Pakistan captain Babar Azam with Shaheen Shah Afridi (PTI photo)

Pakistan has handed over Sahebzada Farhan With captaincy for men’s cricket competition in 2026 asian gamesWhich will take place in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan during September and October. The selectors have selected a young and largely experimental 15-man squad, which includes several uncapped players.Farhan, who has represented Pakistan in 46 T20 Internationals, will lead the national team in white-ball cricket for the first time. Abdul Samad Has been appointed vice-captain for the tournament. The team has four players who have not yet made their T20I debut for Pakistan: Akif Javed, Ali Raza, Maaz Sadaqat and Saad Masood. Meanwhile, Usman Khan has been chosen as the main wicketkeeper of the team.Pakistan squad for Asian Games 2026: Sahibzada Farhan (Captain), Abdul Samad (Vice-Captain), Abrar AhmedAhmed Daniyal, Akif Javed, Ali Raza, Arafat Minhas, Haider Ali, Hasan Nawaz, Maaz Sadaqat, Mohammad Salman Mirza, Saad Masood, Saim Ayub, Sufyan Mokim and Usman Khan (wicketkeeper).While Farhan has been a regular presence in Pakistan’s T20 setup, he has not captained the national team in the limited overs format before. Samad, on the other hand, has featured in five T20 Internationals but has not played in the format for Pakistan since March last year. His most recent international appearance came in the ODI series against Australia.This team bears little resemblance to the one fielded by Pakistan in the T20 World Cup earlier this year. Several established stars have been left out, including regular white-ball captain Salman Ali Aga Babar Azam, Shaheen Afridi And Shadab Khan.A large portion of the selected players are currently involved in Pakistan’s preparations at the National Cricket Academy. Fourteen members of the Asian Games squad are also part of the NCA white-ball camp, which is scheduled to begin on June 15 in Lahore.The men’s cricket tournament at the Asian Games will begin on September 24 and the medal matches will be played on October 3.

New Delhi: Reliance Industries Ltd on Wednesday signed a contract with Meta Platforms, Inc. for a data center project in Jamnagar, Gujarat. Announced a partnership with RIL, positioning RIL as a single-window solution provider for hyperscale AI infrastructure in India. RIL will develop a 168 MW capacity data center within two years, with the option of scaling up. This will be the first build-to-suit data center capacity in India for Meta to lease capacity from the facility, marking an important milestone in Meta’s global infrastructure expansion and deepening its strategic partnership with Reliance that spans connectivity, commerce and AI innovation.Mukesh D Ambani, CMD, RIL, said: “This partnership with META is a transformative moment for India’s digital infrastructure. The construction of India’s first build-to-suit data center for a global technology leader of Meta’s scale reflects India’s readiness to be at the forefront of the global AI revolution. At Reliance, we are committed to building world-class digital infrastructure that will power the next generation of AI innovation – not just for India, but for the world. Jamnagar will become a landmark destination for hyperscale AI computing, and we are proud to partner with Meta to make this vision a reality.Mark Zuckerberg, Founder and CEO of Meta, said: “We are proud to work with Reliance to build our first AI-enabled data center in India. This world-class facility in Jamnagar will help us scale our AI infrastructure globally while deepening our long-term investment in India’s economy.”The data center will serve Meta’s global infrastructure, supporting its core business and AI computing needs, underscoring India’s growing role in the digital and AI ecosystem around the world. Under the agreement, RIL will provide comprehensive end-to-end services across the entire lifecycle of the data center – from design and construction to ongoing management of utilities, renewable energy supply, network connectivity and fully managed operational services.RIL said in a statement that the data center will be powered by renewable energy and cooled by desalinated seawater. This partnership is in line with the priorities of the Government of India that designates data centers as strategic national infrastructure and introduces a long-term policy framework to attract global AI infrastructure investments in India.

