Homegrown Health Goals in a Bowl
Plant the seeds of wellness in your life and sprout gradually with good health over a period of time
A win over Croatia, a goalless draw with Ghana, and a win over Panama secured top spot in Group L. England now know exactly who stands in their way of reaching the Round of 16.
Avantika got married in a star-studded ceremony in Goa, with several members of the film fraternity in attendance, including K Bhagyaraj
Bengalurus double-decker metro corridors could shift commuters back to private vehicles: Study
The study finds that integrating elevated roadways with metro phase-3 corridors is projected to reduce metro ridership, increase traffic-related emissions, fuel consumption and project costs, while weakening the citys long-term sustainable mobility goals
Only behind Messi! Ronaldo equals WC record during Portugal's goalless dra
Cristiano Ronaldo equalled German legend Lothar Matthaus for the second-most FIFA World Cup appearances after playing his 25th match in Portugal's goalless draw against Colombia. The result sent both teams into the Round of 32, with Colombia topping Group K. Ronaldo also extended his unusual record of being caught offside 11 times across the last two World Cups.
Jude Bellingham Achieves Rare Feat As England Defeat Panama In World Cup Match
Jude Bellingham underlined his growing influence for England with a goal and an assist as the Three Lions sealed top spot in Group L with a comfortable 2-0 victory over Panama.
Cristiano Ronaldo achieved a significant FIFA World Cup milestone, equaling Lothar Matthaus's 25 appearances, placing him second only to Lionel Messi. Despite Portugal's goalless draw against Colombia, both teams advanced to the Round of 32. Ronaldo also extended his unusual offside record. Colombia secured top spot in Group K, with Portugal finishing as runners-up after a tightly contested match.
Investment planning should align with current finances, risk tolerance, and future goals. The Public Provident Fund (PPF) offers a safe, low-risk option for long-term savings, providing tax benefits and guaranteed returns, making it an ideal choice for wealth building.
Mann Ki Baat: PM hails self-reliance goals achieved by country
New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday, June 28, highlighted several milestones achieved by the country to become self-reliant as he cited the maiden flight of the made-in-India C-295 aircraft that will boost aerospace manufacturing abilities. In his monthly radio broadcast Mann Ki Baat, Modi noted that in June itself, the country achieved a Get the latest updates in Hyderabad City News , Technology , Entertainment , Sports , Politics and Top Stories on WhatsApp & Telegram by subscribing to our channels. You can also download our app for Android and iOS .
Tata Motors Passenger Vehicles to accelerate EV push with 4 new models, 10+ refreshes by FY31
In a bold move, Tata Motors is enhancing its electric vehicle roadmap, with the goal of achieving over 30% EV integration by FY31. The brand is shifting from targeting niche adopters to appealing to the wider audience, introducing four new EV models along with a dozen upgrades. Innovations in battery tech promise to extend range and accelerate charging times, improving mainstream appeal for electric vehicles.
Mann Ki Baat: PM Modi hails self-reliance goals achieved by country
In his monthly radio broadcast 'Mann Ki Baat', PM Modi noted that in June itself, the country achieved a major success in the aviation sector
An Iranian father who went viral for helping his blind son follow World Cup matches through a handmade cardboard tactics board has done it again. This time, he guided his son through Iran's goal in their final group match against Egypt. The boy's reaction when told Iran had scored has moved millions online.
Adulting 101: Why financial protection isn't just for parents
The article highlights why financial protection should begin early, not just after major life milestones. It explains how buying a term insurance plan in your 20s or 30s can secure lower premiums while strengthening long-term financial stability. The piece also explores how early planning safeguards future goals and loved ones. Published on National Insurance Awareness Day, it encourages young adults to make informed financial decisions and build a secure future.
Cristiano Ronaldo's Dismal Show vs Colombia Sparks Meme Fest on Social Media
Cristiano Ronaldo's struggles resurfaced in the final group-stage match against Colombia, where Portugal were held to a goalless draw.
South Korea, Japan reaffirm denuclearisation goal, closer defence ties
South Korea and Japan are strengthening security ties, reaffirming their commitment to denuclearizing the Korean peninsula. Defence ministers agreed to revive joint search-and-rescue drills and enhance cooperation with the US against North Korea's nuclear ambitions and its growing military links with Russia. This marks a significant step in bilateral relations, despite historical tensions and ongoing territorial disputes.
Watch: Lionel Messi's Free-Kick Stunner Leaves Jordan Goalkeeper Frozen, Opponents Stunned
Lionel Messi scored an unbelievable free-kick against Jordan as Argentina maintained their 100 percent run in the FIFA World Cup 2026.
Messi creates history as Argentina beat Jordan 3-1 to complete perfect group stage
Argentina concluded their group stage with a perfect record, defeating Jordan 3-1. Giovani Lo Celso and Lautaro Martinez found the net before Lionel Messi, coming off the bench, added a historic free-kick goal. This victory secured Argentina's top spot in Group J, setting them up for a Round of 32 clash against Cape Verde.
James Rodrguez scripts history after breaking rare Colombia World Cup record that stood for 28 years
James Rodrguez became Colombias all-time World Cup appearance leader during the 2026 draw with Portugal, marking his 11th tournament game. The milestone came as Colombia topped Group K unbeaten, with James once again pulling the creative strings. Despite a VAR disallowed late goal, Colombias dominance ensured progress, adding another historic chapter to their captains enduring World Cup legacy.
Lionel Messi Unlocks Never-Seen-Before Feat At FIFA World Cup As Argentina Beat Jordan
Lionel Messi came off the bench to score his sixth goal of the tournament as Argentina warmed up for their World Cup knockout tie with Cape Verde by beating Jordan 3-1 on Saturday.
FIFA World Cup match: Seventh heaven for Lionel Messi as Argentina beat Jordan 3-1
Jordan vs Argentina: Second-string squad of Argentina secured a convincing 3-1 victory over Jordan, with goals from Lo Celso, Lautaro Martinez, and a record-breaking free-kick from Lionel Messi. Messi's strike marked his seventh consecutive World Cup match with a goal, a new milestone. Despite Jordan pulling one back, Argentina's dominance was evident, sending a clear message to future opponents.
Austria secured a dramatic 3-3 draw against Algeria with two stoppage-time goals, propelling both teams into the Round of 32. Marko Arnautovic and Marcel Sabitzer scored for Austria, while Riyad Mahrez netted twice for Algeria. Sasa Kalajdzic's late equalizer sealed Austria's second-place finish in Group J, setting up a clash with Spain. Algeria advanced as a best third-placed team to face Switzerland.
Lionel Messi creates history, becomes first player ever to ...
Lionel Messi etched his name in World Cup history, becoming the first player to score in seven consecutive matches with a stunning free-kick against Jordan. This remarkable goal, his 19th in the tournament, extended his all-time scoring record. The Argentine captain, rested for the start, came off the bench to secure a 3-1 victory, showcasing his enduring impact on the global stage.
Lionel Messi becomes first player to score in seven consecutive FIFA World Cup matches
FIFA World Cup Jordan vs Argentina: Lionel Messi has etched his name in World Cup history, becoming the first player to score in seven consecutive matches. His stunning free-kick against Jordan secured this remarkable feat, surpassing legends like Just Fontaine and Jairzinho. This scoring spree, which began in Qatar, continued through the 2026 finals, extending his record tally of World Cup goals to an impressive 19. Messi's consistent brilliance continues to captivate football fans worldwide.
Colombia topped Group K at the 2026 World Cup after a historic 0-0 draw with Portugal in Miami, their first ever goalless match in 23 World Cup games. Despite dominating chances and forcing Diogo Costa into multiple saves, they were held by Cristiano Ronaldos side. The result confirmed both teams progression, with Colombia finishing unbeaten group leaders.
Thomas Tuchel Delighted To Have Jude Bellingham In 'Sweet Spot' For England At World Cup
England coach Thomas Tuchel hailed Jude Bellingham after the Real Madrid star scored one goal and made another in Saturday's 2-0 World Cup win over Panama.
