With the Ashes 2025-26 series nearing its conclusion, conversations around legacies and farewells have begun to surface. Former Australian speedster Brett Lee has added fuel to the debate by suggesting that the final Test in Sydney could be the perfect stage for Usman Khawaja to bid goodbye to international cricket. As Australia eye a dominant series finish, Lee believes a home-ground exit would be a ‘special’ ending for the veteran opener.

Brett Lee’s take on a potential farewell for Usman Khawaja

Speaking amid the ongoing Ashes, Lee said that while the decision ultimately rests with Khawaja, the symbolism of signing off at Sydney cannot be ignored. The former pacer highlighted how rare it is for players to have the opportunity to end their careers at a venue that holds personal and national significance.

According to Lee, the prospect of Australia sealing a 4-1 series win at Sydney adds to the romance of the moment. He noted that Khawaja has been one of Australia’s most consistent Test batters in recent years and deserves to choose his own exit, rather than being forced out by circumstances.

“That’ll be up to him, but it’d be a special way for him to go out, wouldn’t it? Home ground, a chance to win 4-1, but we’ll wait and see in a couple of days. Just a couple of weeks ago he was, and has been, one of Australia’s greatest batsmen,” Lee said, as quoted by The Roar.

Form, age and growing competition for Khawaja

Khawaja’s recent numbers have sparked discussion about his future. In 2025, the left-hander has scored 614 runs from 10 Tests at an average of 36.11, including one century and one half-century. While those figures remain respectable, the expectations around Australia’s opening combination remain sky-high.

The emergence of Travis Head as a dependable top-order option has increased competition for places, while Khawaja’s age—he turns 39—has also become part of the wider conversation. After a superb double hundred against Sri Lanka in January, the Queensland batter endured a quieter run before returning with scores of 83 and 40 in Adelaide.

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A role model beyond numbers

The experienced opener missed the second Test of the series due to a back injury but retained his place on return, edging out Josh Inglis. However, modest returns of 29 and a duck in the Melbourne Test once again put his spot under the scanner. Lee was quick to defend Khawaja, stressing that his presence in the side is built on years of contribution rather than short-term form. He underlined that Khawaja was sidelined earlier due to injury, not because of a loss of faith from selectors.

Beyond runs and averages, Lee emphasised Khawaja’s impact as a senior figure in the dressing room. He described the opener as a role model for young cricketers, praising his professionalism, resilience, and journey to the top of Australian cricket. Khawaja’s Test career numbers reinforce that legacy. In 87 Tests, he has amassed 6,206 runs at an average of 43.39, striking 16 centuries and 28 fifties—figures that place him among Australia’s most reliable batters of his era.

“He’s in the team because of what he’s achieved, and he wasn’t left out due to form. He was left out because of his injury (to) his back. I don’t know what’s going on in his life, in terms of his professional cricket life, but all I can say is that he’s been instrumental for Australia. He’s been such a great role model for young kids coming through,” Lee added.

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US President Donald Trump on Sunday took a pointed jibe at the United Nations, saying the global organisation “must start getting active and involved in world peace,” implicitly criticizing it for being largely ineffective, including in the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict.Trump made the remarks while highlighting the United States’ role in facilitating a ceasefire between Thailand and Cambodia, claiming that the US has effectively acted as the “REAL United Nations.” In a Truth Social post, he congratulated both nations’ leaders for reaching a “rapid and very fair conclusion,” describing the resolution as “FAST & DECISIVE, as all of these situations should be.”In his Truth Social post, Trump wrote, “I am pleased to announce that the breakout fighting between Thailand and Cambodia will stop momentarily, and they will go back to living in PEACE, as per our recently agreed to original Treaty. I want to congratulate both great leaders on their brilliance in coming to this rapid and very fair conclusion. It was FAST & DECISIVE, as all of these situations should be! The United States of America, as always, was proud to help! With all of the wars and conflicts I have settled and stopped over the last eleven months, EIGHT, perhaps the United States has become the REAL United Nations, which has been of very little assistance or help in any of them, including the disaster currently going on between Russia and Ukraine. The United Nations must start getting active and involved in WORLD PEACE!”Trump’s remarks come after top diplomats from Thailand and Cambodia began two days of talks in China on Sunday, following a ceasefire signed on Saturday to halt weeks of fighting along the contested border that killed more than 100 people and displaced nearly one million.According to the news agency AP, Thai foreign minister Sihasak Phuangketkeow and Cambodian foreign minister Prak Sokhonn met in China’s Yunnan province, with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi mediating. The talks aim to ensure a sustained ceasefire and promote lasting peace. The agreement freezes front lines and allows displaced civilians to return home. A 72-hour observation period follows, after which Thailand will repatriate 18 Cambodian soldiers it has held since July—a key demand of Cambodia. An earlier July ceasefire brokered by Malaysia, under pressure from Trump, had temporarily eased tensions, but Thailand and Cambodia continued a bitter propaganda war, with minor cross-border clashes escalating into heavy fighting earlier this month.

