UP CM Yogi Adityanath (Image/ANI)

NEW DELHI: Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath took a ride on Japan’s high-speed Maglev train in Yamanashi on Thursday during his official visit to the country. The futuristic train, which uses magnetic levitation technology and can travel up to 600 km per hour, gave the chief minister a first-hand experience of advanced transport infrastructure.CM Yogi arrived in Tokyo on Wednesday as part of his five-day visit to Singapore and Japan aimed at attracting global investment and strengthening industrial growth in Uttar Pradesh. His tour focuses on building partnerships in manufacturing, mobility, technology, urban development and smart infrastructure.Before reaching Japan, CM Yogi held an investor roadshow in Singapore where he pitched Uttar Pradesh as a secure and fast-growing investment destination. He said that the state has received investment proposals worth Rs 1 lakh crore, with Memorandums of Understanding worth Rs 60,000 crore already finalised. Calling it a milestone, he said that these investments would help transform Uttar Pradesh into a one trillion-dollar economy.Assuring global investors, CM Yogi said every investment in the state is secure and highlighted how Uttar Pradesh connects “scale with skill and speed.” He added that the state has developed a new identity focused on transformation and rapid growth.Highlighting economic progress, CM said that Uttar Pradesh’s Gross State Domestic Product has grown from Rs 13 lakh crore to Rs 36 lakh crore in nine years and now contributes 9.5 per cent to India’s GDP. He described the state as a “dream destination” for investment and a top performer in Ease of Doing Business rankings.In Japan, CM Yogi visited Yamanashi, Osaka and Kyoto and interacted with senior officials and leading corporations. A key event during the visit is the Japan–Uttar Pradesh Partnership Conference focused on manufacturing, mobility and technology, where discussions will be held with companies in sectors such as electric vehicles, electronics, railways, engineering, chemicals and logistics.Meanwhile, the Yamuna Expressway Industrial Development Authority has proposed developing a ‘Japan City’ and ‘Singapore City’ in Uttar Pradesh, identifying land for dedicated investment zones. During his visit, CM Yogi is expected to invite further investment proposals for these projects.

‘Thank you, Japan!’: CM Yogi posts a photo with Mt Fuji

Uttar Pradesh chief minister also shared a photo of him with Mount Fuji, Japan’s highest peak and a Unesco World Heritage site. In a post on X, he wrote:. In a post on X, he wrote: Mount Fuji, Japan’s highest peak and a Unesco World Heritage site, rises as a timeless symbol of perseverance, discipline and spiritual balance. With the majestic Mount Fuji in the backdrop, a symbol of Japan’s timeless beauty and cultural pride, it is my good fortune to witness it on a bright and sunny day. Thank you, Japan!

In a historic moment for West Indies and women’s cricket, captain Stafanie Taylor has officially etched her name deeper into the record books, becoming only the second player in Women’s One Day International (WODI) history to surpass the monumental mark. Achieved during the recent third WODI against Sri Lanka, this incredible milestone places Taylor in an exclusive club, previously occupied solely by India’s legendary Mithali Raj. It’s a testament to her enduring class, remarkable consistency, and unparalleled impact on the game for over a decade and a half.

Stafanie Taylor achieves historic record in WODIs

Notably, during the third WODI against the Lankans, Taylor accomplished the record of reaching the landmark of 6,000 runs in Women ODIs. ​Taylor’s journey to this landmark has been one of relentless dedication and supreme talent. Debuting in 2008, she quickly established herself as a cornerstone of the West Indies team, consistently delivering match-winning performances with both bat and ball. Her elegant stroke play, shrewd game awareness, and ability to perform under pressure have made her one of the most respected figures in the sport.

​Reaching 6,000 runs in WODIs is not merely a statistical achievement; it reflects a career of sustained excellence at the highest level. Over 170 matches and 160-plus innings, Taylor has faced the world’s best bowlers, adapting to various conditions and maintaining an impressive average of over 40. This consistency is a hallmark of truly great batters, and Taylor has personified it throughout her illustrious career.

​An elite club: Joining the ranks of legends

​Before Taylor, only one woman had scaled the 6,000-run peak, India’s former captain Mithali, who concluded her career with a staggering 7,805 runs. Mithali, a pioneer of women’s cricket, set the benchmark for longevity and run-scoring. For Taylor to now stand alongside her signifies her place among the pantheon of cricketing greats.

