HOW AAMIR KHAN IS HELPING DROUGHT-AFFECTED VILLAGES
HE MAY be one of the biggest and busiest movie stars in the world, but Aamir Khan has always been very active on the social front too.
The big-hearted A-list actor has been a part of many philanthropic endeavours including through his organisation Paani Foundation, which gives much-needed help to drought-hit villages across the Indian state of Maharashtra. His organisation lends its support to villagers in water conservation by using a slew of innovative and effective methods.
Launched in 2016, Aamir runs the non-profit NGO with his wife Kiran Rao and the team from popular Indian television series Satyamev Jayate. Their most recent initiative on May 1, which is Maharashtra Day, saw the organisation provide a unique opportunity for people from all walks of life to do volunteer work with villagers.
Eastern Eye’s Mumbai-based journalist Mohnish Singh caught up with Aamir at his Carter Road residence to find out more about the work Paani Foundation does, how people can lend a helping hand, and using his celebrity status to make a difference...
You visited Symbiosis Pune campus recently to spread awareness about Paani Foundation. What was the response like?
Pune was great! We got a very good response. It was a specific activity in which we were reaching out to the students’ fraternity in Maharashtra. Going to Symbiosis was a symbolic gesture. We went to encourage them to join us on May 1. We want people from cities to travel to villages on that day and work for three hours with the villagers and contribute to this process.
Were you socially aware when you were in college?
Yes, I was fairly aware, but to be honest I rarely spent any time in college because I didn’t study beyond twelfth standard. Up till twelfth, I was mostly doing theatre. But I was socially aware and used to respond to a similar cause like this.
Do you agree that your celebrity status has helped in grabbing the attention towards this social initiative?
Well, I have to say that first of all the idea has to have merit. And I think the idea and the concept behind what we are trying to do, which has actually been designed by Satyajit Bhatkal, the CEO of Paani Foundation, has. If the concept does not have merit, then no matter how many celebrities push it, it won’t work.
So the fact it has worked indicates that and there are celebrities like me and others who have been actively endorsing it, pushing it and working with people over the last three years.
What are the changes villagers have seen through Paani Foundation’s social initiative?
I recommend you visit our website, www.paanifoundation.in, which gives a really good idea of what the changes are. To tell you briefly, a village that does watershed management work sees a change in as short a period as one year, which means the work is done in April and May; it rains in June-July-August. Usually by early December, these villages would actually start having water tankers coming in because the water would be over by then.
But a village that has done the work doesn’t need tankers even in April and May, so they actually become tanker-free. Then again in June, the rains come, and having done the watershed work, the storage capacity in groundwater increases dramatically.
How does Watershed Management benefit villagers?
Those villages which have done the watershed management work benefit a lot as they become tanker-free. Their agriculture improves and women don’t have to walk far to collect water. Kids who are supposed to be in school don’t have to wait in line for tankers and it contributes to making farmer’s life slightly easier and better.
Watershed Management system is a lengthy process. How do you plan to make sure the process sticks with people?
What we do as Paani Foundation is first studying the science of watershed management. We have broken it down into a syllabus of how to teach it to people. And we have made it in the form of games and experiential learning, so when you learn it in four-and-a-half days, it’s something that stays with you, you enjoy doing and enthuses.
So the program of teaching is very entertaining and also has social training with it along with the technical one.
How do you take your program from village to village?
We invite villagers to take part in competitions. For them to take part, they have to send five villagers to us who we will train. Those five go back and lead the village in the competition. All the work will be done by the villagers. The village will decide what is their area of land, how many watersheds fall into it and what is the kind of work they want to do.
They make and execute the plan, and we teach them how to do it. If they ever have any questions or need advice, we have experts on standby. When the village has completed this watershed work, it has done it on its own and that is the most empowering thing for them.
How do you train so many for the initiative?
