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Highlights: She refused to fit the traditional mould Glamour never stopped her being taken seriously She built a career without abandoning her roots She chose not to have children Her philanthropy became part of her legacy Dolly Parton's greatest act of rebellion may not have been a song, a film role or even the creation of Dollywood. It was the decision to live her life according to her own rules. She emerged from a poor Tennessee family and became one of the world's most recognisable entertain

E-boarding passes displayed on smartphones will be accepted for immigration clearance. Boarding passes will no longer be stamped during immigration clearance. FTI-TTP enrolled travellers can use e-boarding passes at e-gates. Physical boarding passes will continue to be accepted. INTERNATIONAL travellers flying from Indian airports will be able to use e-boarding passes on their smartphones for immigration clearance from September 1, the Bureau of Immigration (BoI) said on Monday. The change will

Agatha Christie wrote a great many mystery novels in her time but probably none as baffling as The Strange Case of the Indian Entrepreneur . Eastern Eye asked Nirmal Sethia: Have you read any of Agatha Christies novels? His reply was typical of the billionaire who ranked 4th in Eastern Eye s Asian Rich List 2026 with a net value of 6.8 billion: Im not educated, Im matric fail. And yet he is sponsoring the British Librarys exhibition, Agatha Christie: A World of Mystery , to mark 50 years since t

Highlights: Tropical Sun launched in 1996 to improve supply and quality. The brand now spans around 700 SKUs. Wanis remains behind the UKs biggest world food brand. Its range covers flavours from across the globe. Tropical Sun has grown alongside Britains changing food habits. When Tropical Sun was launched by Wanis in 1996, it was created to solve a practical problem: inconsistent availability and quality in the world food supply chain. Thirty years later, the brand has grown into the UKs bigge

UK ENERGY bills are set to rise in October, the sector regulator Ofgem announced on Wednesday, as the Middle East war drives up wholesale gas prices. Higher energy costs have raised concerns about a fresh spike in inflation, piling pressure on the new Prime Minister Andy Burnham, who has made lowering the cost of living a priority. Ofgem, which sets every quarter the price cap that suppliers can charge customers, said the cap would increase four per cent from October, adding around 5 ($7) per mo

Highlights Kangana Ranaut and Baba Ramdev have become embroiled in a public war of words following her Generation Gutter remarks. Ranaut has now accused Ramdev of crossing every boundary of decency and told him not to give her character lessons. The actor-turned-politician also brought up the controversies surrounding Ramdev and Patanjali in her response. Kangana Ranauts latest clash with Baba Ramdev can be traced back to her comments about protesters at Jantar Mantar. The BJP MP used the phrase

Highlights: PM2.5 was linked to 8.82 million cancer cases from 2000 to 2020. The study examined 109 million cancer cases across 952 locations. PM2.5 was associated with higher risks of several cancers beyond lung cancer. Women showed higher attributable risks for most cancers. Researchers say the findings underline the need for stronger air quality policies. Air pollution is often discussed in terms of coughing, breathing difficulties and lung disease. A new global study suggests its impact may

Highlights Actor Jang Dong Yoon is set to marry actress Kim Seung Yun in October. The couple reportedly kept their relationship private for years, with even close friends unaware they were dating. The pair first met while working on the 2019 K-drama The Tale of Nokdu . Jang Dong Yoon is preparing to get married, but the actor's relationship has been kept so private that the announcement came as a surprise even to people close to him. According to an exclusive report from Osen, Jang will marry ac

Around 1,500 Unite union members at Arriva North London are striking for four days from Tuesday over unbearable cab temperatures. Drivers say their compartments can hit 40C, and have reported heatstroke, fatigue and near misses because of the heat. More than 40 bus routes across the capital will be affected, with ten more strike days planned up to mid-October if the row is not settled. London bus drivers are walking off the job this week, and the reason comes down to something most commuters hav

The publication of Great and Unfortunate Things will go ahead this Thursday (27), though its author, the late Jason Arday, is no longer here to see it. I can promise you've never read a story like this. Even the viral news headlines don't do it justice, Kris Doyle, non-fiction director of Simon & Schuster told the Bookseller in April, unaware of the destruction the ever-intensifying headlines would bring in August . The publisher chose to stick to the schedule, once the author resigned his Cambr

