Royal Challengers Bengaluru successfully defend their IPL crown, and win back-to-back titles with no help from anyone else Virat Kohli Sealing the win with a trademark six. As the celebrations began, the most heart-touching moment of the night came when Kohli met 15-year-old sensation Vaibhav Suryavanshi, the teenager who not only broke records this season but also etched his name in IPL history.It was a night that belonged to two of the biggest stars of IPL 2026, one who led his team to glory and the other who enthralled the cricket world with a dream season. After RCB’s win, Kohli was seen congratulating Vaibhav, who rocked the awards ceremony by winning the Emerging Player of the Season, Super Striker of the Season, Super Sixer of the Season, Orange Cap and Most Valuable Player awards. Kohli also had a lot to celebrate. The RCB veteran was named the player of the match after his match-winning unbeaten 75 off 42 balls, completing the chase with a six to spark wild celebrations among the Bengaluru faithful.After the presentation ceremony, Kohli and Vaibhav were seen having a light-hearted conversation on the field, which was one of the most memorable images of the season. Defending champions Royal Challengers Bangalore continued their dominance and won back-to-back IPL titles by defeating Gujarat Titans by 5 wickets in the IPL 2026 final at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad.GT scored 155/8 in their 20 overs, but RCB’s disciplined bowling attack kept the dangerous batting lineup in check. Despite a few late boundaries, Gujarat never managed to build significant partnerships and finished with a lowly score. In reply, RCB chased the target with ease and reached 161/5 in just 18 overs. Virat Kohli started the innings with a brilliant unbeaten 75 off 42 balls and ensured there were no late interruptions. His innings proved decisive as RCB crossed the finish line with two overs to spare and sealed their second consecutive IPL title.

The win further cemented RCB’s position as the team to beat in the tournament, while GT finished as worthy runners-up after an impressive campaign under skipper Shubman Gill.

television actor Parth Samthaan Recently shared a heart touching post for comedian and actor. Krishna Abhishek Parth with the actress after visiting the sets of Laughter Chefs: Unlimited Entertainment Season 3 Deepika Singhrecently shot for the popular reality show and gave fans a glimpse of their fun time on set through a series of behind-the-scenes photos.While sharing the pictures, Deepika did not say anything except praising Krishna. Calling him one of the rare talents in the entertainment industry, she wrote, “In our industry, there are many good actors, but combining that talent with a kind and pure soul is a deadly combo.. @Krishna30 Baba you were amazing as always… Cheers.” Her heartfelt words instantly caught attention and showed the strong bond she had with the comedian during the shoot.Parth also wrote a special note for Krishna, praising him. Describing him as an extraordinary artiste and an even better human being, Parth wrote, “Krishna is an amazing actor. We first met during an awards ceremony in Kolkata in 2020 and clicked instantly. Great talent across TV, films and web. Amazing listener with knowledge and warmth. Our ‘Sheela Ki Jawaani’ dance + Laughter Chef’s act = pure entertainment.”The post immediately caught the attention of fans, who loved seeing the camaraderie between the actors. Many users flooded the comments section with heart emojis and appreciation posts. Many fans agreed with Parth and Deepika’s description of Krishna, and described him as one of the most entertaining personalities on television. One fan wrote, “Krishna deserves all the love,” while another commented, “Two pure souls appreciating another pure soul.Many expressed excitement over Parth’s appearance on the show and said that they cannot wait to watch the episode.Fans were particularly surprised by Parth’s mention of her “Sheela Ki Jawaani” dance performance, with many users requesting to see more glimpses from the set. Others praised the chemistry shared by the stars and said the photos perfectly captured the fun atmosphere of the show.Currently, Laughter Chefs 3 continues to entertain audiences with a mix of comedy, cooking challenges and celebrity pranks. This season includes popular names like Krushna Abhishek, Kashmira Shah, Elvish Yadav, Karan Kundra, Tejasvi Prakash, Aly Goni, Jannat Zubair, Abhishek Kumar, Samarth Jurel and other popular names.

