Shubman Gill, Jasprit Bumrah Clear Fitness Test Ahead Of Asia Cup: Report

Indian cricketers, including Test skipper Shubman Gill and ODI captain Rohit Sharma, have cleared the pre-season fitness test which was conducted at the BCCI Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru. Gill will travel to Dubai soon for the Asia Cup, starting on September 9, and his teammates Jasprit Bumrah and Jitesh Sharma too have passed the fitness parameters. The 25-year-old Punjab batter was named India's vice-captain for the T20 tournament. A fitness test became mandatory for Gill as he had to pull out of the Duleep Trophy, where he was named the North Zone captain, because of a fever, and was resting at his home town for the last few days.

PTI understands that other players who went through the test at the CoE without any alarm were Mohammed Siraj, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Washington Sundar and Shardul Thakur.

Apart from the now standard Yo-Yo test, a DXA Scan, which is a simplified method to test bone density, was also done during the fitness test.

Both Jaiswal and Washington are in the standby list for the continental showpiece, while Thakur will remain in the city to lead the West Zone in the Duleep Trophy semifinal against Central Zone from September 4.

While Rohit does not have any immediate assignments after his retirement from Test and T20 formats, the senior batter could travel to Australia for an ODI series in November, and prior to that he may also appear for India A against Australia A in three one-day matches at Kanpur on September 30, October 3 and 5.

The confirmation for that is yet to come but Rohit is likely to stay back in the city for a few more days to train at the CoE.

Other members of the Asia Cup squad such as Arshdeep Singh, Harshit Rana, Kuldeep Yadav and Riyan Parag (standby) have played in the Duleep Trophy quarterfinals for their respective Zonal teams, and there could not be a separate fitness test for them now.

Wicketkeeper batter Dhruv Jurel, who is also among the standby players, had to skip the Duleep Trophy quarterfinal because of a groin niggle.

But the Central Zone skipper, who was replaced at the helm by Rajat Patidar against NorthEast Zone, is still under monitoring of the medical team.

(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/o06E3Fd
via IFTTT

Israel Kills Hamas Spokesperson Amid Expanding Gaza Offensive Discussion

The Israeli military announced Sunday that it killed the longtime spokesperson for Hamas' armed wing, as the country's security cabinet met to discuss the expanding offensive in some of Gaza's most populated areas.

There were no plans to discuss negotiations for a ceasefire at the meeting, according to an official who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorised to speak with the media.

Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz identified the spokesperson as Abu Obeida, the nom de guerre for the official who represented Hamas's Qassam Brigades. He was killed over the weekend. Hamas has not commented on the claim.

Abu Obeida's last statement was issued on Friday as Israel began the initial stages of the new offensive and declared Gaza City a combat zone. His statement said the militants would do their best to protect living hostages but warned that they would be in areas of fighting. He said the remains of dead hostages would "disappear forever."

Israel's military said the spokesperson, whom it identified as Hudahaifa Kahlout, had been behind the release of videos showing hostages as well as footage of the Hamas-led attack that sparked the war. The military also reiterated a threat against remaining Hamas leaders abroad.

Israel has killed many of Hamas' military and political leaders as it attempts to dismantle the group and prevent an attack like the one on Oct. 7, 2023, when militants abducted 251 people and killed around 1,200, mostly civilians, in southern Israel.

At least 43 Palestinians have been killed since Saturday, most of them in Gaza City, according to local hospitals. Shifa Hospital, the territory's largest, said 29 bodies were brought to its morgue, including 10 people killed while seeking aid and others struck across the city.

"Where are the resistance fighters that (Prime Minister Benjamin) Netanyahu claims he is bombing? Does he consider stone resistance fighters?" said a relative of one of the dead at Shifa Hospital, who did not give her name. She said they would not be displaced.

Hospital officials reported 11 other fatalities from strikes and gunfire. Al-Awda Hospital said seven of them were civilians trying to reach aid.

Witnesses said Israeli troops opened fire on crowds in the Netzarim Corridor, an Israeli military zone that bisects Gaza.

"We were trying to get food, but we were met with the occupation's bullets," said Ragheb Abu Lebda, who saw at least three people bleeding from gunshot wounds. "It's a death trap."

