Messi’s one, scores two: Record 18 for Leo Lionel Messi became the leading scorer in World Cup history when he netted twice in Argentina’s 2-0 win over Austria, taking his total to 18 goals. The 38-year-old had missed a penalty in the ninth minute Today's matches chennai l tuesday l june 23, 2026 l `9.00 l PAGES 20 l late city EDITION Lionel Messi (L) celebrates after scoring against Austria on Monday | P11 | P15 Group K: Portugal vs Uzbekistan (10.30 PM), Colombia vs DR Congo (7.30 AM*). Group L: England vs Ghana (1.30 AM*), Panama vs Croatia (4.30 AM*) *IST Wednesday Live on United8 Sports & ZEE5 CHENNAI ■ MADURAI ■ VIJAYAWADA ■ BENGALURU ■ KOCHI ■ HYDERABAD ■ VISAKHAPATNAM ■ COIMBATORE ■ KOZHIKODE ■ THIRUVANANTHAPURAM ■ BELAGAVI ■ BHUBANESWAR ■ SHIVAMOgGA ■ MANGALURU ■ TIRUPATI ■ TIRUCHY ■ TIRUNELVELI ■ SAMBALPUR ■ HUBBALLI ■ DHARMAPURI ■ KOTTAYAM ■ KANNUR ■ VILLUPURAM ■ KOLLAM ■ TADEPALLIGUDEM ■ NAGAPATTINAM ■ THRISSUR ■ KALABURAGI 12 Indians killed in Qatar natural gas unit explosion Suspected AC defect leads to blaze in commercial building Pa d m i n i D h r u v a r a j @ Bengaluru META has appointed CRED founder Kunal Shah as the global CEO of WhatsApp. Shah replaces Will Cathcart, who has stepped down after running the messaging platform for seven years. As part of the deal, the US tech giant will invest about `8,550 crore, or $900 million, in the Bengalurubased fintech company. The investment values CRED at `43,239 crore or $4.5 billion. Meta will be a minority investor in CRED and will not receive access to customer information, the company said. E x p r e s s N e w s Se r v i c e @ New Delhi As many as 12 Indians were killed in a massive explosion at Qatar’s Ras Laffan liquefied natural gas (LNG) complex on Sunday night as workers tried to resume operations there, months after its was bombed during the recent West Asia war. In all, there were 13 casualties, which included a Pakistani national. The Indian embassy in Qatar said: “Qatari authorities have confirmed that 12 Indian nationals have unfortunately passed away in the Ras Laffan incident yesterday night. We extend our deepest condolences to the bereaved families and prayers for the departed.” Over 60 others were reported injured in the blast. The injured were from several countries, including India, Qatar, Tanzania, Pakistan, Guinea, Nepal, Bangladesh, Kenya and Nigeria, local media reported. However, all the injured Indians were stable and receiving treatment, the embassy’s statement said. QatarEnergy said the blast occurred during the start-up of operations at the Barzan local gas supply facility. “I would like to emphasize that this was an accident and not sabotage or hostile in nature,” Energy Minister Saad Sherida al-Kaabi told the media on Monday in Doha. The cause of the explosion is under probe. Meta ropes in CRED founder Kunal Shah as WhatsApp boss Students among 15 dead in UP fire clinic in the basement, ground, and first floors. The second AT least 15 people, mostly stu- floor had a library-cum-coachdents between 22 and 27 years, ing centre called ‘Learning were charred to death after a Space’, and also housed ‘Head fire broke out in a three-storey Hopper Studio’, a 3D Art procommercial building in a posh duction and game asset outLucknow neighboursourcing centre. hood on a busy MonMost of those killed day afternoon. The list were students who of the deceased inhad come for internThe fire broke out cludes four women. ship/work at the gamLate in the night, suddenly. It seems ing studio. Around 35 that the children police arrested three students were present ran towards the persons—Ramakrishwhen the fire broke backside but na Upadhyay, Virenout. While some mancouldn’t survive dra Prasad Shukla, aged to escape, several Brajesh Pathak, and T K Jaiswal after of them had to jump UP deputy CM filing an FIR. Four ofoff from the second ficials were floor, while many suspended. locked themselves inside bathMost of the victims were rooms in a bid to save themtrapped on the second floor of selves. As per fire department the building located on Usha sources, the blaze originated in Mehta Marg in Aliganj in north the pet shop in the basement Lucknow, where students were due to a short circuit in an airattending classes at an anima- conditioner around 2.30 pm, tion centre. The ill-fated build- and spread rapidly before ening housed a pet shop and a gulfing the building. N a m i ta B a j pa i @ Lucknow Rescue efforts (L) in progress at the site of the fire in Lucknow; and videograb of students sliding down a cable (above) to save themselves | PTI/Express UP sets up SIT to probe cause of fire The Uttar Pradesh government has set up a Special Investigation Team under Additional Director General Praveen Kumar to ascertain the cause of the fire. The SIT has been tasked with submitting its findings within seven days Adityanath promises strict action for lapses Uttar Pradesh CM Yogi Adityanath on Monday evening said every person responsible will face strict action. He announced ex gratia of `5 lakh for the kin of each deceased, while PM Narendra Modi offered `2 lakh each E x p r ess Re a d `3.3L cr projects lost due to DMK, says min Chennai: Industries Minister S Keerthana on Monday alleged that corruption and delays in approvals during the previous DMK regime led to 25 industrial projects worth `3.3 lakh crore moving out of TN to other states, resulting in the loss of an estimated 2.03 lakh jobs | P5 Tribunal won’t affect state’s rights: Aadhav Chennai: Minister Aadhav Arjuna on Monday assured the House that constitution of a new tribunal in Mekedatu dispute will not affect TN’s stance in the Cauvery row. There will be no change in Karnataka’s obligation to release 177 tmcft of water to TN, he said | P4 Shah will step away from his operating role at CRED while retaining his personal shareholding. Miten Sampat, who has led strategy and finance at the company since 2020, will become CRED’s interim CEO. Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg said: “Kunal Shah will join Kunal Shah Meta as WhatsApp’s next leader. Kunal built CRED into one of India’s most important technology companies, and he brings the kind of builder mentality and global perspective that will serve him well in running the world’s biggest messaging app.” Shah said: “While it’s come very far, the delta between WhatsApp today and its full potential is massive.” Shah’s appointment marks a significant addition to the growing list of Indian-origin executives steering the world’s most influential technology companies such as Google (Sundar Pichai) and Microsoft (Satya Nadella). Toll up to 8 in ammonia leak, 6 more die in hosp R a j a l a k s h m i S a m pat h @ Chennai The death toll in Sunday’s ammonia gas leak at St Peter & Paul Sea Foods Exports in Kannigaipair, Tiruvallur district, rose to eight after six more, including a 15-year-old girl, died in hospital on Monday Seven of the victims — R . Shibani, Phulomani Juang, Geetha Juang, Purnima Juang, Champabati Juang, J Parvathi Juang and the minor girl — belonged to a Scheduled Tribe community from Odisha’s Kendujhar district. The eighth victim, G Sita Hasda, was from Assam. Labour Welfare and Skill Development Minister J Mohamed Parvas told the Assembly on Monday that the gas leak occurred due to an unexpected fault in a valve connected to a pipeline leading to a n i c e f l a ke g e n e r a t o r machine. Sunday’s incident was not the first at the facility Police . sources said an ammonia leak was reported at the same unit in 2014. An affected worker, hospitalised on October 23 that year, died of complications on January 15, 2015. A case registered in connection with that death is being heard by a Tiruvallur court.  P7 EMERGENCY ALARM FAILED: P2