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Hindustan Times
11 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Hindustan Times
War 2 synopsis revealed: Hrithik Roshan's Kabir is enemy #1; Jr NTR's Vikram is ruthless in face off
Jul 02, 2025 04:28 PM IST Ayan Mukerji's Hrithik Roshan, Jr NTR and Kiara Advani-starrer War 2 is slated for release on 14 August. The film, which is a part of the YRF Spy Universe, is a sequel to Siddharth Anand's 2019 film War, which also starred Tiger Shroff. While nothing much is known about the sequel's story, a synopsis on the US ticketing site Fandango gives some insight. (Also Read: Hrithik Roshan and Jr NTR won't promote War 2 together, will not share stage; here's why) Hrithik Roshan and Jr NTR will face off in Ayan Mukerji's spy film War 2. The synopsis listed on the ticketing site for War 2 stated that Kabir (Hrithik) has gone rogue and become 'India's greatest villain'. However, India sends in a 'lethal agent' to neutralise him. 'Years ago, Agent Kabir went rogue. Became India's greatest villain ever. But this time, as he descends further into the deepest shadows… India sends its deadliest, most lethal agent after him,' reads the description. It also reveals that Jr NTR plays a Special Units Officer called Vikram who is determined to catch Kabir, 'A Special Units Officer who is more than Kabir's equal — Absolutely Nuclear! Agent Vikram. A relentless Terminator driven by his own demons, determined to put a bullet into Kabir's skull. A brutal Cat versus Rottweiler game begins as the two face off - The entire world is their brutal, bloody battleground. The choices ahead of them are impossible. The price to be paid is ultimate. This is a War with spectacular action and heart-wrenching emotion.' About War 2 War 2 is the sixth film in the YRF Spy Universe, following Ek Tha Tiger, Tiger Zinda Hai, War, Pathaan, and Tiger 3. The Tiger and Pathaan films introduced Salman Khan and Shah Rukh Khan to the universe. War 2 will introduce a new agent played by Jr NTR, and it remains to be seen what role Kiara plays in the film. It will be followed by Alpha, which stars Alia Bhatt and Sharvari as the leads.
Express Tribune
a day ago
- Business
- Express Tribune
Wimbledon's top strawberry faces juicy competition
Malling Centenary is known for its sweetness and size. Photo: Reuters It may be the top seed at Wimbledon but even the reigning king of strawberries knows the crown sits lightly. The Malling Centenary berry has reigned supreme since being introduced at The Championships in 2016, sweetening summer rituals and picnics alike at the All England Club. Yet in the fields and labs, a new crop of challengers is ripening. In the high-stakes world of soft fruit supremacy, flavour, firmness and fame are all up for grabs. The Malling Centenary variety is known for its sweetness, "heart-shaped" size, and quality of taste, according to Joe Furber, Food and Drinks Operations Manager at Wimbledon. Weeks of sunshine and a "bumper crop" in the UK have helped produce an excess of strawberries, meaning Furber expects around 2.5 million of them, or 5,000 tonnes, alongside 13,000 litres of cream to be consumed during the Wimbledon fortnight. This year, a portion of 10 Malling Centenary strawberries with cream costs two pounds and seventy pence after the first price increase (20 pence) since 2010. The strawberries are grown in polytunnels by Hugh Lowe Farms, a family-owned business in Kent, just 31 miles from the All England Club, picked and delivered each morning at 8.30am. "Their best time aligns perfectly with the championships, which is quite fortuitous, which is a big part of why they were chosen," Furber said. But like every champion, it cannot afford to rest on its laurels as contenders lurk to seize the strawberry crown. The Summer Berry Company, based at Groves Farm near Chichester, told Reuters the variety landscape is becoming increasingly competitive and that it has reduced its production of Malling Centenary over the years. "I love Malling Centenary, I'm in no way saying it's a bad variety. I'm just saying that there's a new generation of varieties we're bringing to the market," commercial director Jack Darnes said. Summer Berry, which uses robotics and artificial intelligence technology to help with the harvesting process, grows varieties including Fandango, Karima and Florice, which Darnes said are larger and sweeter. "With Malling Centenary three or four days later they're still okay, with the new varieties you can survive even longer — six to seven days. So it's reducing waste, it's a better product for the end consumer," he said. "We hope one day there's going to be a new summer berry variety that people at Wimbledon are going to be consuming even better than Malling Centenary." The UK produces 120,000 tonnes of strawberries each year, generating retail sales of up to 700 million pounds, said Darnes.
