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Astronauts from US, India, Poland, Hungary bound for Earth

A SpaceX capsule carrying an international crew from India, Poland, Hungary, and the United States has departed the International Space Station and is set to splash down off the coast of California.Axiom Mission 4, or Ax-4, undocked from the orbital lab at 7:15 am ET (1115 GMT) on Monday, beginning a 22.5-hour journey back to Earth.Splashdown is scheduled for 5:31 ET (0931 GMT) in the Pacific Ocean on Tuesday. “Thank you very much for your support. You guys are amazing,” Commander Peggy Whitson, an Axiom employee and former NASA astronaut, told flight controllers in Houston.Also aboard are pilot Shubhanshu Shukla of India and mission specialists Slawosz Uznanski-Wisniewski of Poland and Tibor Kapu of Hungary.Axiom Space is a private company that organizes missions to the International Space Station, flying both wealthy individuals and, as in this case, astronauts sponsored by their national governments. For the non-American trio, the mission marked a return to crewed spaceflight for their respective nations after decades-long absences.They launched from Kennedy Space Center on June 25 for what turned out to be a two-and-a-half-week mission, during which they conducted around 60 scientific experiments.For rising space power India, the flight served as a key stepping stone toward its first independent crewed mission, scheduled for 2027 under the Gaganyaan (“sky craft”) program.Shukla held a video call with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in what was widely viewed as a significant soft power moment. He recounted sharing the sweet dish gajar ka halwa with his crewmates aboard the station.This will be only SpaceX’s second crew recovery in the Pacific Ocean. The first occurred in April with the return of the Fram-2 mission. SpaceX has since shifted permanently to West Coast splashdowns, citing incidents where debris from Dragon’s trunk survived atmospheric reentry and crashed back to Earth.

Archer strikes as England eye stunning third Test win over India

Jofra Archer struck twice as England closed in on a dramatic win over India on Monday’s final day of the third Test at Lord’s.Fast bowler Archer, in his first Test after more than four years of injury-induced exile, removed dangerman Rishabh Pant and Washington Sundar as India slumped to 82-7.Ravindra Jadeja (17 not out) and Nitish Kumar Reddy (13) checked England’s progress.But when Reddy was caught behind off veteran paceman Chris Woakes on the stroke of lunch, India were 112-8 and still needing a further 81 runs to reach a victory target of 193 that would give them a 2-1 lead in this five-match series.Archer had lunch figures of 3-41 in 10 overs after also dismissing Yashasvi Jaiswal late Sunday.England captain Ben Stokes, whose career has been been blighted by knee trouble, bowled himself for a lengthy spell of 15.2 overs Monday that yielded the key wicket of opener KL Rahul.    India resumed on 58-4 after lively medium-pacer Stokes had bowled nightwatchman Akash Deep with what became the last ball of Sunday’s play. But from 71-4, the match swung England’s way as India lost three wickets for 11 runs in collapsing to 82-7.Pant, two balls after charging down the pitch to drive Archer for four in typically aggressive fashion, was bowled for nine by the express quick with a superb full-length delivery that clipped the top of off stump.India were looking to Rahul to anchor their chase following the opener’s first-innings hundred.But Rahul had added just six runs to his overnight 33 when he was lbw on review to Stokes after getting too far across his stumps.And 81-6 became 82-7 when Archer held a sharp one-handed caught and bowled chance off a checked drive from Sundar to dismiss the all-rounder for a duck — a wicket greeted with raucous cheers by a large last-day crowd at Lord’s.The eight-wicket pair scored steadily before there was another flashpoint in an already heated match when Jadeja collided with bowler Brydon Carse while running between the wickets.Reddy then cover-drove Stokes in stylish fashion for India’s first four in 13 overs before he fell to Woakes.

