DESPOT

A popular Sanju Samson blitz eluded the legion of fans, but their dejection was washed away by centurion Ishan Kishan 's sensational shot-making as India posted a massive 271 for five against New Zealand in the fifth and final T20I in Thiruvananthapuram on Saturday. Kishan (103 off 43 balls, 6x4, 10x6), who struck his maiden hundred in the format, and skipper Suryakumar Yadav (63 off 30 balls, 4x4, 6x6) treated the Kiwi bowlers with utter disdain during their 137-run third-wicket stand, which came in just over 10 overs. In the five-match T20I series against New Zealand, India have slammed 69 sixes - the most by a team in a bilateral series. They broke the record previously held by England (64) against West Indies in 2023. A total of 23 sixes were hit in the innings, and this is the joint-most sixes conceded by a Test-playing nation in T20Is, besides 23 by South Africa, that too against India in 2024. Team India continued their record-shattering run in T20Is, smashing the fifth-...

Sunetra Ajit Pawar was sworn in today as the first woman Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra. Taking the mantle under the shadow of a personal and political tragedy, her appointment follows the death of her husband and former deputy chief minister of Maharashtra, Ajit Pawar, in a plane crash earlier this week. His death left a massive void in the state's leadership. "The untimely passing of Dada has cast a mountain of grief not only over my personal life but over the heart of Maharashtra. However, the devotion to duty, the strength of struggle, and the honest commitment to the people that he gave me are my true foundations," she said in her first statement after taking the oath. The transition marks a pivotal moment in Maharashtra's political history, as Sunetra Pawar vows to transform her grief into a mission for the state's progress. "I Carry Forward This Legacy With Loyalty" Clad in a white saree, Sunetra Pawar took the oath of office at Lok Bhav...

The Los Angeles Lakers, chasing a top seed, face an injury-riddled Washington Wizards squad. Luka Dončić's ankle status is key for the Lakers' half-court offense. Washington, missing several regulars, relies on pace and rebounding. If Dončić plays, LA has an edge; otherwise, Washington's speed could make it a close contest. from Times of India https://ift.tt/C5Te8uJ

A property tycoon and chairman of a Bengaluru-headquartered real estate firm who died by suicide today owned the world's fastest road-legal car, the Bugatti Veyron. Confident Group founder and chairman CJ Roy allegedly shot himself dead in Bengaluru while a tax raid was going on at his office. The company, founded over 19 years ago, has projects in Bengaluru, Kerala, and Dubai. Videos of the tycoon that went viral on social media indicated Roy enjoyed a flamboyant lifestyle and made a splash on social media. One such video showed him driving away in a blue Bugatti Veyron. It is the world's fastest car outside of the race track. In the video, Roy was seen standing near the left door, while a woman was seen standing on the passenger side. "... Take care friends, have a beautiful evening," he said before driving away. The camera followed the car till it went out of sight. The next frame showed a spacious house with a manicured lawn. The name plate on the gate read:...

Panic grips Milwaukee as Giannis Antetokounmpo's mother posts a throwback photo from the Miami Heat arena amid trade rumors. With the Bucks struggling, Giannis reportedly seeks a new home, and his mother's post fuels speculation of a franchise-altering move. The league watches closely as this potential trade could reshape power dynamics. from Times of India https://ift.tt/tgD4ZwG

The Kremlin said on Thursday that Russia had reiterated its invitation for Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to come to Moscow for peace talks, as US-led efforts to reach a deal to end the nearly four-year war in Ukraine intensify. The Kremlin made its statement as the two countries carried out their latest exchange of war dead, and hours after it declined to comment on rumours that Moscow and Kyiv have agreed to stop striking each other's energy infrastructure. Washington-mediated peace talks in Abu Dhabi last weekend have injected some new momentum into efforts to clinch a peace deal, but profound differences persist between the Russian and Ukrainian negotiating stances. Fierce fighting is still raging, while Kyiv battles debilitating power outages caused by recent missile strikes. An unnamed US official told Axios on Saturday that Zelensky and Russian President Vladimir Putin were "very close" to setting up a meeting after the US-mediated talks. A new round of...

After weeks of speculation and visible unease within the Congress, senior party leader Shashi Tharoor on Thursday finally secured a long-sought meeting with the party's top leadership. The nearly two-hour discussion with Rahul Gandhi and Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge was described by all sides as constructive and positive, signalling an attempt at closing ranks ahead of the crucial Kerala Assembly elections. The meeting took place on Thursday afternoon in Kharge's chamber inside the Parliament House complex. Only the three leaders were present for the duration of the discussion, which lasted for around two hours, according to multiple accounts. Congress General Secretary (Organisation) KC Venugopal did not attend the meeting, though sources said he played an important behind-the-scenes role in facilitating the interaction between Tharoor and the party high command. "I see it in a positive way that one has an opportunity to discuss all issues very cordially and c...

