Month: July 2024

Actors Riteish Deshmukh and Genelia Deshmukh have taken a pledge to donate their organs.

Now, the National Organ and Tissue Transplant Organisation has expressed gratitude to them for this noble act.

Earlier Riteish took to his Instagram handle to share a video in which they talked about their pledge of donating an organ about which they had been thinking for quite a long time and said that there can be no “greater gift to someone than ‘The Gift Of Life'”

“There is no greater gift to someone than ‘The Gift Of Life’. @geneliad & me have pledged to donate our organs. We urge you all to join this great cause and be part of ‘The Life AfterLife’, ” wrote ‘Masti’ actor.

“Aaj 1st July ko hum ye kehna chahte hain aur aapko ye batana chaahte hain ki hum dono ne ek pledge liya hai.. (Today, on July 1 we want to tell you about something that we have pledged), we have decided to donate our organs,” said Riteish Deshmukh in the video.

“Yes, we pledge have pledged to donate our organs and for us there’s no better gift than the gift of life,” added Genelia.

Now, National Organ and Tissue Transplant Organisation (NOTTO) has taken to their official handle of X to express gratitude to the ace actors. The caption along with the video reads, “Thanks to Riteish Deshmukh & Genelia, the Bollywood star couple for pledging to donate their organs during the ongoing organ donation month of July. Their gesture will motivate others also to connect with the noble cause.#organdonation #Bollywood #savelives”

Meanwhile, on the work front, Riteish Deshmukh is all set to be seen along with Sonakshi Sinha and Saqib Saleem in the film ‘Kakuda’.

On Tuesday, the makers unveiled the trailer of the film and it looks promising.

‘Kakuda’ follows the story of Sunny played by Saqib Saleem, a less-educated guy who is in love with Indira portrayed by Sonakshi Sinha. Determined to be together, they marry and move to the village of Ratodi only to be cursed by ‘Kakuda’. On their wedding night, Sunny fails to open the smaller door for Kakuda at 7:15 pm sharp, inviting Kakuda, a wicked ghost who punishes the man of the house by inflicting a hump on their back that grows until their demise on the thirteenth day. With Sunny’s life hanging by a thread, Indira seeks help from Victor, an eccentric ghost hunter played by Riteish Deshmukh.

Together, they embark on a freakishly hilarious yet spooky journey to solve the mystery of

Kakuda, and uncover the shocking truth about the ghost’s identity, motives, and the village’s haunting curse that has lasted for decades.

Excited about the film, Riteish said earlier, “I’m thrilled to be a part of the quirky and eccentric world of ‘Kakuda’. Playing the role of Victor, an unconventional ghost hunter, allowed me to tap into a side of my acting abilities that I hadn’t fully explored before. This character is unlike any other I’ve portrayed, and that’s what makes it so exciting. Blending horror and comedy is a delicate balance, and I’m grateful to have had the opportunity to work alongside such talented co-stars like Sonakshi Sinha and Saqib Saleem. ‘Kakuda’ takes you on a rollercoaster ride of emotions, leaving you both laughing and scared.”

Saqib Saleem mentioned, “While theatrical releases have their charm, OTT platforms offer an incredible opportunity to connect with more masses. The film’s quirky and intriguing storyline about solving the mystery of a ferocious ghost and a cursed village’s haunting ritual is what initially drew me in. Of course, the chance to work with talented actors like Sonakshi Sinha & Riteish Deshmukh was another major reason I said yes. We had an absolute blast on set, and I’m confident our comedic chemistry will leave viewers in stitches. I can’t wait for everyone to experience the spine-chilling laughter that ‘Kakuda’ promises to deliver.”

‘Kakuda’, which is directed by Aditya Sarpotdar, will be out on ZEE5 on July 12. (ANI)

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Ananya Panday expressed her excitement as her cousin Alanna Panday and husband Ivor McCray welcomed their baby boy.

Alanna and Uvor took to their Instagram account to drop the news with an adorable video.

In the clip, the new parents and their son can be seen dressed in blue.

Along with the video, the couple added a caption that reads, “Our little angel is here.”

Excited Ananya reposted the video on her Instagram Story.

Sharing her happiness, the ‘Gehraiyaan’ actress welcomed her nephew with a note that read, “My beautiful baby boy nephew is here.”

Earlier in March, the couple hosted a grand baby shower, where the who’s who of Bollywood marked their presence.

