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ED Raids Target Akash Baskaran: Tamil Film Industry Faces Major Scandal

ED Raids on Akash Baskaran Shocks Tamil Cinema

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has conducted surprise raids at the residence and office of well-known Tamil film producer Akash Baskaran in Chennai. This investigation has sent shockwaves across the Tamil film industry.

Akash Baskaran, founder of Don Pictures, is known for producing major films in Tamil cinema. The ED's investigation is focused on alleged financial irregularities linked to his film projects.

Raids Location: The ED officials are conducting searches at his residence on K.P.N. Dasan Road, Teynampet, Chennai, as part of the investigation.

Who is Akash Baskaran? A rising name in Tamil cinema, Akash Baskaran has strong connections within the industry and politics. His wedding, officiated by Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin, and attended by stars like Nayanthara, drew significant attention.

What’s Next? The industry is closely watching the developments, with many speculating on the impact of the investigation on his ongoing projects. Stay tuned for real-time updates on this developing story.

Raids Location: The ED officials have targeted his residence on K.P.N. Dasan Road, Teynampet, Chennai, where they are searching for evidence of financial misconduct.

Who is Akash Baskaran? Akash Baskaran is the founder of Don Pictures, a notable name in Tamil cinema. His strong industry and political connections have always made him a figure of interest. Notably, his wedding was officiated by Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin and attended by stars like Nayanthara.

What’s Next? The investigation has caused widespread concern among industry insiders. As details emerge, many are closely watching to see how this case will unfold.

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Fatwa Against Actor-Turned-Politician Vijay Thalapathy For Controversial...

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Muslim Cleric Issues Fatwa Against Actor-Politician Vijay Over Iftar Party Controversy

A Muslim cleric has issued a fatwa against actor-turned-politician Thalapathy Vijay, alleging that he invited individuals known for drinking and gambling to an Iftar gathering. The cleric accuses the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) leader of displaying behavior contrary to Islamic principles and using religion for political gain. The fatwa urges the Muslim community in Tamil Nadu to refrain from involving such individuals in religious events, labeling Vijay’s actions as "unlawful and sinful."

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Dubai Princess Shaikha Mahra Announces Divorce on Instagram: A Look at the Royal Family’s Most Shocking Controversies

Shaikha Mahra Bint Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, daughter of Dubai’s ruler Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, has made headlines by publicly announcing her divorce from Sheikh Mana Bin Mohammed Bin Rashid bin Mana Al Maktoum. The announcement, made via Instagram, comes just two months after the birth of their first child. In a direct and bold statement, Shaikha Mahra wrote, “Dear Husband, as you are occupied with other companions, I hereby declare our divorce. I divorce you, I divorce you, and I divorce you. Take care. Your ex-wife.”

The Dubai royal family, renowned for its opulence and influence, has also been entangled in multiple high-profile controversies that have sparked international attention. Here’s a deep dive into some of the most shocking scandals surrounding the family:

1. Princess Latifa’s Escape and Allegations of Abuse

One of the most widely publicized controversies emerged in 2018 when Princess Latifa, another daughter of Sheikh Mohammed, attempted to flee Dubai, citing repression and abuse. Her escape plan was foiled, and she was forcibly returned. A video she recorded before the attempt detailed allegations of imprisonment and torture, prompting global human rights organizations to rally for her release. According to BBC, Latifa had previously attempted to escape at age 16 but was caught and held in solitary confinement for over three years.

2. Princess Haya’s Legal Battle in the UK

In 2019, Princess Haya Bint Al Hussein, the sixth wife of Sheikh Mohammed, fled to the United Kingdom with their two children, seeking legal protection. According to Reuters, Haya filed for protection against a forced marriage for one of her children and requested a non-molestation order. A London High Court ruling later confirmed that Sheikh Mohammed had orchestrated intimidation tactics against Haya, including surveillance using Pegasus spyware, as reported by Al Jazeera.

