Thursday, April 23, 2026

North Korea, Russia aim to open new road bridge soon: Report

SEOUL: North Korea and Russia aim to open a road bridge connecting the countries across the Tumen River as soon as possible, North Korean state media KCNA said on Thursday (Apr 23), as the neighbouring countries forge closer ties.

The project, which began about a year ago, is “an important business” to boost bilateral cooperation, including tourism, trade and the movement of people, KCNA said.

Construction of the 850m bridge, which will connect to Russia’s highway system, was agreed during a 2024 visit to North Korea by President Vladimir Putin.

Russia and North Korea held a ceremony on Tuesday to mark the joining of the bridge, the Moscow Times reported.

It is being built near the existing “Friendship Bridge”, a rail bridge which was commissioned in 1959 after the Korean War.

KCNA said an opening ceremony would be held soon, without specifying a date. The Russian embassy in Pyongyang wrote on Telegram that the bridge would be completed on Jun 19.

Oleg Kozhemyako, governor of the Primorsky region in Russia’s Far East, wrote on Telegram that the bridge would increase trade and expand cultural and tourism ties. 

He said it would cut the distance between Vladivostok and the border city of Rason to 320km and the crossing would have the capacity to accommodate up to 300 cars per day.

The update came as several Russian delegations visited North Korea this week.

Russian Interior Minister Vladimir Kolokoltsev met Jo Yong Won, chairman of the Standing Committee of North Korea’s Supreme People’s Assembly, on Wednesday in what KCNA described as a “favourable atmosphere”.

On Tuesday, Russian Health Minister Mikhail Murashko visited the North Korean city of Wonsan to attend a ceremony celebrating the construction of a hospital symbolising the “friendship” between the countries, KCNA said.

Russia and North Korea in 2024 signed a “comprehensive strategic partnership treaty” during Putin’s visit to Pyongyang.

The pact includes a mutual defence provision, and North Korea has sent thousands of soldiers to fight alongside Russian forces in western Russia’s Kursk region after a large Ukrainian incursion.

China has also been seeking to strengthen cross-border infrastructure and rebuild ties with North Korea, and last month saw the first passenger train service between the countries resume after a six-year gap.

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Salman Khan begins filming Vamshi Paidipally directorial in Mumbai amid Maatrubhumi delay

Actors Salman Khan and Nayanthara have officially begun shooting for their upcoming untitled action entertainer directed by Vamshi Paidipally. The film went on floors in Mumbai on April 22, 2026, marking the start of a major new collaboration backed by producer Dil Raju.

Salman Khan begins filming Vamshi Paidipally directorial in Mumbai amid Maatrubhumi delay

Salman Khan begins filming Vamshi Paidipally directorial in Mumbai amid Maatrubhumi delay

Trade analyst Taran Adarsh confirmed the development on social media, writing, “SALMAN KHAN – NAYANTHARA BEGIN SHOOT FOR VAMSHI PAIDIPALLY – DIL RAJU FILM… The makers of the Salman Khan – Nayanthara starrer have commenced shooting for their high-octane entertainer in Mumbai. Directed by Vamshi Paidipally, the film is presented by Dil Raju.”

The film is produced under the banner of Sri Venkateswara Creations by Shirish and Kuldeep Rathore and co-produced by Rafi Kazi. The team began the shoot with a traditional pooja ceremony before moving into a month-long schedule planned on a specially constructed set in Mumbai for large-scale action sequences.

The yet-untitled project is being described as a commercial entertainer with a strong emotional core and is expected to present Salman Khan in a larger-than-life avatar. The makers are reportedly targeting an Eid 2027 theatrical release.

The development comes at a time when Salman Khan’s previously announced film Maatrubhumi, earlier titled Battle of Galwan, continues to face delays. The project was initially conceived as a drama inspired by the 2020 India-China conflict in the Galwan Valley, but underwent significant changes following reported advisories to avoid direct references to the conflict.

The film’s narrative was subsequently reworked into a broader human drama, and its title was changed. Reports have also suggested that a substantial portion of the film underwent reshoots. As of April 2026, the project has not yet been submitted to the Central Board of Film Certification and is also awaiting a No Objection Certificate from the Ministry of Defence and the Indian Army.

