No Pakistani player found a taker in the women’s auction for The Hundred held on Wednesday, March 11. Left-handed batsman Muniba Ali, right-arm fast bowler Diana Baig, left-arm spinner Sadia Iqbal and Pakistan captain Fatima Sana had registered for the auction with a base price of £15,000.

However, in the women’s T20I, only top-order bowlers Fatima Sana and Sadia Iqbal were shortlisted for the final auction phase. Despite making the shortlist, none of their names were called during the bidding process. As a result, all four Pakistani players remained unsold and missed out on contracts for the upcoming season of the 100-ball tournament.

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Earlier, reports suggested that the Hundred-owned IPL teams may avoid signing Pakistani players, sparking controversy and criticism, including from England captain Harry Brook. In response, the ECB and The Hundred franchise Clarified that nationality will not affect the selectionEmphasizing options will be based solely on performance, availability and team requirements.

Now eyes on the auction of 100 men

A number of Pakistani players are set to feature in the men’s auction for The Hundred to be held on Thursday, March 12. A total of 63 Pakistani cricketers had registered for the auction. But only 14 were shortlisted for the final bidding process.

Prominent names include the fast bowling trio of Haris Rauf, Shaheen Afridi, Naseem Shah and all-rounder Shadab Khan, Sayim Ayub, all of whom have listed themselves with a base price of £100,000.

Other players in contention include Abrar Ahmed, Mohammad Amir and Zaman Khan with a base price of £75,000. Imad Wasim and Usama Mir have set their base price at £50,000, while Akif Javed and Salman Mirza have registered with a base price of £31,000.

Many players from Pakistan have already been included in The Hundred in the auction list. Haris Rauf and Shaheen Afridi have both represented Welsh Fire last season, while Imad Wasim played for Trent Rockets.

Mohammad Amir previously turned out for MI London and Shadab Khan represented Birmingham Phoenix. Leg spinner Usama Mir also featured for Manchester Super Giants in the previous edition of the tournament.

Meanwhile, players like Naseem Shah, Saim Ayub, Abrar Ahmed, Akif Javed and Salman Mirza are yet to make their debut in the 100-ball competition.

– ends

ईरान, अमेरिका और इजराइल के बीच बढ़ते तनाव के बीच गाजियाबाद के एक परिवार के लिए बड़ी राहत की खबर सामने आई है। गाजियाबाद के मर्चेंट नेवी इंजीनियर केतन मेहता को 57 दिन बाद ईरान की जेल से रिहा कर दिया गया है। फिलहाल उन्हें भारतीय दूतावास की निगरानी में एक होटल में रखा गया है. उनकी तबीयत सामान्य होने के बाद उन्हें भारत वापस लाने की तैयारी की जा रही है. बेटे की रिहाई की खबर मिलते ही परिवार में खुशी और भावुकता का माहौल बन गया और अब हर कोई उसके सकुशल घर लौटने का इंतजार कर रहा है.

ईरान के कोस्ट गार्ड ने गिरफ्तार किया था
गाजियाबाद के डीएलएफ कॉलोनी में रहने वाले केतन मेहता दुबई की एक ऑयल कंपनी में थर्ड इंजीनियर के पद पर काम करते हैं। 6 फरवरी 2026 को उन्हें ईरान के बंदरगाह क्षेत्र में ईरानी तटरक्षक बल ने हिरासत में ले लिया। गिरफ़्तारी के बाद उन्हें तेहरान जेल में रखा गया। इस घटना की खबर मिलते ही परिवार बेहद चिंतित हो गया और उनकी रिहाई के लिए लगातार प्रयास किए जा रहे थे.

परिवार ने सरकार से मदद की गुहार लगाई
केतन के पिता मुकेश मेहता ने अपने बेटे की गिरफ्तारी की जानकारी मिलते ही भारत सरकार के विदेश मंत्रालय और प्रधानमंत्री कार्यालय से मदद की गुहार लगाई थी. परिवार की गुहार के बाद भारतीय दूतावास ने मामले में सक्रिय कार्रवाई करते हुए कानूनी प्रक्रिया के जरिए केतन की रिहाई के प्रयास शुरू कर दिए. बताया जाता है कि केतन मेहता जून 2025 में कंपनी में मरीन इंजीनियर के तौर पर शामिल हुए थे. अपने काम के दौरान उन्होंने तेल टैंकर से जुड़े काम के लिए ईरान और खाड़ी देशों के बीच यात्रा की.