The villagers that have completed the watershed system become the experts because they have done it. They become our teachers for the next year. So in the first year, we had three training centres and 20 trainers. In the second year, we needed 20 training centres and about 140 trainers. Where will you get 140 trainers from? From the villagers who have done the work. It’s a thought-out process that we have started. It is kind of a chain reaction.
What happens when it doesn’t rain in the area?
It’s very rare that it never rains at all. In these drought areas, typically they have 300mm of rainfall, which is very less. Sometimes in severe drought it will drop to 270mm, and worst-case scenarios it may drop to 200mm per year. But it’s very unlikely that it will go below that. There could be a case when it doesn’t rain at all, even one shower, but that is very rare and unlikely.
How can people be a part of the initiative?
One of our programs is Jalmitra. You can read more on www.jalmitra.paanifoundation.in. There is a volunteer registration form to become a Jalmitra. When you do, you can come on May 1 to do volunteer Shramdaan (labour donation). Whatever villages which are available for Shramdaan will be provided to you. When you reach the village, you will be told precisely what to do.
Other than volunteering for Shramdaan, which we are pushing strongly right now, you can also donate money to an organisation called Bharatiya Jan Sanghatana (BJS). Paani Foundation doesn’t take money, but last year BJS did fantastic work in the villages.
Could you tell us something more about Bharatiya Jan Sanghatana (BJS)...
Some villages are unable to raise funds for buying machines. These villages were helped by BJS; they sent machines free of cost over there. So having seen the work of BJS last year, we are recommending to people that if you want to donate money, donate to BJS. Your money will go towards machine work which will happen in villages that have shown the strength to actually do Shramdaan but don’t have funds for the machine. The money will make a big difference.
What is the process like if one wants to volunteer more often?
You can do more. If you want to do more than this, we train you as a volunteer. To give an example, we train you how to use our app, which is to be filled up by the villagers after the competition as a before and after presentation. They have to log all the work they have done.
Some villagers find it difficult to use the app and volunteers help them to fill in the details. Another thing the volunteer can do is sensitise school and college students through presentations.
How much support are you getting from the state government of Maharashtra?
We are getting very strong support from them. The key project of our current chief minister Mr Devendra Fadnavis is that of finding a solution to water scarcity. The government also has a scheme called Jalyukt Shivar, which again does the same thing – decentralise watershed management. They take 5,000 villages and help the villages by funding some of the activities.
The chief minister and his office have been very supportive of what we have been doing. We don’t take the money from the government, but we do seek their help in other ways like transportations, logistics and all.
Are there women coming forward for Shramdaan in villages?
Women are the main guys there. Last year, we went to a village where women were doing Shramdaan every day, working very hard. The men were lazing about, making excuses, playing cards and eating tobacco. So all the women decided that they won’t go home.
After Shramdaan, they all went to a temple and slept over there. They told their husbands that they won’t come home if they don’t participate in Shramdaan. In 24 hours, the men cracked! They requested their women to come back, but they said no and asked them to first sign the register with their names and promise they will come for the Shramdaan. Then men also started coming and they began working together.
What else is being done by you to spread awareness about the issue of water scarcity?
I strongly recommend that you see our show Toofan Aalaya; it airs on Zee Marathi and you can also watch it on YouTube. All the stories regarding the initiative and projects, you will see over there. Please help us in communicating to people that we really want more and more people from cities to sign up for the Shramdaan. We want more people to register, so please encourage them to.
NEARLY all iPhones exported by Foxconn from India between March and May were shipped to the United States, according to customs data reviewed by Reuters.
The data showed that 97 per cent of Foxconn’s iPhone exports during this period went to the US, significantly higher than the 2024 average of 50.3 per cent.
This marks a shift in Apple’s export strategy from India, which earlier supplied iPhones to several destinations including the Netherlands, the Czech Republic and Britain. Now, India-made devices are being directed almost exclusively to the US market.
Between March and May, Foxconn exported iPhones worth 3.2 billion US dollars (around 2.35 billion pounds) from India, with most shipments heading to the United States. In May 2025 alone, shipments were valued at nearly 1 billion dollars (around 735 million pounds), the second-highest monthly figure after the record 1.3 billion dollars (around 955 million pounds) in March.
