Author: Publisher
Saim Ayub and Babar Azam hit half-centuries and Mohammad Nawaz took five wickets as Pakistan thrashed Australia by 111 runs to sweep the T20 series 3-0 Sunday.Ayub hit 56 off 37 balls at the top of the order and Azam added an unbeaten 50 as Pakistan posted 207-6 before spinner Nawaz’s career-best 5-18 helped skittle Australia for 96 in Lahore. The series gives Pakistan another T20 whitewash of Australia, following a 2-0 victory in 2010 and a 3-0 sweep in 2018, providing a timely boost ahead of next week’s T20 World Cup. The tournament, jointly hosted by India and Sri Lanka, begins on February 7. Australia, who lost the first match by 22 runs and the second by 90, were jolted early when skipper Mitchell Marsh was bowled by Shaheen Shah Afridi for one. Nawaz removed the other opener Matthew Short cheaply and also accounted for Cameron Green (22) and Marcus Stoinis (23). Shaheen, who took 2-16, bowled Matt Renshaw as Australia slumped to 63-5. Nawaz then dismissed Josh Philippe for 14 and Cooper Connolly without scoring to improve on his previous best T20I figures of 5-19 against Afghanistan in Sharjah last year.Skipper Salman Agha praised his team’s performance in the series. “We have been excellent in all departments; I can’t find any mistakes,” said Agha. “We dominated them. I am in a great frame of mind right now. “I know how to handle the captaincy when I go out to bat and I really want to do that in the World Cup as well.” Marsh admitted his team had not been good enough. “Pakistan certainly outplayed us throughout the whole series. “As I said yesterday, there are learnings for us in this series,” said Marsh. Pakistan, who won the toss and batted for the third time in a row, were led by Ayub and Azam. Once opener Fakhar Zaman went for 10 and Agha for five, Ayub and Azam steadied the innings during their third-wicket stand of 69 off 45 balls. Ayub smashed two sixes and six fours in his sixth T20I fifty while Azam’s knock included a six and three fours. Shadab Khan ignited the innings with a blistering 46 off just 19 balls, hammering five sixes and two fours as he added 57 from 28 deliveries with Azam. Pakistan piled on 70 runs in the final five overs to surge to a commanding total. BRIEF SCORESPakistan 207 for 6 (Ayub 56, Babar 50*, Shadab 46, Dwarshuis 2-39) beat Australia 96 (Stoinis 23, Green 22, Nawaz 5-18, Shaheen 2-16) by 111 runs Related Story Source link
One person killed, 14 hurt in blast in southern Iranian portFour people killed in second explosion in city of Ahvaz, Iranian media reportBoth blasts caused by gas leaks, according to local mediaAn explosion that hit a building in the southern Iranian port city of Bandar Abbas yesterday was caused by a gas leak, according to a preliminary assessment, the local head of the fire department said. Earlier, Iranian state media reported that at least one person had been killed and 14 injured in the blast, which comes amid heightened tensions between Tehran and Washington over Iran’s crackdown earlier this month on nationwide protests and over the country’s nuclear programme. “This (gas leak and accumulation) is the preliminary assessment. My colleagues will give more details in the next few hours,” Mohammad Amin Liaqat, the fire department chief, said in a video published by Iran’s semi-official Mehr news agency. A video published on social media showed people standing among debris and wrecked cars in front of a damaged building following the explosion. Reuters was able to verify the location by analysing buildings, trees, and road layout, which matched satellite and file imagery. Reuters could not independently verify the date the video was filmed. Separately, four people were killed after another gas explosion in the city of Ahvaz near the Iraqi border, according to state-run Tehran Times. No further information was immediately available. The explosions highlighted the jittery mood prevailing in Iran amid its rulers’ standoff with the Trump administration. Before the reports of the two blasts yesterday, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian accused US, Israeli and European leaders of exploiting Iran’s economic problems, inciting unrest and providing people with the means to “tear the nation apart”. The semi-official Tasnim news agency said social media reports alleging that a Revolutionary Guard navy commander had been targeted in the Bandar Abbas explosion were “completely false”. Two Israeli officials told Reuters that Israel was not involved in yesterday’s blasts. The Pentagon did not immediately respond to a request for comment. US President Donald Trump said on January 22 an “armada” was heading toward Iran. Multiple sources said on Friday that Trump was weighing options against Iran that include targeted strikes on security forces.Bandar Abbas, home to Iran’s most important container port, lies on the Strait of Hormuz, a vital waterway between Iran and Oman which handles about a fifth of the world’s seaborne oil. Source link
