Author: Vadiraj Bengeri

As the sun dips below the Indian Ocean waves, Ukrainian tourist Viktoria Makarenko and her daughter light incense every evening at a temple in a Sri Lankan beach resort to pray for a return home. Russia’s February invasion of the 35-year-old’s homeland has left thousands of foreign travellers from the two countries stranded on the tropical island. But Ukrainians with empty wallets, distraught over the fate of loved ones back home, say they have been overwhelmed by support from locals — despite their own travails in the face of a worsening financial crisis. “I love Sri Lanka and Sri Lankan…

The Indian government has raised the import tariff on raw materials to 30%. Prices for aluminium ore and concentrate may rise since they are utilised in the production of televisions and air conditioners. Manufacturers are also concerned about the impact of the Russia-Ukraine conflict on costs. April 1 is not just April Fools’ Day. For Indians, it is the day when the new Budget 2022 comes into effect. Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, during her speech in the Parliament in February, announced a 30 per cent import duty on raw materials, specifically aluminium ore and concentrate. Since these raw materials are…

Covid Curbs: During last year’s Ganesh Chaturthi, the state’s biggest celebration, Maharashtra, which bore the brunt of Covid’s first and second waves, imposed tight restrictions, prohibiting processions and physical “darshan” at pandals. Mumbai: Maharashtra, which was most hit by the Covid virus, will lift all pandemic-related restrictions on Saturday as the state celebrates the Marathi New Year. The usage of masks will be recommended but not required, according to the state administration. Masks are no longer considered “necessary” in Bengal or Delhi, while their use is recommended in congested locations. The news came from the office of Maharashtra Chief Minister…

Facebook is a tech company leader in identifying child sexual abuse content, which has grown on social media and throughout the internet in recent years. However, fears of falsely accusing individuals of publishing unlawful pictures have resulted in a policy that may allow photos and videos of abuse to go unnoticed. According to a corporate training document, Meta, the parent company of Facebook, Instagram, Messenger, and WhatsApp, has directed content moderators for its platforms to “err on the side of an adult” when determining the age of a person in a photo or video. In an interview, Antigone Davis, Meta’s…

Everyone in the UK will be able to enjoy live action of the Women’s Cricket World Cup final, with the build-up starting from 1am this Sunday on Sky Sports Main Event (401), the Sky Sports Cricket World Cup channel (404), Sky Showcase (106) and the Sky Sports YouTube channel As England prepares to face Australia in the Women’s World Cup final, captain Heather Knight is looking forward to making “history” and “creating a wonderful tale.” If Knight’s charges repeat their 2017 victory at Hagley Oval on Sunday, they would become the first England team to successfully defend the Women’s World…

Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu said the government should look into how it can use technology to improve access and quality of education.  Vice President: The US should make better use of technology to increase access and the caliber of education Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu said on Tuesday that the government should look into how it might use technology to improve learning access and quality. Vice President added that digital tools made learning more interesting and dynamic, but that there was a gap in accessing technology devices at an event here.  “We must recognise the importance of social and emotional…

India, on the other hand, will require more from the known celebrities. Mithali, 39, has been a wonderful servant to Indian cricket and is in excellent form, having scored nine half-centuries in her previous 20 appearances, although just two of them have come in Indian victories. India will need to step up their game when they face hosts New Zealand in their second game on Thursday, after beating Pakistan in their Women’s World Cup opener. Mithali Raj’s squad is confident, but they must be wary of the Kiwis, who defeated them 4-1 in an ODI series just before the event. …

A third round of discussions with Russia on halting the violence will take place tomorrow, according to one of Ukraine’s negotiators. Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky said he spoke with his US colleague Joe Biden on the phone today to discuss financial help and penalties on Russia as his country faces a growing onslaught.  Here’s a 5-point summary of the key story:  Russian soldiers are closing in on Kyiv, Ukraine’s capital, from the north and west. The northern town of Chernihiv, where dozens of residents have been murdered in shelling, missile assaults, and air raids, has been described as a scene…

Russia The Latest on the Ukraine Conflict:   According to US media, Washington is negotiating with Poland to equip Ukraine with Soviet-era jets to reinforce Kyiv’s defenses against an invasion of Russia. Several news organizations’ claimed on Saturday that US officials informed them of a prospective arrangement in which Poland would give Soviet-era planes to Ukraine in exchange for American F-16 fighter jets. Since Russia’s invasion ten days ago, the war’s economic and humanitarian toll has risen dramatically, with officials reporting hundreds of civilian deaths. Western allies have rushed weapons, ammunition, and finances into Ukraine.  Russian soldiers are targeting populous areas…

According to a report, two children were among the three people killed when Russian troops opened fire on civilians during an evacuation in Irpen. LIVE UPDATES ON THE WAR BETWEEN RUSSIA AND UKRAINE:   On Sunday, the number of Ukrainian refugees was anticipated to surpass 1.5 million, as Russia intensified its offensive 11 days after entering Ukraine, and Kyiv urged for stronger Western intervention, including sanctions and arms.  A failed ceasefire agreement that would have let residents to evacuate Mariupol and Volnovakha, two southern cities encircled by Russian soldiers, was blamed by both Moscow and Kyiv. Another round of discussions was…