Virat Kohli is the cricketing equivalent of soccer superstar Cristiano Ronaldo for his sheer commitment towards the game even though a K.L. Rahul can consider himself at par with the India captain in terms of talent, feels West Indies batting icon Brian Lara.
One of the greatest batsmen to have played the game and for many, the best left-hander of all-time along with Sir Garfield Sobers, Lara says he is in awe of how Kohli has honed his skills to take batting to an “unbelievable level”.
“I think it has got a lot to do with Virat's outstanding commitment besides his preparation. I don't think he is any more talented than a K.L. Rahul or a Rohit Sharma but his commitment to prepare himself properly stands out. He is, for me, the cricketing equivalent of Cristiano Ronaldo,” Lara said.
“His fitness level and his mental strength is unbelievable.”
For the 50-year-old Lara, who scored nearly 12,000 runs in Test cricket, Kohli can fit into the best teams of any era―be it Clive Lloyd's 'Unbeatables' of the '70s or Sir Don Bradman's 'Invincibles' of 1948.
“His batting skills are unbelievable. He is a guy you cannot leave out in any era. If a guy is averaging 50 plus in all versions of the game, then that is something which is unheard of,” the legend said.
Another player Lara praised was English all-rounder Ben Stokes, who enjoyed a stellar run in the World Cup and the Ashes.
Lara himself has been a part of some of the most memorable fourth innings chases against Australia where he batted with the tailenders.
Therefore, it wasn't surprising to see Lara gush about Stokes' Ashes-saving 135 not out at the Headingley.
“It was an unbelievable innings that he played. You must give him the credit not only for that innings but also for his 84 not out in the ODI World Cup final. He came up through a very rough period couple of years back (Bristol pub brawl and subsequent suspension) and he has shown the mettle to put things aside and soldiered on as a cricketer.”
Talk about West Indies cricket and how most of the talented players are being lured by private leagues, Lara refused to call them “mercenaries”.
“Certainly not,” said Lara, who didn't agree with the view, saying some of the illustrious predecessors in the late '70s had already set the precedent by joining Kerry Packer's World Series Cricket (WSC).
“Each cricketer has to make a choice. Back in the day in late '70s, there was Kerry Packer and there was an exodus of cricketers. I can't say that there's something that's new.
“Not everyone will be playing for the West Indies. So if you can make a living playing T20 leagues then why not? I don't see it as a mercenary act,” Lara said.
However, he wants Cricket West Indies (CWI) to draw a plan that would keep youngsters interested in Test cricket keeping their below-par show in the longest version during the past few years.
“I am hoping that West Indies don't have to get involved in a lower Test level. Series like West Indies vs Australia (Worrell Trophy), West Indies vs England (Wisden Trophy) have always had a legacy created over the years,” he said.
“West Indies have 5 to 6 million people, different islands, different politics. You have seen Usain Bolt run for Jamaica and not for the West Indies. Cricket is the only unifying force but still has its problems to keep it unified in terms of getting the infrastructure needed,” Lara said.
The lure of private leagues will be there but then it's the custodians of the game in the Caribbean, who need to take the initiative and show the world that they care about their players, Lara said.
“...it's a situation where as a youngster, you have an opportunity to go out there and make a living for yourself. So hopefully, it doesn't do too much damage but it still belongs to West indies board, the power to ensure that it doesn't happen,” he asserted.
“A youngster may want to do different things, (but) if you have a structure in place, I am sure you can have the effect of what the baggy greens have in Australia.
“Look at the current Indian cricket team. They have the most exciting T20 league (IPL) and yet they are excited about Test cricket as well as all the versions of the game,” he said.
He is not averse to contributing actively to West Indies cricket but then he wants CWI to decide how badly they want his services.
“It depends on Cricket West Indies to decide on who all they want in their set-up. Over the years there has been a lot of involvement by former cricketers. As far as I am concerned, it might be in the horizon, you never know,” he said.
Security personnel stand beside a poster of Pakistani Army Chief General Syed Asim Munir, during a rally to express solidarity with Pakistan's armed forces, in Islamabad on May 14, 2025. (Photo: Getty Images)
US PRESIDENT Donald Trump will host Pakistan army chief Asim Munir for lunch at the White House on Wednesday.
“The president has lunch with the chief of army staff of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan,” an advisory issued by the White House said.
The lunch is scheduled for 1 pm (local time) in the Cabinet Room of the White House.
Trump had returned to Washington on Tuesday morning, cutting short his visit to Kananaskis, Canada, where the G7 leaders' summit is being held, due to growing tensions in the Middle East following the latest Israel-Iran conflict.