Nepal Prime Minister Balendra Shah on Sunday said the country’s border issues with India will be resolved through dialogue and diplomatic efforts, while also proposing the United Kingdom’s participation in talks, citing Britain’s role in shaping the region’s modern boundaries during the colonial era.Addressing Nepal’s House of Representatives for the first time since taking office following elections in March, Shah stressed the need for dialogue to resolve long-standing territorial disputes.He said the border issue with India would be resolved “through table talks and diplomatic efforts”. Calling for Britain’s involvement in the process, Shah said Britain should also be concerned about the issue as the present-day borders date back to colonial times.“When they were leaving British India, the problem was passed down through the generations, which is why we believe England also needs to be concerned about it,” he said.“All these issues will be resolved through table talk and diplomatic channels,” news agency ANI reported.According to Shah, Nepal has already exchanged diplomatic notes with India and agreed on a roadmap involving historians, surveyors and regional experts from both sides to examine geographical and historical records related to the disputed areas.His comments come amid ongoing differences over areas including Kalapani, Lipulekh and Limpiyadhura. Nepal published a revised political map in 2020 laying claim to the Kalapani-Lipulekh-Limpiyadhura region, while India rejected the move and said the map included parts of Indian territory.Earlier this month, India reiterated its willingness to engage with Nepal on all bilateral issues, including unresolved border issues, through dialogue and diplomacy.Responding to questions regarding Nepal’s claims regarding the annual Kailash Mansarovar Yatra, External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said, “Lipulekh Pass has been a long-term route for the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra since 1954 and the Yatra through this route has been going on for decades. This is not a new development.”On Nepal’s territorial claims, he said, “With regard to territorial claims, India has consistently stated that such claims are neither justified nor based on historical facts and evidence. Such unilateral artificial expansion of territorial claims is unsustainable.”India had similarly rejected Nepal’s revised map in 2020 under the KP Sharma Oli-led government, saying the move was contrary to the bilateral understanding that pending border issues should be resolved through diplomatic dialogue.

New Delhi: Indians were the third largest number of applicants for Schengen visas globally in CY 2025, with 11.5 lakh people doing so with a rejection rate of 15.8%. According to data released by the European Commission (EC), the Chinese were the largest applicants with 18 lakh with a rejection rate of 4.1%, followed by Turkish nationals (12.5 lakh) with a rejection rate of 14.6%. “The top five applicant countries remained largely unchanged,” the EC says, adding that Russia (6.8 million) and Morocco (6.2 million) are applicants to the Court and in fifth place.Despite rising international airfares and the rupee’s steep depreciation since last year, which has made traveling abroad more expensive, 4% more Indians applied for a Schengen visa in 2025 compared to 2024. The rejection rate for Indian applicants also increased from 15% to 15.8% during this period.Rajesh Mago, Co-Founder and Group CEO, MakeMyTrip, said, “After the budget-friendly and close to home Middle East and South East Asia, Europe tops the list of Indian globetrotters with its diverse attractions, including Switzerland, Greece, Amsterdam, France and others. We are now seeing a growing trend of sports tourism and a large number of Indians are going there to watch matches.”Among the EU and Schengen associated consulates, Switzerland sees the maximum number of applications in India at around 2.3 lakh and the country-specific rejection rate is no more than 13.6%. This is followed by France with more than 2 lakh, Germany with 1.5 lakh, Netherlands with less than one lakh and Sen with around 91,000. Other big attractions for visa applicants included the embassies of Italy, Austria, Greece, Belgium and Sweden.“Switzerland and France (the top two embassies in India in terms of receiving Schengen visa applications) have really made the visa application here easy in terms of dates and then getting the passport stamped back. While the total turnaround time for the Schengen states is 15 working days, Switzerland and France return in 7-10 days. Availability of dates in Italy is a big issue,” said a leading travel agent on condition of anonymity. At 46.5%, the highest rejection rate for Indians was in SloveniaOverall, 3.3 crore Indians were expected to travel abroad in CY 2025 – 6% more than 2024 and 21.5% more than pre-Covid 2019. According to government data, their top five destinations were: UAE (86 lakh), Saudi Arabia (34 lakh), Thailand (22 lakh), USA (20 lakh) and Singapore (15 lakh).According to the European Commission, EU and Schengen-affiliated consulates globally received approximately 12 million applications for short-term visas in 2025 and granted more than 10 million visas. While over CY 2024, both the number of applications and visas granted were below pre-Covid levels.“More than 10 million visas were issued in 2025 – an increase of 3% from 2024 (97 million), but still down from 15 million granted in 2019. The global denial rate remained stable at 14.8%, unchanged from 2024, although some countries saw significant fluctuations. Denials declined in Russia (6.4%, down from 7.5%), Algeria (31%, down from 35%), and Ethiopia (34%, down from 36.1%), but faster increases in Cape Verde (21.4%, up from 13.4%), Democratic Republic of the Congo (40.1%, up from 29.9%), Senegal (51.9%, up from 46.8%), and Burundi (53.4%, up from 40%). Happened,” says EC.

