Thudarum is a masterpiece for adults, a serious yet self-aware piece of cinema that has something for everybody, feels Arjun Menon.
Four people were arrested for allegedly stealing a mobile phone from French Ambassador Thierry Mathou while he was visiting Chandni Chowk market, an official said on Wednesday.
Leaders from around the world extended their greetings to India on its 76th Republic Day, emphasizing the importance of bilateral relations and expressing hope for a stronger future. The Indian diaspora across the globe celebrated the occasion with enthusiasm at Indian missions abroad, where the national tri-colour was unfurled, accompanied by cultural performances and patriotic fervour. The celebrations highlighted the strong bonds of friendship and cooperation between India and its global partners.
Chinese Ambassador to Pakistan Jiang Zaidong urged that the government should launch a crackdown against all anti-China terrorist groups after two deadly attacks took place in Pakistan within only six months, The Express Tribune reported.
'India enjoys conventional superiority, but nuclear deterrence imposes clear boundaries.'
'The strategic direction of the relationship will not be affected. But the perception has been affected.'
'At least 25 Olympic-sized swimming pools worth of plastic chewing gum gets dumped.' 'And because the way people spit it out, there's no possible way this plastic can be recycled.'
'...by saying since you have come say everything against your party.'
Former South Africa opener Herschelle Gibbs, who is the brand ambassador of the ICBT20, echoed Jaffer's views, staying that Kohli has a lot of cricket left in him.
Can a culture survive as a way of life, even as the language and writing at its core, alter with time? Can we be rational and Malayalee or do we have to necessarily be religious and proudly cultural to be Malayalee? asks Shyam G Menon.
The launch of the first-ever direct train service from Delhi to Kashmir would be a big turning point in the Valley's mood and its integration with India. He had to thwart it at any cost, asserts Shekhar Gupta.
'What signal would we be sending -- that we don't stand by our friends?'
'Even known names and social media handles went berserk by stating that Karachi has been attacked and an F-16 was shot down.'
Dinesh Karthik downplayed surpassing MS Dhoni's T20 runs record for an Indian wicketkeeper, emphasising that playing for India, not personal records, has always been his priority.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited Assam and participated in a grand Jhumoir dance performance, celebrating 200 years of the state's tea industry and the rich cultural heritage of the tea tribe community. He played a traditional drum of the tea tribe community, highlighting the government's efforts to support the tea industry and uplift the tea tribe community. The event, attended by dignitaries and ambassadors from around 60 countries, showcased Assam's vibrant traditions to a global audience.
Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has clarified his remarks on the Pahalgam terror attack, saying he did not call for no war with Pakistan, but emphasized that war should only be a last resort. His comments, which were played up by Pakistan media, have sparked criticism from the BJP, which accused him of acting like a "puppet" of an enemy nation.
Colonel Sofiya Qureshi revealed that 300 to 400 drones were deployed across 36 locations, with several being shot down by Indian forces using both kinetic and non-kinetic methods.
India captain Rohit Sharma has spoken about his journey from being a young player who would stand outside the Wankhede Stadium to catch a glimpse of Mumbai Ranji Trophy stars, to having a stand named after him at the iconic venue.
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has made its stance clear about not travelling to Pakistan for the ICC Champions Trophy 2025. On the other hand, the PCB has been firm about hosting the entire tournament in Pakistan.
'There's a lot of sense in what Prime Minister Modi did, but the Indian government has to be really prepared for a really sharp escalation spiral.'
The UN Security Council could meet soon to discuss the situation between India and Pakistan, with the UNSC President expressing concern over rising tensions between the nuclear-armed neighbors. The President, Ambassador Evangelos Sekeris of Greece, said a meeting would provide an opportunity to express views and help diffuse tensions. Sekeris also condemned terrorism in all its forms, including the recent attack in Pahalgam, and called for de-escalation and dialogue between India and Pakistan.
'As players, you need to stay calm, try and block that noise out, and just play with the same intensity as you would play Australia or any other team.'
Dr Manmohan Singh first embossed himself on the national consciousness when as India's finance minister he flagged off economic reforms which changed this nation forever.