Pilot groups reject claims of human error in Air India crash

Two major commercial pilots’ associations have rejected claims human error caused an Air India crash that killed 260 people after a preliminary investigation report found the plane’s engine fuel switches had been turned off.The report, issued Saturday by India’s Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB), did not offer any conclusions or apportion blame for the June 12 disaster, but indicated that one pilot asked the other why he cut off fuel, and the second pilot responded that he had not.No more detail about the cockpit dialogue between the pilots was revealed.The Indian Commercial Pilots Association (ICPA) said it was “deeply disturbed by speculative narratives… particularly the reckless and unfounded insinuation of pilot suicide.””There is absolutely no basis for such a claim at this stage,” it said in a statement Sunday, adding, “it is deeply insensitive to the individuals and families involved.””To casually suggest pilot suicide without verified evidence is a gross violation of ethical reporting and a disservice to the dignity of the profession,” it said.The initial probe finding sparked speculation by several independent aviation experts that deliberate or inadvertant pilot action may have caused the London-bound Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner to crash soon after takeoff from Ahmedabad in western India.The ICPA was referring to a number of aviation experts suggesting engine fuel control switches can only be moved deliberately and manually.The Airline Pilots’ Association of India (ALPA India), another pilots’ body with 800 members, also accused the probe agency of “secrecy” surrounding the investigation, saying “suitably qualified personnel” were not involved in it.”We feel that the investigation is being driven in a direction presuming the guilt of pilots and we strongly object to this line of thought,” ALPA India president Sam Thomas said in a statement issued on Saturday.ALPA — which claims 100,000 members worldwide — also requested to the AAIB that it be included as “observers so as to provide the requisite transparency in the investigations”.The crash killed all but one of the 242 people on board as well as 19 people on the ground.

India collapse as third Test against England heads for thrilling finish

India suffered a dramatic top-order slump to set up a thrilling finale to the third Test against England at Lord’s on Sunday.The tourists had the upper hand after dismissing England for just 192 in their second innings, with off-spinner Washington Sundar taking 4-22, including the wickets of Joe Root, Jamie Smith and England captain Ben Stokes on the fourth day.That left India needing 193 to go 2-1 up in this five-match series after both teams made 387 in their first innings.India, however, collapsed to 58-4 at stumps, with the tourists requiring a further 135 runs to win on Monday’s final day.Yashasvi Jaiswal was out for a duck, skying a hook off fast bowler Jofra Archer to wicketkeeper Smith.Karun Nair was lbw to Brydon Carse with India captain Shubman Gill, who has already scored a double hundred and two centuries this series, falling in similar fashion.And with what became the last ball of the the day, Stokes bowled nightwatchman Akash Deep to raucous cheers from the home crowd at a sun-drenched Lord’s.But India opener KL Rahul, fresh from his first-innings score of exactly 100, was still there on 33 not out following several typically elegant boundaries.”India will win, probably just after lunch,” a bullish Sundar told Sky Sports after stumps.But England batting coach Marcus Trescothick, speaking to the BBC, said: “When the ball gets a little bit softer there are more runs to be had out there, but if you get it enough in the right place it’s very tricky.”We would have loved 250 and beyond but we would have taken 190 and our chance to bowl on that pitch and it’ll come down to who holds the pressure best tomorrow.”Earlier, Root and Stokes joined forces with England in trouble at 87-4.But a partnership worth 67 ended when Root, who made a hundred in the first innings, was bowled behind his legs trying to sweep Sundar. Root’s 40 was the top score of England’s second innings.Smith’s three previous scores this series had been 184 not out, 88 and 51, but he managed just eight before he was bowled by a Sundar delivery that kept a touch low.Sundar, on an increasingly helpful pitch, had now taken 2-3 in 11 balls, with England 164-6.All-rounder Stokes, without a Test hundred in over two years, showed plenty of discipline while batting throughout all of Sunday’s second session.But, in common with several England team-mates, he gave his wicket away when on 33 the left-handed batsman was bowled for 33 swinging himself off his feet trying to slog Sundar.Stokes banged his bat on the turf in anger, with England now 181-7.Jasprit Bumrah, the world’s top-ranked Test bowler, removed Carse and Chris Woakes with Sundar ending the innings when he knocked over last man Shoaib Bashir’s stumps.”I’m always trying to hit the stumps,” said Sundar. “The fact Bumrah was bowling from the other end definitely helped, the fact we have him in our team is amazing.”- Stuttering England -England resumed on 2-0 with Zak Crawley, who had angered India late Saturday with his time-wasting tactics, alongside opening partner Ben Duckett.Duckett scooped a four off Mohammed Siraj but the fast bowler soon had his revenge when the left-hander, cramped for room, miscued a pull to Bumrah at mid-on to leave England 22-1.Siraj then risked disciplinary action after yelling in Duckett’s face, with both players facing possible punishment after making shoulder contact.Bumrah, who took 5-74 in England’s first innings after being rested from India’s win in the second Test at Edgbaston, bowled well but without much luck and it was Siraj who had Ollie Pope lbw on review for just four.And 42-2 was soon transformed into 50-3.Crawley (22) fell in familiar fashion when edging a drive off Nitish Kumar Reddy to Jaiswal — one of two gullies posted by India in the hope of such a dismissal.Harry Brook came in and struck three successive boundaries off Deep — two scooped fours followed by a thumping straight six over long-off.But fast bowler Deep bowled Brook for 23 as the world’s top-ranked Test batsman failed to make contact with an over-ambitious sweep.  