Villagers examine the damage caused by overnight cross-border fighting between Pakistan and Afghan forces in a village in Bajaur, a district in Pakistan’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province bordering Afghanistan, on Friday, February 27, 2026. (AP Photo)

Afghanistan on Wednesday accused Pakistan of launching new airstrikes on its territory and said the attacks killed at least 13 people, most of them children, and wounded 14 others.Read this also ‘Converting genocide into military action’: India rebukes Pakistan at UN over Afghan attacks Zabihullah Mujahid, a spokesman for Afghanistan’s Taliban-led regime, said the attacks hit Khost, Kunar and Paktika provinces. “Crime. Last night, the Pakistani military once again violated Afghan airspace and bombed civilian homes in Kunar, Khost and Paktika provinces,” Mujahid posted on Twitter. He said: “These attacks resulted in the death of 11 children, a woman and an elderly man, while 14 others, including women and children, were injured. “We strongly condemn this humanitarian crime and this aggression.” Pakistan did not immediately acknowledge the attacks. The charges come amid broader regional tensions, including renewed US-Iran hostilities in the Middle East and unrest in Pakistan-administered Kashmir, where protests have turned violent. The two countries have been engaged in months of cross-border conflict since late February, when Afghanistan launched retaliatory strikes following Pakistani airstrikes that have left hundreds dead. Temporary ceasefires have stopped fighting from time to time, but have not been sustained. Islamabad has accused Kabul of harboring terrorists, especially Tehreek-e.Taliban Pakistan (TTP), which it says carries out attacks inside Pakistan. The group is separate from but affiliated with the Afghan Taliban, which has ruled Afghanistan since taking power in 2021 following a US-led withdrawal. Kabul has denied the allegation.(with AP input)

After Atletico Madrid publicly mocked city rivals Real Madrid after rejecting a club-record €150 million bid for Julian Alvarez, the striker has been identified as Florentino Perez’s marquee transfer target after being re-elected as club president.

Real Madrid confirmed the approach in an official statement on Tuesday, revealing that the Spanish giants had submitted a formal offer for the Argentina international. The bid, which would have been the most expensive transfer in the club’s history, was immediately rejected by Atlético.

The offer comes just days after Perez secured another term as Real Madrid president. During his election campaign, the 79-year-old promised supporters a big signing and hinted that the club would submit a big offer for a player from the leading Champions League team.

Real Madrid said Atletico had rejected the bid and pointed to Alvarez’s release clause.

“Following the meeting of the board of directors held today, Real Madrid CF has offered Club Atlético de Madrid 150 million euros for the federal rights to the player Julián Álvarez. After reviewing and evaluating the offer, Club Atlético de Madrid expresses its gratitude for the offer made within the framework of good relations between the two clubs and rejects it, citing the provision for the player’s release,” the club said in a statement.

atlético mock real

However, Atlético’s response soon went beyond formal rejection.

The club reposted Real Madrid’s statement with a series of laughing emojis on social media before issuing a strongly worded response to their city rivals.

“You may have confused education with gratitude, but there is no doubt: we do not thank you for anything. We neither study nor consider any proposal for Julian. How can we not come along, when you make us laugh more than Barcelona,” Atlético posted.

The exchange escalated when Atlético sent another message referencing Real Madrid’s recruitment of youth players from its academy.

“PS Taking advantage of the good relationship with your new President, let’s see if you stop ‘stealing’ players from our academy. Thank you very much, @realmadrid!”

The rejection is a significant blow to Perez, who had promised to bring a high-profile signature after winning Sunday’s presidential election. Speaking before the vote, Perez had hinted at an imminent move.

“On Tuesday, I’m going to make an offer for a great player to a major Champions League club. It will be the biggest transfer fee ever paid by Real Madrid in its history,” Pérez said on the Spanish television program Horizonte.

Alvarez has emerged as one of Atletico’s most important players Since joining Manchester City in 2024. The Argentine forward enjoyed a stellar first full season under Diego Simeone, scoring 20 goals in 49 appearances in all competitions and playing a key role in Atlético’s run to the Champions League semi-finals.

Reports in Spain suggest that Alvarez’s contract includes a release clause of €500 million, a figure Atlético remains committed to implementing despite growing interest from Europe’s biggest clubs. It was also reported that Barcelona had rejected a bid for the 26-year-old last week.

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rapper King Hania has taken the internet by storm after she shared a series of photos with an unknown woman on Instagram, with fans increasingly speculating that the mystery woman could be Hania Aamir, even as there are rumors of her secret marriage with the Punjabi actor Isha Rikhi Keep making headlines.

