Fans of Colombia’s Independiente Medellin stand in the grandstand after the match against Brazil’s Flamengo was temporarily suspended due to crowd trouble during a Copa Libertadores Group A soccer match in Medellin, Colombia, Thursday, May 7, 2026. (AP Photo/Fernando Vergara)

The Copa Libertadores clash, South America’s equivalent of the UEFA Champions League, between Brazilian giants CR Flamengo and Colombian side Independiente Medellin was abandoned moments after kick-off due to a chaotic protest by home supporters inside the stadium. The Group A match at the Atanasio Girardot Stadium, also known locally as Gigante de la Montaña, descended into chaos when Independiente Medellín fans began throwing objects onto the pitch, lighting fires and attempting to invade the field.According to The SunVenezuelan referee Jesús Valenzuela stopped the match with just one minute and 50 seconds remaining, before both teams were eventually sent back to their dressing rooms. The scene inside the stadium rapidly deteriorated as parts of the stands caught fire while security personnel and police attempted to prevent a full-scale pitch invasion behind one of the goals.

Fans protest against the club’s ownership and management

Reports in the Colombian media said The club’s poor form led to unrest among Independiente Medellín supporters due to growing anger towards the club’s ownership and management. The Colombian team recently suffered a 2–1 defeat at home against Águilas Doradas, a result that eliminated them from the Liga Demajor Apertura playoffs. The Liga Dimayor is Colombia’s top domestic football competition, organized by the División Mayor del Fútbol Colombiano, commonly known as the Dimayor. The disappointing results have also seen the team slip to 11th in the Liga Dimaore standings. During the disturbance, supporters unveiled a banner criticizing the players as well as Demayor, CONMEBOL, South America’s governing football body, and FIFA.

Fans of Independiente Medellin of Colombia celebrate and flash lights during the Copa Libertadores Group A football match between Independiente Medellin and Flamengo of Brazil in Medellin, Colombia, Thursday, May 7, 2026. (AP Photo/Fernando Vergara)

Security officials reportedly requested that the match be played behind closed doors due to rising tensions among fans, but this request was ultimately denied by club officials.

The stand caught fire as journalists got caught in the chaos.

The atmosphere inside the stadium became even more dangerous as flames and shells started being fired from the stands. Images and footage from the ground showed a section of seating engulfed in flames, while supporters were throwing objects towards the pitch. ESPN Brazil reported that one of its reporters’ backpack caught fire after missiles were thrown into the media area, while a cameraman’s trousers and equipment were also set on fire during the unrest. Security forces were later deployed throughout the stadium as authorities attempted to gain control of the situation. About 10 minutes after stoppage, the stadium announcer instructed supporters to leave the field, before CONMEBOL officially called off the game about an hour after kick-off.

Players of Colombia’s Independiente Medellín and Brazil’s Flamengo stand on the field after the match was temporarily suspended due to crowd trouble during a Copa Libertadores Group A soccer match in Medellin, Colombia, Thursday, May 7, 2026. (AP Photo/Fernando Vergara)

Supporters’ anger reportedly increased when club owner Raúl Giraldo was seen making obscene gestures towards fans and he subsequently announced his resignation from legal representation duties associated with the club. Protestors have since demanded the removal of the entire management structure. Neither Independiente Medellín nor CONMEBOL immediately released detailed public comments following the abandonment.

Flamengo expected to win under CONMEBOL rules

Flamengo’s director of football José Boto later said that the Brazilian side expected to be awarded all three points under CONMEBOL rules. “The responsibility is not ours, the rules are clear,” Boto said in a video posted on Flamengo’s official social media account. “The home team failed to guarantee security.” Under the CONMEBOL Disciplinary Code, if a club is deemed responsible for the suspension, cancellation or abandonment of a match, a 3–0 win may be awarded to the opposing side. If that decision is implemented, reigning Copa Libertadores champions Flamengo will extend their lead at the top of Group A to four points ahead of Argentine side Estudiantes de La Plata. Independiente Medellin will finish third in the four-team group with four points, having only beaten Peruvian club Cusco FC so far in the competition.

