US President Trump says Pak-Afghan conflict ‘easy’ for him to solve
Washington (PTI): Amid escalating hostilities between Afghanistan and Pakistan, US President Donald Trump claimed that the conflict between the two countries will be an “easy” one for him to solve, "if" he had to solve it.
While speaking to the media during a bilateral lunch with the President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, on Friday, Trump said, “I do understand Pakistan attacked or there is an attack going on with Afghanistan, that’s an easy one for me to solve if I have to solve that.”
Trump once again claimed to have saved millions of lives while assuring that he will have “success” in resolving the conflict between Afghanistan and Pakistan.
"I like stopping people from being killed. I have saved millions and millions of lives, and I think we are going to have success with this war, “ the US president said.
Pakistan launched fresh air strikes targeting terrorist hideouts in Afghanistan, casting a shadow over the expected talks in Doha amid a fragile ceasefire that had temporarily halted hostilities between the two sides.
The strikes followed a gun-and-bomb attack by terrorists at a military installation in North Waziristan, and just hours after Islamabad and Kabul extended their two-day ceasefire, the Dawn reported on Saturday.
Meanwhile, Trump has once again expressed dismay at not receiving the Nobel Peace Prize despite resolving “eight wars”.
“You know we resolved eight others, it’s funny how people say this, if you get this one ... every time I do one, they forget about that one. I solved eight wars,” Trump said
“Every time I solve one, they say if you solve the next one, you are going to get the Nobel prize,” Trump added.
However, the US President was quick to add that he did not do it for the Nobel while claiming that he does not know María Corina Machado, the Nobel Peace Prize winner for 2025, without naming her.
“I did not get the Nobel prize. Somebody got it was a very nice woman, very nice, I don’t know who she is, but she was very generous, so I don’t care about all that stuff, I just care about saving lives,” Trump said.
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Acts preceding actual partial penetration without ejaculation is attempt to rape: Chhattisgarh HC
Bilaspur (PTI): Noting that the act of the convict preceded the actual partial penetration but without ejaculation, the Chhattisgarh High Court has reduced the seven-year sentence awarded by a trial court to a man in a 2004 rape case and convicted him for attempted rape instead.
Partially accepting the accused's appeal, the High Court has reduced the convict's sentence to three years and six months' rigorous imprisonment. A fine of Rs 200 was imposed.
"The proof of penetration, even if partial, is necessary to prove rape. The evidence available in the present case does not prove complete rape, but it does prove that the accused attempted rape. The evidence available in the present case does not prove complete rape, but it does prove that the accused attempted rape," Justice Narendra Kumar Vyas stated in the order on February 16.
Additional Sessions Judge, Dhamtari (Camp-Raipur), had convicted Vasudeo Gond on April 6, 2005, under section 376(1) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and sentenced him to seven years’ rigorous imprisonment.
He was also sentenced to six months’ rigorous imprisonment under Section 342 IPC. Both sentences were to run concurrently.
Gond had lured the victim, a resident of Dhamtari district, to his house on May 21, 2004, under some pretext, and raped her.
He locked her in a room and tied her hands and feet. A case was registered at the Arjuni police station.
The prosecution examined 19 witnesses during the trial.
In her statement, the victim had claimed forced sexual intercourse by the accused. However, during cross-examination, she gave contradictory statements regarding penetration.
Medical examination revealed an intact hymen, but the possibility of partial penetration was raised. The FSL report also found human sperm in some samples.
The High Court noted that the victim's statement lacked clarity regarding penetration. The medical evidence also failed to establish complete penetration. Citing various Supreme Court decisions, the single-judge bench stated that proof of penetration, even if partial, is necessary to prove rape.
"The evidence of the victim is corroborated with the medical evidence brought on record by the prosecution and law on the subject. It is quite vivid that an offence of attempt to commit rape is made out against the appellant, as there is partial penetration by the appellant.
"As such, the act of the appellant forcibly taking the victim inside the room, closing the doors with the motive of carnal knowledge, was the end of ‘preparation’ to commit the offence. His following action of stripping the victim and himself, and rubbing his genitals against those of the victims and partial penetration, which was indeed an endeavour to commit sexual intercourse," the HC stated.
It said the acts of the appellant were deliberately done with manifest intention to commit the offence aimed at and were reasonably proximate to the consummation of the offence.
"Since the acts of the appellant exceeded the stage beyond preparation and preceded the actual partial penetration but without ejaculation, the appellant is guilty of attempting to commit rape as punishable within the ambit and scope of Section 511 read with Section 375 IPC as it stood in force at the time of occurrence," the HC stated.
The HC convicted Gond under sections 376 (1) and 511 of the IPC, instead of section 376, and sentenced him to three years and six months' rigorous imprisonment. The six-month sentence under Section 342 was upheld. Both sentences will run concurrently.
The bench ordered that the sentence already undergone by the accused be set off.
It cancelled the bail of the accused and directed him to surrender before the trial court within two months, failing which action for his arrest would be initiated.
