India captain KL Rahul acknowledged that he had “a few butterflies” during India’s tense 17-run victory over South Africa in the first ODI in Ranchi on Sunday, describing the contest as a demanding test of temperament for both sides. India posted a formidable 349/8, powered by Virat Kohli’s commanding 135, Rohit Sharma’s fluent 57 and Rahul’s gritty 60 before restricting the visitors to 332 in a chase that went down to the final over.

Rahul praised his bowlers – particularly Harshit Rana and Kuldeep Yadav – for executing key breakthroughs at crucial stages. Their timely strikes prevented South Africa from fully capitalising on repeated counterattacks, allowing India to stay marginally ahead of the asking rate through most of the innings.

KL Rahul reflects on high-pressure win over South Africa as India go 1-0 up

Captaining India in ODIs again brought a blend of excitement and responsibility for Rahul, who admitted that nerves were inevitable in such a high-scoring contest. “I’d be lying if I said I didn’t feel a little nervous,” he said in the post-match presentation.

He credited India’s composure for closing out the match, noting that the team maintained clarity in execution even as South Africa “kept coming hard.” Rahul said the bowlers stuck to their pre-set plans, held their nerve in death overs, and displayed a collective sense of calm that ultimately swung the game in India’s favour.

Rahul embraces flexible no. 6 batting role

Speaking about his current batting position, Rahul said he is embracing the No. 6 role, viewing it as an opportunity to broaden his tactical understanding of ODI cricket. The position, he explained, requires adaptability – finishing innings, rebuilding when needed, or absorbing pressure in tricky middle phases.

Rahul described the challenge as “fun,” noting that it encourages him to evolve his game while fulfilling the dynamic needs of the team. The skipper added that this flexibility aligns with India’s long-term ODI blueprint, which prioritises versatility across the batting order.

Rahul heaps praise for Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli 

Rahul was effusive in his praise for Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli, whose century stand laid the foundation for India’s imposing total. He described their innings as reminders of “why they are who they are,” pointing out how frequently they have dismantled opposition attacks over the years.

He said that having both stalwarts back together at the top naturally lifts the dressing-room environment, joking that even fans in the stadium “felt the old energy return” when the pair began dominating South Africa’s seamers. Their partnership, Rahul noted, set the tone for the rest of the innings.

Also READ: Fans celebrate as Virat Kohli and bowlers help India edge past South Africa by 17 runs in a thrilling Ranchi ODI clash

Harshit Rana, Kuldeep Yadav in Rahul’s confidence

Rahul singled out Harshit Rana for special appreciation, calling him “exactly what Team India has been looking for”  – a tall, aggressive quick capable of taking the new ball and providing depth with the bat. Rana struck early, bowled with pace, and justified the faith placed in him after his impressive performances in Australia.

On Kuldeep, Rahul highlighted the left-arm wrist-spinner’s importance in controlling the middle overs. Kuldeep once again delivered under pressure, breaking partnerships and creating opportunities during a phase when South Africa threatened to take the match deep.

Rahul said that the pair’s spells were “central to closing out a nervy game,” rounding off a performance that gives India early momentum in the three-match series.

Also WATCH: Harshit Rana gives an aggressive send off to Dewald Brevis after dismissing him during Ranchi ODI

Samantha Ruth Prabhu wed Raj Nidimoru today in an intimate ceremony at Isha Yoga Centre’s Linga Bhairavi Temple, attended by 30 guests. She wore a red saree. Rumors swirled after Raj’s ex-wife’s cryptic post; they’ve been linked since 2024. This follows her 2021 divorce from Naga Chaitanya.

Samantha Ruth Prabhu and ‘The Family Man’ director Raj Nidimoru have sparked relationship talk for over a year now. They’ve avoided any confirmation of dating but have popped up together publicly several times. Now, as per the recent reports, the duo tied the knot today at Isha Yoga Centre in Coimbatore during a private ceremony limited to around 30 attendees.

Samantha Ruth Prabhu wedding ceremony details

According to Hindustan Times, the wedding took place on Monday morning. It happened at the Linga Bhairavi Temple inside Isha Yoga Centre early in the morning. There were a total of 30 guests. The actress wore a red saree for the wedding.

Wedding buzz and ex-wife post

The wedding buzz for the duo picked up late Sunday night on social platforms. Shhyamali De, Raj Nidimoru’s ex-wife, stoked curiosity with her Instagram story quote: “Desperate people do desperate things.” According to reports, they divorced back in 2022.

