Former world heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua paid a heartfelt tribute on Thursday to two close friends who tragically lost their lives in a car accident in Nigeria, calling them “brothers” and “great men.”Joshua, who sustained minor injuries in the December 29 crash, returned to England after being discharged from hospital and attended the funerals of Latif Ayodele and Sina Ghami in Nigeria last Sunday.

Taking to Instagram, Joshua expressed his grief and gratitude for the outpouring of support. “Thank you for all the love and care you have shown my brothers,” he wrote. “I didn’t even realise how special they are. I’ll just be walking with them and cracking jokes with them, not even knowing God kept me in the presence of great men. One hundred percent, it’s tough for me, but I know it’s even tougher for their parents. I have a strong mind, and I believe God knows their hearts. May God have mercy on my brothers.”Ayodele, who worked as Joshua’s personal trainer, and Ghami, his long-time strength and conditioning coach, both died instantly in the crash.Nigerian authorities have charged the driver of the vehicle, 46-year-old Adeniyi Mobolaji Kayode, with “dangerous driving causing death.” The accident occurred on a busy highway connecting Lagos and Ibadan in southwest Nigeria when the Lexus SUV carrying the trio collided with a stationary truck.Joshua, 36, who has family roots in Nigeria, had been on holiday in the country following his December 19 victory over YouTuber-turned-boxer Jake Paul in Miami.

NEW DELHI: India’s lung cancer burden is projected to rise sharply by 2030, with the North-East emerging as the worst-affected region and women recording the fastest increase in cases, a national study published in Indian Journal of Medical Research has found. Data from 57 populations across six regions show lung cancer incidence to be highest in the North-East, where rates for women are now close to those for men – an unusual pattern in India. Aizawl recorded the highest burden, with age-standardised incidence at 35.9 per lakh among men and 33.7 per lakh among women, along with the highest mortality. Although extremely high tobacco use – over 68% among men and 54% among women – continues to drive the region’s burden, doctors say the disease profile is shifting. “We are seeing more lung cancer cases among non-smoking women, linked to indoor air pollution, biomass fuel use, second-hand smoke and occupational exposure,” said Dr Saurabh Mittal of AIIMS’s pulmonology department.

The shift is also reflected in tumour patterns nationwide. Adenocarcinoma has replaced smoking-linked squamous-cell carcinoma as the dominant subtype. In Bengaluru, it now accounts for over half of lung cancer cases among women, while Delhi has seen a sharp rise in large-cell carcinoma. Southern districts such as Kannur, Kasargod and Kollam reported high incidence among men despite relatively low tobacco and alcohol use, pointing to non-tobacco risk factors. Among women, Hyderabad and Bengaluru recorded the highest incidence in the south. In the north, Srinagar showed elevated lung cancer rates among men, while women in Srinagar and Pulwama also reported higher incidence despite low substance use. Trend analysis shows lung cancer incidence climbing by up to 6.7% annually among women and 4.3% among men in some regions. Thiruvananthapuram recorded the sharpest rise among women, while Dindigul saw the steepest increase among men. With tobacco use among women still below 10% nationwide, researchers point to worsening air quality and household exposures as key drivers. Projections suggest that by 2030, lung cancer incidence among men could exceed 33 per lakh in parts of Kerala, while among women it could rise to over 8 per lakh in cities like Bengaluru. Low mortality-to-incidence ratios in several regions also point to gaps in death reporting, potentially masking the true toll.

Mumbai: Despite reservations within the BJP, the 12 councillors in Ambernath suspended by Congress for “anti-party activities” joined the party on Thursday. State BJP chief Ravindra Chavan received the 12 councillors on Thursday at a function, raising questions not only from the opposition but also from within his own outfit.The councillors were suspended on Wednesday by Congress for forming an alliance with BJP in the Ambernath municipal council. The optics of political adversaries forging an opportunistic local body coalition had left the the leadership in both parties flustered in their bid to explain the situation. Congress and BJP councillors had formed a bloc named the Ambernath Vikas Aghadi to hold the majority vote in the council and keep the Shinde-led Shiv Sena out of decision-making.

A day later, amidst the hurried induction of the suspended Congressmen, BJP minister Ashish Shelar said the issue would be discussed intensively within the party. He said his personal opinion was that “the Congress councillors should not have been brought into the party.”Speaking to TOI, Shelar said, “Some people made a mistake, and they have to face action for it.” He added that “the issue will be discussed in the party intensively.” Shelar said aligning with the members of an ideologically opposed outfit was not advisable. He also expressed opposition to the party’s alliance with AIMIM at Akot.Shelar said the move to induct the councillors in Ambernath was taken in a hurry. Without naming the state BJP chief, he said it was a wrong decision by the party leader, and added that if something was wrong, there was no harm in accepting it as soon as possible.The Ambernath council election was held last month. The council president was directly elected by voters and was from the BJP. The Congress-BJP post-poll alliance exercise concerned remaining posts, including vice-president, standing committee chairman, and the heads of other committees, which would go to the bloc that commanded a majority in the House.In Ambernath, BJP has 14 councillors, Congress 12 (who now stand suspended), NCP four, and two independents, while deputy chief minister Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena with 27 councillors was the single largest party, 4 short of the majority mark in the 60-member House.Shinde’s son, Shrikant Shinde, is an MP from the Kalyan parliamentary constituency, which also includes the Dombivli and Ambernath areas, and the BJP and Shiv Sena were at loggerheads in the constituency for a long time. Ravindra Chavan is an MLA from Dombivli, which is in the same region.