Alanna Panday and Ivor McCray, who got married in Mumbai last year, announced that they are expecting their first baby in February.

Posting a video on Instagram, Alanna Panday wrote in her caption, “We love you so much already, we can’t wait to meet you.”

Meanwhile, on the work front, Ananya Panday has some exciting projects lined up. She’ll be starring in the TV series ‘Call Me Bae’ with Varun Dhawan and Vir Das.

The show follows a billionaire fashionista disowned by her family after a scandal and her journey to independence.

Earlier in May, makers took to their Instagram account to share a fresh poster of the series announcing that it will begin streaming on September 6.

With Ananya Panday leading the cast as Bella Bae Chowdhary, the series also features actors Vir Das, Gurfateh Pirzada, Varun Sood, Vihaan Samat, Muskkaan Jaferi, Niharika Lyra Dutt, Lisa Mishra, and Mini Mathur.

Produced by Dharmatic Entertainment and boasting Karan Johar, Apoorva Mehta, and Somen Mishra as Executive Producers, the series stars Ananya Panday in her OTT debut.

she is also gearing up for her upcoming ventures, ‘Control’ and ‘The Untold Story of C Sankaran Nair.’

Ananya was last seen on OTT in ‘Kho Gaye Hum Kahan’ for which she got a lot of accolades. It saw her alongside Siddhant Chaturvedi and Adarsh Gourav. (ANI)

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Veteran actress Neetu Kapoor celebrated her 66th birthday on vacation in the Swiss mountains in the company of her daughter Riddhima Kapoor, son-in-law and granddaughter.

Taking to her Instagram Stories on Monday, Riddhima dropped a video, where her mum Neetu can be seen celebrating as her family sings to her. In the clip the veteran actress is also seen enjoying a special dessert.

Apart from the video, Riddhima also added a picture with a caption that read, “Just us girls enjoying our bubbly. Love and only love. Happy birthday my mommykins.”

Another picture shows three generations of Kapoor women: Neetu, Riddhima, and Riddhima’s daughter Samaira.

Neetu Kapoor started her acting career at the age of eight. She became well-known for her roles in movies like ‘Do Dooni Chaar,’ and ‘Do Kaliyan.’ She acted in about 70 to 80 films between the ages of 5 and 21.

In 1980, she married her co-star Rishi Kapoor. Back in the 70s and 80s, Rishi and Neetu starred in several hits together, like ‘Amar Akbar Anthony’, ‘Khel Khel Mein’, ‘Rafoo Chakkar’, ‘Kabhi Kabhie’, ‘Besharam’ and many more, and inspired generations with both their on-screen and off-screen romance.

Rishi Kapoor passed away on April 30 in the year 2020 at the age of 67. He was suffering from leukaemia.

They have two children, actor Ranbir Kapoor and designer Riddhima Kapoor Sahani. Neetu took a break from acting to focus on her family, saying that Rishi was very possessive and wanted her to be with him all the time.

Neetu returned to acting last year with ‘Jugjugg Jeeyo’ alongside Anil Kapoor. (ANI)

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Actress Triptii Dimri, who is currently busy promoting her upcoming film ‘Bad Newz’ with Vicky Kaushal and Ammy Virk, dropped a sunkissed picture featuring her rumored boyfriend, Sam Merchant.

In the picture posted on her Instagram Stories, Triptii and Sam are seen sitting in a motor boat along with their friends.

The photo, taken at an undisclosed location, captures a sunlit moment of the group enjoying their time together.

Talking about her upcoming film, ‘Bad Newz’ is directed by Anand Tiwari, and explores the comedic yet poignant tale of heteropaternal superfecundation, navigating unexpected fatherhood dilemmas with a backdrop of humour and chaos.

The film’s trailer, which was recently released, introduces Vicky Kaushal and Ammy Virk as protagonists navigating unexpected fatherhood dilemmas, with Triptii Dimri adding to the comic mayhem.

‘Bad Newz’ takes a fresh spin on the genre, promising an emotional rollercoaster laced with rib-tickling humour.

The film seems to be a successor to the 2019 hit ‘Good Newwz,’ which starred Kareena Kapoor Khan, Akshay Kumar, Kiara Advani and Diljit Dosanjh in the lead roles.

‘Bad Newz’ is co-produced by Tiwari, along with Hiroo Yash Johar, Karan Johar, Apoorva Mehta and Amritpal Singh Bindra. The film, scripted by Ishita Moitra and Tarun Dudeja, is set to hit theatres on July 19.