INDIA's hopes of reaching the Women's Hockey World Cup semifinals were dashed on Sunday after they were held to a goalless draw by Australia in their final second-round match here. With the Netherlands beating China 4-1 earlier in the day, the semifinal spot came down to India and Australia. India needed a win, while Australia only had to avoid defeat because they had scored more goals than their opponents. India survived an early scare when Australia appeared to take the lead through a close-ra

A portrait of Britains first Asian MP, Dadabhai Naoroji, is to go on display at the National Portrait Gallery from 2 September. The painting, which used to hang in the restaurant of the India Club in The Strand, has been carefully restored by the Courtauld Institute of Art. Naoroji , often affectionally called the grand old man of India, was a Parsi who was the Liberal Party member for Finsbury Central from 1892 to 1895. He beat the Tory candidate Frederick Penton by 2,961 votes to 2,956, a majo

Highlights: Kaish Ansari reportedly lost his data engineering job in Glasgow. He was nervous about telling his father about the layoff. His father's response focused on his son's wellbeing, not his lost job. It is Allah's will. And something better might happen in the future. Social media users praised the father's calm response as king mentality. Imagine calling your parents to tell them you've just lost your job and instead of hearing panic, disappointment or a hundred questions about what hap

FORMER home secretary Alan Johnson has told Shabana Mahmood to ignore Labour backbenchers opposing her immigration reforms and press ahead, warning that listening to them could hurt Labour. Johnson, who was home secretary when Gordon Brown lost the 2010 general election, said migration was a very big issue for voters, The Telegraph reported. Labour MPs Urge Burnham to Ease Mahmood Migration reforms Asked what advice he would give Mahmood, he said: Dont listen to your Labour colleagues press ahe

THE TREASURY has launched a review of business rates valuations for pubs and hotels in England and Wales. Business rates expert Jerry Schurder will lead the review and report in March 2027, with his findings feeding into the next rates revaluation in 2029. The review comes after concerns from the hospitality sector over business rates. The British Beer and Pub Association (BBPA) said 161 pubs closed in the first three months of this year across England, Scotland and Wales, with around 2,400 jobs

TWELVE people have died in less than a week in England and Ireland in crashes involving vehicles travelling the wrong way on major roads, as authorities warn about a social media-driven trend linked to such driving. Seven people, including two serving police officers, died early Saturday in a collision on the A66 near Middlesbrough in northeastern England. Police are investigating the circumstances of the crash, which followed a pursuit of a suspicious vehicle. Authorities said the vehicle was d

Highlights Arjun Rampal and Gabriella Demetriades registered their marriage in Mapusa, Goa Goa's civil registration process normally includes a 15-day waiting period The couple obtained special permission to waive the waiting period Arjun Rampal and Gabriella Demetriades may have kept their wedding private, but the legal process behind their Goa marriage has revealed a little-known provision in the state's marriage registration system. The Dhurandhar actor and his longtime partner registered the

TikTok and ByteDance will pay $400 million to settle the US case. The lawsuit alleged that data from millions of children under 13 was collected without parental consent. The settlement is one of the largest ever reached under the US childrens privacy law. TikTok has agreed to pay $400 million (293 million) to the US government to settle a case over how it handled the personal data of children. The lawsuit, brought by the US Department of Justice in 2024, alleged that TikTok and its parent compa

First-class next-day deliveries rose to 85 per cent, but remain below Ofcom's 90 per cent target. Second-class deliveries reached 91.4 per cent within three working days, against a 95 per cent target. Royal Mail is investing 500 million over five years to improve its service. Royal Mail is delivering more letters on time than it was a year ago, but it still cannot meet the standards set by the postal regulator. The company delivered 85 per cent of first-class mail the next working day between Ap

Highlights Sowcar Janaki built a career spanning more than seven decades and 400 films. She successfully moved from leading roles to character-driven performances. Her work across cinema, theater, and television kept her connected with audiences across generations. Sowcar Janaki 's career was extraordinary not simply because of its length, but because of how often she reinvented herself. After making her debut in the early 1950s, she remained part of Indian cinema through several generations of

