Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) has announced the appointment of Dwayne Bravo as the team's mentor for the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 season. Bravo, a former West Indies all-rounder, replaces Gautam Gambhir, who has taken up the role of India's national team head coach. This marks Bravo's departure from Chennai Super Kings, where he previously held a mentorship role. KKR's management expressed excitement about Bravo's addition, citing his vast experience and expertise. The defending champions aim to leverage Bravo's knowledge to enhance team strategy and player development ahead of the upcoming season.

During a recent event at the White House focused on gun violence, President Joe Biden made another gaffe, mistakenly referring to Vice President Kamala Harris as his “boss” and labeling Ohio Senator JD Vance as “secretary.” While signing executive orders to strengthen gun control measures, Biden criticized Vance’s comments on gun violence. The executive orders aim to regulate untraceable 3D-printed guns and address the psychological trauma experienced by students from active shooter drills. Additionally, the government plans to form a new team to propose solutions to these significant issues, with expectations for their recommendations to be presented within three months as part of a broader initiative to enhance gun safety.

India won the toss and elected to bowl first against Bangladesh in the second Test at Kanpur. Captain Rohit Sharma made this decision on an overcast morning, marking a significant moment in the venue’s history as it is the first time since 1964 that a team has chosen to bowl after winning the toss in a Kanpur Test. This is also the first time in nine years that India has opted to bowl first at home after winning the toss. India has kept the same winning team from the previous Test in Chennai, while Bangladesh made two changes to their playing XI ahead of the match.

Hurricane Helene made landfall in northwestern Florida as a Category 4 storm, prompting warnings of a "catastrophic" storm surge. The National Hurricane Center reported that Helene struck near the mouth of the Aucilla River in the Big Bend area around 11:10 PM local time. The storm is expected to produce winds exceeding 140 mph (225 kph) and flash flooding. Florida Governor Ron DeSantis reported one confirmed death from a sign falling onto a vehicle on the motorway. He warned that residents may face additional loss of life and extensive property damage as the state assesses the storm's impact in the coming days.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu confirmed that Israel will continue its "full force" strikes against Hezbollah, despite calls for a 21-day ceasefire from U.S. and European officials. Speaking at the UN General Assembly in New York, Netanyahu stated that Israel will not stop its military operations until its objectives are met, including the safe return of residents in northern Israel. This statement follows the killing of Hezbollah’s drone chief amid ongoing clashes. Netanyahu made it clear that Israel will persist with its strikes in Lebanon until all their goals are fully achieved, dismissing any possibility of an immediate ceasefire.

The Supreme Court on Thursday dismissed the Gujarat government's plea to review its decision that overturned the remission granted to 11 men convicted of raping Bilkis Bano and killing seven of her family members during the 2002 Gujarat riots. The Gujarat government argued that the court's January 8 ruling contained an "error" by accusing the state of "usurpation of power" and "abuse of discretion" for following an earlier court order. The government also contested the court's adverse remarks, stating that no inference of "usurpation of power" should be made for not filing a review petition against a previous May 2022 judgment by another bench of the Supreme Court.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed to continue military action against Hezbollah, rejecting calls from the U.S. for a 21-day ceasefire in Lebanon. This follows intensified clashes across the Israeli-Lebanese border, with over 1,500 people killed since fighting began. On Thursday, Israeli airstrikes in Beirut killed Hezbollah commander Muhammad Hussein Srour, leader of the group's air unit. Netanyahu, in a defiant post on X, stated that Israel would "speak in actions, not words" and continue targeting Hezbollah until Israeli residents could safely return home. The strike marks the fourth attack on Hezbollah members within a week as tensions escalate in the region.

Swiggy, backed by SoftBank and Prosus, has filed for an initial public offering (IPO) to raise Rs 3,750 crore ($448.56 million). In its draft prospectus, the company announced that existing shareholders, including Accel India and Tencent Europe, will sell about 185.3 million shares. Swiggy competes with Zomato in India’s online food delivery market. This IPO comes amid a strong market for public listings in India, where 198 companies have raised $7.1 billion as of September 2023, more than double the amount from the same period in 2022. Swiggy's IPO is expected to be among the largest this year.

Israel continues its aggressive airstrikes against Hezbollah in Lebanon, killing at least 28 people on Thursday, bringing the death toll to over 550 since Monday. Prime Minister Netanyahu vowed to fight with "full force," while residents in northern Israeli border towns voiced their opposition to the proposed 21-day ceasefire. "When you give them 21 days, they will regroup again. I do not believe in them," said Gil Jakov from Nahariya. Israeli forces have targeted key Hezbollah positions, killing a Hezbollah air unit commander. Meanwhile, US-led discussions at the UN push for a ceasefire, aiming to prevent further escalation.

U.S. President Joe Biden hosted Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky at the White House, reaffirming support for Ukraine's war efforts against Russia. Biden announced an $8 billion surge in military aid, including $5.5 billion authorized before the fiscal year's end. "Russia will not prevail. Ukraine will prevail," Biden stated during the Oval Office meeting. Zelensky, dressed in military attire, expressed gratitude for the continued U.S. support. The visit comes amid tension with Republican candidate Donald Trump, who criticized Zelensky for not negotiating with Moscow. Trump's comments have stirred controversy among Republicans ahead of the U.S. presidential election.