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Rasmus Andersson trade buzz: Toronto Maple Leafs eyeing a $27 million veteran to fix defensive woes (Image Via Twitter )

The Toronto Maple Leafs are at a crossroads again. Another painful playoff exit, a likely Mitch Marner departure, and a restless fanbase are heavy burdens on the accused to recalibrate. But the offseason has come with opportunities and perhaps redemption. The Leafs are now refocusing on the defensive front, and Rasmus Andersson of Calgary looks like the prime candidate for trade who would bring a new face to Toronto’s blue line and a couple of seconds of stability to a team in transition.

Rasmus Andersson could offer the Toronto Maple Leafs the right-handed defensive stability they urgently need

The Maple Leafs’ playoff shortcomings, once again, have been their inability to stop teams that have applied high offensive pressure, like the Florida Panthers. They made the series last seven games, and yet the Game 3 collapse was a testament to how exposed they are in the right-side defense position. With Tanev and Carlo providing the gritty presence the Leafs would love to have, the spotlight now shifts to Flames veteran Rasmus Andersson: skilled, tough, and the right-shot defenseman with nine seasons under his belt.According to Kypreos, starting from the trade deadline, there has been interest shown by Toronto in Andersson, and that interest may soon be rekindled. With three years having passed without making it to the Playoffs for Calgary since the exit of Matthew Tkachuk, the Flames are at their crossroads. With young goalie Dustin Wolf heralded as a new face of the franchise, Calgary may want to shed some valuable veterans, and Andersson, with just one year left on a deal worth $4.55 million, fits the bill perfectly.An Andersson contract could be beneficial for both teams. For Toronto, this would be a low-risk and high-reward option, therefore not interfering with any long-term cap considerations. Having a whopping $25 million plus in cap space with major decisions on John Tavares and Matthew Knies looming, the best course of action might be to acquire Andersson for prospects and picks. He brings scoring from the back end at an elite level, but he also has the grit and hockey sense the Maple Leafs would be desperate for when it comes to facing playoff competition. Also Read: Calgary Flames blueliner Rasmus Andersson appointed Captain of Team Sweden at 2025 World ChampionshipIf the Maple Leafs are serious about ending their Stanley Cup drought, acquiring Rasmus Andersson might be a savvy move. His addition would mean the initiation of a more balanced and tougher defensive core, exactly the kind of base Toronto has been dying for to finally make that big postseason breakthrough.

NEW DELHI: The medical examination of the 24-year-old law student, who was gang-raped inside South Calcutta Law College allegedly by an alumnus and two senior students, has confirmed signs of brutal sexual assault including “forceful penetration, bite marks and nail scratches on her body,” a Kolkata Police officer told PTI.The incident took place on the evening of June 25 inside a guard’s room adjacent to the student union office, police said, after the woman was reportedly assaulted for rejecting a marriage proposal from the main accused.The three men, including a practising criminal lawyer and two senior students have been arrested and remanded to police custody for four days. Forensic experts have sealed the crime scene and seized mobile phones of the accused for further investigation.According to the complaint filed at Kasba police station, the student had visited the college to fill out exam forms when she was asked to stay back. She alleged that after refusing a marriage proposal from the prime accused, she was physically assaulted, dragged into a room, and raped while the other two accused stood guard. The ordeal allegedly lasted over three hours, from around 7.30 pm to 10.30 pm.The survivor further told police that she was filmed during the assault and threatened with the release of the footage. She was also warned against informing anyone, with threats made against her boyfriend and family, police sources told PTI.“We are trying to find out whether the footage was forwarded to other numbers,” the officer added.Chief Public Prosecutor Sourin Ghosal told PTI that, “According to a Supreme Court judgement, all persons in a group involved in cases of gang rape must be held liable, even if all of them did not commit the act of rape. In this case, two other persons helped in the rape. So this is a case of gang rape, and they are also accused in the case.”The prime accused, a former student of the law college, had been hired as temporary non-teaching staff for 45 days. His social media profiles claimed he was a former president of the college’s Trinamool Congress Chhatra Parishad (TMCP) unit and a current office-bearer of the south Kolkata wing of the TMC’s student body. Photos circulating online also show him alongside senior leaders of the ruling party.The Trinamool Congress has denied any current link with the accused and demanded “severe punishment” if he is found guilty.The case has triggered political uproar and street protests. Supporters of the SFI-DYFI clashed with police outside Kasba police station on Friday. Protesters from the BJP, Congress and AIDSO were also detained following separate demonstrations.Leader of opposition Suvendu Adhikari has warned of escalating protests, while both the BJP and Congress have announced agitation programmes for Saturday.TMCP president Trinankur Bhattacharya distanced the organisation from the accused, saying the student union at the college has been defunct for years.State Minister Shashi Panja, addressing a press conference, said, “The state government stands firmly with the victim and her family. Instead of making the victim a battleground for politics, her pain must be understood, she must be respected, and justice must be ensured – swiftly and unconditionally.”The National Commission for Women has taken suo motu cognisance of the case and directed Kolkata Police to submit a detailed report within three days.The case has drawn comparisons with the August 2023 rape and murder of a medical intern at RG Kar Medical College, which also sparked widespread outrage and calls for better campus safety measures across West Bengal.(With inputs fro agencies)

