Tilak Verma helps MI beat PBKS by 6 wickets. (IPL photo)

New Delhi: Already removed Mumbai Indians The IPL 2026 points table was kept open with an impressive six-wicket win over Punjab Kings in Dharamshala on Thursday. Under Jasprit Bumrah for the first time in IPL history, MI recorded their fourth win of the season and reached their eight points tally, although they remained stranded in ninth place.This was Punjab’s fifth consecutive defeat and with every defeat their playoff chances are diminishing. PBKS, who led the points table for most of the first half of the league stage, are placed fourth with 13 points from 12 games but are now facing a must-win situation. Two wins from their remaining two matches will guarantee a playoff spot.Defending champions Royal Challengers Bangalore remain on top of the IPL 2026 points table after an impressive six-wicket win over Kolkata Knight Riders on Wednesday.At the business end of the league stage, RCB are on top with 16 points and an impressive net run rate of +1.053, leaving Gujarat Titans (16 points) behind on better NRR.The defeat left KKR stranded at eighth place, keeping its playoff hopes alive by a narrow margin. Their four-match winning streak ended against RCB.After RCB and GT, Sunrisers Hyderabad and PBKS occupy the remaining two playoff spots with 14 and 13 points respectively.The standings remain unchanged after Match 58 of the 70-match league stage.Chennai Super Kings Rajasthan are placed fifth with 12 points, ahead of Rajasthan Royals on better NRR, with both teams having three matches left.Below them, Delhi Capitals and KKR are still mathematically alive in the race for the playoffs. DC have 10 points from 12 matches, while KKR have nine points from 11.MI and Lucknow Super Giants are the only two teams to be eliminated so far this season.

IPL 2026 points table after PBKS vs MI match

Ultra-rich NRI Paul Parmar has been sentenced to five years in jail in a fraud case in New Jersey.

Paramjit Parmar, a 55-year-old Indian-origin man from New Jersey, has been sentenced to five years in prison, followed by three years of supervised release and payment of $125 million for his involvement in a large-scale conspiracy to defraud investors in connection with the purchase or sale of company securities. Parmar, also known as Paul Parmer, pleaded guilty in 2025.According to court documents, the fraud was committed between May 2015 and September 2017. Parmar and his conspirators, including Sotirios Zaharis alias, ‘Sam Zaharis’ and Ravi Chivukula, orchestrated an elaborate scheme to defraud a private investment firm and others of millions of dollars in connection with the financing of a transaction to take private a publicly traded healthcare company on the London Stock Exchange’s Alternative Investment Market.To fund the transaction, the private investment firm invested approximately $82.5 million and a consortium of financial institutions invested an additional $130 million, for a total of approximately $212.5 million. The co-conspirators used fraudulent means to greatly inflate the value of the Company and cause others to believe that it was worth much more than its true value.Parmar and the conspirators allegedly tried to raise millions of dollars from the public markets to finance the acquisition of various operating subsidiaries of the company. In reality, many of those entities either did not exist or had only a fraction of the operating income. Court documents state that the conspirators spent the proceeds of these secondary offerings through bank accounts they controlled and used the money for various purposes that had nothing to do with achieving the alleged goals. The conspirators made great efforts to make it appear that these funds were revenue, fabricating fake customers and altering bank statements to make it appear that the funds were coming from customers.The court said Parmar and his co-conspirators also manipulated and fabricated the bank records of subsidiaries to create a false picture of revenue streams and made misrepresentations and omissions to the private investment firm and others.Due to the actions of Parmar and his conspirators, the victims valued the company at more than $300 million for the purpose of financing a transaction to take the company private. The scheme was exposed in September 2017, when Parmar and his coconspirators resigned or were fired from their positions at the company. On March 16, 2018, the company and several of its affiliated entities filed for bankruptcy, attributing the company’s financial condition to a massive fraud scheme.

