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Indian moms express their love in specific ways. Some of the most popular expressions involve food – whether it is making their children’s favourite dishes from scratch, cutting fruits for them every day or packing their lunches with great care. Another ‘love language’ many of us are familiar with is our moms feeding us food by hand, especially when we are in a hurry or don’t feel like eating alone. Recently, an American vlogger visiting India got a taste of this kind of affection. He posted a video about the same on Instagram, and it has gone viral.

The reel, which was filmed in a house in Kolkata, was shared by American content creator Dustin Cheverier. It is titled, “Indian Mom Feeds Me Like A Baby.” He moves the camera to show how the mother is mixing food on a thali with her hands for him. “Just to make sure I eat it right,” he says. Dustin takes a seat at the table, and then the mom starts feeding him the rice mixed with sabzi and what might be dal. Dustin has a big smile in between mouthfuls, which seems to indicate that he is enjoying the experience. The mom tells him to bite slowly. At one point, he tells her that he will eat on his own. The mom is heard saying (in Bengali) that Dustin would end up taking a lot of time if he ate on his own. She continues feeding him and also shows him how to scoop up the food with his hands to feed himself. Watch the complete viral reel below:

Elon Musk celebrated his 54th birthday on June 28. On the special occasion, the Tesla founder received a heartfelt wish from his Indian-origin partner and director of Neuralink, Shivon Zilis. She shared a then-and-now picture collage of Elon Musk on X (formerly Twitter). The post featured a throwback picture of a young Elon with a clown-shaped birthday cake, alongside a more recent picture of him with a similar cake. The dessert in question was topped with a whimsical, smiling face made of icing or fondant. It was settled on a vanilla base. 

Elon Musk’s love for desserts is not limited to cakes. The Tesla CEO also indulges in ice cream once in a while. Last year, in a post shared on X, Elon shared a delightful blast from the past: a photograph of his younger self. The little Musk was seen sporting a Mickey Mouse t-shirt as he flashed a million-dollar smile while clutching a cup of ice cream. The was a bit of the creamy treat smeared around his face, proving that messy eating is a universal childhood trait. The caption accompanying the post read: “Ice cream yum so good.” 

At its core, kakdi cha korda is a semi-dry stir-fry made using cucumber and a few everyday spices. Read on for details.

On hectic weekdays, the kitchen can feel like a pressure cooker of its own. Between back-to-back meetings, school drop-offs, and the eternal tiffin dilemma, cooking often becomes a frantic race. In these moments, we all want a recipe that is quick, stress-free, and still feels comforting-something more than just a last-minute juggle. That is where dishes like kakdi cha korda come in. Simple, quick, and oddly soothing, this Maharashtrian cucumber sabzi pairs beautifully with rice or roti. It may seem plain on the surface, but this regional gem has earned its place in countless lunchboxes and weeknight thalis. The charm lies in how one humble cucumber and a few pantry staples can turn into something warm and nourishing in under 10 minutes.

At its core, kakdi cha korda is a semi-dry stir-fry made using cucumber and a few everyday spices. Unlike the raw salad-style koshimbir, here the cucumber is gently sautéed before being mixed with crushed peanuts, jaggery, coconut, and a light besan slurry. The result is a mildly spiced, slightly sweet sabzi with an earthy crunch and a clean finish. What makes it especially interesting is that it follows the classic principles of Maharashtrian cooking-no onion, no garlic, minimal oil, and still loaded with flavour.

A viral reel shows a sandwich with multiple layers of ingredients bound together at one end like a book. It has wowed many people.

Some dishes are so creative that you cannot help but be in awe of them. And these stunning creations don’t necessarily have to be made by top chefs or experts. Sometimes, it’s all about introducing a sense of playfulness to everyday meals. Home chefs know it is far from easy to do this – but when you succeed, it makes daily life fun. Take, for example, a book-shaped sandwich recently making the rounds on Instagram. Simple yet unique, it has charmed readers and foodies alike. The reel was shared by the digital creator @superpeach.h. It shows a sandwich with multiple layers bound together at one end like a book.

Instead of thread, a long noodle has been used to ‘stitch’ the ‘pages’ together. The vlogger ‘flips’ the sandwich open to show its contents: flattened omelette, cheese, ham, lettuce, and more ham. The vlogger spreads a mix of what looks like ketchup and mayonnaise on one ‘page’ near the end.

A list of the world’s 100 best pizzerias for 2025 has just been released. Two Indian restaurants, Da Susy in Gurugram and Leo’s in Delhi, have been recognised among the top 100 this year. The rankings were compiled and announced by The Best Pizza Awards, a Europe-based organisation. The annual ceremony took place in Milan on June 25, 2025. The global voting panel reportedly included 512 experts from 60 countries.
The rankings were compiled and released by The Best Pizza Awards, a Europe-based organisation. Two establishments from North India were featured on the 2025 list.

Da Susy in Gurugram, run by Susanna Di Cosimo, is ranked 71st on this year’s list. Chef Susanna, popularly known as Susy, is originally from Naples. She opened her pizzeria in Gurugram in 2021. The menu combines traditional techniques with creative touches. Da Susy currently operates two branches in Gurugram.

Leo’s Pizzeria, led by Chef Amol Kumar, has been ranked 99th this year by The Best Pizza Awards. Since opening in 2016, Leo’s has become a go-to spot in Delhi for artisanal pizzas. More outlets were added later. Chef Amol is known for his attention to detail – the pizza dough is made, fermented and kneaded carefully before being baked in a wood-fired oven.