Also Read: Salman Khan’s Maatrubhumi transformation involving gruelling high-altitude training in Ladakh

More Pages: Salman Khan and Vamshi Paidipally’s Next Box Office Collection

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‘Am I disabled enough?’ The question autistic participants are asking after NDIS overhaul

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The Adidas Hyperboost Edge Is Your New Super Trainer

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Some running shoes swagger into town, stirring up hype, making big promises. Like the Nike Vaporfly or the Puma Fast-R Nitro 3 Elite, the Adidas Hyperboost Edge ($200) promises to usher in “a new era of road running,” with brand-new supershoe DNA—a giant stack of new super foam, lightweight uppers, and a bold new design.

It certainly looks a lot different than the shoes we might have laced up just a few years back. But what’s really different about these so-called super trainers like the Hyperboost Edge? Here, I’ll break down what’s going on inside the new wave of high-performance running shoes and if they’ll really make you faster.

If you’re not really worried about cutting a minute or two off your mile, don’t forget to check out the rest of our outdoor buying guides, including the Best Running Shoes, the Best Gravel Running Shoes, and the Best Running Socks.

What Is a Super Trainer?

The Adidas Hyperboost Edge joins a growing lineup of running shoes that attempt to translate the high tech of racing “super shoes” into “super trainers,” delivering some of the speed and feel of a race shoe into a more usable everyday package.

The super trainer recipe often pairs a big stack of high-energy, lightweight super foam with a nylon or carbon plate and weight-saving race-style uppers. There’s also a growing trend for plate-free super trainers in response to fears that racking up too many miles in carbon-plated shoes raises your injury risk. But more on that in a mo.

The Hyperboost Edge is Adidas’ first non-plated super trainer and follows in the max-stack footsteps of shoes like the Asics Megablast and the Saucony Endorphin Azura—surprisingly versatile all-round running shoes that can cover most of your weekly miles. This is the shoe sandwich that lets them protect your legs while helping you run farther and faster.

The Midsole Magic

Carbon plates often grab the headlines, but the midsole foam really creates the super shoe magic. When I started running in 2009, the main midsole material was still ethylene-vinyl acetate (EVA), which has been used since the late 1970s and is still used today. EVA is cushioned (to a point), stable, durable, and cheap. But foam technology has bounded on. Gas-infused, supercritical foams, like the polyether block amide (PEBA) Hyperboost Pro in the Edge, are now all the buzz.

Supercritical foams are made by injecting a gas, like CO₂ or nitrogen, under high pressure into the midsole while it’s forming in the mold. In a supercritical state, the gas is not liquid, nor gas, but both at once. When the pressure is reduced, the gas expands inside the foam to create bubbles or cells that give the foam its lighter, bouncier properties.

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FO calls out India’s ‘false narrative’ linking Pakistan to Pahalgam attack | The Express Tribune

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Says India remains focused on ‘weaponising its false narrative against Pakistan for narrow domestic political gains’

Foreign Office. Photo: File

The Foreign Office (FO) on Thursday rejected what it described as India’s propaganda campaign of “baseless allegations” linking Pakistan to the Pahalgam incident, and called on New Delhi to demonstrate responsible behaviour and refrain from inflammatory rhetoric and actions.

The FO did not specify what statements or allegations it was referring to. However, an Indian media outlet claimed in a recent investigation that the mastermind behind the Pahalgam attack was taking shelter in Pakistan. It claimed the suspect allegedly possessed a Pakistani identity card with a Rawalpindi address.

Meanwhile, Indian Defence Minister Rajnath Singh issued a veiled warning to Pakistan a day ago.

On April 22 last year, unidentified attackers killed 26 people in Pahalgam in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK). India immediately blamed Pakistan without presenting evidence, an allegation Islamabad categorically rejected. Tensions escalated the following day, April 23, 2025, when India undertook a series of hostile measures, including suspending the 65-year-old Indus Waters Treaty.

In a statement issued today, the FO said: “At a time when Pakistan, along with its international partners, is undertaking concerted diplomatic efforts for regional and international peace and security, it is deplorable that India has once again resorted to a campaign of baseless allegations and propaganda to link Pakistan with the Pahalgam incident.”

