THANE: With municipal council elections nearing, Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister and Shiv Sena (Shinde faction) chief Eknath Shinde held one major rally in Badlapur and two power-packed public gatherings in Ambernath, drawing an impressive crowd of Shiv Sainiks and supporters. Addressing the rallies, Shinde presented a detailed account of the development work undertaken under his leadership and urged citizens to elect Shiv Sena (Shinde faction) candidates in the upcoming polls.In Badlapur, Shinde began his speech by saying the city and its people were deeply familiar to him. He noted the strong presence of women, saying that his “beloved sisters” always played a leading role in voting. Calling Badlapur a Shiv Sena stronghold, he highlighted how the party had completed some of the biggest development projects in the region with significant financial allocations. He credited local leader Waman Mhatre for bringing major funds to the city and took a swipe at rivals, remarking that while some leaders only take funds away without any visible results, Shiv Sena believed in delivering tangible work on the ground.Listing the development initiatives completed during his tenure, Shinde spoke of the expanding metro rail network across Mumbai and the MMR, major road projects, and infrastructure upgrades. He said the transformation of Badlapur was so evident that some opponents had already begun sensing their defeat. Emphasising his commitment, he stated, “If you have worked, you have every right to speak about it. I have not come here to sleep; I have come to wake some people up.” In Ambernath, the atmosphere was charged with enthusiasm as Shinde declared that the entire city was “full of Shiv Sena’s spirit.” He said that the public response across Maharashtra had been overwhelmingly in favour of the Shiv Sena (Shinde faction). The large crowds at rallies, he said, were enough to ensure that opponents would lose their deposits if people chose decisively. He confidently asserted that the next municipal chairman would be from Shiv Sena. Shinde acknowledged that Ambernath previously lacked progress, but said the city had now transformed substantially. He praised MP Dr. Shrikant Shinde for bringing considerable funds and ensuring they were utilised effectively.Speaking passionately about welfare schemes, Shinde said he had launched the Ladki Bahin Yojana during his tenure as Chief Minister because he had personally experienced poverty and had decided long ago that he would work for the upliftment of women if he ever came to power. He reiterated that no one would be able to stop the scheme. Projecting himself as a leader of service rather than authority, he said some people behaved like owners, but he considered himself a sevak of the people. He added that although he was not born with a golden spoon, he was born to bring golden days into people’s lives. According to him, his work spoke for itself, and the trust of the people had helped Shiv Sena win 60 MLA seats.Looking ahead, Shinde announced that Ambernath would soon become the only city in the region to have two metro lines, further enhancing connectivity and growth. He assured the crowd that upcoming projects included the development of Chikhloli station and slum rehabilitation, emphasising that he would never allow funds to fall short. Calling Ambernath his “own city,” he said the work done there rivaled that of big metropolitan areas. He insisted that voting for Shiv Sena was equivalent to voting for development and urged supporters to press the Bow and Arrow symbol for a record-breaking victory.Shinde ended his speech by reaffirming his confidence in a massive win and said, “Don’t look at anything else—look at the Bow and Arrow and press the button.”

Inter Miami forward Lionel Messi (10) holds the trophy as Inter Miami players celebrate winning an MLS Eastern Conference final (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell)

Inter Miami head coach Javier Mascherano showered praise on Lionel Messi, calling him “extraordinary”, after the Argentine icon guided the club into their maiden MLS Cup final with a commanding 5-1 victory over New York City FC on Saturday. Miami’s charge to the championship match was led by a brilliant Tadeo Allende hat-trick, while Mateo Silvetti and Telasco Segovia also found the net in a dominant performance at Fort Lauderdale. Messi, 38, didn’t score on the night, but produced a moment of pure class when he set up Silvetti for Miami’s third goal. That assist came just as New York were closing in on an equaliser and effectively put the contest to bed. Mascherano, who previously shared the pitch with Messi for Barcelona and Argentina, said his star man continues to redefine what is possible. “Leo has spoiled us with the extraordinary,” Mascherano said. “He is unique, someone we won’t see again. Maybe people expected a goal today, but he brought calmness with that third goal. Only he can spot that pass. It basically ended the match.” Miami will now welcome either San Diego FC or the Vancouver Whitecaps, who face off later on Saturday, in next weekend’s MLS Cup final. The team enters the title clash in peak form, having smashed FC Cincinnati 4-0 in the previous round and now dismantling New York with similar ruthlessness. Allende was at the centre of Miami’s attacking storm once again. The 26-year-old struck first in the 14th minute after beating the offside trap, then doubled the lead with an outstanding header shortly after. New York responded through Justin Haak’s headed effort in the 37th minute and almost levelled when Julian Fernandez drew a superb save from Rocco Rios Novo in the 66th minute. That moment proved pivotal. Miami instantly countered, with Rodrigo De Paul and Jordi Alba combining before Messi threaded a perfectly weighted pass to Silvetti, who fired home for 3-1. Segovia made it 4-1 in the 83rd minute, and Allende completed his hat-trick a minute later, setting off huge celebrations. Mascherano credited the squad for turning around a season that once looked in disarray. “The players deserve the praise. They understood the direction we needed to take,” he said. “We grew stronger together and reached this stage with a real sense of unity. Everyone pulls in the same direction, and who starts doesn’t matter. The strength of this group is unshakeable.”

