International
SA v IND, 2nd Test: Unbeaten 96 stands in top three influencing innings played for Proteas, reckons Elgar

South Africa skipper Dean Elgar reckons his unbeaten 96 in spearheading the chase of 240 against India in the second Test stands in the top three influencing innings he has ever played for the team. He also praised his team for pushing through a lot in the last four days in order to square the three-match series 1-1.
“It has been a fair innings, isn’t it I guess. Personally, it is right up there. It’s contributed in a big way on the win and speaks a lot more than anything when it comes to personal game or accolades. I am extremely glad that as a captain, I could be to end and lead us over the line, which was a kind of do-or-die match for us. I would say, it was right up there, maybe in the top three influencing innings I have played for the Proteas,” said Elgar while replying to a query from IANS in the virtual press conference.
Elgar, adjudged Player of the Match for his unbeaten 96 in the second innings, stitched partnerships of 47, 46, 82 and 68 not out in acing the chase of 240. While marching forward in the chase, Elgar mentioned that not thinking about the result helped the batters in focusing on sending the loose balls to the boundary rope.
“I don’t think we ever once thought of looking at the end result. I think we needed to start well as a batting unit. Myself and Rassie had to start well for the first half an hour and then we could maybe capitalise on all the few loose deliveries, which actually worked in our favour. I think we respected the areas they bowled and then there were some areas where we put the ball away. I don’t think there was a lot to gain out of a few hours of no play today.”
Once play resumed, Elgar stood tall and carried his bat throughout the innings. “We might have lost like four wickets and then we could have been in trouble. So, I took a lot of responsibility within the batting and almost said to myself last night that I will be there till the end. As a senior batter, someone who has been around and now as a captain, I have to take responsibility. It’s now going to always work out but it did today. I am glad I finished the game off as it is a highly stressful and intense Test series against the Indian side and I don’t think you will expect anything else against them.”
Asked about his initial feelings on cruising to a seven-wicket win, their first victory against India at the Wanderers, Elgar remarked, “Hasn’t really sunk in yet. First of all, it’s a Test win for South Africa. I mean, we have fought long and hard for this kind of victory. The last four days have had pushed us through different levels and different areas within our team. The guys have responded brilliantly with regards to certain requests that I have obviously asked us to do. Sitting here, it’s nice and great to know that you have accomplished a Test win.”
The 34-year-old signed off by stressing upon sticking to the basics and gameplans not going to change much ahead of the third Test at Cape Town. “The basics of the game were something that we emphasised on nicely. We spoke long and hard about intensely trying to change the game-plan for our batters and focused on certain areas that we can be a lot better at than we weren’t very good in the first Test. There were definitely areas we focused at.”
“Going into Cape Town, I think we have to over-emphasise and going to be pretty much on it in the same kind of game-plan. I don’t see too much changes into game-plan going into Cape Town.”
International
UNSC asks all countries to cooperate in bringing Pahalgam terrorists, backers to justice

United Nations, April 26: The Security Council has “condemned in the strongest terms” the Pahalgam terrorist attack and urged all countries to cooperate in bringing all those involved in the massacre, to justice.
The members of the Security Council “stressed that those responsible for these killings should be held accountable, and urged all States, in accordance with their obligations under international law and relevant Security Council resolutions, to cooperate actively with all relevant authorities in this regard”, Council President Jerome Bonnafont said in a Press statement on Friday.
A front organisation of the Pakistan-based terrorist group Laskhar-e-Tayiba has owned responsibility for the attack.
The statement issued by France’s Permanent Representative Bonnafont who is the Council president for this month, took a broad view of those involved in the massacre by including the financiers and sponsors.
“The members of the Security Council underlined the need to hold perpetrators, organisers, financiers and sponsors of this reprehensible act of terrorism accountable and bring them to justice”, the statement said.
Pakistan, which is on the Council as an elected member, went along with the other members in endorsing the statement, committing itself – at least on paper – to bringing those involved to justice.
A Press statement expresses the consensus of the Council and carries moral authority, while not being legally binding like a resolution.
The statement also shot down the attempts by some in Pakistan to give terrorist attacks a veneer of justification.
“The members of the Security Council reiterated that any acts of terrorism are criminal and unjustifiable, regardless of their motivation, wherever, whenever and by whomsoever committed”, it said.
The Council members “reaffirmed the need for all States to combat by all means, in accordance with the Charter of the United Nations and other obligations under international law, including international human rights law, international refugee law and international humanitarian law, threats to international peace and security caused by terrorist acts”, the statement added.
Earlier, the spokesperson for Secretary-General Antonio Guterres hinted that a diplomatic effort by him may be afoot.
Asked by a reporter, if Guterres would speak to leaders of India and Pakistan, Spokesperson Stephane Dujarric said that he hoped to have something to share on that later.
Reiterating the condemnation of the terrorist attacks, Dujarric said, “We again urge both the Government of India and the Government of Pakistan to exercise maximum restraint to ensure the situation does not deteriorate further.”
When a reporter asserted that the possibility that “two nuclear countries” might “go to war” was getting insufficient attention, Dujarric said, “I don’t agree with your comment. We are paying very close attention to the situation between India and Pakistan.”
International
Wagah-Attari border closure leaves several families in limbo

