US President Donald Trump issued a stern warning against those who intended to “threaten or attack America” as the States launched Operation Hawkeye Strike against ISIS targets in Syria. The move came after two American soldiers were killed in the Syrian desert“Because of ISIS’s vicious killing of brave American Patriots in Syria, whose beautiful souls I welcomed home to American soil earlier this week in a very dignified ceremony, I am hereby announcing that the United States is inflicting very serious retaliation, just as I promised, on the murderous terrorists responsible,” he said.“We are striking very strongly against ISIS strongholds in Syria, a place soaked in blood which has many problems, but one that has a bright future if ISIS can be eradicated. The Government of Syria, led by a man who is working very hard to bring Greatness back to Syria, and is fully in support. All terrorists who are evil enough to attack Americans are hereby warned — YOU WILL BE HIT HARDER THAN YOU HAVE EVER BEEN HIT BEFORE IF YOU, IN ANY WAY, ATTACK OR THREATEN THE USA,” he added. Syrian state television said the strikes struck locations in the countryside of Deir ez-Zor and Raqqa provinces, as well as the Jabal al-Amour area near Palmyra, AP reported. According to the report, the attacks were aimed at weapons depots and command centers used by the Islamic State group to plan and launch operations in the region.The US Army identified the two National Guard members killed in Syria on Saturday as Sgt Edgar Brian Torres-Tovar, 25, of Des Moines, and Sgt William Nathaniel Howard, 29, of Marshalltown. Also killed was Ayad Mansoor Sakat of Macomb, Michigan, a US civilian serving as an interpreter. The shooting, which occurred nearly a week earlier near the historic city of Palmyra, injured three additional US service members along with several Syrian security personnel, while the attacker was fatally shot.

Mumbai: The state govt has decided to review and regulate the names of schools across Maharashtra that are misleading or misrepresent information. The decision follows observations by the school education department that several institutions are using terms such as ‘international’ and ‘global’ in their names without offering an international curriculum, thereby creating confusion among parents, students and the general public. The Directorate of School Education has now clarified that these terms may be used only by schools that have branches abroad or are affiliated with international boards.In a circular dated Dec 15, the state’s Directorate of Secondary and Higher Secondary Education noted that there is a large degree of variation in the names of schools. “Some schools are affiliated to the state board, but use international, global, CBSE in their names. Similarly, some schools are approved as Marathi-medium schools but are using the term ‘English medium’ in their names,” stated the circular. It added that the use of words such as ‘global’ or ‘international’ is expected only when the school has branches overseas and when the school is affiliated to an internationally-recognised board. In some names, added the circular, the term ‘CBSE’ is used, which is not legally appropriate, as it refers to the central govt’s examination board.The circular noted: “In such circumstances, the possibility of misleading the govt, society, parents and students with such names cannot be ruled out…”The issue came up for discussion when a state-level authority was scrutinising the proposals for approval and upgradation of new, self-financed schools in a meeting held on Dec 10. It was decided that school names using misleading terms may have a negative impact on parents and students and therefore, should be instructed to change their names.Shriram Panzade, joint director, school education, said existing schools with such names will be reviewed too. Unless schools have a branch in two or more countries, they cannot call themselves global, he said. Schools which are not affiliated to Cambridge (Cambridge International Education) or the IB (International Baccalaureate) should not use the word ‘international’, he said.Additionally, the circular mentioned that while examining new proposals for school recognition in the future, a detailed consideration should be given to the school’s name, its board affiliation and medium, and other schools run by the same institution at the national or international level. If the name is misleading, they will be asked to change it, before recommending it to state authority. The department highlighted names of 11 new schools from across the state where the word ‘international’ has been used. Field officers have been asked to verify the school names before submitting revised proposals for these schools.In the list issued by the directorate office, there are schools from across the state offering state board, ICSE and even CBSE board curriculum, but have included the word ‘international’ and ‘global’ in their names.