Virat Kohli and Vaibhav Suryavanshi (Agency Photos)

A new star may be rising in Indian cricket, and he’s already making waves, both with the bat and his jersey. Fourteen-year-old Vaibhav Suryavanshi stole the spotlight in his India U19 debut against England U19 in a one-day game at the County Ground in Hove, smashing a breathtaking 48 off just 19 balls. But what truly set social media buzzing was the number on his back: 18, the iconic jersey worn by none other than Virat Kohli.Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!Fans were quick to notice the significance, with many seeing it as a symbolic passing of the torch. While comparisons to Kohli are still premature, Suryavanshi’s fearless approach and dazzling strokeplay certainly made a statement.Opening the innings, the young prodigy launched India’s chase of 175 with a flurry of boundaries and towering sixes. Partnering with captain Ayush Mhatre, the duo raced to 71 runs in just 7.3 overs. Suryavanshi’s innings included five sixes and three fours before he fell agonizingly short of a debut half-century, caught for 48 off 19.India U19 eventually cruised to a six-wicket win, with wicketkeeper-batter Abhigyan Kundu sealing the game with an unbeaten 45 and a match-winning six.

Earlier, India’s bowlers had bundled out England for 174, with Kanishk Chouhan leading the attack with 3 for 20.Suryavanshi, who had spoken before the tour about his excitement to play in English conditions, has already delivered on his promise. “I will get a good experience of playing in England. We will try to win a trophy from there as well,” he had said. Judging by his debut, he’s not just here to participate; he’s here to dominate.Wearing No. 18 comes with expectations, but Vaibhav Suryavanshi seems ready for the challenge. Indian cricket fans may just have found their next big sensation.

A day after Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei issued a threat to US, President Donald Trump on Friday told the Shiite state that they got “beat to hell” after US bombed its nuclear facilities.Trump also said that he would bomb Iran again “without question” if it keeps enriching uranium.Asked in a White House press conference whether he would consider fresh air strikes if last week’s sorties were not successful in ending Iran’s nuclear ambitions, he said: “Without question. Absolutely.”Trump said Iran’s Ayatollah Ali Khamenei “got beat to hell” in the hostilities involving the United States and Israel and that “it was a great time to end it.”This comes a day after Khamenei, in his first televised speech after the attack, warned Iran would target American military bases in the Middle East if the US launched future attacks.

