Comprehensive Plan To Transform Kuppam Into A Model Constituency And Swarna Kuppam: CM
The Chief Minister said 8,904 Bangaru Kutumbalu had been identified in Kuppam and were being economically strengthened through the P4 programme. The goal was to make Kuppam a poverty-free constituency, he said
Govt to fast-track reforms for recycling sector: G Kishan Reddy
Digital Desk | New Delhi, Sep 21 (IANS) Union Coal and Mines Minister G Kishan Reddy on Monday assured the recycling industry that the government would examine its key demands and pursue necessary reforms on a fast-track basis as India seeks to build a robust critical mineral recycling ecosystem and advance its circular economy goals. Addressing the Material Recycling Association of India's (MRAI) National Seminar on India's Critical Mineral Recycling Ecosystem and Circular Economy, Reddy said the government is committed to promoting critical mineral recycling in line with Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision of self-reliance, sustainability and technological innovation. The minister's assurance came after industry representatives raised concerns over several policy issues, including the mandatory Pre-shipment Inspection Certificate (PSIC) framework for scrap imports, import duties on aluminium scrap and the need for reforms in the Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) regime. The industry also sought recognition as a formal industry sector, arguing that such measures would improve access to finance, technology and government support. Reddy highlighted the growing importance of recycling in securing critical mineral supplies and reducing India's dependence on imports and primary mining. He said the government is preparing an incentive scheme for critical mineral recycling and has earmarked nearly Rs 34,000 crore for critical mineral development initiatives. He added that Centres of Excellence are being proposed through IITs and other technology institutions to support research and the development of advanced recovery and processing technologies. According to the minister, India has the potential to emerge as a major secondary source of critical minerals by recovering valuable materials from discarded products and industrial waste. Such an approach would not only enhance resource security but also reduce the environmental impact associated with conventional mining activities. Emphasising the need for coordinated action, Reddy called for a whole-of-government and whole-of-society approach to building the recycling ecosystem, with employment generation, reverse logistics and domestic processing capabilities forming its key pillars. The recycling industry, meanwhile, used the platform to renew its demand for the abolition of the mandatory PSIC regime governing imports of ferrous and non-ferrous metal scrap. MRAI argued that the current system has disrupted operations and increased costs, and proposed a technology-driven inspection framework based at Indian ports.
Odisha T20 League: Bhubaneswar Tigers edge past Keonjhar Miners by seven runs in rain-hit clash
Digital Desk | Kataka, Sep 21 (IANS) Bhubaneswar Tigers registered a seven-run win over Keonjhar Miners via the DLS method in a rain-curtailed match of the Odisha T20 League CM Trophy at the iconic Barabati Stadium in Kataka on Monday. The match was initially reduced to 15 overs per side due to a wet outfield. Bhubaneswar Tigers then posted 64/3 in seven overs before rain once again interrupted play and forced another reduction in the target. Captain and opener Swastik Samal led the Tigers charge with an aggressive knock of 42 off just 18 balls. He took the attack to the Miners bowlers and provided his side with a quick start before being dismissed. For Keonjhar, Vimal Kumar was the pick of the bowlers, finishing with figures of 2/8 from his over, while Jogeswar Bag claimed one wicket for six runs from his over. When play resumed, Keonjhar Miners were set a revised target of 48 runs from four overs. They lost Kshyama S Bal early for three off six balls, but Rajesh Dhupam and captain Subhranshu Senapati put together a 20-run partnership to keep the chase alive. Senapati was dismissed for 11 off nine balls, leaving the Miners with a challenging task in the final over. Badal Biswal was handed the ball with Keonjhar needing 18 runs from the last six deliveries at the Barabati Stadium that has hosted international fixtures. The left-arm spinner held his nerves under pressure and helped the Tigers close out the game. His composed final over earned him the Player of the Match award. Biswal received his award from Mr. Srimanta Panda, Director, Bharat Masala, while Swastik Samal was presented with the Moment of the Match award by Luv Malik, Representative, Rourkela Superstars. Reflecting on the team's performance and the support within the camp, Biswal said, Everyone in the team has been very supportive, and the atmosphere has been excellent. The coaches, captain, support staff and owners have given us a lot of confidence and made us feel that we are in it together, regardless of the result. That backing helped us stay calm, especially when we had to defend in the final four overs. Our goal is clear, we want to win this tournament.
Global renewable capacity hits record 693 GW addition in 2025: IRENA
Global renewable power capacity expanded by a record 693 GW in 2025, taking total installed renewable capacity to 5.15 TW, according to IRENA. The pace has narrowed the gap to the COP28 goal of tripling renewable capacity by 2030, but the world remains short of the target. Rising electricity demand from cooling, AI and data centres is also limiting the displacement of fossil fuels, which still accounted for 86% of global energy in 2025.
With deadlines missed twice, Bengals new Industrial Policy unlikely before Durga Puja end
Digital Desk | Kolkata, Sep 21 (IANS) With deadlines missed twice, West Bengal's new industrial policy is unlikely to be announced before October, after the end of the Durga Puja by the middle of the next month, state Secretariat 'Nabanna' sources said. The initial deadline for finalising and announcing the new industrial policy was August 15 on the occasion of Independence Day. However, that deadline was missed, and the middle of September was fixed as the time for the announcement of the new policy. However, the Secretariat source involved in the process said that since some work to give the final shape to the new policy is yet to be done, the announcement will be made in the next month and, in all probability, after the Durga Puja. According to the source, while the other aspects of the policy are complete, the main complications are related to finalising the policy for land procurement for industries, maintaining a balance in protecting the interests of both the state government as well as the landowners. In case of procurement of agricultural land for industries, besides the landowners, the interests of the sharecroppers and agricultural workers will also have to be protected. So, a combination of all these factors has made the process of finalising the policy for land procurement for industries a bit complicated. After all, past experiences show that land is a very sensitive issue in West Bengal considering the highly fragmented nature of landholding in the state, which often makes it quite difficult to get huge plots of land at one go for big industries in the manufacturing sector, the source said. According to him, the state government is clear about one thing on this issue - that neither will it apply the archaic acquisition rules to get land nor leave the entire responsibility of land procurement to the investors or industrialists concerned. Considering the extremely fragmented land-holding nature in West Bengal, it is impossible for the investors to contact and negotiate with so many land-owners to get the land for the state. So, the policy of the new government is that the state will do the negotiation part, directly purchase from landowners and subsequently hand over that purchased land to the investors, the source said. At the same time, the source added, the state government is also trying to work out a formula where the landowners could be made stakeholders in those industrial units for which the land will be procured. There could be two options for achieving that goal. The first option is to provide employment to one member of the land-owning family a job in the proposed industrial unit. The second option is enabling the landowners to set up 'indirect support' entrepreneurship catering to the main industrial unit, the government official said.
Passenger air traffic between India and Russia grew by almost a third in 2026
Aeroflot carried more than 185,000 passengers between Russia and India in January-August 2026, up 29% year-on-year, with 131,000 travelling between Moscow and Delhi. The airline expects stronger demand during the October-February winter period and operates flights between Moscow and Delhi, along with seasonal services to Goa from Moscow, Yekaterinburg and Novosibirsk. Tourist flows between Russia and India rose 8% in the first half of 2026.
A tribute to young Paul Scholes (he scores goals) at Manchester United
How good a striker could Scholes have been? The post A tribute to young Paul Scholes (he scores goals) at Manchester United appeared first on Planet Football .
Japanese proverb of the day: This Japanese proverb offers a simple lesson in patience, reminding us that slowing down, thinking carefully and avoiding unnecessary shortcuts can often lead to better results and save time in the long run.
Centre acting as per NGT order: Ktaka BJP on Kasturirangan report
Digital Desk | Bengaluru, Sep 21 (IANS) The Central government has issued a notification to implement the Kasturirangan report as per the National Green Tribunal (NGT) order and has not taken a voluntary decision on its own, senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader and Leader of the Opposition R. Ashoka said on Monday. Speaking in the Legislative Assembly during a special session called to discuss the Kasturirangan report and drought, Ashoka advised the state government to conduct a ground-level survey and appoint competent lawyers to make a convincing case in court. He warned that implementation of the report would cause great hardship to farmers. Ashoka said Congress ministers should stop claiming the Prime Minister issued the order, stressing that there should be no politics in this. He added that the NDA government had not issued the order, which was based on court directions. He suggested Karnataka follow Keralas model, where the government conducted a ground-level survey, identified plantations and houses, and submitted a report to the NGT and Centre, which reduced the extent of the ecologically sensitive area. Ashoka pointed out that Karnataka has 1,576 villages covering 20,668 sq km under the ecologically sensitive area mentioned in the Kasturirangan report, the largest among states. He said satellite imagery had wrongly classified fields and coffee plantations as forest, creating problems for lakhs of farmers in ten districts. He noted that lack of coordination between the Forest and Revenue departments was preventing road construction in villages. Even if a bridge collapses in the monsoon, it cannot be repaired; electricity connections cannot be given. If the Forest Department creates a buffer zone, difficulties will increase further, he said. Ashoka urged the government to prepare a ground-level survey report, submit it to the Centre and NGT, and appoint lawyers with environmental expertise to argue in the Supreme Court. He cautioned that if the state government failed to act, the NGT would direct the Centre to implement the report. Highlighting the importance of the Western Ghats, Ashoka said the region covers 1,64,280 sq km across six states, absorbs 40 lakh tonnes of carbon, and is home to eight biodiversity hotspots and more than 325 species. He recalled that the Madhav Gadgil Committee, formed in 2010, had recommended stringent restrictions. Still, protests led to the constitution of the Kasturirangan Committee, which suggested declaring 37 per cent (59,940 sq km) as ecologically sensitive. Ashoka said the Goa Foundation has been pressing for implementation of the Gadgil report and has approached the Supreme Court. He noted that the NGT has directed that the 2017 notification should not be altered and the Centre has issued notifications multiple times as per tribunal directions. He added that the Centre has now formed a committee headed by Sanjay Kumar, with a term till 2027.