Officials in Islamabad are projecting the White House invitation to Munir as a major diplomatic success, according to Dawn.
Munir's remarks on India, Pahalgam attack
Field Marshal Munir, who was promoted to Pakistan's rare five-star rank last month — the first such promotion since Ayub Khan in 1959 — urged India to engage with Pakistan “as a civilised nation” instead of “attempting to impose regional hegemony”, Dawn reported.
Addressing members of the Pakistani American community on Monday evening, Munir rejected claims that Pakistan was behind the terrorist attack in Pahalgam.
He accused India of trying to establish a dangerous “new normal” of "violating international borders", which he said Pakistan had “forcefully rejected”, according to the newspaper.
Tensions between India and Pakistan escalated after the Pahalgam attack, following which India carried out precision strikes on terror infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir on May 7.
The four-day-long military actions from both sides ended after talks between the directors general of military operations of India and Pakistan on May 10, during which both agreed to halt further escalation.
Engagement with Pakistani American community
Munir’s interaction with the Pakistani American community was held at the Four Seasons Hotel in Washington’s Georgetown area. The event reportedly drew a large gathering.
Protesters affiliated with the opposition Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party, led by former prime minister Imran Khan, demonstrated outside the venue, demanding democratic reforms and the release of jailed PTI leaders.
Remarks on Israel-Iran war and US counterterrorism partnership
Speaking on the broader regional situation, Munir expressed Pakistan’s “clear and strong” support for Iran in its conflict with Israel, while also backing US efforts to de-escalate the crisis.
“We want this war to end immediately,” he said.
A key development during Munir's visit has been the strengthening of Pakistan's counterterrorism partnership with the US, particularly in operations targeting the Islamic State Khorasan (IS-K) group, Dawn reported.
Praise from US Central Command
Gen Michael Kurilla, chief of US Central Command, recently called Pakistan a “phenomenal partner” in the fight against IS-K, highlighting operations along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border.
Kurilla told the House Armed Services Committee that Pakistani operations, aided by US intelligence, had resulted in the deaths of dozens of IS-K militants and the capture of several high-value individuals, including Mohammad Sharifullah, who was one of the masterminds of the Abbey Gate bombing in Kabul that killed 13 American soldiers.
“The first person Munir called was me,” Gen Kurilla said. “He said, ‘I've caught him — ready to extradite him back to the US. Please tell the secretary of defence and the president’.” Sharifullah was quickly extradited.
In a separate statement to the Senate Armed Services Committee, Kurilla said Pakistan had carried out “dozens of operations” against IS-K and continued to play an important role in combating terrorism in Central and South Asia.
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FOUR Indian schools were on Wednesday (18) named among the top 10 finalists across different categories for the annual world's best school prizes, organised in the UK to celebrate schools' enormous contribution to society's progress.
Schools from Haryana, Maharashtra, Karnataka and Uttar Pradesh were unveiled as contenders for membership of the Best School to Work programme to help schools attract and retain the best teachers. The worldwide winners across categories will be announced in October.
The five world's best school prizes – for community collaboration, environmental action, innovation, overcoming adversity, and supporting healthy lives – were founded by UK-headquartered T4 Education in the wake of Covid to give a platform to schools that are changing lives in their classrooms and beyond.
"In a world being turned upside down by AI, as technology reshapes the way we learn and renders jobs that have existed for centuries obsolete, amid growing challenges of climate change, conflict, poverty and populism, the world our young people are entering has never felt more precarious. And a good education, with humans at its heart, has never been more important," said Vikas Pota, founder of T4 Education and the world's best school prizes.
T4 Education calls itself a global platform bringing together a community of over 200,000 teachers from more than 100 countries to transform education.
Government Girls Senior Secondary School, NIT 5, a state secondary school in Faridabad, Haryana, has been selected for transforming the lives of at-risk girls by interlinking nutritional programmes, physical wellbeing, and mental health support with education to break down societal barriers and ensure no girl is left behind. It is on the list of 10 finalists for the world's best school prize for supporting healthy lives.
ZP School Jalindar Nagar, a public primary school in Khed taluka, near Pune, has been recognised for revolutionising public-school education by providing quality student-led learning with its subject friend system, a peer-learning model where students of different ages teach and learn from each other. This Maharashtra-based school is a finalist in community collaboration category.
Ekya School, J P Nagar, is an independent kindergarten, primary, and secondary school in Bengaluru which is empowering students to become innovative thinkers and proactive problem solvers through a design thinking curriculum that integrates human-centred design processes and skills development. It has been named a top 10 finalist for the innovation.