Triptii, who has been a part of films like ‘Laila Majnu’, ‘Bulbbul’ and ‘Qala’, recently skyrocketed to fame with her role in Sandeep Reddy Vanga’s directorial ‘Animal’.

The actress will also be seen in ‘Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3′ opposite Kartik Aaryan.’

Helmed by Anees Bazmee, the third part of the hit franchise also stars Vidya Balan in the lead roles and is all set to hit the theatres on the occasion of Diwali 2024.

Vidya Balan essayed the role of Manjulika in the 2007 psychological horror-comedy film ‘Bhool Bhulaiyaa’. (ANI)

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After taking charge as the Police Commissioner of Chennai, IPS officer A Arun said on Monday that maintaining law and order and controlling rowdies would be his prominent priorities.

He also mentioned that he would also check the killing of Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) chief, Armstrong.

“I am not new to Chennai. Issues in Chennai like law and order, and controlling rowdies will be my first priority. I will check the Armstrong issue (Tamil Nadu BSP state president K Armstrong). I have taken the charge just now,” Arun said.

A Arun replaced Sandeep Rai Rathore as the new Police Commissioner of Chennai.

K Armstrong, Tamil Nadu BSP Chief, was hacked to death on Friday evening by a group of unidentified men near his residence in Perambur, Chennai.

Following the brutal killing of K Armstrong, the Chennai police suspect the involvement of associates of gangster Arcot Suresh, who was murdered in August last year.

In an interview with ANI on Sunday, Asra Garg, Additional Commissioner of Police (Law and Order), North Chennai, said, “After sustained interrogation, due analysis, and diligence regarding the facts and circumstances of each suspect, we have arrested eight people. We have seized seven blood-stained weapons, one Zomato t-shirt, a Zomato bag, and three bikes that were used in the commission of the offence.”

Highlighting the suspected motive behind the killing, ACP Garg mentioned that the associates of gangster Arcot Suresh, who was assassinated last year, believed it was “conspired” by Armstrong.

“In continuation of this, the special teams formed by the Chennai police have secured three more suspects. The preliminary investigation so far indicates that the motive prima facie appears to be based on different types of analysis. In August 2023, Arcot Suresh was murdered by a gang; his family and associates believe it was done under the direction or in conspiracy with Armstrong, who was murdered on Friday,” he stated.

The Chennai police have formed special teams to comprehensively probe the case.

Earlier on Saturday, the BSP supremo, Mayawati, called for immediate action from the Tamil Nadu government.

“The brutal murder of a hardworking and dedicated leader of the BSP in Tamil Nadu and the state party unit president K. Armstrong outside his Chennai residence yesterday evening has sent shockwaves across society. The government should immediately take strict and necessary action to prevent such incidents in the future,” she said in a post on ‘X’. (ANI)

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After six terrorists were killed in two different encounters in Jammu and Kashmir, Brigadier Prithviraj Chauhan, Commander 1sec RR, said on Monday that the killing of terrorists in South Kashmir is a significant blow to Hizbul-Mujahideen.

Chauhan also mentioned that, during the operation, one Army personnel also sacrificed his life.

“In the Chinigham operation, our soldier Prabhakar Praveen made the supreme sacrifice for the nation. We had been monitoring movements in this area for several days with the help of all agencies and Army surveillance devices. On July 6, we received information about terrorist movements in the Chinigham area. Around 4 pm, one of our soldiers noted the movement. When we challenged them, they started firing, and our parties responded fully, during which one of our soldiers was martyred. After concluding the operation, we found and promptly destroyed an IED weighing approximately 6 kg, keeping collateral damage in mind. The killing of four terrorists in this operation, and a total of six in South Kashmir, is a significant blow to Hizbul Mujahideen,” he said.

Speaking on the Kulgam encounter, Javed Ahmad Matoo, DIG South Kashmir, said that in two joint operations conducted from July 6 to 7, two terrorists were killed in total.

“Adil, who had multiple FIRs against him in different police stations, was killed in one operation. The second encounter took place in the Chinigham area based on specific information, resulting in the killing of four terrorists. Among them was Yavar Bashir Dar, a Category ‘A’ terrorist. The others were identified as Tauheed Ahmed, Shakeel Ahmed Wani, and Zahir Ahmad Dar. A significant cache of arms and ammunition was recovered from the encounter site. Both locations had hideouts that the terrorists had been using for a considerable time,” Matoo said.

