NEW DELHI: Anger spilled onto the streets of southwest Delhi’s Uttam Nagar on Friday as protesters blocked a major road for hours, vehicles were set ablaze and traffic ground to a halt following the death of a 26-year-old man who was beaten during a Holi clash.Members of Hindu outfits, including Bajrang Dal and Vishwa Hindu Parishad, gathered in large numbers beneath the Uttam Nagar East Metro station, sitting on the road and raising slogans while demanding strict action against those accused in the killing.

Amid the rising tension, a car and a motorcycle parked in JJ Colony were also set on fire. Meanwhile, heavy police deployment has been made across the area, with additional officers and paramilitary personnel stationed to prevent any escalation. Drones were also deployed to monitor the protest site and identify those blocking the road.

Man killed over Holi colour dispute

The unrest follows the death of Tarun, 26, who succumbed to injuries after a violent clash between two families during Holi celebrations in JJ Colony on Wednesday. According to police, the dispute began when coloured water from a balloon splashed onto a woman, triggering a heated argument that quickly spiralled into a physical fight.Speaking to TOI, Tarun’s uncle, Tek Chand, said their relative, an 11-year-old girl, was playing Holi on the terrace when she threw a water balloon at her father standing below. The balloon fell onto the road and splashed water on a woman from the neighbouring family, who, according to Tarun’s family, belonged to a different community. “We apologised, but she didn’t listen and called her relatives, picking up a fight with us,” he said.Tek Chand claimed the matter was initially settled. About an hour later, Tarun was returning on his bike after playing Holi with a friend. A group of 15-20 people, according to Tek Chand, stopped him and allegedly assaulted him with iron rods, bricks, stones and other objects.

CHANDIGARH: In a major setback to the CBI, the Punjab and Haryana high court on Saturday acquitted Gurmeet Ram Rahim, the controversial head of Sirsa based Dera Sacha Sauda, in connection with the journalist Ram Chander Chhatrapati murder case. Division bench comprising Chief Justice Sheel Nagu and Justice Vikram Aggarwal passed these orders while allowing the appeal of Dera Chief. The bench, however, has upheld the conviction of three other accused in this case.The operative part of the judgement was pronounced in the open court. However, the detailed copy of the judgement was not available till the filing of this case.On January 17, 2019, the special CBI court Panchkula had sentenced the self-styled godman and three others to life imprisonment and imposed a fine of Rs 50,000. They were sentenced for the 2002 murder of Sirsa-based journalist Ram Chander Chhatrapati, the editor of ‘Poora Sach’ newspaper.Aggrieved from the orders, the Dera Chief had challenged the conviction before the HC claiming that he has been falsely implicated by the CBI in this case as the first charge sheet against other accused, Nirmal, Kuldeep and Krishan Lal had already been filed and none of them had named the appellant to be involved in the conspiracy, therefore there was no other circumstance left with the CBI to introduce the overhearing of conspiracy. “It is a matter of fact that the appellant was not at all named in the first charge sheet filed by State Police in 2002. Krishan Lal was tortured by the CBI Officials. The name of the Dera chief was thereafter included as an accused by way of revenge. The eyewitness version of the conspiracy was created by senior CBI officer, M Narayanan for the present case in the form of Khatta Singh,” the counsel for Dera chief had submitted. It was also submitted that the version of Khatta Singh that the conspiracy was hatched only in his presence and that he did not disclose about the same to anyone stands falsified by the admission of IO, M Narayanan in his cross examination.Counsel further stated that the Dera chief has been convicted only by stating that he had a motive against the deceased and he nursed a grudge against the deceased as he was publishing an evening newspaper by the name ‘Poora Sach’ and had been actively reporting against Dera. “The investigating agency however, failed to prove by leading even an iota of evidence that the appellant ever read the said newspaper. As per the prosecution’s own story, the newspaper being published by the deceased was an evening newspaper and it only reported the news which had already been published by the morning newspapers. There was thus, no question of the appellant, having any grudge against the deceased,” the dera chief had submitted. The CBI, as well as the counsel representing the deceased journalist’s family had strongly opposed the Dera Chief’s plea. Finally hearing all the parties, the HC in September last year had reserved its verdict in the matter.The Dera chief is incarcerated in Rohtak’s Sunaria jail since August 2017 after he was sentenced to 20 years in jail for rapes of two female devotees.

