You might have heard and read about UK's first female Dhol player, Parv Kaur, and now, soon we will get witness her musical journey on the big screen. Prabhleen Kaur of Almighty Motion Picture has bought the rights to make a film and web series on the life of Parv Kaur.
While talking about Parv’s story, Prabhleen Kaur, "What attracted me was a woman playing a dhol but I was so shocked to know that in today's time, it is still too tough for a woman to fulfill her dreams – whether it is to become a Dhol player or an Astronaut; the journey is equally tough, and rules don't change for women be it in the UK or anywhere in the world."
For the uninitiated, Parv and her team, Eternal Taal, have been breaking through the Asian and non-Asian community by performing to wider audiences, promoting and educating people of Bhangra music.
Parv, who is equally looking forward to her biopic, said, "My motto is 'When they say you can't, I don't question why not. I show I can and will do it better than them.' I want girls and women to watch this biopic and understand that there is always light at the end of the tunnel. I want to remove the idea that the mindset of NRIs is modern and that equality always exists outside of India."
When asked her which actress she would like to see in her role in the biopic, Parv said, "Anushka Sharma, Taapsee Pannu or Deepika Padukone would play my personality well."
Sabrina Carpenter says Man’s Best Friend is “not for pearl clutchers”
Album includes nine explicit tracks and provocative artwork
Gayle King interview highlights singer’s unapologetic stance
Seventh studio release follows her Grammy-winning Short n’ Sweet
Sabrina Carpenter has addressed the backlash surrounding her Man’s Best Friend album, making it clear the project embraces explicit lyrics and bold imagery. Speaking to broadcaster Gayle King on CBS Mornings, the pop star said her record is “not for any pearl clutchers.” The 26-year-old explained that the music captures freedom of expression and fun, a theme she wants her fans to embrace despite criticism over her provocative stage visuals and artwork.
Sabrina Carpenter unveils Man’s Best Friend with unapologetic lyrics and daring cover art Instagram/sabrinacarpenter
What is Sabrina Carpenter’s Man’s Best Friend about?
Man’s Best Friend marks Carpenter’s seventh studio album and features 12 tracks, nine of which carry the explicit tag. The project has been produced by Jack Antonoff and was released through Island Records on 29 August. The album artwork itself has been a talking point: it shows Carpenter on her hands and knees while a man pulls her hair. The imagery quickly divided opinion online, with critics calling it unnecessarily provocative while fans praised her for owning her image.
The record follows her 2024 Grammy-winning Short n’ Sweet, which topped the Billboard 200 and delivered hits such as Espresso and Please Please Please. Carpenter told King that this new album expands her playful and self-assured identity in pop music.
The controversy stems from both the lyrical content and the visual presentation. Songs such as Never Getting Laid and My Man on Willpower lean into overt sexual themes. During her Short n’ Sweet tour, Carpenter had already courted debate with lingerie-inspired costumes and suggestive routines, including stage performances of Juno that mimicked sexual positions.
Addressing whether she overshares in her lyrics, Carpenter told King she sees the opposite: “At concerts, I see young women screaming with their friends, and there’s a collective sigh of relief that this is just fun.” She added that even so-called pearl clutchers could find humour in the record.
Carpenter has taken a direct but humorous approach to criticism. In her interview, she admitted her music is not designed for the prudish, yet she softened her stance by suggesting that even sceptics might privately enjoy it. She emphasised that her songs provide connection and lightness rather than being intended as shock value.
She also pointed to the irony of critics focusing only on the most provocative parts of her shows. In a recent interview, Carpenter noted that while audiences highlight her racy Juno routines, her concerts also include ballads and introspective moments.
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Julia Roberts at the Venice Film Festival premiere of After the Hunt as debate on #MeToo intensifies
Julia Roberts addresses tough questions on feminism and complicity
After the Hunt centres on misconduct allegations in academia
Director Luca Guadagnino defends the film’s bold narrative choices
Amazon MGM to release the film in North America on 10 October
Julia Roberts’ After the Hunt became one of the most talked-about premieres at the Venice Film Festival as the film stirred a heated #MeToo debate. With questions of complicity, feminism, and responsibility dominating the press conference, the actress and director Luca Guadagnino faced pointed scrutiny. The psychological drama, set in higher education, not only highlighted misconduct but also raised deeper issues of accountability and shifting cultural conversations.
Julia Roberts at the Venice Film Festival premiere of After the Hunt as debate on #MeToo intensifies Getty Images
What is Julia Roberts’ After the Hunt about?
After the Hunt follows Roberts as a popular philosophy professor whose professional and personal life unravels when a misconduct accusation disrupts her circle. The accuser, played by Ayo Edebiri, points the finger at a colleague and close friend of Roberts’ character, portrayed by Andrew Garfield.
