Morgan Stanley has overweight rating on ONGC with a target price of Rs 345. According to analysts, over the past two decades, ONGC has paid out about $33 billion in dividends, roughly equal to its current market capitalization, while generating an average after-tax Return on Capital Employed (ROCE) of 12%. Over the next 20 years of 2P’s reserved life, analysts expect dividends to double the historical rate. Production’s 3% compound annual growth rate (CAGR) over FY26-FY29, with growth driven by gas production domestically and turnaround in profitability in international operations, drives 14% earnings CAGR.HSBC has initiated coverage of Max Financial Services with a buy rating and a target price of Rs 2,120. Axis Max Life Insurance (AMLI), the principal operating subsidiary of Max Financial, is one of the fastest growing life insurance companies in India. Analysts believe its focus on diversifying distribution and products will drive sustainable, predictable growth with stable margins. He also believes that continued operating performance and progress on a potential merger are key catalysts for the company. The sector’s valuations have declined over the past few years due to regulatory constraints, but I believe Max Financial’s resilience is reflected in its fundamentals. Analysts also flagged some key downside risks for the stock including delays, regulatory hurdles, or adverse outcomes in the reverse merger; possible introduction of bancassurance limits; And any lack of focus by Axis Bank on selling insurance products.Jefferies has initiated coverage of Meesho with a target price of Rs 225. Analysts said Meesho is building a scale-based value commerce platform based on affordability, discovery and logistics efficiency. A loyal user base, supported by a deep MSME supply network, is driving a strong flywheel. A growth-led approach should keep monetization back-end, with rates increasing over time. The company’s balance sheet is net cash with negative working capital, supporting capital-efficient growth.DAM Capital has initiated coverage on Physicswala with a target price of Rs 140. Analysts said this is an Indian ed-tech story where scale did not come at the expense of P&L. He expects the company to achieve 24% revenue CAGR and 71% EBITDA CAGR during FY26-FY28. Driven by near-zero-cost range online expansion (civil services, CA, state boards), maturing academic clusters offline, and operations benefit from an approximately 2,500-strong centralized content and faculty base serving both channels. Analysts believe it is the only major Indian ed-tech player to come close to profitability, a direct result of the industry’s lowest customer acquisition costs. Also, the refusal to pay salaries to star-teachers left every partner broke.CLSA has outperform rating on SBI with a target price of Rs 1,275. Analysts looked at the lender’s annual reports. He said FY26 was a good year for the bank. On the deposit side, the focus was on ‘retailisation’ of deposits, with retail savings and term deposits (TDs) growing 12-15% year on year (YoY). Corporate salary accounts grew 11% to cross 2 crore in FY26. There was significant improvement in Priority Sector Lending (PSL) compliance despite a sharp decline in PSL certificate purchases. Rural Infrastructure Development Fund (RIDF) assets are also stable since FY24, which means less pressure on net interest margin (NIM). During the year, SBI initiated a complete operational process re-engineering exercise, which is ongoing. Variants of business loan products were also launched during the year, he said. (Disclaimer: The recommendations and views given by experts on the stock market, other asset classes or personal finance management are their own. These opinions do not represent the views of The Times of India)
“The World Cup is a true celebration of football and humanity.”
Oh, Peter Drury. We have come a long way since 2010.
Typically, the last few days before the World Cup are reserved for important debates. Who are the favourites? Is this finally Lionel Messi’s last dance? Can Cristiano Ronaldo somehow do it again? Which teen is going to be football’s next superstar? Which dark horse is going to ruin someone else’s summer?
Writing about the World Cup seems like a strange sentence.
For generations, this tournament has been football’s grand event that comes every four years and sends fans into a frenzy. This is usually the month when sport temporarily convinces us that nothing else is as important as 90 minutes and extra time.
Yet as the FIFA World Cup 2026 finally arrives, football’s biggest celebration brings a level of burden that few previous editions have had to deal with.
At its heart are geopolitical tensions that have increasingly come to the fore within the tournament. The ongoing conflict between the United States and Iran has further complicated regular World Cup preparations. Iran and other teams have had to deal with visa concernsLogistical uncertainty and even teams being forced to relocate their preparation venues, and questions about who can enter the host country and under what conditions have become a large part of the build-up.
