Month: August 2025

Female participation in the Indian stock market has been steadily increasing across states, even as the proportion of young investors has seen a slight decline, according to a report by the National Stock Exchange (NSE).

The report highlighted that as of June 2025, women’s participation in equity markets has grown consistently in most states. Among the top five states by total unique investor registrations, Maharashtra leads the list with women accounting for 28.4 per cent of its investor base, up from 25.6 per cent in FY23.

It stated “Female investor participation continues to rise steadily across states…… The share of investors under 30 years of age declined from 40 per cent in March 2024 to 39.5 per cent as of March 2025 and further to 39 per cent in June 2025”.

Gujarat ranks second, with female participation rising from 26.6 per cent in FY23 to 27.8 per cent in June 2025.

Uttar Pradesh, which has the second-largest investor base in the country, continues to lag behind in gender representation. As per report, women account for only 18.7 per cent of investors in the state, well below the national average of 24.5 per cent, though this marks a notable improvement from 16.9 per cent in FY23.

Overall, more than half of India’s states now have female investor shares above the national average, compared to just 44 per cent in FY23.

The report also pointed out that several smaller regions are emerging as frontrunners in gender inclusion in the markets.

Goa tops the list, followed closely by Mizoram. Chandigarh records 32 per cent female investors, Delhi 30.5 per cent, and Sikkim 30.3 per cent, all significantly higher than the national average.

While female participation is on the rise, the NSE data also revealed a decline in the share of young investors.

The proportion of investors under the age of 30 fell from 40 per cent in March 2024 to 39 per cent by June 2025. This trend is largely due to a drop in the share of new investors in this age group.

The report data pointed out that while gender diversity in the Indian stock market is improving, but there is also a slowdown in the entry of younger participants. (ANI)

Actor Jackie Chan was honoured with Locarno’s career achievement award, the prestigious Pardo alla Carriera, at the ongoing Locarno Film Festival 2025, reported Variety.

During the masterclass at the Swiss fest, the actor opened up about his beginnings and reenacted his role in Bruce Lee’s ‘Enter the Dragon’.

According to Variety, Chan played a small part in the iconic film. In the past, he admitted Lee accidentally hit him with a stick during a scene, but that didn’t stop him from completing the take.

“I’m no Superman. I am scared. Before a stunt, I go: ‘Am I going to die this time?” admitted Jackie Chan as quoted by Variety.

The actor also talked about his beginnings and how he developed an interest in martial arts.

“I was lazy, naughty, I didn’t want to study, that’s why my father sent me to martial arts school. I liked fighting when I was young. Later, he asked: ‘Did you like the school?’ Yes, very much. I could kick the teacher, punch someone, whatever I wanted,” he joked as quoted by Variety.

According to the outlet, Chan started out as a stuntman, appearing in Lee’s ‘Fist of Fury’, before eventually transitioning into acting following some childhood experiences on set.

The actor also admitted that he never wanted to limit himself to just acting. Ambitious, Chan revealed that he wanted to learn filmmaking from scratch.

“I do everything myself. Now, I tell filmmakers: ‘If you only learn how to direct, that’s not good enough’,” said Jackie Chan.

The actor’s directorials include ‘Police Story’, ‘Police Story 2’, ‘The Fearless Hyena’, ‘The Young Master’ and others.

On honouring Jackie Chan with Locarno’s achievement award, the artistic director Giona A. Nazzaro said, “He reinvented, literally, what an action film is. There is before Jackie Chan and there’s after,” as quoted by Variety.

Accepting the award, Chan recalled a conversation he had with his father, back when he asked him: “I’m 60. Can you still fight when you’re 60?” Chan replied: “I didn’t know what to say [to him]. But now I’m 71 and I still can fight.”

Jackie Chan was recently seen in the film ‘Karate Kid Legends’, which starred Ben Wang in the lead role. It was the sixth film in the ‘Karate Kid’ franchise. (ANI)

The lead US attorney, Mike Andrews, representing over 65 families affected by the tragic AI171 plane crash here, emphasised the importance of transparency and truth in the ongoing investigation.

