An excursion in the time of war By afternoon, the street ceases to exist. Merrymakers swallow it, with as much relish as their beers. A parade of performers – singing Adele to Dylan – traverse the decades with ease. Their audience – including bare-chested European and American men, with their women companions – sways from…
Costly jet fuel may drive up airfares briefly, but lack of competition is the real long-term risk to Indian aviation India pulled its airfare cap yesterday, without a price surge. Big question now is, what happens next month, when jet fuel prices are revised. If US and Iran achieve “total resolution of hostilities”, as Trump…
Is his pause the beginning of the end of the Iran conflict, or just the end of the beginning? Trump’s abrupt pivot on targeting Iran’s power and energy infra, marked by a five-day pause, has landed like a pressure valve release, on a world bracing for escalation. The reaction was swift and telling. Oil price,…
By Sumit Paul Universities around the world are shutting down humanities programmes, saying they don’t lead directly to jobs. But education is not just about employment; it’s about shaping thoughtful, ethical, and empathetic human beings. Poetry, philosophy, and music humanise us. Poetry makes us think, and what makes us think guides us. A poem is…
Trump’s statement yesterday on talks with Iran, has sent a fresh tremor through the already volatile tectonic plates of West Asia – a region where pressure rarely dissipates, only shifts. His claim that “very good and productive talks have been held towards a full and definitive resolution of our hostilities in the Middle East,” coupled…
Last year America’s prowess in AI more than offset the damaging economic effects from Trump’s tariffs. Now, different strengths – including energy independence, its army of retail investors, and the dollar’s safe-haven status – are saving US economy and markets from the worst effects of his Iran ‘excursion’. Since the first bombing run on Feb…
India has a rich and diverse culinary heritage, and fermented foods have long been an integral part of everyday diets across the country. From the soft, fluffy idli and crispy dosa in the south to the comforting pakhal bhat in Odisha, fermentation has been a natural and essential cooking technique. In eastern India, dishes like…
Air ticket prices may go up for a short time, but the bigger problem is lack of competition India has removed the limit on airfares, and prices didn’t jump right away. But the big question is what will happen next month, when jet fuel prices are updated. If the US and Iran stop fighting, as…
Think of this situation like a tricky cricket match. Donald Trump suddenly changed his plan about attacking Iran’s power and energy systems. He called for a 5-day pause. That’s like a bowler surprising everyone with a “doosra” — a move no one expected. Why did this matter? The whole world was getting worried that the…
Many parents believe that strict punishment is essential to raise disciplined, responsible, and successful teenagers. The idea is simple: if consequences are strong enough, children will learn to behave correctly. While punishment may lead to short-term compliance, psychological and neuroscientific research suggests that it does not foster confidence, emotional maturity, or genuine responsibility in the…