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Watch: On Irfan's Apology, Gavaskar's Cheeky "Will Not Accept" Remark

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India’s hopes of winning a Test series in South Africa ended inside three days as the Rohit Sharma-led side was comprehensively beaten in the first Test of a two-match series in Centurion on Thursday. While South Africa made 408 batting second, India were bowled out for 245 and 131 in their first and second innings, respectively, losing the match by an innings and 32 runs. While analysing KL Rahul’s century in the first innings, former India cricketers Sunil Gavaskar and Irfan Pathan were involved in a light-hearted conversation.

Irfan praised Rahul‘s performance, following his centurion in the first innings, while highlighting his technique and batting style. The former India all-rounder, however, apologised to the living legend, Gavaskar, for the long speech.

However, the former India captain said he won’t accept the apology as he felt that Irfan was doing brilliant analysis of Rahul’s technique.

“Inhone mujhe sorry bola lekin main accept nahi karunga, [Even though he apologized, I will not accept],” Gavaskar said on Star Sports.

Irfan also shared the video on his social media handle with a heartwarming caption.

“Gratitude fills me today, and it’s not just any day-thanks to Sunny sir for the uplifting compliment. Truly made my year. Grateful,” the caption read.

With the series consisting of only two matches they can at best earn a share of the honours if they win the second Test starting in Cape Town on Wednesday.

India crashed to 131 all out in their second innings after conceding a 163-run first innings lead.

Virat Kohli hit an aggressive 76 for India before he was last man out but the rest of the batting collapsed against South Africa’s fast bowlers on a lively pitch.

The second innings lasted just 34.1 overs. Kohli hit 12 fours and a six in an 82-ball innings. Shubman Gill made 26 but no other batsman scored more than six.

Rabada, who took five for 59 in the first innings, took two for 32 and finished the match with an outstanding diving catch at long-on to dismiss Kohli off Jansen, who took three for 36.

Left-arm fast bowler Nandre Burger completed an impressive debut Test by taking four for 33, giving hm match figures of seven for 83.

(With AFP Inputs)

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Sports

FIFA offers condolence over death of Melika Mohammadi

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Mohammadi, 23, died in a tragic road accident in Bam, Kerman province Saturday night.

“Extremely sad news. Our thoughts are with Melika Mohammadi’s family, friends, and everyone at the Islamic Republic of Iran Football Federation at this difficult time,” Infantino posted on his Instagram account.

Earlier this week, the president of the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Sheikh Salman bin Ibrahim Al Khalifa also extended his condolences on the demise of the Iranian women’s national football team player.

AMK/TT

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Hyderabad: Police constable booked for cheating woman

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The suspected cop, whose identity is yet to be revealed had met the woman at the Begumpet airport and became friends.

Updated On – 11:00 AM, Sat – 30 December 23


Hyderabad: Police constable booked for cheating woman


Hyderabad: A case was booked against a police constable working as a gunman for allegedly cheating a woman on promise of marriage at Ramgopalpet.

The suspected cop, whose identity is yet to be revealed had met the woman at the Begumpet airport and became friends.

He sexually violated her promising to marry and later started avoiding her.

Based on her complaint, the Ramgopalpet police are investigating.

More details are awaited.

Middle East

Hamas refutes Israeli claims about 'prisoner exchange'

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“There is no discussion of prisoner exchange before stopping the aggression as Israel propagates,” Osama Hamdan, senior Hamas representative in Lebanon, said on Friday.

“The occupation is attempting to leak ideas that suit its narrative and are not true to alleviate internal pressure,” he added.

Gaza’s resistance movements took hundreds captive during an operation they staged against the occupied territories, dubbed Operation al-Aqsa Storm, on October 7.

The regime began taking the coastal sliver under an unrelenting genocidal war following the operation.

At least 21,320 people, mostly women and children, have been killed during the Israeli military campaign so far.

