Month: July 2025

Brother in law of P Venkataraman, a resident of Odisha’s Ganjam district who is among the three Indians abducted by an al-Qaeda linked terrorist group in West Africa’s Mali has said that the terrorists are demanding ransom.

The brother-in-law told ANI on Saturday, “Venkat last called me on June 30. He worked in a cement factory in Mali, West Africa. He said his company had stopped them from going out as terrorists were present. This kidnapping incident happened on July 1.”

He added that initially the company had informed them that his brother-in-law is in police custody after the terrorists set fire to the factory; however, later they came to know about the abduction and were asked not to leak the information.

“We got a call from the company that he and some others are in police custody as terrorists have set the factory on fire. An international news claimed that Al-Qaeda had kidnapped some people. We called the company to confirm this, and they refused us to leak this information and said that the terrorists are demanding ransom in exchange for the people,” he said.

“We waited for a few days and then complained to the police. I called and mailed the embassy, but did not get any response. I demand that my brother-in-law be brought back home safely,” Venkataraman’s brother-in-law told ANI.

Earlier on Saturday, Sub-Collector Shibashish Baral told ANI, “Information about the abduction of a person was reported by the kin, and immediately, the local administration reached them. It has been informed that the government is taking necessary steps.”

Meanwhile, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has expressed deep concern over the abduction of three Indian workers from a factory in Mali’s Kayes region and urged authorities in the West African country to ensure their “safe and expeditious” rescue.

“It has come to the knowledge of the Government of India that many military and government installations at multiple locations of western and central Mali were attacked by terrorists on July 1,” the MEA said in a statement on Wedneday.

The armed attack took place at the Diamond Cement Factory in Kayes.

Condemning the incident, the MEA said the Indian embassy in Bamako is in constant contact with local authorities, security agencies, and the families of the abducted workers.

In its statement, the MEA described the act as “deplorable” and reaffirmed India’s strong stand against violence targeting its citizens abroad.

“The Embassy of India in Bamako is in close and constant communication with the relevant authorities of the Government of Mali, local law enforcement agencies, as well as the management of Diamond Cement Factory,” the MEA statement read. (ANI)

Bollywood actor Ranveer Singh, known for his electric energy, fearless fashion, and versatile role choices, has turned 40 today.

Ranveer Singh is considered one of the bankable stars for producers in the Hindi film industry. Since his explosive debut in Band Baaja Baaraat (2010) under Yash Raj Films, Ranveer has consistently treated his fans with his impeccable performances across different movie genres.

From his soothing performance in ‘Lootera’ to displaying the underdog grit in ‘Gully Boy’, Ranveer has proved that no genre or character is beyond his reach.

The ‘Gully Boy’ actor just took over a decade to tick all the boxes and establish himself as an entertainment superstar and an admirer of grandiose fashion.

As the actor turns a year older today, let’s revisit some of the diverse character portrayals that Ranveer has brought to the viewers.

Band Baaja Baaraat (2010)

In 2010, the actor made his debut with ‘Band Baaja Baaraat’, marking the beginning of a new era when Bollywood was flooded with star kids and actors who were ruling the screens for decades.

In the movie helmed by Maneesh Sharma, Ranveer plays the role of Bittoo Sharma, a fun-loving youth who starts a wedding planning business with Shruti Kakkar (Anushka Sharma), an ambitious girl. Despite their promise not to mix business with love, the duo soon realises that they have fallen in love with each other, leading to complications in their professional and personal lives.

Ranveer’s performance was appreciated by the critics and his admirers.

Lootera (2013)

Ranveer’s debut was followed by Ladies vs Ricky Bahl, which was not well-received by his fans or critics. Instead of contemplating his past movie choices, the actor took a brave decision to distance himself from commercial cinema with Vikramaditya Motwane’s ‘Lootera’ in 2013. With this film, Ranveer showcased his range as an actor.

Adapted from a story by O. Henry, the film hinges on a punchline and delivers it through a well-crafted ending. In the movie, Ranveer plays the role of Varun Shrivastav, an archaeologist who travels to the village of Manikpur to study the land surrounding the temple, which is owned by the zamindar. Varun impresses the zamindar with his knowledge and charms his daughter Pakhi (Sonakshi Sinha).

