Ricky Ponting, Shreyas Iyer

Punjab Kings head coach ricky ponting Said the team is calm and focused ahead of their final league-stage match of IPL 2026 against Lucknow Super Giants at the Ekana Cricket Stadium on Saturday.With a playoff spot still at stake, PBKS are looking to move on from recent results and return to the form that helped them dominate the first half of the season.Speaking at the pre-match press conference on Friday, Ponting said that despite the pressure of the situation, the atmosphere in the dressing room remained positive.“There’s a really good, positive atmosphere around the group, it’s really comfortable. We have quite an experienced group of players, so they know how to prepare themselves for big games, and I think there’s no hiding the fact that it’s a now or never situation for us as a team in this tournament. So I’m really excited about tomorrow. “I’m excited about what this group is capable of and I think in the first seven games of the season we’ve all seen how well this team can play,” Ponting said.Ponting also warned that LSG could still be dangerous despite being out of the playoff race.He said, “I think teams can be very dangerous in situations like this. Going into Lucknow tomorrow, apart from personal pride and pride in the franchise’s performance, they really have nothing to lose. But we understand that, and I want my boys to play like that. I want us to be fearless and I want us to be courageous. I want us to keep playing the game and not worry about negative things happening.”The former Australia captain said close moments often decide T20 matches and stressed the need for players to focus on execution.“It’s really important that we focus on the positive things and what you can do as an individual player to make an impact on the game. In IPL, these games are decided by very good margins. You only need to be out with a few balls here and there, otherwise one of your batsmen may make a poor choice, or take a strange piece of fielding to change the pace. So we’re aware of that, but we just need to know that we have to play our best game tomorrow.”Ponting also praised fast bowler Arshdeep Singh and captain Shreyas Iyer for their contributions during the season.“In the last few games, we have probably seen Arshdeep at his best. The IPL is becoming a very high-scoring competition, and I am extremely happy and proud of the way he has gone about his cricket. He leaves no stone unturned as far as his preparation is concerned. Along with him, Shreyas’s leadership in the group has been exceptional. He is now a very mature leader who understands how to get the best out of his players. Whenever he speaks, every one of our players looks up and listens,” Ponting concluded.Punjab Kings will take on Lucknow Super Giants in Lucknow on Saturday.

Former New Zealand opener Martin Guptill has described the IPL as the original T20 league of the world and claimed that the tournament has directly played a role in India’s consecutive T20 World Cup wins. India became the first team to defend their T20 World Cup title on home soil after defeating New Zealand in the final in March.

If anyone watches the Indian teamStarting from Suryakumar Yadav, Abhishek Sharma, to Jasprit Bumrah and Arshdeep Singh, everyone has been found IPL. Guptill pointed out this fact in an exclusive conversation with Sports Today and said that the tournament has taught Indian players how to reach the top during big events.

“I think the IPL definitely has something to play for. I mean, you look at guys like Abhishek Sharma, Suryakumar Yadav, these guys, obviously, Bumrah also started in the IPL, and without the IPL, these guys, India wouldn’t have had their shot, right?”

“So, you know, it has brought some very exciting players into the game. It has put India on the cusp at the right time for the last two World Cups.”

“Consistent tournaments throughout the year, and then they have played consistently well as a team over the last few years as well, and they peaked at the right time, they made the right decisions in the middle,” Guptill said.

IPL is the OG T20 league

IPL came into existence in 2008 and we have seen many T20 leagues in other countries including Pakistan, Australia and South Africa. They all follow the IPL when it comes to the auction style or even the tournament structure.

Guptill said that IPL has given other leagues an opportunity to move forward

I think it’s real, right? This is the first T20 league of its kind that was created. Now many of its leagues have developed. It is absolutely huge. “Now it’s a billion-dollar entity and it’s huge.”

“I mean, it’s taken over the world and I mean a billion people in India, they’ll always be behind the Indian Premier League and it’s very hard to compete with that. They have the population, they have all the money for broadcasting, they have everything there.”

