New Sri Lanka cricket coach Chandika Hathurusingha pledged to get tough with the under-performing national team -- including banning music in training -- while demanding "full control" over selection.
With the 1996 World Cup winners coming to the end of their worst year in international cricket, Hathurusingha said he would impose strict discipline to make sure they are ready for the 2019 World Cup.
Asked about reports that players were admonished for listening to music in practice, Hathurusingha said after his first training session with the team on Thursday: "If they are interested in music they will have to go home."
Sri Lanka, who tour Bangladesh next month, have been severely criticised over whitewash defeats by India at home and in India in the past six months.
Sports Minister Dayasiri Jayasekera said in June that many players were "too fat" and that none chosen to play a series against Zimbabwe had passed international fitness standards. A special diet was later imposed.
Hathurusingha, a former Sri Lanka batsman who quit as Bangladesh coach to help his home country, also signalled a tougher line with the government, which gets the final say in team affairs.
Jayasekera recently stopped the Sri Lankan T20 team from going to India because he did not agree with the selection.
The chief coach is not an automatic member of the selectors' panel and Hathurusingha wants this changed -- even if it means a new sports law.
"I need full control and responsibility to pick the playing eleven," Hathurusingha said.
"According to the sports law the coach can't get involved in selections. They are considering my request to be a selector while being the coach," added the 49-year-old.
After giving up playing Hathurusingha has become a top coach, earning plaudits for pulling Bangladesh up the world rankings.
Hathurusingha has also been in charge of the New South Wales team in Australia, and he said he would bring in sports psychologist Phil Jauncey who worked with him in New South Wales and Bangladesh.
"I want to see him make visits from time to time to work with the players," Hathurusingha said.
In 57 internationals across all three formats in 2017, Sri Lanka lost 40 and won just 14.
Karisma Kapoor’s kids seek share in late father Sunjay Kapur’s £2.51bn (₹30,000 crore) estate
They accuse stepmother Priya Kapur of forging a will to take full control
Lawsuit requests recognition as Class I legal heirs and partition of assets
Interim plea filed to freeze Sunjay Kapur’s personal estate until case outcome
The inheritance battle over business tycoon Sunjay Kapur’s £2.51bn (₹30,000 crore) estate has reached the Indian court, with Karisma Kapoor’s children Samaira and Kiaan accusing their stepmother Priya Kapur of presenting a forged will. The suit has opened a new chapter in the Sunjay Kapur death case, less than three months after the auto components magnate and Sona Comstar chairman died during a polo match in Windsor, UK.
Karisma Kapoor’s children accuse Priya Kapur of suppressing will in £2.51bn Sunjay Kapur property battle Instagram/therealsamairakapoor
What is Karisma Kapoor’s children’s plea in the Delhi High Court?
Samaira (20) and Kiaan (14), represented through their mother Karisma Kapoor, have filed a civil suit demanding recognition as Class I legal heirs. They are seeking partition of their late father’s assets and want a one-fifth share each of his personal estate.
The plea also asks for a freeze on Sunjay Kapur’s personal assets until the matter is resolved, to prevent any transfer or sale. According to the suit, the children were close to their father and he had repeatedly assured them of their financial security by setting up ventures and trusts in their names.
The siblings have made serious allegations against their stepmother Priya, who was married to Sunjay Kapur at the time of his death and has a six-year-old son with him. They allege Priya, along with two associates, Dinesh Agarwal and Nitin Sharma, deliberately withheld the will for seven weeks before producing it at a family meeting on 30 July 2025.
The will, dated 21 March 2025, reportedly leaves Sunjay’s entire personal estate to Priya Kapur. The children claim this document is “forged and fabricated” and surrounded by “suspicious circumstances”, as neither the original nor a copy has been shown to them.
The suit also names Priya’s son, Sunjay’s mother Rani Kapur, and the purported executor of the will, businesswoman Shradha Suri Marwah, as defendants.
Who inherits if the court recognises Karisma Kapoor’s children as legal heirs?