The USA-leg of the FIFA World Cup 2026 has been a nightmare. (Reuters photo)
And Iran is hardly alone.
From visa disputes and supporter travel bans to security concerns, ticket-pricing controversies and growing questions around access, much of the build-up has felt as if football is sharing tabloid space with other global politics news.
Yet football has a habit of fighting back.
When the lights go up at the Estadio Azteca and Mexico takes the field against South Africa after an opening ceremony featuring Alejandro Fernandez, Tyla, J Balvin and Ryan Castro, none of them will be able to score.
Football finally got the stage back.
Whether it can regain full conversation in the next month is simply a waiting game.
Despite the chaos before kick-off, the World Cup atmosphere has managed to remain intact. (Reuters photo)
At the time of writing this, with huge sympathy for FIFA business chiefs, it was believed that this would be a safe World Cup.
The tournament was awarded to three countries with established infrastructure, huge stadiums and decades of experience hosting major sporting events. In comparison to some of the controversies surrounding Russia 2018 and Qatar 2022, North America was considered to represent stability.
Instead, the build-up has left every football fan with a sour taste of hype.
Iran’s training plans were disrupted. Somali referee Omar Artan, who was set to become his country’s first official to officiate at a World Cup, was denied entry to the United States. Fans from many participating countries have publicly shared stories of visa complications despite having already spent significant amounts of money on flights, accommodation and tickets.
Then there is the matter of tickets.
For years, supporters have dreamed of experiencing the World Cup in North America. Many people immediately discovered that the dream came with a frightening bill. Dynamic pricing, rising accommodation costs, expensive transportation and a resale market that often looks different from reality have all contributed to frustration among travel advocates.
A strange paradox is also looming over the tournament. FIFA talks of record revenues and record attendances, yet thousands of tickets remain available for some group-stage fixtures just days before kick-off.
Not many people can argue that when it’s the World Cup, it’s an easy assumption that the football will still be great.
But there is no denying the fact that the road to this World Cup has been much worse than anyone expected.
What does the FIFA World Cup mean?
Perhaps that’s why it’s worth remembering what the World Cup often represents when football is at its most powerful.
In October 2005, Ivory Coast qualified for its first FIFA World Cup.
At the time, the country was divided by civil war.
Didier Drogba and his teammates could have easily celebrated qualification. Instead, they gathered inside a dressing room, looked directly at the television cameras and appealed for peace. The players dropped to their knees and requested fellow Ivorians to lay down their weapons.
This World Cup makes the Drogba-led Ivory Coast story feel like a distant memory. (Reuters)
It is one of the most extraordinary moments in sports history.
For a brief moment, football achieved what politicians had struggled for years to achieve.
The World Cup has always brought that unique potential.
That’s why people still remember where they were when Zinedine Zidane shone in 1998, when Anders Iniesta broke Dutch hearts in Johannesburg, when Mario Gatz took control of a nation-sized dream in Rio or when Lionel Messi finally perfected football in Qatar.
This tournament has always been more important than football.
Twenty-one years after Drogba used football as a tool of unity, the sport’s biggest event comes as it wrestles with negotiations about borders, visas, access and geopolitics.
The irony of shedding tears.
Will noise take over the World Cup?
Probably not.
Because football has spent decades proving that it has a superpower that very few things on Earth can match.
It distracts.
Soon, the conversation will move away from visas and ticket prices and back to Messi, Ronaldo, Mbappé, Neymar, Jude Bellingham, Lamine Yamal and every other story that makes the World Cup impossible to resist.
Argentina arrived to defend their crown. Spain is a favorite of many people. France have enough attacking talent to scare anyone. Brazil believes Carlo Ancelotti can restore former glory. England are once again trying to convince themselves that this really could be that year.
The last dance of Ronaldo and Messi is the big headline of this World Cup. (Photo: Reuters)
Especially for Indian fans, the commitment required to follow this World Cup borders on the absurd. About 90 percent of the matches will start between midnight and sunrise. It screams how sleep schedules will collapse, followed by caffeine-fueled work hours.
Yet millions of people will do it anyway.
Tomorrow morning, offices across the country will be filled with people with dark circles under their eyes and huge smiles on their faces. Someone will be replaying some amazing goal or referee call.
