ULHASNAGAR: Differences between ruling allies resurfaced in the Ulhasnagar Municipal Corporation (UMC) on Sunday when corporators of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) boycotted a Women’s Day programme organised by the civic body. The boycott came after the invitation card for the event allegedly did not carry the name of Maharashtra chief minister Devendra Fadnavis.The event was organised by the UMC’s Child Welfare Department under the guidance of Mayor Ashwini Kamlesh Nikam, who was elected on a Shiv Sena ticket. The programme was held to mark International Women’s Day and to honour women from the city who have made a distinct contribution to society.According to BJP leaders, the invitation card mentioned the names of Deputy CM Eknath Shinde and Member of Parliament Shrikant Shinde. However, they claimed that the name of CM Devendra Fadnavis was missing, which they said was mandatory as per protocol.The invitation cards were reportedly distributed to several women achievers in the city, corporators, and party office-bearers. While the card included the names of the Deputy Mayor and BJP MLA from the city, Kumar Ailani, BJP leaders said the omission of the chief minister’s name was a matter of concern.BJP district president and party group leader in the UMC, Rajesh Vadhrya, alleged that the omission was deliberate. “If the name of the Deputy CM was mentioned on the invitation, it was mandatory as per protocol to include the name of the CM as well. Since this was not done, we decided to boycott the programme,” he said.Vadhrya also demanded action from UMC Commissioner Manisha Awhale against the civic officials responsible for issuing the invitation without following protocol.Responding to the controversy, Mayor Ashwini Nikam said the programme was not political in nature. “This was not a political event. As a woman mayor, along with the woman municipal commissioner, we organised this programme to honour women who have contributed to society and created their own identity. It is not right to politicise such an event,” she said.Meanwhile, UMC Public Relations Officer Ajay Sable said he was not aware of any issue regarding the invitation card.
NEW DELHI: India’s push into human spaceflight is drawing the country’s top medical institute into the mission. The All India Institute of Medical Sciences and the Indian Space Research Organisation’s Human Space Flight Centre on Monday signed an agreement to collaborate on space medicine, opening the door for research on how the human body behaves in space — and how those insights could improve healthcare on Earth.The collaboration establishes a framework for ground-based and space-based research in areas including human physiology, cardiovascular and autonomic regulation, musculoskeletal health in microgravity, microbiome and immunology, genomics and biomarkers, and behavioural health.Explaining the medical significance of such studies, Prof K K Deepak, former head of physiology at AIIMS, said research on how the human body behaves in space can also help doctors better understand diseases on Earth. “In microgravity, astronauts experience muscle loss, bone weakening and fluid shifts in the body — changes that resemble accelerated ageing. Studying these processes helps scientists understand how ageing affects muscles, bones and circulation in people on Earth,” he said.Technologies developed to counter these effects in astronauts, such as devices that improve blood flow in the legs, could also help treat patients with circulation problems and help maintain muscle strength, he added.AIIMS director Prof M Srinivas said the collaboration would open new frontiers in medical research. “This MoU will give us the escape velocity to venture into space medicine. Research between AIIMS and ISRO will benefit patients, the nation and ultimately humankind,” he said.Addressing the gathering, Narayanan highlighted the journey of India’s space programme from its early days—when rockets and equipment were transported using bicycles and bullock carts—to its present position as a global leader in space technology. He said partnerships with institutions such as AIIMS will play an important role in strengthening India’s human spaceflight capabilities.The programme also included an overview of AIIMS’ ongoing work in space medicine research presented by Prof Deepak. Officials said the partnership marks a step toward strengthening India’s capabilities in human spaceflight and biomedical research as the country advances its space ambitions.The memorandum of understanding was signed by AIIMS director M. Srinivas and Dinesh Kumar Singh, director of ISRO’s Human Space Flight Centre, in the presence of ISRO chairman and secretary, department of space, V. Narayanan, along with senior faculty and students from the institute.
US military has released a video showing a strike on a concelaed Iranian missile launcher. The footage was posted on social media by United States Central Command (CENTCOM). The video shows a missile launcher hidden under a bridge-like structure before being targeted in the strike.CENTCOM shared the video with a caption saying: “The Iranian regime can try to hide their missile launchers, but US forces won’t stop looking. When we find them, we’re taking them out.”The strike comes during the ongoing Iran war, which began on February 28 after joint airstrikes by the United States and Israel targeted Iranian military sites, leadership and infrastructure.