Under Indian succession laws, if Samaira and Kiaan are recognised as Class I heirs, they would be entitled to equal shares along with other legal heirs of Sunjay Kapur. The children argue that their father had initiated business ventures in their names and named them as trust beneficiaries, promising his commitment to their financial future.
They also mentioned how Sunjay promised them long-term security through shared holidays, business discussions, and family interactions. The case, therefore, is not only about the contested will but also about whether those assurances translate into enforceable inheritance rights.
Sunjay Kapur, a US citizen and billionaire industrialist, was the chairman of Sona BLW Precision Forgings Ltd (Sona Comstar), one of India’s largest automotive component manufacturers. He inherited the group after the death of his father, Dr Surinder Kapur, in 2015 and expanded it into a global enterprise with operations across India, China, Mexico, Serbia, and the US.
According to Forbes, his net worth at the time of his death in June 2025 stood at £950 million (₹10,300 crore), though reports place the wider family estate at £2.51bn (₹30,000 crore). His sudden death at 53, officially ruled as natural due to heart disease, has left behind a major succession crisis within one of India’s most prominent business families.
The Indian court will now examine the validity of the alleged will and decide whether Karisma Kapoor’s children can be formally recognised as legal heirs. For now, the plaintiffs are pressing for interim relief to freeze assets while the matter is under consideration.
The case is, in fact, about the intersection of Bollywood and business, drawing public attention not only because of Karisma Kapoor’s celebrity status but also due to the massive wealth involved and the serious allegation of will forgery within one of India’s most high-profile families.
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The visit coincides with the 13th round of India-EU negotiations on a proposed free trade agreement, which both sides aim to finalise by December. (Representational image: iStock)
THE EUROPEAN Union's Political and Security Committee (PSC), made up of envoys from the 27 member states, will begin a five-day visit to India on Wednesday. The visit will focus on strengthening overall ties, including efforts to conclude a free trade agreement that has been under negotiation for years.
The committee, headed by Ambassador Delphine Pronk, is visiting India for the first time. It will hold strategic discussions with senior Indian government officials, defence industry representatives, civil society organisations and leading think tanks.
The PSC consists of EU member states' ambassadors based in Brussels and is chaired by the European External Action Service. It plays a key role in shaping the EU's common foreign and security policy (CFSP) and common security and defence policy (CSDP).
The visit coincides with the 13th round of India-EU negotiations on a proposed free trade agreement, which both sides aim to finalise by December. It also comes ahead of the next India-EU summit, expected to be held in India in the first half of next year.
"This extensive engagement aims to provide a comprehensive assessment of policy priorities, while exploring future avenues for enhancing cooperation on key foreign policy matters, security and defence, particularly in the lead up to the upcoming EU-India summit," an EU readout said.
The PSC monitors global developments and advises the Council of the European Union on strategic responses.
"EU-India collaboration is vital in key areas of mutual interest, including counterterrorism, cybersecurity, hybrid threats, maritime security and maritime domain awareness, space security, defence industry cooperation and countering foreign information manipulation and interference," Ambassador Pronk said.
"These critical issues will be high on our agenda and the insights and recommendations gathered from our visit will be presented to the top political leaders of the EU, paving the way for enhanced cooperation," she added.
Herve Delphin, the EU’s Ambassador to New Delhi, said the EU and India were "natural partners" with strongly converging interests and shared values.
"Our leaders are determined to elevate the EU-India Strategic Partnership and harness its immense potential," he said. "This partnership of mutual benefit can contribute to the prosperity and safety of our citizens and contribute to global stability and security."
Ambassador Delphin added that the visit by PSC underlines Team Europe’s intent to strengthen defence and security cooperation with India.
The EU readout said the visit builds on recent milestones, including the EU College of Commissioners’ visit to India in February, the first EU-India Strategic Dialogue in June, and the upcoming EU-India Summit in early 2026.
"The EU is one of India's largest trading partners and investors, with both sides aiming to conclude a free trade agreement by the end of 2025," it said. "The EU and India as large, pluralistic democracies share a strong commitment to upholding the rule of law, human rights, and democratic governance," it added.
(With inputs from agencies)
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Indian team during a practice session at the International Cricket Council Academy (ICCA) in Dubai on September 8, 2025. (Photo: Getty Images)
India, led by Suryakumar Yadav, enter as clear favourites with strong squad depth.