During a Qatari- and Egyptian-mediated temporary ceasefire that took effect earlier during the war, Israel released 240 Palestinian prisoners in exchange for 105 people, Hamas released.

Hamdan’s remarks did not mark the first time when Hamas insists on complete cessation of the Israeli onslaught before another exchange could take place.

“There is no concrete idea, but the backbone is a complete and comprehensive cessation of aggression,” he noted, asserting, “We possess the tools and capabilities to force the imposition of a ceasefire.”

“The only way out of the Israeli impasse is to stop the aggression and make concessions.”

AMK/PressTV

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Hafeez Blames "Inconsistent Umpiring And Technology Curse" For Pak's Loss

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Pakistan’s Mohammad Rizwan (middle) argues with umpire during second Test vs Australia.© AFP

Pakistan suffered a 79-run loss to Australia in the second Test at Melbourne Cricket Ground on Friday. The result saw the guests also losing the series with a match to go. Pakistan cricket team director Mohammad Hafeez believes that “inconsistent umpiring and technology curse” cost the side the match. It is worth noting that Pakistan needed 98 runs with 5 wickets in hand in the chase of 317 when Mohammad Rizwan was caught behind. The ball hit the wristband of Rizwan’s glove and Alex Carey took the catch behind the stumps.

Ground umpire Michael Gough was unconvinced with the appeal but Australia decided to go upstairs. During the DRS review, third umpire Richard Illingworth felt there was conclusive evidence through Hotspot and Real-Time Snicko to decide that the ball had brushed Rizwan’s wristband. Hence, the decision of the ground umpire was overturned and Rizwan was adjudged out.

Including the dismissal of Rizwan, Pakistan lost their last five wickets for 18 runs, suffering a disappointing defeat.

“We made some mistakes as a team, we will take that, we will address those things, but at the same time I believe inconsistent umpiring and technology curse (has) really given us the result which should have been different,” said Hafeez in the post-match press conference.

“I feel like these are the areas that need to be addressed. I spoke to (Rizwan) and he’s a very honest person. He said he did not even feel that it touched anywhere near the gloves. And what we saw, there should be conclusive evidence to reverse the decision of the umpire. That’s what I know. The umpire gave it not out and there was no conclusive kind of evidence where the decision has to be turned over.

“Technology, I’m in favor of that, but (only) if it’s giving you benefit. But if it’s bringing some doubts and bringing some curse into the game, it should not be accepted by anyone. I think technology is something that is taking away from the instinct of the game.”

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1 Killed, 4 Injured In Ukrainian Strike In Russia's Belgorod

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1 Killed, 4 Injured In Ukrainian Strike In Russia's Belgorod

The governor of Belgorod said that attack killed one person and injured four others.

Moscow:

A Ukrainian strike on a residential building in the Russian city of Belgorod left one person dead, the regional governor said late Friday.

The attack killed one person and wounded four others, the governor of Belgorod said, adding the city’s water supply system was damaged. Belgorod region borders northeast Ukraine and the city is 80 kilometres (50 miles) north of Kharkiv, which was heavily hit by Russian forces on Friday morning according to Ukrainian authorities.

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

India

"Totally Exhausted": Gazans Call For Peace As Israel Offensive Continues

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'Totally Exhausted': Gazans Call For Peace As Israel Offensive Continues

Israeli siege imposed after October 7 led to dire shortages of food, safe water, fuel (File)

After nearly three months of deadly strikes, incessant displacements and sputtering humanitarian aid, “exhausted” Gazans say they are desperate for an end to the fighting as Israel’s war against Hamas looks set to grind on into the new year.

The Israeli army kept up its campaign across the length of the Gaza Strip on Friday in the face of mounting international pushback, with UN chief Antonio Guterres reiterating his call for “an immediate humanitarian ceasefire”, and South Africa initiating a case against Israel in international court.

The World Health Organization, meanwhile, warned of the growing threat of infectious diseases as fighting displaces more and more Gazans, forcing them ever further south towards the already-overcrowded city of Rafah.

