According to Samaa news, law enforcement agencies have apprehended a man alleged to be an Indian spy along with a Pakistani facilitator in Karachi.
Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) City, Arif Aziz has said that the detained is identified as Akhil Dev and has been accused of having been working undercover for India.
The operation was carried under the jurisdiction of the Kalakot police station in Lyari. Resultantly, incriminating evidence has been retrieved including two Indian passports, firearms, and foreign currency totaling five lakhs among other items. In addition, fake jewellery boxes, six mobile phones, one tablet, and various documents were also recovered from the suspects.
SSP Arif Aziz stated that this arrest is a proof of rigour and commitment of Pakistani law enforcement agencies to protect national security.
He also confirmed that investigations are underway to capture any potential aide linked to the accused.
Actor Prakash Raj has been booked by police in Karnataka’s Bagalkot district in India after jeering at the country’s third lunar mission, Chandrayaan-3.
According to the police, a complaint was filed by the leaders of Hindu organizations who demanded that action be taken against the actor.
What happened?
On Sunday, Raj posted a cartoon picture on X in which a man wearing a shirt and a lungi is pouring tea. According to The Wire, the screenshot was from an old short meme about Neil Armstrong coming across a shopkeeper, a Malayalee entrepreneur offering him a glass of legendary Kerala tea on the moon.This picture was captioned : BREAKING NEWS:- First picture coming from the Moon by #VikramLander Wowww #justasking
This was taken as an offence by many Indians since Chandrayaan-3 mission is considered as a matter of national pride. Raj resultantly faced heavy backlash on social media by angry Indians.
Chandrayaan 3 is something whole of India must be proud of, irrespective of political ideology.
Know the boundary between political vs national trolling, else stick to wetting your pants in movies.
— Cabinet Minister, Ministry of Memes, (@memenist_) August 20, 2023
This is tragically sad. The work of @isro and #Chandrayaan_3 are one of those rare things which ignites sparks of unity, passion and optimism in a billion hearts. If you can’t celebrate that, then your hate for an individual is more intense than your love for the nation. https://t.co/uMDLwLePLT
Morons trolling @prakashraaj have never heard the joke about Neil Armstrong being offered a cup of chai by a Malayalee on moon! https://t.co/EhwADDQ1LE
Prakash Raj eventually responded to the trolling and criticism in another tweet saying, “Hate sees only Hate.. i was referring to a joke of #Armstrong times .. celebrating our kerala Chaiwala .. which Chaiwala did the TROLLS see ?? .. if you dont get a joke then the joke is on you .. GROW UP #justasking”
Hate sees only Hate.. i was referring to a joke of #Armstrong times .. celebrating our kerala Chaiwala .. which Chaiwala did the TROLLS see ?? .. if you dont get a joke then the joke is on you .. GROW UP #justaskinghttps://t.co/NFHkqJy532
Distinguished classic music conductor Zubin Mehta has claimed that The Times of India omitted one line from an interview he recently gave to them. Mehta had said, “I hope my Muslim friends can live in peace forever in India”.
He made the allegation towards the end of a conversation with journalist Karan Thapar. Mehta gave the statement after he was asked about his views on the “sort of country” India was becoming, especially in view of its treatment towards the minorities, particularly Muslims.
“It [the line] was cut off, and the writer couldn’t give me a reason why”, he added, to which Thapar responded, “They don’t want to offend Mr. Modi and the government,”
“How would that offend anybody? …This morning I read that they were burning churches in Pakistan. One has to get over this madness of religious persecution. Hopefully, things will change,” Mehta expressed.
According to The Wire, Mehta’s excluded comment was not incorporated in the print version of The Times of India. But on Monday, August 21, the online version included the quote after Mehta publicly pointed it out.
The Times of India responded to Zubin Mehta’s on X that the interview had been “trimmed to fit the page” and “the line being referred to was towards the end of the interview and got left out in that process”.
The TOI interview with Mr Mehta was long and had to be trimmed to fit the page. The line being referred to was towards the end of the interview and got left out in that process. Subsequently, Mr Mehta spoke to the interviewer about its omission and it was restored online.