Samantha Ruth Prabhu and Raj Nidimoru’s public displays

In early 2024, hints of a connection between Raj Nidimoru and Samantha surfaced around on the internet after spotting the duo at various events. In the months that followed, the actress shared multiple photos with Raj on social media, openly displaying their bond.

Samantha Ruth Prabhu’s previous marriage

Samantha was previously married to actor Naga Chaitanya in 2017. The couple parted ways in 2021 after four years, finalizing their divorce the next year, and Naga later married actress Sobhita Dhulipala in December 2024.

Samantha Ruth Prabhu’s upcoming projects

Meanwhile, on the work front, Samantha Ruth Prabhu was last seen in her first-produced Telugu film ‘Subham’, where she played a cameo role. She is currently working on the Telugu film ‘Maa Inti Bangaram’, which she is also co-producing, and the upcoming web series ‘Rakt Brahmand: The Bloody Kingdom’.

South Africa’s Marco Jansen, left, speaks with India’s Virat Kohli in Ranchi. (AP Photo)

NEW DELHI: South Africa all-rounder Marco Jansen offered a candid and striking assessment of what it feels like to bowl to Virat Kohli, admitting that world-class batters of the Indian superstar’s calibre become “almost impossible to stop” once they settle in. Kohli’s masterful 135 in the first ODI in Ranchi not only powered India to a 17-run win and a 1-0 series lead, but also reaffirmed the challenge bowlers face against him — a challenge Jansen says leaves little room for error.Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!Reflecting on the knock, Jansen said the only genuine opportunity a bowler has comes right at the start of a batter’s innings.“When you bowl to world-class players, it’s quite difficult to get them out. I always try to get a batter in his first 10 or 15 balls. That’s when they’re still getting used to the wicket,” Jansen explained.

But with Kohli, he said, the equation changes rapidly.“Once they’re in, and they get on a roll, it’s very difficult to stop them. Everyone here knows how to play — that’s why you go to plan B or C.”Kohli’s 52nd ODI century on Sunday was classic Virat — tempo control, smart risk-taking, and an extended stay that he has made a hallmark of his greatness. For Jansen, the difficulty lies in the completeness of Kohli’s batting.

Jansen first bowled to Kohli as a 17-year-old net bowler during India’s 2017–18 South Africa tour, and the impact remains vivid.“It’s nice to watch him play. Growing up watching him on TV to actually bowling to him now… it’s annoying but it’s fun at the same time,” he said. “He drives well, he pulls well, cuts well, plays with his pads well. I don’t think much has changed — he’s just batting longer and longer.”On his own form, Jansen said a strong top order is giving him the freedom to express himself with the bat lower down. “I’m just watching the ball and playing it as it comes. At the moment it’s working for me.”Despite trailing 0-1, Jansen insisted South Africa were “not disheartened”, saying the team believed they were “doing the right things” and only needed to stack good spells consistently. He added that injury updates would be clearer before the second ODI in Raipur, with Aiden Markram continuing to lead in Temba Bavuma‘s absence.India and South Africa now shift focus to Raipur, where the high-stakes second ODI awaits.

Sam Altman, CEO, OpenAI (Courtesy: a16z podcast)

OpenAI CEO Sam Altman has now described the time of launch of ChatGPT has a defining moment for the company. Altman called ChatGPT as the early discovery of scaling laws for language models a ‘scientific windfall’ which shaped the complete strategy for OpenAI. Speaking at a recent podcast hosted by venture capital firm Andreessen Horowitz (a16z), OpenAI CEO admitted to the fact that the breakthrough of ChatGPT felt like a stroke of luck and its unlikely to be repeated. Speaking at the interview, Altman recalled the early days of ChatGPT, saying, “We stumbled on this one giant secret… and that felt like such an incredible triumph.” Altman further explained that the discovery of scaling laws — the principle that larger models trained with more data perform significantly better provided a roadmap to OpenAI which helped in transforming its research direction.“When we got the reasoning model breakthrough, I also thought that we were never going to get another one like that. We’ll never get that lucky again,” Altman added. Despite this, Altman noted that the technology has continued to outperform expectations, surprising even its creators.

