Pramod Thomas is a senior correspondent with Asian Media Group since 2020, bringing 19 years of journalism experience across business, politics, sports, communities, and international relations. His career spans both traditional and digital media platforms, with eight years specifically focused on digital journalism. This blend of experience positions him well to navigate the evolving media landscape and deliver content across various formats. He has worked with national and international media organisations, giving him a broad perspective on global news trends and reporting standards.
AMAZON on Tuesday (23) pledged to invest $2 billion in projects aimed at combatting climate change, stepping up efforts to reduce the carbon footprint of the tech giant and others.
The Climate Pledge Fund will back efforts by startups and other firms in multiple sectors to "facilitate the transition to a zero carbon economy," Amazon said in a statement.
The initiative "will look to invest in the visionary entrepreneurs and innovators who are building products and services to help companies reduce their carbon impact and operate more sustainably," said Amazon founder and chief executive Jeff Bezos.
"Companies from around the world of all sizes and stages will be considered, from pre-product startups to well-established enterprises. Each prospective investment will be judged on its potential to accelerate the path to zero carbon and help protect the planet for future generations."
The pledge follows an announcement by Bezos last year that Amazon would accelerate its own efforts to cut its carbon footprint while encouraging others to join his "Climate Pledge" aimed at meeting goals of the Paris accord on climate ahead of schedule.
Since then, the pledge has been joined by other companies including US-based telecom giant Verizon, British consumer goods firm Reckitt Benckiser and India-based tech giant Infosys.
Amazon has said it is on track to run on 100 percent renewable energy by 2025. It also will deploy more than 100,000 electric delivery vans to replace gasoline-powered vehicles.
The new fund will invest in companies in multiple industries, including transportation and logistics, energy generation, storage and utilization, manufacturing and materials, circular economy, and food and agriculture.
Amazon will also seek other investors to add to the fund which is aimed at efforts to "decarbonize the economy and protect the planet."
The news comes amid growing concerns on climate change and with the US administration on course to withdraw from the global agreement aimed at curbing emissions.
Some scientists have warned that climate change is accelerating, making mitigation efforts more urgent.
The last five years have been the hottest on record, as has been the last decade, according to the European climate monitoring network.
JOFRA ARCHER made an early breakthrough on his return to Test cricket at Lord’s on Friday, while India captain Shubman Gill was dismissed for a low score on the second day of the third Test.
Playing his first Test in over four years, Archer dismissed Yashasvi Jaiswal with just his third ball. Later, Gill, who had scored 585 runs in four innings in the series including three centuries, was caught behind for 16.
India finished the day on 145-3 in response to England’s first-innings total of 387, trailing by 242 runs. KL Rahul was unbeaten on 53, with Rishabh Pant not out on 19.
Archer, who had impressed at Lord’s during the 2019 50-over World Cup final and made his Test debut at the same ground that year, bowled Jaiswal with a 90 mph full-length delivery that was edged to Harry Brook at second slip.
The 30-year-old celebrated with a roar as the Lord’s crowd joined in.
'X-factor' Archer
Archer’s return comes amid England’s hopes of him playing a major role in the 2025/26 Ashes series in Australia. He bowled a tight 10-over spell on Friday, conceding just 22 runs and consistently bowling over 90 mph.
"The noise, the pure joy everyone has seeing him (Archer) back in whites, everyone's genuine excitement to see him playing Test cricket again, it created a great atmosphere," Joe Root told Sky Sports after the day’s play.
"He's X-factor," added Root, who earlier scored a century and took a new Test record with his 211th catch as an outfielder.
England captain Ben Stokes, who had suffered a groin strain while batting on Thursday, returned to bowl without any visible discomfort. He dismissed Karun Nair for 40, who edged a delivery to first slip where Root held a one-handed left catch, giving him sole possession of the record he previously shared with Rahul Dravid.
Chris Woakes, who had taken only three wickets in the series at an average of nearly 97, got Gill out for 16. The India skipper edged to wicketkeeper Jamie Smith, who was standing up to the stumps, leaving India at 107-3.
Earlier in the day, Jasprit Bumrah took 5-74 in 27 overs to help bowl England out after lunch. His performance earned him a place on the Lord’s honours board.
Bumrah delivered a key spell of 3 wickets for 1 run in seven balls, dismissing Stokes, Root, and Woakes.
"It's really special," Bumrah told the BBC. "We don't come here (to Lord's) very often, maybe every four years... Being on the honours board feels good."
However, Brydon Carse frustrated India with a 56-run innings. He shared an eighth-wicket stand of 84 with Smith, who made 51 after being dropped by Rahul in the slips when on five.
Smith had earlier made 184 not out and 88 in England’s loss to India in the second Test at Edgbaston, where the visitors won by 336 runs to level the five-match series at 1-1. Bumrah did not play that match.
Root, who resumed the day on 99, reached his century with a boundary off Bumrah. It was his 37th Test hundred, placing him fifth on the all-time list, led by Sachin Tendulkar with 51.
"I don't think I've been 99 not out overnight before," said Root. "I woke up in the night and couldn't get back to sleep."
