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Pope Francis calls for a ceasefire in the Holy Land

Pope Francis has called for a ceasefire in the Holy Land. Addressing the faithful gathered in St Peter’s Square for his Sunday Angelus, the Holy Father invited everyone to “continue to pray for the serious situation in Palestine and Israel”. In particular, he asked that humanitarian aid be allowed to enter Gaza and that all hostages be freed.
The situation in Gaza has intensified over the last few days. Over 7,200 people are confirmed dead since 7 October, after Hamas carried out a deadly attack on Israel, which responded with bombardments and a ground invasion.
The Holy Father quoted Father Ibrahim Faltas, the Egyptian Franciscan vicar of the Custody of the Holy Land in Jerusalem, who recently spoke on the Italian television programme A Sua Immagine (In his image). I listened to him and he said “cease fire, cease fire”, explained the Pontiff.
“We too, like Father Ibrahim, say cease fire”, said the Pope, adding “stop, brothers and sisters: war is always a defeat—always, always!”
(Vatican News)
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Adani Green withdraws from controversial renewable energy project in Sri Lanka

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Pakistan vs New Zealand in a title clash and a dress rehearsal

It’s rare for a tournament final to be a dry run, but that’s almost what this Pakistan vs New Zealand game will be. There’s a trophy on the line in Karachi, five days before another Pakistan vs New Zealand game in Karachi – that is the big one, the opening game of the Champions Trophy. In that sense, when this tri-series was planned, this was the final that would have made the most sense, if you’d asked anyone bar, perhaps, South Africa.
New Zealand have comfortably been the team of the tournament so far, but Pakistan arguably come in on a bigger high, riding a wave after coming back from the dead to steal the second place on the table after an epic ODI chase against South Africa. The execution of the win was more satisfying than the fact that it happened. Two men in Pakistan’s middle order stringing together Pakistan’s third-highest ODI partnership – Mohammed Rizwan and Salman Agha put on a whopping 260 for the fourth wicket, masterfully pacing a chase while seemingly not playing a single shot in anger. Most notably, it will allay fears of an over-dependence on Fakhar Zaman up top if the middle order can find a way to stand up for itself more regularly, balancing Pakistan’s batting line-up ahead of the Champions Trophy.
But Pakistan’s death bowling remains a cause for concern. They conceded 98 in the final six overs against New Zealand and 87 in the final seven on Wednesday against South Africa. On both occasions, one man in a purple patch took the attack to them – the fast bowlers in particular. It was Glenn Phillips one day, Heinrich Klaasen the next. It keeps New Zealand in the game till late, knowing they can catch up against a bowling line up that has revealed it it vulnerable.
New Zealand have just about played two perfect games, with control the key feature of their performances. There is a calm this side exudes when it appears a passage of play is going against them. They didn’t panic when they weren’t quite at the run rate they wanted to be against Pakistan until deep in the innings, keeping their ammunition dry until the opportunity to use it presented itself. When Matthew Breetzke took them on at the death, they retained their composure, aware the target was still below par, and then made short work of it with a near faultless chase.
Most notably, New Zealand have shown how to use spin as a leash for the opposition on these surfaces, and possess more experienced, more varied and, frankly, superior slower bowlers. Mitchell Santner has been in the middle of special run the last few months, and stifled Pakistan alongside Michael Bracewell, Phillips and Rachin Ravindra last week. They bowled 26 of the 47.5 overs through that innings, and while Pakistan’s spinners bowled a similar amount, they weren’t nearly as effective.
It is a game with silverware up for grabs, and the group-stage rubber between the two next week inflates its importance rather than diminishing it.
Kane Williamson followed up a half-century against Pakistan with an unbeaten hundred to vanquish South Africa. New Zealand haven’t played too many ODIs since the 2023 World Cup, but he appears to have picked up where he left off, on surfaces that are perfectly suited to his immense ability. He showed in the first game he could grind it out on a “tackier wicket”, as he put it, while picking the pace up on the flatter surface against South Africa. His legendary unflappability has handled far bigger occasions, with his current form not just a warning sign for Pakistan, but every side he comes up against in the next few days.
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