Iran Unleashes Missiles Across Middle East, US Bases Hit As Regional War Threat Rapidly Grows
The attacks killed Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei along with several senior officials. The strikes were followed by retaliatory attacks on US assets in the Middle East and on residential areas in countries including the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia and Bahrain. After Khamenei’s death, his son Mojtaba Khamenei was chosen as his successor.US President Donald Trump said on Monday that the war against Iran could be short-lived, but he did not rule out the possibility that it could escalate further. “I think the war is very complete, pretty much,” the president said, speaking from his golf club in Doral, Florida, according to CBS News. “(Iran has) no navy, no communications, they’ve got no air force. Their missiles are down to a scatter. Their drones are being blown up all over the place, including their manufacturing of drones.”In response to Trump’s remarks, a spokesperson for Iran’s paramilitary Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps said Iran, not Trump, would decide when the conflict ends. “Iran will determine when the war ends,” he said, according to Iranian state media.The war has also disrupted global energy supplies, reducing major oil and gas shipments to world markets and pushing fuel prices higher world over.
AHMEDABAD: There have been subtle changes for the better in Sanju Samson’s game. The T20 World Cup’s player of the tournament now has a remarkable steadiness when he plays his shots or is charging the bowler. The fidgety, twitchy version of Samson we saw earlier is gone.Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!The changes can be attributed to the lean run prior to the World Cup in the T20I series against New Zealand, which led to his omission from the squad and prompted serious introspection.With opposition teams targeting India with off-spin early in the Powerplay to neutralise left-hander Abhishek Sharma’s power hitting, and with Rinku Singh being under-utilised down the order, India rejigged their lineup and brought in Sanju.
Dhol, cheers and flowers: How Delhi welcomed Gautam Gambhir
Suddenly, the pieces seemed to fit and India had the perfect batting order for the occasion. Samson smashed three crucial, consecutive half-centuries, was India’s leading scorer with 321 runs from five innings and has probably hit upon the kind of consistency which eluded him for long periods of his career.Now, Samson is also the leading Indian run-scorer in a single edition of the T20 World Cup.ALSO READ:Team India Report Card: Perfect finish to a not-so-perfect T20 World Cup campaign“As soon as we brought him (back), the game changed completely (for us),” captain Suryakumar Yadav said.“He started batting differently. That was a positive call for him. I saw him working very hard. When someone doesn’t play, what he does (outside the playing field) is more important. He did everything he could for the team when he was not playing. The last three to four innings he has batted for the team, it is a result of all the hard work he has put in,” said Surya, highlighting the hard yards in the nets by the opener.One of Samson’s earliest coaches, Biju George, told TOI, “Every batsman over a long tournament brings in minute adjustments. He just kept faith in his ability and backed himself. He kept hitting straight and strong.”Sanju’s batting now has the distinct clarity it lacked earlier. New Zealand captain Mitchell Santner said Samson had changed his approach from the bilateral series earlier.“Unfortunate for us, he was saving his runs for the World Cup. In a few of those games, he looked like he was trying to hit from ball one. Now, he gave himself a chance, gave himself a few balls. On these wickets, when you’re in, you can really cash in,” Santner said.
The government has increased the minimum waiting period for booking a domestic LPG cylinder refill to 25 days from 21 days, a move aimed at preventing hoarding and ensuring equitable distribution of cooking gas, government sources told new agency PTI.According to the sources, prices of petrol and diesel are expected to remain stable unless global crude oil prices breach the USD 130 per barrel mark, while current projections suggest crude could remain around USD 100 per barrel.
LPG Cylinder Price Rise Heats Up Inflation Debate As Opposition Targets Modi Government
“There is no shortage of petrol and diesel at any pump in the country, and the supply situation remains comfortable,” sources said, adding that India has accelerated crude sourcing from routes outside the Strait of Hormuz to mitigate any disruption risks.Officials also said the country has adequate stock of Aviation Turbine Fuel (ATF) and there is no reason for concern about aviation fuel availability.“India is also a producer and exporter of ATF, so there is no need to panic about aviation fuel supplies,” sources added.They further noted that India is currently better placed than many other countries in managing the evolving energy situation, with several nations reaching out to New Delhi to understand its stock position and supply preparedness.