The corridor has become increasingly perilous. Civilians have been killed as United Nations humanitarian convoys are overwhelmed by looters and desperate crowds, or shot on their way to sites run by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, an Israeli-backed U.S. contractor.

The GHF told The Associated Press that there was "no incident at or near our site today." Israel's military did not respond to questions about Sunday's casualties.

Israel, for weeks, has been operating on the outskirts of Gaza City and the Jabaliya refugee camp to prepare for the offensive's initial stages. The military has intensified air attacks on coastal areas of the city, including Rimal. More smoke rose over Gaza City on Sunday.

In Rimal, quiet Palestinians looked through the rubble after a strike, some venturing into the upper floors of shattered buildings that were still standing. A child tried to pull a shopping cart loaded with plastic jugs over the debris.

The military has urged the hundreds of thousands of Palestinians in Gaza City to flee south, but many say they are exhausted after repeated displacements or unconvinced that any safe place in Gaza remains.

The United Nations says about 65,000 Palestinians have evacuated since Aug. 1, including 23,199 in the past week. More than 90% of the over 2 million Palestinians in Gaza have been displaced at least once during the war, many of them multiple times, according to the UN

Israel has signalled that aid to Gaza City could be cut, and it has announced new infrastructure projects in southern Gaza - steps that Palestinians say amount to forced displacement.

Seven more Palestinian adults died of malnutrition-related causes over the last 24 hours, Gaza's Health Ministry said Sunday.

That brought the adult death count from malnutrition-related causes to 215 since June, when the ministry started to count them, it said, and 124 children have died of malnutrition-related causes since the war began.

In the largest attempt yet to break the long Israeli blockade of the Palestinian territory by sea, a flotilla of ships departed Sunday from Barcelona for Gaza with humanitarian aid and activists on board. Similar attempts in the past have failed.

At least 63,371 Palestinians have died during the war, said the ministry, which does not say how many were fighters or civilians, but that around half have been women and children.

The ministry is part of the Hamas-run government and staffed by medical professionals. The UN and independent experts consider it the most reliable source on war casualties. Israel disputes the figures but has not provided its own.

(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/ZQcypjX
via IFTTT

Video: Petrol Pump Employee Refuses Fuel To Helmetless Bikers, Shot At

A petrol pump employee, who was following the district administration's order of refusing fuel to two-wheeler riders not wearing helmets, has been shot at by two men in Madhya Pradesh's Bhind.

Around 5 am on Saturday, Tej Narayan Narwaria, 55, who works at Savitri Lodhi Petrol Pump on the Bhind-Gwalior National Highway (NH-719), refused to refuel the motorcycle of two men who were not wearing helmets. The men began arguing with him and he said his hands were tied because the order had been issued by the collector.

Enraged, the men began using expletives and, moments later, opened fire. A bullet struck Mr Narwaria's hand.

CCTV footage from the pump shows one of the men shooting using a pistol and another firing from a rifle. Multiple rounds were fired, forcing terrified employees at the pump to hide.

After the men left, Mr Narwaria was rushed to the Bhind district hospital and then to a hospital in Gwalior, where his condition is reported to be stable.

Police said the attackers are residents of Bijpuri village under Bhind's rural police station limits. A wrestling event was underway in Bijpuri and the two men had stopped at the petrol pump to refuel their bike.

Barohi police station in-charge Atul Bhadoria said, "We have identified the accused through CCTV footage and a manhunt is on. They will be arrested soon."

from NDTV News- Special https://ift.tt/f8qnrG1
via IFTTT

Lalit Modi Responds To Sreesanth's Wife Over Slap-Gate Video Row: "Truth..."

Former Indian Premier League (IPL) commissioner Lalit Modi has responded to criticism from S. Sreesanth's wife, Bhuvneshwari, after she slammed him and Michael Clarke for releasing an unseen video of the infamous 2008 IPL Slap-gate incident involving her husband and Harbhajan Singh. The controversy erupted after Modi and Clarke discussed past IPL events on a podcast, during which Modi released the previously unseen clip showing Harbhajan striking Sreesanth with a backhanded slap during post-match handshakes following a clash between the Mumbai Indians and Kings XI Punjab (now Punjab Kings). Harbhajan had been handed an 11-match suspension for the incident.