“We want to know the truth, we want transparency and exactly what happened,” Andrews told ANI. “These families want to know, and they deserve the respect to know what happened to their loved ones.”

“We also met the survivor and his family. This appears to be a very humble and hardworking family that is suffering a horrific tragedy. We are currently working on several potential theories that could have caused the throttle control malfunctioning system,” he added.

One area of focus is the potential impact of moisture on the system. “One question is whether or not moisture can affect the systems and cause a problem,” Andrews explained.

He also slammed the ongoing compensation delays for the victims’ families, noting that such a “bureaucratic process” would not have existed if former Chairperson of the Tata Group, Ratan Tata, had been alive.

Andrews highlighted the late Ratan Tata’s legacy of compassion, suggesting his presence could have prevented such hurdles faced by the grieving families.

“Even in the US, we know who Ratan Tata was. We know a little bit in the US about his work ethic and his focus on being humble and taking care of his employees and so we know that if he were here today, we don’t believe employees and victims and people who were on the aeroplane and on the ground would be subjected to a bureaucratic process in which they’re delayed payment,” he stated.

On July 26, Air India released Rs 25 lakh in interim compensation payments to the families of 147 of the 229 passengers who lost their lives in the crash and 19 others who lost their lives on the ground. These payments will be adjusted against the final compensation to be determined later.

The Tata Group has also established ‘The AI-171 Memorial and Welfare Trust’ in memory of the victims. The Trust has pledged an ex gratia payment of Rs 1 crore for each deceased individual and also supports the rebuilding of the BJ Medical College Hostel infrastructure, which was damaged in the accident, and provides assistance to first responders, medical personnel, and other support workers affected by the tragedy.

On June 12, Air India flight AI171, a Boeing 787-8 aircraft, crashed shortly after it took off from Ahmedabad’s Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport, killing 260 people, including 229 passengers, 12 crew members, and 19 people on the ground. (ANI)

Members of Parliament from Opposition parties in both Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha are set to march from Makar Dwar in Parliament to the Election Commission office at Nirvachan Sadan on Monday.

The march will begin at 11:30 AM and proceed via Transport Bhawan.

Earlier in the day, the Delhi Police said that no permission has been sought so far for the proposed march by the INDIA Bloc from Parliament to the Election Commission.

On Sunday, senior Congress leader Digvijaya Singh said that the INDIA bloc MPs had marched from the Parliament to the Election Commission’s office on Monday to protest the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in poll-bound Bihar and allegations of “voter fraud” during the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.

At a press conference, Digvijaya Singh alleged that all the Booth Level Officers (BLOs) were filling out “fake forms” in one room.

He stated, “Rahul Gandhi put forward such facts that no one could deny… The name of one person appeared at multiple locations, including polling booths… Rahul Gandhi’s demand was for electronic data of the voter list, which could be scanned using software to determine how many votes were cast on a single EPIC number… The reason for the SIR happening in Bihar was questioned. It had been thoroughly tested in 2003, which took 2 years in Bihar, but this time they wanted to do it in 1 month…”

Meanwhile, the Lok Sabha is set for a packed agenda on Monday, with multiple committee reports, ministerial statements, and significant legislative business scheduled for discussion.

The day’s proceedings will begin at 11 am with questions entered in a separate list to be asked and answers given. This will be followed by the laying of papers on the table by ministers from various departments, including Gajendra Singh Shekhawat for the Ministry of Culture; Jayant Chaudhary for the Ministry of Education; Pankaj Chaudhary for the Ministry of Finance; Kirtivardhan Singh for the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change; and Sukanta Majumdar for Ministry of Education. (ANI)

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has made it clear that responsibility for any continuation of the hostilities in Gaza falls squarely on the shoulders of the Hamas terrorist organisation. He said so Sunday afternoon in a press conference.

Netanyahu told the international media that Hamas still has thousands of armed terrorists in Gaza and vows to repeat the October 7 massacre and to “do so again and again” while openly professing its goal to destroy the State of Israel.