At Bayuemas Oval in Kuala Lumpur, Bahrain will face Malaysia in the third T20I match scheduled for 10th February at 12:30 PM IST.
Get the best MAL vs BAH Dream11 prediction, fantasy cricket tips, probable playing XI, and match insights for the 3rd T20I match of the Bahrain Tour of Malaysia 2026. Expert analysis and more.
MAL vs BAH Match Preview:
Bahrain managed to win the second game against Malaysia and has now levelled the series by 1-1. In the previous match, Bahrain posted 130 runs for the loss of 7 wickets in 20 overs after opting to bat first. Sohail Ahmed played a brilliant innings and scored 56 runs from 48 balls, while Prashant Kurup also contributed with 37 runs. With the ball, Sharvin Muniandy bowled well for Malaysia and picked up 3 wickets, while Syed Aziz supported him with 2 wickets during the innings.
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During the chase, Malaysia fought hard but fell just short of the target and got all out for 128 runs in 19.5 overs. Muhammad Haziq Aiman gave a quick start with 19 runs off 12 balls, while Vijay Unni added 15 runs later in the innings. However, Bahrain bowlers held their nerves in the final overs as Muhammad Salman delivered an excellent spell and claimed 3 wickets, while Rizwan Butt picked up 2 wickets to restrict Malaysia and secure a narrow 2-run victory.
As the series now stands evenly at 1-1, the upcoming third T20I will decide the winner of the series. Malaysia will aim to bounce back strongly and take advantage of home conditions, while Bahrain will look to continue their momentum and clinch the series with another strong performance.
Hot Picks for MAL vs BAH Dream11 Prediction and Fantasy Cricket Tips:
Captaincy Picks:
Virandeep Singh – A right-handed batter and slow left-arm orthodox spinner representing Malaysia, he has contributed 17 runs and claimed 3 wickets in 2 games, including a decisive 2/9 that dismantled the opposition top order.
Syed Aziz – Malaysia captain and accomplished left-handed batter alongside off-break bowling has produced an outstanding all-round effort with 70 runs and 3 wickets in 2 matches, highlighted by a commanding 58 and an effective spell of 2/30 during this series.
Top Picks:
Ali Dawood – Leading Bahrain’s pace attack, the right-arm medium-fast bowler has taken 4 wickets in 2 matches, highlighted by an impressive spell of 3/30 while also contributing an unbeaten 7 runs during a crucial phase.
Vijay Unni – Malaysia’s experienced right-arm off-break bowler and capable lower-order batter has captured 3 wickets and added 16 runs in 2 appearances, featuring a match-winning bowling display of 3/23 in the opening encounter.
Budget Picks:
Prashant Madhukar – The right-arm leg-break bowler from Malaysia has secured 1 wicket in 2 appearances, delivering a disciplined spell of 1/25 and providing valuable variation to the team’s spin attack.
Abdul Majid Abbasi – Bahrain’s left-arm orthodox spinner has taken 1 wicket in 2 games while maintaining tight control in the middle overs, including the important dismissal of Ahmad Faiz in the first match.
MAL vs BAH Bahrain Tour of Malaysia 2026 Captain and Vice-captain Choices:
NEW DELHI: National Council of Educational Research on Tuesday issued a public apology for publishing a chapter on discussing “corruption” and “backlogs” in the judiciary.“National Council of Educational Research and Training [NCERT] has recently published a social science text book “Exploring Society: India and Beyond” Grade 8 (Part II) which contained Chapter IV titled The Role of Judiciary in our Society,” NCERT said.“The Director and Members of NCERT hereby tender an unconditional and unqualified apology for the said Chapter IV. The entire book has been withdrawn and is not available,” it added.This comes after the Supreme Court reprimanded the NCERT over a chapter discussing “corruption” and “backlogs” in the judiciary, calling it a “deep-rooted and well-planned conspiracy.”The top court also issued a show-cause notice to the NCERT Director and the School Education Secretary, asking them to explain why action should not be taken against them over the controversial textbook content.Supreme Court also directed the seizure of physical and digital copies of the NCERT textbook in circulation that contained the chapter on judicial “corruption.”The bench of Chief Justice Surya Kant, Justice Joymalya Bagchi and Vipul M Pancholi ordered, “The NCERT in coordination with the Union and state education depts is directed to ensure that all copies of the book (hard or soft) currently in circulation, whether held in storage, retail outlets, or educational institutions, are seized and removed from public access. Compliance be filed.” Further, it said, “It shall be personal responsibility of NCERT director and the principal of every school where the book has reached to effectuate immediate seizure and sealing of all copies of the book in their premises and submit a compliance report. Ensure that no instruction is imparted based on the subject book. Principal secretaries of all states are to comply.”