And that’s why, despite all the noise surrounding this tournament, it would be foolish to win the debate against football once again.
FIFA World Cup 2026: All 12 groups
Along with the big chaos list, the definitive list for this World Cup has also become longer.
FIFA has expanded the 2026 tournament to 48 teams. The new format consists of 12 groups of four teams, replacing the familiar eight-group setup. From there, the top two sides and eight best third-placed teams in each group will advance to the newly introduced Round of 32, which will open the door to more countries, more knockout drama and, inevitably, some surprise runs.
* Group A: Mexico, South Africa, South Korea, Czechia * Group B: Canada, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Qatar, Switzerland * Group C: Brazil, Morocco, Haiti, Scotland * Group D: United States, Paraguay, Australia, Truckee * Group E: Germany, Curaçao, Ivory Coast, Ecuador * Group F: Netherlands, Japan, Sweden, Tunisia * Group G: Belgium, Egypt, Iran, New Zealand * Group H: Spain, Cape Verde, Saudi Arabia, Uruguay * Group I: France, Senegal, Iraq, Norway * Group J: Argentina, Algeria, Austria, Jordan * Group’s: Portugal, DR Congo, Uzbekistan, Colombia * Group L: England, Croatia, Ghana, Panama
Where can fans watch the 2026 FIFA World Cup in India?
Fans in India can watch all 104 matches of the FIFA World Cup 2026 on Zee’s Unite8 Sports television channels, while live streaming will be available through the Zee5 app and website after the broadcaster secured the rights shortly before the tournament begins.
Guwahati: Security forces on Wednesday found the bodies of six Nagas abducted by armed Kuki groups in Manipur at an undisclosed location near a village in Kangpokpi district on Wednesday, rekindling ethnic tensions that had subsided a day earlier with the release of 14 Kuki hostages in Naga captivity.There was no official statement till late evening regarding the condition of the bodies. The United Naga Council (UNC), the community’s largest forum in Manipur, responded to the call for a 24-hour strike in Naga-inhabited areas from 6 am on Thursday and said it would not collect the bodies until the central and state governments ensure justice.The UNC’s demands include revocation of the Suspension of Operations (SOO) agreement with Kuki terrorist groups, arrest and prosecution of those allegedly involved in kidnappings and killings, and notification to declare the Kuki organization KNF-P as a terrorist organization.The bodies of Kenpibou Chawang, Manu Thiamai, Phenrongwibo Thiamai, Dilip Thiamai, Kaliwangbau Abonmai and Ch. The Fenrilungs, all from Konsakhul Naga village of Kangpokpi, were found in the same district after a 24-hour search by a 450-strong joint team including police, CRPF and Assam Rifles. The first two were priests.As tempers flared, a security convoy took the bodies to Imphal’s Jawaharlal Nehru Institute of Medical Sciences for post-mortem.The genesis of the hostage crisis was the killing of three pastors of the Thadau Baptist Association in an ambush on 13 May, which Kuki groups blamed on armed Naga organisations. In retaliation, a Chiru Naga civilian was shot dead in Noni district and several Naga villagers were abducted in Kangpokpi. Naga groups then abducted more than two dozen Kuki villagers in Senapati.Both sides freed 14 hostages each on May 15, but Naga groups continued to hold 14 Kuki villagers hostage and insisted on the release of six who they said were still Kukis.Kuki’s deputy CM Nemcha Kipgen termed the “unlawful killing” of six Naga hostages as “a heinous act of violence” that had sent Manipur into shock. The statement coincides with the UNC’s demand for his removal from the BJP-led government.
It seems that a new chapter is about to come in the treatment of type 2 diabetes. AstraZeneca is set to launch a new oral GLP-1 pill that could bring diabetes and obesity treatments out of the needle era.If you’re living with type 2 diabetes, or simply struggling with your weight, the story isn’t just about blood sugar. It’s about the stubborn pounds that make everything difficult. Over the past few years, injectable GLP-1 drugs like Ozempic, Vegovy, and Monzaro have turned the diabetes world upside down. People lost weight, managed their blood sugar better, and sometimes saw their health risks drop. However, if we’re being honest, the shots are a dealbreaker for a lot of people.Now, AstraZeneca thinks it has cracked the code: a pill instead of a needle.
What is happening?
