Villagers examine the damage caused by overnight cross-border fighting between Pakistan and Afghan forces in a village in Bajaur, a district in Pakistan’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province bordering Afghanistan, on Friday, February 27, 2026. (AP Photo)

Afghanistan on Wednesday accused Pakistan of launching new airstrikes on its territory and said the attacks killed at least 13 people, most of them children, and wounded 14 others.Read this also ‘Converting genocide into military action’: India rebukes Pakistan at UN over Afghan attacks Zabihullah Mujahid, a spokesman for Afghanistan’s Taliban-led regime, said the attacks hit Khost, Kunar and Paktika provinces. “Crime. Last night, the Pakistani military once again violated Afghan airspace and bombed civilian homes in Kunar, Khost and Paktika provinces,” Mujahid posted on Twitter. He said: “These attacks resulted in the death of 11 children, a woman and an elderly man, while 14 others, including women and children, were injured. “We strongly condemn this humanitarian crime and this aggression.” Pakistan did not immediately acknowledge the attacks. The charges come amid broader regional tensions, including renewed US-Iran hostilities in the Middle East and unrest in Pakistan-administered Kashmir, where protests have turned violent. The two countries have been engaged in months of cross-border conflict since late February, when Afghanistan launched retaliatory strikes following Pakistani airstrikes that have left hundreds dead. Temporary ceasefires have stopped fighting from time to time, but have not been sustained. Islamabad has accused Kabul of harboring terrorists, especially Tehreek-e.Taliban Pakistan (TTP), which it says carries out attacks inside Pakistan. The group is separate from but affiliated with the Afghan Taliban, which has ruled Afghanistan since taking power in 2021 following a US-led withdrawal. Kabul has denied the allegation.(with AP input)

rapper King Hania has taken the internet by storm after she shared a series of photos with an unknown woman on Instagram, with fans increasingly speculating that the mystery woman could be Hania Aamir, even as there are rumors of her secret marriage with the Punjabi actor Isha Rikhi Keep making headlines.

Badshah’s mysterious Instagram post

Badshah posted a set of pictures in which he is seen holding a woman’s hand in a field. The woman’s face is not visible in any of the photos. “The Universe has a funny way of placing people in your life,” the rapper captioned the post.The post was immediately flooded with reactions from fans. Many speculated that the mystery woman is Pakistani actress Hania Aamir. “Is that Hania Aamir?” one fan wrote, while another commented, “Looks like she’s Hania?” Others were more curious about the potential collaboration, with one fan asking, “Is this a new collaboration?” And another expressed, “We want to see Badshah in a new music video.”

Is Badshah married to Isha Rikhi?

While fans are confused about the identity of the mystery woman, Badshah’s personal life is making news for another reason. The rapper has reportedly married Punjabi actor Isha Rikhi, almost six years after his divorce from his first wife. However, he or his team have not confirmed this.The discussion was fueled by Isha Rikhi’s mother, Poonam Rikhi, who shared a series of pictures on Instagram that appeared to hint at the couple’s wedding. The pictures show Badshah and Isha wearing traditional wedding attire, exchanging garlands in the presence of close family and friends. Poonam captioned the post: “God bless you @isharikhi @BadboyShah.”

‘Tatiri‘ Controversy

Meanwhile, on the work front, it was a tumultuous few months for Badshah. Her Haryanvi track ‘Tattiri’, released in March 2026, drew sharp criticism for allegedly showing girls in school uniform dancing and making objectionable gestures inside a Haryana Roadways bus. The song faced criticism for its bold lyrics and suggestive visuals.In response, Badshah released a revised, cleaned-up version of the song on April 14, 2026, after removing the controversial parts.

US President Donald Trump launched attacks on Iran on Tuesday, hours after an American Apache attack helicopter was downed near the Strait of Hormuz.US Central Command (CENTCOM) said the strike, which it described as a “self-defense” attack, began at 5 p.m. Washington time on Trump’s orders and was intended as a “proportional response” to Iranian aggression. The move came as Trump accused Iran of shooting down the Apaches overnight and said “we will respond to this attack if necessary.”While Trump publicly promised retaliation, he later tried to downplay the helicopter incident, saying it was “no big deal” because the pilots survived. Meanwhile, Iran’s state media, citing military sources, reported that the IRGC also vowed a “decisive response” against “renewed hostilities by the enemy under the pretext of the helicopter crash.”Here are the top developments so far.

US launches ‘self-defense’ strikes against Iran

The US Central Command announced that the US military has launched strikes against Iran at the direction of President Trump.In a statement posted on Twitter, she wrote, “In response to yesterday’s downing of a U.S. Army Apache helicopter, U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) forces, at the direction of the Commander in Chief, began launching self-defense strikes against Iran today at 5 p.m. ET. This mission is a proportionate response to unjustified Iranian aggression.” The exact targets of the attacks were not immediately disclosed.