But The Wire evaluated that the 33 worded line that was cut actually fits and got restored in middle of the interview rather than the end of it.
X users respond
While some praised the censorship, many Indians criticized The Times of India and showed their concern about the increasing hatred towards Muslims in the country.
If the oldest and largest news media house does this what can you expect of others? Zubin was just wishing a peaceful existence for muslims and not particularly targeting anyone. https://t.co/3Dv3pscThZ
TOI deletes one sentence from Zubin Mehta’s interview, the one where he hopes Muslims are able to live in peace in India! Now we know what TOI thinks of Indian Muslims https://t.co/zojZpMpAmG
“I hope my Muslim friends can live in peace forever in India” — why should this sentence be struck out of an interview? Like secularism, even peace has become an unwanted word in India? What kind of humans object to quest for peace? https://t.co/1SleQhjQzz
The Asian Cricket Council (ACC) has unveiled the impressive roster of commentators set to headline the eagerly anticipated 50-over Asia Cup 2023. The tournament is set to unfold in Pakistan and Sri Lanka, promising cricket enthusiasts an enthralling experience.
A lineup of cricket legends is poised to represent Pakistan on the commentary panel. The quartet of Wasim Akram, Waqar Younis, Aamer Sohail, and Bazid Khan will bring their extensive expertise to the table. Notably, Australian cricket sensation Matthew Hayden will also grace the commentary box, offering his unique insights.
India’s presence on the commentary panel is equally noteworthy. Renowned figures including Ravi Shastri, Gautam Gambhir, Harbhajan Singh, Irfan Pathan, Sanjay Bangar, Piyush Chawla, Sanjay Manjrekar, Deep Dasgupta, Mohammad Kaif, Aditya Tare, and Rajat Bhatia will provide comprehensive analysis and commentary.
The commentary panel will also feature the esteemed contributions of former cricket luminaries such as Marvan Atapattu, Dominic Cork, and Andy Flower. Their insights will enrich the coverage of the 13-match, 50-over Asia Cup.
In a surprising turn of events, cricket enthusiasts will notice the absence of renowned cricketer-turned-commentator Ramiz Raja and Indian cricket analyst Harsha Bhogle from the commentary panel.
Complete panel:
The panel comprises a comprehensive range of experts, including:
Wasim Akram
Waqar Younis
Aamer Sohail
Bazid Khan
Matthew Hayden
Andy Flower
Dominic Cork
Marvan Atapattu
Ravi Shastri
Gautam Gambhir
Harbhajan Singh
Irfan Pathan
Sanjay Bangar
Piyush Chawla
Sanjay Manjrekar
Deep Dasgupta
Mohammad Kaif
Aditya Tare
Rajat Bhatia
The prestigious tournament will kick off with Pakistan locking horns with Nepal on August 30th at the Multan Cricket Stadium. The event will be marked by an extravagant opening ceremony. A highly anticipated encounter between arch-rivals Pakistan, led by Babar Azam, and India is scheduled for September 2nd at the Pallekele International Cricket Stadium. This clash promises to be a major highlight of the event.
After the Jaranwala riots, where a Christian neighborhood was burned down by a violent mob because of blasphemy allegations, many Pakistani celebrities and public figures were quick to condemn the authorities that failed to control the violence , and called for swift action to be taken against the perpetuators. Ashok Swain, the chairperson of the UNESCO International Water Cooperation and professor at Uppsala University, pointed out how Pakistani celebrities were quick to condemn communal riots and ethnic violence against minorities, while in Bollywood the silence of public figures is deafening when it comes to speaking out against the rising hate crimes against minorities.
“Pakistani film stars have spine. Indian film stars only know how to count money,” Swain tweeted.