New Delhi: After 10 days of intense deliberations, lobbying and internal brainstorming, Congress On Thursday, the suspense over the post of Chief Minister of Kerala finally ended with the election of VD Satheesan for the top post.Satheesan emerged victorious in a closely watched leadership battle against senior leader KC Venugopal And Ramesh Chennithala weighed the alliance equations, grassroots sentiments, public perception and electoral calculations by the Congress high command before arriving at the final decision.Although Venugopal was seen as a strong contender with the support of a large section of MLAs and the party leadership in Delhi, several political factors ultimately tilted the balance in Satheesan’s favour.Satheesan, being a vocal and visible critic of the Pinarayi Vijayan-led LDF government, also worked heavily in his favour. Although the Congress had never formally presented its chief ministerial face before the elections, Satheesan had gradually emerged as the public face of the opposition against the Left Democratic Front government over the past five years.Satheesan also had the direct support of grassroots Congress workers. In the days following the election results, party workers openly campaigned for him to be made Chief Minister, arguing that the leader who led the election battle should also lead the government.One of the most important reasons was the stance adopted by key allies of the Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF), especially the Indian Union Muslim League. The IUML, which has 22 MLAs in the 102-member UDF alliance, strongly supported Satheesan and saw the alliance’s landslide victory as an vindication of his leadership over the past five years as opposition leader.The Kerala Congress (Joseph) and the Revolutionary Socialist Party also supported Satheesan, strengthening his position within the alliance.The Congress leadership knew that ignoring IUML’s stance could lead to complications for the new government. IUML has long served as one of the strongest grassroots allies of the Congress in Kerala and has played a major role in Rahul Gandhivictory from Wayanad in 2019 and 2024, and the subsequent by-election victory of Priyanka Gandhi Vadra from the constituency.Within a section of the party, there was uneasiness over Venugopal, considered close to Rahul Gandhi, joining the race for the top post even though he had already indicated during the campaign that he was not seeking the post. Many activists believed that ignoring Satheesan after the UDF’s sweeping mandate would amount to denying him political credit for the victory.The Congress’s recent struggle in assembly elections in several Hindi-speaking states during Venugopal’s tenure as AICC organizing secretary also became a topic of discussion among leaders and workers in Kerala.Internal pressure was also visible at the constituency level. Several newly elected Congress MLAs, identified as supporters of Venugopal, reportedly faced opposition from local party workers. Some MLAs had to cut short their tours after the elections amid criticism from activists and social media campaigns questioning Satheesan’s opposition.Youth Congress leaders like Shafi Parambil and Mathew Kuzhalandan were also criticized online by party workers, who portrayed them as leaders going against the people’s mandate.Another important factor behind the Congress’ decision was the possibility of multiple by-elections if Venugopal had been selected as the Chief Minister.As the sitting Lok Sabha MP from Alappuzha, Venugopal will have to resign from Parliament and contest assembly by-elections within six months to remain chief minister. His resignation from the Lok Sabha would also trigger another parliamentary by-election.Within the UDF, there were concerns about forcing voters to go to fresh elections so soon after the assembly elections, especially at a time when the alliance was trying to consolidate its political gains.Congress leaders were also conscious of the political risks involved in contesting the by-election for a sitting chief minister. Even though Venugopal would have likely contested from a reserved Congress seat, party leaders did not want to bring avoidable uncertainty into the new government.Public perception also worked heavily in Satheesan’s favor.He was one of Vijayan’s sharpest critics and often targeted the LDF government on issues related to governance and corruption. Satheesan also built his image as a strong supporter of secular politics in Kerala.At a time when many Congress leaders avoided directly confronting controversial comments made by influential Hindu community leaders, Satheesan repeatedly warned against efforts to polarize Kerala politics. Vellapalli Natesan and G. By openly challenging leaders like Sukumaran Nair, he gained support among sections who saw him as a leader willing to take political risks.During the campaign, Satheesan also made a high-profile political announcement, stating that he would end his political career if the UDF failed to cross 100 seats. The alliance eventually easily surpassed that figure, cementing his image as a confident campaign leader.Even though Venugopal reportedly had the support of most Congress MLAs and had close ties with the central leadership, the delay in announcing the chief ministerial face reflects the party’s attempt to strike a balance between organizational control and political realities at the ground level.Satheesan, a six-time MLA from Paravur in Ernakulam district, was ultimately seen as a candidate with wide public acceptability, strong coalition support and deep grassroots support.Soon after being elected, Satheesan attempted to convey a message of unity within the party and praised both Venugopal and Chennithala.Satheesan said after the announcement, “I don’t see this post as a personal achievement… It was Venugopal who coordinated all the activities (and) his support was huge. Chennithala is also my leader.”“I will take them all into my confidence,” he said, adding, “I want the support of people from every section of the society… Only collective effort can create a new Kerala. No one can do it alone…”Venugopal also publicly accepted the decision and supported the party line.“Satheesan has been appointed chief minister. I was saying that the decision of the high command will be accepted and it is my responsibility to ensure that the decision is respected and implemented,” he told reporters.Satheesan’s rise to the top post has also been marred by years of internal political fighting within the Kerala Congress. After missing out on a ministerial berth in the cabinet headed by Oommen Chandy in 2011 and later losing the race for the post of Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee chief in 2016, Satheesan once again found himself in a tough competition against senior leaders like KC Venugopal and Ramesh Chennithala.Despite leading the Congress-led UDF to a landslide victory in the assembly, Satheesan was reportedly not the party high command’s automatic choice for the post of chief minister. Party insiders pointed to familiar concerns that had surfaced during earlier leadership contests, including his strained relationship with influential community lobbies, limited support within sections of the national leadership, and his outspoken political style, which often irritated even his own party leaders.In 2011, when Satheesan was denied a ministerial berth in the Oommen Chandy government, his “attitude” was widely cited as a reason in party circles. Unlike many leaders who actively sought support from influential community organizations such as the Nair Service Society, Satheesan was seen as reluctant to engage in lobbying for positions, a quality that contributed to his image as an independent-minded but uncompromising leader.However, the real test for Congress in Kerala will begin after the celebrations. The past 10 days have exposed the depth of factional friction within the party, even amid its biggest victory in the state in a decade. For now, Satheesan has moved quickly to show unity and Venugopal has publicly accepted the high command’s decision. However, senior leader Chennithala has not been active since the CM’s announcement.In the coming days, as Satheesan forms the government, it will be worth watching whether all the frontrunners fall in line to ensure a stable UDF government for five years, or whether the Kerala Congress faces a Karnataka-style feud similar to the rivalry between Siddaramaiah and DK Shivakumar.