However, Varun leads a mysterious second life, which ruins his relationship with Pakhi. Varun runs away only to be reunited with Pakhi years later under very different circumstances.

Goliyon Ki Raasleela Ram-Leela (2013)

In the same year as the release of his ‘Lootera’, the actor took a 180-degree turn to deliver one of his best performances since his debut, via Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s romantic drama film ‘Ram-Leela’, opposite Deepika Padukone, who was at the peak of her career at that time.

He played the role of Ram, who falls in love with Leela (Deepika), but the villagers oppose their union as they belong to communities that have been at odds for centuries. Due to constant politics and hatred among their communities, the lovebirds decide to kill themselves after they realised that they cannot live together in peace.

Ranveer’s performance and chemistry with Deepika Padukone in the movie were widely appreciated by the critics and his fans.

Padmaavat (2018)

With Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s ‘Padmaavat’, came the actor’s breakthrough performance, which definitely set new benchmarks. Some would argue that his Khilji act in the period drama goes down as one of the best performances in the history of Indian cinema.

The film, which also starred Shahid Kapoor and Deepika Padukone in the lead roles, was released in January 2018. In the movie, Ranveer brilliantly portrays Sultan Alauddin Khalji, who is obsessed with capturing the famed beauty Queen Padmavati (Deepika) of Mewar.

The only one standing in his way is her husband, Maharawal Ratan Singh (Shahid). Apart from ‘Padmaavat’, the actor has also collaborated with SLB on movies like ‘Goliyon ki Rasleela: Ram-Leela’ (2013) and ‘Bajirao Mastani’ (2015).

Both movies also starred Ranveer’s wife and actor Deepika Padukone.

Simmba (2018)

After portraying a powerful, dark character in SLB’s ‘Padmaavat’, Ranveer took up a completely different role with the action-comedy film ‘Simmba’, yet again proving his range as an actor. This time, the actor decided to try his hand at commercial films again, to reach the Indian masses. He joins Rohit Shetty’s cop universe with the movie ‘Simmba’.

The movie followed Sangram ‘Simmba’ Bhalerao (Ranveer), a corrupt police officer who works for Durva, a big drug smuggler. When Durva’s brothers rape and murder a girl close to Simmba, he decides to go on the path of righteousness to avenge her.

Gully Boy (2019)

Undoubtedly, one of Ranveer’s best movies is the 2019 Zoya Akhtar-directorial ‘Gully Bolly’, which also starred Alia Bhatt and Siddhant Chaturvedi.

Inspired by the story of two Mumbai-based rappers, Naezy and Divine, Gully Boy is one of the few Bollywood films that pays tribute to Indian rappers. ‘Gully Boy’ was a critical and commercial success. The movie was also appreciated at the Berlin Film Festival, where it had its world premiere.

In the movie, Ranveer plays Murad, a 22-year-old boy living in the slums of Dharavi, Mumbai. Murad’s parents want him to become well-educated and get a good job, but Murad has dreams of becoming a rapper.

When Murad meets MC Sher (Siddhant), he takes on the alias ‘Gully Boy’ and starts to realise his dream and fight to live it. The story beautifully showcases the inspiring journey of Ranveer’s character as he struggles to make it big as a rapper.

The star also raps his way into our hearts with his brilliant rapping skills perfectly showcased in songs like ‘Apna Time Aayega’, ‘Mere Gully Mein’ and ‘Asli Hip Hop’.

Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani (2023)

The latest addition to Ranveer Singh’s diverse filmography is Karan Johar directorial ‘Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani’ in 2023. Paired with Alia Bhatt, the actor plays the role of a man on a mission to reunite his grandfather (Dharmendra) with his lost love, who happens to be Alia Bhatt’s grandmother.

Ranveer played the role of Rocky Singh Randhawa, who was flamboyant in every sense. From his dance to flirting with Alia Bhatt in the film, the actor was eye candy for his fans in this movie. The film had a star-studded cast of Shabana Azmi, Jaya Bachchan and Dharmendra along with the lead pair.