Flamengo squad includes many former Premier League players

Flamengo currently has several well-known former Premier League players, including Lucas Paqueta, Jorginho, Emerson Royal and Danilo. During the lengthy delay, Jorginho posted a photo on X with several teammates from inside Flamengo’s dressing room and captioned it: “We’re doing well and waiting right here!” Flamengo is one of the most successful clubs in South American football history and defeated Liverpool FC 3–0 in the 1981 Intercontinental Cup final thanks to a stellar performance from iconic midfielder Zico.

The latest flashpoint in a turbulent South American soccer season

The abandoned Copa Libertadores tie is the latest major event involving South American football this year. In March, the Campeonato Mineiro final between Cruzeiro and Atlético Mineiro ended in a massive brawl, resulting in an astonishing 23 red cards. Former Porto and Zenit striker Hulk was among the players involved after the match ensured Cruzeiro’s 1–0 win. After the clash Hulk told local media, “It’s regrettable, I’ve never seen this kind of violence in any football game.”

Kolkata, May 08 (ANI): Union Home Minister Amit Shah in Kolkata on Friday congratulated BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari on being elected the leader of the West Bengal BJP Legislature Party and becoming the new Chief Minister of the state.

BJPThe elevation of Suvendu Adhikari as the first Chief Minister in West Bengal is the culmination of a campaign that brought success to the party in a state that had long been described as the “last frontier”.“Like the neighboring Northeast, the BJP’s eventual rise to power in West Bengal was led by a man who had joined the party from its staunch rival. officer switched Trinamool The Congress (TMC) defeated its former guru, TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee, twice in December 2020 – first in her stronghold Nandigram in 2021 and later in her stronghold Bhawanipur in the recent assembly elections.

Suvendu Adhikari

With Adhikari’s elevation, the BJP formally placed one of its most prominent recent entrants into power in West Bengal, underscoring the party’s continued reliance on “outsiders” to win politically difficult areas.

BJP’s success in West Bengal

Adhikari’s joining was among several defectors joining the BJP from Trinamool ahead of the 2021 West Bengal elections. With the BJP on the rise after winning a record 18 out of 42 Lok Sabha seats in the state in 2019 and battling “Didi” anti-incumbency after being in power for a decade, many TMC leaders joined the saffron camp, confident that there will be a change of power in Kolkata. However, this was not to be. BJP’s seat share in the 294-member assembly increased by just three to 77, but Trinamool won 215 constituencies to clinch victory for the third consecutive time. Due to this, many TMC parties returned to their parent party, and some BJP MLAs also changed sides.

West Bengal Assembly Election 2021 Results

Nevertheless, Adhikari stayed on and was appointed leader of the opposition in the assembly. He later became more aggressive in his attacks on Banerjee and TMC.In the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, the BJP suffered another setback in West Bengal, where its seats dropped from 18 constituencies to 12, while the Trinamool Congress’ tally increased from 23 to 29. The state was one of several where the BJP lost ground, reducing its seats at the national level from 303 to 240 and forcing the party to depend on allies to form the government at the Centre.In the months that followed, the BJP regained momentum and won several state elections and ultimately won a landslide victory in West Bengal.

Bihar before West Bengal

Adhikari’s promotion comes less than a month after the promotion of Bihar Chief Minister Samrat Chaudhary, who, like him, did not start his political career with the BJP. After earlier stints with Samata Party and Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), Chaudhary joined the party from Janata Dal (United) in 2017.Samrat Choudhary, son of veteran politician Shakuni Choudhary, replaced JD(U) supremo Nitish Kumar, who had led the state for more than two decades. After the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) was re-elected with a landslide victory in the Bihar elections in November 2025, Kumar returned as CM for a record 10th time, with Choudhary serving as one of his deputies.

bihar election results

However, there were already signs of a leadership change. Apart from Kumar’s declining health, the BJP became the largest party in Bihar for the first time, making the change of power in Patna a question of “when”, not “if”.