NOIDA: Amit Kumar could not go back to Faridabad. Sachin Kumar could not return home to Dehradun. Manish Tripathi was told driving on the route he has been taking every day for years would incur a Rs 10,000 fine.It was a second day of arguments and confusion at the capital’s borders, where police continued to enforce Delhi govt’s ban on non-BS 6 vehicles from other states, interrupting daily commutes and derailing another workday.Traffic volume at the Kalindi Kunj, Chilla, DND and Ghazipur borders was, however, visibly lower on Friday compared to Thursday, when the ban was first implemented and led to traffic jams, possibly because some took the work-from-home option and some switched to metro.But at borders that lakhs of vehicles travel between Delhi and NCR cities daily, it still left a very high number of troubled commuters as cops scanned the number series of each car and then asked for papers.Driving back after a night shift at his office in Noida, Amit Kumar was told he could not proceed home to Faridabad. His Santro, a Haryana-registered BS 4 vehicle, was barred from entering Delhi. “I came to Noida on Thursday evening without any checking. Now they are not allowing me to go home,” an incredulous Kumar said, adding he was advised to park his car at the nearby metro station and buy a train ticket for Faridabad.Sachin Kumar, who had driven to Noida from Dehradun for a business meeting, also had a BS 4 car that was flagged down. “I was not aware that BS 4 vehicles are not allowed to enter Delhi,” he said. The options given to him were to either cool his heels in Noida for a while or take a long detour via Eastern Peripheral Expressway to avoid passing through the capital.“You want to cut down on pollution, and at the same time, make us drive many more kilometres on the road? How does that make sense?” another distraught commuter asked, only to be met by a poker face. Many had the same question: why force circuitous detours, burning double or more than usual fuel, if the point is to curb pollution?At DND Flyway, police personnel stood near the toll plaza, stopping vehicles for inspection. “We are entering registration numbers into a mobile app to verify emission standards,” a traffic cop said.Tripathi, a Greater Noida West resident, said he was stopped on the Flyway while driving to his office in south Delhi. “I have a valid pollution under control (PUC) for my BS 4 Ertiga but police stopped me and threatened a Rs 10,000 challan before asking me to take a U-turn,” he said. “This uncertainty has badly disrupted office commutes. Ad hoc enforcement cannot be a long-term solution.”Nilesh Sharma, a daily commuter to Delhi from the 7x sectors in the city, said contradictory instructions from Noida and Delhi police left him stranded on DND for nearly 20 minutes. Driving his BS 4 EcoSport to his office in ITO, he said he was told by Noida police that petrol BS 4 cars with a valid PUC were permitted, only for Delhi cops to stop him. “I had no option but to return home and take my bike,” he said. “I reached office late, missed an important meeting and lost work hours. This lack of coordination is deeply frustrating — commuters are paying the price for official confusion.”Chilla border had two-tier barricading by Noida and Delhi police to screen vehicles entering the capital. Motorists said limited public awareness had added to the confusion.Police officers acknowledged that the checks led to congestion but said traffic flow improved as the day progressed, thanks to fewer vehicles on the road. Noida DCP (traffic) Pravin Ranjan Singh said while non-compliant vehicles were told to turn back, fines were issued selectively, mainly when drivers argued with personnel or caused a disturbance during checks. “Some violators were fined up to Rs 10,000,” he said.By 6pm, police had fined 486 vehicles and forced 591 more to take U-turns from the Delhi entry points in Noida. Challans were issued to 207 other vehicles for violations of PUC norms.In Delhi, traffic police checked at least 5,037 vehicles across 13 circles, turning back 419 and issuing 374 challans, officials said. Narela saw the highest number of checks at 1,682 vehicles, followed by Najafgarh (689) and Kapashera (518). Most vehicles were turned back from Najafgarh (134), while Shahdara topped the list for enforcement action, with 114 challans issued, followed by Mayur Vihar, Kapashera and Kalyanpuri.Delhi ACP (traffic) Dinesh Kumar Gupta said the drive involved extensive preparation, with 37 Prakhar vans and over 500 personnel deployed at major borders and key stretches to enforce the order and guide motorists. Enforcement is expected to continue in the coming days, with officials urging commuters to check emission compliance before travel and use alternative routes or public transport where possible.—With inputs from Ayantika Pal in Noida & Ishita Jairath in Delhi

Pat Cummins made a stunning return to Test cricket and delivered a strong performance that was special both for Australia and for his own career in the ongoing third Test of the Ashes 2025-26 against England at the Adelaide Oval in Adelaide.

The Australian captain missed the first two Tests of the ongoing Ashes 2025-26 due to fitness issues, but showed no signs of rust as he led the bowling attack with confidence and control in the ongoing third Test against England at the Adelaide Oval.

In reply to Australia’s first-innings total of 371, England were bowled out for 286, and Cummins played a big role in that collapse. He picked up three key wickets and finished with figures of 3 for 69 from 17 overs. His spell kept pressure on the English batters throughout their first innings.

Pat Cummins returned to action with fire

This spell also helped Cummins reach a major milestone. With these three wickets, he surpassed the fast-bowling legend Brett Lee to become Australia’s seventh-highest wicket-taker in Test cricket. The legendary Australian fast bowler had retired in 2008 with 310 wickets from 76 Tests.

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Playing his 72nd Test, Pat Cummins now has 312 wickets at an excellent average of 22.10. At the top of Australia’s all-time Test wicket-takers list remains late spin wizard Shane Warne with an incredible 708 wickets. Cummins has also built a strong record in the Ashes.

The tall speedster now has 94 wickets from 20 Ashes Tests at an average of 24.07, including two five-wicket hauls. He has a better record at home, taking 180 at an outstanding average of 19.97. As captain, Cummins has so far scalped 148 Test wickets at an average of 22.67.

England fans furious as coach helps Pat Cummins before record spell

Shockingly, Cummins was helped by the England coaching staff to return to his best bowling form in the ongoing third Ashes Test in Adelaide. On Thursday morning, England’s spin bowling coach Jeetan Patel was seen helping the Australian captain during his warm-up at the Adelaide Oval.

