Entertainment
Modi skipped Asean summit to avoid Pakistan talk with Trump: report
- Indian officials believed Trump would repeat Pak-India ceasefire.
- US imposed 50% tariff on Indian exports for purchasing Russian oil.
- Pakistan openly credited US President Trump for ceasefire.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi chose not to attend the Asean summit in Malaysia in person to avoid a potential discussion on Pakistan with US President Donald Trump, Bloomberg reported.
Modi had decided against travelling to Kuala Lumpur for the regional leaders’ summit, opting instead to address the gathering virtually.
“Officials in the government were apprehensive that Trump would repeat his claim that he mediated a ceasefire between India and Pakistan, which India has consistently denied,” a report published by Bloomberg read.
Modi was reportedly unwilling to meet Trump, fearing it could prove “embarrassing” for the Indian premier amid the approaching state elections in Bihar.
It is noteworthy that this was not the first instance of Modi skipping a potential meeting with Trump. He had also avoided attending the United Nations General Assembly session the previous month.
Relations between India and the US have deteriorated since the Pakistan conflict five months ago. In August, Trump imposed a 50% tariff on Indian exports, with half of the tariff serving as a penalty for India’s purchase of Russian oil. Since then, trade negotiations have been underway, but there is still no clear indication of a deal.
Trump had repeatedly said that his intervention prevented a “bad nuclear war” between Pakistan and India in May this year.
“We stopped a nuclear conflict. I think it could have been a bad nuclear war, millions of people could have been killed. So I’m very proud of that,” Trump told reporters at the White House days after Pakistan and India agreed on the ceasefire.
Last week, the US president said he told Modi that there should be no war with Pakistan, stressing that he had helped avert several conflicts through diplomacy and trade pressure.
In May, Pakistan and Indian engaged in a military showdown, the worst between the old foes in decades, which was sparked by a terrorist attack on tourists in IIOJK’s Pahalgam area, which New Delhi said was backed by Pakistan.
Islamabad denied involvement in the Kashmir attack, which killed 26 men and was the worst assault on civilians in India since the Mumbai attacks in 2008.
After the incident, India killed several innocent civilians in unprovoked attacks on Pakistan for three days before the Pakistan Armed Forces retaliated in defence with the successful Operation Bunyan-um-Marsoos.
Pakistan downed seven IAF fighter jets, including Rafale, and dozens of drones. After at least 87 hours, the war between the two nuclear-armed nations ended on May 10 with a ceasefire agreement brokered by the US.
Pakistan has consistently credited Trump with securing a ceasefire and even nominated him for the Nobel Prize.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has described Trump as a “genuine man of peace”, saying that the US president worked “relentlessly and untiringly” to end global conflicts, including the war in Gaza.
Meanwhile, the US president praised Chief of Army Staff (COAS) Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir and PM Shehbaz, calling them “great people”.
Entertainment
Jennifer Lopez and Will Smith viral dating claims raise big questions
Jennifer Lopez and Will Smith are once again being linked together online, with many people wondering if something is going on between them.
The rumours have picked up quickly but there is no real proof that the two are dating.
The viral buzz started after old videos and past gossip started circulating again on social media.
As these clips made their way back into the spotlight, some fans started connecting dots and assuming that there might be a hidden story behind it.
But so far, nothing new has actually come out to support those claims.
A lot of this opinion seems to be coming from older speculations that have been around for years, which often involving Jada Pinkett Smith and Sean Combs.
These stories, however, were never confirmed yet they keep returning every now and then.
Right now, Lopez is said to be focusing on her life and work after her high-profile split from Ben Affleck.
At the same time, Smith still shares a public bond with Jada, even though they have spoken about living separately. Moreover, they do have a past connection, as they once talked about working together on a film that never happened.
For now, it looks like this is more about old rumours coming back again rather than anything new actually happening.
Entertainment
Here’s what Jamaican legend told teen phenom?
Gout Gout has broken the Jamaican icon Usain Bolt’s world record, but the legend has a warning for the teen phenom.
Sprint icon Usain Bolt has advised the buzzing teen phenom from Australia Gout Gout, not to forget track and field and to find a good support network in order to remain focused on his career goals.
Gout, 18, kept the 200m title at the Australian Athletics Championship on April 12 in a time stamp of 19.67 seconds, crushing U.S. sprinter Erriyon Knighton’s world under-20 record (19.69) and edging past Bolt’s time of 19.93 seconds from 2004—the Jamaican’s fastest time as a teenager.
Gout, who also clinched the under-20 100m national title, went under the 20-second mark at last season’s championships with a wind-assisted 19.84 and once held the fastest time by a 16-year-old over 200m when he posted that time, 20.04, in 2024.
The Jamaican eight-time Olympic GOAT has some piece of advice for the teen and spoke in an interview with CNN.
Bolt expresses hope for young Gout Gout, “Hopefully he has the right set of people to guide him and keep him focused on track and field because the rest of the stuff will always be there.”
While warning the teen sprint sensation, Bolt said, “But if you mess up on track and field, then it all goes away.”
The 18-year-old Australian sprinter Gout is all geared up to make his debut in the Diamond League in the 200m in Oslo on June 10, 2026.
But with a focus on the upcoming World Under-20 Championships in Oregon in August, he has indicated that he will not be part of the Commonwealth Games, Glasgow, due in July this year.
Entertainment
Prince Harry, Meghan Markle refuse to give up: ‘Will impress royals’
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have been working behind the scenes for royal redemption despite the latest shock from the UK.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have been dominating the headlines since their four-day visit to Australia.
The Montecito couple seemingly sent a message to the declining in strength royal family that they are “useful” after conducting meaningful engagements.
According to Heat World, “Harry and Meghan are very pleased with how this trip has gone. It’s given them a lot of confidence and reinforced their belief that the tide is finally turning in their favour.”
The Sussexes were ready for the critics, but their overall experience with the general public was pretty good.
An insider claimed, “It’s confirmed Harry’s belief they’re creating a groundbreaking new blueprint that will stand them in good stead moving forward – and he’s hoping it will impress the royals.”
Harry, who is expected to visit the UK for the one-year countdown event for the 2027 Birmingham Invictus Games, is reportedly aiming to sit down with his father, King Charles, for a “new chapter” after years of royal feud.
However, the monarch and royal family have been dropping clear hints about their true feelings for the Sussexes.
From not making them part of Queen Elizabeth’s 100th birthday events to Sandringham snub, the King may resolve issues inside Palace walls, but giving Harry and Meghan the same public spotlight is not on the cards, seemingly.
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