The Indian Army on Sunday paid tributes to the two soldiers who lost their lives in two separate encounters in Jammu and Kashmir’s Kulgam district.

“Chinar Corps Commander, Chief Secretary of J-K, DGP J-K, and other dignitaries and all ranks paid homage to Lance Naik Pardeep Kumar and Sepoy Pravin Janjal Prabhakar, who made the supreme sacrifice in the line of duty in Kulgam on 06 Jul 2024,” Indian Army Chinar Corps posted on X on Sunday.

The first encounter broke out between terrorists and security forces in Modergam village. Hours later, another encounter broke out in the Frisal Chinnigam area of the district. (ANI)

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After concluding recent operations in the Kulgam and Chinigham areas, an Indian Army convoy was attacked by terrorists in the Machedi area of the Kathua district on Monday.

As per the officials, the area in Jammu and Kashmir falls under the 9th Corps of the Indian Army.

“After firing by terrorists, our troops also retaliated. More details are awaited,” defence officials said.

Meanwhile, after six terrorists were killed in two different encounters in Jammu and Kashmir, Brigadier Prithviraj Chauhan, Commander 1sec RR, said on Monday that the killing of terrorists in South Kashmir is a significant blow to Hizbul-Mujahideen.

Chauhan also mentioned that, during the operation, one Army personnel also sacrificed his life.

Chauhan also mentioned that, during the operation, one Army personnel also sacrificed his life.

The first encounter broke out between terrorists and security forces in Modergam village. Hours later, another encounter broke out in the Frisal Chinnigam area of the district.

Jammu and Kashmir has witnessed a “spike” in the number of terrorist attacks in the past few months.

In June, three terrorists were neutralized in an encounter with security forces in the Gandoh, Bhaderwah sector of district Doda in Jammu and Kashmir, ADGP Anand Jain had said. (ANI)

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Japan and the Philippines on Monday signed a bilateral defence agreement to facilitate joint exercises for closer security cooperation, amid China’s growing assertion in regional waters.

Japanese Foreign Minister Kamikawa Yoko and Phillippines Defence Secretary Gilbert Teodoro Jr. signed the Reciprocal Access Agreement (RAA) treaty documents in the presence of President Ferdinand R Marcos Jr. in a ceremony at Malacann Palace according to reports from state media of the two countries-Philippines News Agency (PNA) and Kyodo.

Prior to signing of the new defence deal, President Marcos met with Kamikawa and Japanese Defence Minister Minoru Kihara.

Marcos termed the deal as “very important agreement” while Kamikawa said the signing of the RAA is “a great achievement” for the two countries deepening bilateral relations.

The agreement, which will come into force after getting ratified by respective legislative bodies of the Philippines and Japan, is expected to ease restrictions on personnel transfers between the Japan Self-Defence Forces and the Philippine military for joint drills and disaster relief operations in each other’s country.

Once the agreement takes effect, Japan will be able to participate as a full member in the large-scale Balikatan military exercise conducted annually by the Philippines and the United States near the Southeast Asian nation, which the SDF have previously joined in an observer capacity, reported Kyodo.

The treaty comes after Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and Marcos agreed last November to start negotiations.

AS per PNA, the Phillippines has inked similar defence pacts with the United States and Australia, while another defence deal is being pursued with France.

Similarly, Japan has pacts with Australia and Britain and one with the US called the Status of Forces Agreement.

Earlier this year on June 17 Chinese and Philippine sailors clashed near the Second Thomas Shoal about 200 km away from Palawan island.

As per Al Jazeera, during that incident, the Chinese forces injured Filipino navy personnel and damaged at least two military boats in the South China Sea. Additionally, the Filipino sailors also accused Chinese coastguards of stealing and damaging their equipment.

Meanwhile, later today Kihara and Kamikawa will take part in a “two-plus-two” ministerial security dialogue with Teodoro and Philippine Foreign Secretary Enrique Manalo.

In June, this year, the Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces Philippines, General Romeo Brawner ticked off China over repeated confrontations between the Philippines and China in the South China Sea and accused China for “Acting Like Pirates” as per a report in the Al Jazeera Notably, the incidents of confrontations in the South China Sea have been continuing despite an international tribunal ruling its claim to have “no legal basis” in 2016.