Stokes added just five runs to his overnight score of 39 before being bowled by Bumrah. The next ball, Woakes edged behind for a golden duck to stand-in wicketkeeper Dhruv Jurel, who replaced the injured Pant.
Carse survived the hat-trick ball but was later bowled by Siraj, ending England’s innings. He had earlier brought up his 50 off 77 balls with a six.
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Alcaraz has won 35 of his 38 matches on grass, including 20 in a row at Wimbledon since losing to Sinner in the fourth round in 2022.
Carlos Alcaraz defeated Taylor Fritz in four sets to reach his third Wimbledon final in a row.
The match was played in extreme heat, with on-court temperatures nearing 32 degrees Celsius.
Alcaraz extended his winning streak to 24 matches, the longest of his career.
He is aiming to become the fifth man in the Open era to win three straight Wimbledon titles.
CARLOS Alcaraz reached his third consecutive Wimbledon final on Friday with a 6-4, 5-7, 6-3, 7-6 (8/6) win over American fifth seed Taylor Fritz.
The defending champion battled through a match lasting two hours and 49 minutes on Centre Court, where temperatures reached close to 32 degrees Celsius (90 degrees Fahrenheit). Several spectators in the stands required medical attention due to the heat, but Alcaraz maintained focus to overcome Fritz with strong returns and consistent serving.
Carlos Alcaraz is a #Wimbledon finalist for the THIRD YEAR IN A ROW 😮
The two-time defending champion defeats Taylor Fritz 6-4, 5-7, 6-3, 7-6(6) to put one hand on the Gentlemen's Singles Trophy - and Centre Court ROARS for the Spaniard 🇪🇸
“It was a really difficult match, as always when I play against Taylor. Even tougher with the conditions. It was really hot today,” Alcaraz said. “I dealt with the nerves. Playing here in a semi-final is not easy. I'm really proud with the way I stayed calm and thought clearly. I'm pleased about my level.”
The Spaniard, currently ranked world number two, has returned to form after an inconsistent start to the tournament. He is now on a 24-match winning streak, his longest career run, which began after a loss to Holger Rune in the Barcelona final in April. Since then, he has claimed titles at the French Open, Rome, Monte Carlo and Queen’s Club.
Alcaraz has won 35 of his 38 matches on grass, including 20 in a row at Wimbledon since losing to Sinner in the fourth round in 2022.
"I'm not thinking about the winning streak or the results at all,” he said. “This is my dream, stepping on these beautiful courts and playing tennis in the most beautiful tournament in the world. I just want to enjoy this moment, that I've got to a third final in a row. I will have time to think about Sunday.”
"It is one of the most exciting match-ups we have on tour at the moment" ⚡️
Defending champion Carlos Alcaraz will come up against either Jannik Sinner or Novak Djokovic in the final on Sunday - and he'll be watching intently to see who it will be 👀#Wimbledonpic.twitter.com/t7f7MmuiMH — Wimbledon (@Wimbledon) July 11, 2025
A win on Sunday would make Alcaraz the fifth man in the Open era to win three straight Wimbledon titles, following Bjorn Borg, Pete Sampras, Roger Federer and Djokovic. He would also become the second-youngest player in the Open era to win six men’s Grand Slam titles, after Borg reached that milestone in 1978, also aged 22.
Fritz, who was playing in his first Wimbledon semi-final, had hit 95 aces during the tournament but was unable to get past Alcaraz’s returns. The 27-year-old, a US Open runner-up last year, was broken in the first game of the match as Alcaraz took early control.
Alcaraz had his eye checked midway through the first set but held serve throughout to win it. After dominating on serve in the opener, he dropped a rare service game in the second set, allowing Fritz to level the match with the help of a double fault and two unforced errors from the Spaniard.
Alcaraz responded by breaking early in the third set with a drop shot and lob combination. He added another break later to take a two sets to one lead.
In the fourth set tie-break, Fritz led 6-4 but Alcaraz saved both set points. He then closed out the match with a series of ground-strokes to book his place in the final.
(With inputs from agencies)
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Air India's Boeing 787-8 aircraft, operating flight AI-171 to London Gatwick, crashed into a medical hostel complex shortly after take-off from Ahmedabad on June 12.
Fuel to both engines of the Air India flight was cut off seconds before the crash
A pilot was heard questioning the other over the cut-off; both denied initiating it.
The Dreamliner crashed shortly after take-off from Ahmedabad, killing 260 people.
Investigators are focusing on fuel switch movement; full analysis may take months.
FUEL control switches to both engines of the Air India flight that crashed shortly after takeoff were moved from the "run" to the "cutoff" position seconds before the crash, according to a preliminary investigation report released early Saturday.
The report, issued by the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB), did not draw conclusions or assign blame for the June 12 crash, but stated that one pilot was heard asking the other why he had cut off fuel. The second pilot replied that he had not.
The Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner was on its way from Ahmedabad in western India to London when it crashed, killing 260 people. Among the dead were 241 of the 242 people on board and 19 people on the ground.
Switches moved one after another
The 15-page report said that after the aircraft reached its top recorded speed, "the Engine 1 and Engine 2 fuel cutoff switches transitioned from RUN to CUTOFF position one after another with a time gap of 01 sec".
