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England captain Ben Stokes during a nets session. (Getty Images)

England captain Ben Stokes struck an emotional and defiant tone on Wednesday, placing player welfare above all else as allegations of excessive drinking during a mid-Ashes beach break continue to swirl around his side. Without directly addressing the claims, Stokes made it clear that his priority was protecting his players from what he described as an intense and unforgiving spotlight.Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!Stokes faced a barrage of questions ahead of the fourth Ashes Test in Melbourne following British media reports about England’s stay in Noosa between the second and third Tests. Unverified footage circulating on social media appeared to show opener Ben Duckett intoxicated, fuelling comparisons in parts of the press to a “stag-do”. England cricket chief Rob Key has since promised an investigation, while the England and Wales Cricket Board said it was intent on establishing the facts.

“I’m obviously aware of the reports and everything circulating around right now,” Stokes said, choosing his words carefully. “My main concern right now is my players, and how I handle this moment right now is the most important thing to me.”Emphasising his role as captain, Stokes repeatedly returned to the issue of mental wellbeing. “The welfare of everyone in there, and probably some certain individuals as well, is the most important thing to me right now as England captain,” he said. “It’s never a nice place to be in when not only the media world, but also the social media world, is piling on top of you.”Stokes spoke of the value of internal backing during difficult moments. “It’s a very tough place to be in as an individual. When you know you’ve got the support of the people who are sort of leaders, in a sense, it’s very good to know that you’ve got that support,” he added. Asked directly whether players had done anything wrong in Noosa, Stokes shut down the line of questioning: “I’ve just answered everything there.”

England’s Queensland retreat followed heavy defeats in Perth and Brisbane, and preceded another loss in Adelaide that confirmed Australia had retained the Ashes. Reports suggested several players drank heavily over multiple days, even while noting that “nothing outrageous” occurred.Stokes conceded scrutiny was inevitable given the results. “When you are 3-0 down you don’t really have a leg to stand on, but we’ve got two games of cricket to play. That’s what we have to focus on,” he said. “We haven’t won a game in Australia for a long, long time.”England have now gone 18 Tests without a win in Australia, their latest collapse seeing the Ashes decided in just 11 days of play — a stark backdrop as Stokes seeks to steady his players amid mounting pressure.

The holiday period presents an excellent time to incorporate some creativity into family memories. The latest trend that has swept through this holiday season has taken the spotlight on social media, and this involves making common family pictures into vibrant, personalized holiday cartoons. Thanks to AI technology, making such holiday pictures within minutes has been quite easy, as all one needs are their own family pictures. The introduction of bright colors, the presence of snowy backgrounds, and holiday clothing to common family pictures raises their level of animation, thus making them vibrant holiday scenes. Personalised holiday cartoons are perfect for family holiday cards, personal profiles, and sending holiday messages to friends.

Personalised AI animation turns family photos into Christmas cartoon scenes

Advances in the field of AI image generation and animation have made personalisation has never been easier. Nano Banana Pro and Sora 2 are at the head of the pack. Users upload a family photo with a couple of descriptive prompts, and the AI returns a set of cartoon scenes ready to be stitched together into a video. The process is intuitive, requires no technical expertise, and produces results that look professionally crafted.This is a trend that has the appeal of its simplicity and creativity. Families can watch their photos come to life with animated gestures, facial expressions, and holiday-themed details. Children and pets are shown interacting with presents, Christmas trees, and all forms of festive decorations to bring out the warmth of the season in play.

How to create your Christmas cartoon: Step-by-step guide

Identify the picture that you would like to be cartooned. For better results, you should select an image that is clear and well-lit. Even better would be to pick an image that has all members of your family in it.

The AI assistant helps to ready your picture for cartooning, interpreting everything just right to ensure a perfect result.

Once you have completed your photo, go ahead and upload it into Sora 2. Begin creating your first group of scenes by typing: “A family gathers for a warm Christmas photo.” This allows you to have a happy and festive image that may be nothing more than a family opening their Christmas gifts or taking their place in front of a Christmas tree.