Siraj strikes as India seize control of third Test against England

Mohammed Siraj struck twice as India reduced England to 98-4 at lunch on the fourth day of third Test at Lord’s on Sunday.With both teams having made 387 in their first innings, it meant England lead by 98 runs, with just six wickets standing, as India looked to take a 2-1 lead in this five-match series.Fired-up fast bowler Siraj had superb interval figures of 2-11 in seven overs, with the bulk of England’s top-order back in the pavilion.But Joe Root, who made a hundred in England’s first innings, was still there on 17 not out, with captain Ben Stokes — without a Test century in more than two years — unbeaten on two.  England resumed on 2-0 with Zak Crawley, who had angered India late Saturday with his time-wasting tactics, alongside opening partner Ben Duckett.Crawley was almost out for his overnight two when an 85 mph Jasprit Bumrah delivery lept off a length and hit his glove, with the world’s top-ranked Test bowler unable to take a sliding return catch.Siraj wasted an lbw review on Crawley, who was fortunate when an edged drive off Bumrah flew past third slip.Duckett scooped a four off Siraj but the paceman soon had his revenge when the left-hander, cramped for room, miscued a pull to Bumrah at mid-on to leave England 22-1.Siraj then risked disciplinary action after yelling in Duckett’s face and making shoulder contact with the batsman.Neither Crawley nor new batsman Ollie Pope are renowned for their defensive technique. They were both fortunate to survive probing deliveries from outstanding fast bowler Bumrah, who took 5-74 in England’s first innings after being rested from India’s series-levelling win at Edgbaston.But it was Siraj who struck next when he had Pope lbw after India’s review overturned former Australia quick Paul Reiffel’s original not out decision.And 42-2 was soon transformed into 50-3.Crawley (22) fell in all-too familiar fashion when edging a drive off a full-length delivery from Nitish Kumar Reddy to Yashasvi Jaiswal — one of two gullies posted by India in the hope of such a dismissal.Unsurprisingly, given Saturday’s incident, Crawley received a verbal volley from Reddy as he left the field.New batsman Harry Brook struck three successive boundaries off Akash Deep — two scooped fours followed by a thumping straight six over long-off.But fast bowler Deep had the last laugh by knocking over Brook’s middle stump as the world’s top-ranked Test batsman failed to make contact with an ambitious sweep and fell for 23 as he became the latest England player to contribute to his own downfall.jdg/bsp 

