Prince Harry, who stepped down from his duties as a senior member of the British royal family and moved to the United States in 2020, expressed his desire for reconciliation with the Royal Family in a BBC interview, following his disappointment over losing a legal challenge regarding his UK security arrangements.
Prince Harry revealed that his father, the King, remains distant due to the security issue, whilst expressing his wish to end the conflict, noting his awareness of his father’s mortality.
Speaking from California after his unsuccessful appeal regarding security levels for his family in the UK, the prince stated his reluctance to return with his wife and children under current circumstances.
“There have been so many disagreements between myself and some of my family,” he acknowledged, whilst indicating he had “forgiven” them.
“I would love reconciliation with my family. There’s no point continuing to fight any more, life is precious,” said Prince Harry.
The dispute originated from security modifications implemented in 2020 when he stepped back from royal duties and relocated to America.
Expressing his disappointment, he criticised the decision as an “establishment stitch up” and implicated the Royal Household in influencing the reduced security measures. Regarding the King’s involvement, he clarified: “I never asked him to intervene – I asked him to step out of the way and let the experts do their jobs.”
The prince expressed profound disappointment, particularly regarding those responsible for the decision. He suggested some might view this outcome favourably, specifically those who wish him harm.
He explained that the security changes affect his daily life, limiting his UK visits to occasions when invited by the Royal Family, as these ensure adequate protection. Despite his circumstances, he affirmed his enduring love for Britain whilst lamenting his inability to share his homeland with his children.
The Court of Appeal’s dismissal of his case, which challenged the decision-making process of the Protection of Royalty and Public Figures committee, acknowledged his “powerful” arguments about security threats but determined his grievances lacked legal foundation.
The judges noted that whilst the committee had deviated from standard policy in their 2020 decision, this departure was deemed reasonable given the unique complexity of the prince’s situation.

New Delhi experienced its second-highest single-day rainfall in May since 1901, with 77 mm recorded at Safdarjung between 2:30 am and 8:30 am on Friday, according to the India Meteorological Department (IMD).
The record remains 119.3 mm on May 20, 2021. The torrential downpour, driven by converging moisture from the Arabian Sea and the Bay of Bengal, resulted in widespread disruptions, including four deaths in Najafgarh, traffic chaos, and major flight delays.
“Moisture and wind convergence over the region – fed by both the Arabian Sea and the Bay of Bengal – along with persistently favourable synoptic conditions in the lower and middle tropospheric levels, triggered the heavy rain,” the IMD said.
The rainfall was accompanied by strong southeasterly winds and storm conditions that peaked at 80 kmph at Safdarjung. Other weather stations in the city also saw high wind speeds: Pragati Maidan recorded 78 kmph, and Palam 74 kmph.
Temperatures across Delhi plummeted sharply following the storm. “At Lodhi Road, the temperature dropped from 28.2°C at 5:15 am to 20.7°C at 5:30 am. Similarly, at Jaffarpur, it fell from 28.4°C to 19°C,” said IMD scientist R.K. Jenamani. The city had seen only 10.2 mm rainfall since January 1, making Friday’s weather an extreme event. The monthly average for May stands at just 30.7 mm.
Rainfall totals from other parts of Delhi included 78 mm at Lodhi Road, 71.5 mm each at Pragati Maidan and Pitampura, and 67.5 mm at Jaffarpur.
The severe weather turned fatal in Najafgarh’s Kharkhari village, where four members of a family — Jyoti and her three children — died after a tree collapsed on a tubewell structure during the storm. Despite rescue efforts, all four were declared dead at Rao Tula Ram Memorial Hospital. The chief minister’s Office announced Rs 25 lakh in ex-gratia relief to the family. “The relief would be given to victim’s family head Ajay,” it said in a post on X.
Over 100 flights were delayed and at least 40 diverted as a result of the storm, while traffic in several parts of Delhi was disrupted due to waterlogging. Affected areas included Dwarka, Khanpur, South Extension, Minto Road, and Lajpat Nagar.
In South Delhi, Mehrauli-Badarpur Road near Tughlaqabad and Sangam Vihar’s Neem Chowk Road were submerged, adding to traffic snarls. Waterlogging at ITO, one of Delhi’s busiest intersections, led to major traffic congestion.
Chief Minister Rekha Gupta visited Majnu ka Tilla to inspect the situation and expressed dissatisfaction with the response. “Things won’t work like this,” she told officials, urging immediate action to address waterlogged spots. PWD Minister Parvesh Verma also visited Minto Bridge to assess the conditions.
According to Skymet Weather’s Mahesh Palawat, the rainstorm was a result of pre-monsoon thundercloud formation triggered by recent high temperatures above 40°C and rising moisture levels. “These phenomena generally occur during the early morning or late evening hours,” he said. Similar weather is expected to continue for about a week, with no heatwave forecast and maximum temperatures likely to stay below 40°C.