Patel was gloving Cummins’ warm-up balls before the start of play on Day 2, which surprised the England fans, who did not expect to see an England coach assisting the opposition captain in any way. The clip quickly went viral on social media, and English fans reacted angrily.

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Many fans felt Patel should not have helped Cummins, especially given how intense and emotional the Ashes rivalry is, and they are currently on the verge of losing another series.

The spirit of cricket alive and kicking in this Ashes series. Here’s England assistant Jeetan Patel gloving Pat Cummins’ warm-up balls before play on Thursday morning pic.twitter.com/eIvdZN2Y82

— Louis Cameron (@LouisDBCameron) December 17, 2025

Pat Cummins breaks the world record by dismissing Joe Root in Adelaide

Notably, Pat Cummins has etched his name into the record books by removing Joe Root for the 12th time in Tests. The Australian captain achieved something no bowler in the world has ever done before. By dismissing Root in Adelaide, Cummins becomes the bowler who has dismissed Root the most.

Root, one of the finest batters of the modern era and the second-highest run-scorer in Test cricket history behind Sachin Tendulkar, was England’s hope, but Cummins knows how to keep him silent.

Earlier, Cummins was sharing this record with India’s Jasprit Bumrah and his Australian teammate Mitchell Starc. All three had dismissed Root 11 times each. Now, Cummins overtook both of them.

As the city gears up for its upcoming civic elections, long-standing infrastructural and civic challenges like water supply, public transport, health facilities, public parking places, recreational spaces, encroachments, and solid waste management gain attention as residents and activists expect solutions from political parties. Even as parties are yet to announce their manifestos, TOI takes a closer look at the issues that could remain in public-neta interactions ahead of the polls and could significantly influence voter priorities.Water Supply: A city of nearly 25 lakh plus population draws around 590 mld water from various sources but still falls short of supply to a majority of households across parts of the city and suburbs. Residents from low-income settlements and even plush Ghodbunder Highway societies alike complain of how frequent shutdowns and repair blocks force them to rely on costly private tanker services. “The city desperately needs a dedicated water source to cater to its future needs,” said a resident.Health Infrastructure: Residents from several areas of the city complain of inadequate health care facilities, forcing them to rely on neighbouring cities like Kalyan-Dombivli or travel to Thane city or Kalwa for tertiary care treatment. Rohidas Munde, Shiv Sena UBT functionary from Diva, said despite approved plans for a hospital in Diva, the administration hasn’t started work on it yet. Even as the municipal corporation has announced a plan to scientifically tackle the stray dog menace, activist Satyajit Shah has urged for prompt and efficient implementation.Road Congestion: Commuters complain of witnessing a rise in travel time within the city limits compared to a few years back. “The lack of adequate public parking spots near prominent areas and illegal parking along arterial roads is the primary reason. There has to be a proper roadside parking policy and timely execution of it that can tackle the illegal on-road parking menace,” says activist Shashi Kumar Nair from Manpada.Transportation: Even as the city keeps growing at its seams and scores of residents rely on an affordable transport system, the municipal transport system presently falls short of matching pace. Several developing areas of the city and suburbs, primarily Ghodbunder, continue to be deprived of a good frequency of buses. Passenger activist Rafique Shaikh from Mumbra says the city needs improved services that can connect Mumbra, Diva suburbs, and Thane city with Mumbai, considering the growing demand and reducing dependency on the railways.Illegal Constructions and Encroachments: Activist Nitin Deshpande says Thane footpaths should be free of encroachments like vehicle parking, electrical poles, and stalls, which are left obstructing walkways, including sustained action on political banners installed on footpaths, posing safety and environmental risks. Residents also said they need a policy that can rein in illegal constructions in the city, which in turn deprives bonafide taxpayers of their share of civic amenities like water supply and others.Green Cover: The city is witnessing a surge in several developmental and infra projects that necessitate the displacement of green cover, raising alarm bells among experts. A recent expert study highlighted how the city was facing a rise in temperature due to the increased ratio of concrete structures, prompting the administration to mull a slew of measures like terrace gardening, among others, prompting activists to urge the corporation to take up the conservation of green cover in the city.Open Spaces and Recreational Parks:The city may have seen NaMo Central Park and Oxygen Parks being thrown open, but residents say the number is too few for a growing city. Many existing parks and grounds are proving inadequate, residents complain. “There are several reserved plots for playgrounds and parks in the city that need to be cleared of encroachments and made available for common public use,” says citizen activist Kasber Augustine.Solid Waste Management:Solid waste management continues to plague the city, with several residents complaining of frequent disruptions in the process, especially this year, which apparently was due to a lack of a dedicated system in place. While the administration wants big societies to reduce dependency on the civic machinery, residents claim that a policy that could incentivise could lead to a change.Air Quality:Though the official statistics claim good air quality in Thane, residents have been regularly complaining of pollution, mainly from vehicular emissions and construction activity, among others. Residents like Anubha Sahai of Hiranandani Estate said they have repeatedly flagged off the issue to the TMC and are awaiting a concrete roadmap by parties on how to tackle the issue.