According to Reuters, at the 2026 American Diabetes Association conference, they released new data showing their oral GLP-1 candidate, alecoglypron, helped people lose weight and control blood sugar. It’s becoming a topic of discussion because, suddenly, the future looks like a bottle of pills instead of a fridge full of injections.
Now what is elecroglypron?
It is an oral GLP-1 receptor agonist that AstraZeneca acquired last year from Accogene, a Chinese biotechnology company. GLP-1 drugs mimic the hormone your gut uses to suppress appetite, slow digestion, increase insulin, and keep blood sugar under control. Hence they help in both weight loss and diabetes. Most of the big winners in this area are injectables, but scientists have been chasing the pill for centuries, because tablets are easier to take, and most people hate injections.If AstraZeneca gets it right, it could compete with giants like Novo Nordisk and Eli Lilly.
Weight Loss: The Numbers Everyone Is Talking About
Their Phase IIb VISTA trial looked at adults struggling with obesity or excess weight. Big headline: People taking higher doses of elecampane lost about 10.5% of their body weight over 26 weeks. Now, that’s nothing. Some kept losing, reaching 11.8% at 36 weeks. About nine out of ten people taking the highest dose had at least a 5% loss, which is a number that doctors pay attention to.Simply put: If you weigh 100 kg, you are looking to lose more than 10 kg.What matters is that it all happened with one bullet. Typically, people think that injections are more powerful because pills are not always absorbed as well. Elecoglipron is closing the gap.
Diabetes: what do the results say?
Their SOLSTICE trial zoomed in on people with type 2 diabetes. This disease means that your body either ignores insulin or does not make enough insulin. The sugar piled up; Over time, serious complications began to emerge. Elecoglipron did more than just lower blood sugar. People taking the higher dose lost about 7.7% of their body weight over 26 weeks, while also improving their cardiovascular and metabolic risk factors.This is a big deal: GLP-1 drugs aren’t just pursuing lower blood sugar; They deal with basic things like weight, heart risk, kidney problems, and things like that. People are getting broader health benefits, not just the number on the glucose meter.
Side Effects: Usual Suspects
As with other GLP-1 drugs, intestinal problems have been reported. Some people had nausea, vomiting, constipation or stomach upset. But most side effects were mild to moderate — about the same as you see with existing GLP-1 drugs. AstraZeneca says these side effects did not cause many people to drop out of the study and there were no major liver safety events.Still, if you’re dreaming about a magical weight loss pill with zero belly drama, you’ll have to wait until science waves its wand.
How does it stack up against Ozempic, Wegovi and the rest?
Elecoglypron’s 10.5% average weight loss puts it in the top tier for oral drugs, but it lags behind some of the bigger injectable names. For example, Wegovi has achieved rates of 14% or more, and the latest Lilly drugs sometimes perform better. The main advantage here is simplicity: just one pill per day. If later trials show that elecampane is safe and continue distribution, many people (and doctors) may prefer it.A better oral GLP-1 could make these treatments available to more people.
What will happen next?
Phase 2 trials look promising, but this is only the beginning. AstraZeneca plans a larger Phase 3 study. They will test elekaglipron in larger groups and look at long-term safety. Only then can regulators consider approval.This tablet is a big milestone. Although it is not final, its importance cannot be denied. With diabetes and obesity rates rising everywhere, treatments that are both effective and simple matter more than ever. If these results hold true, elecroglypron may signal a paradigm shift: There is no need to choose between real weight loss and the convenience of a pill. For those who are balancing diabetes every day, this is about as reassuring as the statistics can get.
Iran announced the closure of the Strait of Hormuz on Thursday after the United States launched a new wave of attacks on targets inside the country. Iran’s top joint military command said the strategically important waterway had been closed to all traffic, including oil tankers and commercial ships, and warned that any ship attempting to pass through would be fired upon.The announcement came hours after US forces launched additional strikes across Iran under orders from US President Donald Trump. Iranian state media also reported various explosions, air defense activity and alleged clashes between US and Iranian forces around the Strait of Hormuz.
