Lebanese officials had called for a ceasefire before talks begin.
Israel to hold direct talks with Lebanon but no ceasefire, Netanyahu says
IPL 2026, KKR vs LSG: Mukul Choudhary reveals Jhunjhunu’s influence after Kolkata heroics
The city of Jhunjhunu, known for producing brave Indian army soldiers, has found a new warrior in Mukul Choudhary. Demonstrating the courage of a soldier, Mukul came out to bat for Lucknow Super Giants when his team was in trouble against Kolkata Knight Riders.
KKR vs LSG: Highlights | Scorecard
After negotiating a challenging spell from Sunil Narine, Mukul began to dismantle the KKR bowling attack with power and control. With 30 runs needed from the last two overs, the young LSG batsman targeted Cameron Green and Vaibhav Arora to secure a crucial victory for his side.
Mukul attributed his fearless approach to the spirit of his hometown, which is known for raising jawans.
“Yes sir It’s in my blood. I’m doing it here but they serve the country at the border,” he said during the post-match presentation.
LIVING HIS FATHER’S DREAM
Known as a big hitter from Rajasthan who idolises MS Dhoni, Mukul shared that his cricketing dream was inspired by his father. He outlined his journey from Jhunjhunu to Sikar, Jaipur and finally Delhi to improve his skills.
“My journey actually started even before I was born. My father had a dream that one day his son would play cricket. But back then, our family condition wasn’t strong, so I couldn’t start early. I began playing at around 12-13 years of age. There weren’t many academies at that time,” Mukul explained.
He trained for several years at SBS Cricket Academy in Sikar before moving to Jaipur for better opportunities. Last year, recognising the faster pace of T20 cricket, he spent time in Gurugram playing matches in Delhi to gain experience in high-tempo cricket.
Reflecting on his rise, Mukul recalled an Under-19 match against Uttar Pradesh where his performance stood out in a low-scoring game. “That day, my father felt confident that I could make it,” he said.
When Mohammed Shami’s wicket fell, Mukul was left with only Avesh Khan for support. Despite the pressure, he struck two boundaries and seven sixes to finish the game. “There is pressure, sir. But I think that God has given me this opportunity, so I just believe in my ability. This is a chance where you can become something big or make a name for yourself. So I focus on the opportunity, not the pressure,” he added.
His simple plan was to stay till the end. “I trust myself that if I remain not out till the last, I can win the game. I just focus on playing my shots. If the ball comes into my area, I’ll hit it. The rest, whatever happens, happens,” Mukul said.
Lucknow Super Giants will now return home to face Gujarat Titans on Sunday, April 12.
– Ends
Somy Ali says Bollywood boycotted her after speaking about Salman Khan`s abuse
90s Bollywood actress Somy Ali has made an explosive revelation, claiming that she was “boycotted” by the film industry after she opened up about an abusive relationship with a powerful actor. While she refrained from naming the actor, it is well documented that she was in a long-term relationship with Salman Khan.
In an interview with Moneycontrol, Somy Ali revealed that speaking up about the abuse had consequences for her professional and personal relationships in Bollywood. A lot of her close friends from the industry suddenly stopped speaking to her.
Moreover, she claimed that her former boyfriend got her TV show stopped and ruined her NGO, No More Tears, which helps girls forced into child trafficking.
Somy Ali recalls the industry`s reaction to her abusive relationship
Speaking about how her female friendships fell apart, she said, “I had friends like Raveena Tandon, Manisha Koirala, and Tabu. They were my friends at the time. When you’re a teenager, everything revolves around your boyfriend. Your friends tend to take a different path,” said Somy.
“My friends didn’t want to be a part of the ugly part of the relationship I was dealing with. And I don’t blame them,” she added, explaining that they did not want to be involved in her relationship issues and clarifying that she holds no grudges against them now.
The aftermath of going public with her accusations against Salman Khan only got uglier, as many of her friends distanced themselves from her. “People like Sunil Shetty, people like Vivek Oberoi, who is like my rakhi brother – every single one of them stopped talking to me,” she recalled.
