Month: July 2025

Alia Bhatt’s upcoming production ‘Difficult Daughters’ has been selected as one of the 30 projects for the Asian Project Market (APM) at this year’s Busan International Film Festival (BIFF), reported Deadline.

The film is directed by Soni Razdan and produced by Alia Bhatt, her sister Shaheen Bhatt, and indie film producer Alan McAlex, known for his work on ‘Santosh.’

‘Difficult Daughters’ is among a select group of projects from across Asia that will be showcased at APM, where filmmakers connect with international investors and co-producers.

According to Deadline, another Indian project in the line-up is ‘The Last of Them Plagues,’ directed by Kunjila Mascillamani and produced by actress Kani Kusruti and ‘All We Imagine As Light’ director Payal Kapadia. Kusruti served as a jury member for BIFF’s New Currents section last year.

Other entries include ‘Moon’ by Indian director Pradip Kurbah, who previously won BIFF’s Jiseok Award in 2019. Bangladeshi filmmaker Biplob Sarkar returns to BIFF with ‘The Magical Men,’ an LGBTQ+-themed story. Malaysian director Lau Kok Rui, from BIFF’s 2022 Asian Film Academy, is presenting ‘Wake Me Up When the Mourning Ends,’ with producers Soi Cheang, Stefano Centini, and Wong Kew Soon.

The Asian Project Market (APM) will run from September 20-23 during the 20th edition of the Asian Contents & Film Market at BEXCO.

Alia Bhatt was last seen in ‘Jigra,’ directed by Vasan Bala. She both starred in and produced the film, which followed a sister’s mission to save her brother from prison.

She will next appear in ‘Alpha,’ part of Yash Raj Films’ spy universe, which is set for release on December 25. She is also working on ‘Love and War,’ co-starring husband Ranbir Kapoor and Vicky Kaushal, and directed by Sanjay Leela Bhansali. (ANI)

The Supreme Court on Monday issued notice to Centre and states on a PIL seeking to declare that consumers have a right to know about the quality, purity and certification of products, besides details of distributors and sellers for redressal against unfair restrictive trade practices.

A bench of Justices Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta issued notices to the Union government, all state governments, and the Law Commission of India.

It has sought directions to the Centre and the states to ensure that every distributor, trader and shop owner displays details of registration, including name, address, phone number and number of employees at the entry gate in bold letters on a display board visible to people.

The petition filed by petitioner Ashwini Kumar Upadhyay said “right to know” was crucial for consumers to make informed choices and to protect themselves from unfair or restrictive trade practices and unscrupulous exploitation.

The plea said that if a consumer has an issue with a product or service, knowing details about the distributor, dealer, and seller is essential for filing a complaint and seeking redressal through consumer redressal forums.

It said, “When a distributor, dealer, trader, seller and shop owner are transparent about their details, it fosters a fair and competitive market where consumers can make informed choices.”

The right to know empowers consumers to be informed or protected and to make choices when engaging in sales, purchases and money transactions, the PIL added. (ANI)

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, during a high-level meeting on Monday, issued instructions to grant legal land ownership rights to families displaced from former East Pakistan (now Bangladesh) and resettled in various districts of the State.

The Chief Minister said this is not merely a matter of land transfer, but an opportunity to honour the life struggles of thousands of families who took refuge in India across the national border and have been awaiting rehabilitation for decades. He urged officials to treat these families with empathy and respect, emphasising that it is the moral responsibility of the administration.

Officials informed CM Yogi that in the aftermath of Partition, between 1960 and 1975, thousands of families displaced from East Pakistan were rehabilitated in the districts of Pilibhit, Lakhimpur Kheri, Bijnor, and Rampur.

Initially, these families were settled in various villages through transit camps and were allotted land. However, due to legal and record-keeping discrepancies, most of them have not been able to obtain formal land ownership rights to this day, they said.

The Chief Minister was apprised that although agricultural land had been allotted to these displaced families in districts like Pilibhit, Lakhimpur Kheri, and Bijnor, administrative and legal complications such as clerical errors in records, land being registered under the Forest Department, delays in mutation processes, or the lack of actual possession have deprived them of lawful ownership rights. In some areas, displaced families from other states were also settled, who still remain without land titles.