Nitish Kumar retirement

That “when” was answered when Kumar announced last month that he would return to Parliament through the Rajya Sabha, paving the way for the BJP to take over as chief minister in Bihar for the first time.

BJP’s dominance in the North-East

Before the BJP’s entry in West Bengal and emergence as the largest party in Bihar, it was the Northeast that the party first turned into a stronghold, starting with its victory in Assam in 2016.Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma is widely seen as the architect of this dominance in the northeast. Sarma, a former Congress leader who joined the BJP in 2015, played a key role in the party’s Assam victory the following year. While Sarbananda Sonowal became the first BJP chief minister in the state, Sarma took over after the party retained power in 2021, with Sonowal moving to the Union Cabinet. In the recent assembly elections, the BJP under Sarma won 82 seats in the 126-member assembly, crossing the majority mark on its own for the first time and securing its third consecutive term in power. Like Sarma, several sitting or former chief ministers of the BJP in the Northeast had joined the party shortly before rising to the top post. For example, Pema Khandu, Manik Saha and N Biren Singh, among others, were in the Congress before switching to the BJP in 2016, but later led BJP governments in their respective states.

Exception

However, the strategy of inducting outsiders and promoting them to key positions has not worked for the BJP in every politically difficult state.In Punjab, former Congress MP Sunil Jakhar joined the BJP in May 2022 and was appointed president of the party’s state unit a little more than a year later. However, this strategy failed to yield electoral gains. In the 2024 general elections, the BJP failed to open its account in Punjab and also lost the two seats it had won in alliance with the Shiromani Akali Dal in 2019. Later, reports emerged in September that Jakhar had resigned from the post, but the BJP denied the claims and that he would continue to serve as the party’s Punjab unit chief. He faces a tough challenge in making the BJP a serious contender in Punjab ahead of the February 2027 elections, where the ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and Congress remain the two major rivals.In a major blow to AAP, seven of its Rajya Sabha MPs, including Raghav Chadha, joined the BJP last month. All seven MPs were elected from Punjab and the BJP is hopeful that their inclusion will strengthen its prospects in the state.Meanwhile, in Jharkhand, the BJP failed to return to power despite the induction of former chief minister Champai Soren, who had parted ways with the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha ahead of the 2024 assembly elections.

Punjab: The next test of BJP’s ‘outsider’ model

With the BJP’s rise to power in West Bengal, Jharkhand now becomes the only remaining eastern state outside its control, along with Mizoram in the northeast.Its rise in non-Hindi speaking states, especially West Bengal, as well as Odisha led to the formation of its first government under domestic leader Mohan Charan Majhi in June 2024, helping the party shed its image of being limited to the Hindi heartland.The “outsider” model will be next tested in Punjab, where the BJP has been part of a coalition government but has never ruled on its own.

विश्व रेड क्रॉस दिवस इस मौके पर पूरे जिले में सेवा, मानवता और सामाजिक दायित्व का अनोखा संदेश देखने को मिला. जिला प्रशासन और स्वास्थ्य विभाग के संयुक्त प्रयास से आयोजित कार्यक्रमों ने न केवल रक्तदान के महत्व को जन-जन तक पहुंचाया, बल्कि युवाओं और स्कूली छात्रों को समाज सेवा की वास्तविक भावना से भी परिचित कराया। जिला अस्पताल स्थित रेडक्रॉस भवन में आयोजित मुख्य कार्यक्रम में अधिकारियों, डॉक्टरों, समाजसेवियों और छात्र-छात्राओं की बड़ी भागीदारी रही।