TOI correspondent from Washington: If symbolism is the first language of diplomacy, then US President Donald Trump’s visit to Beijing this week was akin to the geopolitical translation of a changing world order: a confident, assertive China speaking as an equal – if not superior – power to an American president who is increasingly eager for accommodation rather than confrontation.Summit between US President and Chinese leader Xi Jinping On Thursday, it came across not as a meeting between an existing superpower and a challenger, but between a cautious petitioner and an overbearing host. In carefully choreographed remarks, Xi invoked the “Thucydides trap” — the theory that war often erupts when a rising power threatens to displace an established one — while cautioning Washington against mishandling Taiwan. In contrast, Trump lavished praise on Xi, praising future trade deals and emphasizing agricultural purchases, investment and trade access. The contrast was impressive not only in tone but also in substance. China’s official readout of the meeting prominently featured Xi warning that Taiwan remains “the most important issue in China-US relations” and that “Taiwan independence” and peace in the Taiwan Strait are “as incompatible as fire and water.” Beijing also stressed its opposition to the “militarization of the Strait” and cited tensions over Iran’s closure of the Strait of Hormuz due to the US-Israeli attack on Iran. However, the White House readout left out Taiwan entirely. Instead, the US account highlights economic cooperation, Chinese purchases of US agricultural products, market access for US companies, cooperation on fentanyl, and expanded trade relations. Trump declared that relations would be “better than ever” and spoke of a “great future”.The divergence underlined what many analysts see as a dramatic reversal in US-China relations.For years, Washington’s bipartisan foreign policy establishment positioned China as a revisionist challenger and the US as a status quo power to set the terms of engagement. But as Trump’s tariff offensive failed to sway Beijing and China weaponized its dominance over rare earths supply chains, the optics in Beijing suggested a different reality: China appears increasingly comfortable setting red lines while Washington seeks stability and economic relief.Xi gave special importance to the invocation of Thucydides’ trap. The phrase originates from the ancient Greek historian Thucydides, who described the Peloponnesian War and famously wrote that it was “the rise of Athens and the fear it inspired in Sparta” that made conflict inevitable. In recent years, political scientist Graham Allison popularized the concept in his 2017 book Destined for War, which argued that the structural rivalry between rising China and the established United States risked catastrophic conflict if not carefully managed.Xi has referenced the concept before, but his use of it in Trump’s presence carries unmistakeable symbolism. Xi declared, “Changes not seen in a century are accelerating.” “China and the United States need to overcome the Thucydides Trap and join hands to create a future.”The subtext was clear: Beijing is no longer talking as a junior player seeking accommodation under the US-led order. It is increasingly being talked about as a peer power and pushing Washington to adjust to the multipolar reality.Trump, meanwhile, seemed eager to do exactly the same. Rather than revive the strident rhetoric that once defined Republican China policy, Trump adopted the language of managed coexistence. Xi told him, “There are no winners in a trade war – Trump had not publicly opposed it.”This change has notably silenced many China supporters within the Republican Party. Figures who once warned of existential competition with Beijing have largely fallen silent as Trump moves toward what some analysts describe as a “commander in peace” pragmatism toward China, even while projecting military might against smaller adversaries elsewhere.“Donald Trump is a dove in chief,” former Pentagon official Dan Blumenthal recently said in Politico. “He wants stability. He is very influenced by Chinese power and he does not believe that we are in any position to win the strategic competition at this time.”That assessment is reinforced by a stream of recent intelligence and military analyzes that paint a troubling picture for Washington. The Joint Staff’s intelligence directorate warned its chairman, Gen. Dan Cain, that China was selling weapons to key Middle Eastern partners while US stockpiles meant to protect Gulf allies were depleted during the Iran conflict, according to a report revealed this week. The analysis reportedly worried Pentagon officials because Beijing was effectively arming countries that Washington itself was struggling to defend.China has expanded its role as an emergency energy supplier after Iran’s closure of the Strait of Hormuz disrupted global markets – despite tensions. Beijing has reportedly stepped up to provide energy assistance to all US treaty allies or strategic partner countries, including Australia, Thailand and the Philippines. The intelligence assessment concluded that China had “seized in the 39-day conflict to expand its military, economic and diplomatic influence around the world.“This influence is increasingly visible not only in the Gulf region but across Africa, where Chinese infrastructure financing and security partnerships are outpacing US involvement. Washington’s decades-old alliances are showing strain amid Trump’s tariff threats, erratic diplomacy and transactional foreign policy style.Even the atmosphere at the Beijing summit reflected the changed balance. Trump, as usual, using his trademark hyperbole, told Xi that the US CEOs accompanying him – including Elon Musk and Tim Cook – had come to China to “pay respects”. Xi responded with cool composure.Where Trump was personal and flattering, Xi remained measured and institutional. While Trump praised the relationship, Xi spoke of “strategic stability,” “managed competition” and the need for both powers to work “in the same direction.”It was less the chemistry of two friends than the choreography of two powers accepting a changing hierarchy – with Beijing growing increasingly confident that history, economics and strategic momentum were leaning in its favor.