OpenAI’s next big bet

Altman emphasised that moving ahead, OpenAI is working on a major expansion of its AI infrastructure footprint. The company said that it is entering into partnerships with industry heavyweights including Foxconn, AMD, Nvidia, and Oracle to build out massive computing capacity.“We have decided that it is time to make a very aggressive infrastructure bet,” Altman said. “I have never been more confident in the research roadmap… and the economic value that will come from using those models. But to make the bet at this scale, we need the major chunk of the industry to support it.”As reported by Financial Times, the combined value of OpenAI’s recent deals now stands at $1 trillion, nearly double the company’s current valuation of $500 billion.Altman also explained that the idea of OpenAI is to built on a “vertical stack of things” where research leads to great products, and infrastructure helps in further research. The company’s long-term goal, he said, is to become “people’s personal AI subscription.”He also signalled that the limits of large language models are still far away: “If LLM-based stuff can get far enough, then it can do better research than all of OpenAI put together.”

Recent OpenAI deals

OpenAI’s aggressive infrastructure push has already led to several landmark agreements:

Noida: In a post underlining the toll air pollution in Delhi-NCR is taking on people’s health, a woman said her five-year-old son needed surgery to have his tonsils removed for pollution-linked complications that he developed after the family moved to Noida two years ago.Sakshi Pahwa of Sector 143 said her son began suffering from chronic allergies, nasal blockage, swollen tonsils and breathing problems, and no treatment helped.

“We moved from Sirsa to Noida two years ago, and soon after, my son began suffering persistent coughs and colds. At first, we thought it was just seasonal flu, but his condition steadily worsened. Continuous allergies, dust and pollution made it difficult for him to breathe,” Sachin Kamboj, the child’s father, told TOI. “We tried homoeopathy and allopathy both, nothing worked.”The doctor who treated him said persistent exposure to polluted air or other allergens may have triggered the enlargement of his adenoids and tonsils, ultimately making surgery — adenoidectomy and tonsillectomy with turbinate reduction — unavoidable to clear the child’s airway and improve breathing. The surgery was performed at a private hospital in Gurgaon last week.Also See: Delhi AQIAccording to the discharge summary, the child suffered severe breathing difficulties caused by enlarged adenoids and tonsils, along with turbinate hypertrophy (swelling inside the nose). This led to blocked nasal passages, making it hard to breathe through the nose, causing heavy snoring during sleep, and pain or discomfort while swallowing. The obstruction significantly affected normal breathing, particularly at night, forcing the child to struggle for air.“During the Covid lockdown, cases of such inflammations nearly disappeared. However, they have surged again recently, suggesting that pollution may play a significant role in triggering respiratory issues like adenoid and tonsil inflammation,” said Dr Shashidhar, who treated the child. “Pollution also provokes allergic reactions and directly affects the respiratory system. It is therefore crucial for everyone to take proactive measures to protect their health.“Meanwhile, doctors have noted a sharp rise in allergy cases linked to pollution. “Over the past few months, we have seen a 20-30% increase in allergy and sinus cases. Erratic weather, prolonged viral infections, and consistently high pollution levels are the main contributors. On an average OPD day, the number of patients with allergic rhinitis, sinusitis, or new-onset respiratory allergies has nearly doubled,” said Dr Vijay Arora, principal director and head at Yashoda Medicity, Indirapuram.“Pollution remains the strongest trigger. High PM2.5 and 10 levels cause persistent nasal irritation, congestion, sneezing, and sinus pressure. Children aged 5 to 15 years are particularly vulnerable due to developing immunity, while adults between 25 and 40 years also show increased sinusitis cases, largely from pollution and lifestyle factors,” he added. Dr B Vageesh Padiyar, senior consultant and head of ENT at Yatharth Hospital in Noida, said people often wrongly assume allergies are purely hereditary, but many patients in Delhi-NCR with no prior history have developed severe symptoms in the past one or two years. He explained that dust and pollutant particles pose serious risks and noted that the child’s condition appeared to follow a similar pattern. He added that he had also advised the parents to proceed with the surgery.

NEW DELHI: The first day of Parliament Winter Session 2025 witnessed a Mallikarjun Kharge vs JP Nadda showdown in the Rajya Sabha over the leader of opposition’s reference to “sudden exit” of former Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar.The sharpest moment came when leader of the House JP Nadda advised Kharge to “visit a doctor” to deal with their political frustrations, insisting the House stay focused on the agenda at hand.

