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 Date: June 23, 2025 Venue: Headingley, Leeds Match: India Tour of England – Test Match Blog by: Sandesh John Lobo --- 📰 Day 4 Summary: Twin Centuries, Late Collapse & a Big Chase! Cricket lovers were treated to pure Test match theatre on Day 4 at Headingley as India tightened their grip on the match. With a mix of grit, aggression, and a slight collapse, the day had everything fans crave in a classic red-ball encounter. --- 💥 Batting Brilliance: KL Rahul & Rishabh Pant India resumed the day with a cautious mindset. Shubman Gill fell early, but it was KL Rahul (137 off 247) and Rishabh Pant (118 off 140) who stole the show with a majestic 195-run stand. KL Rahul brought calm and class, building his innings with discipline and intent. Rishabh Pant, aggressive as ever, played fearless strokes to counter England’s attack. With this century, Pant became only the second wicketkeeper in Test history to score hundreds in both innings of a match. --- 🔻 Collapse of the Tail Just ...

 Date: June 24, 2025 By: Sandesh JOHN Lobo --- On June 23, 2025, the world held its breath as Iran launched a missile attack on the Al Udeid U.S. Air Base in Qatar, raising fresh concerns over an escalating conflict in the Middle East. While the attack made global headlines, its symbolic intent and minimal impact are what truly define this development. --- ⚡ What Happened? Around 7:39 PM local time in Doha, Iran launched a coordinated barrage of 14–19 ballistic missiles toward the U.S. base — a direct response to American airstrikes on Iranian nuclear sites earlier this week. But here’s the twist: All missiles were intercepted. U.S. and Qatari Patriot missile defense systems successfully neutralized the threat with no casualties or significant damage reported. --- 🎯 Why Did Iran Strike? Iran claimed the operation — codenamed "Glad Tidings of Victory" — was a measured and symbolic retaliation. Several reports suggest: Iran warned Qatar in advance, minimizing risk to civilians...

  Date: June 21, 2025 On the night of June 21, 2025, a single American B-2 Spirit bomber changed the strategic balance in the Middle East. While Iran and its allies—China and Russia—expected a southern assault, the stealth aircraft slipped in from the north, proving once again why the B-2 remains one of the most formidable assets in U.S. military history. The Strategic Setup Leading up to the strike, intelligence suggested that Iran was preparing for an aerial assault originating from the south—possibly via the Arabian Sea, Gulf states, or even Pakistani airspace. China and Russia reportedly advised Iran to fortify these southern approaches. Iran’s anti-aircraft missile systems, particularly the Russian-made S-300s, were primarily oriented in that direction. The Shock Move Instead of following a predictable southern route, the B-2 entered Iranian airspace from the northwest—possibly skirting near Russian air corridors or the Caspian Sea. This maneuver allowed the aircraft to bypass...

 Date: June 22, 2025 Venue: Headingley, Leeds Match: 1st Test – Day 3 Written by: Sandesh JOHN Lobo --- 📝 Match Summary Day 3 of the gripping India vs England Test match at Headingley had everything a cricket fan dreams of—hundreds, heartbreak, dropped catches, and world-class bowling. India began the day with a commanding score of 471 on the board. England, who resumed at 209/3, needed a solid effort to match up—and they delivered just that… almost. --- 💥 England Fight Back: Pope & Brook Lead the Charge Ollie Pope was the hero in the morning session. Calm, composed, and technically sound, Pope notched up a magnificent 106, anchoring England's innings early on. Enter Harry Brook—aggressive, fluent, and fearless. He attacked Indian bowlers and pushed the score along with ease. But heartbreak struck just before glory—Brook fell on 99, caught after multiple reprieves. A brilliant innings, just 1 run short of a century. --- 🔥 Bumrah Delivers Yet Again India’s go-to man, Jasprit ...

 The bomb used by the U.S. in its June 21–22 strike against Iran’s underground nuclear sites (Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan) was the GBU-57A/B Massive Ordnance Penetrator (MOP), dropped by stealth B‑2 Spirit bombers. --- ⚙️ GBU‑57A/B “MOP” Specifications & Role Type: Massive conventional bunker-buster, the heaviest non-nuclear bomb in U.S. service   Weight: ~30,000 lb (13,600 kg)   Dimensions: ~20.5 ft (6.2 m) long   Penetration Capability: Designed to breach up to ~200 ft of reinforced concrete or thick rock   Guidance: GPS/INS precision targeting   Delivery Platform: Exclusively carried by stealth B‑2 Spirit bombers   Payload Delivered: On June 22, six B‑2 bombers dropped 12 MOPs on Fordow, plus two on Natanz   --- 🔍 Operational Context – Why the MOP? Target: Fordow sits nearly 300 ft inside a mountain—well-fortified underground   Purpose: The MOP is engineered to penetrate those depths and destroy...