Ahead Of Facing Australia A, How N Jagadeesan Stopped Chasing And Started Enjoying His Cricket
Chennai Super Kings: N Jagadeesan used to begin each domestic season by calculating numbers in his head. These many in the first game and second match will be needed by the season's end so that the selectors would find it hard to look past him. The method was sound in the quest to play for India, but it was also ruining him. I was very motivated to be part of the Indian team and in terms of being part of the Indian team, the things what I wanted to do in the domestic circuit was something which I had thought even before the season had started. I had my own goals as to how many runs I need to score in first game and second game, how much do I score? But when you actually have a plan of that sort, it is more often than not that it doesn't go to your plan and all of a sudden, when it doesn't go to your plan, you feel a lot of pressure. Once the pressure hits you, you no longer play your game and you don't enjoy the sport. You just end up taking the pressure too much and not expressing yourself on the field. So, I feel there was a time in my career where I felt that I was taking a lot of pressure - thinking of selections, my result, the amount of runs I am scoring and stuff. So, that was really taxing on me and it wasn't the best feeling I had because the love for the sport had not been there. So, the only thing what I wanted to do was to get the love back of the sport because the day I started playing cricket was just to enjoy the sport as it is and not think about anything else, Jagadeesan told IANS in a chat ahead of India A's series against Australia A, which begins in Puducherry on Tuesday. Needing a mindset shift and regaining the joy of playing cricket, Jagadeesan found a mentor in former India batter and his ex-Chennai Super Kings team-mate Robin Uthappa. At some point, Uthappa mentioned something about Jagadeesans stance and weight transfer. Though both soon went out once CSK released them, Jagadeesan remembered it and implemented it in his batting. In the 2022/23 Vijay Hazare Trophy, Jagadeesan was in a magical run-making spree - 830 runs in eight games with five hundreds. After hitting the fifth century, his phone rang. It was Uthappa on the other side and asking what he had done to his batting to get these monstrous runs. Jagadeesan, unable to work out why a player of that standing would bother, told him about the advice he gave which he implemented. With no band-aid of an IPL contract, Jagadeesan wanted a mentor who had been inside the India set-up and would help him achieve his ambition a perfect setting for Uthappa, a member of 2007 T20 World Cup winning team, to come in. We were just talking about life and all of a sudden, I just asked him, I really want to have someone who actually mentors me. I want to play for India - that's my goal. I want someone who can guide me through the journey to play for India and out of nowhere, he was like, you know what, buddy? I am actually looking for someone and I want to give back to the game, he recalled. Uthappa put him on a call the next day and began speaking almost constantly for a week. By having my own process, creating, how I look at life on a daily basis. These are the things in nature that I had a solid foundation on and then came technical stuff. So, in those manner, the last three years have been a blessing for me with Robin in my life and he has actually made me a different person altogether. He no longer uses the word mentor to describe Uthappa. He is family to me right now and we are very close. No matter what it is, it is not just cricket. But if there is anything in my life also, I would go to him for sure. Ask what enjoyment means and he also points at the sports he is not paid to play. Let's say if I got to play golf or paddle, I don't go there to win-win-win. It is just about enjoyment for me. But I am doing something which I love and that's playing a sport which is cricket. So, I need to be really grateful for playing this sport and very important to give credit to a lot of people for allowing me to be in this sport. That's when I feel the joy for the sport goes down. Seriousness is there for sure, but I feel the greediness to be in another place takes over and it becomes all compiled together saying that I want to be there, I want to be there. But in the process, you just forget to enjoy, he added. In 2025, Jagadeesan, who via making 816 and 674 runs in 2023/24 and 2024/25 Ranji Trophy seasons for Tamil Nadu, got into India A and targeted players pool, was at home in Coimbatore and eating lunch, when a BCCI official rang to seek his passport details. He was told he might be required in England for the fifth Test at The Oval as a replacement for Rishabh Pant, who fractured his right foot in Manchester. It was out of the blue. But at the same time, even at that point of time, it wasn't like I was resting or something. I was still doing my own process and practicing. It was a constant run for me. It has become my everyday life that I always try to practice each and every day. Whether there is a tournament or not, it is very important for me to stay prepared because you really don't know when the opportunity is going to knock your door. As usual, my life routines were the same and out of the blue, I got this call from someone. Before I knew it, I was there in the Indian team. Though Jagadeesan did not play the Oval Test, as Dhruv Jurel replaced Pant in the playing eleven, the match was roughly 80-20 England's way before India's quicks, led by Mohammed Siraj, pulled it back on the final day and sealed a win for the ages. It was unreal, to be honest, because it was also my first experience with the Indian team and to be part of a match which was thrilling right from the beginning till the end, is a moment where I would definitely cherish for a very long time. On the last day, all of a sudden, the way the fast bowlers came into the game and picked up wickets in terms of Siraj, Akash Deep, Prasidh and all these people - how they got us back into the game, especially starting by dismissing Joe Root, was something really special. It was a lot of fun and surely indeed was one of the best victories. Though Jagadeesan travelled with India A to red-ball games in Sri Lanka, which they won 1-0, he did not play both games. Obviously, it hurts when you don't play in the eleven. But that's not really in your control because you can do what's there in your control. That is basically me focusing on my training, my practice, my diet, and the way I do my things. Once I started enjoying, which is all well within my control, so when I don't get selected, I don't get sad. When I get selected, I don't get happy. You need to find a space where you feel neutral about everything. So, I feel that was the kind of state I was in. Yes, I was in Sri Lanka. First and foremost, there are a billion people who want to play for India, India A and stuff. So, gratitude is something really important and I am just grateful that I was there in India A set up. I was one amongst the millions. So, that was very special for me and it doesn't matter if I play or not. It is just about soaking in the feeling and being at the present and living inside my bubble. Some of the recovered head space went into technical work. His batting was built for accumulation, which suits red-ball cricket but needed more adjustment to suit T20s. Ability alone would not have closed that gap, he says, and the remodelling was mostly about aggression by intent rather than circumstance. The results came in sequence: after breaking into red-ball side of things, there was a hundred for India A in a T20 World Cup warm-up game against UAE, which he still calls surreal. None of it felt like his own achievement, he says - only that entourage of his family, father, childhood coach, Narsimha and Uthappa - knew what it took to reach there. From the outside, it just seems like a selection. But the kind of effort that went through inside with the number of hours we put in for practice, your training, your gym and other than cricket, the life choices that I had to make. I feel I am truly blessed to have such people in my life. 100 percent - it comes straight from my heart. The best part is never getting satisfied and trying to be better than what you want, said Jagadeesan. His last assignment involved keeping relentlessly even as East Zone compiled close to 1200 runs across roughly 270 overs against South Zone in the Duleep Trophy final in Chennai weather that does not negotiate. It was one of the most gruelling matches I have played. It's just part and parcel of the game. It was a new experience and it's not like always that you get to stand on the field which is not something that I would like to do a lot. But still, this was an experience. On the Puducherry pitch, his lone appearance came in a Deodhar Trophy match with a white ball, and a change of ball colour, he notes, changes a pitch entirely. Red soil or black, he could not say. Preparation for the duel against Australia A has been standard: a camp in Bengaluru, the squad training and living together. Away from cricket he plays any sport going, and after that, seeing anything on Netflix in any language. At home, Jagadeesans Test jersey hangs framed, much to the delight to him and his father. That's something which is very precious to me and the jersey which I got for the first time is something which is going to be really close to me. On the Puducherry pitch, his lone appearance came in a Deodhar Trophy match with a white ball, and a change of ball colour, he notes, changes a pitch entirely. Red soil or black, he could not say. Preparation for the duel against Australia A has been standard: a camp in Bengaluru, the squad training and living together. Away from cricket he plays any sport going, and after that, seeing anything on Netflix in any language. Also Read: Special Cricket Stories It has obviously given me a lot of confidence and only makes me want to be there in the set-up each and every time they play a series. It's just about being in that spot again and again and anytime you want to be there in the Indian side. So, obviously, you have got a jersey with your number and name on it and that only motivates you and you want to make sure that you be there constantly. Article Source: IANS
If I achieve my personal best, that is success: Rohit Yadav on Asian Games goal
Can 90 metres be the next big target for Rohit Yadav? How is the preparation shaping up for the Asian Games? And what does it feel like competing alongside Indias biggest names in javelin?Rohit reflects on his performance at the Indian Athletics Final Series 2026, his preparation for the Asian Games, the significance of his 87m throw from June, technical changes, the 90m target, medal pressure and the healthy competition with Neeraj Chopra, Yashvir Singh and Sachin Yadav.
Can you name the top 25 Premier League goalscorers of the 1990s?
A host of vintage names. The post Can you name the top 25 Premier League goalscorers of the 1990s? appeared first on Planet Football .
Washington Sundar: India eye Asian Games gold after Japan preparations
Washington Sundar speaks about Indias preparations in Tokyo, the upcoming Asian Games and the teams goal of winning the gold medal. Sundar also discusses playing Japan, crickets growing reach and his excitement for the 2028 Olympics.
City cycle project out of track in Kozhikode
The project was launched in 2024 at a total cost of Rs.1.75 crore. Promotion of womens health and affordable mode of transport were some of the projected goals of the project under various local body wards in Kozhikode city.
War not over: IRGC says prepared for long-term conflict with US
Tehran , September 21 : Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) on Monday said that the conflict with the United States and its allies is not over and that it is prepared for a prolonged confrontation if hostilities intensify in West Asia. In an interview with Al-Alam News Network, IRGC Second Brigadier General Hossein Mohebbi said that the Iranian Forces had prepared for a long-term war and would be ready to respond if the conflict entered another phase of heightened hostilities. In our view, war is war; it has different stages, but war is war and the war is not over, the war continues, and the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps has prepared itself for a long-term war, and it was ready before, and now it is even more prepared for a long-term war. And this is not a new stage, so to speak, but if at another stage we encounter the issue of the intensity of our aggression again, without a doubt we are prepared and we will defend ourselves, Mohebbi said. The IRGC spokesman also claimed that the United States, Israel and its allies have failed in their objectives during the conflict with Iran. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps' assessment of the war with the United States, the Zionist regime, and its allies is that America has failed in this war, and its defeat is a historic and shameful defeat, but it does not have the courage to admit this defeat and accept it, Mohebbi said. He further claimed that the assessment of US failure was shared by military and political experts, including some in the United States. The failure of the United States and the Zionist regime is a failure that all military and political experts, even in America itself, admit to, and they can see, touch, and feel this failure with the slightest attention. Of course, they had these admissions, but what is important in this issue is that some people define America's failure as the failure to achieve the designed goals, and since they say that America has not achieved the goals that were mainly designed by the Zionist regime, then America has failed, he added. A key point raised by Mohebbi was the strategic Strait of Hormuz, which he said the United States had failed to reopen despite its military capabilities and stated objectives concerning freedom of navigation and energy security. One of the areas of America's failure is the failure to reopen the Strait of Hormuz. Despite America having the largest navy in the world and despite defining the reason for its presence in the region and the world as ensuring the security of energy flows and freedom of navigation, it became clear in this war that America, first of all, did not have the ability to reopen the Strait and could not, and brought all its tools to bear and could not. This is a failure, he said. Second, it considered its slogan to be ensuring the security of energy flows and freedom of navigation in various waterways, and it failed in this slogan. And the more important issue is that the so-called country that sought to ensure security itself became a security disruptor, Mohebbi added. The West Asia conflict began with the United States and Israel launching attacks against Iran on February 28, kiling its former Supreme Leader. Following this, Iran launched retaliatory operations, which led to a ceasefire, while maintaining control over the Strait of Hormuz since the early stages of the conflict. In July, the United States carried out a series of airstrikes on Iran and imposed a naval blockade, which Iranian officials said violated the 14-point Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed with Iran on June 17 to end the hostilities in the region. Iran subsequently responded with strikes on US strategic targets across West Asia and announced the closure of the Strait of Hormuz to all traffic. Mohebbi's remarks come amid continuing tensions over the conflict and the broader security situation in West Asia. (ANI)
Karan Wahi Gives Sneak Peek Into Jennifer Wingets Goa Wedding
Karan Wahi shared glimpses from Jennifer Winget and William Ishmaels intimate Goa wedding celebrations on Instagram. The actor offered fans a closer look at the couples special festivities.
Rupna stands tall but Bangladesh finish bottom after Myanmar draw
The draw against 55th-ranked Myanmar gave Bangladesh one point from three matches and saw them finish fourth in the group for the second successive Asian Games, with a worse goal difference than the third-placed Myanmar. Bangladesh conceded 16 goals, while Myanmar conceded 13.
So many individuals hold dreams close to their hearts but often find their motivation dwindling with time. The real challenge lies in bridging the gap between contemplating goals and taking concrete steps toward them. Planning may appear effortless, yet seeing those plans come to fruition demands unwavering dedication and effort.