Kalyan Banerjee (Image/PTI)

New Delhi: Former Chief Minister of West Bengal Mamata Banerjee on Thursday appointed Kalyan Banerjee as its new chief whip Trinamool Congress Kakoli Ghosh replaces Dastidar in the Lok Sabha. The announcement was made during an internal meeting of party MPs held at Mamata Banerjee’s residence in Kalighat, as the party leadership sought to regroup after the recent election shock in West Bengal. Kalyan Banerjee, who was removed from the post last year amid internal turmoil within the party following a public spat with Krishnanagar MP Mahua Moitra, has now been brought back at a time when TMC Trying to stabilize his organization and parliamentary strategy.The reshuffle was seen by party insiders as a sign that the leadership continued to value political aggression and loyalty during difficult times. In recent months, Kalyan Banerjee has emerged as one of the most vocal legal and political faces of the party, actively defending TMC in court battles and public confrontations during the election period.While the party retained Abhishek Banerjee as party leader in the Lok Sabha and Shatabdi Roy as deputy leader, Kalyan Banerjee’s withdrawal was considered the most important organizational decision taken during the meeting.According to party sources, the Kalighat meeting appeared to be a re-unification exercise after the party’s defeat, with discussions on maintaining unity and rebuilding morale among MPs and workers, PTI reported.Many leaders reportedly saw the move as recognition of Kalyan Banerjee’s aggressive role in protecting the party politically and legally. “Leadership values ​​those who stand up and fight in difficult times,” a senior TMC MP said after the meeting.During the meeting, Mamata Banerjee reportedly urged MPs to stay connected to their constituencies and maintain coordination with the local leadership as the party attempts to overcome one of its toughest political phases in years.Addressing the MPs, Abhishek Banerjee alleged that the TMC has fought not only the BJP but the ‘entire machinery’ deployed by the saffron party during the elections. He also claimed that there were irregularities during the counting and alleged that TMC counting agents faced restrictions at several centres.Later, TMC MP Sayoni Ghosh made defiant remarks, claiming that the party is not afraid of setbacks.He said, “TMC is not one to get scared or back down. Mamata Banerjee is a lioness, a fighter – she was here before and she will be here too. This vote is not the mandate of the people. The people of West Bengal did not want Mamata Banerjee’s government to be removed.”

