Indian Super League trophy (Pic credit: ISL)

PANAJI: The sports ministry and the All India Football Federation (AIFF) turned the tables on top-tier clubs during a joint meeting in the Capital on Tuesday, leaving them with no choice but agree to take part in this edition of the Indian Super League (ISL).Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!Sports minister Mansukh Mandaviya later announced that the ISL will kick off on Feb 14 with all 14 teams taking part. When clubs headed to the Capital at short notice — summoned individually through a phone call late on Monday night by AIFF deputy secretary general M Satyanarayan — they were expecting to hear the proposal, return home, study and then consult owners. Instead, they were told time was running out and they had to say “yes or no” on Tuesday itself.

“We had no choice to decide whether the (short-term) proposal makes sense,” said one club official who had to hurriedly call the club owner and inform him of the latest developments.Consistent in their stand that they are taking part in the top league, whatever the format and financial implications, Jamshedpur FC were the first to provide an email confirmation, followed by the likes of Punjab FC, East Bengal, NorthEast United, Mohammedan Sporting and Inter Kashi. Later, Delhi SC, Bengaluru FC and Mohun Bagan Super Giant came on board. Five clubs — Kerala Blasters, Chennaiyin FC, Mumbai City, FC Goa and Odisha FC — needed time to speak with their owners and reluctantly agreed. ISL clubs were also taken aback with the change in format.

While most were in favour of a single-leg centralised format, AIFF proposed a single leg home and away structure for the current season, estimated to cost Rs24.3 crore. AIFF said a single leg centralised format will cost Rs 38 crore, adding to the cost.The ISL will have a total of 91 matches with all 14 teams playing each other once. Clubs have to pay Rs 1 crore each as franchise fee. As per the constitution, the top league will have principles of promotion and relegation, but AIFF is likely to approach the Supreme Court for a one-year relaxation, given that it will be a truncated league. Talking to the media, sports minister Mansukh Mandaviya said: “Today the govt, football federation and 14 clubs had a meeting and we have decided that ISL will start Feb 14 on Saturday. All 14 clubs will participate.”“Similarly, the I-League will be held around the same time with all 11 clubs participating. The leagues will finally happen,” he added.Mandaviya was joined by the beleaguered AIFF president Kalyan Chaubey, who explained the financial and logistical aspects of both leagues. “A Rs 25 crore central pool has been made only for the conduct of the ISL. 10 percent of this fund will come from AIFF, 50% from clubs and 10% from legacy partners (clubs). Another 30% was to come from a commercial partner but since we don’t have one right now, the AIFF will pitch in with that contribution for this season,” Chaubey said.

MUMBAI: Union Minister for Education Dharmendra Pradhan, recently released in Delhi the book “Khutbat-e-Modi: Lal Qila Ki Faseel Se”, a compilation of the Independence Day addresses delivered by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi from the Red Fort between 2014 and 2025.Published in Urdu and brought out by the National Council for Promotion of Urdu Language (NCPUL), New Delhi, a national institution under the Ministry of Education mandated to promote, preserve, and propagate the Urdu language across the country, the book takes the PM’s thoughts on different issues to the Urdu-knowing masses.

Speaking on the occasion,Pradhan expressed his happiness at the publication of “Khutbat-e-Modi” in Urdu, describing it as a meaningful step towards linguistic inclusion. The minister said that in the Prime Minister’s addresses, initiatives such as Antyodaya (uplifting the last person), welfare of the poor, Swachh Bharat, national unity, and the aspirations of 140 crore Indians are emphasized, reflecting the vision of New India.Pradhan noted that such publications serve as a powerful medium to directly connect citizens with the Prime Minister’s ideas, developmental priorities, and vision, enabling wider public engagement and informed discourse. He expressed the hope that the book would find a place in libraries across the country, encouraging students, scholars, and readers to engage in a broader dialogue on the vision of Viksit Bharat.The minister further emphasised that NCPUL should proactively undertake the responsibility of publishing works related to India’s heritage, culture, lifestyle, and knowledge traditions in Urdu. Pradhan congratulated NCPUL for this commendable initiative and conveyed his best wishes for future endeavours.Perhaps for the first time, Pradhan shared this information through as post on X. NCPUL’s director Dr Shams Iqbal said that the Council has made lectures of PM delivered from the ramparts of the historic Red Fort available to the Urdu-reading masses and will go a long way in disseminating the message in them.“Khutbat-e-Modi” captures the transformational journey of New India while reaffirming the government’s commitment to linguistic inclusivity by making key national addresses accessible to Urdu readers across the country.