These were just a few films that made us fall in love with Ranveer Singh, who has numerous awards under his belt and will surely gain quite a few more in his career.

The actor has also appeared in several other movies, including ‘Ladies vs. Ricky Bahl’, ‘Gunday’, ‘Dil Dhadakne Do’, and ‘Befikre’, among others. (ANI)

At the 90th birthday celebrations of the 14th Dalai Lama held at the Tsuglagkhang Temple In Dharamshala in Himachal Pradesh, with Union Ministers Kiren Rijiju and Rajiv Ranjan (Lalan) Singh and other dignitaries

The dignitaries seated on the dais along with the Tibetan spiritual leader included Hollywood actor Richard Gere.

Tibetan and Indian national anthems.were played on the occasion.

Monks, devotees, and international guests gathered for the celebration to honour the life and teachings of the Dalai Lama, who is widely regarded as a global symbol of compassion, non-violence and interfaith harmony.

Meanwhile, Tibetan Buddhist monks living in exile offered special prayers at the Dorjidak Monastery near Shimla at Panthaghati this morning to mark the 90th birthday of the 14th Dalai Lama.

The occasion was marked by solemn rituals, long-life prayers, and symbolic offerings led by a young boy monk, Nawang Tashi Rapten, recognised as the reincarnation of the Taklung Tsetrul Rinpoche, the head of the Nyingma school of Tibetan Buddhism. The boy monk also cut a ceremonial cake as part of the celebrations, offering prayers for the spiritual leader’s long life.

Explaining the significance of the day, Tibetan Buddhist monk Kunga Lama expressed both joy and reverence.

“As a Tibetan Buddhist, I would say this celebration of the birthday of the Dalai Lama is not only a celebration, but also he is the identity of the Tibetan community, Tibetan unity, monks, and the leader of the whole culture of peace and compassion,” Kunga Lama said.

“It is our responsibility to carry out what he says as Buddhists. As I already said, he is the identity of the Tibetan community. Another thing I would like to say is that he has always been a guide to the world with compassion and love. Most of us follow his way, what he preaches,” he said.

“We are offering prayers here for the long life of the Dalai Lama and also for those who are suffering in the whole of Himachal due to flooding, and also those suffering all around the world. We are trying to follow the Dalai Lama’s path. Definitely, it’s not only important for me; the Dalai Lama has to continue the lineage not just for me but for the whole world,” he said.

“The little boy monk here is not only an ordinary monk; he is the reincarnation of Taklung Tsetrul Rinpoche, who will be the head of the Nyingma school in the future. He just offered prayers and cut the cake for the long life of the Dalai Lama. On one hand, it is a happy moment for us; on the other, I cannot fully express it, as he is growing old, but we depend on hope,” the Buddhist monk further said.

The Dalai Lama, born as Lhamo Dhondup on July 6, 1935, in Takster, a small farming village in northeastern Tibet, was recognised as the reincarnation of the 13th Dalai Lama at the age of two. He was formally installed as the spiritual and temporal leader of Tibet on February 22, 1940, and was given the name Tenzin Gyatso.

The term “Dalai Lama” is Mongolian, meaning “Ocean of Wisdom”. In Tibetan Buddhism, Dalai Lamas are considered manifestations of Avalokiteshvara, the Bodhisattva of Compassion, an enlightened being who chooses to be reborn to serve all sentient beings.

After the Chinese invasion of Tibet in 1949, the Dalai Lama assumed full political authority in 1950. He was forced to flee into exile in March 1959 following the violent suppression of the Tibetan uprising. He has since lived in India, along with over 80,000 Tibetan refugees, continuing to advocate for peace, non-violence, and compassion.

For over six decades, His Holiness has been a global ambassador of Buddhist philosophy, compassion, peace, and interfaith harmony, continuing to inspire millions worldwide.

Celebrations were held across Tibetan settlements in India and abroad, with many also expressing hope that the Dalai Lama’s lineage will continue through a recognised reincarnation in the future. (ANI)

In a concerted effort to accelerate coordinated action towards abatement of air pollution in the region, the Commission for Air Quality Management in NCR and Adjoining Areas (CAQM) under the Chairmanship of Rajesh Verma, held two significant high-level review meetings on July 3.