Amid an incredible attendance of spectators marked by epic success, the curtain fell on the 8th Katara Boxing Championship in Doha on Saturday. The three-day competition, organized by the Qatar Boxing and Wrestling Federation (QBWF), was held in both the amateur and professional categories. The amateur bouts took place over the first two days, featuring around 65 boxers across the three age groups (open, youth, and juniors), representing 15 clubs from Qatar and a team from Lebanon, competing across 10 weight divisions. As for the professional category bouts, which took place in the evening on the final day of the championship, they showcased six intense matches on both the technical and tactical levels, with world champions competing for 5 Asian and World titles under the WBC, as well as the Diamond Belt. In the first match, Russian Kerim Khan Kerimkhanov claimed victory on points over Lebanese Abdulwahab Mashareqi after a balanced contest between the two sides. In the second match, another Russian, Ruslan Satiev, secured a quick win by defeating his Azerbaijani opponent, Bairam Shammadov, in the second round by knockout. The third bout, featuring Philippine boxer Jadalie Carolina Medeiros and her Iranian opponent, Shirin Shabani, was fierce and lasted eight rounds, before Medeiros claimed victory on points. In the fourth match, Algerian Idriss Labidi won decisively over his Indonesian opponent, Rivo Rengkung, finishing the bout in the second round by knockout. In the fifth bout, Iranian Sajad Sattari defeated his Thai opponent, Kaonar, in the second round by knockout. Finally, in the sixth and concluding bout, Russian Ali Aliev triumphed on points over American Chip Moraza-Pollard after a strong contest from both fighters. Speaking to Qatar News Agency, HE President of QBWF Sheikh Fahad bin Khalid Al-Thani said that throughout the three-day saga, the event featured participation from all age categories -Prep, Junior, Youth, and Elite/Professional -with the first and second days dedicated to amateur competitions in the men’s, youth, and junior divisions, featuring 15 clubs from Qatar and a team from Lebanon, competing across 10 weight divisions for 26 gold medals. The final day was reserved for professional bouts in various combat sports, featuring world-ranked fighters competing for 4 Asian and World WBC titles, as well as the Diamond Belt, Sheikh Fahad highlighted. He added that the event is one of the key tournaments in QBWF’s calendar, affirming that the federation is committed to holding it annually to discover new boxing talent for the different age-group national teams, while also giving clubs and centers across the nation the opportunity to participate, gain experience, and develop their competitive level. This was a record-breaking participation and stronger than previous editions, with the number of participants increasing to encompass multiple clubs and academies in the nation, as well as Lebanon’s team, Sheikh Fahad noted. Sheikh Fahad emphasized that QBWF’s plan is based on organizing a substantial number of events to promote the level of boxers and their talent. He stressed that QBWF’s strategy underpins the development of all elements -boxers, trainers, clubs, academies, and special centers -with the objective of enlarging the base and attracting younger people and emerging talent to represent Qatar on all stages. Source link
Iran army chief warns US, Israel against attack, says forces on high alert Iran’s top security official said yesterday that Tehran was making progress towards beginning negotiations with the United States to avoid a military confrontation. “Contrary to the hype of the contrived media war, structural arrangements for negotiations are progressing,” Ali Larijani, the head of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, posted on X. He was speaking a day after the Kremlin said he held talks in Moscow with Russian President Vladimir Putin, and a day after US President Donald Trump predicted Iran would seek a deal to avoid US military action. Earlier, Iranian army chief Amir Hatami yesterday warned the United States and Israel against an attack, saying his country’s forces were on high alert following Washington’s