Akshita Kapoor

[ad_1] MASTERS OF THE SEA: ‘I feel I lived all my seven lives in these eight months,’ Roopa Alagirisamy said, while Dilna K said the ocean rose ‘in anger’ on some days and on others, it was so calm that ‘time felt meaningless’ PANAJI: At 5.22pm Thursday, as Lt Cdrs Dilna K and Roopa Alagirisamy stepped on Indian soil after a 239-day historic voyage, they became the first Indian duo to sail across the planet."Yes. We made it." These four words from Dilna summed up the poignant and emotional 25,400-nautical-mile journey that began Oct 2 from the banks of the Mandovi."We saw the ocean and waves rising in anger some days. The waves were as high as 20 feet tall, looking like a wall. But we also had days when the sea was as calm as a mirror, and it […]

[ad_1] India rejects US claim in court on trade for peace NEW DELHI: Following signed declarations by top Donald Trump cabinet members in court that said the President leveraged trade to stop the India-Pakistan conflict, the Indian govt strongly reiterated there was no discussion on trade and tariffs with the US leaders who spoke to Indian authorities in the middle of the fighting and that the "ceasefire" was negotiated directly between the armies. The government also took note of the same court's ruling that blocked Trump's Liberation Day tariffs.The MEA referred to the court order on Wednesday and said that India's position on US claims about having used trade to mediate a ceasefire has been well articulated."I hope you have seen the court order. I would refer you to our position that was made clear on 13th of May. From […]

[ad_1] Mass resignations in Cong minority unit in Mangaluru over 'revenge killings' (Picture credit: PTI) Several Muslim functionaries of the governing Congress's minority unit in Dakshina Kannada quit en masse Thursday, accusing the Siddaramaiah government of negligence and failing to protect the community amid a spate of recent revenge killings. Hours later, the government announced a specialised Communal Violence Control Force (CVCF) to curb tensions in the coastal region that includes Mangaluru, and transferred two top cops. The resignations were announced during an emergency meeting in Bolar, Mangaluru. Party workers stormed the stage, demanding justice for Abdul Rahman, secretary of a mosque in Kolathamajalu area, who was brutally murdered recently. KPCC general secretary MS Mohammed, DK district Congress minority unit president Shahul Hameed and other seniors were present at the meeting, which descended into chaos. Suhail Kandak, who was state […]

[ad_1] New Delhi: Supreme Court Thursday refused to entertain a doctor's plea seeking suspension of the sentence of life imprisonment awarded to him after being convicted under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act (Pocso) for raping his seven-year-old daughter.A bench of Justices B V Nagarathna and Satish Chandra Sharma said he was not entitled to bail, considering the kind of things he did to his daughter.The convict's lawyer contended that he was framed because of differences with his wife, and that she tutored the child to testify against him. His wife is also a doctor but despite that the medical examination of his daughter was delayed by three months and no injury marks were found on her body, the advocate said.The bench, however, said there was no reason to disbelieve the child's statement and she also withstood the […]

[ad_1] NEW DELHI: It was literally a baptism by fire for the young women BSF personnel deployed at the international border (IB) in J&K's Akhnoor sector during Operation Sindoor. Led by Assistant Commandant Neha Bhandari who joined the force barely three years ago but seized the "once-in-a-lifetime" opportunity to engage the enemy forces in active combat - arguably becoming the first woman officer to do so since the Army is yet to utilise its women personnel for such roles - half a dozen women BSF personnel fiercely defended two forward posts in Akhnoor with sustained and heavy retaliatory fire on the Pakistani posts in adjoining Sialkot for three days and three nights. The women 'Seema Praharis' stopped only when the extensive damage caused by their flat trajectory/area weapons forced the enemy to step back and abandon their forward locations.Of the […]

[ad_1] TimesofIndia.com in Mullanpur: At the innings break, Punjab Kings (PBKS) players posed for the camera. The moment their faces hit the big screens, it told the story of the 85 minutes they had just endured against a charged-up Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) in Qualifier 1 of the IPL playoffs at the Maharaja Yadavindra Singh International Cricket Stadium in Mullanpur.The faces of the Punjab Kings players said it all — battered, dejected, bruised, and in complete disbelief at what had just hit them. The stars of the show? The RCB bowlers.After being put in to bat first, PBKS were annihilated by the RCB attack, bundled out for just 101 in 14.1 overs. Everything RCB touched on the night turned to gold — barring one bizarre review.RCB were simply outstanding with the ball, and every bowler chipped in. Whether it was […]

[ad_1] Anushka Sharma and Virat Kohli NEW DELHI: Punjab Kings’ all-out attacking strategy spectacularly misfired on Thursday as they were bundled out for a paltry 101 by Royal Challengers Bengaluru in Qualifier 1 of IPL 2025 at the Maharaja Yadavindra Singh International Stadium in Mullanpur.On a pitch where hitting through the line was far from easy, Punjab’s gamble to go hard from ball one proved costly. Their innings lasted just 14.1 overs.RCB’s pace trio of Josh Hazlewood (3/21), Bhuvneshwar Kumar (1/17), and Yash Dayal (2/26) set the tone early, before leg-spinner Suyash Sharma (3/17) ran through the middle and lower order with his deceptive googlies.Notably, this was Punjab Kings’ first playoff appearance since 2014 — but it turned into a forgettable one.'I don't want to be a one-season wonder': Punjab Kings' Shashank SinghRCB star Virat Kohli celebrated every wicket with […]

[ad_1] NEW DELHI: Defence minister Rajnath Singh on Thursday hailed the growing role of women in India's Armed Forces, crediting them with key contributions in counter-terror operations and maritime endurance feats. Speaking at the flag-in ceremony of INSV Tarini in Goa, Singh said women personnel played a “crucial role” in Operation Sindoor, India’s recent action against terrorism in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.“Women pilots and other female soldiers played a crucial role in the effective action taken by India against terrorism in Pakistan and PoK during Operation Sindoor,” the defence minister said. He added that women have excelled in every responsibility, from the icy heights of Siachen to the deep seas.He highlighted recent milestones including 17 women graduating from the National Defence Academy this month and the opening of Sainik Schools to girls. “The circle of India’s security has only strengthened […]

[ad_1] The Department of Defense has officially ended Elon Musk's "what did you do last week" emails, a Pentagon spokesperson said in a statement. The decision, effective immediately, coincides with Elon Musk’s abrupt departure from the Trump administration. The Pentagon announcement is being seen as signaling a shift away from some of his more contentious policies during his tenure as co-leader of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).Pentagon to employees: Send one final emailIn a statement, Defense Department official Jules Hurst informed employees last Friday that the program would conclude on Wednesday, May 28, 2025. Hurst encouraged staff to submit one final email, including “one concrete idea to enhance efficiency or root out waste.” The Pentagon defended the initiative’s impact, stating, “This initiative provided leaders and supervisors with additional insights into their employees’ contributions, fostered accountability, and helped to identify […]