Market participants are now awaiting the release of the US consumer price index for February, scheduled for Wednesday, as well as the Personal Consumption Expenditures index, the Federal Reserve’s preferred inflation gauge, due on Friday.
Among other precious metals, spot silver rose 3 per cent to $89.60 per ounce. Platinum gained 1.2 per cent to reach $2,208.16, while palladium edged up 0.2 per cent to $1,693.84.
Stock market today: Nifty50 and BSE Sensex opened in green on Tuesday after a major selloff on Monday amidst US-Iran war and oil price uncertainty. While Nifty50 went above 24,150, BSE Sensex was up over 580 points. At 9:16 AM, Nifty50 was trading at24,186.90, up 159 points or 0.66%. BSE Sensex was at 78,144.57, up 588 points or 0.76%.Experts say that over the next few sessions developments in West Asia and their potential impact on global energy supplies and oil prices will be in focus, as uncertainty over the scale and duration of the conflict is likely to keep sentiment cautious in the near term.In the United States, Wall Street recovered from an early slump and ended Monday’s session in positive territory, staging a late rally after US President Donald Trump indicated that the US-Israeli war against Iran might be approaching its conclusion.Asian markets also rebounded following Monday’s decline, while crude oil prices retreated as Trump signalled that the conflict with Iran could be nearing an end, providing investors with temporary relief from the recent wave of selling.Oil prices slipped on Tuesday after climbing to their highest level in more than three years in the previous session. The decline came after Trump suggested that the Middle East war could conclude soon, easing fears of prolonged disruptions to global crude supplies.Gold prices, meanwhile, remained largely stable on Tuesday as investors adopted a wait-and-watch approach amid persistent geopolitical tensions.Foreign portfolio investors continued to pare exposure to Indian equities, selling shares worth Rs 6,345 crore on Monday. Domestic institutional investors provided some support by purchasing equities valued at Rs 9,014 crore during the same session.(Disclaimer: Recommendations and views on the stock market, other asset classes or personal finance management tips given by experts are their own. These opinions do not represent the views of The Times of India)
Maharashtra scraps bike taxi permits (File photo used for representational purpose).
MUMBAI: The state govt has cancelled the temporary licences issued to app-based aggregators Uber, Ola and Rapido to operate e-bike taxi services after finding that the companies had failed to submit required documents and comply with licence conditions, transport minister Pratap Sarnaik told the legislative council on Monday.He also announced a statewide crackdown on illegal petrol bike taxis, saying authorities have been directed to seize such vehicles and register criminal cases against operators and companies where violations are detected. The minister said many petrol bikes – including several registered outside Maharashtra – were being used instead of permitted electric bikes and were also employing riders from outside the state.The action follows violations of the Maharashtra E-Bike Taxi Rules, 2024, framed in line with the Centre’s motor vehicle aggregator guidelines. The rules mandate that bike taxi services must operate only on 100% electric two-wheelers.The issue was raised in the council by Shiv Sena (UBT) MLA Sunil Shinde, who pointed out that despite receiving temporary permissions, the three companies had failed to comply with required conditions even after four months.He also flagged that petrol bike taxis had begun operating in Mumbai and other areas despite the policy permitting only electric bikes.Shinde also questioned whether the govt would go beyond imposing fines andtake stronger action. He said the bike taxi policy had promised priority employment for local youth, but many riders operating the services were from outside Maharashtra, putting local job seekers at a disadvantage.Responding to the concerns, Sarnaik said the state had granted 30-day temporary permits to the aggregators to operate e-bike taxi services in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region while they completed compliance requirements. However, after inspections found some companies had started services without fulfilling the necessary conditions, notices were issued and temporary licences have been subsequently cancelled. The minister said all regional transport offices across the state have been instructed to take strict action against illegal bike taxis.