For the next set of pictures, you can use the following action-oriented prompt:“A family prepares to take a warm Christmas photo. The boy says ‘cheese,’ the dog bounces around, and the photo is snapped.”You can consider letting the AI create action scenes like the preparation of cookies, decorating the Christmas tree with ornaments, or even unboxing gifts related to the story in your cartoon.

You can pick your favourite scenes, scenes you do not want, or modify prompts for some extras. This is to ensure your cartoon at the end contains the characteristics of your family’s personality.

Finally, all the selected scenes shall be combined to create an animated video. The final output shall be a custom-made heartwarming Christmas cartoon video to be enjoyed among family and friends.Customised Christmas cartoon images are not just about fun; in fact, they are able to capture the richness of family unity, a way of preserving family fun during special occasions in a very innovative manner, and most creatively, entertaining the family during the festive season. Contrary to regular photos, these cartoon images also include a fun-filled manner of storytelling, where small moments, such as a child savouring a cookie or a pet playing in a corner near the tree, are what make them special mementoes. Adding on to that, incorporating this technology does not require any special level of expertise; in fact, anyone can jump on this bandwagon. One image can become a complete cartoon story.

Kolhapur: The police on Tuesday arrested seven suspects within 12 hours of a Rs 1.2 crore armed dacoity late on Monday night. The suspects had allegedly forced a Mumbai-bound private bus to stop at Wathar, about 22km from Kolhapur city along the national highway to Bengaluru, and robbed 60kg silver, 10g gold and some machinery parts from an Angadia service staffer. The police have recovered the entire property that was robbed during the dacoity.The cleaner of the bus, who knew the Angadia worker fairly well due to the latter’s frequent trips with parcels, was identified among the seven arrested suspects. He allegedly connived with the main suspect, Akshay Kadam, a 31-year-old from Vikram Nagar in Kolhapur, and five others to execute the crime, the police said.According to the preliminary investigation, the cleaner of the bus, identified as Saifu Afghani (22), a resident of Madina Colony of Uchgaon village, and his brother Jaid (21), were under debt of Rs 8 lakh. Saifu told Jaid about the transport of the valuables on the bus. Jaid then contacted his friend Akshay Kadam and Aman Sayyad (21), both residents of the Vikram Nagar locality of Kolhapur city. They, in turn, brought in Sujal Chougale (20), Adinath Vipate (25), and Adesh Kamble (18), all three residents of Akashwani Road, Sangli. Together, they planned the robbery a week ago.According to the plan, Kadam and Jaid boarded the bus at Kawala Naka, the entrance of Kolhapur city along the highway. The cleaner, Saifu, was also on the bus. The bus had left from the Central Bus Stand. After crossing Wathar, just before the Kini toll booth, Kadam and Jaid went into the driver’s cabin and asked him to stop the bus, threatening to harm him with a machete.“The two also put the machete to the neck of the cleaner and asked the driver to stop the bus and open the luggage space. They beat up the driver and the cleaner. Then they took away the parcels with the silver and gold. Two more accused arrived on bikes. They left with Kadam and Jaid. Tracing the movement of the bikes from the crime spot back to Kolhapur, we found one of the accused to be Kadam, who is known for petty crimes. We searched his house and recovered the robbed silver and gold and arrested him,” said inspector Pramod Shinde, of the Vadgaon police station.There were 31 passengers on the bus. After reaching Kini toll booth, the driver contacted the police about the incident. “We found that none of the passengers knew what was happening in the cabin. Maybe they were sleeping, and due to the sound of the air conditioning system, they may not have heard what was going on. To avoid being captured on CCTV cameras at the toll booth, the bus was stopped much before it, and within a few minutes, the suspects robbed the valuables. The valuables are now in our custody. The Angadia will get it back only after verification through the court,” said Shinde.Kadam told the police that the other accused were going to reach Temblai Nagar in Kolhapur city, where the robbed valuables were to be distributed. The police arrested the rest of the accused from Temblai Nagar. All the accused were presented before Kolhapur’s court on Wednesday. The court granted police custody of the accused till Dec 26.

