their top order under fire. Having been touted as a generational talent since his debut in New Zealand, he finally delivered on that promise with an innings of pure substance. The left-hander reached the magical three-figure mark off 162 deliveries, passing his previous personal best of 96 with a fearless drive that pierced the cover region. This century was particularly symbolic; before this knock, Bethell had recorded nine First-Class half-centuries without ever crossing the line. Doing so at the historic SCG during a “Pink Test” ensured his name joined the elite list of Englishmen to have conquered Sydney.

Also READ: Ashes 2025-26: Stuart Broad reveals the ‘truth’ behind verbal altercation between Ben Stokes and Marnus Labuschagne

Graham and Giselle Bethell’s reactin on son Jacob’s hundred

While Jacob’s bat-raise was a study in youthful composure, the cameras quickly panned to a far more emotional scene in the Member’s Stand. His parents, Graham and Giselle Bethell, who had flown in from Barbados to witness their son’s first Ashes tour, were caught in a moment of pure, unbridled joy. Giselle was seen clenching her hands in prayer before breaking into tears of relief as the ball hit the boundary, while Graham erupted in a jubilant celebration that captured the hearts of the 40,000-strong crowd. The contrast between the high-stakes pressure of the Ashes and the simple, profound pride of a family watching their son reach the pinnacle of the sport became an instant viral sensation, serving as a reminder of the human stories that underpin the fiercest rivalries in cricket.

Here’s the video:

A maiden Test century for Jacob Bethell! What a way to do it 🤩#Ashes | #PlayoftheDay | @nrmainsurance pic.twitter.com/lXSUViEVrR

— cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) January 7, 2026

Also WATCH: Cameron Green floors Jacob Bethell with a nasty bouncer on Day 4 of SCG Test

Bangladesh’s national airline will resume nonstop flights between Dhaka and Karachi later this month, restoring direct air links between Bangladesh and Pakistan after a gap of more than 10 years, officials said on Wednesday.Biman Bangladesh Airlines will begin operating the Dhaka–Karachi service from January 29.

Initially, the airline will run two flights a week, on Thursdays and Saturdays, Bengali daily Prothom Alo reported, citing a press release from Biman.According to the schedule shared by the airline, the flight will leave Dhaka at 8 pm local time and reach Karachi at 11 pm. The return service will depart Karachi at midnight and land in Dhaka at 4.20 am.Direct flights between the two cities were last operated in 2012. News portal tbsnews.net, quoting Biman officials, said discussions with Pakistani aviation authorities had been underway for several months to reopen the route. The relaunch has now received formal clearance from the Pakistan Civil Aviation Authority, which has approved Biman to operate flights and use designated air corridors within Pakistani airspace.The move comes amid improving ties between Dhaka and Islamabad following the fall of former prime minister Sheikh Hasina’s government in 2024. Since then, both sides have taken steps to rebuild diplomatic, trade and people-to-people relations after years of strained ties. Bangladesh became independent from Pakistan in 1971.However, it remains unclear whether Bangladesh has obtained overflight permission from India, as the shortest air route between Dhaka and Karachi passes through Indian airspace, according to news agency PTI.In a statement, Biman said the new service is expected to make travel between Bangladesh and Pakistan “easier and more convenient” and could also support business, tourism and family travel. The airline added that the flights will be operated using modern aircraft and experienced crews.As per bdnews24.com, the aerial distance between Dhaka and Karachi is around 2,370 km. Currently, passengers travelling between the two cities have to rely on connecting flights via Middle Eastern hubs. Airlines such as Emirates, Qatar Airways, Flydubai, Gulf Air and Air Arabia operate these services, with total travel times ranging from eight to 12 hours, and sometimes extending to over 18 hours due to long layovers.Plans to revive direct air connectivity were first announced in August last year during the visit of Pakistan’s deputy Prime Minister and foreign minister Ishaq Dar to Dhaka. His trip marked the first high-level visit from Pakistan to Bangladesh in more than a decade, reported PTI.