Apple declined to comment, and Foxconn did not respond to a Reuters request for a statement.
Tariff pressure
US president Donald Trump on Wednesday said China would face 55 per cent tariffs under a plan agreed in principle by both countries, subject to final approval. India, like many US trading partners, faces a baseline 10 per cent tariff and is negotiating to avoid a 26 per cent “reciprocal” levy that Trump announced and then paused in April.
In May, Trump criticised Apple’s increased production in India. “We are not interested in you building in India, India can take care of themselves, they are doing very well, we want you to build here,” he said, recalling a conversation with Apple CEO Tim Cook.
In the first five months of 2025, Foxconn exported iPhones worth 4.4 billion dollars (around 3.23 billion pounds) to the US from India. This already exceeds the 3.7 billion dollars (around 2.72 billion pounds) shipped in the whole of 2024.
Export push
Apple has been accelerating its iPhone shipments from India to reduce dependence on China amid rising tariffs. In March, the company chartered aircraft to move iPhone 13, 14, 16 and 16e models worth roughly 2 billion dollars (around 1.47 billion pounds) to the US.
Apple has also urged Indian airport authorities to reduce customs clearance time at Chennai airport, a key hub for iPhone exports in Tamil Nadu, from 30 hours to six hours, Reuters has reported.
“We expect made-in-India iPhones to account for 25 per cent to 30 per cent of global iPhone shipments in 2025, as compared to 18 per cent in 2024,” said Prachir Singh, senior analyst at Counterpoint Research.
Tata’s role
Tata Electronics, another Apple iPhone supplier in India, shipped nearly 86 per cent of its iPhones to the US during March and April, the customs data showed. Data for May was not available.
The Tata Group company began exporting iPhones in July 2024. During 2024, 52 per cent of its shipments went to the US, according to the data. Tata declined to comment.
Indian prime minister Narendra Modi has promoted India as a smartphone manufacturing hub. However, high import duties on mobile phone components continue to make domestic production more expensive than in many other countries.
Apple has historically sold over 60 million iPhones annually in the US, with approximately 80 per cent made in China.
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The new trio cast as Harry, Hermione and Ron step into a world where childhood and fame rarely mix well
As HBO prepares to bring Harry Potter back to screens with a new television adaptation, excitement is high around the casting of Dominic McLaughlin, Arabella Stanton, and Alastair Stout as the iconic trio of Harry, Hermione, and Ron. But amid the buzz, a quiet voice of caution has emerged. Chris Watson, father of original Hermione actress Emma Watson, is urging parents and the industry to tread carefully when it comes to child stardom.
Chris Watson is not speaking as a critic or industry insider but as someone who watched his daughter grow up inside a global franchise. Emma was nine when she landed the role of Hermione Granger, and what followed was a decade of public attention that reshaped her life. Her father remembers the shift vividly. “Her homework would go back to school on motorbikes,” he once said, pointing to the surreal logistics fame forced on them.
Emma, who has since spoken openly about the emotional toll of growing up famous, has described feeling “terrified” and “inadequate,” and even envying her peers for being able to do ordinary things, like knowing their favourite colour or forming friendships without public scrutiny. It’s this experience that Chris is drawing from when he warns: “As a parent, you have to be scared.”
Fame at a young age comes with a price
The context this time is different. The casting process for the HBO reboot reportedly involved sifting through 30,000 applicants. The new trio are young and relatively unknown, just like their predecessors were in 2001. But the digital world they’re entering now is far more invasive. Every post, photo, or comment is dissected in real time, exposing young actors to criticism, trolling, and unwanted attention, far beyond the limited press tours of 2001.
