BENGALURU: A 23-year-old woman was allegedly murdered by her live-in partner at Ramdas Layout, Kodathi, in the wee hours of Thursday. The accused allegedly tried to make the crime appear like a suicide. However, a police investigation led to his arrest.The deceased has been identified as Ranjitha HG, and the accused as Ayyappa KB. The couple had been living together in a rented house. Ayyappa worked in a dry fruit shop, while Ranjitha was employed as a domestic help. Both are natives of Kodagu district.According to a complaint filed by Ranjitha’s mother Rani, her daughter had fallen in love with Ayyappa. On Dec 31, 2025, she took him home and introduced him to the family as her boyfriend, telling them that she intended to marry him. Ayyappa reportedly told the family that he had already been married but was living separately from his wife due to marital issues. He allegedly promised to marry Ranjitha after obtaining a divorce.

Two weeks before her death, Ranjitha had called her mother and complained that Ayyappa would assault her frequently over trivial issues. She also alleged that he often partied with friends at home and harassed her. On March 1, he allegedly assaulted her, abused her over her caste, and wished that she would die.In the early hours of March 12, Ayyappa called Ranjitha’s sister and claimed that she had attempted suicide. He said he had taken her to a private hospital on Sarjapura Road, where the doctors declared her brought dead. The family, however, suspected foul play and alleged that Ayyappa had killed her and tried to portray it as suicide.During the preliminary investigation, police found that Ayyappa had strangulated Ranjitha with a wire before attempting to fabricate a suicide scene by tying a rope to the ceiling fan. During interrogation, the accused reportedly confessed to the crime.A senior officer said a case has been registered under Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita Section 103 (punishment for murder) along with provisions of the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.

The decision to push Babar Azam down to No.4 during the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup created plenty of debate in Pakistan, and the experiment ultimately failed to deliver. The former Pakistan captain endured a difficult campaign as he struggled to accelerate in the middle order throughout the 20-team tournament.The situation worsened as the competition progressed. Babar was not sent out to bat in Pakistan’s must-win group-stage clash against Namibia. Later, he was also left out of the Super 8 fixture against Sri Lanka, a match where the Green Shirts had to secure a victory by at least 65 runs to keep their semi-final hopes alive.

Former Pakistan batter Basit Ali has now criticised how the situation was handled, saying Babar should have strongly opposed the decision to move him down the order. According to Basit, the batter should have challenged head coach Mike Hesson rather than accepting the role.Speaking on the ‘Game Plan’ show, Basit also cited Virat Kohli as an example while discussing how top players sometimes take strong stands.

“Babar Azam and Fakhar Zaman don’t have a voice. How come they agreed to bat in the middle order?” said Basit on the ‘Game Plan’ show.“I just have one example. Virat Kohli was not made the captain, he said, ‘Okay bye’. Virat Kohli. He took the retirement; he should have been made the captain for the England series. He was told that you are not in our scheme of things as far as captaincy goes. He said, ‘Okay, tata, bye-bye.’ He doesn’t have a shortage of money. Babar should not have accepted the decision to bat at No.4. If I were his close aide, I would have told him to refuse. You just threw him under the bus,” he added.Kohli had announced his retirement from Test cricket in May last year. However, there has been no official confirmation that the decision was linked to captaincy matters. Following the retirements of Rohit Sharma and Kohli, Shubman Gill was appointed India’s Test captain. Under his leadership, India went on to draw the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy against England.Meanwhile, former Pakistan wicketkeeper-batter Kamran Akmal disagreed with Basit’s view, arguing that players rarely challenge team management, especially when they are struggling for form.“No player dares to go against the team management. I have just seen Younis Khan being adamant about his position. As a player, you just cannot say that. You will be thrown into the sidelines if you say such things,” said Akmal.“When the form is not there, no player says such things. Before the Champions Trophy, his form was not there. He had left the captaincy. Big players even agree to such things. The form is very important. When form is not there, a batter would even agree to bat at No.8,” he added.