FIFA World Cup 2026: DR Congo seal place in World Cup knockouts with comeback win over Uzbekistan
Wissa scored a penalty and Mayele added a quick second for the Congolese, who turned the game around with two goals in 10 minutes, before Wissa netted again in stoppage time
How to Build a 1 Crore Fund with Just 10,000 Monthly Investment
New Delhi, June 28: For many, a 1 crore investment fund remains a significant financial goal. However, reaching this target doesnt always require a large upfront investment. By starting at the right time, consistently investing, and leveraging the power of compounding, even a small monthly SIP (Systematic Investment Plan) can grow into a substantial fund ... Read more How to Build a 1 Crore Fund with Just 10,000 Monthly Investment
Congo beats Uzbekistan 3-1, enters FIFA World Cup knokouts
Atlanta: Congo advanced to the knockout stage of the World Cup for the first time by rallying to a 3-1 win against Uzbekistan on Saturday, June 27, night. The African nation was playing in soccers biggest tournament for only the second time in its history after a 52-year absence. Two second-half goals from Yoane Wissa Get the latest updates in Hyderabad City News , Technology , Entertainment , Sports , Politics and Top Stories on WhatsApp & Telegram by subscribing to our channels. You can also download our app for Android and iOS .
Television couple Akanksha Chamola and Gaurav Khanna are divorcing after nearly a decade of marriage, as confirmed by the actress on Lock Upp Season 2. The pair has been living separately for a year, emphasising a mutual decision driven by differing life goals rather than conflict. Read on!
Colombia topped Group K at the 2026 World Cup after a dominant but goalless draw with Portugal in Miami. Despite 26 shots and relentless pressure, Diogo Costas heroics and a late VAR offside call denied a winner. Ronaldo was largely contained as James Rodrguez orchestrated play for Colombia. Both teams advance, but Colombia finish unbeaten group leaders.
FIFA World Cup 2026 LIVE: Jordan vs Argentina at Dallas Stadium
The South Americans have secured top spot in the group and a place in the round of 32 after beating Algeria 3-0 and Austria 2-0, with Lionel Messi scoring all five of their goals
FIFA World Cup: Congo rallies to a 3-1 win against Uzbekistan to seal place in knockouts
The African nation was playing in soccer's biggest tournament for only the second time in its history after a 52-year absence. Two second-half goals from Yoane Wissa and one from Fiston Mayele sealed the win and saw Congo join Cape Verde as another surprise qualifier for the round of 32.
Why Lionel Messi Is Not Playing For Argentina In FIFA World Cup 2026 Clash Against Jordan
Lionel Messi is currently the leading scorer of the tournament, having netted five goals in just two matches.
Harry Kane Becomes England's All-Time World Cup Leading Goal-Scorer
Kane scored his 11th career World Cup goal in the 67th minute against Panama on Sunday, breaking a tie with Gary Lineker
Quote of the Day by Robert De Niro teaches that success belongs to those who overcome procrastination, seize opportunities, and begin working toward their goals without unnecessary delay. Whether in education, careers, relationships, or personal development, meaningful progress depends on decisions made today. Time will continue moving forward regardless of our choices. Therefore, the wisest course is to use each day purposefully, take the first step with courage, and build a future shaped not by intentions alone but by consistent action.
FIFA World Cup 2026 | England clinches Group L crown with clean sheet against Panama
Harry Kane scored Englands second goal and became the nations leading World Cup goal-scorer, surpassing Gary Lineker with his 11th tally
Jude Bellingham, Harry Kane Score As England Beat Panama 2-0 In Final Group Game
Jude Bellingham and Harry Kane scored second-half goals as England got the job done against Panama at the FIFA World Cup 2026.
On June 25th, 2026, a deeply moving and urgent seminar titled Protection of Natural Environment in J&K was organized by a voluntary body of Group of Concerned Citizens, J&K,here in Srinagar. As a cardiologist who has dedicated decades to studying the human heartand as a proud Kashmiri whose soul belongs to these mountainsattending and contributing to this seminar felt less like an environmental briefing and more like diagnosing a patient close to my heart. In medicine, we know that you cannot look at an organ in isolation; heart relies on lungs, and lungs rely on the air we breathe. Similarly, the health of our people is fundamentally locked to the health of our valleys, wetlands, and rivers. While the rapid ecological changes we are witnessing are deeply concerning, I chose to look at this crisis not with despair, but as a crucial window for intervention. We have caught the symptoms though late but still in time to write a new, positive prescription for our home. THE DIAGNOSIS How Environmental Stress Impacts Our Collective Health From a medical perspective, the environmental challenges highlighted during the seminar directly map to public health patterns we see in clinics daily. When the environment deteriorates, our bodies feel it first. AIR QUALITY AND CARDIOVASCULAR STRAIN The rise in Particulate Matter PM 2.5 < 2.5 microns levels from vehicular emissions, construction, and brick kilns doesnt just damage the lungs. These microscopic particles bypass natural filters, enter the bloodstream, and trigger systemic inflammation, directly increasing the risk of acute coronary syndromes (heart attacks) and arterial stiffness. THE LOSS OF NATURAL SPAS (WETLANDS AND FORESTS) The shrinking of our iconic lakes, like Dal, Nageen, Manasbal and Wular, and wet lands like Hokersar, Hygam and Shallabug along with rapid deforestation, disrupts our unique microclimate. The resulting erratic weather and urban heat island effects remove the natural cooling vents of our cities, leading to heightened physical and psychological stress. WATER SECURITY AND PHYSICAL RESILIENCE The retreat of our Himalayan glaciers impacts water quality and agricultural stability. For a population dependent on fresh, nutrient-rich local produce, changes in soil and water quality indirectly influence dietary health, metabolic wellness, and overall physical resilience. THE PRESCRIPTION A Positive Roadmap for Recovery Every chronic condition requires an actionable, optimistic treatment plan. Our beautiful region possesses immense natural resilience; it simply needs systematic care and community ownership to heal. Here are the structural suggestions to restore the vitality of Jammu and Kashmir: Green Infrastructure: Mass urban afforestation and creating Vertical Green Belts in cities like Srinagar and Jammu. Treating the existing trees like ICU patients with full empathy and care. Forests are our lungs. Eco-Tourism & Heritage Guard: Enforcing strict carrying-capacity limits and zero-plastic zones at high-altitude tourist destinations and wetlands. The local authorities have to strictly enforce it. Community-Led Conservation: Forming local Panchayat Eco-Clubs and integrating mandatory climate education in regional schools. Any new construction should need the approval of the local Panchayats. Clean Energy Transitions: Subsidizing solar energy for local businesses and introducing electric public transit corridors. A CALL TO ACTION FROM THE HEART We must stop viewing environmentalism as a hobby or a secondary policy goal. It is the ultimate preventive medicine. Just as a patient modifies his lifestyle after a health scare to emerge stronger, fitter, and more conscious, Kashmir stands at a similar crossroads today. The citizen-led seminar on June 25 proved that the collective heartbeat of our community is strong, aware, and ready for change. By taking ownership of our waste, demanding cleaner air, and guarding our forests like our ancestors did, we can easily reverse this decline. Actually, we have borrowed it from our younger generation. These were the points of discussion and the messages from the speakers including the organizer in chief MrKhurshidGanai and Chairman of the Green Citizens Council (GCC) and the chief guest Dr Karan Singh, the former Sadar e Riyasat of the erstwhile state of Jammu Kashmir and Ladakh and also the Srinagar declaration 2026 - a 10 year ecological Restoration Road map which was adopted unanimously at the conclusion of the meeting. Let us treat our land with the same tenderness we show to a loved ones healing heart so that it may continue to beat strongly, beautifully, and purely for centuries to come. Prof UpendraKaul, founder Gauri Kaul Foundation, is an eminent Cardiologist from Kashmir.