heavy military deployments in the Gulf, AFP reported from Paris. He also insisted the Islamic republic’s nuclear expertise could not be eliminated, after Trump said he expected Tehran to seek a deal to avoid US strikes. “If the enemy makes a mistake, without a doubt it will endanger its own security, the security of the region, and the security of the Zionist regime,” Hatami said, according to the official IRNA news agency. He noted that Iran’s armed forces were “at full defensive and military readiness”. Washington sent a naval strike group to the Middle East led by the USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier, with Trump threatening to intervene militarily after a deadly crackdown by Iranian authorities on two weeks of anti-government protests. The deployment has raised fears of a possible direct confrontation with Iran, which has warned it would respond with missile strikes on US bases, ships and allies — notably Israel — in the event of an attack. On Friday, Trump said he predicted that Iran would seek to negotiate a deal over its nuclear and missile programmes rather than face American military action. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi had said earlier that Tehran was ready for nuclear talks, but its missiles and defence “will never be negotiated”. With tensions heightened, Iranian authorities rushed to deny that several incidents yesterday were linked to any attack or sabotage. Source link
Pakistan to boycott group match against IndiaPakistan team allowed to participate in tournamentBoycott follows Bangladesh’s withdrawalPakistan will boycott their February 15 match of the Twenty20 World Cup against arch-rivals India in Colombo, the Pakistan government said on Sunday while approving the team’s participation in the global showpiece.”The government… grants approval to the Pakistan cricket team to participate in the ICC World T20 2026, however, the Pakistan Cricket Team shall not take the field in the match scheduled on 15th February 2026 against India,” the post on the government’s official X account said without elaborating on reasons behind the decision.Pakistan would forfeit two points if they boycotted the India match. There was no clarity on what would happen should the bitter neighbours meet in a knockout game.Pakistan are scheduled to play their Group A matches in Sri Lanka in keeping with their policy of not touring India due to geopolitical tensions.Bilateral cricket remains suspended between the nuclear-armed neighbours, who engaged in a military conflict that nearly snowballed into a fully-fledged war last year.Their fraught political relations prompted the governing International Cricket Council (ICC) to broker an arrangement allowing them to play at a neutral venue when their neighbour hosts a global tournament.The 2009 champions had earlier announced their squad for the 20-team tournament beginning on February 7, maintaining that their participation was subject to government approval.Their decision to boycott the India match is a serious blow to the tournament because an India-Pakistan clash remains cricket’s greatest blockbuster, which is why they are clubbed together in the same group in ICC events.This is not the first example of geopolitical tension affecting the tournament though.Bangladesh have been replaced by Scotland in the global showpiece following their refusal to travel to India over safety concerns.The latest setback is a continuation of the soured India-Pakistan relations which manifested in last year’s Asia Cup in Dubai.India beat Pakistan three times in the tournament, including in the September 28 final, but declined to shake hands with their opponents and refused to accept the trophy from Asian Cricket Council chief Mohsin Naqvi, who is also Pakistan’s interior minister.Namibia, United States and the Netherlands are also in Group A from which two sides will advance to the tournament’s Super Eight stage.”I extend my best wishes to the Pakistan team for the World Cup,” Naqvi, also the Pakistan Cricket Board chairman, was quoted as saying by Geo TV.”I hope the team will return with the T20 World Cup trophy.”The PCB supported Bangladesh’s demands to shift their matches to Sri Lanka. The ICC ruled out any threat to Bangladesh players or fans in India and rejected their late demand for a schedule change.An ICC spokesperson did not immediately reply to a Reuters message seeking comments on the development. Related Story Source link
Local residents look at a damaged bank on the outskirts of Quetta Sunday, a day after an attack by Baloch separatists. Pakistan forces were hunting for…
