Mid-Day Top News at this hour: All you need to know about Elphinstone bridge closure; What people expect from Budget 2025 and more

An aerial view of the century-old Elphinstone road overbridge on January 31. Pic/Sayyed Sameer Abedi

Welcome to Mid-Day's Top News at this hour! We bring you a curated selection of the most significant and compelling news from around the globe. Stay informed with the latest developments in the nation, Mumbai, entertainment, sports, and more. Let's dive into the headlines shaping our world today.

All you need to know about Elphinstone bridge closure

Even as the Mumbai traffic police are still mulling over the logistics and dates of closure of the arterial Elphinstone bridge, taking into consideration all demands and appeals, Dadar residents have reminded the authorities of an earlier planned "development project" road, crossing over the rail lines, between Dadar and Parel-Prabhadevi stations. Locals say that if this road were opened first, the pressure on traffic after closure of the Prabhadevi road would be eased to a great extent. Read more.

Saif Ali Khan attack case: Police claim facial recognition confirms accused is the same man caught on CCTV

The Bandra police investigating the Saif Ali Khan attack case claimed on Friday that the forensic facial analysis report of the accused, Shariful Islam, matches the images captured on CCTV footage recovered during the investigation. While officials have confirmed this development, they have declined to go on record. The police have not specified which samples were sent to the forensic team at the Kalina Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL). Read more.

Budget 2025: What people expect from FM Nirmala Sitharaman on February 1

The national Budget will be tabled on Saturday, and mid-day caught up with various stakeholders, market leaders, and citizens to learn about their expectations from the budget, which will be presented by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman. This will be Sitharaman's eighth budget presentation in parliament. She has presented six annual budgets and one interim budget under the NDA government's consecutive terms in power. The budget is expected to include major changes in income tax slabs under the new tax regime. Read more.

Ranji Trophy: Mumbai batsmen's stunning knocks help them declare at 671 in first essay vs Meghalaya

Had Mumbai captain Ajinkya Rahane (96, 11x4, 1x6) and all-rounder Shardul Thakur (84, 9x4, 5x6) not missed getting to their centuries against Meghalaya on Friday, there may have been five centurions in the Mumbai innings on Day Two of their Elite Group ‘A' Ranji Trophy match at the MCA-BKC ground. The three century-makers were Siddhesh Lad (145, 17x4, 1x6), Akash Anand (103, 15x4) and Shams Mulani (100 not out, 16x4), all contributing massively to Mumbai's 671-7 declared. Read more.

Ahead of Mrs release, Sanya Malhotra says, ‘Never shied away from calling myself a feminist'

Greedy is how Sanya Malhotra would describe herself as an actor. She is self-admittedly greedy for stories that empower her as well as her audience. And it is this trait that has led her to Mrs, an official adaptation of the acclaimed Malayalam film, The Great Indian Kitchen (2021). Read more.