Manchester Uniteds subpar run of form continued as the side took on Fulham in the Premier League. The two sides met at the Craven Cottage on September 20th, and United failed to register a victory once more. It is worth noting that the clash ended 1-1, with Matheus Cunha scoring a goal and Lisandro Martinez scoring an own goal.
All the goals from the Women's Super League - matchweek three
Watch every goal from matchweek three of the Women's Super League 2026-27 season.
36 goals, 2 matches: India womens hockey team thrash Indonesia 17-1
Asian Games: Deepika, Navneet, Rutuja's hat-trick powers India to 17-1 hockey win over Indonesia
Digital Desk | Kakamigahara, Sep 21 (IANS) India women continued their stellar performances in the Asian Games as they steamrolled Indonesia by 17-1 in their Pool B outing at the Gifu Prefectural Green Stadium here on Monday. Forwards Deepika, Rutuja Pisal, and Navneet Kaur scored hat tricks as the Women in Blue registered their second straight win in the tournament after thrashing Uzbekistan 19-0 in their Pool B opener on Sunday. Salima Tete's Indian team was at its best yet again, with strikes coming left, right and centre as they punished the Indonesian side. The 2023 Hangzhou Games bronze medallists, India, fired four goals in the first quarter, before netting five in the second to keep a 9-0 lead at the end of the first half. They began in the same vein in the third quarter, scoring another five goals but conceding one to lead 14-1, then netted three more in the final 15 minutes to bag a thumping 17-1 win. They keep their dominance in Pool B intact with six points from two matches and a goal difference of 35. The game also marked a historic milestone for former captain Savita, who won her 321st senior international cap, now the most by an Indian women's player, ahead of Vandana Katariya's 320. The Women in Blue began attacking in the game, earning several penalty corners in the first few minutes before Deepika converted one in the eighth minute to send India 1-0 up. Sunelita Toppo then found the back of the net three minutes later in the 11th before Lalremsiami converted another PC in the 13th. Ruturaj Pisal scored the first of her three goals in the final minute of the quarter, the second field goal for the Women in Blue. The second quarter began in the same fashion, with Lalremsiami firing one from the field in the 16th minute of the match, and Navneet's PC was later saved. Rutuja fired another in the 20th minute to give the 2023 bronze winners a 6-0 lead, which was extended to 7-0 with Sakshi Rana's on-field goal in the 25th minute. The lop-sided affair continued to give India more opportunities, but a Deepika shot was saved before she fired one from another set-piece. Lalremsiami looked for her hat-trick but was denied in the final minute of the second quarter as Sunelita sounded the board with a PC with 10 seconds remaining before halftime as India went up 9-0. Indonesia finally had their opportunities in the third quarter, earning a couple of penalty corners. Salma Maulani's two shots were saved before Innes Adiyita fired one to open Indonesia's account. However, the fight was limited to a minute only as India again ramped up the pressure and Salima scored one in the 34th minute. There were a couple of green card suspensions for India, with defender Ishika Chaudhary and Rutuja sent off for two minutes each. This did not discourage the Women in Blue from maintaining the pressure, as Navneet, attacker Ishika, Rutuja, and Deepika scored to give India a 14-1 lead after the third quarter. The fourth quarter went in the same vein as India kept pressing and found three more goals from Navneet and Sakshi, with the former scoring a brace in the quarter and completing her hat-trick along with Rutuja and Deepika. India will now face Thailand in their third Pool outing on Wednesday as they hope for more such strong performances at the Asiad, where they are challenging for the gold.
India Eye Another Big Win Against Sri Lanka in Asian Games Hockey
There were as many as eight goal-scorers for India in the win over Indonesia with striker Dilpreet Singh leading the tally with four field goals
Asian Games 2026: Indian Women's Hockey Team Hammer Indonesia 17-1
Deepika (8th, 28th, 40th minutes), who scored eight goals in India's 19-0 drubbing of Uzbekistan in the lung-opener, converted three penalty corners, while Rutuja Dadaso Pisal (15th, 20th, 38th) found the net thrice from field play
Your mutual fund portfolio can become riskier even if you hold the same schemes, as market movements can change asset allocation, concentration and overlap. Regular portfolio-level reviews can help investors identify these shifts and check whether their risk remains aligned with their goals.
Asiad 2026: India's women's hockey team storm past Indonesia by 17-1
The troika of destructive young forward Deepika Sehrawat, Rutuja Dadaso Pisal and Navneet Kaur fired a hat-trick each as the Indian women's hockey team hammered Indonesia 17-1 to register its second consecutive Pool B win at the Asian Games here on Monday. The 22-year-old Deepika (8th, 28th, 40th minutes), who scored eight goals in India's 19-0 drubbing of Uzbekistan in the lung-opener, converted three penalty corners, while Rutuja Dadaso Pisal (15th, 20th, 38th) found the net thrice from field play. Navneet's goals came in the 35th, 56th and 57th minutes. In addition, Sunelita Toppo (11th, 30th), Lalremsiami (12th, 16th) and Sakshi Rana (25th, 57th), scored a brace each while skipper Salima Tete (35th) Ishika Chaudhary (36th) also found the net once. Indonesia's solitary goal was scored by Innes Aditiya in the 32nd minute. India will next place Thailand on Wednesday. After the resounding 19-0 thrashing of Uzbekistan on Sunday, the Indians made a steady start. India had the fir
In 2022, Tom Hanks launched his own nonprofit coffee brand for war veterans
Tom Hanks took a significant step in 2022 by launching a coffee brand, dubbed Hanks for Our Troops, with the noble goal of supporting military families. This brand channels every profit towards vital veteran services, offering a diverse range of coffee blends. With his longstanding commitment to philanthropy, Hanks continues to uplift communities and provide essential resources such as employment assistance for veterans.
Psychology explains how US Navy SEAL training builds resilience - even when motivation runs out
US Navy SEAL training reveals resilience is not innate but can develop. Psychological traits like hardiness and grit adapt during demanding conditions. Viewing stress as enhancing improves performance and perseverance among candidates. Goal-setting and emotional control become vital when motivation wanes. True resilience involves adaptation and regulating reactions, not just persistence.
Paramount settlement talks include penalty for missing 30-film pledge
Paramount would have to pay $30 million for each film that falls short of that goal, according to two people familiar with the discussions
Premier League: A weekend that changed the mood at the top
The international break gives managers time to reflect, regroup and address their weaknesses before the Premier League resumes -- but after a weekend of twists, goals and unexpected results, the early shape of the season is already beginning to emerge.
Iran-backed Houthi rebels warn against joining Saudi Arabia in Yemen's growing civil war
Cairo, Sep 20: A senior official with the Iran-backed Houthi rebels is warning countries against joining Saudi Arabia in Yemen's revived civil war, telling The Associated Press on Sunday that his group has assured the Trump administration that it won't attack US vessels in the Red Sea. Mohamed al-Bukhaiti, a member of the Houthis' political bureau, said Washington reached out to the rebels after their rapid advance down Yemen's western coast to the Bab el-Mandeb Strait earlier this month. We confirmed that we are not targeting the United States, or any other nation, in the strait, with the sole exception of the Saudi enemy, he told the AP in a Zoom interview from the rebel-held Yemeni capital, Sanaa. That remains the case. US President Donald Trump last weekend said his administration has had discussions with the Houthis, but did not say when. The Houthis called us, and they don't want to fight with us, he said. They would much prefer not having us involved, and they're letting most ships go through. The AP later reported that Oman hosted a meeting between US and Houthi representatives last weekend, citing a Houthi official and another individual familiar with the talks. They spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to brief the media. However, al-Bukhaiti only confirmed indirect contacts with US officials through longtime mediator Oman, which brokered a 2025 ceasefire between the Houthis and the Trump administration. That ended a week-long US bombing campaign against the rebels in return for them ceasing attacks on US vessels in the Red Sea. The goal of our military operations is not to close the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, but rather to ensure freedom of navigation through it for everyone, including Yemen, he said. The Houthis claim they can fight a war on multiple fronts Al-Bukhaiti said the rebels have the capacity to fight a war on multiple fronts should any nation become implicated in the aggression against Yemen alongside Saudi Arabia. Today, Yemen is capable of waging battle -- not merely an internal conflict, but an international one as well, he said. He said the Houthi attacks against neighbouring Saudi Arabia will persist until Riyadh ends its decade-long blockade on rebel-held areas in Yemen and allows vessels to reach Houthi-controlled ports on the Red Sea. Then they will be ready to negotiate, he said. Al-Bukhaiti blamed Saudi Arabia for the latest escalation of violence in Yemen, which he said erupted after an airstrike blamed on the Saudi-led coalition fighting the rebels hit the Sanaa international airport. The strike prevented an Iranian flight carrying a Houthi delegation from landing. The flight was a Houthi attempt to challenge the coalition's air and naval blockade. The Houthis responded with missile and drone strikes on Saudi Arabia, including one that targeted Riyadh on Saturday before being intercepted. Saudi officials said debris from a Houthi drone also killed one civilian and injured others. The Houthis also declared a blockade on Saudi shipping in the Bab el-Mandeb Strait and the Red Sea, attacking Saudi-linked vessels and oil facilities inside the kingdom, the world's top oil exporter. The Saudis and their allies have long struggled to contain the Houthis, and may be tempted to seek a diplomatic solution to halt attacks. That might ultimately require US concessions to Iran, the only country with leverage over the Houthis. But Washington's negotiations with Tehran over their own war fell apart weeks ago. The US, which bombed the Houthis under the Biden and Trump administrations, has shown no interest in getting involved militarily this time around. The rebels believe power has shifted in their favour The rebels' advance inside Yemen seized the crucial port city of Mokha and key Red Sea islands that allow them to better monitor shipping traffic through the Bab el-Mandeb, through which some 12 per cent of world trade normally passes. The Saudi-backed Yemeni government forces, long divided into factions, withdrew but have vowed to regroup. The escalation ended a 2022 ceasefire that largely ended fighting in Yemen's civil war, which started when the Houthis swept in from their mountainous heartland and seized much of northern and central Yemen, including Sanaa, 12 years ago. The Saudi-led coalition entered the war the following year on behalf of the internationally recognised government. The civil war killed at least 150,000 people, according to UN estimates, and pushed the country to the brink of famine. Now, with Houthis in control of Yemen's western coast overlooking the Red Sea shipping corridor, the balance of power has shifted in favour of the Sanaa government, al-Bukhaiti said, referring to the rebels' de facto authorities there. Ultimately, (Saudi Arabia) lost its most critical card: the west coast, he said.
Semenyo shines brightest in goalfest as Man City thrash Sunderland 5-3
Enzo Fernandez (9th min) opened the scoring, with a free-kick. But Brobbey (12th min) pulled one back for the visitors as he slotted home from Enzo Le Fees pass.
7 goals in 6 matches: Torres keeps scoring for PSG
Torres scored PSG's winning goal in Brest last weekend and now has seven goals in six appearances in all competitions since joining the reigning European champions from Barcelona. He has only started three times.