“He started telling people she has cancer, which I don’t. Then he said, `She drinks, she’s on drugs, and she’s mentally unstable.` I called Manisha (Koirala) and asked what was happening. She said there’s a lot of toxic stuff being said about you.”
When Somy Ali spoke about her abusive relationship
Years after leaving Bollywood, Somy Ali finally summoned the courage to disclose the abuse she experienced in her relationship with a superstar from the industry (Salman Khan). She spoke about it during a documentary series about domestic abuse, but the situation escalated and spiralled into blackmail.
“We had a show with Discovery Plus and Amazon Prime called Fight or Flight. It was about survivors of abuse, and I was one of them. He didn’t appreciate my He didn’t appreciate my saying that. So he had the show banned. We had a three-year contract. The show aired only for two months. I got a call saying, “If you don’t say a word, we will donate money to your charity. I said that’s exploitation and blackmail. I don`t want your dirty money.” She accused the actor of blackmailing her and maligning her and her NGO`s image.
Sanjay Dutt deserves the love coming his way for Dhurandhar, says Raghav Chadha: 'One of the warmest people I know’
Filmmaker Aditya Dhar’s Dhurandhar: The Revenge continues to dominate the box office, and every actor in the film is receiving immense love from the audience. Politician Raghav Chadha recently shared a heartfelt note for Sanjay Dutt, praising his aura and the overwhelming appreciation coming his way for Dhurandhar.
Raghav Chadha recalls hosting Sanjay Dutt at his house
On Thursday, Raghav took to Instagram and shared pictures with Sanjay Dutt. He revealed that he had hosted Sanjay at his house some time ago and praised the actor as he continues to receive love for Dhurandhar. In the pictures, Raghav and Sanjay could be seen sitting in the politician’s garden and enjoying a warm conversation. Both were dressed in kurtas.
Along with the pictures, Raghav penned a note that read, “Had the pleasure of hosting at my place, some time ago, one of the warmest people I know, Sanjay Dutt. So good to see all the love coming your way for ‘Dhurandhar’. The aura remains the same, and so does the admiration people have for you through every era. Couldn’t be more deserved. Always rooting for you!”
Sanjay Dutt essayed the role of SP Chaudhary Aslam in Aditya Dhar’s Dhurandhar. The actor’s character is inspired by the real-life Pakistani police officer of the same name. His performance has been appreciated by audiences and critics alike. SP Chaudhary Aslam’s wife, Naureen Aslam, also praised Sanjay’s performance, revealing that for a moment, she felt it was Aslam himself on screen.
About Dhurandhar’s success
Helmed by Aditya Dhar, Dhurandhar is a two-part film that tells the story of an Indian spy infiltrating the criminal syndicate and political power structure in Pakistan’s Lyari, with the aim of dismantling the terror network targeting India. The first part featured a brutal showdown between Ranveer Singh and Akshaye Khanna, while the second part shows Ranveer going head-to-head with SP Chaudhary Aslam and Arjun Rampal. The film also stars Rakesh Bedi, R Madhavan, Danish Pandor, Sara Arjun, Udaybir Sandhu and others in key roles.
The first part collected ₹1,300 crore worldwide at the box office, emerging as an all-time blockbuster and setting up the hype for part two. Dhurandhar: The Revenge has lived up to the expectations and has collected over ₹1,600 crore worldwide in just three weeks. The film has also crossed the ₹1,000 crore mark at the domestic box office, becoming the first-ever Bollywood film to do so. It continues to enjoy a dream run in cinemas.
Who is Mukul Choudhary? 21-year-old wicketkeeper batter from Rajasthan idolises MS Dhoni, becomes LSG’s newest sensation
Lucknow Super Giants thought they had run out of players who could stand up and be their hero. That is until 21-year-old wicketkeeper-batter from Rajasthan Mukul Choudhary raised his hand and said, notice me.
54* off 27, seven sixes, managing to haul down 54 runs off four overs with no batting partners left in the tank. Not many people would have known what young Mukul had to offer before LSG’s win over KKR on Thursday night – but come Friday morning, his name will make the headlines all across the country.