Hegseth hints at fresh attack on Iran
Before the operation began, US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth warned that the US military would take military action against Iran. He suggested that the campaign could continue beyond one night.Speaking from U.S. Central Command headquarters in Tampa, Florida, Hegseth said, “The attacks that happen tonight will be strong, they will be obvious. If they happen tomorrow night, they will be strong and they will be obvious.”He also indicated that key Iranian facilities could be targeted and said the strikes would advance US military objectives while strengthening Washington’s diplomatic position. Hegseth also warned about Trump “hitting hard,” as he put it, “because President Trump said we would hit Iran hard and we will.”He said Tehran still had an “opportunity to make a deal” with Washington despite the military action.
CENTCOM announces new attacks on Iran
The US military’s Central Command (CENTCOM) later confirmed that additional strikes had begun.In a statement, CENTCOM said, “U.S. Central Command forces, at the direction of the Commander in Chief, launched additional self-defense strikes at 5:15 pm ET today against multiple targets in Iran. These attacks are in response to Iran’s unjustified and continued aggression.
Explosions and air defense activity reported across Iran
Following the US announcement, Iranian media reported explosions and air defense activity in several parts of the country.Mehr news agency said air defense systems were activated in western Tehran. Explosions were also reported in Bandar Abbas, the southern cities of Sirik and Minab, Qeshm Island, Hengam Island and the northern city of Gorgan.An explosion heard in Fars Province was later attributed to the activation of air defense systems outside the city.Iranian state media later reported an explosion in the southern port city of Bandar Abbas, although there were no immediate details on damage or casualties.IRNA later reported that the explosions in Qeshm and Hengam were caused by projectiles “all of military nature”.
conflict on the strait of hormuz
As military activity intensified, Iranian media reported a direct confrontation near the Strait of Hormuz. The Mehr news agency said there were intense clashes and firing between US forces and IRGC naval units in the strategic waterway.The report said US forces had targeted seven coastal locations, including areas around Bandar Abbas, Sirik, Qeshm Island and Hengam Island.Amid increased military activity, Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) claimed that its air defense forces had intercepted a plane in Gulf airspace. According to the Mehr news agency, the IRGC said it fired the missile at an F-16 fighter jet that violated “Gulf airspace”, causing the aircraft to turn away.
Iran closed the Strait of Hormuz
The confrontation culminated with Iran’s announcement that it was closing the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s most important maritime chokepoints. Iran’s top joint military command announced that the waterway would be closed to oil tankers and commercial shipping and warned that any ship attempting to cross the strait would be “shot at”.
IRGC reportedly targets ships in Hormuz
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) navy has reportedly targeted two ships attempting to pass through the Strait of Hormuz after Tehran announced the closure of the strategic waterway, according to Iran’s semi-official Tasnim news agency.The report claimed that the ships were “violating vessels” that tried to transit the strait despite orders to stop all maritime traffic. Earlier, Iran’s top joint military command had directed all ships, including oil tankers and commercial ships, to stay out of the Strait of Hormuz and warned that any ship attempting to pass through there would be targeted.
captain of england ben stokes Root, who will miss the second Test against New Zealand at the Oval after the nightclub incident, is set to lead the team as interim captain.Stokes has been dropped from the team along with fast bowler Gus Atkinson after the pair violated the team’s midnight curfew in the early hours of Monday.The England and Wales Cricket Board said that Stokes and Atkinson “have not been made available for selection.”The two players were in a nightclub when a member of England’s security staff was attacked by Saracens rugby player Totoa Auwa.Although Harry Brook is England’s vice-captain, he has not been selected to lead the side for the match.Brook was involved in an incident last year when he was punched by a bouncer outside a nightclub in Wellington on the eve of an ODI against New Zealand.Therefore, Root will return to captaincy for the first time after stepping down from the role in 2022. The former captain led England in a record 64 Test matches between 2017 and 2022.The 35-year-old player remains England’s highest run-scorer in Test cricket. He resigned as captain after England achieved one win in 17 Test matches and was succeeded by Stokes.England have also included fast bowler Joffra Archer and batsman Jordan Cox in the team that won the first Test against New Zealand by 115 runs at Lord’s.The second Test against New Zealand will start from June 17 at The Oval.Meanwhile, some reports have suggested that England’s Ben Stokes may also retire from cricket following the nightclub brawl involving him and teammate Gus Atkinson.The development comes after the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) launched an investigation into an incident involving Stokes and Atkinson at a nightclub in the early hours of Monday, hours after England’s 115-run win over New Zealand in the first Test at Lord’s.England Test Team: : Joe Root (captain), Rehan Ahmed, Jofra Archer, Sonny Baker, Shoaib Bashir, Jacob Bethel, Harry Brook, Jordan Cox, Ben Duckett, Matthew Fisher, Emilio Gay, James Reve, Ollie Robinson, Jamie Smith (wk), Josh Tongue.