Pakistani film stars have spine. Indian film stars only know how to count money. https://t.co/yS09xGBLnK
Since Wednesday, prominent public figures like Sharmeen Obaid Chinoy, Mahira Khan and Azekah Daniels have all spoken against the brutal act of injustice against the Christian community in Pakistan. Taking to her Instagram stories, Chinoy, a two- time Oscar winner, slammed ‘hypocritical’ Pakistanis who are quick to react when the Holy Quran was burned but were silent when churches were demolished yesterday by a lynch mob.
“Two faced: That word best describes Pakistanis who are quick to point out the state of Muslims in India but who turn the other way when someone says look at the state of minorities within your own borders.”
‘Pasoori’ singer Shae Gill, who is a Christian, described how the incident made her completely speechless, and expressed hopes that the masses are educated so that these atrocities can come to an end.
Meanwhile, celebrities in Bollywood have been called out publicly in the past for promoting communal violence and Islamophobia through their films. Akshay Kumar was publicly criticised when his film ‘Sooryavashni’ promoted Islamophobia. During an interview when he was asked about the anti-Pakistani themes of his film ‘Bell Bottom’ to which the A-list actor had responded: “It’s just a film.”
Recently, Shah Rukh Khan was targeted by BJP politicians as a ‘terrorist’ and in January, the music video for his film ‘Besharam Rang’ was targeted because of the baseless ‘Love Jihad’ theory- that claims Hindu women are seduced by Muslim men and then converted into Islam- by conservatives who threatened to burn down the theaters where the movie would play.
This obviously doesn’t mean that cinema in Pakistan is more progressive and open to accepting minorities, but we cannot deny the power of public figures who use their platforms to educate masses about sensitive topics, is far more important in today’s troubling issues in order to help fight against the growing communal violence and hatred.
The Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) has reported that River Sutlej’s water level has surged, resulting in minor flooding at Ganda Singh Wala. The current water discharge at the Ganda Singh Point is 73,000 cusecs, according to the PDMA website.
Authorities from the PDMA have issued a statement stating that water levels at Ganda Singh Wala might increase to the level of moderate to high floods. The spokesperson further added that India might release more water into the river by August 20. PDMA shared that Indian authorities released 141,000 cusec water from Pong Dam and 83,703 cusec from Bhakra Dam in the Sutlej. Expectedly 125,000 cusec waters would enter Pakistani territory from Hari-ke-Pattan and a high-level flood is predicted at Ganda Singh.
The PDMA has issued instructions to the deputy commissioners of Bahawalnagar, Kasur, Okara, Pakpattan, and Vehari to prepare in case an emergency arises.
India released a significant amount of water in July and early August which destroyed thousands of acres of crops. The water level in the Sutlej River has been fluctuating at a low-level flood since last month resulting in the destruction of houses and forcing the villagers living near the border area to evacuate.
In a recent appearance on an Indian show, renowned cricket commentator and former Indian cricketer Aakash Chopra claimed that Pakistan, England, Australia and India will make their way into the semi-finals of 2023 One Day International (ODI) World Cup.
In his view, the Indian cricket team has an advantage over its opponents considering their recent performances. Expressing a strong hope in the team, he further claimed that India will have the advantage of playing in the comfort and familiarity of its homeground since the country will be hosting the tournament.
When it comes to Pakistan, Chopra believes that the team can make its way into the semi-finals due to their excellent performance in ODI whereas the talent and consistency of the Austrailians and English will lead them to the final four.
“I will be slightly surprised if any of them does not play the semi-finals, although you do get slightly surprised when the World Cup happens. The New Zealand guys are saying that they are also coming and it is an ICC event”, he added.
Earlier, another former Indian cricketer and Indian commentator, Sourav Ganguly, said that Australia, England, and India can reach the semi-finals but “You can never underestimate New Zealand in these big matches.”
After naming the four teams, Ganguly said, “I will pick five [teams for the semi-finals], and include Pakistan also.”
The upcoming ODI World Cup 2023 will be played in India in October-November.
Bollywood actress Rani Mukherjee has revealed that she suffered a miscarriage a few years ago. At the Indian Film Festival of Melbourne 2023, she opened up about suffering a miscarriage in 2020, five months after the Covid-19 pandemic began. The incident happened before Mukherjee started filming ‘Mrs Chatterjee vs Norway’.