Mukul Choudhary was one of the breakout stars of the 2025/26 Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy campaign: the Rajasthan batter hammered 173 runs in the tournament at an average of 57+, while also striking at just a tick under 200.
His performances in that SMAT tournament were earned after he hammered 600+ runs with back to back centuries in an age group competition to catch his state team’s notice, which in turn saw him receive INR 2.60 crore as Mumbai Indians and LSG went back and forth for his signature.
Mukul’s idol an unsurprising figure – MS Dhoni
With LSG facing question marks over their middle order, Mukul came in towards the bottom of that unit with some sparkling words from coach Justin Langer, who said he had the potential to be one of the ‘scariest number 6 or 7 batters in India’.
Mukul grew up with MS Dhoni as his idol – which wicketkeeper-batter doesn’t? And this was the kind of knock the great man would have been proud of. But wicketkeeping was a happy accident for Mukul, who only took it up due to happenstance due to no other keeper being in his squad during some academy games in Rajasthan.
Having travelled from his home of Jhunjhunu to the state capital of Jaipur to proceed with his cricket dreams, he joined the same academy which produced two more recent IPL stars – Kartik Sharma and Ashok Sharma. Kartik in particular had a small role of his own to play in Mukul’s journey – it was his absence through injury that earned Mukul a call-up to the team for the SMAT.
Now, the question of who is Mukul Choudhary will be met with the answer – the young man who pulled off an all-time heist, one which would never betray his spectacular youth,, and one which would tell you all about the bravery being produced in every corner of the subcontinent.
Payment lags can help curb digital fraud: RBI
MUMBAI: Some friction, long viewed as a flaw in digital payments, is now being seen as a feature. An RBI discussion paper proposes to introduce a short delay, or “lag”, for high-value transfers above Rs 10,000. This gives customers time to rethink a transaction and cancel it if they suspect fraud. Customers may also be allowed to whitelist trusted payees so that genuine payments are not delayed.Another proposal is to provide stronger protection to vulnerable users such as senior citizens by requiring an additional confirmation from a “trusted person” for large transactions above Rs 50,000. The paper also suggests a “kill switch” to instantly block all digital transactions in case of suspected fraud.Banks are expected to identify suspicious transactions in real time and seek reconfirmation from customers before processing them. They will need to build systems to implement delays, allow cancellations, and generate risk alerts. Banks are also expected to tighten due diligence by linking the level of activity in an account to the customer’s profile. For instance, accounts with low verified income may face limits on how much money they can receive unless additional checks are completed. A key finding is that most frauds now are the result of human vulnerability. The growth of digital payments has amplified this risk.
Avinash Tiwary on the lack of family entertainer: We've stopped thinking about making films for people in this bandwidth
Actor Avinash Tiwary is quite happy and proud of his filmography, but he admits that there is one genre he feels is missing, and that is a family entertainer. With his upcoming film, Ginny Wedss Sunny 2, he is aiming to fill that void, and he reflected on why there is a lack of such films in the Hindi film industry on a whole.
At the trailer launch of Ginny Wedss Sunny 2, Avinash Tiwary was asked about the lack of family entertainers being made in Bollywood. Reflecting on the reasons behind that, he said, “Bahut acchhi filmein bann rahi hain, aur jo bann rahi hain wo hum jaa ke dekh bhi rahe hain, aur dekhna bhi chahiye. But if I think on the whole, there are a lot migrants in Mumbai. People travel from various places here, they go out with friends and partners, so the concept of joint families have reduced due to migration.”
The actor also added, “There is also the ticket prices and we have somewhere stopped thinking about making films for people in this bandwidth. Even at my own house, I asked my bhabhi ki aapne bachhon ko meri kaun si film dikhayi hai. She said , ek mein to tu paagal ho raha hai (Laila Majnu), ek mein chudail aa gayi (Bulbull) to ye bachhe logon ko kaise dikhayein. So, I realised that the kids at my own home are not watching my films.”
The realisation hit Avinash hard. “Main bhi bahut show off kar raha tha ki bahut alag alag kaam kiye hain maine. Par kahin hamari soch se hi wo cheez gayab hoti ja rahi hai, family as an idea. The perspective has slightly shifted to more individualistic. With this film, our hope is to get the families back to the theatre,” he said.
