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Afternoon briefing: Sanjay Raut's India vs Pakistan match dig, Hamas commander killed, and all the latest news
A shortlist of the biggest headlines, recommended stories, and a special collection of news items you should check out
Shiv Sena Leader Sanjay Raut took a dig at the ruling BJP, commenting on the grand welcome extended to the Pakistan cricket team before their World Cup match against India, saying it could only happen in Gujarat. Raut insinuated that if such a welcome had occurred in any other state, BJP members would have made a fuss. He noted that Shiv Sena founder Bal Thackeray had prevented the Pakistan team from playing in Maharashtra during his time, due to concerns about soldiers and Kashmiri Pandits being killed. Raut accused the BJP of forming a government in Maharashtra in the name of Bal Thackeray but not adhering to his principles. The match between India and Pakistan took place at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad, with the Indian team aiming to maintain their winning streak against Pakistan. Dig deeper
More news on India vs Pakistan match
In the ongoing conflict between Hamas and Israel, a senior military commander of Hamas, Murad Abu Murad, who led the group's aerial operations in Gaza City, was killed in Israeli airstrikes. Israel stated that the strikes targeted an operational centre from which Hamas conducted its "aerial activity." Thousands of people, including Israelis, Palestinians, and foreigners, have been killed in the violence, with a significant number being civilians. Israel issued evacuation orders for nearly half of Gaza's population, and many Palestinians began fleeing their homes to the south in anticipation of an expected ground offensive. While Israel focused its military activities on Gaza City, Hamas urged people to defy the evacuation orders.
Additionally, Israeli forces killed several individuals attempting to cross the border from Lebanon, leading to confrontations between pro-Palestine protesters and a smaller counter-protest in Times Square, New York. President Joe Biden reiterated the U.S. support for Israel and expressed that Hamas was worse than al-Qaeda. The conflict has led to a significant death toll and numerous injuries, with international journalists also affected by the violence. French President Emmanuel Macron mobilized 7,000 soldiers for increased security patrols following a fatal Islamist attack in northern France. Dig deeper
More news on Israel-Hamas war
Gaza faces evacuation deadline; Netanyahu says ‘this is the beginning’
The Latest news
Supreme Court declines to stay Allahabad HC's Gangsters act conviction of Up ex-MLA Mukhtar Ansari Dig deeper
Lebanon's Iran-backed Hezbollah movement said it is "fully prepared" to join its Palestinian ally Hamas Dig deeper
India news
"Supreme Court seeks Centre's response on petition challenging live surgical broadcasts without patient consent or regulatory oversight Dig deeper
Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) launches a crackdown on a passport racket operating in Sikkim and West Bengal Dig deeper
Global matters
Murad Abu Murad, a senior Hamas member, was killed over the past day in Israel fighter jets bombing Dig deeper
US announces 5-year employment authorization for select non-immigrant categories Dig deeper
Entertainment focus
Pakistani actor Fawad Khan made an appearance at Mahira Khan and Salim Karim's wedding festivities in Bhurban, Pakistan. A video shared by Mahira from the celebrations, which seem to be from a pre-wedding musical night or sangeet, showed the couple grooving to the legendary Pakistani singer Abida Parveen's performance. Fawad Khan, known for his work in Bollywood films, was also spotted at the function, wearing a white kurta set with a brown shawl. The video captures the couple's joyful moments, with Fawad briefly making appearances as he enjoyed Abida Parveen's soulful singing. Dig deeper
Health and Lifestyle
As the nine-day Shardiya Navratri festival approaches, devotees of Maa Durga eagerly await the auspicious time to seek her blessings. Navratri fasting, while offering numerous benefits such as improved mindfulness and emotional stability, and detoxification of the body to enhance digestive function, requires caution for those with diabetes. Experts recommend adhering to a balanced diet, monitoring blood sugar levels, and staying well-hydrated. It's essential to choose complex carbohydrates, maintain portion control, include sources of protein, and regularly monitor blood sugar levels. Avoid sugary foods, deep-fried items, excessive salt, and skipping medications, and focus on vrat-friendly snacks such as roasted makhana, peanuts, raita, water chestnuts, and paneer. Insulin dosage may need to be adjusted for those taking insulin during Navratri fasting. Monitoring blood sugar levels is crucial to ensure safe fasting. Dig deeper
Sports going
Hosts India and Pakistan, both unbeaten in the ongoing 2023 World Cup, face off in Ahmedabad. India started their campaign with victories over Australia and Afghanistan. They chased down a target of 200 against Australia with KL Rahul unbeaten on 97, and followed it with an eight-wicket win against Afghanistan. Captain Rohit Sharma scored a century, while Virat Kohli registered another half-century. Ravindra Jadeja, Jasprit Bumrah, and Kuldeep Yadav shone with the ball in the tournament opener. Pakistan defeated Netherlands by 81 runs, with Saud Shakeel and Mohammad Rizwan scoring half-centuries. In their second match, they chased down Sri Lanka's 345 with centuries from Mohammad Rizwan and Abdullah Shafique and a four-wicket haul by Hasan Ali. Dig deeper
That’s all we have at this hour in our afternoon briefing. Catch you in the evening.
