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Time of India
an hour ago
- General
- Time of India
World War 3 threat? Reddit thread asking ‘what if war breaks out' becomes worldwide wake-up call
In a world gripped by escalating conflicts, from Russia's war in Ukraine to Israel's strike on Gaza , from Taiwan's looming standoff to silent proxy clashes unfolding across Africa and the Red Sea, the question is no longer if war touches civilian life, but when and how. With several countries involved in armed conflicts, there is a threat that World War III may erupt anytime. A simple question posted on Reddit , 'What are we supposed to do if war breaks out?' has gone viral, igniting a wide-ranging conversation about modern war readiness . Explore courses from Top Institutes in Select a Course Category PGDM Digital Marketing CXO Cybersecurity Degree Healthcare others Finance Others healthcare MCA Data Science Design Thinking Technology Project Management Leadership Public Policy Operations Management Data Analytics Product Management Data Science Management Artificial Intelligence MBA Skills you'll gain: Financial Analysis & Decision Making Quantitative & Analytical Skills Organizational Management & Leadership Innovation & Entrepreneurship Duration: 24 Months IMI Delhi Post Graduate Diploma in Management (Online) Starts on Sep 1, 2024 Get Details The post, made on Reddit's r/NoStupidQuestions forum, drew thousands of comments from veterans, civilians, students, and citizens from conflict-affected countries, offering a snapshot of how people across the globe think about the possibility of war today. 'Business as Usual,' Even in Crisis One of the most upvoted responses recalled working during the 9/11 terror attacks. The user said their manager told them to 'open the store, business as usual.' Others echoed this, stating that unless conflict reaches their doorstep, daily life is unlikely to stop. Live Events A US veteran wrote, 'War is irrelevant to the average American unless they serve. For most people, life will continue, schools, jobs, shopping, even if there's a conflict overseas.' Civilians in war zones offer a stark reality Users from Ukraine, Israel, and Gaza added firsthand perspectives. One commenter from Ukraine wrote, 'When the bombs started falling, we still had university lectures. People adapt fast. Life doesn't stop, even in war.' An Israeli reservist noted, 'Air raid sirens don't stop work or school. You take shelter, then return to class or your desk.' Emotional and practical preparation Military veterans in the thread warned young enlistees and civilians alike to take the possibility of war seriously. Several advised having basic emergency plans in place: copies of ID, emergency contacts, food, water, and essential medications. 'Don't panic,' one user advised. 'Know where to go, how to contact family, and have some supplies, just like you would for a hurricane or earthquake.' Is a draft likely? Many users asked about military drafts. Experts note that the US has not had an active draft since 1973, and reinstating it would require an act of Congress. Most military roles today are filled voluntarily. Major outcomes War may not disrupt daily life immediately. Most civilians will continue their daily routines unless directly impacted. Emergency preparation is wise. Similar to preparing for natural disasters, basic readiness can help. Mental health and emotional support matter. Several users emphasized the importance of staying calm, connected, and informed. What to do if war breaks out Follow official guidance. Monitor government advisories and emergency alerts. Have essentials ready. Prepare basic supplies: water, food, cash, medications, and key documents. Stay informed. Use verified news sources. Avoid misinformation on social media. Remain calm. Fear spreads faster than facts. Focus on safety, not panic.
Time of India
3 hours ago
- Business
- Time of India
When do we sail? Cruise ships are turning Indian ports into destinations
Soon after the Bahamas flagged cruise ship MV Empress docks in Visakhapatnam on the morning of July 16, KN Rao, a retired sales manager, and his wife K Mangama step ashore—the thrill of a luxury sail on the sea evident on their beaming faces. A week earlier, the couple had boarded a train from their hometown Berhampur in Odisha, followed by a flight to Chennai, where they celebrated their daughter Vandana's birthday. From there, they did not take a train or a flight back home. They instead booked a two-night cruise. They picked a cabin, which did not have sweeping ocean views, but was rather easy on the pocket. Explore courses from Top Institutes in Select a Course Category PGDM Finance Management Product Management Design Thinking MCA Cybersecurity healthcare Technology Healthcare Data Science Artificial Intelligence MBA Project Management Degree Others Public Policy Operations Management Data Analytics Digital Marketing others Leadership CXO Data Science Skills you'll gain: Financial Analysis & Decision Making Quantitative & Analytical Skills Organizational Management & Leadership Innovation & Entrepreneurship Duration: 24 Months IMI Delhi Post Graduate Diploma in Management (Online) Starts on Sep 1, 2024 Get Details 'Some rooms were priced at Rs 1 lakh and above. We booked a standard room for Rs 41,600, which covered our stay along with basic food and drinks. We will always cherish this moment,' says Rao, as he poses for a photo with the ship in the background. Mangama laughs along, both savouring a memory they have just created. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like The Most Beautiful Women In The World Undo Like Rao and Mangama, Indians are increasingly going for short voyages aboard cruise ships, for a taste of luxury on sea. A wave of excitement fills the air later that day, as passengers prepare to board MV Empress for the next leg—Visakhapatnam to Puducherry and onwards to Chennai. Among them are Sahil Singla and Nikita Verma , a young fintech couple from Bengaluru, ready to unwind at sea. There is also a lively group of 12 first-time cruisers from Kakinada, Andhra Pradesh, who have booked their return tickets by train. Live Events On Deck 5 of the 11-storey ship, run by Cordelia Cruises, a crew member hands out a leaflet outlining the day's activities, dos and don'ts and services that come at an extra cost, like salon and casino. Tucked in the fine print is a firm reminder of onboard decorum: spitting paan comes with a penalty of $1,000. Cruise tourism in India is charting a new course. An increasing number of luxury liners are calling on our ports even as the middle class is discovering the pleasures of sailing. India's cruise tourism has now set an ambitious target of 1 million passengers docking at its ports annually by 2029. WELCOME ABOARD 'Cruise tourism is gaining strong traction among India's upper middleclass segment. Growing disposable income of a burgeoning middle and upper middle class enables them to embrace cruise as a preferred leisure choice,' Union Minister of Ports, Shipping and Waterways Sarbananda Sonowal tells ET. He adds that aspiration for premium travel experiences and increased awareness about cruise holidays are fuelling the demand. The number of sea cruise passengers in India saw a five-fold increase over the past decade — from 1,04,125 in 2014-15 to 4,92,000 in 2024-25. This figure does not include river cruise passengers, for which data is not readily available. However, Sonowal points out that the fleet of luxury river-cruise vessels grew from 3 in FY2014 to 25 in FY2025, reflecting a boom in inland cruise tourism as well. FARE WELL M Angamuthu, chairman of the Visakhapatnam Port Authority, says the rise of domestic cruise lines and the inclusion of Indian ports by international operators have contributed to making cruises more accessible and appealing to Indian travellers. But he also strikes a note of caution: 'Pricing is, and will remain, a critical factor in the Indian cruise market.' He elaborates: 'While there's a segment that is willing to pay for luxury, the broad market, especially the expanding middle class, is price sensitive. Competitive pricing for itineraries, onboard amenities and shore excursions will be key to attracting and retaining passengers. This means cruise lines need to optimise their operational costs and port authorities need to offer rationalised and transparent tariffs.' Unlike airlines, cruise companies rarely publicise their fares. But several cruisers say the per-night cost of a cabin typically ranges from Rs 10,000 to several lakhs, depending on the level of luxury. Much like first-class passengers in aviation, suite guests on a cruise enjoy far more than a spacious bedroom. They have access to private dining areas, sundeck balconies and priority embarkation and disembarkation at every port. Sometimes, the experience is topped with an exclusive cocktail evening with the captain. Mumbai remains the country's cruise tourism hub, handling 102 vessels and 2,68,830 passengers in 2024. However, Cochin Port saw 28 international cruise ship calls last year compared with Mumbai's 20. Among the global cruise giants that regularly include Indian ports in their itineraries are Holland America Line, Crystal Cruises, Virgin Voyages, Celebrity Cruises, Silversea Cruises and Azamara. A 16-night voyage by Azamara Cruises later this year—from Port Louis, Mauritius, to Singapore—has a two-night stopover in Cochin. CARGO TO CRUISE Former shipping secretary Gopal Krishna says that until a few years ago, India had not prioritised the development of dedicated cruise terminals to attract cruise vessels. 'For a long time, Indian ports primarily functioned as cargo hubs, not as gateways for cruise passengers,' he says. 'But with new cruise terminals being built and existing ones being upgraded, we are now better equipped to serve cruise tourism.' He says the game-changer for India's cruise industry will be the ability to attract more foreign vessels to use Indian ports as home port, which means the port where a ship operates from, though not necessarily where it is registered. Homeporting of large cruise ships is not merely a logistical operation, it can be a catalyst for economic growth and job creation. In 2016, Costa NeoClassica, a foreign vessel featuring a casino, theatre, disco, ballroom and a 1,300 sq m wellness centre, chose Mumbai as its home port for three months and completed seven voyages. Its ripple effects were highlighted by the government in a 2017 paper, which states a cruise vessel with a capacity of 3,000 passengers can generate employment for nearly 1,000 people when it uses an Indian port as its home base. The ripple effect extends to local businesses. With each passenger spending at least $70-100 a day on land excursions, a cruise ship fuels substantial daily transactions, injecting fresh energy into tourism, retail and service sectors. 