Month: July 2025

Kristin Cabot, tech firm Astronomer’s human resource executive, has resigned from the company, days after the controversial kiss camera moment with former CEO Andy Byron.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, Cabot, who served as the chief people officer, is no longer associated with the data infrastructure firm and submitted her resignation after reports surfaced about her leaving.

Cabot has been a target of intense backlash on social media ever since her video with the CEO surfaced during the Coldplay concert. In the days after the incident, Byron also stepped down from his role.

Astronomer’s Board of Directors had initiated a formal internal review over the clip, resulting in Byron’s resignation earlier this month, reported Variety.

“As stated previously, Astronomer is committed to the values and culture that have guided us since our founding. Our leaders are expected to set the standard in both conduct and accountability, and recently, that standard was not met. Andy Byron has tendered his resignation, and the Board of Directors has accepted,” a part of the company’s statement read.

During Coldplay’s July 16 concert at the Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts, a kiss camera captured a couple in an embracing state, reportedly Andy Byron and Kristin Cabot.

In a quick reaction, the two instantly tried hiding themselves to avoid being exposed, only for their activities to catch the world’s attention. Coldplay’s lead singer, Chris Martin, also took note of the moment and commented, “Either they’re having an affair or they’re just very shy.”

Later, Martin gave out a lighthearted warning to his fans, subtly alerting them about the cameras at concerts. “We’d like to say hello to some of you in the crowd. How we’re gonna do that is we’re gonna use our cameras and put some of you on the big screen. So please, if you haven’t done your makeup, do your makeup now,” he said, as quoted by The Hollywood Reporter.

The band is yet to directly comment on the incident. (ANI)

Congress MP Rajeev Shukla has strongly criticised the government’s recent decision to ban 25 OTT platforms and websites, alleging that the move is an attack on freedom of expression.

Shukla claimed that the government’s action is selective and politically motivated, targeting platforms that offer alternative perspectives or criticise government policies.

“.Dekhiye obscene, vulgar koi cheez ho to usko rokkar aap upaye kijiye.. We are against the way freedom of expression is being attacked and websites and YouTube channels opposing the government are being banned. This is wrong…..uska hum virodh kar rahe hai..,” Shukla told ANI.

The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MIB) has ordered the blocking of 25 over-the-top (OTT) platforms for allegedly publishing obscene, vulgar and, in some cases, pornographic material.

The directive was issued on July 23, 2025, in consultation with multiple government departments and civil society stakeholders, according to sources.

According to the sources, the Ministry said that much of the content showcased by these platforms involved graphic sexual innuendos, long sequences of nudity, and pornographic visuals. “There was hardly any storyline, theme, or message in a social context,” it said.

Some content was also found to depict inappropriate sexual situations involving family relationships, further aggravating concerns over legality and decency.

A total of 14 mobile applications, 26 websites have been ordered to be disabled by intermediaries under provisions of the IT Act, 2000 and the IT (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021.

The government had several rounds of communication with the platforms. In September 2024, all 25 platforms had received official warnings.

Prior to this, in February 2025, the Ministry had issued an advisory urging OTT platforms to comply with India’s obscenity laws and the Code of Ethics prescribed under the IT Rules, 2021.

Yet, the platforms allegedly continued to host and stream objectionable content.

In one notable example, the series ‘House Arrest’ hosted on the Ullu platform was taken down in May following the Ministry’s intervention. However, the government alleges that certain platforms have continued their operations by creating new domains, even after previous blocking orders. Five such platforms reportedly resumed publishing similar content after being blocked in March 2024.

The latest action was taken in consultation with the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), the Ministry of Women and Child Development (MWCD), the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), the Department of Legal Affairs (DoLA), industry associations FICCI and CII, and subject experts in the fields of women and child rights.

Mentioning that previously the Digital Publisher Content Grievances Council (DPCGC), a self-regulatory body headed by a former Supreme Court judge, found that content edited on ALTT was “totally distasteful and bizarre,” with sex and nudity being shown without any contextual justification.

Similarly, over 100 web series were also removed from the Ullu platform, with the council finding that the platform temporarily removed or edited the web series and then uploaded the unedited versions later to circumvent the warnings.

Several of the platforms had previously drawn the attention of the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR), which flagged Ullu and ALTT for alleged violations in July and August 2024. The Ministry also received multiple public grievances about the content hosted on these platforms. (ANI)

The Embassy of India in Cambodia issued a travel advisory on Saturday for Indian nationals, advising them to avoid travelling to border areas due to the ongoing clashes on the Thailand-Cambodia border.

