Dubai Humanitarian delivers 96 tonnes of medical aid to Afghanistan as part of UAE humanitarian efforts / Image: File

Dubai has strengthened its role as a global humanitarian hub; Dubai Humanitarian airlifted 96 metric tons of critical medical supplies to Afghanistan.The shipment departed from Al Maktoum International Airport and arrived in Kabul as part of a coordinated response including key international agencies. World Health OrganizationMédecins Sans Frontieres and UNICEF.The cargo includes emergency health kits, essential medicines and primary health care supplies designed to maintain hospitals and clinics operating under severe constraints. Officials confirmed that the shipment is expected to support more than 250,000 people for three months, helping to maintain continuity of care in critical areas.

UAE led operation

The airlift represents a highly coordinated logistics effort involving government officials, humanitarian agencies, and supply chain partners. Dubai Humanitarian acted as the central hub, enabling the consolidation, storage and dispatch of supplies within a short operational period.According to Giuseppe Saba, CEO and board member of Dubai Humanitarian, the mission demonstrates how integrated logistics platforms can ensure fast, reliable and uninterrupted delivery of aid even in complex and high-risk environments.Dubai’s infrastructure allows humanitarian partners to pre-arrange supplies and deploy them quickly as the crisis escalates. The hub currently connects approximately 80 international organisations, including UN agencies and global NGOs, making it one of the largest humanitarian logistics hubs worldwide.For Gulf audiences, it highlights how the UAE is not only a donor, but also a major enabler of global relief operations, linking supply chains between continents.

Afghanistan crisis explained

The latest shipment comes as Afghanistan faces a deep and prolonged humanitarian crisis, with its health care system under sustained pressure.Medical facilities across the country are dealing with:

In many areas, access to health care remains inconsistent, making external assistance critical. Without regular supply flow, hospitals risk a reduction in services, which has a direct impact on vulnerable populations, including women, children and the elderly.Humanitarian agencies emphasize that timely delivery of medical supplies is critical not only for emergency care but also for routine treatment, vaccination, and disease control efforts.

Dubai’s humanitarian response

The Afghanistan airlift is part of a broader surge in activity led by Dubai. Over the past two weeks, Dubai Humanitarian has helped deliver more than 140 metric tons of aid to several areas facing crisis.These operations include:

This multi-channel approach ensures that support continues to flow even if some routes are disrupted. By combining air, land and logistics coordination, Dubai maintains continuous humanitarian access into unstable areas.The scale and speed of these efforts underline Dubai’s growing importance as a global logistics gateway for emergency response, capable of providing life-saving assistance within hours of mobilization.

What does this mean?

The latest operation reflects a broader shift in humanitarian response towards faster, more coordinated and logistics-driven interventions that can adapt to rapidly evolving crises.Dubai’s model is built on speed and scale, where pre-emptive supplies, centralized coordination and multi-agency partnerships come together to ensure assistance without delay. This approach is becoming increasingly important as conflict, climate events and economic instability place pressure on traditional supply chains.As global crises become more complex, the ability to deliver aid within hours rather than days is no longer an advantage, but a necessity. Dubai’s expanding humanitarian network shows how strategic infrastructure and international cooperation can translate that urgency into action on the ground.For the UAE and the wider Gulf region, this goes beyond relief efforts. It signals a deeper, more influential role in shaping how humanitarian aid is delivered around the world faster, better, and with far greater reach.

Virat Kohli, KL Rahul and David Miller

New Delhi: Batting while chasing is considered one of the toughest tasks in cricket and those who perform well under pressure are often ranked among the best players in the world. The first name that comes to mind when discussing chase is none other than ‘Chessmaster’. Virat Kohli. The Indian talisman has single-handedly won many matches while chasing the target and scored a mountain of runs. Indian Premier League No exception, as Kohli leads the league in scoring most runs while chasing with 4027 runs in 125 innings. This is slightly less than 50% of his record 8758 IPL runs. However, in terms of best average while chasing, Kohli does not even feature in the top five among the 231 batsmen who have batted at least 10 times while chasing. In fact, the Royal Challengers Bangalore star is ranked 10th with an average of 41.51.David Miller, who has been in the news since Wednesday night when he refused to take a single off the last ball which led to Delhi Capitals’ one-run loss to Gujarat Titans, tops this exclusive list. Despite that costly moment, Miller’s reputation as a finisher remains intact, and his numbers underline his dominance in chasing.Miller has scored 1,816 runs in 67 innings at an impressive average of 49.08 and strike rate of 142.54, which includes 12 fifties and one century.His DC teammate KL Rahul, whose 92 off 52 against Gujarat Titans went in vain, is second in the list with an average of 47.92 in 66 innings. While chasing the target, Rahul has scored 2,636 runs at a strike rate of 138.22, which includes 25 half-centuries.Kohli’s RCB teammate Phil Salt is third with an average of 46.92 in just 16 innings. He has scored 657 runs at an impressive strike rate of 178.04, which includes eight fifties.Former Mumbai Indians batsman Lendl Simmons is in second place with an average of 46.22, having scored 416 runs in 11 innings, which includes one century and three fifties.Sai Sudarshan completes the top five with 908 runs at a strike rate of 141.43 while chasing an average of 45.40 in 22 innings, which included one hundred and five fifties.

