Sheikh Hasina, Muhammad Yunus

DHAKA: Former Bangladesh PM Sheikh Hasina on Thursday accused the Muhammad Yunus-headed interim govt of pushing the country towards darkness, while her party Awami League said despite decades of peaceful coexistence, extremist groups are “emboldened” and minority communities are increasingly being branded as “political enemies”.“The masks and vile faces of the conspirators engaged in plots to destroy the country have already been exposed before you. You have seen how illegal usurpers, holding you hostage, have pushed the country towards darkness through limitless corruption, falsehood, and the intoxication of serving personal interests,” Hasina, who was ousted as PM following protests in 2024, said in her New Year message. Bangladesh is now associated with fear, and no country today looks upon Bangladesh and its people with respect, she said, days after important institutions were vandalised in the aftermath of the death of radical leader Sharif Osman Hadi, and minorities, particularly Hindus, were targetted.“Due to insecurity faced by foreign investors and donor groups, and because of chaotic conditions, the country’s economy has collapsed. We must all come together to save the country from this journey into darkness. Let us, as we welcome the New Year, pledge ourselves to that commitment of protecting the nation,” read the message posted on the X account of her party, which has been banned from political activities and contesting the election.“The distinct identity of Bangladesh and its historic struggle for liberation – of the Bangladesh for which my govt worked tirelessly with the determination to place it on a position of dignity in the world – are today being called into question… In the past, whenever such critical times have arisen, this nation has united, forgetting differences of class, religion, colour, language, and ethnicity, and has leapt forward to realise a collective dream.“Meanwhile, Awami League on X issued a long post on how “like other minorities, the lives of Bangladesh’s Christian community (members) have been turned upside down” by extremist elements.“Since Yunus took charge (in 2024), reports show a sharp rise in Islamist extremism – leaving Christians increasingly targeted, threatened, and living in fear. In the run-up to Christmas and elections, extremist groups openly branded Christians as ‘enemies of Islam’, issuing threat letters to churches, schools, and missionary institutions,” it said.

NEW DELHI: PM Narendra Modi will flag off the country’s first Vande Bharat Sleeper train between Guwahati and Howrah later this month, barely months before the assembly polls in Assam and West Bengal. The train, marking a major upgrade in overnight train travel running at 120-130 kmph, will also reduce the travel time between two eastern capitals by more than three hours. Railway minister Ashwini Vaishnaw announced the first route of the indigenously built modern train that has a design speed of 180 kmph. PM is likely to visit Assam and West Bengal in the third week of this month. Responding to a question on the reason for choosing the route connecting two poll-bound states, Vaishnaw said the decision is part of PM’s thrust on development in east and northeast India under the “purvodaya” scheme. The minister said that in the next six months eight more such trains catering to 1,200-1,500 km routes will be rolled out and by December this number will reach 12. “From next year onwards, production will be ramped up rapidly as the entire supply chain will be in place by then,” he added. Giving details of the first service, he said it will run six days a week and the one-way fare will be Rs 2,300 for 3AC, Rs 3,000 for 2AC and Rs 3,600 for 1AC travel. He added for the first time, the national transporter has decided to have a fixed rate of fare for each class of travel in these trains – Rs 2.4, Rs 3.1 and Rs 3.8 per km for third, second and first AC, meaning there will be no dynamic pricing. “You will see several reforms in railways in 2026. This is one of them,” Vaishnaw said. While passengers originating from Guwahati will be served Asamese cuisine, those starting from Kolkata will get Bengali food. On the special features of the train, Vaishnaw said the riding comfort can be compared with best trains across the globe and the AC system ensures there is adequate oxygen content in air to ensure passengers face no discomfort. Vaishnaw also gave details of progress made in fencing of tracks, upgradation of around 79% network and upgradation in the Over Head Equipment (OHE), the system of overhead cables, masts, and insulators that supplies high-voltage electricity to power electric trains, enabling trains to run at a higher speed. He added that with the expansion of railway infrastructure, they are hopeful of running more trains and they are hopeful of ending waitlisted tickets in some sectors in the next 2-3 years.