Avinash recalled that the last film he went and watched with his family was the 2023 film Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani starring Ranveer Singh and Alia Bhatt. “Uske baad kitna samay ho gaya hai koi film aaye jise parivar ke saath jaa ke dekh sakein. I don’t know why we aren’t looking at it. We say the tickets are not selling, but if we make a family film, one ticket turns to six if the whole family comes. If I am making a film, why won’t I cater to this, why this thought isn’t there, I don’t understand,” he ended.
From hope to heartbreak: India learn the cost of not closing things out in BJK Cup | Tennis News
Ankita Raina in action (Photo by DLTA)
NEW DELHI: A lot can be said of a coach not by how they react to a win but how they spearhead a team after a loss. Vishal Uppal’s credentials were tested already this week after a 1-2 defeat to Thailand in the ongoing Asia/Oceania Group 1 tie of the Billie Jean King Cup. He was presented with a different challenge on Thursday as Vaishnavi Adkar, in singles, and Ankita Raina and Rutuja Bhosale, in doubles, suffered heartbreaking beatings.Sahaja Yamalapalli, the other Indian involved, lost in straight sets. As a result, India went down 0-3 to Indonesia in what was their second loss of the round-robin format.
Adkar led Priska Madelyn Nugroho 7-6, 5-4, and the Indonesian was struggling physically, having called the trainer and then extended it to a medical timeout. An ice pack was brought to the court and applied to the right leg. Put simply, the match was there for the taking for the India No. 1.Later, in the doubles, Raina and Bhosale, who had been unbeaten and not dropped a set previously, squandered multiple chances to force a decider: leading 3-0, then 5-3 and then let go of six set points. Again, put simply, India had the opportunity to force a match tiebreak.“I think today was a day of missed chances. We had a lot of chances in the first singles match of the day. And had we converted that and gone up 1-0, the pressure would have been on Indonesia straight up,” Uppal told reporters.“And even in the doubles, in the second set we had five [six] set points. And yeah, something just to learn from and grow from that when you get your chances, you’ve got to convert them,” he continued.Even for Sahaja, who lost 2-6, 1-6 to World No. 41 Janice Tjen, it was a rude shock of life against a top player.“Against the top players, you can’t play two good points and then have three or four unforced errors. That really hurts you. So it’s something to learn from and understand what it takes to get to that level,” explained Uppal.
Vaishnavi Adkar cheered by coach (Photo by DLTA)
Upapl, a former Davis Cupper, explained his captaincy style as someone who doesn’t like being the “Debbie Downer” and would prefer to look at it as something to learn from and move on.His focus will shift to Mongolia next but the larger emphasis will be on the tie against Korea on Saturday. Even though India’s chances have faded of making the playoffs, with Korea and Indonesia unbeaten and taking the necessary top-two places in earning promotion, Uppal stressed that sport doesn’t work on logic alone.“We still have to play Korea. If we can beat them, then it comes down to mathematics, not the logic. Even otherwise, we have some youngsters on this team. We want to beat Korea because we want our players to develop. “Maybe we make it this year, (maybe) we don’t make it this year. That’s okay. But our tennis has to grow. Our tennis has to improve. And for that, it’s important for us to come out fighting every single day,” he continued.These appear to be fitting words of a leader who a day ago refused to take a team photo without a member of the squad present. “One member is missing. We take one together or none,” he told the photographer.
Day 3 of Billie Jean King Cup Asia/Oceania Group 1:
- India 0-3 Indonesia
- Thailand 3-0 Mongolia
- New Zealand 0-3 Korea
Ajaz Khan lashes out at Samay Raina over Amitabh Bachchan joke
Stand-up comedian Samay Raina has once again landed in controversy after a recent stand-up clip, where he joked about Amitabh Bachchan and his son Abhishek Bachchan. The remarks have triggered backlash online, with Ajaz Khan also reacting strongly. The actor didn’t hold back, calling out Samay’s remarks and warning him to “show respect.”