The Paradox of Sheikh Abdullah
A friend forwarded me a post on X by Ahmad Ali Fayyaz, a journalist, about the ambiguous attitude of Kashmiris towards Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah. Without taking sides, Fayyaz juxtaposes the emotional sendoff Kashmiris gave him on his passing in 1982 with the vilification he has been subjected to subsequently. He then poses the charge of treachery laid against Sheikh Abdullah in recent times, without expressing an opinion, but contrasting the charge with the reality of the grief at his passing. Traitor, or gaddaris a term I have often heard Kashmiris use with reference to the Sheikh. Ahmad Ali Fayyaz did well to highlight the issue, because the ambiguity lies in the Kashmiri attitude, not in the Sheikh, as I shall try to explain below. For a proper understanding of the Sheikhs role we have to go back to the 1930s and the birth of the Muslim Conference, when Pakistan was not even a concept and Kashmir merely a component of a Princely State. Under the Dogra rulers Kashmiri Muslims were a discriminated lot in terms of employment. In 1925 Kashmiri Pandits had conducted a campaign to protect their share of jobs against Punjabi (mainly Hindus) officials brought in from by the Ruler for their administrative skills. Sheikh Abdullah himself failed to obtain the job of a college lecturer and had to become a school teacher instead. The Muslim Conference agitated for the rights of Muslims for jobs in the administration, political representation, and the rights of the cultivator. In these goals, it is fair to say, Sheikh Abdullah with his modern outlook and radical economic and social agenda had all Kashmirs Muslims behind him. His skirmishes with the Mirwaiz after 1934 resulted decisively in a victory for the Sheikh. After the National Conference was formed in 1938 hiving off the Muslim Conference Sheikh Abdullah continued to reign in Kashmiri hearts. His agenda, which was expanded in 1946 with the Quit Kashmir movement to expulsion of the Dogra dynasty, remained faithful to the original programme. It had nothing to do with the Lahore Resolution of 23rd March 1940 which led to the creation of Pakistan. Now, his followers and Kashmiris in general, knew he was opposed to the Muslim League and the formation of Pakistan and he was not the only Muslim politician of note to do so. Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan and Maulana Azad are two other notable names; but religious organizations like the Deoband school and MaulanaMaudoodi and his Jamaat e Islami were also resolutely against the partitioning of India into Hindu and Muslim States. And lest we forget, a sizeable chunk of the Muslim vote went against the Muslim League, even in Punjab where the Unionist Party succeeded in winning 10 seats or so in the communally charged election of 1946 where the Punjab BarelviPirs ran riot with religious threats against those opposing Pakistan. The charge of treason cannot be brought against Sheikh Abdullah for the pre-independence phase of his political career. Quite the contrary- He is that rare political leader who delivered on every one of the items of his party programme. After 1947, as Prime Minister he ensured that Kashmiri Muslims obtained political representation in proportion to the population. He progressively increased the share of jobs of Muslims in the administration till it was nearly in proportion to the Kashmirs Muslim population, and his land to the tiller programme was the first and only effective land reform programme in the entire country. He also delivered on his Quit Kashmir programme when the Ruler Hari Singh abdicated and shifted abode to Bombay, never to return. No treason or treachery thus far. After 1947 Sheikh Abdullahs nationalist credentials are questioned, not just by Hindutva politicians but Congress as well, which is the party that jailed him in 1953. Where exactly did he stand vis a vis India in the years before his arrest. So far as we can tell from the written record he began to have doubts about the association with India from the very beginning, and was exploring ideas of independence right from the day he became Prime Minister in 1948 March. He is said to have proposed the idea of an independent J&K guaranteed by both India and Pakistan to American representatives at the United Nations in 1948. Later discussion with the American ambassador to Delhi, Loy Henderson, and the defeated candidate for the American Presidency Adlai Stevenson hint at the same tendency. He also raised the subject within his own National Conference party in May of 1953, but without getting any support. Independence was not a mandate from the people of Kashmiri, nor was it ever part of the National Conference programme. The idea, if it ever existed full blown, was only in Sheikh Abdullahs own mind - hesitatingly articulated, without any great expectation of success. The idea was fantastic, and had led Maharaja Hari Singh to his downfall, as it did to the Nizam of Hyderabad. He cannot be accused of treachery in this context. Finally, there are those who would accuse Sheikh Abdullah of being a traitor to the cause of Pakistan. Such an accusation would be absurd, ignorant and ridiculous. One cannot be traitorous to a concept one opposes whole heartedly. Pakistan, was then, as it is now, an absurd proposition. It was never popular in Punjab as the results of the elections of 1937 show. It took off in Punjab only because of the fear of the Muslim feudal classes that under Congress they would lose their estates. It was precisely the progressive ideas such as land to the tiller that attracted Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan and Sheikh Abdullah to associate with Congress. The poet Iqbal first articulated the concept of a Muslim political grouping in Northwest India in the 1930 session of the Muslim League in Allahabad. This group did not include J&K, and was to be part of India not a separate country. The two-nation theory whose inchoate form was first articulated by Sir Syed Ahmad Khan, had later supporters in LalaLajpat and Savarkar. It was another fantasy which succeeded for a while only because the British were compelled to reward Jinnah and the Muslim League for their support in the second world war when Congress was impeding British efforts. The idea of Pakistan flawed in conception, and bloody in execution, is yet to establish its credibility or necessity. In fact, one can go as far as to say that its creation created the very conditions it was predicated upon. Without Pakistan Muslims in the minority Muslims provinces would not have faced the situation they do in India today. How then do we account for the present-day Kashmiri animosity to Sheikh Abdullah and the role he played. Knowledge comes but wisdom lingers said Tennyson. Knowledge can be accumulated relatively quickly these days but digesting that knowledge and forming reasoned judgements from it can take time, leading to ambiguous opinions Ambiguity, is of course, a human attribute we all suffer from being undecided is a natural state. We dont always know our own minds. We have favouritecolours,favourite foods and favoured people within our intimate circles, but these are direct sensorial experiences, not thought out likes and dislikes. Outside the sensory experience, especially in matters of religion or politics, the positions we take are based more often on received knowledge which is often partial and slanted. Our attitudes may reflect our emotions more than they do our knowledge. And where our knowledge is inadequate our opinions become flawed. Sheikh Abdullah is considered a traitor by some because he eventually signed an accord with Indira Gandhi in 1975. That accord was greeted by a complete bandh in Srinagar the day he took the oath of office in Jammu. The next day, as he entered he city he and his cabinet were given the most rapturous welcome Srinagar ever saw. In Bhadarwah, where I was a Sub Divisional Magistrate then, a young Jamaati leader had stayed up all night plastering the town with posters proclaiming Do Gaddar, Sheikh Abdullah aur Sheikh Mujeeb. Next morning as head of the Carpenters Union he sent Sheikh Abdullah a telegram congratulating the newly sworn in Chief Minister. The literary critic and poet William Empson wrote a book called Seven Types of Ambiguity. The seventh type is the ambiguity of contradictory ideas, signifying a split in the authors mind, a fundamental ambiguity that is unresolvable, where meaning can come only through context. Perhaps the Kashmiri relationship with Sheikh Abdullah falls in this category. A love relationship that turned to hate years after the object of the love had ceased to exist suggests an ongoing dynamic in the minds of the living, not a fault in the deceased. B R Singh is a retired IAS officer who served in the J&K cadre.
Cong seeks unconditional return of former members, rejects defectors
NT Reporter Panaji The Goa Pradesh Congress Committee (GPCC) on Saturday appealed to former Congress members to rejoin the party unconditionally to strengthen the organisation ahead of the 2027 Assembly elections. While the party said it would welcome current and former MLAs wishing to join, it made it clear that there would be no entry []
Ugtem Molob poets meet celebrates monsoon, nature & Goas heritage
NT Reporter Panaji The monthly poets meet of Ugtem Molob was held recently in a warm literary atmosphere, bringing together poets, writers and lovers of Konkani literature. The programme featured poetry recitations centred on the beauty of the monsoon, nature, environmental conservation and the growing concerns over the destruction of Goas natural and cultural heritage. []
Lobo backs crackdown on drunken driving, seeks stricter enforcement
NT Reporter Calangute Calangute MLA Michael Lobo on Saturday welcomed the state governments decision to tighten enforcement against drunken driving, saying Goa is sending a strong message that it will not tolerate drinking and driving. Addressing a press conference along with Sudip Tamhankar and representatives of rent-a-car associations, Lobo said people caught driving under the []
Dalit groups demand reserved assembly seat in Kushavati district
NT Reporter Curchorem The Sanguem-Quepem Dalit Sanghatana (SQDS) and Dalit Voice of Goa intensified their demand for political representation on Friday, urging the state government to reserve an Assembly constituencyfor the Scheduled Caste (SC) community in the Kushavati district. Members of the two organisations staged a dharna at Quepem and latersubmitted memorandums outlining their demands []
IGCAR Kalpakkam Hydrogen Plant: India has unveiled the world's first nuclear-powered hydrogen production facility at Kalpakkam, utilizing heat from the Fast Breeder Test Reactor. Developed by BARC and IGCAR, this technology demonstration plant showcases nuclear energy's potential beyond electricity, offering a clean, fossil-fuel-free hydrogen source. This initiative marks a significant step in India's clean energy transition and strengthens its energy security goals.
