BENGALURU: City police have arrested a 32-year-old man from Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, for allegedly assisting software engineer Balamurugan in the murder of his wife by tracking and sharing her live location.Abhimanyu Singh, who worked as an assistant with a gold merchant, was taken into custody for his role in the conspiracy, police said.

Abhimanyu’s arrest has been linked to the murder of Bhuvaneshwari, a bank employee, who was shot dead in Dec 2025 within the limits of Magadi Road police station. Her husband, Balamurugan, was earlier arrested for orchestrating and executing the killing. Investigators said Balamurugan had planned the murder for several months and had even kept a knife as a backup in case the shooting plan failed.Police said Balamurugan had initially hired a Tamil Nadu-based burglar, Moulesh Kumar, to shoot his wife. However, as Moulesh kept postponing the execution, Balamurugan eventually carried out the murder himself. Moulesh was later arrested by Tamil Nadu police in connection with a house burglary, during which one of the country-made pistols allegedly procured by Balamurugan was recovered.During the investigation, police identified Abhimanyu as a key facilitator. “Abhimanyu Singh would come to Bengaluru and stay with Balamurugan. Pretending to attend a gym located opposite Bhuvaneshwari’s bank every morning, Abhimanyu followed her movements whenever he was in the city,” a police officer said. “On the day of the murder, Abhimanyu shared Bhuvaneshwari’s live location with Balamurugan, enabling him to track her movements.“Police also alleged that Abhimanyu had accompanied Moulesh to Bihar to procure the two country-made pistols. Two other associates of Moulesh — Surya and Rahul — have also been identified for their alleged roles in the murder plot.Both are currently lodged in prisons in Tamil Nadu, and city police said steps are being taken to bring them to Bengaluru for further questioning. Investigators maintained that the murder was the result of a meticulously planned conspiracy, with multiple accomplices aiding Balamurugan at different stages.

NEW DELHI: NSA Ajit Doval’s first bilateral visit to Canada since the diplomatic strife over the killing of a Khalistani separatist in 2023 rocked the relationship between the countries saw both sides agreeing to a “shared workplan” to guide bilateral cooperation on national security and law enforcement issues, and to enable “practical collaboration” on respective priorities. Doval is learnt to have strongly conveyed to Canada that violent extremist groups should not enjoy any form of support from the Canadian govt. According to an Indian readout, both sides acknowledged progress on initiatives aimed at supporting the safety and security of their countries and citizens. The national security advisor met his counterpart Nathalie Drouin on Saturday, during a visit that the Indian govt described as part of regular bilateral security dialogue between the two sides. While there have been several high-level exchanges between the two sides in the recent past, including a visit to India by Canadian foreign minister Anita Anand, Doval’s presence in Canada is being seen as an important confidence-building measure ahead of PM Mark Carney’s visit to India next month. According to a ministry of external affairs (MEA) statement, it was agreed that each country would “establish security and law enforcement liaison officers and that their respective agencies would build on working relationships”. “This important step will help streamline bilateral communication and enable timely information sharing on issues of mutual concern to Canada and India, such as the illegal flow of drugs, particularly fentanyl precursors, and transnational organised criminal networks,” said the statement. During her visit, Anand had told TOI that Canada is following a twin-track approach to India: active law enforcement dialogue to address security concerns and expanded cooperation in trade, technology and energy. The visit also saw both sides launching a new roadmap to revive economic ties amidst increasing global uncertainties. Both sides also committed to formalising cooperation on cybersecurity policy and information sharing on cybersecurity issues, as well as continuing talks on cooperation over fraud and immigration enforcement, consistent with domestic laws and international obligations, according to the readout. Doval also had a meeting with Gary Anandasangaree, the Canadian minister for public safety, on Friday.

In a tournament already filled with high-intensity drama, the T20 World Cup 2026 clash between New Zealand and Afghanistan at Chennai’s MA Chidambaram Stadium delivered one of its most bizarre moments.

During the third over of the Afghanistan innings, a chaotic miscommunication between wicketkeeper Tim Seifert and Finn Allen led to a high-profile dropped catch that left both players and the crowd in a state of disbelief. What should have been a regulation dismissal for Matt Henry turned into a viral ‘comedy of errors’ as two of New Zealand’s finest collided on the big stage.

Tim Seifert and Finn Allen’s bizarre mix-up gives Rahmanullah Gurbaz a lucky lifeline during NZ vs AFG T20 World Cup 2026 match

The incident unfolded when Afghanistan opener Rahmanullah Gurbaz, looking to break the shackles against Henry, danced down the pitch for a wild slog. He only managed a thick top edge that sent the ball towering into the sky, seemingly hanging in the Chennai humidity forever. As the ball descended directly behind the stumps, Seifert tracked it perfectly and made a clear call to claim the catch, appearing to be in full control of the situation.

However, Finn Allen, charging in with blinkered focus from short fine-leg, failed to hear or heed the call and ran across Seifert’s path. Just as the keeper settled under the ball to complete the dismissal, Allen arrived at full tilt and bumped into him. The force of the mid-air impact knocked the ball out of Seifert’s steady gloves, sending both players sprawling onto the turf as the ball landed safely between them. In a classic display of Kiwi temperament, after the initial shock, both Allen and Seifert were seen laughing on the ground, sharing the embarrassment of a ‘mine-not-yours’ disaster that gave Gurbaz a vital early reprieve.

