From Weak Successor To Iran's Ruthless Leader: A Look At Khamenei's Rise

Among the first targets in US and Israeli strikes on Iran on Saturday was the headquarters of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, an inveterate foe of the West who has crushed internal opposition while supporting proxy forces across the region.

A source with knowledge of the matter said Khamenei had been transferred in advance to a secure location outside Tehran, but Reuters could not immediately verify his status, as satellite images showed significant damage to his Tehran compound.

Killing Khamenei, as an Israeli official said the strikes had tried to do, would deal a massive blow to the Islamic Republic that he has led since 1989, a decade after rising to prominence in the theocratic revolution that toppled Iran's monarchy and rocked the Middle East. 

Gravest Crisis Of Khamenei's Rule

The 86-year-old has survived foreign pressure before but, even before Saturday's attack, he was facing the gravest crisis of his 36-year rule, attempting to spin out negotiations with the United States over Iran's nuclear programme. 

Already this year, he has ordered the deadliest crackdown since the 1979 Islamic Revolution, saying those protesting nationwide, initially against soaring prices, "should be put in their place" before security forces opened fire on demonstrators chanting "Death to the dictator!". 

Only last June, Khamenei had been forced into hiding during 12 days of airstrikes by Israel and then the US that killed several close associates and Revolutionary Guard commanders and smashed prized nuclear and missile facilities.

That assault was among the many indirect results of the attack on Israel by the Iranian-backed Palestinian group Hamas on October 7, 2023, which not only triggered the war in Gaza but also spurred Israel to hammer Tehran's other regional proxies. 

With Hezbollah weakened in Lebanon and Syria's Bashar al-Assad toppled, Khamenei's reach across the Middle East has been stunted, while the US has been demanding he abandon Iran's last major strategic lever - its ballistic missiles.

Khamenei refused to even discuss giving up missiles, which Iran sees as its only remaining deterrent to Israeli attack, a display of intransigence that may have helped invite the latest airstrikes. 

As the US military massed air and naval forces in the region, Khamenei's calculations drew on a character moulded by revolution, years of turmoil and war with Iraq, decades of sparring with the United States, and a ruthless accumulation of power.     

While elected officials manage day-to-day affairs, no major policy - especially one concerning the United States - proceeds without his explicit approval; Khamenei's mastery of Iran's complex system of clerical rule combined with limited democracy ensures that no other group can challenge his decisions.    

As Leader, Khamenei Was Once Far From Supreme

Early in his rule, Khamenei was often dismissed as weak and an unlikely successor to the Islamic Republic's late founder, the charismatic Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini.

Not having achieved the religious rank of ayatollah when he was appointed Supreme Leader, Khamenei had difficulty wielding power through religious authority, as the theocratic system foresaw.

After struggling for a long time to emerge from the shadow of his mentor, it was by forging a formidable security apparatus devoted solely to him that he finally imposed himself.

Khamenei distrusts the West, particularly the US, which he has long accused of seeking to topple him. 

In a typically pugnacious speech after January's protests, he blamed US President Donald Trump for the unrest, saying: "We consider the US president criminal for the casualties, damages and slander he inflicted on the Iranian nation."

Yet despite his ideological rigidity, he has shown a willingness to bend when the survival of the Islamic Republic is at stake.

The concept of "heroic flexibility", first mentioned by Khamenei in 2013, permits tactical compromises to advance his goals, mirroring Khomeini's choice in 1988 to embrace a ceasefire after eight years of war with Iraq. 

Khamenei's guarded endorsement of Iran's 2015 nuclear deal with six world powers was another such moment, as he calculated that sanctions relief was necessary to stabilise the economy and buttress his grip on power. 

Trump quit the 2015 pact during his first term in 2018 and reimposed crippling sanctions on Iran. Tehran reacted by gradually violating all agreed curbs on its nuclear programme.

Loyal Security Structure Key To Khamenei's Power 

At times of increasing pressure, Khamenei has repeatedly turned to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and the Basij, a paramilitary force numbering hundreds of thousands of volunteers, to snuff out dissent.

It was they who crushed the protests that exploded after Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's re-election as president in 2009 amid allegations of vote fraud.

In 2022, Khamenei was just as ruthless in arresting, imprisoning or executing protesters enraged by the death in custody of the young Iranian-Kurdish woman Mahsa Amini.

And it was again the Guards and Basij who crushed the latest round of protests in January. 