Stand-up comedian Samay Raina has once again landed in controversy after a recent stand-up clip, where he joked about Amitabh Bachchan and his son Abhishek Bachchan. The remarks have triggered backlash online, with Ajaz Khan also reacting strongly. The actor didn’t hold back, calling out Samay’s remarks and warning him to “show respect.”Reacting to the viral clip, Ajaz Khan lashed out at the comedian.“Now what should I say about this ill-mannered man? Does he talk to his parents like this too? Amitabh Bachchan sahab has entertained India for decades, and today anyone says anything about him, his wife and his son,” he said during his recent interaction with paparazzi.He added, “Samay Raina, tera samay kharab shuru ho gaya aaj se. Don’t even come in front of me. I am a huge fan of Bachchan sahab, and many fans are looking for you right now. Learn to behave with respect.”Issuing a stern warning, he further said, “Don’t put your hand everywhere. Not every hole has a rat, sometimes there is a snake that will bite. Amitabh Bachchan ke ‘A’ mein hi teri zindagi nikal jayegi—remember that.”
What Samay Raina said
The controversy began after Samay Raina, in a recent YouTube stand-up set, made a joke involving Amitabh Bachchan and Abhishek Bachchan.“I had this thought of asking Amitabh Bachchan—sir, you’ve done so many polio ads, then why couldn’t you make your son stand on his own feet? But I didn’t say that there. Instead, I told him my grandmother is a big fan of yours,” he said.He also admitted to lying on Kaun Banega Crorepati, adding, “I had told him on the show that my grandmother watches KBC, but the truth is, she passed away seven years ago.”
Samay’s ‘Sooryavansham’ reference
In the same set, Samay also joked about how Amitabh Bachchan might have reacted after seeing him in the news.“He must have seen it. He’s very active on Twitter. He liked me a lot when I met him. But when he saw me on TV later, he must have thought I’ve achieved something big. Maybe he called everyone—Abhishek, Rekha, Jaya, Aishwarya—‘Come see this guy’,” he said. He added, “Then he must have switched on the TV and… (mimics vomiting blood)… it must have been like Sooryavansham for him. Sorry Amitabh ji, that night was the worst night of my life. I felt like I had lost all my contacts.”
Gaza journalists mourn Al Jazeera’s Wishah, killed by Israel | Israel-Palestine conflict News
Gaza City, Gaza Strip – Just hours before his assassination, Mohammed Wishah, a correspondent for Al Jazeera Mubasher, was sitting with his fellow journalists in a tent near al-Shifa Hospital in central Gaza City.
The gathering on Wednesday was typical, bringing together colleagues who had become friends after working closely together for more than two years covering Israel’s genocidal war that had destroyed so much around them.
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None of them knew it would be their last meeting.
As Wishah was driving his car south, heading back to his home in Bureij refugee camp in central Gaza, and along the al-Rashid coastal road, an Israeli drone fired a missile that directly struck his car.
Wishah was declared dead immediately; the vehicle had caught fire and turned into a mass of flames on the roadside.
Wishah’s killing came as a major shock to his fellow journalists in Gaza, who rushed to Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital in central Gaza’s Deir el-Balah to bid him farewell and take part in his funeral.
During the funeral, which set off on Thursday morning from the hospital, dozens of journalists gathered to mourn Wishah alongside his family and relatives. A deep sorrow hung over the mourners, as well as an intense anger over the repeated targeting of journalists in Gaza.
Wishah was born in 1986 in Bureij refugee camp in central Gaza. He studied, graduated, and worked as a journalist, then joined Al Jazeera Mubasher – Al Jazeera’s Arabic-language live television network – in 2018, where he remained until he was assassinated.
![Journalists in Gaza hold a vigil condemning the killing of Al Jazeera Mubasher correspondent Mohammed Wishah and ongoing attacks on media workers [Abdelhakim Abu Riash/ Al Jazeera]](https://www.aljazeera.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/873A0498-1775753958.jpg?w=770&resize=770%2C513&quality=80)
Talal al-Arouqi, a fellow correspondent with Al Jazeera Mubasher, said that he was extremely sad to lose Wishah as a colleague, as well as a friend.