Guptill said that he hopes that IPL will remain the number 1 T20 league for the next 20 years.

“So I think it, um, it has been able to grow since 2008. That’s almost 20 years, right? And look, it’s probably going to be at the forefront for the next 20 years as well. I think it’s going to be very difficult to compete with the IPL to move forward as the number one,” Guptill said.

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USCIS has lifted a new green card rule that tells people waiting for a green card to leave the country and go back to their home countries.

New memo from USCIS that every immigrant must leave the US while they wait green card A massive uproar ensued as experts figured out what the new rules meant and what visa holders should do. The agency said a visa holder who is temporarily in the US and wants a green card must return to their home country to apply. The logic is this: a visa holder comes to the US temporarily, and the green card is for permanent residents, and so there is a conflict of intentions, and so people on the visa should not be allowed to stay in the US while waiting for a green card.

Top scientists will stop working and leave the country, Russian founder asks

Russian-born VC and founder Nick Davydov condemned the move and asked if it meant that every foreign-born scientist would have to close down their work and leave the country and wait for green cards in their native countries. “So everyone on an O1 or H1B visa has to stop working legally in the US, go back to their home country and wait for years of backlog? This includes top scientists from our universities, founders of billion-dollar companies. And this becomes even higher if we look at individual countries. Indians will have to wait for decades. The Russians have nowhere to go (there is no US embassy in Russia, hello?). “This is the worst imaginable way to disrupt important functions for the country and pretend that you are fighting some loophole,” Davydov said.Immigration expert James Blunt said that under this new policy, Melania Trump could also be asked to return to her country and wait for her green card. Blunt said, “USCIS is supposed to be the plumber maintaining the pipes of our immigration system. Instead, these guys are taking a hammer to the entire water line.”

Are H-1Bs exempt from the rule?

No, H-1Bs are not exempt from the new rule. The H-1B visa is considered a dual-intent nonimmigrant visa. The dual-intent part means that it is a temporary visa but a person with an H-1B visa may intend to immigrate permanently. But this does not exempt H-1B visa holders from the ‘go back to your country’ rule. USCIS noted in its memorandum that the adjustment of status is “extraordinary relief” and that “maintaining valid status in the dual intent category is not, in itself, sufficient to guarantee a favorable exercise of discretion.”“Immigration lawyers said the rule will almost certainly be legally challenged because there is some ambiguity in the memo and it is not what Congress wanted when they started the H-1B visa program.Immigration lawyer Cyrus Mehta said USCIS is creating new rules to deny non-citizens from getting green cards. Mehta said, “Although adjustment of status under INA 245 is discretionary, it has never been interpreted as an extraordinary form of relief and USCIS is inventing a new standard to deny non-citizens from obtaining green cards in the US.”Adjustment of status is the process of applying for a green card from inside the US rather than leaving the country for a visa interview.

Do you always carry your water bottle everywhere and keep drinking from it throughout the day so that you don’t have dehydration problems, but despite all your efforts, you feel dehydrated? With the heat wave increasing, staying hydrated has become the most important thing, as dehydration can often increase lethargy, cause extreme headaches and lead to heat stroke. The truth is that hydration isn’t just about the amount of water you shove down your throat; It’s about how effectively your body retains and uses that fluid. If your electrolyte levels are unbalanced or you are losing water faster than you can absorb it, you may also experience cellular dehydration. Here are five subtle signs that your body is demanding proper hydration, even if you think you’re drinking enough.persistent bad breathWhen you don’t have enough water in your body, your saliva glands don’t produce as much saliva. Saliva is like a shield for your mouth. It contains things that kill bacteria. It also washes away the bits of food stuck in your teeth.. This prevents the bad germs from growing too much. Bad bacteria grow really fast if you don’t have saliva. Due to this, your breath smells bad all the time. You can try freshening up with mint or brushing your teeth vigorously. Looks like this won’t get rid of your bad breath. Bad breath keeps coming because bacteria keep growing in your mouth. Persistent bad breath is a problem when you don’t have enough saliva to fight bad bacteria in your mouth.

