Chennamaneni Ramesh (left) with BRS president KCR (File photo)

Hyderabad: A year after Telangana HC declared that former BRS MLA Chennamaneni Ramesh was not an Indian citizen and imposed a Rs 30 lakh fine on him for concealing his German citizenship while contesting assembly elections, he continues to receive a pension of Rs 60,000 as a former MLA.Congress MLA Adi Srinivas has urged the assembly secretary not to pay the pension to Ramesh, arguing that he is not entitled to any govt benefits, and has demanded the recovery of benefits, emoluments, and salary already given to the German citizen.“As there has been no action on my previous request, I am again urging the assembly secretary and the Speaker to stop his pension immediately. I will approach the HC on this issue again, if required,” said Srinivas, who had challenged Ramesh’s citizenship.Sources said the assembly secretary had earlier informed Srinivas that the high court order did not mention recovering salary and other emoluments from Ramesh, and that there was no provision under existing rules to make such recoveries.Under the Telangana assembly rules, former MLAs are entitled to a pension, medical reimbursement, and other benefits. As Ramesh had served four terms as MLA from Vemulawada, he drew over Rs 50,000 as monthly pension from Dec 2023. Following court order, Ramesh paid Rs 30 lakh in damages.Former Telangana advocate general K Rama Krishna Reddy said, “The legislative secretary cannot decide on pension issues as he does not have adjudicating powers. The assembly Speaker can decide whether Ramesh is entitled to the pension, as this is a decision to be taken post-disposal of the court case. Srinivas can also approach the competent court on the issue.”He added that Srinivas had approached Supreme Court by filing a special leave petition to declare him elected for the terms Ramesh served as MLA. However, in Aug this year, Supreme Court, declining to interfere, said it could not ‘resurrect’ the matter as the term of the election had already ended.“Even SC did not address the emoluments and pension when the present MLA approached top court,” a source close to Ramesh told TOI.

Donald Trump on Monday said that the United States had “hit” an area in Venezuela where boats are loaded with drugs, which would mark the first known time the US carried out operations on land in Venezuela since a pressure campaign began against the President Nicolas Maduro government.“There was a major explosion in the dock area where they load the boats up with drugs,” Trump said.“We hit all the boats, and now we hit the area… it’s the implementation area.”It was not immediately clear which part of the US govt acted and what target was hit. Trump previously said that he authorised the CIA to carry out covert operations in Venezuela.On a radio show last week, Trump made vague comments about an apparent US operation against a “big facility” in Venezuela. The Central Intelligence Agency, the White House and the Pentagon did not publicly elaborate on those comments and declined to comment on questions posed by Reuters. The Venezuelan government did not comment on the incident Trump described and there were no independent reports from Venezuela of it.The administration previously touted its success in taking out suspected drug trafficking vessels, and the Pentagon posted footage of several of its strikes on social media. The lack of response by US national security agencies raised questions about whether the incident Trump mentioned was carried out covertly. Such an operation would likely limit the ability of US officials to speak on the matter.Last month, Reuters reported that the US was poised to launch a new phase of Venezuela-related operations, as the Trump administration escalated pressure on Maduro’s govt. At the time, two US officials said covert operations would likely be the first part of the new action against Maduro.The US mission primarily focused on military strikes against suspected drug trafficking vessels and prompted intense oversight from Congress. More than 100 people were killed in more than 20 strikes in the Caribbean and Eastern Pacific.Earlier this month, US military leaders briefed lawmakers on an incident in September in which an American strike killed 11 people but left several survivors. They were killed in a second strike ordered by Admiral Frank Bradley. Democrats on Capitol Hill questioned whether the second strike was conducted in accordance with international law.Trump’s comments came amid a massive US military build up in the Caribbean, including more than 15,000 troops.

