Addressing the media in Mumbai after the success of his film 'Jawan', superstar Shah Rukh Khan called it a celebration and thanked the dedicated team behind it. He revealed 'Jawan' had been in the making for four years due to COVID delays and constraints. Khan highlighted the contributions of crew members who shifted to Mumbai and worked tirelessly day and night over four years to make this film possible despite the challenges. He expressed gratitude for the rare opportunity to nurture a film over years. Khan also acknowledged the immense efforts by the Southern team members who gave their all, making 'Jawan' the hardest film ever.(Image courtesy: ANI)

UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has announced plans to ban American XL bully dogs by the end of 2022, calling them a "danger to communities". The move comes after a fatal attack by two dogs, suspected to be XL bullies, in Staffordshire last week. Sunak stated XL bullies need to be defined as a breed first before being banned under the Dangerous Dogs Act. This follows an attack on an 11-year old girl in Birmingham recently that sparked debate on prohibiting certain dangerous breeds. A 30-year old man was arrested over the Staffordshire attack. Sunak asserted XL bullies pose significant risk and will be outlawed once confirmed as a breed.

Speaking at an event in Washington DC, Secretary of State Antony Blinken lauded the growing India-US partnership, terming it more dynamic than ever. He highlighted deepening defense cooperation and recent US investments in India's semiconductor industry. Blinken also praised the strengthened Quad alliance between India, US, Japan and Australia to counter China's assertiveness in the Indo-Pacific region. He reiterated joint projects announced by President Biden and PM Modi to boost clean energy, digital connectivity and critical supply chains across Asia, Middle East and Europe. Blinken emphasized that by any metric, the US and its allies including India are more aligned and acting in coordinated fashion than before to uphold a rules-based international order.

The UK government has agreed to provide up to £500 million in funding to Tata Steel's Port Talbot steelworks, the country's largest, enabling it to transition to greener steel production. Tata will invest £700 million additionally as it installs new electric arc furnaces to cut emissions, though it had sought more funding from the government. While securing the plant's future, the move could cause about 3000 job losses across the UK. The new furnaces are expected to be operational in 3 years after regulatory approvals, reducing the site's carbon emissions by 85%. Unions have warned the less labor-intensive furnaces will require job cuts. Though late, the investment was welcomed for securing Port Talbot's future, but concerns remain over inadequate consultation regarding potential job losses. (Image courtesy: Tata Steel Europe)

The Defence Ministry today approved the proposal for procuring 12 Su-30MKI fighter jets for the Indian Air Force, to be manufactured indigenously by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited. The Rs 11,000 crore project will include the aircraft as well as related ground systems. As per officials, the aircraft will have over 60% indigenous content and will be equipped with various Indian weapons and sensors, making them the most modern Su-30MKIs in the IAF's fleet. The move highlights India's push towards indigenous defence manufacturing and enhancing the combat capability of the Air Force. The Su-30MKI has been the backbone of the IAF's fighter fleet and the addition of 12 new jets will provide a timely boost.

Four Indian nationals repatriated from Libya recounted their harrowing ordeal after being engaged in laborer work and later sold to the mafia. Manpreet Singh expressed gratitude towards the Indian Embassy and External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar for the dramatic rescue. The victims revealed they had arrived in Libya for construction work in January but were forcibly sold to a ruthless mafia after 2 months. Despite enduring extreme suffering and punishments under the mafia, the survivors praised the Indian government's heroic efforts in safely bringing them back home. Fellow victim Pravesh Kumar also lauded the daring rescue mission undertaken by the Embassy and MEA to liberate them from mafia exploitation in Libya.

Union Sports Minister Anurag Thakur affirmed that India will not play bilateral cricket matches with Pakistan until cross-border terrorism from the neighboring country stops completely. Thakur reiterated BCCI's stance of no cricket ties amid an ongoing encounter in J&K that killed 4 security personnel. He stated the BCCI had decided long ago to not resume bilateral cricket with Pakistan until they put an end to terror attacks across the border and infiltration attempts. According to the former BCCI president, India will not reconsider cricketing relations unless Pakistan stops all acts of cross-border terrorism against India. The strong statement underscores India's firm position on linking sports with state-sponsored terrorism from Pakistan.

Sanjib Sahoo, chief digital officer of Ingram Micro, was honored with the prestigious Bharat Samman Award at the 34th annual NRI Pravasi Divas in London. The award recognizes outstanding achievements and contributions of People of Indian Origin. Sahoo was presented the award by Lord Colgrain at the House of Lords, in the presence of other leaders. Sahoo has been instrumental in conceptualizing and driving Ingram Micro's digital transformation. His leadership in digital platforms and innovation has earned him numerous honors previously. Reflecting on the achievement, a humbled Sahoo thanked the organizers for the recognition. The Bharat Samman Award celebrates exemplary service and success stories of global Indian diaspora.

Four Indians from Punjab and Haryana stranded in Libya due to devastating floods were evacuated by the Indian Embassy in Tripoli. The massive flooding has killed over 6000 people and displaced thousands more in Libya. The four Indians were seen off at the Benina Airport by the embassy's local representative. Mortuaries are overflowing and around 10,000 people are still missing, either swept to sea or buried under debris. The city of Derna has been severely impacted with extensive damage to infrastructure. Rescue efforts are being hampered by blocked roads and disrupted communications. Officials are racing to find survivors and retrieve bodies for burial before the Islamic 3-day deadline.

The Asia Cup Super 4 match between arch rivals India and Bangladesh is more than just a dead rubber despite not affecting the final standings. Bangladesh have achieved some notable wins over India recently. Both teams will come hard despite changes - Mushfiqur Rahim is out for Bangladesh, while India will likely rest Kohli, Rahul and Bumrah and give opportunities to Suryakumar Yadav, Shreyas Iyer and Mohammed Shami. Rain is forecasted in Colombo. The head-to-head is heavily in India's favor 13-1 in Asia Cup matches. But the rivalry ensures a fierce contest between the two teams.