Latest news with #MI6
India.com
2 hours ago
- Entertainment
- India.com
Yukta Mookhey Takes Subtle Dig At Junior Priyanka Chopra, Says Appreciates Nothing About Her
New Delhi: Miss World 1999 titleholder Yukta Mookhey, who won the crown just a year before Priyanka Chopra, recently opened up about her 'junior' in an interview with Filmymantra Media. She reflected on Priyanka's pageant journey, noting that the global icon once sought her advice. 'She was the one taking advice from me,' Yukta said. 'She competed the year after me. I personally feel that I guided her in some ways, and even her parents were interested in speaking with mine.' When asked what she admired about Priyanka, Yukta replied bluntly: 'Nothing. Because she is junior to me.' She elaborated further: 'No. Because she is junior to me. She was the one taking advice from me. She was in the following year after me. I personally feel there were things I guided her on, and her parents were sort of wanting to talk to my parents. I don't think she is the right person for you to ask me about at this moment.' Yukta also spoke about how Priyanka might have seen her as competition, contrasting that with her own experience. She recalled, 'I remember Juhi Chawla spoke to me after I won and returned. She was very kind and said, 'You are so beautiful and so tall, you carry yourself so well. Think about going international.' Those are the kind of people I admire—those who don't see you as competition or a threat but as someone they might guide. That takes greatness.' She added, 'Sirf Miss India ya Miss World title milne se cheezen nahi hoti.' (Just winning the title of Miss India or Miss World doesn't make everything happen.) While both Yukta and Priyanka won Miss World titles, their career paths have been vastly different. Yukta acted in films like Pyaasa, Katputtli, and Memsahab but struggled to establish herself in the entertainment industry. Priyanka, on the other hand, rose to fame in Bollywood with acclaimed performances in Fashion, Barfi!, Don, and Bajirao Mastani, and has since gained global recognition. On the work front, Priyanka Chopra will next be seen in Heads of State, an action-comedy alongside John Cena and Idris Elba. She plays MI6 agent Noel Bisset. The film is set to release on Prime Video on July 2.
Daily Mail
2 hours ago
- Daily Mail
Britain's spies spent 20 years hunting a Russian double agent at the heart of MI6 in extraordinary global operation - and they could STILL be spying for Putin
British spies spent up to 20 years hunting a senior officer at the heart of MI6 over fears he was a Russian double agent in an extraordinary global operation. Operation Wedlock, run by MI5, saw a team of up to 35 surveillance, planning and desk officers travelling globally in a bid to catch the alleged mole, the Guardian has reported. The 'highly unusual' investigation, believed to have began in the mid-to-late 1990s before concluding in 2015, came following a tip-off from the CIA about an alleged spy. Fears had been raised that a British intelligence official could be working in London and relaying confidential information to Russia. In one particularly dangerous instance, an entire surveillance team reportedly travelled to the Middle East for more than a week, with officers sheltering in a CIA safe house. It is understood that such trip could have violated international law as the undercover officers had travelled to the country without the permission or knowledge of its own government. According to The Guardian, agents were warned that if detained, they were 'on their own' and would not receive assistance. But despite their best efforts, the specialist intelligence agency never obtained any 'conclusive proof' of a mole, meaning that there is a possibility the double agent could still be spying for Russia today. One source told the publication: '[We were told] the target was a Russian spy … The US believed he was leaking information to the Russians. He was suspect 1A. The job was taken more seriously than any other [MI5] was involved in. Wedlock eclipsed them all.' Meanwhile, another source spoke of fears amid the the organisation that they had 'another Philby on our hands', a reference to notorious