A couple sitting on a scooter outside a park in Bengaluru was harassed and assaulted by a group of five men, sparking outrage and reigniting concerns over moral policing in Karnataka. The incident, which took place earlier this week, was caught on camera and shows the couple being questioned and abused by the group.

In the now-viral video, the man, dressed in an orange t-shirt, and the woman, wearing a burqa, are seen in a heated exchange with several men. One of the individuals is seen filming the woman on his phone. The group reportedly questioned the woman’s whereabouts and whether her family was aware of her actions, before turning their attention to the man and questioning why he was with a woman of a different faith.

In the footage, the men can be heard making demeaning remarks and asking the woman, “Do you have any shame?” They also accused the couple of behaving inappropriately in public.

Following the woman’s formal complaint, the Bengaluru police registered a case and arrested five individuals, including a juvenile. Deputy Commissioner of Police Girish confirmed the arrests, stating that further investigation is underway to determine the full extent of the incident.

“The couple was sitting on a scooter when five people questioned them. We have arrested four adults and one juvenile,” said DCP Girish. “The accused mainly questioned the woman’s presence there. We will find out more during the investigation.”

While police initially maintained that the incident was non-violent, another clip surfaced showing the man being physically assaulted with what appeared to be a wooden stick.

Karnataka minister condemns incident

Karnataka Minister Priyank Kharge strongly condemned the act of moral policing and assured that the government would take strict action. “This is not Bihar or Uttar Pradesh or Madhya Pradesh. Karnataka is a progressive state,” he said, asserting that such behaviour would not be tolerated.

The incident has triggered a wider debate over individual freedoms and the rise in incidents of vigilante moral policing, especially in urban public spaces.

England’s newly appointed white-ball captain Harry Brook has finally spoken out about his two-year ban from the Indian Premier League (IPL), calling his international commitments a greater priority than franchise cricket. The batter was acquired by Delhi Capitals in the IPL 2025 mega auction for Rs 6.2 crore but pulled out days before the season began — a decision that led to his suspension from IPL auctions until 2027.

In an interview with The Mirror, Brook stated that he was at peace with his choice and would continue to prioritise representing England across formats.“This is my priority. England is the way forward for me and franchise cricket can almost take a step back for little while,” said the 26-year-old. “At the end of the day, I enjoy playing cricket for England more than anything else. To lose a little bit of money here and there, I’d take that any day to play for England.”

Brook added that he would not participate in any franchise tournaments in the near future, focusing instead on England’s packed international calendar leading up to the 2026 T20 World Cup.

IPL ban not officially communicated, says Brook

Interestingly, Brook claimed that the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) had not formally informed him of the two-year IPL ban. “They haven’t told me,” he said, while acknowledging that the decision aligns with the tournament’s rules. “If I do get banned, fair play. That’s the rules they put in place, but I’m completely committed to playing cricket for England,” he added.

The decision comes in the wake of growing club-versus-country debates, especially with star players like Brook having to manage workloads across formats and continents.

Brook was recently named England’s new white-ball captain following Jos Buttler’s departure, with a clear mandate to revitalise the team’s fortunes in both ODI and T20 formats after a string of underwhelming performances at global tournaments.

The young skipper is also a key figure in England’s red-ball setup. With 11 Tests scheduled until the end of the upcoming Ashes in January, and over two dozen white-ball fixtures before the 2026 T20 World Cup, Brook will play a central role in balancing leadership, form, and fitness.

Chinese President Xi Jinping has called on the European Union to stand alongside China in resisting what he described as “unilateral bullying” by the United States. The remarks come in response to a new wave of steep tariffs imposed by former US President Donald Trump — including a 145% levy on Chinese imports and a suspended 20% duty on EU goods.

During a meeting in Beijing with Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, Xi emphasized that China and Europe must work together to safeguard global trade norms and prevent further erosion of multilateral systems.

“China and Europe should fulfil their international responsibilities… and jointly resist unilateral bullying practices,” Xi said, according to China’s state-run Xinhua agency. He framed this cooperation as essential not only to protect the interests of both parties but also to uphold international fairness and justice.

Spain supports continued EU-China cooperation

Prime Minister Sanchez echoed the importance of dialogue, acknowledging the significant trade deficit between the EU and China but cautioning against letting tensions derail future cooperation.

“Spain and Europe have a significant trade deficit with China… but we must not let trade tensions stand in the way of the potential growth of our relationships,” Sanchez noted.

Spain imports nearly $50 billion worth of goods from China annually, making the stakes high for sustained economic collaboration.

China warns US: “These tactics do not work on China”

China’s Foreign Ministry also issued a strong statement on Friday, reinforcing its opposition to Washington’s latest trade moves. Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian warned that escalating tariffs and aggressive negotiation tactics would be met with full retaliation.

“Trade wars have no winners. China does not want to fight these wars, but it is not scared,” Lin said. “If the US truly wants to resolve issues through dialogue, it must stop applying extreme pressure and acting recklessly.”

In a sharp message directed at the Trump administration, Lin added, “If the US insists on a tariff and trade war, China’s response will continue to the end.”

The comments underscore Beijing’s hardened stance as the trade dispute widens, adding volatility to global markets already wary of protectionist policies.