frequent sugar cravingsIf you suddenly find yourself dreaming about donuts or candy, it may not be hunger at all. When you’re dehydrated, your organs—especially your liver—struggle to release stored glycogen and other energy components into your bloodstream. Your body misinterprets this sudden drop in available energy as a need for a quick fuel fix, leading to intense cravings for sweets and carbohydrates.Muscle cramps can be really painfulDrinking lots of water is usually one thing but sometimes it can cause problems. If you drink too much plain water it can destroy important minerals needed by your body. When you don’t have minerals like sodium, potassium and magnesium, your muscles can become stiff. Your muscles need these minerals to function properly. They can become tight when they don’t have enough. hurt a lot. This can happen even if you just sit and do nothing. You may feel muscle cramps in your calves and feet. They can be really painful. There may be a problem of muscle cramps and drinking too much water can cause muscle cramps.Brain fog and irritabilityYour brain is made up of approximately 75% water, which means that even a small drop in your optimal fluid balance can affect your cognitive function. If you feel inexplicably irritable, can’t concentrate on your tasks, or have a light-headed headache, your brain cells are shrinking due to lack of cellular hydration. If your body really needs electrolytes to absorb it, drinking more plain water may not help.dry, loose skinYou may be drinking water by the gallon, but if your skin feels tight, flaky, or lacks its normal suppleness, the moisture isn’t reaching the surface. A quick way to check is the pinch test: gently pinch the skin on the back of your hand. If it takes a few seconds to return to its normal, flat position rather than immediately, your tissues are lacking the deep hydration they need.

Senegal’s government has defended its strict anti-LGBTQ law amid growing criticism from international rights groups and activists, with Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko accusing Western countries of trying to “impose” foreign social values ​​on the country.Addressing lawmakers on Friday, Sonko condemned what he described as Western pressure on Senegal over homosexuality. “There is a kind of oppression there. There are probably eight billion human beings in the world. Eighty percent or more do not want (homosexuality),” he told parliament.Sonko said, “No Arab country will criticize us, nor any African country, but there is a center called the West… which wants to impose it (homosexuality) on the rest of the world.” “Because they have the means (and) control the media, (they) want to impose their order. The sovereign Senegalese people do not want these practices in Senegal.”The prime minister said Senegal had faced criticism abroad, especially from France, after the law was approved. “If they have chosen these practices, that’s their problem, but we have no lessons to learn from them, none at all,” he said.The comments come weeks after President Bassirou Diomaye Faye imposed a controversial new law that significantly increases penalties for gay relationships in the Muslim-majority West African nation. The law, passed by parliament by an overwhelming majority in March, has already led to dozens of arrests and sparked fierce debate inside Senegal and abroad.The amended law increases the prison sentence for those described as “acts against nature” – a term used to refer to same-sex relationships – to five to 10 years in prison from the previous one to five years’ prison sentence. It also provides for a prison sentence of three to seven years for anyone found guilty of promoting or financing homosexual relations.This law has created concern at the international level. UN rights chief Volker Turk described the law as “deeply worrying” and said it “goes against sacred human rights”. Earlier this month, a group of about 30 African-American figures writing in the French newspaper Liberation warned of a growing “climate of fear, hatred and violence” in Senegal since the law was passed.