Time of India
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Thunderbolts OTT release date: When and where to watch Florence Pugh's Marvel drama online
Thunderbolts OTT release date: Thunderbolts, one of the most eagerly awaited films of the year, hit the screens on May 1 (in India) and received rave reviews from all corners. The Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) set superhero saga has now premiered on OTT. Thunderbolts debuted on Prime Video, Fandango, and Apple TV on July 1. According to USA Today, it can be rented on these platforms. This comes nearly two months after it made its way to theatres. Thunderbolts plot In Thunderbolts, a group of former villains and anti-heroes is recruited by the government to form a black-ops team for missions that are too dangerous for anyone else to handle. The alliance, however, is an unstable/volatile one as the team needs to deal with distrust and personal demons to merely survive. Featuring characters like Yelena Belova, Bucky Barnes (Winter Soldier), and U.S. Agent, this gritty Marvel entry explores the exciting themes of redemption and control. Thunderbolts: Meet the cast The cast of Thunderbolts brings together a powerhouse lineup of complex Marvel anti-heroes. Florence Pugh reprises her role as Yelena Belova. She is joined by Sebastian Stan as Bucky Barnes, and Wyatt Russell as U.S. Agent. David Harbour essays the role of Red Guardian, with Hannah John-Kamen as Ghost and Olga Kurylenko as Taskmaster. Julia Louis-Dreyfus plays Valentina Allegra de Fontaine. Thunderbolts is directed by Jake Schreier, who made his directorial debut with Robot & Frank. Son Lux serves as a music director. Shot on a budget of $180 million, Thunderbolts earns Rs 382 crore (approx.) at the worldwide box office.
Straits Times
2 days ago
- Sport
- Straits Times
Wimbledon's strawberry champion faces rivals for its crown
Tennis - Wimbledon - All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club, London, Britain - June 30, 2025 A spectator holds a box of strawberries and creams at Wimbledon REUTERS/Toby Melville Tennis - Wimbledon - All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club, London, Britain - June 30, 2025 Punnets of strawberries ahead of day one of Wimbledon REUTERS/Andrew Couldridge Tennis - Wimbledon - All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club, London, Britain - June 30, 2025 A member of the catering staff carries a box of strawberries for sale at Wimbledon REUTERS/Toby Melville Tennis - Wimbledon - All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club, London, Britain - June 30, 2025 Boxes and punnets of strawberries are seen in the ground ahead of day one of Wimbledon REUTERS/Toby Melville TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY LONDON - It may be the top seed at Wimbledon but even the reigning king of strawberries knows the crown sits lightly. The Malling Centenary berry has reigned supreme since being introduced at The Championships in 2016, sweetening summer rituals and picnics alike at the All England Club. Yet in the fields and labs, a new crop of challengers is ripening. In the high-stakes world of soft fruit supremacy, flavour, firmness and fame are all up for grabs. The Malling Centenary variety is known for its sweetness, 'heart-shaped' size, and quality of taste, according to Joe Furber, Food and Drinks Operations Manager at Wimbledon. Weeks of sunshine and a "bumper crop" in the UK have helped produce an excess of strawberries, meaning Furber expects around 2.5 million of them, or 5,000 tonnes, alongside 13,000 litres of cream to be consumed during the Wimbledon fortnight. This year, a portion of 10 Malling Centenary strawberries with cream costs two pounds and seventy pence ($3.70) after the first price increase (20 pence) since 2010. The strawberries are grown in polytunnels by Hugh Lowe Farms, a family-owned business in Kent, just 31 miles from the All England Club, picked and delivered each morning at 8:30am. 'Their best time aligns perfectly with the championships, which is quite fortuitous, which is a big part of why they were chosen,' Furber said. But like every champion, it cannot afford to rest on its laurels as contenders lurk to seize the strawberry crown. The Summer Berry Company, based at Groves Farm near Chichester, told Reuters the variety landscape is becoming increasingly competitive and that it has reduced its production of Malling Centenary over the years. 'I love Malling Centenary, I'm in no way saying it's a bad variety. I'm just saying that there's a new generation of varieties we're bringing to the market,' Commercial Director Jack Darnes said. Summer Berry, which uses robotics and artificial intelligence technology to help with the harvesting process, grows varieties including Fandango, Karima and Florice, which Darnes said are larger and sweeter. 'With Malling Centenary three or four days later they're still okay, with the new varieties you can survive even longer - six to seven days. So it's reducing waste, it's a better product for the end consumer,' he said. 'We hope one day there's going to be a new summer berry variety that people at Wimbledon are going to be consuming even better than Malling Centenary,' he added. Malling Centenary does not suffer the same fate as its predecessor, the Elsanta Variety, which, according to Darnes, is no longer produced in the UK. The UK produces 120,000 tonnes of strawberries each year, generating retail sales of up to 700 million pounds, said Darnes. The global market is estimated at about 10,000,000 tonnes, with a value of $20 billion, according to German agriculture company Bayer. REUTERS Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
