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Christopher McQuarrie returning for two more Mission Impossible films

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“Mission Impossible” fans can rejoice.

After the blockbuster success of “Rogue Nation” and “Fallout”, Christopher McQuarrie is returning to write and direct two more films in the franchise.

“Missions: Accepted #MissionImpossible,” McQuarrie wrote on Twitter, confirming the news.

Tom Cruise, who has earned a reputation for his death-defying stunts in “Mission Impossible” films, is expected to return as Ethan Hunt.

The superstar confirmed the release year of the films in a tweet.

“Summer 2021 and Summer 2022,” he wrote.

McQuarrie became the only director in the franchise’s history to return for a second time with 2018 film “Fallout” after helming 2015 “Rogue Nation”.

“Fallout” was met with unanimous praise from the critics for its upscale action sequences even though Cruise ended up breaking his ankle while shooting a jump scene.

The film made USD 791 million worldwide.

United Spirits sells Four Seasons Wines business

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Diageo-owned liquor firm United Spirits (USL) on Tuesday said it has executed a share purchase agreement for sale of its entire equity share capital in its subsidiary Four Seasons Wines as well as associated brands to Grover Zampa Vineyards and Quintela Assets.

The company has entered an agreement for the sale of all the equity shares held by the company constituting 100 per cent of the paid up equity share capital of its wholly-owned subsidiary, Four Seasons Wines (FSWL), along with the brands, “the company said in a regulatory filing.

USL said this move towards disinvestment of Four Seasons Wines is in line with USL’s strategy to successfully continue to monetise its non-core assets, including subsidiaries.

The company said total consideration received for this sale is Rs 31.86 crore.

“As a result, FSWL will cease to be a subsidiary of USL” it added.

Explaining the rationale, Diageo India Executive Director and Chief Financial Officer Sanjeev Churiwala said, “This deal brings us a step closer to the structural rationalisation and simplification of our India business.

“The Four Seasons Wines business is a niche but a small part of the overall Diageo India portfolio and the sale will enable us to focus on our premiumisation strategy and grow our core spirits business in India.”

Not interested in Jet Airways as it’s backed by enemy state, says Qatar Airways CEO

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Qatar Airways will not buy a stake in Jet Airways as a substantial portion of the debt-laden Indian carrier is held by Etihad Airways, whose owner Abu Dhabi is an “enemy” of Qatar, its CEO Akbar al-Baker said on Tuesday.

Abu Dhabi is part of the United Arab Emirates that cut ties with Qatar in 2017 over accusations of supporting terrorism. Doha denies the charges. The UAE, together with Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Bahrain have banned Qatar Airways since June of that year as part of the dispute.

“We would definitely look at it (Jet Airways) if a 24 percent stake was not held by Etihad,” al-Baker told Reuters on the sidelines of an aviation conference in Mumbai. “How can I take a stake in an airline which is owned by our adversary?”

Etihad plans to hike its stake in Jet to help the Indian carrier with its financial woes, a person close to the Abu Dhabi carrier told Reuters late on Monday.

Al-Baker said Qatar Airways would be “delighted” to take a stake in IndiGo, the largest airline in India – home to the world’s fastest growing aviation market.

The Qatari airline has previously expressed an interest in investing in IndiGo, owned by InterGlobe Aviation.

“But not in an airline where substantial ownership is by the enemy of my country,” he said, referring to Jet.

Qatar Airways posted a 252 million riyal ($67.18 million) loss for the financial year ended March 31, 2018, as it lost access to 18 destinations due to the political dispute.

As part of a broader effort to diversify its portfolio outside its home market, the Qatari carrier purchased a 10 percent stake in Hong Kong’s Cathay Pacific Airways Ltd in 2017 and 5 percent in China Southern Airlines Co Ltd this month.

Qatar Airways also remains interested in starting a fully owned airline in India, al-Baker said on Tuesday, but that is not allowed under India’s current foreign investment rules.

Given China and India “are the biggest growing markets, it is obvious as an airline we want to invest strategically in those regions because we ourselves are a very rapidly growing airline”, he said.

Man arrested for using ‘clone ATM cards’

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arrestPolice arrested a man involved in cyber crime in East Singhbhum district and seized 25 cloned ATM cards from his house, a senior police officer said.

The man identified as Onkar Singh, was arrested following a raid conducted by a police team headed by Superintendent of Police (city) Prabhat Kumar at his house here, Senior Superintendent of Police, Anoop Birtharay said on Monday.

Birtharay said the police had information that Singh with the help of his aides used to fit a card reader and micro camera in the place specified for ATM card swap and used to procure the bank details of the customers. Then he would withdraw money from their account fraudulently.