In an official advisory message, it said, “In view of the ongoing clashes at the Cambodia-Thailand border, Indian nationals are advised to avoid travelling to the border areas.”

The Embassy also said that in case of any emergency, Indian nationals may approach the Embassy of India, Phnom Penh at +855 92881676 or email cons.phnompenh@mea.gov.in.

pic.twitter.com/zU1oNMcLvM

— India in Cambodia (@indembcam) July 26, 2025

Earlier, the Indian Embassy in Thailand issued an advisory on Friday, following clashes near the Thailand-Cambodia border, urging Indian nationals to avoid travel to seven provinces in Thailand.

The Mission advised travellers to check for updates from Thai official sources such as TAT Newsroom, the official online newsroom of the Tourism Authority of Thailand.

In view of the situation near Thailand-Cambodia border, all Indian travelers to Thailand are advised to check updates from Thai official sources, including TAT Newsroom.

As per Tourism Authority of Thailand places mentioned in the following link are not recommended for… https://t.co/ToeHLSQUYi

— India in Thailand (@IndiainThailand) July 25, 2025

The developments on the border of Cambodia and Thailand come after clashes erupted on the border areas of Thailand and Cambodia, triggering a massive humanitarian crisis, with over one lakh people forced to flee their homes in just two days of conflict, CNN reported.

The long-running border disputes between Thailand and Cambodia date back over a century, when France, which occupied Cambodia until 1953, first mapped the land border. Cambodia has cited that map to support its territorial claims, while Thailand rejects it as inaccurate.

Both Cambodia and Thailand have written to the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) following two days of cross-border fighting, local media in both Southeast Asian countries reported on Saturday. The 15-member UN body has scheduled an emergency meeting for Saturday to discuss the issue.

While Thailand says the clashes began on Thursday with Cambodia’s military deploying drones to conduct surveillance of Thai troops near the border, Cambodia says Thai soldiers initiated the conflict when they violated a prior agreement. (ANI)

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has busted a major international cyber fraud syndicate operating from Pune and Mumbai, arresting three accused and seizing digital devices, cash, and narcotics in coordinated raids.

CBI registered the instant case on July 24 against unknown public servants of Banks and four private persons for running an illegal Call Centre operating since January 2025 in furtherance of a well-organised criminal conspiracy.

The group, in connivance with other unknown persons, has been impersonating officials from agencies such as the U.S. Internal Revenue Service (IRS), U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), and even the Indian High Commission, to defraud unsuspecting U.S. citizens, said the CBI.

Under the threat of legal action. The victims were coerced into paying amounts ranging from $500 to $3,000 through gift cards or Bitcoin transfers. Spoofed VoIP-based calls were being made from a covertly operated illegal Call Centre situated at Pune.

It has been revealed that the illegally earned proceeds, estimated to be ₹ 3-4 crores monthly, are being laundered via mule accounts, cryptocurrency, and hawala routes. It was also revealed that these operations are supported by certain unknown public and private sector bank officials, who facilitate the opening and operation of fake accounts using forged KYC documents, violating established RBI and institutional guidelines.

The call centre workers are paid in cash routed via hawala channels from both the U.S. and domestic locations, including Maharashtra and Gujarat. These workers are housed in multiple residential flats across Pune. The scam’s operation includes the illegal acquisition of contact leads through vendors on messaging platforms such as WhatsApp and Signal. Victims are contacted via toll-free numbers generated and disseminated by these vendors, eventually connecting them to the fraudulent call centre, said the CBI.

After registration of the case, searches at 7 places of the accused or the persons associated with them, including the illegal Call Centre run by the accused persons at Pune, were conducted by CBI on 24/25.07.2025.

Various incriminating articles of cyber fraud/digital devices, viz. 27 mobile phones and 17 laptops, have been seized from the possession of the accused persons and their associates at the illegal Call Centre at Pune. (ANI)

The families of the soldiers who lost their lives during the Kargil War paid tributes to the war heroes on the occasion of the 26th anniversary of Kargil Vijay Diwas.

The programme, organised at Kargil’s Dras town, was attended by a large number of people while families took their turns to go up to the War memorial and pay tribute to the valiant soldiers.

On the occasion of this Vijay Diwas, Union minister Sanjay Seth and Mansukh Mandaviya participated in the padyatra organised by MyBharat volunteers to honour the fallen soldiers today. Around 3,000 volunteers participated in the programme, marching to remember the soldiers.

“On the 26th Kargil Vijay Diwas, more than 3,000 volunteers paid tribute with a padyatra to the brave soldiers of the country who made their supreme sacrifice for the country, their motherland. I am happy that the youth of the country, for a developed India, for expressing their respect to the martyrs are following their duty by attending the padyatra,” Union Minister Mansukh Mandaviya told reporters after addressing the programme.

