"Tipu Sultan Is Actually A Very Complex Figure In History": S Jaishankar

External Affairs Minister (EAM) S Jaishankar on Saturday attended the launch of Indian historian Vikram Sampath's book 'Tipu Sultan: The Saga of the Mysore Interregnum' at the Indian Habitat Centre here in Delhi. S Jaishankar described Tipu Sultan as a "very complex figure in history," highlighting both his resistance to British colonial control and the controversial aspects of his rule.

Speaking at the event, S Jaishankar said, "Tipu Sultan is actually a very, very complex figure in history. On the one hand, he has the reputation as a key figure who resisted the British colonial control over India, and it is a fact that his defeat and death can be considered a turning point when it came to the fate of peninsular India."

However, S Jaishankar also noted the "adverse" effects of Tipu Sultan's rule in the Mysore region. "At the same time, he evokes strong adverse sentiments even today in many regions, some in Mysore itself," he added.

S Jaishankar further emphasized that Indian history has focused more on Tipu Sultan's battles with the British, and "underplaying" or "neglecting" other aspects of his rule. "Contemporary history writing, certainly at the national level, has focused largely on the former, and underplaying, if not neglecting the later. Let's be honest, this was not an accident," he said.

Asserting that History is complicated, S Jaishankar said that "cherry-picking of facts" in the case of Tipu Sultan has led to the advancement of a "political narrative".

"History, in all societies, is complicated, and politics indulges in cherry-picking the facts. This has happened in the case of Tipu Sultan. By highlighting the Tipu-English binary, to the exclusion of a more complicated reality, a particular narrative has been advanced over the years," he said.

S Jaishankar reaffirmed that under PM Modi's government, India has seen the emergence of alternative perspectives.

"In the last 10 years, the changes in our political dispensation have led to the emergence of alternative perspectives. We are no longer prisoners of a vote bank, nor it is politically incorrect to bring out inconvenient truth," he added.

Speaking further about the book, S Jaishankar said, "As someone from the diplomatic world, I was really struck by info and insights which are provided in this volume on Tipu Sultan. We in India have tendered to mainly study post-independence foreign policy -- perhaps this too was a conscious choice. But the fact is that many of our kingdoms and states forayed into international affairs in previous centuries in pursuance of thier particular interests, and some, by the way, continued to do so even till independence. The interaction of Tipu's missionary with their French and English counterparts is really fascinating."

S Jaishankar concluded by saying that open-minded scholarship and genuine debate are central to India's evolution as a pluralistic society and vibrant democracy.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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"Virat Went Back To...": Ponting Analyses Change That Got Kohli To 30th Ton

Former Australian captain Ricky Ponting lauded star Indian batter Virat Kohli for a century against Australia at Perth, pointing out how trusting his game during the second innings paid off well for him. After a terrible home Test season against Bangladesh and New Zealand, with horrific outings against the Kiwis in a losing cause, Virat rose above all critics, questioning and doubts with yet another magnificent ton at Perth's Optus Stadium. With this century, he shattered many records as a visiting batter and continued his love affair with playing in Australia.

Speaking about Virat's ton on the latest episode of ICC Review, Ponting said, as quoted by ICC, "Virat went back to trusting his game and he looked like a different player in the second innings than he did in the first innings."

Now, Virat has scored his 81st international century and continues his chase for his idol Sachin Tendulkar's record of 100 international centuries. This is also his 30th Test century. Now in 119 matches, Virat has scored 9,145 runs at an average of 48.13, with 30 centuries and 31 fifties. His best score is 254*.

Also, with 54 List A centuries, nine T20 centuries, and 37 first-class centuries, Virat has completed 100 centuries in professional cricket.

Virat has also become the seventh player to complete 2,000 runs in Border-Gavaskar Trophy history. In 26 BGT matches, he has scored 2,147 centuries at an average of 48.79, with nine centuries and five fifties. His best score is 186.

This was Virat's seventh Test century in Australia, the most by an Indian batter, as he has now overtaken Sachin Tendulkar, who has scored six Test tons in Australia. He has also equalled England's Wally Hammond for the second-most centuries in Tests in Australia. The most Test centuries in Australia are by England's Jack Hobbs, with nine tons. In Tests in Australia, Virat has scored 1,457 runs at an average of 56.03, with seven centuries and four fifties. His best score is 169.

