Fifteen-year-old Vaibhav Sooryavanshi electrified IPL 2026, becoming the tournament’s top scorer with 776 runs and a record 72 sixes. His explosive batting, including a 29-ball 97 in the Eliminator, drew widespread praise. All-rounder Krunal Pandya lauded the Rajasthan Royals opener as a “generational talent” with “brains,” not just power, eagerly anticipating his future career.
Marta Kostyuk again refused to shake hands with Russian player Mirra Andreeva after their French Open semifinal, continuing a stance she has maintained since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022. The Ukrainian views the gesture as a show of solidarity with her country. Kostyuk has also used her platform to highlight the war’s humanitarian impact
Kevin Pietersen has backed players prioritizing IPL commitments over early returns for international duty, defending Jofra Archer’s absence from England’s Test. Pietersen argued that former cricketers who didn’t experience the IPL lack perspective on modern players’ choices. Captain Ben Stokes also defended Archer, highlighting the evolving cricketing landscape and new opportunities.
Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari is exploring cement concrete roads over bituminous ones due to a surge in bitumen prices and supply disruptions from the West Asia conflict. He also highlighted the potential of domestically produced bio-bitumen from rice straw and other biowaste to reduce imports and save foreign exchange.
IRCTC has taken significant steps to combat ticket booking fraud by deactivating over three crore suspicious user IDs and placing another six crore under verification. To enhance food safety, the railway’s catering arm has expanded its AI-based kitchen monitoring system, utilizing over 2,300 cameras to detect hygiene violations.
The Congress party has announced seven candidates for the upcoming Rajya Sabha elections. Party chief Mallikarjun Kharge will contest from Karnataka, alongside Mansoor Ali Khan and Pawan Khera. Other nominations include Pranav Jha from Jharkhand, Praveen Chakravarty from Tamil Nadu, Meenakshi Natarajan from MP, and Neeraj Dangi from Rajasthan.
India and the UK have launched a Critical Minerals Global Supply Chain Observatory and signed an MoU for a Regional Maritime Security Centre of Excellence during UK Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper’s visit. The two nations also reviewed progress in trade, technology, and defense, aiming to strengthen their future-oriented partnership.
US President Donald Trump expressed optimism about reaching a trade agreement with India soon, stating that the previous trade imbalance has now reversed. Both nations have been engaged in constructive negotiations, aiming to finalize an interim trade pact while broader discussions continue. Despite ongoing talks, concerns remain regarding potential US tariffs on imports from several
The Supreme Court has ruled that prolonged, broken marriages should not be prolonged by courts, citing the “foul sociological, psychological and mental hollowness” they create. Exercising its powers, the apex court dissolved a 15-year-old separation between two doctors, emphasizing marriage as a partnership of mutual respect and shared responsibility, not just a contract.