His power also owes much to the parastatal financial empire known as Setad, which is under Khamenei's direct control. Worth tens of billions of dollars, it has grown hugely during his rule, investing billions in the Revolutionary Guards. 

Scholars outside Iran paint a picture of a secretive ideologue fearful of betrayal - an anxiety fuelled by an assassination attempt in June 1981 with a bomb hidden in a tape recorder that paralysed his right arm.

Khamenei himself suffered severe torture, according to his official biography, in 1963, when at 24 he served the first of many terms in prison for political activities under the rule of the shah.

After the Revolution, as deputy defence minister, Khamenei became close to the Guards during the 1980-88 war with Iraq, which claimed a million lives from both sides. 

He won the presidency with Khomeini's support but was a surprise choice as successor when the supreme leader died, lacking both his popular appeal and his superior clerical credentials.

Karim Sadjadpour at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace said that "accident of history" had transformed a "weak president to an initially weak supreme leader to one of the five most powerful Iranians of the last 100 years".

(This story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)

from NDTV News- Special https://ift.tt/LSbY48i
via IFTTT

Iran Sends Its Cheap And Best 'Shahed' Drones At Expensive Targets

1. The Shahed drone's biggest strength is that it is very cheap to build and deploy, but gives the effect of a much more powerful weapon than its size. Others may be forced to expend their pricey anti-drone missiles, making interception of the Shahed drones a costly affair.
2. Most weaponised drones have range and weight limitations. The Shahed works around these by acting as a drone and a cruise missile rolled into one. The Shahed-136, for example, can reach a maximum of 2,500 km.
3. Iran has been able to launch the Shahed drones from deep within its territory, far away from any prying eyes. This has ensured their survivability and unpredictableness. Its payload capability is also good, at par with its range strength.
4. The Shahed drones fly at very low altitude, powered by a basic piston propulsion system. When these qualities are combined with its small radar signature, they are hard to detect in areas where the terrain is uneven.
5. Some have called the Shahed drones' engine noise the "scream of death". Civilians have reported hearing the road of the engines just before they struck their targets. This sound adds to psychological fear of the common people and enemy forces.

from NDTV News- Special https://ift.tt/yxiRh3P
via IFTTT

How Friendly Chat On Train Led To SIM-Porting Nightmare For Delhi Woman

A friendly conversation on a train journey turned into a nightmare for a Delhi woman after a fellow passenger allegedly hijacked her SIM card to drain her credit cards.
Delhi Police have arrested two brothers who specialised in stealing "Unique Porting Codes" (UPC) from unsuspecting travellers under the pretext of making an urgent phone call.
The duo allegedly gained the trust of fellow passengers while travelling, stole their mobile phone porting codes, and drained their bank accounts.
The investigation began following a complaint from Vandana Gupta, a resident of Rohini Sector 6. In January, while returning to Delhi from Kanpur with her son, she met a man named Sachin Gupta on the train.
After gaining her trust during the journey, Sachin asked to borrow both Vandana's and her son's mobile phones on the pretext of making an urgent call. He returned the devices shortly after, but the damage was already done.
On January 23, the victim realised something was wrong when both her and her son's mobile numbers were suddenly deactivated. A week later, on January 30, 2026, she discovered three fraudulent transactions on her credit card:
First transaction: Rs 20,550
Second transaction: Rs 2,627
Third transaction: Rs 25,687
Vandana immediately filed a complaint on the national cybercrime portal, leading to an FIR at the Rohini Cyber Police Station.
A team led by Inspector Praveen Chauhan traced the money trail. They discovered that Rs 20,000 had been transferred to a Kotak Mahindra Bank account belonging to a man named Nitin and withdrawn from an ATM that same day.
Following a raid in Burari, police arrested 26-year-old Sachin Kumar Gupta and his 23-year-old brother, Nitin Kumar Gupta.
According to police, Sachin had previously worked at a well-known mobile store, giving him knowledge of SIM porting.
While holding the victim's phone on the train, Sachin secretly initiated a SIM port request and noted the Unique Porting Code (UPC). Using this code, he obtained new SIM cards for the victims' numbers, registered under his brother's name. Once the new SIMs were activated, he installed the CRED app. Since he now had the phone numbers, he bypassed security via OTPs to gain full access to the credit cards.
Police recovered a Motorola mobile phone and the Kotak Mahindra ATM card used in the crime. According to police, the mastermind, Sachin, is a BSc dropout who previously worked for Uber. His brother, Nitin, is a B.Com graduate who worked in a retail showroom. Both are now in custody as police investigate if there are other victims.