https://x.com/TruthTrumpPosts/status/1938649165237489704

“The Islamic Republic slapped America in the face. It attacked one of the important American bases in the region,” Khamenei said.Khamenei stated that whilst the US attacks on Iranian nuclear facilities were ineffective, America intervened primarily to protect Israel after Iranian missiles penetrated Israeli defence systems. He characterised Trump’s actions as theatrical, particularly regarding claims about destroying Iran’s nuclear programme with 30,000-pound bombs.Meanwhile, Trump also advised Iran to open itself to international inspection to verify it doesn’t restart its nuclear programme.Asked during a White House news conference if he would demand during expected talks with Iran that the International Atomic Energy Agency or some other organisation be authorised to conduct inspections, Trump responded the Islamic republic would have to cooperate with the group “or somebody that we respect, including ourselves.”Iran’s top diplomat earlier said the possibility of new negotiations with the United States on his country’s nuclear program has been “complicated” by the American attack on three of the sites, which he conceded caused “serious damage.” On June 22, the US carried out Operation Midnight Hammer, dropping 30,000-pound bunker-buster bombs on three key underground nuclear sites.The attack was designed to deal a critical blow to Iran’s uranium enrichment programme, in line with Trump’s stance that Iran cannot be allowed to possess nuclear weapons.According to Pentagon figures, more than 125 aircraft participated in the mission, including stealth bombers, support planes, fighters and surveillance craft. A total of 75 precision weapons were used, including 14 bunker busters and over two dozen cruise missiles.

Screenshot from the event.

NEW DELHI: Opposition parties strongly criticised RSS general secretary Dattatreya Hosabale’s suggestion to review ‘socialist’ and ‘secular’ words in the Preamble, viewing it as an attack on the Constitution’s essence.At an Emergency-focused event, Hosabale had stated that these terms weren’t in Ambedkar’s original Preamble and suggested reconsidering their inclusion. Union minister Jitendra Singh supported this view, noting these weren’t part of the original Constitution.The Congress and CPI(M) voiced strong objections following the RSS’s proposal to review these terms, which were incorporated during the Emergency period and weren’t in Ambedkar’s original draft.Rahul Gandhi posted on X: “The Constitution irks them because it speaks of equality, secularism, and justice. The RSS-BJP doesn’t want the Constitution; they want ‘Manusmriti’. They aim to strip the marginalized and the poor of their rights and enslave them again. Snatching a powerful weapon like the Constitution from them is their real agenda.”Kerala chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan criticised the move, noting the RSS’ previous association with Indira Gandhi’s government. “RSS General Secretary Dattatreya Hosabale’s call to review secularism and socialism in the Indian Constitution is a brazen attempt to dismantle the core ideals of our Republic. Invoking the emergency to discredit these principles is a deceitful move, especially when the RSS colluded with the Indira Gandhi Government during that time for its own survival. To use that period now to undermine the Constitution reflects sheer hypocrisy and political opportunism. Secularism and socialism are not additions; they define India. Every citizen who believes in democracy must raise their voice against this communal agenda,” he wrote on X.Left parties and RJD suggested this was part of a broader plan to alter the Constitution.Congress’ Jairam Ramesh highlighted the BJP/RSS’s historical opposition to the Constitution since November 30, 1949. Taking to X, Ramesh wrote, “The RSS has NEVER accepted the Constitution of India. It attacked Dr. Ambedkar, Nehru, and others involved in its framing from Nov 30, 1949 onwards. In the RSS’s own words, the Constitution was not inspired by Manusmriti. The RSS and the BJP have repeatedly given the call for a new Constitution.““This was Mr. Modi’s campaign cry during the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. The people of India decisively rejected this cry. Yet the demands for changing the basic structure of the Constitution continues to be made by the RSS ecosystem. The Chief Justice of India himself delivered a judgment on November 25, 2024 on the issue now being raised by a leading RSS functionary. Would it be asking too much to request him to take the trouble to read it?” he added.The party’s official stance emphasised their commitment to protecting constitutional values.K C Venugopal pointed out that the Supreme Court had established socialism and secularism as fundamental to the Constitution’s structure. “The RSS’ single-minded focus to destroy the Constitution is never hidden for too long. Beyond the BJP’s lip service to the Constitution, their hidden agenda has always been to distort and destroy our Constitution – because it stands against the core fascist beliefs of the RSS-BJP. A senior RSS member surely knows that the Supreme Court declared socialism and secularism to be part of the basic structure of the Constitution. Yet, to take this stand is a clear insult to the Constitution, a rejection of its values, and a direct attack on the Supreme Court of India as well. The people of India know very well the devious means deployed by the RSS to spread poison and divide this country. We will never let them succeed in this mission, and will defend the Constitution to the hilt,” wrote Venugopal.RJD president Lalu Prasad expressed concerns about threats to social justice and communal harmony. “The country’s largest casteist and hateful organisation, RSS, has talked about changing the Constitution. They don’t have the courage to even glance at the Constitution and reservations. Why do people with an unjust character harbour such hatred in their minds and thoughts towards democracy and Baba Saheb’s Constitution?” wrote Lalu in Hindi.The CPI(M) Politburo issued a statement defending the inclusion of these terms as reflective of freedom fighters’ core values. CPI general secretary D Raja emphasised the importance of defending the Constitution.BJP responded by accusing Congress of historical constitutional violations and called for acknowledgment of Emergency-era transgressions instead of creating diversions.