US proposes AI incident alert system in talks with China: Bessent
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said Sunday the US has proposed a new otification mechanism for artificial intelligence incidents that could affect national security, part of weekend discussions ahead of talks at the White House this week between President Donald Trump and China's Xi Jinping. We want a shared vision of common goals and common threats, Bessent told reporters after talks with Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng in New York. We think that just like any cross-border activity, that moving from opaque to more transparency between the No. 1 and the No. 2 AI powers in the world is very important. Trump has resisted calls to slow down AI development, saying that would help China catch up to US companies. Standing together in the soaring lobby of the JPMorgan Chase headquarters late Sunday, Bessent and US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer said the groundwork had been laid for talks between Xi and Trump set to take place on Thursday. They said the two sides had agreed t
DC Poonch attends felicitation ceremony for NEET, academic achievers
Poonch, Sep 20: Deputy Commissioner Poonch Ashok Kumar Sharma today attended a felicitation ceremony organised by the Shia Federation Province Jammu at Town Hall, Poonch, to honour students who excelled in NEET and other academic fields. The Deputy Commissioner graced the occasion as the Chief Guest. Retired Principal Syed Musarrat Husain Shah attended the programme as the Guest of Honour. Addressing the gathering, the Deputy Commissioner congratulated the achievers and appreciated the Shia Federation for organising the programme to recognise academic excellence and encourage young students. He emphasised the importance of hard work, dedication and perseverance in achieving success, and urged the students to continue pursuing their educational goals with commitment and sincerity. The DC also interacted with the students and felicitated the academic achievers, appreciating their accomplishments and wishing them continued success in their future endeavours. The programme was attended by members of the Shia Federation, students, parents, prominent citizens and other dignitaries.
Messi, Miami frustrated by San Diego
Two goals from Danish forward Anders Dreyer secured a share of the points for San Diego at Miami's Nu Stadium
Lionel Messi scores 101st goal for Inter Miami in 2-2 draw with San Diego
Lionel Messi netted his 101st goal for Inter Miami, which ended in a 2-2 draw. Anders Dreyer scored twice for San Diego FC, securing their draw. Luis Suarez briefly put Miami ahead before Dreyer's late equalizer. Inter Miami's home stadium will host the 2027 FIFA Women's Champions Cup final. The team returns to MLS play next Sunday against the Columbus Crew.
J&K Cine Association seeks second International Film Festival in Jammu
The Jammu and Kashmir Cine Association (JKCA) on Sunday urged the Jammu and Kashmir government to host the second edition of the prestigious event of International Film Festival in Jammu. Demand was raised in a meeting, convened to express JKCAs appreciation to the government for successfully organising the Union Territorys first-ever International Film Festival in Kashmir. The meeting, held at Kalakendra Jammu, attended by members of the executive body and general membership, welcomed the successful conduct of the inaugural festival and emphasised the need for greater recognition of Jammus rich cinematic, cultural and artistic potential. JKCA president Dharminder Kohli said the association was grateful to the government and Department of Information to effect immediate arrangements for including Jammu also in showcasing the films of Jammu region at Wave Mall, a concept mooted by Jammu and Kashmir Cine Association. It was JKCAs effort that 12 Dogri regional films directors, producers and other artists besides technicians associated with filmmaking were honoured on the occasion for which JKCA expresses its gratitude, said president Dharminder Kohli, adding that though the International Film Festival of J&K was slated for Kashmir. He further expressed his gratitude towards the Department of Information for holding the prestigious festival. I sincerely thank you for honouring Dogri cinema and its creators in Jammu and for organizing such a wonderful film festival. Your support and encouragement not only encouraged the filmmakers but also provided a new respect and platform for the Dogri language, culture, and cinematic identity of Jammu, Kohli said. On the occasion, the Association urged the government to take concrete measures to promote regional cinema by providing dedicated theatre space and adequate screening time to local filmmakers, directors and producers. It also called for the introduction of a comprehensive subsidy scheme for film production and demanded that the film sector be accorded industry status, along with appropriate financial incentives and subsidies to encourage filmmakers and strengthen the regional film industry. The meeting also marked the induction of Baljit Singh Raina into the association and an announcement for his appointment as its chairman. The post had remained vacant following the demise of former chairman Mushtaq Kak. The association members discussed in detail about holding investors meet and frame a committee in this regard to broad base the activities of the association to further its commitment towards achieving better goals. Certain members also suggested since the association was focused on holding film festivals and promoting the cinema of the region, the songs and various religious albums produced and directed by many local directors should also be promoted. Those present at the meeting included Rajesh Khajuria, Amarjit Singh, Irfan Chaudhary, Shammi Malhotra, Sandeep Rattan Verma, Sudesh Verma, Pankaj Khajuria, Maloop Singh, Veena Dogra, Lalita Tapasvi, Baljit Singh Raina and Ravinder Koul, besides other members of the association.
PIX: Atletico down 10-man Real in fiery Madrid derby
Atletico Madrid defeated 10-man Real Madrid 2-1 in a heated LaLiga derby at the Metropolitano. Goals from Alejandro Grimaldo and Jonathan David secured the win, moving Atletico above Real in the standings. Real's Dean Huijsen was sent off, and Antonio Ruediger scored a late consolation goal.
Missing drug evidence leads to acquittal; police probe ordered
Seized narcotics wasnt kept at designated facility Panaji: The district and sessions court, North Goa, acquitted Nigerian national Domnic Nweke in a 2023 drugs case after the prosecution failed to produce the seized muddemal property before the court and could not establish the case due to hostile panch witnesses. The court also directed the superintendent []
Poorvas four-wicket haul goes in vain as they lose by five wickets Panaji: Goa senior women suffered a five-wicket defeat against Baroda in a T20 practice match organised by the Baroda Cricket Association at BCA Stadium B, Baroda, on Sunday. After winning the toss and opting to bowl, Baroda restricted Goa to 96/9 in their []
They will face HOPS FC, Roots FC and Krida Sirsaim: Goas SESA Football Academy will begin its campaign in the inaugural AIFF U15 Womens Youth League in Group A, alongside HOPS FC, Roots FC and Krida Prabodhini Pune. The competition is set to kick off on October 15 at the Sporting Planet Sports Complex in []
Porvorim firing: 7th accused operated gambling den in Mum
Panaji: The seventh accused, Satish Shinde, a native of Maharashtra, who was arrested by the Goa Police Crime Branch in connection with the Porvorim firing incident, was reportedly operating two tables in a casino in Goa. He was also allegedly operating a gambling den in Mumbai, which was shut on August 28, the day of []
Montra bets on heavy electric trucks to hit $1-billion revenue milestone by 2030
Montra Electric has set an ambitious goal of reaching one billion dollars in revenue by 2030, with electric trucks playing a vital role by contributing seventy percent of that figure. Heavy trucks are projected to bring in fifty percent of the total. Additionally, small commercial vehicles and three-wheelers are expected to enhance sales significantly, as the company anticipates over fifty percent annual growth in its electric heavy truck segment.
Goa's property boom hits a realty check
Goa's real estate market is stabilizing after a significant boom period. Sales and enquiries for second homes have slowed considerably over the past year. North Goa experienced a price correction, while smart capital moves to emerging pockets. Established developers are strengthening their position as buyers seek reliable track records. South Goa is increasingly recognized for its peaceful coastal living and refined lifestyle.
There is a scene that often repeats itself in almost every college hostel, every office party, every group of friends growing up. Some substances get passed around. A voice, casual but insistent says, everyone else is doing it. Saying no can feel like stepping out of the group. A pause follows, the kind where a young person quickly weighs the embarrassment of saying NO to a peer group against the discomfort of being singled out. That is the make-or-break moment, because addiction does not always happen with a conscious decision; it often starts due to the fear of being left out. NO To Drugs, YES To Life This is the quiet but critical moment that the Nasha Mukt Bharat Abhiyaan (NMBA) was conceived to influence. Its larger purpose has been to build awareness around substance abuse, but its deeper challenge is social: to make a drug-free choice easier to make, easier to express and eventually, easier to see as normal. STEELY Resolve When the campaign was launched on 15 August 2020 by the Honble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, NMBA chose to fight for something more challenging: the courage of a single person, in a weak moment, to say NO in front of a peer group. That is why the most powerful word in the campaign may be the simplest one, No! Not a dramatic No!. Not a moral lecture. Just the confidence to decline when everyone around you appears to be saying YES. Honble PM has said, For the Viksit Bharat Sankalp Abhiyan, the name Nasha Mukt Yuva itself makes the resolve clear. As India sets the goal of becoming a developed nation, it is essential that our youth remain healthy in body and mind, full of confidence, and always free from the deadly habit of drugs. This is the purpose of the campaign. We must all resolve that our youth understand the dangers of addiction, remain aware, and stay away from it. The National Nasha Mukt Yuva Abhiyan now plays a major role in this resolve. NMBA: A Nationwide Movement of Shared Responsibility Six years on, that individual act has become part of something much larger. The campaign has reached more than 13.71 crore young people through pledges and mobilisation, while more than 31 lakh awareness activities have been conducted across schools, colleges and communities. It has become voluntarily common on campuses for students to make pledges, a gram Sabha now taking the topic as routine business. Where families once accepted a member's addiction in private shame, more than 10.65 crore women, through Self-Help Groups (SHGs) and community networks, have begun speaking about it openly, in their own language, to their own neighbours. More than 1.70 lakh Nasha Mukti Mitras (NMM) have emerged as community-level champions, helping carry the message to over 34.57 crore people, as on September 19, 2026. And the trend is skyward in the positive direction. This is where a public campaign begins to change social behaviour. NMBA has steadily moved beyond one-way awareness to create multiple avenues through which people can engage with the campaign, seek information and carry its message forward. The NMBA portal brings together information, educational resources, best practices and opportunities for citizens to engage with the Abhiyaan. https://www.dosje.gov.in/organisation/nasha-mukt-bharat-abhiyaan Drug-Free Youth, Drug-Free India Honble Prime Minister, Sh. Narendra Modi gave voice to this larger mission recently, in the 137th episode of the monthly radio address Mann Ki Baat, when he renewed the call for its goal- drug-free youth, drug-free India. His appeal was particularly significant because it extended beyond institutions and enforcement agencies to young musicians, students and theatre groups, recognising that messages are often most powerful when they travel through voices that young people already trust. That is, in many ways, what the last six years of NMBA have quietly built, not a wall of prohibition, but an alternative circle of belonging, one large enough now to reach every State and Union Territory, into schools, colleges, Panchayati Raj institutions, ASHA and Anganwadi networks and thousands of community organisations, each carrying the same pledge in its own words. From Awareness To Resolve A movement of this size does not stay confined to statistics for long; it begins to shape conversations in homes, classrooms and communities, bringing substance abuse into the open and making prevention a shared responsibility rather than a conversation reserved for moments of crisis. But awareness is only the beginning. For someone seeking help for themselves or a loved one, the next question is: where does one go to? NMBA has sought to make that step easier too. The National De-Addiction Helpline, 14446, provides a point of contact for information, guidance and referral to appropriate de-addiction services, helping turn a moment of concern into a possible first step towards recovery. For any person who has ever stood in that hesitant pause, weighing a friends insistence against their own better judgment, the journey of NMBA offers reassurance that they are not alone. What began in 2020 has grown into a nationwide movement, bringing together young people, families, communities and institutions around a common purpose. Together For Safeguarding Youth-The Beacon of India Citizens now have the opportunity to carry that mission further as Nasha Mukti Mitras, taking the conversation beyond campaigns and into the places where everyday choices are shaped. Because lasting change is rarely created by one campaign, one institution or one moment. It is sustained when awareness translates into everyday conversation, conversation becomes a collective resolve and that resolve finds its way into everyday life. That is the potential and impact of Nasha Mukt Bharat Abhiyaan, a campaign against substance abuse where the country stands together. Lets Join Hands To Safeguard Youth-The Beacon Of India. (Shri Sudhansh Pant, IAS, is Secretary, Ministry of Social Justice And Empowerment, Government of India. Courtesy: PIB)
Oilers Roll Past Jets 5-2 As McDavid, Draisaitl Shine In Preseason Opener
The Edmonton Oilers' are looking to avenge their first-round in the NHL Playoffs last season, as they hammered the Winnipeg Jets 5-2 thanks to goals from Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl.