A recent Pentagon report submitted to the US Congress has flagged China’s claim over Arunachal Pradesh as part of Beijing’s stated “core interests”, placing the Indian state alongside Taiwan and major maritime disputes in China’s long-term national strategy. It also highlights the extent of increasing collaboration and partnership between Beijing and Islamabad. The report notes that China’s leadership has expanded the scope of its core interests to include Taiwan, sovereignty and maritime claims in the South China Sea, the Senkaku Islands, and Arunachal Pradesh, framing these objectives as central to achieving the “great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation” by 2049.

The report says, Chinese officials have described the unification of China and contested territories – particularly Taiwan – as a “natural requirement” for national rejuvenation. Under this vision, a rejuvenated China would operate at a higher global level and field a “world-class” military capable of “fight and win” operations, while “resolutely safeguarding” sovereignty, security and development interests.On India-China ties, the report highlights that in October 2024, Indian leadership announced an agreement with China to disengage from remaining standoff points along the Line of Actual Control (LAC), two days before a meeting between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Xi Jinping at the BRICS Summit. That meeting marked the start of monthly high-level engagements, covering border management, direct flights, visa facilitation and exchanges of academics and journalists.China is seen as seeking to leverage reduced LAC tensions to stabilise ties and prevent a deepening of US-India relations, though India is expected to remain cautious, with mutual distrust likely to constrain the relationship, the report said. The report also flags China’s deepening military and strategic cooperation with Pakistan. Beijing continues to co-produce the JF-17 fighter aircraft with Pakistan and remains the only buyer of Chinese J-10 multirole combat aircraft. China has also supplied armed drones to Pakistan and several other countries and is a key naval supplier to Islamabad, reflecting in Pakistan’s $3 billion purchase of eight Yuan-class submarines. Beyond arms transfers, the Pentagon assessment notes that China is likely considering Pakistan as a potential location for future PLA military logistics facilities, as part of its broader overseas basing strategy beyond Djibouti. The report also went on to talk about the China-Pakistan intelligence agreement signed in 2020, expanding cooperation on counterterrorism operations in Pakistan and Afghanistan, particularly targeting Uyghur groups.According to the assessment, Beijing identifies three non-negotiable core interests: The continued control of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), economic development, and the defence and expansion of territorial and sovereignty claims. The report went on to add that the CCP remains highly sensitive to criticism that it is failing to protect Chinese interests, viewing both domestic and external challenges as threats to its legitimacy.

In a significant revelation following the high-stakes cricket series between India and South Africa, Proteas captain Temba Bavuma has broken his silence regarding the unsavoury on-field comments directed at him. While the series was marked by intense competition and emotional highs, including South Africa’s historic Test victory on Indian soil after 25 years, these off-field reconciliations have become the center of discussion.

Temba Bavuma recounts the ‘Bauna’ remark by Rishabh Pant and Jasprit Bumrah

The controversy centered on an incident during the first Test where microphones and lip-reading fans picked up the term ‘Bauna’, a Hindi word for ‘short’ or ‘midget’, used in reference to Bavuma. Reflecting on the moment, Bavuma admitted he was initially unaware of the specific insult due to the language barrier. “I know from my side there was an incident where they said something in their language about me,” Bavuma wrote in his column for ESPNCricinfo.

Bavuma confirmed that senior Indian players Jasprit Bumrah and Rishabh Pant personally reached out to apologize for using a derogatory term regarding his height during the opening Test match in Kolkata. He highlighted the professionalism shown afterward, stating, “At the end of the day two senior players, Rishabh Pant and Jasprit Bumrah, came and apologised.” The captain explained his reaction to the delayed realization: “When the apology was made, I was in the dark about what it was about, I hadn’t heard it at the time and I needed to check in with our media manager about it.”