Ajinkya Rahane (ICC Photo)

NEW DELHI: Kolkata Knight Riders captain Ajinkya Rahane has reaffirmed his unwavering determination to return to the Indian team, saying he still harbours the “desire and hunger” to represent the country again. The 36-year-old last featured in a Test match in 2023 and has been out of India’s white-ball plans for nearly a decade, but his focus remains clear.
“I would love to be back in the Indian set-up again. The desire, the hunger, the fire is still there. Fitness-wise, I am right up there. I just want to take one game at a time, thinking about this IPL right now, and then, let’s see what happens in the future,” Rahane said during Star Sports’ Press Room interaction on Friday.
“I am a guy who will never give up. (I) always try and give my best on the field; give more than 100 per cent. It’s always about that, focusing on controllable things. I have been playing domestic cricket as well and I am really enjoying my cricket at this moment,” he added.
Rahane’s most celebrated chapter in Indian colours came during the 2020–21 Border-Gavaskar Trophy in Australia, where he led an injury-depleted side to a historic 2-1 Test series win. Despite that high, he soon found himself sidelined as younger talent emerged and took centre stage.

“Every day when I wake up, it’s always about what goals I want to achieve. For me, there is nothing higher than representing your country,” he reiterated.
“I want to represent my country. I want to wear those Indian colours again. During (the) off-season, I train for two-three sessions a day. I feel at this moment, for me, keeping myself really fit is really important, recovery is really important,” he said.
“(I am) focusing on my diet as well…the motivation to do well for India, it’s still there. I am enjoying my cricket, that is the important thing. I am still passionate. I still love the game.”
As the conversation shifted towards IPL 2025 and KKR’s campaign, Rahane expressed full support for out-of-form vice-captain Venkatesh Iyer, who has struggled for consistency. With the defending champions needing to win all four of their remaining games to stay in playoff contention, pressure is mounting.
Iyer, the franchise’s costliest buy at Rs 23.75 crore, has only managed scores of 60 and 45 of note this season. In the last four games, he has accumulated just 28 runs. But Rahane is backing his deputy to bounce back.

“Every player goes through that phase where he is trying his best but the performance is not coming. He is a quality player. We all know that he has done well for the franchisee in the past, (he has) won the matches for the team as well,” he said.
“It’s important from management (and) leadership group point of view (that) we back him. He has been working really hard. People generally only see about the results and the outcome. But the hard work which all the players are doing, that is really important.”
“From my point of view, we are completely backing Venkatesh Iyer. He is just one innings away. You can probably see one good innings from him in next four games,” he added.
Rahane also admitted that the team’s opening combinations haven’t clicked consistently.
“Sunil Narine has done well in the past for us. This year, we started with Quinny (Quinton de Kock). Quinny played a very good knock. But again, he couldn’t capitalise on that. He is trying hard. He is trying his best. But now, we have to look at the positives rather than what is not working for us,” he said.
“Obviously, the errors (have) happened and that can happen in this format. You want your players to play with freedom, play sometimes with high-risk cricket, so we are bound to make errors.”
“I don’t like to pinpoint on any players or any particular number. Everyone has to contribute…It’s not happening, yes. I accept that.”
Looking ahead, Rahane emphasized the importance of focusing one match at a time, especially with upcoming games against Rajasthan Royals and Chennai Super Kings, both already eliminated from the playoff race.
“When teams are out, they have got nothing to lose and they come with a different mindset to play the game. For us, it’s important to go out there with the right mindset (and) right attitude on that particular day and give our best,” he said.

NEW DELHI: India and Royal Challengers Bengaluru star batter Virat Kohli has finally opened up about his decision to retire from T20 internationals following India’s triumphant T20 World Cup campaign in 2024.
Kohli called time on his T20I career after India, led by Rohit Sharma, clinched the T20 World Cup title with a thrilling seven-run win over South Africa in the final held in Barbados.
In the high-octane final, Kohli delivered when it mattered the most, scoring a crucial 76 off 59 balls, earning him the Player of the Match award.
Moments after lifting the trophy, Kohli announced his retirement from T20Is during the post-match presentation. Soon after, Rohit Sharma and Ravindra Jadeja also confirmed their retirements from the format.
Speaking on the RCB Podcast, Kohli explained the reasoning behind his decision.