To expand space infrastructure in the country amid increasing global competition in the sector, the Department of Space has approved the setting up of Common Technical Facilities (CTF) in Gujarat. Tamil Nadu. These facilities will be equipped with high-end testing, validation and integration infrastructure. The Gujarat and Tamil Nadu governments have identified land parcels to set up plug-and-play manufacturing clusters specifically for space activities. CTFs will be set up within these manufacturing clusters.Pawan Kumar Goenka, chairman of space regulator and promoter IN-SPACe, said, “Realizing space systems requires capital intensive facilities. The establishment of CTFs equipped with capital intensive systems is an important step in creating a strong, industry-led space ecosystem in India. Private space industries including startups, MSMEs and large industries will be able to access these facilities without investing and operating similar facilities at their premises. Backed by investment commitments and participation from private sector players, both groups have already garnered strong industry interest.About 10 states have expressed interest in setting up similar space manufacturing clusters, reflecting strong nationwide momentum toward building a distributed space industrial base.IN-SPACe will play a key role in procurement, installation and commissioning of technical infrastructure, operation of the facilities for a stipulated period and subsequent transfer of ownership to the state governments. The agency is also supporting states in the conceptualization and development of dedicated space manufacturing clusters.The Gujarat government has identified a land parcel near Ahmedabad to develop a space manufacturing cluster. The cluster will focus on “spacecraft, payload systems, and space-based applications”, supporting end-to-end development and testing of spacecraft components and payloads. In line with this theme, the advanced, capital-intensive infrastructure required for the realization of spacecraft systems will be created at the Common Technical Facility in Khoraz.Gujarat Chief Secretary Manoj Kumar Das said: “Gujarat has consistently pioneered new industrial frontiers for the country, and the Space Manufacturing Park in Khoraj is another such forward-looking initiative.”The Government of Tamil Nadu has proposed to set up a space vehicle cluster at Thoothukudi with a focus on “manufacturing, testing and integration of launch vehicle systems”. Strategically located near the upcoming Small Vehicle Launch Complex (SLC) The Kulasekharapatnam, Cluster is positioned to support the growing demand for small launch vehicles.The facility will meet critical manufacturing and integration requirements, including structural testing, propulsion verification and full-system integration. The planned infrastructure includes vibration, shock, pressure and flow testing systems, thermal vacuum testing and specialized assembly units. Tamil Nadu Chief Secretary M Sai Kumar said: “We are glad that the Department of Space has sanctioned Rs 100 crore to set up the Space Vehicle Common Test Facility Center (SV CTFC) at Thoothukudi. The state government, through TIDCO, will provide the required land and buildings for this facility. The SV CTFC will be a vital asset to fulfill our vision of making Tamil Nadu a space industry manufacturing hub. We look forward to IN-SPACe to make this facility functional as soon as possible.” Will work together.“

Rishabh Pant (Image Credit: BCCI/IPL)

New Delhi: At a time when Rishabh Pant The former Indian wicketkeeper and chief selector is going through the toughest phase of his career. Kiran More Has thrown his weight firmly behind the struggling star, insisting that Pant has the courage, character and resilience to script another comeback.Pant’s difficult IPL 2026 campaign has further increased the scrutiny around him. The wicketkeeper-batsman has struggled for runs while his team, Lucknow Super Giants, has endured a forgettable season. The conflict has also spilled over to the international level, with Pant being replaced by KL Rahul as India’s Test vice-captain and losing his place as second-choice ODI wicketkeeper to Ishan Kishan for the upcoming series against Afghanistan.Pant has been able to score only 286 runs in 13 matches in IPL 2026, while under his captaincy, Lucknow Super Giants are at the bottom of the points table. He also faced criticism for using the F-word live on television after LSG’s defeat to Rajasthan Royals in Jaipur.“No, nothing like that, I am not disappointed at all. Pant is in the team, and I am very happy. He is a fighter, a player with great courage, he has a big heart and has done exceptionally well by single-handedly winning (Test) matches. I have worked with him very closely and I know him very well.”“Every cricketer goes through such a phase; you go through such a time. So I think there will definitely be a great comeback, and a strong comeback. When his life was saved and he returned to the team, he did very well, so this (current phase) is nothing compared to that,” More told IANS on Thursday.More also praised Vaibhav Suryavanshi, who has scored 579 runs in 13 matches for Rajasthan Royals and currently tops the run-scoring charts with an astonishing strike rate of 236.32.“No, look, he is a special player, and God has created and sent him, so I think it is a great thing that he sent him to India. You will keep seeing him, because he will score a lot of runs in the future.“Even if he doesn’t, he is still a special player for me. But, just let him play cricket freely and don’t put too much pressure on him because he is performing so well at such a young age, I think it’s all part of the ‘wow factor’, and I want him to play Test matches, ODIs and T20s whenever he makes his debut for India.”More also talked about the launch of the Beyond Reach Premier League, a tournament for tennis-ball cricketers. Recently, trials for the league were held in Ghaziabad under his supervision.“It’s a special league, and we wanted to do something different. It was our first tryout, and a lot of guys came out for it, and we got to see some very interesting talent.”