This is Virat's 12th international century in Australia, the most by any visiting batter. He has scored 3,531 runs in 43 matches and 55 innings at an average of 56.95 in Australia, with 12 centuries and 19 fifties and a best score of 169.

In 35 Tests since the start of 2020, Virat has scored 1,943 runs at an average of 32.93 with three centuries and nine fifties. His best score is 186 in this phase.

Ponting also had a word of advice for struggling senior Australian batters Steve Smith and Marnus Labuschagne as he urged them to be more intent-driven.

"He got away from trying to combat the opposition and focused on his strengths. That is what Marnus and (Steve) Smith need to do - find their own way and show great intent," he said.

With a pink ball in action, the Adelaide Test offers a big chance for Australia to stage a comeback, and Ponting believes that a shift in mindset could be the key to unlocking their potential.

"Think about scoring runs first and not think about getting out first. That is always a challenge for a batter, especially when you are not in great form. There is only one way to change it and that is to be positive and show great intent," Ponting suggested.

Labuschagne's horror run in Tests continued at Perth's Optus Stadium against India. In the first innings, Labuschagne had a block-a-thon as he could score just two runs in 52 balls. In the next innings, he made just three runs. Australia lost the Test by 295 runs, and Labuschagne's form came under scrutiny, having not made a century since July last year against England.

In 13 ICC World Test Championship (2023-25) matches, the batter has managed just 658 runs at an average of 27.41, with barely a century and five fifties to show in 26 innings. His best score is 111.

This year in six Tests, Labuschagne has scored just 245 runs in six Tests at a subpar average of 24.50, with two half-centuries. Since his last Test century, he has scored just 352 runs in nine matches, averaging a poor 22.00, with four fifties to his name. His best score is 90.

Smith, after a consistent run in the mid to late 2010s, has been facing a downfall as well. In 13 Tests of the ongoing WTC cycle, he has managed 755 runs at an average of 32.82, with just a century and four fifties in 32 innings to show. His best score is 110.

Since his last Test century last year in Ashes against England, Smith has scored 589 runs in 11 matches, averaging a disappointing 31.00, with just four half-centuries in 22 innings and a best score of 91*.

This year, in six Tests and 12 innings, Smith has made 230 runs, averaging a poor 25.55, with just one fifty to his name.

The second Test at Adelaide starts from December 6 onwards.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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Vladimir Putin Issues Fresh Hypersonic Missile Threat To Ukraine

President Vladimir Putin on Thursday threatened to strike "decision-making centres" in Kyiv with Russia's new hypersonic missile, hours after Moscow pummelled Ukraine's energy grid in an attack that left a million people without power.

Russia fired more than 90 missiles and around 100 drones during the barrage, Kyiv said, in what the Kremlin chief called a "response" to Ukrainian strikes on his territory with Western missiles.

The nearly three-year war has seen a sharp escalation in recent days, with both sides deploying new weapons in a bid to gain the upper hand before US President-elect Donald Trump takes office in January.

"We do not rule out the use of Oreshnik against the military, military-industrial or decision-making centres, including in Kyiv," Putin told a press conference in the Kazakh capital Astana, referring to the hypersonic missile.

Kyiv's government district -- an area of the capital where multiple government buildings are located -- is protected with intense security, but fears for it have risen over the last week.

Russia last week tested its new Oreshnik ballistic missile on Ukraine, and Putin boasted on Thursday that firing several of the weapons at once would have the equivalent force of a nuclear strike, or a "meteorite" hit.

He earlier said the overnight barrage was a "response to continued attacks on our territory by (US) ATACMS missiles."

"As I have said repeatedly, there will always be a response from our side."

Putin also claimed Russia knew how many long-range weapons were given to Kyiv and where they were located.

Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk said Putin's threat to strike Kyiv was a "testament to weakness" and said the West would not be perturbed by his words.

DESPICABLE ESCALATION

The fresh strikes came as Ukrainians braced for a tough winter, with much of its energy infrastructure already damaged by almost three years of war, and as Russian troops advanced in eastern Ukraine.

Tensions have ratcheted up over the last few weeks as both sides look to secure an advantage on the battlefield ahead of Trump's January inauguration.

Putin suggested he had hopes for Trump's second term, describing the Republican on Thursday as an "intelligent person", capable of finding a "solution", without specifying what he was referring to.