NEW DELHI: The southern part of India is on high alert after Cyclone Ditwah killed at least 159 in Sri Lanka. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) on Sunday issued a yellow alert for multiple districts in Tamil Nadu and Puducherry, including Chennai, cautioning that light to moderate rain with thunderstorms and lightning may occur.The IMD informed that the cyclone is expected to move almost directly north, running parallel to the North Tamil Nadu–Puducherry coastline over the next 24 hours.“It is very likely to move nearly northwards parallel to North Tamil Nadu-Puducherry coasts during next 24 hours. While moving northwards the cyclonic storm will be centered over southwest Bay of Bengal within a minimum distance of 70 km and 30 km from the Tamil Nadu-Puducherry coastline by noon and evening of today, the 30th November respectively,” it said in a post on X.

Emergency services on alert

Five teams from the National Disaster Response Force’s (NDRF) 6th Battalion were airlifted from Vadodara to Chennai on Sunday to boost emergency readiness as Cyclone Ditwah intensifies over the Bay of Bengal, affecting the eastern coastal areas, especially Tamil Nadu and Puducherry.The NDRF stated that these teams are equipped with Flood Water Rescue (FWR) and Collapsed Structure Search and Rescue (CSSR) gear to enhance preparedness in Tamil Nadu, where heavy rain and strong winds caused by the cyclone continue to create critical conditions.

Cyclone wrecks havoc in Sri Lanka

The death toll in Sri Lanka due to the cyclone rose to 159, AFP reported citing Disaster Management Centre (DMC). President Anura Kumara Dissanayake declared a state of emergency in response to the cyclone’s aftermath and called for international assistance.According to the Disaster Management Centre (DMC), northern Colombo was experiencing severe flooding as water levels in the Kelani River continued to surge.“Although the cyclone has left us, heavy rains upstream are now flooding low-lying areas along the banks of the Kelani River,” AFP quoted a DMC official saying.The severe weather has damaged over 20,000 homes and forced 1,22,000 people into government-run temporary shelters. An additional 8,33,000 people have been displaced by flooding and are in need of support. Authorities say roughly one-third of the country is still without electricity or running water because of downed power lines and flooded water treatment plants, while internet services have also been affected.

Op Sagar Bandhu: India becomes first responder

India initiated Operation Sagar Bandhu, deploying relief and support to the island nation with the help of the Indian Air Force, the Indian Navy, and 80 NDRF personnel working continuously to protect lives and provide timely assistance. So far, India has transported 27 tonnes of relief supplies to Colombo. According to details shared by the Indian Air Force and external affairs minister S Jaishankar, Mi-17 V5 helicopters have been stationed in Colombo for rapid humanitarian assistance and disaster relief operations.Additionally, a C-130 transport aircraft and an Ilyushin IL-76 from Hindan Air Base flew in on Friday night, carrying 21 tonnes of relief material, more than 80 NDRF personnel, and 8 tonnes of equipment to Colombo.Chetak helicopters from INS Vikrant carried out search and rescue sorties in the island nation.

The ex-boyfriend of National Guard member Sarah Beckstrom has said she felt her deployment to Washington DC was “pointless,” just days before she was fatally shot by an Afghan national.In an interview with CNN, Adam Carr described how his 20-year-old girlfriend grew frustrated with the restrictions placed on her and other Guardsmen. “It was mixed,” Carr said. “She got deputized in there, and they gave them no rights to do anything.”