England and India set for second-innings shoot-out as third Test turns fiery

KL Rahul made 100 and Ravindra Jadeja a third successive fifty as India exactly equalled England’s 387 in the third Test at Lord’s on Saturday before tempers flared as the match headed towards a second-innings shoot-out.India were in command while opener Rahul and dynamic left-hander Rishabh Pant (74) shared a fourth-wicket stand of 141.But both batsmen fell either side of lunch on the third day to leave India’s first innings in the balance at 254-5.Jadeja and fellow all-rounder Nitish Kumar Reddy, however, kept England at bay with a stand of 72 in 27 overs.But India were unable to surpass England’s first-innings total in the latest sign of just how evenly matched the teams are in a five-match series currently level at 1-1.England should have had two overs to bat before stumps.Zak Crawley twice pulled away as Jasprit Bumrah ran into bowl, leading India to think he was time-wasting.And after Bumrah’s fifth delivery, the England opener further angered India by calling for the physio, although there would have been time for only one more delivery as the clock had already ticked round to the close time of 6:30 pm (1730 GMT).India players swarmed around Crawley, with captain Shubman Gill exchanging words with the England opener.The incident had been something of an accident waiting to happen given the umpires had allowed several unscheduled drinks breaks and other delays during India’s innings.The upshot was that England only faced one over before they reached stumps narrowly ahead at 2-0. – ‘Theatrics’ -“I understand from an opening batter’s point of view, it’s something that happens a lot, quite a lot of theatrics at the end,” Rahul told the BBC after stumps. India were poised to bat through the morning session without losing a wicket.But, in the last over before lunch, Pant was run-out by England captain Ben Stokes’ direct hit from cover-point as he tried to get Rahul, 98 not out at the interval, back on strike to complete his century before the break.Rahul did get to a hundred but was out edging off-spinner Shoaib Bashir to slip off the next ball he faced.On another hot and energy-sapping day at Lord’s, India resumed on 145-3.Rahul was 53 not out with wicketkeeper Pant, off the field for much of England’s innings following a finger injury, unbeaten on 19.There had been joyous scenes at Lord’s on Friday when Jofra Archer marked his return to Test cricket following more than four years of injury-induced exile with a third-ball dismissal of Yashasvi Jaiswal.But Archer’s first ball Saturday was glanced fine for four by Pant as the express fast bowler strayed in line.Rahul then drove Brydon Carse for four and later glanced, square-cut and clipped the fast bowler for three more elegant boundaries in successive deliveries.Pant who scored twin hundreds in India’s defeat in the first Test at Headingley and a quickfire 65 in a series-levelling win at Edgbaston, completed a 55-ball fifty in style by hooking all-rounder Stokes for six.After lunch, Rahul’s quick single saw him to a 176-ball hundred, including 13 fours — his 10th century in 61 Tests and second at Lord’s after the 33-year-old’s 129 in 2021.But Rahul’s next ball proved his undoing when, pushing forward to a well-flighted Bashir delivery, he edged to Harry Brook at slip.”It’s not been easy having to bat all around that top six, it’s nice to finally get a spot where I’ve batted a lot,” said Rahul, who also made a hundred at Headingley.Jadeja went to his half-century by driving part-time off-spinner Joe Root for four — the newly-promoted number six’s third consecutive 50-plus score after innings of 89 and 69 not out at Edgbaston. The all-rounder also lofted Root for six before he was ‘strangled’ down the legside by Chris Woakes. Tailender Akash Deep, who narrowly avoided twice being lbw in three balls to Woakes, whipped the first ball of Archer’s new spell for a six over long leg in the manner of a top-order batsman.Deep then fell as Brook took a blinding catch at slip off Carse, before Woakes saw off Bumrah immediately after India tied the scores and Washington Sundar (23) skied Archer to Brook at long stop as the tourists lost their last four wickets for just 11 runs in six overs.

Fuel to Air India jet engines cut off moments before crash: probe

Fuel control switches to the engines of an Air India flight that crashed shortly after takeoff, killing 260 people, were moved from the “run” to the “cutoff” position moments before impact, a preliminary investigation report said Saturday.The report, issued by India’s Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB), did not offer any conclusions or apportion blame for the June 12 disaster, but indicated that one pilot asked the other why he cut off fuel, and the second pilot responded that he had not.The Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner was headed from Ahmedabad in western India to London when it crashed, killing all but one of the 242 people on board as well as 19 people on the ground.In its 15-page report, the investigation bureau said that once the aircraft achieved its top recorded speed, “the Engine 1 and Engine 2 fuel cutoff switches transitioned from RUN to CUTOFF position one after another with a time gap of 01 sec”.”In the cockpit voice recording, one of the pilots is heard asking the other why did he cutoff. The other pilot responded that he did not do so,” it said.The aircraft quickly began to lose altitude.The switches then returned to the “RUN” position and the engines appeared to be gathering power, but “one of the pilots transmitted ‘MAYDAY MAYDAY MAYDAY'”, the report said.Air traffic controllers asked the pilots what was wrong, but then saw the plane crashing and called emergency personnel to the scene.- Investigation ongoing -Civil aviation minister Ram Mohan Naidu Kinjarapu told reporters that investigators probed in a “mature, transparent” way.”This is a preliminary report. We want the final report to come in, so let us wait for it,” he said.Earlier this week, specialist website The Air Current, citing multiple sources familiar with the probe, reported it had “narrowed its focus to the movement of the engine fuel switches”, while noting that full analysis will “take months — if not longer”.It added that “the focus of the investigators could change during that time”.The Indian agency’s report said the US Federal Aviation Administration had issued an information bulletin in 2018 about “the potential disengagement of the fuel control switch locking feature”.Though the concern was not considered an “unsafe condition” that would warrant a more serious directive, Air India told investigators it did not carry out suggested inspections as they were “advisory and not mandatory”.Air India was compliant with all airworthiness directives and alert service bulletins on the aircraft, the report said.The investigations bureau said there were “no recommended actions to B787-8 and/or GE GEnx-1B engine operators and manufacturers”, suggesting no technical issues with the engines (GE) or the aircraft (Boeing).The bureau said the investigation was ongoing, and that additional evidence and information had been “sought from the stakeholders”.Boeing said in a statement it would “continue to support the investigation and our customer”, adding “our thoughts remain” with those affected by the disaster.Air India said it was “working closely with stakeholders, including regulators.” “We continue to fully cooperate with the AAIB and other authorities as their investigation progresses,” it said in a statement on X. The UN’s International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) stipulates that states heading an investigation must submit a preliminary report within 30 days of an accident.US and British air accident investigators have taken part in the probe.Suresh Mistry, who lost his daughter Kinal in the crash, told AFP his family was still coming to terms with the loss.”How is possible that there is an internal issue with the flight and nobody knew? Even cars these days indicate when there is a problem. How does it not happen on flights?” he said.Imtiyaz Ali, whose brother was killed along with his wife and two children, said the preliminary report took “nothing forward” for him.”And (it) is not even close to a closure,” he said. “It feels like we are at the same spot, where we were a month ago when the crash happened.”The plane was carrying 230 passengers — 169 Indians, 53 British, seven Portuguese and a Canadian — and 12 crew.Dozens of people on the ground were injured. One passenger miraculously survived, a British citizen who was seen walking out of the wreckage of the crash, and who has since been discharged from hospital.Health officials in the Indian state of Gujarat initially said at least 279 people were killed, but forensic scientists reduced the figure after multiple scattered and badly burnt remains were identified.

