Manpreet Singh (Image credit: Hockey India)

NEW DELHI: Hockey India’s decision to omit senior players, including veteran midfielder and former captain Manpreet Singh, from the list of probables for the upcoming FIH Pro League season was triggered by disciplinary issues during the national team’s tour of South Africa in December, sources told news agency PTI.Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!According to a PTI report, a serious case of indiscipline came to light during the tour, which led to Manpreet, Dilpreet Singh and goalkeeper Krishan Bahadur Pathak being dropped from the probables’ list announced on Thursday. India were in South Africa for a three-match Test series from December 2 to 16, which they lost 2-0, with the third match ending in a draw.“A serious case of indiscipline came to light during the South Africa tour, also involving a fourth player whose name has not been disclosed. The players later apologised for giving their teammate a banned substance, but the decision to exclude them from the upcoming camp was announced during a team meeting,” a team source told PTI.The absence of Manpreet, one of Indian hockey’s most experienced campaigners, has raised eyebrows across the hockey fraternity. The 33-year-old recently co-captained the Ranchi Royals to the Hockey India League final and was widely praised for his performances in the tournament.A member of India’s bronze medal-winning teams at the Tokyo and Paris Olympics, Manpreet has failed to make the list of probables for the first time in nearly 15 years. He is also just one international appearance away from becoming the joint-most capped Indian men’s player with 412 matches, a record currently held by Hockey India president Dilip Tirkey.The dropped players were not named in the probables for the national camp scheduled from February 1 to 7, ahead of the India leg of the FIH Pro League.The Pro League season will begin next month in Rourkela, with India set to play hosts to several top teams. India will open their campaign against Argentina on February 11, with the matches scheduled from February 10 to 15.Hockey India has not officially commented on the disciplinary matter, but the omissions underline a firm stance as the team prepares for a crucial international season.

Cricket fans are buzzing on Anushka Sharma’s social media, curious about the sudden absence of Virat Kohli’s Instagram account. Theories of a possible break or temporary suspension are swirling, prompting many to express their worries and implore the actress to encourage her husband to rejoin the digital landscape. So far, neither Kohli nor Sharma has commented on this intriguing situation.

Actress Anushka Sharma has found her comment section filled to the brim with cricket fans all of a sudden. Reason? It appears that Virat Kohli has left social media, as his Instagram account is nowhere to be found at this point, and fans have been left wondering what actually happened. Many have resorted to reaching out to his wife, actress Anushka Sharma, in order to get answers.

Virat Kohli’s social media account disappears

Fans of the ace cricketer, Virat Kohli, pointed out that the star player’s Instagram account has suddenly disappeared. Many shared that they could no longer see his name when they searched for it on the platform. Along with his account, his 274 million followers have also disappeared, leaving many wondering about what truly happened. Fans are debating whether the cricketer has taken a sudden break from social media or if the account has been suspended. Many reached out to Anushka Sharma for answers.

Virat Kohli fans ask Anushka Sharma about the cricketer

Many fans of the cricketer took to Sharma’s page and her latest posts to ask what exactly is happening. Many commented with question mark emojis, while others also pointed out that they miss their favorite cricketer. One person’s comment read, “Laut aao Kohliji” (come back Kohli Ji), while another added on, “Bhaabhi bhaiya ka account kaha gya??????” (Bhaabi, where did Bhaiya’s (Kohli) account go).Another netizen joked about the matter and commented sarcastically, “cheeku bhaiya ne mereko kyu block Kiya h mereko jawaab do ..kya mtlb aap meri jgh le li ho” (Why has Chiku Bhaiya blocked me? Answer me…what does it mean that you have taken my place?).

Many also started asking the ‘Qala’ actress to ask her husband to reactivate his account soon. One comment similar to this read, “Bhabhi king bhaiyya ko bolo account activate.”So far, neither Virat Kohli, his team, nor Anushka Sharma has commented on the matter.