Carr said Beckstrom often told him about some really bad confrontations with residents. “People spit towards us, cuss at us, throw things at us, and we can’t do nothing,” he recalled and said. “She couldn’t detain nobody. She couldn’t stop them from doing wrong. It was—they told them to call the cops.”Despite her frustration, Beckstrom believed in the mission to combat crime in the city. “She wanted to make the difference. She wanted to extremely. She was happy with it. And she just was also like, ‘Why am I here if I can’t do nothing? Where they limited them so much.’ She’s like, ‘It’s pointless.’ She’s like, ‘I get why we’re here. Crime is bad, but it’s pointless if we can’t do anything.’”Beckstrom and fellow National Guard member Andrew Wolfe were shot near White House on Thanksgiving Eve. Beckstrom died the following night with her parents at her side, while Wolfe remains in critical condition. A 29-year-old Afghan immigrant, Rahmanullah Lakanwal, has been arrested in connection with the shootings.President Donald Trump announced Beckstrom’s death and called her a “highly respected, young, magnificent person” and was “outstanding in every way.”US Attorney General Pam Bondi noted that Beckstrom, who started service in June 2023, had volunteered for the DC deployment over the Thanksgiving period.

Ahead of the highly anticipated Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 auction scheduled for December, a lighthearted video of Indian cricketers Yuzvendra Chahal, Ravi Bishnoi and Arshdeep Singh has gone viral on social media. The trio, who share a camaraderie, discussed Bishnoi’s fate after his surprise release from the Lucknow Super Giants. The conversation took a humorous turn when Chahal shared a prediction for the young spinner.

Yuzvendra Chahal confirms which IPL Franchise Ravi Bishnoi will join in 2026 edition

The fun conversation unfolded on an Instagram Live session where the three players candidly addressed user queries about the upcoming IPL auction and Bishnoi’s future. When a user asked about the possibility of Bishnoi joining Chennai Super Kings (CSK), his Punjab Kings teammate Arshdeep Singh responded with a joke that the matter was beyond Bishnoi’s control. The young leg-spinner, who was released by the Lucknow Super Giants despite being retained for a substantial ₹11 crore before last year’s mega auction, replied humorously that the team had “tied my hands and thrown me away,” rendering him “unemployed.”

The key exchange then occurred when Yuzvendra Chahal chimed in with his prediction, stating, “I have a feeling Bishnoi will go to Rajasthan.” Bishnoi, playing along, responded, “Then we can’t go against your feelings.” Chahal then delivered the sarcastic punchline that immediately went viral, warning Bishnoi about the consequences of disagreeing with him: “Go against my feelings, otherwise he’ll be stuck playing domestic cricket.” All three cricketers broke into laughter, clearly enjoying the camaraderie and the playful banter ahead of the auction.

Yuzi Chahal – Bishnoi mujhe feeling aa rhi hai Rajasthan jayega IPL mai.

Ravi Bishnoi – To bs apki feeling k against thodi na jayenge.

Yuzi Chahal – Ja bhai vrna meri tarah domestic hi khelta rh jayega 🤣 pic.twitter.com/COuAY3lSyX

— VIKAS (@Vikas662005) November 28, 2025

Also READ: IPL 2026: 5 teams that can target Andre Russell in the mini-auction

IPL 2026: Bishnoi’s release from Lucknow Super Giants

The context of the conversation lies in Bishnoi’s surprising release by the Super Giants and Chahal’s own past experiences with the selection process for the national team. Bishnoi, a Rajasthan native, was a high-value retention for LSG, and his current inclusion in the auction pool makes him a sought-after commodity. While Bishnoi is now up for auction, Chahal remains with the Punjab Kings, alongside Arshdeep, a team Bishnoi has also previously represented in the IPL.

Chahal also previously played for Rajasthan. He was part of the team from 2022 to 2024. Despite performing well for Rajasthan in the IPL, he was not given a chance in the Indian team for key tournaments. Despite taking 96 wickets in 80 T20 Internationals for India, Chahal missed selection for the T20 World Cup 2024 and did not play a single match in the 2022 edition, even when included in the squad.

Also READ: IPL 2026: 5 franchises that can target Anrich Nortje in the mini-auction

Rohit Sharma of India (Photo by Ayush Kumar/Getty Images)

Rohit Sharma is closing in on yet another monumental milestone as India prepare to face South Africa in the opening ODI in Ranchi on Sunday. The Ex-Indian skipper, long regarded as one of the finest white-ball openers of his generation, is now just a few big hits away from owning one of ODI cricket’s most prized records. Rohit needs only three more sixes to become the most lethal six-hitter in the history of One Day Internationals. At present, he is perched at 349 sixes, just two shy of Pakistan legend Shahid Afridi’s long-standing record of 351. Once Rohit launches his 352nd six, he will move past Afridi and officially take control of the top position on the all-time list. With the form he displayed in the recent ODI series against Australia, it may only be a matter of a few deliveries before the record is rewritten.Most Sixes in ODIs

