French Open: Aryna Sabalenka channels Michael Jackson, moonwalks on clay after ousting Naomi Osaka at Roland Garros

The stadium lights above the Cour Philippe-Chatrier caught the dust on the cool Paris night as Aryna Sabalenka did the unthinkable. After sealing her place in the quarter-finals of the French Open 2026, the world number one paused, bowed her head and channeled her inner Michael Jackson. She was sliding backwards on crushed bricks, pulling off a flawless moonwalk that would have made the King of Pop proud.

Watching a powerful athlete move with such fluid, precocious grace on clay, a surface notorious for its rough abrasion, was a surreal piece of late-night showmanship that completely enthralled the crowd.

Everyone knows she’s always loved to dance, with her locker-room routines often going viral on social media, but performing this iconic routine during her on-court interview was a wonderful surprise that much delighted the Parisian crowd who stayed up late to watch the top seeds headline the evening session.

However, before the dance, a brutal, physical competition took place. Sabalenka had to earn her moment of excitement by overcoming a determined Naomi Osaka. The match was a tremendous display of baseline power, with both players hitting the ball at incredible velocity, sounding like gunshots echoing off concrete mounds.

Osaka started with aggressive intent, trying to dictate the tempo and push the top seed out of her comfort zone. Sabalenka relied on her huge serve to overcome any problems. She hit twelve aces throughout the match and remained clinically efficient at crucial moments to win 7–5, 6–3. It was a performance that highlighted their tactical maturity despite immense pressure.

The win is just the latest chapter in Sabalenka’s broader story of Tour dominance. Over the past few seasons, she has transformed from a volatile power-hitter to an incredibly consistent, ferocious world number one. His ability to effectively vary his attacking game on European clay has made him one of the most dangerous competitors on the circuit.

On Monday, she became the first player since Serena Williams to reach the women’s singles quarterfinals in each of her first six Grand Slam main draws as a world No. 1.

This was his fourth consecutive appearance in the quarterfinals of Roland Garros. The world number one, who has won 31 of her last 34 matches on the tour, looks more eager than ever to clinch victory on clay. Lost to Elena Rybakina in Australian Open final First in January.

Next up for the top seed is an intriguing quarterfinal clash with rising 25th seed Diana Schnyder. While Sabalenka will enter the contest as the heavy favourite, Schnyder has the versatility and fearless attitude needed to make things uneasy if the top seed loses her focus.

The broader landscape of the women’s singles draw has completely changed After Iga Swiatek comes out of shock. The Polish clay-court specialist, a four-time champion in Paris, had lost to Marta Kostyuk in the previous round. Swiatek’s early departure opened up the bottom half of the draw and removed the final hurdle for the title.

– ends

published by:

Akshay Ramesh

Published on:

June 2, 2026 03:28 IST

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Banned, injured, forgotten: Rasikh Salaam Dar never stopped believing. cricket news

Banned, injured, forgotten: Rasikh Salaam Dar never stopped believing
Rasikh Salam Dar (Image Credit: BCCI/IPL)