3. The Mysterious Disappearance of Princess Shamsa

Princess Shamsa, another daughter of Sheikh Mohammed, disappeared under mysterious circumstances in 2000. Reports indicate that she was abducted from Cambridge, UK, by four armed men and forcibly returned to Dubai on a private jet. According to The Guardian, Shamsa had previously evaded security at her father’s Longcross estate in Surrey before her disappearance. Her case resurfaced during Princess Haya’s legal battle, further exposing the royal family’s stringent control over its female members.

4. Pegasus Spyware Scandal

In one of the most shocking revelations, Sheikh Mohammed was accused of using Pegasus spyware to hack the phones of Princess Haya and her legal team during their court battle. A UK court ruled that the use of the spyware constituted an “unlawful abuse of power,” as reported by The Guardian. The incident raised major concerns over privacy violations and the extent of surveillance used by the royal family.

Conclusion: A Royal Family Under Global Scrutiny

The controversies surrounding Dubai’s royal family paint a stark contrast to their public image of luxury and progressive governance. From allegations of human rights abuses to invasive surveillance tactics, these incidents continue to draw international attention and criticism. As the world watches, the Dubai royal family remains under scrutiny, challenging the carefully curated narrative of their rule.

For more exclusive updates and in-depth reports, stay tuned to HerZindagi.

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"If BJP Wins, But Less Than 370, Market May...": Prashant Kishor To NDTV

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Russia-Ukraine war: List of key events, day 817

Fighting

Russia claimed to have taken full control of the settlement of Bilohorivka in Ukraine’s eastern Luhansk region. Ukraine’s General Staff said fighting was continuing in the area and it was “holding back the onslaught of the enemy”.

Roman Semenukha, the deputy governor of the northeastern Kharkiv region, told national television that Ukrainian troops remained in control of about 60 percent of Vovchansk and were fighting house-to-house to defend the border town from Russian attacks. Also speaking on national television, regional Governor Oleh Syniehubov said the Vovcha river, which cuts through the town, marked the front line.

Ukraine’s Air Force said it shot down all 29 Russian drones that targeted various parts of the country on Monday. Two people in the southern Kherson and Zaporizhia regions were killed, while 16 of the drones were shot down over the southern region of Mykolaiv where the debris damaged a private home and caused a fire.

Politics and diplomacy

A court in the Russian city of Novosibirsk has jailed 24-year-old Ilya Baburin for 25 years after finding him guilty of plotting an arson attack on a military recruitment office in Siberia in 2022. Prosecutors claimed he was working on instructions from Kyiv and accused him of treason.

Russian playwright Svetlana Petriychuk and theatre director Yevgeniya Berkovich went on trial in Moscow accused of “justifying terrorism” in an award-winning play about Russian women lured to marry ISIL (ISIS) fighters in Syria and jailed on their return. The two were arrested in May last year. Berkovich has also written poems criticising Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

Stanislav Netesov, a 25-year-old Russian man who dyed his hair blue, green and yellow was fined 50,000 roubles ($553) by a court for “discrediting” the Russian army. In court, Netesov denied his hair colour was meant as a statement of protest, saying that he does not support either Ukraine, whose flag is blue and yellow, or the Russian army.

Karolina Lindholm Billing, the United Nations refugee agency (UNHCR)’s representative in Geneva, told the AFP news agency that humanitarian aid to Ukraine was falling back even as the country’s needs were rising. The UN’s 2024 humanitarian plan for Ukraine amounts to $3.1bn this year, including $599m for the UNHCR. Lindholm Billing said the appeals were only about 15 percent funded in the first quarter of the year.

United States Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin said the US was continuing to provide evidence to the International Criminal Court about war crimes committed in Ukraine.

Weapons

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy told the Reuters news agency in an interview that Western allies were taking too long to make key decisions on military support for Ukraine, and that he was pushing partners to get more directly involved in the war by helping to intercept Russian missiles over Ukraine and allowing Kyiv to use Western weapons against enemy military equipment amassing near the border.

General Charles Q Brown, the chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff and the country’s top general, said the US had no plans to send military trainers into Ukraine.