As per current status, while many families have built permanent homes on the land they have cultivated for years, their names are yet to appear in official revenue records. On the other hand, in some villages, the originally settled families are no longer present. In some cases, land has been encroached upon without following legal procedures, which has further complicated the issue.

The Chief Minister instructed that in cases where land was previously allotted under the Government Grants Act, legal alternatives should be explored within the current legal framework, considering the act was repealed in 2018.

CM Yogi stated that this sensitive initiative could open the door to new hope and a life of dignity for displaced families who have long been neglected. He emphasized that this should not be viewed merely as a rehabilitation measure, but as an act of “social justice, humanity, and national responsibility.” (ANI)

Biju Janata Dal (BJD) party workers held a protest at Revenue Divisional Commissioner (RDC) office today in Odisha’s Sambalpur over the Balasore student’s death by self-immolation.

While holding the protest, BJD MLA Barsha Singh stated that the CM and the Higher Education Minister should resign.

She said to ANI, “When the govt was formed, they had given only one slogan: that the atrocities on women would be stopped. But since the government has changed, everyone has seen that atrocities against women are increasing, so we are opposing it… Recently, one girl was set on fire in the Puri district. What is this government doing? We want the CM and the higher education minister to resign.”

The death of a 20-year-old student of Fakir Mohan Autonomous College, who had allegedly faced prolonged sexual harassment by the Head of Department (HoD), has caused a massive political row in the state.

The victim had attempted self-immolation on July 12 on the college campus, sustaining over 90 per cent burn injuries, and succumbed to her injuries at AIIMS Bhubaneswar on July 14.

In another incident, a 15-year-old victim, who suffered 70% burn injuries and was undergoing treatment at AIIMS Bhubaneswar and was in critical condition, was airlifted to AIIMS Delhi for advanced treatment on Sunday.

The incident occurred under the jurisdiction of the Balanda police station in the Nimapada block of Puri district. According to her cousin, the 15-year-old girl, who had gone out with friends, was abducted and taken to the riverside, where she was set on fire by unidentified miscreants. Severely burnt, she managed to reach a nearby house from where she was rushed to the hospital. (ANI)

Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Monday welcomed the Supreme Court’s decision to dismiss the Enforcement Directorate’s (ED) plea seeking investigation against his wife BM Parvathi in connection with the alleged irregularities with regard to illegal land allotments by Mysuru Urban Development Authority (MUDA), calling it a “resounding slap of justice on the face of the Central Government.”

In a social media post on X, the Karnataka Chief Minister said, “The Supreme Court’s historic order dismissing the ED’s appeal to investigate my wife, Mrs. Parvati, in the matter of MUDA site allocation is a resounding slap of justice on the face of the Central Government.”

“I humbly welcome the order of the Honorable Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, B.R. Gavai, and Justice K. Vinodchandra. Throughout my long political career, I have always bowed to the Constitution and the law of the land. This belief has been upheld and protected by the Supreme Court’s order,” Siddaramaiah stated.

Accusing the BJP and its allies of misusing central investigative agencies such as ED, CBI, the Karnataka Chief Minister said that the fabricated case had caused “immense harassment and mental distress.”

His social media post read, “The Bharatiya Janata Party and its allies, unable to confront me politically, have misused constitutional investigative agencies like the CBI and ED to fabricate a false case against my wife, causing immense harassment. The mental distress inflicted on me and my family by this is something I can never forget.”

“The words from the depths of my heart have been echoed by the Honorable Chief Justice Gavai of the Supreme Court. “Political battles should be fought with voters, not by misusing constitutional institutions like the Enforcement Directorate,” their words reflect the opinion of every conscientious Indian who believes in the Constitution,” it added.

Reiterating his allegations, the Chief Minister said that this verdict brings “solace to all such victims” who had suffered BJP’s misuse.

Siddaramaiah urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah to take note of the order and end the political misuse of central institutions. He also demanded a public apology from state BJP and JD(S) leaders who had levelled allegations against him and his family in connection with the MUDA case.

Siddaramaiah said, “For the past 10-11 years, the Central Government and the BJP’s misuse of IT, CBI, and ED for political vendetta has caused suffering to many, and this verdict brings solace to all such victims while instilling confidence in the judicial system.”

