Vikram Bhatt has directed many good horror films, so when we came to know that he is coming with one more horror film titled Ghost, it surely made us excited. Unfortunately, the trailer didn’t impress us a lot, but we thought maybe the movie will turn out to be good. However, that’s not the case here.
Ghost is about Karan Khanna (Shivam Bhaargava) a politician based in London. He is accused of murdering his wife. However, he says he is not a murderer and the murder is done by a ghost. Simran Singh (Sanaya Irani) decides to fight the case for Karan and soon love blossoms between them. Simran and Shivam start the investigation about the ghost and a lot of things are revealed.
The movie’s name is Ghost but there aren’t many scary scenes in the film and that disappoints. However, to look at a positive side, those few scenes scare us successfully, but it surely leaves us wanting for more. The climax has always been a strong point in Vikram Bhatt movies, but unfortunately, in Ghost, the climax is totally mediocre. While we feel that there will be more stuff happening and the protagonist will give a tough fight to the spirit, the movie just ends.
Talking about the actors, Sanaya Irani has given a fantastic performance and impresses us a lot. She is also looking gorgeous in the movie. Shivam Bhaargava is damn good and leaves a mark with his act. Vikram Bhatt has an extended cameo and we must say that he is quite good when it comes to acting. He is very natural in the film and we would surely love to see him as an actor in more movies.
Songs in the film are mostly romantic and they are soulful. You would surely love to listen to the jukebox of Ghost after coming out of the theatre.
Overall, Ghost clearly had the potential to be better, but as the film doesn’t offer many scary scenes, it just turns out to be an average big-screen outing.
A 21-year-old British woman has been arrested in Sri Lanka for allegedly attempting to smuggle synthetic cannabis worth £1.2 million into the country, amid growing concerns of young travellers being targeted by organised drug trafficking networks.
Charlotte May Lee, from south London, was detained last Monday after arriving at Bandaranaike International Airport in Colombo. Sri Lankan customs officials allege she was found carrying large vacuum-packed bags of a synthetic cannabis strain known as kush in her luggage. Lee had flown to Sri Lanka from Bangkok, Thailand, echoing the travel route of another British national, 18-year-old Bella May Culley, who was arrested just one day earlier in Georgia on similar charges.
Authorities in both Sri Lanka and Georgia are now reportedly exploring a potential link between the two cases. Both women had travelled alone from Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi Airport and are suspected of acting as drug couriers for international criminal networks.
Culley, from County Durham, is accused of attempting to smuggle 14kg of cannabis through a Georgian airport and is currently being held in Tbilisi’s No. 5 women’s prison. In her court appearance, Culley claimed she was pregnant. Her family has said she initially left the UK on a backpacking trip during Easter, with her first stop being the Philippines to visit a former partner. She later travelled to Thailand before arriving in Georgia.
Culley’s social media activity suggests she was travelling with a male companion, though he has not been publicly identified. Her posts included captions hinting at a rebellious lifestyle, including one TikTok video labelled: “Don’t care if we on the run baby as long as I’m next to u.”
Lee, meanwhile, is believed to have travelled to Thailand in April to celebrate her birthday with her sister, who lives in Australia. A former summer cabin crew member for Tui, Lee had been training as a beauty therapist before her trip. Her social media profiles also show images of holidays and beach parties, suggesting a keen interest in travel despite reported financial difficulties.
Photographs released by Sri Lankan authorities show the drugs seized from Lee’s luggage were professionally packaged, raising questions about the level of planning and organisation behind the operation. If convicted, Lee could face up to 25 years in prison under Sri Lankan law.
Similarly, Culley faces a sentence ranging from 20 years to life if found guilty in Georgia. She may also remain in custody for up to nine months before her trial begins. Her lawyer, Ia Todua, appointed by Georgian authorities, said Culley appeared deeply shaken by the charges. “My impression was that she ended up in Georgia without even knowing what she was doing,” Todua said. “She looked like she didn’t expect it to have such severe consequences.”
Culley’s father, Niel Culley, has travelled from Vietnam, where he resides, to be with his daughter. Her mother, Lyanne Culley, told reporters she had pleaded with her not to go to Thailand, expressing distrust of some of the people her daughter had met abroad. “I begged her to come home,” she said. “But she wanted to meet up with some friends she made on a previous trip. I don’t know who any of them are.”
The arrests come amid heightened international scrutiny of cannabis trafficking involving young travellers. The UK’s National Crime Agency (NCA) last year issued a warning about harsh penalties for bringing cannabis into the UK from countries such as Thailand, the US, and Canada, where laws on possession have been relaxed.
