Mumbai: A fraudster posing as a New Zealand national befriended a 74-year-old Cuffe Parade resident and duped her of Rs 50.8 lakh by making her transfer the money for his daughter’s treatment. An FIR has been registered on Tuesday. The complainant had sent Rs 50.8 lakh in a total of 27 transactions to various bank accounts, provided by the accused. The FIR was registered with the south cyber police station.

According to the FIR, the complainant received a friend request from one Joshua William Douglas on Facebook and his profile had a picture of a little girl with him. The complainant followed him. In the FIR, she stated that she usually does not follow strangers, but in this case, she noted nothing amiss. Within ten minutes, she received a WhatsApp message and the sender identified himself as Douglas. He said that he was originally from New Zealand and was a doctor. He said that his wife and parents had passed away and he had a five-year-old daughter, Maya. He further said that his mother was a South Indian. During the WhatsApp chat, he told her that his life had become very difficult, the United Nations had sent him to the war-torn area of Yemen on a three-month contract. He said that he was a gynecologist and was performing emergency caesarean sections there. One day, he said that Maya and many other children were admitted to the hospital after food poisoning from a birthday cake. He said that many children died in it, but his daughter Maya was alive and the doctors have said that she will have to undergo two surgeries and for that he needs money urgently. The complainant sent Rs 30,000 to help him for daughter’s treatment. He said that since he was in the war-torn area of Yemen, he couldn’t send money from his bank accounts and needed more money for Maya’s operation.“He sent me some bank account numbers and asked me to send money to them. Seeing the need of the situation, I again sent the money to the bank accounts. I was inquiring about his daughter’s health through WhatsApp calls and chats. He said that he would come to India soon and return my money,” she said in the FIR.On Feb 9, Douglas informed the complainant that he was suffering from typhoid and needed money for treatment. When the complainant told this to her son, he told her mother that she was duped. She tried to contact Douglas’ mobile but found that the number was switched off. She then approached the police.

Mumbai: The Muslim holy month of Ramzan began on a pious note Thursday. As the first fast broke at 6.43 pm, Iftar gatherings were organised at mosques citywide, right from the expansive Minara Masjid in Mohammed Ali Road to the Four Bungalows Kabrastan Masjid in Andheri. Big and small contributions of dates, fruit, fritters and sherbet poured in from the community.It is believed that the rewards of virtue and charity multiply 70 times during Ramzan. As a result, most Muslims opt to disburse the mandatory annual Zakaat donation this time of year. On Thursday mosques, madrassas and charitable institutions updated their social media profiles and invited donors to contribute generously. Throngs of male worshipers arrived at mosques for the five daily prayers followed by the special Taraweeh congregational namaz that is offered each night and involves the serialised recitation of the Holy Quran.

Sehri parties and Iftar delicacies are a seasonal attraction for Muslims as well as non-Muslims. Restaurants have begun curating delectable Iftar menus that include dates, biryanis of various kinds, kebabs, patti samosa filled with chicken or mutton, firni, sheerqorma, gulrosh beverage or watermelon juice. Residents of the suburbs arrived to shop at Jogeshwari (W) Iftar bazaar outside the station, which some feel scores over Mohammed Ali Road in terms of sanitation, less crowd, affordability as well as courteous vendors. “It is heartening that the lowest common rozedar finds options like three coin-sized veg kebabs for Rs 10. These are prepared using besan and spices while the meatier kebabs cost Rs 25-30 apiece,” said a regular visitor.Meanwhile, the 40-day Christian fasting season of Lent began at Ash Wednesday, Feb 18. People forego meat or liquor, or fast on certain days of the week. Fr Michael Pinto, parish priest of Our Lady of Salvation Church, Dadar, said, “We are observing Lent with the theme ‘Staying with Jesus and Resting in His Arms’. We will host a three-day English mission led by Fr Bineesh from Satyagiri Retreat House and a Konkani mission by Fr Raju from Goa. The programme aims to help the faithful reflect on the passion, death and resurrection of Jesus. Parishioners will participate in corporal works of mercy, putting faith into action through service and outreach.”

NEW DELHI: Imad Wasim’s former wife, Sannia Ashfaq, has made serious allegations against the Pakistani cricketer through social media posts. She accused him of forcing her to undergo an abortion in December 2023 and called him a “murderer,” saying she has proof to support her claims. She also accused him of cheating on her and urged people to boycott Islamabad United, the PSL team that recently signed him.

In one post, she wrote: “In December 2023, he got my child aborted in Lahore. He’s a murderer, and I have a video that proves it. He cheated on me. @islamabadunitedpsl has given a chance to a murderer and a cheater. #boycottislamabadunited No cheater or murderer should get an escape.” Ashfaq said she was forced into the abortion and suffered physically and emotionally. She claimed she received no support from Wasim during that time and was silenced whenever she tried to speak out. In a video, she said, “With a lot of courage, I am recording this video because I want not only the truth for my children but also justice.” She stressed that she is seeking justice, not revenge, and requested an investigation by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and PCB chief Mohsin Naqvi. She added, “I seek respect, not revenge. I hope my voice will be heard.”Ashfaq also shared WhatsApp screenshots, alleging Wasim threatened to file a harassment case against her when she contacted him during her pregnancy. She wrote that instead of support, “he threatened me… while I was carrying his child.”

