KAREENA KAPOOR KHAN ON HOW SHE ADAPTED TO CHANGES IN THE FILM INDUSTRY
by MOHNISH SINGH
SHE may only be 39, but Kareena Kapoor Khan has been at the top for nearly 20 years and delivered notable work ever since her debut film Refugee, which released in 2000.
After a brief sabbatical, she returned to light up the silver screen with taboo-busting chick flick Veere Di Wedding (2018), which went on to become a commercially successful female-centric film.
The diva can be currently seen in rib-tickling comic-caper Good Newwz, which has scored big box office numbers. She stars alongside Akshay Kumar, Diljit Dosanjh and Kiara Advani in a film that has received unlimited love from critics and audiences alike. The in-demand A-list star has big upcoming projects, including Angrezi Medium, Laal Singh Chaddha and Takht.
Eastern Eye recently caught up with the beautiful and talented actress to talk about Good Newwz, her eagerly awaited historical drama Takht, finding a fine balance and her super hit radio show What Women Want. Kareena also talked about the kind of films she would like to do in future and how she adapted to changes in Bollywood.
How was it reuniting with Akshay Kumar in Good Newwz?
The phase that Akshay Kumar is going through now reminds me of Amitabh Bachchan. It’s his golden period, and I think there is nobody who deserves it more than him. The hardwork he puts into his work, the heart he puts into his characters and the way he has worked through all these years to reach this position is amazing. Of course, our relationship is 30 years long.
Bollywood is making a lot of historical films these days. Do you have any favourite figure from history you would like to portray on the big screen?
I am already working on a historical film (Takht). I will wait till that starts. It’s a huge historical film because it’s based on the Mughal empire with Dara Shikoh and Aurangzeb as the focal point. I am playing the character of Jahanara Begum. In the Mughal period, she was the most important woman in the court. All of Shah Jahan’s decisions in the court during his reign were made after consulting her. Hers is an important character in the film. Her journey has not yet started, but I am excited to play it.
How do you balance your work life and family life?
It is difficult, that is why I am particular about my timings. For this film [Takht] too, I made it clear about how many promotions I would do. Between 12pm and 4pm you can ask me whatever you want, but after 4pm I will leave to be with my child. The gist of all this is time management and being strict about it.
When actors do a slice-of-life or comedy films such as Good Newwz, people think they don’t need to prepare much for the role. What’s your take?
In fact, it takes more preparations. We only give credit for intense shots or where we put glycerine, but what Akshay Kumar does is the toughest thing to do. It’s very difficult to match that timing, to make that person laugh and to know if the gag is working or not. I feel that he should get more credit than he gets.
What is good news for you on a day-to-day basis?
I have always found good news in small things. My good news is that today I am eating halwa. It’s something to be happy about – that I could eat something I like. So, small things make me happy. I enjoy the time I spend with Taimur, including his meal times. I want to be there for his every meal, and I make sure that time is just about us.
How do you de-stress after a long day of work?
My de-stress time is when I can just switch off. I don’t go out. I don’t go to parties or any other social events. I do my work, come home and spend time with my family. When I am with my family, that is the time I am most de-stressed and relaxed.
What made you accept anchoring a radio show?
It is something that is just spectacular because it has never happened before that you had a radio show on what women want. And the way we broadcast different stories and the people who came to our show and talked so freely were amazing. It is inspiring and that is why it is such a big success, and we have gone into season two, and we will be doing a season three because the show is a huge hit. Women are coming and opening their hearts to us; they are sharing what their thoughts are on important topics. For example, Sharmilaji talked about what it is like being a mother-in-law and about motherhood; Sonali Bendre talked about self-love when you have gone through so much in life and Taapsee [Pannu] talked about women’s safety. These are the topics that needed to be addressed and that is why I love doing this show. I am very proud to be associated with it.
You have been in the film industry for two decades now. How have you adapted to all the changes it has gone through over the years?