Trump said that he and Putin agreed to have their respective teams start negotiations immediately and begin by calling Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy regarding the conversation.
Putin is keen on establishing a good personal rapport with Trump and anchor a meaningful US-Russia partnership, realistic enough to accept that Trump is as good an American president as Russia would ever get, observes Ambassador M K Bhadrakumar.
Manchester United's most successful manager Alex Ferguson will step down as a global ambassador after the club's part-owners INEOS ended his multi-million pound contract.
'There are several talented players like R Vaishali, Divya Deshmukh, Vantika Agrawal, so the future is certainly bright.'
The Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) in Uttar Pradesh is reviving its 'brotherhood committees', a strategy used successfully in the 2007 elections, to bolster its support among Other Backward Castes (OBCs) ahead of the 2027 state assembly elections. These committees, to be formed in all 403 constituencies, aim to connect with 100 people from OBC communities in each village, acting as ambassadors of the party at the booth level. The BSP sees these committees as a counter to the Samajwadi Party's PDA pitch and a means to consolidate its scattered rural vote bank. The party is also highlighting the 'anti-Dalit' and 'anti-OBC' tactics of the Congress, BJP and SP, hoping to capitalize on perceived grievances and reposition itself as a champion of marginalized communities.
United States President Donald Trump welcomed Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the West Wing lobby in the White House in Washington, DC on Thursday.
'There is no question that Putin's preference will be to avoid unpleasantness with Trump, leave alone a collision course,' observes Ambassador M K Bhadrakumar.
Six Telugu film actors, including Rana Daggubati, Prakash Raj, and Vijay Deverkonda, along with 19 social media influencers have been booked for allegedly promoting betting apps. A businessman filed a complaint alleging that the celebrities and influencers were promoting these apps on social media through pop-up ads and other means. The police registered a case under relevant sections of the BNS, Gaming Act, and IT Act based on the complaint and are planning to issue notices to those named in the FIR.
Everyone is in the Diwali spirit, from our dear readers to Bollywood, to the White House!
'Fears in Washington began to intensify when it was realised that subsequent Pakistani and Indian attacks on major military facilities -- which were significant in terms of geographic scope and intensity -- could rapidly take both sides to where neither actually wanted to go.' 'The US objective was to stop the fighting as soon as possible. Everything else was secondary.'
As Kolkata marches towards modernity, it is hard to imagine its streets without these cabs, notes Air Commodore Nitin Sathe (retd).
The US ended up abstaining from the vote for its own resolution at the General Assembly after several amendments were passed ahead of the vote to strengthen the language against Russia and reaffirm Ukraine's territorial integrity.
United States Ambassador to India, Eric Garcetti, expressed condolences on veteran industrialist, Ratan Tata's demise on Thursday and said that India, and the world have 'lost a giant with a giant heart'.
'The way our President was greeted, that itself shows how far India has come.' 'People were aware of who she is, people know who our prime minister is.' 'Everybody knows India now and everybody respects India.'
The Congress party has claimed credit for the extradition of Tahawwur Rana, an accused in the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks, from the US, saying the Modi government did not initiate the process and merely benefited from the "mature, consistent and strategic diplomacy" begun under the UPA. Former Home Minister P Chidambaram said the government did not secure any breakthrough to make the extradition possible, nor is it the result of any grandstanding. He added that it was a testament to what the Indian state can achieve when diplomacy, law enforcement and international cooperation are pursued sincerely and without any kind of chest-thumping. Chidambaram detailed the UPA government's efforts in securing Rana's extradition, citing the registration of a case against him in 2009, diplomatic pressure on Canada and the US, and continued efforts despite legal setbacks. He highlighted the role of the UPA in securing Rana's conviction for other terrorism-related offences and the cooperation between the US and Indian agencies in gathering evidence and securing his extradition. The Congress leader further stated that it was the UPA's groundwork that paved the way for Rana's extradition, even after the change in government in 2014.
Karunaratne, 36, scored 7222 runs in Tests at a healthy average of nearly 40, including a top score of 244. He also played 50 ODIs, scoring 1,316 runs.