MUMBAI: Low visibility did set off the series of events that led to Wednesday Learjet crash that killed deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar and four others, said senior pilots who analysed the CCTV footage of last seven seconds of the accident. The fixed CCTV camera installed at Gojubavi village gram panchayat office that captured the last seconds of the plane before crash was not positioned for aviation monitoring and had partial visual obstructions from buildings, trees and overhead cables. According to the time stamp on the footage, the aircraft entered the camera’s field of view at 08:43:58, descending towards the runway. Two seconds later, at 08:44:00, the aircraft was seen undergoing an abrupt roll to the left, with the bank angle increasing suddenly to nearly 90 degrees. The Learjet was in a near-vertical orientation as it continued its descent in an abnormal attitude. A second or two later, the aircraft disappeared from view due to obstructions along the CCTV camera’s line of sight. At 08:44:05, a fireball soared up, indicating that the aircraft had impacted the ground. The short interval between the onset of the steep roll and the crash suggests that the loss of control occurred while the aircraft was still airborne and at low altitude. “The pilots had no time or altitude to recover and do a second go-around,” said an A320 commander. During final approach on runway 11, the crew reported to the Baramati air traffic control, manned by pilots of a flying training organisation, that the runway was not in sight and initiated a go-around, said a statement issued by the ministry of civil aviation on the day of the accident. During the second attempt too, they could not visually spot the runway, again indicating a visibility issue. “After a few seconds they reported runway is in sight and the aircraft was cleared to land,” the statement said, adding that the pilot did not give a read-back of the landing clearance, as is the norm in the radio communications protocol. Officials familiar with the probe said the visuals are not consistent with a controlled flight into terrain (CFIT) scenario, in which an aircraft under control impacts the ground due to factors such as poor visibility or navigation error. Instead, the footage shows that the wings were not straight and level in the final few seconds before the crash. Pilots attributed the reason for that sharp and abrupt roll to various possible factors. “It could be an engine failure leading to asymmetry and possible application of wrong rudder,” said a senior pilot. Another pointed to a possible technical problem with control surfaces. “It’s possible that they visually spotted the runway late, when they were well below the ‘decision height’, and then they tried to align the aircraft to the runway to land, and the aircraft went out of control either because of too much correction or some other technical problem,” said another commander. Ideally, if the runway is not in sight by the time the aircraft descends to the decision height, which is about 200 metres above ground, then a go-around or diversion should be the next course of action.

Elon Musk is reportedly planning to take his space company, SpaceX, public during a rare celestial alignment, purportedly seeking an ‘auspicious’ start for what is rumoured to be the largest Initial Public Offering (IPO) in financial history. Citing five people familiar with the matter, the Financial Times reported that the billionaire is targeting mid-June 2026 for the listing, specifically eyeing a conjunction of Jupiter and Venus, which is known in Vedic astrology as a Guru-Shukra Yuti.The proposed IPO reportedly seeks to raise as much as $50 billion at a staggering valuation of $1.5 trillion. In comparison, if successful, it will dwarf the $29 billion record set by Saudi Aramco in 2019.

SpaceX IPO: Personal and ‘Celestial’ timeline

The timing of the blockbuster deal appears to be driven by a mix of astronomical events and personal significance. The mid-June target is close to Musk’s 55th birth anniversary (June 28). Moreover, on June 8 and 9, Jupiter and Venus will appear within a degree of each other in the sky – appearing to ‘kiss’ each other. In astronomy – a field of science that deals with celestial objects, planets and stars – it is called ‘a conjunction’ and create a spectacle in the skyWhen it comes to Astrological significance, Jupiter (Guru representing expansion, wisdom, abundance) and Venus (Shukra representing love, beauty, money) bring optimism, joy and new opportunities with prosperity and major beginnings in various cultural traditions.

SpaceX eyes Starship and AI data centers

Beyond the symbolism, the IPO is fueled by fresh funds which are needed to accelerate the development of the Starship rocket system, which Musk views as the primary vehicle for his goal of reaching Mars. Furthermore, SpaceX has informed investors of a plan to deploy data centres in space – something that Google has already announced in Sunchaser project.Reportes claim that SpaceX CFO Bret Johnsen has been in talks with private investors since mid-December 2025.

JAIPUR: A 25-year-old religious preacher died after allegedly collapsing while being treated for a fever at her ashram, prompting protests by devotees who have demanded a thorough investigation into what they describe as a “suspicious” death. Police said the woman, Sadhvi Prem Baisa, was taken to a private hospital on Wednesday evening by her father and a young man, but was declared dead on arrival. ACP (West) Chhavi Sharma said the sadhvi was brought to the hospital in a car at around 6pm. “After examination, the doctor declared her dead,” the officer said. She added that the body was being shifted to a government hospital for a post-mortem examination, which would determine the cause of death.

According to preliminary inquiries, the sadhvi had been suffering from a fever and was being treated at her ashram.Police said a compounder was called to administer an injection, after which she collapsed. Officials said she had been receiving in-house medication at the ashram. News of her death triggered unrest at the ashram, where a large number of devotees gathered and raised slogans, demanding a fair and transparent investigation. Further questions were raised after a post appeared on the sadhvi’s official Instagram account several hours after her death.The Instagram post In the post, described by police as a purported suicide note, she referred to an “agnipariksha” or trial by fire that she said she had been denied, and expressed hope that she would receive “justice” after her death.In an Instagram post, she said, “I have lived every moment for the propaganda of Sanatan. There is no religion greater than Sanatan religion in this world. Today till my last breath there is eternity in my heart. I am fortunate that I was born in Sanatan Dharma. “And also took last breath for Sanatan, every moment of blessings of Adi Jagatguru Shankaracharya, Vishwa Yoga Gurus and Pujya Saint Mahatma’s in my life I wrote letter written to Adi Guru Shankaracharya and many great saints of the country requested for fire examination but What was the nature approved? I am goodbye to this world forever but I have full faith in God and the revered saints Mahatma. If I live or justice will be served after I leave,” she added further.An ongoing investigation Police said they were examining the post as part of the investigation. The sadhvi had approached the police around six months ago, alleging that she was being blackmailed over a doctored video by members of her staff. She had claimed the video was being used to defame her and that she was being asked to pay Rs 20 lakh to prevent its circulation. The video was later widely shared online. Police had arrested one person in connection with the case, identified as Jogendra, also known as Jogaram, who had been working at the ashram installing sound systems for her sermons. Authorities said further action would depend on the findings of the post-mortem report.