In a world where scientific breakthroughs often bring fame, wealth and global recognition, Grigory Perelman chose a completely different path. The Russian mathematician stunned the academic world after solving the Poincaré conjecture, one of the most difficult unsolved problems in mathematics, which had remained unanswered for almost a century. But what made Perelman even more fascinating was what happened next. He declined the prestigious Fields Medal in 2006 and later also declined the Clay Mathematics Institute’s $1 million Millennium Prize, thus shying away from international fame and becoming one of the most enigmatic figures in modern mathematics.

Grigory Perelman solved a hundred-year-old problem

The Poincaré conjecture was proposed by the French mathematician Henri Poincaré in 1904 and soon became one of the most important unresolved questions of topology.Topology is often described as the study of shapes and spaces. The hypothesis focused on understanding the fundamental structure of three-dimensional spaces and whether certain shapes can be mathematically transformed into a sphere.For decades, this problem puzzled some of the world’s greatest mathematicians. Its difficulty became famous in academic circles and solving it was considered one of the greatest possible achievements in mathematics.In 2000, the Clay Mathematics Institute included the conjecture among its seven Millennium Prize problems, each with a $1 million reward for its correct solution.

How did Perelman solve the impossible problem?

Perelman built on earlier research developed by mathematician Richard S. Hamilton, who introduced a geometric method known as the Ricci flow.Ricci flow can be imagined as a process that gradually smoothes out irregular geometric shapes over time. Hamilton’s work laid the foundation for attacking the Poincaré conjecture, but several major technical hurdles still remain unresolved.Between 2002 and 2003, Perelman published a series of papers online through the arXiv preprint server rather than in traditional academic journals. In those papers, he addressed remaining problems and provided a proof for the conjecture.The mathematics community initially reacted cautiously because the proof was highly complex. Teams of experts spent years reviewing every detail before finally confirming that Perelman’s work was correct.His proof was later recognized as one of the greatest mathematical achievements of the modern era.

Rejecting the Fields Medal

In 2006, Perelman was awarded the Fields Medal, often considered the highest honor in mathematics and often compared to the Nobel Prize for the field.But Perelman refused to accept this.He did not attend the International Congress of Mathematicians in Madrid and became the first person in history to decline the Fields Medal.According to reports and interviews, Perelman felt uncomfortable with the culture of fame surrounding academic success. He also believed that Richard Hamilton should have been given more recognition for developing the original ideas behind the proof.His refusal shocked the mathematics world, where such honors are usually considered career-defining achievements.

Rejecting the $1 million Millennium Prize

Perelman surprised the world again in 2010 when he declined the $1 million Millennium Prize awarded by the Clay Mathematics Institute.After years of verification the institute officially recognized his proof of the Poincaré conjecture, making him the first and so far the only mathematician to solve one of the seven Millennium Prize problems.Yet Perelman refused to pay the money.Reports at the time revealed that he no longer wanted public attention and had become increasingly disillusioned with academic politics. Some accounts also indicated that he disagreed with how credit for the discovery was distributed within the mathematics community.His rejection of both the Fields Medal and the million-dollar prize turned him into an almost legendary figure beyond academic mathematics.

Life away from fame and public attention

After his success, Perelman largely withdrew from public academic life. He reportedly resigned from the Steklov Institute of Mathematics in St. Petersburg and avoided interviews and conferences.Over the years, occasional reports emerged about his quiet life in Russia, often describing him traveling on public transportation or shopping in ordinary neighborhoods.Unlike many globally recognized scientists, Perelman showed little interest in building a public image, business opportunities, or celebrity status. His refusal to participate increased the public’s fascination with him due to the media attention associated with his discovery.Perelman’s story goes far beyond mathematics as it challenges modern ideas about success and recognition.Most groundbreaking discoveries are closely linked to fame, awards, financial rewards, and institutional prestige. Perelman rejected almost all of them, despite solving one of the most important mathematical problems of the last century.For many, he became a symbol of intellectual independence – someone motivated solely by a desire to solve difficult problems rather than money or public praise.More than two decades after his proof transformed mathematics, Grigory Perelman remains one of the most enigmatic geniuses of the modern era.