Google co-founder Sergey Brin recently shared an important tip that he said he learned from one of the company’s biggest hardware failures. During a talk at Stanford for the engineering school’s centennial year, Google and Alphabet co-founder Sergey Brin recalled Google Glass failure. Brin spoke about Glass failure when a Stanford student asked him, “What mindset should aspiring entrepreneurs, like myself, adopt to avoid repeating earlier mistakes?” To this Brin replied, smilingly, “When you have your cool, new wearable device idea, really fully bake it before you have a cool stunt involving skydiving and airships,” Brin said. “That’s one tip I would give you.”Brin went on to add, “I think I tried to commercialize it too quickly, before, you know, we could make it more, you know, as cost-effectively as we needed to and as polished as we needed to from a consumer standpoint and so forth.” Brin further shared that how he thought that the launch of Google Glass is his Steve Jobs moment. “I sort of, you know, jumped the gun and I thought, ‘Oh, I’m the next Steve Jobs, I can make this thing. Ta da,'” Sergey Brin said. For those unaware, Google launched Google Glass in 2013. The company’s all-new smart glasses enabled users to view and navigate through notifications and other smart phone functions projected in front of them. It appeared to be a breakthrough moment. However, Google failed to find much takers for Google Glass. People didn’t like Google Glass’ clunky design and also the fact, as some analysts said, that it had a 5 megapixel camera crammed into it. Many also frowned at its $1,500 price tag. Google finally discontinued Google Glass for the general consumer in 2015.

Google bringing Google Glass back after more than 10 years

Earlier this year, Google Tuesday announced that the company is getting back into the smart glasses game. In May this year, Google announced a partnership with Warby Parker and the two companies said that they plan to launch a series of smart glasses as soon as next year. The glasses will be built on top of Google’s Android XR, an operating system for headset computers. The revamped version of Google Glasses will also include Google’s Gemini AI assistant that users can speak with to control the wearable devices.At the announcement, Sergey Brin said that this time Google Glasses will be different. “I’ve learned a lot,” Brin said. “I definitely feel like I made a lot of mistakes with Google Glass, I’ll be honest,” Brin said, adding that he is still a big believer in the glasses form factor. “And now it looks like normal glasses without that thing in front,” he said, referring to the visible camera that existed on the corner of the original Google Glass prototype.

NEW DELHI: Delhi’s air quality slipped into the “very poor” category on Sunday, with the overall Air Quality Index (AQI) recorded at 390, according to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB).Several parts of the capital reported AQI levels above 400, placing them in the hazardous category, prompting health advisories for residents to limit outdoor exposure as authorities continued to monitor the situation closely.According to CPCB data, 19 monitoring stations in Delhi reported air quality in the “severe” category, with Anand Vihar recording the highest AQI at 457, while the remaining stations registered “very poor” levels.Under CPCB standards, an AQI between 0 and 50 is classified as “good”, 51–100 as “satisfactory”, 101–200 as “moderate”, 201–300 as “poor”, 301–400 as “very poor”, and 401–500 as “severe”.Meanwhile, the meteorological department has issued an orange alert for very dense fog on Monday, with maximum and minimum temperatures expected to remain around 22 and 7 degrees Celsius, respectively, as cited by PTI. The meteorological department also said Delhi recorded a minimum temperature of 6.3 degrees Celsius, about 0.5 degrees below the seasonal average, while the maximum temperature stood at 22.5 degrees Celsius, around 2.1 degrees above normal.Authorities have implemented Stage III measures under the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP), including curbs on construction and industrial activities, as the ‘No PUC, No Fuel’ rule is enforced to rein in vehicular emissions. Officials attributed the deteriorating air quality to cold conditions, calm winds and dense fog that prevent the dispersal of pollutants, while experts cautioned that poor air quality is likely to persist under the prevailing weather patterns.

Former England captain Andrew Strauss has quietly entered a new phase of his life after marrying Antonia Linnaeus-Peat in a private ceremony in South Africa. The couple tied the knot on December 17, 2025, in the picturesque wine town of Franschhoek, seven years after the passing of Strauss’ first wife, Ruth McDonald.

Photos from the low-key wedding have since surfaced on social media, offering a rare glimpse into a deeply personal celebration that blended family, remembrance and fresh beginnings.

Who is Antonia Linnaeus-Peat?

Art world professional with international roots

Antonia Linnaeus-Peat, 30, is a former public relations executive who has since carved out a career in the art world. She currently runs Linnaeus Fine Art Advisory Limited, a boutique firm offering art advisory services to private collectors and institutions.