Polish author Olga Tokarczuk, who won the 2018 Nobel Prize in Literature, has found herself at the center of a debate on artificial intelligence after comments she made at Impact’26 in Poznań were widely interpreted as an admission that she uses AI in her writing process. During the conversation, he described AI as a tool that can broaden creative thinking and help develop ideas. He also warned that the technology could produce factual errors. What started as a discussion about creativity and technology soon turned into a heated debate about the future of literature and the role of AI in artistic works. Tokarczuk later issued a clarification, saying that her upcoming novel was not written with AI and that she primarily uses the technology for brainstorming, developing ideas, preliminary research, and fact-checking.

What did Tokarczuk say about the use of AI?

According to Notes from Poland, Tokarczuk said he had purchased “the highest, most advanced version” of a language model and was often “deeply shocked” to see how much it expanded his thinking. She joked that she would sometimes throw ideas at the machine and ask, “Darling, how can we make this grow beautifully?”At the same event, he said that AI could help create a “symbiotic future” for writers and become an “asset of incredible proportions” in literary fiction.He also said that while writing his latest novel in Polish this autumn, he asked models what songs his characters might have danced to decades ago. Tokarczuk said that one suggestion included a wrong name, causing him to warn that users “need to be careful of hallucinations”.

Why did the reaction to the comments start?

The reaction was intensified by Tokarczuk’s status as one of Poland’s most acclaimed literary figures. As a Nobel laureate, his comments were far more significant than a casual interview. Notes from Poland reported that the comments were criticized by online commentators and some Polish writers.One of the strongest reactions came from another speaker at IMPACT’26, novelist Szczepan Twardok. In a Facebook post, he said he would have to “lose his mind” to use language models for literature. He compared entering into a relationship with a language model to “being married to a vibrator”.

Tokarczuk’s explanation

Following the backlash, Tokarczuk released a statement through his publisher and Lit Hub, saying that his comments were “misinterpreted”. She clearly said that she has not written her upcoming book using AI or with anyone else and that she has been writing alone for decades.She said she uses AI “as a tool that allows for faster documentation and fact-checking” and said she verifies information every time she uses it. Tokarczuk also stressed that none of his texts, including the novel coming out later this year, were written with AI other than “rapid preliminary research.”That clarification shifted the debate away from claims of AI-written fiction toward a broader question: How much help should writers seek from generative AI tools?

a broader literary debate

This controversy reflects a larger debate in the publishing world. Some authors see AI as a research aid and brainstorming tool. Others also see limited use as a threat to authorship and artistic integrity.Tokarczuk’s comments touched a nerve as he presented AI as useful for creativity, while preserving traditional literature as a deeply human craft. During the same remarks, she said that she felt sadness for the fading era of solitary writing and believed that chatbots could not match a true literary voice.At the same time, writer Zymovit Szerek defended Tokarczuk and criticized the “moral outrage” surrounding his comments. He argued that people should be free to experiment with AI if they want.The Tokarczuk episode shows how quickly nuance can disappear once AI enters a conversation.