अपने बेटे की आवाज सुनकर परिवार भावुक हो गया.
परिवार के मुताबिक, केतन से आखिरी बार 31 दिसंबर को फोन पर बात हुई थी. उस वक्त उसने बताया था कि वह तीन-चार दिन में दुबई लौटने वाला है. इसके बाद उनका फोन बंद हो गया और कई दिनों तक परिवार को उनकी कोई खबर नहीं मिली. बाद में 10 जनवरी को पता चला कि ईरान के तटरक्षक बल ने उसे हिरासत में ले लिया है. करीब दो महीने की चिंता और इंतजार के बाद मुकेश मेहता के फोन पर एक कॉल आई। दूसरी तरफ उनके बेटे केतन की आवाज थी. उसने कहा, “पापा, मुझे रिहा कर दिया गया है।” अपने बेटे की आवाज सुनकर परिवार की खुशी का ठिकाना नहीं रहा। फिलहाल केतन भारतीय दूतावास की निगरानी में हैं और जरूरी कागजी कार्रवाई पूरी होने के बाद जल्द ही उन्हें भारत लाया जाएगा।

AI image (Image credit: OpenAI via ChatGPT)

Arctic sea ice is on track to record one of its smallest winter peaks since satellite monitoring began four decades ago, according to data reviewed by news agency AFP, raising new concerns about climate change and its geopolitical impacts.Data from the National Snow and Ice Data Center show that Arctic sea ice extent reached approximately 14.22 million square kilometers on March 10. If the current trend continues to peak winter temperatures later this month, this level could be one of the five lowest ever recorded.Sea ice forms when ocean water freezes during the winter and melts during the summer. However, the total amount of snow returning each winter has been steadily declining due to human-driven global warming.

Record-low risk winter extremes

Seamus McAfee said the situation could still change slightly, but current data shows the Arctic is approaching historically low winter limits.“But so far, it looks like this could be a very significant limit, probably one of, if not the lowest on record,” McAfee was quoted as saying by AFP.Last year, Arctic sea ice reached its lowest winter maximum on March 22, covering 14.31 million square kilometers, according to the NSIDC. Previous lows were recorded in 2016, 2017 and 2018.Samantha Burgess said the 2026 level was likely to fall within the five lowest years on record.Meanwhile, polar oceanographer Giles Garrick said the current winter was already among the “top three” lowest levels ever recorded.

arctic warming much faster than the global average

Scientists say the shrinking ice cover reflects a broader warming trend in the Arctic.The past three years have been the hottest globally ever as greenhouse gas emissions continue to rise. The Arctic is warming much faster than the rest of the planet.“Given that the Arctic is warming 3-4 times faster than the global average rate, we are likely to see continued Arctic warming, continued multi-year ice loss,” Burgess told AFP.Experts have also warned that the return of El Nino later this year could further increase global temperatures.Lower sea ice levels in winter may also accelerate melting during summer months.

Threat to ecosystem and wildlife

Although melting sea ice does not directly lead to sea level rise, unlike the melting of glaciers or ice sheets, scientists warn that the loss of frozen sea cover threatens fragile polar ecosystems.Species such as polar bears and emperor penguins depend on sea ice for breeding, hunting and survival.Shy Wolf warned that shrinking ice cover could signal deeper climate threats.“The sirens are sounding that we are heading towards a hothouse planet causing massive destruction around the world,” Wolf told AFP.“But Arctic warming, driven by fossil fuels, puts us all at risk. We are closer than ever to an irreversible tipping point that will forever change the world we know.”Despite the Arctic reaching a record low, Antarctica saw improvement as its sea ice extent approached normal summer averages after four years of significant lows, according to an NSIDC report.

Melting ice is reshaping geopolitics

In addition to environmental risks, Arctic ice loss is also reshaping global geopolitics.As the ice retreats, new shipping lanes and access to untapped mineral and energy resources may emerge across the region.Elizabeth Chalecki said the melting Arctic could turn the region into a disputed maritime zone.“From a geopolitical perspective, the melting of sea ice caused by climate change is turning the Arctic into the new Mediterranean: a shared marine resource surrounded by competing states,” he told AFP.Russia is already expanding its economic and military presence along the Northern Sea Route, while the United States and Canada may need to increase their activity in the region.Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump has previously expressed interest in acquiring Greenland, arguing that the Arctic region holds strategic importance amid growing competition with Russia and China.Scientists have warned that while new economic opportunities may emerge from melting ice, the environmental consequences could be far more severe if global emissions are not sharply reduced.