Highlights Pranay Reddy Vanga has made fresh claims about Deepika Padukone's exit from Spirit . He alleged that remuneration, scheduling and other disagreements were behind the casting change. The producer also alleged that details discussed privately about the film were leaked. Deepika Padukone 's exit from Sandeep Reddy Vanga's Spirit has taken a fresh turn after producer Pranay Reddy Vanga made new claims about the circumstances surrounding her departure. The actress had originally been linke

Arsenal's Friday night win over newly-promoted Coventry City opened the richest football league on earth for another season. Millions watched. Billions will follow across the campaign. And for the first time in recent memory, not one of them will be watching a British south Asian player turn out in the Premier League itself. It isn't for lack of names. Four years ago, English football had what looked like a genuine breakthrough group: Hamza Choudhury at Leicester, Zidane Iqbal at Manchester Unit

The treatment could reduce insulin injections from 365 a year to just 52. NICE has recommended the weekly treatment, but it still needs MHRA approval. People who rely on carers or struggle with daily injections could benefit most. For some people with type 2 diabetes, managing their condition could soon involve one insulin injection a week instead of one every day. The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) has recommended insulin efsitora alfa, also known as Onswik and made by

Spiritual leader Morari Bapu has begun a nine-day Ram Katha at Harvard University, bringing the teachings of the Ramayan to one of the worlds most renowned academic institutions. Nearly 1,000 people filled the historic Memorial Hall for the opening of the Katha, being held from 15 to 23 August 2026. The gathering marks Morari Bapus 982nd Ram Katha and has attracted devotees, storytellers and scholars from around the world. The setting carries particular symbolism. Harvards motto, Veritas Truth,

HOME SECRETARY Shabana Mahmood has said the government wants to create a fairer spread of asylum accommodation across the UK, with more asylum seekers expected to be housed in wealthier areas. In an interview with The Times , Mahmood said the government was preparing a mixed model of asylum accommodation that would include large military sites, medium-sized buildings such as former student apartments, and dispersal housing such as bedsits and homes of multiple occupancy. She said the change woul

Jo Boydell is stepping down after 13 years with Travelodge. The hotel chain is overhauling room-access procedures following a 2022 sexual assault. More than 600 hotels have introduced new room-access security measures. Travelodges chief executive Jo Boydell is stepping down as the hotel chain continues to face scrutiny over its guest safety procedures following a sexual assault at one of its hotels. Boydell, who joined Travelodge 13 years ago and became chief executive in May 2022, will leave th

Highlights Jason Stathams Mutiny was briefly available to watch in full on Amazon Prime Video in the US. The accidental streaming appearance came two days before its planned theatrical release. The 95-minute Lionsgate action thriller was quickly removed after users discovered the listing. Jason Stathams latest action film was supposed to have its big-screen moment this week. Instead, some Amazon Prime Video users got the chance to watch the entire film before it had even opened in cinemas. Mutin

Highlights Will Smith is reportedly in talks to make his Indian film debut in Atlees Raaka . The Hollywood star could play the primary antagonist opposite Allu Arjun, according to reports. The reported 65 million sci-fi film also stars Deepika Padukone, but Smiths involvement has not been officially confirmed. Will Smith could be heading into unfamiliar territory. The Hollywood star is reportedly being considered for a major role in Atlees upcoming sci-fi film Raaka , potentially putting him opp

Highlights Leonardo DiCaprio was reportedly approached for the role that became Ed Nortons extraordinary film debut. Norton initially thought Primal Fear was a mess, with the role not yet fully developed. His performance as Aaron Stampler earned him a Golden Globe and an Oscar nomination. Before Ed Norton became synonymous with films such as Fight Club and American History X , he walked into Hollywood with a role that could easily have overwhelmed a first-time film actor. Instead, his performanc

PRIME MINISTER Andy Burnham has unveiled a plan to help people sleeping rough move off the streets by Christmas, saying his government will put emergency accommodation and long-term housing support in place across England this winter. No one should have to bed down in a doorway or outside a station. But we've seen it for so long that it feels like Westminster has started to accept it, Burnham said in a statement, referring to the UK parliament. The announcement came a month after Burnham replace