Pakistan drop Babar Azam and Muhammad Rizwan, signalling a new phase.
Afghanistan’s spin trio seen as potential challengers to India’s dominance.
Associate nations like UAE, Oman and Hong Kong aim to showcase progress.
INDIA, led by Suryakumar Yadav, go into the Asia Cup T20 starting Tuesday as the clear favourites, with a significant gap in strength between them and the seven other teams, including Pakistan.
The tournament begins with Afghanistan facing Hong Kong in Abu Dhabi, but attention will be on Dubai, where India open against the United Arab Emirates on Wednesday.
The Asia Cup has often served as preparation for the T20 World Cup, but this edition comes with a sense of inevitability.
India carry the weight of expectations, not just for their past record, but also because the balance of power appears firmly in their favour. With strong leadership and squad depth, this is seen as India’s tournament to lose.
Chairman of selectors Ajit Agarkar and head coach Gautam Gambhir showed confidence in their squad by naming 15 players, despite being allowed 17 by the Asian Cricket Council. This left out players like Shreyas Iyer and Yashasvi Jaiswal.
Winning the Asia Cup for the ninth time (seven in ODIs and once in T20 in 2016) would not add extra credit for Suryakumar or Gambhir, but falling short would bring criticism, especially with the T20 World Cup just over four months away.
India are expected to play around 20 games, including the Asia Cup, before the global event. Settling on the right core combination will be a key objective.
The BCCI has the resources to field multiple competitive T20 teams. Suryakumar has led with an 80% win record, while Shubman Gill, named vice-captain, is expected to take over in the future. The alignment between the T20 and Test captains will be watched closely.
India’s batting, shaped by IPL experience, has redefined T20 cricket. Pakistan and Sri Lanka, once level with India, have found it harder to keep pace.
Who can challenge India?
The main question around this Asia Cup is not who will win, but who can stop India.
Pakistan, under Salman Ali Agha, have dropped Babar Azam and Muhammad Rizwan, signalling a shift. Their performance will depend on how Shaheen Shah Afridi, Haris Rauf and Hasan Ali perform against India’s batting. Pakistan recently beat Afghanistan in a tri-series final, with their spinners dominating on a slow Sharjah pitch.
Sri Lanka, captained by Charith Asalanka, have potential but face questions about consistency across a full tournament. Bangladesh remain unpredictable and may lack the strength to sustain a long run. In Group B, they are seen as likely to join Hong Kong in early elimination.
Afghanistan stand out as the possible challengers, with Rashid Khan, Noor Ahmed and A Ghazanfar leading a strong spin attack, and an improved batting line-up.
The associate teams
For teams like UAE, Oman and Hong Kong, this tournament is a chance to test themselves against top opposition and showcase their progress. Oman’s deputy head coach Sulakshan Kulkarni told PTI that while there will be nervousness, matches against India and Pakistan are an opportunity to perform in front of larger audiences.
India will face 12 NRIs in the group stage—six from UAE and six from Oman. These associate nations have improved their infrastructure and attracted better expat players from India and Pakistan in recent years.
Facing Suryakumar Yadav or Jasprit Bumrah will be a rare challenge for these sides.
For now, the Asia Cup carries one clear theme: it is India’s tournament to lose.
(With inputs from agencies)
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UN human rights office urges India to drop cases against Arundhati Roy
ARUNDHATI ROY’S forthcoming memoir, Mother Mary Comes To Me, is about the author’s close but fraught relationship with her mother, Mary Roy, whose death in 2022 her daughter has likened to “being hit by a truck”.
Mary Roy, who insisted her children call her “Mrs Roy” in school, belonged to the Syrian Christian community. She does not seem a very nice person.
The Financial Times, which interviewed Arundhati at her home in Delhi, reveals: “In an episode to which the writer makes oblique reference early in the book but withholds until later — because of the pain it caused — she returned from boarding school for the holidays, aged 13, to find that Mrs Roy had had her beloved pet dog, Dido, shot and buried as ‘a kind of honour killing’ after Dido mated with an unknown street dog.”