“Mohammed was like a spiritual father to us here during the war in the Gaza Strip,” al-Arouqi told Al Jazeera. “We used to turn to him for every detail of the work and coverage.”
“We consulted him on everything, big and small, because he was sincere and kind. He was a colleague, a brother, a friend, and someone loved by everyone,” he added. “Everyone here loved Mohammed. Everyone here cried in grief and heartbreak over him. Everyone was devastated and shocked by the news of his killing.”
Al-Arouqi said that he believed Israel had deliberately targeted Wishah following an incitement campaign against him, similar to the ones that had taken place against fellow Al Jazeera journalists Anas al-Sharif and Mohammed Qreiqeh before their killings, accusing them without basis of being members of Hamas.
Because of the incitement campaign by the Israeli army against Wishah, he was forced – during his war coverage – to stay away from his home and family, in addition to facing intense work pressure.
He would sleep in tents with other journalists and work long hours throughout the day. And he would have known the risks of working as a journalist in Gaza: authorities in the Palestinian enclave say that 262 media workers have been killed by Israel since the start of the war in October 2023.
Abdullah Miqdad, a correspondent for Al Araby TV in Gaza, was one of those who knew Wishah. He said Israel needs to be held accountable.
“These operations targeting journalists in Gaza would not have continued were it not for the absence of legal accountability and prosecution of Israel,” Miqdad said. “Today, we lost Mohammed Wishah. And he will not be the last.”
Miqdad called for international institutions to offer real protection for Palestinian journalists, in line with international humanitarian law, which guarantees the protection of journalists in conflict zones.
“Mohammed and other journalists are supposed to be protected under this law,” he said, “and there should be real action to protect them and prevent their targeting or harm under any circumstances.”
![Mohammed Wishah’s family bids him a final farewell before his burial at Al-Aqsa [Abdelhakim Abu Riash/ Al Jazeera]](https://www.aljazeera.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/873A0209-1775754006.jpg?w=770&resize=770%2C558&quality=80)
Al Jazeera journalists targeted
For Al Jazeera’s team in Gaza, Wishah’s death was the latest in a long line of tragedies.
Wishah is the 12th Al Jazeera journalist or media worker in Gaza to have been killed by Israeli forces since the start of the war. The others are Samer Abu Daqqa, Hamza al-Dahdouh, Ismail al-Ghoul, Ahmed al-Louh, Rami al-Rifi, Anas al-Sharif, Ibrahim al-Zaher, Mohammed Noufal, Muhammad Qreiqeh, Muhammad Salama, and Hussam Shabat.
Al Jazeera journalists in Gaza organised a press vigil in front of the Al Jazeera tent near al-Shifa Medical Complex in Gaza City, condemning the killing of Wishah and other colleagues at the network.
Moamen al-Sharafi, a correspondent for Al Jazeera Arabic, eulogised Wishah’s long career, which included coverage of Israeli wars on Gaza, as well as repeated Israeli assaults, even as he endured the hardships of war, displacement, siege, and starvation.
“Mohammed’s banner has not fallen, nor that of his colleagues who came before him. It is the banner of truth that must continue,” al-Sharafi said.
“We affirm that assassinations and the liquidation of Palestinian journalists will not deter us from continuing this coverage, despite the risks and the extensive incitement campaigns led by the Israeli side and its forces against Palestinian journalists, especially those of Al Jazeera,” he added.
Hind Khoudary, a correspondent for Al Jazeera English, expressed her deep sorrow over Wishah’s loss, describing him as a “companion in the journey of displacement”.
“We worked together at al-Shifa Hospital at the beginning of the war, then after displacement, we moved to Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital, which became our place of displacement and our second home,” Khoudary said.
“There were many daily details I shared with Mohammed… Mohammed Wishah was like a spiritual father to female journalists, especially those without their families,” she said. “He always looked after us and tried to provide everything, even when there was no food.”
“The loss of Mohammed is a huge loss… he was a humane and professional journalist,” Khoudary added. “We still cannot believe he was targeted while there is said to be a ceasefire, even as the killing and targeting continue.”