Badshah’s mysterious Instagram post

Badshah posted a set of pictures in which he is seen holding a woman’s hand in a field. The woman’s face is not visible in any of the photos. “The Universe has a funny way of placing people in your life,” the rapper captioned the post.The post was immediately flooded with reactions from fans. Many speculated that the mystery woman is Pakistani actress Hania Aamir. “Is that Hania Aamir?” one fan wrote, while another commented, “Looks like she’s Hania?” Others were more curious about the potential collaboration, with one fan asking, “Is this a new collaboration?” And another expressed, “We want to see Badshah in a new music video.”

Is Badshah married to Isha Rikhi?

While fans are confused about the identity of the mystery woman, Badshah’s personal life is making news for another reason. The rapper has reportedly married Punjabi actor Isha Rikhi, almost six years after his divorce from his first wife. However, he or his team have not confirmed this.The discussion was fueled by Isha Rikhi’s mother, Poonam Rikhi, who shared a series of pictures on Instagram that appeared to hint at the couple’s wedding. The pictures show Badshah and Isha wearing traditional wedding attire, exchanging garlands in the presence of close family and friends. Poonam captioned the post: “God bless you @isharikhi @BadboyShah.”

‘Tatiri‘ Controversy

Meanwhile, on the work front, it was a tumultuous few months for Badshah. Her Haryanvi track ‘Tattiri’, released in March 2026, drew sharp criticism for allegedly showing girls in school uniform dancing and making objectionable gestures inside a Haryana Roadways bus. The song faced criticism for its bold lyrics and suggestive visuals.In response, Badshah released a revised, cleaned-up version of the song on April 14, 2026, after removing the controversial parts.

US President Donald Trump launched attacks on Iran on Tuesday, hours after an American Apache attack helicopter was downed near the Strait of Hormuz.US Central Command (CENTCOM) said the strike, which it described as a “self-defense” attack, began at 5 p.m. Washington time on Trump’s orders and was intended as a “proportional response” to Iranian aggression. The move came as Trump accused Iran of shooting down the Apaches overnight and said “we will respond to this attack if necessary.”While Trump publicly promised retaliation, he later tried to downplay the helicopter incident, saying it was “no big deal” because the pilots survived. Meanwhile, Iran’s state media, citing military sources, reported that the IRGC also vowed a “decisive response” against “renewed hostilities by the enemy under the pretext of the helicopter crash.”Here are the top developments so far.

US launches ‘self-defense’ strikes against Iran

The US Central Command announced that the US military has launched strikes against Iran at the direction of President Trump.In a statement posted on Twitter, she wrote, “In response to yesterday’s downing of a U.S. Army Apache helicopter, U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) forces, at the direction of the Commander in Chief, began launching self-defense strikes against Iran today at 5 p.m. ET. This mission is a proportionate response to unjustified Iranian aggression.” The exact targets of the attacks were not immediately disclosed.

Apache helicopter was shot down near the Strait of Hormuz

The tension began when a US Army Apache attack helicopter went down near the Strait of Hormuz. Initial reports from US officials did not establish the cause of the crash. Officials said it was not clear whether the helicopter was shot down, suffered mechanical failure or had some other problem.However, a US official later said a one-sided Iranian strike drone had shot down the plane, Reuters reported, citing an official speaking on condition of anonymity.

Dramatic rescue of crew by unmanned naval vessel

The two crew members aboard the Apache survived and were rescued, in what US military officials described as the first operation of its kind.The pilots were located by a 24-foot U.S. Navy surface ship after spending about two hours in the water off the coast of Oman, according to CENTCOM spokesman Capt. Tim Hawkins.The drone boat recovered the pilots and transported them safely to shore. Military officials said both crew members were in stable condition and did not suffer serious injuries.Trump later confirmed the rescue, saying, “The pilots are OK. No one was injured.”

Trump did not pay much attention to the incident, then vowed to retaliate

Trump initially appeared to downplay the significance of the helicopter’s loss, before publicly blaming Iran.Speaking to reporters before departing New York after attending the NBA Finals game, Trump insisted that the crew members were safe and said a report on the incident would be released later.Trump described the crash as “no big deal”, adding that “the pilot is OK,” The Wall Street Journal reported. He suggested that the circumstances were “more different than you think”.However, a few hours later, Trump took it to Truth Social to express his aggression against the helicopter being shot down.In the post he said he was informed by the US military that Iran had shot down the Apache while it was patrolling the Strait of Hormuz.

