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Guru Randhawa took no names but many on social media were to quick to decipher that his comments were directed at Dilljit DosanjhPunjabi singer Guru Randhawa is the latest artiste from the Indian film industry to weigh in on the ongoing controversy around Diljit Dosanjh’s new movie, Sardaar Ji 3. The film sparked outrage in the country after Pakistani star Hania Aamir’s casting in the film came to light earlier this week.

On Thursday, June 26, Guru Randhawa shared a cryptic post on X about being Indian and how India has produced great artistes, which many on social media believe was a jibe at Diljit Dosanjh.

As the Shubman Gill-led Indian team suffered a 5-wicket defeat against England in the first Test of the series at Leeds on Tuesday, a young Indian side emerged victorious in style. India’s U19 team, on the tour of England, put a whopping 442 runs on the board in just 50 overs, beating the England Young Lions by 231 runs in a tour match at Loughborough. The Indian side was led by Ayush Mhatre, a young batter from Mumbai who recently came into the spotlight after scoring a few exemplary knocks for the Chennai Super Kings in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025.

India U19 side put a mammoth total on the board, but not with the help of the IPL prodigies that it had in the team. The man who shone the brightest for the Indian side with the bat was 18-year-old Harvansh Pangalia.

While Mhatre was dismissed for a score of just 1 run, the 14-year-old IPL sensation Vaibhav Suryavanshi could only score 17 runs in the match before being dismissed.

The top-scoring batter for India was Harvansh Pangalia, who scored an unbeaten 103 runs in just 52 balls. In his innings, Harvansh Pangalia hit a total of 8 fours and 9 sixes. He was supported aptly by Rahul Kumar, who registered a knock of 73 runs in 60 ball,s while Kanishk Chauhan scored 79 runs in 67 balls. Apart from this, R.S. Ambrish also did well by contributing 72 runs in 47 balls for the U19 side.

With the ball, Deepesh Devendran was the pick of the lot for India, bagging three wickets. Naman Pushpak and Vihaan Malhotra took two wickets each asthe  India U19 side won the opening match of the series

US President Donald Trump weighed in on ally Benjamin Netanyahu’s long-running corruption trial Wednesday, urging for Israel’s “Great War Time Prime Minister” to be exonerated after the conflict with Iran.

“Such a WITCH HUNT, for a man who has given so much, is unthinkable to me,” Trump wrote in a long post on his Truth Social platform.

The US president, who himself faced an array of criminal charges and convictions that he argued were politically motivated, said he had “just learned that Bibi” — a nickname for Netanyahu — “has been summoned to Court on Monday.”

“Bibi and I just went through HELL together, fighting a very tough and brilliant longtime enemy of Israel, Iran, and Bibi could not have been better, sharper, or stronger in his LOVE for the incredible Holy Land,” Trump said.

“Bibi Netanyahu’s trial should be CANCELLED, IMMEDIATELY, or a Pardon given to a Great Hero,” Trump urged.

Trump’s lavish praise for Netanyahu came a day after the US leader angrily berated Israel in an expletive-filled rant for apparently preparing to attack Iran despite a ceasefire announced the previous night.

The unusual public display of anger at Israel saw Trump apparently trying to cajole his ally to call off warplanes in real time.

Moments later he said Israeli planes would “turn around and head home.”

Netanyahu’s trial has been delayed many times since it began in May 2020, with the Israeli leader requesting postponements due to the war in Gaza and later conflict in Lebanon.

In a first case, Netanyahu and his wife, Sara, are accused of accepting more than $260,000 worth of luxury goods such as cigars, jewelry and champagne from billionaires in exchange for political favors.

Two other cases allege that Netanyahu attempted to negotiate more favorable coverage in two Israeli media outlets.

Netanyahu has denied any wrongdoing.

Before the agreement of a ceasefire on Tuesday, Israel had pounded Iranian nuclear and military sites over the course of 12 days of war, while Iran launched waves of missiles at its regional arch foe in their deadliest-ever confrontation.

The United States joined the fray in support of its ally, hitting two nuclear facilities with massive bunker-buster bombs over the weekend, while guided missiles from a submarine struck a third.

Trump announced the ceasefire shortly after Iran retaliated with strikes targeting a US base in Qatar that the president said had been fully defeated and forewarned.