from NDTV News- Special https://ift.tt/BkQRHtC
via IFTTT

T20 World Cup 2026 Points Table After India Beat Zimbabwe In Super 8

A clinical Team India, powered by fifties from Abhishek Sharma and Hardik Pandya and a fiery spell by Arshdeep Singh, powered their way back into contention for a semifinal spot in the ICC T20 World Cup, beating Zimbabwe by 72 runs in their do-or-die match at Chennai on Thursday. With this win, India have a win and a loss each in the Super Eight phase, same as West Indies, making the March 1 clash between them a virtual knockout match for the second semifinal spot, with the Proteas having qualified for the semifinal with two wins in two matches so far.

Here's the latest T20 World Cup 2026 Points Table

India were put to bat first by Zimbabwe and they posted their highest T20 WC total on the board courtesy of knocks from Abhishek Sharma (55 in 30 balls, with four boundaries and four sixes), Hardik Pandya (50* in 23 balls, with two fours and four sixes) and Tilak Varma (44* in 16 balls, with three fours and four sixes). In reply, Zimbabwe were valiant, posting 184/6 in 20 overs, courtesy of a fine 97* in 59 balls, consisting of eight fours and six sixes by Brian Bennett and a 21-ball 31 by skipper Sikandar Raza. Arshdeep Singh (3/24) was the top wicket-taker for India.

In the run-chase of 257 runs, Zimbabwe started with a modest four-run over against Arshdeep Singh.

Openers Brian Bennett and Tadiwanashe Marumani took very minimal risk in the powerplay, with the odd boundary.

In the fifth over, Bennett collected a couple of fours against Jasprit Bumrah.

Tadiwanashe started the final over of the powerplay against Varun Chakravarthy with a six, finishing the powerplay at 44/0 in six overs.

Axar ended the 44-run stand, removing Tadiwanashe for a run-a-ball 20 with two sixes in 7.1 overs.

In the ninth over, Bennett took some risk against Axar, collecting a couple of sixes and a four, bringing the score to 70.

Varun's magical spin removed Dion Myers for just two, with a fine catch from Tilak. Zimbabwe ended the first half of the innings at 73/2.

Bennett and skipper Sikandar Raza carried on with a partnership, with the young Bennett reaching his third fifty of the tournament in 34 balls, consisting of four boundaries and three sixes.

Zimbabwe reached the 100-run mark in 13.4 overs. In the 15th over, Bennett struck two fours and a six against Shivam Dube, getting 26 runs. Bennett and Raza completed a 50-run stand in 31 balls.

In the next over, Raza hit Varun for a four and a six, but he fell to Arshdeep Singh in the next over, caught at long-on for a 21-ball 31, with two fours and two sixes. Arshdeep also got all-rounder Ryan Burl trapped lbw in the same over, reducing Zimbabwe to 144/4 in 16.4 overs.

Tony Munyonga started his innings with two successive fours against the left-armer, bringing up Zimbabwe's 150-run mark in 17 overs.

Arshdeep cleaned up Tony for a six-ball 11 in the penultimate over, reducing Zimbabwe to 162/5 in 18.2 overs.

Tashinga Musekiwa was removed by Dube in the final over for seven, reducing Zimbabwe to 173/6 in 19.1 overs.

Zimbabwe's chase ended at 184/6, with Bennett (97* in 59 balls, with eight fours and six sixes) and Brad Evans (1*) unbeaten.

Arshdeep (3/24) was the star for Team India with the ball, while Varun, Axar and Dube got one wicket each.

from NDTV News- Special https://ift.tt/B7qicpx
via IFTTT

"Modi Hug Is Special": Netanyahu's High Praise For "Brother" PM Modi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi's trademark “hugplomacy”, where he embraces world leaders in his trademark hug, has once again drawn international attention after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu praised what he called the famous “Modi hug”.

“It's been a wondrous friendship, both personally, between the two of us, and between our two countries and our two peoples,” Netanyahu said.

Netanyahu recalled the moment the two leaders greeted each other warmly moments after PM Modi landed in Israel.

“Prime Minister Modi's personal embrace is something special-it's called the ‘Modi hug.' It's well known around the world, and when you hug someone closely, truly, you know it's not an act. It's a real thing,” he said.