विश्व रेड क्रॉस दिवस के अवसर पर जनपद मुजफ्फरनगर में आयोजित कार्यक्रम जिला अधिकारी उमेश मिश्रा एवं मुख्य चिकित्सा अधिकारी डॉ. सुनील तेवतिया के निर्देशन में सम्पन्न किये गये। कार्यक्रम की शुरुआत अंतर्राष्ट्रीय रेड क्रॉस आंदोलन के संस्थापक हेनरी ड्यूनेंट के चित्र के अनावरण और पुष्पांजलि अर्पित करने के साथ हुई। समारोह का माहौल सेवा और समर्पण की भावना से ओत-प्रोत था।

रक्तदान पखवाड़ा शुरू, 22 मई तक चलेंगे विशेष शिविर

कार्यक्रम में मुख्य अतिथि के रूप में अपर मुख्य चिकित्सा अधिकारी डॉ. अशोक एवं जिला अस्पताल ब्लड बैंक प्रभारी पीके त्यागी मौजूद रहे। इस दौरान घोषणा की गई कि 8 मई से 22 मई तक पूरे मुजफ्फरनगर जिले में विशेष रक्तदान पखवाड़ा आयोजित किया जाएगा। इसकी विधिवत शुरुआत जिला अस्पताल के ब्लड बैंक से की गई।

स्वास्थ्य विभाग की ओर से बताया गया कि आने वाले दिनों में शैक्षणिक संस्थानों और सामाजिक संगठनों के सहयोग से जिले के विभिन्न स्थानों पर कई रक्तदान शिविर आयोजित किये जायेंगे. इसका उद्देश्य गर्मी के मौसम में अस्पतालों में रक्त की उपलब्धता सुनिश्चित करना और लोगों को स्वैच्छिक रक्तदान के लिए प्रेरित करना है।

विशेषज्ञों का कहना है कि हर साल देशभर में लाखों मरीजों को समय पर खून नहीं मिलने के कारण गंभीर समस्याओं का सामना करना पड़ता है। ऐसे में इस तरह के अभियान जरूरतमंद मरीजों के लिए संजीवनी साबित होते हैं।

रेडक्रॉस का उद्देश्य न केवल राहत बल्कि मानवता की रक्षा भी है।

संगोष्ठी को संबोधित करते हुए रेड क्रॉस सोसाइटी के अध्यक्ष डॉ. अशोक अरोड़ा ने रेड क्रॉस के इतिहास और उसके वैश्विक योगदान पर विस्तार से प्रकाश डाला। उन्होंने बताया कि रेडक्रॉस सिर्फ एक आपदा राहत संगठन नहीं है, बल्कि यह मानव जीवन की रक्षा और सेवा का सबसे बड़ा अंतरराष्ट्रीय अभियान है।

उन्होंने कहा कि देश में राष्ट्रपति रेड क्रॉस सोसाइटी के संरक्षक हैं, जबकि राज्य स्तर पर राज्यपाल और जिला स्तर पर जिलाधिकारी इसकी जिम्मेदारी संभालते हैं. रेड क्रॉस समाज के हर वर्ग को स्वास्थ्य, राहत और सहायता प्रदान करने के लिए काम करता है।

डॉ. अरोड़ा ने कहा कि आज दुनिया के कई हिस्सों में युद्ध और संघर्ष की स्थिति है. ऐसे कठिन समय में रेड क्रॉस संस्था घायल सैनिकों, नागरिकों और पीड़ित परिवारों को राहत पहुंचाने में अग्रिम पंक्ति में खड़ी नजर आ रही है. उन्होंने कहा कि मानवता की सेवा की यह परंपरा आज भी उतनी ही प्रासंगिक है, जितनी वर्षों पहले थी।

स्कूली बच्चों को गर्मी व लू से बचाव को लेकर दी गई महत्वपूर्ण जानकारी

कार्यक्रम में मौजूद स्कूली छात्र-छात्राओं को गर्मी के खतरों और बढ़ती लू के प्रति भी जागरूक किया गया. विशेषज्ञों का कहना है कि लगातार बढ़ते तापमान के कारण बच्चों और बुजुर्गों में डिहाइड्रेशन, चक्कर आना, हीट स्ट्रोक और अन्य गंभीर समस्याओं का खतरा तेजी से बढ़ रहा है.