Further investigation in this regard was on after a case was registered at the Cyber Police Station, he added.

Selena Gomez is back on social media

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Singer-actor Selena Gomez has returned to social media and has thanked her fans for their continuous support. The singer took time off from Instagram after she entered rehab in October last year.

Gomez, 26, posted on Instagram on Monday for the first time since September last year that, “It’s been awhile since you have heard from me, but I wanted to wish everyone a happy new year and to thank you for your love and support. Last year was definitely a year of self-reflection, challenges and growth.

It’s always those challenges which show you who you are and what you are capable of overcoming. Trust me, it’s not easy, but I am proud of the person I am becoming and look forward to the year ahead. Love you all,” she wrote.

Gomez had entered a treatment facility to help address ongoing issues related to anxiety and depression.

 

Anna Faris congratulates ex-husband Chris Pratt on his new engagement

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Anna Faris has congratulated her ex-husband Chris Pratt on his engagement to Katherine Schwarzenegger. The 42 years old actor was married to Pratt, with whom she has six year old son Jack, for eight years before they split in 2017 and finalised their divorce in November last year.

Pratt, 39, shared the engagement news on Sunday with an adorable Instagram post and Faris commented on it.

”I’m so happy for you both!! Congratulations!” she wrote on the post which was accompanied by a picture of Pratt and Schwarzenegger.

The “Jurassic World” actor and Katherine, the daughter of Arnold Schwarzenegger and Maria Shriver, have been together since June last year.

‘The Accidental Prime Minister’ to release in Pakistan

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accidental pm“The Accidental Prime Minister” which features Anupam Kher in the role of former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, is all set to hit the theatres in Pakistan after the censor board of the country cleared the film.

Producer of the movie Jayantilal Gada said that the film will release in Pakistan on January 18. PEN Studios is happy to announce that our one-of-a-kind political film, ‘The Accidental Prime Minister’, has got a green signal from our neighbouring country, Pakistan. Pakistani moviegoers will be able to enjoy the film as it is set to release there.

I always admired Imran Khan as a brave cricketer, and now I respect him as a Prime Minister, too. I’m also thankful to Pakistan’s Censor Board chairman for approving our film,” he said in a statement.

The film, which is based on a book of the same name written by Sanjaya Baru, released in India on January 11. Baru was Manmohan Singh’s media adviser when the latter was the prime minister.

 

Filmmaker Shyam Benegal to participate in ‘Creativity and Freedom’

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Shyam Benegal

Renowned author Gopalkrishna Gandhi, filmmaker Shyam Benegal, fashion designer Sabyasachi Mukherjee, and Italian filmmaker Sergio Scapagnini will be among the eminent speakers set to participate in an upcoming international symposium here.

‘Creativity And Freedom’, organised by Kolkata-based CIMA Gallery and Ashoka University, will feature a varied line-up of speakers including academicians, filmmakers, museum directors, who will talk about “creative freedom, especially in today’s polarized climate. The two day seminar is scheduled to be held on February 5-6 at the India International Center here.

Symposium director and art historian Alka Pande said that the symposium will bring together all the realms of creativity which include fine arts, visual arts, cinema, literature, design as well as popular culture. Artists, thinkers, academics, designers and innovators need to regroup and work as incubators for fashioning and re-imagining a world order of inclusiveness. It is time again for dialogue and discussions, for debates and discourses to sow seeds of a new knowledge for peace, stability and a new system of sustainability.

Creativity and freedom forms the bedrock of every modern civilisation. This symposium, therefore, is extremely important for the freedom of the mind and a holistic vision of life and arts,” Rakhi Sarkar, Director CIMA, said.

Other prominent speakers at the event will include Hindustani classical singer Meeta Pandit, Chairman of Victoria and Albert Museum Nicholas Coleridge, Deputy Director of Musee d’Art Moderne in Paris Catherine David, and Director of The Courtauld Institute of Art in London Deborah Swallow.

According to the organisers, the event presented in the partnership with IIT Kharagpur and Agah Khan Foundation who aims to create a system of knowledge that can question governance and polity alongside, sensitization of students, artists and professionals.

Kumbh mela is being held in ‘Prayagraj’ after 350 years: Yogi

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yogiAs the first Shahi Snan (auspicious bath) of the 2019 Kumbh Mela got underway on Tuesday, a UP Cabinet minister said that the religious congregation is being held in Prayagraj after 350 years as the holy city was renamed Allahabad in the past. Religious Affairs Minister Laxmi Narayan Chaudhary also claimed that it’s perhaps for the first time since Independence that proper arrangements (of milk, ghee, food, blankets and firewood) have been made for the seers, ashrams and akharas.

