JAIPUR: Rajasthan’s anticorruption bureau (ACB) Thursday registered a case in an alleged Rs 2,000-crore scam linked to state govt’s midday meal scheme during the Covid-19 pandemic.ACB officers said the FIR names 21 accused, including officials of Rajasthan State Cooperative Consumer Federation Ltd (Confed), representatives of private firms and suppliers, who have been booked on charges of criminal conspiracy, forgery and misuse of govt funds.According to ACB, when schools were closed during the pandemic, a decision was taken that packs containing pulses, oil, spices and other essentials would be supplied through Confed under the midday meal scheme. The material was to be supplied in accordance with FSSAI and Agmark standards, with doorstep delivery to students across the state.Following complaints of large-scale irregularities in 2020-21, ACB registered a preliminary inquiry. Officers said it revealed officials conspired to rig the tender process by tweaking the eligibility norms. As a result, qualified firms were kept out of the bidding process, ensuring contracts were cornered by favoured companies. These firms allegedly further sublet the work to shell entities, creating a fake supply chain of non-existent suppliers and transporters, with little or no actual procurement or delivery.The investigation also found that in several cases, fake bills were generated and submitted without any actual purchase or supply, and govt payments obtained on the basis of bogus and inflated invoicing. In many cases, it is suspected substandard materials were supplied, but falsely certified as meeting prescribed quality and safety norms.A financial loss of about Rs 2,000 crore was estimated to have been caused to the state exchequer, ACB said. Based on the findings, an FIR was registered against Confed officials, central warehouse staff, private individuals and firms involved.

NEW DELHI: The Bangladesh govt has urged the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) to write a fresh letter to the ICC citing concerns over upholding the “dignity of the nation”. In an earlier response to BCB’s demand of moving Bangladesh’s T20 World Cup matches to Sri Lanka, the ICC had said it was “ready to discuss” security concerns surrounding the team.Bangladesh are slated to play three league matches in Kolkata and one in Mumbai. On Wednesday morning, the BCB said there had been no talk with the ICC regarding points being forfeit if the team refused to travel to India.

“ICC has reiterated its commitment to ensuring the full and uninterrupted participation of the Bangladesh team in the tournament. The ICC has conveyed its willingness to work closely with the BCB to address the concerns raised and has assured that the board’s inputs will be welcomed and duly considered,” read a BCB statement on Wednesday afternoon. “The board will continue constructive engagement with the ICC and relevant event authorities in a cooperative and professional manner to arrive at... a practical solution.”The scenario, however, changed by evening when Bangladesh govt’s adviser to the sports ministry, Asif Nazrul, held a meeting with BCB directors and claimed the ICC failed to understand the concerns mentioned. “We are a cricket-crazy nation and we definitely want to play. But we do not want to play the World Cup at the cost of national humiliation, the security of our cricketers, spectators and journalists or at the (cost of) the country’s dignity,” Nazrul told local media in Dhaka.“After reading the letter we received from the ICC today, it seems that they have not fully understood the serious security situation. It does not feel like only a security issue — it feels like an issue of national humiliation,” he added.That premise, he said, was based on BCCI asking KKR to drop Mustafizur Rehman hinting at security issues, although no specific reason was provided and KKR simply instructed to drop the cricketer. “Our first stand is to convince the ICC. The letter will be sent by Thursday,” Nazrul stated.BCB president Aminul Islam Bulbul said the board would go by govt advice. “India did not go to Pakistan for the Champions Trophy. Pakistan will not go to India either. We hope to get a proper answer. We are firm in our position,” Bulbul told local media.

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England head coach Brendon McCullum has stated that the team will not abandon their attacking “Bazball” style despite the Ashes defeat against Australia. The former New Zealand skipper said he does not believe in tearing everything apart after one setback but is open to adapting and improving.

England’s aggressive “Bazball” approach came under pressure during the Ashes, which ended in a 4-1 defeat. Apart from a single win at the MCG, the style struggled to deliver consistent results. The series exposed its weaknesses against a disciplined Australian team, raising questions about the approach.

It Is Not About Ripping Up Our Script – Brendon McCullum

Brendon McCullum backed England’s playing style after the Ashes defeat. He said the team has improved since he took charge and cannot change its approach because of one tough series. McCullum added that progress should come through improvement.

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“It is not about ripping up our script completely. From when we took over to where we are now, we are a better cricket team. I take offence to [any suggestion I don’t want to evolve]. I am not against evolution, I welcome it,” Brendon McCullum told Sky Sports.

“I am not rigid in my beliefs but I have conviction in my methods. That doesn’t mean you are blind to progress but to throw everything out that has worked in pursuit of something completely unknown doesn’t make any sense,” he added.

I Am Keen to Carry On in the Role – Brendon McCullum

Brendon McCullum also said that he wants to continue as England’s head coach despite the Ashes defeat. He stated that England have a better chance to improve over the next few years. He called the series a missed opportunity but remained confident in the long-term plan.

“I am keen to carry on in the role. Those decisions ultimately aren’t up to me but the lessons we will digest from this tour and what we have built, it would be a shame to rip that up and chase something no one knows whether it will be successful,” McCullum stated.

