NEW DELHI: Virat Kohli’s India have Sri Lanka in the firing line again as they seek a record equaling ninth straight series win when the third Test starts Saturday.
Already leading 1-0 in the three-match challenge, victory in the New Delhi Test would cap a dominant year and equal Australia’s record of nine successive series victories from 2005 to 2008.
As they build up the strength of their pace attack, India could break the record in South Africa where they arrive in January.
It was a 2015 tour of Sri Lanka that started India’s victory march that moved to eight series when they whitewashed the Sri Lankans on home territory in August.
India crushed Sri Lanka by an innings and 239 runs in the second Test in Nagpur on Monday.
They have laid out fast-paced pitches to prepare for their next tour.
Kohli said his team needs to be ready for a tougher challenge in South Africa. “That’s why we asked for pitches with help for the fast bowlers.
“There’s not enough time in between to prepare so we have to use the time we have now for a big tour coming up.”
India’s pace power has grown with the successful return of Ishant Sharma, who took five wickets in the second Test that was otherwise dominated by India’s spinners.
The 1.95-meter Sharma replaced Bhuvneshwar Kumar who in turn destroyed the Sri Lankan batting in the opening Test on a green Eden Gardens pitch in Kolkata.
Umesh Sharma seems the only weak link in the pace attack and Mohammed Shami, who sat out the second Test match, is expected to make his way back into the team.
“I think they (fast bowlers) have evolved immensely,” said Rohit Sharma, who will lead India in the three one-day matches against Sri Lanka when Kohli is rested.
“They have come of age,” added the senior batsman.
Sri Lanka came to India dreaming of a first ever Test win on Indian territory. Instead the tour has turned into a major reality check — Nagpur was Sri Lanka’s biggest Test defeat.
Their batting has floundered against the Indian spinners led by Ravichandran Ashwin who bagged eight wickets in the last Test.
On what should have been a good wicket for runs, senior batsman Angelo Mathews fell to the guile of left-arm spinner Ravindra Jadeja in each innings.
Coach Nic Pothas has warned that the bad results will lead to “repercussions” for the team, and the visitors are struggling to keep up their spirits.
“We need to score more runs in the first innings and that’s what we need to do in Delhi,” skipper Dinesh Chandimal said.
“Angelo is the one who is the most senior guys in the line-up. And if he is not scoring, our team goes down.
“As senior players you need to stand up and perform so the youngsters can follow. I’m sure he will stand up and make it count again,” he said.
Changes are expected for the Delhi Test, especially after veteran spinner Rangana Herath was ruled out with a back injury. Leg-spinner Jeffrey Vandersay or left-arm wrist spinner Lakshan Sandakan will take Herath’s place.
Kohli’s India look to cricket record books in Sri Lanka Test
Kohli’s India look to cricket record books in Sri Lanka Test
Macron and Starmer discuss Ukraine, Middle East at UK meeting
Starmer welcomed the French head of state to his Chequers country residence northwest of London, and the two leaders “underscored the need for unity in uncertain times,” according to a readout from Downing Street.
On Ukraine, Macron and Starmer reaffirmed their commitment to work together to support the country for “as long as necessary,” according to a statement from Macron’s office.
They also stressed “the importance of continuing to supply the equipment needed to defend Ukrainian territory” and of guaranteeing financial support for Kyiv beyond 2025.
European powers are preparing for the return to office on January 20 of US President-elect Donald Trump, who has said he will end the Ukraine conflict.
Ukraine and its allies are concerned that a settlement could be imposed on terms favorable to Russia, which invaded Ukraine in 2022.
Macron had previously said the two sides had “a lot of convergence” on pressing issues including Ukraine and the Middle East.
On the Middle East, Macron and Starmer “agreed on the importance of stability and security in the region, as well as the need to avoid regional escalation,” according to Downing Street.
The two leaders also discussed bilateral relations, including a UK-France bilateral summit slated for this year, which will aim to deepen cooperation on defense, energy, artificial intelligence and illegal migration.
Recent months have seen tens of thousands of migrants make the sometimes-deadly sea crossing from France to England.
US Supreme Court rejects Trump’s bid to delay sentencing in his New York hush money case
- he court’s 5-4 order clears the way for Judge Juan M. Merchan to impose a sentence Friday on Trump, who was convicted in what prosecutors called an attempt to cover up a $130,000 hush money payment to porn actor Stormy Daniels
- The president-elect was convicted in what prosecutors called an attempt to cover up a $130,000 hush money payment to porn actor Stormy Daniels
WASHINGTON: A sharply divided Supreme Court on Thursday rejected President-elect Donald Trump’s final bid to put his New York hush-money case on hold, clearing the way for him to be sentenced for felony crimes days before he returns to the presidency.
The court’s 5-4 order clears the way for Judge Juan M. Merchan to impose a sentence Friday on Trump, who was convicted in what prosecutors called an attempt to cover up a $130,000 hush money payment to porn actor Stormy Daniels. Trump has denied any liaison with Daniels or any wrongdoing.
Chief Justice John Roberts and Justice Amy Coney Barrett joined with the court’s three liberals in rejecting his emergency motion.
