NEW DELHI: A minor’s mother sought Supreme Court’s permission for termination of her daughter’s pregnancy, taking into consideration that the child would be illegitimate and the girl had to live her life with mental trauma and social stigma. The court said the girl has a right over her reproductive autonomy. The Medical Termination of Pregnancy (MTP) Act, 1971 allows abortion up to 20 weeks based on the opinion of one registered medical practitioner, and up to 24 weeks for specific categories of women (including rape survivors and minors) with the opinion of two doctors. Contending that she did not want to give birth to the child, the petitioner sought abortion on the grounds that continuing with pregnancy and giving birth would cause her trauma. Maharashtra govt however, told the court that the fetus at 30 weeks had a beating heart and termination at this stage would result in premature birth of a child who would face the risk of abnormality. The lawyer for the state, Devanshi Singh, contended that the baby could be handed over to an orphanage. The bench asked the state whose interests it was trying to protect. The lawyer responded that it was for the court to take a call. She also brought to the notice of the bench an earlier order passed by SC in 2017, when termination of more than 30 weeks pregnancy was allowed as the girl was only 13 and a rape survivor. Considering the totality of the situation, the court passed the order in favour of the girl but said that termination of pregnancy should not result in feticide. “It is an illegitimate child. We don’t want to comment on the relationship. They cannot get married and she has to carry the stigma for the rest of her life. We have to consider her mental aspect. Can the court ask her to continue with the pregnancy and deliver the child? If we do, then people would not come to court to seek permission and they would go to quack and illegal centres for abortion and life and health would be put at risk,” the bench said. “Whose interest would prevail is the question. It is very difficult to decide,” the SC bench said. With any delay likely to complicate the situation further, the bench directed termination of pregnancy. “We direct the JJ Group of Hospitals, Mumbai, to conduct the procedure of medical termination of pregnancy of the daughter of the appellant herein by bearing in mind all medical safeguards,” the bench said. The mother had moved SC, through lawyer Shantanu Adkar, after her plea was rejected by Bombay HC, which had held that a forced termination would amount to feticide as the “fetus is healthy and viable”. It had directed that the teen be provided comprehensive medical and psychological support until her delivery and the child be given away to a registered orphanage. According to the petition, the pregnancy was the result of the girl’s relationship with a friend. The mother alleged that the friend had forced the girl into a physical relationship after promising to marry her and FIR had been filed against him.

The impasse over the India-Pakistan T20 WC match showed no signs of being resolved, after Pakistan PM Shehbaz Sharif weighed in on the issue, calling their boycott of the February 15 match against India in Colombo an “appropriate decision”. It was a “considered stance” to support Bangladesh, he said.Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!“We have taken a very clear stand on the T20 World Cup that we won’t play the match against India because there should be no politics on the sports field. We have taken a very considered stance, and we should completely stand by Bangladesh, and I think this is a very appropriate decision. We are with Bangladesh,” the PM said.

Meanwhile, Bangladesh Youth and Sports Advisor Asif Nazrul acknowledged Sharif’s decision. “Thank you, Pakistan,” Nazrul wrote in a social media post.As the start of this contentious World Cup nears, speaking at a pre-tournament captain’s press conferences from two different locations – Mumbai’s BCCI headquarters and from Colombo — both teams’ captains broke their silence on the issue.“We haven’t refused to play against Pakistan. They have refused. The mindset is pretty clear. We have not said no, it has come from them,” India skipper Suryakumar Yadav said.“The ICC has given a fixture, BCCI and the (Indian) govt has decided with the ICC on playing at a neutral venue. Our flight is booked for Colombo and we are going,” he added.

Salman Ali Agha, his Pakistani opposite number, said, “The India game is not in our control. It’s the govt’s and PCB’s decision and we respect that. Whatever they are going to say, we will do that.”“If we have to play them again in the semifinal or final, we will have to go back to them (govt) and act on their advice,” added the Pakistan skipper. The Indian captain acknowledged that the situation is “not easy” for those involved in the issue, including the ICC.“I feel it is not an easy job. It is not my call. I am sure they (the ICC) might be working out something as well but it has come from the other govt or the nation, how can they (the ICC) help as well? Their (Pakistan’s) decision is not in my control. I wish I could take their decisions, but then it is their call,” said Suryakumar.“We have been told that we have to play a game in Colombo on Feb 15th. We played them three times in the Asia Cup, we played some good cricket. We won (all the matches) and we were very happy. Similarly, if we get an opportunity in Colombo, we will definitely play,” he added.Earlier, Inter national Cricket Council (ICC) had expressed serious concerns over the Pakistan govt’s decision.“This position of selective participation is difficult to reconcile with the fundamental premise of a global sporting event where all qualified teams are expected to compete on equal terms per the event schedule,” it had said. “This decision is not in the interest of the global game or the welfare of fans worldwide.”

The ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 gets off to an exciting start with a Group A encounter between Netherlands and Pakistan in Colombo on February 7. Both sides will be eager to begin their World Cup journey on a winning note, knowing that early momentum can make a huge difference in a tightly contested group where every point counts.

Pakistan walk into the tournament opener brimming with confidence after a dominant 3-0 series sweep against Australia. Their recent performances underline a side operating at peak efficiency, with contributions flowing from both bat and ball. Netherlands, on the other hand, come in with mixed results and lingering concerns following their recent outings, particularly against stronger opposition.

The Dutch team endured a difficult series against Bangladesh, where results did not go their way. One match was completely washed out by rain, while the other two saw Bangladesh register comfortable wins, chasing targets with plenty of overs to spare. Although Netherlands enjoyed convincing victories against Italy and Guernsey earlier in the year 2025, those wins came against comparatively weaker teams and did little to answer questions about their ability to compete with top-tier sides. To challenge Pakistan, their batters will need to show greater consistency, and their bowlers must strike early to apply pressure.

PAK vs NED, T20 World Cup 2026: Match details

• Date and Time: February 7; 11:00 am IST / 5:30 am GMT
• Venue: Sinhalese Sports Club, Colombo

PAK vs NED, Head-to-Head Record in T20Is

Matches played: 02 | Pakistan won: 02 | Netherlands won: 0 | No result: 0

Sinhalese Sports Club Pitch Report

The Sinhalese Sports Club Ground in Colombo is widely regarded as a venue that gradually tilts the balance in favour of spin bowling, particularly as a match progresses. In the early stages of a T20 contest, the pitch is generally true and even, providing consistent bounce that helps batters play through the line with confidence. Stroke-makers can settle quickly, time the ball well, and take full advantage of the powerplay, when scoring freely is often easier.

As the innings move on, the surface begins to show signs of wear. The pitch slows down, and the ball starts gripping more, which brings spinners into the game. Turn becomes more pronounced, and uneven bounce can creep in, making shot-making increasingly challenging. These conditions often place the chasing team under pressure, as timing the ball cleanly becomes harder in the second innings. Skilled spin bowlers can use the surface smartly, varying pace and flight to restrict scoring and force mistakes.

Because of these changing conditions, captains usually prefer to bat first after winning the toss.

Squads

Netherlands: Michael Levitt, Max O’Dowd, Bas de Leede, Zach Lion Cachet, Colin Ackermann, Scott Edwards (c), Noah Croes, Roelof van der Merwe, Logan van Beek, Aryan Dutt, Kyle Klein, Paul van Meekeren, Timm van der Gugten, Saqib Zulfiqar, Fred Klaassen

Pakistan: Fakhar Zaman, Saim Ayub, Babar Azam, Salman Agha (c), Khawaja Nafay (wk), Shadab Khan, Mohammad Nawaz, Faheem Ashraf, Shaheen Afridi, Naseem Shah, Abrar Ahmed, Sahibzada Farhan, Usman Khan, Salman Mirza, Usman Tariq

Also READ: Virat Kohli’s best mate AB de Villiers reveals his semifinal predictions for T20 World Cup 2026

PAK vs NED, T20 World Cup 2026: Today’s Match Prediction

Case 1:

• Pakistan wins the toss and bats first
• Pakistan’s powerplay score: 45-55 (6 overs)
• Pakistan’s total score: 170-180

Case 2:

• Netherlands wins the toss and bats first
• Netherlands’ powerplay score: 30-40 (6 overs)
• Netherlands’ total score: 140-150

Match result: Pakistan to win the contest.

Also READ: From Dinesh Karthik to Wasim Akram – Full list for commentators for the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026

When the cut-off percentile for NEET PG was reduced to zero in 2023, private colleges benefited more than govt colleges. Around 64% of seats filled by students who scored below the initial cut-off were in private colleges. Not only that, 2,677 or about 85% of seats in clinical specialties bagged by those with scores below the initial cut-off were in private medical colleges as well. In comparison, only 485 clinical specialty seats in govt colleges were filled by those with scores below the initial cut-off. Tuition fees are highest for clinical specialties in private colleges.