Highlights Unverified GTA 6 gameplay footage and an image claiming to show the full map have appeared online. The material has reportedly been linked to a group calling itself CyberLeek, which has issued demands aimed at Rockstar and other publishers. The group is reportedly protesting the gaming industry's shift towards digital-only releases and has warned that other publishers could be targeted. Grand Theft Auto 6 appears to be facing another major leak, but the latest incident goes beyond foo

A FIRE at a hotel in Kolkata killed nine people, including a child, on Wednesday, marking another deadly hotel blaze in India within days as authorities investigated possible safety failures. Nine people were killed, including a child, in the fire that broke out early on Wednesday, Anuj Sharma, the fire services director of West Bengal state, told AFP. Thick smoke enveloped the hotel. Some victims were found in the bathrooms. Delhi hotel fire kills at least 21 people Preliminary information sugg

AT LEAST 30 children, most of them British, are feared to have been conceived through IVF in northern Cyprus using sperm or egg donors different from those selected by their parents. The parents say they carefully chose anonymous donors based on medical history, appearance, personality, education and hobbies, but later became concerned that the requested donors had not been used, reported BBC. One mother, Rachel, recently learned that the Danish sperm donor she selected for her treatment at Dogu

The full new state pension could rise by more than 500 a year. A 4.1 per cent increase would take the annual payment above 13,000. The final rise will depend on wage growth and inflation figures still to come. Could the full state pension cross 13,000 a year next April? The latest wage figures suggest it could. Average total pay rose by 4.1 per cent in the three months to June, according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS). If the wage figure used for the state pension calculation remain

RISHABH PANT reached a new Test cricket milestone as India set Sri Lanka 372 to win the first Test in Galle on Tuesday. Pant became the fastest player to hit 100 sixes in Test cricket, reaching the mark in 89 innings and surpassing Australia's Adam Gilchrist, who took 130 innings. The wicketkeeper-batsman scored 66 off 69 balls, with eight fours and two sixes, as India were bowled out for 193 late in the second session. Asitha Fernando took 4-31 for Sri Lanka. Devdutt Padikkal, who scored 167 in

Asda sales fell 0.2 per cent in the 12 weeks to August 9. Tesco, Sainsburys and Morrisons all recorded sales growth over the same period. Asdas market share has edged up, but it remains well behind Tesco and Sainsburys. Britains supermarkets have had plenty to cheer about this summer. Shoppers spent more as warm weather boosted demand for ice cream, sun cream and other seasonal products, while the wider grocery market continued to grow. Asda, however, is still going backwards. Sales at the super

CHEF Nand Kishor Yadavs journey from Motihari in Bihar to the Royal Garden Party at the Palace of Holyroodhouse in Edinburgh has marked a milestone in his 25-year culinary career. The Indian chef was invited to join King Charles III and Queen Camilla at the event, which is held during Holyrood Week, or Royal Week, when the monarch traditionally spends a week in Scotland during the summer. Being invited to the Palace of Holyroodhouse was an incredibly proud and humbling experience, said Chef Nand

Highlights Christopher Schwarzenegger has spoken candidly about his weight-loss journey after appearing in new family holiday photos. The 28-year-old said he has lost 30 pounds and built muscle, but does not consider himself an after yet. Schwarzenegger has described the transformation as a long process involving trial and error rather than a quick change. Christopher Schwarzeneggers recent appearance in family holiday photos has drawn attention to his dramatic physical transformation, but his o

EY and KPMG could receive up to 456 million for civil service training. KPMG will receive up to 319 million, while EY will get up to 137 million. The contracts come as Labour works to rebuild the National School of Government. Why is the government paying private accountancy firms hundreds of millions of pounds to train its own civil servants? That is the question raised by a new 456 million government contract awarded to EY and KPMG, less than two years after Labour pledged to halve spending on

The Vishv Umiya Foundation (VUF) has strengthened its presence in the United Kingdom with the formation of a new UK Core Committee, alongside the appointment of regional leaders and the expansion of its womens empowerment initiative. The announcements were made during the 2026 UK visit of Shri R.P. Patel, Patron and President of Vishv Umiya Foundation, who met community representatives as part of efforts to broaden the organisations network and activities across Britain. A special VUF UK Core Co