Delhi Public School, an independent kindergarten, primary and secondary school in Varanasi, is creating an environment where students are empowered to explore, grow and lead with compassion through its learner-centric educational model that embeds environmental stewardship and social responsibility into the learning experience. This UP school is in the running for environmental action category.
Congratulating the schools on becoming finalists for the World's Best School Prizes 2025, Pota said, "It is in schools like these that we find the innovations and expertise that give us hope for a better future. Leaders and schools around the world have so much to learn from these inspirational Indian institutions."
The winners will be chosen by an expert Judging Academy, with all 50 finalist schools across the five prizes also taking part in a public vote opened this week to determine the winner of the community choice award.
The worldwide winners across these categories will be announced in October, with all the finalists and winners invited to the World Schools Summit in Abu Dhabi on November 15-16.
The winning schools will share their best practices, unique expertise and experience with policymakers and leading figures in global education, according to a statement.
(PTI)
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Jason Isaacs confirms equal pay for all actors in The White Lotus
Jason Isaacs has revealed that every cast member of The White Lotus Season 3, regardless of experience or fame, earned the same salary: £32,000 (₹33,60,000) per episode. That totals around £256,000 (₹2,68,80,000) for the full eight-episode run. While that figure might seem significant, Isaacs called it “a very low price” for a hit HBO show, but said he had no complaints.
“We would’ve paid to be in it,” Isaacs said in an interview, adding, “We probably would’ve given a body part.”
Jason Isaacs opens up about financial regrets and career lowsGetty Images
Equal pay, no ego
The show’s ensemble approach meant that veterans like Isaacs and Parker Posey received the same as newer faces such as Patrick Schwarzenegger and Sam Nivola. Asked if it bothered him to be paid the same as his younger co-stars, Isaacs shrugged it off: “I never work for money. I’ve done alright. People assume I have piles of cash, but I’ve basically matched my spending to my income and spent everything over the years.”
The pay structure, introduced from Season 1, was meant to ensure fairness and avoid ego clashes. “Everyone is treated the same,” said producer David Bernad in an earlier interview, explaining how the alphabetical billing and equal salaries were key to creating a drama-free, committed cast.
The White Lotus cast shares the screen and the paycheck equallyGetty Images
Isaacs admitted that while the rate was lower than typical network or streaming pay outs, the prestige of working on The White Lotus and with creator Mike White made it worthwhile.
Cautionary tales and career lows
Isaacs also took the opportunity to share hard-earned lessons with his younger co-stars, urging them not to get emotionally attached to the final product. “You don’t control how it’s received. That’s Mike’s job,” he said. Reflecting on his own past, he pointed to Peter Pan (2003), where he played Captain Hook, a big-budget project that tanked commercially and nearly derailed his career.
“It was the lowest I’ve ever felt professionally. I thought I’d never work again,” he confessed. Isaacs said it was his partner Emma Hewitt who helped him through that dark phase, crediting her support over their decades-long relationship.
Jason Isaacs says Emma Hewitt helped him through his dark phase in lifeGetty Images
The White Lotus Season 3 is now streaming on Max, and while the actors may not have earned big bucks, the series continues to score big on screen, with critics and fans alike.
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Scarlett Johansson kisses Jonathan Bailey and dazzles in couture at Jurassic World Rebirth premiere
Scarlett Johansson returned to the spotlight in a dazzling pink gown at the world premiere of Jurassic World Rebirth, held at the Odeon Luxe Leicester Square in London. The event wasn’t just a celebration of the film’s release but also a major red carpet moment for the 39-year-old actress, who has been out of the public eye in recent months.
Wearing a custom Vivienne Westwood corset gown with sequins, Johansson lit up the green carpet with elegance and glamour. Her blush-toned dress featured a sculpted silhouette and soft draping that recalled golden-age Hollywood style, minus the fuss. The styling, handled by her long-time collaborator Kate Young, kept things minimal yet classy, letting the dress do all the talking.
Scarlett Johansson stuns in Vivienne Westwood gown at Jurassic World Rebirth London premiereGetty Images
All eyes on Scarlett, not the dinosaurs
Johansson’s outfit was a standout, softly shimmering, vintage-inspired, and unmistakably hers. The gown’s romantic structure paired beautifully with her classic Hollywood waves, styled by Renato Campora, and glowy makeup by Hung Vanngo, featuring soft pink tones and bold brows.
The green carpet itself mirrored the film’s jungle setting, with faux foliage and warning signs nodding to the franchise’s roots. Yet despite the dramatic décor and loud dinosaur displays, all attention shifted to Johansson’s presence and her surprise red carpet moment with co-star Jonathan Bailey.