Trump was also accompanied by US VP Vance and Marco Rubio.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio will arrive in India on Saturday for his first official visit to the country, bringing with him a packed agenda focusing on energy cooperation, trade, strategic security. The four-day visit, scheduled from May 23 to May 26, comes at a delicate moment in India-US relations, marked by growing economic engagement as well as friction over tariffs and Washington’s increasingly transactional foreign policy under US President Donald Trump.Also read: In an unusual move, Rubio asks Venezuelan leader to visit IndiaRubio’s trip will take him to Kolkata, Agra, Jaipur and New Delhi, where he is expected to hold talks with External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and attend the Quad Foreign Ministers’ meeting with representatives of Japan and Australia. The visit is being seen as a major effort by Washington to strengthen its partnership with New Delhi at a time when India has expanded ties with several global powers, including the European Union and Gulf countries.Ahead of the visit, Rubio repeatedly described India as a “great ally” and “great partner”, while making it clear that energy and trade would dominate the discussion. “We want to sell them as much energy as they will buy,” Rubio said, speaking to reporters in Miami before departing for Sweden and India. “We want to be a bigger part of their portfolio.”

Energy and trade are expected to dominate the talks

Washington has pushed to deepen energy ties with India amid instability in West Asia and global concerns over supply disruptions and rising prices following the closure of the Strait of Hormuz. Rubio suggested that the US views India not only as a strategic partner but also as one of the world’s most important energy markets.“We were already in talks with them to do more,” Rubio said. He said Washington also sees “opportunities with Venezuelan oil.” He said Venezuela’s interim leadership is also expected to visit India next week, which will prompt broader talks around alternative energy routes and supply chains.Also read: Rubio calls India ‘great partner’ ahead of important visit, stresses strong energy tiesThe emphasis on energy reflects larger economic ties that both sides are now attempting to expand. At the American Chamber of Commerce’s annual leadership summit, US Ambassador to India Sergio Gore described bilateral relations as standing at a “remarkable moment”.Gore pointed to the dramatic increase in trade in goods and services between the two countries from about $20 billion to more than $220 billion over the past two decades. He said both the countries are now working towards the ambitious target of $500 billion in bilateral trade by 2030.“Indian companies are expanding in the United States, especially in pharmaceuticals, manufacturing and technology, while American companies are increasing their presence in India,” Gore said.He also highlighted the growing presence of US corporate giants in India and said top executives from companies including Uber, Walmart, Boeing, Lockheed Martin and GE Aerospace are regularly visiting India due to increased investment interest.

Quad, Indo-Pacific and strategic balance

Rubio’s visit will also include a major diplomatic component through the Quad foreign ministers’ meeting on May 26. The grouping, comprising India, the United States, Japan and Australia, has increasingly become the centerpiece of Washington’s Indo-Pacific strategy, which aims to counter China’s growing influence in the region and comes on the backdrop of Trump’s visit to Beijing.Rubio underlined the importance Washington attaches to the Quad and said his first meeting as Secretary of State was with Quad ministers. “I am happy that we are now able to do it in India and we are going to do it at the end of the year as well,” he said.However, for New Delhi, strategic cooperation with Washington now exists with growing caution about the US’s credibility as a partner. Relations between the two countries have become quite complicated during Trump’s second term. Trump has repeatedly taken credit for ending tensions between India and Pakistan following the Pahalgam terror attack and India’s subsequent military response.India has strongly rejected any suggestion of US mediation.

Symbolism and messages around the journey

Rubio’s arrival also comes amid US public diplomacy efforts in India. In New Delhi, dozens of auto-rickshaws have been fitted with Trump-themed covers bearing images of the US president, the American flag and the Statue of Liberty to mark America’s upcoming 250th independence celebration and Rubio’s visit.

The US Embassy said thousands of such covers were being distributed across the capital, although the campaign was drawing mixed reactions online.Rubio’s stay in Kolkata is also historically important. This will be the first visit by a US Secretary of State to the city in nearly fourteen years, following Hillary Clinton’s visit in 2012. The city houses the second oldest US Consulate in the world, which was established in the late eighteenth century.