As Closure of Rafah Blocks Life-Saving Treatment//Half of Gaza Dialysis Patients Lost Amid Rafah Shutdown The continued closure of Rafah land crossing by Israeli occupation forces has caused a severe crisis in the Gaza Strip, preventing the entry of humanitarian and medical aid during and after the war. Kidney failure patients are among the most directly affected, as they struggle to survive while awaiting the reopening of the crossing to travel for treatment. Medical sources indicate that the disease has claimed the lives of nearly 50% of kidney patients in Gaza. At Al-Shifa Medical Complex in Gaza City, 15-year-old Rawaa al-Dahma undergoes regular dialysis sessions, which have become part of her daily routine since being diagnosed with kidney failure. Her condition has worsened significantly due to the lack of adequate treatment and her inability to travel outside Gaza during the war. Rawaa’s mother, Sabreen, told QNA that her daughter has suffered from a chronic kidney condition since birth and previously underwent surgery. However, her health deteriorated sharply following the outbreak of the war, the interruption of treatment, and the closure of the Rafah crossing, forcing her to begin dialysis approximately five months ago. She explained that Rawaa now undergoes three to four dialysis sessions per week and endures severe fatigue and continuous suffering. Sabreen said that daily life is confined between home and hospital, noting that her daughter’s health continues to decline and that the physical and emotional toll affects the entire family. She stressed that the family is seeking only access to treatment, calling for the reopening of crossings to allow patients to travel and receive lifesaving care, particularly as children and chronically ill patients in Gaza face increasingly limited time. Sabreen said she is ready to donate one of her kidneys to her daughter after completing the necessary medical examinations, but the continued closure of Rafah crossing prevents travel and completion of treatment. She emphasised that kidney transplantation represents the only viable option to save her daughter’s life and enable her to live normally, adding that hundreds of patients in Gaza remain on waiting lists for treatment abroad. She warned that prolonged closure would lead to further health deterioration and additional loss of life. Head of Nephrology Department at Al-Shifa Medical Complex, Dr Ghazi al-Yazji, said the closure of crossings, particularly Rafah, poses a direct and serious threat to kidney patients. He noted that many patients are awaiting referrals to undergo kidney transplants outside Gaza, which constitute the most effective treatment, but continued restrictions prevent travel and worsen health conditions. In remarks to QNA, al-Yazji said some patients suffer from autoimmune kidney diseases requiring diagnostic biopsies unavailable in Gaza, necessitating treatment abroad. Delays in such procedures, he warned, often result in progression to kidney failure and dependence on dialysis. He added that some dialysis patients are awaiting the reopening of the Rafah crossing to complete transplant procedures, stressing that continued closure not only threatens lives but also places additional strain on dialysis units already operating under severe shortages. According to al-Yazji, the dialysis department at Al-Shifa currently serves around 210 patients with end-stage kidney disease, each requiring three weekly sessions lasting four hours, under extremely difficult medical and humanitarian conditions. He pointed to acute shortages in dialysis machines, medical consumables, and essential medications due to the Israeli blockade and restrictions on medical supplies. The lack of certain medications has forced medical teams to rely on blood transfusions, which carry health risks and may delay or prevent future transplants. Director of Al-Shifa Medical Complex, Dr Mohammed Abu Salmiya, told QNA that approximately 50% of dialysis patients in Gaza died while awaiting treatment abroad or the arrival of essential medical supplies during the two years of war, amid daily fatalities and the absence of more than 70% of required medications. He noted that the complex operates only 34 dialysis machines serving about 750 kidney failure patients, an insufficient capacity that worsened after Israeli attacks destroyed hospitals providing specialised renal services, including the Indonesian Hospital in northern Gaza. Abu Salmiya warned that continued delays in reopening the Rafah crossing, or severe restrictions on patient travel, would further deepen the crisis and pose grave risks to patients requiring transplants or specialised care unavailable in Gaza. He called for facilitating patient travel and expanding medical evacuation.The prolonged closure of Rafah land crossing has severely impacted Gaza’s population, with Israeli occupation authorities preventing the entry of humanitarian and medical aid. According to the Ministry of Health, the closure has led to the deaths of more than 1,000 patients and wounded individuals awaiting treatment abroad, while nearly 20,000 others remain in urgent need of medical evacuation. Source link