'We believe India could have multiple home ports for foreign cruise vessels by 2029,' says Rajiv Jalota, former chairman, Mumbai Port Authority. 'The government's vision is to enable homeporting of at least one cruise ship each in Goa, Chennai, Kochi and Visakhapatnam, apart from one or two in Mumbai.' Jalota says discussions are at an early stage on launching open-jaw cruises from Port Blair to Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand and Indonesia. In open-jaw cruises, departure and arrival ports are different. 'If the Port Blair blueprint materialises, passengers can fly to the Andaman Islands and board a cruise ship for the onward voyage,' he says. Global cruise giants are eager to expand into Indian waters but, Jalota says, some operators are lobbying hard for additional tax benefits. According to Krishan Arora, partner, Grant Thornton Bharat , the government has already streamlined the tax issues. He says a simplified tax regime, effective from April 2025, allows foreign cruise operators to bypass cumbersome audits and filings by opting for a fixed percentage of their receipts to be treated as taxable income. He also highlights another recent reform— the removal of import duties on foreign cruise ships temporarily operating along India's coastline. 'This opens up the Indian market for seasonal and short-term cruise deployments, a model followed globally but previously impractical in India due to tax barriers,' he adds. While ship-wise passenger data isn't publicly available, at least two senior government officials point out that MV Empress is singlehandedly driving much of the recent surge in numbers, a matter of concern considering that this French-built ship is 35 years old. They also say the vessel's Delhi-based parent company, Waterways Leisure Tourism, is planning to acquire another cruise ship in the next couple of months. Jurgen Bailom, CEO of Cordelia Cruises, has declined to comment. One thing is clear: the success of cruise liners will depend not just on competitive pricing, but on how they tailor experiences to suit Indian travellers. Take Nayan Goel , 35, an FMCG wholesaler from Lucknow, who flew to Chennai with his wife Sweety and son Parth, to board the MV Empress, paying Rs 1,78,000 for a five-night cruise in an ocean-view cabin. Among all the highlights of the voyage, one detail stands out for him. 'The restaurant on Deck 5, Starlight, serves vegetarian Jain food,' he says with a smile.
Time of India
12 hours ago
- Business
- Time of India
Putin likely to visit Delhi after 4 years as India-Russia Summit 2025 eyes energy, defence, Arctic ties
New Delhi: India will host the next edition of the annual India-Russia Summit later this year, paving the way for Russian President Vladimir Putin's first visit to New Delhi since 2021. The summit agenda is expected to include defence industry collaboration , energy ties amid fresh EU sanctions, civil nuclear partnership , Arctic cooperation , and a joint roadmap for high-tech sector cooperation , according to people familiar with the matter. Explore courses from Top Institutes in Select a Course Category PGDM Leadership Data Science Public Policy Degree Healthcare Digital Marketing Management others Data Analytics Data Science Others healthcare Product Management Finance Technology Artificial Intelligence Operations Management Cybersecurity MBA Project Management MCA Design Thinking CXO Skills you'll gain: Financial Analysis & Decision Making Quantitative & Analytical Skills Organizational Management & Leadership Innovation & Entrepreneurship Duration: 24 Months IMI Delhi Post Graduate Diploma in Management (Online) Starts on Sep 1, 2024 Get Details "India-Russia Summit is important. The last summit was held in Moscow. It is time for us to host it in Delhi. Dates will be worked out mutually," MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said on Thursday. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Putin last spoke ahead of Operation Sindoor, where the Russian leader backed India's counter-terror measures. Russian platforms like the S-400 missile defence system and Indo-Russian BrahMos joint venture played a significant role in neutralising Pakistani military assets, largely of Chinese origin. If Modi attends the SCO Summit in China, the two leaders could also meet there. Putin, who has limited his international travel since the Ukraine war, is likely to visit India in the last quarter of 2025. Live Events Food security may also feature prominently. Putin recently said that, following Modi's request, Russia increased fertiliser exports to India. Other key areas of discussion may include: Expanding Indian presence in the resource-rich Arctic region and finalising a second site for a Russian-built nuclear power plant Meanwhile, India reaffirmed its stance on energy security and rejected unilateral sanctions in response to EU sanctions on Rosneft's Indian refinery operations. Economic Times WhatsApp channel )
Time of India
13 hours ago
- Business
- Time of India
No Rs 1,000 crore monster, still Rs 5,723 crore earned: 17 movies cross Rs 100 crore mark at 2025 Indian box office