उत्तर प्रदेश समाचार: उत्तर प्रदेश के कौशांबी जिले के सरायअकिल इलाके से एक बेहद दर्दनाक हादसा सामने आया है. यहां एक ऐसी घटना में एक मासूम बच्चे की जान चली गई, जिससे पूरा गांव सदमे में है। दो साल का मनु दौड़कर अपनी माँ के पास आया और उसके पैर से लिपट गया। इसी बीच मां के हाथ से खौलता हुआ दूध का बर्तन बच्चे के ऊपर गिर गया. गंभीर रूप से झुलसे बच्चे को अस्पताल ले जाया गया, लेकिन रास्ते में ही उसकी मौत हो गई. इस घटना के बाद परिवार और गांव में गहरे शोक का माहौल है.

उस्मानपुर बिगहरा गांव में हुआ दर्दनाक हादसा
यह हादसा सरायअकिल थाना क्षेत्र के उस्मानपुर बिगहरा गांव में हुआ. गांव निवासी मंगल प्रसाद मेहनत मजदूरी कर अपने परिवार का भरण-पोषण करता है। सोमवार रात वह अपने तीन बच्चों के साथ पड़ोस के गांव में एक निमंत्रण में गया था। घर पर उनकी पत्नी सावित्री देवी अपने दो साल के बेटे मनु के साथ थीं।

माँ के हाथ से खौलता हुआ दूध का बर्तन गिर गया
रात करीब नौ बजे सावित्री देवी चूल्हे पर दूध गर्म कर रही थी। दूध गर्म हो जाने पर वह बर्तन लेकर बाहर रखने चली गई। उसी समय नन्हा मनु दौड़ता हुआ उसके पास आया और उसके पैर पकड़कर गले से लगा लिया। अचानक हुए इस खिंचाव के कारण सावित्री अपना संतुलन खो बैठी और खौलते दूध से भरा बर्तन सीधे बच्चे के ऊपर गिर गया.

अस्पताल ले जाते समय सांसें थम गईं
उबलते दूध से जलते ही मनु जोर-जोर से चिल्लाने लगा और उसकी हालत बहुत गंभीर हो गई। बेटे की हालत देखकर मां की चीख निकल गई। शोर सुनकर आसपास के लोग मौके पर पहुंचे और बच्चे को तुरंत सरायअकिल सामुदायिक स्वास्थ्य केंद्र ले जाया गया। वहां डॉक्टरों ने उसकी हालत गंभीर देख जिला अस्पताल रेफर कर दिया। परिजन बच्चे को एंबुलेंस से जिला अस्पताल ले जा रहे थे, लेकिन रास्ते में ही बच्चे की सांसें थम गईं।

बिना पोस्टमार्टम कराए अंतिम संस्कार कर दिया गया
मंगलवार सुबह गमगीन माहौल में परिजनों ने बिना पोस्टमार्टम कराए ही बच्चे का अंतिम संस्कार कर दिया। थानाध्यक्ष वीर प्रताप सिंह ने बताया कि उन्हें अन्य माध्यमों से घटना की जानकारी मिली, लेकिन परिवार की ओर से कोई लिखित शिकायत नहीं दी गयी है. इस हादसे के बाद पूरे गांव में मातम छा गया है और मां सावित्री देवी का रो-रोकर बुरा हाल है.

US government public database that shows which companies are hiring H-1B visa The employee is offline, and important search tools and recent data are missing.The H-1B Employer Data Hub was run by the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) and was used to analyze companies participating in the visa program.The site previously allowed users to search for H-1B petitioners by fiscal year, employer name, location and industry classification code. It also features an interactive map showing the concentration of H-1B employers across the US. Those search functions are now disabled, and the map interface has disappeared. Additionally, downloadable datasets for fiscal years 2024, 2025, and 2026 are missing. The pages that once offered these files are now labeled “Archived Content”, although they also show a “Last Reviewed/Updated” date of 07/01/2025. It is unclear when the files were stored and whether it is linked to technical issues.

When will it be back online?

