Author: niyidaram

British filmmaker Justin Hardy has died at the age of 61 after suffering a heart attack, his family has announced. In a statement, his family said Hardy died on Friday night and remembered him as “a man of family, of boundless creativity” who remained “so full of life right to the end.” Hardy was a BAFTA and Emmy Award-nominated writer and director whose career spanned documentaries, historical dramas and feature films. He was widely recognised for *Children of the Wicker Man*, a 2024 documentary he made alongside his brother, Dominic Hardy, exploring the enduring legacy of their father Robin Hardy’s…

The United States has announced that it will permanently implement its visa bond programme, allowing consular officers to require certain applicants for business and tourist visas to post bonds of up to $20,000 before their visas are issued. The new rule takes effect on August 3. The policy applies to applicants for B-1 and B-2 nonimmigrant visas from 50 designated countries, around 30 of which are in Africa. Under the programme, consular officers may require eligible applicants to provide a refundable financial bond as a condition of receiving a visa. The permanent programme follows a pilot scheme introduced in 2025,…

A former funeral director has been sentenced to 20 years in prison after admitting dozens of offences involving the mistreatment of the deceased and defrauding grieving families. Robert Bush was sentenced at Hull Crown Court after pleading guilty to 67 offences, including denying 30 people a proper burial or cremation and fraud offences linked to providing families with ashes that did not belong to their loved ones. Passing sentence, Mr Justice Hilliard described Bush’s conduct as “shocking and disgraceful”, telling the court his actions had caused “anguish and pain on a scale beyond comprehension” for victims and their families. The…

Sainsbury’s has agreed to sell retailer Argos for £120 million as the supermarket group continues to sharpen its focus on its core grocery business. The buyer, Swift Partners, is a newly formed investment vehicle that includes former Co-operative Group chief executive Richard Pennycook. Sainsbury’s said the sale will have no immediate impact on customers, employees or suppliers. Argos will continue operating from Sainsbury’s supermarkets, customers will still be able to earn and redeem Nectar points, and Habitat products will remain available through the retailer. The company also confirmed that all of Argos’s nearly 14,000 employees will transfer to Swift Partners…

Spain has deployed troops to its North African enclave of Ceuta after an unprecedented surge in migrant crossings from Morocco, with officials estimating that around 49,000 people entered the territory by land and sea within 24 hours. The mass influx has overwhelmed local authorities and prompted Madrid to reinforce security in both Ceuta and the nearby Spanish enclave of Melilla, where several hundred additional crossings were also reported overnight. Ceuta, which has a population of about 83,600, is one of Spain’s two territories on the North African coast and forms part of the European Union’s only land border with Africa.…

Former White House chief medical adviser Anthony Fauci repeatedly invoked his Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination during a Senate hearing examining the U.S. government’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic and the origins of the coronavirus. (reuters.com) The hearing, held before the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, saw Fauci decline to answer more than 100 questions from lawmakers, invoking the Fifth Amendment on the advice of his legal counsel. Among those questioning him were Republican Senators Rand Paul and Josh Hawley. BREAKING: Sen. Rand Paul removes Dr. Anthony Fauci’s lawyer from his Senate hearing after repeatedly talking over Paul…

The U.S. State Department has announced it is expanding the availability of its limited-edition commemorative passport, which features an image of President Donald Trump on the inside cover. The special passport, known as the “Patriot Passport,” was introduced earlier this year as part of events marking the 250th anniversary of the United States. It includes commemorative artwork and enhanced design features, with an image of Trump seated at the Resolute Desk above his signature printed on the inside cover. Initially offered to applicants visiting the Washington, D.C., passport agency in person, the State Department said it is now releasing an…

European football’s governing body, UEFA, has warned it will boycott FIFA competitions if plans to allow private investors to buy stakes in the organisation’s flagship tournaments go ahead. The decision was unanimously backed by UEFA’s 55 member associations during an emergency meeting convened after FIFA unveiled proposals to establish a new commercial subsidiary that would manage major competitions, including the men’s and women’s World Cups. Under the proposal, external investors would be able to acquire minority, non-controlling stakes in the new company, known as FIFA Forward Enterprise. In a strongly worded statement, UEFA said the World Cup should never become…

South Korean supergroup BTS has declined to submit its music for consideration at the 69th Grammy Awards. The decision comes a month after the Recording Academy confirmed that the 2027 ceremony will include an Asian pop music performance category for the first time. “We have decided not to submit to the Grammys this year,” the band said in a statement shared on Instagram by all seven members, adding: “I hope that music can be heard and loved for what it is, rather than being divided by region or language.” Grammys CEO Harvey Mason Jr. said in a statement to CNN:…

Sean “Diddy” Combs’ prison release date has been moved up for a third time amid reports he was involved in a physical altercation with a fellow inmate. According to records from the Federal Bureau of Prisons viewed by Us on Wednesday, July 29, Diddy, 56, is now eligible for release on January 24, 2028. “At this point, we do not have the necessary information to respond with any clarity,” a spokesperson for Diddy told Us on Wednesday of the rescheduled release date. Diddy, who is currently serving a 50-month sentence at FCI Fort Dix in New Jersey, was initially scheduled to be…