Times of India

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee expressed deep shock and distress over the chaotic mismanagement at Salt Lake Stadium during Lionel Messi's visit. She extended sincere apologies to the football icon, fans, and sports lovers for the unfortunate incident.

India witnessed a grim year in 2025 with eight stampedes claiming 127 lives across various public gatherings. From religious sites to railway stations and political rallies, overcrowding and poor planning turned joyous occasions into tragedies. These preventable incidents highlight critical gaps in crowd safety management nationwide.

Chaos erupted at Kolkata's Salt Lake Stadium during Lionel Messi's brief visit, with angry fans throwing projectiles after being unable to see the football icon due to mismanagement. The BJP criticized the Trinamool Congress for the "total embarrassment" on an international stage, highlighting wasted fan efforts and zero planning for the highly anticipated event.

Hundreds of fans erupted in anger at Kolkata's Salt Lake Stadium after Lionel Messi's brief appearance at a ticketed event. Spectators threw bottles and chairs, with some breaking barricades, frustrated by their inability to see the football star after paying high ticket prices. The event was marred by poor crowd management and unmet expectations.

Football icon Lionel Messi's Kolkata visit was a whirlwind of adoration and disruption. While a massive crowd caused chaos during his stadium appearance, leading to security concerns, fans also celebrated his legacy with a 70-foot statue unveiling. Messi's return after 14 years ignited immense enthusiasm, highlighting his enduring popularity.

Three years after a woman's death from a snakebite was ruled accidental, police have arrested her husband and three friends, revealing a murder conspiracy. The husband allegedly orchestrated the killing due to domestic disputes, enlisting a snake rescuer friend to provide the venomous snake used in the fatal incident.

The Indian government has launched a Rs 476.03 crore, six-year development program to modernize the makhana sector. This initiative, overseen by the National Makhana Board, focuses on research, quality seed production, farmer training, and enhancing value addition, branding, and export promotion across the country.

Football legend Lionel Messi virtually unveiled his 70-foot statue in Kolkata as part of his GOAT India Tour 2025. The event, attended by Shah Rukh Khan and Luis Suárez, saw the Argentine star honored with an iron statue depicting him with the FIFA World Cup trophy.

Delhi plunged back into 'severe' air quality on Saturday, triggering Stage III restrictions across the NCR. Overnight pollution surge, driven by slow winds and stable atmosphere, pushed the AQI to 401. Authorities have intensified preventive measures as a thick smog blanket reduced visibility and worsened discomfort, urging vulnerable groups to limit outdoor exposure.

Aryan Sharma, an 11-year-old Virat Kohli fan who once held a placard saying, 'Watch me play for Australia in 2025,' has turned his childhood promise into reality. Now 18, Aryan has been named in Australia’s U19 World Cup squad.

A Karnataka SIT has charged seven individuals, including former BJP MLA Subhash Guttedar, in a 'vote chori' case involving alleged illegal deletion of 5,994 voters in Aland constituency. This follows earlier claims by Rahul Gandhi, which the Election Commission had dismissed as baseless, stating no online deletions are possible without due process.

Nicki Minaj has intensified her political shift to the right, criticizing California Governor Gavin Newsom's pro-trans statements. She accused him of exploiting trans children for political gain, comparing him unfavorably to J.D. Vance. This follows Minaj's previous alignment with anti-trans rhetoric from the Trump administration.

Haryana has launched its most ambitious environmental initiative, the 'Haryana Clean Air Project for Sustainable Development,' in collaboration with the World Bank, with a Rs 3,600 crore corpus. This project aims to significantly improve air quality over five years through sweeping interventions, including industrial upgrades, e-bus procurement, and enhanced monitoring infrastructure.

President Trump dismissed newly released photos with Jeffrey Epstein as "no big deal," stating many people knew the convicted sex offender. House Democrats shared over 95,000 images, including those of Trump, Bill Clinton, and Bill Gates, raising questions about Epstein's network. The White House accused Democrats of politicizing the release.

Dense fog on the Eastern Peripheral Expressway caused a multi-vehicle collision on Saturday morning, resulting in several injuries. Poor visibility was the primary cause of the pile-up. Emergency services responded promptly, transporting the injured to local hospitals for medical attention.

The Congress party criticised Prime Minister Modi after India's exclusion from the US-led "Pax Silica" initiative, a nine-nation effort to counter Chinese dominance in high-tech supply chains. Party leader Jairam Ramesh cited a "sharp downturn in Trump–Modi ties" as a likely reason, questioning the government's foreign policy effectiveness despite recent calls between the leaders.

Dwyane Wade, reflecting on LeBron James' 23rd NBA season, expresses admiration and a fan's perspective on an impending era's end. He acknowledges James' elite performance, even as fans call for retirement, and cherishes their shared championship history. Wade also humorously recalls the 'Big Three' introduction, highlighting the immense pressure and difficulty of winning.

Three Indian-origin men were arrested in Brampton, Canada, following a shooting in a parking lot linked to a tow-truck dispute. Peel Regional Police identified the accused as Manjot Bhatti, Navjot Bhatti, and Amanjot Bhatti. The investigation is ongoing, with police seeking an additional suspect.

Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif faced online criticism on Friday after video alleged that he entered a closed-door meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, at the International Forum for Peace and Trust in Ashgabat, Turkmenistan. The video was later deleted, claiming that it may have been a "misrepresentation of the events".

President Trump touts rising government revenues and investment pledges as proof of his economic strategy's success. However, many Americans face affordability pressures, creating a disconnect between headline growth and personal finances. Critics argue that while tariffs have increased, they haven't significantly eased cost-of-living strains for households.