Chris Watson, Emma’s father, and other insiders warn of the emotional toll facing today’s young starsGetty Images
Emma’s journey: Blueprint and cautionary tale
Emma Watson was nine when she won the part of Hermione. Almost overnight, their whole family life bent around filming schedules. Chris Watson deliberately downplayed Hollywood’s glamour at home. He “doesn’t actually watch films” to prevent Emma from believing the character defined her. He insisted Warner Bros. respect her schoolwork and spare time. Yet the pressure still mounted.
Emma later admitted she struggled with guilt in therapy and suffered “vertigo” from constant public attention. At 18, invasive paparazzi shots were published within hours of her birthday, while her co-stars faced parallel battles. Daniel Radcliffe used alcohol to cope, arriving on set "still drunk" and "dead behind the eyes," while Rupert Grint felt reduced: "I felt like I only knew how to do one thing: play Ron."
From online hate to AI threats, the rebooted Wizarding World may be more dangerous than magicalGetty Images
2025’s more perilous journey
The AI Boggart- Generative AI and deepfakes now make non-consensual, manipulated images or videos a real threat. These digital illusions can damage reputations and cause emotional harm in ways the original cast never encountered.
The Rowling Snare- With J.K. Rowling as executive producer, her polarising views on transgender rights hover over the series. Despite assurances they won’t influence the storyline, the new actors will be drawn into cultural debates and pressured to take sides.
Although he never offered a bullet-point plan, his comments cut straight to the heart of what matters:
"As a parent, you have to be scared" “While there are many upsides, nothing is perfect and you have to recognise there are going to be downsides you could not have imagined.” His frank admission underlines the need to stay vigilant and prepared for unexpected challenges.
Keep home life sacred “It certainly helped that I don’t actually watch films... the studio and everybody else knew that this was not Emma’s whole life, and that she had homework to do, she played a little bit of cricket as well.” Here, Watson shows how he maintained normal routines including school, family time and sports to prevent Emma’s identity from merging with Hermione Granger.
Reach out and share hard-won experience “If they want to talk to someone who’s been through this… I would be more than happy.” By offering mentorship to the new parents, Chris emphasises that open communication and shared support are vital tools in safeguarding young actors.
Unlike the early 2000s, today’s child stars face nonstop scrutiny, digital dangers and cultural controversyGetty Images
Alumni perspectives: Lessons from child stars past
Several former young actors have shared insights that accentuate Chris Watson’s warnings. Evanna Lynch (Luna Lovegood) recalls feeling “adored and trapped” when the cameras stopped but expectations didn’t. Jake Lloyd (young Anakin Skywalker) describes how relentless attention led to severe anxiety. Their stories make it clear that the hardest effects often come once filming wraps up.
Behind the excitement of the reboot lies a harsh reality many child stars never escapeGetty Images
The ethical dilemma: Joy versus risk
Prospect Magazine asks whether it is ethical to place children in an environment rife with digital threats and guaranteed controversy. Can the magic of Hogwarts justify this gamble? HBO’s Francesca Gardiner and Mark Mylod praise the trio’s “wonderful” talent, and Rowling herself endorses them. But raw talent alone offers no protection.
Hollywood’s history with child stars reads grimly: Judy Garland fed amphetamines, Macaulay Culkin abused, Star Wars' Jake Lloyd broken by bullying. Can this cycle end? Chris Watson offers more than warnings; he’s extending mentorship to the parents.
Hogwarts is calling but fame’s dangers are louder for Harry Potter’s new trioGetty Images
Real magic: Protecting childhood
The return of Harry Potter also raises broader questions about corporate priorities. With J.K. Rowling returning as executive producer, a figure who now carries both creative authority and controversy, the series enters a more complex media landscape. Will the focus stay on the storytelling, or will the new stars be caught in wider debates?
For now, Dominic, Arabella, and Alastair are at the start of a journey that will define their adolescence. Whether that journey is empowering or overwhelming will depend not just on their talent, but on how well they’re protected behind the scenes. Chris Watson’s voice may not be the loudest in the room, but it carries weight, built on lived experience, and a simple truth: children in the spotlight still deserve a childhood.