Red tape may be often associated with officialdom but for J&K’s paperless bureaucracy, green is the go-to colour this year-end as it has achieved the equivalent of “planting over 4.5 lakh trees or taking over 2,200 cars off the roads permanently”, according to a study.Released on Monday, the study by Shahid Iqbal Choudhary, secretary in J&K’s science and technology department, shows the govt’s move from paper files to digital systems has helped avoid more than 62,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions.Digitisation has removed the need for over 20 million paper pages each year, saving thousands of trees and cutting pollution, says Choudhary’s study, published by Journal of Research in Environmental and Earth Sciences. The research provides a first-of-its-kind, scientifically grounded environmental impact evaluation of digital public administration in a fragile Himalayan ecosystem.The govt formally shifted from physical movement of files to e-office in 2021. Choudhary calls it a turning point in the region’s administrative history. “The environmental impact was massive — 10,294 tonnes of CO2 eliminated every year. The scale of what changed is hard to grasp until you see the numbers. Since 2021, this transition has avoided printing 405.7 million pages. Think about that. Hundreds of millions of paper sheets that never got manufactured, never got transported, never ended up in landfills. Tens of thousands of trees still standing,” Choudhary said.The science and technology secretary explained the changes further. “As of mid-2025, over 26,000 users in the civil secretariat and more than 31,000 at HoD levels actively use the e-Office platform, processing millions of files and receipts annually. The transition has replaced physical file transport and in-person correspondence with a digital ecosystem supported by secure networks, VPNs, and over 1.8 lakh official email addresses,” says the study.The research was based on data from 2018 to 2025, administrative records, transport logs and energy consumption patterns, all analysed using international methodologies. “Now, 114,826 officials process everything digitally. They’ve handled 3.75 million files and 34 million receipts without paper. It’s faster, more transparent, and dramatically better for the environment,” Choudhary said.According to the secretary, the changes mark a paradigm shift in “our thinking on climate action”. “We focus so much on big industrial changes. But govt operations themselves have a significant carbon footprint. When you digitise an entire administrative system, especially in ecologically sensitive mountain regions, the environmental gains are substantial and immediate.”Choudhary held up the efforts as a model for administrative systems across India, especially in hilly states. “The combination of difficult terrain, fragile ecosystems, and administrative needs makes digital governance not just efficient but environmentally essential,” he said.

Magnus Carlsen slams table again (Screengrabs)

World No. 1 and five-time World Chess Champion Magnus Carlsen once again grabbed headlines for his emotional reaction at the chessboard on Monday. This time, it happened after he lost to India’s Arjun Erigaisi at the World Blitz Championship in Doha.

The Norwegian star slammed the table after running out of time, with the video of his action quickly going viral on social media platforms.Watch:Arjun defeated the defending blitz champion in the ninth round, which has become one of the biggest shocks of the event. Before that round, six players, including Arjun and Carlsen, were tied at the top with 6.5 points each. With the win, Arjun moved to 7.5 points and joined Uzbekistan’s Nodirbek Abdusattorov at the top of the standings. What made Arjun’s victory even more impressive was that he played with the black pieces. In chess, whites play the first move. And hence, it is understood that the white pieces hold the advantage over the black pieces.Carlsen opened the game in his usual aggressive style, but Arjun stayed calm and slowly gained control. At one point, the Indian grandmaster won a pawn and kept the pressure on. Although Carlsen managed to win the pawn back, the position was already leaning in Arjun’s favour. Under heavy time pressure, Carlsen defended hard but eventually lost on time, which led to another frustrated table slam. This was not the first time Carlsen showed his anger during the event. Earlier in the rapid section, he lost to Russian grandmaster Vladislav Artemiev. After that defeat, Carlsen shook hands, grabbed his blazer, and walked away angrily. As he was leaving, he pushed away a camera that came too close.Earlier this year in Norway, he famously smashed the table after losing a winning position to India’s D Gukesh. That moment went viral and was widely discussed and mocked online.