The Russian leader spoke hours after the overnight barrage that left more than half a million subscribers in Ukraine's western Lviv region cut off from electricity.

Another 280,000 in the western Rivne region and 215,000 in the northwestern Volyn region also lost power, officials said.

Ukraine's emergency services said the Russian overnight strikes inflicted damage in 14 regions across the country, with the nation's West hard-hit.

Zelensky said that Russia had also fired "cluster munitions" during the attack, calling it a "very despicable escalation of Russian terrorist tactics."

AFP journalists in the capital Kyiv heard blasts ring out over the capital overnight as air defence systems targeted Russian drones and missiles, with locals crowding into the underground metro system for cover.

The energy ministry said it was the 11th massive Russian attack on Ukraine's civilian energy infrastructure this year.

A senior UN official, Rosemary DiCarlo, this month warned Russian attacks on Ukraine's energy infrastructure may make this winter the "harshest since the start of the war".

PUTIN BOASTS OF NEW MISSILE

Since Moscow shocked the West and Kyiv by testing its new ballistic missile Oreshnik on the city of Dnipro last week, Russian officials have touted the arm's might.

In Astana, Putin said the Oreshnik could turn anything "into dust" and hit at a temperature comparable to "the surface of the sun."  

He said Russia was "forced" to "test (the weapon) in combat conditions" after Kyiv's first strike on Russian territory using ATACMS.

Putin said Thursday the Oreshnik could travel "around three kilometres per second" and that its elements could reach a temperature almost "like the surface of the sun."  

Russia also sentenced a lawyer, Dmitry Talantov, to seven years in prison for comparing Moscow's actions in Ukraine at the start of the invasion to "Nazi practises", a day after putting an invasion critic back on trial.

Ukraine, meanwhile, sentenced a woman in the eastern Donetsk region to 15 years in jail on high treason charges for passing sensitive military information to Russia.
 

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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Air India Pilot, 25, Dies By Suicide In Mumbai, Boyfriend Arrested

A 25-year-old Air India pilot allegedly died by suicide in her flat in Mumbai, police said on Wednesday, adding that her boyfriend has been arrested on charges of abetment.

The body of the woman, Srishti Tuli, was found in her rented flat at Kanakia Rainforest building in Andheri's Marol area on Monday. Police said she allegedly hanged herself with a data cable earlier that day, but no suicide note was recovered.

The woman's boyfriend, identified as Aditya Pandit (27), was taken into custody on Tuesday on the basis of a complaint from her family.

An officer from the Powai police station said that, in his complaint, Tuli's uncle alleged that Pandit often harassed and humiliated her in public. He claimed that Pandit also pressured her to change her food habits and stop consuming non-vegetarian food.

Police said that in the early hours of Monday, Tuli had called Pandit - who was on his way to Delhi by road - and said that she would die by suicide. 

As Pandit rushed back to Mumbai, he found the door of the flat locked. He called a key maker to get the door opened and found his girlfriend hanging with a data cable. She was taken to SevenHills Hospital in Andheri, where doctors declared her dead.

The officer said Tuli hailed from Uttar Pradesh and had been living in Mumbai since June last year. She had met Pandit while pursuing a commercial pilot course in Delhi two years ago and the two began a relationship soon after. 

Pandit was booked under section 108 (abetment of suicide) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and arrested. He was produced in court, which sent him to police custody till November 29.

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The World's Easiest Places To Buy Citizenship, Here's What It Takes

Ever imagined trading your current passport for one that opens doors to exciting new adventures? While it might sound like a far-fetched dream, several countries offer citizenship programs that could make it a reality.

Although obtaining a citizenship or residency is not cheap, if it is a priority, the investment is worth it. But before that, let's establish the difference between citizenship and residency.

Citizenship guarantees you all the rights a person born in that country would enjoy, for instance - having a passport and the right to vote. However, residency differs in a few ways. While it gives you the freedom to travel freely across the country, work and get paid there, it does not offer all the rights it would a citizen.

Moreover, temporary residency lasts for a set period of time while permanent residency does not have a cap on time. 

Golden visas are offered by some countries and are a way to obtain residency - but not citizenship. These visas are usually given in exchange for an investment in a country's economy. People donate to government-sponsored programs or invest in properties to take advantage of this.

Portugal, Spain and Greece are some of the popular destinations offering golden visas. Spain had issued around 800 golden visas during 2024.

