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  • Two arrested over gang-rape of Israeli tourist and local woman in India

    Two arrested over gang-rape of Israeli tourist and local woman in India

    Two suspects have been arrested in connection with the gang-rape of two women including an Israeli tourist and the death of a man near a UNESCO World Heritage site in India, police said Sunday.

    A group of two women and three men were attacked late Thursday near the Group of Monuments at Hampi, an ancient village in the south Indian state of Karnataka.


    The case highlights the chronic issue of violence against women in the world’s most populous country, where an average of nearly 90 rapes a day were reported in 2022.


    “The horrific assault and rape… is a deeply heinous crime,” the state’s Chief Minister Siddaramaiah posted on X Saturday.


    “The police have already arrested two accused and are continuing the investigation. We will take all necessary measures to prevent such incidents from recurring,” he added.


    The group were attacked by individuals on a motorbike while stargazing on the banks of a canal in Koppal after refusing to give them money, according to local media reports.


    The attackers threw the men, who were from India and the United States, into the canal before sexually assaulting both women.


    One of the two men from India was confirmed dead after police recovered a body from the canal on Saturday.


    Both women, an Israeli tourist and local homestay owner, were taken to hospital where they are receiving treatment.


    Mallesh alias Handi Malla, 22, and Chetan Sai Sillekyatar, 21, were arrested on Saturday, The Times of India reported, while police are continuing to search for a third suspect.


    “Out of the three accused, we have arrested two and efforts are being taken to nab the third suspect in the case,” Koppal police superintendent Ram L Arasiddi told NDTV news channel.


    The local woman who was attacked said “that besides being beaten up, the two women were sexually assaulted by the accused,” Arasiddi added.


    It comes only weeks after an Indian court sentenced the rapist and murderer of a 31-year-old doctor to life in prison.


    That case sparked nationwide protests and widespread hospital strikes last year, with regional and national authorities promising strict and swift punishments in such cases.


    The 2012 gang rape and murder of a young woman on a Delhi bus also sparked weeks of nationwide protests in India and led to a series of changes to swiftly prosecute such crimes.

  • WATCH: Indians start digging for gold after watching Chhaava movie

    WATCH: Indians start digging for gold after watching Chhaava movie

    Multiple videos have emerged online showing a large crowd of Indian locals digging in the fields of Asirgad village in the Burhanpur district of Madhya Pradesh after watching the movie Chhaava.

    As per details, the movie depicts the Mughals looting gold and treasure from the Marathas and burying it near Asirgarh Fort, an area surrounded by the village.

    After watching the movie, rumours spread that gold coins had been found in the fields, prompting hundreds of Indians, including women, men, elderly people, and children, to rush to the fields. As seen in the viral videos, people brought along tools, some simple and some sophisticated, and began digging in search of treasure.


    The footage further shows that some people utilized metal detectors in the darkness of the night in search of gold in Asirgad fields. 


    In one video, a man can be heard saying, “Yaha par log sona khooj rahy hain, dekho yaha par sara ujala hi ujala kr diya hai. Is khait ma aisa kaha gaya hai kay sona nikal raha hai tu sab log auzaar la kr sonay kay sikky nikaal rahy hain. Ye dekhiye kitni public hai kitni bheer hai. (People are searching for gold. Look, the entire place is lit up. It is said that gold has been found in this field, so everyone has brought tools and is digging out gold coins. Just look at how many people are here, how big the crowd is).”


    As per details, people started digging around 7 pm on Thursday and continued until the wee hours of Friday.

    A few days ago, brass and gold coins were discovered, bearing inscriptions in Urdu and Arabic in Asirgad. This has led to speculation that they might date back to the Mughal era. Following this discovery, people began searching for more gold coins in the field, an Indian English outlet reported.

    Locals believe that Asirgad is home to a historical treasure trove. It is widely believed that in ancient times, soldiers and people used to bury their valuables in the ground. The soil removed during the construction of a four-lane road was dumped in the fields, after which some women were said to have found the coins while digging. 

    A member of the District Archaeological Association, Dr Manoj Agarwal, maintained that the entire area had been a big centre of power. Raja Asha Ahir was also the leader of the shepherds here. The British Raj, Nadir Shah, Nasir Farooqui and Akbar also dominated this place.

  • Champions Trophy: ‘No Indian flags displayed at Pakistani stadiums,’ reports claim

    Champions Trophy: ‘No Indian flags displayed at Pakistani stadiums,’ reports claim

    With Champions Trophy just around the corner, hosts Pakistan have displayed flags of all nations except India at the newly-renovated Gaddafi and National stadiums, Indian media outlets have claimed.

