Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said US President Donald Trump has the strength to force Russia to stop its war. His remarks came ahead of a key meeting with Trump at the White House on Monday. Zelenskyy stressed that “peace in Ukraine means peace for all of Europe.” He also condemned Russian strikes that killed two children overnight. The meeting follows Trump’s summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska, which ended without a deal. Trump defended his approach, saying he is working to stop the war, not escalate it. Zelenskyy repeated that Ukraine will not cede land to Russia. (PC: India Today)

Hamas has accepted a new ceasefire and hostage release proposal from mediators Egypt and Qatar, according to group sources. The plan, based on a US framework, calls for a 60-day truce. Hamas would release around half of the 50 remaining Israeli hostages in two stages. Talks during the pause would focus on a permanent ceasefire and Israeli troop withdrawal. Israel has not yet commented. On Sunday, huge crowds in Tel Aviv demanded a deal to bring hostages home. Meanwhile, Israel’s cabinet is preparing to expand its offensive in Gaza. The war has killed over 62,000 people in Gaza since 2023. (PC: BBC)

Apple has signed a 10-year lease for 2.7 lakh sq ft of office space in Bengaluru. The company will pay more than ₹1,000 crore in rent, parking, and maintenance charges over the period. The lease, effective from April 3, 2025, covers nine floors in Embassy Zenith. Apple will pay a starting monthly rent of ₹6.3 crore, with a 4.5% yearly increase. The deposit is ₹31.57 crore. Apple is India’s largest mobile phone exporter, shipping iPhones worth ₹1.5 lakh crore in 2024-25. Despite criticism from US President Donald Trump, Apple continues to expand its presence in India. (PC: Business Today)

Astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla, the second Indian to travel to space, met Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi on Monday. Shukla, who piloted the Axiom-4 mission to the International Space Station (ISS), gifted Modi the mission patch and shared pictures of Earth from space. Modi welcomed him warmly, praising his achievement. Shukla returned to India on Sunday after his 18-day mission, which included over 60 scientific experiments and 20 outreach activities. He was earlier greeted by Delhi chief minister Rekha Gupta, Union minister Jitendra Singh, and ISRO chairman Dr V Narayanan. Shukla will also attend National Space Day celebrations. (PC: HT)

Russian President Vladimir Putin called Prime Minister Narendra Modi to share details of his Alaska meeting with US President Donald Trump. Modi thanked Putin, saying India supports a peaceful resolution to the Ukraine conflict and values continued exchanges. The call comes after Trump imposed 25% tariffs on Indian goods and an extra 25% penalty on Russian oil imports, accusing India of “funding Putin’s war.” India welcomed the Trump-Putin talks, calling their leadership “commendable” for peace. However, the summit ended without a deal. Trump described the meeting as “very productive” but left the next move to Ukraine’s President Zelenskyy. (PC: India Today)

US President Donald Trump will meet Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Washington on Monday. The meeting comes days after Trump’s talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska. Trump suggested Zelenskyy could end the war by accepting Russia’s hold on Crimea and the Donbas region. Ukraine rejects giving up land, as its constitution forbids it. European leaders, including Emmanuel Macron, Keir Starmer, and Giorgia Meloni, will also attend. They want security guarantees for Ukraine against Russian aggression. Meanwhile, Russian strikes killed 6 civilians in Kharkiv, including 2 children, showing the war’s ongoing cost. Ukraine still defends 80% of its land. (PC: NDTV)

Scottish historian and writer William Dalrymple has claimed that his great aunt, English author Virginia Woolf, was “part Bengali.” He said their family shared Bengali roots through a grandmother born in Chandannagar, West Bengal, who married a Frenchman. Dalrymple added that Woolf’s grandmother proudly carried her Bengali and Hindu heritage while living abroad. Known for classics like Mrs Dalloway and To the Lighthouse, Woolf is celebrated as a pioneer of modernist literature and feminist thought. Dalrymple said Woolf’s features and style reflected Indian influence. He suggested that she should be celebrated as “a daughter of the soil” in Bengal. (PC: X)

A Sikh postman in Queensland, Australia, has gone viral for a simple but kind act. Gurpreet Singh delivered a package to resident Verrity Wandel during a rainstorm. Before leaving, he noticed her bedsheets on the clothesline. He quickly took them down and placed them safely under shelter. The thoughtful gesture was captured on CCTV and shared online by Wandel. The video gathered millions of views and even won a nod from actor Priyanka Chopra. Social media users praised Singh’s kindness, calling it “rare” and “beautiful.” Wandel later met Singh and thanked him for his caring action. (PC: HT)

Hurricane Erin has grown into a Category 4 storm and is moving toward the US East Coast. The storm is causing dangerous waves and rip tides along the coast. Heavy rains have started in the southeastern Bahamas and Turks and Caicos Islands. Forecasters said Erin will not directly hit the islands but could bring up to 6 inches of rain. Puerto Rico faced power cuts, but most services are now restored. The US National Hurricane Center warned Erin will stay “large and dangerous.” North Carolina’s Outer Banks ordered evacuations on Hatteras Island as high winds and rough seas threaten the area. (PC: BBC)

Mumbai was battered by heavy rains for the third straight day on Monday, with the city recording 177mm of rain in just 6-8 hours. The IMD issued a red alert for Mumbai and nearby districts, warning of more downpours and high tides. Several low-lying areas, including Chembur and Matunga, faced waterlogging. Traffic on the Western Express Highway slowed to a crawl, while local trains were delayed as tracks flooded. A school bus with children was stranded but later rescued safely. Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis urged citizens to stay cautious. Deputy CM Ajit Pawar called for coordinated relief and rescue efforts. (PC: HT Photo)