‘Dhurandhar’, starring Ranveer Singh, kicked off 2026 on a high, further tightening its grip over the Indian box office. The Aditya Dhar-directed Hindi spy thriller, which has been on a historic run since its December release, wrapped up its fourth week with a record-breaking Rs 100 crore haul, aided by a strong New Year boost that helped it outperform new release ‘Ikkis’.Dhurandhar Movie Review

Dhurandhar Week 4 box office collection

According to early estimates by Sacnilk, ‘Dhurandhar’ earned approximately Rs 15.75 crore India net on Day 28. With this, the film has also sealed its position as the biggest Hindi grosser of all time.

Week-wise performance

The film opened to an explosive Rs 207.25 crore in its first week, followed by an even stronger Rs 253.25 crore in Week 2. Collections dipped in Week 3 to Rs 172 crore, but the New Year holiday propelled the film to an estimated Rs 106.5 crore in Week 4, thus scoring the highest fourth-week collection ever recorded by a Bollywood film.

Total box office collections

With its Day 28 earnings added in, ‘Dhurandhar’ now stands at an estimated Rs 739 crore India net. The film’s India gross collection has climbed to around Rs 886.75 crore.

‘Dhurandhar’ vs ‘Ikkis’

The film that is nearing a month of its release, still managed to rake in a higher box office performance than the new release ‘Ikkis’ which hit theatres on Jan 1. While the war drama earned just around Rs 7 crore on its opening day, ‘Dhurandhar’ earned almost double of its box office collections.

Historic fourth-week milestone

‘Dhurandhar’ now holds the record for the highest fourth-week collection in Bollywood history. Its Rs 106 crore Week 4 haul nearly doubles the previous record of Rs 53.75 crore held by ‘Pushpa: The Rule – Part 2’. The film has also remained in double-digit daily collections for an unprecedented stretch, surpassing all previous Hindi blockbusters.

Overseas performance

The Ranveer starrer has also continued its stellar performance overseas, raking in an estimated Rs 250 crore from international markets. This takes the film’s worldwide box office total to approximately Rs 1,136.75 crore, thus establishing ‘Dhurandhar’ as the highest-grossing Hindi film ever.

Top 5 highest-earning Indian films

With these numbers, ‘Dhurandhar’ entered the top five highest-earning Indian films of all time. The film now trails only ‘RRR’, ‘KGF Chapter 2’, ‘Baahubali 2: The Conclusion’ and ‘Pushpa: The Rule – Part 2’ on the India gross chart.

‘Dhurandhar’ eyes historic Week 5

If the film continues to hold strong in the coming days, trade analysts believe it could go on to challenge the Week 5 records as well. Currently, Vicky Kaushal’s ‘Chhaava’ holds the record for the highest week 5 collection, which is estimated to be around Rs 30.05 crore.

Cheteshwar Pujara and Ajinkya Rahane (AP/PTI)

Robin Uthappa has delivered a sharp assessment of the MCG Test pitch, calling it challenging and seam-friendly but far from unplayable. Speaking on his YouTube channel, the former India batter argued that such surfaces appear extreme largely because modern batting has moved away from patience and problem-solving. Uthappa’s central argument is that teams need to reset expectations. On wickets like these, totals around 250 can be competitive, provided batters are willing to grind, show discipline and resist the urge to force the game.

