The ICC has warned Pakistan Cricket Board of potential legal action from T20 World Cup broadcasters if Pakistan boycotts the February 15 match against India in Colombo. The ICC could withhold Pakistan's entire annual revenue share of approximately $35 million to compensate broadcasters. A PCB source confirmed the board is preparing for significant repercussions, noting that appeals to the ICC Dispute Resolution Committee would likely fail. The source emphasized broadcasters would be within their rights to sue both PCB and ICC for major contract breach, as the four-year broadcasting deal was based on Pakistan-India matches. Pakistan hasn't officially informed ICC despite following government directives to boycott. (PC: AFP)

India's Ministry of External Affairs strongly condemned the theft of a 426-kg bronze Mahatma Gandhi statue from the Australian Indian Community Centre in Rowville, Melbourne, demanding swift action and recovery. MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal confirmed India raised the matter firmly with Australian authorities. The statue, gifted by India's ICCR and inaugurated by former PM Scott Morrison in 2021, was stolen by three unidentified individuals around 12:50 am on January 12. CCTV footage partially captured the theft showing a white van and balaclava-clad suspects. Victoria Police's Knox Crime Investigation Unit is investigating and has alerted scrap metal dealers. The incident has triggered concern within Melbourne's Indian-Australian community.

Union Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal defended the India-US trade deal Tuesday, stating India secured the "best possible" agreement compared to neighboring countries under PM Modi's leadership. Goyal explained the US announced tariff reductions first because they imposed reciprocal tariffs initially, which dropped from 50% to 18%. He emphasized agriculture and dairy sectors remain protected, countering Opposition claims that farmers' interests were compromised. Goyal highlighted benefits for MSMEs, textiles, IT, and leather sectors. He sharply criticized Congress leader Rahul Gandhi for "disgraceful behaviour" during Lok Sabha disruptions, preventing government presentations. Goyal credited Modi's personal relationship with President Trump for finalizing the deal after months of negotiations between both teams.

American tourist Charlie Evans sparked controversy after posting a video from Jaipur's Amber Fort calling Indians "lazy" and "out of shape" for resting during the 20-minute climb. The video, which garnered over 450,000 Instagram views, shows visitors stopping partway to rest, smoke, or drink beverages. Evans criticized them for not completing the climb despite paying entry fees. Social media reactions were mixed: some acknowledged fitness issues in India, while others condemned the remarks as stereotypical and culturally insensitive. Critics pointed to factors like age, health, weather, and steep terrain. Some users challenged Evans to visit hill states like Uttarakhand before making generalizations about Indians' fitness levels.

Indian-origin businessman Vikas Nath, 63, associated with fine-dining restaurants in London, is on trial at Southwark Crown Court for allegedly spiking a woman's drink at Annabel's nightclub in January 2024. Nath denies charges of attempting to administer a substance with intent and possessing a Class B drug, though he admits spiking the drink to "relax" the woman. CCTV footage captured him using a straw to transfer liquid from a hidden bottle into her cocktail. Staff replaced the drink and alerted police. Nath attempted to hide evidence by throwing the bottle containing gamma-butyrolactone (GBL), a date-rape drug, into a toilet cistern. The trial is ongoing. (PC: The Tribune)

India successfully tested Solid Fuel Ducted Ramjet (SFDR) technology on Tuesday at the Integrated Test Range in Chandipur, Odisha, joining an elite league of nations possessing this advanced capability. The SFDR technology is crucial for developing long-range air-to-air missiles, providing tactical advantages over adversaries. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh congratulated DRDO and industry partners on the achievement. All subsystems, including the nozzle-less booster, SFDR motor, and fuel flow controller, performed as expected after initial propulsion by a ground booster motor. Senior scientists from various DRDO laboratories, including Defence Research & Development Laboratory and High Energy Materials Research Laboratory, monitored the launch. Flight data captured by tracking instruments confirmed successful performance.

French authorities raided Elon Musk's X offices in Paris as part of a cyber-crime investigation into suspected unlawful data extraction and complicity in possessing child pornography. Both Musk and former CEO Linda Yaccarino have been summoned for April hearings. Simultaneously, the UK's Information Commissioner's Office launched a probe into Musk's AI tool Grok over its potential to produce harmful sexualized images and videos. The French investigation, which began in January 2025, now examines algorithm manipulation, sexual deepfakes, and fraudulent data extraction. X previously called the investigation "politically-motivated." Telegram founder Pavel Durov criticized France, calling it "not a free country" for prosecuting social networks. (PC: Getty Images)

An Air India and IndiGo aircraft were involved in a minor ground collision at Mumbai's Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport on Tuesday night. The incident occurred when Air India flight AI 2732 (Mumbai-Coimbatore) was pushing back for departure while IndiGo flight 6E 791 (Hyderabad-Mumbai) was taxiing after landing. The wing tips of both aircraft brushed against each other on the taxiway, resulting in damage to Air India's wingtip. Passengers were on board both aircraft during the incident, but no injuries were reported. All passengers were safely disembarked, and both aircraft were grounded for technical inspections. DGCA officials reached the site and are investigating the matter.

A magnitude 6 earthquake struck Myanmar's Yenangyaung on Tuesday evening at 9:04 pm local time, with strong tremors felt across Kolkata and several parts of Bangladesh. According to the European-Mediterranean Seismological Centre, the quake's epicenter was located 95 km west of Yenangyaung and 70 miles east of Akyab, originating at a depth of 57 km. This follows a devastating 7.7-magnitude earthquake that hit Myanmar in March last year near Sagaing, killing nearly 3,500 people and destroying buildings, bridges, and infrastructure across the country. Myanmar's economy and infrastructure remain severely damaged from years of internal conflict, with the military junta recently securing victory in January's general elections. (PC: X/@ANI)

Russia has not received any communication from India regarding stopping oil purchases, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov stated Tuesday. His remarks come amid the India-US trade deal, which conditions the 18% tariff rate on India halting Russian oil imports. Peskov emphasized Russia's intention to continue developing bilateral relations with India in every possible way, according to Russian media reports. The statement highlights potential complications in the India-US agreement, as stopping Russian oil purchases was reportedly a key condition set by the Trump administration. India has been a major buyer of discounted Russian oil since the Ukraine conflict began, and Moscow's response suggests ongoing diplomatic complexities regarding the trade deal's implementation. (PC: Reuters)