Open war?: The conflict between the Taliban and Pakistan
Since the creation of a Pakistani State after the dissolution of the British Empire, the relationships between Pakistan, India and Afghanistan have been volatile TIMOTHY FOXLY (MBE) Emboldened by their August 2021 return to power, the Afghan Talibans relationship with the Pakistani government has been redefined. Pakistan expected cooperation, but a major cause of friction has been the increasing use of Afghan territory by the Tehrik-e Taliban Pakistan (TTP - the Pakistani Taliban). The TTP, resolved to bring down the Pakistani government, have ramped up attacks against government and military targets, helped by safe havens in Afghanistan. Amidst rising tension, border clashes and low-level friction, has given way to Pakistani air strikes into Afghan population centres, including a major mass casualty event in Kabul in March 2026, attributed to a Pakistan air strike. Neither Afghanistan nor Pakistan can afford the economic and political turbulence, but a sustainable solution to the conflict looks distant. On 16 March 2026, a missile landed on a former American military base in eastern Kabul (formerly Camp Phoenix). The buildings had been re-purposed by the Taliban regime as a rehabilitation centre for Afghan drug addicts. It is beyond a reasonable doubt that a Pakistani military aircraft was responsible. The explosion is believed to have caused hundreds of casualties, dead and wounded. Pakistan claimed it was a precision strike against TTP military facilities. After several years of tension, friction, border skirmishes and escalating violence, a major conflict between Afghanistan and Pakistan broke out in February 2026. Pakistani Defence Minister, Khawaja Muhammad Asif, described it as a state of open war. Though this might be premature, the conflict has included air, rocket and artillery strikes conducted by the Pakistani military. Pakistan had long wished for a Taliban government in Afghanistan and had navigated a difficult and dangerous political path over the preceding twenty years to achieve that goal: pretending to assist the US-led military coalition and the democratically elected fledgling Afghan Republic while covertly working to support the Taliban, many of whom were benefiting from a safe haven in the western border areas of Pakistan, adjacent to neighbouring Afghanistan. Pakistans support for the Taliban during this time is routinely described as a Double Game. Shortly after the Taliban took power in August 2021, the chief of Pakistans intelligence agency Inter Services Intelligence (ISI) Lieutenant General Faiz Hameed was quick to visit the Taliban leadership and present his congratulations. Even then, there were concerns that the new phase of the relationship, with the newly installed Taliban regime now no longer so dependent upon Pakistani largesse, might not go as well as Pakistan might hope; Pakistan has certain influence on Taliban but they (Taliban) have many complaints from us, Rustam Shah Mohmand, Afghan affairs expert who had served as Pakistan's envoy to Kabul, told Arab News. Too much interference in their government formation could backfire. This article is not intended to be a history lesson of the longer relationship between Afghanistan and Pakistan, but it is important to sketch in a few key and recurring - themes. Since the creation of a Pakistani State after the dissolution of the British Empire, the relationships between Pakistan, India and Afghanistan have been volatile. Pakistans engagement with Afghanistan should generally be seen in the context of Pakistans confrontations with India and Pakistans fear that Afghanistan might become a client State of India, thereby strategically surrounding Pakistan. Since the mid-nineties, Pakistan has invested much time and money seeking to ensure that the Taliban become a client of Pakistan and dominate Afghanistan in a manner favourable to Pakistan. Pakistani military intelligence played an important even decisive role in bringing about the rise of the Taliban by providing training, weapons, logistical support and a safe haven in western Pakistan from where they could retrain, regroup and recruit. The boundary between eastern Afghanistan and western Pakistan the Durand Line was a British imperial construct, designed to protect British-controlled India against Russian advances across Central Asia. It sliced through a complex, millennia-long network of Pashtun tribes for whom the Durand Line meant nothing. While technically the border between Afghanistan and Pakistan, it is not respected by Pashtuns, who continue to use ancient paths and smuggling routes. It is relatively straightforward for those wishing to avoid government attention, which in the late-20th and early 21st centuries increasingly included criminal gangs, drug traffickers and terrorists, to slip over the mountains and through the lesser-known forests and valleys in both directions. The decades of conflict in Afghanistan the Soviet occupation of 1979-1989, the civil war in the 1990s, the rise of the Taliban in the late nineties and the international military intervention from late 2001 that led to twenty years of Taliban guerrilla warfare exacerbated the economic and security problems of this border region. Starting in the early 1980s, millions of Afghan refugees took up semi-permanent and permanent residence in refugee camps and cities in western Pakistan, offering fruitful recruiting grounds for other terrorist groups, including Pakistani-backed terrorist groups focused on India, including Jammu & Kashmir. From 2007, a Pakistani Taliban began to emerge (Tehrik e-Taliban Pakistan TTP), declaring allegiance to the Afghan Talibans Supreme Leader. In 2011, the United Nations declared that the TTP was associated with Al Qaeda. The group has continued to launch attacks across Pakistan, including suicide bombings. The TTP have been inspired by the Afghan Talibans military success in Afghanistan and have similar goals for Pakistan the violent removal of the government and the establishment of their own vision of an Islamic State. When the Taliban took power, it became convenient even logical - for the TTP to use Afghanistan as a base for its operations in Pakistan. The Taliban deny that they are allowing the TTP to operate from Afghanistan. Here are the two painful ironies for Pakistan; Pakistan supported the Afghan Taliban which, in turn supported the Pakistani Taliban who are attacking Pakistan. Furthermore, Pakistan enabled the 2001 2021 Taliban insurgency in Afghanistan by allowing them a safe haven (and other forms of support) in western Pakistan. Now the TTP may be receiving safe haven in Afghanistan in order to conduct operations into Pakistan. So, the post-August 2021 Pakistan-Afghanistan honeymoon period wore off. Pakistans concern about a TTP presence in Afghanistan and increasing TTP attacks in Pakistan began to grow. Diplomatic protests began to give way to threats of military action. There were some early disputes and skirmishes about the locations of border posts and the activities of the military personnel of both sides. In December 2021, Pakistan complained that the Taliban had prevented its soldiers from setting up a security fence opposite Nangarhar province. In February 2022, Pakistan claimed that five of its soldiers had been killed by militants in a cross-border firefight. In 2023, skirmishes occurred several times at border crossing points. In March and September 2024, the Pakistani Air Force launched strikes at targets in the south-eastern Afghan provinces of Paktika and Khost. A regular feature of the Afghan-Pakistan conflict is the lack of clarity over casualties: Pakistan claimed to have struck militants, while the Taliban claimed dozens of women and children had been killed. Many of the claims and military actions have been fuelled by the dialogue of revenge and the need to demonstrate robust actions in response to previous attacks. The situation deteriorated further in 2025, with the TTP increasing its attacks in Pakistan. On 9 October, a TTP attack killed eleven Pakistani troops including a Lieutenant Colonel - near the Afghan border. Later that day, explosions were heard in Kabul. Although many judged that this was a Pakistani airstrike, the cause was very unclear. The Economist reported that air strikes in Kabul may have taken place on two separate days in mid-October. But, even if the reports were unconfirmed, it raised serious concerns that the Pakistani military was probably open to targeting Kabul and thereby significantly escalating the tensions - in retaliation for TTP actions in Pakistan. Concerns that were, only months later, to be realised. The security situation took an even more worrying nose-dive in early 2026. On 26 February, Pakistan launched more extensive military operations in Afghanistan, declaring Operation Righteous Fury as a statement of Open War against the Taliban. Air strikes hit Kabul and Kandahar. Afghan border positions and military facilities were hit. The Taliban, for their part, attacked Pakistani border outposts, possibly including the use of drone strikes. The United Nations said 370 Afghans had been killed in the first three months of 2026. On 16 March 2026, an airstrike hit eastern Kabul, causing a major mass casualty event in which a Pakistani missile hit the Omid Drug Rehabilitation Hospital, a rehabilitation centre for drug addicts. In the bleak and very violent story of Afghanistans last forty years, it is even possible that the attack on the rehab centre may turn out be the deadliest attack in recent history. A United Nations report gives a figure of 269 believed dead, although the figure may be higher (the Taliban say 411 killed). Patient documents were destroyed in the attack, many individuals are still missing, some casualties were unidentifiable, and other casualties may have been taken home or to the hospital by friends and family without their information being recorded. It is difficult to see a significant improvement in Afghanistan-Pakistan relations in the short to medium term. Both sides favour tough rhetoric that denies, denounces and deflects. Attacks frequently generate more revenge attacks. However, the tensions between the two countries are not purely about the TTP. The location and recognition of the border formerly known as the Durand Line remains in dispute. Patrolling and maintaining border posts in a geographically challenging area where the border is not agreed will continue to generate friction and clashes. The abrupt, aggressive forced deportation of millions of Afghans from Pakistan back to Afghanistan is also a major cause of dispute and regularly threatens to overwhelm the Talibans, themselves dependent upon aid agencies, ability to absorb large numbers. Deportations have increased the Afghan population by around ten percent over the last three years, at a time when humanitarian conditions in Afghanistan are extremely poor. Peace talks brokered by China and others may bring a lessening in the violence, and neither side benefits from the major economic disruption caused by the closure of key trade routes. The Taliban will continue to deny that they are supporting the TTP by allowing them to operate from Afghanistan, and Pakistan will continue to point to militant groups attacking into Pakistan. Recent reporting suggests the TTP have been told to leave Kabul, presumably more to make their presence less overt rather than a wider move to clear out the TTP. The Pakistan government almost certainly privately recognise that they were responsible for the strike on the rehab centre. This might make them more wary of future use of airpower near large population centres. It is perhaps premature to describe the violence as an all-out war, but skirmishes in the border areas - provinces such as Kunar, Nangarhar, Paktiya and Khost) - likely including artillery, rockets and airstrikes will very likely continue, and civilian casualties are unfortunately certain. (The Author is a Research Fellow at the European Foundation for South Asian Studies (EFSAS) and can be reached at info@efsas.org . He has previously been affiliated with the UK Ministry of Defence and the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI).
