Mangaluru, Feb 21: Japanese world champion Shuri Araki, the youngest to win the title, will be the cynosure of all eyes in the India Paddle Festival, the country's first-ever international stand-up paddling event, which will take place at the Sasihithlu Beach here from March 8 to 10.

Araki was 16 when he won the world title.

With this event the Association of PaddleSurf Professionals World Tour (APP) will mark its entry into the country.

The event will be conducted prior to the launch of the 2024 APP World Tour.

Some top athletes from the APP World Tour, as well as other aspiring professionals from the region, will participate in the event, presented by Karnataka Tourism and organised by Surfing Swami Foundation.

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India No.1 Sekar Patchai and the 17-year-old Japanese Araki will be seen in action among others.

"We are extremely pleased to make our first entry into India with the Surfing Swami Foundation and Karnataka Tourism. We hope that the India Paddle Festival will help the sport get the much-needed push to expand in the region," CEO of the APP World Tour, Tristan Boxford said in a statement. "This championship will also provide an opportunity for the athletes to experience an international competition."

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Ottawa: Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has come under criticism after a video of him dancing at a Taylor Swift concert in Toronto went viral, coinciding with violent protests in Montreal.

The footage, shared widely on social media, shows Trudeau enjoying the performance at the Rogers Centre on November 23. While the concert featured hits like "You Don’t Own Me," Montreal witnessed unrest as anti-NATO demonstrators clashed with police, set vehicles on fire, and burned an effigy of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Social media users criticised Trudeau’s presence at the concert during the crisis, with some comparing his actions to Nero’s alleged indifference during Rome's burning.

The Montreal protests occurred during the ongoing NATO summit in the city, which focused on issues such as Ukraine and climate change. Demonstrators carried Palestinian flags and set off smoke bombs, with at least four arrests reported.