छात्रों को दोपहर के समय अनावश्यक बाहर निकलने से बचने, पर्याप्त मात्रा में पानी पीने और हल्के रंग के सूती कपड़े पहनने की सलाह दी गई। ओआरएस, नींबू पानी और तरल पदार्थ जैसे तरल पदार्थों का अधिक सेवन करने की भी सलाह दी गई।

स्वास्थ्य विशेषज्ञों का कहना है कि आने वाले दिनों में तापमान और बढ़ सकता है, इसलिए लोगों को सतर्क रहने की जरूरत है. रेड क्रॉस जैसी संस्थाएं न केवल आपदा के समय बल्कि स्वास्थ्य जागरूकता और जनहित अभियानों में भी महत्वपूर्ण भूमिका निभा रही हैं।

सामाजिक संगठनों की रही सक्रिय भागीदारी मुजफ्फरनगर

कार्यक्रम के दौरान कई सामाजिक कार्यकर्ताओं एवं गणमान्य व्यक्तियों ने भी अपने विचार व्यक्त किये. कोषाध्यक्ष अशोक शर्मा ने रक्तदान को सबसे बड़ा दान बताया और कहा कि एक यूनिट रक्त से किसी व्यक्ति की जान बचाई जा सकती है। उन्होंने युवाओं से नियमित रक्तदान करने की अपील की।

इस मौके पर सुमित्रा देवी, डॉ. एसके अग्रवाल, इंजीनियर सुभाष चंद्रा, अंशुमान शर्मा, डॉ. गीतांजलि वर्मा और कार्यालय अधीक्षक शिवराज सिंह समेत कई लोगों ने उल्लेखनीय योगदान दिया। कार्यक्रम में मौजूद लोगों ने रेडक्रॉस के सेवा कार्यों की सराहना की और कहा कि भविष्य में भी इस तरह के आयोजन बड़े पैमाने पर किये जायेंगे.

विश्व रेड क्रॉस दिवस क्यों खास है?

विश्व रेड क्रॉस दिवस हर साल 8 मई को मनाया जाता है। यह दिन अंतर्राष्ट्रीय रेड क्रॉस और रेड क्रिसेंट मूवमेंट के संस्थापक हेनरी डुनेंट की जयंती के उपलक्ष्य में मनाया जाता है। हेनरी ड्यूनेंट को मानवता की सेवा और युद्ध पीड़ितों की सहायता के लिए नोबेल शांति पुरस्कार से भी सम्मानित किया गया था।

आज रेड क्रॉस दुनिया के लगभग हर देश में सक्रिय है और प्राकृतिक आपदाओं, युद्धों, महामारी और स्वास्थ्य संकट के दौरान लाखों लोगों की मदद करता है। भारत में भी रेड क्रॉस सोसाइटी समय-समय पर रक्तदान शिविर, स्वास्थ्य जांच शिविर, राहत सामग्री वितरण और आपदा प्रबंधन कार्यक्रम आयोजित करती रहती है।

युवाओं में रक्तदान के प्रति जागरूकता बढ़ रही है

मुजफ्फरनगर में शुरू हुए इस विशेष अभियान को लेकर युवाओं में खास उत्साह रहा. जिला अस्पताल पहुंचे कई युवाओं ने स्वेच्छा से रक्तदान कर समाज के प्रति अपनी जिम्मेदारी निभाई। स्वास्थ्य अधिकारियों का कहना है कि पिछले कुछ सालों में रक्तदान को लेकर लोगों की सोच में सकारात्मक बदलाव आया है.