The padyatra covered a distance of 1.5 kilometres, and commenced from the grounds of Himabass Public High School, Drass, and concluded at the grounds of Government Higher Secondary School, Bhimbet.

The padyatra also featured a plantation drive under the “Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam” campaign.

“More than 1 crore 80 lakh youth have registered on My Bharat platform. As a symbolic gesture, three thousand young volunteers of our country, who have come from Leh, Kargil Drass and Kashmir, participated in the padyatra. All of us have paid heartiest tributes to the memory of our soldier’s supreme sacrifice for the honour and glory of the country’s tricolor flag,” Union Minister for Sports and Youth Affairs told reporters during the Kargil Vijay Diwas programme in Ladakh’s district,” Mandaviya added.

Every year on July 26, India commemorates Kargil Vijay Diwas, a day etched in the nation’s heart with pride and solemn remembrance. It marks the day in 1999 when India successfully concluded Operation Vijay, reclaiming the strategic heights from Pakistani intruders.

The Kargil War is a saga of strong political, military and diplomatic actions. This War will always be remembered for its strategic and tactical surprises, as well as the self-imposed national strategy of restraint in keeping the war limited to the Kargil-Siachen sectors and the swiftly executed tri-services military strategy. (ANI)

Bollywood actor Ranveer Singh paid tribute to WWE icon Hulk Hogan, who passed away at the age of 71.

On Friday, Ranveer took to his Instagram Stories to remember the wrestling legend. The actor shared a collage, with one picture showing a young Ranveer posing like Hulk Hogan, while the other was of Hogan himself.

Along with the photo, Ranveer wrote, “Hulkamama Forever.”

Take a look

Earlier, John Cena, another WWE legend, paid tribute by sharing an iconic photo from WrestleMania 3, a moment etched in wrestling history, where Hogan bodyslammed the 500-plus pound Andre the Giant in front of a roaring crowd.

WWE superstar Charlotte Flair also remembered Hogan’s support during one of the toughest moments in her life: “When I nearly lost my dad 8 years ago, one of the few people who was there for all of it was Hulk Hogan. My heart breaks for Nick and Brooke. Rest in peace, brother.”

Hulk Hogan, the headscarf-wearing superstar with a unique mustache who defined an era of World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE), passed away at the age of 71, Florida police and WWE confirmed on Thursday, according to ESPN. Hogan suffered a cardiac arrest on Thursday morning in Clearwater, Florida, and was pronounced dead at the hospital.

His real name was Terry Bollea. He was the face of WWE’s early global success and headlined the very first WrestleMania in 1985. From memorable feuds with Andre The Giant and Randy Savage to sharing the ring with The Rock and even then WWE Chairman Vince McMahon, Hogan was always at the center of the action. (ANI)

Karkardooma Court has recently rejected a revision moved by a sub-inspector of the Delhi police against an order directing registration of an FIR for brutally beating a dog. He had challenged the order passed by the metropolitan Magistrate on February 13, 2023.

The Station House Officer (SHO) at Jafrabad was directed to register an FIR. The Magistrate court had passed the order after watching a video widely circulated on social media in which the revisionist was seen in uniform beating a dog with a lathi. He was identified as Ravinder Kumar.

Principal District and Sessions Judge (PDSJ) Sukhvinder Kaur rejected the revision moved by Ravinder Kumar challenging the order for registration of an FIR.

PDSJ Sukhvinder Kaur said that there is also no error in the finding of the court that, prima facie, several offences are committed which require investigation, and the complainants cannot be asked to adduce evidence in the present case.

While dismissing the revision, the court observed, “The complainants cannot be expected to collect and adduce their evidence pertaining to the authenticity of the viral video on the basis of which this complaint has been filed or recover the weapons of offence which are crucial for establishing the guilt of the accused.”

“Hence, I agree with the view taken by the trial court that proper investigation is required to be done for establishing the authenticity of video, recording statements of residents of locality, eye witnesses and doctors who treated the dog while ensuring the protection of witnesses, and for recovery of weapon of offence,” PDSJ Sukhvinder Kaur said in the order of July 18.

The court further said that apart from that, this court is also of the view that since the revisionist has disputed the examination report of the dog produced by the complainant, the dog also needs to be examined to ascertain permanent disability, if any, sustained by it, which also requires investigation.

The Magistrate court had passed the order of FIR after hearing a complaint moved by Niharika Kashyap and others. The complainants claimed that they are fellows of Ahimsa Fellowship, which aims towards animal welfare and works towards the enforcement of animal protection laws in the country.