General category candidates benefited the most from the cut-off reduction as they accounted for over 56% of those admitted with scores below the first cut-off. OBCs accounted for 26%, and SC and ST candidates 11% and 6%, respectively. The skew is even more pronounced among those who got clinical specialities in private colleges – 70% were from the general category, and about 20% were OBC. In govt colleges, the general category accounted for 33% of such seats and OBC for 37%. To understand what happens when the cut-off is reduced to zero percentile, TOI analysed admissions to PG seats in 2023, when it was dropped to zero percentile or -40 out of 800 marks for all categories. The reduction took place as thousands of seats remained vacant. A “consolidated list” of PG admissions in 2023 put up on the National Medical Commission (NMC) website shows that the lowest score that got admission belonged to a general category candidate, who scored zero out of 800. Sixty-nine candidates with less than 50 marks got admission. This included 39 from general, 20 from OBC, seven from SC and three from ST category. The “consolidated list of PG students” admitted under NEET 2023 was put up on June 13, 2024, on the NMC website but gives data only for about 43,900 seats. According to the health ministry’s reply to a Rajya Sabha question in July 2024, there were 54,834 PG seats in medical colleges in 2023. This indicates that data for over 10,900 seats is missing from the list. It does not, for instance, include data of PG seats in central govt-funded colleges such as PGI Chandigarh, JIPMER and all the AIIMS. There is also no data on admission to over 10,000 DNB seats.

MUMBAI: Amid political tensions between India and Pakistan, USA fast bowler Saurabh Netravalkar said such issues have never been a topic of discussion within the US team, even though many players have roots in the two countries.The India-Pakistan league-stage match of the 2026 T20 World Cup, scheduled in Colombo on February 15, is in doubt after Pakistan refused to take part. However, speaking on Friday, a day before USA’s tournament opener against India at the Wankhede Stadium, Netravalkar said the squad remains focused only on representing the United States.

“Yes we have players from all parts of the world. We gel and bond together because of our love for the game. And no I don’t think we have ever discussed the India-Pakistan issues amongst ourselves. I don’t think so at least. We are all proud to play for USA and that’s what we focus on,” Netravalkar said.“We are a group of people from multiple countries across the group and what brings us together is the love of the game. We are proud to represent the USA,” he added.For Netravalkar, the match against India will also be a personal milestone. The left-arm seamer grew up in Mumbai and learned his cricket at the Wankhede. He said playing at the venue would fulfil a long-held ambition.“It feels like a full circle moment for me because I learnt my cricket here. I grew up in Mumbai, and getting an opportunity to play at Wankhede, which has been my dream since childhood as well. So nostalgic, emotional, (and) good to see (it happening). I’m looking forward to my family, friends to be there, and I’ll give my best,” said the 34-year-old.Netravalkar said the presence of former Mumbai players in the US squad, including Harmeet Singh and Shubham Ranjane, provides some understanding of Indian conditions, though he acknowledged that the game has changed significantly.“It definitely helps, but frankly speaking, it’s been a long time. Like, I last played in India in 2014, 2015, things have changed drastically. The game itself has changed drastically. It’s become so much more aggressive from the better’s perspective, so I wouldn’t compare it. Yes, the experience helps, but the game is very different,” he said.Netravalkar was part of the US team that beat Pakistan in Dallas a couple of years ago, when he took 2 for 18 in four overs in a seven-wicket win. On Indian pitches, he said the approach would be different, with the focus on damage control.“The focus will more be on minimising the damage, like you’re saying (there are) high scoring pitches here. Every ball that we bowl, (it should be) to the field, as long as we bowl to the field, we bowl to our matchups and maximise our chances. Defence might be the best attack on this kind of pitches and hopefully we induce a mistake on a false shot, that’s the best we can do as bowlers on these wickets,” he said.

Thane: The Maharashtra State Commission for Protection of Child Rights asked a city-based CBSE-affiliated school to clarify its stance after parents of a student accused the school management of illegally withholding his Class X result for the last 2 years and demanding that the pending tuition fees be cleared first.The student apparently scored fewer marks in the Class IX finals, and his parents allegedly failed to pay his school fees for the last few years. The parents alleged that the management, which probably waited to expel him on these grounds, took his poor academic performance as an opportunity and convinced his parents to let him appear for his Class X exams through the National Institute of Open Schooling (NIOS), New Delhi, in 2023 instead.Even after clearing the NIOS exam, the parents approached the school but were in for a rude shock, as the management allegedly refused to release his academic documents and demanded that the dues be cleared first. As the boy was losing out on crucial years, the parents sought help from the Commission, which issued a notice to the school demanding an explanation.“Due to the fee dispute, the school deliberately failed him in Class IX, forcing him to appear for the Class X examination through the NIOS. Now they are even delaying giving his results to him, which resulted in him losing 2 crucial years, and this is unfair,” said Nitin Dalvi, a Mumbai-based activist who took up the case on behalf of the parents.Acting on the complaint, the Commission issued a notice to the school last year and also directed the Education Officer of Thane district to take appropriate action. However, no concrete action was taken, following which Dalvi again approached the Commission, which issued a fresh notice to the school on Feb 2 and instructed the Education Officer, Thane, to submit a report within 7 days.When contacted, the school principal confirmed the result was not shared as the parents refused to come to the school to personally collect the result. “It is true that the parents did not clear school fees for the last few years, and we also requested them to pay it in instalments, but they refused to relent. We received the notice and responded to the Commission accordingly, clarifying our stand. We did not hold back his result and instead repeatedly asked the parents to collect the results personally, but they insist on us sending the crucial document through post, which is not possible,” the school clarified.Devidas Mahajan, district education officer, said he would look into the matter and take adequate action.Meanwhile, Dalvi sought action against the officials for failing to take timely action against the school.