The leader of opposition in the Upper House, during his welcome address to the Rajya Sabha chairman CP Radhakrishnan, brought up his predecessor’s “completely unexpected and sudden exit from the office of the Chairman, Rajya Sabha.”“I hope you will not mind that I am constrained to refer to your predecessor’s completely unexpected and sudden exit from the office of the Chairman, Rajya Sabha,” he said amid opposition from the BJP members.“The chairman, being custodian of the entire house, belongs as much to the opposition as to the government. I was disheartened that the house did not get an opportunity to bid him a farewell. Regardless, wish him, on behalf of the entire opposition, a very healthy life,” Kharge said.The statement did not go down well with the leader of house JP Nadda who called the remarks “irrelevant”.“We must maintain the dignity of the felicitation program, and it would be good if we discuss it accordingly. If we start discussing the issue that our Leader of the Opposition brought up today, the farewell, and all the other topics, I think it’s irrelevant,” he said.“There will also be discussions from here that you moved a no-confidence motion against him, not once but twice…I think our Leader of the Opposition is very respectable. The defeat in Bihar, Haryana, and Maharashtra has caused you considerable pain. But you should express your pain and suffering to a doctor. You should speak to a doctor when the time comes,” he added.Earlier this year, Dhankhar’s abrupt resignation as Vice President, officially citing health reasons with two years still left in his term, had triggered a flurry of speculation and conspiracy theories across political circles. His decision, announced on the very first day of Parliament’s Monsoon Session, was highly unusual—making him only the third Vice President after VV Giri and R Venkataraman to step down before completing a full tenure.

UP CM Yogi Adityanath addresses public grievances, concerns during ‘Janta Darshan’ in Lucknow (Photo credit: ANI)

LUCKNOW: Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath on Monday addressed public grievances and concerns during ‘Janta Darshan’ in Lucknow, where he met people from different parts of the district and personally listened to their issues.During the public outreach event, the chief minister reviewed written applications submitted by citizens and assured them of timely assistance and resolution. He also interacted warmly with children present at the venue, addressing their concerns and encouraging them to actively participate in community development.

Earlier, on Sunday and even on November 18, CM Yogi Adityanath held a ‘Janta Darshan’ at the Gorakhnath Temple premises in Gorakhpur.On November 16, CM Yogi Adityanath addressed public grievances and concerns during ‘Janta Darshan’ in Lucknow.During the “Janta Darshan” meeting, CM Yogi met with women and children to listen to thier grievances, which were presented by the general public. He reviewed the written applications of several people and assured support and resolution.Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath on Sunday participated in the Pran Pratishtha and Aathman Bhandara at Siddha Baba Palnath Ashram in Jhajjar, Haryana and emphasised the significance of Sanatan culture, highlighting its role in shaping human evolution.He highlighted the spiritual legacy of the Nath community and underscored that Sanatan culture, linking India’s spiritual heritage, from Kailash’s Shiva to Rameshwaram’s temple, showcases the country’s rich cultural tapestry.On Sunday, the chief minister also held a review meeting in Sambhal, assessing ongoing development works and the law-and-order situation. He directed government and district officials to develop Sambhal in a phased manner, emphasising that the district’s development is a key government priority, a release said.In the first phase, he instructed officials to restore ancient pilgrimage sites and traditional wells. The second phase should focus on projects such as a museum and light-and-sound facilities. He also called for swift action on the construction of the District Court, jail, and PAC unit in Sambhal.The chief minister reviewed the performance of several departments, including Revenue, Home, Justice, Charitable Works, PWD, Tourism-Culture, and Urban Development.

School Holiday in December 2025

December has finally arrived, bringing with it the stretch students across the country look forward to all year, winter breaks, Christmas celebrations and the gentle slowing down that marks the end of the academic calendar. After a busy November filled with examinations in many states, schools are now shifting into a lighter schedule as temperatures begin to drop and year-end activities take over.Unlike summer holidays, December breaks don’t follow a uniform pattern across India. Each state, and often each school, sets its own calendar depending on the weather and institutional policies. But there is one common trend: the second half of December typically offers the longest cluster of holidays for schoolchildren before the new year begins.

When are schools likely to close in December 2025?

Schools across several northern and central states are expected to go on winter break sometime between December 20 and December 24, with most reopening only in the first week of January. This period usually covers Christmas, New Year’s Eve and the coldest days of the season.

Important festive holidays in December

Even in states without long winter breaks, certain days will be observed as holidays across most schools:

Some schools also club these festive holidays with year-end events, annual functions or cultural programmes, adding to the excitement of the month.

Why December still feels special for students

December is more than just a month of holidays, it marks a much-needed pause in the school year. The weather encourages a slower pace, families plan outings and reunions, and students get a short but meaningful break before the academic race picks up again in January.Even for schools, this period is valuable: campuses use the downtime for repairs, planning sessions and preparations for final-term activities.