The Met Office has issued an amber weather warning for thunderstorms across parts of eastern and south-eastern England, in effect from 20:00 BST on Friday to 05:00 on Saturday. The affected area spans from Eastbourne in East Sussex to Cromer in north Norfolk.
The warning indicates a high risk of disruption, with flash flooding, power cuts, and hazardous travel conditions expected. The Met Office warns that flooding of homes and businesses is likely, and delays or cancellations to bus and rail services are possible due to surface water and lightning strikes.
Heavy rain and strong winds forecast
According to the forecast, some locations within the amber zone could see between 30mm and 50mm of rainfall, accompanied by wind gusts exceeding 40–50mph. There is a heightened risk of frequent lightning and intense downpours, leading to flash floods and dangerous driving conditions.
The affected area spans from Eastbourne in East Sussex to Cromer in north NorfolkGetty Images
The Met Office said fast-flowing or deep floodwater could pose a danger to life. People are advised to remain indoors during the worst of the weather and avoid unnecessary travel. Where travel is essential, extreme caution is urged.
Public urged to prepare
Residents in affected areas are being encouraged to check on vulnerable neighbours, especially those who may require assistance with food or medication. The Met Office recommends staying updated with local forecasts, charging electronic devices in advance, and securing outdoor furniture or loose items.
Yellow warnings cover wider region
Alongside the amber alert, several yellow thunderstorm warnings have also been issued:
South-west England and Wales: 14:00–23:59 on Friday
Eastern and south-eastern England: 19:00 on Friday to 06:00 on Saturday
Wales, western and northern England, and Scotland: 00:00–18:00 on Saturday
Heavy rain and thunderstorm warningBBC
Although yellow warnings indicate a lower risk than amber, the severity of thunderstorms could still be high in isolated areas. The warning for Saturday covers more of the UK as the storm system moves westward.
Heatwave peaks before storms arrive
The weather alert comes as Friday could become the hottest day of 2025 so far, with temperatures possibly hitting 30°C around the Norwich area. This would surpass the previous high of 29.3°C recorded at Kew, London, on 1 May.
Elsewhere across East Anglia and south-east England, temperatures are expected to reach the mid to high twenties, which is about 7–10°C above the seasonal average.
Cooler weekend ahead
With rising humidity and atmospheric instability, the thunderstorms are expected to mark the end of the hot spell. Saturday will bring cooler conditions, with temperatures dropping to the low to mid-twenties in the east and the high teens across other parts of the UK.
The Met Office continues to monitor the situation and has advised the public to follow the latest forecasts and travel updates.
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Shergill and his accomplices were arrested on different dates in 2020
THE head of an organised crime group who claimed he was a male escort while masterminding an international operation to import cocaine into the UK has been sentenced to 21 years and three months in jail.
Kulvir Shergill, 43, from the West Midlands, told National Crime Agency (NCA) investigators he made a living through male escort bookings, teaching martial arts and working as a personal trainer.
However, an NCA investigation showed Shergill’s crime group imported around 250kg of cocaine with a street value of £20 million between February 26 and April 24, 2020. The gang used the encrypted communications platform EncroChat in order to arrange the drugs deals.
Shergill and his accomplices are “directly responsible for the horrendous consequences Class A drugs (banned) have among our communities,” said Rick Mackenzie, NCA operations manager. “Proceeds of crime proceedings have been started and all identified assets owned by the defendants have been frozen and are currently under restraint. The NCA will work with our partners at the CPS [Crown Prosecution Service] to ensure that any money made from their drug enterprise is recovered.”
Shergill arranged premises for class A drugs to be delivered to in the UK using the EncroChat handle “orderlyswarmer”, the investigation found. He would liaise with contacts in the Netherlands over impending deliveries, before his group distributed them around the country.
Shergill and his accomplices were arrested on different dates in 2020. He initially denied smuggling class A drugs, but eventually admitted the offence.
On September 20 last year, Shergill was jailed at Birmingham crown court. The news can now be reported after the last member of his gang, 43-year-old Jagdeep Singh, was jailed for the same offences last week.
