Month: July 2025

It’s a proud moment for India as Deepika Padukone has been chosen as a recipient of prestigious Hollywood Walk of Fame star in the coming year.

On Wednesday, Deepika’s name along with other renowned personalities from the worlds of recordings, motion pictures, television, live theater/live performance and sports entertainment, were announced at a live press conference from Ovation Hollywood, Billboard reported.

Miley Cyrus, Timothee Chalamet, Hollywood actress Emily Blunt, French actress Cotillard, Canadian actress Rachel McAdams, Italian actor Franco Nero, and celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay will also be honoured with a Hollywood Walk of Fame star.

Deepika’s fans have been going gaga ever since the news broke out.

Notably, in 2017, Deepika made her Hollywood debut ‘xXx: Return Of Xander Cage’. She has also been featured in TIME’s 100 most influential people list and Variety’s International Women’s Impact Report.

She has also made remarkable appearances at the Cannes Film Festival and Met Gala in previous years.

The honorees were selected by the Walk of Fame selection panel of the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce from “hundreds” of nominations at a meeting on June 20.

The selections were ratified by the Chamber’s board of directors on June 25.

“We are excited to announce the newest selections of 35 esteemed individuals who will be enshrined on the Walk of Fame as part of the prestigious Class of 2026,” Peter Roth, former CEO of Warner Bros. Television and chairman of the Walk of Fame selection committee, said in a statement.

“These talented individuals have made significant contributions to the world of entertainment, and we are thrilled to honour them with this well-deserved recognition.” (ANI)

Actor-comedian Kapil Sharma is back with another episode of ‘The Great Indian Kapil Show,’ and this time, it’s a cricket special.

Indian cricket team’s head coach, Gautam Gambhir, will be seen in a never-before-seen avatar along with cricketers Rishabh Pant, Yuzvendra Chahal, and Abhishek Sharma.

In a promo shared by Netflix on Wednesday, Kapil can be seen welcoming “Coach Sir” Gambhir and making sure he’s okay with the boys having some fun. What follows surprises fans — Gambhir, who is often known for his serious image, shows a lighter, more humorous side on the show.

The promo also features Pant giving quirky titles to his teammates, like ‘devrani’ and ‘jija,’ leaving everyone in splits. Krushna Abhishek is seen flirting with Rishabh and Chahal, while Sunil Grover, dressed as Navjot Singh Sidhu, teases Chahal over Punjab Kings’ loss to RCB in the IPL 2025 final.

Netflix posted the video with a caption that reads, “Hassi hogi boundary-paar with these cricket superstars. Ab har Funnyvaar, badhega humara parivaar. Watch the new episode with cricketing legends Gautam Gambhir, Yuzi Chahal, Rishabh Pant, and Abhishek Sharma on The Great Indian Kapil Show, this Funnyvaar, at 8 pm, only on Netflix.”

Take a look

The show has already seen Bollywood superstar Salman Khan in its first episode. The actor opened up about various things — including his health struggles, views on marriage, and more. He also shared an interesting detail about his hairstyle in the film Tere Naam, revealing that it was inspired by India’s former President, Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam. The second episode featured the cast of Metro In Dino. Navjot Singh Sidhu’s return to the show after a long break also left fans surprised.

The third episode of the show is all set to stream on July 5 on Netflix. (ANI)

Hollywood stars John Cena and Priyanka Chopra are currently busy promoting their film ‘Heads of State’ in the UK.

On a promotion spree, John Cena and Priyanka made a captivating appearance on Day 3 of Wimbledon 2025. Priyanka’s husband Nick and John’s wife Shay Shariatzadeh accompanied them.

The ‘Heads of State’ co-stars were seen happily posing for the shutterbugs at the UK’s most iconic tennis tournament.

For the match outing, Priyanka opted for a gorgeous white dress. Nick looked sharp in a navy blazer and cream chinos. John was seen in a checkered suit.

‘Heads of State’ is streaming on Prime Video.

The film is helmed by Ilya Naishuller, the filmmaker behind Hardcore Henry (2015) and Nobody (2021). It is an action-packed comedy about the U.S. President (played by John Cena) and the UK Prime Minister (played by Idris Elba), who must set aside their rivalry to thwart a global conspiracy and save the world — if they can work together.

Carla Gugino, Jack Quaid, Stephen Root, Sarah Niles, Richard Coyle and Paddy Considine also play crucial roles in ‘Heads of State’. (ANI)

President Droupadi Murmu has approved the proposal to hold the Monsoon Session of Parliament from July 21 to August 21, Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju said on Wednesday.

There will be no Parliament sittings on August 13 and 14 due to Independence Day celebrations.