Iran coach: US treatment at World Cup 'really terrible'
Iran's World Cup journey ended with a controversial 1-1 draw against Egypt, a result that left players and coach Amir Ghalenoei feeling very unfairly treated. A late disallowed goal, coupled with logistical challenges and perceived poor hospitality from the host nation, marred their experience. Despite these hurdles, the team expressed pride in their performance and the support of Iranians worldwide.
Anita Anand | How More Indians Are Feeling Lonely: Is There Anything That Can Be Done?
People living in individualistic societies (such as the United States), where individual success is an important life goal, reported more frequent loneliness than those in more collectivistic societies (such as Guatemala), where the needs and goals of a larger group, such as the family, are prioritised over individual success. This effect was stronger among men and older people
FIFA World Cup: Spain overcome group stage block; take first step towards resurgence
Spain marks a significant milestone at the FIFA World Cup by finally breaking a 14-year group stage winless streak, proudly claiming the top spot in Group H with a vital victory against Uruguay. The match was electrified by Alex Baena's late goal, securing La Roja's first tournament win over Uruguay and the first time they've achieved two group match victories since 2010.
KCBC urges centre to address FCRA concerns, welcomes transparency measures
The Kerala Catholic Bishops' Council (KCBC) has urged the Centre to address concerns regarding recent FCRA amendments, while supporting the goal of transparency in foreign fund utilization. The council fears new restrictions could impact voluntary organizations and potentially infringe on religious and expression freedoms. KCBC emphasizes its commitment to nation-building and seeks dialogue for necessary changes to ensure uninterrupted activities for genuine institutions.
At 41, Cristiano Ronaldo continues to defy age, recently scoring in his sixth FIFA World Cup and setting a new international goal record. Beyond his football prowess, Ronaldo is a known car enthusiast, boasting an impressive collection. Highlights include the bespoke Rolls-Royce Cullinan, the rare Ferrari F12 TDF, and a powerful Mercedes-Benz Brabus G65, showcasing his passion for both speed and luxury.
'Jewar solar plant to boost India's export power; generate thousands of jobs': CM Yogi Adityanath
I believe that this solar cell manufacturing hub will also play a major role in increasing India's export power. This means it will help in achieving the Prime Minister's goal of an 'Atmanirbhar Bharat' (Self-reliant India), he said.
People's Support Motivates Me To Achieve Toughest Goals: Chandrababu Naidu
Sanjeevani would be implemented in all districts from August 15. He suggested that people should do yoga and meditation for better health. At the same time, he advised parents to keep junk food at bay from children. He also stressed the need for organic farming. People are not ready to buy even if farmers use urea targeting extra produce, he said
Romelu Lukaku becomes Belgium's highest FIFA WC scorer with record-breaking goal
Lukaku reached the milestone during Belgium's comfortable win, which helped them finish at the top of Group G.
France Ligue 1 Manager's Picked His Successor In Last Wish. Club Did This
Julien Lachuer played for Brest as a goalkeeper before joining the coaching staff in 2010.
Cape Verde becomes the smallest nation to book FIFA WC knockout berth
Cape Verde scripted one of the biggest stories of the FIFA World Cup by reaching the knockout stage on their tournament debut after holding Saudi Arabia to a goalless draw in their final Group H match at NRG Stadium on Saturday IST.
Suhasini describes K Bhagyaraj's FINAL moments
Actress Suhasini shared poignant details of filmmaker K. Bhagyaraj's final moments. He attended a wedding in Goa and returned to Chennai, feeling well enough for his usual morning walk. Upon returning home, he complained of chest pain and was promptly taken to the hospital. Suhasini fondly remembered him as someone who always brought smiles, leaving a void in Tamil cinema.
Congress open to tie-up with like-minded parties for 2027 Goa polls
Goa Congress is open to alliances for the 2027 assembly elections against the ruling BJP, provided potential partners share a common ideology and program. The party is also focusing on strengthening its organization across the state. Congress leaders expressed confidence in their ability to address public concerns, alleging the current government has failed the people of Goa.
The Indian men's hockey team once again defeated Pakistan in the FIH Pro League. Despite trailing at one point, India bounced back, scoring seven consecutive goals to secure a historic 7-1 victory.FIH Pro LeagueThe Indian men's hockey team defeated arch-rivals Pakistan by a massive 7-1 m...
Romelu Lukaku Achieves Historic Feat As Belgium Enter World Cup Round Of 32
The 33-year-old achieved the milestone in the 86th minute of the match, taking his World Cup tally to six goals
Coast Guard commissions ICGS Akshay, 4th Adamya-class FPV built by Goa Shipyard
The Indian Coast Guard has bolstered its maritime security with the commissioning of ICGS Akshay, a new-generation fast patrol vessel built by Goa Shipyard Limited. This indigenous ship, named Akshay meaning indestructible, will enhance coastal surveillance, search and rescue, and environmental protection efforts. Its induction signifies India's growing shipbuilding prowess under the 'Atmanirbhar Bharat' initiative, aiming to safeguard the nation's extensive coastline.
India's Only SDG Lions Shortlist at Cannes 2026 Comes from a Grassroots Education Movement in Bihar
In a significant moment for India's social impact ecosystem, Mothers of Courage – Shifting Societal Norms, One Conversation at a Time, a project documenting a grassroots movement for girls' education in Bihar through a powerful film, has earned India's only shortlist in the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) Lions category at the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity 2026. From the villages of Bihar to the global stage at Cannes—celebrating the courage of mothers transforming girls' education The project, submitted by Bengaluru-based organisations Mantra Social Services and ShikshaLokam, both part of the broader Shikshagraha movement, stands alongside some of the world's most impactful campaigns driving measurable social change. The recognition places a community-led education initiative from rural Bihar on one of the world's most prestigious stages for creativity and impact. At the heart of the project is the Shiksha Chaupal, a community engagement model developed through years of grassroots work that brings together mothers, fathers, youth and local leaders to openly discuss the barriers preventing girls from completing their education. Through collective dialogue and public pledges, communities commit to ensuring girls remain in school and are protected from child marriage. To date, the initiative has facilitated more than 28,000 community gatherings across 14 districts in Bihar, mobilising over 800,000 citizens around girls' education and gender equality. The eight-minute documentary Mothers of Courage, directed by Vandana R and produced by Butterfly Effect Media, chronicles these conversations and the women leading change within their communities. " The women featured in this film are not activists in the conventional sense. They are mothers and mothers-in-law who chose to challenge deeply entrenched social norms — some fighting for their daughters, others breaking convention to send their daughters-in-law back to school ," said Khushboo Awasthi, Co-founder of Mantra4Change and Chief Curator, Shikshagraha . " This recognition belongs to them and to the thousands of communities across Bihar that have demonstrated how collective action can create lasting change. To see that work acknowledged on a global platform like Cannes Lions is both humbling and encouraging ." The Sustainable Development Goals Lions category recognises work that advances the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals through demonstrable social impact. The category is among the festival's most competitive, with a strong emphasis on measurable outcomes and real-world change. For director Vandana R , the power of the film lay in documenting an existing movement rather than creating a narrative around it. " Everything audiences see in Mothers of Courage emerged from real conversations taking place in villages across Bihar ," she said. " Our role was simply to listen, observe and document. The courage and conviction came from the women themselves ." The shortlist adds to a growing list of recognitions for the project, including the Best Inspirational Film award at the Los Angeles Film Awards 2026 and a Silver at the ABBY Awards 2026 in the Sustainable Development Goals category. For Shikshagraha, the recognition highlights the growing visibility of community-led approaches to public education reform and gender equality. Championed by S.D. Shibulal (Co-founder and Former CEO of Infosys) and Bengaluru-based non-profits ShikshaLokam and Mantra4Change, Shikshagraha works with more than 30 partner organisations across 16 states to strengthen public education systems and improve outcomes for children in government schools. About Shikshagraha Shikshagraha is a people-powered movement to improve all 1 million public schools in India, so that every child experiences enriching learning and is ready for the future. Real change begins with the child at the centre — their learning, confidence, well-being, and aspirations, and with those closest to the child. The movement enables parents, women and youth to demand and support quality education, and equips teachers, school leaders, and officials with tools for micro-improvements towards systemic change. Currently, 30+ civil society, industry and philanthropic partners in the Shikshagraha network are collectively strengthening 1,17,000+ schools across 35 districts across 16 states & UTs. This includes enabling education leaders to lead need-based school improvements and amplifying women, youth and community participation in the public education system. Shikshagraha works towards improving schools where the need is greatest, supports leadership on the ground, and shifts the norms that hold education back. Through visible practice change and collective action by communities, governments, civil society, and markets, it reimagines what public schools can and must deliver. shikshagraha.org/ for more details.