Calling the development “unfortunate|, the statement said that amid an ongoing regional crisis, India remained focused on “weaponising its false narrative against Pakistan for narrow domestic political gains”.

“After receiving a befitting reply to its misplaced adventurism in the form of Operation Bunyanum Marsoos last year, such allegations constitute yet another chapter from India’s playbook of creating a smokescreen for its continued sponsorship of terrorism across the region,” it added.

The FO said such propaganda campaigns could not distract the international community from India’s continued occupation of IIOJK and its denial of the right to self-determination to Kashmiris, in violation of relevant United Nations resolutions.

Also Read: One year on, India failed to present evidence on Pahalgam attack: Tarar

It further stated that such “gimmicks” could not conceal what it termed India’s undermining of regional peace and security through “inflammatory rhetoric, repeated provocations and aggressive military posturing”, including its unilateral move to hold the Indus Waters Treaty in abeyance, which it said violated international law.

“We hope that the international community will call on India to demonstrate responsible behaviour and to refrain from all rhetoric and actions that may serve as a spoiler to ongoing efforts aimed at regional and international peace and security,” the statement concluded.

A day ago, Information Minister Attaullah Tarar marked one year since what he described as the “Pahalgam false flag operation”, stating that India had failed to present evidence for its allegations against Pakistan over the attack.

The situation had further deteriorated following the Pahalgam attack in the early hours of May 7, 2025, when missile strikes hit six cities in Punjab and Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK), destroying a mosque and killing dozens of civilians, including women, children and the elderly.

In response, Pakistan’s armed forces shot down Indian warplanes, including three Rafale jets.

Later, Pakistan launched Operation Bunyanum Marsoos in retaliation, targeting Indian military installations, including missile storage sites, airbases and other strategic locations.

On May 10, 2025, United States President Donald Trump announced that a ceasefire had been reached following overnight diplomatic efforts. The agreement was subsequently confirmed by Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar and the Indian foreign secretary.



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Pm Modi: ‘Tell Putin to stop’: Zelenskyy calls on ‘big players’ Donald Trump, PM Modi and Xi Jinping to put pressure on Russia – The Times of India

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Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Thursday called on global leaders, including India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi, to take a firmer stand against Russia, saying they must clearly tell President Vladimir Putin to end the war.In a post on X sharing excerpts from his interview with CNN, Zelenskyy said mediation alone may not be enough to stop the conflict. “I think that President Trump, President Xi, Prime Minister Modi, and other big players in the world have to tell Putin he has to stop this war. They can’t tell Ukraine ‘You have to stop the war’. We are defending. We are not aggressors,” he said.He also questioned the effectiveness of neutral mediation, stating, “If you are mediating, he doesn’t feel guilt… If we truly want to stop him, I am not sure that powerful countries can be mediators.”

‘Global pressure needed, not compromise’

Zelenskyy stressed that ending the war requires unified international pressure rather than compromise-based dialogue. “All together, we must stop Putin. What does it mean to be a great leader? It means stopping the war through diplomacy,” he said. He further argued that the presence of foreign troops along the frontlines could act as a deterrent against future Russian aggression, warning that without such measures, “no words will stop Putin.”

Ukraine expands defence ties in Middle East

In a separate post, Zelenskyy highlighted Ukraine’s growing defence partnerships, announcing agreements with Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the UAE on drone cooperation.“We signed three big security documents… These will translate into many different contracts,” he said, adding that Ukraine is offering expertise, training missions and cost-effective drone systems.He noted that cheaper interceptors could counter expensive attack drones, saying, “They will destroy it using not a $3-4 million missile, but a $10,000 interceptor.”Zelenskyy’s remarks come amid concerns that escalating tensions in the Middle East could affect Ukraine’s access to critical defence systems. He warned that a prolonged conflict involving Iran could put US military aid packages at risk, particularly anti-missile systems.Despite this, he expressed gratitude for American support and said Ukraine is open to sharing its defence innovations with the US as well.

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Ronnie O’Sullivan reveals unusual ‘under the bed’ trick after World Championship win

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Ronnie O’Sullivan demolished Chinese rookie He Guoqiang 10-2 in the opening round of the World Snooker Championship, deploying a secret weapon that had spent most of the year hidden beneath his bed in Ireland.