Raised in Hong Kong, Antonia later moved to the UK for her education and attended St Mary’s Calne, an independent girls’ school in Wiltshire. Her international upbringing and professional background have seen her move comfortably between creative, corporate and social circles.

First public appearance with Andrew Strauss

Despite Strauss’ high public profile, the relationship was largely kept private. The couple were first spotted together publicly around two years ago, though reports suggest they had been together for longer. With an 18-year age gap, the pair chose discretion over publicity, gradually appearing together at select events before their wedding announcement.

Their marriage marks a significant personal milestone for Strauss, who has largely kept his private life away from headlines since stepping back from frontline cricket roles.

An intimate wedding with Strauss in Franschhoek

The wedding took place at La Clé Vineyard, located roughly 50 miles east of Cape Town, with only close family in attendance. Among the guests were Strauss’ sons Samuel (19) and Luca (17) from his first marriage, underscoring the family-centric nature of the occasion.

Sharing photos from the ceremony on Instagram, Strauss wrote: “Celebrating the most special day in our favourite part of the world. Thank you for loving me and the boys the way you do… Here’s to a lifetime of beautiful memories, my girl.”

Also READ: Kevin Pietersen’s wife: Who is Jessica Taylor?

A new beginning for Andre Strauss after profound loss

Strauss’ first wife Ruth McDonald passed away in December 2018 at the age of 46 after battling a rare form of non-smoker lung cancer. The couple spend quality time together for 15 years, and her death deeply impacted Strauss’ life and career.

In the aftermath, Strauss stepped back from cricket administration to focus on family and went on to establish the Ruth Strauss Foundation, dedicated to research and support for families affected by non-smoker lung cancer.

Also READ: Who is Mohit Sharma’s wife Shweta Jaiswal? 

Pakistan has once again found itself on the defensive after a senior government official publicly acknowledged the impact of India’s precision strikes on a key military installation during the escalation in May, following Operation Sindoor.The admission came from Pakistan’s foreign minister and deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar, who, during a year-end press briefing on Saturday, confirmed that India had targeted the Nur Khan Air Base in Rawalpindi’s Chaklala area. Dar acknowledged that the strike caused damage to the military installation and injured personnel stationed there.

Addressing reporters, Dar said India had launched multiple drone incursions into Pakistani territory within a short span, underlining the scale of the operation. “They (India) send drones towards Pakistan. In 36 hours, at least 80 drones were sent… We were able to intercept 79 drones out of 80, and only one drone damaged a military installation and personnel were also injured in the attack,” he claimed, according to news agency ANI.The foreign minister went on to describe the sequence of events following the strikes, saying that Pakistan’s civil and military leadership, led by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, held an emergency meeting on the night of May 9 to respond to the evolving situation. He added that India “made the mistake” of attacking the Nur Khan Air Base in the early hours of May 10, a remark that further acknowledged the strike and its impact.Dar’s comments amount to a rare public admission by a top Pakistani official of India’s military action on Pakistani air bases in May. The strikes came after Operation Sindoor, launched by the Indian Armed Forces to target nine terror camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir, in retaliation for the April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam that killed 26 civilians.The Pakistan Air Force’s Nur Khan Air Base in Chaklala suffered significant damage during the Indian precision strikes. India had launched Operation Sindoor in the early hours of May 7 as a direct response to the Pahalgam attack.The escalation that followed saw increased cross-border shelling by Pakistan and retaliatory action by Indian forces. The situation later took an unexpected turn when Pakistan’s Director General of Military Operations contacted his Indian counterpart to propose a ceasefire, which India accepted. The outreach from the Pakistani side was later confirmed by Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri, who said both sides agreed to halt all military operations on land, at sea and in the air.Satellite imagery released by Maxar Technologies on May 13 showed significant damage to multiple Pakistani air bases, including Nur Khan Air Base. The images revealed damage at four installations: Nur Khan Air Base in Rawalpindi, PAF Base Mushaf in Sargodha, Bholari Air Base and PAF Base Shahbaz in Jacobabad. A comparison of satellite images taken on April 25 and May 10 showed clear damage to air base facilities, corroborating the strikes.This is not the first time a senior Pakistani leader has acknowledged the attack on Nur Khan Air Base. In May, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif admitted that Indian ballistic missiles had hit the base and other locations, breaking from Pakistan’s usual practice of denying Indian military action.Addressing a ceremony at the Pakistan Monument on May 16, Sharif said, “At around 2:30 am on May 10, General Syed Asim Munir called me on a secure line and informed me that India’s ballistic missiles had hit Nur Khan Airbase and other areas. Our Air Force used homegrown technology to save our country, and they even used modern gadgets and technology on Chinese jets,” Geo News reported.