Pakistan won’t send hockey teams to India: govt sources

Pakistan will not travel to India for upcoming hockey tournaments over “security” concerns, government sources told AFP on Saturday, potentially jeopardising their place in next year’s World Cup.The nuclear-armed neighbours traded the worst violence in decades during a four-day conflict in May that killed 70 people. Pakistan was due to participate in the Men’s Asia Cup for field hockey to be hosted by India in August and September, for which the federation had sought the government’s clearance.”After the recent war the security and safety of our hockey players will be at risk,” said a sports ministry source, who asked not to be identified.Pakistan will also not participate in the Junior World Cup in India in November, the source said.Once a force in international hockey, with three Olympic gold medals and four world titles, Pakistan has slumped to 15th in the rankings. Not featuring in the Asia Cup will likely cost Pakistan a place in next year’s senior World Cup to be held in the Netherlands and Belgium.A second government source also confirmed the decision to AFP.Pakistan’s foreign office has not responded to AFP’s request for comment.India stalled all bilateral sporting ties with Pakistan in the wake of the 2008 Mumbai attacks, which it blamed on militants based across the border.Cricket has been the most affected sport, with the two countries only meeting each other in multinational events abroad.India refused to visit Pakistan this year when it hosted the Champions Trophy, forcing the final to be staged on neutral ground in Dubai.In a tit-for-tat move, Pakistan will also not send its women’s cricket team to India for the 50-over World Cup later this year and the T20 World Cup in 2026.They agreed instead to play their matches in Sri Lanka.Pakistan’s hockey team last toured India for the 2023 Asian Champions Trophy, finishing fifth amongst six teams.