TimesofIndia.com in Ahmedabad: Seven years ago, around this time of the year, Nadeem Dar was playing a club game in Chandigarh, where he was studying at the time. He received a call from Rasikh Salam Dar, his cousin and with whom he had trained since the age of eight.“It was the darkest day of my life. I remember him saying, ‘It’s all over, brother.’ Before I could ask what exactly had happened, he started crying,” Nadeem told TimesofIndia.com. Rasikh was banned for two years in 2019 after a discrepancy involving the submission of a faulty birth certificate to the BCCI. The ban ruled him out of contention for the 2020 Under-19 World Cup and also closed the doors to a comeback in Jammu and Kashmir cricket. After facing three rejections in the under-19 trials, Rasikh was selected ahead of the 2018 season when Irfan Pathan joined Jammu and Kashmir as a mentor.“In six months, he went on to play Under-19, Under-23, Ranji Trophy and IPL. Then one day we came to know about the ban,” he said.Nadeem said, “It was not even his fault. I don’t want to talk about it because it is a very happy moment. He played a very important role in RCB getting the title. We remember it as a nightmare.”Nadeem, who grew up in Khandipora, a village located in Kulgam district of Jammu and Kashmir, introduced Rasikh to cricket.This journey started with a tennis ball and it was here that Rasikh learned all his variations. But at the age of 13, Nadeem took him to a local club, where he bowled with a leather ball for the first time. Within a few weeks, he earned fame with his swing bowling.“Nowadays there are few turf wickets in Kashmir and they were rare a few years ago. So in tennis-ball cricket, you just need a cement wicket and even if the outfield is wet and soggy, it doesn’t matter. The back-of-the-hand slower that everyone is praising now, he learned it at the age of 14. His slowers are very difficult to pick. Even then he was difficult to pick. With Bhuvneshwar in the last few seasons (Kumar), he has also added the knuckleball to his armoury. “Without a doubt, he’s a fast learner,” Nadeem said of his brother.After completing his two-year ban and relocating to Mumbai, Rasikh suffered a lower back stress injury, which kept him out for an even longer period.“For four years he didn’t play any competitive cricket. First the ban, then the injury, but he never lost hope. He never said he wanted to quit cricket. It’s not in his blood to give up,” Rasikh’s childhood friend Mir Mortaza told this website in Dharamshala ahead of Qualifier 1.“He is very introverted. On the outside, everyone thinks he is a soft-spoken person, but inside he is very tough. We grew up together, played all our cricket together and even when he faced rejection in his early days, he never backed down. Mentally, he is very tough. We would often pull his leg for not being active on social media like other cricketers or living a simple, normal life, and he is just one The thing used to say: ‘All these things can wait.’ I want to play for India, that’s the ultimate dream,” Mortaza shared.When RCB picked up Rasikh for Rs 6 crore ahead of IPL 2025, some eyebrows were raised. He played only two matches and had only one wicket to his name.“My only aim was to improve. I continued to work with Omkar Salvi sir. I watched Josh Hazlewood and Bhuvneshwar Kumar and tried to pick their brains as much as I could. I continued to bowl because that’s the only thing I know and, by the grace of God, I got the desired results,” Rasikh told TimesofIndia.com in Ahmedabad.Dar took 19 wickets at an economy rate of 9.45. In the final against Gujarat Titans, he was RCB’s most successful bowler, taking 3 for 27.“They (Bhuvneshwar and Hazlewood) made my job easy. Throughout the tournament, they gave us great starts and that made my job easier. Full credit to them. I was lucky to share the dressing room with them. I have learned a lot and I can’t wait to come back next year,” Dar said confidently.but captain Rajat Patidar The 26-year-old was praised for his contributions throughout the season.“The way Rasikh has come in and performed for the team and brought success is important because you can’t win a competition or a match with just one or two bowlers,” Patidar told reporters on the eve of the final.

Image Credit: BCCI/IPL

After the final, Patidar again praised Dar profusely.“He is very confident about his skills, his slower balls, back-of-the-hand balls and especially his yorkers. I think he supported Bhuvi and Hazlewood well. Again, it is clear that whenever I see him, he has clarity about his role and what he has to do. I always tell my bowlers that if you have something, if you have a plan, go and execute it.”For Rasikh, the aim is just to continue the process, stay fit and keep doing what he loves, running up and bowling for hours on end.“When I have the ball in my hands that’s the happiest thing for me. It’s been a long season.” I can’t wait to go home and meet my parents. I would like to dedicate this trophy to my father Abdul Salam, who always encouraged me to pursue my love for the game. Abbu ne kabhi yeh kahna ki kyun waqt bavaad kar rahe ho (My father never told me that I was wasting my time playing cricket). An emotional Rasikh said, he stood with me like a pillar in every happiness and sorrow.India are set to play around 45 T20Is over the next two years and it is unknown what the future holds for Rasikh. But with his wicket-taking ability in the middle overs, he has definitely knocked the doors of the national team. If he stays fit and continues to do what he loves, the blue jersey will not be far away for the ‘Lion of Khandipora’ (Lion), a nickname he has earned from his teammates.

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Why has Hasnaabi been barred from entering Britain? Twitch star claims visa was canceled before major presentations

Why has Hasnaabi been barred from entering Britain? Twitch star claims visa was canceled before major presentations
Twitch streamer Hassanabi has claimed that the United Kingdom has canceled his visa, preventing him from attending several planned events and presentations in the country. Speaking during a livestream, he criticized the decision and linked it to broader political issues. The controversy quickly gained attention online, with supporters and critics debating his claims, while questions remain about the circumstances behind the reported visa revocations.

Hassan Pikar found himself at the center of another political stir this weekend after it was revealed he could no longer enter the United Kingdom. The Twitch star, known online as HassanAbi, made the announcement during a livestream, surprising viewers who were expecting him to travel to the country for a series of public appearances.The development quickly spread across social media, where supporters and critics alike chimed in. What started as a conversation about travel restrictions quickly turned into a broader debate about free speech, politics, and the growing tensions around international political commentary.