As defending champions India prepare to face New Zealand in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 final, the hosts will take the field with strong confidence drawn from their impressive record at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad. The iconic venue, located on the banks of the Sabarmati River and known as the world’s largest cricket stadium, has been a successful hunting ground for the Men in Blue in the shortest format of the game.

India have played nine T20 Internationals at the stadium and have won seven of them, losing only thrice. With a win percentage of 70 percent, the statistics underline India’s dominance at the venue where Sunday’s summit clash will be played.

The venue has witnessed several memorable Indian victories. One of the most historic moments came in February 2023, when India produced a record-equalling 168-run win against New Zealand. The match remains the largest margin of victory in T20 International history, a statistic that will undoubtedly add psychological pressure on the Black Caps ahead of the final.

Key matches in India’s T20I history at the venue

India’s journey in T20 Internationals at the Narendra Modi Stadium (then Motera Stadium) began on December 28, 2012, when they defeated Pakistan by 11 runs in a closely contested match.

The stadium gained further prominence during March 2021, when it hosted a five-match T20I series between India and England. India won three of those five matches, strengthening their record at the venue.

However, the most memorable game came in February 2023 against New Zealand. India posted a massive 234 for 4, thanks to a spectacular innings from Shubman Gill, who smashed an unbeaten 126 off 63 balls. The Indian bowlers then produced a clinical performance to bowl New Zealand out for just 66, sealing the historic victory.

The Narendra Modi Stadium has also witnessed impressive bowling displays. Hardik Pandya’s 4 for 16 in that same match remains the best bowling figures in T20 Internationals at the venue.

More recently, India played at the stadium during the 2026 T20 World Cup group stage, where they defeated the Netherlands by 17 runs. Shivam Dube’s explosive 66 from 31 balls helped India post 193 for 6, while Varun Chakravarthy’s 3 for 14 ensured a comfortable victory.

Narendra Modi Stadium Pitch Report

The pitch in Ahmedabad generally provides good bounce and carry, which helps batters score freely early in the innings. As the match progresses, the surface tends to slow down slightly, bringing spinners into play during the middle overs.

In night matches, dew can also influence the game, often making chasing easier. However, teams winning the toss will carefully consider the pitch conditions before deciding whether to bat or bowl first.

Individual records at the Narendra Modi Stadium

Several Indian players have produced standout performances at the venue over the years.

Virat Kohli currently holds the record for the most runs at the stadium in T20 Internationals, scoring 258 runs in six matches.

Among bowlers, Shardul Thakur leads the wicket tally with eight wickets in five matches at the ground.

For New Zealand, the venue brings mixed memories. While they suffered their heaviest T20I defeat here in 2023, several players from that match – including Mitchell Santner, Glenn Phillips, and Daryl Mitchell – are part of the current squad and will be determined to deliver a stronger performance this time.

Also READ: IND vs NZ – ICC names the umpires and match referee for T20 World Cup 2026 final

High stakes as India and New Zealand prepare for the  T20 World Cup 2026 final

India’s 7-3 record at the Narendra Modi Stadium provides them with a statistical edge going into the final. However, their defeat against South Africa earlier in the tournament highlighted that even strong teams can struggle on this surface, particularly against quality pace bowling.

New Zealand enter the final with strong momentum after their dominant nine-wicket victory over South Africa in the semi-final. Opener Finn Allen’s record-breaking 33-ball century powered the Black Caps to an emphatic win and demonstrated their batting firepower.

With both teams boasting powerful lineups and balanced bowling attacks, the stage is set for an exciting finale.

The T20 World Cup 2026 final begins at 7:00 pm IST on Sunday, with the toss scheduled for 6:30 pm. A packed crowd of more than 130,000 spectators is expected at the Narendra Modi Stadium, where cricket fans hope to witness another historic chapter in the sport’s global showpiece event.