Archer strikes on Test return before India’s Gill falls cheaply

England fast bowler Jofra Archer struck an early blow as he made a thrilling return to Test cricket at Lord’s on Friday before in-form India captain Shubman Gill fell cheaply.Archer removed Yashasvi Jaiswal with just his third ball after more than four years of injury-induced exile from Test cricket.Gill, who had previously made a mammoth 585 runs in four innings this series, including three hundreds, was later caught behind for a mere 16.India were 145-3 in reply to England’s first-innings 387 at stumps on the second day of the third Test, a deficit of 242 runs.KL Rahul was 53 not out alongside Rishabh Pant, unbeaten on 19. Express quick Archer shone at Lord’s during England’s 2019 50-over World Cup final win and also made his Test debut that season at the ground, where his bouncer concussed Australia’s Steve Smith.With just his third ball Friday, the 30-year-old unleashed a 90 mph full-length delivery that had a squared-up Jaiswal edging to Harry Brook at second slip.Archer roared in celebration, with the often restrained crowd at a sun-drenched Lord’s joining in.- ‘X-factor’ Archer -England’s backing for Archer, in the hope he can star in the 2025/26 Ashes in Australia, has often been questioned during his lengthy absence.But the way he several times topped 90 mph during a miserly return of 1-22 in 10 overs was a reminder of Archer’s quality.”The noise, the pure joy everyone has seeing him (Archer) back in whites, everyone’s genuine excitement to see him playing Test cricket again, it created a great atmosphere,” England’s Joe Root told Sky Sports after stumps.”He’s X-factor,” added Root, who completed a hundred on Friday before setting a new Test record of 211 catches by an outfielder.England captain Ben Stokes’s career has been blighted by injuries and there were fresh concerns when he suffered a groin strain batting on Thursday.But the lively seamer, in no obvious discomfort, reduced India to 74-2 when Karun Nair (40) edged him low to first slip where Root held a brilliant left-handed catch to take outright possession of a record he had shared with India great Rahul Dravid. Veteran all-rounder Chris Woakes’ three previous wickets this series had come at a hugely expensive average of nearly 97 apiece.But the 36-year-old still had Gill edging defensively to wicketkeeper Jamie Smith, who held a good catch standing up to the stumps, with India now 107-3.Earlier, Jasprit Bumrah gained a coveted place on the Lord’s honours boards with a five-wicket haul before England paceman Brydon Carse’s maiden Test fifty frustrated India.  Bumrah, the world’s top-ranked Test bowler, took 5-74 in 27 overs as England were dismissed after lunch.Bumrah’s haul included a sensational spell of 3-1 in seven balls Friday, with the fast bowler dismissing Stokes, century-maker Root and Woakes.”It’s really special,” the 31-year-old Bumrah told the BBC. “We don’t come here (to Lord’s) very often, maybe every four years… Being on the honours board feels good.”But Carse made 56 after he shared an eighth-wicket stand of 84 with Smith, out for 51 after Rahul dropped him in the slips on five.That followed Smith’s excellent 184 not out and 88 during India’s crushing 336-run win in the second Test at Edgbaston last week, where the tourists levelled this five-match series at 1-1 despite resting Bumrah.Root, 99 not out overnight, went to a hundred Friday with a first-ball boundary off Bumrah.His 37th Test century took Root into fifth place on an all-time list headed by India’s Sachin Tendulkar with 51 hundreds.”I don’t think I’ve been 99 not out overnight before,” said Root. “I woke up in the night and couldn’t get back to sleep.”Stokes had added just five runs to his overnight 39 when he was bowled by a Bumrah delivery that jagged back. Next ball, Woakes fell for a golden duck following a thin edge to reserve wicketkeeper Dhruv Jurel, deputising for the injured Pant. Carse survived the hat-trick delivery but Bumrah later bowled Archer to complete his five-wicket haul.Carse was dropped either side of completing a 77-ball fifty in style by driving Mohammed Siraj for six before the paceman bowled him to end England’s innings.

Three million Afghans could return this year: UN

Three million Afghans could return to their country this year, a UN refugee official said Friday, warning that the repatriation flow is placing intense pressure on an already major humanitarian crisis.Iran and Pakistan have introduced new policies affecting displaced Afghans, with Tehran already having given four million “illegal” Afghans until July 6 to leave Iranian territory.”What we are seeing is the undignified, disorganized and massive exodus of Afghans from both countries, which is generating enormous pressures on the homeland that is willing to receive them and yet utterly unprepared to do so,” the UNHCR representative in Afghanistan, Arafat Jamal, said during a video press conference from Kabul.”Of concern to us is this scale, the intensity and the manner in which returns are occurring.”Over 1.6 million Afghans have already returned from Pakistan and Iran this year, the large majority from Iran, Jamal added. The figure already exceeds the UNHCR’s initial forecasts of 1.4 million for 2025.The office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees now estimates three million coming into Afghanistan this year, Jamal said.The UN agency said over 30,000 people per day have streamed across the Islam Qala border into Afghanistan, with 50,000 crossing on July 4 alone.”Many of these returnees are arriving having been abruptly uprooted and having undergone an arduous, exhausting and degrading journey. They arrive tired, disoriented, brutalized and often in despair,” Jamal said.The United Nations has taken emergency measures to reinforce water and sanitation systems intended to serve 7,000 to 10,000 people per day, as well as vaccinations and nutrition services.Many who have crossed the border have reported pressure from Iranian authorities, including arrests and expulsions.