Hassanabi says UK visa canceled ahead of planned events

Hassanabi spoke to his audience on 31 May and said that he recently learned that his UK visa is no longer valid. The streamer said the decision had put several commitments he had booked in the country at risk, including appearances with high-profile political figures and a trip to the Oxford Union.He told the audience:“Well, I didn’t want to talk about it, but my visa has also been canceled. We just found out. So, yes, I will not go as it currently stands; I do not believe I will be able to go to the United Kingdom this upcoming week. I don’t know who to contact for this. I was supposed to do something with Yanis Varoufakis. Something with Zac Polanski. Something to do with Jeremy Corbyn. Something at the Oxford Union Do. And now, the Labor government has canceled our visas.Shortly afterward, Hassan took to social media to share his frustrations and argued that Western governments were moving away from the principles they often claim to defend.He wrote:“Britain has even canceled my visa. This is all at the behest of Israel. The West is betraying “liberal values” to a genocidal fascist foreign government. Soon we will all become Israel.”

Hassanabi calls UK visa decision a “sad situation”

During the same broadcast, Hassan expanded his response to the alleged visa cancellations and what he saw as political double standards.Addressing the situation he said:“It’s a sad situation, where, obviously, Israel’s interests are given the highest priority. ‘However, Nick Shirley can go.’ Of course! Because Nick Shirley is a dog for a fascist state.”Dreamer then made an even more extensive criticism of the political leadership in both the United Kingdom and the United States, stating:“We are in the 1930s era, where I think administrations in both the UK and the United States, despite their perceived ideological differences, are moving forward as completely one-party, and things are only going to get worse from here. Straight up…fascism. That’s it. That’s it. Israel is a fascist country, and it imposes its bidding on other countries in an attempt to make them follow the wishes of a foreign country like Israel. Western liberal democracies are expected to protect and preserve speech, even if they don’t have a First Amendment like we do here in the United States, they should have reason to. Like, good reason. This is not one of them.”So far, no official public statement has been released explaining the alleged visa decision. Until more information is revealed, the controversy is likely to remain a major topic in online streaming communities and political circles.

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Karnataka: DK Shivakumar’s cabinet starts with 10-20 ministers; Delhi talks continue. india news

Karnataka: DK Shivakumar's cabinet starts with 10-20 ministers; Delhi talks continue

Bengaluru/New Delhi: Congress high command, with Chief Minister-designate DK Shivakumar and Caretaker Chief Minister SiddaramaiahDiscussions took place till late night in New Delhi on Sunday to finalize the composition of the new Karnataka cabinet. With Shivakumar taking oath on Wednesday, there is a plan to induct 10 to 20 ministers in the first phase.Read this also What can make or break DK Shivakumar’s reign in Karnataka? A senior party official said that while the initial list is almost ready, some additional names are still under consideration. “Though 10 names have been finalised, another 10 are being discussed for the first round of swearing-in. The final list may come on Wednesday,” he said. Before formalizing it, the list of probables will be presented before AICC chief Mallikarjun Kharge and Rahul Gandhi. The discussion also focused on key organizational and constitutional appointments including KPCC President, Assembly Speaker and Legislative Council Speaker. Shivakumar is said to be supporting Satish Jarkiholi, HK Patil and BK Hariprasad for key organizational and cabinet roles, while Siddaramaiah is believed to be supporting Hariprasad for the post of state party chief.Siddaramaiah is also advocating for the inclusion of AHINDA loyalists.Siddaramaiah is also lobbying for the inclusion of his Ahinda faction loyalists in the cabinet, although other leaders have indicated that more than 10 of his nominees are unlikely to be included.Jarkiholi is reportedly demanding both a cabinet berth and an organizational role.The issue of Deputy Chief Minister (DCM) posts has emerged as a major point of contention within the Congress. It is being said that Siddaramaiah is pushing for DCM posts for G Parameshwara, BZ Zameer Ahmed Khan, KJ George and MB Patil. However, Shivakumar is reportedly against the idea of ​​DCM, arguing that it could create parallel power centers and create unnecessary political controversy.The high command is also considering including Siddaramaiah’s son Yatindra in the cabinet. While state and national level leaders in the party are keen to ensure this representation to protect the Kuruba vote base in Karnataka, Siddaramaiah is not pushing his case. Their concern is that such a move could be interpreted as nepotism.“Last time I met the high command, Rahul Gandhi said that my interest will be taken care of and I will be included in the cabinet. So, I am hopeful. Whatever be the portfolio, I will be happy,” said Yatindra, adding that he is not harboring any DCM ambitions.The Congress leadership also reviewed the preparations for the Rajya Sabha and Legislative Council elections to be held on June 18. Based on its current strength in the Assembly, the party is projected to win three of the four Rajya Sabha seats and five of the seven MLC seats.Meanwhile, in Bengaluru, members of the Dalit community protested outside the KPCC office and urged the leadership to appoint a Dalit leader as DCM. The protesters demand that senior leaders G Parameshwara, KH Muniyappa and HC Mahadevappa be considered for the post. The demonstration was led by Dalit leader K Venkataswamy.Separately, Congress workers in Halkarti village of Chittapur taluk performed special puja at Veerbhadreshwar temple and demanded appointment of minister Priyank Kharge as DCM.In Bengaluru, supporters of Shantinagar MLA and BDA president NA Haris performed rituals at the Adishakti temple at the GBA headquarters, demanding DCM post or cabinet berth for him. 108 coconuts were plucked as part of the ritual.