“Following this eye-opening order from the Supreme Court, I hope Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah will wake up, stop the misuse of constitutional institutions like IT, CBI, and ED, grant them the autonomy they deserve, and atone for their sins. If the BJP and JDS leaders in the state, who have been making baseless allegations against me and my family regarding the MUDA case, have even a shred of dignity or honor left, they should immediately apologize publicly for their mistakes,” he said.

On Monday, the Supreme Court has dismissed a plea filed by the Directorate of Enforcement (ED) challenging Karnataka High Courts’ decision in having set aside probe against B.M. Parvathi, the wife of Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah in connection with the alleged irregularities with regard to illegal land allotments by Mysuru Urban Development Authority (MUDA).

A bench of Chief Justice of India B.R. Gavai and K. Vinod Chandran refused to entertain ED’s plea by orally stating “Let political battles be fought amongst the electorate. Why are you (ED) being used for it.” (ANI)

Chris Martin, a singer-songwriter and musician, offered a light-hearted caution to Coldplay fans during the band’s most recent event, following the viral video of ‘kiss cam’ drama from the band’s previous concert earlier in the week, reported People.

The video, filmed during Coldplay’s performance at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts, on July 16, showed a man and a woman on the event’s ‘kiss cam.’

As the man put his arms around the woman, both appeared to quickly hide their faces after realising they were being shown on the big screen. The woman was seen briskly covering her face, while the man ducked out of sight soon after realising they were on camera.

During the recent concert, Martin made sure to give the on-camera portion of the performance an introduction. “We’d like to say hello to some of you in the crowd,” Martin said, as his audience erupted in cheers, per a fan-recorded clip. “How we’re gonna do that is we’re gonna use our cameras and put some of you on the big screen,” reported People.

The ace musician gave fans a cheeky warning, “So please, if you haven’t done your makeup, do your makeup now.”

Andy Byron has stepped down from his role as Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of data technology firm Astronomer following the circulation of a video of him holding a woman at a Coldplay concert. Online speculation suggested the woman may have been Astronomer’s Head of Human Resources, Kristin Cabot.

Following the clip going viral and garnering tens of millions of views, the Astronomer’s Board of Directors initiated a formal internal review.

A company statement released on Friday confirmed Byron’s resignation. “As stated previously, Astronomer is committed to the values and culture that have guided us since our founding,” the statement read, as quoted by Variety.

“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. The Board will begin a search for our next Chief Executive as Cofounder and Chief Product Officer Pete DeJoy continues to serve as interim CEO,” as per the statement released by Astronomer.

It continued, “Before this week, we were known as a pioneer in the DataOps space, helping data teams power everything from modern analytics to production AI. While awareness of our company may have changed overnight, our product and our work for our customers have not. We’re continuing to do what we do best: helping our customers with their toughest data & AI problems,” as quoted by the outlet.

Coldplay frontman Chris Martin noticed the couple’s odd reaction on the arena’s jumbotron. As they ducked away, Martin joked, “Either they’re having an affair or they’re just very shy.”

If reports are to be believed, Byron is married to Megan Kerrigan Byron, and the couple resides in New York.

Coldplay is next set to perform at Nashville’s Nissan Stadium on Tuesday, July 22. Later performances will bring the band to Miami, London and beyond through early September. (ANI)

Congress whip in the Lok Sabha Manickam Tagore on Monday gave an Adjournment Motion notice in the Lok Sabha, while Congress Rajya Sabha MP Randeep Surjewala has given a Suspension of Business notice under rule 267 to discuss the Pahalgam terror attack and Operation Sindoor in the Upper House of Parliament.

Submitting the notice to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, Congress MP Manickam Tagore wrote, “I give notice of my intention to move an adjournment motion to discuss a matter of urgent and serious national importance.”

He requested the Speaker to discuss the alleged security lapses that led to the Pahalgam terror attack, followed by the foreign policy post Operation Sindoor.

“Matter: Glaring security lapses that led to the Pahalgam terror attack, the questionable foreign policy handling in the aftermath of Operation Sindoor, the recent claim by the US President that five Indian fighter jets were shot down, and the conspicuous silence of the Hon’ble Prime Minister even after 24 public statements by the US President taking credit for India’s ceasefire,” the notice read.