“It was the United States of America that saved Israel, and now it is going to be the United States of America that saves Bibi Netanyahu,” Trump said in his social media post

Congress Legislature Party leader in Maharashtra Vijay Wadettiwar claimed on Wednesday estimate committee members were served meal in silver plates at a conclave and called it “extravagant spending” by the Mahayuti government when the state’s finances were under strain.

The former state minister also targeted the BJP-led government over “deteriorating” law and order situation in Maharashtra, and what he called “internal contradictions” within the ruling coalition which consists of the BJP, NCP and Shiv Sena

Speaking to reporters in Nagpur, Mr Wadettiwar questioned the government’s priorities, stating, “When the state is virtually on the brink of bankruptcy, what was the need to serve meals in silver plates to members of the Estimates Committees in Mumbai?” He claimed each meal cost Rs 5,000 and so much money was spent by the government at a time when farmers are being denied loan waivers, bonuses are not being paid, and large sections of tribal, social welfare, and Anganwadi schemes are allegedly facing budget cuts.

Mumbai hosted a two-day conference of the Estimates Committees of Parliament and states from June 23. The event, held at Vidhan Bhavan (legislative complex) in south Mumbai, saw participation of chairpersons and members of such panels of Parliament, states and Union Territory legislatures.

These financial committees, at the central and state/UT level, examine the expenditure estimates for each administrative department in respective budgets and also utilisation of funds.

“A majority of farmers in Vidarbha have been denied fresh crop loans. Anganwadi workers (who look after child care centres) aren’t paid honorarium on time, and funds for schemes like the Sanjay Gandhi Niradhar Yojana remain pending. Yet, the government chooses to serve meals to estimates committee members in silver plates,” Mr Wadettiwar said.

It has been nearly two weeks the British F-35B fighter jet made an emergency landing at Thiruvananthapuram airport. Since then there has been no sign the American-made aircraft, from the world’s most expensive fighter jet programme – will take flight soon.

And now the British High Commission in Bengaluru has responded to a question from NDTV about the plane’s status, and also issued a statement on this subject.

The advanced fifth-generation fighter – part of the Prince of Wales Carrier Strike Group deployed to the Indo-Pacific – was returning to its base after completing joint maritime exercises with the Indian Navy when it made an emergency landing at Thiruvananthapuram.

“A UK F-35 aircraft was unable to return to HMS Prince of Wales due to adverse weather conditions. Prioritising safety, the aircraft diverted to Thiruvananthapuram International Airport in India, where it landed safely. The aircraft has subsequently developed an engineering issue whilst on the ground which precluded its return to the Carrier,” the High Commission said.

“Engineers from HMS Prince of Wales assessed the aircraft and it was decided that the support of a UK based engineering team was needed. At this time, we do not have a forecast for the aircraft being repaired. To minimise disruptions to the regular airport operations, the aircraft will be moved to a space in the Maintenance Repair and Overhaul facility hangar once specialist equipment and UK engineering teams arrive,” the Commission added. 

Earlier sources had told NDTV that while the aircraft landed safely, it subsequently developed a technical issue that meant it could not leave. Engineers on board the British carrier conducted an initial assessment and then summoned a specialist team from England to carry out the repairs.

Twelve people were killed overnight in the Mexican state of Guanajuato when gunmen opened fire on a celebration in the city of Irapuato, authorities said Wednesday.

People were dancing and drinking in the street in celebration of St. John the Baptist when the shooting began. Revelers screamed and ran to escape the gunfire, according to videos circulated online.

Irapuato official Rodolfo Gómez Cervantes, said in a news conference Wednesday that the number of victims had risen to 12. Some 20 others were wounded.

Guanjuato, which is northwest of Mexico City, has been one of the country’s most violent states, as various organized crime groups battle for control. There have been 1,435 homicides in the state through the first five months of the year, more than double any other state.

Chunky Panday, who was recently seen in Housefull 5, recalled a bizarre incident where he was called to attend a funeral in exchange of a hefty pay cheque. Chunky Panday recalled the time when there was no social media and actors didn’t have alternate source of income. Sharing the vivid details of the incident, Chunky Panday said he didn’t attend the event  “out of choice.”

What’s Happening

In an interview with Bollywood Bubble, Chunky Panday recalled when he was called to attend a funeral for money. 

“In those days, there was no source of income besides doing films or going for events. There was no Instagram, YouTube, no ads also. It was a different world that time,” he said.