A USCIS spokesperson told The Dallas Express via email, “We are aware that our various USCIS employer data hubs are currently experiencing technical difficulties. Our team is actively working to resolve the issue. We apologize for any inconvenience and appreciate your patience as we work to restore normal service.”The H-1B Employer Data Hub was launched to improve public access to information about the H-1B program. In a 2019 announcement, USCIS said the hub would allow the public to “search for H-1B petitioners by fiscal year (prior to FY 2009), NAICS code, employer name, city, state, or ZIP code”, allowing users to calculate approval and denial rates and identify which employers were using the visa program.USCIS said at the time that the purpose of the hub was to expand transparency around employment-based visa programs. On Facebook in 2019, the agency posted, “We have launched an H-1B Employer Data Hub to give you information about employers who are petitioning for H-1B workers. The Data Hub is part of our ongoing effort to increase transparency in employment-based visa programs.The disappearance of the hub’s functionality follows a report by The Dallas Express that examined which companies across Texas employ the most H-1B workers. Those reports analyzed concentrations of H-1B workers in major cities and identified employers responsible for the largest number of visa petitions.The H-1B program allows US employers to temporarily hire high-skilled foreign workers for roles such as technology and defense. Most of the visa programs are used by Indians and Chinese.

IIt was the middle of May, the time when the extreme heat of summer dries up all sources of bounty. Then the Bhagwant Mann led Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government in Punjab launched the Land Pooling Policy (LPP), 2025. It was a wonderful idea: dividing 65,533 acres of land together for industrial and residential projects. However, in retrospect, one should have anticipated that, in a state where land is scarce and its symbolic and material value immense, the move would generate enough heat to upset the government. The inevitable reversal took only a few months.

प्रतापगढ़ में टैक्सी ड्राइवर आशिक अली की हत्या के मामले का पुलिस ने खुलासा कर दिया है. पुलिस ने इस मामले के मुख्य आरोपी सपा नेता सद्दाम हुसैन को चौखड़ा पुल के पास से गिरफ्तार कर लिया है. बताया जा रहा है कि आरोपी के खिलाफ पहले से ही हत्या और धोखाधड़ी समेत तीन मामले दर्ज हैं. पुलिस अधीक्षक दीपक भूकर ने बुधवार को पुलिस लाइन स्थित साईं कॉम्प्लेक्स में आयोजित प्रेस वार्ता में इस पूरे मामले की जानकारी दी.

चौखड़ा के जंगल में टैक्सी चालक का शव मिला।
एसपी के मुताबिक नगर कोतवाली क्षेत्र के अचलपुर निवासी आशिक अली का शव सोमवार देर रात चौखरा जंगल में गोली लगी हालत में मिला। इस घटना की जानकारी मृतक के भाई समीर व उसके चाचा को मोबाइल फोन पर दी गयी. सूचना पाकर समीर अपने पड़ोसियों के साथ मौके पर पहुंचा, जहां पुलिस पहले से मौजूद थी. इसके बाद पुलिस ने शव को कब्जे में लेकर जांच शुरू कर दी है.

पुलिस ने अज्ञात व्यक्ति के खिलाफ मामला दर्ज किया था
मामले की गंभीरता को देखते हुए पुलिस ने मृतक के भाई समीर की शिकायत पर अज्ञात लोगों के खिलाफ हत्या का मामला दर्ज किया था. घटना का शीघ्र खुलासा करने के लिए पुलिस अधीक्षक ने तीन अलग-अलग टीमों का गठन किया था। इन टीमों ने लगातार जांच और सबूत इकट्ठा करने का काम किया.

जमीन के पैसे के बहाने बुलाकर हत्या
जांच के दौरान पुलिस को पता चला कि आरोपी सद्दाम हुसैन ने घटना से पहले अपना मोबाइल फोन घर पर ही छोड़ दिया था, ताकि पुलिस उसकी लोकेशन ट्रेस न कर सके. पुलिस के मुताबिक, आरोपी ने जमीन की बकाया रकम देने के बहाने आशिक अली को अपने घर बुलाया था. इसके बाद उन्होंने आशिक अली को चौखड़ा गांव की ओर चलने को कहा. जब वे सुनसान इलाके में पहुंचे तो आरोपियों ने पीछे से आशिक अली के सिर में दो गोली मार दी, जिससे उनकी मौके पर ही मौत हो गई.

सबूत नष्ट करने का प्रयास और सहयोगी की भूमिका
हत्या के बाद आरोपियों ने मृतक का मोबाइल फोन जिरियामऊ पुल से सई नदी में फेंक दिया। हत्या में प्रयुक्त पिस्तौल को झाड़ियों में छिपाकर ईंटों से ढक दिया गया था। पुलिस के मुताबिक घटना के वक्त आरोपी का साथी संदीप गुप्ता निवासी बादशाहपुर (जौनपुर) मोटरसाइकिल से उसका पीछा कर रहा था। घटना के बाद दोनों आरोपी मौके से फरार हो गये.