The senior officials of the Commission, along with the Chief Secretaries and senior officers of the two State Governments, Haryana and Punjab, were present at the meeting.

According to the release, the review aimed to strengthen interdepartmental coordination in the two States, as mentioned earlier and evaluate the implementation of key sectoral measures for the abatement of air pollution in the region.

During the meeting with the State Government of Haryana, a detailed review was done on critical areas such as preparedness for the elimination of paddy stubble burning in 2025, as per the approved Action Plan; the use of paddy straw based biomass pellets in brick kilns and compliance of prescribed emission norms by thermal power plants, including a review on the progress made in r/o minimum 5 per cent biomass co-firing targets for 2025-26, as stated in the release.

Other issues reviewed included road dust mitigation strategies, especially a review of the action plan formulated by the State Government for the redevelopment of identified roads and various directions issued by the Commission to curb vehicular emissions.

These included the progress made towards liquidation of End-of-Life (EoL) vehicles and installation of Automated Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) camera systems in accordance with Direction dated April 23; fast-tracking of adoption of cleaner mobility vehicles services by motor vehicle aggregators, delivery service providers and E-Commerce entities; migration of all buses entering into Delhi including those operating under All India Tourist Permit and other service regimes to cleaner modes, besides such buses already covered under Direction Nos. 78 and 81; and enforcement of restrictions on the entry of polluting transport/ commercial goods vehicles into Delhi.

The progress in phasing out all diesel-operated auto-rickshaws and transitioning inter-city buses to clean energy was also deliberated upon.

On the same day, the Commission conducted another review meeting with the State Government of Punjab. The review revolved around the State’s preparations as per the approved plan for elimination of paddy stubble burning and implementation of the plan of action for prevention and control of paddy Stubble Burning in 2025, targeting complete elimination; mandatory use of biomass pellets in brick kilns, and compliance of prescribed emission norms by thermal power plants, including the target for co-firing minimum 5 per cent bio-mass during 2025-26.

The meeting also took stock of the implementation of directions related to vehicular pollution, including the migration of inter-city buses to cleaner fuel modes and restrictions on polluting transport/ commercial goods vehicles entering Delhi. The Commission emphasised the need for the proactive and timely implementation of all Statutory Directions to avoid deterioration in air quality in the region during the upcoming winter season.

In addition to the review meetings held, the Commission’s team also made field visits on July 4 to various projects/ installations related to ex-situ utilisation of paddy stubble, including, e.g. Pelletisation Plant, Compressed Bio-gas (CBG) Plant, Biogas Plant, 2G Ethanol Plant and Industrial Boiler in the States of Punjab and Haryana. These visits provided on-ground insights into technological and operational progress made by both States in strengthening ex-situ management of paddy stubble.

The Commission reiterated the importance of enhanced coordination, targeted implementation of the Action Plans, and strict enforcement of the Statutory Directions issued by the Commission.

CAQM appreciated the efforts made by both State Governments so far and urged sustained action and a shared commitment from all concerned stakeholders to ensure visible and measurable improvements in air quality in the region, particularly in view of the approaching winter season. (ANI)

The makers of the film ‘Cocktail’ have confirmed the making of its highly anticipated sequel. The movie is expected to go on the floors soon.

The hype around the sequel of the film has elevated a notch higher after Cocktail director Homi Adajania’s wife and celebrity stylist, Anaita Shroff Adajania, shared a snap of Cocktail 2’s script on her Instagram story on Saturday.

While sharing the picture, Anaita wrote, “Let the prep begin”, hinting at the beginning of the film’s shoot.

The makers have not announced further details of the movie yet.

Shahid Kapoor, Kriti Sanon and Rashmika Mandanna are reportedly approached for the lead roles in the film.

Cocktail was directed by Homi Adajania and starred Saif Ali Khan, Deepika Padukone and Diana Penty in the lead roles. It was released in 2012.

Meanwhile, Kriti Sanon, who is reportedly playing the lead role in the movie, has recently completed the shooting of ‘Tere Ishk Mein’. It is directed by Anand L Rai and stars Dhanush in the lead role.