The Browns used their final home game to honor Bryce Dunlap’s life-saving organ donation and his mother, Kimberly Dunlap Kane. (Images via Getty and Twitter/X)

The Cleveland Browns’ Week 17 matchup against the Pittsburgh Steelers came with a pregame moment that pulled attention away from the standings and straight to the heart of Huntington Bank Field.Kimberly Dunlap Kane, the mother of Bryce Dunlap, served as the Browns’ Dawg Pound Captain for the final home game of the 2025 season. The tribute carried real weight. Bryce Dunlap was the organ donor who saved the life of Browns legend Bernie Kosar, and his family was honored in front of a full stadium before kickoff.

How Bryce Dunlap’s liver donation became the centerpiece of Cleveland’s final home game

Before Kane walked onto the field, the Browns played a recorded message from Kosar on the stadium video board. The timing mattered. This was Cleveland’s last home game of the season and the team chose to center it on gratitude, not football.“I can’t even begin to share how appreciative I am for the gift I received from Bryce Dunlap,” Kosar said. “Everyone please get on your feet, and make some noise and show some support for my hero, Bryce.”Kane then stepped onto the field and smashed a black-and-yellow, Steelers-themed guitar to start the game. It was symbolic, but not theatrical. The moment was about Bryce, not the rivalry.Bryce Dunlap passed away on Nov. 16 at age 21 after complications from an anoxic brain injury. His family selected Kosar as the recipient of Bryce’s liver through a directed donation. Kosar received the transplant on Nov. 17 and was discharged from the hospital on Nov. 24.According to the Browns, the organization and Kosar have remained in contact with the Dunlap family since the transplant. The team confirmed Kane’s Dawg Pound Captain role ahead of kickoff and shared the moment publicly, crediting Bryce directly for Kosar’s recovery.

Bernie Kosar’s message and why this tribute went beyond a typical game-day honor

Kosar was not in attendance for the game, but he shared his support again through social media. His message stayed consistent. This was about honoring Bryce and his family, not celebrating his own recovery.“Hi, Browns fans,” Kosar said in the video posted by the team. “I can’t even begin to share how appreciative I am for the gift I received from Bryce Dunlap. Everyone, please get on your feet and make some noise to show your support for my hero, Bryce. And here to represent Bryce is his mother, Kimberly Dunlap Kane, who’ll be today’s Dawg Pound Captain. You matter, Go Browns.”Kosar has dealt with cirrhosis of the liver and Parkinson’s disease since 2024, making the transplant necessary. The donation was processed through LifeBanc, a nonprofit organ procurement organization. Kosar shared a recovery update after surgery and has remained publicly thankful to the Dunlap family.The Browns’ decision to center their final home pregame ceremony around Kane reframed the day. It was not about playoff implications or season results. It was about acknowledging the cost of Bryce Dunlap’s gift and the family behind it.Cleveland has hosted many Dawg Pound Captains over the years. This one stood apart. Not because of spectacle, but because it reminded everyone in the building that some moments in the NFL have nothing to do with football and everything to do with life.

NEW DELHI: Supreme Court’s decision on Monday — its last working day of 2025 — to stay its own 40-day-old order on the Aravali controversy was only the latest in a series of flip flops witnessed in the year, during which orders were set aside within months after they were passed — a fact noticed by SC itself, which emphasized in one of its judgments that the trend would cost the court’s credibility.The cases and issues that witnessed judicial reversals include menace of stray dogs, a governor’s power regarding assent to bills forwarded by a state legislature, ban on firecrackers, retrospective environmental clearance, insolvency of Bhushan Steel Ltd, and finally, the Aravali controversy.