विशेषज्ञों के अनुसार, नियमित रक्तदान से शरीर में नई रक्त कोशिकाओं का निर्माण तेजी से होता है और स्वास्थ्य पर भी सकारात्मक प्रभाव पड़ता है। हालाँकि, रक्तदान हमेशा चिकित्सकीय सलाह और निर्धारित मानकों के अनुसार ही करना चाहिए।

आपदा, युद्ध और महामारी में रेड क्रॉस की बड़ी भूमिका होती है

कोविड महामारी के दौरान भी रेड क्रॉस संस्थाओं ने देश-दुनिया के लाखों जरूरतमंद लोगों को राहत पहुंचाने का काम किया था। रेड क्रॉस ने ऑक्सीजन, दवाओं, भोजन और स्वास्थ्य सेवाओं की उपलब्धता सुनिश्चित करने में बहुत महत्वपूर्ण भूमिका निभाई।

विशेषज्ञों का मानना ​​है कि बदलती वैश्विक स्थिति और प्राकृतिक आपदाओं की बढ़ती घटनाओं के बीच रेड क्रॉस जैसी संस्थाओं का महत्व और भी बढ़ गया है. यही कारण है कि आज रेड क्रॉस दुनिया भर में मानवता की सबसे भरोसेमंद संस्थाओं में गिना जाता है।

सेवा और मानवता का संदेश बना चर्चा का केंद्र मुजफ्फरनगर

विश्व रेडक्रॉस दिवस पर आयोजित इस कार्यक्रम ने एक बार फिर साबित कर दिया कि समाज में सेवा और सहयोग की भावना आज भी जीवित है। रक्तदान, स्वास्थ्य जागरूकता और मानवता की रक्षा जैसे संदेशों ने कार्यक्रम को खास बना दिया.

जिले में शुरू हुआ यह रक्तदान पखवाड़ा आने वाले दिनों में हजारों लोगों तक जीवन बचाने का संदेश पहुंचाएगा। प्रशासन और स्वास्थ्य विभाग को उम्मीद है कि बड़ी संख्या में लोग आगे आकर रक्तदान करेंगे और समाज के प्रति अपनी जिम्मेदारी निभाएंगे.

विश्व रेडक्रॉस दिवस पर मुजफ्फरनगर में आयोजित कार्यक्रम महज एक औपचारिक कार्यक्रम नहीं रहा, बल्कि यह समाज को सेवा, सहयोग और मानवता की नई प्रेरणा देने वाला अभियान बन गया। रक्तदान पखवाड़े की शुरुआत, युवाओं को जागरूक करने की पहल और लू से बचाव का संदेश आने वाले दिनों में जन स्वास्थ्य और सामाजिक जागरूकता के लिए महत्वपूर्ण साबित हो सकता है। जिले में जिस तरह से प्रशासन, स्वास्थ्य विभाग और सामाजिक संगठनों ने मिलकर यह पहल की है, उससे यह साफ हो गया है कि मानवता की सेवा ही आज भी समाज की सबसे बड़ी ताकत है.

Real Madrid’s Vinicius Jr. reacts during the Spanish La Liga football match between Real Madrid and Getafe on Monday, March 2, 2026 in Madrid, Spain. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)

Real Madrid’s turbulent week has reportedly taken another dramatic turn, with Vinicius Junior now being linked with the possibility of a move away from the club amid rising tensions within the team ahead of Sunday’s El Clasico against Barcelona. The latest reports come just a day after midfielders Federico Valverde and Aurelien Tchoumeni were involved in a serious altercation during training, which ultimately led to Valverde requiring hospital treatment for a head injury. Real Madrid later confirmed in a medical statement that Valverde had suffered a “cranioencephalic trauma”, a type of concussion, and the Uruguay captain is expected to miss the clash against Barcelona after being advised to rest between 10 and 14 days as part of medical protocols. The incident reportedly started during a physical training match before escalating into the dressing room. Valverde later said that the injury occurred after “accidentally hitting a table”, causing what he described as a “small cut” on his forehead. Spanish reports have also suggested there is tension elsewhere inside the dressing room, including an alleged feud involving full-back Alvaro Carreras and centre-back Antonio Rudiger.