“If we stay true to what we believe in we give ourselves a good opportunity to progress as a team over the next few years. In this series, we have been pretty poor in the key moments so it was a real missed opportunity,” he added.

Brendon McCullum Faces Growing Pressure Despite Strong Early Record

Brendon McCullum began his stint as England’s Test coach with 12 wins from 13 games. However, the team failed to qualify for the ICC World Test Championship in the first three cycles. England have lost six of their first 10 matches in the current WTC cycle and are placed seventh in the standings.

McCullum remains under contract for two more years and is likely to stay at least until the ICC T20 World Cup 2026. He has overseen 26 wins from 46 Tests, including a historic 3-0 series victory in Pakistan, giving England a better win rate than the previous era under Joe Root.

England face a busy Test schedule ahead, with home series against New Zealand and Pakistan, followed by tours of South Africa and Bangladesh.

For now, England will shift focus to white-ball cricket with an upcoming tour of Sri Lanka before opening their T20 World Cup campaign on February 8 against Nepal at the Wankhede Stadium.

Also read: England boss announces Ashes 2027 win in bombshell statement after humiliation in Australia

Harry Brook (Getty Images)

England’s white-ball captain Harry Brook issued a public apology on Thursday, admitting he was “deeply sorry” after being involved in an altercation at a New Zealand nightclub — an incident that has added to the scrutiny surrounding England’s disastrous Ashes tour.Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!Brook’s statement came just hours after England’s campaign ended in Sydney, where defeat in the fifth Test sealed a dominant 4–1 Ashes series win for Australia. The timing of the apology ensured the focus swiftly shifted from on-field failures to questions around discipline and behaviour.

According to a report by The Daily Telegraph, Brook was involved in an altercation with a nightclub bouncer on October 31 while England were touring New Zealand. The incident occurred on the eve of the third ODI in Wellington, which England lost the following day, with Brook scoring just six. The 26-year-old later reported the matter to team management and was fined £30,000, along with being handed a final warning regarding his conduct.READ ALSO: ‘Deeply disappointing’: ECB launches sweeping review of England after Ashes collapseIn a candid statement, Brook accepted full responsibility. “I want to apologise for my actions. I fully accept that my behaviour was wrong and brought embarrassment to both myself and the England team,” he said.“Representing England is the greatest honour of all, which I take seriously and I am deeply sorry for letting down my team-mates, coaches and supporters,” Brook added, underlining the personal toll of the incident.

Brook also stressed his intent to move forward constructively. “I am determined to learn from this mistake and to rebuild trust through my future actions, both on and off the field. I apologise unreservedly and will work hard to ensure this does not happen again,” he said.The apology comes as the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) launches an immediate and “thorough” review into the Ashes defeat, with off-field behaviour among its key focus areas. ECB chief executive Richard Gould described the campaign as “deeply disappointing” and confirmed that preparations, individual performances and behaviours would all be examined.With England’s next Test not until June, attention now turns to white-ball cricket and the upcoming ICC Men’s T20 World Cup in India and Sri Lanka. Brook is set to lead that side, with his apology marking a crucial moment as England attempt to reset — on and off the field — after a bruising Ashes tour.

When, in November 2025, the Indian cinema world lost one of its most shining stars, Dharmendra, it felt like someone had stolen the heart and soul from the industry. Thus, when 2026 began with the film ‘Ikkis,’ which featured his last on-screen presence, the industry and fans felt a sense of sentimentality. In the war drama, Dharmendra had a lot of scenes with ‘The Family Man 3’ actor Jaideep Ahlawat. In an exclusive conversation with us, Jaideep shared all the fond memories of the late star from the sets and highlighted that he felt lucky to share the screen with the legend.

Dharmendra’s demise and the emotional impact

“The whole country, I think, all cinema lovers, there was not a soul who didn’t feel bad,” said Jaideep while speaking about Dharmendra’s demise. “I felt a void while promoting Ikkis. I wish he were there, in all these promotions. He should have been with us to watch this film, to see his work,” he added, recalling the late star.“So, anyway, this is a hollow hypothetical thought. It’s destiny, nothing can be done about it,” expressed the actor.

Jaideep Ahlawat’s emotional account of his time with Dharmendra on the sets of ‘Ikkis’

“You feel lucky to be part of a project where the legend is there,” he said as we started the conversation. “I had a lot of fun working with him. Being with him, I never feel that you are working with such a great legend. He makes you feel like family,” the actor continued before adding, “He was constantly cracking good jokes, making small one-liner jokes, reciting very beautiful poems, telling stories.”“Working with him has made me feel amazing,” said Jaideep.

What’s next for Jaideep Ahlawat?

“Every actor wants to be a part of a good story, to get to play good characters, to keep surprising himself, and not get bored with the art form. So, the aspiration is to keep working, to keep doing good work, to keep surprising myself,” said Jaideep, shedding some light on his dreams as an actor.“There is always an effort. It is not necessary to do it every time. To get a chance to work with good people, to get a chance to be a part of good stories,” concluded the ‘Ikkis’ star.