Also READ: Sanju Samson breaks silence on missing two centuries in T20 World Cup 2026 with epic response

India’s Jasprit Bumrah (AP Photo/Anupam Nath)

AHMEDABAD: For a nation of just 5.3 million people — smaller than many of the world’s major cities — New Zealand’s cricketing rise over the past decade has been remarkable. The Black Caps have reached eight major ICC finals, including the 2015 and 2019 ODI World Cups, the 2021 T20 World Cup and the 2025 Champions Trophy. They also lifted the inaugural World Test Championship in 2021 and made the semifinals of the 2023 ODI World Cup.Their women’s team are the reigning 2024 T20 World Cup champions while the men’s side now stand on the brink of their maiden T20 title when they take on India in the final of the T20 World Cup here on Sunday night.On Friday, New Zealand allrounder Glenn Phillips highlighted the contrast between the two cricketing nations. With India’s population exceeding 1.4 billion, Phillips noted the depth of talent available to the hosts, suggesting they could easily field three competitive sides in a T20 World Cup. New Zealand, by contrast, must rely on a far smaller talent pool.“Obviously we have a few less people in our country to choose from, which means our highperformance programs have to be very specific and tailored to the population we have,” Phillips said ahead of New Zealand’s training session. “But the talent that comes out of India is phenomenal. They could probably pick three sides that would compete just as evenly in this World Cup. So for us to go out and compete with teams around the world with such a small population is fantastic.”Phillips, meanwhile, refused to discount India’s out-of-form mystery spinner Varun Chakravarthy, who conceded 64 runs in four overs against England in the semifinal at the Wankhede Stadium on Thursday. “We’ve played him quite a few times now, which helps,” Phillips said. “We’ll just try to face one ball at a time. He’s allowed to have a good day, but we’re also allowed to have a good day.”‘Bumrah is human as well’Phillips also acknowledged the threat posed by pacer Jasprit Bumrah, whose spells have proven decisive in the hosts’ last two matches. “We had a really good trip against him in the bilateral series but he’s a class bowler,” Phillips said. “Bumrah has so many variations and hits the blockhole at the death incredibly well. But he’s human as well.”

NEW DELHI: Highway users who fail to pay toll charges on NHs due to a faulty or blacklisted FASTag, insufficient balance or absence of a tag, will get three days to make the payment after receiving an e-notice. If payment is not made within this period, double the toll amount will be charged and all vehicle (registration certificate)-related services, such as change of ownership, transfer and renewal, will be suspended.Details on procedure for e-notice for non-payment of toll charge will be notified in the next few days, a senior road transport ministry official said.The procedure to pay the pending toll charge and also to challenge it will be spelt out in the notification. “This is crucial as we start multi-lane free flow (MLFF), or barrier-less toll collection, on NH stretches. The first MLFF tolling is set for roll out at Choryasi in Gujarat,” said an official.So far, NHAI’s electronic tolling entity IHMCL has bid out MLFF for 16 toll plazas. These include Gharaunda in Haryana, Mundka in Delhi, and Manoharpura, Shahjahanpur and Daulatpura in Rajasthan where the new system will be operational soon. TOI has learnt that govt will now bid out MLFF projects in bundles for accelerated implementation.“The provision of e-notice is key to the success of MLFF as in this tolling system, vehicles will pass seamlessly and won’t be stopped. The e-notice for failing to pay toll will mention double charge, but if vehicle owners pay within three days, there will be a 50% discount, meaning paying the exact toll,” said an official.Earlier, the ministry amended the NH Fee Rules specifying that failure to clear unpaid toll dues will result in not getting a ‘NOC’ for transfer of ownership or transfer of a vehicle from one state to another.

Women staff at toll plazas

New Delhi: NHAI has deployed over 5,100 female staff during day shifts at more than 1,140 toll plazas. It said the exclusive deployment of women staff in frontline operational roles will improve the user experience by fostering an efficient and user-friendly environment for commuters, as well as “reduce the likelihood of disputes at the toll booths on NH fee plazas”. The decision was taken after discussions with stakeholders, including fee plaza operators and industry associations.