They alleged that the proposed accused is an employee of Delhi Police currently posted at PS Jafrabad and has committed several grave and serious offences by inflicting unnecessary pain and suffering on a community dog by continuously beating it with a stick so as to maim and render it useless.

The alleged incident occurred in the morning of January 10, 2022, around 10:40 am, when the accused was speeding his motorcycle in Gali No. 44, Jafrabad, and he scared a community dog resting on the footpath. Then he was bitten by the dog on his leg, after which he stopped his motorcycle and hit the dog with a lathi, as a result of which the dog ran away and hid in a side lane.

Thereafter, the proposed accused went in search of the said community dog with the intent of inflicting harm upon the dog and found it near a house, Jafrabad and started beating the dog repeatedly and mercilessly with his lathi, even though it was lying motionless and lifeless on the road, the complainant had alleged. (ANI)

Indian teen squash sensation Anahat Singh ended the country’s 15-year wait for an individual medal at the World Junior Squash Championships with a bronze medal in the prestigious under-19 event.

The 17-year-old, who was seeded second in the women’s singles draw, suffered a loss to Egypt’s Nadien Elhammamy 3-0 (11-6, 14-12, 12-10) in the semi-finals at the Black Ball Sporting Club, as per Olympics.com.

Earlier in the quarterfinals, Anahat beat Egypt’s Malika Elkaraksy 3-0 (11-6, 13-11, 11-5) to seal herself a bronze medal.

“I had lost in the quarters for three years in a row, and I’m really glad I was able to reach the semi-finals this time,” Anahat Singh said after her quarterfinal win as quoted by Olympics.com.

Anahat was the only Indian out of eight semifinalists. 54th in the world rankings and the reigning U19 Asian girls’ champion, was the only seeded Indian in the women’s draw.

She had also secured the senior Asian titles in the women’s and mixed doubles earlier this year and also made her World Championship debut in Chicago. She has also won plenty of PSA Challenger titles since her two-team bronze medals in the Asian Games Hangzhou back in 2022.

Anahat is now the first Indian to win a medal at the World Junior Championships since Dipika Pallikal secured a bronze in 2010.

However, no Indian has won a gold medal at the event, with Joshna Chinappa (silver in 2005), denied a gold medal 20 years ago.

A total of 234 players are participating in the ongoing championships, which feature individual events until July 26 and team events until August 1.

India has fielded a 12-member contingent for the event, six men and women each for two events. Squash will make its maiden Olympic appearance in Los Angeles in 2028. (ANI)

At least 14 Thais have been killed while over 100,000 people have fled amid escalating border clashes between Thailand and Cambodia, Bangkok said on Friday, as per local media reports.

Bangkok Post cited the Thai interior ministry as saying that over 100,000 people from four border provinces of the country had been moved to nearly 300 temporary shelters, while the kingdom’s health ministry announced that the death toll had risen to 14- thirteen civilians and one soldier.

Thailand’s acting Prime Minister Phumtham Wechayachai has warned that clashes with Cambodia “could develop into war”, but added, “for now it remains limited to clashes.”

Thailand’s Royal Army has denied reports from Cambodia that it targeted an ancient Hindu Temple in the Cambodian province of Preah Vihear, which has been listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site.

“The accusation by the Cambodian side that Preah Vihear Temple was damaged by the Thai attack is a clear distortion of the facts,” the Thai-language statement posted on X by the military said, as per Al Jazeera.

“The Royal Thai Army would like to state that the operations of the Thai military forces have a clear goal of retaliating only against the Cambodian military forces, and are not targeting civilian areas or any locations unrelated to the military operation in any way,” it added.

In 2013, a UN court ruled in favour of Cambodia in a long-running dispute with Thailand over the jurisdiction of land around the ancient temple, fuelling tensions between Phnom Penh and Bangkok.

Exchanges of gunfire, shelling and rocket fire marked the fighting that began on July 24 in the long-disputed border areas. Both nations accused each other of starting the military clashes and have downgraded their diplomatic relations since Wednesday.

The UN Security Council is set to hold an emergency meeting on the crisis on Friday, with UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres urging both countries to exercise maximum restraint, as per a UN spokesperson.

Thailand and Cambodia have frequently clashed over their shared land border, a dispute that remains unresolved due to competing territorial claims dating back to the French colonial era.

The Cambodian Senate has expressed its strongest condemnation of the “intentional and illicit military aggression” by Thailand, stating that the Thai strikes were reported to have caused widespread damage to pagodas and temples.