In a post on X, Union Minister Kiren Rijiju wrote, “The Hon’ble President of India has approved the proposal of the Government to convene the Monsoon Session of Parliament from 21st July to 21st August, 2025. In view of the Independence Day celebrations, there will be no sittings on the 13th and 14th of August.”

The Hon’ble President of India has approved the proposal of the Government to convene the Monsoon Session of Parliament from 21st July to 21st August, 2025. In view of the Independence Day celebrations, there will be no sittings on the 13th and 14th of August. pic.twitter.com/ReWs8T7Czk

— Kiren Rijiju (@KirenRijiju) July 2, 2025

This comes amid the demand by Opposition leaders to convene a special session of Parliament upon the arrival of all-party delegations to discuss various issues, especially the developments that followed the ghastly Pahalgam terrorist attack.

The upcoming Monsoon session will be the first Parliament session following Operation Sindoor, which was launched by India on May 7 in response to a terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pahalgam, which claimed 26 lives.

The Budget session of Parliament began on January 31 this year. The Budget Session saw the passage of significant legislation, including Waqf Amendment Bill.

Rijiju held a press conference after the end of the Budget Session, informing that the first part of the Budget Session yielded a total of 9 sittings of Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha. In the second part of the Session, there were 17 sittings of both Houses. During the entire Budget Session, in total, there were 26 sittings.

In the second part of the Session, there were 17 sittings of both Houses. During the entire Budget Session, in total, there were 26 sittings.

During the second part of the Session, Demands for Grants of individual Ministries of Railways, Jal Shakti and Agriculture & Farmers Welfare were discussed and voted in Lok Sabha. In the end the Demands for Grants of the remaining Ministries/ Departments were put to the Vote of the House on Friday, the 21st of March, 2025. The related Appropriation Bill was also introduced, considered and passed by Lok Sabha on 21.03.2025 itself.

Appropriation Bills relating to Second and Final Batch of Supplementary Demands for Grants for the year 2024-25; Excess Demands for Grants for the year 2021-22 and Supplementary Demands for Grants of Manipur for the year 2024-25 and Demands for Grant on Account for the year 2025-26 in respect of the State of Manipur were also passed on 11.03.2025 in Lok Sabha.

The Finance Bill, 2025 was passed by Lok Sabha on March 25.

In the Rajya Sabha the working of the Ministries of Education, Railways, Health & Family Welfare and Home Affairs were discussed. (ANI)

Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Aditya Thackeray, on Wednesday, slammed BJP MLA Babanrao Lonikar’s reported remarks on farmers and termed it “very insulting”.

Speaking to the media, Thackeray claimed that more than 700 farmers have committed suicide in Maharashtra in the last three months alone and not a single rupee of help has reached them.

“Very insulting remarks, as if it is a favour to them that the Government is trying to help them. If you see the last 2.5 years, under ‘Bhrashtnath’ Shinde or if you see now, not a single Rupee of help has reached the farmers. More than 700 farmers have committed suicide in Maharashtra in the last 3 months alone. The Government is going back on all the promises,” Aditya Thackeray said.

“What is this conduct where the ruling party can say whatever they want on farmers, and roam freely without apologising?” he asked.

Further, the Shiv Sena (UBT) MLA said that he was expecting the BJP to present Babanrao Lonikar in the Assembly to apologise.

“I was expecting the BJP to present him in the House to apologise. But that didn’t happen. One Minister even supported him. The entire BJP attacked us that we are anti-nationals. We just want Babanrao Lonikar to apologise to people, to farmers, for his comments. Is it to wrong to demand that?” Thackeray asserted.

A video that recently went viral featuring the BJP leader, where he is heard saying to the gathering of farmers that they should not criticise the government, as they are getting clothes, mobiles, and shoes because of the government’s largesse.

On Tuesday, opposition leaders in Maharashtra targeted the ruling Mahayuti government in the Assembly, demanding an apology from the BJP MLA.

Congress MLA Nana Patole was also suspended from the Assembly by Speaker Rahul Narwekar.

Speaking to the media on Tuesday, Patole emphasised that they will continue to fight for the farmers.

“BJP MLAs and ministers claim that PM Modi is the messiah of farmers. PM Modi cannot be the messiah of farmers… The way farmers ar being insulted, is this why they have been brought to power?… Ever since PM Modi has formed the government, the suicide rate of farmers has increased… We will continue to fight for the farmers. We do not want a certificate from CM Fadnavis,” Patole said. (ANI)

Highlighting a significant recent study, Dr Manoj Murhekar, the Director of the ICMR-National Institute of Epidemiology (ICMR-NIE), addressed the growing concern around sudden cardiac deaths in younger populations.

According to an official release from the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Dr Murhekar, referring to an in-depth study carried out by ICMR-NIE in 2023, categorically stated that no correlation was found between COVID-19 vaccinations and sudden deaths.