"In the cockpit voice recording, one of the pilots is heard asking the other why did he cutoff. The other pilot responded that he did not do so," the report stated.
The aircraft quickly lost altitude following the switch movement.
The switches then returned to the "RUN" position, and the engines appeared to regain power. However, "one of the pilots transmitted 'MAYDAY MAYDAY MAYDAY'," the report said.
Air traffic controllers asked the pilots what was wrong, but soon observed the crash and alerted emergency responders.
Investigation focused on fuel switches
Earlier this week, specialist website The Air Current reported that the probe had "narrowed its focus to the movement of the engine fuel switches", while also stating that a complete analysis may take several months or more. It added that the focus of the investigation could still change.
According to the AAIB report, the US Federal Aviation Administration had issued an information bulletin in 2018 about "the potential disengagement of the fuel control switch locking feature".
The issue was not considered an "unsafe condition" requiring a more serious directive, and Air India told investigators it had not conducted the suggested inspections as they were "advisory and not mandatory".
Air India was found to be compliant with all airworthiness directives and alert service bulletins on the aircraft, the report noted.
The bureau said there were "no recommended actions to B787-8 and/or GE GEnx-1B engine operators and manufacturers", indicating that there were no immediate technical concerns with either the aircraft or the engines.
The AAIB said the investigation is ongoing and that further evidence and information have been "sought from the stakeholders".
Boeing said in a statement that it would "continue to support the investigation and our customer", adding, "our thoughts remain" with those affected by the crash.
Air India stated that it was "working closely with stakeholders, including regulators".
"We continue to fully cooperate with the AAIB and other authorities as their investigation progresses," the airline said in a statement posted on X.
Passenger details and international assistance
The UN's International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) requires that a preliminary report be submitted within 30 days of an accident by the country leading the investigation.
Investigators from the United States and the United Kingdom have also joined the probe.
The aircraft was carrying 230 passengers — including 169 Indian nationals, 53 British citizens, seven Portuguese nationals and one Canadian — along with 12 crew members.
Dozens of people on the ground were also injured.
One British passenger survived and was seen walking out of the wreckage. That person has since been discharged from hospital.
Initial figures released by health officials in Gujarat put the death toll at 279, but forensic experts later revised the number after identifying multiple scattered and severely burnt remains.
(With inputs from agencies)
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The Indian Navy and Coast Guard have consistently reported Chinese research vessel presence. (Representational image: Getty Images)
A Chinese research vessel was detected operating in the Bay of Bengal near Indian waters while attempting to conceal its presence by disabling its Automatic Identification System (AIS), according to a report by The Economic Times, citing French maritime intelligence firm Unseenlabs.
The French company conducted a 16-day satellite-based survey tracking ships through radio frequency emissions. It monitored 1,897 vessels, with 9.6 per cent showing no AIS activity, indicating attempts to avoid detection. The survey raised concerns amid increased Chinese activity in the region.
One Chinese research ship drew attention due to its repeated presence in the Indian Ocean and proximity to areas of recent naval operations. “While not broadcasting AIS, its RF signature was consistent and traceable, enabling our systems to monitor its movement over several days … We suspect that this prominent Chinese research vessel was likely operating with strategic intent,” the report quoted Unseenlabs.
The company said the vessel was likely engaged in seafloor mapping, acoustic environment analysis, and identifying submarine transit corridors—activities that can support surveillance and anti-submarine warfare operations.
The Indian Navy and Coast Guard have consistently reported Chinese research vessel presence. In this instance, the vessel was in international waters, 120 nautical miles from Indian military zones.
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YouTube also plans to promote up-and-coming creators through its official YouTube channel
YouTube is retiring its Trending page and Trending Now list
New charts will highlight popular content by category, such as music and podcasts
Move reflects shift in how users discover trending videos
Changes will roll out in the coming weeks
YouTube phases out general Trending tab in favour of tailored charts
YouTube has announced it is removing its Trending page and Trending Now list, replacing them with category-specific charts designed to better reflect how users engage with content in 2025.
Instead of a single list showcasing popular videos across the entire platform, YouTube will now feature trending content by section, including Trending Music Videos, Top Podcast Shows, and Movie Trailers, with more categories planned in future updates.
The company says this change aligns with how people now discover content. When the Trending page was introduced in 2015, viral videos were more universal, and a single list could capture what viewers were watching and sharing. Today, however, there are smaller, diverse trends across communities like gaming, beauty, and K-pop, which are not always reflected in a general list.
Personalised discovery takes centre stage
YouTube notes that most users now find popular content through personalised recommendations, including the home page, search results, comments, and suggested videos. Consequently, visits to the Trending tab have significantly declined over the past five years.
To support creators, YouTube will continue offering discovery tools such as the Inspiration Tab in YouTube Studio, which suggests video ideas based on emerging trends. Other features, like Hype, are also being tested to allow viewers to show support for new content.
YouTube also plans to promote up-and-coming creators through its official YouTube channel and social media platforms. The updated system will begin rolling out in the coming weeks.