Rescuers and onlookers inspect the debris of Sheikh Radwan police station in Gaza City on January 31, 2026, following an Israeli air strike. Israeli air strikes…
One Palestinian was martyred and others were injured on Sunday morning as a result of an Israeli strike on the central Gaza Strip.Medical sources reported that a Palestinian was killed and several others were wounded after Israeli aircraft targeted a group of civilians near Salah al-Din Road, north of Wadi Gaza.Occupation forces continued shelling and gunfire operations, with Israeli naval boats firing heavily toward the coast of Gaza City, while a military helicopter opened fire east of the city. As part of its ongoing violations of the ceasefire agreement, the occupation army carried out on Saturday a series of airstrikes and violent attacks, including the bombardment of homes, tents, residential apartments, a police center, and displacement camps in various parts of the Gaza Strip. These attacks resulted in the killing of 31 Palestinians and the injury of dozens. The death toll from the Israeli aggression on the Gaza Strip rose to 71,769 martyrs and 171,483 injured since Oct. 7, 2023. The ceasefire agreement between Hamas and the Israeli entity entered into force on Oct.10 of last year, following the withdrawal of occupation forces from sites and populated areas in the Strip and the beginning of the return of displaced residents to the northern Gaza Strip, as part of the first phase of the initiative by US President Donald Trump to end the war on Gaza. Source link
An ally of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has proposed a bill to ban social media for children, as the world’s biggest market for Meta and YouTube joins a global debate on the impact of social media on young people’s health and safety. “Not only are our children becoming addicted to social media, but India is also one of the world’s largest producers of data for foreign platforms,” lawmaker L S K Devarayalu told Reuters on Friday. “Based on this data, these companies are creating advanced AI systems, effectively turning Indian users into unpaid data providers, while the strategic and economic benefits are reaped elsewhere,” he said. Australia last month became the first country to ban social media for children under 16, blocking access in a move welcomed by many parents and child advocates but criticised by major technology companies and free-speech advocates. France’s National Assembly this week backed legislation to ban children under 15 from social media, while Britain, Denmark and Greece are studying the issue. Facebook operator Meta, YouTube-parent Alphabet and X did not respond yesterday to e-mails seeking comment. Meta has said it backs laws for parental oversight but that “governments considering bans should be careful not to push teens toward less safe, unregulated sites”. India’s information technology (IT) ministry did not respond to a request for comment. India, the world’s second-biggest smartphone market with 750mn devices and 1bn Internet users, is a key growth market for social media apps and does not set a minimum age for access. Devarayalu’s 15-page Social Media (Age Restrictions and Online Safety) Bill, which is not public but was seen by Reuters, says no one under 16 “shall be permitted to create, maintain, or hold” a social media account and those found to have one should have them disabled. “We are asking that the entire onus of ensuring users’ age be placed on the social media platforms,” Devarayalu said. The government’s chief economic adviser attracted attention on Thursday by saying that India should draft policies on age-based access limits to tackle “digital addiction”. Devarayalu’s legislation is a private member’s bill – not proposed to parliament by a federal minister – but such bills often trigger debates in parliament and influence lawmaking. He is from the Telugu Desam Party, which governs the southern state Andhra Pradesh and is vital to Modi’s coalition government. Source link