 What Happened On June 21–22, 2025, U.S. forces launched an airstrike using B‑2 stealth bombers targeting three Iranian nuclear facilities: Fordow, Natanz, and Esfahan. The strikes used bunker‑busting munitions (GBU‑57), with all bombers reportedly returning safely . --- 🎯 U.S.’s Message and Response President Trump called the operation “very successful” and urged a shift toward diplomacy, stating “now is the time for peace” . He emphasized that ground troops would not be deployed, and a national address is expected to follow . --- 🌍 Reactions Inside the U.S., the strikes drew sharp reactions: Some Republicans praised the action. Critics like Rep. Ro Khanna and VP JD Vance raised constitutional and strategic concerns . Globally, responses are mixed: Western leaders and China urged caution. Russia offered to mediate, while Iran warned of severe consequences . --- 📈 Regional Context The U.S. action comes amid a broader escalation: Israeli airstrikes earlier in June had alread...

Day 2 Highlights:  England’s Ollie Pope brought up a fifty post-tea, but India's dominance continued. At stumps, India reached 471/5, spearheaded by Rishabh Pant (130*), Shubman Gill (147), and Yashasvi Jaiswal (century) . Historical note: This marks the first time a single Test innings featured three centuries and two ducks from the top six . Toss Controversy: England's captain Ben Stokes opted to bowl first under dry skies, a decision criticized by Michael Vaughan as “staggering”—the pitch offered little early help . Squad news: Karun Nair has made a sensational comeback after eight years—though he was dismissed without scoring. Meanwhile, Sam Konstas has earned a return to Australia’s Test setup for their upcoming West Indies tour . --- 🌍 Global Cricket Major League Cricket (USA): Faf du Plessis, captain of Texas Super Kings, hailed the rapid growth of cricket in the U.S. as “just the beginning” . World Test Championship (WTC): AB de Villiers has publicly called for mo...

      China has not launched a full-scale military invasion or any official entry into Taiwan's sovereign territory. However, Beijing has sharply increased military presence and pressure around the island through various gray-zone tactics: --- 🛫 What’s actually happening: Air incursions: China routinely sends fighter jets and drones across the median line in the Taiwan Strait and into Taiwan’s Air Defense Identification Zone (ADIZ)—sometimes daily. There are frequent crossings into the 12-nautical-mile contiguous zone just outside Taiwan’s recognized airspace—though still not into sovereign territory . Naval activity and drills: Since April 1–2, 2025, the Chinese Eastern Theater Command has conducted major live-fire exercises (“Strait Thunder‑2025A”) around Taiwan, involving aircraft carriers like Shandong and Liaoning, warships, jets, bombers, rockets, and drills near surrounding islands . Strategic buildup: The PLA has significantly enhanced its joint operational cap...

 Day 1 of the India vs England Test at Headingley, Leeds (June 20, 2025): --- 🏏 Match Overview – Day 1 Toss & Conditions: England’s captain Ben Stokes won the toss and surprisingly chose to bowl on a relatively flat, batting-friendly pitch — a decision heavily criticized later . India’s Batting Dominance: Yashasvi Jaiswal opened with intent, scoring a gritty 101 off 159 balls, battling even with hand cramps . Shubman Gill, on his captaincy debut, smashed an aggressive 127 (175 balls)*—his fastest Test fifty in just 56 balls—solidifying his new leadership role . Rishabh Pant contributed a brisk 65 (102 balls)*, boosting the total alongside Gill . Score at Stumps: India finished Day 1 at 359/3 in 85 overs, posting one of the highest Day 1 totals by a touring side in England . Bowling Analysis: England’s bowlers generally struggled, with Ben Stokes being the only consistent wicket-taker (2/43) . A notable moment: a rare five‑run penalty awarded to India when the ball deflec...

🔥 Day 9 Highlights 1. Intense Barrage On Israeli Cities Iran launched fresh ballistic missiles targeting Haifa and Beersheba. Haifa was hit on June 20, leaving at least 31 injured and causing damage to cultural sites like the Grand Al‑Jarina Mosque in downtown Haifa . Israel’s Home Front Command activated sirens, and debris sparked fires across the region . 2. Israel's Response: Strategic Airstrikes IDF struck dozens of military sites in Iran—missile infrastructure and nuclear sites near Tehran, Tabriz, Kermanshah, Natanz, Arak, Bushehr, and Isfahan . They also reportedly neutralized an IRGC drone brigade commander . 3. Diplomatic Dead End in Geneva High-level diplomacy resumed in Geneva with the EU and UK, but no breakthrough—the foreign ministers concluded talks Friday with no deal . President Trump articulated a two-week timeframe to decide on U.S. involvement . 4. Civilian Impact & Military Prep Casualties so far: At least 657 Iranians killed and over 2,000 injured f...