Ukraine's Zelenskiy, in Prague, says ceasefire could be put in place at any moment
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said on Sunday that a ceasefire with Russia in its more than three-year-old war was possible at any moment and called on Kyiv's allies to apply greater pressure on Moscow to put the measure in place, Reuters reported.
Zelenskiy, speaking at a joint news conference in Prague alongside Czech President Petr Pavel, said that unless increased pressure were applied, Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin would take no real steps to end the conflict.
"We believe that without increased pressure, Russia will not take real practical steps to end the war. Today marks the 54th day that Russia has ignored even the American proposal to completely cease fire," Zelenskiy told reporters.
"We believe that a ceasefire is possible at any moment, even starting today, and should last at least 30 days to give diplomacy a real chance."
Putin last week declared a three-day ceasefire over May 8-10 to mark the 80th anniversary of the victory of the Soviet Union and its allies over Nazi Germany in World War Two, according to Reuters.
Trump says Hollywood 'dying'; orders 100% tariff on non-US movies to save it
U.S. President Donald Trump on Sunday announced a 100% tariff on movies produced outside the country, saying the U.S. movie industry was dying a "very fast death" due to the incentives that other countries were offering to draw American filmmakers, Reuters reported.
"This is a concerted effort by other Nations and, therefore, a National Security threat. It is, in addition to everything else, messaging and propaganda," Trump said in a post on Truth Social.
Trump said he was authorizing the relevant U.S. government agencies such as the Department of Commerce to immediately begin the process of imposing a 100% tariff on all films produced abroad that are then sent into the United States, according to Reuters.
Trump orders reopening of notorious Alcatraz prison
Donald Trump says he is directing his government to reopen and expand Alcatraz, the former prison on an island off the coast of California, BBC reported.
In a message on his Truth Social site on Sunday, President Trump said that "for too long America has been plagued by vicious, violent, and repeat criminal offenders".
The reopening of Alcatraz would serve as a "symbol of law, order, and justice," he said.
The prison was closed in 1963, and Alcatraz Island is currently operating as a tourist site. It lies near San Francisco's Golden Gate Bridge, according to BBC.
Brazil police thwart bomb attack on Lady Gaga concert
Brazilian police said they thwarted a bomb attack planned for Lady Gaga's concert on Copacabana beach in Rio de Janeiro on Saturday, BBC reported.
The Civil Police of Rio de Janeiro state, in co-ordination with the justice ministry, said suspects had recruited participants to carry out attacks using improvised explosives and the plan was aimed at gaining notoriety on social media.
The person responsible for the plan and a teenager were arrested, the police said.
Lady Gaga's team said they learned about the bomb threat only from media reports the morning after the gig. A crowd of more than two million people gathered for the concert, which was free to attend, according to BBC.
PM Oli, Maoist Center Chair Dahal discuss contemporary issues
Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli and CPN (Maoist Center) Chair Pushpa Kamal Dahal held a meeting on Sunday.
During the meeting held at the Prime Minister’s Office in Singha Durbar, they discussed transitional justice and contemporary issues.
The meeting was attended by the Prime Minister's Human Rights Advisor Agni Kharel and Maoist Center leader Barshaman Pun.
Japanese Ambassador Maeda pays courtesy call on PM Oli
Japanese Ambassador to Nepal Maeda Toru paid a courtesy call on Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli at his official residence in Baluwatar today.
During the meeting, discussions were held on various issues of bilateral relations and interest as well as on enhancing mutual cooperation.
Next year marks the 70th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries and talks were held in this context as well, the Prime Minister's Private Secretariat said.
Officials of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs were also present on the occasion.
Let's stop sending students to KIIT: NA members
National Assembly (NA) members have called for a halt to sending Nepali students to the Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology (KIIT) in Odisha, India. They proposed denying Non-Objection Certificates (NOCs) to any student seeking enrollment at the institute.
During an emergency session of the upper house, lawmakers expressed grave concern over the safety of Nepali students at KIIT, following the recent death of a Nepali student under suspicious circumstances - the second such incident in recent months.
Tul Prasad Bishwakarma of the Rastriya Janamorcha and Madan Kumari Shah (Garima) of the CPN (Unified Socialist) were among those demanding the cessation of issuing NOC for KIIT. Shah also urged parents and guardians to be aware of the matter related to the safety of children.