    As per the details, Indian media reports quoted a post on X claiming that the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) “removed the Indian flag from the Karachi stadium” while keeping the flags of other playing nations.

    Reports went on to claim that the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore was also dressed up as flags of seven teams, except India, were displayed.

    While the PCB or the International Cricket Council (ICC) have not yet responded to the claims that remain unverified, sources privy to the development told The Current that the visuals were from Feb 11 — a day before the Champions Trophy support period started.

    “As per ICC guidelines, only four flags will be hoisted on match days during the CT25. These will include the event authority [ICC], event host [PCB] and the two participating countries for the day,” they clarified.

    Netizens, however, are speculating the possible reasons behind the alleged “snub”.

    As some suggested it could have been an “honest mistake”, others believed it was Pakistan’s reaction to India’s refusal to come play the tournament in the country over “security concerns”.

    Meanwhile, ICC reported that tickets will be available for India’s opening group match with Bangladesh on February 20, while there will also be tickets available for their games against arch-rival Pakistan (February 23) and New Zealand (March 2) at the eight-team tournament.

    It merits a mention that all Indian matches will be played in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) after months of negotiations between the PCB, India and the ICC following the neighbouring country’s refusal to travel to Pakistan for the tournament. 

    There will also be limited tickets available for semi-final 1 which will take place at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium on Tuesday, March 4, ICC said.

    Separately, Pakistan is officially ready to host an ICC event for the first time in 29 years, launching the 2025 ICC Champions Trophy at Dewan-e-Khas of Lahore Fort on Sunday.

    The Curtain Raiser event successfully dialled up anticipation ahead of the tournament opener on February 19 between hosts Pakistan and fellow title contenders New Zealand.

    Organisers lit Lahore Fort in all its glory, presenting a spectacular sight as a sign of what’s to come right the way through the first Champions Trophy event since 2017.

    It is hosts Pakistan that will look to defend their crown, having claimed the 2017 edition of the tournament in the United Kingdom (UK).

    Members of the trophy-winning squad from 2017 played a central role at the Curtain Raiser at Lahore Fort, helping ignite great memories such as Pakistan’s decisive win over India by 180 runs at The Oval in the final.

  • WATCH: Indian police seize PTI flags, balloons

    WATCH: Indian police seize PTI flags, balloons

    A video of The Daily Hindustan news report has surfaced online, showing the police seizing Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) flags in Bhalessa, in the illegally Indian-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK).

    In the video, which has now gone viral, the reporter explains that the PTI flag was spotted in trees in IIOJK, sparking panic among police and security agencies about how the flags had come from Pakistan.

    The video shows policemen holding a PTI flag with ‘NA-64’ and ‘PP-32’ written on it, which belongs to the Pakistan Gujrat constituency.

    On Saturday, PTI organised protests across the country, marking one year since what it calls the rigged elections of February 8, 2024, dubbing it a ‘Black Day.’ Multiple videos have surfaced, showing PTI supporters and workers releasing flags and balloons from Gujrat into the air on Saturday.

    “There is no need to panic; the flags and balloons are indeed from Pakistan. PTI marked February 8 as a Black Day… thousands of flags and balloons were released from Pakistan,” the reporter explained, adding that there was no cause for concern.

    He went on to claim that the flags and balloons were found not only in Bhalessa but also in the Kishtwar sector between February 8 and February 9.

    Some internet users were quick to react to the viral news report. A social media user took to X (formerly Twitter), writing, “As soon as PTI’s flags and balloons floated into India, the people there got worried. In the end, the police ‘arrested’ PTI’s balloons and flags.”

    “The PTI flags that were released into the air with balloons yesterday couldn’t be caught by the Punjab police, but the Indian police have ‘arrested’ the PTI flags,” quipped another user.

    “Black Day ke mauqe par, Pakistan ke district Gujrat se gubbaron ke saath PTI ke jhanday bandh kar uray gaye, jo India mein ja kar utar gaye. Indian police gubbaron ko pakar kar tasveeren aur videos bana rahi hai (On the occasion of Black Day, PTI flags were tied to balloons and released from Pakistan’s Gujrat district. These balloons floated into India, where the Indian police captured them and are now taking pictures and making videos,” a user added.

    One user sarcastically addressed the people who hail from Gujarat, writing, “O Gujarat people, the balloons and flags you released have been captured by the Indian police!”

  • India involved in killing of six people in Pakistan: Washington Post

    India involved in killing of six people in Pakistan: Washington Post

    India’s external intelligence agency executed a methodical execution assassination programme to kill about six individuals in Pakistan, the United States (US) based newspaper Washington Post disclosed in a report on Tuesday.

    India’s Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) allegedly planned the killing of the individuals in Pakistan; six such killings were said to have similarities to the alleged operations carried out to assassinate Khalistan separatists in the US and Canada, according to The Washington Post report.