Bangladesh’s interim government plans to sign a secret tariff agreement with the United States on February 9, just three days before the country’s parliamentary elections and about a week after India secured a trade with the US. The move has sparked concerns among business leaders and analysts due to its timing and lack of transparency, as the contents remain confidential under a non-disclosure agreement signed between the two nations.Concerns have been raised over plans to sign the agreement in the final days of the government’s tenure, primarily because details of the draft remain undisclosed, as reported by Bangladesh Daily Prothom Alo. Bangladesh has already signed a non-disclosure agreement (NDA) with the US, keeping all aspects of the proposed deal confidential.

Thus, if the agreement is signed on February 9, it will come just days before the interim government’s term is set to end, with voting for the 13th parliamentary election. The timing also means, it will be signed a week after US president Donald Trump announced it’s trade deal with India, leading to tariff reduction to 18 per cent.Details of the newly announced India–US trade agreement are expected to become clearer in the coming days, with Union commerce and industry minister Piyush Goyal confirming that the first tranche of the bilateral pact is ready. A joint statement is likely within the next four to five days, after which the United States is expected to issue an executive order reducing tariffs to 18 per cent. The formal legal agreement is expected to be signed around mid-March.Read more: India-US trade deal – Joint statement in next 4–5 days; agreement likely by mid-March, says Piyush GoyalThe business leaders are worried about potential negative impacts on various sectors and question why such a significant decision is being made by a temporary government.BGMEA senior vice president Inamul Haque Khan expressed surprise at the timing, saying, “I still believe this should have been done after the election, because it carries major implications.” “Based on the target for purchases from the US, it can be expected that the reciprocal tariff rate will come down to 15 per cent (currently 20 per cent). I had heard that national security adviser Khalilur Rahman had streamlined this. I was surprised to see the signing of the agreement come just three days before the election. I still believe this should have been done after the election, because it carries major implications,” he added.Similarly, DCCI president Taskeen Ahmed added that the interim government could have avoided this rushed decision.The negotiations and concerns linger from April 2025, when US President Donald Trump announced reciprocal tariffs on 100 countries, initially setting Bangladesh’s rate at 37 per cent. Through negotiations, this was eventually reduced to 20 per cent in August last year.The US included various conditions in the agreement. These include requiring Bangladesh to reduce Chinese imports, increase American military equipment purchases, and accept US standards without additional inspections. The deal also aims to boost US agricultural exports to Bangladesh and ease access for American automobiles.Commerce secretary Mahbubur Rahman confirmed the signing date and but will not travel to Washington in-person. Instead, a five-member delegation from Bangladesh will travel to Washington for the event, according to a Bangladesh government order (GO) issued by their ministry of commerce on February 3.The delegation will be led by Khadija Nazneen, Additional Secretary at the Ministry of Commerce and head of the World Trade Organization (WTO) Wing. The other members are Joint Secretaries Firoz Uddin Ahmed and Mustafizur Rahman, Senior Assistant Secretary Sheikh Shamsul Arefin, and National Board of Revenue (NBR) Commissioner Rais Uddin Khan. As per the GO, the delegation is scheduled to leave Dhaka on Friday, February 6, and return on or around February 10.The interim government has recently made other significant long-term decisions, including port management agreements with international companies. CPD distinguished fellow Debapriya Bhattacharya criticized the lack of transparency, stating, “This is not just a tariff agreement with the US but one with long-term implications. It must be viewed holistically, including its geopolitical and political dimensions.“Critics argue that while keeping such agreements confidential is common practice, they are typically signed by elected governments accountable to parliament and citizens. The rushed timing and secretive nature of the agreement have led to speculation about whether it unnecessarily constrains the incoming elected government’s options.