Gautam Gambhir and Shubman Gill (AFP Photo)

NEW DELHI: Washington Sundar’s decision to walk out to bat despite a visible injury during the first ODI against New Zealand in Vadodara has sparked debate around the Indian team management’s handling of injured players. Sundar was seen limping and struggling to walk but still came out to the middle when India needed support for KL Rahul in a tense chase of 301 runs.The spin-bowling all-rounder was risked despite his fitness concerns, and the move backfired as his injury worsened. Sundar remained unbeaten on 7 off 7 balls in the series opener, playing a supporting role as Rahul guided India to a four-wicket win. However, shortly after the match, Sundar was ruled out of the remainder of the series and was replaced by Ayush Badoni.

Sundar’s appearance at the crease raised several questions, particularly about the Gautam Gambhir-led team management’s approach to player welfare. Among those critical of the decision was former India cricketer Mohammad Kaif, who openly questioned the logic behind sending an injured player into the middle.Kaif pointed out what he described as a double standard, drawing parallels with Shubman Gill’s injury management during the South Africa Test series. He reminded the Indian team management that Gill was rested and not allowed to bat to prevent aggravation of his injury.“You will remember when Shubman Gill was injured, he did not come out to bat in that Test match, the Kolkata Test. It was a high-scoring game and people thought that even 20 or 30 runs from him could help India win, but he still did not bat. That was done to give full protection to the player so the injury would not aggravate. But the same approach was not applied with Sundar. That is why I feel it was a wrong call. KL Rahul’s running between the wickets was affected. Even though India won the match, I feel there were higher chances of aggravating the injury in yesterday’s game,” Kaif said on his YouTube channel.Kaif further explained why sending Sundar in such a situation carried unnecessary risk.“If he is injured and you need runs at a run-a-ball, you should first try someone else. When a player is injured and you send him in under pressure, the injury can worsen. He couldn’t run doubles even though the ball was going to deep point or square leg, and he was only managing singles. Although the required run rate was around a run-a-ball and the match was under control, I felt that sending an injured player was risky. What might have been a one-week or ten-day injury could stretch to 20, 25, or even 30 days,” he added.“I believe that was a wrong call. You could have sent Kuldeep, or anyone else, even Siraj or Prasidh Krishna, if you just needed to play out the run-a-ball situation. Only when it becomes absolutely unavoidable, right at the end, should you send Washington Sundar,” Kaif asserted.Sundar is part of India’s squad for the T20 World Cup 2026, which begins on February 7, making his fitness a key concern going forward.

Apple and Google have officially announced a new partnership, signalling a deeper collaboration between two of the most-influential tech companies. The iPhone maker confirmed it’s teaming up with Google to use Gemini models as the foundation for a smarter, more capable Siri arriving later this year. “After careful evaluation, we determined that Google’s technology provides the most capable foundation for Apple Foundation Models,” Apple said in a joint statement with Google. Amid this announcement, a dinner photo of Apple CEO Tim Cook and Google CEO Sundar Pichai has resurfaced online and is going viral. The image was originally taken years ago Palo Alto, many users also joked that the two leaders had been “cooking up” this collaboration for years.

Viral dinner photo of Apple CEO Tim Cook and Google CEO Sundar Pichai

As soon as Apple and Google made the announcement that they are teaming up and that Gemini will power Siri, a dinner from 2017 featuring the two CEOs resurfaced online. The photo was taken at the Cheesecake Factory, where the two CEOs were seen chatting over dinner. While the viral photo added a lighthearted twist, the partnership itself reflects serious strategic intent. Apple has been seeking to bolster its AI offerings, and Google’s Gemini provides a ready solution. For Google, the deal ensures its AI technology reaches hundreds of millions of iPhone users worldwide.The multi-year deal will see Gemini and Google’s cloud infrastructure power not just Siri, but future Apple Intelligence features across the board. Apple insists everything will still run on its devices and Private Cloud Compute servers, keeping its privacy promises intact.