New Delhi: The Defense Ministry on Wednesday signed a contract with a Bengaluru-based firm for 20 global navigation satellite system jammers with advanced capabilities for the Navy at a cost of Rs 449 crore with minimum 75% indigenous content.The agreement with Accord Software and Systems was signed before Defense Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh. Its induction will pave the way for safe operations by naval ships in multi-threat environments.
Fact Check: Did Kylian Mbappe leave France camp to spend time with rumored girlfriend Ester Expósito? (Image via Getty Images)
Did kilian mbappe Departure from team camp just hours after victory against Northern Ireland?
Yes, according to Mundo Deportivo, Real Madrid star player Kylian Mbappe left the national team camp just hours after the match against Northern Ireland.But it has not been confirmed whether Kylian Mbappe went to Madrid to be with his girlfriend Ester Expósito or not. According to reports, Kylian Mbappe’s departure due to personal reasons was officially cleared after the match.Although there have been claims that he has been spotted with his girlfriend Ester Expósito in Madrid, this has not yet been confirmed.
Kylian Mbappe and girlfriend Ester Exposito have caused outrage among many
This has also sparked heated debate among fans as many have criticized him for his behaviour.One fan wrote toAnother fan posted, “Truly, Mbappé went from being a team star to a team star at both his club and national team.”A third fan posted: “What a bummer, what a poor professional. I hope Madrid get rid of this parasite as soon as possible.”Another fan wrote, “That guy handed them a World Cup, made it to two finals, and in France they blasted him with insults for not winning it. Let him clear his head and leave him alone.”A fifth fan said, “He scored 4 goals in the World Cup final, and they question his commitment to the national team. Sometimes they give him too much stick.”However, Kylian Mbappe and girlfriend Ester Expósito have maintained silence.
New Delhi: Pakistan has increased its space surveillance power manifold by launching a series of six Earth Observation (EO) satellites in the last one and a half year. These EO or spy satellites can be used by Pakistan to keep an eye on India’s borders, army deployment and military assets.Pak launches 6 satellites in one year; Expert warns, it can be used for spying on IndiaAlthough the Space and Upper Atmosphere Research Commission (SUPARCO) was established in 1961, Pakistan launched its first satellite only in 1990. Even payloads launched with the help of foreign launchers over the past several decades were less than a dime a dozen. However, between January 2025 and April 2026, Pakistan surprisingly launched six EO satellites, mostly with the help of Chinese rockets.The six EO satellites, launched by SpaceX-Falcon 9 on January 14, 2025, are Pakistan Air University PAUSAT-1; Pakistan Remote Sensing Satellite-Earth Observation 1 (PRSC-EO1) launched by China’s Long March-2D rocket on January 17, 2025; PRSS-2 EO by a Chinese rocket on July 31, 2025; Hyperspectral satellite HS-1 by China’s Long March on October 19, 2025; PRSC-EO2 launched by China’s Smart Dragon-3 on February 12, 2026; and PRSC-EO3 by the Chinese Long March-6 on April 25 this year.Group Captain Ajay Ahlawat (retd), now a defense analyst, told TOI, “There is no mystery about these satellites as all payload launches are recorded with ITU (International Telecommunication Union). We (India) also do not miss out. These EO satellites have been designed to see things in more detail and have improved Pakistan’s visibility over Indian territory for at least 3-4 years. In contrast, India has not been able to launch a single surveillance satellite in the last one year. Our payload is ready. But there is no rocketry system. After several recent failures, ISRO is worried and not confident about successful launches.“Our NavIC system has also become vulnerable as only three navigation satellites are in space against the requirement of minimum four, forcing our strategic forces to depend on foreign navigation systems like GPS and GLONASS for missile navigation,” the defense expert said. Group Captain Ahlawat (Retd) suggested that until ISRO fixes its rocket problems, India should get its payloads that are critical for major space missions to be launched from friendly space agencies like Europe’s spaceport in French Guiana or Russia’s Baikonur Cosmodrome.Rear Admiral Sudhir Pillai (Retd), also a defense analyst, recently said in his blog, “When the EO-3 satellite is passing over South Asia in daylight, the PRSC-S1 is passing over the same geography in darkness, and vice versa. Since the optical satellite requires daylight and the SAR satellite does not, both satellites together provide what cannot be achieved alone, in the entire 24-hour cycle of the South Asian theatre. Compressed revision cycles approaching persistence in operational terms.