    The US-based newspaper quoted an unidentified source as confirming that the killings in Pakistan were orchestrated not by Indian citizens but by Pakistani petty criminals or hired shooters from Afghanistan.

    According to the report, RAW allegedly hired Dubai-based businessmen as intermediaries. The businessmen were then put in separate teams to carry out surveillance, organise killings, and arrange for payments through hawala or informal transnational financial networks.

    The Washington Post writes that unidentified Pakistani officials told the publication that a woman who called herself Tanaz Ansari but was, in fact, said to be an Indian intelligence official, was involved in the operation to kill Zahoor Mistry in 2022, who was said to have murdered an Indian passenger during the hijacking of an Indian Airlines flight in 1999.

    As per the newspaper, Tanaz Ansari allegedly hired two Pakistani and two Afghan citizens to track and kill Mistry.

    The woman was also allegedly involved in the killing of Syed Khalid Raza, who had been active in Kashmir in the 1990s. 


    A labourer group led by Muhammad Umair shot dead the alleged mastermind of the 2016 Pathankot attack, Shahid Latif, in the Pakistani district of Sialkot in October 2023; however, Umair, after his arrest, was said to have admitted that he had been sent from Dubai to kill Latif. Umair also allegedly disclosed the location of a safe house in Dubai, as per the newspaper report.

    Additionally, Pakistani agents, on the basis of intelligence, broke into the Dubai safe house but did not find two Indians who were said to be the tenants. Their names are Ashok Kumar, Anand Salian, and Yogesh Kumar, said the US-based newspaper.

    The Washington Post claimed that Indian authorities have neither confirmed nor denied their role in specific assassinations in the past; however, it stated that such killings were not part of official policy.

    The accusations came eight months after the RAW was accused of being involved in an alleged plot to assassinate Khalistan separatist leader Gurpatwant Singh Pannun and in the killing of another Khalistan separatist leader known as Hardeep Singh Nijjar in Canada.

  • This Pakistan singer gave work to Indians

    This Pakistan singer gave work to Indians


     

    Imagine a music icon who not only creates hits but also changes the way artists collaborate across borders.
      
    Waris Baig is one such singer. 
     

    Appearing as a guest on Ambreen Fatima’s YouTube show, he talked about his journey, professionalism in India and his pride in representing Pakistan on an international level.
     

    “I am the only star who gave work to Indians and did not go there to look for work,” he claimed. 
      
    “I worked on music videos in India featuring popular artists like Malaika Arora and Amrita Arora, but I made sure that I was the one paying the Indian artists, not the other way around,” he shared.


      
    The Kal Shab Dekha singer opened up about his views on music industry  standards in both countries.

    “I observed professionalism in India, something I feel is lacking in Pakistan. Despite this, I have maintained my pride and identity and I focus on uplifting Pakistan music industry without compromising on my values,” Waris said.

  • Pak-India relationship like KMKT’s Mustafa and Adeel: Emmad Irfani

    Pak-India relationship like KMKT’s Mustafa and Adeel: Emmad Irfani

     
    In a recent interview with India Today, the Kabhi Main Kabhi Tum actor opened up about the love and appreciation his work has received from across the border.


     
     
    The host, Sana Farzeen, asked, “Tell me, when you get such love from India for your project, how do you feel? When your work is so appreciated from the neighboring country, how do you feel?”
     


    Emmad Irfani replied, “I mean, for an entertainer, applause is the best form of encouragement. What more could a performer ask for?”
     
    The Jaan-e Jahan actor reflected on the relationship between Pakistan and India and described it in a unique way.


     
    “I always believe that the relationship between Pakistan and India is like Mustafa and Adeel. They are probably brothers, raised in the same house, have blood ties, but they don’t see eye to eye. Their relationship is just like that of brothers, a story we tell, going back in time,” Emmad Irfani said.


     
    The Jalan actor discussed the long and thoughtful journey behind the project (Kabhi Main Kabhi Tum), emphasizing the dedication that went into it.
     


    Irfani said, “As for how it all started, the shooting began last year, and I was tapped by Badar Mahmood much before that. It took a sweet time, and everything didn’t happen quickly. In fact, if you ask me, Badar Mahmood, our director, I think his journey took about two and a half to three years, from the idea to the writing, from casting to shooting, and finally the release. So, I think it was made with a lot of patience, a labor of love.”


    Emmad Irfani portrayed the character of Adeel in Kabhi Main Kabhi Tum. 


