SRH’s dreadful defeat against GT in Ahmedabad (Image: IPL/BCCI)

Former IPL chairman and BCCI vice-president Rajeev Shukla took aim at Sunrisers Hyderabad’s crushing defeat against Gujarat Titans and questioned the batting approach that led to their dramatic collapse in Ahmedabad.GT produced a brilliant all-round performance to register an emphatic 82-run win and reach the top of the IPL 2026 points table. After being asked to bat first, Gujarat scored 168/5 thanks to Sai Sudarshan’s 61 and a crucial half-century from Washington Sundar.In reply, SRH’s explosive batting lineup failed spectacularly and were bowled out for just 86 runs in 14.5 overs. Gujarat’s bowling attack completely demolished Hyderabad. jason holder And Kagiso Rabada Each took three wickets.

Kannada entertainment industry woke up to heartbreaking news on Wednesday as actor Dilip Raj He reportedly died of a heart attack at the age of 47. According to reports, the actor suffered severe chest pain at his residence in the early hours of the morning and was rushed to Apollo Hospital in Kumaraswamy Layout. However, despite medical care, he could not be revived.Known for his memorable work in Kannada television, theater and cinema, Dilip Raj has carved a special place in the hearts of audiences over the years. Soon after the news of his demise broke, social media was flooded with heartfelt tributes from fans, colleagues and members of the film fraternity.

Dilip Raj’s last Instagram post goes viral

After his sudden demise, fans started revisiting the actor’s last Instagram upload, which has now gone viral online. His last social media post was related to the release of his film ‘Nimma Vasthugaalige Neeve Javabadararu’, which was released in theaters in January 2025.Sharing the poster of the film on Instagram, Dilip Raj had urged the audience to support the film by booking tickets and watching it on the big screen. Following his death, the comments section of the post was filled with heartfelt condolence messages. Many fans remembered his impressive performance, while many thanked him for entertaining Kannada audiences for decades.Although ‘Nimma Vasthugaalige Neeve Javabadararu’ reportedly received enthusiastic reviews from the audience, the film struggled commercially during its theatrical run. It later received a digital release and is currently streaming on Sun NXT.

Dilip Raj’s journey from theater artist to popular Kannada star

Born on 2 September 1978, Dilip Raj started his artistic journey through theater long before entering television and films. He worked with prestigious theater groups like Natrang and Drishti, where he honed his acting skills and developed a strong base as an artiste.During his theater days, he reportedly met actress Nandita, who played a role in helping him move into television.His television career started with the telefilm ‘Kambada Mane’, which introduced him to Kannada households. Over the years, he became a familiar face through many hit serials including ‘Janani’, ‘Ardh Satya’, ‘Rangoli’, ‘Kumkuma Bhagya’, ‘Mangalya’, ‘Malebillu’ and ‘Rathsaptami’.

How Dilip Raj’s films and television made him a household name

Dilip Raj debuted as a lead actor with the Kannada film ‘Boy Friend’. However, she gained wider recognition after starring opposite late superstar Puneeth Rajkumar in ‘Milana’. His performance in the film received praise from both audiences and critics.In recent years, the actor became extremely popular among the family audience through the Zee Kannada serial ‘Hitler Kalyana’, which further strengthened his position in the television industry.Apart from acting, Dilip Raj also worked as a producer, director, dubbing artist and theater artist, showcasing his versatility across various formats of entertainment.See more: Dilip Raj dies at the age of 47 due to heart attack; Known for Puneeth Rajkumar’s ‘Milana’

A big loss for Kannada entertainment

The untimely demise of Dilip Raj has come as a deep shock to the Kannada entertainment industry. Fans continue to share clips of his films and television shows online, remembering him as an actor whose performances brought warmth and relevancy to the screen. His contribution to Kannada cinema, television and theater will be remembered for years to come.

LONDON: British Prime Minister Keir Starmer told members of his Cabinet on Tuesday he has no intention of resigning as calls for him to step down intensified within his Labor Party.Starmer sought to shore up support within his cabinet after a troubled few days following Labour’s landslide defeat in local elections last week, which, if repeated in a national election, would see him ousted from office by a landslide. Several junior ministers resigned from their posts on Tuesday, demanding a change in leadership, although no candidate has yet come forward to directly challenge Starmer. The resignations fueled speculation that Starmer could suffer the same fate as Boris Johnson in 2022, when dozens of ministers resigned en masse, forcing him to step down.Nearly 80 Labor MPs have now said Starmer should step down or at least set a timetable for his departure, but not enough to trigger a leadership contest. Under Labor rules, a fifth of its MPs, or 81 members in the House of Commons, must publicly support one of the candidates, and that has not yet happened.On Tuesday, the Minister of Housing, Communities and Local Government, Miyata Fahnbulleh, became the first member of his government to step down, urging Starmer to “do the right thing for the country” and setting a timetable for his departure. He was followed by Security Minister Jess Phillips, whose resignation letter described Starmer as “fundamentally a good man” but cited his inability to make bold changes. Phillips said, “I know you care deeply, but actions, not words, matter.” “I am not sure we are approaching this rare opportunity with the enthusiasm that is needed and I cannot wait for a crisis to make rapid progress.” The third British Department of Health minister to step down was Zubeer Ahmed. “It is clear to see that whatever the magnitude of individual achievements and progress, they are now being dwarfed and weakened by the lack of values-driven leadership at the centre,” he said on X. “It is clear in recent days that the public across the UK have now lost confidence in you as Prime Minister.”Despite scoring a landslide election victory in July 2024, Labour’s popularity has declined, and Starmer is receiving much of the blame. The reasons are varied, including a number of policy mistakes, a perceived lack of foresight, the struggling British economy and questions over his judgment – ​​notably the appointment of Peter Mandelson as Britain’s ambassador to Washington despite the ambassador’s ties to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.At the start of a cabinet meeting on Tuesday, Starmer said he took responsibility for the defeat in last week’s local elections across Britain, but that he would keep fighting. “The country expects us to continue to govern,” Starmer said.