Google scores big as AI competition heats up

For Google, this is validation that its AI efforts are paying off. Alphabet’s stock jumped after the announcement, briefly pushing its market cap past $4 trillion and overtaking Apple as the world’s second-most valuable company. The search giant launched its Gemini 3 model in November, and CEO Sundar Pichai has been touting massive growth in Google Cloud, which signed more billion-dollar deals in Q3 2025 than the previous two years combined.Neither company disclosed financial terms, though earlier reports suggested Apple might shell out around $1 billion annually for the privilege.

The United States on Monday issued an advisory asking American citizens to “leave Iran now” amid massive unrest going on in Islamic Republic, warning that protests against the Khamenei regime across the country are “escalating” and could “turn violent”, leading to “arrests, injuries and severe disruptions” to daily life.In the advisory, the US embassy said that protests across Iran “may turn violent” as Iranian authorities step up security measures.“Protests across Iran are escalating and may turn violent, resulting in arrests and injuries. Increased security measures, road closures, public transportation disruptions, and internet blockages are ongoing,” the alert said.It added that the Iranian government has “restricted access to mobile, landline, and national internet networks.”The advisory also warned of travel disruptions, noting that several airlines have limited or cancelled flights to and from Iran. “Airlines continue to limit or cancel flights to and from Iran, with several suspending service until Friday, January 16,” it said.Urging immediate caution, the embassy advised US citizens to consider leaving Iran by land through Armenia and Turkey.“US citizens should expect continued internet outages, plan alternative means of communication, and, if safe to do so, consider departing Iran by land to Armenia or Turkiye,” the alert added.“Leave Iran now. Have a plan for departing Iran that does not rely on US government help,” it said.For those unable to leave, the embassy advised finding a safe place and keeping essential supplies. “If you cannot leave, find a secure location within your residence or another safe building. Have a supply of food, water, medications, and other essential items,” it added.“Avoid demonstrations, keep a low profile, and stay aware of your surroundings,” the embassy said, urging citizens to follow local media updates and stay flexible with travel plans.The advisory also highlighted serious risks for US nationals, especially “dual citizens”. “US-Iranian dual nationals must exit Iran on Iranian passports. The Iranian government does not recognize dual nationality and will treat US-Iranian dual nationals solely as Iranian citizens,” it said.“US nationals are at significant risk of questioning, arrest, and detention in Iran,” the advisory said, adding that “showing a US passport or demonstrating connections to the United States can be reason enough for Iranian authorities to detain someone.”However, Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has also issued warning to America, and wrote on X: “Iran’s great nation showcased its resolve and identity to its enemies. This was a warning to US politicians to cease their deceptions and not rely on treacherous mercenaries.”The advisory comes amid reports of large demonstrations across several provinces, including Azerbaijan province and the central city of Arak. According to Iran’s state-run Press TV, crowds were seen waving flags and chanting slogans in support of Iran. The protests and counter-protests follow days of unrest linked to rising inflation, economic hardship and public anger over governance.At least 646 people have been killed and more than 10,000 individuals have been arrested and sent to prisons.Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump has taken a hard stance against the Khamenei-led regime, including moves to target countries doing business with Iran. He stepped up pressure by announcing a 25 per cent tariff with immediate effect.Trump said the tariffs would apply immediately. In a social media post, he wrote, “Effective immediately, any Country doing business with the Islamic Republic of Iran will pay a Tariff of 25% on any and all business being done with the United States of America.”

‘Dhurandhar’ directed by Aditya Dhar and starring Ranveer Singh and Akshaye Khanna in lead roles, seemed to be showing signs of slowing down at the box office. The film that entered its sixth week at the box office, saw its numbers drop to an all-time low, after registering another good weekend.Dhurandhar Movie Review

‘Dhurandhar’ box office collection Day 39

As per reports on sacnilk.com, Dhurandhar earned around Rs 2.25 crore India net on its thirty-ninth day. The film’s Monday collections dipped lower than its sixth Friday mark of Rs 3.5 crore. However, the collections seemed to pick up pace on Saturday and Sunday, with the film earning Rs 5.75 crore and Rs 6.15 crore, respectively. With this, the film’s week 6 total has hit an estimated Rs 17.65 crore.

