Switzerland’s ski resort in town of Crans-Montana witnessed a deadly fire that ripped through a crowded bar in New Year’s party and claimed at least 40 lives and left over 100 others injured, as AFP reported.As investigators begin the gruelling task of identifying the victims and trying to determine what happened, here are some of the main issues they will seek to probe.

Many videos of the incident were shared on social media, showing the intensity of fire in a picturesque town’s bar.One of the video shows, people stuck in bar and panicking as the exit from it was disturbed and under the expanding range of fire.In another video, a ceiling of the bar can be seen in fire and a man trying to get control over it by hitting it with a big white cloth.Another video showing people running here and there in panic the bar, getting out of staircase exit, shouting, trying to find an escape amid fire.The basement venue had only a single staircase exit, forcing panicked patrons to scramble for a way out as flames and smoke tore through the crowd. Horrified bystanders described scenes of “panic” as people tried to break the bar’s windows to escape, while others, covered in burns, stumbled onto the street.Police, firefighters and rescuers rushed to the popular ski resort, set to host the Ski World Cup from January 30, after the fire broke out in the early hours of New Year’s Day.“It was around 1:30 am (0030 GMT) when smoke was spotted coming out of Le Constellation bar at the heart of the resort,” police commander Frederic Gisler told reporters. Moments later, a witness contacted authorities. “Immediately, the red alarm, which mobilises the fire department, was triggered,” he said, adding that firefighters “quickly contained the blaze” as emergency crews treated the injured.Authorities have opened an investigation but declined to speculate on the cause. Several witness accounts broadcast by Swiss, French and Italian media suggested the fire may have ignited when sparklers, mounted on champagne bottles and held aloft by staff as part of a regular show for special orders, came too close to the ceiling.“I think there were some waitresses with champagne bottles and little sparklers. They got too close to the ceiling, and suddenly it all caught fire,” said Axel, who was inside the bar at the time, speaking to Italian outlet Local Team.Le Constellation, located on the ground floor of a residential building, has a capacity of 300 people, with room for another 40 on its terrace, according to the Crans-Montana website. Several witnesses said the basement event space, where the fire is believed to have started, was connected to the ground floor by only one staircase, which some described as “narrow”.Seventeen-year-old Bruno Martins said he arrived to meet friends only to find the bar engulfed in flames and surrounded by police. “It was total panic, people were trampling each other,” he said. At least one of his friends suffered severe burns, while others remained unaccounted for.However, Wallis chief prosecutor Beatrice Pilloud cautioned against drawing conclusions, emphasising that the investigation was ongoing. Responding to reporters, she said she had visited the scene herself. “What exactly constitutes a narrow staircase?” she asked, noting that the probe would determine whether all safety standards were met.Pilloud added that it was still “too early” to comment on whether emergency exits complied with requirements, or whether the proper procedures were followed before organising the New Year’s event.Multiple sources told AFP on Thursday that the bar’s owners, French nationals originally from Corsica, were safe, though they have been unreachable since the tragedy.

FARIDABAD: Two days after she was raped, savagely assaulted and pushed out of a moving van, leaving her with deep trauma injuries to her face, a 25-year-old Faridabad resident has not been able to give her statement to police.With stitches on her face, besides other trauma injuries, she is under doctors’ close watch in hospital. According to sources, the woman sustained multiple fractures, including severe injuries to the right side of her face and shoulder. She is not in a condition to speak. Doctors confirmed fractures to her right facial bones, including the zygomatic region, which has also affected the muscles around the eye and cheek.

