Connect with us
Wednesday,21-October-2026
Breaking News

National News

Still in conversations with Williamson about availability for home summer: Rob Walter

Published

on

Tauranga, Oct 6: New Zealand head coach Rob Walter said discussions are still happening over Kane Williamson’s availability for the ongoing home summer. While a final decision is yet to be made, Walter indicated that Williamson will be given the time he needs to decide when he will be playing for New Zealand.

Williamson, who currently holds a casual contract with New Zealand Cricket (NZC), opted out of the recent three-match T20I series against Australia. He had also missed the tour of Zimbabwe, as he instead played in county cricket and The Hundred in England.

New Zealand’s home season continues with a limited-overs series at home against England, before the West Indies come for an all-format tour in November. “With Kane, we’re still in conversations as to what the summer is going to look like. He will play, no doubt about that. Just what and where is still in discussion.

“I think the reality is we’re dealing with all the guys on casual contracts, actually in different positions from a playing point of view. Kane is one of those (who deserves time) and he deserves the opportunity to sit and talk about what the rest of his year will look like.

“But I keep coming back to the most important thing, (which) is that he wants to play for his country, and so nutting out exactly what that looks like can take an extra week or two, but surely, he deserves that,” Walter told reporters on Monday.

Walter also confirmed that New Zealand will remain without Finn Allen (foot), Adam Milne (ankle) for the upcoming white-ball series against England, beginning on October 18 in Christchurch.

But he expressed optimism over the availability of white-ball captain Mitchell Santner, recovering from groin pain, and Rachin Ravindra, who was a late withdrawal from the T20Is against Australia after sustaining a facial injury during training post colliding with the boundary boards.

“I think we don’t live in an ideal world and so that’s part and parcel of it. I’ve been part of a World Cup campaign (with South Africa) where the team assembled at its full strength three days before our first game and that team managed to make a final.

“For me, it’s just the way it works. I think what’s more important is the environment and the team culture that sort of assimilates together when it needs to. We do know that by the back end of the India series (in January) prior to the World Cup, that’s when our full World Cup squad will be together.

“For me, as long as the guys are playing competitive cricket, that’s important, and almost everyone has been part of the environment at some point so I would assume that they can fit seamlessly back into it,” he added.

Crime

CISF seizes foreign currency worth Rs 1.13 crore at Kolkata airport

Published

on

Alert personnel of the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) detected foreign currency worth approximately Rs 1.14 crore concealed in the hand baggage of two passengers bound for Bangkok at Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport, Kolkata.

The detection took place around 10:20 a.m. on October 19 during routine security screening at the International Terminal Security Hold Area. A CISF screener noticed suspicious images in the X-ray scans of the hand baggage carried by the two passengers scheduled to travel to Bangkok on Bhutan Airlines flight B3700. The bags were subsequently referred for physical examination.

During the inspection, CISF personnel recovered USD 1,19,900, equivalent to approximately Rs 1,13,64,002, concealed inside false bottoms of the two bags. The foreign currency had been wrapped in newspaper in an apparent attempt to conceal it from security personnel.

Of the total amount recovered, USD 74,900 was found in the hand baggage of one passenger, while USD 45,000 was recovered from the other passenger’s bag.

Following the prescribed formalities, both passengers, along with the seized currency, were handed over to the Air Intelligence Unit (AIU) of Customs for further investigation and necessary legal action.

On October 20, the passenger from whose baggage USD 74,900 was recovered was taken by AIU/Customs officials to the District and Sessions Court for further legal proceedings following the investigation and seizure. The second passenger was released by Customs after the issuance of a detention receipt for the USD 45,000 recovered from the passenger’s baggage.

CISF in a release reiterated its commitment to maintaining aviation security through effective screening procedures, alert surveillance and professional conduct by its personnel. According to officials, the detection stresses the importance of coordinated action between airport security personnel and Customs authorities in addressing suspected financial and currency-related violations.

Continue Reading

Crime

Gujarat: Man held after 0.77 grams of mephedrone found in ‘porter’ delivery parcel

Published

on

A 27-year-old businessman was arrested by Naroda police after 0.77 grams of suspected mephedrone, valued at Rs 1,540, was found in a parcel being delivered through the Porter application near Nana Chiloda Circle in Ahmedabad, police said on Wednesday.

The case came to light after police received a control-room message about a suspicious parcel that had arrived for delivery through the application.

The substance was examined preliminarily by a Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) officer in the presence of panch witnesses and was found to be mephedrone, a synthetic drug.

Police seized the substance and initially registered an offence against three unidentified mobile phone holders under Sections 8(c), 22(a) and 29 of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act.

During the investigation, they traced and arrested the man suspected of ordering the consignment through the parcel.

The accused was identified as Priyang Sanghvi (27). He is a businessman who lives in Aram Park Flats in the Sabarmati area of the city. He is originally from Shirodi village in Rajasthan’s Sirohi district.

According to the police, the suspected method involved using a mobile phone number belonging to a witness to log in to the Porter application.

Drug consignments were allegedly packed separately in zipper bags and sent through the delivery service. An intermediary was allegedly used to distribute the drugs to different customers for sale.

The police said the arrest followed instructions from senior officers to curb the illegal sale and transportation of narcotic substances and detect offences related to them.

“The operation was conducted by Naroda police personnel under the supervision of Senior Police Inspector B M Katariya,” officials said.

The police seized 0.77 grams of mephedrone, valued at Rs 1,540. The investigation concerns the alleged use of a parcel delivery application to transport the substance and its subsequent distribution through an intermediary.

Continue Reading

Crime

Bihar: 75-year-old man stabbed to death; woman and her son injured

Published

on

A 75-year-old man was allegedly stabbed to death, while a woman and her 25-year-old son were injured in a violent clash between neighbours at Rohda Kala village under Barharia police station limits in Bihar’s Siwan district on Wednesday.

The deceased was identified as Rama Nandan Prasad, son of the late Garib Bhagat.

The injured were identified as Baby Devi, 44, and her son Kishan Kumar, 25.

The injured were taken to the Barharia Community Health Centre for treatment. While Kishan received primary medical care, Baby Devi was referred to Siwan Sadar Hospital due to her critical condition.

According to Kishan Kumar, his grandfather was sitting outside the house drinking tea while his mother was cooking, and he was asleep.

Hearing a commotion, he went outside and found his grandfather lying in a pool of blood.

He then heard his mother crying from inside the house and rushed in, where he allegedly saw neighbours attacking her with knives. When he tried to intervene, he was also injured in the attack.

Kishan claimed that he had no prior dispute with the neighbours and said the reason for the attack was unclear.

With the help of residents, two alleged assailants were apprehended and handed over to the police.

After receiving information, the Barharia police reached the village and launched an investigation.

A Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) team was also called to collect evidence from the scene.

The police have set up a camp in the village amid tension following the incident.

Barharia Station House Officer Chhotan Kumar said a patrolling officer was initially sent to the spot, after which he reached the village to investigate the incident.

He said an FIR has been registered against the named accused based on Kishan Kumar’s statement.

The two detained suspects are being questioned, while the motive behind the incident remains unclear.

Police said further action would be taken based on the investigation.

Continue Reading

Trending