​While Charlotte Edwards famously came close, finishing with 5,992 runs, it is Taylor who has now successfully navigated the final few hurdles to claim this coveted spot. This achievement further solidifies her legacy as arguably the greatest female cricketer the West Indies has ever produced.

Also READ: Amelia Kerr’s magnificent century powers New Zealand to emphatic win over Zimbabwe in 1st Women’s T20I

Most runs in WODIs

Speaking about the match, Sri Lanka posted 217/7 in their allotted 50 overs after opting to bat first, with Harshitha Samarawickrama anchoring the innings through a composed 70 off 112 balls. Contributions from the middle order helped them reach a competitive total, but they were unable to fully capitalize in the final overs.

In reply, West Indies chased down the target in confident fashion, reaching 218/4 in 46 overs to seal a six-wicket victory. Captain Hayley Matthews led from the front with a magnificent 100 off 119 deliveries, controlling the chase with maturity and flair. Despite Sri Lanka having already clinched the WODI series with victories in the first two matches, the hosts showed character and resilience to bounce back strongly in the final ODI, avoiding a series whitewash and finishing the 50-over leg on a positive note.

Also READ: Hayley Matthews’ stunning century helps West Indies avoid clean sweep against Sri Lanka in WODI series

This article was first published at WomenCricket.com, a Cricket Times company.

Sri Lanka cricket team (AP Photo)

NEW DELHI: Former captain Kumar Sangakkara did not hide his anguish after Sri Lanka crashed out of the T20 World Cup, admitting there was “a lot of hurt all round” and warning that the nation risks falling behind if urgent changes are not made. Sri Lanka’s campaign ended in heartbreaking fashion with a heavy 61-run defeat to New Zealand in Colombo, leaving fans stunned and the cricket fraternity searching for answers.Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!Taking to social media after the elimination, Sangakkara captured the emotional devastation gripping the country and the dressing room.

“There is a lot of hurt all round. The fans are devastated, disappointed, and angry. The players are hurting badly too. I have been in similar dressing rooms. It’s not easy,” he wrote. He reminded players of the responsibility that comes with national duty, adding, “This responsibility comes with the turf. It’s a burden and a great privilege to represent your country and your people.”Sri Lanka’s exit was particularly painful as it came at home, where hopes were high of a deep run. After reducing New Zealand to 84/6, the hosts lost control as Mitchell Santner and Cole McConchie revived the innings before their batting collapsed under pressure during the chase. The defeat sealed consecutive Super Eight losses and ended their semifinal hopes.However, Sangakkara stressed that the problems run deeper than one defeat. In a strongly worded warning, he said Sri Lanka must evolve with the changing demands of modern cricket. “There is a lot of work to be done at all levels to course correct. We can’t do the same things over and over and expect different results when the cricket world around us has evolved so quickly,” he wrote.His most striking line reflected his biggest fear for the future. “We haven’t adapted, and the danger is irrelevance.”

S Krishnan, secretary of MeitY, left and Vineet Nayar, founder-chairman of Sampark Foundation and former CEO of HCL Technologies

India’s digital news ecosystem is at a critical juncture, as technology, artificial intelligence, regulatory frameworks, and audience expectations converge to reshape the future of journalism. At the DNPA Conclave 2026, leaders from media, technology, and policy discussed how credibility, verified content, and India’s expanding digital public infrastructure are redefining the responsibilities and opportunities for news organisations.Technology can strengthen journalism by amplifying credible and responsible reporting, S. Krishnan, Secretary, MeitY, said, stressing the need to prioritise authenticated information in an era of rapid digital change.“If you create the right kind of content, technology will help you amplify the right kind of message.”He highlighted the public responsibility of publishers to ensure verified and curated information receives precedence over unverified material circulating online.“There’s a social duty, and there’s a social necessity of creating authenticated content. Any content which is authenticated and curated clearly needs to have priority and more privilege than any other content which is just randomly put up there.”The conclave also underscored the convergence of pressures on Indian media. Artificial intelligence adoption, regulatory recalibration, advertiser scrutiny, and audience mistrust are unfolding simultaneously, compressing change and reducing the space for trial-and-error strategies. Publishers are now facing structural decisions that will determine long-term direction rather than short-term growth, particularly in a diverse market marked by linguistic variety, uneven connectivity, and massive youth participation.Adding perspective on India’s digital foundations, Anil Kumar Lahoti, chairman of the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India, spoke during a fireside chat on The Evolving Telecom & Digital Infrastructure Landscape, highlighting how telecom and digital systems are transforming access to information and connectivity.Vineet Nayar, founder-chairman of Sampark Foundation and former CEO of HCL Technologies, addressed The Architecture of India’s Digital Identity, explaining how India’s public digital infrastructure—spanning governance, finance, and identity—is reshaping citizen expectations around access, authentication, and trust. For media organisations, this signals that credibility, inclusion, and accessibility are no longer optional—they are central to their role.India’s digital public infrastructure positions technology as civic architecture, placing media at the heart of a broader ecosystem of digital citizenship. Globally, India is being observed as a model for integrating technology, governance, and public interest, with media serving as both a participant and a stakeholder in this transformation.The conclave, held under the theme “Rewriting the Playbook for a Resilient Digital Future,” brought together leaders to explore how trust, innovation, AI, regulation, and sustainable growth will shape the next phase of India’s news industry.