“Enough with this war! We are totally exhausted. We are constantly displaced from one place to another in cold weather,” said 49-year-old Um Louay Abu Khater from a camp in the southern border city.

“The bombs keep falling on us every day and night. We expect missiles (at any moment), while others are preparing for New Year’s Eve celebrations.”

The UN says more than 85 percent of Gaza’s 2.4 million people have fled their homes, with many now going hungry and braving the winter rains in makeshift tents.

An Israeli siege imposed after October 7, following years of crippling blockade, has led to dire shortages of food, safe water, fuel and medicine, with aid convoys offering only sporadic relief.

The UN agency for Palestinian refugees said Friday that one such convoy had come under fire from Israeli forces the day before, without causing any casualties.

Ahmed al-Baz, 33, said the year drawing to a close had been “the worst in my life”.

“It was a year of destruction and devastation,” he said. “We went through hell and encountered death itself.”

“We just want the war to end and start the new year at our homes, with a ceasefire declared,” he added.

Negotiations

The war in Gaza was triggered by Hamas’s bloody October 7 attacks on Israel, which left about 1,140 people dead, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally based on Israeli figures.

The Palestinian Islamist militants also took about 250 people hostage, more than half of whom remain inside the war zone, some of them believed dead.

Israel’s relentless military campaign since then has killed at least 21,507 people, mostly women and children, according to the health ministry in Hamas-ruled Gaza.

Israel’s army says 168 soldiers have been killed inside the territory.

A Hamas delegation was in Cairo on Friday to discuss an Egyptian plan proposing renewable ceasefires, a staggered release of hostages for Palestinian prisoners, and ultimately an end to the war, sources close to Hamas say.

Speaking to AFP on condition of anonymity, a Hamas official said the delegation would give “observations” on the proposal and seek “guarantees for a complete Israeli military withdrawal” from Gaza.

Israel has yet to formally comment on the Cairo plan, but Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told families of hostages on Thursday that “we are in contact” with the Egyptian mediators and promised the captives that “we are working to bring them all back”.

The US news outlet Axios and the Israeli outlet Ynet, both citing unnamed Israeli officials, reported that Qatari mediators had told Israel that Hamas was prepared to resume talks on new hostage releases in exchange for a ceasefire.

In Rafah, 27-year-old Youssef Ahras told AFP he hoped the negotiations could “stop the bloodshed… because the price of war is so high”.

“I don’t know a lot about the political aspects because as locals, we are busy with our essential needs,” he said.

‘Genocide’ claim

South Africa, meanwhile, filed an application on Friday at the International Court of Justice to start proceedings against Israel for what it said were “genocidal acts against the Palestinian people in Gaza”.

In its filing, it asked the court to “protect against further, severe and irreparable harm to the rights of the Palestinian people”.

Responding on the social media platform X, Israeli foreign ministry spokesman Lior Haiat wrote that “Israel rejects with disgust the blood libel spread by South Africa and its application”.

South Africa has long been a vocal supporter of the Palestinian cause, with the ruling African National Congress (ANC) party often linking it to its own struggle against apartheid.

Pretoria has strongly condemned Israel’s response to the Hamas attacks and has recalled all its diplomats from the country, with Israel in turn recalling its ambassador in South Africa.
 

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

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Cops Question 20 Passengers From Gujarat In 'Donkey Flight" Case

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Cops Question 20 Passengers From Gujarat In 'Donkey Flight' Case

Of the 60 who returned, some 20 have been grilled already by the agency.

Ahmedabad:

At least 20 passengers from Gujarat who were on the Nicaragua-bound flight which was sent back mid-route from France have been quizzed by police in a bid to unearth a suspected illegal immigration network operating from the state, a senior official has said.

The Nicaragua-bound aircraft, an Airbus A340 carrying 276 passengers, was grounded in France for four days over suspected human trafficking. It landed in Mumbai in the early hours of December 26.