    “I’ve been to India twice, once I visited Delhi, and another time I came to Bombay. It feels like the same surroundings, the same vibe, and everything appears the same. So, thank you so much. I mean, Kabhi Main Kabhi Tum has totally introduced me to an audience that was unaware of who I was. It’s really one of the proudest moments of my life. I came for Bridal Asia in Delhi in 2002, and I came for Bridal Waves in Bombay in 2004,” Emmad shared.


    Kabhi Main Kabhi Tum was written by Farhat Ishtiaq and directed by Badar Mehmood.

  • Will India support Pakistan’s bid to join BRICS?

    Will India support Pakistan’s bid to join BRICS?

    India is likely to support Pakistan’s bid to join the BRICS bloc, an alliance that challenges the economic monopoly of the West, Indian media has reported.

    Indian media has speculated that following Russia’s influence on India, News Delhi may vote in favour of Pakistan joining the BRICS.

    “One of the key takeaways of the summit is likely to be India’s green signal to Pakistan’s long-pending bid for membership in the bloc,” ABP Live reported.

    Pakistan applied for membership in BRICS in August 2023; following this, other countries, Turkiye, Azerbaijan, and Malaysia, also formally applied to become members of the bloc.

    It should be mentioned here that a new member of BRICS was added only after the consensus of the bloc members, and India has remained defiant in giving assent to Pakistan joining the BRICS bloc over the past years.

    The chances only brightened after Russia’s Deputy Prime Minister Alexei gave public support to Pakistan’s membership in BRICS during his visit to Islamabad in September, Dawn News observed.

    What is BRICS?

    BRICS stands for countries’ names: Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa.

    The group started in 2006, and Brazil, Russia, India and China convened for the first BRIC summit in 2009. However, South Africa joined on 24 December 2010.

    BRICS in 2023 extended the invitation to Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates after these countries applied for membership.

    Two dozen world leaders, including Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Chinese President Xi Jinping, and South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, attended the opening of the BRICS summit on Tuesday.

    Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin hosted the BRICS summit, which is in progress in Russia’s third largest city, the southwestern city of Kazan and will end on October 24.

  • ‘India made horrific mistake by violating Canada’s sovereignty,’ warns furious Justin Trudeau

    ‘India made horrific mistake by violating Canada’s sovereignty,’ warns furious Justin Trudeau

    Canadian Prime Minister (PM) Justin Trudeau has accused India of making a “horrific mistake” by violating his country’s sovereignty by killing Canadian citizens.

    Testifying at a public inquiry into foreign interference on Wednesday, Justin Trudeau angrily remarked, “The Indian government made a horrific mistake in thinking that they could interfere as aggressively as they did in the safety and sovereignty of Canada. We need to respond in order to ensure Canadians’ safety.”

    Lambasting New Delhi for disdaining Canada’s efforts to cooperate on the matter of India’s involvement in killing Canadian citizen Hardeep Singh Nijjar, he said, “We had clear -and certainly now ever clearer indications- that India had violated Canada’s sovereignty.”

    Justin Trudeau maintained that his country is not looking to provoke or initiate a fight with India.

    He further said that Canadian officials privately shared evidence with their Indian counterparts.

    Meanwhile, rejecting the Canadian claim of India’s involvement, a spokesperson for India’s Ministry of External Affairs declared, “Canada has presented us no evidence whatsoever in support of the serious allegations that it has chosen to level against India and Indian diplomats.”

    Previously, the Canadian government expelled six Indian diplomats, including a High Commissioner, from Canada, citing New Delhi’s refusal to cooperate in criminal investigations.

  • Trudeau attacks Modi govt as Canada expels six Indian diplomats

    Trudeau attacks Modi govt as Canada expels six Indian diplomats

    Prime Minister of Canada Justin Trudeau has once again accused Indian Premier Narendra Modi’s government of involvement in the killing of a Canadian citizen.

    Talking to the media on Tuesday, Justin Trudeau said that the Canadian government has “clear and compelling evidence that agents of the government of India have engaged in and continue to engage in activities that pose a significant threat to public safety.”

    He said that the Indian government was involved in activities such as covert information-gathering techniques, coercive behaviour, targeting South Asian Canadians and involvement in over a dozen threatening and violent acts, including murder.

    “This is unacceptable,” a visibly somber Trudeau said.

    The Canadian government also expelled six Indian diplomats, including a High Commissioner, from Canada on Monday, citing New Delhi’s refusal to cooperate in criminal investigations.

    The development came after an Indian diplomat was linked to the murder of a Sikh separatist leader.

    Rejecting Canada’s claims, the government of India declared the expulsion of diplomats Prime Minister Trudeau’s “political agenda” centred around “vote bank politics.”

    Meanwhile, India retaliated today with the expulsion of six Canadian diplomats from New Delhi, including the acting High Commissioner, and it withdrew its envoy from Canada, Dawn News reported.