FIH Pro League: Dominant India thrash Pakistan 7-1
After conceding an early goal, India stormed back through strikes from Sukhjeet Singh (20th), Harmanpreet Singh (26th), Hardik Singh (34th), Jugraj Singh (35th), Abhishek (41st), Raj Kumar Pal (44th) and Dilpreet Singh (54th) to register an emphatic victory
Iran Have Certain FIFA World Cup Last-32 Place Snatched Away
Iran were deprived of a certain place in the World Cup knockout phase when a goal in stoppage time that would have given them a 2-1 win against Egypt was disallowed.
There was late drama after VAR ruled an Iran goal in the 93rd minute for offside as Egypt moved on to the knockouts, while Iran will have to wait to know their fate
India thrash Pakistan 7-1 in FIH Mens Pro League Hockey
In FIH Mens Pro League Hockey, India thrashed Pakistan 7-1 at the Lee Valley Hockey and Centre in London last night. Abu Bakar gave Pakistan the lead in the first quarter, converting a penalty corner. India had seven different goal scorers in the match. Sukhjeet Singh and Harmanpreet Singh turned the tide against Pakistan with []
Uruguay Crash Out Of FIFA World Cup As Spain Avoid Argentina Clash
Uruguay bowed out of the World Cup as goalkeeper Fernando Muslera's howler gifted Spain a 1-0 win in Guadalajara to secure top spot in Group H.
Dominant India thrash Pakistan 7-1 in FIH Pro League
India's men's hockey team delivered a stunning performance, defeating Pakistan 7-1 in the FIH Pro League. After trailing early, India surged back with goals from Sukhjeet Singh, Harmanpreet Singh, Hardik Singh, Jugraj Singh, Abhishek, Raj Kumar Pal, and Dilpreet Singh. Midfielder Hardik Singh was named Player of the Match in this dominant display.
FIFA WC: Last-Minute Drama Breaks Iran's Heart, Egypt Enter Round Of 32
Egypt vs Iran Highlights, FIFA World Cup 2026: Shoja Khalilzadeh's last-minute goal was ruled offside as Iran's FIFA World Cup 2026 match against Egypt ended in a 1-1 draw.
FIFA World Cup 2026: Senegal routs 10-man Iraq 5-0 to keep knockout hopes alive
Senegal thrashed 10-man Iraq 5-0 in a crucial World Cup qualifier, significantly boosting their hopes of advancing. Pape Gueye netted twice after Habib Diarra opened the scoring early. Despite an early red card for Iraq's Rebin Sulaka, Senegal capitalized, with Ismaila Sarr and Iliman Ndiaye also finding the net. Now with three points and a strong goal difference, Senegal awaits other results to determine their fate in the knockout stages.
Spain vs Uruguay: Who is Alex Baena? Midfielder's goal sends Spain into World Cup knockout stage
Spain defeated Uruguay 1-0 to finish top of Group H and qualify for the FIFA World Cup knockout stage, with Alex Baena scoring the decisive goal. The 24-year-old Atletico Madrid winger netted his first World Cup goal, continuing his rise after spells with Villarreal and Girona. The defeat knocked Uruguay out of the tournament.
Lionel Messi won't start Argentina's group finale, but World Cup scoring record holder could sub in
Argentina's football icon Lionel Messi will start on the bench for their final group match against Jordan, coach Lionel Scaloni confirmed. Messi, who has been instrumental with five goals in the tournament so far, is expected to feature later in the game. This strategic move allows for rest ahead of the knockout stages, with goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez potentially being the sole regular starter in a lineup featuring new faces.
Govt notifies 1.03 crore square metres land in South Goa as No Development Zone
Goa has declared over a crore square metres of ecologically sensitive land in Salcete taluka as a No Development Zone. This move, encompassing salt pans and paddy fields across seven villages, aims to bolster environmental protection and safeguard the state's delicate ecosystems. The largest portion is in Talaulim, with other significant areas in Majorda and Seraulim.
Vozinha Enters Elite Goalkeeper List As Cabo Verde Reach FIFA World Cup 2026 Knockouts
Cape Verde goalkeeper Vozinha has entered an elite list in FIFA World Cup history after becoming only the third goalkeeper to register multiple clean sheets at the tournament after turning 40.
Cape Verde Makes History by Reaching FIFA World Cup Knockout Stage
Houston, June 27: Cape Verde has made history by securing a spot in the knockout stage of the FIFA World Cup 2026 after a goalless draw against Saudi Arabia. Finishing second in Group H, Cape Verde will face the defending champions Argentina in the Round of 32. Following an impressive group stage performance, Cape Verde ... Read more Cape Verde Makes History by Reaching FIFA World Cup Knockout Stage
Tamannaah Bhatia and Trisha Krishnan turn bridesmaids
Actress Tamannaah Bhatia shared glimpses of Avantika Sundar's intimate Goa wedding to Shravan Sreenivasan. Tamannaah, a bridesmaid alongside Trisha Krishnan, posted heartfelt notes and photos of the coordinated ivory and beige outfits. The bride wore pastel pink, while the groom and family sported gold. Khushbu Sundar expressed immense joy, calling it a magical, intimate celebration. Several Telugu and Bollywood stars attended.
Spain topped Group H with a 1-0 win over Uruguay, secured by lex Baenas first-half goal after a costly Fernando Muslera error. Despite Uruguays late pressure and a few clear chances, Spains control and discipline proved decisive. The result sends Spain into the Round of 32 unbeaten, while Uruguay exit after a wasteful, inconsistent group-stage campaign.
Spain sends Uruguay packing with 1-0 win in FIFA World Cup
Guadalajara: Spain defeated Uruguay 1-0 after another goalkeeping mistake by Fernando Muslera to advance to the knockout stage of the World Cup and eliminate the South American powerhouse on Friday. Uruguay, a two-time champion, will go home without any victories in its three Group H games. Spain, the European champion, won the group with seven Get the latest updates in Hyderabad City News , Technology , Entertainment , Sports , Politics and Top Stories on WhatsApp & Telegram by subscribing to our channels. You can also download our app for Android and iOS .
FIFA World Cup 2026 LIVE: New Zealand Vs Belgium at Vancouver
Watch the New Zealand vs Belgium FIFA World Cup 2026 Group G clash live with score updates, goals, key moments, and full-time coverage.
FIFA WC: Dembl hat trick powers France past Norway at World Cup
Foxborough: Not so fast, Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbapp. Ousmane Dembl has just entered the Golden Boot race. Dembl scored a first-half hat trick, including one off a feed from Mbapp, to help France beat Norway 4-1 at the World Cup on Friday. Dembls goals came in the seventh, 20th and 32nd minutes. It was Get the latest updates in Hyderabad City News , Technology , Entertainment , Sports , Politics and Top Stories on WhatsApp & Telegram by subscribing to our channels. You can also download our app for Android and iOS .
