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All-round Ahmad extends Pakistan’s unbeaten run
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Ahamed Hassan’s all-round performance extended Pakistan’s unbeaten run in the Under-19 World Cup as they beat Ireland by three wickets at the JB Marks Oval.
After Pakistan elected to bowl, Ahmad chipped in with 2 for 37 from his eight overs to help bundle out Ireland for a mere 181. But it wasn’t a smooth chase, and Pakistan lost half their side with just 96 runs on the board. Ahmad, though, stayed firm and took his side over the line with an unbeaten 57.
Earlier, Ubaid Shah, Naseem Shah’s younger brother, started the damage with his searing pace, leaving Ireland at 7 for 1 in the sixth over. Ahmad, Amir Hassan and Ali Raza made regular strikes after that to make it 39 for 5 in the 19th over. It soon became 63 for 6 before John McNally and Harry Dyer added 65 off 82 balls for the seventh innings. McNally brought up his half-century but despite the resistance from the lower order, Ireland were all out in the 49th over.
Pakistan didn’t have a great start either and lost their openers inside the first six overs. Dyer, who had earlier scored an important 31, took care of the middle order, picking up 4 for 31 with his offspin.
But Ahmad was unperturbed. Along with Haroon Arshad, he revived the chase by adding 63 off 75 for the sixth wicket. By the time Ireland got rid of Arshad, Pakistan were just 23 away from the target. They lost another wicket after three runs, but Ahmad was a calming presence in the middle. He reached his half-century in 68 balls and then scored the winning run with 6.2 overs to spare.
Brief scores:
Pakistan Under 19s 182 for 7 in 43.4 overs (Azan Awais 21, Saad Baig 25, Ahmad Hassan 57*, Haroon Arshad 25; Harry Dyer 4-35) beat Ireland Under 19s 181 in 48.4 overs (John McNally 53, Harry Dyer 31; Amir Hassan 2-31, Ubaid Shah 3-31, Ali Raza 2-18, Ahmad Hassan 2-37) by three wickets
(Cricinfo)
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It is our collective responsibility to build a nation grounded in unity and strength – President
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President Anura Kumara Disanayake in his Maha Shiva rathri message said that it is our collective responsibility to build a nation grounded in unity and strength.
The full text of the message issued by the President’s media division:
Maha Shiva Rathri is a sacred and joyous occasion celebrated by Hindu devotees across the world in reverence of Lord Shiva. This divine night marks the celestial union of Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati, as well as the powerful Tandava, Shiva’s cosmic dance of creation and destruction. It symbolises the triumph of wisdom over ignorance, dispelling the darkness of illusion and lighting the path to enlightenment.
On this auspicious night, Hindu devotees observe fasting and engage in spiritual practices, praying for the darkness of ignorance to be replaced by the radiance of wisdom. It is also a time to seek divine blessings for prosperity, peace and fulfilment in life.
The union of Shiva and Parvati is a profound representation of knowledge and power coming together. It reminds us that breaking free from the illusions of division allows us to embrace the truth with open eyes. Today, as we stand at the dawn of a new era, this message is more relevant than ever. Let us tear down the barriers that have kept us apart for generations and unite as one, casting aside discord and embracing togetherness. This is a moment to nurture interfaith harmony, celebrate our diversity and move forward with love and mutual respect, dedicating ourselves to the progress of our beloved motherland.
As we journey towards a brighter future, it is our collective responsibility to build a nation grounded in unity and strength. We are stepping into a time of transformation, embracing political, economic and social renewal, shaping a future that holds promise and hope for all.
On this sacred night, as the glowing lamps of Maha Shiva Rathri illuminate our surroundings, let them also illuminate our hearts, guiding us with unwavering faith along the path we have chosen. Let us walk forward together, hand in hand, in the spirit of peace, unity and shared prosperity.
Foreign News
Chile power outage leaves millions without electricity
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Millions of people are thought to be without electricity across Chile after a large nationwide power outage.
According to the national service for disaster prevention and response (SENAPRED), an area spanning most of the country is impacted, including the capital city, Santiago.
The exact scale of the outage, which began earlier on Tuesday, is not yet known but SENAPRED has said it covers the regions of Arica and Parinacota in the north to Los Lagos in the south.
Reuters news agency has also reported that the world’s largest copper mine, Escondida, is without power, citing a source close to the matter.
LATAM Airlines said that some of its flights may also be disrupted while power supplies were down, and urged passengers to check their journey status.
In a post on X, the Santiago Metro operator said its service had been temporarily suspended due to the ongoing power outage, with stations being evacuated and closed.
Footage from the city showed passengers evacuating stations by walking up switched-off escalators, while traffic signals were also shown not working.
There were also long queues for buses which were still running on the city’s roads.
Maria Angelica Roman, 45, told AFP news agency: “They let us leave work because of the power cut, but now I don’t know how we will get home because all the buses are full.”
Chile’s interior minister, Carolina Toha, also posted on X to say that a meeting would be called to discuss ongoing measures to restore services.
SENAPRED added that electricity companies across the impacted area were investigating the fault and attempting to restart services, and no emergency situations had been reported.
[BBC]
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ICRC pledges support for government initiatives
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President Anura Kumara Disanayake met with Ms. Severine Chappaz, the newly appointed Head of Delegation of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), on Tuesday (25) at the Presidential Secretariat.
Discussions focused on the ICRC’s support for the new government’s policy framework. As part of this collaboration, the Sri Lanka Red Cross Society has agreed to provide technical assistance and capacity-building support to strengthen the Office on Missing Persons (OMP).
President Disanayake highlighted that the budget 2025 has allocated funds for on-going programs related to searching for missing persons.
Additionally, the President announced plans to celebrate “Sri Lankan Day” as a national initiative aimed at fostering unity and strengthening the country’s collective identity, transcending ethnic and religious differences.
The President expressed his gratitude to the ICRC for its humanitarian operations in Sri Lanka since 1989 and acknowledged its continued commitment to the country.
The meeting was also attended by Roshan Gamage, Senior Additional Secretary to the President, and Ruwanthi Jayasundara, Communications Manager of the ICRC.
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