MI6 double agent Kim Philby. The former Cambridge student was recruited by the Soviet Union in 1963 and eventually forced to flee to Moscow. They added that the surveillance team, based in Wandsworth, south London and working under the name of a fake security business, believed that the man was being assisted by two other individuals, also based in London. Due to the sensitivity of the probe, the officer in charge was also allegedly briefed about the task during a church. Describing the operation as 'highly unusual', the source added it was 'the longest in recent memory and probably the most expensive'. MI5's technical operations team, known as A1 at the time, are said to have broken into the alleged spy's home and planted listening and video devices. Meanwhile, an MI5 car, fitted with a camera inside of a tissue box, was also reportedly set up outside of the target's property. Vladimir Putin was running Russia's secret intelligence service, t he FSB, at one point during the lengthy investigation. In May, 'The Spy in the Archive', a new biography of Vasily Mitrokhin by Gordon Corera, was released. The former KGB agent, who defected to Britain in 1992, provided MI6 with a significant archive of KGB documents, alongside revealing Soviet espionage activities and operations However the close source warned that the success of the operation was insignificant due to a lack of evidence, with there still a strong possibility that the double agent could be at large. They added: 'MI5 never got the conclusive proof it was looking for. They said that if it was not him, then potentially MI6 "still has a mole to find"'. A Whitehall source declined to comment. In January 1963, infamous double agent Philby confessed to MI6 officer Nicholas Elliott that he had been working for the Russians since the 1930s. However, he lied about breaking off contact in 1946 and claimed fellow Cambridge spy Anthony Blunt would never work for the Russians. Philby, who died in 1988, told Mr Elliott at the time: 'Here's the scoop, as it were. I have had this particular moment in mind for 28 years almost, that conclusive proof would come out.' He then said he had a choice 'between suicide and prosecution', adding: 'This is not in any sense blackmail, but a statement of the alternatives before me.' He admitted betraying Konstantin Volkov, a KGB officer who tried to defect to the West, bringing with him details of traitors operating in British intelligence and the Foreign Office. This would have led to Philby's exposure. Instead, as a result of Philby's intervention, he was abducted by the Russians in Istanbul and executed. First falling under suspicion after fellow Cambridge spies, Donald Maclean and Guy Burgess, fled to Russia in 1951, he initially managed to dodge MI5 interrogators who said he was an 'enigma'. He described his life in MI6 as a time of 'controlled schizophrenia', adding: 'I really did feel a tremendous loyalty to MI6, I was treated very, very well in it and I made some really marvellous friends there. But the over-ruling inspiration was the other side.' In May, 'The Spy in the Archive', a new biography of Vasily Mitrokhin by Gordon Corera, was released. The former KGB agent, who defected to Britain in 1992, provided MI6 with a significant archive of KGB documents, alongside revealing Soviet espionage activities and operations. Meanwhile in April, the British public were granted access for the first time to see the suitcases and passport of one of the members of the notorious Cambridge Spy ring at the National Archives. British diplomat and Soviet double agent Guy Burgess defected to Russia on May 25, 1951, leaving behind two briefcases at a private member's club in Pall Mall. Burgess left strict instructions with staff at the Reform Club that the leather cases, one locked and another stuffed with letters, papers and photographs, should be left for Anthony Blunt, a fellow Soviet spy who was able to dispose of any incriminating papers before handing over the briefcases to MI5 when the defection emerged. Now, in an exhibition that explores MI5's 115-year history running until September 28, amateur sleuths can see a key piece of spy history as Burgess' briefcase is displayed.
