Washington, May 18 (IANS) US President Donald Trump said that he will speak separately with Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Monday to push for a ceasefire deal between the two countries.”I will be speaking, by telephone, to President Vladimir Putin of Russia on Monday, at 10:00 a.m.,” Trump said, on Saturday, in a post on Truth Social, adding that the subjects of the call will be stopping the “bloodbath” that is killing, on average, more than 5,000 Russian and Ukrainian soldiers a week, and trade.Trump said he will “then be speaking to President Zelensky of Ukraine and then, with President Zelensky, various members of NATO.””Hopefully it will be a productive day” and “a ceasefire will take place,” he said.Concluding their meeting in Turkey’s Istanbul on Friday, delegations of Russia and Ukraine agreed to hold a new round of negotiations and have a large-scale prisoner exchange. As a key outcome of the two-hour talks, the two sides agreed to a prisoner exchange involving 1,000 people from each side, Xinhua news agency reported.Earlier on Thursday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has said that a Ukrainian delegation would attend the upcoming peace talks in Istanbul with a commitment to ending the conflict with Russia, though he would not personally show up at the negotiating table.At the Ukrainian embassy in Ankara following talks with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Thursday, Zelensky told reporters that Ukraine would send a delegation to Istanbul.Zelensky said Ukraine remained committed to dialogue but expressed doubts about Moscow’s intentions, Xinhua news agency reported.He told reporters that Ukraine did not see “any decision-makers” from the Russian delegation who will be present at the talks.The delegation will be led by Ukrainian Defence Minister Rustem Umerov, alongside professionals, including military and intelligence officers, Zelensky remarked, noting that Ukraine is awaiting confirmation from both Washington and Moscow on the exact schedule for the talks.–IANSint/rs

Mumbai, May 18 (IANS) Athiya Shetty is embracing motherhood with grace and joy. The actress, who recently welcomed her baby girl, gave a heartwarming peek into her life lately as a new mom.

Her latest post is a beautiful reflection of this special new chapter, filled with tender moments and quiet happiness. Taking to Instagram, Athiya shared a series of photos and captioned them, “life lately.” The actress’ recent post beautifully captures the quiet magic of motherhood. One of the heart-melting moments includes a close-up shot of her baby girl’s tiny feet. In a captivating black-and-white frame, little Evaarah’s tiny feet are seen peeking out from beneath a delicate floral blanket.Another photo shows Athiya resting serenely, bathed in soft natural sunlight that accentuates her effortless new-mom glow. Adding a personal and heartfelt detail, the new mommy also showcased custom-made wooden combs and brushes, each beautifully engraved with her daughter’s name. The post further included a sweet snapshot of a cake marking Evaarah’s one-month milestone, paired perfectly with a charming fairytale book.On March 24, Athiya Shetty and her husband, KL Rahul, welcomed their first child, daughter Evaarah. The couple took to social media to announce the arrival of their little baby girl and shared a joint statement that read, “Blessed with a baby girl. 24-03-2025.”In April, the new parents revealed that they had named their newborn daughter Evaarah, which means “Gift of God.” Athiya and Rahul took to Instagram with a joint post to reveal their baby daughter’s name. Along with the announcement, they shared a heartwarming photo capturing a tender family moment — the cricketer cradling their little one while Athiya gazed at her with love and warmth.“Our baby girl, our everything. Evaarah, Gift of God,” they captioned. The couple had chosen a special day to reveal their daughter’s name — they shared it with the world on Rahul’s 33rd birthday.–IANSps/