Apache helicopter was shot down near the Strait of Hormuz

The tension began when a US Army Apache attack helicopter went down near the Strait of Hormuz. Initial reports from US officials did not establish the cause of the crash. Officials said it was not clear whether the helicopter was shot down, suffered mechanical failure or had some other problem.However, a US official later said a one-sided Iranian strike drone had shot down the plane, Reuters reported, citing an official speaking on condition of anonymity.

Dramatic rescue of crew by unmanned naval vessel

The two crew members aboard the Apache survived and were rescued, in what US military officials described as the first operation of its kind.The pilots were located by a 24-foot U.S. Navy surface ship after spending about two hours in the water off the coast of Oman, according to CENTCOM spokesman Capt. Tim Hawkins.The drone boat recovered the pilots and transported them safely to shore. Military officials said both crew members were in stable condition and did not suffer serious injuries.Trump later confirmed the rescue, saying, “The pilots are OK. No one was injured.”

Trump did not pay much attention to the incident, then vowed to retaliate

Trump initially appeared to downplay the significance of the helicopter’s loss, before publicly blaming Iran.Speaking to reporters before departing New York after attending the NBA Finals game, Trump insisted that the crew members were safe and said a report on the incident would be released later.Trump described the crash as “no big deal”, adding that “the pilot is OK,” The Wall Street Journal reported. He suggested that the circumstances were “more different than you think”.However, a few hours later, Trump took it to Truth Social to express his aggression against the helicopter being shot down.In the post he said he was informed by the US military that Iran had shot down the Apache while it was patrolling the Strait of Hormuz.

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“I have just been informed by our great military that last night the Iranians shot down one of our highly sophisticated Apache helicopters while on patrol over the Strait of Hormuz. There were two pilots involved, both safe and sound. “Nevertheless, the United States must respond to this attack, as necessary.”As the US strikes began, Trump doubled down on his position in an interview with ABC News, confirming that military action was underway and indicating that Washington’s response would be significant.“I think it’s very important to respond. They shot down a helicopter, and we’re responding as we speak,” Trump said. I believe the answer must be very strong, very powerful and that is what it is.

Iran says helicopter was not intentionally targeted

Iran’s deputy foreign minister said the Apaches were not intentionally targeted by Iranian forces, Al Jazeera reported.The official said Tehran was not responsible for deliberately attacking the helicopter, while acknowledging that incidents could have occurred in the highly volatile environment around the Strait of Hormuz.The comments stopped short of directly acknowledging responsibility but suggested that any involvement of Iranian forces may have been incidental rather than part of a deliberate military campaign.Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, without explicitly denying that Iranian forces had shot down the helicopter, argued that foreign military forces operating close to Iranian territory faced inherent risks. “Foreign forces near our territory are at constant risk due to their own human errors, simple accidents or potentially being caught in the crossfire,” he wrote on Twitter. To minimize the risk, the best solution is to skip them.In a statement attached to his post, he also emphasized the issue of the Strait of Hormuz, saying, “The Strait of Hormuz is not international waters, but is shared between Iran and Oman.”

IRGC warns against using accident as pretext for attacks

Even though Iranian officials suggested the incident may not have been intentional, Tehran issued a warning against any US military response.Iranian state media quoted military sources as saying that if Washington used the helicopter incident as justification for renewed military action, Iran would respond strongly.According to the report, in the event of renewed “hostilities by the enemy” under the pretext of the Apache crash, Iran will give a “decisive response.”

There is news of explosion in Hormozgan province after US attack

Iranian media reported explosions in several locations within Hormozgan province, which is located on the northern shore of the Strait of Hormuz. Fars News Agency said explosions were heard in eastern parts of the province, including the areas of Quhestak, Sirik and Minab.The agency also reported air defense activity at some locations, suggesting that Iranian forces may be responding to incoming attacks.Iranian officials did not immediately provide details on possible casualties or damage.

FIFA World Cup 2026: What must go right for Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo to meet

A record-breaking sixth FIFA World Cup for both Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo could finally produce a meeting like never before in football: a World Cup showdown between the sport’s ultimate rivals. Argentina and Portugal arrived in North America in encouraging form after both winning their opening pre-tournament friendlies, with Argentina defeating Honduras 2–0 and Portugal defeating Chile 2–1. While Messi is recovering well from a minor hamstring strain, Ronaldo is fully fit and is expected to lead Portugal’s challenge.The prospect of a clash between the two icons takes on added significance, as despite defining an era of football for almost two decades, they have never faced each other on the game’s biggest stage. Their rivalry spans leagues, continents and competitions, yet the FIFA World Cup remains the one major tournament where their paths have never met in a competitive match.This may eventually change in 2026. Ronaldo is close at 41 and Messi at 39, both widely expected to be appearing in their final World Cup. As a result, the extended tournament could provide one last opportunity for football’s most famous rivalry to clinch a World Cup chapter.However, whether that dream matchup becomes reality depends on a very specific series of results, knockout pathways and qualification scenarios that unfold in FIFA’s newly expanded 48-team format. Before exploring those possibilities, it’s worth understanding how the tournament is structured, because the format is what makes a potential Messi-versus-Ronaldo meeting both more attainable and more complicated than ever.