“I don't know why she (Sreesanth's wife Bhuvneshwari) is getting angry. I was asked a question, and I shared the truth. I can't do anything about that. I am known to speak the truth. Sree was the victim, and that's exactly what I said. No one had asked me this question earlier, so when Clarke quipped, I responded,” Modi told IANS.

Modi, meanwhile, described the clip to Clarke, explaining how his security camera captured the moment after broadcasters had shut theirs. The video shows Harbhajan calling Sreesanth over during post-match handshakes before delivering the back-handed slap. Both cricketers have since buried the hatchet, appearing together on commentary panels and in advertisements, with Harbhajan publicly apologising for the incident multiple times.

Earlier, in her social media posts, Bhuvneshwari criticised the release, calling it “disgusting, heartless and inhuman.” She said: “Shame on you @lalitkmodi and @michaelclarkeofficial. You people are not even human to drag up something from 2008 just for your own cheap publicity and views. Both @sreesanthnair36 and Harbhajan have long moved on in life and are fathers now with school-going children, and yet you try to throw them back into an old wound. Absolutely disgusting, heartless, and inhuman.”

Sreesanth also re-shared her posts on Instagram. Bhuvneshwari further highlighted the impact on their family: “@sreesanthnair36 has rebuilt his life with dignity and grace after every hardship he faced. As his wife and as the mother of his children, it is deeply painful for our family to see this resurface after 18 long years. Families are being forced to relive trauma that was buried decades ago, only so you can chase views. This doesn't just hurt the players; it scars their innocent children who now have to face questions and shame for no fault of theirs.”

She also urged Modi and Clarke to consider the consequences of their actions: “Fear God. You are causing pain to families and innocent children for your own benefit.”

(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/hDoaTw9
via IFTTT

How Ukraine Destroyed 2 Russian Bridges Using A Pair Of Cheap Drones

Ukraine says it pulled off a major strike inside Russia using nothing more than a pair of cheap drones and sharp intelligence. Two bridges in Russia's Belgorod region, critical for Moscow's resupply routes, were destroyed after Ukrainian forces discovered they were being used to stockpile explosives.

According to Ukraine's 58th Separate Motorized Infantry Brigade, the discovery came after unusual movements were spotted around one of the bridges near the Kharkiv border. Speaking to CNN, a brigade representative explained: "It became clear that something was going on there. We couldn't fly a regular reconnaissance drone under the bridge because the signal would simply disappear, so we flew in with a first-person-view drone equipped with fiber optics."

What they found was a jackpot: a massive pile of anti-tank mines and ammunition hidden beneath the bridge. "We saw the mines, and we struck," the brigade representative said. Video shows the drone flying directly into the stash, triggering a massive explosion. CNN verified the location of the strike in Russia's Belgorod region.

The soldiers didn't stop there. After the first blast, they scouted a second bridge. "After that, we decided to check the other bridge. We found it was also mined and we struck," the representative added. "(We) saw an opportunity and took it."

The operation was done at a bargain. Each drone used in the strikes cost just $600-$725, according to the brigade. As the representative noted, what would normally require expensive guided munitions or missile systems was achieved with simple first-person-view drones.

Ukraine has previously used HIMARS launchers to take down bridges, but those are pricey: Germany paid $30 million for just three systems last year, with each missile costing tens of thousands of dollars. By contrast, this latest mission was cheap and effective.

In a similar fashion, Kyiv's forces used small drones to damage or destroy dozens of Russian aircraft by sneaking them close to airfields in trucks in June.

While Russian forces push slowly forward on the frontlines and Russian President Vladimir Putin resists ceasefire talks, Ukraine continues to strike back.
 

from NDTV News- Special https://ift.tt/xSIFto7
via IFTTT

"Why Did This Cat Become 4?" 5 Classes In 1 Room Leave Students Puzzled

In one corner, a teacher helps students learn the English alphabet - A for Apple, B for Ball, C for Cat - in another, some are taught the Hindi alphabet, and, in yet another, a blackboard reads "2+2 = 4". In the cramped classroom, a student pipes up, puzzled, "Sir, why did this cat become four?"