Her elder sister told TOI she was in intense pain when police attempted to record her statement on Thursday. “She is unable to speak. We are yet to know what exactly happened to her,” she said.Hospital officials said on Thursday the woman will undergo surgery for her facial and eye injuries. Given the seriousness of her condition, two police personnel have been posted on permanent duty at the hospital.The woman has two children — a four-year-old son and a seven-year-old daughter — who are currently with their maternal grandmother. She is one of five sisters. Her husband is based in Delhi. The couple has been living separately. “The woman is out of danger but will have to undergo surgery. She is in the ICU and will take time to recover. She is traumatised,” a police officer said.A family member at the hospital sought stringent punishment for the culprits. “Our child is in immense pain. Her children are terrified to see her like this. They keep asking about their mother, but we cannot tell them about her ordeal.”Congress state President Rao Narendra visited the hospital and accused the state govt of failing to maintain law and order. He also demanded a fast-track trial and compensation for the woman.Terming the incident “extremely inhuman and heinous”, Narendra said criminal elements were operating fearlessly. “It is shocking that such anti-social elements are roaming freely in Faridabad. Govt must ensure that the accused are punished swiftly so that such crimes do not recur,” he said. The Congress team was unable to meet the woman. “Her face is covered with bandage and she is unable to speak,” Narendra said.Faridabad district Congress head Baljeet Kaushik, Prithla MLA Raghuveer Singh Tevatiya, former NIT MLA Neeraj Sharma and several other party functionaries accompanied Narendra.According to police, the woman was brutalised inside a Maruti Eeco van. The two accused — drivers from Jhansi and Mathura — pushed her out of the vehicle near Raja Chowk in SGM Nagar around 3am. The woman managed to contact her sister, who took her to hospital. Doctors later referred her to a Delhi hospital, but the family admitted her to a private facility in NIT, Faridabad. Police are still waiting for a test identification parade to confirm that they have the right persons in custody. Yashpal said. An FIR has been filed at Kotwali police station under sections 70(1) (gang rape), 351(3) (criminal intimidation) and 3(5) (act done by several persons) of BNS.

Brisbane Heat host Melbourne Stars in the 20th match of the Big Bash League 2025-26 at The Gabba on January 2, 2026. Heat, currently sit sixth with two wins from five games, while table-topping Stars boast four wins from four. This clash pits Heat’s home advantage against Stars’ unbeaten streak.​

Brisbane Heat hold sixth position after five matches, with two victories but recent defeats exposing batting inconsistencies. Melbourne Stars lead the table with four straight wins, showcasing dominant all-round play. Heat need momentum at home; Stars aim to extend their run.​

BH vs MS, BBL|15: Match details

• Date and Time: January 2; 1:45 pm IST / 8:15 am GMT / 6:15 pm Local
• Venue: The Gabba, Brisbane

BH vs MS: Head-to-Head Record in BBL

Matches played: 20 | Brisbane Heat won: 11 | Melbourne Stars won: 08 | No result/Tied: 01

Gabba Pitch Report

The Gabba ranks among Australia’s quickest and bounciest pitches. Pacers enjoy early assistance with good carry to the keeper for those striking the surface aggressively. After the new ball’s seam movement fades, it turns into a high-scoring venue, though spinners face challenges with averages exceeding 33 versus quicks’ 23.

Squads:

Brisbane Heat: Colin Munro, Jack Wildermuth, Matt Renshaw, Hugh Weibgen, Tom Alsop, Max Bryant, Jimmy Peirson (wk), Xavier Bartlett (c), Shaheen Afridi, Liam Haskett, Matthew Kuhnemann, Thomas Balkin, Lachlan Hearne, Ollie Patterson

Melbourne Stars: Thomas Fraser Rogers, Joe Clarke, Sam Harper (wk), Marcus Stoinis (c), Glenn Maxwell, Hilton Cartwright, Tom Curran, Liam Hatcher, Haris Rauf, Peter Siddle, Mitchell Swepson, Aryan Sharma, Jonathan Merlo, Campbell Kellaway

Also READ: Fans erupt as Mitchell Marsh lights up BBL|15 with thunderous century against Hobart Hurricanes

BH vs MS, BBL|15: Today’s Match Prediction

Case 1:

• Brisbane Heat wins the toss and bowls first
• Melbourne Stars’ powerplay score: 40-50 (6 overs)
• Melbourne Stars’ total score: 150-160

Case 2:

• Melbourne Stars wins the toss and bowls first
• Brisbane Heat’s powerplay score: 55-65 (6 overs)
• Brisbane Heat’s total score: 170-180

Match result: Team bowling first to win the contest

Also WATCH: Hassan Khan plucks a screamer to dismiss Moises Henriques in BBL|15

NEW DELHI: Bharatiya Janata Party on Friday launched a broadside against Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and his “vote chori” after a study by the Karnataka government found out that majority respondents in the state believe that elections in India are conducted freely and fairly and that EVM’s deliver accurate results.BJP spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla cited the study report and claimed that the leader of opposition in Lok Sabha gets a “reality check”, each time he blames the EVMs or the Election Commission after losing the election.“Rahul Gandhi blames the EVMs and the Election Commission after losing the election,” Poonawalla said.“In Karnataka, a survey revealed that people consider EVMs safe and trust them… Each time Rahul Gandhi blames the EVMs or the system, he gets a reality check,” he added.This comes a day after Karnataka government body conducted a a survey across all four administrative divisions in the state titled “Lok Sabha Elections 2024 – Evaluation of Endline Survey of Knowledge, Attitude and Practice (KAP) of Citizens”.A total of 5,100 respondents were surveyed across 102 assembly constituencies, covering all 34 election districts in Karnataka, representing rural, urban, and reserved constituencies across the state’s four divisions — Bengaluru, Belagavi, Kalaburagi and Mysuru.The findings assume significance amid the Congress’ campaign against ‘vote chori’ (vote theft), led by top party leader Rahul Gandhi, targeting the ruling BJP-led government at the Centre and the Election Commission of India.Also, they come at a time the Karnataka government has proposed holding all the future panchayat and urban local body polls in the state using ballot paper, citing alleged erosion of public confidence in Electronic Voting Machines (EVM).According to the report, 91.31 per cent of respondents across divisions agreed that elections in India are conducted freely and fairly, including 6.76 per cent who expressed neutral views.“Confidence was strongest in Kalaburagi division, where 84.67 per cent agreed and 10.19 per cent strongly agreed, followed by Belagavi division with 69.62 per cent agreeing and 19.24 per cent strongly agreeing. Mysuru division also showed high confidence, with 72.08 per cent agreeing and 15.08 per cent strongly agreeing,” it said.The Bengaluru division reported the lowest level of strong agreement at 7.17 per cent, though a substantial 67.11 per cent still agreed, the study said adding “neutral opinions were highest in the Bengaluru division at 12.50 per cent, compared to lower proportions in other divisions.” Disagreement was marginally higher in the Bengaluru division, with 9.67 per cent disagreeing and 3.56 per cent strongly disagreeing, though it remained very low in Kalaburagi division.As per the study, a large majority of respondents across all divisions trust EVMs, with 69.39 per cent agreeing and 14.22 per cent strongly agreeing overall that EVMs deliver accurate results.“Trust was highest in Kalaburagi division, where 83.24 per cent agreed and 11.24 per cent strongly agreed, followed by Mysuru division with 70.67 per cent agreeing and 17.92 per cent strongly agreeing. The Belagavi division also showed strong confidence, with 63.90 per cent agreeing and 21.43 per cent strongly agreeing,” it added.The Bengaluru division reported the lowest strong agreement at 9.28 per cent, though 63.67 per cent still agreed, the report added.The study also highlighted concerns about the influence of money in elections, with 44.90 per cent respondents agreeing that it is increasing and 4.65 per cent strongly agreeing overall.

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Sarfaraz Khan and Musheer Khan (Image credit: Instagram)

JAIPUR: Mumbai have their own Khan show — and it’s quickly becoming unmissable. Sarfaraz and Musheer Khan are giving the city’s storied domestic side a fresh jolt of swagger, skill and sparkle, looking every bit the kind of brothers who can shape matches — and seasons — together.Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!Regulars for Mumbai across formats, the siblings bring different strengths to the same cause. Musheer, the batting all-rounder, adds energy in the field and value with his left-arm orthodox spin. Batter Sarfaraz, meanwhile, is as dependable as they come and is also a safe catcher who lifts the group with his intensity and encouragement. There’s never a dull moment when the two are playing together.