“See, it’s a dichotomous situation. It’s not like it’s an impossible wicket. There are such wickets in Melbourne which are very juicy for fast bowlers… I think it’s because of the way cricket is played today. I feel like these pitches are unsporty, but if you have the right technique and the right mindset and the fight in you, you’ll be able to figure out a solution for this kind of a wicket also. It’s not a high-scoring game, but it’s not... It won’t be a 300-plus game, but even a 250 on this wicket is possible. You gotta fight it out. Play it like Pujara and Ajinkya Rahane. Definitely, you’ll score runs,” Uthappa said. He made it clear that the pitch does not need to be “fair” in a balanced sense for batters to succeed. According to Uthappa, players still retain control if their defence is solid and their mindset clear, allowing them to weather tough spells and inch the score forward. That is why he highlighted Cheteshwar Pujara and Ajinkya Rahane as ideal reference points, pointing to their ability to leave the ball well, trust time at the crease and view pressure as temporary rather than decisive. Uthappa also touched upon Joe Root’s struggles during the second Test in Brisbane, describing the England batter’s dismissal as an unfortunate reflection of where Test batting currently stands. “I am saying this with a grain of salt because the way we’re playing Test cricket has now changed. I don’t enjoy it a lot, like Ashes Test matches that finished in two days. What are we doing to the sport for entertainment? Joe Root too lost in that Test match. He didn’t know how to play, play attacking cricket, or play his own way in the second innings. It was quite unfortunate… I empathise with them,” he said. Taken together, Uthappa’s comments serve as a broader caution. If Test batting becomes driven only by instant intent, difficult pitches will not just lead to lower scores but deeper uncertainty. And once batters stop believing there is a method to survive, Test cricket risks losing its defining quality: the ability to endure and adapt under sustained pressure.

GURGAON: Dense fog, biting midnight cold and deserted stretches of the Gurgaon–Faridabad Road created a chilling window for a brutal crime, as a 25-year-old woman was allegedly gang-raped inside a moving van in the early hours of Tuesday, with her cries for help going unheard for nearly three hours. A day later, police arrested two van drivers in the case and said an identification parade will be conducted to ensure a fair trial. Faridabad police said the identities of the accused have been withheld as the survivor is yet to formally identify them in a parade. The suspects, drivers from Jhansi and Mathura in Uttar Pradesh, were arrested by the Sector 48 crime branch, which also seized the Maruti Suzuki Eeco allegedly used in the crime.

Police said the woman had left her home around 8.30pm on Monday after an argument with her mother and told her sister she was going to a friend’s house. Though she planned to return within a few hours, she got delayed and eventually began her return close to midnight. Unable to find public transport at that hour, the woman accepted a lift in the van, unaware that two men were inside. Instead of taking her home, the men allegedly drove towards the Gurgaon–Faridabad Road and took her beyond the Hanuman temple on the stretch, steering through isolated pockets shrouded in dense fog. According to investigators, the woman was held captive in the vehicle for nearly three hours as it moved through lonely stretches of Faridabad. She allegedly screamed for help during the ordeal, but with poor visibility, biting cold and little traffic on the road, no one heard her cries. The family alleged the two men took turns to rape her inside the van before throwing her out of the vehicle while it was still in motion around 3am near Mula Hotel at Raja Chowk in SGM Nagar. The impact left the woman with serious facial injuries that required 12 stitches. She managed to contact her sister, who rushed her to a hospital in Faridabad. Though doctors advised shifting her to a Delhi hospital, the family admitted her to a private facility in the city. Police said a case has been registered at Kotwali police station under sections 70(1) (gang rape), 351(3) (criminal intimidation) and 3(5) (acts committed by multiple persons) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita. The Maruti Suzuki Eeco used in the crime has been seized, and further investigation is underway.

Left-arm fast bowler Chetan Sakariya featured in his first domestic game in the Vijay Hazare Trophy for Saurashtra after not having played a single game since his injury in 2024. The pacer shared his inspiring comeback story after having lost all hope for a return to cricket.

Injuries are the biggest woes in a sportsman’s life. For cricketers, especially bowlers, a blow to their bowling arm can almost draw curtains on their career. Indian left-arm bowling sensation Chetan Sakariya from Saurashtra also struggled with the same in the early days of his career.

However, he made his return and played for the Kolkata Knight Riders last season in the IPL and finally gathered courage and returned to domestic Indian cricket with the Vijay Hazare Trophy this season.