The seven-time world champion, now 50, switched to his backup cue for Wednesday afternoon’s session at the Crucible after his primary cue proved “hopeless” during Tuesday’s play.


The gamble paid off spectacularly, with O’Sullivan rattling off two century breaks in just three frames during a dominant 40-minute display that left his opponent shell-shocked.

“It was stuck under my bed in Ireland, basically, for most of the year until I came here,” O’Sullivan revealed.

O’Sullivan explained his decision to bring two cues to Sheffield, having deliberately saved the backup throughout the year because “it had a bit of life in it.”

“I think the tip’s more important than the cue to be honest,” he said.

“I was thinking, if I come here and my main cue’s no good, I’d rather have a cue I like with a good tip on.”

Ronnie O’Sullivan demolished Chinese rookie He Guoqiang 10-2 in the opening round of the World Snooker Championship, deploying a secret weapon that had spent most of the year hidden beneath his bed in Ireland

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PA

The snooker legend acknowledged the risk involved in his unconventional approach.

“A bit of a roll of the dice, a bit of a gamble. I was a bit nervous because I could look a bit silly,” he admitted.

“I make some crazy decisions in everyone else’s eyes, but they make complete sense to me.”

Five quirky facts about snookerFive quirky facts about snooker | PA

The victory marked O’Sullivan’s 30th progression to the second round from 34 World Championship appearances, where he will now face fellow 50-year-old John Higgins for the seventh time at Sheffield.

The pair, both members of snooker’s Class of 92, first met three decades ago, and this encounter could prove their final battle at the Crucible.

O’Sullivan confessed that the influx of young talent has left him feeling out of place.

“Hanging around the venue and being in the practice room in this venue, I feel old now. Everyone’s 23. It’s like walking into a crèche,” he said.

Former Manchester United and England midfielder Paul Scholes was among those watching O’Sullivan’s commanding performance, taking a seat in the front row at the Crucible.

Ronnie O'Sullivan is targeting another World Snooker Championship title

Ronnie O’Sullivan is targeting another World Snooker Championship title

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PA

The 51-year-old football legend opted against accepting any hospitality from the World Snooker Tour, instead purchasing his own ticket to witness O’Sullivan’s 108th World Championship match.

O’Sullivan was pleasantly surprised to spot the familiar face in the crowd.

“It was good to see him,” he said.

“I went: ‘That’s Paul Scholes here’. He looks really well, fit, healthy, so good to see him come to the snooker.”

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AFL LIVE: Bontempelli strapped up, ready to play as injury hit Bulldogs face Swans; Blues respond to AFL about Hollands

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Michael Voss arrived armed, guarded and, at times, visibly agitated. By the time he walked out, he had delivered one of the most combative press conferences of his coaching tenure – a staunch defence of Carlton’s handling of Elijah Hollands, and a pointed rebuke of the media scrutiny that has engulfed the club.

The Carlton coach set the tone early, repeatedly warning he would shut his press conference down if questioning strayed into territory he deemed disrespectful. It wasn’t an idle threat. On multiple occasions Voss stopped mid-answer, challenged the premise of questions and made clear there were lines he would not allow to be crossed.

Carlton coach Michael Voss was combative in his defence of the club’s long-term care for player Elijah Hollands.Jason South

At the centre of it all was Hollands – the young midfielder whose situation has sparked a club and AFL review and ignited a broader conversation about mental health, duty of care and match-day responsibility. Before the press conference began, the Blues warned attending media that as the review process was ongoing, Voss would not answer specific questions about what happened last Thursday night.

But Voss was emphatic on one point: Carlton, he said, had not failed the player.

Click here to read the story.

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Sport-Book on how coaches deal with the media up for honours

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LONDON, April 23 : Eddie Jones saw every press conference as an opportunity, while Roy Hodgson could barely hide his disdain for journalists, and a fascinating insight into how coaches deal with the media has been shortlisted for the Sports Entertainment Book Of The Year.

    “On the Record & On the Ball – How Elite Coaches Master the Media”, published by Fairfield Books is the work of Tim Percival, Communications Lead with the England Rugby team, and the product of his two decades working in media relations in elite sport.