In a potential breakthrough for pancreatic cancer treatment, scientists have found a way to wipe out tumours in laboratory mice. The study published in the journal PNAS (Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences) states that scientists managed to overcome the tumour in mice using a triple combination therapy, which also avoids the common problem of treatment resistance. Currently, drugs for pancreatic cancer lose effectiveness within months because the tumour becomes resistant. "These studies open a path to designing new combination therapies that can improve survival for patients with pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma [the most common pancreatic cancer]. These results point the way for developing new clinical trials," the study authors stated . Led by Mariano Barbacid, the head of the experimental oncology group at the Spanish National Cancer Research Centre (CNIO), the scientists combined an experimental drug, already approved for lung cancer, with a protein degrade...

WWE Royal Rumble 2026 is set to be a monumental event, hosted in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia at the King Abdullah Sports City Stadium. The pay-per-view will feature two 30-person Royal Rumble matches and championship bouts, significantly impacting the road to WrestleMania. Fans can tune in via ESPN+ in the U.S. and Netflix internationally. from Times of India https://ift.tt/pl8qBTj

India and the United States have made "very significant progress" on their ongoing trade deal talks and are "very close" to a positive outcome, government sources have told NDTV, underscoring that work on the US track continued even as India closed the political landing zone on the India-EU free trade agreement. Sources rejected the suggestion that the EU deal was driven by bargaining tactics vis-a-vis Washington. "There was not a single mention" of the US in the final-day restricted India-EU discussions, the sources said, arguing that the EU agreement was pursued on its own merits and timeline rather than as a reaction to parallel negotiations. At the same time, the government signalled it is keeping "eyes on the ball" with the US, describing the American market as "as important, if not more important," and indicating that the two negotiating teams remained in touch throughout the EU endgame. "The trade negotiators were in touch...

Dhaka University student Sadman Mujtaba Rafid defied his parents and police to join protests that toppled former Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, convinced the rallies were essential to ensure democracy prevailed over dynastic rule. But ahead of the February 12 parliamentary election – the first since the upheaval – some of Rafid's optimism has faded.  "We dreamt of a country where all people, regardless of gender, race, religion would have equal opportunity," the 25-year-old said. "We expected policy changes and reforms, but it is far away from what we dreamt of." Tens of thousands of young Bangladeshis, frustrated by years of repression and a lack of jobs and economic opportunity under Hasina's rule, poured into the streets in 2024, eager for radical change and a "New Bangladesh". But while the elections will deliver a government without Hasina for the first time since 2008, there has been no major reform and no new viable alternative...

Pressure is mounting on India's opening batter, Sanju Samson , as a string of poor performances at the top of the order has sparked a debate regarding his future in the side. Samson was selected for India's T20I squad ahead of Shubman Gill when the BCCI selection committee announced the 15-man roster for the T20 World Cup, which begins on 7 February. With only two matches remaining against New Zealand before the World Cup campaign commences, former India batter Mohammad Kaif has urged the Gautam Gambhi-led team management not to abandon the wicket-keeper batter just yet. "I am telling you, there might be discussions within the group or the camp along the lines of, 'He's not scoring, should we drop him?' All these things come to mind. But right now, you have to stand by him. Sanju Samson has scored three centuries; it is not as if he hasn't proven himself. He is a proven player, and he is capable," Kaif remarked during a discussion on his YouTube ch...

Buffalo captain Rasmus Dahlin and Carolina Matovac revealed they lost their first child during a medical emergency last year. Matovac's pregnancy prompted a hospital visit that ultimately saved her life when she suffered sudden heart failure, leading to a life-saving heart transplant. The couple honored their baby, calling their child their hero. from Times of India https://ift.tt/kNivclR

Meta's WhatsApp messaging service is offering users an advanced security mode, joining a growing number of U.S. tech firms that are letting users opt into stronger protections against hackers in exchange for a more restrictive experience. The new option, rolling out on Tuesday and called "Strict Account Settings," is a one-click button in WhatsApp's settings that activates a series of defences. These include blocking media and attachments from unknown senders, disabling link previews - the thumbnails that appear when a URL is entered into a chat - and silencing calls from unknown contacts. All three have been identified as potential vectors for surveillance and advanced hackers. In a blog post, WhatsApp said that while all its users' conversations were protected by end-to-end encryption, "we also know that a few of our users - like journalists or public-facing figures - may need extreme safeguards against rare and highly sophisticated cyberattacks."  ...

