Author: Rahul M

Australia’s young batting talent Sam Konstas knows the coming months will be critical if he is to retain his Test spot for the Ashes, but the 19-year-old is intent on shutting out outside noise and focusing on the processes he trusts. Konstas endured a tough time in the recent West Indies series, managing just 50 runs in six innings in challenging conditions where both top orders struggled. Those matches were his first Tests since bursting onto the scene against India last season. With the Ashes on the horizon in November, the New South Wales batter finds himself back in the…

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday sharpened his attack on the Election Commission (EC) and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), alleging a “partnership” to snatch away people’s voting rights. Addressing rallies in Nawada and Nalanda during his Voter Adhikar Yatra in Bihar, the Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha said the last state Assembly polls were “stolen” and warned that once the right to vote is taken away, “ration cards and land will also be seized.” ‘Vote Is Our Last Right’: Rahul Gandhi Speaking at Nalanda, Gandhi declared, “They will not let it happen because vote is our right…

India have announced their 15-member squad for the Asia Cup 2025, which will be played in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) from September 9 to 28. Defending champions India will look to clinch a record-extending ninth title in Asia premier tournament.  The squad features several major changes and one of the big surprises was inclusion of Test team captain Shubman Gill in the side despite him missing the last few white-ball matches. The chief selector Ajit Agarkar explained his absence was due to a scheduling clash between various formats.  The 25-year-old Gill replaced Axar Patel as vice-captain despite missing many…

HO CHI MINH CITY, Vietnam — Dinh Hien Mo was skimming social media Sunday at her home in central Vietnam when she stumbled on a post calling for aid to Cuba, where hunger has been spreading as inflation soars.She watched videos and read about how Cuba supported Vietnam during the wars of the 1960s and ’70s, building hospitals and sending doctors, sugar and cattle. Inspired, she donated 500,000 Vietnamese dong (about $19) from the modest income she earns at her family’s grocery store. “I feel bad that people in Cuba are suffering from economic hardship,” she said. “They’re isolated by…

Gujarat Giants on Tuesday announced Pro Kabaddi League (PKL) star Mohammadreza Shadloui as their captain ahead of the 12th edition of the league, which kicks off on August 29 in Vizag.  Giants open their PKL 2025 campaign against U Mumba on August 30 at the Rajiv Gandhi Indoor Stadium, Vizag. The team will play 18 league-stage matches this season with their sights set firmly on the title. While naming their captain, Gujarat Giants also unveiled a new jersey in Ahmedabad on Tuesday. The unveiling event was attended by head coach Jairvir Sharma, assistant coach Varinder Singh Sandhu and others. This…

Hombale Films has announced that popular actor Gulshan Devaiah will be seen in the important role of Kulashekhara in Kantara Chapter 1. Directed by Rishab Shetty, this film is a prequel to Kantara (2022), which had received global appreciation, and is one of the ambitious projects of Hombale Films. The film will explore deep layers of culture, folklore and an extraordinary storyline. Rishab Shetty and Rukmini Vasanth are playing the main roles in Kantara Chapter 1, which is set to attract audiences with strong narration and striking visuals. The addition of Gulshan Devaiah introduces a new…

Former India assistant coach Abhishek Nayar could not fathom the fact that India excluded Shreyas Iyer from the Asia Cup squad, announced at the BCCI headquarters in Mumbai on Tuesday.   The selectors sprung a major surprise by including Test team captain Shubman Gill in the squad despite him missing the last few T20I matches, chief selector Ajiot Agarkar addressed the decision to leave Iyer out as ‘ no fault of his. Nor is it ours.’ “I can’t fathom or understand what reason could justify Shreyas Iyer not being part of the 20-member squad. I’m not even talking about the…

Mumbai: Controversial minister Sanjay Shirsat from the Shiv Sena has once again found himself at the centre of a controversy in Maharashtra, this time battling allegations of a land ‘scam’. Rohit Pawar of Nationalist Congress Party (Sharadchandra Pawar) has accused him of bypassing the rules and handing about 15 acre of land of the City and Industrial Development Corporation (CIDCO) to the heirs of a Bivalkar family, who have been holding this land parcel for over two centuries. The plot in Navi Mumbai is currently valued at Rs 5,000 crore and it was reserved for housing for the poor but Shirsat…

MEXICO CITY (AP) — Hours after the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration announced “a major new initiative” for United States and Mexico collaboration targeting gatekeepers who control illicit trafficking routes across the countries’ shared borders, Mexico’s president said Tuesday there was no such agreement.President Claudia Sheinbaum was referring to “Project Portero,” an effort announced Monday by the DEA, calling it a “flagship operation” against smuggling routes that move drugs, guns and money across the border.“The DEA put out a statement yesterday saying that there is an agreement with the Mexican government for an operation called Portero,” Sheinbaum said during her morning…

OpenAI is reportedly on the verge of a roughly $500 billion valuation, a figure that would make it the most valuable private company in the world—bigger than SpaceX, TikTok’s parent company Bytedance, and even public giants like Palantir. It’s a staggering number for a company with an “astronomical burn rate.” How is this even possible?As Axios reports, there are actually two deals in play: a SoftBank-led round valuing the company at $300 billion, which won’t close until year’s end, and a secondary sale of employee shares at a far steeper $500 billion valuation. Most of the cheaper shares have already…