MUMBAI: Bombay HC’s vacation bench recently denied interim relief against deportation to an Ethiopian national, who has eight children and has allegedly resided without a valid visa in India since 2017. The woman has claimed that she “is likely to be executed” if she is sent back home.Justice Sandesh D Patil on the vacation bench said on Jan 2 that the authorities were duty-bound to remove those overstaying without a visa, but posted the matter for further hearing before the regular court on Jan 13. HC was informed that the woman has been in a police station in lieu of a ‘deportation cell’ since Dec 17, 2025, and that her husband and children, including an infant, are in Delhi. Seeking urgent protective orders against the deportation process initiated by Foreigners Regional Registration Office (FRRO), Mumbai, the woman’s counsel, Shravan Giri, said she came to India on a medical emergency visa for her husband’s illness in 2017 and committed no crime. The only allegation is that she overstayed in India, said Giri, adding that the woman had already applied to United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and would go home the moment she is granted refugee status. Advocates Manisha Jagtap and Yashashree Raut for FRRO said “UNHCR refugee card status is not recognised under Indian law, as India is not a signatory to the 1951 Refugee Convention or the 1967 Protocol”. According to the immigration officer’s affidavit, the woman arrived in Delhi in July 2017 on a medical attendant sticker in connection with her son. She, her husband and six children, all Ethiopian nationals, came to India on medical visas and, while in India, she gave birth to two more children in 2019 and 2024. FRRO said she was found overstaying illegally during a drive undertaken to detect such foreign nationals residing in Mumbai. HC said she was found only when a drive was conducted, and although her visa was valid only till Nov 8, 2017, she did not apply for an extension. It said she, thus, stayed illegally since Nov 9, 2017, in clear violation of Immigration of Foreigners Act, 2025, and prima facie, no case was made out for any relief.

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NEW DELHI: Family members of jailed student activists Umar Khalid and Sharjeel Imam expressed disappointment and anguish after the Supreme Court declined to grant them bail in the 2020 Delhi riots case, observing that the two stood on a “qualitatively different footing” from five other accused who were granted relief on Monday.Khalid’s family said the verdict came as yet another blow after nearly five years of incarceration without trial. His father, Syed Qasim Rasool Ilyas, said the family felt a “deep sense of injustice” at the decision, claiming there was no material to support the allegations levelled against his son.

“This is a very unfortunate decision. There is no evidence that shows that my son has made any anti-national speech or committed any anti-national act. In fact, when the riots happened, my son was not even in Delhi,” Ilyas said.Speaking to TOI, he described the order as emotionally draining for the family. “This is a very difficult time for us. He has already spent so many years in jail without trial, and now he will have to wait for another one year before we can appeal for bail again. Again, the entire process will have to be followed, taking more time. We only want to say that hamare bacche ke saath nainsaafi hui hai (injustice has been done with our child). We know our son — he is innocent,” he said.Meanwhile, quoting Khalid in a social media post, his partner Banojyotsna Lahiri wrote on X he was happy for those who secured bail. “I am really happy for the others, who got bail! So relieved,” Khalid told her, she said. “Ab yahi zindagi hai (Now my life is here),” he added.Similar disappointment was echoed by Sharjeel Imam’s family. His brother, Muzammil Imam, questioned the court’s reasoning in singling out Khalid and Imam while granting bail to five other accused. “Of the seven accused, only two have been denied bail on conspiracy charges. How is it possible to say that only these two are conspirators?” he asked.Calling the distinction untenable, Muzammil said his brother had already spent six years in custody without trial. “They have been in jail for years. I was hopeful that Sharjeel would be released today. This judgment is extremely disappointing for us,” he said.However, the families said they felt relief that the five other accused in the case were granted bail. “We are relieved that the five others have been granted bail. At least some families will get their children back,” they said.The five accused granted bail are Gulfisha Fatima, Meeran Haider, Shifa-ur-Rehman, Mohd Saleem Khan and Shadab Ahmed. The court said they were entitled to bail, subject to stringent conditions, considering the limited and ancillary nature of the allegations against them.

The ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 is just a month away, and New Zealand have officially declared their intent with a squad built for the turning tracks of India and Sri Lanka. On January 7, 2026, New Zealand Cricket announced a 15-member unit that balances veteran savvy with the raw, record-breaking momentum of their newest star. The tournament, set to run from February 7 to March 8, will see the Black Caps navigate a challenging Group D that includes South Africa and Afghanistan. With a white-ball series in India scheduled for later this month as a final tune-up, the Kiwis are wasting no time in acclimating to the subcontinent. A

First-ever senior World Cup call-up for Jacob Duffy

The headline of the New Zealand selection is the inclusion of 31-year-old pacer Jacob Duffy, who earned his first-ever senior World Cup call-up following a historic 2025. Duffy transformed into a global bowling powerhouse over the last year, claiming a staggering 81 international wickets across all formats at a clinical average of 17. In a moment that etched his name into folklore, he surpassed Sir Richard Hadlee’s 40-year-old national record of 79 wickets in a calendar year during the December Test series against the West Indies. This prolific form saw him skyrocket to second place in the ICC T20I bowling rankings, making him the highest-ranked bowler in a squad that collectively boasts over 1,000 T20I caps.

His meteoric rise has also translated into a massive payday in the franchise circuit. During the IPL 2026 auction in December, defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) secured Duffy for ₹2 crore, with Director of Cricket Mo Bobat labeling the signing a ‘bargain’ and essential injury cover. At the World Cup, Duffy will be the lone debutant in an otherwise seasoned pace battery featuring Lockie Ferguson, Matt Henry, and Adam Milne, while Kyle Jamieson travels as the pace reserve.

Also READ: ‘Won’t be selected for T20 World Cup but’: Dale Steyn passionately backs South African player for the white-ball cricket

New Zealand’s spin-heavy strategy under Mitchell Santner and Group D ambitions

Captain Mitchell Santner will lead a side specifically engineered for subcontinental conditions, emphasizing spin depth as the team’s core pillar. Santner, entering his ninth senior ICC tournament, will anchor a slow-bowling contingent that includes specialist Ish Sodhi, both of whom famously debuted at the 2016 World Cup in India. The squad is further bolstered by multi-skilled all-rounders Michael Bracewell, Glenn Phillips, and Rachin Ravindra, ensuring that New Zealand can field up to four or five spin options if required. In the batting department, the explosive Finn Allen and Tim Seifert (fresh off a BBL century for the Melbourne Renegades) provide the necessary firepower at the top.

New Zealand finds themselves in a high-stakes Group D, beginning its campaign on February 8 against a dangerous Afghanistan side in Chennai. The schedule poses a grueling test of adaptability:

• Feb 8: vs Afghanistan (Chennai)
• Feb 10: vs UAE (Chennai)
• Feb 14: vs South Africa (Ahmedabad)
• Feb 17: vs Canada (Chennai)

Despite current fitness concerns for Santner (adductor) and Ferguson (calf), the medical team expects a full-strength side by the opener. Notably, the team has also planned for short-term paternity leave for Ferguson and Henry, showing a modern, player-first approach to a high-pressure global campaign.

New Zealand ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 15-member squad

Mitchell Santner (c), Finn Allen, Michael Bracewell, Mark Chapman, Devon Conway, Jacob Duffy, Lockie Ferguson, Matt Henry, Daryl Mitchell, Adam Milne, James Neesham, Glenn Phillips, Rachin Ravindra, Tim Seifert (wk), Ish Sodhi

Also READ: Not Mohammed Shami! AB de Villiers labels Indian pacer ‘unlucky’ for missing out on T20 World Cup 2026 squad