“It subjugates Gazans, it steals their food, it shoots them when they try to move to safe zones,” he said. “And I think it’s instructive that now, many Gazans are fighting back. They are begging us, and they’re begging the world: ‘Free us. Free us, and free Gaza from Hamas.”

“No nation can accept a genocidal terrorist organisation, an organisation committed to its annihilation, a stone’s throw from its citizens,” added Netanyahu, who went on to say that Israel’s goal is not to occupy Gaza, but to “free Gaza, free it from Hamas terrorists.”

The Prime Minister explained that Israel’s plan for Gaza is the establishment of a security zone along its border with Israel to prevent future terrorist incursions and a civilian administration there that will seek to live in peace with Israel.

“The war can end tomorrow if Gaza, or rather, if Hamas, lays down its arms and releases all the remaining hostages,” he declared, adding that he intends to see Gaza demilitarised. (ANI/TPS)

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has spoken with US President Donald Trump.

The two discussed Israel’s plans to take over the remaining Hamas strongholds in Gaza in order to end the war, according to the Israeli government’s plan, by releasing the hostages and defeating Hamas.

The Prime Minister thanked President Trump for his “steadfast support for Israel since the beginning of the war.” (ANI/TPS)

Himachal Pradesh has recorded 224 deaths so far this monsoon season, including 116 in rain-related incidents such as landslides, flash floods, cloudbursts, and drowning, and 108 in road accidents, according to the State Disaster Management Authority (SDMA).

The SDMA’s cumulative report for June 20 to August 10 said the state has suffered an estimated Rs 1,98,923.75 lakh in losses to public and private property, agriculture, horticulture, and infrastructure.

“Continuous rains have caused widespread damage to roads, power supply, water schemes, houses, and crops. Rescue, relief, and restoration works are in progress across all affected districts,” an SDMA spokesperson said.

Among districts, Mandi has reported the highest number of rain-related deaths at 23, followed by Kangra (25), Chamba (9), and Kullu (10). Road accident fatalities were highest in Mandi (21), followed by Chamba (17) and Shimla (15).

The SDMA report shows damage to 896 houses (fully damaged), 36 shops/factories, 619 km of PWD roads, 926 km of Jal Shakti water schemes, and significant losses to agriculture and horticulture, with 2,045.05 hectares of crops affected.

Authorities have appealed to the public to avoid unnecessary travel, especially in vulnerable areas, and to strictly follow advisories issued during heavy rainfall warnings.

Due to the monsoons, 359 roads, including one national highway, blocked, 132 electricity distribution transformers (DTRs) down, and 520 water supply schemes disrupted in Himachal Pradesh.

According to the SDMA’s district-wise report, Mandi has reported the highest number of road blockages at 212, followed by Kullu with 91 and Kangra with 22. The blocked national highway, NH-305, is shut at Jhed (Khanag) in Kullu district due to a landslide.

In terms of power disruptions, Kullu district reported 50 DTRs down, Mandi 77, and Kangra 2, while the largest number of water supply scheme failures was in Kullu (367 schemes), followed by Mandi (78 schemes) and Kangra (72 schemes).

The SDMA has urged residents to avoid unnecessary travel in vulnerable areas and to follow official advisories during restoration operations. (ANI)

On Sunday, actor Bobby Deol was spotted at the prayer meet of Shera’s father, Sunder Singh Jolly, in Mumbai. Shera is Bollywood superstar Salman Khan’s bodyguard.

In the visuals captured by the paps, Bobby could be seen be giving a tight hug to emotional Shera. The ‘Animal’ star also met with Shera’s son before he entered the Gurudwara.

Daisy Shah, Maniesh Paul, Mika Singh, Bigg Boss 17 contestant Mannara Chopra, and singer Rahul Vaidya also marked their presence at the prayer meet of Shera’s father in Mumbai.

Shera, whose real name is Gurmeet Singh Jolly, has been associated with Salman for years.

On Wednesday, he confirmed the demise of his father via an official statement.