Listing the Grounds for adjournment, Tagore added, “1. The horrific terror attack in Pahalgam that claimed the lives of 26 innocent civilians has shaken the conscience of the nation. The attack exposes serious intelligence and security failures, despite repeated warnings about cross-border infiltration and terror threats in Jammu & Kashmir.”

“2. In response, our brave men and women in uniform executed Operation Sindoor with unmatched courage, discipline, and patriotism. The entire House salutes their sacrifice and commitment,” the notice added.

He alleged that the US President Donald Trump claimed that the ceasefire between India and Pakistan was a result of trade pressure.

“3. However, the Government’s handling of the post-operation diplomatic and strategic narrative has been nothing short of a foreign policy disaster. The US President has gone on record 24 times claiming that the ceasefire between India and Pakistan was negotiated by him, often under the guise of trade pressure. These repeated statements have gone uncontested by India’s leadership,” Tagore wrote.

He added, “4. In his most recent remark, the US President claimed that five Indian fighter jets were shot down–a revelation that, if true, has not been placed before Parliament or the public. If false, it requires urgent rebuttal. Either way, this silence erodes trust in the Government’s transparency on national security matters.”

The Congress MP also accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of remaining silent amid President Trump’s claims.

“5. The Hon’ble Prime Minister’s complete silence on these repeated and increasingly provocative foreign assertions has created confusion, diminished India’s diplomatic standing, and undermined confidence in the Government’s strategic clarity,” the notice read.

“6. To compound this, the Chief of Defence Staff made disclosures about Operation Sindoor on foreign soil, bypassing Parliament, raising further concerns over procedural accountability in national defence matters,” he added.

He requested the Speaker to suspend other business of the House and take up the matter for discussion in the Lok Sabha.

“In view of the seriousness of the issues involved–national security lapses, erosion of sovereign decision-making, and weakening of India’s international image–I request that all other business of the House be suspended to take up this matter of urgent national importance,” Tagore wrote.

Meanwhile, writing to the Secretary General, Rajya Sabha, ongress Rajya Sabha MP Randeep Surjewala gave a notice requesting Suspension of Business in the House.

Surjewala wrote, “Under Rule 267 (Notice of Motion for Suspension of Rules) of the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in Council of States (Rajya Sabha), I hereby give notice of my intention to move the following motion:- I hereby give notice under Rule 267 of the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in the Council of States (Rajya Subha) of my intention to move the following motion for the suspension of business listed for 21 July 2025: “That this House suspend Zero Hour and the relevant rules pertaining to Question Hour and other businesses of the day to discuss the concems arising out of the tragic terror attack in Pahalgam and India’s response thenugh Oporation Sindoor”.”

The Monsoon Session of Parliament is set to begin today on a stormy note with Opposition INDIA bloc gearing to corner Prime Minister Narendra Modi led Centre on several key issues, including Pahalgam terror attack, Operation Sindoor, Bihar Special Intensive Revision (SIR) and Air India (AI) 171 crash.

The session will continue on August 21, with a break from August 12 to August 18. There will be a total of 21 sittings across 32 days. (ANI)

Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta on Sunday said the city is fully prepared to welcome Kanwariyas, with comprehensive arrangements in place across Kanwar camps and borders.

She highlighted that the Delhi government has extended grants to 374 Kanwar committees and will distribute Ganga water pails and jute bags to five lakh Kanwariyas to promote environmental awareness.

Speaking to reporters at Punjabi Bagh, CM Gupta said, “Beautiful arrangements have been made by all the Kanwar committees. The Delhi government made preparations to welcome all the Kanwariyas in a very different way this time. Grants have been issued to 374 Kanwar committees in Delhi.”

She added that the Kanwar camps have been equipped with essential facilities, including electricity, health services, toilets, and a cleaning staff.

“Welcome gates have been installed on all the borders of Delhi… We will increase the amount of assistance provided to the Kanwar committees. Along with this, we will also provide pails of Ganga water and jute bags to 5 lakh Kanwariyas of Delhi so that this group of Kanwariyas can join in protecting the environment in Delhi. The distribution of all this will start from tomorrow,” she said.

Meanwhile, a large number of Kanwariyas have reached Haridwar as the Kanwar Yatra enters its final stage, with the city packed with devotees gathering to collect holy Ganga water for offering to Lord Shiva.