Best batting average while chasing in IPL

(Note- Batsmen who have batted at least 10 times while chasing in IPL)

New Delhi: Voting is underway for all 140 assembly seats in Kerala today, with many constituencies emerging as high-stakes battlegrounds reflecting changing political equations, leadership tests and escalating multi-cornered contests. While the traditional fight between the Congress-led UDF and the CPM-led LDF continues, the BJP’s attempt to expand its footprint has added to the sharp triangular lead in select seats this time.These contests are not just about local outcomes, but have broader political implications ranging from internal dissent within parties to leadership credibility and coalition strategies. In many of these seats, candidate selection has already begun, leading to indicators of broader electoral trends in the state being closely monitored.From rebellion in Ambalapuzha to prestige battle in Peravoor and triangular contest in Nemom, these seats could play a crucial role in shaping the final outcome. There are five constituencies that stand out:

Ambalapuzha:

This seat in southern Kerala has turned into a politically symbolic contest following the exit of veteran leader G Sudhakaran from CPM after six decades of association. He is contesting the election as an independent candidate and is pitted against sitting MLA H Salam. The UDF’s decision to stay out of the race and support Sudhakaran has further changed the dynamics of the contest. This seat has been continuously held by the CPM, which won it in 2011, 2016 and 2021. Sudhakaran’s victory may indicate internal tensions within the LDF.

Peravoor:

Peravoor has turned into a prestige contest between Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee president Sunny Joseph and CPM stalwart-former health minister KK Shailaja. Shailaja, who had been representing Mattannur since 2016, has switched constituencies despite alleged reluctance, making it both a comeback and a test. He had earlier won Peravoor in 2006. Meanwhile, Joseph, who has held the seat since 2011, is contesting the election for the fourth consecutive time, making it a close contest between the two high-profile leaders.

Nemom:

Nemom remains a major testing ground for all three fronts. CPM leader and minister V Sivankutty, who won the seat in 2021, is defending it against BJP state president Rajeev Chandrasekhar and Congress’ young face KS Sabarinathan. BJP had created history with its victory here in 2016 and is now aiming for another success. With huge investments by all three parties, any change in vote share could have ramifications beyond this constituency.

Frost:

Pala, long considered a Kerala Congress (Mani) stronghold, is witnessing a contest based on legacy and internal party dynamics. Jose K Mani is seeking to regain the seat that belonged to his father KM Mani after earlier failures. He is pitted against sitting MLA Mani C Kappan, whose victory weakened the party’s hold. Another defeat for Jose K Mani could raise questions over his leadership within the party. BJP candidate Shon George has added a third dimension that could affect vote division. Previous winners include Kappan in 2021, NCP in 2019 and Kerala Congress (M) candidates in 2016.

Palakkad:

Palakkad turns out to be interesting as the BJP looks to convert its consecutive gains into victory after narrow defeats in 2021. The party has fielded Sobha Surendran, while the Congress has taken a calculated risk by nominating actor Ramesh Pisharody to retain his seat since 2011. The CPM, which has struggled in recent elections here, has fielded NMR Razak as it looks to re-establish its presence. The results here may indicate whether BJP’s growing lead could translate into victory.With several high-profile candidates, shifting loyalties and a triangular contest, these seats are expected to have a close and decisive contest.

प्रयागराज में एक सनसनीखेज वारदात सामने आई है, जहां दिनदहाड़े एक युवक की गोली मारकर हत्या कर दी गई. घटना करेली थाना क्षेत्र के गौस नगर की है, जहां हमलावरों ने बीच सड़क पर युवक को निशाना बनाया. गोली लगने के बाद युवक सड़क पर गिर गया और दर्द से छटपटाता रहा. मौके पर मौजूद लोग उसे बचाने की कोशिश करते रहे, लेकिन अस्पताल पहुंचने में देरी के कारण उसकी मौत हो गई. मृतक की पहचान मोहम्मद इरफान के रूप में हुई है, जो माफिया अशरफ का गनर बताया जा रहा है. पुलिस मामले की गहराई से जांच कर रही है.