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Are seed-sowing drones the answer to global deforestation?

Santa Cruz Cabralia, Bahia, Brazil – With a loud whir, the drone takes flight. Minutes later, the humming sound gives way to a distinctive rattling as the machine, hovering about 20 metres above the ground, begins unloading its precious cargo and a cocktail of seeds rains down onto the land below.

Given time, these seeds will grow into trees and, eventually, it is hoped, a thriving forest will stand where there was once just sparse vegetation.

That is what the startup which operates this drone, a large contraption that looks a bit like a Pokemon ball with antennae, hopes.

The 54 hectares (133 acres) here which have been badly degraded by agriculture and cattle farming in the Brazilian state of Bahia are just the start. Franco-Brazilian company Morfo has set itself the target of restoring one million hectares of degraded land in Brazil by 2030, using seed-sowing drones and a rigorously researched preparation and monitoring process.

How big a problem is deforestation?

Deforestation is a rapidly growing problem in many countries. In Brazil, for example, deforestation in the Amazon destroyed an area bigger than Spain between 2000 and 2018, a study by the Amazon Geo-Referenced Socio-Environmental Information Network (RAISG) showed in 2020. Although preliminary data from the government’s space research institute (INPE) shows Amazon deforestation fell by 50 percent last year, forest loss continues to rise in other biomes, like the Cerrado.

In Afghanistan, years of war and fighting have had a devastating effect on forests. Many have been completely destroyed. According to the research group World Rainforests, more than one-third of Afghanistan’s forests were destroyed between 1990 and 2005. By 2013, this had risen to half because of the additional problem of illegal logging.

And, in Colombia, internal violence and displacement have pushed armed groups, farmers and cattle farmers into the forests, causing more deforestation. In 2016 alone, after a peace deal was rejected by some armed groups, deforestation rose by 44 percent. President Gustavo Petro has since overseen a decrease in forest loss, by as much as 49 percent in 2023 according to Global Forest Watch, but deforestation has increased in other Amazon countries like Bolivia.

Wildfires in many parts of the world, notably Australia, California and around the Mediterranean in recent years, have also contributed to deforestation. Most recently, thousands of people have been evacuated in the past week because of wildfires in British Columbia and Alberta in Canada.

Why is forest restoration important?

“Climate change is happening, temperatures are rising, it’s already too late. So we need to be planting [trees] now,” says Adrien Pages, Morfo’s co-founder and CEO.

Healthy forests are a critical resource in the fight against climate change; they provide valuable ecosystem services such as carbon storage, temperature regulation, water resources and biodiversity conservation. Nearly one billion people depend on forests for their livelihood, according to the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).

Simply conserving those forests which remain is insufficient, so the United Nations has urged countries to meet pledges to restore a combined one billion hectares of degraded land by 2030 to avoid large-scale ecosystem collapse.

But that is a daunting task. Brazil, for example, has promised to reforest 12 million hectares by the end of this decade – a target which requires planting an area the size of England, or eight billion trees, according to ((o))eco, the Brazilian environmental journalism platform.

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British Book Award Honors Children's Author with Top Prize

Katherine Rundell has been named author of the year at the British Book Awards - the first time in six years that a children's writer has picked up the accolade.

Rundell's latest release, fantasy adventure Impossible Creatures, also won the prize for children's fiction book of the year.

Other notable winners included GT Karber's murder-themed puzzle book Murdle, which was named overall book of the year at the ceremony in London.

And Rebecca F Kuang took the fiction book of the year award for the second year in a row.

This year, she won for Yellowface - which has been much talked about since its release - after triumphing in the same category with Babel in 2023.

Rundell is the first children's writer to be crowned author of the year since Philip Pullman in 2018.

She joins other recent winners including Marian Keyes, Richard Osman and Bonnie Garmus.

Impossible Creatures is the first novel in a new trilogy by Rundell, and was also named Waterstones book of the year for 2023.

