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Guneet Monga reacts to The Elephant Whisperers win at Oscars: 'Two women did this' 

A heart-tugging film from India, The Elephant Whisperers deals with the unbreakable bond between an abandoned elephant and its two caretakers.

Guneet Monga reacts to The Elephant Whisperers win at Oscars: 'Two women did this' 

The Elephant Whisperers, helmed by Kartiki Gonsalves won the top honours in the Documentary Short category at the prestigious 95th Academy Awards. This makes it the first Indian production to win under the category.

Expressing her excitement over the big win, producer Guneet Monga said, "This is an incredibly powerful and historical moment. We as two women from India, stood on that global stage making this historical win. I’m so proud of this film, this moment, and proud of my amazing team at Sikhya Entertainment, that an independent production house from India has made history to be the first ever Indian film by an Indian production to win an Oscar."


She further added, "My heart is racing with all the joy, love, and excitement in the moment. I’m so grateful to Kartiki, the wonderful visionary that she is. Netflix gave us the biggest stage in the world and supported us n believed in us all the way. Today I can say, the future for Indian cinema is audacious, the future is here, and not to forget the future is truly female!”

Monga also shared her reaction on Twitter where wrote, "We just win the first ever Oscar for an Indian Production! Two women did this! I am still shivering."

A heart-tugging film from India, The Elephant Whisperers deals with the unbreakable bond between an abandoned elephant and its two caretakers. It is currently streaming on Netflix.

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The total bill for asylum hotels stands at £5.5 m a day, or £2.1 bn a year

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Government considers £100 weekly payments to move asylum seekers out of hotels

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  • Asylum seekers could receive £100 per week on top of existing £49.18 support to leave hotels.
  • Currently over 32,000 migrants housed in 200 hotels costing £145 per night or £5.5 m daily.
  • Separate scheme offers up to £3,000 to asylum seekers willing to return to home countries.
The government is considering paying asylum seekers £100 a week to leave taxpayer-funded hotels and live with family or friends in the UK. Home Office officials have proposed the scheme as part of prime minister Keir Starmer's drive to accelerate the closure of asylum hotels. The weekly payment would come on top of the existing £49.18 support for living costs that migrants in hotels currently receive. The plan, set to be trialled in 2026, could reduce accommodation costs to a seventh of current spending. More than 32,000 migrants are currently housed in 200 hotels at an average cost of £145 per night or £1,015 a week. This compares with £23.25 a night for other dispersal accommodation in communities. The total bill for asylum hotels stands at £5.5 m a day, or £2.1 bn a year. Labour has pledged to stop their use by the end of this term in 2029, though suggestions indicate Starmer has privately set a one-year target.


The government has earmarked two former military barracks in Inverness, Scotland, and Crowborough, East Sussex, to house 900 migrants from the end of November as part of the hotel closure plan.


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