I don’t know many female actors whose career ran through two decades. In India, it has not. In Hollywood, female actors have continued after marriage and children, and even when they grow older, they hold a certain position. This is something that has been a conscious decision. Reinventing yourself, having belief in yourself is what it is all about and this is what I am going to do. It is something I have kept in mind and I have the self-confidence for it.
What kind of films would you like to do in the future? Any particular genre?
I want to do a thriller. I have been telling everyone that I want to work in a thriller. After Talaash (2012), I never dabbled in the thriller genre. It has been quite some time. So, an interesting thriller is something I would like to pursue in the future.
In Good Newwz you play a character who gets pregnant. When you found out about your pregnancy whom did you tell first?
I shared the news with Saif first, and we were excited about it because we wanted to start a family. We made the decision to start a family together. I believe that a husband and wife should consciously have a discussion about starting a family and when they want to start it. They have to be on the same page. Obviously, it was great news. I was very happy when I knew I was pregnant. (Laughs) It was the best phase of my life because I could eat and do whatever I wanted.
Multiple Aldi products recalled due to metal contamination and undeclared allergens
Affected items include seafood, taquitos, pork carnitas, vitamins, and churro bites
Customers in 37 US states advised to discard or return products
No related illnesses reported to date
Safety warnings prompt widespread Aldi product recall
Aldi has issued a series of product recalls across 37 US states following safety concerns involving undeclared allergens and potential contamination. The supermarket chain, in collaboration with suppliers and federal agencies, is urging customers to dispose of or return specific food and health products for a full refund.
The recalls are part of ongoing efforts to mitigate consumer health risks associated with allergen exposure and foreign matter contamination.
Products under recall
Casa Mamita Chicken & Cheese Taquitos
Recalled in partnership with Bestway Sandwiches Inc. due to possible metal contamination. Affected 20-oz boxes (UPC 4061459337471) with best-by dates of 07/03/25 and 09/25/25 were sold in 31 states.
Park Street Deli Pork Carnitas
Pulled from shelves on 21 April in association with Cargill Meat Solutions Corp, the 16 oz trays (UPC 4099100029352) were recalled due to metal contamination concerns. Affected use-by dates are 06/30/25 and 07/01/25. Available in 15 states.
Atlantic Salmon Portions with Seafood Stuffing
Manufactured by Santa Monica Seafood, this product was recalled on 27 May after undeclared soy was found. Distributed to Aldi branches in California, Nevada, and Arizona.
Casa Mamita Churro Bites Filled with Chocolate Hazelnut Cream
Recalled on 4 June by Camerican International after undeclared milk allergen was detected. Available in 13 states including Alabama, Florida, Illinois, and Tennessee.
Welby Vitamin B12
Recalled on 13 June by RV Pharma due to the presence of undeclared peanut allergen. Sold at Aldi stores across 37 states.
Health implications and expert comment
The recalls highlight the severity of risks posed by undeclared allergens. Even trace amounts can trigger significant reactions in allergic individuals.
Dr. Sebastian Lighvani, director at New York Allergy & Asthma PLLC, previously explained to Newsweek: “The allergic response is triggered when the immune system wrongly identifies a harmless substance – like milk or peanuts – as a threat, releasing inflammatory mediators that can have profound effects.”
Aldi reinforced its commitment to customer safety in a public statement: “While ALDI is committed to providing only the best quality at the lowest prices, our top priority is the safety of you and your family.”
What consumers should do
Customers who have purchased any of the recalled items are advised to:
Cease consumption immediately
Discard affected products or return them to Aldi for a full refund
Individuals who have experienced illness or allergic reactions after consuming the products should contact a healthcare provider and report their case to the FDA MedWatch programme.
Ongoing recall updates will be posted on Aldi’s official newsroom and associated government safety sites.