This scene, which seems straight out of a satirical show on the education system and infrastructure, is an unfortunate reality in the Uchehra block of Madhya Pradesh's Satna, where the Dudha Primary School has redefined what a classroom can be. After a building collapsed, 95 children from five different grades were crammed into a single hall, with five different blackboards and five different subjects being taught, sometimes simultaneously.

This leaves the students searching for education in the cacophony.

Teacher Lavkush Kori explained the reality: "Without classrooms, the only option was to combine classes. Boards were needed and festivals reduced attendance, and when all the children came together, the real challenge was not teaching, but ensuring the students were protected from the rain."

Sometimes classes were held under a tree, and then children had to be rushed indoors to avoid the weather. One student summed up the struggle succinctly: "It is very difficult to study. Voices come from everywhere. Sometimes we understand, sometimes we don't. There is too much noise."

Dudha is not an isolated case. More than 70 schools in Satna are battling similar conditions. Files are shuffled between government departments, like batons in a relay race without end, while children are left waiting for classrooms that are never built. Pushpraj Sharma, the headmaster of one such school, said the building had been demolished two years ago and many letters had been written, but no action followed.

Approvals Pending

Sunil Saraf, Assistant Engineer at the District Education Centre in Satna, admitted that proposals had been sent and approvals were pending, and work would begin only once that happened.

Even the state capital is not spared. In a school just behind the Raj Bhavan in Bhopal, classes up to the fifth standard have been squeezed into one room for years. There is no playground and even the mid-day meal is served in the same cramped space.

In Madhya Pradesh government schools, more than one crore children were enrolled in Classes 1 to 8 in 2010-11 and the number has nearly halved to 54.58 lakh now. Hundreds of schools have seen zero admissions this year, 7,217 schools continue to operate with a single teacher and more than 5,600 either have no buildings or function in crumbling ones.

The government insists it is responding. School Education Minister Uday Pratap Singh said that, under Chief Minister Mohan Yadav's leadership, plans had been prepared for maintenance and new classrooms, with proposals sent to the finance department and funds allocated. He acknowledged shortages but maintained that the government is striving to provide the best possible resources.

from NDTV News- Special https://ift.tt/ozLO6gu
via IFTTT

Sonu Sood Sells His Luxury Apartment For Rs 8 Crore In Mumbai: Report

Sonu Sood just made a solid real-estate move in South Mumbai. The actor sold his apartment in Mahalaxmi for ₹8.10 crore, walking away with a profit of almost ₹3 crore after holding the place for more than a decade.

The property is part of Lokhandwala Minerva, one of the well-known addresses in the area. According to documents reviewed by SquareYards, the deal was registered in August 2025. The apartment comes with a carpet area of 1,247 sq. ft. and a built-up area of about 1,497 sq. ft. Two parking spots are also included.

The paperwork from the Inspector General of Registration (IGR) shows that Sonu Sood had purchased the flat back in 2012 for ₹5.16 crore. That means after 13 years, he managed to make around ₹2.94 crore in profit. The transaction also carried a stamp duty of ₹48.60 lakh and a registration fee of ₹30,000.

Mahalaxmi, where the property sits, is one of South Mumbai's prime neighbourhoods. It is well-connected to Lower Parel, Worli and Nariman Point, and is packed with luxury towers that overlook the Arabian Sea and the racecourse.

On the work front, Sonu Sood was last seen in Fateh, which also marked his directorial debut. Talking about the film, the actor had told ANI, “I truly enjoyed directing the film, and it is about the experience and satisfaction you get as a director, so of course, get ready for the second soon.”

Fateh hit the cinema screens in January this year. The project featured Sonu Sood as Fateh Singh, Jacqueline Fernandez as Khushi Sharma, Vijay Raaz as Satya Prakash and Naseeruddin Shah as Raza. Nagineedu, Dibyendu Bhattacharya, Prakash Belawadi, Ravi Kishan and Shiv Jyoti Rajput were also part of the movie. Fateh is currently available for streaming on JioHotstar.

from NDTV News- Special https://ift.tt/QbP1E5m
via IFTTT