NEW DELHI: Three long-delayed AIIMS projects—in Telangana’s Bibinagar, Assam’s Guwahati and Jammu—have moved decisively from delay to delivery after sustained intervention through the Centre’s PRAGATI platform, underscoring how high-level monitoring is reshaping access to advanced healthcare beyond major metros.Official sources said the projects gathered pace after being taken up on PRAGATI (Pro-Active Governance and Timely Implementation), a digital monitoring platform that brings Union ministries, state governments and local authorities onto a single dashboard, flags bottlenecks in real time and fixes deadlines through direct review by the Prime Minister.In Telangana, AIIMS Bibinagar gained momentum after a PRAGATI review in June 2023 unlocked long-pending issues related to assured water supply and permanent high-tension power. These hurdles were resolved in May 2025 through coordinated Centre–state action, pushing physical progress to nearly 86% and keeping the project on track for completion by June 2026. The institute is expected to emerge as a major hub for tertiary care, medical education and employment in the region.In the Northeast, AIIMS Guwahati—the region’s first AIIMS—was completed in 2023 after PRAGATI interventions helped resolve delays linked to land development, electricity, stormwater management and water supply. The 750-bed hospital now offers 25 specialty and 11 super-specialty services, with nearly 60% of patients receiving free treatment under Ayushman Bharat, significantly reducing out-of-pocket costs for vulnerable households.A similar last-mile push helped AIIMS Jammu overcome hurdles that threatened to delay commissioning despite near-complete construction. Issues such as relocation of a cremation ground and pending utility connections were taken up through PRAGATI in mid-2023, leading to time-bound action by the Union Territory administration. The institute was commissioned in November 2024 and now serves patients across Jammu & Kashmir and neighbouring regions.At the 50th PRAGATI meeting on December 31, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said Viksit Bharat@2047 is a time-bound national resolve and described PRAGATI as a key accelerator that breaks bureaucratic silos and enforces accountability across Centre, state and district administrations.Officials said the three AIIMS projects illustrate how PRAGATI has converted complex, multi-agency healthcare infrastructure from stalled works into operational hospitals. Beyond expanding bed capacity, the institutes are strengthening medical education, research and regional employment, easing pressure on existing centres and bringing quality care closer to people’s homes.

AMD CEO Lisa Su recently spoke about the impact of AI on hiring. Speaking at the ongoing Consumer Electronics Show (CES) 2026 in Las Vegas, US, Advanced Micro Devices (AMD) CEO Lisa Su said that artificial intelligence has now slowed down the hiring process at the chipmaker. She emphasised that AMD is actively expanding its workforce and is prioritising the candidates who are ‘AI forward’. “We’re actually not hiring fewer people,” Su told CNBC’s Jon Fortt. “Frankly, we’re growing very significantly as a company, so we actually are hiring lots of people, but we’re hiring different people. We’re hiring people who are AI forward.”AMD is known for designing graphic processing units (GPUs) that help in training AI workloads, placing the company at the center of the global AI race. While, chipset maker Nvidia is dominating the AI chip market presently with more than 90% share, AMD is also aggressively positioning itself as s challenger and is incorporating AI into how it builds, designs, manufactures and tests chips.n Su stressed that candidates who ‘truly embrace’ AI are the ones being prioritised in hiring. This practice reflects on the company’s shift forward embedding AI across its operations.

‘AI is augmenting our capabilities’

Su also pushed back against the concerns that the adoption of AI could lead to job cuts. Instead she believes that AI helps in increasing productivity. “AI is augmenting our capabilities. It’s not replacing people, it’s actually just augmenting our productivity in terms of the number of products we can bring up at any given time.”As of December 2024, AMD employed roughly 28,000 people worldwide, according to SEC filings. Su said the company continues to grow “very significantly,” underscoring that AI is reshaping the type of talent AMD seeks rather than reducing overall headcount.

What Lisa Su said about the AI revolution

Last year, Su mentioned that she believes in AGI but not that AI will surpass human intelligence, and she isn’t concerned about doomsday scenarios. She sees technology’s value as dependent on the people who create and guide it, and thinks AI isn’t “great” yet. For her, AI becomes great when it can solve complicated problems. She higlighted that current AI agents mostly handle mundane tasks.“I think there are two directions AI goes. One is pure productivity, you know, how do I remove some of, let’s call it, the menial work that people do, so that they can work on more interesting things? That’s one aspect of it, and we’re using that. But the other aspect of it is when AI can solve really hard problems. It can take what would’ve taken us 10 years to figure out and do that in six months. I think about a world where it normally takes us three years to design a chip, and what does that look like if I could do that in six months?” she added.Comparing the AI revolution with the Internet revolution, Su noted: “The internet is not a bad comparison, but I think AI is much more than the internet. Because, if you think about it, the internet was a lot about moving traffic. AI is more about something foundational in terms of productivity. Sometimes people compare it to the Industrial Revolution, and that’s not a bad comparison, actually.”