Author: Rahul M

The U.K. and Germany are chairing a meeting Monday to discuss President Donald Trump’s plans for NATO allies to provide Ukraine with weapons, a week after the U.S. president said deliveries would arrive in Ukraine within days. The virtual meeting will be lead by British Defense Secretary John Healey and his German counterpart Boris Pistorius. Healey said U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and NATO leader Mark Rutte, as well as NATO’s Supreme Allied Commander Europe, Gen. Alexus Grynkewich, will attend the meeting of Ukraine Defense Contact Group.The talks come after Russia pounded Ukraine with some 300 drone strikes Saturday, Ukrainian…

With RSS-affiliated Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh (BMS) set to mark 70 years of its founding on July 23, its president Hiranmay Pandya discusses in an interview the organisation’s journey from modest beginnings to becoming the country’s largest labour organisation.Pandya reflects on the BMS’s past, its ideological independence, vision for the future in a rapidly transforming economy, and its selective endorsement of the new labour codes, among other issues. Excerpts:When Dattopant Thengadi founded the BMS in 1955, there was no fund, office, or cadre. Today, the BMS has grown into the largest labour organisation in the country with over 7,000 trade unions,…

While the pitter-patter of rain may feel calming at first, many of us start to feel unusually lazy, sleepy, or low on energy during the monsoon season. If you’ve ever wondered why you’re constantly yawning, dragging your feet, or feeling too lazy to do anything when it rains, science (and Ayurveda) has the answers. Monsoon fatigue is more common than you think, and thankfully, there are simple lifestyle and dietary changes that can help. Why Do You Feel Lazy During Monsoons? Here’s what’s happening in your body and mind during the rainy season: 1. Drop in Atmospheric Pressure When…

Kenneth Colley, the British character actor whose stone-cold portrayal of Adm. Firmus Piett, Darth Vader’s trusted officer, in the Star Wars film “The Empire Strikes Back” turned him into a fan favorite and earned him a call back for “Return of the Jedi,” died June 30 in Ashford, England. He was 87. His agent, Julian Owen, said in a statement that he died in a hospital from complications of pneumonia after contracting COVID-19.Colley became a memorable screen presence for international audiences who could recognize his dour, stony face even if they didn’t know his name. A versatile supporting actor, he…

PatnaJul 21, 2025 07:57 IST First published on: Jul 21, 2025 at 07:56 IST Share NDA constituent and former Union Minister Upendra Kushwaha Sunday advised Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar to give up the reins of the Janata Dal (United), saying it was no longer “feasible for him to simultaneously manage both the government and the party”. With this, Kushwaha became the first BJP and JD(U) ally to make this suggestion. Though Kushwaha did not suggest Kumar should transfer the responsibility to his son Nishant Kumar, he called the latter a “nai ummeed (new hope)”. Taking to X to wish…

The government on Sunday told an all-party meeting that it is ready to discuss all issues raised by the Opposition in the Monsoon session of Parliament, which will commence on Monday, while asserting that it will respond appropriately to demands for a response on US President Donald Trump’s claims on Operation Sindoor.At the customary meeting ahead of the session beginning Monday, the opposition raised various issues, including voter roll revision in Bihar, the Pahalgam terror attack and Trump’s ‘ceasefire’ claims. The government sought coordination with the opposition in the smooth running of the month-long session. There should be govt-opposition coordination…

KolkataJul 21, 2025 07:30 IST First published on: Jul 21, 2025 at 07:30 IST Share As the political situation in West Bengal simmers, Chief Minister and Trinamool Congress (TMC) chairperson Mamata Banerjee will address the Shaheed Diwas (Martyrs’ Day) rally in Kolkata on Monday, setting the tone for the high-voltage campaign for the Assembly election that is less than a year away. From the stage in the heart of Kolkata, Banerjee is expected to take on the BJP on the issue of “Bengali ashmita (pride)” and detention of Bengali-speaking migrants in various states. In recent weeks, a political storm has…

NICOSIA, Cyprus (AP) — Turkish Cypriots on Sunday celebrated Turkey’s military invasion of Cyprus that cleaved the island nation along ethnic lines 51 years ago. Turkey’s president reaffirmed his full backing for a controversial peace deal that envisions the establishment of two separate states.It’s a proposal that the majority Greek Cypriots in the island’s internationally recognized southern part reject out of hand. It would formalize Cyprus’ partition and give Turkey a permanent foothold they see as a bid for control of the entire, strategically situated country and its offshore hydrocarbon wealth.“Our support for (Turkish Cypriot leader Ersin Tatar’s) vision for…

When Russian and Ukrainian peace negotiators met last month, they could agree on little more than exchanging bodies. Those negotiations, brokered by the Trump administration, appeared to show its goal of ending the war was deeply stalled. But that doesn’t mean that the diplomatic entreaties don’t continue — with both Russia and Ukraine trying in their own ways to appeal to the White House.President Volodymyr Zelenskyy of Ukraine proposed over the weekend to revive the talks. It was his first offer for renewed negotiations since the Trump administration agreed to facilitate the transfer of air defense weapons to Ukraine and…

On Friday at Holly’s Haven, a wildlife rescue and rehabilitation center in a rural section of Ottawa, there was one coyote, two porcupines and more young raccoons and skunks than I could easily count. And in a makeshift habitat at the very back, there was a much larger animal: a blind moose with an injured leg that is about a month and a half old. The arrival of Cedar, as the moose is known, has meant that Lynne Rowe, the center’s founder and director of operations, has had to learn a lot about the needs of young moose very quickly.But…