“So I want to return the hug here from every single one of the Knesset members; it's not only an indication of the personal relations and the personal friendship between us, but it really reflects the warmth of the tie between our two peoples,” he said.

PM Modi has become known internationally for greeting world leaders with embraces, a departure from traditionally formal diplomatic gestures such as a handshake.

During his visit, Prime Minister Modi addressed Israel's parliament, the Knesset, becoming the first Indian Prime Minister to do so.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in his address to the Israeli parliament Knesset -- a first by an Indian Prime Minister -- reaffirmed that India stands with Israel in its battle against terror. 

PM Modi last visited Israel in 2017, a trip which opened new avenues in defence, agriculture, and water management cooperation between the two countries. Netanyahu had also welcomed PM Modi at the airport in 2017.

from NDTV News- Special https://ift.tt/YGhRsib
via IFTTT

Drama Follows Youth Congress Workers' Arrest, Cops File Case Against Cops

A confrontation between two state police forces unfolded on a highway in Himachal Pradesh on Saturday, escalating into a rare situation in which one police unit registered a criminal case against officers from another state while both sides accused each other of acting unlawfully.

The dispute centres on the detention of three Indian Youth Congress workers linked to protests at the AI Impact Summit in Delhi last week, in an incident that has already triggered political controversy in the national capital.

The latest confrontation occurred near the Shoghi Barrier between Shimla and Solan, where Himachal Pradesh Police stopped a Delhi Police team that was transporting the detained individuals to Delhi. An argument between personnel from both forces continued for some time as Himachal authorities insisted that the suspects could not be taken out of the state without transit remand from a local court.

The situation became further complicated after Shimla Police registered a case against Delhi Police personnel, alleging that the three men had been forcibly taken from a resort earlier in the day.

from NDTV News- Special https://ift.tt/XnydJsQ
via IFTTT

'Dhurandhar 2 Can Permanently Destroy Pan-India South Films,' Says RGV

As Dhurandhar: The Revenge prepares for its theatrical release on March 19, Ram Gopal Varma has made a bold claim about the film. The filmmaker believes the sequel could change the way mainstream Indian cinema is made.

Ram Gopal Varma Hails Dhurandhar

RGV did not hold back in his praise and wrote, "DHURANDAR 2 is an ASTEROID which might end the DINOSAUR era @AdityaDharFilms DHURANDHAR 2 has high chances of completely and permanently obliterating the pan india south films movement by establishing a brand new benchmark with ultra realistic making, genuine character depths etc that actually engage the audience's brain while still delivering a raw visceral impact."

He further suggested that the film could drastically alter audience expectations, adding, "Once audiences taste this new standard, every film currently under production in the previous masala style can become instantly endangered."

In a longer note, RGV argued that big-budget entertainers relying on scale and spectacle may struggle in the wake of Dhurandhar: The Revenge. "Those ultra-big budgeted masala projects that are already deep into shooting or post-production will have an uphill task in competing with the new standards set. Producers who bet entire empires on the same previous formulaic making might face empty theatres and career-ending losses because of the high costs involved and the audience taste converting to the international standards," he claimed.

He went on to critique formula-driven filmmaking and star-led spectacles. 

"Directors married to the belief of 'mass + vfx + scale + gravity-defying stunts = guaranteed hit will have no choice but to reinvent themselves by studying the Dhurandhar audiences. Superstars who were depending upon their god like statuses resting solely on mindless hero worship will stand exposed in front of highly effective characters who grow to be heroes in the context of the story rather than already being hailed as heroes from frame one," RGV wrote.

Concluding his dramatic statement, the filmmaker described the film as a seismic shift for the industry. 

"DHURANDHAR 2 is not just another film coming on March 19th. It can be an ASTEROID STRIKE that might end the DINOSAUR ERA of filmmaking, which is full of sheer volume, fake heroism, and the so-called masala treatment. The goal post has been changed, and so if the direction of the kick does not change, it might not only break the leg, but it might lose the limb," he concluded.

DHURANDAR 2 is an ASTEROID which might end the DINOSAUR era @AdityaDharFilms DHURANDHAR 2 has high chances of completely and permanently obliterating the pan india south films movement by establishing a brand new benchmark with ultra realistic making , genuine character depths…

— Ram Gopal Varma (@RGVzoomin) February 24, 2026

About Dhurandhar: The Revenge

The film, directed by Aditya Dhar, serves as a follow-up to the 2025 blockbuster Dhurandhar and dives deeper into the backstory of Ranveer Singh's character, Hamza.