He further clarified that factors like genetic predisposition, underlying health conditions, and unhealthy lifestyles are more likely to contribute to such incidents.

Supporting this, he mentioned a study by PGI Chandigarh that showed the incidence rate of sudden deaths, 1 in 10,000, has remained stable over the last decade.

A 10-member National Media Delegation, led by Dr Manisha Verma, Additional Director General, Press Information Bureau, Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, arrived in Chennai on Wednesday as part of a three-day media tour covering Chennai and Puducherry.

The delegation began their visit with a detailed tour and interaction session at the Indian Council of Medical Research’s National Institute of Epidemiology (ICMR-NIE), a premier research body under the Department of Health Research.

Welcomed by the Institute’s Director, Dr Manoj Murhekar, the media team was briefed about NIE’s ongoing and completed research projects that contribute to shaping national health policies. Dr Murhekar, along with senior scientists, addressed the delegation’s queries and elaborated on studies related to public health priorities.

Dr Hemant Shewade, Senior Scientist at ICMR-NIE, presented insights from a recent study on Tuberculosis among highly vulnerable populations. He noted that the findings led the Tamil Nadu government to formulate targeted interventions, significantly improving outreach and containment efforts.

Established on July 2, 1999, ICMR-NIE has evolved as a hub for public health research, known for publishing over 140 international journal articles annually. The institute emerged from the merger of the Central JALMA Institute for Leprosy (Field Unit) and the Institute for Research in Medical Statistics.

Located in Ayapakkam, Chennai, it specialises in epidemiological studies, disease modelling, clinical trials, and health systems research. The institute also plays a critical role in capacity building through its MPH, Ph.D., and short-term training programs in collaboration with leading universities.

ICMR-NIE continues to support state and national health programs through evidence-based research and policy recommendations, thereby strengthening India’s public health ecosystem.

The media delegation will continue its tour with further visits in Puducherry over the next two days. (ANI)

The Meerut district administration has taken steps to ensure that Kanwariyas, devotees of Lord Shiva who embark on a pilgrimage to collect holy water from the Ganges River, have access to safe and hygienic food during their journey.

To achieve this, the administration has mandated that all food joints along the Kanwar yatra route display essential information.

Food joints are required to display a list of food items and their prices outside their establishments to prevent price gouging and ensure transparency.

“The district administration is ensuring that a list of food items and their prices is displayed outside all the food joints along the Kanwar yatra route. The food safety department will ensure that certificates of mandatory food safety registrations, which display the name of the owner and the registration number, are also displayed outside the food joints,” the Divisional Commissioner, Dr Hrishikesh Bhaskar Yashod told ANI.

The food safety department will ensure that all food joints display their mandatory food safety registration certificates, which include the name of the owner and registration number.

A QR code will be displayed outside each food joint, allowing Kanwariyas to scan and access information about the establishment’s ownership and other relevant details.

“A QR code will also be displayed outside the joints, allowing the Kanwariyas to learn the details of the food joint’s owners. This is being done because the Kanwariyas should get good quality and pure food on their journey,”added Yashod.

Meanwhile, in the neighbouring state of Uttarakhand, Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami and Health Minister Dhan Singh Rawat, the Health Department has prepared a strict and dedicated action plan to provide pure and safe food to lakhs of devotees during the upcoming Kanwar Yatra, according to an official statement.

Special teams of food safety officers have been deployed in Haridwar, Dehradun, Tehri, Pauri and Uttarkashi districts. These teams will regularly take samples of milk, sweets, oil, spices, beverages, etc., from the pandals and send them to laboratories for testing. If any sample does not meet the standards, the concerned place will be closed immediately, the statement said.

Additional Commissioner of Food Safety and Drug Administration, Tajbar Singh Jaggi, said that the government has made it clear that no leniency will be shown against those doing food business without a license.

Small traders and cart owners will also be required to keep and display their photo identity card and registration certificate. ‘Food Safety Display Board’ should also be installed in hotels, eateries, dhabas and restaurants at a clearly visible place, so that the customer can know who is responsible for the quality of food, the statement said.

Action will be taken against businessmen who do not follow these instructions under Section 55 of the Food Safety Act 2006, in which a fine of up to ₹ 2 lakh can be imposed. (ANI)

In a significant development, a local court pronounced the death sentence for convict Sanjay Sen alias Bappa, in connection with a 2015 Chitpur double murder case.

Ld. Additional District Judge (ADJ), 1st Court, Sealdah, Anirban Das, pronounced the death sentence for convict Sanjay Sen alias Bappa, in connection with the Chitpur Police Station case dated July 16, 2015.

The convict was charged under Sections 302 and 394 of the IPC.

The case, investigated by SI Jagabandhu Garai of the Homicide Squad, Detective Department, culminated in the conviction of the accused following a meticulous trial.

