Skip to content
Search

Latest Stories

Leo Varadkar's relatives in India rejoice as he becomes Ireland prime minister

Shubhada Varadkar is wondering what she can gift to her cousin Leo Varadkar, who has taken over as the new prime minister of Ireland.

Having gifted books to her cousin earlier, she said now the situation has changed.


"We watched the oath ceremony on TV yesterday. We were almost glued to the television. It is indeed a moment full of joy, happiness and pride for the entire Varadkar family," said Shubhada, who lives in suburban Borivali.

"I am planning to visit the UK in August, and hopefully I will get a chance to (go to Ireland and) meet him, now the prime minister of Ireland.

"In one of our previous meetings, I had gifted him (Nehru's) 'Discovery of India', and I was pleased to know that he knows a lot about India as a democratic country and its historic moments.

"But I am wondering what should I gift him now, as a PM whether he would find the time to read... And as a PM, he can get anything whenever he wants," she said.

Vasant Varadkar, Leo's distant cousin from Sindhudurg district of coastal Maharashtra, said, "We have shared our feelings and wishes with Leo's father Ashok. We are in touch with him and we keep exchanging messages from time to time.

"Our wish is that one day Leo as the PM of Ireland should come to his village Varad in Sindhudurg district. It would be the biggest day of our life."

Leo Varadkar, Ireland's first Indian-origin premier, yesterday officially took over from Enda Kenny as Taoiseach, as the Irish prime ministerial title is known, after a parliamentary vote in Dublin confirmed him as the leader by 57 votes to 50, with 47 abstentions.

He is the youngest and the first openly gay prime minister of the Catholic-majority country.

His father Ashok, hails from Varad, a village in Sindhudurg district of Maharashtra.

More For You

Streeting hails India’s global role as Labour backs bilateral relations

Wes Streeting addresses the Republic Day reception at the Guildhall in London last Tuesday (28),joined by Sir Lindsay Hoyle and Vikram Doraiswami

Streeting hails India’s global role as Labour backs bilateral relations

WES STREETING spoke of the priority prime minister Sir Keir Starmer and the Labour government attach to relations with India when he addressed a Republic Day reception at the Guildhall in London last Tuesday (28).

But the secretary of state for health and social care won over the large Indian crowd by paying an unexpected tribute to Rishi Sunak.

Keep ReadingShow less
Sri Lanka seeks to negotiate with Adani over renewable energy plants

Gautam Adani

Sri Lanka seeks to negotiate with Adani over renewable energy plants

SRI LANKA’S government started talks with India’s Adani Group to lower the cost of power from two wind power projects the group will build in the island nation’s northern province, the cabinet spokesman said last Tuesday (28).

Sri Lanka has been reviewing the group’s local projects after US authorities in November accused billionaire founder Gautam Adani and other executives of being part of a scheme to pay bribes to secure Indian power supply contracts. Adani has denied the allegations.

Keep ReadingShow less
Badenoch proposes stricter citizenship rules for all migrants

Kemi Badenoch delivers speech on January 16, 2025 in London, England. (Photo by Dan Kitwood/Getty Images)

Badenoch proposes stricter citizenship rules for all migrants

CONSERVATIVE PARTY on Thursday (6) proposed a clampdown on all migrants by tightening citizenship rules and barring social benefit claimants from residency rights.

Kemi Badenoch, who took over from Rishi Sunak in November last year, outlined her first major policy agenda as Tory leader in a move seen as an attempt to win back the support of Conservative voters drawn to the far-right anti-immigrant Reform party.

Keep ReadingShow less
New body led by Sir Sajid Javid aims to amplify ‘unheard’ voices
Sajid Javid

New body led by Sir Sajid Javid aims to amplify ‘unheard’ voices

A NEW independent commission to improve cohesion would engage across all nations and regions of the UK by moving beyond Westminster-centric discussions and include more diverse voices, the director of British Future thinktank has said.

Sunder Katwala said building confidence across different groups will be a priority, as economic pressures and tensions due to Middle East conflict have polarised communities in the UK.

Keep ReadingShow less
Pakistan court gives unusual punishment to Youtuber Rajab Butt for owning lion cub

Pakistani zookeeper Mohammad Amir holds the confiscated lion cub at Lahore’s safari zoo last Tuesday (28)

Pakistan court gives unusual punishment to Youtuber Rajab Butt for owning lion cub

A PAKISTANI YouTube star who was gifted a lion cub on his wedding day avoided jail after promising a judge to upload animal rights videos for a year.

Rajab Butt has one of the largest online followings in south Asia, and his week-long nuptials in December were plastered over celebrity gossip websites.

Keep ReadingShow less