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Chetan Sakariya on comeback from career-ending wrist injury

Once considered one of the finest young talents from India, Chetan Sakariya was considered one of the future superstars of fast bowling from the nation. He came to fame after winning the Ranji Trophy with Saurashtra in 2020.

However, his career took several unexpected blows. The first blow came in the form of a personal tragedy, but the concerning blow that almost ended his career came with a left-wrist injury in February 2024. The impact of the injury was such that Sakariya felt it would end his playing career.

“When I got injured, I thought I would never come back,” Sakariya told news agency PTI. However, the bowler recently made his return and is taking small steps towards a full-fledged return to the game. “Now, I am feeling very good after playing in this domestic season, feel so good after bowling for Saurashtra,” said the cricketer.

“It was very mentally challenging for me. I didn’t believe that I would be able to play cricket again. Some doctors told me that I might not be able to grip the ball again,” he added.

Sakariya opens up on the toughest phase of life and the support extended by friends and family

However, the wrist injury was not the first time Sakariya’s career was affected. He had to deal with a major challenge back in 2021, when he endured a massive family tragedy. Both his father and brother died around the same time.

Chetan Sakariya has revealed that it was the toughest phase of his life, and he was very young during that time; however, the incidents taught him about resilience. “So at that time, if I hadn’t been a cricketer, I don’t think I would have been able to come back to life. Now, I feel that if any tough situation comes in my life again, I am prepared for it. I know what I have to do,” he said.

Sakariya also claimed that his friends and family were a massive support during that time. They backed him and pushed him to play further again, and hence he started to rehab under the guidance of the Saurashtra Cricket Association.

Chetan Sakariya extends special mention to the KKR coaches for his rehab and training

Chetan Sakariya, despite not having played a single match in the 2024-25 domestic season, found a spot in the Kolkata Knight Riders camp, as he was called in to replace an injured Umran Malik. He extended his thanks to Chandrakanth Pandit, the former head coach of KKR, for the belief in him and for aiding his rehab and training in the KKR camp.

He further added that the presence of Bharat Arun, the former India bowling coach, in the camp helped Chetan Sakariya improve his knowledge of the game.

“He helped me work on my rhythm and skills. He told me how to advance in modern cricket. After working with Bharat sir for two and a half months, I have improved a lot in my knowledge of bowling,” he explained.

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Draft rules released for public review

NEW DELHI: Gig and platform workers need to be engaged for at least 90 days with an aggregator within a financial year to avail social security benefits formulated under the new Social Security Code, draft rules released for public comment have proposed. For workers engaged with multiple aggregators, the threshold has been proposed at 120 days. The rules treat a worker as engaged from the day they start earning an income, regardless of the amount. If a worker is associated with multiple aggregators, their days of work will be counted cumulatively across all platforms. For example, if a gig or platform worker is engaged with three aggregators on a particular day, this will be counted as three days. The rules also clarified that an eligible gig or platform worker will include all such workers engaged by the aggregator directly or through an associate company, subsidiary or limited liability partnership or through a third party. The new labour codes mandate social security such as health, life and personal accident insurance for gig workers and other arrangements that govt may propose. Labour ministry has already started registering gig workers on ‘e-Shram’ portal and will be part of ‘Ayushman Bharat’. They may also be eligible for pension later based on contribution by both the platforms and gig workers. The rules said all gig workers above 16 years need to have Aadhaar-linked registration, with each aggregator sharing details of their gig and platform workers on Centre’s designated portal for generation of a universal account number, unless the worker is already registered. Every eligible registered gig and platform worker will be issued an identity card, digital or otherwise, the rules proposed. Besides, the draft notification has laid down the proposed composition of National Social Security Board, which will be responsible for assessing the number of gig workers and platform workers, identifying new types of aggregators and formulating welfare policies for them. The board will have five representatives nominated by govt from associations of unorganised sector workers and employers’ each. Gig workers will become ineligible for social security benefits once they turn 60, or if they haven’t worked for 90 days with an aggregator – or 120 days across multiple aggregators – in the previous fiscal.