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She is wearing a turquoise dress with a rainforest-themed print featuring monkeys, toucans, and lemurs
Queen Camilla turns 78 and is expected to celebrate privately at home
Official birthday portrait taken at Raymill House, Wiltshire
Outfit features rainforest-themed print; jewellery includes iconic diamond ring
Recent royal duties include state visits, Trooping the Colour, and military engagements
Appointed Vice Admiral of the UK on the same day
Queen Camilla marks birthday with relaxed countryside portrait
A new photograph of Queen Camilla has been released by Buckingham Palace to mark her 78th birthday. The image, captured by royal photographer Chris Jackson, shows the Queen leaning on a metal gate in a field at her private home, Raymill House, in Wiltshire.
She is wearing a turquoise dress with a rainforest-themed print featuring monkeys, toucans, and lemurs. Her accessories include gold drop earrings, her wedding band, a five-carat emerald-cut diamond engagement ring, and a distinctive gold ring composed of circular plaques.
Private birthday after a year of public engagements
Unlike last year, when Queen Camilla carried out official duties on her birthday during the State Opening of Parliament, this year’s occasion is expected to be celebrated in private.
The photo, taken earlier this month, provides a personal glimpse of the Queen in a more relaxed setting, offering contrast to a busy few months of public service.
A year of significant royal activity
Earlier this year, Queen Camilla and King Charles III celebrated their 20th wedding anniversary. Despite the King’s ongoing cancer treatment, the couple have maintained a strong presence in national and international events.
Recent engagements have included:
Hosting French President Emmanuel Macron during a UK state visit
Attending Trooping the Colour in June
Visiting Canada in May for the opening of the country’s parliament
This week, the Queen also visited a children’s hospice in Devon and HMS Astute, a nuclear-powered Royal Navy submarine, docked in Plymouth.
A one-of-a-kind birthday gift from the Royal Navy
While aboard HMS Astute, Queen Camilla received a unique birthday present from Commander Christopher Bate: a roll of clingfilm mounted in a commemorative holder. The material had previously been used to fix a defect in the submarine’s main engines. A plaque on the holder read: “Clingfilm keeping nuclear submarines at sea.”
Camilla appeared amused and appreciative, remarking: “There's nothing more useful, brilliant, how wonderful.”
Royal Navy honour on birthday
On the same day as her visit to HMS Astute, it was announced that Queen Camilla had been appointed Vice Admiral of the United Kingdom. The honorary military title recognises her continuing support of the Royal Navy and its service personnel.
The new portrait and the appointment reflect both the personal and public aspects of Queen Camilla’s evolving royal role as she enters her 79th year.
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8 babies have been born in the UK using genetic material from 3 people
Eight babies were born in the UK using DNA from three individuals to prevent mitochondrial disease
The technique combines egg and sperm from parents with mitochondria from a donor egg
Legal in the UK since 2015; results show children are meeting expected milestones
One in 5,000 babies are born with mitochondrial disease; no known cure exists
Newcastle scientists pioneered the technique, now used under NHS specialist service
UK births mark milestone in preventing inherited mitochondrial disease
Eight babies have been born in the UK using genetic material from three people in a pioneering effort to prevent incurable mitochondrial disease, doctors have confirmed. The technique, developed by researchers in Newcastle, represents a significant breakthrough in reproductive medicine and genetic science.
These births are the first proven cases in the UK of healthy children being born free of devastating mitochondrial disorders thanks to this technique, which has been legal in the country since 2015.
Mitochondrial disease, affecting about one in every 5,000 births, can cause heart failure, seizures, blindness, and early death. The newly available technique offers families affected by the condition the chance to break the cycle and give birth to children without the disease.
How the process works
The procedure involves combining the egg and sperm from the biological parents with healthy mitochondria from a donor egg. Both the mother's and the donor's eggs are fertilised with the father's sperm in a laboratory. The resulting embryos are carefully processed: the nuclear DNA from the parents is transferred into the donor's embryo, which contains healthy mitochondria but had its own nuclear DNA removed.
The resulting embryo is mostly composed of the parents' genetic material but includes a small fraction—about 0.1%—of DNA from the donor. This change is heritable and would be passed on by any female offspring.