Liverpool Secures Narrow Victory Over Bournemouth with 1-0 Win
Liverpool edged out Bournemouth 1-0 in a Premier League clash, with Isak scoring the decisive goal at Vitality Stadium. Liverpool Secures Narrow Victory Over Bournemouth with 1-0 Win
Last-minute Cunha goal saves Man Utd from another defeat - who rated highest at Fulham?
Last minute Cunha goal saves Man Utd from another defeat - who rated highest at Fulham?
Five arrested for robbing Rs 4.31 lakh from goat trader
PIX: Isak's lone goal takes Liverpool past Bournemouth
Alexander Isak scored the only goal, securing a 1-0 Premier League victory for Liverpool against AFC Bournemouth. Despite the win, Liverpool's attack, featuring Gakpo, Wirtz, and Barcola, struggled to create chances, managing only six shots on goal. Captain Virgil van Dijk acknowledged the team's need to improve but highlighted the importance of the three points and a clean sheet.
PIX: Brobbey 'tricks' for Sunderland, but Man City win 8-goal thriller
Manchester City secured their position at the top of the Premier League table with a thrilling 5-3 victory over Sunderland. Despite a hat-trick from Sunderland's Brian Brobbey, City maintained their 100% start to the season, with Antoine Semenyo scoring a double and Erling Haaland sealing the win late on. Elsewhere, Liverpool secured a 1-0 win against Bournemouth, while Leeds United drew 0-0 with Crystal Palace.
La Liga: Atletico Madrid Edge 10-Man Real Madrid 2-1 in Derby Clash
Dean Huijsen was sent off early in the second half for Los Blancos before Alejandro Grimaldo and Jonathan David's goals gave Atletico victory
Atletico ride derby storm to beat 10-man Real Madrid
Atletico Madrid beat archrivals Real Madrid 2-1 in LaLiga on Sunday as second-half goals from Alejandro Grimaldo and Jonathan David settled a tense derby at a packed Estadio Metropolitano.
Cooch Behar Trophy: Aman Mokhade has already worn an India A shirt, but he believes the upcoming red-ball games against Australia A, starting in Puducherry on September 22, will be the biggest matches of his career so far. The Nagpur-based Mokhade doesn't think he will need anyone to fire him up for putting his best foot forward. These games will probably be the biggest matches of my life in terms of level. For that, I don't think there is a need for motivation. It comes from within. The tricolour and the logo of BCCI is on your chest. So I don't think you need any motivation to get up and do well. No matter how much you work on it, it comes from within because growing up is the feeling we need as a cricketer and do good for India, right? Mokhade told IANS in an exclusive chat. The opener will not be short of familiar company, as his state team-mates Yash Rathod, Praful Hinge and Nachiketa Bhute will be there. We have played together since childhood and they will also be in the India 'A 'team. So the atmosphere of the team is similar to what it is in Vidarbha. Its because when we went to Sri Lanka, I was with Yash (Thakur) and Harsh (Dubey) and I didn't feel anything new. It didn't take long to get along with the other players, he added. The Australia A series comes after Mokhade got his first taste of India A cricket via a tour of Sri Lanka that they A won 1-0 and made scores of 38 and 11 not out in Galle. But the tour began for Mokhade, in Bengaluru, where the squad received their match shirts before flying out to Sri Lanka. Overcome by emotions, Mokhade wore his India A jersey to bed that night. It was a very good feeling. While growing up, every cricketer dreams about earning it. So, it is always a good experience for that dream to become a reality. When I got the India shirt, I went to sleep wearing it. The material was also soft. So, it was a very special feeling. I mean, I actually got the same feeling which MS Dhoni's character got on getting his first India jersey with his surname and number behind in that movie in 2016. Mokhade said the tour to Sri Lanka was as much about the conversations as the cricket. That was a very great experience. enjoyed it a lot and I got to interact with a lot of players. I got to learn a lot. It was fun. The overall experience was really good. I spoke to Ruturaj (Gaikwad) for a long time. We both are from Maharashtra and we had a connection. Ruturaj bhaiya is very helpful. If I have to ask him about batting, he would tell me a lot. I used to bat alongside Sai Sudarshan. Hes also an opener, just like me. While batting in nets, we talked a lot about cricket and batting. So, it was fun talking to both of them. Adjusting took little effort, he said, with no time difference and weather much like what he had played while in Chennai and Goa, and enjoyed the local crowds that turned up for the A games. Puducherry, though, will not be Mokhade's first encounter with an Australian side. His earliest brush with international cricket came while being on ball boy duties in Nagpur, a role reserved for the best performers from the Under-14 camps, at a time when Nagpur hosted only one or two international games every few years. A couple of years later, he talked his way into the nets. Being a net bowler happened after 2-3 years. Net bowlers are people who are U19 or U23 players. As a batter, I knew I won't get the chance to be there and convinced one of the coaches that I will bowl leg-spin. At that time, the Australian team and Indian team wanted some leg-spinners to be as a net bowler. After convincing my coach that I would love to go and have a bowl, I just wanted to see how they the likes of Virat Kohli and KL Rahul - prepare before a game. I just wanted to be as close to that and there was the time I went in there to have a bowl to them. It was in 2017, where Rohit Sharma scored a century and MSD was also there in that game. Mokhades cricketing journey began on the playground outside his home, where the older boys of the neighbourhood saw some potential in him and suggested to his mother Manisha that he join a club. In India, at every playground, there are hundreds of people playing cricket. So, that is how I started my cricketing journey. I used to play there and all the boys from the colony used to come and play cricket there. That is how I started and I used to play with senior people the bade bhaiya log. When I used to play, they told my mom that you can try him in professional cricket because there was a cricket club near our house. My dad took me there one day in the cricket club and then that is how I started into professional cricket. It was a club called PHCA, from where I started. At the club, under coach Nitin Kanade, Mokhade spent his first week only fielding. With the nets full of batters and few willing to bowl in the Nagpur heat, he volunteered to bowl fast, and batting time came gradually. He still enjoys bowling and has sent down overs in senior cricket. Nobody in Mokhade's family had played sport seriously, though his father Ravindra harboured an ambition for being a professional cricketer. Most of his family members are engineers, doctors or teachers, and studies came first. Lean patches were usually met with suggestions that he return to his books. The turning point came in his Under-16 season, when he finished as the second-highest run-getter behind Tilak Varma and later captained Vidarbha in Cooch Behar Trophy. That convinced his family that cricket could be a viable career for him, and the pressure around academics eased. Until then, homework went with him to matches and exams waited until his games were over. He still has one or two papers left to complete his postgraduate degree after completing his B.Com course. Mokhade credits Mumbai-based coach Umesh Patwal, who was in VCA academy at that time, with first telling him, as an Under-16 player, that he could play for India. Jwala (Singh) sir had a good impact. But before that, I worked a lot with Umesh Patwal sir in Mumbai as well. When I was under 16 that time, he saw some potential in me and that time only, he said that you can play for India and can do good there. Before that, I had never heard someone say that to me. If someone is saying you at that point of time, it feels like it is a very good feeling and you actually start believing in yourself ki, you can also do good at that level. He has worked with Patwal on and off since 2016, and also leans on Jwala, who has nurtured India opener Yashasvi Jaiswal. Jwala sir has an amazing set-up and if you go there, whatever a top level cricketer needs, he has all the facilities there. He knows what exactly is important to play at that level. It actually helps whenever I feel like talking cricket to anyone. I do give him a call and these two have had a very good impact. Even coaches and good people around you, who know you in and out and who are there for you whenever you need them, are actually a blessing. Mokhade's breakthrough domestic season last year featured making 760 runs in 11 Ranji Trophy innings at an average of 76 and scoring 814 runs in a victorious 2025/26 Vijay Hazare Trophy run for Vidarbha, including hitting five centuries to be the tournament's leading run-scorer. But Mokhade, who had to wait for his chance to break into Vidarbha playing eleven after debuting in 2022/23, rejected the idea that anything had suddenly clicked for him and pointed to his steady returns in age-group cricket. The shift, he said, was in going bigger when it mattered the most. If you want to be a top-run getter, you have to score in the knockouts. Consistently, you have to. But if you score in the knockout games, you will get one more chance to play. That's how you get to the top and my coaches told me the same. I was working on it for a while. I was lucky enough that when the phase came, I was able to learn everything from my age group. When the phase came, I was able to play in my senior cricket. So, I'm grateful for that. He considers himself an all-format batter, and in red-ball cricket, he said, going after the bowlers from the outset rarely works, and a batter has to respect good spells before cashing in. It is a mixture of both. That is the beauty of red ball cricket. If you see T20s and one day, if you get the momentum, you just bat into that momentum. But in red ball cricket, you have to grind and then you can dominate as well. But there is a thing that it has sessions. So, your momentum will break, your focus will go down and you have to start again. So, thats it - you have to be a mixture of everything. In the Vidarbha dressing room, two senior players shaped him India pacer Umesh Yadav and batter Karun Nair. Umesh bhai was with us for a long time when I was in the senior team. So, he was there and you know the kind of a guy he is. He will be always willing to play for his team. He doesn't see if it is a state match or any match. If he is there, he will come to the game and he will guide everyone. He is not someone like, I have played such and such level or I will not talk to these guys or not say anything. When I was young in the team, he guided me a lot and told me that I can play and belong here. So, that is always a good influence to have. Mokhade recalled Nair was solid but not dominant in his first season after moving from Karnataka, as he adjusted from black-soil pitches to Vidarbha's bouncier red-soil surfaces. By the next pre-season camp, the work was showing. When Karun Nair came, I thought that he had so many options for scoring runs. We knew he was going to do wonders in that season because he had adapted to our conditions. I saw him practicing a lot of shots which are required on the red soil wickets. So, his way of approaching batting gave me a lot of options into my batting as well because he has so many options of scoring runs. Mokhade recalled Nair was solid but not dominant in his first season after moving from Karnataka, as he adjusted from black-soil pitches to Vidarbha's bouncier red-soil surfaces. By the next pre-season camp, the work was showing. Also Read: Special Cricket Stories Mokhades competitive streak carries over to anything he plays, including PUBG and now Call of Duty on his phone, though he keeps screen time in check during matches. With a journey built on quiet grit and self-belief, whenever Mokhade gets a chance to play in Puducherry, trust him to be ready to write the most crucial chapter of his career yet - one ball and one session at a time. Article Source: IANS
Brian Brobbey joins exclusive Premier League club of hat-trick scoring losers
All those goals scored in vain. The post Brian Brobbey joins exclusive Premier League club of hat-trick scoring losers appeared first on Planet Football .