“Writing about India’s satellite plans, Pillai further wrote, “India’s Space-Based Surveillance Phase-III program – SBS-3 – approved in October 2024 and accelerated after Operation Vermillion, envisages a constellation of 52 surveillance satellites to be deployed in the second half of this decade. The intention is good, but the sequencing problem is acute: China’s already dense military satellite network and the overhead ISR threat from this China-enabled Pakistani constellation are now operational, While the first launches of SBS-3 are only expected to begin around 2026 and full deployment is generally not anticipated before 2029.“
Former England captain Michael Vaughan has backed Ben Stokes to remain as England Test captain despite the controversy over a breach of team protocol, arguing that the all-rounder has made a mistake but should not lose his job because of the incident.
Writing in The Telegraph, Vaughan said Stokes had clearly crossed a line by breaking the team curfew, but questioned whether the offense was serious enough that he should be removed as captain.
Vaughan wrote, “Yes, Ben Stokes broke curfew. Yes, he made a mistake. But is that a dismissable offense as England’s Test captain? I don’t think so.”
The former England captain said that although the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) has every right to take disciplinary action, he disagrees with any move to remove Stokes from the leadership role.
Vaughan wrote, “The ECB has to be brave and strong enough to do what it thinks is right. If it has to be sacked then so be it, but I do not agree with that decision on this issue.”
Vaughan’s defense of Stokes comes at a time when the England captain’s future has become a major talking point following a breach of team protocol. While acknowledging that disciplinary action may be necessary, Vaughan argued that punishment should be proportionate to the crime.
The former captain said one should not automatically lose the captaincy due to an error in judgment, especially considering the role Stokes has played in England’s recent success in Test cricket.
Stokes and fast bowler Gus Atkinson defied the team’s midnight curfew after celebrating England’s first Test win over New Zealand on Monday morning. The pair were present when a member of England’s security staff was attacked by Saracens rugby player Totoa Auwa.
The security staff member was reportedly left bloodied and required medical treatment following the incident.
With Stokes unavailable, England have turned to former captain Joe Root to lead the side at The Oval, sidelining Harry Brook despite his vice-captain role.
The ECB has denied reports that Stokes has been asked to resign and have instead given the 35-year-old time to consider his options.
brooke case
A significant part of Vaughan’s argument focused on what he believed was the ECB’s inconsistent handling of the previous disciplinary case involving Brook.
“The problem for ECB chief executive Richard Gould and cricket director Rob Key is that their poor handling of the Brook situation has set a precedent,” Vaughan wrote.
Brooke was involved in a nightclub incident in Wellington In October, the night before he was to captain England in a One Day International against New Zealand. The batsman was hit by a bouncer, details of the incident became public months later.
Following an investigation by the regulator of cricket, Brook received a final warning and was fined, while teammates Jacob Bethel and Josh Tongue were also investigated. No action was taken against Tong.
According to Vaughan, the ECB’s decision to allow Brook to remain captain while imposing only a financial penalty weakened its authority in dealing with future disciplinary breaches.
Vaughan wrote, “He allowed him to continue as captain, suppressed it and by being so lenient put himself in a position where he had to take strict action on any other minor breach of team rules in the future.”
calls for fellowship
Vaughan also questioned whether financial penalties alone are enough to deter players from repeating mistakes.
He wrote, “They fined Brooks, not a suspension. Fines are nothing to these boys. So when people at the highest levels of management allow a team to do a lot, don’t be surprised if it happens again.”
With Stokes and Atkinson under investigation, the ECB faces a key decision on how to respond. While Vaughan acknowledged that the England captain made an error in judgment, he believes that one lapse should not be enough to end Stokes’ tenure as captain.