However, Dhurandhar: The Revenge will not have a clear run at the box office. It is set to clash with Toxic: A Fairytale for Grownups, headlined by Yash and directed by Geetu Mohandas. 

The pan-India project also features Kiara Advani, Nayanthara, Huma Qureshi, Rukmini Vasanth, and Tara Sutaria.

ALSO READ: How Ranveer And Yash's Dhurandhar 2 And Toxic Heroes Are Same Same But Different

from NDTV News- Special https://ift.tt/n7XI6VU
via IFTTT

Ranveer Singh Goes To Karnataka High Court Against FIR For Kantara Mimicry

Ranveer Singh has approached the Karnataka High Court seeking to quash an FIR registered against him in Bengaluru over his alleged gestures depicting Daiva from Rishab Shetty's Kantara 2.

The matter is now expected to be heard by the court.

About The Case Against Ranveer Singh

In January 2026, an FIR was registered against Ranveer Singh at the High Grounds Police Station in Bengaluru over allegations that he had insulted Hindu religious sentiments and the Chavundi Daiva tradition of coastal Karnataka.

The case was booked under Sections 196, 299, and 302 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). The complaint was lodged by Prashanth Methal, a 46-year-old advocate based in Bengaluru.

As per the FIR, the alleged incident took place during the closing ceremony of the International Film Festival of India (IFFI) held in Goa on November 28, 2025. The complainant claimed that Ranveer Singh made objectionable remarks and performed a stage act which, according to him, mocked and demeaned sacred elements of the Daiva tradition.

The FIR noted that Methal said he had come across a video of the performance on December 2, 2025, while browsing Instagram at the Karnataka State Billiards Association in Bengaluru. The video had reportedly been shared by an account named Brief Chaat.

In his complaint, Methal alleged that Ranveer Singh mimicked expressions linked to Panjurli and Guliga Daiva in what he described as a crude and disrespectful manner. He further claimed that the actor referred to the sacred Chavundi Daiva as a "female ghost".

The complaint stated that Chavundi Daiva is worshipped as a guardian deity symbolising divine feminine energy in the coastal belt of Karnataka and is held in deep reverence by devotees. Referring to the deity as a ghost, the complainant alleged, amounted to a serious distortion that hurt religious sentiments and caused significant mental distress among followers of the Daiva tradition.

The FIR further alleged that the act had been deliberate and malicious, with the intention of outraging religious feelings and fostering enmity within society.

The matter was referred to the 1st Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate (CMM) Court in Bengaluru and was scheduled to be heard on April 8.

Earlier, a private complaint had been filed by the advocate on December 27, 2025, before the Additional Judicial Magistrate in Bengaluru. On January 23, 2026, the court had directed the High Grounds Police Station to register an FIR under Section 175(3) of the BNS. Following the court's direction, the police registered the FIR.

from NDTV News- Special https://ift.tt/tUf70bS
via IFTTT

Bengaluru Lake Crisis: No Potable Water In India's 'Silicon Valley'

According to data published by the Karnataka State Pollution Control Board, water quality analysis conducted across 147 monitoring locations between April and November 2025 shows that not a single lake in the city consistently met potable or safe bathing standards.

No Lake Achieves Safe Water Quality

The report categorised lakes under standard water quality classes:

Class A: Potable without treatment

Class B: Safe for bathing

Class D & E: Severely polluted, unsuitable for human use

Shockingly, no lake achieved Class A or Class B status during the monitoring period. Most lakes were classified under D or E, indicating heavy contamination.

Iconic Lakes Among Worst Affected

Several of Bengaluru's most well-known lakes recorded disturbing pollution levels:

Bellandur Lake: Rated E in April, briefly improved to D during summer, before slipping back to E by November.

Varthur Lake: Fluctuated between D and E categories.

Hebbal Lake: Maintained D status for most months before deteriorating to E.

Other severely affected lakes include Madiwala, Kaikondanahalli, Kundalahalli, and Ulsoor (all D/E), while Sankey Tank maintained a D rating. The report notes that the Bommanahalli and Mahadevapura zones emerged as the worst-hit regions, largely due to rapid urbanisation and untreated waste discharge.