Google DeepMind CEO Demis Hassabis revealed Gemini 3’s launch caused OpenAI to declare a ‘Code Red,’ with ChatGPT losing millions of users. Hassabis credits Google’s pre-training team for its competitive edge. Despite significant growth in generative AI market share, he emphasizes the race for AGI is far from over, with focus now on Gemini 4.

Google DeepMind CEO Demis Hassabis has opened up about the Gemini 3 launch that rattled OpenAI so badly that Sam Altman declared a company-wide “Code Red” in December. In a recent interview with Alex Heath, Hassabis admitted that even he wasn’t entirely sure how the new model would perform against the competition.“You never quite know when you’re baking a new model, right? You obviously have your theories and your tests,” Hassabis told Heath. But he noted Google was already on a strong trajectory, pointing to Gemini 2.5 topping leaderboards back in May.

OpenAI lost 6% of its users in a week after Gemini 3 dropped

The fallout from Gemini 3’s November release was swift. OpenAI shed roughly 12 million daily visitors within a week of Google’s launch. ChatGPT’s traffic dropped from 203 million to 191 million average daily visits, according to SimilarWeb data.

Altman’s internal memo instructed staff to pause work on advertising, AI health agents, and a personal assistant called Pulse. The focus shifted entirely to improving ChatGPT’s speed, reliability, and personalization.Hassabis, meanwhile, struck a measured tone. “It’s a ferocious, intense competition,” he acknowledged to Heath. “Everyone’s trying to leapfrog each other. So one can’t rest on our laurels.”

Google’s pre-training team is its secret weapon, says Demis Hassabis

When asked about what gives Google its edge, Hassabis didn’t hesitate. “When it comes to pre-training, I think we have the best team in the world by far,” he said. He credited Google DeepMind’s depth in fundamental research for the company’s ability to keep shipping competitive models.The Gemini app’s monthly active users jumped from 350 million in March to 650 million by October. Google’s Nano Banana image generator, launched in August, was so popular it nearly overwhelmed the company’s tensor processing units.

Google Deepmind CEO eyes AGI but warns the race isn’t over

Despite Gemini 3’s success, Hassabis isn’t declaring victory. He told Heath that Google’s generative AI market share has grown from 5% to 20% in a year, but “there’s still a lot of hard work in front of us.”He also took a subtle dig at competitors raising massive funding rounds. “Seed rounds for companies that have nothing yet in the research or product… that’s very fragile,” he observed.For now, Hassabis says his team is laser-focused on Gemini 4. “This year, we hope to accelerate even further,” he said. The AI race, it seems, is far from settled.

Shivam Dube (PTI Photo)

NEW DELHI: On Wednesday, Shivam Dube didn’t just dismantle New Zealand’s bowling attack — he delivered a statement about his evolution as a T20 cricketer ahead of the much-awaited T20 World Cup at home. The India all-rounder’s explosive 65 off 23 balls was powered as much by a sharpened mindset as brute force, with Dube declaring he has become a “smarter” player thanks to regular opportunities at the highest level.Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!While his brutal 29-run over against leg-spinner Ish Sodhi stole the headlines, Dube quietly underlined another key upgrade in his game — comfort against pace. Three towering sixes off Jacob Duffy and Matt Henry made it clear that bowling fast is no longer a safe option against him.“It’s just the hard work which I’m doing. I’m getting better with my mindset because I’m playing all those matches and batting in that situation,” Dube said after the match. “So, I know what’s going to happen, what are the main things which a bowler is going to come to me.”Dube credited consistent game time for helping him read situations better and prepare for different challenges. He also pointed to the added responsibility with the ball as a factor in his growth, even though he didn’t bowl in this match.

“That’s the key point for my batting and bowling as well. I’m bowling thanks to Gauti bhai and Surya bhai. They have given me the bowling opportunity,” he said. “So, when you bowl, you become a little smart. I’m working on that as well and trying to develop some more skills.”The left-hander admitted that experience has transformed his approach over the past few months. “There is something called experience and that has come to me and that is going in the right direction,” Dube said. “All the players upgrade themselves… I can’t be the same as I was. I try to be a little better, a little smarter in the next game.”Dube’s 15-ball half-century — the third fastest in T20I history — came without chasing milestones. “I was focusing on every ball. I was not thinking about getting a fifty in 15 balls,” he said.Explaining the Sodhi assault, Dube revealed a ruthless clarity. “I knew that even he is a little scared, he was going to bowl me the bad ball. I was ready for that. So I wanted to dominate — and that is what I did.”