Satwik-Chirag win French Open doubles title
Paris, Mar 10: Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty continued their love affair with Paris, lifting the French Open badminton crown for the second time with a dominating straight game win over Chinese Taipei's Lee Jhe-Huei and Yang Po-Hsuan in the men's doubles final here on Sunday.
The world No. 1 Indian pair had finished runners-up in the French Open in 2019 before winning the title in 2022.
On Sunday, the Asian Games champions outwitted Lee and Yang 21-11 21-17 in 37 minutes to regain the Super 750 tournament title and also win their first crown of the season after reaching the summit clash for the third time in 2023.
The Indian duo had finished second best at Malaysia Super 1000, India Super 750 this year, while signing off as runners-up at China Masters Super 750 as well last year.
Satwik and Chirag proved third time lucky and their stellar show this week only reconfirmed chief coach Pullela Gopichand's assertion that the duo will be the favourites to win Paris Olympics gold.
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EAM Jaishankar talks to Taliban’s acting Foreign Minister Muttaqi
appreciates his condemnation of Pahalgam attack
New Delhi: In his first ever conversation with Taliban-ruled Afghanistan’s Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar on Thursday appreciated his condemnation of the Pahalgam terrorist attack.
“Good conversation with Acting Afghan Foreign Minister Mawlawi Amir Khan Muttaqi this evening. Deeply appreciate his condemnation of the Pahalgam terrorist attack,” wrote Jaishankar on social media platform X.
Jaishankar also welcomed his strong rejection of false and baseless reports aimed at creating distrust between India and Afghanistan.
He further stated that he had reaffirmed India’s traditional friendship with the Afghan people and reiterated New Delhi’s commitment to supporting their development needs. “Discussed ways and means of taking cooperation forward,” he added.
https://twitter.com/DrSJaishankar/status/1923036293656871262
Meanwhile, Muttaqi reportedly sought the Indian side’s facilitation in issuing visas for Afghan traders and patients, and called for the release and return of Afghan prisoners currently held in India,
This was the first direct political-level conversation between the two countries since the Taliban returned to power in August 2021.