NEW DELHI: Congress on Saturday launched a scathing attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the recent US 30-day waiver allowing New Delhi to buy Russian oil. The attack was charged with the quote of Donald Trump’s aide Scott Bessent, who said the US had given “permission” to India to accept oil from Moscow.The largest opposition party took to X to condemn and question the diplomacy of the Modi government, saying that a country as vast as India with 1.4 billion people is “waiting for Washington’s approval”, reiterating its charge that the prime minister is “compromised”.Quoting US treasury secretary Scott Bessent, the Congress wrote on X: “Permission? For India? A country of 1.4 billion people waiting for Washington’s approval. This is the cost of a compromised Prime Minister.”“India fought for freedom so that no foreign power could dictate terms to us. Yet today, under a weak Prime Minister, the US is openly talking about giving India ‘permission’,” it added.Slamming India’s diplomacy, the party called the situation a “humiliation”. Calling on the prime minister to explain, Congress added: “Indians are not actors in someone else’s script. PM Modi, your silence on this statement is deafening. The people of India deserve an explanation.”Earlier to this, the US has said it has given “permission” to India to buy Russian oil that is already on ships at sea, in an effort to maintain global supplies during the Middle East conflict.“The world is very well supplied in oil. Yesterday, the Treasury (Department) agreed to let our allies in India start buying Russian oil that was already on the water,” US treasury secretary Scott Bessent said in an interview to Fox Business on Friday.“The Indians had been very good actors. We had asked them to stop buying sanctioned Russian oil this fall. They did. They were going to substitute it with US oil. But to ease the temporary gap of oil around the world, we have given them permission to accept the Russian oil. We may unsanction other Russian oil,” he said.Bessent added that there are hundreds of millions of sanctioned barrels of crude currently on ships. He said that by removing sanctions on these shipments, the US treasury could quickly increase supply in the market.“There are hundreds of millions of sanctioned barrels of sanctioned crude on the water, and in essence, by unsanctioning them, Treasury can create supply. And we are looking at that. We are going to keep a cadence of announcing measures to bring relief to the market during this conflict,” he said.Several other officials in the Trump administration have also said that the US has now allowed India to buy Russian oil. This comes months after President Donald Trump imposed 25 per cent punitive tariffs on India over its purchases of oil from Russia.US energy secretary Chris Wright also spoke about the move in a post on X on Friday. He said the United States is “allowing our friends in India” to take the Russian oil that is already on ships near Southern Asia, refine it and quickly move it into the market to ensure steady supply during the ongoing US-Israel war against Iran.“We have implemented short term measures to help keep oil prices down. We are allowing our friends in India to take oil that is already on ships, refine it, and move those barrels into the market quickly. A practical way to get supply flowing and ease pressure,” Wright said.In an interview to ABC News Live, Wright said global oil supplies are strong in the long term, but there is a need to quickly bring more oil into the market in the short term.

The White House has released an unusual propaganda-style montage celebrating the recent US–Israeli strikes on Iran, stitching together real drone footage from the operation with scenes and dialogue from Hollywood films, television shows, anime and video games, edited in a slick, trailer-like style that feels less like a government communiqué and more like something an amateur YouTube editor might assemble, complete with the colour tweaks and audio distortions often used online to slip past copyright filters. Posted on the official White House account on X on 6 March, the 42-second video carried the caption: “JUSTICE THE AMERICAN WAY” alongside a US flag and fire emoji. Within hours the clip had amassed more than 12.4 million views, drawing both bewilderment and criticism online.

The video arrives less than a week after the 28 February US–Israeli air campaign against Iran, which Washington says was intended to destroy the country’s missile and nuclear capabilities. The strikes killed Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, triggered retaliatory attacks across the Middle East and pushed the region closer to a broader conflict. Against that backdrop, the White House montage adopts the language and aesthetics of blockbuster cinema.