Cooper Kupp’s NFC Championship appearance against his former Rams blended football and family into one powerful moment. Now with the Seahawks, the Super Bowl MVP faced his past while drawing strength from his wife Anna and their three sons. The matchup symbolized resilience, loyalty, and a fresh chapter driven by purpose. from Times of India https://ift.tt/1BPjxNS

The Federal Aviation Administration says seven people were killed and a crew member survived with serious injuries when a private business jet crashed in a snowstorm at Maine's Bangor International Airport. The Bombardier Challenger 600 carrying eight people crashed on takeoff Sunday night as New England and much of the country grappled with a massive winter storm. The airport, about 200 miles north of Boston, shut down after the crash. Snowfall was heavy at the time, as it was in many other parts of the country. The jet flipped over and caught fire as it tried to take off, according to federal authorities and air traffic controller recordings. It crashed on the airfield around 7:45 p.m. Sunday. The Federal Aviation Administration and the National Transportation Safety Board are investigating. The NTSB said preliminary information shows the plane crashed upon departure and experienced a post-crash fire, but that it would have no further statement until after investigators arrive...

The post-mortem report of an 18-year-old NEET student who was murdered in a hostel in Bihar's Patna has confirmed rape. It also mentioned she suffered horrific injuries before she died. Injury marks were found all over her body, and her death was not natural, the report said. She suffered injuries in her private parts, the police said. Her body and neck had bruises, and marks indicative of being subjected to strong pressure, the autopsy report said. Seeing the nature of the injuries, it is said the student fought back hard and resisted the attack in every possible way. The postmortem report mentioned the cause of death as strangulation or suffocation, which supports the allegation that she was murdered. The biggest evidence came from a forensics report which found sperm samples on her clothes. DNA testing has confirmed sexual assault. Semen and blood samples were also recovered from the room where her body was found. There were blood stains too. Her clothes were found torn. T...

Abhishek Sharma is currently playing at a level that has left opposition teams both shell-shocked and suspicious. During the third T20I against New Zealand in Guwahati on Sunday, the young Indian opener unleashed such a brutal assault on the New Zealand's bowlers that it prompted a hilarious mid-pitch inspection. In a video that has since gone viral, New Zealand captain Mitchell Santner , along with Devon Conway and Jacob Duffy , were seen closely examining Sharma's bat with smiles on their faces, perhaps checking for a hidden "spring" or some secret advantage. Yesterday, New Zealand players were checking Abhishek Sharma's bat after the match. I don't recall any other player's bat being checked like this The last time I remember opposition players checking a bat was during Sachin Tendulkar 's era pic.twitter.com/SEgwHktqcn — Space Recorder (@1spacerecorder) January 26, 2026 The light-hearted moment immediately triggered nostalgia for India...

Denver faces the AFC Championship without star running back J.K. Dobbins, sidelined by a foot injury. Despite hopes for a playoff return, Dobbins won't play against the Patriots. Rookie RJ Harvey will lead the backfield, supported by McLaughlin and Badie. A Super Bowl appearance could see Dobbins return, but for now, the Broncos' depth is tested. from Times of India https://ift.tt/XqVARUp

Violent clashes broke out between Trinamool Congress and BJP supporters over putting up flags for a political programme in Sakher Bazar in Behala, roughly 11 km from Kolkata, on Sunday. The workers and supporters of the BJP vandalised the local Trinamool councillor's office. A makeshift stage, where former Tripura chief minister and BJP election co-incharge Biplab Kumar Deb addressed a public meeting in the afternoon, was also allegedly set on fire during the clash. The BJP workers accused the Trinamool (TMC) supporters of setting the stage on fire. Deb addressed a crowd during the 'Parivartan Sankalp Sabha' this afternoon. Soon after, TMC workers stormed the venue, vandalised the site and set the stage on fire after Deb left the venue. It is also being alleged that the BJP supporters were putting up flags in the area during the meeting. The BJP workers then allegedly vandalised the office of Trinamool councillor Sudip Polley. Putting up a video of the clash, BJP's I...

At 27, Yuvraj Mehta had a whole life ahead of him. This realisation is what added to the pain that his father, Rajkumar Mehta, has to live with, along with the knowledge that he will never see his son again. Even the last glimpse of his bright son, a software engineer, gave him nothing less than true horror - a father saw his son trying to get out of a water-filled pit at a construction site in Uttar Pradesh's 'smart city' Noida, only to die with no help despite a long rescue window of two hours. No parent should go through anything like this, the devastated father told NDTV. Closure is uncertain for Rajkumar Mehta. He said his family will never get justice because his son is not coming back. But if there is anything that he wants done in memory of his son, it is this: "We want the responsible people to face the harshest possible action and ensure that no other Yuvraj suffers such a tragedy in future." Rajkumar Mehta said the negligent departments should not ...