New Delhi, May 18 (IANS) Amid heightened trade restrictions imposed by India on select goods from Bangladesh, BJP leader Dilip Ghosh on Sunday, issued a strong warning, saying that countries dependent on India must act responsibly or “it won’t prove well for them”.Speaking to IANS, Ghosh said, “We can treat Pakistan strictly, and when it comes to Bangladesh, which is surrounded by us, we provide everything to them, from water to air, business and commerce. Bangladesh should understand that going against India won’t prove well for them.”The remarks come in response to India’s latest move to tighten import regulations. According to an official notification, the import of ready-made garments from Bangladesh will now be permitted only through the seaports of Nhava Sheva and Kolkata, effectively banning such imports via land ports. The change is seen as a signal to Dhaka amid growing bilateral tensions.Backing Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s recent statement about India’s cross-border strikes, Ghosh said, “The Honourable Home Minister, Defence Minister and Prime Minister had repeatedly said that India had taken strong retaliatory action, though people didn’t believe it at the time. Today, all the evidence and documents are coming out showing what exactly happened and how terrorist camps were destroyed inside Pakistan during Operation Sindoor. The way we retaliated is quite evident, and it was a strong response.”Amit Shah recently asserted that for the first time since Independence, Indian forces entered 100 km inside Pakistan to destroy terrorist camps, a move that has reignited debate over India’s defence policy under the current regime.On China’s attempts to rename areas in Arunachal Pradesh near the Line of Actual Control (LAC), Ghosh dismissed Beijing’s claims, stating that India has firmly asserted its territorial integrity.“There have always been issues there, but many of them have been resolved. Our ministers, even the Prime Minister, have visited those regions. What China says doesn’t matter. The land belongs to us and is under our control. Previously, there were similar controversies over Kashmir maps. Who has the courage to act against India now? Gradually, India will continue to protect its borders and land,” Ghosh emphasised.–IANSrs/dpb

Chennai, May 18 (IANS) Tamil Nadu’s prominent Dalit political party, Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK), has rescheduled its massive protest rally titled ‘Save Secularism’ from May 31 to June 14, to allow more time for mobilising its target of at least five lakh participants in Tamil Nadu’s Tiruchi.The rally aims to highlight the party’s opposition to the recently passed Waqf (Amendment) Act, 2025, and the BJP’s ‘Hindutva push’ affecting secular politics in the country. The Act was recently passed by the Parliament.In a statement on Saturday late evening, VCK president and Member of Parliament from Chidambaram, Thol Thirumavalavan, said the party’s protest is not only against the Waqf Act but also a broader call to defend the Constitution.He said, “Apart from calling for the repeal of the Waqf Amendment Act, the ‘blue shirt’ rally will protest against the BJP’s continuing assault on the Constitution. We urge all democratic forces to join us on a common platform to safeguard secularism.”While reiterating that the VCK remains firmly within the DMK-led alliance, Thirumavalavan emphasised the ideological consistency of his party’s stance against Hindutva forces.The VCK leader also said that the party was committed to minority representation. “We have accommodated minorities within our party structure, as office-bearers and district secretaries. Out of the six seats allotted to us in the recent elections, we fielded one Muslim candidate, Aloor Shanavas, despite not having a significant Muslim vote base,” he said.Political observers noted that the VCK’s attempt to foreground secularism comes at a time when major secular parties face criticism for allegedly prioritising minority interests at the cost of broader electoral appeal — a narrative the BJP has actively amplified.The June 14 rally is expected to be one of the largest anti-Hindutva mobilisations in Tamil Nadu in recent times.Tamil Nadu will go to the Assembly polls in 2026 to elect 234 new members. Prior to that, all political parties have started strengthening their bases and making inroads into new ones.–IANSaal/dpb