Results and reactions
A report published in the New England Journal of Medicine confirmed that 22 families have undergone the procedure through the Newcastle Fertility Centre. Eight babies have been born so far—four boys and four girls, including a pair of twins—with one pregnancy still ongoing.
None of the children have shown signs of mitochondrial disease and all are developing normally, meeting their expected milestones. One child experienced a self-resolving case of epilepsy, while another is being treated for a non-related heart rhythm condition. Doctors have not linked these instances to the mitochondrial technique.
Parents involved in the programme have chosen to remain anonymous but shared written statements expressing gratitude. "After years of uncertainty, this treatment gave us hope—and then it gave us our baby," one mother said. Another noted: "The emotional burden of mitochondrial disease has been lifted, and in its place is hope, joy, and deep gratitude."
Monitoring and concerns
Intensive follow-up is being carried out to monitor the long-term health of these children. In five cases, no diseased mitochondria were detected in blood or urine samples. In three other cases, between 5% and 20% of faulty mitochondria were identified—well below the 80% threshold typically associated with disease.
While these results are encouraging, researchers emphasise the need for further investigation into how to minimise the transfer of defective mitochondria during the process. "The findings give grounds for optimism," said Professor Mary Herbert of Newcastle and Monash University, "but further research is essential to improve treatment outcomes."
Ethical and legislative landscape
The UK was the first country in the world to legalise mitochondrial donation after Parliament approved the procedure in 2015. This marked a controversial but decisive step in reproductive ethics, as the addition of donor mitochondrial DNA results in heritable genetic change.
Concerns at the time centred around the possibility of creating genetically modified "designer babies". However, scientists and medical professionals involved in the procedure have been keen to stress its limited and therapeutic purpose.
"This is the only place in the world this could have happened," said Professor Sir Doug Turnbull of Newcastle University. "There’s been world-class science, legislation, NHS support, and now we have eight children free of mitochondrial disease. What a wonderful result."
Hope for the future
Families affected by mitochondrial disease have hailed the development as a major breakthrough. Kat Kitto, whose daughter Poppy, 14, lives with the condition, described its impact: "We have a lovely time as she is, but there are moments where you realise how devastating mitochondrial disease is."
Her older daughter Lily, 16, may benefit from the technique in the future: "It's the future generations like myself, or my children, who can have that outlook of a normal life."
The NHS Highly Specialised Service for Rare Mitochondrial Disorders, which oversees the procedures, expects demand for 20 to 30 such births annually. The Lily Foundation, a charity supporting families affected by mitochondrial disease, called the births a long-awaited step forward. "For many affected families, it's the first real hope of breaking the cycle of this inherited condition," said founder Liz Curtis.
While challenges remain, the birth of these eight children free from mitochondrial disease stands as a landmark achievement in modern medicine—and a beacon of hope for future generations.
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The rollout is part of Sainsbury’s broader Nectar Prices strategy
Sainsbury’s will roll out Your Nectar Prices to physical checkouts nationwide from 25 July.
Scheme gives loyalty members access to personalised discounts based on shopping habits.
Over 17 billion tailored offers generated since launch; £60m saved by customers in the last year.
More than one million shoppers currently use the feature weekly.
Offers now available in-store, online, via app, and soon, at checkout.
Sainsbury's brings personalised loyalty savings directly to the tills
Sainsbury’s will extend its Your Nectar Prices programme to checkouts across the UK starting Friday, 25 July. The move allows Nectar members to receive personalised discounts directly at the tills for the first time, as part of the retailer’s continued investment in digital loyalty.
The supermarket has already issued over 17 billion tailored offers since launching the scheme, with more than one million customers using it weekly. According to the retailer, these offers have helped shoppers collectively save £60 million over the past year.
Previously, Your Nectar Prices was available only through the SmartShop app, Sainsbury’s website, and the Nectar app. Now, with the expansion to checkouts, the scheme becomes more accessible to in-store customers.