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All about Serena Williams’ husband Alexis Ohanian, 23rd Grand Slam title winner shares big career decision international sports news

Everything about Alexis Ohanian, husband of 23rd Grand Slam title winner Serena Williams, he shares the big decision of his career
Who is Serena Williams’ husband Alexis Ohanian? (Getty Images)

Serena Williams is returning to professional tennis. The 23-time Grand Slam champion, 44, has been confirmed as the wildcard entrant for the doubles event at the HSBC Championships starting June 8 at the Queen’s Club. The Queen’s Club Championship simply posted on X: “The Queen Returns.” Williams acknowledged the news on her social media with a Nike collaboration video and captioned it: “Good news travels fast.” Whether this will lead to Wimbledon or the US Open later this summer is unclear.

Is Serena Williams making a comeback to tennis?

The short answer is yes, although Serena Williams herself spent much of the last year trying to push back against that framing. After the International Tennis Integrity Agency confirmed in December 2025 that she had re-entered the sport’s anti-doping testing pool, a mandatory step for any returning professional, she took to X to shut down speculation: “Oh my God, I’m not coming back. “This wildfire is crazy.”A month later, she appeared on NBC’s Today with anchor Savannah Guthrie and remained similarly vague about her intentions.Then Sunday’s announcement came.Williams stepped back from the sport for the first time in 2022 and famously laid out her thoughts in the September issue of Vogue. “I never liked the word retirement,” he wrote. “It doesn’t seem like a modern word to me.” She described what she was doing as “evolution”, moving towards family, business and everything outside the white lines. At the time, she and her husband Alexis Ohanian had a daughter, Olympia. Their second daughter, Adira River Ohanian, arrived in August 2023.Queen’s Club has historically served as a practice tournament for Wimbledon. Whether Williams uses this as a true springboard or simply a test of where her body and game stand, Sunday’s wildcard entry made one thing clear: The development may not be over yet.

Who is Serena Williams’ husband Alexis Ohanian?

Their meeting-cute is in a movie. In May 2015, both Williams and Ohanian were living in Rome Cavalieri. Williams was there for the Italian Open. Ohanian, a tech entrepreneur and co-founder of Reddit, had come for a media conference. He sat at a pool side table that was part of Williams’ reserved section. Initially he tried to move her. He stopped. They kept talking for hours.Their first date was in Paris.id@undefined Captions not available.id@undefined Captions not available.Ohanian, now 42, was born in Brooklyn to a German mother and a father whose family fled during the Armenian Genocide. He grew up in the suburbs of Washington, DC, graduated from Howard High School in 2001, and later studied history and commerce at the University of Virginia, where he met Steve Huffman on the first day of freshman year. The two created Reddit in about three weeks. Sixteen months later, he sold it to Condé Nast for a reported $10 to $20 million.Since then, Ohanian has remained a prominent figure in both the tech and venture capital worlds. He has consistently been one of Williams’ strongest supporters. When he announced he would be stepping away from the sport in 2022, he wrote: “I’ve seen over the last 7 years how much you all love my wife, what she means to so many people around the world. It’s unlike anything I’ve ever seen.”He has also made public why parental leave matters to him personally. Following the birth of Olympia in September 2017, she took 16 weeks of leave and subsequently began lobbying Congress for federal paid family leave legislation. In a 2020 New York Times op-ed, he revealed that Williams almost died during childbirth, a fact that deepened his commitment to both fatherhood and advocacy.The couple married in New Orleans in November 2017. Their second daughter, Adira, was announced at the 2023 Met Gala in the most on-brand way: “Here’s three of us,” Williams told the Vogue livestream while standing on the red carpet.