The film, described as a spiritual successor to ‘Raanjhanaa’, is scheduled to release in theatres on November 28, 2025.

The film’s production house confirmed the wrap through an Instagram post, sharing a symbolic image of two bloodied hands clasped together.

The film is written by Rai’s long-time collaborator Himanshu Sharma and features music by AR Rahman with lyrics by Irshad Kamil.

Tere Ishk Mein is produced under the banners of Gulshan Kumar, T-Series, and Colour Yellow Productions. Producers include Aanand L Rai, Himanshu Sharma, Bhushan Kumar, and Krishan Kumar.

As for Rashmika Mandanna, she has multiple films releasing this year. Her latest movie was Kuberaa, which starred Dhanush and Nagarjuna in the lead roles. She recently announced an action thriller, titled Mysaa.

The actress will also be seen in Ranbir Kapoor’s starrer ‘Animal Park’.

Shahid Kapoor was last seen in the film ‘Deva’. It was directed by Rosshan Andrrews. (ANI)

Former Indian cricketer Suresh Raina is set to make his acting debut in a Tamil film under the production of Dream Knight Stories (DKS) banner.

Taking to their Instagram handle, DKS shared a video, announcing the arrival of Suresh Raina, affectionately known as ‘Chinna Thala’ by the Chennai Super Kings fans.

The video featured Raina entering a cricket stadium with fans cheering in large numbers. As per the announcement video, the film is expected to be based on cricket.

It is directed by Logan and is produced by D Saravana Kumar under the banner of DKS.

While sharing the video, the makers wrote, “Welcoming Chinna Thala @sureshraina3 on board for #DKSProductionNo1!”

The makers have not revealed the details of the movie yet.

Indian cricketer Shivam Dube, who plays the role of a pinch hitter for the Chennai Super Kings, officially unveiled the name of the production house and its logo.

Raina is one of the most loved figures in Chennai, owing to his impeccable performance in the Chennai Super Kings franchise.

Raina is considered one of the best middle-order batters produced by India and was the first Indian player to have a century across all formats of the game.

In 322 international matches, Raina has scored 7,988 runs at an average of 32.87 and a strike rate of over 92. He scored seven centuries and 48 fifties in 291 innings, with the best score of 120.

The left-handed batter won the ICC Cricket World Cup 2011 and ICC Champions Trophy 2013 with Men in Blue.

His knocks of 34* against Australia in the 2011 WC quarterfinals and 36* against Pakistan in the semis are two of the most memorable clutch knocks by a middle-order batter on a big stage.

Raina also represented CSK and Gujarat Lions (2016-2017) in the Indian Premier League. He is the fifth-highest run-scorer of all time in league history with 5,528 runs in 205 matches at an average of 32.51 and a strike rate of over 136.73.

He scored a century and 39 fifties in his IPL career, with the best score of 100*. For his consistency across seasons, he is also known as the ‘Mr IPL’. He has won four IPL titles with Chennai Super Kings. (ANI)

Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader Tejashwi Yadav on Saturday met the family of businessman Gopal Khemka, who was recently murdered in Patna and called the incident a “horrible” one.

Speaking to ANI, Yadav claimed the incident shows how unsafe Bihar has become.

Tejashwi also said that Khemka’s son was murdered six years ago, but no one has been arrested. He said officers are running the state as the Chief Minister is “unconscious and tired.”

“It’s a horrible incident. The businessmen want to leave Bihar. The incident has occurred in the heart of Patna… Still, it takes the police two hours to arrive here. Six years ago, his (Gopal Khemka’s) son was murdered, and none of the murderers were caught… By the time transfers and postings are done through bribery, and performers are not posted, things will not improve. No one is safe in Bihar… The CM is unconscious, and he is tired; officers are running the government,” Tejashwi Yadav said.

Meanwhile, the Bihar Police has formed a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to investigate the murder case of businessman Gopal Khemka, who was allegedly shot dead in the south area of the Gandhi Maidan in Bihar on Friday.