How the 48-team World Cup actually works

The 2026 tournament, held in the United States, Canada and Mexico, is expanded from 32 to 48 teams, changing the entire tone of the competition.Instead of eight groups, there are now twelve groups, labeled Group A to Group L, and each group has four teams. Argentina have been drawn in Group J with Algeria, Austria and Jordan, while Portugal have been drawn in Group K with Colombia, Uzbekistan and DR Congo.The way forward from these twelve groups works in two layers.First, the direct part: the first and second placed teams in each group automatically qualify for the knockout stage. It includes 24 teams.After this comes the part which was not present in the last World Cup. All twelve third-placed teams throughout the tournament are compared on points, goal difference and goals scored, and the best eight of them also qualify. With this, the total number of teams reaching the knockout has become 32.From there, the tournament moves straight into an elimination bracket, starting with the Round of 32, then moving on to the Round of 16, quarterfinals, semi-finals, and finally the final. A team that advances all the way will now play eight matches instead of seven, reflecting the expanded structure, and the tournament will expand to 104 matches in total.This format makes sense because it creates multiple entry points into the knockout bracket, where a Ronaldo-Messi meeting becomes possible.

Both teams will be burdened till 2026

Argentina arrived as defending world champions after lifting the trophy at Qatar 2022, a moment that reshaped Messi’s international legacy after years of near-misses, including a World Cup final defeat and three Copa America final defeats before 2021 success. Since then, Argentina have captured another Copa America title and head into 2026 with continuity, depth and a team built around their captain.The story of Portugal has been different. Ronaldo, the all-time leading scorer in men’s international football with 143 goals, has won the European Championship and two UEFA Nations League titles, but the World Cup has remained out of his reach. Portugal’s best performance in the Ronaldo era came in 2006, when they reached the semi-finals, and since then they have twice been eliminated in the round of 16 in 2010 and 2018, exited the group stage in 2014, and reached the quarter-finals in 2022, where they were eliminated by Morocco, while Ronaldo was largely used as a substitute in the knockouts.Individually, Messi has played 26 World Cup matches and scored 13 goals, while Ronaldo has played 22 matches with eight goals, and both are expected to attend their sixth World Cup, with Messi yet to officially confirm his participation.

messi vs ronaldo world cup stats

All this context boils down to the simple fact that they are now in different groups, Argentina in Group J and Portugal in Group K, meaning any meeting can only take place after the knockout rounds begin.

Group stage expectations and prospects

Argentina are widely seen as strong favorites to top Group J, with projections placing their chances of finishing first at around 75% to 77%, reflecting both their status as defending champions and the relative balance of the group which also includes Austria, Algeria and Jordan. Austria is considered the primary challenger, with an estimated 20% to 22% chance of winning their group.

Argentina’s Lionel Messi, second from left, poses with teammates and his sons before a World Cup 2026 qualifying soccer match against Venezuela at Monumental Stadium in Buenos Aires, Argentina, Thursday, Sept. 4, 2025. (AP Photo/Gustavo Garello)

Portugal, drawn in Group K, are also expected to lead their group, featuring players like Bruno Fernandes and Joao Felix along with Ronaldo. According to leading betting sites, Portugal are strong favorites to top the group at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, with an implied probability of around 65% to 71%, although Colombia are seen as a real threat after a strong qualifying campaign in South America, led by Luis Diaz, James Rodriguez and Davinson Sanchez along with other key forwards such as John Córdoba, Jefferson Lerma and Richard Ríos. People have done it.

FILE – Portugal players pose for a team photo before the World Cup 2026 Group F qualifying football match between Portugal and Hungary in Lisbon on Tuesday, October 14, 2025. (AP Photo/Armando Franca, File)

Bracket Reality: Why They Can’t Meet Early

Because Argentina and Portugal were both top seeds in Pot 1 during the draw, FIFA structured the bracket so that teams from the same seeding pot were separated into different routes. In simple terms, this means they cannot meet in the group stage and are set aside up to a certain number of points in the knockout round, depending on how they finish.Their placement in Groups J and K also places them on intersecting sides of the bracket, which is why their meeting depends heavily on specific finishing conditions.