Sriharikota (Andhra Pradesh), May 18 (IANS) The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) on Sunday suffered a setback as its 101st mission, PSLV-C61 carrying the EOS-09 satellite, faced a technical malfunction in the launch vehicle.The malfunction led to the mission failure, and the satellite could not be successfully deployed.The indigenous PSLV, or Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle — PSLV-C61 — lifted off from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota with the aim of placing EOS-09 into a Sun Synchronous Polar Orbit (SSPO).While the first and second stages of the launch vehicle performed normally, ISRO Chairman Dr V. Narayanan said that an unexpected issue arose during the third stage, preventing the successful deployment of the satellite.The ISRO Chief said, “Today, we attempted the 101st launch from Sriharikota, the PSLV-C61 carrying the EOS-09 mission. The PSLV is a four-stage launch vehicle, and its performance was normal up to the second stage. The third stage motor ignited perfectly; however, during its operation, an anomaly was observed, and the mission could not be completed successfully…””We will come back after analysis,” he further said.ISRO also posted an update on X, stating: “Today 101st launch was attempted, PSLV-C61 performance was normal till 2nd stage. Due to an observation in 3rd stage, the mission could not be accomplished.”The third stage of the PSLV is a solid rocket motor designed to provide high thrust during the upper atmosphere phase of the flight, delivering a maximum thrust of 240 kilonewtons. It plays a crucial role in placing the satellite into its intended orbit.The EOS-09 was designed to provide continuous and reliable remote sensing data for operational applications across various sectors, ranging from border surveillance and national security to agriculture, forestry, flood monitoring, and disaster management. For the mission, PSLV carried a 1,710 kg satellite into a sun-synchronous orbit to ensure consistent lighting for Earth observation.The mission was also meant to promote sustainability and carry out responsible space operations. EOS-09 was a repeat satellite similar to EOS-04, launched in 2022, that was designed with the mission objective to ensure remote sensing data for the user community engaged in operational applications and to improve the frequency of observation.–IANSdpb

Chennai, May 18 (IANS) In a bold move to position itself as a global hub for scientific research, the Tamil Nadu government is formulating a comprehensive plan to attract overseas Tamil researchers, particularly those considering leaving the US due to the tightening of immigration policies under the Trump administration.The initiative, dubbed the ‘Tamil Talents Plan’, aims to provide internationally competitive salaries, generous startup research grants, relocation support, including housing, and fast-tracked visa facilitation to returning scholars.“We are preparing a registry of overseas Tamil researchers across various disciplines,” said M.P. Vijayakumar, Vice-Chairman of the Tamil Nadu State Council for Higher Education (TANSCHE).The Council will also identify centres of excellence and research chairs in state universities to host these scholars, he added.A key component of the plan is a new collaboration framework between returning researchers and state-funded institutions. This includes establishing joint research laboratories, co-supervising PhD students, and undertaking collaborative projects of national and international significance.“We are open to both long-term and short-term collaborations, particularly to boost basic science research,” Vijayakumar said.The initiative is not limited to scholars returning from the US; researchers from the UK, Australia, and other countries are also being targeted.An annual Tamil Talents Conclave will serve as a platform for diaspora researchers to engage with local academic leaders, students, and policymakers.To maintain an updated talent pool, TANSCHE will leverage academic networks, global outreach, and community engagement to expand and revise the researcher registry on a rolling basis.The move follows a recent meeting between Chief Minister M.K. Stalin and the vice-chancellors of state universities. During the discussion, CM Stalin urged institutions to devise strategies to attract overseas researchers and officially announced the Tamil Talents Plan to reinforce the state’s commitment to fundamental research.Highlighting the state’s capabilities, Vijayakumar noted that institutions like the University of Madras and Madurai Kamaraj University already host advanced research centres in basic sciences and applied domains.“As artificial intelligence threatens routine jobs, investing in basic science research will be critical to fostering innovation and creating new employment opportunities,” he said.In line with this vision, the state’s budget has earmarked Rs 100 crore to establish new research centres for basic sciences and mathematics in Chennai and Coimbatore, in collaboration with IISc Bengaluru and TIFR Mumbai.–IANSaal/dpb

