India Beat Pakistan To Clinch Asian Games Cricket Gold As Medal Tally Soars Past 19

The Indian men's cricket team secured the gold medal at the Asian Games by defeating arch-rivals Pakistan by 19 runs in the final, taking India's gold tally at the games to 19. Batting first, India posted a total of 211 runs in their 20 overs, driven by half-centuries from Abhishek Sharma, who scored 61, and Tilak Varma, who remained unbeaten on 51. In response, Pakistan managed 192 for six in their 20 overs, despite Hasan Nawaz's fighting knock of 96 runs. Standout bowling performances by spinners Axar Patel and Washington Sundar, who took two wickets each, alongside part-time bowler Shivam Dube's two wickets, helped restrict Pakistan. This victory marks India's second consecutive Asian Games gold medal in cricket following their triumph in Hangzhou in 2023. The victory also highlights India's ongoing dominance over Pakistan in the shortest format, having won 15 of their last 18 T20 encounters.

A Flydubai flight en route to Tel Aviv faced a severe security incident following an attempted midair hijacking by an Omani co-pilot identified as Hamam Al Hamami. Investigations indicate the co-pilot intended to crash the aircraft in Israel. The suspect had previously been barred from operating aircraft in Oman due to his radical Islamist ideology and time spent in Syria. Questions have been raised regarding security lapses, as bilateral agreements between Israel and the United Arab Emirates prohibit nationals of countries lacking diplomatic ties with Israel from flying these routes. Digital activity linked to the suspect featured videos tracking Israeli aircraft and references to Al-Qaeda leadership. Authorities in Israel and the United Arab Emirates are examining whether the operative acted as a lone wolf or had ties to extremist networks. Following the incident, Flydubai flights to Israel were suspended, prompting rescue flights to repatriate stranded Israeli citizens from Dubai and Abu Dhabi.

A major political row has erupted in Tamil Nadu ahead of the Dharapuram by-poll following allegations of body shaming targeting a woman candidate from the TVK. Party candidate Sathya Baba stated that she felt disturbed after viewing the speech and had already been enduring mental harassment and social media trolling over recent weeks. She asserted that people will not accept obscene remarks against women and will teach the DMK a lesson in the upcoming by-election. The remarks have triggered strong backlash across political circles, with leaders questioning the recurring personal attacks and vulgar statements directed at female leaders. The controversy marks a sharp escalation in personal jibes exchanged between political parties in the run-up to the by-elections in the state.

India vs Brazil: The five-time World Champions are in town and Kolkata has already given a sensational welcome to the city. But will the fans actually turn up to the Salt Lake stadium for the clash? With the high ticket prices being a major talking point, we preview how the city is ready for the exciting clash on Sunday.