JPMorgan Chase CEO Jamie Dimon identified slow decision-making as his most significant career regret, emphasizing that "inertia has become an unforgivable sin" in today's rapidly evolving landscape. He highlighted the bank's aggressive AI adoption as a response to this urgency and the threat posed by agile fintech competitors. from Times of India https://ift.tt/9dvIeqE

The International Cricket Council Chairman Jay Shah will contemplate strict action against Bangladesh if they do not agree to tour India for the upcoming Men's T20 World Cup 2026, ICC sources said on Friday. The sources said the ICC Chairman is in Dubai for the final call on the issue. The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) had earlier requested that the ICC shift their ICC T20 World Cup matches outside India to Sri Lanka, citing "security and safety concerns" for its players. There has been some strain in India's ties with Bangladesh over rising incidents of crimes against minorities in the country. Last year, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) had asked Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) to release pacer Mustafizur Rahman from their Indian Premier League 2026 squad amid growing demands in India, following atrocities against minorities in Bangladesh. It is after Mustafizur's removal from the IPL that BCB started expressing concerns about the safety and secur...

A woman in Andhra Pradesh's Guntur district made biryani for her husband. The key ingredient was powdered sleeping pills. After the husband slipped into a slumber, the woman called her lover to the house, before the pair smothered the sleeping man to death. This bizarre incident unfolded in Guntur's Chiluvuru village, police said.  Initially presented as a natural death, the case has led to the arrest of both suspects, following a forensic examination that revealed that the man had died after being suffocated. The victim, Lokam Shivanagaraju, was killed by his wife, Lakshmi Madhuri, and her lover, Gopi, according to police investigations. Madhuri had been involved in an extramarital relationship with Gopi for an unspecified period prior to the crime. On the night in question, Madhuri prepared biryani laced with powdered sleeping tablets and served it to her husband. Once Shivanagaraju had consumed the meal and fallen into a deep sleep, she summoned Gopi to the house. The pair...

This month has seen the release of two Hindi films, Ikkis and Border 2, both dedicated to the Indian officers and soldiers who participated in the Battle of Basantar against Pakistan in 1971. Directed by Sriram Raghavan, Ikkis (meaning 21) focuses on the life of Second Lieutenant Arun Khetarpal of The Poona Horse.  In addition to Second Lt. Khetarpal and Lt. Col. (later Lt. Gen.) Hanut Singh of The Poona Horse, another officer, confronted the Pakistani troops directly in his Centurion tank. Major (later Brigadier) Amarjit Singh Bal commanded 'B' Squadron of The Poona Horse during the battle, successfully securing the Jarpal bridgehead across the Basantar river.  Major Bal was conferred with the Maha Vir Chakra, the second-highest wartime gallantry award, in recognition of his service and bravery in the 1971 war. Furthermore, he held the rare honour of having served alongside two recipients of the Param Vir Chakra during his career: 2nd Lt Khetarpal in 1971 and Lt Col. Ardesh...

US officials on Thursday presented their vision for a "New Gaza" that would turn the shattered Palestinian territory into a glitzy resort of skyscrapers by the sea, saying the transformation could emerge in three years. The war in Gaza, sparked by Hamas's October 2023 attack on Israel, left much of the Palestinian territory damaged or destroyed and forced most of its residents to flee their homes. A US-brokered ceasefire took effect last October, reducing the level of bombing and fighting, but for most Gazans, the humanitarian disaster has endured three months on. "We're going to be very successful in Gaza. It's going to be a great thing to watch," President Donald Trump said while presenting his controversial "Board of Peace" conflict-resolution body in Davos. "I'm a real estate person at heart... and I said, look at this location on the sea. Look at this beautiful piece of property. What it could be for so many people," he s...

A 34-year-old actor and producer has approached police in Maharashtra's Sangli district alleging that he was cheated by composer and filmmaker Palash Muchhal of Rs 40 lakh, police said on Thursday. No First Information Report has been registered in the case so far. Vidnyan Mane, a local resident, on Tuesday submitted an application seeking an FIR against Muchhal to the Sangli Superintendent of Police, an official said. As per the complaint, Muchhal met Mane in Sangli on December 5, 2023. As Mane showed interest in investing in film production, Muchhal said he could invest in his upcoming project 'Nazaria' as a producer, the complainant claimed. After the film was released on OTT platforms, Mane can earn a profit of Rs 12 lakh on an investment of Rs 25 lakh, Muchhal told him, and also offered him a role in the film, the complaint alleged. The two met twice after that, and Mane allegedly gave a total of Rs 40 lakh to Muchhal as of March 2025. The project, however, did n...