How it works
To take advantage of the Your Nectar Prices discounts, customers must be digitally registered with Nectar. Each Friday, users need to “tap to unlock” their personalised deals via the Nectar app or website. Once activated, the offers are automatically applied at checkout – in-store or online.
Shoppers can receive up to 10 tailored discounts per week, based on their regular buying habits. Sainsbury’s estimates these could amount to savings of over £150 annually per customer.
A key milestone in loyalty personalisation
Mark Given, Chief Marketing, Data & Sustainability Officer at Sainsbury’s, commented on the expansion:
“Over the past few years, we’ve made significant strides with Nectar, with Nectar Prices being a big part of that success, bringing great value to millions of customers.
But what really sets us apart is that we’re leading the way by making loyalty personal. Shoppers want to feel recognised and rewarded and while Nectar Prices are for everyone, we know our customers love an offer that is made just for them.”
“Every week over a million customers are making the most of their personalised discounts and, by rolling this out to our checkouts, we’re opening the door for millions more to grab fantastic offers on the items they already purchase and maybe even discover some new favourites.”
Part of the wider Sainsbury Nectar Prices strategy
The rollout is part of Sainsbury’s broader Nectar Prices strategy, which offers savings on thousands of everyday items to all Nectar cardholders. The retailer encourages customers to use both the standard and personalised offers for maximum benefit.
Your Nectar Prices, launched four years ago, covers a wide range of categories including fresh food, household essentials, health & beauty, baby items, and pet care.
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The Palm House, along with the neighbouring Waterlily House, will be transformed
Kew Gardens will shut its iconic Palm House for up to four years
Grade I-listed building to undergo major restoration as part of net-zero strategy
Gas boilers to be replaced with modern heat pumps
Rare plant collection, including 45 endangered species, to be relocated during works
Palm House and Waterlily House will become the first net-zero glasshouses globally
Historic Palm House to undergo major upgrade
Kew Gardens will temporarily close one of its most recognisable landmarks, the Grade I-listed Palm House, for up to four years as part of an ambitious net-zero redevelopment plan. Opened in 1848, the glasshouse is home to a globally significant collection of tropical plants and houses the world’s oldest potted plant—an Encephalartos altensteinii dating back to 1775.
The Palm House, along with the neighbouring Waterlily House, will be transformed into the world’s first net-zero glasshouses through a large-scale renovation focused on improving energy efficiency and reducing carbon emissions.
Plans to modernise historic infrastructure
The project, submitted last week to Richmond-upon-Thames borough council, will replace ageing gas boilers—installed more than 100 years ago—with modern heat pumps. These upgrades are designed to help Kew Gardens meet its sustainability targets while preserving the conditions required to house rare tropical species.
Each pane of glass in the structure will be removed and recycled. New, more robust glazing will be fitted using advanced sealants designed to retain heat and humidity, crucial for plant survival.
The Palm House’s iron ribs will also be stripped, repaired and repainted in the original colour used when the structure first opened.
Funding for the scheme will come from a combination of grants and private investment.
Protecting rare and endangered plant life
During the renovation, the entire plant collection—comprising towering palms, passion plants, and 45 species at risk of extinction—will be carefully relocated to temporary glasshouses to ensure their survival.
Tom Pickering, head of glasshouse collections at Kew, described the project as both a dream and a major responsibility. “The aim is to make the Palm House energy efficient while retaining all the magic of what it is today in terms of planting and horticulture,” he said.
Reviving a global icon with modern innovation
Richard Deverell, director of Kew Gardens, emphasised the urgency of the work, saying: “The Palm House and Waterlily House represented the latest in design and build at the time of their construction, but they are showing serious signs of deterioration and are not at all energy efficient.”
“Without urgent work, these iconic listed buildings and the vital tropical plants they protect are at risk of being lost forever,” he added.
Deverell called the project an “epic opportunity” to combine cutting-edge technology with heritage conservation. He said architects, engineers and Kew’s horticultural team have already spent years developing and testing the features that will help secure the buildings’ future.