‘Dhurandhar’ week-wise collections

Week 1 CollectionRs 207.25 CroreWeek 2 CollectionRs 253.25 CroreWeek 3 CollectionRs 172 CroreWeek 4 CollectionRs 106.5 CroreWeek 5 CollectionRs 51.25 Crore

‘Durandhar’ crosses Rs 800 crore mark

As per the report, the film performed well despite being in its sixth week, and nearing the end of its theatrical run at the box office. The film shot past the Rs 800 crore nett mark over the weekend, thus extending its record, not only as the highest-earning Bollywood film of all time, but also setting it up to rank among the highest-earning films in Indian cinema. The film currently boasts of a total net Hindi collection of Rs 807.90 crore.

‘Dhurandhar’ gross total collections

Meanwhile, the film’s gross total collections have hit an impressive Rs 969.25 crore, with the overseas numbers hitting an estimated Rs 289.35 crore. Thus, the film’s total collection now stands at an estimated Rs 1258.6 crore. As per numbers released by the film’s production house, the tally is much higher. The film reportedly a total India net box office collection of Rs 857.40 crore. Meanwhile, the worldwide gross total has seen the film pushing to hit the Rs 1300 crore mark, with the total currently estimated at Rs 1296 crore. Of the said amount, the Indian estimate is reported to be around Rs 1011.73 crore, while the overseas total is estimated at 284.10 crore.

Delhi shivered under a severe cold wave as temperatures plummeted to 3.2°C, the lowest in three years. Authorities issued an orange alert for Tuesday due to the biting cold and dense fog. While icy winds from the Himalayas are blamed, a western disturbance is expected to bring a slight temperature rise by Thursday, offering some relief from the freezing conditions.

NEW DELHI: The mercury plunged across the city on Monday as Delhi remained firmly in the grip of a cold wave, with Safdarjung recording its lowest temperature in three years at 3.2 degrees Celsius, four notches below normal.Safdarjung, Delhi’s main weather station, had last recorded a lower temperature than this on Jan 18, 2023, at 2.6 degrees C. Similar temperatures are likely to persist till Wednesday, with respite expected subsequently as a feeble western disturbance is expected to impact the region.

Lodhi Road was the city’s coldest spot at 3 degrees C, while Ayanagar in southwest Delhi logged 3.2 degrees C and Palam 3.3 degrees C.Cold wave was realised at many stations in Delhi on Monday. This is likely to continue for another two days,” said Krishna Mishra, scientist, IMD. A cold wave is considered when the minimum temperature is below 10 degrees Celsius, but the departure is 4.5 or more notches below normal. It is also declared when the minimum temperature is less than 4 degrees Celsius.Though isolated areas reeled under cold wave conditions on Sunday, Safdarjung witnessed a cold wave for the first time this season. IMD issued an orange alert (be prepared) for cold wave and moderate to dense fog for Tuesday, while a yellow alert (be aware) was in place for Wednesday.With crisp sunshine during most of the day, the maximum temperature on Monday was recorded at 20.6 degrees Celcius, one degree above normal.Met officials said a combination of icy-cold winds from the western Himalayan region and clear skies caused the minimum temperature to remain low. In the absence of cloud cover, heat quickly dissipates at night, leading to a sharp dip in temperatures.“Cold westerly winds are consistently prevailing in the city. However, under the influence of a feeble western disturbance, the wind direction is expected to change to easterly by Thursday, which may cause a rise in temperature,” said an official. IMD said the minimum temperature may increase to around 3-5 degrees C by Thursday and further to 8-10 degrees C by Saturday.The lowest minimum temperature recorded at Safdarjung in Jan over the past decade was 1.1 degrees C, logged on Jan 1, 2021. The all-time record low remains −0.6 degrees C, logged on Jan 16, 1935.Meanwhile, Delhi’s air quality continued to remain at the higher end of the ‘poor’ category. The air quality index (AQI) was 297 on Monday as opposed to 291 a day earlier.