Experts Warn of 'Ecological Emergency'

Environmental activist Madhuri Subbarao, co-founder of Friends of Lakes, said the findings confirm long-standing concerns.

"Many lakes in Bengaluru are on the brink of ecological collapse," Ms Subbarao said. "Today, we cannot point to a single lake with healthy water quality, stable ecology, or safe biodiversity. Most lakes fall below acceptable standards, with water unfit even for animal consumption."

She called for urgent government intervention, including the formation of a dedicated lake restoration task force, the scientific identification of pollution sources, and stronger collaboration with citizen groups.

Summer Water Stress Likely to Worsen

The findings come at a critical time as Bengaluru prepares for peak summer, a period when dependence on groundwater and tanker supplies traditionally rises.

With the city's primary surface water bodies now officially declared unfit for use, residents face a mounting challenge in securing safe water as temperatures climb.

from NDTV News- Special https://ift.tt/R0ItjDV
via IFTTT

Watch: Gurugram Man, 31, Shares Rs 2.44 Lakh Monthly Expense Breakdown

A 31-year-old corporate professional from Gurugram has sparked online discussion after sharing his monthly expenditure of over Rs 2.4 lakh. In a now-viral video titled ‘Monthly spends of corporate gym rat living in Gurgaon,' Gagan Saini detailed his January outgoings, ranging from rent and groceries to long-term investments.

Saini detailed that he was living in a 2.5 BHK flat in the Millennium City, with the rent coming around Rs 53,500. He said, although the rent was not cheap, his priorities had shifted post-marriage and comfort, location and safety came first. As for cook, maid and car cleaning, he was shelling out Rs 8,450 per month.

Being a regular at the gym, Saini said he was spending Rs 8,682 on membership and supplements, which also inflated his grocery costs to Rs 15,927 as he preferred to cook most of the meals at home. The homemade meals greatly reduced his eating-out tendencies, which meant that the dine-out bill stood at Rs 3,161.

Saini added that he was renting most of the furniture in his flat at a monthly cost of Rs 18,926, while home decor to make the space feel cosy set him back by Rs 4,848. Wi-fi and other OTT subscriptions increased the expenses by another Rs 1,728, and petrol cost him Rs 6,000.

"Home setup is still in progress so rented fridge and washing machine for now, but yes, got the recliner. Small home and kitchen touches to make the space feel like ours," he wrote.

As a content creator, Saini said he spent Rs 4,022 on buying some equipment and professional software subscriptions, whilst investing Rs 1,20,000. In the end, his total expenses for the month of January came to around Rs 2,44,244.

Check The Viral Post Here:

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Gagan Saini (@03gagan)

Also Read | Viral Baby Monkey Punch Finally Accepted By His Troop With Heartwarming Hug

Social Media Reacts

As of the last update, the video had garnered over 171,000 views, as social media users joked that Saini's monthly expenses far exceeded their annual salaries.

"This is the annual package at our college," said one user while another added: "Bro, the amount you have spent is not even the salary of most people."

A third commented: "Apart from rent, everything else is pretty reasonable, good to know you are spending a good amount on your diet and stay."

A fourth said: "Seeing your rent made my heart sink. I feel lucky that I don't have to pay any rent. Rest everything is good."

from NDTV News- Special https://ift.tt/1Sakedj
via IFTTT

Gambhir Holds One-On-One Chat With Abhishek, Team Management Breaks Silence

All that Abhishek Sharma needs is a start, but there hasn't been any discussion about the talented opener's wretched run in the T20 World Cup so far, bowling coach Morne Morkel said ahead of India's first Super Eights game against South Africa here on Sunday. Abhishek is yet to open his account in the current edition of the tournament and during Friday's training, he was seen spending considerable time with head coach Gautam Gambhir. Gambhir was seen trying to explain to him certain finer points and like a diligent student, the flamboyant southpaw nodded in agreement.

After that he went for a high catch session.

At times, excess training can prove to be counter productive and Abhishek was seen bowling to the other batters for better part of the game.

When asked if there's discussion in general within the team on Abhishek, Morkel denied emphatically.

"Absolutely no discussion. He's a world class player. So far in the tournament, luckily, there's been some guys standing up for Abhishek (others scoring runs)," Morkel told the media.

However, he agreed that Abhishek needs to score runs as they enter the business end of the tourney.

"But we're going through a very important phase of the World Cup now and we expect him to do well.