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iShowSpeed ​​Champions Song: iShowSpeed’s new World Cup anthem ‘Champions’ is being hailed by fans as the unofficial anthem of FIFA 2026.

iShowSpeed's new World Cup anthem 'Champions' has fans calling it the unofficial anthem of FIFA 2026

ishowspeed has released a new football song called Champions ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, and it’s already garnering a lot of attention online. Although the song is not officially associated with FIFA, many fans believe that it perfectly captures the excitement of the tournament. The music video quickly crossed five lakh views within just two hours of its release, which shows how much interest there is in the track.The popular streamer is known for his love for football and especially his support of Cristiano Ronaldo. Over the years, Speed ​​has traveled around the world attending football events and meeting fans from different countries. Their latest song celebrates the World Cup by mentioning every nation participating in the competition, making it feel like a global football anthem.

Fans say iShowspeed’s ‘Champions’ deserves to be the FIFA 2026 World Cup anthem

The song received a very positive response from the audience, with many saying that it deserves a place among some of the most memorable songs of the World Cup. Directed by Zach Madden and executive produced by Slipz and Ames Ward, the music video combines football energy with Speed’s trademark excitement.Many fans went a step further and suggested that FIFA should officially recognize the song. One fan wrote, “FIFA should officially sign Speed ​​now. He has traveled the world and experienced many cultures. Honestly, this guy deserves to represent the world.Another viewer simply commented, “Petition to make this the official WC song.”Others compared Champions to Shakira’s famous World Cup track and praised Speed ​​for creating a song that brings together fans from different countries. Some comments also called it “Officer” World Cup song, despite the fact that FIFA has already announced its own soundtrack for the tournament.The 2026 FIFA World Cup already has several official songs, including Shakira and Burna Boy’s Dai Dai Dai. Other tracks feature artists such as Jelly Roll, Carin Lyons, Daddy Yankee, Shenseea, Tyla and Future. Even with a star-studded lineup, Speed’s song has managed to stand out and create a buzz online.This is not the first time Speed ​​has made a World Cup-themed song. It will be released in 2023 world cupWhich became a viral hit and received over 209 million views. with Champions Having already received strong support from fans, it appears that Speed ​​has once again found a way to connect football and internet culture in a big way.

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SC: Rape victim should not be called to court again and again. india news

Supreme Court: Rape victim should not be called to court again and again

New Delhi: The Supreme Court has held that a rape victim should not be harassed by repeatedly calling her to appear in court for cross-examination during trial proceedings. A bench of Justices Dipankar Datta and Satish Chandra Sharma set aside an order passed by the Tripura HC which had allowed the plea of ​​the accused to recall the victim for questioning after four years, as she had already been cross-examined. It said that the prosecutor had to go through the process of testifying and cross-examining him on four separate occasions before the trial court, apart from during the investigation under Section 164 of CrPC and recording his statement before the Magistrate, and recalling him after four years of cross-examination was harsh.“Instructing the recall would cause further and undue hardship to the prosecutor. Witnesses cannot be expected to face difficulty in appearing in court repeatedly, especially in sensitive cases. “This may result in undue hardship to the victims, especially for heinous crimes, if they are required to appear in court again and again to face cross-examination,” the SC said. The HC had passed an order recalling a survivor under section 311 of the Code of Criminal Procedure on a petition filed by the accused. Noting that the application was filed four years after the cross-examination of the victim was completed and sufficient grounds do not exist to recall the victim after such a long delay, the court allowed the plea of ​​the state government, which had challenged the HC order.Section 311 of the CrPC states that “Any court may, at any stage of any inquiry, trial or other proceeding under this Code, summon to the attendance any person, even if not called as a witness, or recall and re-examine any person already examined; and the court may summon and examine or recall and re-examine any such person if his evidence Appears necessary for proper decision of the case.The court said that the power conferred under Section 311 is undoubtedly wide, and such power needs to be exercised in a restrained and judicious manner and not arbitrarily. Citing previous orders it said, “Merely to say that the recall was necessary to ensure a fair trial is not sufficient, unless there are cogent reasons to show how a fair trial was harmed without the recall. Recall is not a fixed matter, and the discretion given to the court must be used judiciously and not arbitrarily to prevent miscarriage of justice.”In this case, the accused was first examined and cross-examined in chief on June 4, 2018, followed by further cross-examination in August 2018. Subsequently, the prosecution filed an application under Section 311 of the CrPC seeking recall of the accused and re-examination. He was further examined and cross-examined in August and November 2019. Four years later, the accused sought to recall him in the witness box, which was rejected by the trial court but allowed by the HC. However, the SC has now set aside the HC order.

