Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha and Congress MP Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday met the grieving family of Shubham Dwivedi, a resident of Kanpur who lost his life in the terror attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir.

Upon reaching Shubham's residence, Rahul Gandhi was greeted with an outpouring of emotion. As soon as Shubham's wife, Aishanya (31), saw him, she broke down in tears.

Moved by her grief, Rahul Gandhi embraced and consoled her. Shubham’s father, Sanjay Dwivedi, too, was overwhelmed and could not hold back his tears.

During the interaction, Aishanya urged Rahul Gandhi to ensure that her late husband is officially accorded the status of a martyr.

In response, Rahul assured her that he would write to Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the matter and also raise it in Parliament.

“I will do everything in my power to ensure that Shubham’s sacrifice is duly recognised,” he told the family.

The Intercontinental Legends Championship (ILC) on Wednesday unveiled the official team jerseys ahead of its highly anticipated season, set to begin on May 27 at the Shaheed Vijay Singh Pathik Sports Complex in Greater Noida.

The former India opener Shikhar Dhawan headlined the jersey unveiling ceremony alongside ex-India cricketers Parvinder Awana, Praveen Kumar, and ILC founder Pradeep Sangwan.

Speaking about the League and jersey, Dhawan said, "It’s a great initiative to bring together cricketing legends from around the world under one banner. The Intercontinental Legends Championship not only revives the passion of legends but also brings fans a unique blend of nostalgia and entertainment. I’m thrilled to be part of this launch and look forward to the exciting action ahead."

Clashes intensified in the southern suburbs of Damascus amid rising sectarian unrest, according to a major monitoring group in Syria.

Renewed clashes involving light and medium weapons, including RPGs, were reported in Ashrafiyat Sahnaya, according to the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR).

Gunfire and at least one explosion, believed to be caused by a mortar shell, were reported in Sahnaya and Ashrafiyat Sahnaya, prompting the General Security Directorate to enforce night curfews in both towns.

SOHR reported that the death toll from the ongoing violence had risen to 18, including nine residents from the areas of Jaramana, Sahnaya, and Ashrafiyat Sahnaya, and nine members of pro-government forces.

At least 15 others were wounded, with several in critical condition. The casualty figures are expected to rise due to continued instability.

Rajasthan Police have busted a fake currency racket operating out of a rented room in Jodhpur, an official said.

The official said that the gang was printing counterfeit Rs 500 notes and selling fake currency worth Rs 10 lakh in return for Rs 2 lakh.

He said that the accused have been taken into custody.

Zimbabwe’s historic three-wicket win over Bangladesh in the first Test at Sylhet has rewritten parts of the ICC Men’s Test Player Rankings. Leading the charge is pace sensation Blessing Muzarabani, whose nine-wicket match haul not only earned him the Player of the Match award but also catapulted him into elite company among Test bowlers.

With a new career-best rating of 705 points, Muzarabani became only the second Zimbabwean bowler in history to breach the 700-point mark in Test cricket—a rare feat that places him firmly in the top bracket. His effort lifted him four places to 15th in the latest ICC Test bowling rankings. Only India's Jasprit Bumrah continues to reign supreme at the top of the list.

Adding to Zimbabwe’s celebration, left-arm spinner Wellington Masakadza made a memorable return to the Test arena after more than two years. Masakadza picked up five wickets in the Sylhet Test and re-entered the Test bowling rankings in joint 68th place.

Actor Ajith Kumar, who recently returned from New Delhi after having received the prestigious Padma Bhushan from President Droupadi Murmu at an event held in the Rashtrapati Bhavan on Monday, has been admitted to a hospital here in the city.

Sources close to the actor say that Ajith was admitted to a hospital after he complained of pain in his leg due to an injury he sustained while making his way out of the airport in Chennai, where he was mobbed by fans and mediapersons.

Sources further say that there was no cause for worry as the actor was doing fine and that doctors had advised some physiotherapy treatment for the actor. They further hinted that the actor was likely to be discharged either tonight or tomorrow.

North Korea and Russia on Wednesday launched the construction of a road bridge linking them across the Tumen River, a Russian report said, as the two nations have been deepening cooperation.

Premier Pak Thae-song attended the ceremony from the North Korean side.

In June last year, North Korea and Russia agreed to build the motorway bridge across the border river with its construction expected to be completed by the end of 2026, as the leaders of the two nations signed a comprehensive strategic partnership treaty to prop up cooperation.

State-run Indian Oil Corporation on Wednesday reported a net profit of Rs 7,264.85 crore for the January-March quarter of 2024-25, which represents a 50 per cent year-on-year increase over the corresponding figure of Rs 4,837.69 crore in the same period of the previous year.

The oil giant’s net profit more than doubled on quarter-on-quarter basis to Rs 7,265 crore, compared to Rs 2,874 crore in Q3FY25. The strong rebound was supported by improved refining margins, inventory gains, and better operational efficiencies.

Indian Oil’s Board has recommended a final dividend of Rs 3 per equity share of face value Rs 10 each for the financial year 2024-25.

The oil giant’s Gross Refining Margins (GRMs) or the difference between the total value of petroleum products coming out of a refinery and the price of raw materials, stood at $8 per barrel. Indian Oil had reported GRMs of $2.9 per barrel in the previous quarter.