It is partly a handbook for coaches and players while also giving media professionals a different perspective on the people they spend their lives chasing and is packed with anecdotes from a range of sports and personalities.

“One of the reasons I wanted to write the book was to help coaches and the sports media understand each other better, as there can often be friction between them,” Percival told Reuters in an interview.

    “I think anyone with an interest in how top-level sport works should find it interesting. It offers a look behind the curtain, which people always find intriguing. I also believe it’s a very good book for journalism and communications students.”

    If anyone recognised the psychological opportunity of a press conference, it was former England rugby coach Jones, who was a master of delivering a point he wanted to make, particularly if he wanted to bury another. Even the most cynical journalists loved him as he invariably provided colour.

Percival saw the Australian up close and personal for nearly three years at England’s RFU and quotes his former colleague in the book: “Around the world, apart from probably New Zealand, rugby is fighting for recognition, so I think the national coach has got a responsibility to be engaging,” Jones said. 

The approach often made for compelling viewing. “His media conferences could be absolutely brilliant and very entertaining to be part of,” adds Percival.

Jose Mourinho is another whose “antics” are widely covered in the book, including an explanation of how, in his Chelsea days, he had a special two-way relationship with The Sun newspaper, slipping them exclusive morsels but from his own agenda.

Former Australia netball coach Lisa Alexander is another who embraced the media. “The press conference is the fifth quarter, and your job doesn’t finish after a game until you go to bed that night,” she said.

“That fifth quarter, the press conference, is a vitally important part of your performance as a high-performance coach.”

TOTAL DISTRACTION

At the other end of the spectrum is Hodgson, who sees dealing with the media as a total distraction to his main job of coaching.

    “It was something which demanded of me qualities I don’t naturally have,” Hodgson said of his days in the media spotlight as England manager.

Former England cricket captain Mike Atherton explained to Percival how he was “deliberately bland” in press conferences.

“Almost everything they write about a captain is driven by results so I considered it irrelevant and wouldn’t play their game,” he said.

Atherton’s approach seems somewhat ironic now he has become one of the world’s most highly-regarded cricket journalists.

     Percival thinks the number of interviews Premier League soccer managers are now obliged to do can be excessive, calling it a “treadmill of platitudes”, but declines to blame media training for the routinely appalling “footballer-speak” interviews given by players.

“The fear of saying something that becomes a negative headline makes them tighten up,” he said. “It’s also linguistic convergence – they learn what ‘a football interview’ sounds like, and they mimic it.

“Where journalists get frustrated is the risk‑avoidance element. That’s where players close down but when someone like (Arsenal’s England midfielder) Declan Rice comes along — articulate and engaging — he really stands out.”

As the book title suggests, Percival has an intriguing section on the concept of “on/off the record” which, as he illustrates with a series of classic examples, means different things to different people in different places.

    The current fashion for news organisations to tell readers they “understand” something is happening is merely their way of delivering information someone has given them “for background”.

Why this has become so prevalent is anyone’s guess and the practice has become so ludicrous that it is now not unusual for press officers to reply to queries by saying: “Off the record, we will not be commenting on this.”

The winners of the 2026 Charles Tyrwhitt Sports Book Awards are announced on May 21.

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South Korean army removes poster depicting man-hating hand gesture

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A common hand gesture in a South Korean army recruitment poster has prompted scrutiny of a little-known cultural sensitivity in the country.

In the poster, a female model in a combat uniform poses with her hand resting under her chin. All quite innocent – except her thumb and index finger form a shape that many South Koreans associate with man-hating, according to The Korea Herald.

The finger pinching gesture is known as the “Megalian hand”, after the radical South Korean feminist group that adopted it as its logo. Its shape is seen as a mockery of male genitalia.

Cultural psychologist Han Min told the newspaper that fringe groups often adopted seemingly benign gestures to pass on coded messages in their public content.

“Groups that direct hate at specific targets often create their own symbols or coded language and slip them into advertisements and TV programmes, gaining a sense of superiority or victory from the fact that the public is exposed to their messages without realising it,” he said.

“They know that what they say and do is wrong. That is why they express it through anonymous hand gestures.”

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