Wetherspoon has introduced the ban across all 792 of its pubs. Customers are being asked to keep phones on silent or use earphones. The move comes amid a wider backlash against people playing audio aloud in public. Ever been sitting in a pub trying to have a conversation, only to hear someone elses phone call booming across the room? Wetherspoon appears to have had enough. The pub chain has introduced a ban on customers playing music, videos or taking calls on speaker across its 792 pubs, saying

DISABLED people in England will be able to use their bus passes for free at any time of day from April 1, the government has announced. Currently, disabled bus passes can be used between 09:30 and 23:00 on weekdays, while there are no time restrictions at weekends and on bank holidays. The change is expected to benefit about one million people. The disability charity Scope said the move would emove barriers to everyday life. Prime Minister Andy Burnham said it was simply not right that many dis

WHAT started as a movement to encourage south Asian women to become more active has grown into a community built around friendship, confidence, wellbeing and belonging. To mark its first anniversary and as part of South Asian Heritage Month, Asian Women Run (AWR) brought its biggest event yet to Osterley Park, opening its doors to the wider community for a family fun day featuring 5K and 10K walk, run and jog routes. Hundreds turned up on Sunday, July 26, with children and families choosing to w

Narpinder Kaur Mann BEM was recognised at a special ceremony at Khalsa Primary School in Slough on August 7, during the schools annual Sikh Camp. Hundreds of children attended alongside representatives of Sloughs Gurdwaras and Gurdwaras Committee, with organisers saying Manns work offered young people a powerful example of seva selfless service in practice. Mann is director of Global UNITED SIKHS and United Humanitarian Sikh Aid, as well as founder and CEO of the Immigration Surgery/Helpdesk.

LONDON witnessed an extraordinary coming together of Dharma Satta and Raj Satta as more than 25 revered saints and spiritual leaders joined parliamentarians, civic representatives and community leaders for a landmark series of events promoting world peace, harmony, Sanatan values and unity in diversity. The historic engagements, held across the UK from 7 to 15 August, culminated in three major London events Santon Ke Sang Sunderkand aboard a special cruise on the River Thames on August 11; the

Highlights Cruz Beckham shared a childhood photo featuring his brothers Brooklyn and Romeo. The 21-year-old captioned the picture Brothers with a blue heart emoji. The post comes amid Brooklyn Beckhams ongoing estrangement from the Beckham family. Cruz Beckham may have offered a quiet sign that he has not given up on his relationship with his older brother Brooklyn Beckham. The musician, 21, included a childhood photo of himself with Brooklyn, 27, and Romeo Beckham in a series of holiday snaps s

Job vacancies have fallen to 707,000, their lowest level in more than five years. Small businesses say rising labour and operating costs are making recruitment harder. Private sector pay growth has slowed to its weakest level in almost six years. Finding a new job in Britain could be getting harder as employers become more cautious about hiring and the number of available vacancies falls to its lowest level in more than five years. The UK recorded 707,000 job vacancies between May and July, acco

ANGER over the treatment of black academic Jason Arday grew on Monday as thousands gathered in central London for a vigil, with his family saying the public cruelty he faced was too much for any man to bear. The vigil in Trafalgar Square came as Cambridge university chancellor Chris Smith condemned what he called a racist feeding frenzy over plagiarism claims against Arday, while a petition calling for an immediate public inquiry into the media coverage had gathered more than 90,000 signatures.

Two people were killed and 13 injured after the strike on the plant. Energy and blast furnace facilities were damaged in the attack. The steelworks was previously hit by a Russian missile strike in 2022. Russias missile war has hit one of Ukraines biggest industrial businesses, with ArcelorMittal Kryvyi Rih, the steel plant owned by Indian billionaire Lakshmi Mittal, partially halting production after an overnight strike. Two people were killed and 13 employees and contractors were injured after

Highlights Fresh social media reports claim Anirudh Ravichander and Kavya Maran could marry in Greece later this year Some posts have circulated November 10 as the wedding date, while others mention November 11 Neither Anirudh, Kavya nor their families has officially confirmed a wedding or the reported Greece plans The latest speculation follows earlier comments from Anirudhs uncle Y G Mahendran, who described the proposed marriage as a sure thing Wedding speculation surrounding music composer A