“I do not think things have changed for me in any way. The decision to leave T20Is was taken purely understanding that there is a new set of players who are more than ready and they need time,” he said.
“They need a two-year cycle to evolve, handle pressure, play in different parts of the world, and play enough games to the point where when the World Cup comes, they feel like they are ready.”

Kohli finished his T20I career with 125 matches, amassing 4,188 runs at an impressive average of 48.69. He was named Player of the Tournament in both the 2014 and 2016 editions of the T20 World Cup.
Currently, Kohli is showcasing top form in the ongoing IPL 2025, leading the charts for RCB with 443 runs in 10 matches at an average of 63.29.
RCB, placed second in the points table, are set to face Chennai Super Kings in a key encounter on Saturday.

In a scene that feels equal parts political satire and constitutional stress test, Marco Rubio has become the Trump administration’s man for all seasons, and all jobs.
Rubio, 53, now holds four prominent roles simultaneously: Secretary of State, Acting Administrator of the US Agency for International Development, Acting Archivist of the National Archives, and as of this week, Interim National Security Adviser.
The announcement came via a surprise post on Truth Social by former President Donald Trump, ousting NSA Michael Waltz and naming Rubio his replacement while nominating Waltz to serve as UN Ambassador.
The multi-hyphenate appointment raised eyebrows across Washington and drew laughs online.
US Vice President JD Vance, known for his sharp wit, couldn’t resist joking on X, “I think he could take on a bit more. If only there was a job opening for a devout Catholic…”, a tongue-in-cheek reference to the Pope, and the recent passing of Pope Francis.
Appearing on Fox News’ Hannity, Rubio gamely responded, “We thought about it, but you have to be an unmarried Catholic male. People don’t know that. You don’t have to be a priest, any unmarried Catholic male can be pope. But I got married and I’m happily married, so I guess I’ll miss out on that one.”
The rise of ‘secretary everything’
Rubio’s accumulation of power started when the Senate unanimously confirmed him as Secretary of State on Inauguration Day. But subsequent appointments have been more opaque.
In February, he was named acting USAID administrator just days before Trump loyalists Elon Musk and Pete Marocco began downsizing the aid agency. Then came his installation as acting archivist after Trump fired Colleen Shogan, reportedly in retaliation for the National Archives’ role in recovering classified documents from Mar-a-Lago.
Most recently, Rubio was tapped to replace Waltz at the National Security Council, learning of the decision, it seems, almost as suddenly as the public.
“We’ve seen him at the White House several times a week. His close working relationship with the president is clear,” said State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce when informed of the news mid-briefing, as reported NYT. “This is the miracle of modern technology and social media.”
An unprecedented power grab or administrative necessity?
Rubio’s quadruple-title reign appears unprecedented in modern US political history. The closest parallel may be Henry Kissinger, who served simultaneously as Secretary of State and National Security Adviser from 1973 to 1975, a dual role that even back then drew criticism for consolidating too much foreign policy power in one person.
Critics today are sounding similar alarms. “Directing even one federal agency is a full-time job,” noted Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW). “Rubio’s current positions are uniquely concerning.”
Ethical conflicts loom especially large in his dual roles as top diplomat and national archivist, a watchdog of federal agency records, including those from his own departments.
Is it about trust or control?
White House insiders say Rubio’s consolidation of power stems from the deep trust Trump places in him, and his close relationship with Susie Wiles, Trump’s chief of staff and political gatekeeper, as reported NYT. Rubio has long been viewed as a foreign policy hawk with ideological alignment on China and Iran, issues that Trump wants streamlined.
Still, questions abound: Will Rubio be paid four salaries? Can one person reasonably lead four departments? Is this a temporary fix, or a sign of more centralized power structures in Trump 2.0?
On Hannity, Rubio appeared unfazed by the workload. He pivoted quickly to policy, defending Trump’s diplomatic push in Ukraine and characterizing the mineral deal signed this week with Kyiv as a “major win” for US leverage in the conflict.
“This is not our war,” Rubio said. “Trump’s been the only leader in the world trying to talk to both sides and end the killing. But if they’re not close enough, maybe we need to focus more on China and Iran.”
The punchline that stuck
Despite the high-stakes roles and serious foreign policy implications, it was JD Vance’s papal jab that stole the show.
With a wink to his recent Vatican visit, hours before the pope’s death, Vance’s tweet quickly went viral, with commenters dubbing Rubio everything from “Pope Marco I” to “Secretary of the Universe.”
Rubio’s response, half humor, half deflection, might become the unofficial slogan of his tenure: “I’m happily married.”

