#india-pakistan-tensions

#india-pakistan-tensions

India on August 20 announced that it had successfully test-fired Agni-V, its intermediate-range ballistic missile, from a test range in Odisha on its eastern Bay of Bengal coast. The Agni-V, meaning fire in Sanskrit, is 17.5 metres long, weighs 50,000kg, and can carry more than 1,000kg of nuclear or conventional payload. Capable of travelling more than 5,000km at hypersonic speeds of nearly 30,000km per hour, it is among the fastest ballistic missiles in the world.

Local news outlets reported its range as 700 to 900 kilometers (430 to 560 miles). The show of force comes just ahead of a major increase in US tariffs on India. The US has threatened to raise tariffs from 25% to 50% by Aug. 27 if India does not stop purchasing Russian oil. Last month, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said the new duties meant the country would need to become more self-reliant in defense.

Footage of a scrap after the cricket travelled widely via WhatsApp and social media, and very soon rumours flew around the British Muslim world that people just like them were being hunted down and attacked by 'Hindutva' Indian nationalists.

The escalating hostilities between India and Pakistan led to the suspension of T20 tournaments, including the IPL, for a week, with the BCCI confirming a ceasefire.

"Cricket, while being a unifying force and a source of joy, must take a respectful pause," the PCB said in a statement on Friday evening.

Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi is mediating tensions between India and Pakistan, following a deadly attack on tourists, offering Tehran's assistance for de-escalation.