Nearly 350 years ago, the name of Prayagraj which is considered a prominent centre of Hindu culture and Sanatan Dharma was changed to Allahabad. However, last year, under the leadership of UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, it was decided that Allahabad should be renamed as Prayagraj, as mentioned in the ancient Indian texts including the Vedas. And it is after 350 long years that the world’s biggest spiritual congregation is being held in Prayagraj in the form of Kumbh Mela, he added.

On October 16, the Uttar Pradesh cabinet had approved a proposal to rename the historic city of Allahabad as Prayagraj. UP Cabinet minister Siddhartha Nath Singh had then said that it will help highlight Indian culture at international level. Elaborating on the Kumbh Mela, Chaudhary said, Kumbh symbolises peace and harmony amongst all human beings. Thanks to the efforts of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Kumbh Mela has been inscribed on the list of ‘Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity’ by UNESCO in 2017. He further added that Kumbh also signifies the coming together of people from various cultures from across the world and it is a spectacle that is the largest peaceful congregation of humanity.

The UP minister said that It is an avismarniye (unforgettable) Kumbh. It is for the first time that representatives of 172 countries will participate in the Kumbh Mela. This time, the Kumbh Mela is spread over an area of 3,200 hectares as compared to 1,600 hectare area in the previous melas. Apart from being a Divya Kumbh, Bhavya Kumbh (divine Kumbh, grand Kumbh), this Kumbh Mela would also be remembered as Swachh Kumbh (clean Kumbh), as more than 11,000 safai wokers have been pressed into action. For maintaining cleanliness and hygiene and to host an open-defecation-free Kumbh, more than one lakh toilets have been planned to be deployed. Solid waste is to be collected in 20,000 dustbins that are to be deployed and will be transported out of the Mela area by tippers and compactors.

Apart from this, Over 1,000 CCTV cameras and 40,000 LED lights have been installed in the Mela area and more than 2,000 Ganga Praharis/ Swacchagrahis are being engaged as foot soldiers. The minister also informed that it is for the first time that Akshay Vat and Saraswati Koop have been opened for the public after centuries. According to folklore, the Akshay Vat tree inside the Allahabad Fort near Sangam has the power to fulfil wishes, while the Saraswati Koop, also located in the fort premises, is a well in which one can see waters of the mythical Saraswati River.

For the first time, an Integrated Control and Command Centre has been established in the Kumbh area and for the very first time Kumbh Mela will also witness the use of artificial intelligence for better crowd management this year.

 

Indian army chief Gen Rawat warns Pakistan

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rawatArmy chief Gen Bipin Rawat on Tuesday warned Pakistan that India will not hesitate in carrying out strong action against inimical moves, asserting that its forces were giving enemies along the Line of Control a “befitting reply” and inflicting heavy losses. India’s neighbour on the western border continues to support terrorism. The Army is ensuring dominance along the LoC and will continue to do so.

Our forces are giving a befitting reply to our enemies along the Line of Control. They are suffering heavy losses. I am warning our enemy (across the LoC) that we will not hesitate in carrying out strong action against any inimical action. We are ensuring moral dominance along the border in Jammu and Kashmir. The Indian Army has ensured heavy damage to terrorists in the state. Youths in Jammu and Kashmir are being terrorised and forced to take up arms, he said while addressing Army personnel on the occasion of Army Day.

We do not want that people in J&K are disturbed. Our neighbouring country has a hand in these activities. Terrorists are being trained and given arms by our neighbouring country, which is being termed as the state sponsored terrorism across the globe. The armies of both India and China have issued new guidelines to their respective forces, the Army chief said in an obvious reference to Pakistan.

Efforts are on to maintain peace and tranquility along the (eastern) border. But we will keep reviewing the situation. Our soldiers will not allow any compromise in guarding the border in the eastern sector, Gen Rawat said, adding that the orders given by the government will be strictly followed.

Discussing the situation in the Northeast, Gen Rawat said that the situation is peaceful in the region and the Army is carrying out regular anti-insurgency operations. He also urged Army personnel and their families to be careful in using social media which he said is being used for radicalisation.

Gen Rawat also talked about coordination with the Navy and the Air force. We will achieve decisive victory along with the Navy and the Air Force in case of a war. The security challenge facing the country will become more complex in the coming years. We will have to keep enhancing our combat prowess so that we can defeat our adversaries. I assure that we will keep the trust reposed on us by the people of the country. The Army was carrying out major restructuring and modernisation of the Army, he further added.

 

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