A mash-up of war footage and pop-culture mythology

The montage opens with Robert Downey Jr.’s Tony Stark from Iron Man 2 (2010). declaring: “Wake up, Daddy’s home!” Followed by JARVIS responding: “Welcome home, sir.” From there, the clip rapidly cuts between fictional characters and real bombing footage from the Iran strikes. Among the scenes and characters used in the montage are:

The clips are intercut with actual aerial strike footage, explosions and drone imagery from the ongoing conflict. The video also strings together a series of well-known lines from those characters. Among the quotations included: Maximus in Gladiator “Strength and honor.” William Wallace in Braveheart “What will you do without freedom?” Tom Cruise in Top Gun “Maverick’s inbound!” Bob Odenkirk in Better Call Saul “You can’t conceive of what I’m capable of!” Master Chief from Halo “Finishing this fight.” Keanu Reeves in John Wick “Yeah! I’m thinkin’ I’m back!” Christopher Reeve’s Superman “I’m here to fight for truth and justice in the American way.” Bryan Cranston as Walter White “I am the danger!” The montage then shifts briefly to real political footage. US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth appears in the sequence saying: “F.A.” The final stretch moves into gaming and anime references. Optimus Prime “Time to find out.” Deadpool “Maximum effort!” Yu-Gi-Oh! “Here it comes!” Dragon Ball voiceover “Now end this!” Mortal Kombat announcer “Flawless victory!”

Hollywood, war messaging and a familiar Trump tactic

The use of entertainment imagery in official political messaging is not entirely new for the Trump administration, though critics say the tone of the latest video is unusually overt. The post comes weeks after a separate White House social media clip used Kesha’s song Blow under footage of a missile strike labelled “Lethality”, prompting the singer to protest online. “Stop using my music, perverts,” Kesha wrote in response. Artists and entertainment companies have frequently objected to the use of their work in political messaging. While studios and rights holders rarely intervene immediately, musicians and actors have repeatedly asked Trump’s campaign and administration not to use their songs, films or characters to promote policies or military actions. The White House has also leaned heavily into superhero imagery before. When a new Superman film released recently, the administration posted a meme showing Trump’s face edited onto Superman’s body with the caption: “THE SYMBOL OF HOPE. TRUTH. JUSTICE. THE AMERICAN WAY. SUPERMAN TRUMP.”

Social media reactions: confusion, irony and criticism

The montage quickly spread across social media, where reactions ranged from disbelief to pointed cultural critique. One user wrote: “Imagine explaining this country to the Founding Fathers.” Another warned about possible copyright implications: “Wow! Had no idea you got the rights to use Braveheart and Gladiator content to promote war. It’d be a shame if you didn’t and were sued as a govt and as the Digital Media team individually.” A widely shared comment highlighted what the writer saw as the irony behind several of the film choices: “lol interesting movie choicesBraveheart: The entire movie is about resisting imperial occupation by a more powerful nation. Using it to celebrate American military power is exactly backwards — we are the empire.Saul Goodman: A corrupt, morally bankrupt lawyer who helps a meth dealer and ends up in witness protection. His entire arc is about the rot inside the American dream.Keanu Reeves: Canadian. Born in Beirut. Raised partly in Australia. Using him as an avatar of American might is weird.Christopher Reeve: Died paralyzed after a horse riding accident. His legacy is disability advocacy and stem cell research… causes the right largely opposed. Walter White: Poisons children, murders people, destroys his family, and dies alone in a meth lab. Cranston himself is openly liberal.” Another user added a similar observation about the opening clip: “Tony Stark turning his back on the US arms industry after his capture after a struggle, not trusting the US government is also a top choice for the opening seconds of this video.” Others reacted simply to the surreal tone of the post. “Holy sh*t what timeline is this.” Another wrote: “I need to know the millennial running this account.” And one commenter offered a more pointed political response: “Very creative but I can’t help but notice I voted for peace.”

A war framed through blockbuster language

The video arrives as President Donald Trump has suggested the conflict with Iran could last four to five weeks, with the administration pledging to do “whatever it takes” to dismantle Iran’s nuclear capabilities and prevent the regime from directing armed groups beyond its borders. Supporters of the administration see the montage as a dramatic piece of wartime messaging.Many, however, argue the montage trivialises real strikes, turning deadly conflict into a flashy spectacle that ignores human suffering.