The ICC Champions Trophy 2025 semi-finals are set with India facing Australia in Dubai. Despite travel concerns, Australia remain confident, bringing in Cooper Connolly to replace the injured Matt Short. Spinner Adam Zampa, though not at his best, aims to contribute significantly. Australia's key clash will be on spin-friendly wickets, making Zampa's role crucial.
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A Chinese police dog, Fuzai, recently had his performance review and lost his year-end bonus despite his hard work. Due to some mischievous behavior, including fatigue and inappropriate urination, his rewards were confiscated. However, it was later shared that Fuzai received a generous Chinese New Year gift.
Aakash Chaudhry's new venture, Sparkl Edventure, secures a $4 million seed funding round with Zomato's Deepinder Goyal and Zerodha's Nithin Kamath participating. Sparkl offers one-on-one online tutoring for grades 6 to 12, focusing on IB and Cambridge curricula, and integrates mental health support.
External affairs minister S Jaishankar will participate in the G20 meeting in Johannesburg on Feb 20-21, meeting with leaders from China and Russia. The event highlights South Africa's presidency, which focuses on diversity and inclusion, despite US boycott. Jaishankar aims to bolster India's engagement and support for the Global South.
A coal bunker collapsed at Dalmia Cement (Bharat) Limited's Rajgangpur plant in Sundargarh district, trapping at least three workers. Rescue operations are underway with cranes and an ambulance at the scene. Police and company officials are investigating, while concerned family members gather outside the plant gate.
Abhay Kurundkar, a dismissed police inspector, received a life sentence for the 2016 murder of assistant police inspector Ashwini Bidre-Gore, even though her body was never recovered. A Panvel court criticized the Navi Mumbai police for their delayed response and implicated two officers for investigative lapses. Two accomplices received seven-year sentences for assisting in the body's disposal.
Qari Abdul Rehman, a member of the banned anti-Shia outfit ASWJ, was killed in a targeted attack by masked assailants in Karachi's Qaid Abad. The incident, believed to be sectarian in nature, has heightened concerns over Pakistan's sectarian violence. The ASWJ condemned the act as terrorism.
The India vs Australia fourth Test witnessed a record Boxing Day Test attendance with 299,329 fans. It surpassed the previous highest of 271,865 set during the 2013 Ashes Test. The match saw significant turnout from Indian fans worldwide, with Day 3 breaking several attendance records. The fifth day is yet to be played at the MCG.
The Indian cricket team has been awarded a cash reward of Rs 58 crore by the BCCI for their triumph in the ICC Champions Trophy 2025. The team maintained an unbeaten record, defeating New Zealand in the final, besides group-stage wins over Bangladesh, Pakistan and New Zealand, followed by a win over Australia in the semifinal.
Electric car sales surged by 20% in 2024, with around one lakh units sold, thanks to price cuts despite concerns over charging infrastructure and battery longevity. Tata Motors led the market, followed by JSW MG Motor. Maruti Suzuki and Hyundai plan to enter the EV market this year, anticipating further growth through new model launches.
Australia's head coach Andrew McDonald raised concerns over India's 'intimidating' celebrations during Usman Khawaja's dismissal in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy match in Sydney. He focused on ensuring non-striker Sam Konstas was mentally prepared, citing the incident's potential psychological impact despite no formal charges against India.