The requirement to blend ethanol with petrol has been introduced to lower dependence on imported crude oil and curb emissions. (AI image)

The sale of ethanol blended petrol has been made compulsory effective April 1, 2026. The government has made it mandatory to market petrol blended with ethanol at levels of up to 20% and with a minimum Research Octane Number (RON) of 95. This mandate is applicable across all states and Union Territories of India.In a notification issued on February 17, the oil ministry has said that oil marketing companies must supply ethanol-mixed motor spirit (petrol) containing ethanol up to 20%, in accordance with specifications set by the Bureau of Indian Standards, and meeting the requirement of a minimum RON of 95 across the country.The Centre may, however, permit exemptions under exceptional circumstances for certain areas and for limited durations, a PTI report said.After India achieved 10 per cent ethanol blending in petrol in June 2022 – five months ahead of schedule — the government brought forward the target for 20% blending to 2025-26 instead of 2030. At present, most fuel stations across the country supply E20 petrol, which contains 20% ethanol.The oil ministry estimates that since 2014-15, replacing a portion of petrol with ethanol has resulted in foreign exchange savings of over Rs 1.40 lakh crore.

What is ethanol-blended E20 petrol?

Concerns about mileage & what government has said

Industry officials said that the majority of vehicles produced in India between 2023 and 2025 are engineered to operate on E20 fuel, and significant technical problems are not anticipated.However, older vehicles could experience a modest decline in fuel efficiency of around 3-7%. There may also be some deterioration in rubber and plastic components over time.Last year, the Ministry of Petroleum & Natural Gas moved to dismiss concerns of damage to vehicles due to E20 petrol.A life-cycle emissions assessment conducted by NITI Aayog found that ethanol derived from sugarcane and maize results in greenhouse gas emissions that are approximately 65% and 50% lower, respectively, than those associated with petrol.Issues relating to vehicle performance and fuel efficiency had already been anticipated by the government as early as 2020, and these concerns were examined in detail by an inter-ministerial committee of NITI Aayog. The evaluation was supported by technical studies conducted by IOCL, ARAI and SIAM.Use of E20 fuel has been found to provide improved acceleration and smoother driving performance, while also reducing carbon emissions by roughly 30 per cent compared with E10 fuel, the government said. Ethanol’s naturally higher octane rating — about 108.5 compared with petrol’s 84.4 — makes ethanol-blended fuels particularly suitable for engines requiring higher octane levels, especially modern high-compression engines. Vehicles calibrated for E20 fuel tend to offer better acceleration, which is especially beneficial under urban driving conditions. In addition, ethanol’s higher heat of vaporisation lowers temperatures in the intake manifold, increasing the density of the air-fuel mixture and enhancing volumetric efficiency, the government had said.

MILAN 2026 concludes successfully

NEW DELHI: MILAN 2026, a multilateral naval exercise hosted by the Indian Navy, concluded on February 25 with a closing ceremony held onboard aircraft carrier INS Vikrant off the coast of Visakhapatnam.The ceremony was attended by naval officers from participating countries and presided over by Rear Admiral Alok Ananda, Flag Officer Commanding Eastern Fleet. The exercise was conducted in the Bay of Bengal and involved ships, submarines and aircraft from multiple countries.