पूछताछ में जुर्म कबूल कर लिया
पुलिस की पूछताछ में आरोपी ने अपना जुर्म कबूल कर लिया. पुलिस के मुताबिक, आरोपी ने पहले भी दो बार हत्या की कोशिश की थी, लेकिन वह सफल नहीं हो पाया था. फिलहाल पुलिस मामले में आगे की कानूनी कार्रवाई कर रही है और दूसरे आरोपी की तलाश भी जारी है.

A major controversy erupted after the federal administration refuted claims by Sunny Naqvi’s family members that he was detained for nearly 43 hours after arriving at the Chicago airport, although Naqvi is a US citizen. The Department of Homeland Security said the claims were completely false. Naqvi was sent for secondary inspection which delayed him by 90 minutes. And he was not detained or transferred to ICE for detention. After DHS’s claim, many social media users investigated Sunny Naqvi’s old cases and called him a lying fraud.

Ex-boyfriend accused of sexual harassment, assault

Citing old reports, he claimed that Naqvi was the same woman who was accused of intimidating and unlawfully restraining her in 2019. Her ex-boyfriend at the time complained that after their breakup, Naqvi had contacted her to remove a social media post on Reddit where the ex-boyfriend had posted something about a sexual harassment investigation involving Naqvi and a professor. Naqvi came to meet him along with another person and got the post deleted from his computer by showing him a knife.

Naqvi was later acquitted of intimidation as the court found many inconsistencies in what Naqvi said. This brings to light yet another case involving Naqvi, who has accused former University of Illinois professor Joseph Petrie of sexual harassment. Petrie claimed that his accuser had blackmailed him and he resigned.

Detained by ICE or not

Naqvi’s sister claimed that she was detained at O’Hare International Airport as she was returning from a trip along with five others. He was then transferred to an immigration facility in Broadview, Illinois, and then to the Dodge County Jail in Wisconsin. The family claimed this all happened between Thursday and Saturday and he was released from the Dodge County Jail on Saturday morning. She said her phone location showed up at an ICE facility, although federal authorities told family members she was not in custody. Cook County Commissioner Kevin Morrison defended the family’s side of the story and said authorities were lying because no due process was followed in detaining the American citizen. Dodge County Sheriff Dale Schmidt said that Naqvi’s family was lying because there was no record of Naqvi being taken into custody. Reed Showalter, a Democratic candidate for Congress from Illinois, said the administration was lying because he was with Naqvi’s family when he went missing. “I was on the ground for this entire thing. The scary thing is not just that this administration is disappearing people. But the entire time they were held in custody, the official story was that they had already been released. While Sunny was in Broadview IL, and her phone showed her location there, ICE claimed they never even saw any of the women. When he was released across the street from another ICE detention center in Juneau WI, they were claiming he was never detained. People don’t just show up to the ICE facility in Juneau WI, Showalter wrote.

New Delhi: Two Indian nationals have been killed and another missing in an attack on merchant ships carrying them amid the ongoing conflict in West Asia, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said on Wednesday. Several Indians have also suffered injuries in the Gulf region, the ministry said, adding that consular officials are coordinating medical aid and assistance.External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said at an inter-ministerial briefing on recent developments in West Asia that the government is actively monitoring the situation and providing assistance to the affected citizens.

He said, “There are reports of some casualties. We have two Indian nationals that we have lost, and one is missing. These three Indian nationals are dead or missing. This happened while they were on merchant ships that came under attack. Some Indians who were injured in the GCC region are being treated. Our Consulate is in touch with them.”He also confirmed that the Indian national who was reported injured in Dubai today is undergoing treatment and consular staff are in close contact.“Today, this morning, you may have seen reports that an Indian national has been injured in Dubai. This gentleman, our Consulate is in touch with him. He is also undergoing treatment in the hospital, and we are in regular touch with him to ensure his well-being and well-being.”Amid growing concerns over the safety of Indian nationals in the conflict-affected area, the Ministry of External Affairs has activated a dedicated control room to resolve queries and provide assistance.“At the Ministry of External Affairs, we have initiated a control which is working. We have been receiving a lot of phone calls regarding Indian nationals and their welfare and we are guiding the callers,” the spokesperson said.There is a large expatriate population in the Indian Gulf and the Middle East, many of whom work on merchant ships or in areas of regional instability.The Ministry of External Affairs said it would continue to coordinate with Indian missions in the region to ensure the safety and return of affected citizens, if necessary.