Operation Trashi-I continues for the fourth day in Kishtwar's dense forests, with security forces intensifying their search for fleeing terrorists. Following an ambush that wounded eight soldiers and claimed one life, additional forces have been deployed. Meanwhile, enhanced security checks are underway across several districts ahead of Republic Day, focusing on foreign nationals. from Times of India https://ift.tt/4ag320y

Hearing arguments on the legality of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR), the Supreme Court on Wednesday asked if the Election Commission of India enjoys "untrammelled powers" to deviate from its own rules and provisions of the Representation of the People (RP) Act for the preparation of electoral rolls. The bench of Chief Justice of India Surya Kant and Justice Joymala Bagchi posed several tough questions to Senior Advocate Rakesh Diwedi, appearing for the EC, and said that the court will have to examine whether the poll body can exercise its powers like an "unruly horse". The Chief Justice observed that the manner of the conduct of the revision of electoral rolls must conform to the principles of natural justice - that is, it should be just and fair. The petitioners, including several opposition parties and the Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR), have time and again argued in court that the Election Commission is not following its own rules while carryin...

NASA Astronaut Sunita Williams has always been known for her courage, her quiet confidence, and an unwavering belief in teamwork. But when her short, less than ten-day test flight aboard Boeing's Starliner unexpectedly stretched into nine-and-a-half months on the International Space Station (ISS), the world wondered: Was she stranded? Was the mission in trouble? Speaking candidly in an exclusive conversation with NDTV, she dismissed those fears. "I don't feel that way myself," she said firmly when asked whether she felt abandoned in orbit. "I can understand why other people might have got that impression... but I have a lot of trust and faith in the process and how we put together spacecraft and how we launch spacecraft to the International Space Station." Hers was the first crewed Starliner mission, a crucial test flight for Boeing, and setbacks were expected. But the scale of the hiccups - particularly the thruster issues - forced unexpected decisions. T...

The BCCI is set to streamline the players' central contracts by doing away with the A category introduced back in 2018. As per the existing policy, a cricketer in A category is paid Rs 7 crore annually, Rs 5 crore in A, Rs 3 crore in B and Rs 1 crore in C. In the yet to be announced retainers for 2025-26, players will only be bracketed in A, B and C category. Only four players -- Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Jasprit Bumrah and Ravindra Jadeja -- were placed in the highest A category in the previous cycle. Out of four, only Jasprit Bumrah remains an all format player. Kohli and Rohit play only the ODI format while Jadeja remains part of the Test and ODI set up having retired from the shortest format. No paycut for Bumrah and other A contract holders   The central contracts will be ratified at the next Apex Council meeting. However, a BCCI official told PTI there would be no pay cut for someone like Bumrah who remains the leader of the pace attack in all formats despite missing game...

Former Indian cricketer R Ashwin urged his long-time partner in spin, Ravindra Jadeja to experiment instead of just sticking to his strengths, acknowledging that these are challenging times for the legendary spin bowling all-rounder in ODIs, with Axar Patel ready to take his spot in case of a major slip. Jadeja's struggles after the Champions Trophy 2025 continued as he registered yet another poor outing with both bat and ball during the final ODI against New Zealand at Indore, conceding 41 runs in six overs while bowling without a wicket, and scoring a sluggish 12-ball 16. Since the ICC Champions Trophy title win last year, Jadeja has endured a rough patch with just one wicket in six ODIs at an average of 298 and an economy rate of 6.2. With the bat, he has made 99 runs in five innings at an average of 24.75 with a best score of 32, but his strike rate has dipped to 88.39, which is not a great number for someone assigned a role of finishing things well for his team with a bat in ...

A 42-year-old man in Kerala's Kozhikode has killed himself after an influencer posted a video on social media accusing him of sexually harassing her on a bus. The man, Deepak U, was found hanging at his residence on Sunday morning.  The police said that around 7 am, his parents knocked on his door to wake him up, but he did not respond. They then broke into his room with the help of neighbours and found him hanging. Relatives said Deepak worked at a textile firm and had travelled to Kannur in connection with his work on Friday. On the same day, a woman travelling on the bus recorded a video alleging that he misbehaved with her. The woman, an influencer, then uploaded the video on her social media account. The now-deleted clip showed both of them standing next to each other in the crowded bus. The video went viral and received more than 20 lakh views and was also spotted by Deepak. The family said Deepak, the only son of his parents, had not eaten for two days after the video ...