The majority found his sentencing wouldn’t be an insurmountable burden during the presidential transition since Merchan has indicated he won’t give Trump jail time, fines or probation.
Trump’s attorneys had asked the sentencing be delayed as he appeals the verdict, but the majority of justices found his arguments can be handled as part of the regular appeals process.
Justices Clarence Thomas, Samuel Alito, Neil Gorsuch and Brett Kavanaugh would have delayed the sentencing, the order states.
Trump said he respects the court’s order and plans to push his appeal of a verdict. “I respect the court’s opinion — I think it was actually a very good opinion for us because you saw what they said, but they invited the appeal and the appeal is on the bigger issue. So, we’ll see how it works out,” he said.
The conservative-majority court has handed Trump other major victories over the past year, ensuring that states could not kick him off the ballot because of the 2021 attack on the Capitol and giving him immunity from prosecution over some acts he took as president in a ruling that delayed an election-interference case against him.
The justices could also be faced with weighing other parts of the sweeping conservative changes he’s promised after he takes office.
In the New York case, Trump’s attorneys have argued that evidence used in the Manhattan trial violated last summer’s Supreme Court ruling giving Trump broad immunity from prosecution over acts he took as president.
At the least, they have said, the sentencing should be delayed while their appeals play out to avoid distracting Trump during the White House transition.
Prosecutors pushed back, saying there’s no reason for the court to take the “extraordinary step” of intervening in a state case now. Trump’s attorneys haven’t shown that an hourlong virtual hearing would be a serious disruption, and a pause would likely mean pushing the case past the Jan. 20 inauguration, creating a yearslong delay in sentencing if it happens at all.
Trump’s attorneys went to the justices after New York courts refused to postpone sentencing, including the state’s highest court on Thursday.
Judges in New York have found that the convictions on 34 felony counts of falsifying business records related to personal matters rather than Trump’s official acts as president. Daniels says she had a sexual encounter with Trump in 2006. He denies it.
Trump’s attorneys called the case politically motivated, and they said sentencing him now would be a “grave injustice” that threatens to disrupt the presidential transition as the Republican prepares to return to the White House.
Trump is represented by D. John Sauer, his pick to be the solicitor general, who represents the government before the high court.
Sauer also argued for Trump in the separate criminal case charging him with trying to overturn the results of the 2020 election, which resulted in the Supreme Court’s immunity opinion.
Defense attorneys cited that opinion in arguing some of the evidence used against him in the hush money trial should have been shielded by presidential immunity. That includes testimony from some White House aides and social media posts made while he was in office.
The decision comes a day after Justice Alito confirmed that he took a phone call from Trump the day before the president-elect’s lawyers filed their emergency motion before the high court. The justice said the call was about a clerk, not any upcoming or current cases, but the unusual communication prompted calls for Alito to recuse himself, including from the top Democrat on the House Judiciary Committee.
Film Review: ‘Confess, Fletch’
- In this story, Fletch, a former investigative journalist and current freelancer, is hired by a billionaire Italian count to investigate the whereabouts of his valuable art collection, which suddenly goes missing
Jon Hamm, renowned for his role in “Mad Men, steps into the elegant shoes of Irwin Maurice “Fletch” Fletcher in “Confess, Fletch,” a 2022 film that modernizes the classic 1980s character — which is based on a novel from the 1970s — originally portrayed twice by the beloved Chevy Chase.
In this story, Fletch, a former investigative journalist and current freelancer, is hired by a billionaire Italian count to investigate the whereabouts of his valuable art collection, which suddenly goes missing.
In true Italian fashion, Fletch falls in love with his boss’ daughter, Angela, while in Rome, and things get even more complicated when her father, the count who hired Fletch, goes missing.
The plot thickens further when Fletch finds the dead body of a mysterious woman at the luxury townhouse he is renting in Boston — a place Angela found for him. Fletch becomes the prime suspect in that murder investigation while simultaneously trying to recover the stolen paintings and salvage his now-strained relationship with the secretive and passionate Angela.
The film offers several laugh-out-loud moments, particularly thanks to Fletch’s dry wit and the quirky characters he encounters. Some of the dialogue is cringey and goofy but presented in such an endearing way that you don’t even mind it.
Directed by Greg Mottola, this version of “Fletch” dials down the slapstick humor of the Chase versions in favor of dry wit and sharp dialogue. Hamm brings a suave, albeit slightly arrogant energy to the role, skillfully balancing irreverence with understated charisma.
Respected actress Marcia Gay Harden plays the count’s wife, Angela’s stepmother. Sadly, her stellar performance is overshadowed by her misstep in terrible accent work, which distracts from an otherwise competent portrayal of a key character in the film. Despite this, the other supporting performances in general remain strong, including the sergeant inspector — who often has his baby on his hip — and the junior detective who is trying, and sometimes failing, to prove herself.
Fletch also encounters a strange neighbor, a woman with an eccentric dog, whose odd behavior and mysterious presence add another layer of intrigue to the film. Meanwhile, Fletch’s rental house — where the dead body was found — showcases its own oddities, with the owner sneaking into the property unannounced and beating up Fletch — further fueling Fletch’s suspicion, and ours, about the situation.