BENGALURU: Any space agency will tell you that every rocket launch comes with anxious moments, no matter what the record is. Yet, India’s Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) failing twice in consecutive attempts won’t be easy for Isro to digest given its workhorse’s record. PSLV has had 64 missions, of which four, including Monday’s PSLV-C62, failed to put the spacecraft in orbit, and one in 1997 placed the payload on a lower orbit than the intended one. When a launcher is seen as proven, scrutiny can soften. But back-to-back failures need to be treated as a structural warning – not bad luck – as they suggest deeper issues, whether with quality control, supply chains, testing protocols, or configuration management. When PSLV-C61 failed last year, it brought down the rocket’s success rate from 95.2% to 93.7%. Now, it has slipped further. Isro told TOI on Monday that the failures have affected the collective morale of the team. “It would have been different if any other launcher failed, but a PSLV failure worries us,” said a scientist. An analysis of setbacks shows that PSLV-C62’s failure could have been caused by unresolved issues from the failed PSLV-C61 on May 18, 2025. In both cases, PS3, or the third stage – a solid motor that provides a high-energy boost after the second stage burnout – suffered a glitch. While Isro has not made the previous failure analysis committee (FAC) report public, TOI has learnt there was a fall in chamber pressure of the motor case. The PSLV-C62 will now be analysed by another FAC. Isro said there was disturbance in the “roll rate” during the final stages of PS3 burning on Monday, and that caused a deviation. Failures before 2025 all point to different glitches. The first setback was on Sept 20, 1993 when PSLV-D1, the rocket’s first mission, failed due to a guidance system error during the separation of PS2 (a liquid stage). Isro launched again on Oct 15, 1994, and thereon PSLV showed no glitch until Sept 29, 1997, when PSLV-C1 mission became a “partial success”. Here, the pressure regulator on PS4 (which uses twin liquid engines) failed, resulting in the satellite being placed in a lower-than-intended orbit. The 1997 glitch has not repeated. The next failure came 20 years later, in Aug 2017, when the PSLV-C39 mission failed. In this case, the problem was with the heat shield, which has since been rectified. After the PSLV-C39 mission, the launch vehicle had 21 successful flights before the failure last year, followed by Monday’s.