“Maybe this is the first time I am making this revelation because in today’s world every aspect of your life is discussed publicly, and becomes an agenda for talking about your film to get more eyeballs. Obviously, I didn’t speak about this when I was promoting the film because it would have come across as me trying to speak about a personal experience that would propel the film…so, it was around the year when COVID-19 struck. It was 2020. I got pregnant with my second baby at the end of 2020 and I unfortunately lost my baby five months into my pregnancy.”
The ‘Paheli’ actress recalled how the producer Nikhil Advani called her up ten days after the ordeal, and Mukherjee said she immediately connected with the script of the film because of what she was going through at the time:
“After I lost my baby, Nikhil (Advani) would have called me probably like 10 days later. He told me about the story and I kind of immediately… not that I had to have the loss of a child to feel the emotion but sometimes there is a film in the right time of what you are going through personally to be able for you to connect with it instantly. When I heard the story, I was in disbelief. I never thought in a country like Norway an Indian family would have had to go through.”
Mukherjee’s recent release ‘Mrs Chatterjee vs Norway’ is based on the real-life story of the Indian couple Anurup and Sagarika Bhattacharya, whose children were snatched away by the Norwegian welfare services, deeming the couple unfit to take care of their children. Sagarika sued the Norwegian government to win back custody of her children.
In a landmark judgment, the High Court of Karnataka upheld that demeaning a spouse due to their skin color amounts to cruelty, thereby granting grounds for divorce.
The ruling was the outcome of a case involving a Bengaluru-based couple, where the wife consistently berated her husband for his dark skin tone. The 44-year-old husband sought divorce after enduring consistent humiliation and derogatory remarks about his complexion. While he bore these insults for the sake of their child, the relentless emotional distress was deemed sufficient grounds for marital dissolution under Section 13(i)(a) of the Hindu Marriage Act.
The wife tried to deflect blame by accusing her husband of extramarital affairs, a move the court labeled as another form of cruelty. Her further attempts to involve legal provisions such as Section 498A of the Indian Penal Code and the Domestic Violence Act only deepened the marital discord.
Justice Alok Aradhe and Justice Anant Ramanath Hegde, who presided over the appeal, shed light on the deeply entrenched skin color biases in society, marking an important step in recognizing such prejudice as a form of emotional cruelty.
Overturning a prior family court ruling, the High Court’s verdict emphasizes the significance of emotional well-being in marital relationships and sets a precedent in battling age-old color biases.
India’s space agency has shared pictures of their spacecraft Chandrayaan-3, as the rover gets closer and closer to the surface of the planet. BBC revealed that by August 23, Chandrayaan’s rover and lander are due to reach the surface of the earth. It was released from the Satish Dhawan Space Center at Sriharikota in the Andhra Pradesh state on July 14.
This would be the second time after thirteen years that the country has launched a spacecraft to the moon. The first time was in 2008 after which the discovery of the presence of water molecules in the moon’s atmosphere was made.
Scientists from the Indian Space Research Agency (ISRO) spoke to the media, stating that Chandrayaan-3 was in “good health”, adding that this was the third time in succession that ISRO had successfully injected a spacecraft into a lunar orbit.
If the mission is successful this would make India the first country to perform a controlled soft landing near the south pole, and the fourth country after USA, China and the former Soviet Union to achieve a soft landing on the moon.
Congratulations to India but we do remember how a certain promise was made by the former Information and Broadcasting Minister Fawad Chaudhry, whol announced in a tweet in 2019 that by the year 2022, Pakistan will send their first person to space. He even mentioned that selection for the project was to begin by Feb 2020 after which 25 people will be selected. Kya hua tera wada, wo qasam wo iraada?
Proud to announce that selection process for the first Pakistani to be sent to Space shall begin from Feb 2020,fifty people will be shortlisted — list will then come down to 25 and in 2022 we will send our first person to space,this will be the biggest space event of our history