New Delhi: Medicines used for diabetes, hypertension, heart disease, infections and women’s health are among the 30 drug formulations for which the National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA) has fixed retail prices, a move that could significantly reduce treatment costs for patients who are long-term drug dependents.The latest notification covers a number of commonly prescribed drugs for chronic diseases affecting millions of Indians, many of which require long-term or lifelong treatment.The formulation includes an anti-diabetic combination containing empagliflozin, sitagliptin, metformin, teneligliptin and dapagliflozin; cardiovascular medications containing atorvastatin, telmisartan, cilnidipine, and metoprolol; Antibiotics for infection; painkillers; Vitamin supplements; and medications used for women’s health conditions.

The notification fixes the maximum retail price at which these formulations can be sold, excluding GST, and manufacturers will not be allowed to sell them above the notified rates.Major formulations include empagliflozin-sitagliptin-metformin tablets priced at Rs 14.88 per tablet, sitagliptin-glimepiride-metformin tablets priced at Rs 11.91 per tablet, teneligliptin-dapagliflozin tablets priced at Rs 10.17 per tablet and atorvastatin-fenofibrate tablets priced at Rs 18.46 per tablet. Tacrolimus capsules, used by organ transplant patients, have been priced at Rs 127 per capsule.The list also includes Vitamin D3 oral solution, calcium and vitamin supplements, cefpodoxime-clavulanate antibiotic suspension for children and norethisterone acetate tablets for women’s health.Industry representatives said the notified prices of many commonly used drugs are lower than the prevailing market rates. However, market prices may vary according to different brands and strengths. All India Organization of Chemists and Druggists general secretary Rajeev Singhal welcomed the move and said consumers are likely to benefit from the revised prices in 60-90 days, once the existing stock in the supply chain is cleared and the revised-MRP stock reaches the market.Health experts say the contribution of medicines to household health care expenditure in India is significant, especially for patients suffering from chronic conditions like diabetes, hypertension and heart disease. Affordable access to treatment is considered important for reducing the financial burden on families and improving adherence to long-term therapy.

mayor of new york city Zohran MamdaniThe new communications office is facing opposition after budget documents revealed taxpayers could lose more than $5.2 million in salaries. Critics are calling this spending “morally incomprehensible”.The Office of Mass Engagement has expanded far beyond its original size. According to the city’s 2027 executive budget, its workforce is expected to increase from 14 employees to 40, an increase of 186 percent. The total salary allocation is now $5,123,756.This is much higher than earlier estimates, which put the cost at around $1.6 million when recruitment first began. The new data shows there are plans to bring on an additional 26 staff members, whose average salary will be about $125,000. An additional $30,000 is also set aside for non-employee expenses.The scale of the spending has been criticized by political opponents, some of whom argue that the office duplicates existing city functions and provides only little public benefit.“This is pure politics at a time when real services are needed,” Democratic political consultant Hank Sheinkopf told The New York Post.He said: “We have a real deficit and this mayor is spending five million dollars to keep 40 political operatives on the payroll. It’s morally incomprehensible… It’s outrageous.”He added, “This is not for anyone’s benefit but for the mayor’s benefit.”City budget documents show the office aims to increase public participation in policymaking and improve civic engagement.According to sources cited by the New York Post, the Office of Mass Engagement sits alongside an already expanded communications team in the mayor’s office, which is expected to be larger than any previous administration in NYC history.The total budget for the Mayor’s Office in 2027 is set at $51.8 million, $7 million more than former Mayor Eric Adams’ previous budget.Those already hired include officials with Mamdani’s campaign background, including Commissioner Tascha Van Auken, her former area director, and Mohammed Alharbi, who now serves as deputy borough director for Queens.