New Delhi: From carrying out life-saving deliveries at midnight on the remote Lakshadweep island to treating patients in the harsh high-altitude terrain of Ladakh, 15 nursing professionals from across the country were honored with the National Florence Nightingale Award 2026 by President Draupadi Murmu on Tuesday.The awards were presented at a function held at Rashtrapati Bhavan on International Nurses Day in the presence of Union Health Minister Jagat Prakash Nadda and Minister of State for Health Prataprao Jadhav.Among the awardees was Ayesha Bibi K of Lakshadweep, who was recognized for conducting a midnight delivery on a remote island that saved both mother and baby during the emergency.Ladakh-based Auxiliary Nurse Midwife Kulwinder Parhi was honored for nearly three decades of service in difficult high altitude areas, including treatment of civilians and soldiers in difficult weather conditions.Dr. Shravan Kumar Dhaka, a nursing officer from Delhi, was honored for his role in COVID-19 vaccination outreach and public health services in underprivileged communities.Several award winners were recognized for health care delivery in remote tribal, island and high altitude areas, including emergency care during cyclones, COVID outreach and operations in difficult terrain.In his address, the President said that nursing personnel exemplify the highest standards of service and play a vital role in providing quality health care, often under challenging circumstances.The awardees included Auxiliary Nurse Midwives (ANMs), Registered Nurses, Nursing Officers and teachers from across the country, including Major General Lisamma PV of the Army Medical Services, who was honored for her contribution to military health care.The National Florence Nightingale Award instituted by the Union Health Ministry recognizes exceptional service, compassion and resilience in nursing. Each award carries a merit certificate, a medal and a cash prize of ₹1 lakh.Marking International Nurses Day, Nadda said nurses are central in strengthening health care systems and improving community health outcomes. Referring to this year’s theme, “Our Nurses. Our Future. Empowered Nurses Save Lives”, he said investing in the well-being of nurses is essential to building a healthy society.The Health Ministry said nurses remain the closest point of contact for patients and play a vital role in health care delivery, patient advocacy and public health implementation across the country.

Representative Image Credit: AP

Saudi Arabia carried out a series of unprovoked air strikes on Iran in late March in response to attacks inside the kingdom during the Middle East conflict, according to sources cited by Reuters.The strikes are the first known case of Saudi Arabia taking direct military action on Iranian soil, underscoring a major shift in the kingdom’s approach toward its main regional rival.The conflict began after the United States and Israel launched airstrikes on Iran on 28 February. In the weeks that followed, Iran targeted all six Gulf Cooperation Council states with missiles and drones, attacking US military bases, civilian sites, airports and oil infrastructure, while also closing the Strait of Hormuz and disrupting global trade.Saudi Arabia, despite its close military ties with the US, felt vulnerable as attacks breached the US security umbrella during the 10-week war.A Western official said the Saudi air force strikes were carried out as a “tit-for-tat attack in retaliation for the attack on Saudi (Arabia)”.These attacks reflected the growing scope of conflict throughout the Middle East and revealed a regional conflict that has remained largely out of public view. The Wall Street Journal reported on Monday that the United Arab Emirates has also launched military attacks on Iran.The Saudi and Emirati actions together showed that the Gulf monarchies were responding militarily to the Iranian attack. However, their viewpoints differed.The UAE took a more hardline stance, trying to impose costs on Iran and rarely engaging in public diplomacy with Tehran. Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia has tried to defuse the conflict and has been in regular contact with Iranian officials, including Tehran’s ambassador to Riyadh, who did not respond to a request for comment.According to Iranian and Western officials, Saudi Arabia informed Iran about the attacks, leading to intense diplomatic engagement and warning the Saudis of further retaliation. The exchange ultimately led to an agreement on reducing tensions between the two countries.Ali Waze, Iran project director at the International Crisis Group, said tensions would be eased after the retaliatory Saudi strikes, “which would see practical recognition on both sides that unchecked escalation has unacceptable costs.”Such an order would reflect “not trust, but a shared interest in putting limits on confrontation before it escalates into a broader regional conflict,” he said, quoted by Reuters.The informal tensions eased a week before Washington and Tehran agreed to a ceasefire in their broader conflict on April 7. The White House did not respond to a request for comment.At a press conference in Riyadh on 19 March, Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan said that the kingdom “reserves the right to take military action if deemed necessary.”Three days later, Saudi Arabia declared Iran’s military attaché and four embassy staff members persona non grata.A senior Saudi Foreign Ministry official did not directly comment on whether any agreement had been reached on reducing tensions with Iran, but said, “We reaffirm Saudi Arabia’s consistent stance of advocating de-escalation, self-restraint and de-escalation in the pursuit of stability, security and prosperity of the region and its people.”According to reports, more than 105 drone and missile attacks were carried out targeting Saudi Arabia during the week of March 25-31. Between April 1-6, this number dropped to just under 25.