Karber's Murdle was inspired by the addictive web-based game Wordle, and the US author and computer programmer joins previous winners EL James and Sally Rooney in winning the book of the year award.

His puzzle collection also won the prize for non-fiction lifestyle and illustrated book of the year.

Former Conservative MP Rory Stewart took home the non-fiction narrative book of the year prize for Politics on the Edge.

His memoir about life in Parliament beat high-profile autobiographies by the Duke of Sussex and Britney Spears, which were nominated in the same category.

Lisa Jewell won two prizes on the night - crime and thriller book of the year and audiobook fiction book of the year, both for None of This is True, her bestselling hardback in 20 years as an author.

The children's non-fiction award went to Atinuke's Brilliant Black British History, which was praised for its accessibility to children of all ages.

Elsewhere, Fern Brady's Strong Female Character, which won the audiobook non-fiction award, was described as "impactful and intimate" for its exploration of the author's autism.

Philip Jones, who chaired the judging panel, said: “Our winning authors, illustrators, and the teams behind their books showcase an industry at the height of its game and at the absolute centre of the creative sector.

"At a time when words and their meaning matter more than ever before, to see the world of books in such excellent health is surely something to celebrate."

Winners in full

Author of the year - Katherine Rundell

Book of the year - GT Karber, Murdle

Audiobook fiction - Lisa Jewell, None of This is True

Audiobook non-fiction - Fern Brady, Strong Female Character

Children’s fiction - Katherine Rundell, Impossible Creatures

Children’s Illustrated - Jamie Smart, Bunny vs Monkey: Multiverse Mix-up

Children’s non-fiction - Atinuke, Brilliant Black British History

Crime & thriller - Lisa Jewell, None of This is True

Debut fiction - Alice Winn, In Memoriam

Discover - Raksha Dave, Lessons from Our Ancestors

Fiction - Rebecca F Kuang, Yellowface

Non-fiction lifestyle & illustrated - GT Karber, Murdle

Non-fiction narrative - Rory Stewart, Politics on the Edge

Pageturner - Rebecca Yarros, Fourth Wing

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Prayagraj: An alleged dowry death and a gruesome revenge

A horrible tragedy has singed two families, left three people dead and sent seven people to jail in India.

The incident on the night of 18 March in the northern city of Prayagraj (formerly Allahabad) has also sent shockwaves through the residents of two crowded middle-class neighbourhoods.

Warning: This piece contains details that some may find distressing.

"It was around 11pm when about 60-70 people turned up at our home. They started beating us mercilessly," says Shivani Kesarwani.

The intruders, she says, included family members and relatives of Anshika, her brother Anshu's wife, who had been found hanging at the Kesarwani home an hour earlier.

Shivani and the police say Anshika died by suicide - but her family and neighbours allege that she was murdered for dowry.

The Kesarwanis had a family business dealing in timber and lived in a joint family. The ground floor and the basement were taken up by the shop and the warehouse and the family lived above it. Each floor had one bedroom - Anshu lived on the top floor with his wife since their marriage a year back, his parents lived on the first floor and his sister Shivani had the second floor.

"Anshika usually came down around 8pm for dinner but on that day, she didn't show up and we thought she must have fallen asleep," Shivani told the BBC.

When her brother came up from the store at 10pm, she said, he went up to call his wife.

"When his knocks and calls went unanswered, he broke a glass pane above the door to release the lock. He found Anshika dead. He screamed and all of us went rushing up."

Anshu and his uncle reported the death to the police station, less than half a kilometre from their home, and Anshika's parents were informed.

Less than an hour later, police say, Anshika's family turned up along with dozens of relatives and within minutes, an ugly fight is said to have broken out between the families.

On her mobile phone, Shivani shows us videos of men shouting, hitting each other with wooden sticks. A policeman stands in the middle, trying - and failing - to bring order.

Once Anshika's body was taken out of the house, police say her relatives set fire to the house.

The timber, stored in the ground floor and basement, burned furiously, trapping Shivani, her parents and an aunt in the house.