“My father Shri Sunder Singh Jolly has left for heavenly abode today. The last journey will start at 4 PM from my residence 1902, The Park luxury Residences, Off Lokhandwala Back Road, Oshiwara, Andheri West, Mumbai. Cremation will take place at Oshiwara Crematorium , Jogeshwari West ..in grief Shera,” the statement read.

A few hours after the demise, Salman arrived at Shera’s house to pay his last respects.

During the visit, Salman was seen comforting Shera with a hug.(ANI)

Bollywood couple Abhishek Bachchan and Aishwarya Rai Bachchan were spotted together with their daughter Aaradhya at Mumbai airport early Sunday morning after returning from vacation.

The trio looked cheerful as they exited the airport, smiling for the photographers before getting into their car. Aaradhya was seen holding her mother’s hand while walking, and Abhishek walked slightly ahead of them.

The ‘Dhoom’ actor wore a casual blue hoodie with a beige jacket and black pants. Aishwarya, on the other hand, opted for a black top with a matching coat and blue pants. Aaradhya was dressed in an all-black outfit.

Rumours about tension between the two reportedly began in July last year when Aishwarya and her daughter attended Anant Ambani’s wedding without the Bachchan family. The rest of the family, including Amitabh, Jaya, Abhishek, Shweta, Agastya Nanda, and Navya Naveli, attended the event together, leading to speculation about their separation. However, the rumours were later put to rest after the two were spotted together at various events.

Abhishek and Aishwarya tied the knot in 2007. They welcomed Aaradhya in November 2011.

On the work front, Aishwarya was last seen in Ponniyin Selvan: Part 2 and has not yet announced her next project. Abhishek was last seen in Kaalidhar Laapata and will next appear in Siddharth Anand’s King, alongside Shah Rukh Khan and Suhana Khan. (ANI)

Hailing from Uttar Pradesh, Rukhsar Rehman, with no film background, entered the world of movies in the 90s when she was just a teenager. 

And now in 2025, after navigating the many ups and downs of her personal and professional journey, Rukshar, stands tall with pride and no regrets, holding a diverse portfolio which encompasses Bollywood films, web series, and even multiple brand endorsements.

In a candid chat with ANI, Rukhsar reflected on her career built on hard work and resilience, sharing insights on working with Salman Khan.

She has worked with Salman in Rumi Jaffery’s ‘God Tussi Great Ho’ in 2008. But what many don’t know is that she was actually supposed to play the lead opposite Salman in ‘Sanam Bewafa’.

“I was to do that film (Sanam Bewafa) but that film had a contract, and my father was not okay with that contract. He said, ‘we won’t be able to do it.’ I had already filmed for 3-4 days before the things changed. Interestingly, the makers went ahead with the character’s name ‘Rukhsar’ only,” she recalled.

“But years later, I got the opportunity to work with Salman again. I played the role of his sister in ‘God Tussi Great Ho’. Had a great time working on that film,” she added.

Rukhsar believes that while destiny plays a significant role in life, it’s never easy to process when a project doesn’t work out or an opportunity slips away. She admits that she used to feel anxious often, but over time, she has learned to cope with these challenges, viewing them as a “part and parcel” of the acting profession.

“I used to get anxious. Agar kabhi kuch kaam nahi hota tha .. audition dene ke baad sochti rehti thi ki mujhe role milega ya nahi but now I know how to deal with such situations. Ab thoda sabar agaya hai mujhme with time. (I have become more patient with time). I feel this is all part and parcel of the profession,” Rukhsar expressed.

From working with late Rishi Kapoor at 17 in ‘Inteha Pyar Ki’ to bagging pivotal roles in films such ‘D’, ‘Sarkar’, ‘PK’, and ‘’Uri: The Surgical Stike’, Rukhsar has come a long way. Not only Rukhsar but her daughter Aisha is also an actress.

“I am so proud of Aisha. She is doing so good. She also recently walked the ramp and it was really commendable,” Rukhsar said in a voice that reflected happiness. (ANI)