Thailand legalised the use of cannabis leaves in 2021 and the full plant in 2022, primarily to reduce prison overcrowding. However, experts now warn the move has inadvertently fuelled global smuggling operations.
In 2024 alone, the NCA reported a dramatic increase in cannabis seizures, rising from two tonnes in 2022 to nearly 27 tonnes. Of 750 smugglers arrested at UK airports that year, 460 had flown from Thailand. The agency highlighted how younger people are often misled by more lenient drug laws abroad, making them vulnerable to exploitation by traffickers.
Darrell Jones, a former Metropolitan Police officer and expert on drug smuggling, said many young people are lured by the promise of easy money. “They think it’s a great idea at the time, especially if they’re running out of money,” he said.
Investigations in Sri Lanka and Georgia are continuing, with both cases serving as stark warnings about the risks facing young travellers drawn into illicit drug operations abroad.
Bestway Wholesale recently hosted a special celebration at its Abbey Road depot in partnership with Guinness, as part of the company’s ongoing 50th anniversary festivities. The event featured an exclusive appearance of the Premier League trophy, providing an exciting experience for Bestway’s retailers, colleagues, and football fans alike.
The appearance of the iconic silverware was organised by Guinness to mark the first year of its four-year partnership with the Premier League. The visit offered attendees a unique opportunity to see and photograph the trophy up close, adding a memorable touch to Bestway’s milestone year.
The event featured a lively and engaging atmosphere, with a number of football-themed activities and giveaways. A penalty shootout challenge gave guests the chance to win prizes such as Premier League match tickets, complimentary Guinness stock (6x4x440ml), and Amazon vouchers. Each visitor also received a limited-edition Guinness football glass to commemorate the occasion.
The success of the Abbey Road event reflects Bestway’s ongoing strategy to enrich the customer experience The Word Consultancy
In addition to the on-site celebrations, Guinness used the event to launch its national Gift With Purchase campaign. The promotion offers 85,000 limited-edition Guinness glasses to customers who purchase Guinness packs in convenience stores across the UK. This initiative is part of the brand’s wider commitment to supporting the convenience retail sector and helping retailers tap into match-day sales opportunities.
Kenton Burchell, Group Trading Director at Bestway Wholesale, highlighted the significance of the event and the value of such brand collaborations. “We take great pride in delivering innovative and exciting brand activations for our customers, and our collaboration with Guinness and hosting the Premier League trophy was a real highlight,” he said. “Events like these bring energy and enjoyment to our depots and strengthen the connection between our customers and the brands they love.”
As Bestway continues to celebrate its 50th anniversary throughout the year, more customer-focused events and pop-up activations are expected at depots across the UK. The success of the Abbey Road event reflects Bestway’s ongoing strategy to enrich the customer experience through impactful partnerships with major global brands.
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Pakistan Rangers and Indian Border Security Force soldiers lower their national flags at the India-Pakistan joint check post at Wagah border. (Photo: Reuters)
INDIA will urge the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) to put Pakistan back on its “grey list” and will oppose upcoming World Bank funding to Islamabad, a senior government official in New Delhi told Reuters on Friday.
The move is part of India’s response to what it alleges are Pakistan-backed terrorist attacks, including one last month in Kashmir that killed 26 Hindu pilgrims. India has also decided to keep the Indus Waters Treaty in abeyance.
“We will not miss any opportunity in opposing Pakistan and the next one is funding by World Bank, and we will raise our protest there too,” the Indian official told Reuters.
Pakistan was removed from the FATF grey list in 2022, which improved its standing with global lenders. The grey list includes countries under increased monitoring for shortcomings in their financial systems related to terrorist financing.
The Indian official said Pakistan had not met the necessary conditions for its removal from the grey list and should be re-listed.
India has also told the International Monetary Fund (IMF) that Pakistan’s arms purchases increased after it received IMF loans, according to the official.
The FATF, World Bank, and IMF did not respond to Reuters’ requests for comment.
Pakistan secured a $7 billion bailout from the IMF last year and a new $1.4 bn arrangement this month under a climate resilience programme.
At a press conference in Washington on Thursday, IMF director Julie Kozack said Pakistan had met all its targets and had made progress on reforms, which led the board to approve the programme.
Indian prime minister Narendra Modi said on Thursday that Pakistan, its army and its economy would “have to pay a heavy price for every terrorist attack.”
(With inputs from Reuters)
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Apple iPhones are seen inside India's first Apple retail store in Mumbai, India, April 17, 2023. (Photo: Reuters)
US PRESIDENT Donald Trump on Friday said Apple could face a 25 per cent tariff if iPhones sold in the United States were not manufactured domestically, a move that impacted the company’s stock price.