Despite the personal nature of the remark, Bavuma chose to maintain a professional outlook on the rivalry. He emphasized that while the words were stinging, they did not lead to long-term animosity: “What happens on the field, stays on the field but you don’t forget what is said. You use it as fuel and motivation, but there are no grudges per se.”\

Also READ: ‘My role is to protect’: England captain Ben Stokes breaks silence on drinking controversy ahead of Boxing Day Test vs Australia

Beyond the insults directed at him, Bavuma addressed the friction caused by his own camp when coach Shukri Conrad suggested they wanted to make India ‘grovel.’ This specific word carries heavy historical weight in cricket, harking back to Tony Greig’s infamous 1976 remarks against the West Indies. Bavuma acknowledged the discomfort this caused: “The first time I heard about it, it had that unsavoury taste to it, but I think it just reminded me how tough and competitive the Test series was.”

Bavuma stood by his coach’s character but agreed that the phrasing was a misstep in such a sensitive environment. “Shukri also took some heat for his ‘grovel’ remark. I was put under pressure by the media on that side, asking me to clarify the comments,” Bavuma noted. He concluded by confirming that Conrad had addressed the issue internally and publicly: “In hindsight, he said he could have chosen a better word and I agree with him.” Ultimately, Bavuma described the tour as a grueling mental challenge that left ‘scars,’ yet he remains proud of his team’s resilience in winning a Test match in India, a feat that had eluded the Proteas for a quarter of a century.

Also READ: Virat Kohli equals Sachin Tendulkar’s legendary feat in his Vijay Hazare Trophy 2025-26 return for Delhi

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Swastik Samal in Ranji Trophy and Sanju Samson (PTI Photo)

Swastik Samal on Wednesday produced an awe-inspiring innings to headline Odisha’s Vijay Hazare Trophy 2025–26 opener. Stamping his authority with a stunning double century for Odisha against Saurashtra, the 25-year-old opener smashed 212 runs. Playing at the KSCA Cricket Ground, the batter came up with a performance that will be remembered for a long time.

Odisha were put in to bat first after Saurashtra skipper Harvik Desai won the toss. The start was far from ideal. Early wickets fell quickly, and Odisha were struggling at 59 for 3 inside the first 12 overs. At that stage, the pressure was firmly on the batting side, and a big total looked unlikely.That is when Swastik Samal took charge. Calm under pressure, he decided to build his innings brick by brick. He began cautiously but soon played himself in as the youngster found gaps rather than forcing shots. His confidence grew with every over, and soon he was batting with complete control. Samal reached his half-century in 53 balls and brought up his maiden List A hundred in 104 deliveries.The turning point of the innings was the partnership between Samal and Odisha captain Biplab Samantray. The pair added a huge 261 runs for the fourth wicket. Samantray played an excellent supporting role, having amassed a quick 100 off 91 balls while hitting seven fours and three sixes. Together, they dismantled the Saurashtra bowling attack.His final tally of 212 runs included 21 fours and eight sixes. He was eventually dismissed in the final over, but by then the damage had been done. Odisha finished with an imposing 345 for 6 in their 50 overs.It was his first-ever List A century, and he turned it into a double hundred in style. With this innings, he became only the ninth batter in Vijay Hazare Trophy history to score a double century. His score of 212 is now the joint fourth-highest individual total in the tournament, matching Sanju Samson’s unbeaten 212 from 2019.

Highest individual scores in Vijay Hazare Trophy history

Samal also broke Odisha’s long-standing List A record, surpassing the previous best of 145 set in 2005. However, with Vishvaraj Jadeja (50), Sammar Gajjar (132), and Chirag Jani (86) putting up some incredible performances, Saurashtra chased down the target of 346 in 48.5 overs and won the match by five wickets.