Written by Nora Garrett, the screenplay avoids simple answers and embraces complexity. Its intention, as Roberts stressed, was never to deliver a manifesto but to capture uncomfortable conversations. The film’s tagline even states: “not everything is supposed to make you feel comfortable.”
How does After the Hunt link to the #MeToo movement?
At the Venice press conference, Roberts was asked directly whether the film undermines the progress of the #MeToo movement. She rejected the notion, clarifying that it is less about women being pitted against one another and more about exploring moral ambiguities.
Guadagnino added that the film should not be read as a statement on feminism but rather as an exploration of “the clash of truths.” For both filmmakers, the goal was to provoke discussion rather than resolve long-standing social debates.
The cast of After the Hunt at its Venice screening as conversations on misconduct dominate headlines Getty Images
Why did Luca Guadagnino reference Woody Allen?
One of the most controversial creative decisions was the use of the Windsor font in the film’s credits, famously associated with Woody Allen’s work. Guadagnino explained that the choice was deliberate, nodding to the artistic legacy of Allen while acknowledging the ethical complexities tied to his name.
“It was about considering our responsibility when admiring an artist whose personal life has faced scrutiny,” he said. This decision deepened the ongoing discussion about separating art from the artist, echoing broader cultural debates.
Luca Guadagnino joins Julia Roberts at the After the Hunt press conference in VeniceGetty Images
When will After the Hunt be released?
Although the film screened in Venice, it is not part of the festival’s main competition and will not contend for awards on 6 September. However, Amazon MGM Studios has confirmed a North American theatrical release on 10 October.
Roberts, attending Venice for the first time despite filming in the city before, described the experience as “magical,” though her schedule left little time beyond work. Guadagnino, a festival regular, previously premiered Bones & All and Queer in Venice. His Zendaya-led Challengers was pulled last year due to Hollywood strike disruptions.
The 82nd Venice Film Festival continues to host major premieres including Guillermo del Toro’s Frankenstein, Benny Safdie’s The Smashing Machine and Kathryn Bigelow’s A House of Dynamite.
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India and Canada have appointed new envoys in a step to restore diplomatic ties strained since 2023. (Representational image: iStock)
INDIA and Canada on Thursday announced the appointment of new envoys to each other’s capitals, in a step aimed at restoring strained ties following the killing of a Sikh separatist in 2023.
India has named senior diplomat Dinesh K Patnaik as the next high commissioner to Ottawa, while Canada appointed Christopher Cooter as its new envoy to New Delhi.
The move comes more than two months after Indian prime minister Narendra Modi met Canadian prime minister Mark Carney on the sidelines of the G7 summit at Kananaskis in Canada.
Patnaik, a 1990-batch Indian Foreign Service officer, is currently India’s ambassador to Spain.
“He is expected to take up the assignment shortly,” the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said in a statement.
In Ottawa, Canadian Foreign Minister Anita Anand announced that Cooter will be the next high commissioner to India, succeeding Cameron MacKay.
“The appointment of a new high commissioner reflects Canada’s step-by-step approach to deepening diplomatic engagement and advancing bilateral cooperation with India,” Anand said. “This appointment is an important development toward restoring services for Canadians while strengthening the bilateral relationship to support Canada’s economy.”
A Canadian statement described the appointments as an important step towards restoring diplomatic services for citizens and businesses in both countries.
Cooter, who has 35 years of diplomatic experience, most recently served as Canada’s charge d’affaires to Israel and has earlier been high commissioner to South Africa, Namibia, Lesotho, Mauritius and Madagascar. He also worked as first secretary at the Canadian High Commission in New Delhi from 1998 to 2000.
In June, Modi and Carney had agreed to take “constructive” steps to bring stability to bilateral ties, including the early return of envoys to both capitals.
Relations between the two countries had deteriorated sharply after then prime minister Justin Trudeau alleged in 2023 that India may have had a role in the killing of Khalistani separatist Hardeep Singh Nijjar.
Following this, India recalled its high commissioner and five other diplomats in October last year, while expelling an equal number of Canadian diplomats after Ottawa linked them to the case.
Carney’s victory in the parliamentary election in April has since helped initiate a reset in relations.
(With inputs from agencies)
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Selena Gomez poses in Cabo wearing a pearl-embellished minidress during her bachelorette celebrations.
Selena Gomez shared photos and videos from her bachelorette celebrations in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico
The star wore a series of bridal-inspired white outfits, from pearl minidresses to crochet cover-ups
Blanco marked his bachelor party in Las Vegas with friends and fine dining
The couple, engaged since December 2024, are expected to tie the knot this autumn
Selena Gomez has given fans a behind-the-scenes look at her bachelorette party in Cabo San Lucas, where she gathered her closest friends for a sun-soaked celebration ahead of her upcoming wedding to music producer Benny Blanco. The 33-year-old singer, who announced her engagement in December 2024, posted a carousel of photos and videos on Instagram that captured the group’s seaside getaway, featuring themed decorations, yacht rides, and candlelit dinners.