Pune: The state govt on Friday said a new IT park would be set up near the proposed greenfield international airport in Purandar taluka.The IT sector welcomed the move, after state industries minister Uday Samant made the announcement in the assembly. Experts cautioned the govt against repeating the infrastructure mistakes of Hinjewadi IT park in Purandar facility, though.The new IT park in Purandar was in discussions for the past couple of years. Samant announced the project in the assembly after the finalisation of its land.He said, “The land for the project is yet to be transferred from the revenue department to the MIDC, but we are announcing that the IT park will be indeed set up in Purandar. The land transfer process would be expedited following the next cabinet meeting.”The first meeting to discuss the feasibility of an IT park in Purandar was held on July 24, 2024, when Eknath Shinde was the chief minister. The district administration was told to survey the area to identify land for the project. Another meeting chaired by the industries minister was held on October 3, 2025. The land belonging to the revenue department was proposed for the project then.Minister of state for industries Indranil Naik said in the assembly the proposal for requirement of the land had been sent to the revenue department. “We have written to the revenue department on Feb 27 about our requirement. Since the land belongs to the revenue department, it will save the govt’s funds usually required for land acquisition. The revenue department will have to submit a proposal in the cabinet meeting for the transfer of the land. After the cabinet’s nod, the work for the project can start,” he said.Purandar’s Shiv Sena MLA Vijay Shivtare had raised the IT park issue in the assembly. He said, “Some IT companies are moving out of Hinjewadi IT park because of traffic and other infrastructure issues. If an IT park is developed in Purandar, these companies may prefer to move to a new location within the district. The proposed site is only 3-4km away from the proposed international airport. Once it is ready, the IT park will have good connectivity and can generate nearly one lakh jobs.“IT experts welcomed the decision and stressed on world-class infrastructure at Purandar IT park. Pavanjit Mane, the head of the state Forum for IT Employees, said, “While developing the infrastructureat the new site, the govt will have to outsmart the other states in competition with Maharashtra to attract IT companies. The govt should ensure that they rectify the mistakes they made while setting up the Hinjewadi IT park. Along with the industrial infrastructure, the govt will have to ensure civic amenities in and around the new IT park.”Experts stressed that instead of looking to shift some IT companies from the existing IT parks to the proposed one, the govt should try to attract new companies to Purandar IT park for more investment and job opportunities in the state.

Meta is reportedly preparing for its biggest round of layoffs since the ‘year of efficiency’ restructuring in 2022–23, and this time the scale could be staggering. According to a Reuters report, cuts could affect 20% or more of the company’s nearly 79,000-strong workforce—potentially over 15,800 jobs—driven by mounting AI infrastructure costs and a broader push toward leaner, AI-assisted operations.No date has been reportedly being finalised and the exact magnitude remains undecided. But top executives are said to have have already begun signalling the plans to senior leadership, asking them to map out how to pare back, three sources familiar with the matter told Reuters. One person familiar with the company’s thinking told Business Insider the cuts could come as soon as a month.

Meta’s AI ambitions are costing the company a fortune

The layoffs are driven by two forces: offsetting the enormous cost of Meta’s AI infrastructure bets, and preparing for a smaller, more efficient workforce that AI tools are expected to enable.

The company has committed $600 billion to build data centres by 2028. Its 2026 capital expenditure is projected to hit as high as $135 billion—nearly double the $72 billion it spent last year.

Beyond infrastructure, Meta has been handing out eye-watering pay packages to court top AI researchers for its superintelligence team. Some of those packages are reportedly worth hundreds of millions of dollars over four years.It has also been on a buying spree. Meta recently acquired Moltbook, a social networking platform built for AI agents, and is spending at least $2 billion to acquire Chinese AI startup Manus. It also invested $14.3 billion in Scale AI in June last year, bringing on its founder Alexandr Wang as chief AI officer.Zuckerberg has been open about where this is heading. In January, he said he was already seeing “projects that used to require big teams now be accomplished by a single very talented person.”Last week, Meta created a new AI engineering organisation where teams will have manager-to-employee ratios of up to 1:50.

The 20% figure would make this Meta’s worst round of job cuts ever

If the 20% figure holds, it would surpass the twin rounds of cuts in late 2022 and early 2023. Back then, Meta laid off roughly 11,000 employees in November 2022—around 13% of its workforce. About four months later, it announced another 10,000 cuts. In January this year, it had already cut 1,500 people in its Reality Labs division. A 20% reduction today would translate to roughly 15,800 jobs gone.Meta wouldn’t be alone in this. The cuts reflect a pattern of historic job reductions sweeping across big tech. Amazon confirmed one of its largest-ever rounds of layoffs in January, cutting around 16,000 jobs—nearly 10% of its workforce. Fintech firm Block went even further, chopping nearly half its staff, with CEO Jack Dorsey explicitly pointing to AI tools as the driving reason.”The company spokesperson Andy Stone stopped short of a denial, calling it “speculative reporting about theoretical approaches,” in response to Reuters’ questions—suggesting the cuts may have been discussed internally but are far from finalised.

Meta’s AI model troubles are piling up at the worst possible time

The layoff news lands at an already turbulent moment for Meta’s AI ambitions. Its new foundational model, codenamed Avocado, has reportedly fallen short in internal tests for reasoning, coding, and writing—underperforming rivals like Google’s Gemini 3.0—and has been pushed back to at least May from its original March target.Before Avocado, Meta scrapped the largest version of its Llama 4 model, called Behemoth, which had been due out last summer after facing criticism for delivering misleading benchmark results.The company assembled an elite internal unit called TBD Lab, led by Wang, specifically to build Avocado—but so far, the lab’s only public release has been Vibes, an AI video app. With Avocado delayed, billions committed, and now potentially thousands of jobs on the line, the stakes for that team have never been higher.

NEW DELHI: Three-time champions Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) have revealed their new jersey ahead of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 season, with the design built around the theme of Lines of Legacy.The concept draws inspiration from several defining moments that have shaped the franchise’s journey over the years. From the unforgettable opening night of the IPL in 2008 when Brendon McCullum smashed an unbeaten 158, to Rinku Singh’s dramatic five sixes in the final over, KKR have produced numerous moments that are now part of IPL folklore.