NEW DELHI: Uttar Pradesh’s education sector has witnessed a far-reaching transformation over the past eight years, marked by expanded digital access, improved infrastructure, higher enrolment, rapid growth in skill education and structural reforms in higher education.Government data indicate that sustained policy focus since 2017 has led to measurable improvements across school, secondary, technical and university education, aligning learning with employability and long-term development goals.

Digital Expansion and Infrastructure Push in School Education

One of the most visible changes has been the expansion of digital education and school infrastructure. Thousands of council schools have been upgraded with smart classrooms, ICT labs and learning resources, reducing the rural–urban digital divide.Key developments include:

Under Operation Kayakalp, primary and upper primary schools have achieved saturation of basic infrastructure facilities, improving classroom environments and student retention.

Improved Teacher Availability and Learning Conditions

Teacher availability has improved across school levels, contributing to better learning outcomes. Student–teacher ratios have declined in junior basic, senior basic and higher secondary schools, easing classroom pressure and improving teacher engagement.To strengthen staffing further, the government has reformed recruitment processes by abolishing interviews and shifting to written examinations. Since 2017, thousands of teachers have been appointed in government and aided secondary schools, alongside the creation of new teaching posts.

Enrolment Drive and Declining Dropout Rates

Enrolment-focused initiatives such as School Chalo Abhiyan and the Sharda Programme have played a key role in expanding access to education. Nearly four million additional children have been enrolled through these campaigns, accompanied by a significant decline in dropout rates.Under the Sharda Programme alone, 7.77 lakh children were admitted to council schools in 2024–25.Participation under the Right to Education (RTE) Act has expanded sharply:

The state has reimbursed more than Rs638 crore in fees to unaided recognised schools between 2022–23 and 2024–25 under RTE provisions.

Focus on Girls’ Education and Residential Schooling

Girls’ education has received targeted attention. All 746 Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalayas have been upgraded to provide free residential education up to Class 12 for girls from weaker sections.In addition, new institutions such as Atal Residential Schools (now operational in 18 divisions) and Chief Minister Model Composite Schools are expanding access to quality schooling. With a budgetary provision of around Rs 4,500 crore, 150 model composite schools are being established across districts, offering education from pre-primary to Class 12.

Rapid Expansion of Skill and Technical Education

Skill development has emerged as a central pillar of education reform. The state has recorded rapid growth in technical institutions:

Training and employment outcomes under the Uttar Pradesh Skill Development Mission have improved substantially. Between 2017–18 and 2023–24:

Annual averages during this period nearly doubled compared to pre-2017 years.

Secondary Education Infrastructure and Sports Promotion

The state currently has over 29,000 secondary schools. New government intercolleges and high schools have been established, while hundreds of existing institutions are being upgraded under the Project Alankar scheme with libraries, laboratories, classrooms, drinking water facilities and sports infrastructure.Indoor mini stadiums are being constructed in government intercolleges to promote sports awareness, while ICT labs and Atal Tinkering Labs are expanding hands-on learning.

Higher Education Reforms under NEP 2020

Higher education reforms gained momentum after the implementation of NEP 2020, which Uttar Pradesh began adopting from 2021–22. Multidisciplinary education, credit-based systems, flexible entry-exit options and uniform academic calendars have been introduced across institutions.Digital empowerment has been a key focus:

Quality benchmarks have improved, with more institutions securing NAAC accreditation and representation in national rankings. Paid internships, apprenticeships and mandatory skill courses have strengthened the employability focus.

A Shift Towards Future-Ready Education

From a system once constrained by limited access and weak infrastructure, Uttar Pradesh’s education sector has transitioned towards a digital, skill-oriented and employment-linked framework. Officials say the reforms reflect a long-term effort to align education with innovation, self-reliance and inclusive growth, positioning the state for future demographic and economic challenges.