Spain wins World Cup group, beating Uruguay 1-0 as Muslera's error sends 2-time champion home
Spain secured a 1-0 victory over Uruguay, thanks to another goalkeeping error from Fernando Muslera, to advance to the World Cup knockout stage. This loss sends the two-time champions home without a win.
Kylian Mbappe Equals Miroslav Klose In Elite List Despite Staying Goalless vs Norway
Kylian Mbappe, the second-highest goal scorer in the history of the FIFA World Cup, failed to score in his side's clash against Norway but played a supporting role.
FIFA World Cup: Five-star Senegal keep World Cup hopes alive and send Iraq home
Senegal kept their World Cup dreams alive with a commanding 5-0 victory over 10-man Iraq, who are now eliminated. The dominant performance saw goals from Abdoulaye Seck, Ismaila Sarr, Pape Gueye (two), and Iliman Ndiaye. Despite Iraq's early red card, Senegal secured a crucial win, now awaiting Saturday's results to determine their progression to the knockout stage.
FIFA World Cup 2026: Scaloni Confirms Messi Will Not Start Against Jordan
Messi has scored all five of his team's goals in their wins over Algeria and Austria as Argentina have booked their place in the knockout rounds with one group phase match remaining
Peter Drury: Shakespeare of Football Commentary
The whistle of football World Cup 2026 in North America has been blown and being the worlds greatest spectacle on earth spiced with global imaginations, narrative sovereignties and colonial contestations. This is the most sophisticated story operations on earth where countries compete for national narratives on same screen with FIFA having 211 member nations which is more than United Nations. Players representing countries carry in themselves the markers of evolution of their nations historical and contemporary character. From Haitis pasting of Polands map on their jersey to Irans presence in American soil, the world cup becomes a live display of global political play. Alongside, Island nations of Cape Verde (putting it into perspective Srinagar has more population than Cape Verde) and Curacaos qualifying makes the game a unusual democratic force of equal representation. A single player can carry the game on its shoulders as was shown by Vozinha (a goalie) from Cape Verde who could have stopped bullets in that match against might Spain. The game transcends the politics, physics and sometimes redefines the nations fate. Roberto Carlos would pump bullet shots and had physics defying shot taking ability prowess if he had uranium in his thighs, the feat which is still unmatched and would remain eternally unreplicated. The ever-memorable goal of Maradona against England nicknamed Hand of God. Socrates of Brazil while captaining his side 1982 and 1986 used football to resist against brutal military dictatorship culminating in forming a front of Democracia Corinthiana. While as, Drogba stopped an ugly Civil War through his televised address to the people of Ivory Coast after they qualified in the 2006 world cup. Roberto Baggio of Italy had dreamt of winning the WC for his country when he was a child and had enabled his side to finals in 1994 as he was to take the decisive penalty, the ball just sailed over crossbar and he just stood frozen there on the ground. His state at that moment has famously been called Dying Standing frame as if Baggio died standing and still carries the scar after 30 years of that missed penalty which can be gauged from his quote from previous year If I had a knife then, I would have stabbed myself. If there had been a gun, I would have shot myself. At that moment, I just wanted to die,. It is a wound that never closes. He didnt fall. He didnt weep, he just stood there and died inside. Every world cup game is a theatre and every player is an artist in the field but to narrate the rhythms and ebbs of the game, there are some finest voices behind the microphone and amongst all one such virtuoso commentator is Peter Drury. Every syllable or phrase just tenderly lands on listeners heart mimicking the meditating and tranced calm. His lexis is eclectic devoid of any pretensions without latching onto vague words to present a point. When he predicts a goal or a team is unstoppable, meaning it in its real sense not as hyperbole but as an exact depiction. He has crafted his philological abilities so wisely that when it finally swells into the master catalogue you trust unflinchingly. He is a master of pause. The finest Drury flashes of brilliance often involve a pause -a held breath before word is baked and presented. In the era of commentary that repels silence as dead air, Peter uses it as punctuation, giving the listeners cerebral system space to sense what the eyes have experienced before the linguistic dough arrives to knead your brain. While in the field players runs to score a goal Peter just hums for a meaning and method. He treats the ground as a cathedral, and every score a feat of genuine effort just like the prayer. If I were to define Drury in a one liner I would simply call him Shakespeare of Football Commentary. He just makes the football game a scene of poetic and tonal heaven of divine phraseology. Before the game, he becomes a psychologist, historian, geographer and everything under the sun that defines the epistemes we live under scribbling along with his notebooks and even the pitch behaviour as well. Then comes the flow of words with mesmeric intonation and that textured stress in his voice indeed a gold standard of commentary masterclass. The depth and unique blend of wordsmithery with thunderclap delivery of words can be judged from some of his celebrated and legendary renderings of events and players. One of his own favourite moments has been voicing over South African player Tshabalalas goal against Mexico in 2004 WC with his legendary call Goal Bafana Bafana! Goal for South Africa! Goal for all Africa! Drury cried, finding in that instant the words for what the rest of us were feeling. Jabulile! Rejoice!. In the same vein he delivered a powerful tribute to Christiano Ronaldo on his return to Man United with mythical account Madeira. Manchester. Madrid. Turin. And Manchester again. Wreathed in red. Restored to this great gallery of the game. A walking work of art. Vintage, beyond valuation... eighteen years since that trembling teenager of touch and tease first tiptoed onto this storied stage. While covering the previous edition of world cup he was commentating on Moroccos historic 2-0 upset against Belgium in the 2022 group stage Moroccan mayhem! Drink it in, Casablanca! Relish it, Rabat! This is your night. Sing it from atop the Atlas Mountains. All aboard the Marrakesh express, a night Morocco will never forget. When they reached semis defeating might Portugal, he made that historic moment even more treasured with the lines Marvel the Atlas Lions... It is a Moroccan marvel! The African continent believes. And the globe continues to conjure with the barely believable. For the first time in the history of the World Cup, there will be an African nation in the semi-finals!. Out of his many unforgettable and etched stamps of his quotes behind the microphone is his prized and cherished quote upon which football aficionados still go frenzy is his narration of Lionel Messi in 2022 WC final in Qatar Argentina, champions of the world. Again, at last. And the nation will tango all night long. 36 years ago since Maradona and Mexico, here finally is a nations new throne of immortals. Scaloni will be fated, Messi will be saintedFrance this time denied, defied, Lionel Messi has conquered his final pick. Lionel Messi has shaken hands with paradise. The little boy from Rosario Sante Fe has just pitched up in heaven. He climbs into galaxy of his own It would be wrong to rank them, but the canon of Peter Drurys finest moments just exemplifies a body of work to be worth examining, because they altogether exhibit an unswerving aesthetic ideation. Peter Drury will be reminisced long after the games covered have faded into oblivion. The goals will be filmed as video mosaics, but his commentary will act as masterclass of literature and enchanted tonality. Mir Sajad, PhD and Postdoc (ICSSR) from University of Kashmir.
FIFA World Cup 2026 LIVE: Norway vs France at Boston Stadium
France, who looked majestic in swatting aside Senegal and Iraq, hold a slight advantage, with their superior goal difference
El Nino may force India to boost rice-based ethanol output for E20 goal
India might need to boost rice-based ethanol production for E20 fuel blending by 2026-27. El Nino's impact on sugarcane and maize crops could reduce their availability for ethanol. With tight sugar supplies expected, the government may prioritize domestic demand, limiting sugar diversion. This scenario could necessitate a significant increase in rice used for ethanol to meet blending targets.
Most Own Goals In History: Unfortune Record Equalled At FIFA World Cup 2026
Ellyes Skhiri's unfortunate own goal in Tunisia's 3-1 defeat to the Netherlands took the tally of own goals at the FIFA World Cup 2026 to 12, equalling the record for the most in a single men's World Cup tournament, previously set in Russia in 2018.
