Usman Khawaja boycotts media outlet over Gaza row, cites principles, free speech
Bridgetown: Australian cricketer Usman Khawaja has refused to engage with leading sports broadcaster SEN during the ongoing Test series in the Caribbean, citing the outlet’s dismissal of veteran journalist Peter Lalor earlier this year over his social media posts about the Israeli attacks on Palestine.
The incident occurred after the first day of the Test match against the West Indies, where Khawaja scored 47 runs in Australia's first innings total of 180. When approached for a post-match interview, he declined upon noticing the SEN microphone and informed reporters Adam Collins and Bharat Sundaresan of his decision.
Peter Lalor was terminated by SEN during Australia’s tour of Sri Lanka in February, after he tweeted about Israeli airstrikes and Palestinian prisoners while covering a Test in Galle. Reacting to Khawaja’s gesture, Lalor said, “Usman is a man of principle whose support I valued greatly when I was dismissed, and whose ongoing support I appreciate.”
Khawaja, who has consistently spoken out on global human rights issues, particularly the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, has previously worn a black armband during the Perth Test and attempted to wear shoes bearing the messages “freedom is a human right” and “all lives matter” during the Boxing Day Test against Pakistan. However, both Cricket Australia and the International Cricket Council (ICC) barred him from doing so.
Speaking about the controversy, Khawaja said, “It’s just a little bit disappointing. I don’t really see the controversy in saying ‘all lives matter’ or ‘freedom is a human right’. I find it hard to accept that people find those words distasteful.”
Reflecting on his stance, he added, “It’s been a bit of an emotional rollercoaster… but I’ll always stand up for what I believe in, even if people don’t agree with me. I want to look back on my career and say I stood by my values—not just for what I did on the field, but for what I stood for off it. That means more to me.”
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Dangerous explosives found outside Kerala school
Palakkad (PTI): Explosives found outside a school compound in Vadakanthara in this district on Wednesday were confirmed to be of a dangerous nature, according to the First Information Report (FIR).
The explosives were found on Wednesday evening when a student threw one of the devices--which are suspected to be used for eliminating wild boar--resulting in an explosion, causing minor injuries to both himself and an elderly woman nearby, police said.
The FIR states that Narayanan, a 10-year-old student, discovered the explosives near the gate of the Vyasa Vidhya Peedom pre-primary school compound in Vadakanthara at around 3.45 pm.
Excited over the discovery, he threw one of the explosives to the ground, which then exploded with a loud sound, injuring himself and 84-year-old Leela, who was standing nearby.
School authorities and residents rushed to the scene and called the police who searched the place and found four more explosives in a bucket.
The injured were taken to the hospital, and their condition is stable, said police sources.
Palakkad North police have registered a case under section 3(a) (causing an explosion that is likely to endanger life), section 4(a) (keeping explosives with an intention to endanger life and property) of the Explosive Substance Act, and section 75 of the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act that deals with cruelty to children.
The FIR of the case stated that explosives were of a dangerous nature and were kept at the place to endanger human life.
A team led by a DySP-ranked officer is investigating the case.
According to police, CCTV cameras in the area have been recovered as part of the investigation, and attempts are being made to identify people who kept explosives near the school compound.
BJP district leaders alleged a major conspiracy behind the incident and demanded a thorough probe.
CPI(M) leaders alleged that the school management is affiliated with RSS, and there is training given to volunteers in the area.
Congress has also called for a detailed probe into the incident.