Singh was an electrician by trade, and was tasked with taking receipt of drug deliveries and acting as a warehouseman. At the time of his arrest in April 2020, he was in possession of 30kg of high-purity cocaine.
He has now been sentenced to six years and eight months behind bars.
Three other gang members were also sentenced last September – Khurram Mohammed, 37, jailed for 14 years and four months was Shergill’s second-in-command and a trusted worker.
Shakfat Ali, 38, who travelled around the UK on behalf of the group and is believed to have delivered drugs, was jailed for 16 years and nine months; while Mohammed Sajad, 44, a trusted member of the group, was jailed for 16 years.
With a massive music collection spanning several decades, multi-genre DJ and music producer DJ Funky T found it challenging to narrow down just 10 songs he loves. Also known as Tony Hayer, his favourites range from Michael Jackson, Dr Dre and Fleetwood Mac to Bollywood, Punjabi, Hindi, Sufi and more. Some of these diverse influences feature in his own track Tu Meri Rani Si.
Before revealing his choices, he said: “The following golden tracks have stood the test of time. It was a hard call, as many more songs could have made this list. So, in no particular order from my current conscious memory, I present 10 Indian songs I love. Check them out and enjoy.”
Chand Sifarish from Fanaa: This Bollywood track, headlined by Aamir Khan and Kajol, starts with a cheesy rock guitar but quickly transforms into a dynamic blend of beats, choppy tablas, rich harmonies, sitars and an addictive whistling motif.
Neuke Phadin Jawanan by Panjabi MC: A 2003 hit that borrows rhythm styles and melodies from Maxi Priest’s Wanna Be Close To You. It features lyrics by Lal Chand Yamla Jatt, a classic 1990s urban swing beat, as well as a fantastically groovy chorus built around tumbi plucking melodies.
Indian Dance by Kray Twinz ft Elephant Man: A powerhouse club anthem marked by the Kray Twinz’ signature sound. This thrilling blend of hard bashment and traditional gidha boliyan rides a thunderous bassline and features ragga legend Elephant Man.
Addi Mardi by Malkit Singh: This timeless party favourite tells the story of a man smitten with a girl and wanting to dance with her. From the start, it delivers plucky guitars, a cheeky bassline and a fast reggaetón-tinged rhythm. Guaranteed to lift the mood every time.
Akhiyaan by Vee/Jay Kahn: A beautifully produced love song by the exceptional Vee, younger brother of Hunterz. The track blends a spiritual mood with high production value, hypnotic melodies and subtle Sufi elements that uplift and soothe.
Khwaja Mere Khwaja from Jodhaa Akbar: AR Rahman delivered one of my favourite Sufi songs in this Bollywood film. He composed and sang it himself. The touching song about the relationship with a higher power is picturised beautifully, with dancers reaching up to the sky, as if to be holding God’s hand.
Discovery by Shammi Pithia: Taken from his album Cosmic, this track is very spiritual sounding. The healing song performed and produced by Shammi Pithia has world-class flute melodies. This song can both make or break you, dependent on your mood. But either way, it will leave you feeling touched.
Gutt Sapni by Jhinda Music ft Captain: The fabulous sounding track featuring Punjabi singer Captain has great keys composition, dynamic drum beats and a magnificent mixdown finish. Captain has a similar singing energy to Malkit Singh, but with his own contemporary twist. The track has terrific tumbi melodies throughout.
O Mere Dil Ke Chain from Mere Jeevan Saathi: This 1972 RD Burman composed film song sung by Kishore Kumar is an absolute classic. It personally takes me to my childhood days when everyone’s parents, including mine, played it. A huge all-time classic favourite Hindi song written with sweet, innocent love lyrics.
Tere Liye from Veer Zaara: The late legend Lata Mangeshkar along with top singer Roop Kumar Rathod. Enough said. This classic Bollywood track is an absolutely beautiful piece describing the heartache between two people deeply in love.