According to reports, Pakistani actress Mahira Khan is in final talks to headline a Malayalam-language film.
Titled L2 Empuraan, the film stars legendary Malayalam actor Mohanlal in the lead role.
If Khan manages to sign the film on the dotted line, she will not only make her Malayalam-language debut but will also feature in an Indian film after a long gap of 7 years after Shah Rukh Khan’s Raees.
She will play the female lead opposite Mohanlal in this action thriller which has Prithviraj Sukumaran attached as director.
Despite no official confirmation from the makers, inside sources reveal that Khan’s strong bond with director Prithviraj Sukumaran and his wife, journalist-producer Supriya Menon, could pave the way for her entry into L2 Empuraan.
The actress was recently seen holidaying with Prithviraj and Supriya in the Maldives.
Jointly produced by Aashirvad Cinemas and Lyca Productions, L2 Empuraan is a sequel to Lucifer and promises to be a cinematic spectacle.
Meanwhile, Mahira Khan will next be seen in Pakistan’s first Netflix original Jo Bachay Hain Sang Samait Lo. Pakistani heartthrobs Fawad Khan and Sanam Saeed also play important roles, along with Ahad Raza Mir. The series is an official adaptation of Farhat Ishtiaq's bestselling 2013 Urdu-language novel of the same name.
Mohanlal, on the other hand, is gearing up for the release of director Jeethu Joseph’s Neru, which is set to open in cinemas on December 21.
The superstar also has the most awaited project Malaikottai Vaaliban in the pipeline. Directed by acclaimed director Lijo Jose Pellissery, the film is scheduled to hit cinemas in March 2024.
Rashmika Mandanna announces her next film Mysaa with a fierce first-look poster.
The image features Rashmika in a raw, never-seen-before warrior avatar.
Directed by Rawindra Pulle, the film is an emotional action thriller set in the Gond tribal world.
Rashmika called it her most intense role yet, saying it’s a version of herself she hadn’t met before.
Rashmika Mandanna has taken fans by surprise with the first look of her upcoming film Mysaa, revealing a fierce and gritty avatar unlike anything she’s done before. Shared on her social media, the poster hints at a powerful, raw performance, with Rashmika stepping into the shoes of a tribal warrior, a role she describes as “intense,” “unfiltered,” and “completely new.”
Clad in traditional attire with tribal jewellery, Rashmika’s character appears wounded but unbroken, clutching a bloodied weapon and wearing a fiery stare. The tagline on the poster reads, “Hunted. Wounded. Unbroken,” while another version teases: “Rashmika Unleashed.”
This is her first solo-led film and is expected to become a significant milestone in her career. Speaking about the project, Rashmika said: “It’s a version of me even I hadn’t met. I’m nervous and excited.”
The title and poster were launched with support from across industries, with actors like Dhanush, Vicky Kaushal, and Dulquer Salmaan sharing regional versions of the look to mark the pan-India release.
Mysaa is an emotional action thriller rooted in tribal culture
Directed by debutant Rawindra Pulle and produced by Unformula Films, Mysaa explores the world of the Gond tribes through an action-packed, emotionally rich narrative. Pulle revealed the film took two years to develop, with a strong focus on authenticity and world-building.
Following her recent success with Kuberaa, Rashmika is on a roll in 2025. Alongside Mysaa, she’s working on the horror-comedy Thama with Ayushmann Khurrana, The Girlfriend, Rainbow, and will reprise her role in Pushpa 3.
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ASDA, one of Britain’s largest supermarkets, has reported a pre-tax loss of £599 million for 2024, swinging sharply from a £180 million profit the previous year.
The loss comes despite total sales rising by over £1 billion to £26.8bn, as the retailer faces mounting debt costs, falling sales, and spiralling spending on a major IT overhaul, the Telegraph reported.
The main blow to Asda’s finances has come from its heavy debt load, a legacy of its £6.8bn buyout by the Issa brothers and private equity firm TDR Capital in 2021.
According to the report, the company’s debt pile, now close to £5bn, has become much more expensive to service as interest rates have risen. Last year, finance costs jumped by 38 per cent to £611 million, up from £441 million the previous year
Asda said it was forced to pay higher rates after refinancing part of its debt, putting further pressure on its bottom line.
Another major factor behind the loss is the ongoing “Project Future” – Asda’s multi-year plan to separate its computer systems from former owner Walmart. The project has been beset by delays and cost overruns, with total spending now approaching £1bn, far above its original budget
Last year alone, Asda spent £310m on the IT transition, which has included job cuts and outsourcing as the company tries to control costs. Problems with the new systems have also led to pay errors for thousands of staff.
While overall revenue rose thanks to new store openings, underlying sales have slipped. Like-for-like sales, excluding fuel, fell by 3.4 per cent to £21.7bn, with food sales down 3.7 per cent.
Meanwhile, Asda’s share in the UK grocery market has dropped to a record low of 12.1 per cent, with the retailer losing ground to rivals such as Tesco, Aldi, and Lidl
Despite efforts to win back shoppers with price cuts and a new convenience store push, Asda was the only major supermarket to report a sales decline in recent months, analysts said.
The company’s results were also hit by a £378m impairment charge, reflecting a drop in the value of its stores and assets. These one-off costs, combined with the IT spending, were singled out by Asda as the main reasons for the headline loss.
“The reported overall loss is the result of two significant one-off costs,” an Asda spokesman said, pointing to the impairment and Project Future costs. “These are not recurring costs and do not reflect the underlying performance of the business”
Allan Leighton, who returned as chairman last year, has launched a price war and cost-cutting drive to try to restore Asda’s fortunes. He has described many of the company’s problems as “self-inflicted” and is aiming to “turn it into what it was”. However, he has warned that a full recovery could take several years.