Dostoevsky and the Restless Conscience of Our Times
Why a 19th-century Russian still speaks to the anxieties of the modern world There are writers we admire, and then there are writers who unsettle us. Fyodor Dostoevsky belongs firmly to the second category. He is not a comforting companion. He does not offer easy optimism or neat conclusions. Instead, he drags us into dark rooms of the human soul and locks the door from inside. Yet, generation after generation, readers keep returning to him. In classrooms and coffee houses, on social media feeds and in private conversations, Dostoevskys name still appearsperhaps more than many of his more polished contemporaries. The writer of inner earthquakes Dostoevsky did not write about ordinary events. He wrote about inner earthquakes. His novels are full of murderers, fanatics, lost believers, desperate lovers, and broken families. But beneath all the drama is a single obsession: the human conscience. In Crime and Punishment, we watch Raskolnikov commit a brutal murder, convinced he is justified, even destined, to rise above ordinary morality. On paper, it is a crime story. In reality, it is a story of a mind collapsing under the weight of its own rationalisations. The police can chase him, but the real pursuer is his own conscience. Dostoevsky understood something that modern life often wants us to forget: no matter how sophisticated our systems, how powerful our ideologies, or how convenient our justifications, the human heart remains uneasy when it crosses its own moral lines. You can hide from the law. You cannot hide from yourself. For societies living through conflict, this is not a literary detail. It is a central fact. Violence, whether physical or psychological, does not end when the event ends. It lingers in memories, in families, in communitiesand inside the people who committed it, supported it, or silently accepted it. Dostoevsky reminds us that the battlefield is also within. Freedom without responsibility: a dangerous illusion One of the most disturbing aspects of Dostoevskys work is his vision of freedom gone wrong. He saw, ahead of his time, how an idea of freedom detached from responsibility could become destructive. When people begin to believe that everything is permitted in the name of some higher causebe it ideology, nationalism, or even personal ambitionthen any act can be justified. In The Brothers Karamazov, one character imagines a world where God does not exist, and therefore there is no ultimate accountability, no final justice. From that thought emerges a frightening possibility: if there is no one to answer to, why not do anything you like? Dostoevsky does not give a philosophical lecture here; he shows what happens when such thinking takes hold in families and societies. The result is not liberation but chaossuspicion, betrayal, and spiritual exhaustion. Our own age is full of noisy declarations of freedom: freedom to say anything, to insult, to cancel, to humiliate; freedom to consume without limit; freedom to twist truth into whatever shape suits us. Technology has multiplied our reach and our speed, but not necessarily our sense of responsibility. We can ruin reputations in seconds, destroy trust in institutions in a few clicks, and spread hatred or misinformation without ever meeting those we harm. Dostoevsky would not be surprised. He knew that when freedom is separated from moral responsibility, it eventually turns back against the very people who celebrate it. Unchecked powerwhether in the hands of the state, the mob, or the individual egoalways produces victims, and often, finally, devours itself. Faith in a skeptical age Dostoevskys own life was one long struggle with faith and doubt. He was nearly executed for his early political activities, spared at the last minute, and sent to Siberian exile. There he met criminals, peasants, believers, and sceptics, and it was in that harsh environment that his spiritual vision deepened. Unlike preachy writers, Dostoevsky did not offer simple religious slogans. His characters argue fiercely about God, atheism, suffering, and evil. Some lose their faith. Some find it. Some simply wander in between. Yet through all this, one idea emerges: human beings cannot live on material facts alone. In an age that prides itself on being practical and rational, this is an uncomfortable message. We like to believe that better infrastructure, more data, and smarter policies will solve everything. These are necessary, but not sufficient. People do not just crave comfort; they crave meaning. They want to know why their suffering matters, what justice truly is, whether forgiveness is possible, and how to live with dignity in a broken world. In societies marked by conflict, these questions become even more urgent. When injustice accumulates, when trauma is passed down like an heirloom, when young people grow up more familiar with loss than with security, the temptation is either to sink into despair or explode in rage. Dostoevskys novels inhabit the relationship between despair and rage precisely. He does not dismiss either. He lets them speak. But he also asks: can there be a path beyond them? Compassion as a radical act For a writer of such darkness, Dostoevsky is also, paradoxically, a writer of compassion. His greatest characters are not the strong and successful, but the weak, the humiliated, the ashamed. He pays attention to people society mocks or ignores: poor students, fallen women, drunken fathers, desperate children. This does not mean he romanticises suffering. On the contrary, he exposes how easily society uses the suffering of the weak as a kind of entertainment or moral lesson, without ever questioning the structures that produce that suffering. But he also insists that real moral life begins when we stop treating others as background scenery and start seeing them as soulswith their own fears, hopes, and hidden goodness. In one sense, Dostoevsky challenges the modern culture of judgment. Social media has made it easy to condemn from a distance, to reduce complex human beings to a single act, a single post, or a single label. In his novels, no one is so simple. The sinner is rarely only a villain. The saint is never perfectly pure. Everyone is a mixture of good and evil, capable of falling and of rising. The mirror we try to avoid Reading Dostoevsky can be uncomfortable because his real subject is not Russia in the 1800s. His real subject is us. When we follow Raskolnikovs tortured reasoning, we may recognise our own justificationssmaller, perhaps, but similar in structure. When we see families in The Brothers Karamazov tear themselves apart over money, pride, and wounded egos, we may think of our own quarrels, our own silent resentments. Dostoevskys gift is to hold up a mirror we often try to avoid. He forces us to confront our contradictions: wanting justice but refusing to examine our own compromises; demanding honesty while living inside convenient lies; yearning for peace while feeding on news, gossip, and rhetoric that keep us permanently agitated. In a region where narratives are constantly competingeach side sure of its own innocence and the others guiltthis mirror is especially necessary. Without it, we risk becoming trapped in a story where we are always victims or always heroes, never participants in a shared, messy human drama. Lessons for a fragile present What, then, can Dostoevsky offer to a young reader today, perhaps on a phone screen, scrolling between notifications and news alerts? First, he offers seriousness. Not heaviness, but depth. In a world of endless distraction, his novels demand attentionnot just to the story, but to ones own reactions. Why do we sympathise with a criminal? Why do we feel uneasy when a character uses high ideals to justify cruelty? Why are we moved when a small act of kindness shines through the gloom? These questions push us to examine our own values, not just consume a plot. Second, he offers a warning about the seduction of ideologies. Dostoevsky lived in a time of revolutionary ideas, where grand visions promised to solve all social problems through force, upheaval, or total reorganization of society. He had seen where such dreams could lead: to the sacrifice of actual human beings in the name of imagined futures. The 20th century, with its wars and genocides, sadly proved him right. Our own century is not immune. In any place of conflict, the temptation to embrace absolute narratives is strong. Narratives that divide the world cleanly into good and evil, us and them, innocent and guilty. Such stories provide emotional comfort, even moral energy. But Dostoevsky gently, and sometimes brutally, reminds us that reality is more tangled. No ideology, however noble-sounding, has the right to erase the uniqueness of individual lives. Third, he offers a stubborn hopenot the cheap, sentimental kind, but a hard-earned hope that passes through darkness. His characters suffer, fail, and sometimes commit unforgivable acts. Yet again and again he insists that a single moment of compassion, a single act of humility, a single decision to admit the truth, can begin to change a life. This is not a political programme. It will not appear in manifestos or policy papers. But it matters. Because how we treat the person in front of usour neighbour, our colleague, our opponent, even our anonymous online interlocutorshapes the atmosphere in which larger events unfold. Why Dostoevsky still matters It would be easy to dismiss Dostoevsky as a writer of a distant empire, with old-fashioned settings and long, demanding books. But beneath the surface, his questions are our questions. We, too, live in an age of fear and uncertainty, in a world where technology connects and isolates us at the same time, where ideologies promise salvation and deliver division, and where the line between truth and falsehood is constantly blurred. We, too, are tempted to believe that power is more important than conscience, that ends justify means, that inner unease can be silenced by noise and distraction. Dostoevsky does not let us off so easily. He insists that every human being is answerable to others, and finally, to their own soul. He reminds us that the greatest battles are often fought not on the streets but in the privacy of the human heart. And he suggests that any future worth having must be built not only on laws and institutions, but on the difficult, daily work of moral honesty and compassion. For readers, Dostoevsky offers no ready-made answers. But he offers something perhaps more valuable: a language to think deeply about guilt and forgiveness, about freedom and responsibility, about suffering and dignity. In an era of quick takes and short attention spans, that in itself is a quiet act of resistance. The Russian novelist who wrote in the shadow of tsars and prison walls could not have imagined our world of Wi-Fi and smartphones, of online outrage and globalised anxieties. Yet his words travel across time and geography because the human heart has not changed as much as we like to believe. We may change our rulers, our borders, our technologies. But as long as we struggle with conscience, as long as we are torn between selfishness and empathy, as long as we can still be moved by the fate of another human being, Dostoevsky will remain disturbingly, urgently, relevant. And perhaps that is why, in a small corner of the Himalayas, a reader opening his pages today may still feel a shock of recognitionas if a stranger from a distant century has quietly understood something we ourselves hesitate to admit. (The Author is an Assistant Professor working in Dubai and writes exclusively on literature)
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