Years ago, I dined at an exotically named restaurant, “1001 Nights,” in St. Petersburg, Russia. There, I met four young students from southern Indian states, all studying medicine. To earn some pocket money, they worked part-time at the restaurant. Curious, I asked if they liked being so far from home, enduring Russia’s unforgiving winters. Their … Read more
During the infamous televised confrontation with Volodymyr Zelensky earlier this month, Donald Trump shouted at the Ukrainian leader saying, “You don’t have any cards.” Trump was right as he also reminded Zelensky that he was losing the war with Russia and wouldn’t survive without US support.Trump briefly withdrew military support and intelligence-sharing from Ukraine, forcing … Read more
One would have thought that Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi settled this debate long ago. That real power dressing lies in how powerfully your dress transmits who you are and what you stand for—and not in donning a so-called appropriate set of clothes. Or, indeed, a sharp suit. In 1931, Gandhi went to meet King George V … Read more
Is the dragon-elephant dance desirable for India? Or, will it turn into danse macabre? It is difficult to gauge what China truly wants from and for India. With all its tiger diplomats and increasingly aggressive talk, China remains one of the most complex countries in terms of decoding diplomacy. While foreign minister Wang Yi wants … Read more
There were little surprises about what US President Donald Trump told his country and the world in his joint address to the US Congress last week. The ramifications of the over 90-minute speech, considered one of the longest delivered in decades, would be experienced in America in the weeks ahead as DOGE Chief Elon Musk’s … Read more
Two days after US President Donald Trump berated Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelensky at the White House on live television, European leaders met in London to present a united front to support him. They agreed on a plan to achieve peace in Ukraine with some security guarantees, though they still want the US to provide military … Read more
There has probably never been such a public trimming in the history of diplomacy. The joint presser between the President of the United States and Ukraine President Zelensky has set the internet on fire, with condemnation of both parties, and speculation about the outcome. Zelensky was not unnaturally on edge, given that he had to … Read more
German elections this week have once again underlined that Europe’s political landscape is undergoing a fundamental transformation. Friedrich Merz’s conservatives won, but the star of the election night was Alternative for Germany, or AfD, which managed to double its support in just four years to 20.8%, emerging as the second biggest political force in the … Read more
As we mark three years of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, here’s a look at Trump 2.0’s Europe shakedown and his move to seek a rapprochement with Russia. United States President Donald Trump’s recent initiative on Ukraine did many things in one go—from widening the Atlantic to fording the oceanic divide with Russia. It also … Read more
Hey movie lovers! Vijay Deverakonda is back and ready to take over with his new film Kingdom. Even before it releases, this action-packed movie is making waves. The coolest news? In North America, Kingdom has a breakeven target that’s 31% higher than Vijay’s last movie, The Family Star. Let’s break it down in simple words … Read more
It’s a new phase in the Ukraine war as the Trump administration moves to hold talks with Russia without the presence of Ukraine or Europe. The Saudis will be in the mediating role, and the US Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, Trump’s Middle East special envoy, Steve Witkoff, and National Security Adviser Mike Waltz, all … Read more
Captain America: Brave New World China Box Office: Day 2 Update (Photo Credit – YouTube) Anthony Mackie finds her first solo MCU film and Captain America: Brave New World seems quite unexpected in terms of its global opening. Despite scoring a strong early day in China, the film fell significantly on Saturday. The estimated opening … Read more