Superintendent of Police (SP), Patna, Diksha told ANI on Saturday, “On the night of July 4, at around 11 pm, we received information that businessman Gopal Khemka has been shot dead in the south area of the Gandhi Maidan…”

Earlier in the day, Coming hard on the ruling as well as past governments over the murder of businessman Gopal Khemka in Patna, Jan Suraaj Party founder Prashant Kishor, also said that there is no difference between the law and order during tenure of Lalu Yadav and present Nitish Kumar.

Speaking to reporters, Prashant Kishor claimed that officials are running Nitish Kumar’s government, doing as they please.

“There is no difference between Lalu Yadav’s jungle raj and Nitish Kumar’s rule. During Lalu Yadav’s rule, there was a rampage by criminals, and in Nitish Kumar’s rule, there is a rampage by officials. The kind of corruption and law-and-order situation that existed before is still the same now. In Patna, such a prominent businessman is shot dead, and no action is taken… Just yesterday in Siwan, three people were shot. This is a daily occurrence. It’s the rule of officials, running things as they please,” he said. (ANI)

BJP National Spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla launched a scathing attack on the Congress party over the National Herald case, alleging it exemplifies the party’s involvement in land-related corruption.

Speaking to ANI, Poonawalla claimed, “The National Herald scam is proof of how the Congress party is connected to the land. Wherever Congress sees land, be it the Jija ji scam, MUDA scam, or National Herald scam, it grabs that land through corruption.”

Poonawalla further alleged that properties worth Rs 2,000 crore, which he claimed belonged to freedom fighters and the people of the country, were acquired by Congress through a special purpose vehicle named Young Indians for a mere Rs 50 lakh.

“In the case of National Herald, property worth two thousand crores, which belonged to the freedom fighters, belonged to the people of the country. By creating a special purpose vehicle named Young Indians and paying Rs 50 lakh, the entire property worth two thousand crores was taken. Now, when the looters are being asked to return, these people are playing the victim card…,” he added.

On July 2, Delhi’s Rouse Avenue court raised certain queries to the ED about the shareholding of Associated Journals Limited (AJL) and whether the Congress party was a victim, as It had given a loan to AJL.

Additional Solicitor General (ASG) SV Raju submitted that there was a conspiracy to siphon off the assets of AJL, a company with assets worth Rs 2000 crore, a fact known to Congress leaders.

Special Judge Vishal Gogne heard the arguments at length for nearly three hours and listed the matter for further hearing on July 3.

The ED filed a prosecution complaint (charge sheet) against seven persons: Congress leaders Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi, Suman Dubey, Sam Pitroda, Young Indian, Dotex, and Sunil Bhandari. The Congress provided a loan of Rs. 90.25 crore to AJL, which had no means to repay despite holding assets worth Rs. 2000 crores, ASG Raju submitted.

Raju alleged that the accused aimed to usurp AJL, with its Rs. 2000 crore assets, by creating Young Indian, a company controlled by the Gandhis. The ED argued that Young Indian acquired AJL for just Rs. 50 lakh in exchange for the Rs. 90 crore loan provided by the Congress.

The ED further stated that the accused firm, Dotex, gave a Rs. 1 crore loan to Young Indian, out of which Rs 50 lakh was paid to the All India Congress Committee (AICC). Consequently, Young Indian became the owner of AJL for Rs 50 lakh.

ASG Raju argued that a company with an asset value of even Rs 5 lakh became the owner of a company with Rs 2000 crore in assets, emphasising the absurdity of the transaction. Despite AJL’s Rs 2,000 crore in assets, it struggled to manage its daily affairs. Raju argued that any prudent person would have sold assets to repay the Rs 90 crore loan, which was insignificant compared to the company’s asset value.

The ASG alleged that the AICC conspired to usurp AJL’s assets through Young Indian, created to siphon off Rs 2000 crore in exchange for the Rs 90 crore loan.

The Additional Solicitor General (ASG) S.V. Raju questioned why the All India Congress Committee (AICC) had given another loan to Associated Journals Limited (AJL) when the company was unable to repay the earlier loan, asking why a prudent person would do so.

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) alleged that Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi wanted to take over AJL, a company with assets worth Rs. 2000 crores. (ANI)