Vinicius Junior is attracting Premier League interest

In that background, TeamTalk reported Vinicius Junior is now attracting serious interest from a number of Premier League clubs, with Manchester City said to be monitoring his situation closely. The Brazil international currently only has 12 months left on his contract at the Santiago Bernabeu, with talks over a new deal through 2025 stalled. According to the report, both Vinicius and Real Madrid agreed to revisit contract talks this summer, but several key issues are reportedly still unresolved.

Real Madrid’s Vinicius Jr. celebrates after scoring during the La Liga soccer match between Real Betis and Real Madrid on Friday, April 24, 2026 in Seville, Spain. (AP Photo/Jose Breton)

TeamTalk said Real Madrid informed the player last year that failure to agree new terms this summer could ultimately lead to a sale rather than allowing him to move closer to free agency. Although remaining in Madrid is still seen as the most likely outcome internally, groundwork is already reportedly being done regarding possible options if the two sides decide to part ways.

Manchester City is considered to be the leader in the race

Manchester City are reportedly seen as serious contenders should Vinicius become available. TeamTalk claimed that City viewed this situation as a rare market opportunity, believing that players of Vinicius’s caliber were rarely attainable during their prime years. The report also links City’s interest to uncertainty over the long-term future of winger Jeremy Doku, while noting that the January signing of Antoine Semenyo would not prevent the Premier League champions from pursuing the Brazilian. As well as City, both Arsenal and Chelsea are also reported to be following developments closely. Arsenal are believed to be actively looking for a left-sided attacker, while Chelsea have retained what TeamTalk has described as a long-standing admiration for the 25-year-old forward. However, the absence of European football could potentially complicate Chelsea’s chances. The report states that Liverpool and Manchester United have also been alerted to the situation, while European giants Bayern Munich and Paris Saint-Germain are also keeping an eye on the developments. Saudi Pro League clubs are also considered a possible option if negotiations between Vinicius and Madrid completely fail.

Ballon d’Or tension and City rivalry remains fresh

Any potential move to Manchester City would add another layer to Vinicius’s already tense recent history with the club. In 2024, Real Madrid believed Vinicius deserved to win the Ballon d’Or, before midfielder Rodri was ultimately awarded the award. This decision led Real Madrid to completely boycott the ceremony in Paris. Months later, when Madrid faced City in the Champions League, City supporters unveiled a banner depicting Rodri holding the Ballon d’Or along with the message: “Stop crying your heart out”. After the match, Vinicius responded directly to the banner. “I saw it, I saw the banner,” he said. “Whenever opposing fans do things like that, they give me more strength to play a great game, and here I did that.”

Vinicius still producing despite uncertainty

Despite uncertainty over his future, Vinicius has continued to put up strong numbers for Real Madrid this season. The Brazilian has recorded 21 goals and 14 assists in all competitions, including four goals in his last three league matches. Although he has not replicated the heights that made him one of the leading Ballon d’Or contenders in 2024, he remains one of the most valuable and influential attackers in world football.

Real Madrid’s Vinicius Junior celebrates his team’s fifth goal during the Champions League preliminary round football match between Real Madrid and Monaco in Madrid on Tuesday, Jan. 20, 2026. (AP Photo/Jose Breton)

A persistent issue during his tenure in Spain has been the repeated racist abuse directed towards him by a section of the crowd in La Liga, which has repeatedly sparked controversy and widespread conversation over racism in Spanish football. Meanwhile, growing instability inside the Real Madrid dressing room comes at a crucial stage of the season, with Barcelona 11 points clear at the top of La Liga ahead of the final El Clasico meeting of the campaign on Sunday.