Islamabad, April 25: Pakistan and India’s decision to shut down the Wagah-Attari border crossing after the deadly Pahalgam terror attack has forced several citizens from both countries to cut short their visit and rush back home.
On Thursday, after both countries announced closure of border crossing and gave a deadline for citizens to leave for their respective countries, at least 28 Pakistanis nationals returned from India while 105 Indian citizens in Pakistan crossed over into India.
A Hindu family from Balochistan’s Sibi was reportedly denied entry into India after the closure of border crossing.
“We were on our way to Indore in Madhya Pradesh to attend a wedding. Seven members of our family were excited to join our relatives in India and take part in the celebrations. But upon reaching Wagah, we learned that the border had been sealed. We will spend the night at Dera Sahib in Lahore and head back home tomorrow,” said Akshay Kumar.
Meanwhile, a Sikh family from India, in Pakistan to attend a wedding, decided to leave for India immediately.
“We had come to Pakistan for a wedding. While the ceremony took place, several important rituals remained. Once we heard the border was closed, we decided to return immediately,” said Raminder Singh, an Indian national.
A Hindu family from Ghotki in Pakistan’s Sindh province, now residing in New Delhi, was visiting Pakistan for the last two months to meet their relatives. However, they are now unsure about getting permission to return to India.
“There are five of us, including my young son and daughter, uncle and aunt. We all hold Pakistani passports and were granted No Obligation to Return to India (NORI) certificate by India. But uncertainty looms now, said a family member named Indira.
“Families with cross-border ties often bear the brunt of rising tensions between the two neighbours. With tensions between Pakistan and India once again on the rise, human connections across borders are becoming the first casualty,” said Asif Memood, a Lahore-based journalist.
“The closure of the Wagah-Attari border has left many families in limbo, uncertain when they will next reunite with their loved ones,” he added.
International
Murder of Hindu leader: India slams Bangladesh, says killing follows pattern of systematic persecution of Hindu minorities

New Delhi, April 19: India on Saturday issued a sharp condemnation of the abduction and brutal killing of Bhabesh Chandra Roy, a prominent Hindu community leader in northern Bangladesh, calling it part of a “pattern of systematic persecution” of minorities under the country’s interim government.
Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal voiced India’s grave concern, stating that the incident reflects an alarming trend of targetted violence against Hindus and other minority groups in Bangladesh.
“We have noted with distress the abduction and brutal killing of Shri Bhabesh Chandra Roy, a Hindu minority leader in Bangladesh. This killing follows a pattern of systematic persecution of Hindu minorities under the interim government, even as the perpetrators of previous such events roam with impunity,” Jaiswal said in a post on social media platform X.
He added, “We condemn this incident and once again remind the interim government to live up to its responsibility of protecting all minorities, including Hindus, without inventing excuses or making distinctions.”
India has previously expressed similar concerns over rising attacks on minorities in Bangladesh, but this latest incident has drawn particular attention due to Roy’s prominence in the Hindu community.
Roy, who served as the Vice-President of the Biral unit of the Bangladesh Puja Udjapan Parishad, was abducted from his residence in Dinajpur district on Thursday evening. According to police and family accounts, he received a phone call around 4:30 p.m., after which four unidentified men arrived on motorcycles and forcibly took him to Narabari village. He was reportedly assaulted and later found unconscious. He was rushed to a hospital in Dinajpur, where he was declared dead on arrival. His wife, Shantana Roy believes the attackers used the call to confirm his location before carrying out the abduction.
Opposition leaders in India also slammed the shocking incident in the neighbouring country.
Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge highlighted that religious minorities, especially Hindus, are being persecuted in Bangladesh.
“Attacks on other religious minorities are also continuing. Recently, the Chief Advisor of Bangladesh made a very condemnable and disappointing comment about the northeastern states of India. The persecution of religious minorities in Bangladesh, human rights violations, and the attempt to erase the memories of the 1971 Liberation War are efforts to weaken the relationship between India and Bangladesh. From 1971 till today, India has always wished for peace and prosperity for all the people of Bangladesh. This is in the best interest of the subcontinent,” he said.
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