Selena Gomez poses in Cabo wearing a pearl-embellished minidress during her bachelorette celebrations. Instagram/selenagomez
What happened at Selena Gomez’s bachelorette party in Cabo?
Gomez embraced her role as bride-to-be with a parade of all-white outfits. She wore a pearl-adorned Retrofête halterneck minidress, a white bikini under a crochet cover-up, and several short white sundresses. A veil embroidered with “bride to be” and rose-gold balloons spelling out “Mrs Levin”, referencing Blanco’s real surname, completed the bridal theme.
Photos showed Gomez surrounded by her friends, including cousin Priscilla DeLeon and long-time pal Raquelle Stevens, as they posed on a yacht and dined together on the beach. A video featured a mariachi band serenading the group, as well as clips of the women watching Wedding Crashers projected on the sand, dancing around their villa, and wearing customised “S+B” merchandise.
How did Benny Blanco celebrate his bachelor party?
While Gomez was enjoying Mexico, Blanco celebrated his bachelor weekend in Las Vegas. The 37-year-old producer shared highlights from the trip on Instagram Stories, including a lavish meal with a panoramic view of the Strip. He described a spa visit as “the most healing place on earth” and posted photos of himself enjoying caviar and bagels. Blanco was also joined by friends including The Bear actor Matty Matheson, who appeared holding a large stack of cash during the celebrations.
Benny Blanco marked his bachelor weekend in Las Vegas with friends, food and a spa visit. Instagram Screengrab/itsbennyblanco
When did Selena Gomez and Benny Blanco get engaged?
The couple confirmed their engagement in December 2024 after more than a year of dating. Blanco later revealed that Gomez helped design her engagement ring, which features a marquise diamond inspired by her 2015 single Good For You. The pair have since been candid about their wedding planning journey, though the ceremony date has not been officially confirmed. Reports suggest the nuptials are expected to take place this autumn in Montecito, California, with A-list guests including Taylor Swift and Ed Sheeran.
What do we know about Selena Gomez’s wedding plans?
In a recent interview, Gomez expressed her excitement about marrying Blanco, saying: “I just have never really felt so sure about something.” The couple, who also collaborated on a joint album I Said I Love You First, are said to be finalising details for a two-day celebration with heightened security. Blanco confirmed that Ed Sheeran is among his top invitees, while Gomez’s closest friends including Swift are expected to attend.
With both stars sharing glimpses of their pre-wedding festivities, anticipation is building around what promises to be one of the most high-profile weddings of the year. Fans are already speculating about Gomez’s final bridal look after her parade of white ensembles in Cabo.
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Protesters from the group Save Our Future & Our Kids Future demonstrate against uncontrolled immigration outside the Cladhan Hotel on August 16, 2025 in Falkirk, Scotland. (Photo: Getty Images)
UK appeals court overturns ruling blocking hotel use for asylum seekers
Judges call earlier High Court decision “seriously flawed”
138 asylum seekers will not need to be relocated by September 12
Full hearing scheduled at the Court of Appeal in October
A UK appeals court has overturned a lower court order that had temporarily blocked the use of a hotel in Epping, northeast of London, to house asylum seekers.
A three-judge panel said the High Court ruling that set a September 12 deadline to move migrants from the Bell Hotel contained "a number of errors".
The case followed protests outside the hotel after a resident was charged with sexually assaulting a local girl. Demonstrations have continued for weeks and at times turned violent, triggering debate on immigration policy.
The Court of Appeal said the earlier ruling was "seriously flawed in principle" and could act as an "impetus or incentive for further protests". It added that it failed to consider the "obvious consequence that the closure of one site means capacity needs to be identified elsewhere in the system".
The government will now not be required to relocate 138 asylum seekers from the hotel by September 12. The decision also weakens local efforts to challenge the use of other hotels to house asylum seekers.
The Home Office is legally required under a 1999 law to house "all destitute asylum seekers whilst their asylum claims are being decided".
The case will return for a full hearing at the Court of Appeal in October. Both the Home Office and the hotel’s owner, Somani Hotels, are opposing Epping Forest District Council’s bid to prevent the hotel being used for asylum accommodation.
The council argued that the hotel posed a public safety risk and that its use breached planning rules.
The hotel became the focus of national attention after resident Hadush Kebatu was accused of sexually assaulting a 14-year-old girl. He has denied the charges, which include sexual assault, attempted sexual assault, and harassment without violence. His trial began this week.
Protests in Epping have since spread to other parts of Britain, as small boat arrivals across the Channel continue.