On July 16, 2015, at approximately 13:50 hours, local police responded to a complaint and arrived at Indralok Housing Estate in Police Station Chitpur, Kolkata.

Detecting a foul smell emanating from the locked flat, police broke open the door. They discovered the bodies of Pran Gobinda Das (77) and his wife Renuka Das (77), both lying in pools of blood with severe injuries in separate rooms. A substantial quantity of gold ornaments was reported missing from the flat.

The case was registered based on a complaint filed by Dr. Partha Sen, nephew of the victims. Post-mortem examinations conducted at R.G. Kar Medical College and Hospital confirmed that the deaths were due to ante-mortem injuries, homicidal in nature.

During the investigation, Sanjay Sen was arrested for his direct involvement in the crime. Pursuant to his statement under Section 27 of the Indian Evidence Act, police recovered a significant amount of stolen gold ornaments and cash amounting to Rs 1,87,000 from a hidden location in Nandigram.

Additionally, the weapon of offence, an iron pipe, along with the accused’s blood-stained clothing and other incriminating articles, was recovered from a pond near the accused’s residence with assistance from the District Magistrate Group (DMG).

The investigation concluded with the submission of a charge sheet against Sanjay Sen within the stipulated period. The trial, conducted at the Ld. ADJ, 1st Court, Sealdah, saw the examination of 30 witnesses.

On July 1, the accused was found guilty under Sections 302 (murder) and 394 (robbery causing hurt) of the IPC.

On July 2, 2025, Ld. ADJ Shri Anirban Das pronounced the quantum of punishment, sentencing Sanjay Sen to be “hanged from the neck until dead” for the brutal double murder and robbery. (ANI)

Devotees are being transported to safer places using transportation facilities near Silai Band and Ojari, after heavy rains and landslides damaged the Yamunotri National Highway in Uttarkashi district.

Police, State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), and forest officials are helping stranded people reach safety through temporary routes.

In a post on X, Uttarkashi Police stated, “On the Yamunotri National Highway, devotees are being transported to their destinations via transportation facilities near Silai Band and Ojari.”

“The police, SDRF, NDRF, and forest department are safely guiding stranded devotees and local people through temporary routes (trails),” the post reads.

Work is being done on a war footing to restore the Yamunotri National Highway damaged by heavy rains and landslides in Uttarkashi district. The washed-out road near Silai Band is likely to open by Tuesday evening.

According to a release, work is also underway with heavy machines in Ojri. Seven Poklane and JCB machines are engaged day and night from both sides for the said work.

District Magistrate Prashant Arya is constantly present in the disaster-affected areas in the region and monitoring the relief and rehabilitation work there. While the road is being restored at a fast pace, the devotees who have come to visit Yamunotri Dham are being safely transported to their destination through a transhipment system from Ojri to Silai Band on foot.

The District Magistrate said that the priority of the administration is to make the road routes smooth as soon as possible and provide all possible assistance to the pilgrims and local citizens. He has instructed all the teams deployed on the spot to work with full sensitivity and vigilance.

The District Magistrate reached Ojri from Silai Band on foot on Tuesday. During this, while talking to pedestrians, he spoke about the transhipment arrangements made by the administration to reach their destination. (ANI)

In a bid to tackle the city’s worsening air pollution, Delhi’s Environment Minister Majinder Singh Sirsa announced a trial run of artificial rain through cloud seeding, set to commence between late August and early September, with five tests planned to assess its efficacy against smog, particularly during Diwali and September.

“We have been successful in securing permission for artificial rain through cloud seeding… We will run the trial between the end of August and the first week of September. We will conduct five trials to learn if it could be efficient against the smog that collects during Diwali or in September,” he said.

On May 7, the Delhi cabinet on Wednesday passed a historic decision to conduct cloud seeding, also known as artificial rain, in the national capital to mitigate pollution. Pollution has been a serious concern for the state for some time, and to help curb it, the cabinet has taken a significant step in partnership with IIT Kanpur, according to a member.

The activity is planned to be conducted in the last week of May, after the cabinet has obtained all the necessary permissions from various departments and stakeholders.

The exercise will be conducted in partnership with IIT Kanpur, and their Aircraft, a Cessna, will be used for the purpose. The Delhi government plans to conduct five trials in the outer area of the national capital.

The cost for one-time rain will account for 66 lakhs, and the operational cost will be 55 lakhs. The total cost for the entire trial plan can go up to 2 crores 55 lakhs.

The aim of the Delhi government is to mitigate pollution in the national capital to achieve its goal of a Viksit Delhi.

Pollution remains a pressing concern in Delhi, with the Air Quality Index (AQI) often reaching very poor levels. Although several projects have been undertaken in the past to address this issue, none have provided a lasting solution to Delhi’s pollution problem. (ANI)