बीच सड़क पर चली गोली, मौके पर मची अफरा-तफरी
घटना गौस नगर इलाके की है, जहां अचानक फायरिंग की आवाज से अफरा-तफरी मच गई. हमलावरों ने मोहम्मद इरफान के सीने में गोली मार दी, जिससे वह सड़क पर गिर पड़े. आसपास मौजूद लोग तुरंत उसकी मदद के लिए दौड़े और उसे काबू करने की कोशिश की।

अस्पताल पहुंचने में हुई देरी, नहीं बचाई जा सकी जान
घटना के बाद घायल इरफान को अस्पताल ले जाने की कोशिश की गई, लेकिन रास्ते में काफी देरी हो गई. सड़क पर मौजूद लोग गाड़ियां रोककर मदद के लिए चिल्लाते नजर आए, लेकिन समय पर इलाज न मिलने के कारण उनकी मौत हो गई.

मृतक के आपराधिक एवं व्यापारिक संबंध
बताया जा रहा है कि मृतक मोहम्मद इरफान माफिया अशरफ का सुरक्षाकर्मी था. इसके अलावा वह प्रॉपर्टी डीलिंग का भी काम करता था। शुरुआती जांच में पता चला है कि उनकी कुछ लोगों से पुरानी दुश्मनी और जमीन को लेकर विवाद था.

आसिफ दुर्रानी और अन्य के खिलाफ मामला दर्ज किया गया है
इस मामले में परिजनों की शिकायत पर चकिया निवासी आसिफ दुर्रानी और एक अन्य व्यक्ति के खिलाफ मामला दर्ज किया गया है. पुलिस इस एंगल से भी जांच कर रही है कि हत्या के पीछे जमीन विवाद मुख्य कारण हो सकता है.

जांच में जुटी पुलिस, सीसीटीवी फुटेज खंगाली जा रही है
घटना की जानकारी मिलते ही डीसीपी सिटी मनीष कुमार शांडिल्य और एडीसीपी राजकुमार मीणा मौके पर पहुंचे. पुलिस की कई टीमें जांच में जुटी हैं और आसपास के सीसीटीवी फुटेज खंगाले जा रहे हैं. अधिकारियों का कहना है कि कई अहम सुराग मिले हैं और जल्द ही इस मामले में बड़ा खुलासा हो सकता है.

India is a land of mysteries, and every region has a story of faith and devotion that is beyond logic and science, and one such mystery has been burning for more than 500 years and still remains as a symbol of divine presence in the divine temple of Devi Jwala Ji in Kangra. Himachal. What makes the burning flame an enigma is that it burns without oil and wick, making it one of the most unique goddess temples across the world. Let’s find out…Temple of Divine FlamesSituated in the lush green lower Himalayas of Kangra district in Himachal Pradesh is the divine abode of Jwala Ji, one of the most powerful Shaktipeeths across the country and holds the spiritual and scientific secret of the continuously burning flame. The temple has nine different flames, each representing a different form of the goddess, such as Mahakali, Durga, Annapurna and Saraswati.

Unlike traditional Hindu temples, where lamps are lit by pouring oil or ghee, the “eternal flames” of Jwala Ji Temple come directly from the cracks in the ancient rocks and are self-manifested flames that have been burning for centuries. It is revered as one of the 51 Shaktipeeths, it is believed that the tongue of Goddess Sati fell here and since then, the physical manifestation of the divine is believed to be in the form of flames. Although science has a different perspective, there are stories of devotion and faith in mythology and mythology that remain imprinted in the hearts of devotees through the ages.

beyond beliefFrom a scientific point of view, it is believed that the burning flames of Jwala G are caused by natural gas emissions, but the exact source is still a subject of research. According to experts, the temple rests on underground reserves of natural gas, mainly methane mixed with other hydrocarbons, which seeps from the porous sandstone of the Himalayan foothills. When these gases come in contact with oxygen at the surface, they ignite in the form of flames. While natural gas rigs are found in various parts of the world, the stability and longevity of Jwala Ji’s flames is distinct and remarkable, as they have been burning without interruption for hundreds of years.

Akbar’s attempt to stop the flamesThe mystery of these flames increased the curiosity of powerful rulers. According to legend and historical records, Akbar suspected the flames to be divine and attempted to extinguish them using a massive stream of water through an iron gutter. But despite all their efforts, the flames continued to flicker through the water without interruption. It is believed that realizing the divine power of Jwala ji, he walked barefoot to the temple and offered a golden umbrella as a sign of repentance. According to local stories and beliefs, the goddess rejected this umbrella and the golden umbrella was replaced by a strange, unknown metal.science and studyAmidst the mystery and local belief, in the mid-20th century, the Indian government made efforts to exploit the potential energy source of the temple. Geologists and engineers from the Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) conducted extensive surveys and drills with the aim of locating vast reserves of gas, which they believed to be the secret behind the temple flames. However, despite deep drilling in the area, they were unable to locate a viable source of natural gas, which made it all the more mysterious.