Chennai, May 18 (IANS) Greater Chennai Police Commissioner A. Arun has issued a fresh warning to the people about the potential misuse of the LGBTQ networking app ‘Grindr’, after a city-based businessman was robbed by individuals he met through the platform.
The incident came to light following the arrest of three serial offenders and a minor, who had orchestrated a robbery at the victim’s residence in MKB Nagar.The businessman, who runs a garment business, had reportedly invited a man he befriended on Grindr to his home on May 14, while his parents were away.Unknown to him, two others — a man and a 17-year-old girl — accompanied the visitor.According to the police, the trio soon turned violent.They brandished a knife, tied up the businessman, and locked him inside the bathroom.The gang then looted 30 sovereigns of gold jewellery and 2.5 kg of silver articles before fleeing the scene in an autorickshaw.The victim managed to free himself and alerted the MKB Nagar Police.A preliminary investigation and analysis of CCTV footage confirmed the entry and hurried exit of the suspects.Based on the footage, special police teams launched a manhunt.On Saturday, the police arrested R. Jayanthinathan (34), a history sheeter; his wife Esther; and M. Iyappan (34), a history sheeter.A 17-year-old girl, who was part of the gang was also apprehended.Authorities recovered 181 grams of gold and 1 kg of silver from the accused.Investigations revealed that Jayanthinathan had visited the victim a week before the incident and, upon observing the valuables at the residence, had conspired to carry out the robbery with his accomplices.Commissioner Arun noted that Chennai Police had previously cautioned the public about the Grindr app, particularly after probes into synthetic drug networks revealed the app was often used to facilitate contact between suppliers and customers.He urged citizens to exercise caution while using such platforms to prevent falling victim to criminal exploitation.–IANSaal/khz

New Delhi, May 18 (IANS) Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP Nishikant Dubey, on Sunday, said…

Islamabad, May 18 (IANS) In yet another move imitating India’s actions, Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has asked former Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari to present the country’s “case for peace” on foreign capitals.

In another example of imitating India after facing humiliation in a four-day military escalation from May 7 to 10 during Operation Sindoor, Pakistan has asked Bhutto to present its case on a global stage.Announcing the same, Bhutto said on X that he was contacted by Shehbaz Sharif, who asked him to lead a delegation.”I was contacted earlier today by Prime Minister @CMShehbaz, who requested that I lead a delegation to present Pakistan’s case for peace on the international stage. I am honoured to accept this responsibility and remain committed to serving Pakistan in these challenging times,” he posted on X.This comes as the Indian government have selected 7 MPs to lead respective delegations to assigned countries and present India’s evidence and stance on the zero-tolerance policy against terrorism and the Pahalgam terror attack, which led to Operation Sindoor.The seven Indian delegations comprising parliamentarians, political leaders and former diplomats, including Congress leader Shashi Tharoor, BJP leader Ravi Shankar Prasad, former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad and AIMIM leader Asaduddin Owaisi, are set to travel to key capitals in North America, Europe and West Asia.However, India’s External Affairs Minister (EAM) S. Jaishankar has already made it clear that India is willing to hold talks with Pakistan only on the issue of terrorism and the Indus Waters Treaty will remain in abeyance until cross-border terrorism backed by Islamabad is “irrevocably stopped”.The only issue related to Jammu and Kashmir that New Delhi is willing to discuss with Islamabad is the vacation of the parts of the region illegally occupied by Pakistan, EAM Jaishankar said on Thursday.On May 7, India launched Operation Sindoor and carried out a series of precision strikes on terrorist infrastructure at nine locations in territories controlled by Pakistan. This triggered four days of intense armed confrontation between the two sides, using drones, missiles and long-range weapons, till they reached an understanding on halting firing and military actions on May 10.The last time Pakistan copied India was not too long ago, when their Prime Minister visited a military base in Sialkot, copy-pasting the move from Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who went to Adampur airbase in Punjab and interacted with air warriors and jawans.He also addressed them with the S-400 air defence system in the background — which Pakistan had claimed to have shot down.Shehbaz Sharif too visited the Sialkot base and addressed the Pakistani army soldiers, claiming a sham “victory” against India in the brief four-day air battle.Pakistan’s mimicking of India comes as the Narendra Modi government in India formed teams to visit different parts of the world.Each delegation would comprise leaders from various political parties, including the Opposition, and seasoned diplomats.–IANSkhz/

New Delhi, May 18 (IANS) Three persons died while one person suffered injuries after a…