Team India during the net session in Birmingham. (Pic credit: Sahil Malhotra/TimesofIndia.com)

TimesofIndia.com in Birmingham: The Indian cricket team had their first training session in Birmingham on Friday and the side sweated it out for over three hours on a very pleasant morning. The sun was out but wasn’t harsh as the steady breeze kept the conditions comfortable for training. Shubman Gill & Co. reached the venue around 9:15 am local time and all players were in attendance for the first taste of Birmingham conditions.Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!Jasprit Bumrah travelled with the side but both him and Prasidh Krishna were absent from the net area. They did travel back with the side in the team bus but didn’t make an appearance while the rest of their teammates were doing their share of batting and bowling. Bumrah and Prasidh didn’t leave the stadium premises either.

Mohammed Siraj’s outing was restricted only with the bat only as the seamer worked a lot on the skill with batting coach Sitanshu Kotak. There were plenty of drills for leaving, ducking and playing deliveries and he spent close to 30 minutes before leaving the nets and joining his fellow seamers inside.

All three featured in the Headingley Test and their absence from the bowling run-up could well be because of workload management for the long tour. It has now become the most trending keyword in the Indian camp and will be repeated often in the build-up to the second Test as there is no clarity yet on ace pacer Bumrah’s participation in the fixture.It’s a call which will be taken by the bowler, in consultation with the medical team, and could well open or shut doors for the few waiting in the wings. Akash Deep and Arshdeep Singh had long spells, both with bat and ball, and were closely watched by the support staff led by head coach Gautam Gambhir.

Arshdeep has been spending a lot of time with the bowling coach Morne Morkel in the nets and the duo had worked overtime in Leeds to fine-tune left-arm seamer’s run-up, back-foot landing and overall alignment. After almost every delivery, they exchange notes and remain constantly in each other’s ears. From Leeds to Birmingham, it has been a similar story for Arshdeep in the nets as he continues to be chatty with Morkel and is always up for a battle with his Punjab teammate Gill in the nets.Gill turns to his old friend whenever he has to work on something specific and Arshdeep runs in full steam to test the right-hander in the nets. He maintains that intensity even during the long hit and is matched there by fellow seamer Akash Deep. If the Bumrah call is taken soon, one between Arshdeep and Akash will be drafted in the Playing XI as India would be in desperate need of a new ball bowler and the two have the required skill set to both control the shining red cherry, and make it talk.Still early days and a lot of time before the Test gets underway on July 2 but both seamers are hitting the right notes in the training and could make that decision very hard for the Indian team management. The answers to their will they, won’t they lie in the outcome of Bumrah’s will he or won’t he?Akash in full flow can trouble the best in the business and Arshdeep could well be the surprise card up India’s sleeve at the moment.