Premier League: Semenyo Nets Two as Manchester City Beat Sunderland in 8-Goal Thriller
City have the only perfect record left in the Premier League this season and sit three points above champions Arsenal heading into the international break
Five-star Man City top Premier League after Sunderland thriller
Manchester City moved to the top of the Premier League in explosive style as Enzo Fernandez's first goal for the club lit the fuse on a pulsating 5-3 win against Sunderland on Sunday.
Could Your Webcam Help With Dementia and Stroke Rehab? This Startup Thinks So
Dual-task cognitive rehabilitation training scene utilizing EYAS Dual | Image provided by INTHETECH Grocery shopping or putting food away involves more than memory. You need to recognize objects, decide what to do with them, and coordinate your movements. For someone experiencing cognitive difficulties, those familiar routines can become challenging. South Korean company InTheTech is developing EYAS Dual around that connection between thinking and movement. Its platform combines cognitive exercises with physical actions, using a camera to let people interact with activities such as sorting recycling or shopping for groceries. The potentially useful part is how the company intends to deliver it: through ordinary computers, tablets, and smartphones , without requiring a dedicated rehabilitation machine. It runs on any device you already own, no hardware purchase, InTheTech representative Lucy Lee told me during our interview. The direction is clear. InTheTech wants to make movement-based cognitive training easier to bring into care facilities and, eventually, peoples homes. Cognitive rehabilitation training program screen of EYAS Dual | Image provided by INTHETECH InTheTech already has an established rehabilitation business and a family of EYAS products. EYAS Dual represents a new delivery model within that business, with the company aiming to reduce the equipment and setup needed to access its exercises. During the demonstration, I noticed that much of the interaction involved the arms and upper body. I asked Lee what moving an arm adds compared with tapping a touchscreen. She explained that the goal is to practice actions such as reaching and grasping while completing a cognitive task. For example, a person might need to identify an item, decide where it belongs, and move it to the appropriate location. This approach is generally called dual-task training : combining a physical activity with a thinking task. It is an established area of rehabilitation research, and there is evidence supporting its potential. An August 2026 review published in PLOS Digital Health examined 23 randomized trials involving 1,674 older adults with cognitive decline. It found that dual-task programs delivered outside clinics could improve cognitive performance, including a modest average advantage over other active interventions. InTheTechs technology also has a published research history. A 2023 randomized study involving 60 stroke patients used the companys virtual-reality content as part of an eight-week rehabilitation program and reported encouraging cognitive and functional results. Context: the earlier program combined adapted VR exercises with workbook training in a hospital setting. The broader review covered different interventions and patient groups. Neither establishes that EYAS Dual will produce the same outcomes. Lee made that distinction during our conversation, explaining that the research supports the general training method while validation of the new product is still underway. The platform could also be useful to therapists and caregivers. According to InTheTech, it starts with an assessment, selects exercises, and generates reports from session data, including response times and movement measurements. Automating some of that work could make progress easier to follow and reduce administrative effort. Using consumer hardware for a medical application is entirely plausible. FDA-authorized software such as EndeavorRx already runs on mobile devices at home. What matters is the particular softwares evidence and authorized use. Pricing is also provisional. Lee suggested approximately $50 per month , or $30 per month for home use , while emphasizing that the business model was unfinished. At the time of our interview, demos were available, but the product had not launched. A subsequent public release date remains unconfirmed. What interests me most is the possibility of making a useful rehabilitation approach easier to access through familiar hardware. InTheTechs next challenge is to show that EYAS Dual can turn that convenience into measurable benefits in peoples everyday lives. InTheTech plans to showcase EYAS Dual at CES 2027 and is competing for a CES Innovation Award. Could Your Webcam Help With Dementia and Stroke Rehab? This Startup Thinks So , original content from Ubergizmo . Read our Copyrights and terms of use .
Your choice of benchmark must be the large-cap index or the broadest investable index for institutional investors in the market where you can make goal-based investments
Can you name every player to score 10+ Premier League goals for Bournemouth?
Sixteen names to get. The post Can you name every player to score 10+ Premier League goals for Bournemouth? appeared first on Planet Football .
Vadnagar-Varanasi Seva Yatra: 500 volunteers on motorcycles clean schools, ponds along the route
Digital Desk | Vadnagar/Varanasi, Sep 20 (IANS) More than 500 young volunteers taking part in the Seva Yatra on motorcycles from Vadnagar to Varanasi from September 17 to October 7 are offering manual service and cleaning campuses of schools, hospitals, orphanages and old-age homes along the route. The 22-day journey, aiming to cover 35,500 kilometres across 20 teams, is part of a campaign organised around Prime Minister Narendra Modis birthday and his 25 years of public service. Driven by the goal of offering service to communities, the 500 youths are travelling from village to village and undertaking activities including cleanliness drives, cow service, care of older people and sharing awareness about government schemes, said a statement issued by the BJP. They are travelling through towns, districts, talukas and villages, taking the spirit of Seva right to the grassroots, said the statement. The Seva Yatris are not just passing through communities but stopping, meeting people and committing Seva in activities that respond to local needs - from cleanliness drives at ponds, temples, schools, parks, hospitals and other public areas to beneficiary interactions, youth dialogues, Gram Sabha samvad and Gau Seva to tree plantation under Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam. At PM SHRI Schools, the Yatris are cleaning campuses, interacting with students and distributing books and stationery and at hospitals, orphanages and old-age homes, they are extending their support to those who need it the most, the statement said. Kits are being distributed to widows, ASHA workers are being honoured, and communities are coming together for different welfare activities, it said. The Yatra is equally about contact and dialogue. Yuva Samvads, Gram Sabha interactions, Mahila Samvads and beneficiary interactions are creating opportunities to meet people directly and understand the aspirations and provide awareness at the grassroots, the statement said. Organ donation pledges are also being encouraged by the volunteers to promote the spirit of giving, while tributes to martyrs and freedom fighters are connecting communities with the nation's history and its heroes, it said. The Yatra is bringing together several dimensions of public engagement, including Seva, Sampark, youth participation, social welfare, cultural connect and community mobilisation and carrying them from one grassroots location to another, it said. On the occasion of PM Modis birthday on September 17, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh flagged off a 'Seva Sankalp Yatra' from Varanasi (Uttar Pradesh) to Vadnagar in Gujarat. He said the 'Seva Sankalp Yatra' is not merely a means of traversing the geographical distance between two places; rather, it is a sacred spiritual and social journey connecting the birthplace of PM Modi with his 'karmabhoomi', Kashi. The Yatra is being organised under the 'Seva Sankalp Abhiyan' as a means of serving the people, said the Defence Minister, adding that during the journey the waters of Varanasi and Vadnagar will be exchanged and used for the Jalabhishek of Hatkeshwar Mahadev and Baba Vishwanath. He said the objective of this journey is to connect public sentiments, reach the last person through service activities, and highlight PM Modi's 25 years of dedicated service to the people.
Karnataka: DJ noise row escalates, man protests outside DC home
Raichur: A dispute over alleged excessive DJ noise in Raichur has intensified after a father staged a protest outside the Deputy Commissioners residence, claiming that his three-year-old daughter fell ill because of loud music played late at night. The incident occurred late on September 18 in the Goal Market area. Jai Bheem Vallabh, a resident Get the latest updates in Hyderabad City News , Technology , Entertainment , Sports , Politics and Top Stories on WhatsApp & Telegram by subscribing to our channels. You can also download our app for Android and iOS .
Legal empowerment to remain in focus at conference starting in Goa tomorrow
Digital Desk | Panaji, Sep 20 (IANS) Legal empowerment and citizen-centric justice delivery are expected to top the agenda at a workshop starting on Monday on Designing Innovative Solutions for Holistic Access to Justice (DISHA 2.0), an official said. The regional workshop will also feature the significance of legal empowerment, citizen-centric Justice delivery, and the collaborative efforts required to achieve the constitutional vision of equal access to justice, the official said in a statement. The workshop, being organised at the University Auditorium, India International University of Legal Education and Research (IIULER), Goa, is a part of the Departments continued efforts to strengthen access to Justice through technology-enabled legal services, legal awareness initiatives, and promotion of pro bono legal assistance across the country, the statement said. The Goa Governor will be the Chief Guest at the programme, which is expected to be attended by the Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Law and Justice, Government of India, and the Minister for PWD, Captain of Ports and Legal Metrology, Government of Goa. The event will bring together representatives from the Central and State Governments, Common Service Centres (CSCs), the Ministry of Rural Development, law institutions of the State, and other stakeholders working to ensure accessible and inclusive justice delivery, the statement said. A key highlight of the event will be the showcase of the best reels created under the Nyaya Prabodh: Awakening to Justice campaign Know Your Rights in 90 Seconds, followed by the launch of a Slogan Competition under Nyaya Prabodh. The initiative aims to deepen citizens understanding of their constitutional and legal rights, promote legal literacy, and foster greater public engagement and participation in the Justice delivery ecosystem, it said. The workshop will also feature the screening of a documentary showcasing the achievements of DISHA 2.0 in Goa, followed by live interactions with Tele-Law beneficiaries, Panel Lawyers, Village Level Entrepreneurs (VLEs), and Nyaya Sahayaks. These interactions will show how technology-enabled legal services are helping bridge the gap between citizens and justice institutions, particularly in remote and underserved areas, the statement said.
14 goals in 8 matches: Raphinha on a golden streak
His incredible scoring run has also seen him rewrite part of Barcelona
Anand Mahindra shared a video of the KangraRanital stretch with the Dhauladhar mountains visible in the distance, and the view brought back a decades-old idea about aspirations. The billionaire industrialist used the road and the seemingly unreachable mountains to explain how certain goals can continue to guide people even when they are never actually meant to be reached.
TV and OTT actor Jennifer Winget and William Ishmael hosted a wedding celebration in Goa on Friday, bringing together some of their closest friends from the television and film industry. The gathering came two months after the couple's intimate wedding ceremony in the UK and was filled with music, dancing and familiar faces. Mandira Bedi officiated the Goa celebrations, while Harleen Sethi caught the bouquet during the festivities.
'Assam can become Battery of India': Jeet Adani announces 40,000 jobs in state
Digital Desk | Guwahati, Sep 20 (IANS) Assam has the potential to emerge as a major energy hub for the country and could become the Battery of India in the coming years, Adani Group Director Jeet Adani said on Sunday. In his remarks at the foundation stone laying ceremony of Adani Power's 3,200 MW thermal power project in Chapar in the state's Dhubri district, Jeet Adani said Assam's transformation over the past few years has been remarkable, with the state emerging as one of India's most attractive investment destinations. Over the past 5 years, Ive been to Assam 40 times. But standing here today, right in the middle of all of you on this beautiful land, is a massive honour for me, he said. I truly believe that in the coming years, Assam won't just generate energy for its own needs -- it will become a major energy hub, powering the security of the entire nation. You could say that Assam has the potential to become the 'Battery of India', Jeet Adani added. He credited Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma for creating an environment that has accelerated economic growth, infrastructure development and business opportunities across the state. Jeet Adani said Assam is no longer known only for its natural beauty and cultural heritage, but is increasingly gaining recognition as a hub for investment, industry, and large-scale development projects. Reflecting on the Adani Group's journey in Assam, Jeet Adani said the company initially entered the state with the objective of contributing to its growth but soon discovered expanding opportunities across multiple sectors. He praised Chief Minister Sarma's governance style, describing it as focused on swift execution and rapid implementation of projects. Last year, at the Rising Northeast Global Investors Summit, our Group Chairman, Gautam Adani, announced that the Adani Group would invest up to Rs 1 lakh crore in the Northeast over the next 10 years. Today, I am incredibly proud to share that work is already underway in Assam with an investment of nearly Rs 80,000 crore, he stated. He emphasised that job creation and local participation remain central to the Group's investment strategy. The upcoming Rs 48,000-crore thermal power project, which will have a generation capacity of 3,200 MW, is expected to become the largest power generation asset in the Northeast. Weve already conducted 4 to 5 job drives here, and 4,500 local youth from Assam have already been hired! The Adani Groups businesses in Assam will generate around 40,000 direct and indirect job opportunities for the people here, Jeet Adani noted. And this is just the beginning. As we grow in Assam, opportunities for local youth will grow with us. Our goal is to ensure that more and more local talent becomes an active part of this growth journey, he stressed.