Shivani and her aunt broke the window of the second floor and crawled to safety in the adjoining house which belongs to her uncle. Her parents were not so lucky.

When firefighters, who took more than three hours to put out the blaze, entered the house around 3am, they found the elderly couple's charred bodies.

"My mother was found sitting on the steps. She was carried to the mortuary in a sack," says Shivani, wiping her tears.

Shivani's complaint to the police names 12 members of Anshika's family and "60-70 unknown people".

A police official told the BBC that seven people, including Anshika's father and uncle and their sons, have since been arrested and remain in jail.

They say Anshika's father has lodged a counter-complaint accusing "Anshu, his parents and sisters" of harassing his daughter for dowry and murdering her.

Shivani denies the accusations against her family, although she admits that they had received gifts, including a car, from Anshika's family at the wedding. "They gave whatever they wanted to their daughter. We didn't ask for anything," she says.

Anshu has not returned home since the night his wife died. "He's in hiding because with most of Anshika's relatives out of jail, he fears for his life," she adds.

Dowries - both giving and accepting - have been illegal in India since 1961, but 90% of Indian marriages still involve them, according to a recent study.

Police receive thousands of complaints of harassment of wives every year and crime data shows 35,493 brides were killed in India between 2017 and 2022 for bringing in insufficient dowry.

But this kind of supposed gruesome revenge in a case of alleged dowry death is unheard of.

Shivani, who is now living with her uncle's family next door, takes us for a walk through what - until recently - used to be her home. The remnants of that night's tragedy are strewn about everywhere. The walls are blackened with soot and the floor is covered in thick ash, dotted with metal pots and pans and burnt out skeletal remains of furniture.

"I want justice. My life is ruined, my home and family are gone. I want a free and fair investigation and everyone who's found guilty must be punished," she says, adding, "Why did they burn the house down? How would we find any evidence now?"

She's also angry with the police. "There were at least two dozen policemen outside our home but no-one went in to save my parents. They just stood and watched," she alleges.

Police strongly contest the accusation. "It was a sensitive issue and emotions were running high. We were focused on removing the body from the scene and taking it to hospital for post-mortem. Our aim was to reduce the crowd and defuse the situation," a senior police officer who did not want to be named told the BBC.

"No-one anticipated the house would be set on fire. It was totally unexpected," he added. "We called the fire services immediately. We also helped rescue five people."

The double tragedy has also scarred Anshika's family. To hear their side of the story, we visit her parents' home where Anshika lived until her wedding a year back. It's locked with a huge iron padlock on the main gate.

Just 2km away from Anshika's home is her uncle's house. He and his sons are among those who have been arrested. The family has so far refused to speak to the media.

Our knocks on the door bring out Jawahar Lal Kesarwani, Anshika's nonagenarian grandfather. One of his grandchildren brings out a plastic chair and he sits down, breathing laboriously.

"What can I tell you? All my family is in jail, my sons, my grandsons," he says after a few minutes.

"They killed Anshika and hanged her to make it look like a suicide," he adds.

Anshika's wedding, Mr Kesarwani tells me, was a lavish affair. "We spent 5m rupees ($60,000; £48,000). We gave her everything a household requires, and a car that cost 1.6m rupees."

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1,366 tenders worth Rs 60,276 cr procurement violate Make-in-India norms

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The Maldives government said India's budgetary support was in the form of a rollover of $50 million Treasury Bill, for an additional year

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Ibu Volcano in Indonesia Erupts, Emitting Ash Clouds Up to 5 km High

This handout photo taken and released by the Center for Volcanology and Geological Hazard Mitigation (PVMBG) on May 13, 2024 shows Mount Ibu spewing thick smoke in Indonesia's North Maluku Province. 

Monday morning witnessed the eruption of Indonesia's Ibu volcano, expelling thick columns of grey ash several kilometers into the sky, as confirmed by the country's volcanology agency. The eruption, occurring at 9:12 a.m. (0012 GMT) on the remote island of Halmahera, lasted approximately five minutes, projecting ash up to 5 km (3.1 miles) high, officials reported.