As China has made expansionist claims over almost the entire South China Sea claiming it to be under the Nine-Dash Line. The same news report also claimed that the country has also build artificial islands and military outposts near the reef. (ANI)

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Days after he was sworn in as the Chief Minister of Jharkhand for the third time, Hemant Soren won the floor test during a special session of the state assembly on Monday.

Hemant Soren won the vote of trust with the votes of 45 MLAs in his favour. He was sworn in as the 13th Chief Minister of Jharkhand in Raj Bhavan, Ranchi on July 4.

Hemant Soren was released from the Birsa Munda Jail on June 28 after nearly five months following bail from Jharkhand High Court in a money laundering case linked to an alleged land scam. He had resigned as Chief Minister before his arrest on January 31. He was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in January on charges related to an alleged land scam and money laundering.

Champai Soren who had taken over as the CM following the arrest, resigned from the post just five months after taking the oath, setting the ball rolling for Hemant Soren to again take over the role on Wednesday. Champai Soren had taken oath as the 12th Chief Minister of Jharkhand in the Raj Bhavan on February 2 this year.

Earlier in a video message Hemant Soren had accused the BJP of leveling false allegations against him.

“In the 2019 Jharkhand Assembly Elections, the people of Jharkhand gave our party mandate but the conspirators were unable to digest how an Adivasi youngster can sit in such a high position. At last, on January 31, they (the BJP) made false allegations against me and removed me from the post of Chief Minister. Because of the people’s blessings, I’m out here sitting in front of you. We will always be the voice of the people. Today, the public opinion of the people of Jharkhand will rise again. By taking charge, the work will be carried out again,”

Hemant Soren’s return as CM will bolster the JMM, which won three seats in the tribal-dominated state of Jharkhand in the Lok Sabha elections.

In 2019, JMM fought the assembly elections in alliance with the Congress and Lalu Prasad’s Rashtriya Janta Dal (RJD) and got a comfortable majority with forty-seven seats in the 81-member house. (ANI)

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Congress leader and Lok Sabha MP Rahul Gandhi expressed sorrow over the grim flood situation in Assam, saying that the devastation caused by the deluge is heartbreaking and urged the central government to extend assistance to the state expeditiously.

In his post on X, Rahul Gandhi condoled the loss of lives in the deluge and offered his heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families.

“The extreme devastation caused by flooding in Assam is heartbreaking – with innocent children like 8-year-old Avinash being taken away from us. My heartfelt condolences to all the bereaved families across the state,” read his post.

Rahul Gandhi took a swipe at the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) over the current flood situation in the state and said that the disaster reflects the gross and grave mismanagement by the BJP.

“60+ deaths, 53,000+ displaced, 24,00,000 affected. These numbers reflect the gross and grave mismanagement by BJP’s double-engine government which came to power with the promise of a “flood-free Assam,” said the post.

“Assam needs a comprehensive and compassionate vision – proper relief, rehabilitation, and compensation in the short term, and a pan-Northeast water management authority to do everything necessary to control floods in the long term,” he said.

Adding further, Rahul Gandhi said, “I stand with the people of Assam, I am their soldier in Parliament, and I urge the central government to extend all possible help and support to the state expeditiously.”

Meanwhile, a team of the Assam Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC), led by President Bhupen Borah submitted a memorandum to LoP Rahul Gandhi urging him to take up the issue of the perennial flood of Assam in Parliament.

As per the official APCC letter, “The key to Assam’s flood problems lay in the hills. Due to large-scale deforestation in the hills, there is immense siltation in Assam’s rivers. The resultant rising of the riverbed has progressively reduced the carrying capacity of Assam’s rivers.”

“Therefore, in the monsoon season and with climate change, we are seeing extreme rainfalls–the water discharge is beyond the carrying capacity of rivers. The long-term solution therefore is a pan-Northeast water management authority, suitably empowered by Parliament to do everything necessary to control floods,” it said.

“The short-term solution is strengthening the current flood management infrastructure like embankments, and providing immediate relief and rehabilitation to those affected,” stated the letter.

Meanwhile, APCC leaders, MPs, MLAs, Frontal Heads, DCCs, and BCCs are touring the flood-affected areas.

As per the current flood situation in Assam, 58 people have died and 53,429 are seeking refuge in shelter camps across the state. As many as 23.9 lakh people have been affected across 3,535 villages so far. 68,769 hectares of total crop area have been submerged.

114 animals, including 6 rhinos, have died in Kaziranga National Park, as per the report. (ANI)

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