Deepika reveals 'main target' after scoring 8 goals in Asian Games hockey match
Family members of Indian shooter Elavenil Valarivan expressed their happiness after she clinched silver medals in the women's 10m air rifle team and individual events at the Asian Games 2026.
Asian Games Hockey: India Crushes Indonesia 13-1 In Opening Match
Defending champions India began their Asian Games campaign with a dominant 13-1 victory over Indonesia in their opening Pool A match. Striker Dilpreet Singh led the charge with four goals, supported by braces from Shilanand Lakra and Sukhjeet Singh. India's focus remains on securing the gold medal and a direct qualification for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.
Asian Games Hockey: Dilpreet's 4-goal blitz as India crush Indonesia
Defending champions India began their Asian Games campaign with a resounding 13-1 victory over Indonesia in their opening Pool A match. Striker Dilpreet Singh was the star, netting four goals, while Shilanand Lakra and Sukhjeet Singh each scored a brace, showcasing India's dominant performance.
Late Nights, Early Starts Dominate In Sano For One-off Japan-India T20I: Japan Cricket COO
Sano International Cricket Ground: Pulling the covers, putting up tents and keeping scores are not usually part of a chief operating officer's job, but Japan Cricket Association (JCA) COO Alan Curr has been doing all of it as his small team gets Sano International Cricket Ground ready for Tuesday's historic one-off mens T20I against heavyweights India. It's been a big learning curve, and we're a small team. We don't have a lot of staff here at the JCA. I'm COO, but this morning I was pulling the covers. I've also been putting up tents, scoring and doing sort of everything. So we're all doing a lot of different things that we don't normally do. It's asking a lot from our staff. It's been a lot of late nights and early starts, but hopefully it's all worth it when we get a whole load of people into the ground and getting so excited and seeing their heroes play, Curr told IANS in a select virtual interaction organised by FanCode, the official broadcasters of the match. Over the past week, Sano hosted a three-match series between Japan's women and Malaysia, after which the hosts left for the Asian Games matches in Nagoya, while Hong Kong mens team were here for games against Japan. Such was the impact of this one-off game against India, billed as the Suzuki Cup, that all tickets were sold out soon after going on sale, with the grounds capacity going from 500 to 2,000 via temporary stands. Well, it's certainly a big undertaking. We've never really done anything quite on this scale before. At the ground, we have permanent seating probably for around 500 people. So we've put in a lot of temporary seating. We're putting in a whole load of extra areas for VIPs and there's even a VVIP area. We've got ticket gates, for example, as we don't normally have ticketing at our events. We've had a separate section put together for where the players will come in. We always have a PMOA, but a PMOA here is usually just through some cones and barriers, which basically anyone could step over if they wanted to. But now we've got it set up properly so that we understand the security measures that need to be taken around India coming, added Curr. With India's visit bringing a different level of scrutiny, the JCA has hired outside help too. We've actually brought out a consultant from England who arrived yesterday and has worked on World Cups, The Hundred and has been around events where India have participated before. He's got a good understanding from a cricketing point of view of what security measures we need to take. So we are taking all of this stuff very seriously, and it's really important for us to show that we have the capacity to handle something like this, added Curr. All of that effort could still be undone by the weather. Curr revealed a large typhoon was sitting south of Japan and there was no reserve day if the match is abandoned. Japan will also play their first Asian Games mens T20 match in Nagoya, around 500 km away and the squad is due to board a bus for the long journey straight after playing the game against India. With India also heading to Nagoya soon after and already facing a packed calendar, Curr said there was no scope for a reserve day, and he was trying not to think about a washout. The JCA had been planning to relay its turf square in Sano for about 18 months, and a groundsman sent by Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) under a partnership arrived in December 2024 to look for suitable clay. It was eventually sourced within Japan and used for the Asian Games square in Nagoya. The JCA then laid the same clay in Sano and pitched the ground to full-member nations as a training base, with the idea coming from the last Asian Games in Hangzhou, China, where the top-ranked full members waited a week or more for playing their first knockout match with little access to proper cricket facilities. A proposal went out around June, and talks with the BCCI began at the ICC conference in Edinburgh in July. Curr said the BCCI moved quickly, and all things fell in place, with the players excited on seeing the ground change shape over the past few days. At the same time, the players are under no illusion about the gulf in class against an India side they have never faced before at this level. For the JCA, success would be measured by how Japan conduct themselves as much as by the result. Curr felt he wanted the team to play hard, but also show that cricket was friendly, accessible and fun, and to earn respect. Having handled the JCA's social media accounts, Curr admitted to being taken aback by comments from people surprised that Japan has a cricket team. The game in Sano comes at a time when Japanese cricket is busier than it has ever been, with the mens side beating Kuwait, Bahrain, and PNG earlier this year. In terms of what's led to the improvement, we're a bit better resourced now than we have been previously, particularly with it being an Olympic sport. By being part of the Japan Olympic Committee, we do get a lot more funding. That funding isn't hard cash. We don't get money from the Olympic Association, but they do help us with human resources. So, for example, we've been able to hire a strength and conditioning coach. We've been able to bring in a part-time analyst and these are kind of things that we didn't have before. We've got more people on the coaching staff going out and coaching our junior teams. So those have been important. Becoming members of the Asian Cricket Council in 2024, and the opportunities to play there after joining have been significant. The ACC does an amazing job of putting on events and tournaments that we've now been able to play in. When I first got into the high-performance side of things, we went from 2014 to 2017 without a men's tournament. It was just complete blanks. We had to start arranging our own cricket games because there was just literally nothing to play for, and nothing to play in, explained Curr. The quiet months that once gave the JCA breathing space, he said, are gone. Whereas now, that's completely the opposite. I mentioned the other day how probably the single biggest change from a performance perspective since I've been here is that the Japan Cricket Association used to have a very definite on-season and off-season. We'd have a quiet time where you could relax a little bit and plan more in advance for the following summer. But now, we're a 12-month-a-year organisation. There always seems to be a team away playing somewhere. So there's a lot happening and just the sheer amount of cricket, the depth that we've been able to create through having under 19, even under 16 national teams now is really helping drive the standards. As we're becoming more well-known, we can't shy away from it, added Curr. The numbers back up that claim. Japan has 8,800 registered cricketers in its latest census, roughly three times the figure of about 3,000 when Curr arrived in 2014. The nationwide Japan Cup T20 competition has grown from 11 or 12 teams to more than 80, while the Tokyo-based 40-over Japan Cricket League now runs four divisions with around 37 or 38 teams. The JCA also introduced the game to about 12,000 children last year through schools, community programmes and festivals. Part of the growth at the top end has come from players of Japanese heritage raised in established cricket nations, and in turn leading to growth of watching games, especially the International Cricket Council (ICC) providing Japanese commentary feed for matches under its umbrella. We have a lot of players of Japanese heritage who live overseas. A lot of our players might have been born in Japan but then at some stage moved back to Australia, England, New Zealand, cricket-playing nations. They've grown up learning the game in a strong environment, which as much as we're trying our best here in Japan, it can't compare to an environment that you're going to get playing in Australia or New Zealand or England or any other full member in terms of the number of facilities you've got, the accessibility of those facilities, the accessibility to coaches. We're finding players at a younger age who want to come and be part of Japan cricket. For me, it's been fantastic to see so many people who are mixed race - one parent is Japanese, one parent is from somewhere else. They might have moved overseas, but they are reconnecting with their Japanese heritage through cricket, he added. Curr called this the most satisfying part of his work, especially with cricket in Japan growing despite the overwhelming popularity of baseball, football, rugby and martial arts. For me, that's been one of the most rewarding parts of my job. Some of them are great cricketers and they make our national teams and some of them just enjoy playing and they come back to Japan and just make friends in the cricket community and they do that once a year. But it's been a brilliant way for people to reconnect with who they are, particularly post-Covid-19. All that stuff really took off after 2020 when we qualified for the Under-19 World Cup for the first time. That gave us a profile and nowadays, people contact us pretty regularly with sometimes it's about themselves, or their sons or daughters who have Japanese heritage and who want to come and play. Those players are helping to lift the standards because they come from a different, a more entrenched cricketing culture. So we have our players who are based in Japan who bring sort of that knowledge of what the Japan way is and how things are done in Japan and the discipline and everything that goes around the culture there. Then we've got the players from overseas who just have the training nous and what a training schedule looks like. So that's been really helpful in terms of lifting the standards, he elaborated. Home-grown talent faces a structural hurdle, as per Curr. Japan's school club system, known as bukatsu, usually has children pick a single sport at around 12 and play it year-round until they leave school, and only a handful of schools offer cricket. Those schools have historically produced most of the national team players. A government-level working group is looking at how cricket could fit into the school curriculum, though Curr said such processes take time. The lack of people with cricket expertise in Japan has meant the JCA leaned heavily on volunteers and backers who saw the sport's potential, citing sportswear brand Mizuno's sponsorship of the men's team as a significant boost. Cricket's place in the Asian Games, an event Japanese audiences regard as of immense importance like the Olympics, has also given the sport a legitimacy it lacked before. As for what's next, we will have an East Asia Pacific regional final for the men who will try to qualify for the global qualifier for the next T20 World Cup. So we're not sure exactly when that's going to be yet. It's going to be four teams and we will be playing that probably in the second half of next year with a view to making the global qualifier, which I believe will be early 2027. That's not confirmed and then, the goal is to make a World Cup. We've not shied away from that at all. I mean, the qualification pathway was actually changed last year. It seems to be changing every cycle. But if the qualification cycle for the last World Cup had been the same as the cycle before, we would have been at the last World Cup, said Curr. He also admitted to Japan feeling short-changed by the revamped qualifying structure. We were the highest-placed team in the East Asia Pacific region at the Asia EAP final. They've never had a combined qualifying structure between Asia and East Asia Pacific before. So, we kind of felt we got a bit hard done by in that reshuffle. I mean, the qualification pathway was actually changed last year. It seems to be changing every cycle. But if the qualification cycle for the last World Cup had been the same as the cycle before, we would have been at the last World Cup, said Curr. Also Read: Special Cricket Stories So I hope cricket can continue to grow, there can be more teams and the tournament can get bigger. But for us, reaching a World Cup is certainly the next goal and there's work to do, for sure. But we're ambitious and we want to keep striving for the heights that we believe we can get to, he concluded. Article Source: IANS
Methamphetamine tablets and heroin worth Rs 3.68 crores seized in Mizoram and Manipur; 5 arrested
Digital Desk | Aizawl/Imphal, Sep 20 (IANS) Security forces in Mizoram and Manipur seized methamphetamine tablets and heroin worth over Rs 3.68 crore and arrested five drug peddlers, officials said on Sunday. A defence spokesman said that acting on specific intelligence inputs regarding illegal transportation of narcotic substances, Assam Rifles launched a joint operation with Mizoram Police T-Junction areas of Mimbung-Kawlbem-Ngopa in Saitual District. During the operation, the joint team apprehended a drug peddler. Further search of the individual led to recovery of 2.285 kg of the methamphetamine tablets, valued at approximately Rs 1.83 crore. The apprehended individual along with the recovered contraband were taken by Ngopa Police station for further investigation and necessary legal action under the Narcotics Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act 1985. In another operation, based on credible intelligence regarding transhipment of narcotics at Iron Gate in bordering Zokhawthar, troops of Assam Rifles in coordination with Mizoram Police launched a targeted operation in the area under the Champhai district, a hot spot of illegal drug trade from Myanmar. During the operation, the joint team intercepted a drug smuggler at Iron Gate, and on thorough search recovered 28 grams of heroin, a highly dangerous narcotic substance with an estimated value of Rs 5.6 lakh. The individual was subsequently arrested. The seized contraband and the apprehended individual were subsequently handed over to Zokhawthar Police Station for further investigation and requisite legal proceedings under the NDPS act. This seizure reflects Assam Rifles continued resolve to dismantle drug trafficking networks and ensure the safety and security of the border population in Mizoram. The successful operation highlights the operational effectiveness, vigilance and intelligence-based approach of Assam Rifles and Mizoram Police in combating the trafficking of narcotic substances and maintaining security in the region, an official statement said. According to the statement, the force remains steadfast in its commitment towards ensuring peace, security and stability in the Northeast. In Manipur, a combined team of state Police, Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) and Assam Rifles in Senapati district arrested two drug peddlers, both natives of Assams Goalpara District and recovered methamphetamine tablets weighing 2.3 kg contained in ten packets. The value of the drugs estimated to be Rs 1.80 crore. The arrested drug smugglers were identified as Rohim Ali (23) and Anowar Hussiain Laskar (48). Following further investigation, one of their accomplices, Md Nawaz Khan, a resident Mayai Leikai in Imphal, was also arrested. A Bolero vehicle, cash amount of Rs 5,000 also recovered from them. Mizoram and Manipur have emerged as major drug-trafficking corridors in the Northeast because of their long and porous international borders with Myanmar and their proximity to the Golden Triangle, one of the world's major illicit narcotics-producing regions. Six districts of Mizoram and five districts of Manipur share around 910 km of unfenced international border with Myanmar.