Mohammad Khalid of the Janata Samajbadi Party, Shekhar Kumar Singh of the Democratic Socialist Party, and Krishna Bahadur Rokaya of the Nepali Congress called on the government to ensure a thorough investigation into the death of another female Nepali student and to provide justice to her family.
Ganga Kumari Belbase of the CPN (Maoist Center) and Sumitra BC of the CPN-UML echoed the demand for an impartial investigation into the incident.
It may be noted that a 20-year-old Nepali student from Sarlahi district allegedly committed suicide on Thursday, May 1, at KIIT. Earlier, on February 16, Nepali student, Prakriti Lamsal ( 20) from Rupandehi, also died at the same institute from the alleged suicide.
In response, NA Chairperson Narayan Prasad Dahal has urged the government to investigate the repeated incidents involving Nepali students at KIIT and ensure the facts are uncovered.
Lawmakers also voiced their concern over the suspected suicide of Prinsha Shah and demanded a detailed probe into the matter during a zero hour of the upper house session today.
Tap into your creative side
‘I’m not the creative sort’—we have either said this about ourselves or heard someone close to us say it about themselves. It’s the biggest lie ever. Everyone has creative potential. They just need to tap into it. Here’s how you can do it.
Journal your thoughts and ideas
Writing things down can be a great way to get rid of mental clutter. In recent years, morning pages is something that has been gaining a lot of popularity. The idea is to write down three pages of whatever comes to your mind the moment you wake up. You keep a diary and pen next to your bed and write down your thoughts before you get out of bed. You can also practice it after doing your morning routine. This is a great exercise to get your thoughts and ideas flowing. Alternatively, get into the habit of keeping a pen and notebook with you at all times and write down the random thoughts and ideas that come to your mind as you go about your day. You will find that this simple exercise will train your brain to think more creatively.
Pick up a paintbrush
We tend to feel intimidated by the thought of painting something. We think we can’t make something nice or replicate a drawing we like. But it doesn’t have to be so complicated. And seasoned artists vouch that painting and drawing aren’t all that difficult if you just give it a try. It’s definitely a skill that can be honed. Get some canvas, some paints, and a few brushes and just have a go at it. You will find it to be quite enjoyable. You can make cards for your loved ones as well. Painting has many benefits and some of them include enhanced creativity and stress relief. It’s a family activity as well. Spread some newspaper on the floor, plop your paints and canvases on it and get painting.
Take some pictures
We all have smartphones and we all take pictures of everything, from mirror selfies to the food we order at restaurants. But have you ever tried your hand at taking aesthetic photos of the many different things that are around you? Try capturing a lovely sunrise, or take some photos of flowers up close. Photography is an activity that forces you to think creatively. You start observing your surroundings differently and paying attention to the details. It’s also a lifelong learning process. No matter how long you have been taking photos, you can always take better ones. You can learn new techniques, skills, and styles. Learn to shoot in the macro form that allows you to take interesting photos of miniature subjects like ants, bees, and the like. Street photography is another fascinating thing to try. You could also try your hand at styling objects and taking aesthetic photos of them.
Learn new things
You are never too old to learn a new skill. Learning new things will sharpen your mind and keep you on your toes. Studies have also shown that constant learning can slow down aging and keep you mentally agile. Sign up for an online course. It could be learning a new language, coding, or graphic design. The options are endless. If you prefer, you can even sign up for physical classes. Dance, vocals, or swim lessons can be good options. There are so many workshops and training being held these days that you can just pick something that suits your mood. These aren’t even long sessions so you don’t have to commit much time. Duolingo is a great app for learning new languages. In 10 to 15 minutes a day you can pick up new words and phrases and be quite a pro at any language of your choice in a year or two, if you are consistent with practice.
Break up your routine
Most of us are creatures of habit and we tend to follow the same routine day in and day out. Without realizing, this makes our days a little mundane and dulls our mind in the long run. While everyone loves rituals and a sense of structure to their days, it’s essential to switch things up every now and then so that we don’t get bored. This allows your mind to think freely and not be constrained by a particular way of thinking. Try taking a different route to work, order takeout from a restaurant that you normally don’t go to, thrift items you need instead of heading to the market to pick something off the shelf or see if you can repurpose something around the house to serve your needs. Breaking up your routine not only allows for more flexibility but it also forces you to think before you do anything.