Officials expect the total number of pilgrims to cross 3 crore by the end of Sunday.

The number of Dak Kanwariyas, those who return quickly after collecting water, is increasing, and police have implemented a traffic plan to manage the swelling crowds. From city roads to Har Ki Pauri, the entire area is filled with devotees and vehicles.

Pilgrims are arriving in large numbers via Nagla Imarti and heading to designated parking zones in Haridwar. (ANI)

Congress MP KC Venugopal on Sunday said that the INDIA bloc will raise the demand to restore the statehood of Jammu and Kashmir in the Monsoon Session of the Parliament.

Sharing an X post, he wrote, “Did PM Modi lie on the floor of Parliament about granting statehood for J&K? If not, why has J&K Police arrested JKPCC President Tariq Hameed Karra ji & other Congress leaders?”

The Congress MP further questioned the police for allegedly sealing the Pradesh Congress Committee (PCC)’s office in Srinagar.

“Why did they seal the PCC Office in Srinagar yesterday & stopped our party workers from protesting peacefully for statehood?” he wrote in the X post.

Did PM Modi lie on the floor of Parliament about granting statehood for J&K?

If not, why has J&K Police arrested JKPCC President Tariq Hameed Karra ji & other Congress leaders ?

Why did they seal the PCC Office in Srinagar yesterday & stopped our party workers from protesting…

— K C Venugopal (@kcvenugopalmp) July 20, 2025

“In the upcoming Parliament session, INDIA alliance will be demanding that full statehood be restored in J&K immediately. This farce cannot go on any longer,” the X post read.

Earlier today, Congress leader Tariq Hameed Karra was allegedly detained by the police as he led a protest demanding statehood under the Congress’ ‘Humari Riyasat Humara Haq’ campaign.

The X handle of J&K Congress wrote, “JKPCC President @TariqKarra arrested by BJP led LG police while conducting peaceful “Jammu Chalo” March under banner ‘Humari Riyasat Hamara Haq’ today in Jammu.”

The party slammed the BJP over the alleged police action against party leaders.

Sharing an X post on Saturday, Congress wrote, “The @INCJammuKashmir, led by JKPCC President @TariqKarra ji, along with AICC General Secretary @GAMIR_INC ji and other senior leaders, organised a protest demanding the restoration of full statehood to Jammu & Kashmir. The “Hamari Riyasat Hamara Haq” campaign, a movement of the Congress party, has reached every nook and corner of J&K over the past nine months.”

Launching an attack against the BJP, Congress added, “Today, the police administration–controlled by the BJP–locked down the JKPCC headquarters in Srinagar and arrested several party workers en route to the protest.”

“Given that it was a peaceful demonstration, such a blatant attack on democracy through the arrest of non-violent protesters is unacceptable. What is the BJP government so afraid of?” the X post read.

Addressing reporters in Jammu today, Karra said, “Since the Constitutional changes of 2019, the Congress party has been continuously demanding J&K statehood to be restored. The Prime Minister has repeatedly given assurances for this both inside and outside the Parliament. However, when we realised that his assurances were just another slogan, the entire state of Jammu and Kashmir protested for this demand… Today we have a program to go to LG House. Tomorrow we have a programme to go to Delhi. But you can see in what brutal way our procession is being stopped… We will force the Bharatiya Janata Party to pass a bill to restore the statehood of Jammu and Kashmir in the coming session.”

Speaking to ANI on Saturday, Tariq Hameed Karra called for a march towards the national capital on July 21.

“For the past 6 months, we have launched the ‘Humari Riyasat Humara Haq’ program across Jammu-Kashmir to restore statehood. We will intensify the program in Srinagar and Jammu, as we had previously announced. We have also called for ‘Chalo Dilli Chalo’ from Jammu and Srinagar,” Karra told ANI.

He added that the party will surround the Parliament and raise their demands amid the Monsoon Session.

“We hope the administration will not obstruct this peaceful march… This campaign is now reaching its final phase, where we will march towards Delhi on the 21st, and our effort will be to surround Parliament to present our memorandum and raise our voice there. This letter from Rahul Gandhi has the support of the entire INDIA alliance. It has the support of 233 MPs,” he said. (ANI)