Despite the bleak headline numbers, Asda insists its core business remains profitable, with a pre-tax profit of £115m before exceptional items. Adjusted earnings before rent also rose slightly to £1.14bn.
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A total of 126 Labour MPs had publicly supported a move to block the proposals, marking the biggest rebellion under Starmer’s leadership so far. (Photo: Getty Images)
THE GOVERNMENT has backtracked on plans to reduce disability and sickness benefits following a major rebellion by MPs from within the Labour Party.
Care minister Stephen Kinnock confirmed on Friday that concessions had been made to address concerns raised by lawmakers who opposed the proposed reforms. This comes just days after prime minister Keir Starmer had said he would continue with the changes.
A total of 126 Labour MPs had publicly supported a move to block the proposals, marking the biggest rebellion under Starmer’s leadership so far.
A spokesperson for the prime minister’s Number 10 office said, “The government had listened to MPs who support the principle of reform but are worried about the pace of change for those already supported by the system.”
The spokesperson added that a revised set of measures would maintain support for those “who need it, by putting it on a sustainable footing.”
Changes to be announced in parliament
Kinnock said the concessions, which will be presented in parliament later, would include a “staggered approach” to the reforms.
This change means that the stricter eligibility criteria originally proposed will now apply only to new claimants and not to people who are already receiving benefits.
“What's clear from the announcement today is that it's going to be a more staggered process whereby people who are existing claimants are protected,” Kinnock said.
The reversal comes near the end of the Starmer government’s first year in office. The Labour Party came to power after defeating the Conservatives in a general election held on July 4, 2024.
Kinnock said he was now confident that the Universal Credit and Personal Independence Payment (Pip) Bill, which includes the reforms, would pass a parliamentary vote scheduled for Tuesday.
The government had aimed to save £5.0 billion through the proposed changes, which have now been partly rolled back.
Chancellor Rachel Reeves is continuing efforts to stimulate growth in the UK’s slow economy.
THE Delhi High Court has refused immediate relief to a man whose wife Harshita Brella was murdered in the UK, after he approached the court fearing arrest on domestic cruelty charges.
The vacation bench of justices Pratibha M Singh and Rajneesh Kumar Gupta heard the petition from Pankaj Lamba, who was challenging a magistrate's May 1 order declaring him a proclaimed offender.
The court told Lamba he could use legal remedies in accordance with the law if arrested, but said the case should be heard by the regular court as various legal issues were involved.
Harshita Brella's body was discovered in the boot of a car in east London on November 14, 2024. The car belonged to her husband Lamba and was parked in Brisbane Road, Ilford.
Brella's family claimed it was a planned murder, alleging that Lamba managed to flee to India just one day after killing his wife.
Her family filed a complaint at Palam village police station on November 19 last year. A case against Lamba and other family members was registered on December 3 under sections of the Indian Penal Code including cruelty to a married woman, criminal breach of trust and common intention.
In an order on June 18, Justice Pratibha M Singh noted: "The FIR dated December 3, 2024, against the petitioner has been registered under Sections 498A, 406 and 34 of the IPC, according to which his wife, Harshita Brella is stated to have died under mysterious circumstances in the United Kingdom."
The court said the matter required consideration as various legal issues had been raised. It noted that Lamba's father was already in custody.
"List this matter before the regular court on July 15. If the petitioner is arrested in the meantime, he may avail his legal remedies in accordance with the law," the court ordered.
His parents, Darshan Singh and Sunil Devi, were arrested on March 19 this year in connection with the case. Lamba had expressed fear of arrest in the case registered at Palam Vihar police station, but the court said the matter should be heard by the regular bench rather than the vacation court.
(PTI)
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The 30-year-old fast bowler has struggled with injuries throughout his career and has played just 13 Tests, the last of which was in February 2021.
JOFRA ARCHER has been named in England's squad for the second Test against India, marking his return to the Test side after more than four years.
The 30-year-old fast bowler has struggled with injuries throughout his career and has played just 13 Tests, the last of which was in February 2021.
Archer last appeared for England in March during a one-day international against South Africa at the ICC Champions Trophy in Pakistan.
He returned to first-class cricket on Sunday, playing for Sussex for the first time in four years. He took one wicket in a drawn match against Durham.
Speaking to the BBC, Archer said it had been a mental challenge to return to red-ball cricket but confirmed he was ready for Test matches.
"Yeah. I guess so," he said. "I just want to get through the game. I'm glad I've finished a day of four-day cricket."
England won the first Test at Headingley on Tuesday with a five-wicket victory over India. Archer was added to the squad on Thursday as the only change ahead of the second Test in Birmingham.
Archer, who was born in Barbados, made an immediate impact after his debut in 2019, providing England with pace and accuracy. He bowled the decisive super over in the World Cup final against New Zealand that year and later took 22 wickets in four Tests during the Ashes series against Australia, which ended in a draw.
Since then, he has dealt with recurring injuries. An elbow injury first suffered in 2020 required multiple surgeries. He also had to recover from a stress fracture in his back in 2022.
He was recently ruled out of England's ODI series against the West Indies due to a thumb injury sustained while playing for Rajasthan Royals in the Indian Premier League.
Archer has taken 42 wickets in 13 Tests at an average of 31.
Jacob Bethell, Sam Cook and Jamie Overton, who were part of the squad for the first Test but did not play, have retained their places for the second Test at Edgbaston, which begins on July 2.
England squad: Ben Stokes (capt), Jofra Archer, Shoaib Bashir, Jacob Bethell, Harry Brook, Brydon Carse, Sam Cook, Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Jamie Overton, Ollie Pope, Joe Root, Jamie Smith (wkt), Josh Tongue, Chris Woakes.