Representative image (ANI)

NEW DELHI: Gold and silver opened strongly in domestic futures on Monday, driven by a softening dollar, expectations of a US Federal Reserve rate cut and a weaker rupee.Gold February futures traded at Rs 1,30,383 per 10 grams, up Rs 879 (0.68%), while silver March futures surged to a new peak of Rs 1,78,620 per kg, gaining Rs 3,639 in early trade.Silver price growth was supported by a weaker rupee and expectations of a US rate cut. Analysts expect the metal to maintain strong momentum amid global economic developments and currency fluctuations.On the international front, spot gold was slightly down at $4,221.68 per ounce by 0.2%, after hitting a near three-week high on Friday.US gold futures for December delivery rose 0.2% to $4,261.60 per ounce, while silver climbed 2.2% to a fresh high of $57.59 per ounce. Market experts expect gold and silver prices to remain volatile this week, with movements influenced by fluctuations in the dollar index, global financial markets and upcoming US Federal Reserve policy meetings.Gold recently touched five-week highs, while silver surged to record levels, driven by expectations of a rate cut in the US and profit-taking in the dollar index.“Safe-haven buying also emerged for precious metals after trading was halted in the CME due to overheating at its data center,” said Manoj Kumar Jain of Prithvifinmart Commodity Research, according to PTI. “However, optimism over a Russia-Ukraine peace deal limited gains in precious metals,” he added.

City-wise gold rates today:

Delhi

In Delhi, 24K gold is trading at Rs 13,063 per gram, 22K at Rs 11,975 per gram and 18K at Rs 9,801 per gram. Compared to yesterday, 24K gold rose by Rs 66, 22K by Rs 60, and 18K by Rs 49 respectively.

Bengaluru

Today in Bengaluru, 24K gold is priced at Rs 13,048 per gram, 22K at Rs 11,960, and 18K at Rs 9,786. The rates have increased by Rs 66 for 24K, Rs 60 for 22K, and Rs 49 for 18K since yesterday.

Mumbai

In Mumbai, 24K gold stands at Rs 13,048 per gram, 22K at Rs 11,960, and 18K at Rs 9,786. Compared to the previous day, 24K rose by Rs 66, 22K by Rs 60, and 18K by Rs 49.

Chennai

Chennai’s gold prices today are Rs 13,167 per gram for 24K, Rs 12,070 for 22K, and Rs 10,065 for 18K. The increases since yesterday are Rs 98 for 24K, Rs 90 for 22K, and Rs 70 for 18K.

Kolkata

In Kolkata, 24K gold is Rs 13,048 per gram, 22K gold is Rs 11,960 and 18K gold is Rs 9,786. Compared to yesterday, the rates have gone up by Rs 66 for 24K, Rs 60 for 22K and Rs 49 for 18K respectively.

Hyderabad

The gold prices in Hyderabad today stands at Rs 13,048 per gram for 24K, Rs 11,960 for 22K and Rs 9,786 for 18K. The prices have increased by Rs 66, Rs 60 and Rs 49 respectively since yesterday.

Jaipur

In Jaipur, 24K gold is trading at Rs 13,063 per gram, 22K at Rs 11,975 and 18K at Rs 9,801. The rates are up by Rs 66 for 24K, Rs 60 for 22K, and Rs 49 for 18K from the previous day.

Ahmedabad

Today in Ahmedabad, 24K gold is Rs 13,053 per gram, 22K gold is Rs 11,965 and 18K gold is Rs 9,791. Compared to yesterday, 24K rose by Rs 66, 22K by Rs 60 and 18K by Rs 49.

Bhubaneshwar

Bhubaneshwar’s gold rates are Rs 13,048 per gram for 24K, Rs 11,960 for 22K and Rs 9,786 for 18K. Compared to yesterday, marking rose by Rs 66, Rs 60 and Rs 49 respectively.

Pune

In Pune, 24K gold is priced at Rs 13,048 per gram, 22K at Rs 11,960 and 18K at Rs 9,786. The rates increased by Rs 66 for 24K, Rs 60 for 22K and Rs 49 for 18K since yesterday.

Kanpur

In Kanpur, 24K gold trades at Rs 13,063 per gram, 22K at Rs 11,975 and 18K at Rs 9,801. Compared to the previous day, 24K rose at Rs 66, 22K at Rs 60 and 18K at Rs 49.

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