Mumbai: The state govt on Feb 19 announced that MSRTC will procure 8,300 buses in its fleet this year to address an acute shortage that has affected services across routes.MSRTC caters to over 50 lakh commuters daily across Maharashtra.

An official from the bus corporation told TOI that the MSRTC has been under sustained financial stress and is currently losing Rs 1 to 1.5 crore every day.The MSRTC fleet and ridership have not returned to pre-pandemic levels. Before Covid-19, the corporation operated around 18,000 to 19,000 buses and carried nearly 66 lakh passengers daily. Bus procurement slowed over the last four to five years amid the pandemic and prolonged employee strikes, and by the end of 2024 the fleet had fallen to about 12,600 buses, leaving many routes with insufficient trips.Under MSRTC’s long-term policy, the corporation plans to purchase 20,000 to 25,000 buses over the next few years. The govt has given in-principle approval, with 8,300 buses slated to join in the first phase this year.The first phase includes 3,000 high-capacity buses with a 3×2 seating layout and 55 seats, to be inducted in phases from March. Named after Rajmata Jijau Saheb, these buses will be deployed on heavily crowded intercity routes. The plan also covers 5,000 regular buses, with the tender process in its final stage, 100 midi buses intended to extend connectivity to remote and tribal areas, and 200 ultra-modern buses aimed at competing with private operators. After induction, MSRTC is targeting 70 to 75 lakh passengers daily in future.Passenger numbers had increased significantly last year after govt introduced a 50% fare concession for women and free travel for senior citizens above 75 years. The bus corporation now carries about 50 lakh passengers daily, but officials acknowledge that demand outstrips supply on several corridors.When contacted, state transport minister Pratap Sarnaik said, “If buses increase, passengers will increase, and if passengers increase, revenue will automatically grow.” He said that that higher capacity will translate into stronger earnings and improved reliability.MSRTC’s daily expenditure is estimated at Rs 35 crore, while revenue is around Rs 33 crore. Sarnaik said MSRTC is a public lifeline rather than a profit-driven enterprise, but added that balancing costs and income is essential to minimise losses.“The overnight rural bus services, better access to tribal hamlets and additional buses on crowded routes will strengthen operations and curtail losses for the corporation by year-end,” a senior official added.

In a powerful display of resilience, Pakistan have stormed into the Super 8s of the T20 World Cup 2026 following a clinical 102-run victory over Namibia on February 18, 2026. Beyond the tactical brilliance on the field, a unique psychological shift has taken hold of the squad. Following their must-win triumph in Colombo, star all-rounder Shadab Khan revealed that the team is no longer playing with just eleven men on the field. He credited their newfound momentum to a mysterious ’12th man’, a factor he believes will be the catalyst for a title charge.

‘Our 12th man is with us’: Shadab Khan’s powerful message after Pakistan book Super 8 spot

The mystery of Pakistan’s extra supporter was solved during the post-match press conference, where Shadab linked the team’s surge to the commencement of the holy month of Ramadan. With the squad facing immense criticism following a heavy defeat to India, Shadab insisted that the spiritual strength of the fasting month has provided an unbreakable morale boost. Using his full remarks to explain the team’s mindset, he stated:

“At the end of the day, you can only control certain things, so you should focus on controlling those. And now Ramadan has started, humara 12th man toh saath hi hai (our 12th man is with us). The Super 8 will be difficult. These will be high-pressure matches. Ramadan has begun, and it will be like our 12th player.” Shadab was quoted as saying by NDTV Sports.

Shadab further dismissed the noise from former cricketers, noting that the current squad remains focused on their internal ‘process’ rather than external opinions. By framing the holy month as a tangible advantage, the all-rounder has signaled that the 2009 champions are mentally prepared for the grueling schedule ahead, which includes high-octane clashes against England and New Zealand.

Also READ: Explained: Which teams will Pakistan face in Super 8 of T20 World Cup 2026?

T20 World Cup 2026: Sahibzada Farhan’s historic ton seals Pakistan’s Super 8 qualification

On the field, Pakistan’s performance was nothing short of ‘lethal and ruthless,’ as described by captain Salman Ali Agha. The centerpiece of the victory was a record-shattering maiden T20I century by Sahibzada Farhan, who became only the second Pakistan batter in history, after Ahmed Shehzad in 2014, to score a hundred in a T20 World Cup.

Farhan’s unbeaten 100 off 58 balls, featuring 11 boundaries and 4 towering sixes, anchored Pakistan to a massive 199/3. The bowling department then took over, led by mystery spinner Usman Tariq, whose bamboozling ‘pause-and-bowl’ action earned him career-best figures of 4/16. Supported by Shadab Khan’s clinical 3/19, the Pakistan attack bundled Namibia out for just 97 runs in 17.3 overs. This 102-run demolition not only secured their Super 8 berth but also marked Pakistan’s largest-ever margin of victory in T20 World Cup history, officially ending the dreams of the USA, who had hoped for a Namibian upset to stay in the hunt.

Also WATCH: Mike Hesson and Salman Agha caught in a heated exchange during PAK vs NAM T20 World Cup 2026 clash