Here’s the video:

pic.twitter.com/HGgY2H1N3Q

— Drizzyat12Kennyat8 (@45kennyat7PM) February 8, 2026

Also READ: From Suryakumar Yadav to Tim Seifert: 5 fastest batters to 2000 T20I runs among full-member nations (by balls faced)

T20 World Cup 2026: Seifert & Glenn Phillips power New Zealand to record chase over Afghanistan

New Zealand kicked off their T20 World Cup 2026 campaign with a clinical five-wicket victory over Afghanistan in Chennai. After Rashid Khan won the toss and chose to bat, Afghanistan posted a competitive 182/6, fueled by a solid half-century from Gulbadin Naib. The Kiwis’ chase started poorly with Mujeeb Ur Rahman removing both openers early, leaving them reeling at 14/2.

However, Seifert played a match-winning hand, smashing 65 off 42 balls to stabilize the innings and shift the momentum. He was well-supported by Glenn Phillips, who added a blistering 42 to keep the required rate under control against the Afghan spinners. Despite a late wicket from Rashid Khan, Daryl Mitchell and skipper Mitchell Santner remained calm to finish the job with 15 balls to spare. This win earns New Zealand two vital points in the “Group of Death” and serves as revenge for their 2024 defeat to the same side. The Black Caps now look ahead to their high-stakes clash against South Africa scheduled for February 14th.

Also READ: Fans erupt as Sher Malla removes Phil Salt on first ball to script dream debut at T20 World Cup 2026 – ENG vs NEP

NEW DELHI: A day after a joint statement on the India-US interim trade deal was released, Union agriculture minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Sunday said it will “give new wings to dreams of farmers”, and rejected Congress’ criticism, saying the deal fully protects agriculture sector and farmers’ interests, with key farm products kept out. The minister also shared a detailed list of Indian farm produce that will be exported to the US at zero duty. The list of such produce also includes spices, tea, coffee, coconut, coconut oil, betel nut, cashew, vegetable wax, avocado, banana, guava, mango, kiwi, papaya, pineapple, mushroom, and some grains. On Congress’ claim that the agreement could turn India into a “dumping ground” for US goods, Chouhan, while rejecting the assertion, said opposition is creating unnecessary fear, and accused the party of failing to link farmers to global markets or ensuring economic stability despite governing the country for long. Addressing a press conference in Bhopal, Chouhan said the trade deal is an excellent example of diplomacy, development and dignity. “It is not just a commercial agreement but also a symbol of India’s growing global prestige. This deal will strengthen our economy while also providing it new direction,” the minister said. “The biggest concern was that our major grains should remain secure, and they have all been kept completely secure. No door has been opened for the US for major grains, major fruits and dairy products,” said Chouhan, allaying apprehensions in certain quarters about the deal’s adverse impact on farmers. He said several American agricultural products will not be able to enter the Indian market. “De-husked grains, flour, wheat, corn, rice, millet, potato, onion, peas, beans, cucumber, mushroom, pulses products, frozen vegetables, oranges, grapes, lemon, strawberry and mixed canned vegetables will not come to India,” he said. He further added that no dairy products – such as liquid milk, powder, cream, yogurt, buttermilk, butter, ghee, butter oil, paneer and cheese – will get entry into India. He said India will also not import black pepper, cloves, dry green chilli, cinnamon, coriander, cumin, asafoetida, ginger, turmeric, carom seeds, fenugreek, cassia, mustard, rye, husk and other powder spices from the US. “The meaning is clear – our spices and our farmers are completely secure,” he said. He also highlighted the reduced tariffs on Indian textiles compared to competing countries, which he said will boost exports and benefit cotton farmers.

NEW DELHI: US President Donald Trump’s threat to bring back the 25% “penalty” if India does not stop buying Russian crude has deepened the question mark on the operations of Nayara refinery in Jamnagar. The crisis facing the refinery has triggered talks about change of ownership. While the refinery, under normal circumstances, would qualify to be a good buy, US’s hardline stance may prove to be a dampener for prospective buyers, something which is going to persist unless there is a dramatic breakthrough in the talks to get Russia to pause its aggression against Ukraine. Rosneft – Russia’s state-run energy giant that has been sanctioned by the Trump administration in order to pressure Vladimir Putin into agreeing to pause his offensive against Ukraine – owns majority stake in the 20 million metric tonnes per annum refinery. Located at Vadinar (Gujarat), Nayara, the country’s second-largest single-site refinery, specialises in processing heavy crude. Until the US sanctions were imposed, it was almost entirely dependent on Russian crude as feedstock. Analysts said with the immediate future of the refinery in mind, India may continue negotiating with the Trump administration to allow import of smaller volumes of Russian crude. Indian refineries have been cutting down on purchase of Russian crude. Though observers said India cannot immediately halt purchases even if it decides to reduce dependence on Urals as refiners have already booked Russian cargoes for the next eight to 10 weeks and cancelling them is not feasible, it does not remove the uncertainty about the fate of Nayara. “My sense is that India will still bargain with the US to import some amount of oil from Russia, especially for Nayara refinery,” said Prashant Vasisht, senior V-P at ratings agency ICRA. Energy expert Narendra Taneja said India will continue importing oil from Russia too, though volumes would decline. “India will continue to get oil supplies from Russia for two reasons – to assert its strategic autonomy and to maintain the right optics for domestic political consumption,” he said. “Since India has to make purchases of $500 billion from the US over a period of five years – imports of oil, gas and LPG are the best way to clock the numbers up quickly, which overall is not a bad idea since what we are going to back in return (capital, technology and bigger access to American markets) is quite attractive,” he said. India imports almost one-third of its crude from Russia, and purchases fell to $2.7 billion in Dec 2025 – the lowest monthly value of shipments in the last three years – and nearly 27% lower than the $3.7 billion recorded in Nov, according to commerce department data. Despite the decline, Russia remained the largest crude supplier to India in 2025-26, accounting for 31.5% of purchases worth $105.1 billion during April-Dec.