Apart from golden visas, there are Citizenship by Investment Programs (CIP) that can get you a passport if you invest heavily or pay a fee for that country. 

In addition to the above, there is an interesting visa which allows folks to live and work in the country while still paying taxes to their country of origin, called digital nomad visa. Estonia, Germany and Norway are countries that provide such visas.

Caribbean nations like Antigua and Barbuda, St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Lucia, Grenada, and Dominica offer CIP programs with various options for investment. Cambodia, Singapore and Australia offer CIP programs too, with Cambodia being among the cheaper options, with investments starting at $245,000.

Singapore's program requires a $7 million investment for a two year residency program and Australia offers the program only to highly skilled individuals with a net worth exceeding $1 million. Countries like Turkey, Greece, Hungary and Brazil also offer golden visa programs.

Obtaining residency or citizenship in a foreign country can be a complex and costly process. However, with the right investment and guidance, it can also offer a world of opportunities and adventures. Whether you're looking for a golden visa, CIP, or digital nomad visa, there are several countries that offer relatively easy and affordable options.
 

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"Don't Blame Your Dress...": Aishwarya On How To Tackle Street Harassment

Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, who is a brand ambassador of the cosmetic giant L'Oreal Paris, shared how to tackle street harassment in a new campaign video. In the video, Aishwarya says, "Street harassment. How do you deal with it? Avoid eye contact? No. Look the problem directly in the eyes. Hold your head high. Feminine and feminist. My body, my worth. Never compromise your worth. Do not doubt yourself. Stand up for your worth. Don't blame your dress or your lipstick. Street harassment is never your fault." In the caption, Aishwarya wrote, "On this International Day for the elimination of violence against women, join @lorealparis's Stand Up against street harassment training program. We're all worth it. @lorealparis." Aishwarya added #westandup in the hashtag. Take a look:

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In September, Aishwarya walked the ramp for cosmetic giant L'Oreal's outdoor show at Paris Fashion Week. Jane Fonda, Kendall Jenner, Eva Longoria and desi girl Alia Bhatt were also among the many stars that walked the ramp. The official Instagram handle of L'Oreal shared some new pictures from the Paris Fashion Week. In one of the clicks, the former miss World is seen posing with Eva Longoria and Aja Naomi King. "Lights, camera, confidence! Get a sneak peek behind the scenes magic with our L'Oreal Paris Family at #LeDefile2024," read the caption on the post.

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Aishwarya Rai Bachchan was crowned Miss World in 1994 and her filmography includes Devdas, Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam, Iruvar, Guru, Guzaarish, Jodhaa Akbar, Taaal, Raincoat, Jeans, Bride & Prejudice and Mohabbatein among many others. She has also been a regular attendee at several international events, including Paris Fashion Week, the Cannes Film Festival among others. Aishwarya Rai Bachchan was last seen in Mani Ratnam's Ponniyin Selvan: II. She received an award at the South Indian International Movie Awards (SIIMA) for her performance.

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Israel Agrees To Ceasefire Deal With Lebanon: Report

In a significant development in West Asia, Israel has agreed to a ceasefire with Lebanon. The agreement comes into effect at midnight (Israel time) on November 27.

Israel's Security Cabinet, the country's top decision-making body under the government has reportedly agreed to the ceasefire, news agency Reuters reported.

Israel and Lebanon-based, Iran-backed militant group Hezbollah have been at war for several months now. Hezbollah had started attacking Israel with rockets and projectiles for over a year leading to a retaliation from Tel Aviv. Hezbollah has been backing Hamas, another Iran-backed militant group which it considers its ally.

Israel and Hamas have been at war since October 2023, when the terrorists breached the Israel-Gaza border and took Israeli hostages at a concert. Hamas is based in Gaza, which is where the war began after Israel retaliated to the terror attack. Since then, the war in West Asia, popularly called the Middle-East, has led to large-scale destruction and death of tens of thousands of people in the region.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has reportedly agreed to the temporary ceasefire and so has his security cabinet. A formal agreement from Lebanon is awaited too.

Prime Minister Netanyahu has however warned that if Hezbollah breaks the deal, Israel will not honour it either and will strike back with full force. The peace deal has been achieved with the intervention of the United States and France, and US President Joe Biden and French President Emmanuel Macron are expected to make an official announcement shortly.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has been working closely with top Israeli officials to negotiate a ceasefire which comes into effect at midnight tonight.
 

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