This event follows a smaller eruption recorded on Friday. The volcano's alert status remains at the second-highest level, according to Hendra Gunawan, head of Indonesia's Volcanology and Geological Hazard Mitigation Centre. As a precautionary measure, all activities within a five-kilometer radius of the volcano have been prohibited. Residents near the volcano are advised to wear masks and glasses in case of ash rain.

Footage of the eruption shared by the center depicted clouds of grey ash billowing from the crater, accompanied by a booming noise. No evacuation of residents has been reported thus far. Indonesia, situated on the Pacific "Ring of Fire," is home to 127 active volcanoes, according to the volcanology agency. Recent volcanic activity includes the eruption of North Sulawesi's Ruang volcano, which prompted the evacuation of over 12,000 people, and the eruption of Marapi volcano in December, resulting in more than 20 fatalities.

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Russia Accuses US of Election Interference and Unsubstantiated Claims in India: Insights from Maria Zakharova

Russia has claimed that the United States was trying to interfere in India's parliamentary elections and "unbalance" the internal political situation in the country. In a media briefing, Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova also said the US was yet to provide "reliable evidence" of the involvement of Indian citizens in the foiled murder plot against Khalistani separatist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun. Russia Accuses US of Election Interference and Unsubstantiated Claims in India: Insights from Maria Zakharova

Referring to the US's report on religious freedom in India, Zakharova said the US lacked understanding of India's national mentality and history.

"America continues to make 'unfounded accusations' about religious freedoms," RT News quoted Zakharova as saying. Zakharova called it "disrespectful" to India.

"The reason (behind the US accusations) is to unbalance the internal political situation in India and complicate the general elections," she further said.

In its latest report, the US Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) has criticised India for alleged violations of religious freedom and several other issues.

It called for designating India and 16 other nations as "countries of particular concern" for "engaging in or tolerating particularly severe violations of the right to freedom of religion or belief".

The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), in a strong response, called the report "biased" and said the USCIRF continued to "publish anti-India propaganda" masquerading as part of its annual report.

The Russian official also rubbished allegations by the US that an Indian intelligence official planned to allegedly kill Gurpatwant Singh Pannun.

"According to the information we have, Washington has not yet provided any reliable evidence of the involvement of Indian citizens in the preparation of the murder of a certain Pannun. Speculation on this topic in the absence of evidence is unacceptable," Zakharova said.

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Canadian Robber Involved in Crash Killing Indian Family of Three Also Hails from India

During a police pursuit of a liquor store burglar in Ontario, Canada, tragedy struck as the suspect's truck collided with another vehicle, resulting in the deaths of three members of an Indian family. Shockingly, it has now been revealed that the suspected robber, who died in the crash, also had Indian origins.

On April 29, a 21-year-old burglary suspect of Indian descent, identified as Gagandeep Singh, was being pursued by Ontario Police when his U-Haul truck crashed into a van carrying members of the Srinivasapillai-Ananthakrishnan family from Tamil Nadu, who were visiting Canada. The collision claimed the lives of Manivannan Srinivasapillai, 60, Mahalakshmi Ananthakrishnan, 55, and their three-month-old grandson, Aditya Vivaan. Miraculously, the boy's parents survived the crash.

The tragic incident has sparked debate about the Canadian bail system, as Singh had been released on bail for minor offenses prior to the fatal crash. While some, including Conservative party leader Pierre Poilievre, argue that a better bail system could have prevented the deaths, others believe Singh's releases were justified based on the information available at the time.

Meanwhile, a funeral was held for Aditya Vivaan, the youngest victim of the crash, who was remembered as a "beautiful soul" that brought immense joy during his short time on earth. The family's grief is compounded by the fact that Aditya's grandparents, who had traveled from India to meet their grandson, were also among the casualties and were cremated earlier in the week.

The Special Investigations Unit (SIU) is currently investigating the crash, which resulted in the death of the van driver and serious injuries to the passenger.