The Star
3 days ago
- Business
- The Star
With a push-notification about 'F1: The Movie', Apple did what no company should ever do
This is Apple using its privileged position as platform owner to do something it doesn't allow anyone else to do – and that's exactly the kind of behaviour regulators and developers have been warning about for years. — Reuters Apple is known for many things. It makes beautiful products with a tight integration between hardware and software. It also has a near-obsessive focus on user experience. But there's one thing Apple sells that is far more important than anything else: trust. Last week, Apple quietly took advantage of that trust. To promote its upcoming movie release, F1: The Movie , the company sent iPhone users in the US a push notification through the Wallet app offering US$10 (RM42) off two or more tickets when purchased with Apple Pay on Fandango. There's nothing wrong with Apple offering its users a discount on a movie it wants a lot of people to go watch. The problem is that it's leveraging its platform in a way users don't expect from Apple. Or, put another way, it's leveraging the trust it has built over decades, in order to sell movie tickets. That hardly seems worth it. You see, Apple's entire brand is built on the idea that it is not like other tech companies. Its devices cost more, but – in return – you get a better user experience, and the feeling that your device respects you. That last one is subtle, but powerful. Apple markets its devices as tools designed for you, not for advertisers. The company has even made privacy and security one of its marketing hallmarks, even calling privacy a 'fundamental human right.' It's a foundational part of how Apple positions itself in a world dominated by companies that make money by mining your data and monetizing your attention. So when Apple decides to blur that line and push a promotional message directly through an app that most users associate with security and utility, people aren't going to be thrilled. TechCrunch reported multiple user complaints, with many pointing out that Apple violated its own App Store guidelines. Specifically, guideline 4.5.4, which states: 'Push Notifications should not be used for promotions or direct marketing purposes unless customers have explicitly opted in to receive them via consent language displayed in your app's UI, and you provide a method in your app for a user to opt out from receiving such messages.' This isn't a case of a third-party developer stepping out of line. This is Apple using its privileged position as platform owner to do something it doesn't allow anyone else to do – and that's exactly the kind of behaviour regulators and developers have been warning about for years. Even worse, Apple knows this is a problem. In the iOS 26 beta, there's a new toggle buried in the Wallet app's settings labeled 'Offers & Promotions.' It allows users to disable these kinds of notifications. Of course, that toggle doesn't exist in iOS 18, which means that most people receiving this promotional push notification never had a chance to opt out. Think about that. A company that has spent years telling the world that privacy is a fundamental human right, a company that famously took on Facebook and limited how apps can track users across other apps and websites, just used its own system-level app to send out marketing content that users didn't ask for – and couldn't opt out of. That's not a great look. The timing couldn't be worse for Apple. The company is already under pressure on multiple fronts. Antitrust lawsuits in the US and Europe are challenging how Apple manages the App Store and its treatment of developers. The rollout of Apple Intelligence has been delayed. Sales of the Vision Pro have failed to live up to expectations. And the company has had to backtrack on a series of high-profile ads amid criticism over tone-deaf messaging. Now, with F1: The Movie set to premiere in theaters – a move designed to give Apple TV+ the kind of cinematic prestige Netflix and Amazon have been chasing – Apple has managed to distract from the content with a self-inflicted wound. And for what? A US$10 discount on movie tickets? Apple could have promoted the film in a dozen different ways that wouldn't have raised eyebrows. It could put banner ads in the TV app, for example. Instead, the company chose to sneak an ad into the Wallet app – a place where users store boarding passes, credit cards, event tickets, and vaccine records. The lesson here is simple: Trust is a fragile thing. It's also your most important asset. Apple knows that – it's why it spends so much effort building trust with its users, and positioning itself as the one tech company that cares about you and your privacy. It has spent decades cultivating a reputation for prioritizing its users. The thing is, once you compromise, it's hard to get back. No company should ever take its customers' trust for granted. Especially not Apple. – Inc./Tribune News Service