Shukla Kumar, wife of the late Hindi cinema legend Rajendra Kumar and mother of actor Kumar Gaurav, has passed away. The Hindi film industry is mourning her demise. The family has organized a prayer meeting on January 10. According to the Bollywood Hungama report, Shukla Kumar avoided the limelight but was an important figure in her family. She got married to Rajendra Kumar and had seen the rise and evolution of Hindi cinema before her eyes.Reportedly, Shukla Kumar was a sister of Ramesh Behl and Shyam Behl of the Hindi film industry. She was the aunt of their sons, Goldie Behl and Ravi Behl. She and Rajendra Kumar welcomed one son and two daughters. Her son Kumar Gaurav was a former actor. On the other hand, her daughter Dimple reportedly got hitched to a Hollywood film producer, Raju Patel. Her other daughter, Manorama, got married to an Indian movie producer, O.P. Rahlhan.

More about Rajendra Kumar and Kumar Gaurav

Rajendra Kumar was popularly known as “Jubilee Kumar” due to his unmatched box office streak. The actor came to Mumbai to try his luck in the Hindi film industry. As per the reports, he didn’t want to become an actor, and hence, for five years, he worked as an assistant to filmmaker HS Rawail. He assisted in movies like ‘Patanga’, ‘Sagai’, and ‘Pocket Maar’.He featured as a main lead in ‘Vachan’ (1955) opposite Geeta Bali. The movie became a huge hit. Later, he went on to star in the movie ‘Mother India’, co-starring Nargis and Sunil Dutt. Well, the rest is history. Rajendra Kumar passed away due to cardiac arrest on July 12, 1991, at the age of 71. He was suffering from cancer; however, refused to take any medication for the same.Her son, Kumar Gaurav, marked his debut in the film industry with ‘Love Story’ in 1981 and went on to become an overnight sensation. The film starred Vijeta Pandit as the female lead. At his peak, he was considered the next big thing in Hindi cinema. However, gradually, the actor started to fade from the industry. Over the years, he decided to stay away from the limelight.Kumar Gaurav got married to Sanjay Dutt’s sister, Namrata Dutt.

Former England captain Michael Vaughan has openly shared his frustration after a serious umpiring mistake came to light in the fifth and final Test of the Ashes 2025-26 at the Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG) in Sydney. The well-known commentator called it unacceptable in modern cricket, saying technology should never allow such errors to happen.

Michael Vaughan hits out at Snicko and No-Ball Errors in the 5th Ashes Test

Vaughan was talking about Harry Brook’s dismissal in England’s second innings in the New Year’s Test that was won by Australia by five wickets to clinch the series with a stunning 4-1 margin on Thursday, January 8. Well, on Day 4 at the SCG, England was in a strong position at 219/3 when Beau Webster trapped Harry Brook lbw for 42.

Read Also: “We are a better team now” – Brendon McCullum refuses to abandon Bazball despite 4-1 Ashes defeat

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That wicket was the turning point of the match for England, as they could take only a small lead of just 36 runs and gave Australia the upper hand in the final Ashes Test at the SCG. Replays later revealed a clear issue. Webster had bowled an illegal delivery, with his back foot landing outside the return crease. Despite this, the no-ball was not called.

The third umpire, Kumar Dharmasena, failed to pick it up, even though the laws clearly state that every wicket-taking ball must be checked for both front-foot and back-foot no-balls. If the error had been spotted, Brook would have been called back, as the wicket would not have counted.

Vaughan demands action as England suffers defeat in the final Test

England completely lost momentum after Brook’s dismissal. The innings fell apart soon after, with the team adding only 124 more runs. That collapse left Australia a modest target of 160, which they chased down with ease on Day 5 inside 32 overs to retain the Ashes at home.

The frustration grew even more the following day when another decision went against England. During Australia’s chase, Jake Weatherald appeared to edge a delivery from Brydon Carse. Once again, the decision went upstairs, and Dharmasena gave Weatherald a lifeline, citing not enough evidence of a clear spike on Snicko.

The call left Carse visibly angry and England captain Ben Stokes furious. After the Ashes ended, Vaughan made it clear that England would not use these decisions as excuses for losing the Ashes, but he stressed that such mistakes should not be repeated.

Read Also: Ben Stokes faces BAN THREAT after accusing ICC, Umpires of destroying cricket

It’s not acceptable in this era: Vaughan calls out poor umpiring at SCG

Michael Vaughan was quoted as saying by News Corp: “I don’t think England will use these kinds of decisions as an excuse for why they haven’t won the Ashes, but fundamentally, we’re in 2026. With all the technology, that shouldn’t happen. To think there’s been some back-foot no-balls bowled on wickets and nothing has been done; it’s not acceptable in this era.”

With all the technology available, missing back-foot no-balls on wicket-taking deliveries is simply not acceptable. He questioned whether third umpires are consistently checking for these no-balls and reminded everyone that knowing and applying the rules is a basic duty of officials.

Vaughan signed off by saying, “That shouldn’t happen. That is a big moment. Are the third umpires looking for a back foot no-ball or not? They’re the officiators of the game; they should know every rule. It’s a no ball; it should have been called.”

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