The IT service giant Cognizant has revealed its plans to hire 20,000 freshers this year. This number is more than double the amount hired in the previous year. Cognizant CEO Ravi Kumar S revealed the company’s plan to hire 20,000 freshers this year as part of the company strategy. Kumar added that with the new hiring plan in place, the company is trying to reshape its talent pyramid and support managed services and AI-led software development. He further revealed that Cognizant is now focusing on three areas — hiring freshers, increasing productivity through AI, and improving utilisation to manage human capital costs effectively.

What Cognizant CEO Ravi Kumar S said about hiring 20,000 freshers in 2025

Cognizant CEO Ravi Kumar S. emphasized the strategic importance of talent amplification as the firm accelerates its growth and innovation agenda. While the company’s overall headcount remained nearly flat, this move aims to build a stronger workforce pyramid, especially with the increase in managed services projects. The company is focusing on hiring freshers, increasing productivity through AI, and improving utilization to manage human capital costs effectively.
“As we stated at our Investor Day, we are hiring 20,000 freshers as part of our strategy, which is more than double what we did last year,” Cognizant CEO Ravi Kumar S said. “But it also comes equally with an overhead of carrying higher bench at a lower cost and actually offshore,” he said.
“…with amplifying talent, we are strengthening our talent pipeline with skills needed for the AI era. As you heard us talk about during the Investor Day, we are upskilling our workforce at scale, leveraging AI to meet demand faster and identifying talent pools to address new areas unlocked by AI,” added Kumar.
The company is also investing in AI upskilling, with over 1,400 early GenAI engagements already underway. Cognizant’s Synapse initiative has trained 400,000 professionals globally, with a goal of reaching 1 million individuals in advanced AI technologies.
Additionally, Cognizant reported a 7.45% year-on-year growth in revenue for the January-March quarter of 2025.

Pakistan’s former foreign minister Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari openly acknowledged the country’s troubled past in funding extremist groups, echoing recent admissions made by defence minister Khawaja Asif. In an interview with Sky News, Bhutto said, “I don’t think that it’s a secret that Pakistan has a past as far as extremist groups are concerned.”
His comments follow those of Khawaja Asif, who admitted during a televised interview that “we have been doing this dirty work for the United States for about 3 decades… and the West, including Britain.” Asif had called it “a mistake”, saying Pakistan paid a heavy price for aligning with the US during the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan and the post-9/11 war on terror.
Bhutto echoed this historical reality, pointing to Pakistan’s active role in funding and supporting the Mujahideen during the first Afghan war. “We did that in coordination and collaboration with Western powers,” he said. “Pakistan went through wave after wave of extremism… we suffered.”
However, Bhutto insisted that the situation has changed in recent years. “It is not something that we partake in today. It is true that it is an unfortunate part of our history… but we also learned our lessons,” he said.
He credited internal reforms and military operations, especially after the assassination of his mother Benazir Bhutto, with reversing the state’s policy on extremist elements. “We saw terrorist attack every other day… Pakistan has taken serious action, successful action against these groups.”
During his interview Khwaja Asif had acknowledged, “We have been doing this dirty work for the United States for about 3 decades… and the west, including Britain…That was a mistake, and we suffered for that, and that is why you are saying this to me. If we had not joined the war against the Soviet Union and later on the war after 9/11, Pakistan’s track record was unimpeachable.”
These comments follow the deadly terror attack in Pahalgam, which left 26 dead. India responded with a raft of measures including cancelling visas for Pakistani nationals, suspending the Indus Waters Treaty, and reducing diplomatic staff.
India has also barred all Pakistan-registered aircraft, including military planes, from its airspace from midnight of April 30–May 1 until May 23, 2025, as per a NOTAM issued Wednesday. The restriction covers all flight levels across Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, and Kolkata regions. Pakistan had earlier barred Indian aircraft from its airspace starting April 24 at 6 pm IST.
US VP condemns Pahalgam terror attack
US Vice President JD Vance addressed last month’s terrorist attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, which killed 26 people. Speaking on Fox News, he said, “Our hope here is that India responds to this terrorist attack in a way that doesn’t lead to a broader regional conflict.”
Vance urged Pakistan to cooperate in locating the perpetrators: “To the extent that they’re responsible, [Pakistan] cooperates with India to make sure that the terrorists… are hunted down and dealt with.” He also said, “I’m worried about any time you see a hot spot breaking out, especially between two nuclear powers.”