NEW DELHI: Encroachments, deforestation, illegal mining and expanding urban infrastructure in the Aravali ranges have severely damaged groundwater recharge, biodiversity, air quality and climate regulation, according to a new study.The research, titled Eco-restoration of the Aravali Landscape, was undertaken by the Sankala Foundation with support from the Embassy of Denmark in India and the Haryana State Forest Department.

According to news agency PTI, it highlighted that large-scale diversion of forest land, particularly around the Sariska and Bardod wildlife sanctuaries before the 1980s, led to a sharp decline in native forest cover, fragmenting wildlife habitats and critical water catchment areas.Launching the report on Wednesday, Union environment minister Bhupender Yadav said the Aravali range, one of the world’s oldest mountain systems, is a crucial ecological barrier for the National Capital Region and the Indo-Gangetic plains. However, he noted that the fragile ecosystem, spread across four states and 29 districts and supporting over 50 million people, faces severe threats from deforestation, unsustainable land use and rapid urbanisation.The study said these pressures have weakened the Aravali’s role as a green barrier, accelerating desertification and threatening ecological stability in northern India. It found forest patches in the study area to be highly degraded and fragmented, with invasive species such as Prosopis juliflora, Lantana camara and Parthenium hysterophorus suppressing native biodiversity and altering ecological functions.According to the report, all villages in the pilot area depend entirely on groundwater for irrigation, contributing to aquifer depletion and forest stress. Over 43 per cent of households rely on forests for firewood, fodder and medicinal plants, with women playing a key role in resource collection, while alternative livelihood options remain limited.The study proposes a site-specific, community-inclusive eco-restoration model in four villages of Gurugram’s southern Aravali belt. It aims to create a replicable framework combining scientific assessment, local participation and adaptive governance, with afforestation and water-retention measures identified as essential for climate resilience.

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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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