Ultimately, “Confess, Fletch” offers a fresh and charming take on a beloved character. While its tone and pacing are more relaxed than its predecessors, it offers an enjoyable viewing experience for those who appreciate subtle humor and character-driven comedy.
Lancet study estimates Gaza death toll 40 percent higher than recorded
PARIS: Research published in The Lancet medical journal on Friday estimates that the death toll in Gaza during the first nine months of the Israel-Hamas war was around 40 percent higher than recorded by the Palestinian territory’s health ministry.
The number of dead in Gaza has become a matter of bitter debate since Israel launched its military campaign against Hamas in response to the Palestinian militant group’s unprecedented October 7, 2023 attack.
Up to June 30 last year, the health ministry in Hamas-run Gaza reported a death toll of 37,877 in the war.
However the new peer-reviewed study used data from the ministry, an online survey and social media obituaries to estimate that there were between 55,298 and 78,525 deaths from traumatic injuries in Gaza by that time.
The study’s best death toll estimate was 64,260, which would mean the health ministry had under-reported the number of deaths to that point by 41 percent.
That toll represented 2.9 percent of Gaza’s pre-war population, “or approximately one in 35 inhabitants,” the study said.
The UK-led group of researchers estimated that 59 percent of the deaths were women, children and the elderly.
The toll was only for deaths from traumatic injuries, so did not include deaths from a lack of health care or food, or the thousands of missing believed to be buried under rubble.
AFP is unable to independently verify the death toll.
On Thursday, Gaza’s health ministry said that 46,006 people had died over the full 15 months of war.
In Israel, the 2023 attack by Hamas resulted in the deaths of 1,208 people, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally based on official Israeli figures.
Israel has repeatedly questioned the credibility of the Gaza health ministry’s figures, but the United Nations have said they are reliable.
The researchers used a statistical method called “capture-recapture” that has previously been used to estimate the death toll in conflicts around the world.
The analysis used data from three different lists, the first provided by the Gaza health ministry of the bodies identified in hospitals or morgues.
The second list was from an online survey launched by the health ministry in which Palestinians reported the deaths of relatives.
The third was sourced from obituaries posted on social media platforms such as X, Instagram, Facebook and Whatsapp, when the identity of the deceased could be verified.
“We only kept in the analysis those who were confirmed dead by their relatives or confirmed dead by the morgues and the hospital,” lead study author Zeina Jamaluddine, an epidemiologist at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, told AFP.
The researchers scoured the lists, searching for duplicates.
“Then we looked at the overlaps between the three lists, and based on the overlaps, you can come up with a total estimation of the population that was killed,” Jamaluddine said.
Patrick Ball, a statistician at the US-based Human Rights Data Analysis Group not involved in the research, has used capture-recapture methods to estimate death tolls for conflicts in Guatemala, Kosovo, Peru and Colombia.
Ball told AFP the well-tested technique has been used for centuries and that the researchers had reached “a good estimate” for Gaza.
Kevin McConway, a professor of applied statistics at Britain’s Open University, told AFP there was “inevitably a lot of uncertainty” when making estimates from incomplete data.
But he said it was “admirable” that the researchers had used three other statistical analysis approaches to check their estimates.
“Overall, I find these estimates reasonably compelling, he added.
The researchers cautioned that the hospital lists do not always provide the cause of death, so it was possible that people with non-traumatic health problems — such as a heart attack — could have been included, potentially leading to an overestimate.
However there were other ways that the war’s toll could still be underestimated.
The study did not include missing people. The UN humanitarian agency OCHA has said that around 10,000 missing Gazans are thought to be buried under rubble.
There are also indirect ways that war can claim lives, such as a lack of health care, food, water, sanitation or the spread of disease. All have stricken Gaza since October 2023.
In a contentious, non-peer-reviewed letter published in The Lancet in July, another group of researchers used the rate of indirect deaths seen in other conflicts to suggest that 186,000 deaths could eventually be attributed to the Gaza war.
The new study suggested that this projection “might be inappropriate due to obvious differences in the pre-war burden of disease” in Gaza compared to conflicts in countries such as Burundi and East Timor.
Jamaluddine said she expected that “criticism is going to come from different sides” about the new research.
She spoke out against the “obsession” of arguing about death tolls, emphasising that “we already know that there is a lot of high mortality.”
Saudi Falcons Club CEO and Kazakhstan ambassador discuss ways to boost cooperation
RIYADH: The CEO of the Saudi Falcons Club, Ahmed Al-Hababi, met Kazakhstan’s ambassador to the Kingdom, Madiyar Menilbekov, in Riyadh on Thursday to discuss opportunities for cooperation and ways in which these might be enhanced to benefit mutual goals.
One of the topics was the Hadad Program, a leading initiative developed by the club with the aim of returning falcons to their natural habitats and saving the species from the threat of extinction.
Menilbekov praised the club for the important role it plays in enhancing falconry and preserving its cultural heritage.
The club said the meeting was part of its efforts to strengthen international partnerships in keeping with the goals of the Saudi Vision 2030 plan for national development and diversification.