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“I have just been informed by our great military that last night the Iranians shot down one of our highly sophisticated Apache helicopters while on patrol over the Strait of Hormuz. There were two pilots involved, both safe and sound. “Nevertheless, the United States must respond to this attack, as necessary.”As the US strikes began, Trump doubled down on his position in an interview with ABC News, confirming that military action was underway and indicating that Washington’s response would be significant.“I think it’s very important to respond. They shot down a helicopter, and we’re responding as we speak,” Trump said. I believe the answer must be very strong, very powerful and that is what it is.

Iran says helicopter was not intentionally targeted

Iran’s deputy foreign minister said the Apaches were not intentionally targeted by Iranian forces, Al Jazeera reported.The official said Tehran was not responsible for deliberately attacking the helicopter, while acknowledging that incidents could have occurred in the highly volatile environment around the Strait of Hormuz.The comments stopped short of directly acknowledging responsibility but suggested that any involvement of Iranian forces may have been incidental rather than part of a deliberate military campaign.Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, without explicitly denying that Iranian forces had shot down the helicopter, argued that foreign military forces operating close to Iranian territory faced inherent risks. “Foreign forces near our territory are at constant risk due to their own human errors, simple accidents or potentially being caught in the crossfire,” he wrote on Twitter. To minimize the risk, the best solution is to skip them.In a statement attached to his post, he also emphasized the issue of the Strait of Hormuz, saying, “The Strait of Hormuz is not international waters, but is shared between Iran and Oman.”

IRGC warns against using accident as pretext for attacks

Even though Iranian officials suggested the incident may not have been intentional, Tehran issued a warning against any US military response.Iranian state media quoted military sources as saying that if Washington used the helicopter incident as justification for renewed military action, Iran would respond strongly.According to the report, in the event of renewed “hostilities by the enemy” under the pretext of the Apache crash, Iran will give a “decisive response.”

There is news of explosion in Hormozgan province after US attack

Iranian media reported explosions in several locations within Hormozgan province, which is located on the northern shore of the Strait of Hormuz. Fars News Agency said explosions were heard in eastern parts of the province, including the areas of Quhestak, Sirik and Minab.The agency also reported air defense activity at some locations, suggesting that Iranian forces may be responding to incoming attacks.Iranian officials did not immediately provide details on possible casualties or damage.

England Test captain Ben Stokes may step down from his role and even retire from cricket following the nightclub controversy involving him and teammate Gus Atkinson, according to a report in talkSPORT.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.Speaking on talkSPORT, The Cricketer’s senior correspondent, George Dobell, said he had been told Stokes could choose to leave on his own rather than wait for disciplinary action.“From everything I hear I fear Stokes is going to take action first. And, sadly, I hear he is going to step down and possibly even retire.”“I think it would be extremely regrettable and I hope he doesn’t do that. I hope he stands up and fights for who we know as Ben Stokes.”Stokes is currently England’s Test captain and has been a key figure in the team’s red-ball setup. Although he now plays only Test cricket, his retirement will end his 15-year career at the top level.Some media reports over the past few weeks have also suggested that Stokes has fallen out with England head coach Brendon McCullum since the Ashes and may see the latest controversy as a point to move on from the role.According to the report of Cricinfo, another possibility is that Stokes may take a break from cricket. He took an indefinite leave of absence from the game in 2021 on mental health grounds, before replacing Joe Root as England captain a year later.The ECB confirmed on Monday that Stokes and Atkinson were involved in an incident while celebrating England’s victory over New Zealand.“Ben Stokes and Gus Atkinson were at a nightclub in the early hours of Monday morning when the incident occurred,” an ECB statement said.“We are currently seeking further information and an announcement regarding the squad for the second Test will be made in due course.”England are expected to delay naming their squad for the second Test against New Zealand until they hear from Stokes. It also claimed that neither Stokes nor Atkinson were expected to feature in the remainder of the series.The controversy comes months after England re-imposed a team curfew following the Ashes tour of Australia, during which players faced criticism over drinking and discipline issues.On Sunday, England defeated New Zealand by 115 runs at Lord’s. On the final day, Atkinson took five wickets for 30 runs while Stokes also took one wicket.The second Test against New Zealand will start from June 17 at The Oval.