Houston Police Department opens investigation into Texans quarterback Deshaun Watson

The Houston Police Department announced Friday that a police report has been filed against Houston Texans quarterback Deshaun Watson.

"As with any allegation, the Houston Police Department is now conducting an investigation and will not comment further during the investigative process," the department wrote in a statement on social media.

Asked Friday if they could provide details of the nature of the complaint, a sergeant with Houston police said not at this time.

The criminal investigation comes as 21 unnamed women filed civil lawsuits against Watson in recent weeks. Each of the women has accused him of sexual misconduct or assault during separate massage sessions dating back to March 2020.

Watson's attorney, Rusty Hardin, said in a statement that "we welcome this long overdue development."

"Now we will learn the identity of at least one accuser," Hardin said. "We will fully cooperate with the Houston Police Department."

Reliance Retail extends deadline for Future deal

RIL sets Sept. target to complete buy.

Reliance Retail Ventures, the retail arm of Reliance Industries, has extended the timeline by six months to complete its ₹24,713 crore deal with Kishore Biyani-led Future group to buy its retail and wholesale business.

Reliance Retail Ventures Ltd. (RRVL) has extended the ‘Long Stop Date’ from March 31 to September 30, of this year, Future Retail said a regulatory filing.

“RRVL has… extended the timeline for ‘Long Stop Date’ from March 31, 2021 to September 30, 2021 which has been duly acknowledged by Reliance Retail and Fashion Lifestyle Limited, wholly-owned subsidiary of RRVL,” it said.

The deal, contested by Amazon, is facing legal hurdles and a decision from the Supreme Court is pending over the petition filed by the e-commerce major.

The Future-Reliance deal, announced on August 29, 2020, has already received clearance from the CCI, SEBI and the bourses, and the scheme of arrangement is now awaiting a nod from the NCLT and shareholders.

SAIL clocks ‘best-ever’ quarterly sales of 4.27 MT

Firm’s crude steel output rises 6%

Steel Authority of India Ltd. (SAIL) clocked its best-ever quarterly sales at 4.27 million tonnes (MT) during the March quarter of the last fiscal year, up 14% from the year-earlier period.

The domestic steel giant’s crude steel production, too, increased by 6% during the quarter to 4.55 MT.

“(SAIL), the Maharatna PSU, has recorded its best- ever quarterly performance in both production and sales during Q4 FY’21,” the company said. About annual figures, the company said despite the volatility in the market during the year, determined efforts by the company to improve its volumes saw it clock its best-ever annual sales at 14.87 MT, a growth of 4.4% over 14.23 MT during FY20,” it said.

SAIL chief Soma Mondal said, “[a] multi-pronged strategy has helped us top the performances during the month, quarter as well as the year.”

No plans to exit India, says Franklin Templeton’s Sapre

‘Parent firm sought diplomatic route for fair hearing’

Franklin Templeton Mutual Fund on Friday said its commitment to India remains ‘steadfast’ and the fund house has no plans to exit its operations in the country.

This comes following media reports suggesting intervention by the fund house’s U.S.-headquartered parent seeking the diplomatic route for a “just and fair” hearing by market regulator SEBI in the investigation pertaining to six wound-up debt schemes. According to the reports, Franklin Templeton had threatened to exit India if it was not given a fair hearing. In a letter to investors, Franklin Templeton Asset Management (India) Pvt. Ltd. president Sanjay Sapre said, “We have no plans to exit our India business. Any speculation suggesting otherwise, or any rumours around sale of business in India are incorrect and simply that — rumours”. He said Franklin Templeton was an early entrant in the Indian mutual fund industry and stayed put even while many other global asset managers decided to leave.

He, however, did not deny reports of engaging with government authorities.

“Our engagement with government authorities, in India and globally, is also something we… do, as a matter of course.” The intention in reaching out remains bringing current matters to an appropriate and satisfactory conclusion, he said.

Haley Jones, Stanford survive South Carolina 66-65 to advance to women’s championship game

SAN ANTONIO — Stanford wasn’t about to let this happen twice.

Haley Jones grabbed a rebound and scored on a jumper with 32 seconds left and the Cardinal hung on for a 66-65 victory over South Carolina on Friday night in a do-over of the 2017 Final Four. Jones finished with 24 points, on 11 of 14 shooting, despite playing just nine minutes in the first half because of foul trouble.

Now Stanford will try and do what the Gamecocks did four years ago: go on and win it all. The Cardinal, the overall No. 1 seed in the NCAA women’s tournament, will be seeking its first national title since 1992 when it plays the winner of Arizona-UConn on Sunday night.

South Carolina trailed by as much as six in the fourth quarter, but Destanni Henderson ran off nine points, including a 3 with 39 seconds left, to give the Gamecocks a 65-64 lead. It was South Carolina’s first lead since the last minute of the first quarter.

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