Scenario 1: Both win their groups, quarter-final clash

If Argentina finishes first in Group J and Portugal finishes first in Group K, both teams will enter the knockout rounds on a route that brings them together in the quarterfinals in Kansas City on July 11, provided they win their Round of 32 and Round of 16 matches.In that scenario, Argentina’s journey would begin in the round of 32 against the runners-up of Group H, followed by a round of 16 tie against the winners emerging from the clash between the second-placed teams in Groups D and G.Conversely, Portugal will face one of the third-placed qualifying teams in their round of 32 match, before moving on to a round of 16 tie against the winner of the match involving the winner of Group B.Only if both successfully clear those two knockout rounds, the bracket aligns for a Ronaldo vs Messi clash in the quarterfinals.

Scenario 2: Both finish second in the Round of 16 meeting

If both teams finish as runners-up in their respective groups, the structure brings them together much earlier, with a possible round of 16 clash at Arlington on 6 July, again assuming both win their opening knockout matches.In this situation, Argentina will face the winner of Group H in the Round of 32, while Portugal will face the runner-up of Group L, which includes teams like England, Croatia, Ghana and Panama.The main difference here is that finishing second compresses the timeline, creating a path where the meeting takes place exactly one round after the initial knockout stage.

Scenario 3: Split position, only last remaining

If one of the two teams wins its group while the other finishes second, the bracket separates them completely until the finals on July 19 in New Jersey.In that configuration, they are placed on opposite sides of the knockout draw, meaning they must advance through every round, round of 32, round of 16, quarter-finals and semi-finals, without slipping for a meeting to occur.It is the longest and most demanding route, but also the one offering the most symbolic ending: a World Cup final between two players whose rivalry has defined an era.

Wildcard variable: third-place qualification

The expanded format introduces another layer of uncertainty through the best third-place teams.If Argentina or Portugal finish third, but still qualify among the top eight third-place teams, their exact position in the knockout bracket cannot be determined until all group matches are completed, as those rankings depend on points, goal difference and goals scored across all groups.This makes any Ronaldo-Messi meeting in that scenario unpredictable, as their paths will only become clear once the group stage is over.

The sixth World Cup for Messi and Ronaldo could ultimately prove to be the biggest match for football fans.

Why does this World Cup feel different?

For all the permutations and routes, the underlying reality is simple. This is likely the last time the two players will share the World Cup stage, and the structure of the 48-team tournament makes it possible, but does not guarantee they will eventually meet.For this, Argentina will have to perform as expected, Portugal will have to advance in the competitive group and both teams will have to make it through at least one or two knockout rounds without making any mistakes depending on the route.Only then does the bracket open up in a way that allows the rivalry to reach the stage it has always missed.

Excise officials said many of these villages were located near Pune and Pimpri Chinchwad cities where there was easy access to water sources.

Pune: The state excise department has identified 25 villages having illegal liquor units in Pune district and issued notices to their gram panchayats directing them to stop such activities and immediately report any suspicious operations. The action comes after the recent hooch tragedy in Phugewadi (Pimpri Chinchwad) and Pandremala (Hadapsar), in which 20 people lost their lives between May 26 and 28.Confirming the move, state excise superintendent Atul Kanade said the notice sent through the Pune collectorate covered Sortapwadi, Kunjirwadi, Nandur (near Yavat), Rajewadi, Bhosalewadi and Apti in Shirur taluka, besides other villages. “Gram panchayats have been asked not to allow illegal liquor production in their jurisdiction and immediately alert the authorities or police if any such activity is detected. Contact numbers of excise officials have also been shared with residents to facilitate quick reporting,” he said.Excise officials said many of these villages were located near the cities of Pune and Pimpri Chinchwad, with easy access to water sources, making them conducive to illicit liquor production. “Many units are located along the canal network, such as the Mutha Right Bank Canal or near rivers, which ensures stable water supply. Additionally, some units operate from isolated locations, including government-owned land, helping operators avoid enforcement,” an official said.Kanade said liquor produced in these areas was largely supplied to the slums of Pune and Pimpri Chinchwad as well as industrial centers like Chakan and Ranjangaon, where it was consumed by factory workers.However, a gram panchayat member from a village along the Pune-Solapur highway alleged that residents often face threats from people involved in illegal trade. The member said that some operators may have the support of some police personnel, making it difficult for local people to report such activities.Since May 28, the department has registered 142 cases and arrested 116 persons involved in illegal liquor manufacturing.Three patients recovered and returned homePCMC said all three patients admitted to the municipal corporation-run YCM hospital after consuming spurious liquor in the Phugewadi poisonous liquor case have fully recovered and have been discharged, adding that after being brought in a critical condition, they were given free treatment including intensive care, constant monitoring and medical check-up under expert supervision. PCMC Medical Officer Dr Laxman Gofen credited the timely intervention and prompt care for preventing complications and enabling his safe return home.