The Women’s Premier League (WPL) 2026 is right around the corner, and the excitement is building as the five franchises prepare for another high-octane season. Ahead of the much-anticipated tournament, Star Sports conducted an exclusive interview with India’s premier finisher and wicketkeeper, Richa Ghosh. During the conversation, Richa shared her insights on the upcoming matches, potential breakout stars, and her personal expectations. Fans are eagerly waiting to see if this edition can top the previous seasons in terms of intensity and talent. Richa’s responses have already sparked significant discussion regarding the favorites for the opening clash and the overall title.

Richa Ghosh’s WPL 2026 predictions

• World Cup Star to Watch: She believes Smriti Mandhana will shine the most this season.
• Opening Match Prediction: Richa is confident that RCB will win their opening clash against Mumbai Indians because both she and Smriti Mandhana are in the team.
• WPL 2026 Champion: She naturally backs RCB as her first choice but notes that UP Warriorz have built a very strong combination this year and could also be title contenders.
• Highest Six-Hitter: Richa picks herself for this category, provided she gets enough opportunities to hit.
• Death Overs Specialists: She believes both Nadine de Klerk and herself will make the biggest impact in the final 5-10 overs due to their power-hitting abilities.
• Calmest Mind: She selects Ellyse Perry for having the smartest shot selection and the calmest demeanor during high-pressure “crunch” moments.

Also READ: Aakash Chopra predicts the winner and Orange Cap holder for WPL 2026 edition

Performance of Royal Challengers Bengaluru in the Women’s Premier League so far

The Royal Challengers Bengaluru have experienced the ultimate highs and lows of the WPL. After a disappointing inaugural season in 2023, they made history in 2024 by defeating Delhi Capitals in the final to secure their maiden title, sparked by Richa’s legendary 51* (29) earlier in that campaign. However, the 2025 season was a title hangover year, where the team failed to make the playoffs, losing five out of eight matches.

Heading into 2026, the franchise faces its biggest test yet following the shock withdrawal of their greatest legend, Ellyse Perry. In response, the management has pivoted to a strategy centered around Richa as the primary finisher and Smriti Mandhana as the tactical leader. With a revamped bowling attack featuring Pooja Vastrakar and Lauren Bell, RCB are betting on ‘Role Clarity’ over ‘Star Power’ to bring the trophy back to Bengaluru.

Also READ: From emerging player to WPL 2026 winner: Deepti Sharma shares bold predictions for the Women’s Premier League

This article was first published at WomenCricket.com, a Cricket Times company.

MUMBAI: The Maharashtra Nodal Cyber Police on Wednesday filed a 2,500-page chargesheet in a Rs 58-crore ‘digital arrest’ con naming 32 arrested persons and 41 wanted accused, who not only impersonated Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and Enforcement Directorate (ED) officers, but also created a multi-layered web of mule bank accounts to move money across states and eventually overseas.According to the chargesheet, the investigation uncovered over 10,000 mule accounts, many opened in the names of fictitious companies using forged KYC documents and fake SIM cards. The funds allegedly travelled through 13 layers of accounts, including at least 27 active mule accounts in Maharashtra, Gujarat, and Rajasthan, before being diverted abroad. The masterminds are suspected to be operating from Cambodia and Dubai, with one Vijay Khanna emerging as a key handler believed to be outside India.The fraud began in Aug 2025, when a pharmaceutical businessman and his wife were allegedly terrorised through calls and video interactions by persons posing as CBI and ED officials. The couple was told that their bank accounts had received “suspicious” funds attracting money-laundering provisions and were shown fake video calls and staged clips depicting police stations, CBI and ED offices, and even mock courtrooms with actors posing as judges, officers, and lawyers. Under the guise of investigation, the couple was coerced to transfer their entire savings of over Rs 58.1 crore, with assurances the money would be returned after clearance.Investigators said arrested Gujarat businessman Jayeshbhai Dapa’s firm, Jai Bhavani Mechanical, allegedly received nearly Rs 15.3 crore, which was then routed to multiple accounts for monetary consideration. Accounts in the names of Meghdoot Trading, owned by Sakalkumar Sahu, Jacky Explorer owned by Chirag Sharma, and entities such as SBV Foundation and M-Stak Innovation allegedly received major sums, ranging from Rs 1.9 crore to Rs 2.4 crore.Devendranath Raut, a resident of Dadra and Nagar Haveli, allegedly received Rs 2.1 crore in the name of Sainath Enterprises and stated, during interrogation, that he transferred funds at the behest of a wanted accused, Shratik. Investigators have also tracked Rs 3.4 crore allegedly transferred to accounts linked with wanted accused Vijay Gaikwad, Abhijit Jamble, and Ratnadeep.The chargesheet alleged that AVB Foundation, owned by Akshay Meena of Bhilwara, received Rs 30 lakh, while Maybank Indonesia accounts linked to Technomist Softwares and Arkit Solutions and opened by Devendra alias Sunny and Mukesh Bhatia received Rs 50 lakh. Accused Katunga Raju Samuel Prasad from Andhra Pradesh allegedly received Rs 2.4 crore through an account in the name of a religious trust.