Rohit’s growing list of achievements, however, doesn’t end there. The India captain is also inches away from etching his name into another prestigious chapter of world cricket. Having amassed 19,902 international runs across formats, Rohit is all set to become only the fourth Indian batter to breach the 20,000-run barrier. He needs just 98 more runs to join Sachin Tendulkar, Virat Kohli and Rahul Dravid in an exclusive club of Indian greats. His tally currently stands at 4,301 Test runs, 11,370 ODI runs and 4,231 runs in T20Is, accumulated across 502 international appearances. Tendulkar leads the all-time global chart with 34,357 runs, followed by Kohli (27,673) and Dravid (24,064). After stepping away from T20Is following the 2024 World Cup and retiring from Test cricket earlier this year, Rohit now represents India exclusively in ODIs. He returns to action against the Proteas with strong momentum behind him, thanks to his match-winning unbeaten 121 in Sydney that saved India from a whitewash against Australia. Virat Kohli, who has also transitioned into an ODI-only role, will reunite with Rohit for the Ranchi clash. With India reeling from a 0-2 Test defeat in South Africa, the senior duo will carry enormous responsibility as the team looks to regain stability and control in the 50-over format.

Former Pakistan PM Imran Khan (ANI file photo)

Former Pakistan prime minister and World Cup–winning captain Imran Khan has been in jail for over two years. In recent days, rumours about his health, and even claims that he may have died, have spread widely on social media. His family says they are worried because they have not been allowed to meet him for weeks.The anxiety deepened on Friday when Imran Khan’s son Kasim Khan publicly demanded that the government prove the 73-year-old PTI founder is alive.“We demand proof of Imran Khan’s life,” Kasim said in a social media post.For nearly a month, no family member, lawyer or party aide has been allowed to see the former cricketer-turned-politician, fuelling speculation that he may have been harmed inside Rawalpindi’s Adiala Jail, where he has been incarcerated for over two years.

What the rules say about ‘political prisoner’ access

According to Dawn, while the government maintains that Imran Khan is being given all “possible facilities”, a senior cabinet member on Friday claimed that Khyber Pakhtunkhwa chief minister Sohail Afridi was trying to meet Khan in violation of the jail manual.Information minister Atta Tarar’s remarks triggered a sharp response from the PTI, which insists its court-approved visiting schedule — Tuesdays and Thursdays — is not being honoured.This raises a critical question: what does the jail manual actually say?Dawn reports that visitation and phone calls are tied to a prisoner’s “good behaviour”, giving the jail superintendent wide discretion.As the newspaper notes: “Visitation, phone calls allowed to prisoners are linked to their ‘good behaviour’, meaning the jail superintendent has the discretion to allow or disallow meetings.”Current and former prison officials told Dawn that prisoners in Punjab, including political detainees, are allowed:

Even condemned prisoners can meet family and lawyers once a week and get the same phone allowance via public call offices inside Adiala Jail.Political prisoners, Dawn adds, are placed in special cells under strict security, with daily medical check-ups mandated to ensure they are healthy.

Rules that are ‘subjective’

But these rules are not absolute. Their implementation depends heavily on the inmate’s behaviour, making the process “necessarily subjective”, according to Dawn.Serious charges — including terrorism or anti-state activities — can also restrict access.A retired senior prison department officer told Dawn that access to lawyers or relatives ultimately rests with the jail superintendent, who can block meetings or calls if an inmate’s behaviour is deemed “not good”.

Family’s repeated requests denied

Despite court orders and repeated attempts, Imran Khan’s three sisters, PTI members and CM Sohail Afridi have been camping outside Adiala Jail for days, demanding a meeting with him.Kasim Khan said the family has been kept completely in the dark: “My father has been under arrest for 845 days. For the past six weeks, he has been kept in solitary confinement in a death cell with zero transparency. His sisters have been denied every visit, even with clear court orders allowing access. There have been no phone calls, no meetings and no proof of life. Me and my brother have had no contact with our father.”Calling the situation “deliberate”, he added: “This absolute blackout is not a security protocol. Rather it is a deliberate attempt to hide my father’s condition and prevent our family from knowing whether he is safe… the Pakistani government and its handlers will be held fully accountable legally, morally and internationally for my father’s safety.”He also appealed to international organisations and human rights groups to intervene urgently.“We demand proof of his life, enforce court ordered access, end this inhumane isolation and call for the release of Pakistan’s most popular political leader who is being held solely for political reasons,” Kasim said.