New Delhi: Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut US President Donald Trump on Friday slammed Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s remarks congratulating Prime Minister Narendra Modi on BJP’s West Bengal election victory as “premature and wrong”, saying state elections are an “internal matter of India’s federal democracy”.In a post tagging Trump on Twitter, Raut said “any outside support seems premature and wrong” and urged the US President to take a “more informed and balanced approach” to the elections.Raut said, “As an MP of India, I write in response to reports of your congratulations to PM Narendra Modi on the West Bengal Assembly election results. These are state-level elections – an internal matter of India’s federal democracy.”The Rajya Sabha MP further alleged that the West Bengal elections were conducted amid an atmosphere of “fear, intimidation and systemic pressure”. He alleged that there is a “widespread perception” that the Election Commission of India does not function impartially and its functioning appears to favor the BJP, raising questions about “institutional neutrality”.“There are allegations regarding widespread deployment of central forces, which many believe have created pressure rather than trust. Senior leaders are also involved Mamata Banerjeehave publicly raised concerns about the fairness of the process,” he wrote.Raut said, “Democracy is not just about elections – it is about ensuring that they are free, fair and credible. When serious allegations arise, they need investigation, not celebration.”Earlier this week, the BJP won more than two-thirds majority in the West Bengal Assembly elections, ending Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s 15-year rule. The party also retained power in Assam for a third term. A White House spokesperson on Tuesday said Trump had congratulated Modi on the BJP’s “historic and decisive” victory.Reacting sharply to Raut’s latest remarks, BJP spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla hit out at Raut, calling him the “clown of Indian politics” and accused the opposition leaders of trying to tarnish India’s image globally.Poonawalla said in a video post onHe said Indian democracy was being “appreciated across the world” but opposition leaders were spreading “falsehoods” on the electoral process.

प्रधानमंत्री के संभावित दौरे को सफल बनाने के लिए टीएचडीसी ने विभिन्न समितियों का गठन कर अधिकारियों को जिम्मेदारियां सौंपी हैं। गुरुवार को टीएचडीसी के मुख्य महाप्रबंधक आरआर सेमवाल, एएसपी दीपक सिंह, एसडीएम कमलेश मेहता, जिला पर्यटन अधिकारी सोबत सिंह राणा ने कोटी कॉलोनी क्षेत्र का निरीक्षण कर व्यवस्थाओं का जायजा लिया। अधिकारियों ने टिहरी झील में संचालित क्रूज और बार्ज नौकाओं का भी दौरा किया और सुरक्षा और संचालन व्यवस्था की जांच की। एसडीआरएफ की टीम ने भी सुरक्षा व्यवस्था की जांच की.

सूत्रों के मुताबिक, प्रधानमंत्री कुछ देर के लिए झील में चलने वाली क्रूज बोट में रुक सकते हैं. इसके अलावा कोटी कॉलोनी के आसपास कुछ समय के लिए होमस्टे में रहने की संभावना को देखते हुए प्रशासन और सुरक्षा एजेंसियों ने उपयुक्त स्थानों की तलाश शुरू कर दी है। होमस्टे को सुरक्षा मानकों के अनुरूप चिन्हित किया जा रहा है।

Prince Yadav celebrating after taking the wicket of Virat Kohli. (IPL photo)

RCB superstar Virat Kohli was left stunned on Thursday night when Lucknow Super Giants fast bowler Prince Yadav dismissed him for a duck in two balls at the Ekana Stadium in Lucknow. This was Kohli’s first duck in the IPL in 1110 days and only the 11th duck of his famous T20 career in the tournament.This delivery quickly became one of the biggest talking points of IPL 2026. Prince bowled a fast ball of 140.4 kmph which went back viciously through Kohli’s defense before crashing into the off-stump. While the young fast bowler started celebrating, Kohli remained frozen in disbelief.