Asian Games: From reel to real, surfer Kamali Moorthy ready to make waves
Digital Desk | New Delhi, Sep 20 (IANS) From starring in a documentary that brought her childhood story to global attention to preparing for Indias first Asian Games surfing campaign, Kamali Moorthy is ready to turn another chapter of her remarkable journey into reality when the sport makes its debut at Aichi-Nagoya 2026. Weeks away from her 17th birthday, Kamali will spearhead Indias four-member surfing team at the Asian Games, with competition set to begin at Pacific Long Beach in Tahara, Aichi, on September 25. The Mahabalipuram surfer, currently Indias No. 1 in womens shortboard, has already experienced the spotlight. Her story with her single mother, Suganthi, became the subject of a 24-minute short film that was nominated in the short film category at the 2020 British Academy Film Awards and was also shortlisted for the Oscars. But Kamalis sporting journey has extended far beyond the screen. She first stepped on a surfboard at the age of three, inspired by her uncle and surfing instructor Santhosh Moorthy. What began as a childhood pursuit gradually developed into a competitive career. I have worked so hard to reach this stage, and now its time to believe in myself and enjoy every moment. No matter what happens, Ill give everything I have and make our country proud, Kamali told SAI Media. Her competitive breakthrough came in 2023, when she won both the Womens Open and U-16 Girls titles at the Indian Open of Surfing. A year later, she became national champion before successfully defending both titles at the 2025 Indian Open of Surfing. She has continued that momentum in 2026, winning the Womens Open at the Little Andaman Pro and claiming gold in both the Womens Open and U-18 Girls categories at the NMPA Indian Open of Surfing. Kamali also played a significant role in Indias journey towards the Asian Games. At the 2024 Asian Surfing Championships in the Maldives, her performance contributed to India securing its historic qualification for surfing at the Games. She was subsequently selected alongside Goas Sugar Shanthi Banarse for Indias maiden Asian Games surfing team. So excited for this journey. Endless training, sacrifices, challenges, and countless hours of practice have made this Asian Games possible. Every drop of sweat and every difficult day was worth it. Im truly happy, proud, and grateful for how far weve come. This is just the beginning, and were going to give it everything weve got, she said. Surfing is one of six sports making its Asian Games debut in Japan. India faces established surfing nations such as Japan, Indonesia and the Philippines, but the stakes extend beyond the continental competition, with the event also offering quota opportunities for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics. Kamalis rise has been supported through the Union Sports Ministrys Annual Calendar for Training and Competition scheme, including financial assistance for her participation in the 2025 ISA World Junior Surfing Championship in Peru and the Asian Pro-Am Surf Series in China. Now, with the Pacific waves awaiting her, the teenager who once found herself at the centre of a film is preparing for a very real sporting stage one that could shape the next phase of her young career.
Asian Games: India begin men's hockey title defence with 13-1 rout of Indonesia
Digital Desk | Nagoya, Sep 20 (IANS) India launched their Asian Games mens hockey title defence in emphatic fashion, decimating Indonesia 13-1 in their opening Pool A encounter on Sunday. Eight different goal-scorers were on target for the Indian team, headlined by Dilpreet Singh's four-goal haul, as India put on a clinical display from the first whistle to the last. With a comprehensive win to start their campaign, India will next take on Sri Lanka in their second Pool A fixture on September 22. India got off to a fast start with Shilanand Lakra converting a rebound off Harmanpreet Singh's saved drag-flick in the 6th minute, before Abhishek doubled the advantage in the 12th minute, turning home a rebound after the initial effort was parried by Indonesia custodian Alam Fajar. Despite Fajar producing a couple of early saves to deny Mandeep Singh, India carried the momentum into the break, closing the first quarter with a 2-0 lead. The second quarter saw the Men in Blue run riot. Dilpreet Singh struck twice inside two minutes (18th, 19th) to open his account for the tournament, followed by a well-worked finish from Rajinder Singh in the 19th minute and a first goal of the campaign for Mandeep Singh (21st). Harmanpreet Singh added a penalty corner strike in the 28th minute, though he had earlier seen a penalty stroke saved by Fajar diving to his right. India went into the half-time break with a commanding 7-0 lead, having found the target from open play, penalty corners, and a variety of combinations across the pitch. Indonesia found their first goal of the match early in the third quarter when captain Aulia Al Ardh converted a penalty corner in the 33rd minute, reducing the deficit to 7-1 after a video referral confirmed the decision in Indonesia's favour. India responded swiftly to the setback, with Shilanand Lakra netting his second of the match (35th) and Dilpreet Singh completing his hat-trick (37th), before Sukhjeet Singh joined the scoring column in the 38th minute to push the lead out to 10-1 by the end of the third quarter. India continued their relentless attacking play in the final quarter. Jugraj Singh converted from India's second penalty corner attempt in the 47th minute after his first effort was blocked by the first rusher, before Sukhjeet Singh added his second of the match (48th) from a well-worked move, finishing off a driving run down the right flank. Dilpreet Singh rounded off a personal tally of four goals in the 49th minute, deflecting home after an initial touch from Abhishek, to take the score to a commanding 13-1 as the remaining minutes wound down with Indonesia retaining possession in the circle.
Dilpreet's four-goal show headlines India's 13-1 rout of Indonesia at Asian Games
Asian Games: Goals galore as India off to flying start in hockey with resounding wins
Asian Games: Goals galore as India off to flying start in hockey with resounding wins
Asian Games Hockey LIVE: India Slam 13 Goals Past Indonesia, Begin Tournament In Style
India vs Indonesia Hockey LIVE Score, Asian Games 2026: India led 7-0 against Indonesia at half-time in their opening men's hockey match of the Asian Games.
Arsenal Suffers Seasons First League Defeat at the Hands of Brighton
Arsenal dropped to second place on goal difference from five games as they suffered their heaviest defeat in all competitions since a 3-0 home loss to Brighton in May 2023
'Beat the Aussies' - new England coach Fleming's key aim
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36 goals, 4.5 per game and counting: Stop Barca if you can!
Those numbers are ridiculous enough on their own. The underlying data makes them even harder to dismiss.
Double hat-trick hero Raphinha leads the way in Top Five League goalscorer rankings
It was Harry Kane last season, but whose turn will it be this year? The post Double hat-trick hero Raphinha leads the way in Top Five League goalscorer rankings appeared first on Planet Football .
Asian Games: India Womens Hockey beats Uzbekistan 19-0; Rifle team wins silver
Forward Deepika scored eight goals in India's 19-0 victory over Uzbekistan at Asian Games 2026. India also secured a silver medal in women's 10m air rifle shooting
India vs Indonesia Hockey LIVE Score, Asian Games 2026: India are leading 7-0 against Indonesia at half-time in their opening men's hockey match of the Asian Games.
Deepika Sehrawat Scores Record Eight As India Crush Uzbekistan 19-0 In Asian Games Opener
Deepika Sehrawat produced a record-breaking performance as the India womens hockey team began their 2026 Asian Games campaign with a commanding 19-0 victory over Uzbekistan. Deepika scored eight goals, setting a new record for the most goals by a womens hockey player in a single match at the Asian Games. She was particularly effective from [] The post Deepika Sehrawat Scores Record Eight As India Crush Uzbekistan 19-0 In Asian Games Opener appeared first on Pragativadi I Latest Odisha News in English I Breaking News .
Asian Games 2026: Deepikas eight-goal blitz powers India to 19-0 hockey win over Uzbekistan
It was expected to be a one-sided affair and it turned out exactly that way as Uzbekistan defence had no answer to India's relentless attacks
NMDC looks to hit 60 MT iron ore production mark this fiscal: Chairman
NMDC is working on strategies to achieve the 60 MT iron ore production mark this fiscal to meet growing demand from domestic steelmakers for the key raw material, its Chairman Amitava Mukherjee said. Aligned with the National Steel Policy 2017, which targets an installed domestic steelmaking capacity of 300 MT by 2030-31, NMDC, India's largest iron ore producer, aims to scale its output to 100 MT during the period. Having crossed the 50 MT milestone in FY2026. NMDC is now aggressively executing a production ramp-up plan to reach 60 MTPA from existing iron ore mines, complemented by NMDC-CMDC Limited (NCL) joint venture assets this fiscal, which would be a rise of around 20 per cent year-on-year, the top company official said in an interaction. Mukherjee shared that the company has already applied for environmental clearances (ECs) for some deposits with the Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change. On a question related to the 100 MT production goal, Mukherjee sai
Indian Womens Hockey Team Dominates Uzbekistan 19-0 in Asian Games Opener
The Indian womens hockey team secured a stunning 19-0 victory over Uzbekistan, led by Deepikas eight goals in their Asian Games debut. Indian Womens Hockey Team Dominates Uzbekistan 19-0 in Asian Games Opener
Deepika's 8-goal blitz powers India to 19-0 thrashing of Uzbekistan at Asian Games