This phenomenon of one bench’s order being overturned by another within a short interval, even when there was no change in circumstances, perhaps indicates that the original orders were passed in a hurry without analysing all relevant issues related to the case. It also reflects the judge-centric approach, rather than principle-centric approach, in deciding a case.In the Bhushan Steel case, SC on May 2 quashed acquisition of bankrupt company Bhushan Power & Steel Ltd (BPSL) by JSW Steel under the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (IBC) and ordered liquidation of the debt-laden company. Three months later, the court on July 31 recalled the order. It passed a judgment on Sept 26 upholding the National Company Law Appellate Tribunal’s decision approving the Rs 19,700-crore resolution plan of JSW Steel to takeover BPSLIn the stray dogs case, SC took suo motu cognisance and passed a slew of directions on Aug 11 for catching of strays and putting them in shelter homes in view of rising number of dog bites and death caused by rabies. The case was transferred to another bench within a week and the new bench had on Aug 22 modified the order and directed that strays after being sterilised, vaccinated must be released to their territories under the Animal Birth Control Rules and they should not be confined to shelter homes.A similar thing happened in the Vanashakti petition, when SC on May 16 declared ex post facto (retrospective) environmental clearances illegal under the Environment (Protection) Act but the three judge bench of the court by a 2:1 majority recalled that order in Nov.Expressing concern over benches overturning orders passed by earlier benches, SC mentioned this in a judgment delivered on Nov 26, and said that it was “painfully” observing this growing trend which would “undermine this court’s authority”.In a rare instance of self-introspection on SC’s functioning, a bench of Justices Dipankar Datta and AG Masih had said public confidence in the judiciary would be undermined if cases are reopened and special benches are set up to re-hear a case at the behest of some party aggrieved by the verdict.“In the recent past, we have rather painfully observed a growing trend in this Court (of which we too are an indispensable part) of verdicts pronounced by judges, whether still in office or not and irrespective of the time lapse since pronounced, being overturned by succeeding benches or specially constituted benches at the behest of some party aggrieved by the verdicts prior in point of time,” it had said.“To us, the object of Article 141 of the Constitution seems to be this: the pronouncement of a verdict by a bench on a particular issue of law (arising out of the facts involved) should settle the controversy, being final, and has to be followed by all courts as law declared by the Supreme Court,” the bench had said.It had held that judicial discipline, propriety and comity, which are also inseparable parts of a just and proper decision-making process, demand that a subsequent bench of different combination defers to the view expressed by the earlier bench, unless there is something so grossly erroneous on the face of the record or palpably wrong that it necessitates a re-look in exercise of inherent jurisdiction either by a review petition or through a curative petition.

Malcolm Gladwell’s warning explained (Image credit: Getty)

For years, science students have been taught a simple equation: the harder the institute is to enter, the brighter the future that awaits outside. The assumption runs so deep that questioning it can feel almost heretical. But Malcolm Gladwell — a Canadian journalist, author, and public speaker — has never been particularly interested in reassuring ambition. He is more interested in examining what ambition does to people when it collides with reality.That is why his latest warning — blunt, uncomfortable, and aimed squarely at elite universities — has struck a nerve.“If you’re interested in succeeding in an educational institution, you never want to be in the bottom half of your class. It’s too hard,” Malcolm Gladwell told in a recent episode of the Hasan Minhaj Doesn’t Know podcast, according to a Fortune report. “So you should go to Harvard if you think you can be in the top quarter of your class at Harvard. That’s fine. But don’t go there if you’re going to be at the bottom of class. Doing STEM? You’re just gonna drop out,” he added.He also advised students to consider their second or third choice institutions instead. These, according to him, are places where young aspirants are more likely to perform at the top rather than struggle at the margins.What makes the remark sharper is that it is not new. Gladwell has been making the same case for years: STEM persistence is shaped as much by where you stand in the room as by how smart you are.“If you want to get a science and math degree, don’t go to Harvard,” Gladwell said in a Google Zeitgeist talk in 2019 also, Fortune reports. “Persistence in science and math is not simply a function of your cognitive ability,” . “It’s a function of your relative standing in your class. It’s a function of your class rank,” he added.It is a line that sounds provocative, almost reckless. But Gladwell is not attacking Harvard University. He is questioning something far more foundational: Whether prestige-heavy academic environments help most science students persist long enough to succeed.