In the ongoing Vijay Hazare Trophy (Elite Group C) in Jaipur, Mumbai have stayed on top with four straight wins and the Khan brothers have been central to that surge.Against Uttarakhand and then Goa, they underlined their impact with the bat. Sarfaraz’s blistering 157 off 75 balls against Goa — featuring 14 sixes — lit up the contest as Mumbai piled on a massive 444/8 and sealed an 87-run win. The innings has also reignited the familiar selection debate around Sarfaraz, a conversation that has only grown louder in recent months.

Speaking to TOI after the Goa match, Sarfaraz opened up about the bond he shares with his younger brother. “We’ve played together for years, so we understand each other’s game really well. We learn from each other’s successes and failures. Even though he’s much younger, Musheer’s guidance matters because he thinks differently. He’s street-smart and always gives his best,” Sarfaraz said.Sarfaraz, who had endured a lean patch in the Ranji Trophy, has responded with productive outings in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy and now the Vijay Hazare Trophy.Musheer, 20, has been equally steady, scoring runs and chipping in with wickets with his left-arm spin. “When we’re in the middle, we keep talking about how to handle a bowler or pace the innings. Musheer always tells me something or the other. Sometimes I get angry, but I never take his suggestions lightly. And I’ve also advised him when he wasn’t doing well,” Sarfaraz added.For now, the 28-year-old isn’t looking too far ahead. If anything, the mission seems simple: keep scoring, keep winning and keep the Khan show rolling.

(Representative AI image)

Asian markets kicked off the new year on a positive note on Friday, tracking gains in US futures and higher oil prices, with technology stocks leading the rally in Hong Kong.Hong Kong’s Hang Seng index surged 2.2% to 26,189.79. Markets in Tokyo, Shanghai, Thailand and New Zealand remained closed for holidays.South Korea’s Kospi climbed 1.5% to 4,277.94, while Australia’s S&P/ASX 200 edged up 0.2% to 8,727.30. Taiwan’s Taiex rose 1.1%, and India’s Sensex added 0.1%.Chinese tech majors were among the top gainers.Alibaba jumped 3.2%, while Baidu rallied 7.5% after announcing plans to spin off its artificial intelligence chip unit, Kunlunxin. The unit is expected to list in Hong Kong in early 2027, subject to regulatory approvals.Asian equities have been supported by optimism that rapid adoption of artificial intelligence will drive demand for computer chips, data centres and related infrastructure. While manufacturing data across much of the region has remained weak, trade activity has shown resilience.“Exports from most countries have surged in recent months, and we think the near-term outlook for Asia’s export-oriented manufacturing sectors remains favorable,” Shivaan Tandon of Capital Economics said in a report, the Associated Press reported.US futures pointed higher, with S&P 500 futures up 0.5% and Dow Jones Industrial Average futures gaining 0.3%.Earlier on Wednesday, Wall Street ended 2025 on a weaker note, marking a fourth straight session of losses. The S&P 500 fell 0.7% to 6,845.50, the Dow Jones slipped 0.6% to 48,063.29, and the Nasdaq Composite dropped 0.8% to 23,241.99.Despite the late-year pullback, US markets posted strong annual gains. The S&P 500 rose 16.4% in 2025, setting 39 record highs during the year. The Nasdaq surged 20.4%, while the Dow ended 13% higher.Wall Street’s rally through 2025 was driven by enthusiasm around artificial intelligence, strong corporate earnings and three interest rate cuts by the US Federal Reserve. Investors are now betting the Fed will keep rates unchanged at its January meeting, AP reported.Silver rebounded 3.5% early Friday after plunging 9.4% on Wednesday. The metal gained more than 140% in 2025. Gold rose 1.1%, ending the year with a 63.7% gain.Oil prices also moved higher. US benchmark crude added 35 cents to $57.77 per barrel, while Brent crude climbed 35 cents to $61.20 per barrel.