"And I'm pretty sure, not just for the team, but also for all the viewers watching the game. Because he's (Abhishek) entertaining, and we love to see that.

"So yeah, I'm pretty sure he's hitting the ball well. It's just a matter of getting that start and Abhishek will get going," Morkel said.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

from NDTV News- Special https://ift.tt/LbD4WH1
via IFTTT

India vs SA Clash Divides Morkel Family: Mother Doesn't Know Who To Support

The Morkel household in Pretoria, South Africa, is in two minds. The reason: the India vs South Africa T20 World Cup Super 8 clash on Sunday. The elder son of the family, Albie Morkel, is the consultant coach of South Africa, while the younger son, Morne Morkel, is the Indian bowling coach. So when India take on South Africa in the Super Eight at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on February 22, Mariana Morkel may be the most conflicted cricket fan on the planet.

At her home in Pretoria, Mariana will be torn between supporting South Africa - the country for which Albie Morkel played one Test, 58 ODIs and 50 T20Is and now serves as consultant coach during the ongoing Men's T20 World Cup - or India, where her younger son Morne Morkel, who represented the Proteas in 86 Tests, 117 ODIs and 44 T20Is, is now the bowling coach.

When asked in the pre-match press conference whether he had exchanged coaching notes with Morne, Albie said, "No, we don't talk to each other. I think my mother, she's more worried than us. She doesn't know who to support - India or South Africa."

Morkel declared that the real tournament begins now, insisting that South Africa's passage through the group stage was merely the first box ticked on what he expects to be a demanding road to the title.

"I think the World Cup really starts now, even though we had a tough group. Now you face India, possibly Australia or Zimbabwe, and the West Indies in our group. So it's really tough. It's going to be all good games. Yes, there will be more pressure on those games as you get closer to the playoffs.

"But I feel we've got a very experienced group of bowlers, and the batting is better. Guys have been exposed to pressure situations - whether in the IPL, other leagues, or international cricket. It's a little bit different, but players who can handle pressure will actually thrive in those circumstances, where there's a bit more pressure on the games. So I'm not too worried," he added.

With IANS inputs

from NDTV News- Special https://ift.tt/Jb9oK7h
via IFTTT

Andrew Can Be Kept In Custody For 4 Days At Most, Likely To Be Released In 1

In one of the gravest crises to affect the House of Windsor, Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor was arrested on Thursday on suspicion of misconduct in public office in connection with his close relationship with late paedophile Jeffrey Epstein.

He was taken into custody on Thursday morning by the Thames Valley Police in Sandringham, where the former prince is currently living after his brother King Charles III stripped him of his titles and honours and evicted him from his royal residence.

However, the former prince can be kept in custody only for 24 hours per CNN, after which the police would have to formally charge him with a crime or release him. If the police need to hold him for longer - 36 to 96 hours - extensions from senior officers and the Magistrate's Court would be required.

Read | Former UK Royal Andrew Arrested Amid Probe Into Epstein Ties

The longest the police can hold Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor for is 96 hours, which is the longest amount of time a suspect can be held for a serious crime.

According to English law, suspects can be released on bail if there is not enough evidence. The released suspects do not have to pay the bail amount, but they are required to return to the police station for questioning if needed.

Danny Shaw, a policing commentator, told the BBC that the former prince will be placed in "a cell in a custody suite" with just "a bed and a toilet", where he is supposed to wait till the police interview him. He also added that "there'll be no special treatment for him".

Read | "Full, Fair, Proper Process": King Charles After Brother Andrew's Arrest

The arrest follows a ratcheting up of allegations against Mountbatten-Windsor in the wake of the release of millions of pages of files last month related to Epstein by the US Justice Department.

Many of the recent allegations centre on sexual impropriety on the part of Mountbatten-Windsor, specifically that a woman was trafficked to the UK by Epstein to have a sexual encounter with the then-prince.

Thames Valley Police said it was "assessing" reports that Mountbatten-Windsor sent confidential trade reports to Epstein in 2010, when the former prince was Britain's special envoy for international trade.

Read | "Was Never A Prince": Victim Virginia Giuffre's Family On Andrew's Arrest

The Crown Prosecution Service, which decides on whether a charge has the potential to lead to a successful prosecution, defines misconduct in public office as the "serious willful abuse or neglect of the power or responsibilities of the public office held."

(With inputs from agencies)

from NDTV News- Special https://ift.tt/GPpjcBI
via IFTTT