Why Gladwell keeps sounding the same alarm: The ‘big fish, small pond’ problem

Malcolm Gladwell’s argument has always been about psychology, about what happens inside students long before grades translate into careers. When he warns science students against placing themselves at the bottom of elite classrooms, he is not making a comment on intelligence or effort. He is describing a behavioural pattern he believes quietly determines who persists and who gives up. In highly competitive academic environments, Gladwell suggests, students do not measure themselves against global standards or long-term potential. They measure themselves against the peers they see every day. And that comparison, repeated over semesters, begins to shape identity.His contention is straightforward: When capable students constantly experience themselves as “below average” within an elite cohort, the psychological cost becomes cumulative. Struggle starts to feel like inadequacy. Temporary difficulty begins to look like permanent unsuitability — especially in STEM, where early coursework is rigid and unforgiving.That idea was formally laid out earlier in his 2013 book, David and Goliath, drawing on what researchers call “relative deprivation” and the Big-Fish–Little-Pond Effect. Gladwell argued that people derive confidence, motivation, and persistence not from being objectively exceptional, but from feeling competent in their immediate environment. A student who is a big fish in a smaller or moderately competitive pond may develop stronger academic self-belief than an equally talented student who is a small fish in an elite one.Seen through this lens, Gladwell’s advice sounds less like provocation and more like consistency. The recent podcast comment, the 2019 talk and the 2013 book are variations of the same claim: Talent does not fail in isolation; it fails in contexts that quietly convince people they are failing. For science students, whose paths demand endurance more than early brilliance, the environment they choose can matter as much as the ability they bring with them.

‘Don’t go to Harvard’ can also be bad advice for some

Gladwell’s warning is useful — but only when read as a way to think, not as a rule to follow.For one, elite campuses can genuinely deliver. They offer deep research ecosystems, stronger lab access, higher funding density, and networks that can open doors early — sometimes before a student has even figured out what kind of scientist they want to become. And for some students, the intensity is not corrosive; it is catalytic. A high-achieving peer group can raise standards, sharpen discipline, and make excellence feel normal rather than exceptional.Then there is the age problem. The “top quarter” test sounds decisive, but at 17, it is often guesswork. Many students misjudge fit in both directions. Some arrive convinced they will dominate and discover, quickly, that everyone was a topper somewhere. Others arrive feeling underqualified and surprise themselves — not because they were secretly brilliant, but because they found the right supports, mentors, and rhythm.So the best way to interpret Gladwell is as a stress-test, not a prophecy:

Reading Gladwell right: A tricky act of balance for students

On paper, it can look like we are contradicting ourselves. We are saying elite universities can help, and also that they can harm. But that tension is the point. Gladwell is not offering a neat rule. He is pointing to a risk that is easy to ignore when we are dazzled by brand names.The context matters more now than it did even a few years ago. In 2025 and 2026, a STEM degree is no longer the finish line people imagine it to be. It is closer to an entry badge and what separates students is the proof they carry alongside it. The World Economic Forum’s Future of Jobs Report 2025 frames 2025–2030 as a churn cycle, where a large share of skills will change and adaptability becomes a workplace currency. The PwC 2025 Global AI Jobs Barometer adds a sharper twist: In AI-exposed roles, skills are changing faster, and employers are also easing away from degree requirements faster than before.So the modern science student is running two races at once. One is inside the classroom — grades, labs, curves, weed-out courses. The other is outside it — projects, internships, research exposure, tools, portfolio, AI fluency. The second race quietly depends on something we do not talk about enough: Mental bandwidth.This is where Gladwell’s warning begins to make sense without turning into dogma. If an elite environment consistently pushes a student into the bottom half, the danger is not only that they may switch out of STEM. It is that they may be too depleted to build the extra proof-of-work that today’s STEM hiring expects. In other words, the cost is not just academic. It is cumulative.But it is also true that elite campuses can deliver — sometimes spectacularly. The labs are deeper, the funding is denser, the networks travel farther. For many students, the peer environment is not crushing, rather, it is catalytic. They rise to the pace, and the pressure becomes productive.So the right way to read Gladwell is not as a ban on prestige. It is a question about fit and, more specifically, about pipelines. The real question for science students is no longer: Is this university famous? It is: Will I get early access to the kind of work that will make me employable?That usually means:

If prestige expands those opportunities, it can be worth it. If prestige shrinks a student’s confidence so early that they stop building, it can quietly backfire.In 2025–26, choosing a university is not merely choosing a pond. It is choosing a pipeline — one that lets a science student keep accumulating competence, visibility, and resilience, even on days when they are not the smartest person in the room.

(Image via X: Stefon Diggs and Cardi B

The New England Patriots had just crushed the New York Jets by an unbelievable score of 42-10! How does their star wide receiver celebrate? He runs to the NFL stands looking for his partner for life. “Where she at?” Stefon Diggs asked the person holding a smartphone with Cardi B on it. “She’s walking to the field,” the person replied. Diggs addressed Cardi on a video call, “Where you at?” The Grammy-winning rapper replied, “I’m coming down. Wait for me.” The standout wideout asked, “Y’all about to leave the game?” The person replied, “No! She went inside to get warm!” This “cuteness overloaded” gesture, full of love and innocence, received mixed reactions online, ranging from unwanted criticism to unfaltering warmth. Let’s check them out.

After reportedly spending Christmas away, Stefon Diggs couldn’t take his eyes off Cardi B even for a second after Patriots vs Jets game

The Patriots vs. Jets game on Sunday took place after Christmas. Diggs and Belcalis Marlenis Almánzar reportedly spent the holiday apart. The 32-year-old former Buffalo Bills star celebrated with his family in Maryland, while the “Bodak Yellow” singer celebrated with her kids, Kulture Kiari Cephus, Wave Set Cephus, Blossom Belles, and her newborn baby boy with NFL boyfriend Stefon Diggs, reportedly at her home in New York City. Since they were apart for the holiday, it was only natural to miss each other when they met again. Stefon had even expressed how much he missed the “Am I the Drama?” creator on Instagram: “Miss yaw!!! Don’t be squeezing him too tight you making him soft.” So, when New England triumphed over New York, Diggs rushed to the stands innocently looking for his girlfriend. He did not want to take his eyes off her.

All for the internet

This cute moment quickly became a cyberspace sensation, sparking reactions from around the globe. “She cheat on her man with you but think she won’t cheat on you?” one user speculated. A fan pointed out, “This is cute but we haven’t forgotten that you chose to spent Christmas with the other baby mama not her 😭😭.” Another wrote, “They did this for the internet 😂.” A third user commented, “All for the internet 🤦🏾‍♂️ yall really buying this fake pretend [—-] love fairytale😂😂 loved her so much he had 2 more kids behind her back.” A fourth user expressed, “He don’t love her he loves the attention he getting an so does she 🫩.” A user compared the 33-year-old American rapper with Kansas City Chiefs star tight end Travis Kelce’s beau Taylor Swift: “She’s so annoying but we’ll take her over Taylor Swift lmaoo.” Another added, “Cardi NFL > Taylor NFL.” A third fan wrote, “NFL about to lose Taylor Swift with Kelce’s retirement so they’re looking for a replacement.”

People wish they had Stefon Diggs-Cardi B kind of a relationship

A user said, “Love don’t cost a thing ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️.” Another added, “He loves her.” A third wrote, “I actually love this relationship.” A fourth fan found it cute, “Awwww yall was about leave me? 😭😭.” A fifth expressed, “Man walked off that field like he had somewhere way more important to be. Stefon didn’t even fake the celebration route.” One fan summed it up, “People wish they had this kinda relationship.”Also Read: Stefon Diggs reportedly posts his son’s photo on Instagram with special instructions for partner Cardi B