In a statement released on July 24 late night, and citedx in the PhnomPenh Post, the Cambodian Senate said the hostile acts, which took place near the sacred temples of Ta Mone Thom, Ta Mone Touch, Ta Krabey, Mom Bei, and other locations within Cambodia’s internationally recognised borders, constitute a direct violation of Cambodia’s sovereignty and a grave breach of international law, including the UN Charter.

It noted Cambodia’s inherent right to self-defence, as stated under Article 51 of the UN Charter, adding that Cambodian armed forces acted with professionalism and restraint in exercising this right, defending national territory and the safety of Cambodian citizens.

They also called upon the international community including the UN, ASEAN and “all peace-loving nations” to take urgent and decisive action in response to this grave violation.

According to the Cambodian news outlet, PhnomPenh Post, there have been no official reports of casualties in Cambodia, but a 70-year-old Buddhist clergyman was reportedly killed when a Thailand F-16 fighters dropped bombs on Oddar Meanchey province’s Ta Mone Senchey pagoda, in Banteay Ampil district. The US-made fighter jet also reportedly bombed a nearby health centre, Phnom Penh Post reported.

Thailand’s National Broadcasting Service said that the Thai government is ordering all agencies to provide urgent assistance to citizens affected by the border conflict, with schools being closed and an agricultural war room established.

Meanwhile, Malaysia’s Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, as ASEAN Chair, wrote on his Facebook page yesterday that he had contacted Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet and Thai Deputy Prime Minister Phumtham Wechayachai to express Malaysia’s concern over rising tensions along the border.

Malaysia’s The Star news outlet cited Anwar as saying, “This is a very worrying matter, and tonight, I will speak to both prime ministers of Thailand and Cambodia. These two countries are members of Asean and are also countries that are close to Malaysia. I have sent messages to both Prime Ministers, and I am expecting to speak to both of them tonight (via phone).

“The least we can expect is for them to stand down and hopefully enter negotiations. Peace is the only option available,” Anwar was cited as saying on the sidelines of an event.

In 1962, the International Court of Justice recognised Cambodian sovereignty over the temple area in a ruling that became a major irritant in the relations between the two countries. Cambodia went to court in 2011, following several military clashes that killed about 20 people. The court reaffirmed the ruling in 2013. (ANI)

The Sindh Chamber of Agriculture (SCA) has stated its intention to contest the 45 per cent agricultural income tax in court. It has labelled the tax as “unconstitutional, illegal and unethical,” urging its members and farmers throughout Sindh to refrain from cultivating wheat this year, as reported by Dawn.

This decision was made during a meeting of the chamber held on Tuesday, chaired by its patron-in-chief, Syed Nadeem Qamar. The attendees rejected the tax, asserting that it was enforced under the influence of the International Monetary Fund (IMF). Farmers present at the meeting contended that they were not receiving fair compensation for their crops, thus questioning the validity of the tax’s imposition, as reported by Dawn.

The meeting urged farmers across Sindh to refuse payment of the tax and cautioned that if the government attempted to arrest them for this defiance, many other farmers would also be willing to face arrest. “We are prepared to endure imprisonment, but we will not pay the agricultural income tax,” declared the leaders representing farmers at the meeting. The participants announced a total boycott of the agricultural income tax and requested concessions similar to those afforded to industrialists, as noted in the Dawn report.

The SCA called on farmers to abstain from wheat cultivation for the 2025-26 season, arguing that they were not receiving sufficient support prices. The farmers committed to planting alternative crops such as mustard, nigella (kalonji), sunflower, and other oilseeds instead. They explained that due to significantly low wheat prices, they were unable to recoup production costs and that this year would be recognised as a ‘boycott year’ for wheat farming.

The chamber expressed serious concern over a 40% drop in cotton production, estimating that yields would not surpass four million bales. It mentioned that farmers were only receiving Rs6,500 per maund for cotton, despite the Sindh agriculture minister’s promise of Rs11,000 per maund, which had not materialized.

The SCA called for the elimination of the 18% local tax on cotton and proposed a 25% tax on imported cotton to discourage imports and encourage local production. It voiced concern over escalating costs for agricultural inputs, noting a Rs 22 per litre increase in diesel and a Rs 600 per bag rise in DAP fertiliser in just the last 15 days.

It cautioned that the soaring costs of essential agricultural inputs were debilitating farmers, especially as they were not being paid fair prices for their yields. These developments, it warned, pointed to a systematic destruction of the agricultural sector. The chamber demanded an immediate retraction of the price hikes for diesel, fertilisers, seeds, pesticides, and other farming essentials, as reported by Dawn.(ANI)