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Indian women using internet doubled to 64% in 4 years. india news

Indian women using internet doubled to 64% in 4 years

New Delhi: Between NFHS-5 (2019-21) and NFHS-6 (2023-24), the share of Indian women using the internet almost doubled from 33.3% to 64.3%, preschool attendance of children aged two to four years increased from 40.1% to 47% and the proportion of women with 10 or more years of schooling increased from 41%. It became 46.4%.The latest National Family Health Survey shows that India is witnessing a quiet but significant change in both education and digital access for girls and women. Yet beneath the national gains, the survey reveals sharp inequalities that are shaping educational opportunities across the country, with school attendance for girls aged 6 and above standing at 84.3% in urban India, compared to 69.2% in rural areas.

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Hassan Pikar: Hassan Pikar says he was denied entry to UK ahead of major speaking engagements

Hassan Pikar says he was denied entry to Britain ahead of major speaking engagements

Hassan Pikar, a popular online commentator and streamer, says he was not allowed to enter the United Kingdom just before several speaking engagements. He revealed that his travel permission had been canceled before his departure. Thus, he was unable to travel to the UK at all. This information spread rapidly through the Internet as there was great anticipation of his speaking engagements in London and Oxford.The issue also affected his uncle, Cenk Uygur, who is also a well-known media personality. He also said that his travel permission was canceled just before his flight. Both were planning to visit the UK for public talks and events. His sudden inability to travel led to his appearance being cancelled, much to the disappointment of the organizers and the audience.

Hasan Pikar and Cenk Uygur miss speaking engagements in UK after travel authorization revoked

Cenk Uygur was the first to share the situation online, saying he became aware of the problem while getting ready to board his flight. Soon after, Hassan also spoke on the matter and revealed that he was stopped from entering the country because his travel clearance had been cancelled.The British Home Office later issued a brief statement. It said the travel authorization of both men was canceled due to their presence in the country “May not be conducive to the public good.” No further explanation was given in the statement.Due to this decision, both Hassan and Cenk were unable to attend SXSW London and a scheduled event at the University of Oxford. These were important speaking events that usually attracted large crowds and famous speakers from around the world.Hasan Pikar is famous for having a large number of online followers and streamers, and Cenk Uygur is also a well-known figure in media circles. He had planned his visit to the UK ahead of time and many people were excited to hear him speak.This time the event will be held without him and it seems unlikely to be rescheduled in the near future. This situation has shocked many of his followers, as it was not expected.

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No immediate hearing in SC on PIL for computer-based NEET re-examination. india news

No immediate hearing in SC on PIL for computer-based NEET re-examination

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Monday declined to give an urgent hearing to a PIL seeking computer-based testing (CBT) for the June 21 re-examination of NEET-UG, which was held across the country on May 3 but was canceled after allegations of paper leak.A partial weekday bench of Justices PS Narasimha and Arvind Kumar told the petitioner, RJD MP Sudhakar Singh, that similar petitions had earlier been rejected by the Supreme Court and posted the matter for hearing in July, thus dismissing the urgent plea for computer-based NEET-UG re-examination.When the petitioner’s counsel said that the CBT would reduce the chances of question papers being leaked, the bench said that the authorities were already facing challenges in conducting the re-examination within the short time frame. The bench tagged this plea with the group of petitions that were filed after the question paper leak seeking reforms in the functioning of NTA and the manner and means of conducting the examination.Ahead of the summer vacation, a bench led by Justice Narasimha had expressed concern over the cancellation of NEET-UG and asked the Central government and the NTA to detail the steps taken to prevent recurrence of such incidents, which have hurt lakhs of students.While the investigation into the question paper leak was handed over to the CBI, the NTA in its affidavit had informed the court that NEET-UG will be conducted in CBT mode from the next exam cycle.“The change will be implemented from the next examination cycle in consultation with the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (client ministry for NEET-UG), bringing all major NTA examinations to the CBT platform,” the NTA said.The bench had said that unless those responsible for paper leaks of NEET-UG or similar examinations are held personally accountable, it would be difficult to stop such incidents.

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