Scarlett and Jonathan Bailey share a friendly kiss that gets fans buzzing on social mediaGetty Images
Fans went into a frenzy after the actress greeted Bailey with a quick, friendly kiss on the lips, sparking a flood of reactions online. The moment, caught on video, added a spark to an already buzzworthy evening. Bailey, dressed in a relaxed 1990s-inspired look with a cap and sunglasses, looked just as thrilled to reunite with his co-star.
A major comeback with a mega-franchise
Jurassic World Rebirth is Johansson’s first big-budget outing since stepping away from Marvel. She plays Zora Bennett, a covert operative sent on a high-stakes mission involving dinosaur DNA. She stars alongside Jonathan Bailey, Mahershala Ali, and Rupert Friend in this next chapter of the billion-pound (₹10,000 crore) franchise, directed by Gareth Edwards.
With the film expected to open strong, tracking at around £95 million (₹1,000 crore) globally, it’s a big summer bet for Universal. And for Scarlett Johansson, star power has never been in question, no theme costume required. Just a killer dress, a bold kiss, and a dash of old-school charm.
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Canadian prime minister Mark Carney greets Indian prime minister Narendra Modi before a group photo during the G7 Summit at the Pomeroy Kananaskis Mountain Lodge in Kananaskis, Alberta, Canada on June 17, 2025. (Photo: Getty)
INDIA and Canada have agreed to restore full diplomatic ties by returning ambassadors to each other’s capitals, aiming to move past a dispute triggered by the killing of a Sikh separatist in Canada last year.
The announcement came as Canadian prime minister Mark Carney welcomed Indian prime minister Narendra Modi to the Group of Seven (G7) summit held in the Canadian Rockies. Carney, who took office in March, invited Modi to the summit as a guest, continuing India's regular participation at G7 gatherings.
Carney’s predecessor, Justin Trudeau, had accused India of being involved in the killing of Hardeep Singh Nijjar, a Canadian citizen, in British Columbia in 2023. Following the allegation, Canada expelled the Indian ambassador, and India responded by expelling Canada’s envoy.
Now, both leaders have agreed to appoint new high commissioners — the title used for ambassadors between Commonwealth nations — with the aim of restoring normal diplomatic operations and improving bilateral ties.
Carney said he hoped the discussions with Modi would "provide the necessary foundations to begin to rebuild the relationship, based on mutual respect, sovereignty, trust."
"I would describe it as foundational -- as a necessary first step, a frank, open exchange of views around law enforcement, transnational repression," Carney said at a news conference.
He added that India continues to be invited to G7 summits each year due to the size of its economy.
Services had been impacted
Diplomatic tensions had disrupted services between the two countries, which traded $9 billion in 2023. Canada was forced to suspend in-person services at all of its missions in India except its embassy in New Delhi. The two countries also share close cultural links, including a large Indian diaspora in Canada.
Modi, during his meeting with Carney at the mountain venue, said that both nations were "dedicated to democratic values" and that the relationship was important "in many ways."
He congratulated Carney on his Liberal Party’s election win and said he was confident that “India and Canada will work together to make progress in many areas.”
Protests and political response
As Modi met Carney, Sikh protesters held rallies in Calgary, the nearest major city to the summit. Some criticised Modi’s presence at the event, citing concerns about the human rights record of his government.
The New Democratic Party (NDP), Canada’s fourth largest party and not formally part of Carney’s government, opposed Modi’s invitation. In a statement, the NDP referred to allegations of Indian surveillance against former party leader Jagmeet Singh, who is Sikh.
"Continuing to engage Modi's government without accountability undermines all efforts to defend human rights, transparency, and the rule of law," the NDP said ahead of Modi’s visit.
Canada has the largest Sikh population outside India, accounting for about two per cent of its population. The community is concentrated in key suburban swing regions and has gained growing political influence.
Nijjar killing still under litigation
Hardeep Singh Nijjar, who advocated for a separate Sikh state called Khalistan, was killed in the parking lot of a Sikh temple in 2023. He was a naturalised Canadian citizen.
Trudeau had publicly accused India of being directly involved in the killing and claimed that India was behind a wider campaign of intimidation targeting Sikh activists in Canada.
India denied any role in Nijjar’s death and urged Canada to take stronger action against violent Khalistan supporters, describing the movement as a fringe presence in India.
Carney did not confirm whether he discussed Nijjar’s case directly with Modi, saying it was subject to ongoing litigation.
The United States, which also has close ties with India, had accused an Indian agent of being involved in an unsuccessful plot against a Sikh separatist on its soil. However, Washington addressed the issue more quietly than Trudeau.