A total of 42 ships and submarines and 29 aircraft participated in the exercise, including 18 warships from foreign navies. Maritime patrol aircraft from France, Germany and the United States also took part.“Held under the theme ‘Camaraderie, Cooperation, Collaboration’, MILAN 2026 witnessed participation on an unprecedented scale, comprising 42 ships and submarines and, 29 aircraft. These also included 18 ships from the participating Friendly Foreign Countries,” the ministry of defence said in a statement.The exercise began with a harbour phase that included bilateral engagements, subject matter expert exchanges and an international maritime seminar.Professional interactions were accompanied by cultural activities, cross-deck visits and outstation visits by participating personnel.Technological demonstrations and interactions among young naval officers were also held. “Technological demonstrations and the MILAN of Young Officers (MOYO) interaction facilitated the exchange of best practices, while friendly sports fixtures enabled informal interaction,” the statement read.This was followed by the sea phase, which included “high-intensity operational drills” such as integrated air defence exercises, anti-submarine warfare operations and maritime interdiction drills.Surface strike coordination exercises, communication drills and cross-deck flying operations were also conducted.Live firing exercises involving naval guns and anti-air weapons were carried out during the operational phase.Participating navies also conducted tactical manoeuvres at sea as part of coordinated operational drills.During the closing ceremony onboard INS Vikrant, officers from participating ships reviewed the conduct of the exercise.According to the official statement, the exercise focused on operational coordination and maritime cooperation among participating navies.

MUMBAI: Maharashtra chief minister Devendra Fadnavis on Thursday inaugurated the newly constructed Tardeo–Nagpada–Mumbai Central flyover through video conferencing, marking the reopening of a crucial east-west corridor in south Mumbai.The flyover replaces a 130-year-old British-era bridge near Mumbai Central that had been declared unsafe and later demolished. With the new structure now operational, authorities expect smoother traffic flow and relief from congestion that had affected commuters for nearly two years.Officials said the flyover will significantly reduce pressure on key roads including Jehangir Boman Behram Road (formerly Bellasis Road), Dr Dadasaheb Bhadkamkar Marg at Grant Road, Pathe Bapurao Marg and the Mahalaxmi station bridge.Deputy chief minister Eknath Shinde was present alongside Fadnavis during the virtual inauguration.The 333-metre-long flyover includes 138.39 metres on the eastern side, 157.39 metres on the western side and 36.90 metres within railway limits. It has a 7-metre-wide carriageway along with wide footpaths on both sides to ensure pedestrian safety.The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) completed the project in 15 months and six days —four months ahead of the scheduled deadline. According to civic officials, the deadline set in the tender still had four months remaining.While railway authorities carried out work over the tracks, the BMC handled major construction activities such as girder bracing, deck sheet installation, slab casting and the building of approach roads.Civic officials said close coordination between the BMC’s bridges department, railway authorities, the local ward office and traffic police helped fast-track the project.The construction process involved several hurdles, including relocation of BEST utility lines, demolition of obstructing structures with alternate arrangements for occupants, removal of a housing society boundary wall and resolving a case in the high court.Authorities confirmed that load testing, structural stability checks, safety certification and a no-objection certificate from railway authorities have been completed. The flyover is now open for public use.

A Turkish Air Force F-16 fighter jet crashed during a mission flight in the early hours of Wednesday, killing the pilot. Footage of the initial moments of the crash on the highway in Balıkesir shows the aircraft descending shortly after takeoff.The aircraft, assigned to the 9th Main Jet Base Command in Balıkesir, crashed around 00:50 (local time). Radio and radar contact were lost shortly after takeoff, and search-and-rescue teams later confirmed the crash and located the wreckage, as cited by the Express UK.“One of our F-16 aircraft belonging to the squadron of the Balıkesir 9th Main Jet Base Command crashed during a mission flight around 00:50, and one of our pilots has been martyred. I pray to God for mercy on our martyr and extend my condolences to his family. May our beloved nation be strong,” Balıkesir Governor İsmail Ustaoğlu said through a post on X. Justice minister Akın Gürlek said the Balıkesir Public Prosecutor’s Office has launched an investigation into the crash.In a post on X, Gürlek said: “An F-16 aircraft belonging to the squadron of the 9th Main Jet Base Command in Balıkesir crashed during a mission flight, and one of our heroic pilots has been martyred. The Balıkesir Public Prosecutor’s Office has initiated an investigation into the incident, and our prosecutor, deputy prosecutor, and two prosecutors have gone to the crash site. I pray to God for mercy on our martyr and extend my condolences to his grieving family and loved ones. I wish patience and fortitude to the Turkish Armed Forces. May our beloved nation be strong.”The cause of the crash is under investigation, with no immediate information on possible technical failures or other contributing factors.The Istanbul–Izmir Motorway spans 426 kilometres, including 384 kilometres of motorway and 42 kilometres of connecting roads.The full route was opened to traffic on August 4, 2019, following the phased completion of its sections.