Kumbh Mela Hindu festival begins in India

An animated video released by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s party was taken down from Instagram after it sparked a backlash for demeaning Muslims.

Canadian police have arrested three men thought to have been involved in the killing of Hardeep Singh Nijjar, a Sikh activist whose death last year triggered a huge diplomatic row between Ottawa and New Delhi.

Afghanistan's diplomat Zakia Wardak said she was stepping down as the consul-general in Mumbai because of organized attacks against her. Her statement made no mention of the alleged gold smuggling accusations.

Her powerful performances give voice to some uncomfortable truths. Lebanese playwright and director Chrystèle Khodr wades through the ruins of a society in her latest play "Ordalie", exploring the social, political and physical wreckage of her homeland and its history. She tells us more about the quest for justice in contemporary Lebanon, why 19th-century playwright Henrik Ibsen is a fitting contemporary inspiration and how making theatre in a crisis-ridden country is a constant endeavour of creativity and solidarity among artists.

According to latest government estimates, the unemployment rate rose to 5.4% in the fiscal year that ended March 2023, from 4.9% in 2013/14 before Modi took over. In urban areas, the rate is higher at 6.5%. Data from the Centre for Monitoring Indian Economy (CMIE), a private think tank, show that the jobless rate rose to 8% in February 2024.

A security guard who was stationed outside Drake's Toronto mansion was shot, resulting in serious injuries. The incident occurred around 2 am local time, with the assailant reportedly fleeing the scene in a vehicle. Inspector Paul Krawczyk, who is leading the investigation, said it is too soon to determine a motive for the shooting.