In 1996, someone tipped me off that a publisher had won an auction by paying £1 million for The God of Small Things by an unknown Indian writer. This was unprecedented for a debut novel. But the buzz among the bidders was that the novel was a possible contender for the Booker Prize.
As I was writing my story at the Daily Telegraph, the night editor, Andrew Hutchinson, leant over and quipped: “Writing about your sister again?” As we know, Arundhati Roy did win the Booker in 1997. I had actually met Arundhati two years previously when she had stuck up for Phoolan Devi, the subject of Shekhar Kapur’s movie, Bandit Queen, based on Mala Sen’s biography.
Phoolan had been repeatedly raped by upper class Thakurs (the men were later lined up in the village of Behmai and executed by Phoolan’s gang in 1981). The film was exploitative, claimed Arundhati, because for Phoolan, it was like being raped again. She wrote a piece in Sunday in Calcutta (now Kolkata), headlined, “The Indian rape trick”.
Mala arranged for me to interview Phoolan who was refusing to talk to Channel 4 which was making a documentary in India on the controversial movie. In public, she supported Arundhati, but behind the scenes did a deal with C4 which paid her £40,000.
The FT interview says Arundhati “left home at 16, putting the length of the subcontinent between her mother in Kerala and herself in New Delhi, where she was admitted as one of the few women students at the School of Planning and Architecture. ‘I left in order to be able to continue to love her, because I knew she would destroy me if I stayed,’ she says.
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Badshah hilariously mocks Donald Trump tariffs on stage with Bollywood lyric twist in New Jersey
Badshah joked about Trump’s tariffs during his Unfinished USA Tour in New Jersey.
Fans erupted as he altered the lyrics of his hit song ‘Tareefan’ to deliver the quip.
The rapper is continuing his North American tour with stops in Seattle, Dallas, and Chicago.
Badshah recently made headlines for his 20 kg weight loss and the success of his album Ek Tha Raja.
Indian rapper Badshah had fans in stitches during his New Jersey show as he took a cheeky jab at US President Donald Trump, cleverly linking the ongoing tariff debate with his hit song Tareefan. The unexpected moment added a fresh layer of political satire to his Unfinished USA Tour, proving once again that Badshah can seamlessly mix music with humour.
Badshah hilariously mocks Donald Trump tariffs on stage with Bollywood lyric twist in New Jersey Instagram/badboyshah
What did Badshah say about Donald Trump at the New Jersey concert?
During the high-energy performance, Badshah altered the Punjabi lyrics of Tareefan from Veere Di Wedding. Instead of singing “Kinniya Tareefan Chahidi Ae Tenu” (How many compliments do you want?), he quipped, “Kinni Tariff Chahidiye Trump Ko” (How much tariff does Trump want?). The crowd erupted with laughter and applause, showing their appreciation for his quick-witted social commentary.
The lyric change came shortly after Trump doubled tariffs on Indian goods, citing concerns over India’s imports of Russian oil. Badshah’s playful reference struck a chord with fans, with many praising the rapper’s ability to comment on current affairs while keeping the concert entertaining. Clips of the moment quickly circulated online, further amplifying the response.
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How is Badshah’s North American tour shaping up?
The New Jersey show is part of Badshah’s ongoing North American tour, which follows sold-out gigs in the UK, UAE, and Canada. Upcoming stops include the Bay Area, Seattle, Dallas, and Chicago. Known for his energetic performances, he often brings surprise celebrity appearances to the stage, with stars like Nora Fatehi and Mickey Singh joining him to thrill audiences.
Away from live performances, Badshah is celebrating the success of his album Ek Tha Raja, which features chart-topping tracks like ‘God Damn’, ‘Jawaab’, and ‘Khushnuma’. He has also been in the spotlight for his 20 kg weight loss, which he attributes to disciplined diet and exercise rather than any weight-loss medication like Ozempic.
Badshah’s witty on-stage jibe at Donald Trump shows his unique ability to combine entertainment with timely commentary, keeping fans engaged both in the venue and online. His North American tour continues to be a success, making each performance a talking point across social media.