Chunky shared that one day he received a call from an event organiser who wanted him to stop by at a place for ten minutes. “He asked me to come in white clothes. I thought it’s a theme. He didn’t tell me where he was calling me. I reached and saw a lot of crowd outside and everyone was dressed in white, so I thought it’s a big event,” he said.

Chunky Panday kept his words and reached the place in time. As soon as he spotted the dead body, he thought that the event organiser was dead. 

“As I went inside, I saw a dead body lying there. I am so innocent that I thought the organiser died. Then the organiser came to me and I asked him, ‘Who died?’ He said, ‘It’s a funeral that I have called you for’. I couldn’t shout, throw tantrums, I am in the middle of a funeral and the body was right in front of me. He told me, ‘If you cry, I will give you more money’. The actor who went with me cried a lot, he got Rs 50,000 more,” Chunky recalled.

Chunky also revealed the reason why they were called at the event. The person, who died, had taken a lot of loans and his family apprehended that the creditors would come demanding returns. So, his family had come up with a plan.

“There was a reason why we were called there. The one who died, he was under a lot of debt. His family was scared that the creditors will come and they will have to return the money. So they had spread the rumour that he produced a film and all his money went in that. Actors were called to create the impression that he was producing a film,” he said.

In A Nutshell

Chunky Panday, who went through a rough phase in mid ’90s, recalled an incident when he was invited to a funeral in exchange of money. 

Celebrity fitness trainer Prashant Sawant’s wedding reception was a blockbuster night. The event marked the arrival of several Bollywood stars, including Shah Rukh Khan, Abhishek Bachchan, Varun Dhawan and Mrunal Thakur.

Pictures and videos of the star-studded bash have been posted on Instagram. 

In one video, Shah Rukh Khan is seen arriving at the venue, guarded by heavy security. The superstar looks dapper in a black t-shirt and a pair of blue denim jeans. He completed his casual avatar with a grey beanie. SRK also rocks a salt-and-pepper beard.

Abhishek Bachchan, on the other hand, picked out a navy-blue suit. He teamed the crisp fit with a white shirt underneath. Printed glasses elevated his gentlemanly avatar. Here’s a video of the Housefull 5 actor sharing a warm hug with Prashant Sawant before getting inside his car.

Varun Dhawan also made sure to attend his fitness trainer’s big day. He leaned on a grey blazer and matching trousers for the occasion. A basic white shirt underneath sealed his minimal avatar. 

Hours after the tragic Air India plane crash, Vikrant Massey shared a post on his Instagram Stories, revealing that the first operating officer Clive Kunder was his “uncle” Clifford Kunder’s son. As media portals reported the officer as Vikrant’s “cousin”, the 12th Fail actor put up another post, clarifying the speculation. “The Kunder’s are our family friends,” wrote Vikrant Massey. 

What’s Happening

Vikrant Massey shared a post condoling the deaths of 241 people who were on the ill-fated Air India plane.

He mentioned Clive Kunder as his “Uncle’s son” in his post.

After media portals reported the officer as Vikrant’s cousin, the actor shared a new post on his Instagram.

He wrote, “Dear friends in the media and elsewhere, the unfortunately deceased Mr Clive Kunder was NOT my cousin.  The Kunder’s are our family friends. Request no more speculations and let the family and loved ones grieve in peace.

Actor Katrina Kaif has been appointed as the global brand ambassador for Visit Maldives. The announcement was made by the Maldives Marketing and Public Relations Corporation (MMPRC/ Visit Maldives) recently. 

Mr Ibrahim Shiuree, CEO and MD of Visit Maldives, said in a statement, “We are thrilled to welcome Katrina as our Global Brand Ambassador. Her vibrant personality and strong connection with audiences worldwide make her a perfect representative for the Sunny Side of Life, the World’s Leading Destination for the past 5 consecutive years, especially as we start our Summer Sale push in key markets around the world.”

Speaking about her new role as the Sunny Side of Life’s Global Brand Ambassador, Katrina said, “The Maldives represents the pinnacle of luxury and natural beauty – a place where elegance meets tranquillity. I’m honoured to be chosen as the face of the Sunny Side of Life. This collaboration is about bringing the finest travel experiences to global audiences, and I’m excited to help people around the world discover the unique charm and world-class offerings of this extraordinary destination.”