According to a senior state Crime Investigation Department (CID) official, those passengers included at least 60 from Gujarat, who have already reached their respective native places in the state.

They are being questioned by the department to find out whether they had any plans to cross into the United States of America illegally after reaching Latin America, the official said on Friday.

“They were sent back from France. There was a rumour they had planned to enter the US illegally after landing in Nicaragua. In their statements, they told us they were going there as tourists. We are going into the details to find out who were the agents behind their trip,” said S P Rajkumar, Additional Director General of Police, CID – Crime and Railways.

Of the 60 who returned, some 20 have been grilled already by the agency, he added.

“We are verifying their documents to ascertain whether they used genuine or forged documents to proceed to Central America. We will also check their financial transactions because, ideally, they should not have paid more if they were going there as normal tourists and not with any other intention,” said the senior IPS officer.

“Though we have started questioning, no one is divulging facts. They claim they went there as tourists. We are investigating the case from all angles,” he added.

On Tuesday, Superintendent of Police, CID (Crime), Sanjay Kharat had said the CID had formed four teams to investigate the issue.

“The CID (crime) wants to take action against agents who had promised help to the victims to enter the US and other countries (illegally). We have formed four teams which will get information from the victims regarding promises made to them by these agents,” he had told reporters.

The chartered flight, which was operated by Romanian charter company Legend Airlines and bound for Nicaragua, landed at Vatry near Paris on December 21 for a technical stopover en route from Dubai when the French police intervened.

French authorities launched a judicial investigation into the conditions and purpose of the trip, with a unit specialising in organised crime investigating suspected human trafficking.

Nicaragua has become a popular destination for those seeking asylum in the US. As many as 96,917 Indians attempted to enter the US illegally in the financial year 2023, signalling a 51.61 per cent jump from the previous year, according to data made available by the US Customs and Border Patrol (CBP).

At least 41,770 of those Indians attempted to enter the US via the Mexican land border, CBP data shows.

Flights to Nicaragua or third countries where obtaining travel documents is easy have come to be known as ‘dunki’ flights. 

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

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Ayodhya Airport Inauguration Live Updates: PM To Arrive Soon, Ayodhya All Decked Up

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Ayodhya Airport Inauguration Live Updates: PM To Arrive Soon, Ayodhya All Decked Up

PM Modi to Inaugurate Ayodhya Airport LIVE: It was developed at a cost of over ₹ 1,450 crore

PM Modi Ayodhya Visit Live Updates: Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be arriving shortly in the temple town of Ayodhya to inaugurate the Maharishi Valmiki International Airport Ayodhya Dham airport as well as the redeveloped railway station. The prime minister’s visit comes weeks before the grand consecration ceremony of the Ram Temple on January 22. 

In a four-hour long visit, the Prime Minister will also launch or lay foundation stones for 46 infrastructure projects costing ₹ 15,700 crore. PM Modi will also inaugurate beautified roads, a medical college, the Ayodhya bypass, a solid waste treatment and five parking and commercial facilities. “Our government is determined to develop world-class infrastructure, improve connectivity and preserve the rich heritage of Ayodhya, the city of Lord Shri Ram. In this direction, I will inaugurate the newly constructed airport and redeveloped railway station tomorrow. Along with this, I will also get the privilege of inaugurating and laying the foundation stone of many more development projects, which will make the life of my family members in many areas of the country, including Ayodhya and UP, easier,” the prime minister said in a post on X yesterday. 

The Ayodhya airport, which will start operations from January 6, has been developed at a cost of over ₹1,450 crore and will serve nearly 10 lakh passengers annually. Flights from big cities like Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Hyderabad, Bengaluru, Chennai, and Ahmedabad will bring in devotees from across India to the grand temple of Lord Ram after its consecration. The ₹ 240 crore redeveloped railway station renamed to the Ayodhya Dham junction will be a three-storey facility with food plazas and waiting rooms.

Here are the LIVE Updates on Ayodhya Airport Inauguration:

Get NDTV UpdatesTurn on notifications to receive alerts as this story develops.