NEW DELHI: Enforcement Directorate Monday filed a writ petition in SC seeking a CBI probe into 17 offences under BNS allegedly committed by Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee, state DGP and Kolkata police commissioner on Jan 8 by obstructing ED raid on I-PAC’s Pratik Jain, tampering and stealing evidence and intimidating its officials. It requested SC to “direct immediate seizure, sealing, forensic preservation, and restoration to lawful custody of the ED all digital devices, electronic records, storage media, and documents illegally and forcibly taken away from the search premises.” ED has accused the CM and top police brass of committing 17 offences under BNS, including robbery, dacoity, theft, assault or criminal force to deter public servant from discharging his duty, causing disappearance and destruction of evidence and criminal intimidation. Terming the incident shocking, unprecedented and extraordinary, ED said, “Protectors of law – the CM, DGP and Kolkata police commissioner are party to serious cognisable offences requiring registration of an FIR.” It said the raid on Jain’s residential premises was conducted as part of investigations into a multi-state money laundering case involving nearly Rs 3,000 crore derived from illegal coal mining. It alleged that Jain had received Rs 20 crore of the illicit money. “To the shock and surprise of ED officers and everyone concerned, the CM along with chief secretary, DGP, Kolkata police commissioner and deputy police commissioner along with cops and officials barged into premises under the search. They not only started intimidating ED officers but also snatched the files and electronic evidence containing incriminating material from the officers.” “Officers of the petitioners were threatened and were not permitted to conduct any further search on the premises. The searches were conducted at two places – one at residence of Pratik Jain and second office premise of one company called Indian Pac Consulting Pvt Ltd,” it said. It will be futile to approach local police to register an FIR for these illegal actions by the state’s constitutional and police authorities as it involves the CM who also holds the home portfolio under whom the police function, ED said. It said Calcutta HC could not conduct hearing in its writ petition seeking registration of FIR and CBI probe into the illegal acts of the CM and others as her supporters created a ruckus and forced the judge to adjourn hearing. It sought a direction from SC to West Bengal Police not to lodge any FIR against ED officials without court’s prior permission. “The fact that the supporters of CM are involved in creating ruckus is evidenced from the WhatsApp message in the WhatsApp group by party members to come and gather in huge numbers in the court. As a result of the tactics by the CM and her followers, remedy under Article 226 of the Constitution (in HC) has become illusory in the facts of the present case,” ED said. ED said that the state police has maliciously registered several FIRs against its officers for conducting the raid and sought protection from the court to carry out unhindered its investigations into the PMLA case relating to illegal coal mining and I-PAC.

NGO’s S N Shukla said Supreme Court, in the M S Gill case, had ruled that it should not make Election Commission a law unto itself

NEW DELHI: Supreme Court has agreed to test the constitutional validity of a law giving lifelong immunity to the Chief Election Commissioner and election commissioners from civil and criminal prosecution after a PIL alleged it would make the Election Commission a law unto itself, reports Dhananjay Mahapatra. After hearing arguments from S N Shukla for NGO ‘Lok Prahari’, a bench of CJI Surya Kant and Joymalya Bagchi issued notices to the Union govt and EC, and sought their responses. “We will examine whether it is constitutionally permissible to give CEC and ECs (election commissioners) such immunity from prosecution,” the bench said Monday.Present provision could jeopardise free and fair elections, NGO tells SCNGO ‘Lok Prahari’ challenged Section 16 of CEC and Other ECs (Appointment, Conditions of Service and Term of Office) Act, 2023, which provided that “…no court shall entertain or continue any civil or criminal proceedings against any person who is or was a chief election commissioner or an election commissioner for any act, thing or word, committed, done or spoken by him when, or in the course of acting or purporting to act in the discharge of his official duty or function”. The NGO’s S N Shukla said Supreme Court in the M S Gill case, while giving Election Commission independence and autonomy to conduct elections, had ruled that it should not make EC a law unto itself. The present provision would enable the CEC and election commissioners to act in an unaccountable manner and could jeopardise free and fair elections, which is the basic requirement of a democracy. The NGO alleged that Section 16 was not part of the original bill tabled in Parliament in Aug, 2023 and was surreptitiously introduced “as an afterthought in the last-minute amendment to the bill at the time of debate on the bill in Dec, 2023 without giving any valid reason and adequate justification in support of it”. Leader of opposition in Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, had recently targeted the CEC and election commissioners by saying if Congress and its allies came to office at Centre, it would disband this immunity and change the law retrospectively to hold them accountable for any past wrongdoings in the conduct of elections. The NGO said Section 16 is against the settled law that no one is above the law, and pointed out govt gave no reason for hurried inclusion of immunity clause for CEC and election commissioners. The petitioner claimed that such immunity is not available to the President, governors or judges. The NGO alleged the offending clause was not discussed during the debate on the bill and that “the amendment was put to vote in a rushed hush hush manner”. The petitioner said, “Evidently, the approval of the House on the said amendment was obtained and given without application of mind.” It said, “The blanket permanent immunity from all civil or criminal proceedings against any present or former CEC or election commissioners is not only against the constitutional scheme and the intentions of the framers of the Constitution.”