Trump has frequently criticised companies for producing goods outside the US, and his direct mention of Apple for potential tariffs was unusual.
Although iPhones are designed in the United States, most of the assembly takes place in China, which remains involved in a tense trade dispute with the US.
Apple has announced plans to shift parts of its production to countries such as India, but Trump said this was not an acceptable solution.
“I have long ago informed Tim Cook of Apple that I expect their iPhones that will be sold in the United States of America will be manufactured and built in the United States, not India, or anyplace else,” Trump wrote on Truth Social.
“If that is not the case, a tariff of at least 25 percent must be paid by Apple to the US,” he added.
Trump repeated similar comments last week while visiting Qatar, where he called on Apple to move iPhone manufacturing to the US.
“I had a little problem with Tim Cook,” Trump said on May 15.
He added that he told the Apple CEO: “We’re not interested in you building in India... we want you to build here and they’re going to be upping their production in the United States.”
Analysts have said moving iPhone production to the US would be a major challenge and could take years, if possible at all.
Wedbush Securities estimates that about 90 per cent of Apple’s iPhone manufacturing and assembly still happens in China.
“Reshoring iPhone production to the United States is a fairy tale that is not feasible,” Wedbush analyst Dan Ives said in a note.
Apple’s share price has dropped more than 20 per cent since Trump took office, amid ongoing trade-related pressure.
On Friday, the company’s stock was trading down nearly three per cent.
During Trump’s first term, Apple was largely exempted from some of the administration’s trade measures against China. But the company is now facing more direct criticism.
Last month, Tim Cook warned about the uncertain effects of US tariffs on Chinese goods, some of which had reached as high as 145 per cent, though high-end tech products like smartphones had temporary exemptions.
Cook said Apple expects to pay $900 million in tariffs this quarter.
“Prices of handsets look set to rise, given iPhones will end up being more expensive, if the threats turn into concrete trade policy,” said Susannah Streeter, analyst at Hargreaves Lansdown.
“While die-hard fans will still be prepared to pay big bucks for Apple’s kit, it’ll be much harder for the middle-class masses who are already dealing with price hikes on other goods, from Nike trainers to toys sold in Walmart,” she added.
Last week, the US and China agreed to reduce some of the tariffs on each other’s goods for 90 days, offering a brief pause in the ongoing trade conflict.
(With inputs from agencies)
FILE PHOTO: Apple iPhones are seen inside India's first Apple retail store in Mumbai, India, April 17, 2023. REUTERS/Francis Mascarenhas
FILE PHOTO: Apple iPhones are seen inside India's first Apple retail store in Mumbai, India, April 17, 2023. REUTERS/Francis MascarenhasREUTERS
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Meryl Streep as Miranda Priestly is expected to reprise her iconic role
After years of buzz, The Devil Wears Prada sequel has locked in a release date: 1 May 2026. Yes, 20 years after the original hit cinemas, we’re heading back into the high-stakes world of fashion and media.
The original 2006 film, based on Lauren Weisberger’s novel, followed fresh graduate Andy Sachs, played by Anne Hathaway, as she entered the intimidating orbit of Miranda Priestly, played by the iconic Meryl Streep, editor of Runway magazine. Alongside them were Emily Blunt as the overworked assistant and Stanley Tucci as the stylish insider who helped Andy find her footing.
While no cast has been officially confirmed for the sequel, all signs point to the possible return of Streep and Blunt. Early plot details suggest the story picks up in a very different media climate. Miranda is still holding the reins at Runway, but the print industry is crumbling, and she finds herself needing ad revenue from a luxury conglomerate, one now led by her former assistant, Emily. A face-off between mentor and protégé? That’s the rumour.
The script is reportedly being penned by Aline Brosh McKenna, who adapted the original film. David Frankel, who directed the first movie, and producer Wendy Finerman are also in discussions to return.
As for Anne Hathaway, she’s been cautious when asked about reprising her role, hinting that fans shouldn’t get their hopes up too high. Stanley Tucci, on the other hand, seems more optimistic, calling the original one of the best experiences of his career and saying he’d be thrilled to return.
Emily Blunt gave the clearest signal at a film festival last December, confirming “rumblings” and saying the cast would love to reunite.
The release announcement came as part of Disney’s updated film calendar, which also included a major reshuffle of its Marvel slate. The sequel takes the date originally held by Avengers: Doomsday, now pushed to December 2026.
So, while we wait for casting confirmations, one thing is certain: The Devil Wears Prada is returning to the runway, and this time, the stakes are even higher.