WATCH: Ayodhya Airport Live: Amrit Bharat, Vande Bharat Trains To Be Flagged Off By PM

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will flag off two Amrit Bharat and six Vande Bharat trains in Ayodhya. The new trains have already rolled into the Ayodhya Cantonment Railway station and are all set to be flagged off by PM Modi.

Ayodhya Airport Updates: Ayodhya Dham Junction Lit Up For PM Modi’s Visit
Ayodhya Airport Inauguration Live Updates: Yogi Adityanath’s Message To PM Modi

“Hearty welcome and greetings to respected Prime Minister Shri 

@narendramodi ji at Rammay Shri Ayodhya Dham,” the UP chief minister said.

Ayodhya Airport Updates: PM Modi’s Full Schedule In Ayodhya Today

Here’s Prime Minister Modi’s itinerary:

Inauguration of Ayodhya Airport

The Prime Minister will inaugurate the Ayodhya Airport, a state-of-the-art facility developed at a cost exceeding ₹ 1,450 crore.

Launch of Amrit Bharat and Vande Bharat Trains

PM Modi will flag off two new Amrit Bharat trains and six Vande Bharat trains, showcasing a new era in superfast passenger travel.

Ayodhya Dham Junction Railway Station

PM Modi will inaugurate the redeveloped Ayodhya Railway Station, Ayodhya Dham Junction, at a cost exceeding ₹ 240 crore.

Civic Infrastructure Development:

PM Modi will inaugurate four newly redeveloped, widened, and beautified roads in Ayodhya, medical colleges, roads, and waste treatment plants. 

Conservation and Beautification Projects

PM Modi will initiate projects focused on conserving and beautifying historical entrance gates, ghats, and tourist facilities in Ayodhya, which will strengthen the cultural and heritage aspects of Ayodhya.

Ayodhya Airport Live: “Determined To Preserve Its Rich Heritage”: PM Modi Ahead Of Ayodhya Visit
“Our government is determined to develop world-class infrastructure, improve connectivity and preserve the rich heritage of Ayodhya, the city of Lord Shri Ram. In this direction, I will inaugurate the newly constructed airport and redeveloped railway station tomorrow. Along with this, I will also get the privilege of inaugurating and laying the foundation stone of many more development projects, which will make the life of my family members in many areas of the country including Ayodhya and UP easier,” PM Modi wrote on X in Hindi.

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World Population Surges By 75 Million In 2023, Set To Cross 8 Billion

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World Population Surges By 75 Million In 2023, Set To Cross 8 Billion On January 1: Report

The world population grew by 75 million people over the past year.

The human race is set to ring in the new year with a milestone: at midnight on January 1st, 2024, the world’s population will officially surpass 8 billion, according to figures released by the US Census Bureau on Thursday.

This staggering number marks a gain of over 75 million people in just one year, with the global population clock ticking at a near-constant rate of 4.3 births and 2 deaths every second. While the growth rate has slowed slightly compared to previous years, hovering just under 1%, the sheer magnitude of the increase highlights the ever-expanding human footprint on the planet.

The projected world population on January 1, 2024, is 8,019,876,189, an increase of 75,162,541 from New Year’s Day 2023.

According to a report by The Forbes, in November 2022, the U.N. estimated the world population reached 8 billion people, 11 years after reaching the 7 billion milestone, with UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres attributing population growth to “scientific breakthroughs and improvements in nutrition, public health, and sanitation.”

Due to factors like decreasing fertility rates and a smaller proportion of young people, the Census Bureau anticipates that achieving a global population of 9 billion will take slightly over 14 years. Furthermore, reaching the 10 billion mark is projected to take an additional 16.4 years, reflecting a decelerating growth rate.

The Covid-19 pandemic impacted population growth as well, with global life expectancy at birth falling to 71 years in 2021 and countries experiencing unequal recovery from the pandemic across the globe, the new portal further mentioned.