The Indian box office recorded strong growth in the first half of 2025, collecting Rs 5,723 crore between January and June. While the year has not seen a single film cross the Rs 1,000 crore mark, a large number of mid- to high-range performers have powered the overall earnings. According to Ormax Media's mid-year report, cited by PTI, 17 films crossed the Rs 100 crore milestone, indicating a broad-based recovery and consistent audience turnout across languages and genres. 'Chhaava' Leads the Pack Vicky Kaushal's historical action film Chhaava was the biggest hit of the year so far, earning Rs 693 crore at the domestic box office. It remains the only title to have crossed the Rs 250 crore mark during this period. Close behind was Telugu-language film Sankranthiki Vasthunam, starring Daggubati Venkatesh, which also posted strong nationwide earnings and ranked second overall. Explore courses from Top Institutes in Select a Course Category PGDM Operations Management Digital Marketing Data Science Data Analytics MBA Leadership healthcare Project Management Management Finance CXO Cybersecurity Degree Design Thinking Others others Public Policy Artificial Intelligence Data Science Healthcare Product Management Technology MCA Skills you'll gain: Financial Analysis & Decision Making Quantitative & Analytical Skills Organizational Management & Leadership Innovation & Entrepreneurship Duration: 24 Months IMI Delhi Post Graduate Diploma in Management (Online) Starts on Sep 1, 2024 Get Details Rs 100 Crore Earners The first six months of 2025 saw 17 films enter the Rs 100 crore club — a significant jump from just 10 films achieving that in the same period in 2024. This list includes Raid 2 (Rs 198 crore), Good Bad Ugly (Rs 182 crore), Game Changer (Rs 153 crore), Thudarum (Rs 144 crore), Sky Force (Rs 131 crore), L2E Empuraan (Rs 127 crore), and Dragon (Rs 124 crore), among others. June alone contributed more than Rs 900 crore, with Sitaare Zameen Par and Housefull 5 emerging as the top earners for the month, each collecting nearly Rs 200 crore. Other notable contributors included Tamil-Telugu bilingual Kuberaa and Hollywood's F1: The Movie, starring Brad Pitt. Hindi films continued to dominate with a 39–40% share of total revenue, followed by Telugu (19–20%) and Tamil (15–17%). Malayalam films captured 10% of the market — equal to Hollywood, which has returned to a double-digit share for the first time since 2022, according to Ormax. Big Releases Awaited in Second Half Ormax Media's report projects that the Indian theatrical market could close 2025 with record earnings of Rs 13,500 crore, provided upcoming releases perform well. Major titles scheduled for release include Kantara: Chapter 1, War 2 featuring Hrithik Roshan and Jr NTR, Rajinikanth's Coolie, Akhanda 2, Thama starring Ayushmann Khurrana, and OG with Pawan Kalyan. While no single title has emerged as a massive box office phenomenon, the industry's solid mid-range performers have ensured continued growth. The first half of 2025 reflects a resilient and expanding theatrical landscape.
Time of India
17 hours ago
- General
- Time of India
2 Himachal brothers adopt dying tradition of polyandry by tying knot to woman
Two brothers of the Hatti tribe tied the knot to a woman in Shillai village of Himachal Pradesh, with hundreds of people witnessing the marriage solemnised under the anachronistic tradition of polyandry. Bride Sunita Chauhan and grooms Pradeep and Kapil Negi said they took the decision without any pressure. Explore courses from Top Institutes in Select a Course Category PGDM Design Thinking Cybersecurity Management Data Science MCA Data Science others Finance Others CXO Leadership healthcare Public Policy Technology Operations Management Degree Product Management Artificial Intelligence MBA Project Management Data Analytics Healthcare Digital Marketing Skills you'll gain: Financial Analysis & Decision Making Quantitative & Analytical Skills Organizational Management & Leadership Innovation & Entrepreneurship Duration: 24 Months IMI Delhi Post Graduate Diploma in Management (Online) Starts on Sep 1, 2024 Get Details Local folk songs and dances added colour to the ceremony that began on July 12 and lasted for three days in Trans-Giri area of Sirmaur district. Videos of the wedding ceremony have gone viral on the internet. Sunita, who hails from Kunhat village, said that she was aware of the tradition and made her decision without any pressure, adding she respects the bond they have formed. Pradeep, from Shillai village, works in a government department while his younger brother Kapil has a job abroad. Live Events "We followed the tradition publicly as we are proud of it and it was a joint decision," said Pradeep. Kapil said he may live abroad, but through this marriage, "we're ensuring support, stability and love for our wife as a united family". "We've always believed in transparency," he added. Hatti is a closed-knit community in the Himachal Pradesh-Uttarakhand border and was declared as Scheduled Tribe three years ago. In this tribe, polyandry was in vogue for centuries, but due to rising literacy among women and economic uplift of communities in the region, cases of polyandry were not reported. Such marriages are being solemnised in a clandestine manner and accepted by the society but instances are fewer, elders in the village said. The first chief minister of Himachal Pradesh Y S Parmar did research on this tradition and completed his Ph.D on the topic "Socio-economic background of Himalayan Polyandry" from Lucknow University. According to experts, one of the main considerations behind the tradition was to ensure that the ancestral land was not divided while the share of tribal women in the ancestral property is still a main issue.