The Houston stop of Beyonce’s “Cowboy Carter” tour took a tense turn on Saturday night when a technical issue caused her mid-air car prop to tilt dangerously during her performance, reported Variety.

According to the publication, while singing “16 Carriages” at the NRG Stadium, Beyonce was riding a flying car– a special prop she uses to get closer to fans — when it suddenly started tipping to one side. The crowd gasped and screamed as the car leaned further, raising concerns for the star’s safety. However, Beyonce was safely and quickly lowered to the ground. After she returned to the stage, the singer reassured fans with a smile, saying, “If I ever fall I know y’all would catch me.” The crowd responded with loud cheers and applause.

Mallika Sherawat has shared a no-makeup selfie video to make a strong statement against using botox and artificial cosmetic fillers. Mallika’s video came just two days after reality show star and actor Shefali Jariwala’s untimely death at the age of 42.

While initial reports into Shefali Jariwala’s death suggest she died of a cardiac arrest, the exact cause is yet to be determined. According to the medical probe, the actor’s death is said to have been “due to low blood pressure, cardiac arrest and heavy gastric condition”.

• Mallika Sherawat, 48, shared a selfie video on Sunday (June 29) on her Instagram page.
• In the video, Mallika says, “Good Morning. I just woke up and thought I will make this selfie video and share it with you all.”
• “There’s no filter I am using, there’s no makeup I’ve put on. I haven’t even brushed my hair yet,” she added 
• “This is the first thing I am doing. I am sharing this video with you so that we all can say together, “No to botox, No to artificial cosmetic fillers, and yes to life, yes to a healthy way of living. Love you all,” the Murder star appealed to fans and followers in the clip.
• Mallika captioned the video, “Saying NO to Botox & Fillers. Instead of chasing youth with these artificial procedures, I’m nurturing it from within. Eating clean, hydration, sleeping early & exercises are some of the practices I regularly follow. Let’s embrace our natural glow.”

Tunisia, where the Arab Spring began, did not wait or depend on external forces to engineer a change. It was implemented by Tunisians themselves. Any Iranian Spring, too, must begin in Iran.

Once again, regime change is back on the agenda. What began as a military operation by Israel for the destruction of Iran’s nuclear facilities soon morphed into calls for a regime change in the country. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu recorded video messages directly appealing to the people of Iran, assuring them that Israel had nothing against them and that it was their regime that Israel was against.  Even the US joined in the chorus with President Donald Trump saying on Truth Social, “It’s not politically correct to use the term, “Regime Change,” but if the current Iranian Regime is unable to MAKE IRAN GREAT AGAIN, why wouldn’t there be a Regime change??? MIGA!!!”

Meanwhile, missiles and drones flew back and forth between the Jewish state and the Islamic Republic till the US intervened. It first bombed the three main nuclear sites, including Fordow, buried under a mountain  – the effectiveness of these strikes is still being analysed –  and then declared a ceasefire, bringing the 12-day war to an end, at least for now.

In 2022, a dear friend took me to an Independence Day reception in New York City, which we both immediately regretted attending. It was an extremely high-profile event with Mayor Eric Adams and a foreign president as chief guests, excellent waterfront views, exquisite cocktails, and great-looking food. The said friend and his wife are mild-mannered stalwarts of the Indian community in the tri-state area of New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut. We were horrified by the way many of the community members behaved during the reception. The guests’ speeches were interrupted by the chants of an Indian political leader’s name. The hosts’ addresses were eologies dedicated to the same leader. One almost forgot the geographical location of the gala. To this day, I remain awestruck by my friend’s patience and good humour with which he tolerated that evening’s grotesqueness. 

The same grotesqueness has translated into slander against New York City’s first Indian-origin mayoral candidate, who’s almost set to occupy the office. Suddenly, many Indians’ urge to claim anyone even remotely Indian in terms of their genetic makeup for achieving anything on the global stage has turned into outright hate. It doesn’t matter anymore that the 33-year-old Zohran Kwame Mamdani is the son of National Award and Padma Bhushan-winning filmmaker Mira Nair. It also doesn’t matter that his platform has promised to make New York a livable city for everyone, especially those who cannot cocoon themselves in the sense of safety their wealth buys – the immigrants. 

Actor-model Shefali Jariwala died on Friday night at the age of 42, with initial reports suggesting that she died of a cardiac arrest.

The death of ‘Kaanta Laga’ fame Shefali Jariwala, who reportedly died due to a cardiac arrest last week, has once again put a spotlight on the rising cases of heart attacks in adults in India. The disturbing increase of cardiovascular diseases in even those people who keep themselves seemingly fit, is a cause of concern – and triggers a question: are fitness therapies and workouts enough?

Dr Dhirendra Singhania, Principal Consultant of Interventional Cardiology at Yashoda Super Speciality Hospitals in Kaushambi, spoke exclusively to NDTV on the issue, saying the major causes of risk in heart attacks are: steroids, lack of sleep, and hormonal therapies (especially for women).

“Everyone, whether a celebrity or a common man, if they are not following the rules of the body, they will have problems. In celebrities, they all try to maintain their body for fit appearances. Many times, we don’t know what they do to achieve that. Lack of sleep has been known as a cardiac risk factor – many celebrities are awake for almost the whole night at times,” he said.

Dr Singhania added, “Steroids, drug overdoses, and hormonal therapies for women, such as hormone replacement therapy (HRT for menopause) and oral contraceptives, can contribute to heart attack risk.”

Additionally, the cardiologist said stress and social media addiction contribute to increased blood pressure and cortisol levels – which eventually lead to cardiovascular diseases.