Each of these iconic memories is represented as a line in the franchise’s glittering story. When these lines come together, they form the initials (K) (K) (R) through a style of abstract linear art.“This season, those lines are not just remembered – they are woven into the jersey itself, allowing fans to wear a piece of the team’s story,” KKR said in a statement.Speaking on the jersey reveal, Venky Mysore, Chief Executive Officer, Knight Riders Sports, said, “The Lines of Legacy captures the essence of KKR’s storied history and celebrates the journey of the team over the years. Each line represents a pivotal moment of brilliance, reflecting the energy and spirit that weaves together to form our identity. We are proud of this legacy that we have built and want to carry it into the upcoming season while creating more memories for our fans to cherish.”According to the first 20-match schedule released by the BCCI, Kolkata Knight Riders will begin their campaign with an away fixture against five-time champions Mumbai Indians at the Wankhede Stadium on March 29.Their first home match will be against Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) on April 2. Eden Gardens is expected to turn purple as fans arrive in large numbers wearing their team jerseys to cheer for the side.The team’s third match will be against the 2025 IPL runners-up Punjab Kings at the same venue on April 6. KKR will then play their third consecutive home game against Lucknow Super Giants on April 9.KKR also bolstered their squad during the IPL 2026 auction, securing marquee names such as Cameron Green, Matheesha Pathirana and Finn Allen, while bringing in West Indies all-rounder Rovman Powell to fill the gap left by Andre Russell.

Iran is considering allowing a limited number of oil tankers to pass through the strategic Strait of Hormuz, provided that the oil cargo is traded in Chinese yuan, CNN reported quoting an Iranian official.Tehran is working on a new plan to manage the flow of tankers through the key maritime corridor amid escalating tensions in the region, the source told the outlet.

Apart from sanctioned Russian crude which is often traded in rubles or yuan, most global oil transactions continue to be priced in dollars.China has been trying for years to expand the use of the yuan in global oil trade, including attempts to convince Saudi Arabia to accept the Chinese currency for crude purchases. However, the US dollar remains the dominant global reserve currency and the yuan is still not widely accepted in international markets.Concerns over potential disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s most critical oil transit routes have pushed global crude prices to their highest levels since July 2022, shortly after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.The tensions escalated after US President Donald Trump announced that American forces had struck Iran’s key oil export hub at Kharg Island.“Moments ago, at my direction, the United States Central Command executed one of the most powerful bombing raids in the History of the Middle East, and totally obliterated every MILITARY target in Iran’s crown jewel, Kharg Island,” Trump said in a post on Truth Social.However, the US president said the operation deliberately avoided Iran’s oil infrastructure on the island, which handles roughly 90% of the country’s crude exports.Trump also warned that the United States could target the oil facilities if Iran continues to obstruct shipping through the Strait of Hormuz.Earlier, the United Nations has warned that restrictions on shipping through the narrow waterway could have serious global consequences.“When ships stop moving ⁠through that Strait, the consequences ‌travel fast,” said Tom Fletcher, the UN’s under-secretary-general for humanitarian affairs.“Food, medicine, fertilizer and other supplies become harder ⁠to move ‌and more ⁠expensive to deliver,” he added.The Strait of Hormuz is one of the world’s most critical maritime chokepoints for oil and gas trade. Any disruption to shipping through the passage raises concerns among major energy-importing nations, including India, which rely heavily on crude imports passing through the route.

YouTuber and podcaster Ranveer Allahbadia recently addressed the India’s Got Latent (IGL) controversy. Recently, he confessed that he is yet to move past the fallout from the contentious IGL episode, which ignited widespread debate.

Ranveer Allahbadia says he is still not fully okay

“Whatever happened last year with me, I won’t say I am good, but I am a strong person,” he said during a chat with Farah Khan on his YouTube channel. To this, Farah Khan added, “It is a traumatic thing to happen for a young person to almost get cancelled. I hate cancel culture.”

Ranveer Allahbadia talks about emotional struggles

Allahbadia held back nothing in his chat, admitting the IGL saga’s scars run deep. Though Farah shared her disdain for moral policing, he confessed to staying silent on the full ordeal. “A lot more happened, I haven’t really spoken about it ever,” he said. “I am still battling my own thing internally. Meeting you was like a healing for me as a professional,” Ranveer continued.

Ranveer Allahbadia reveals his mother was deeply affected

Ranveer revealed how the controversy hit his mother hard, saying, “One day, publicly, I want to talk about everything that happened. It is not the right time. But I can say that my mother is very hurt and tense. She got physically attacked on one of the days. I am not making this up. This has actually happened and she has been traumatised. She is also a very strong lady.” To this, Farah added, “Strong people get affected the most when it happens to their children.“

Ranveer Allahbadia recalls what happened during the IGL episode

For context, Ranveer sparked a massive 2025 controversy on India’s Got Latent by asking a contestant an offensive question that drew widespread outrage. While panelists like Apoorva Mukhija and Ashish Chanchlani laughed it off, the remark ignited online fury, prompting FIRs against Ranveer and the show’s producers.