Indian Express
2 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Indian Express
Heads of State review: The action comedy starring Priyanka Chopra Jonas, John Cena and Idris Elba is packed with fun and flair
MARKING her continued ascent as an action star, Priyanka Chopra Jonas steps into the boots of Noel Bisset, an elite MI6 agent, to protect two of the world's most high-profile leaders – John Cena as Will Derringer, an action star turned the President of the United States, and Idris Elba as Sam Clarke, the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom. In this buddy action comedy, Clarke and Derringer, who constantly exchange barbs and make their dislike for each other public, eventually team up to save themselves and the world. The two heads of the state are forced to parachute out of Air Force One when the aircraft is attacked and their security is compromised. They land in a border area of Belarus and make their way to Warshaw in a sheep truck. From then on, the film packs a series of cross country chases, gunfights and fisticuffs that are aimed at keeping the audience on the edge of their seats. The movie, however, starts with Noel Bissett getting grievously injured during a visit to Spain's Buñol on a mission when people are celebrating La Tomatina festival. Turns out she has not only survived that but she is entrusted with the task of ensuring the safety of Clarke and Derringer, who become the targets of a powerful and ruthless foreign adversary. Bissett and Clarke, it is also revealed, were connected romantically in the past while working in the forces. Caught in life-threatening situations as they are forced to rely on each other, Clarke and Derringer are also united in their belief regarding what makes the world a better place. Together they have to find a way to work together to thwart a global conspiracy that threatens the entire free world and make sure NATO continues to fulfil its objectives. A little focus on this crisis would have given the narrative more depth. ALSO READ | Priya Sachdev called Karisma Kapoor-Sunjay Kapur's kids her own, said 'friendship' is the key: 'We have four children' Even though the film occasionally becomes predictable, it remains engaging thanks to its three lead actors and slickly choreographed action sequences. As the ever-optimistic President, John Cena delivers a likable performance, while Idris Elba brings his signature coolness and wry British humour. Chopra, who Jonas has appeared as an action star in a host of movies (Don, Mary Kom) as well as series (Quantico and Citadel), in the Ilya Naishuller-directed film, seems most comfortable enacting the high-energy action scenes. The banter between the heads of state is enjoyable, if not uproariously funny. The camaraderie between Cena and Elba adds a spark to many scenes. Chopra Jonas handles the physically demanding stunts with ease. While the script by Josh Applebaum, André Nemec, and Harrison Query doesn't offer many surprises, it leans into its wacky tone to deliver a consistently entertaining action-comedy. Streaming on Prime Video from June 2. Director: Ilya Naishuller Cast: John Cena, Idris Elba, Priyanka Chopra Jonas, Jack Quaid, Paddy Considine, Stephen Root, Carla Gugino Rating: 3 Stars
Al Arabiya
4 hours ago
- Politics
- Al Arabiya
UK distances new spy chief from ‘Nazi' grandfather
The British government has distanced the incoming head of its foreign intelligence service from her grandfather following reports he was a Nazi spy known as 'the butcher.' Blaise Metreweli will in the autumn become the first woman to lead MI6 in its 116-year-old history, the British government announced earlier this month. The Daily Mail newspaper reported this week that her grandfather Constantine Dobrowolski defected from the Soviet Union's Red Army to become a Nazi informant in the Chernigiv region of modern-day Ukraine. The newspaper said German archives showed Dobrowolski was known as 'the Butcher' or 'Agent No 30' by Wehrmacht commanders. 'Blaise Metreweli neither knew nor met her paternal grandfather,' a Foreign Office spokesperson said in a statement. 'Blaise's ancestry is characterized by conflict and division and, as is the case for many with eastern European heritage, only partially understood. 'It is precisely this complex heritage which has contributed to her commitment to prevent conflict and protect the British public from modern threats from today's hostile states, as the next chief of MI6.' The Daily Mail said Dobrowolski had a 50,000 ruble bounty placed on him by Soviet leaders, and was dubbed the 'worst enemy of the Ukrainian people.' He also sent letters to superiors saying he 'personally' took part 'in the extermination of the Jews,' the newspaper added. The head of MI6 is the only publicly named member of the organization and reports directly to the foreign minister. Metreweli, 47, will be the 18th head of MI6. Like her predecessors she will be referred to as 'C', not 'M' as the chief is called in the James Bond film franchise.
Time of India
4 hours ago
- Politics
- Time of India
UK distances new spy chief from 'Nazi' grandfather
The British government has distanced the incoming head of its foreign intelligence service from her grandfather following reports he was a Nazi spy known as "the butcher". Blaise Metreweli will in the autumn become the first woman to lead MI6 in its 116-year-old history, the British government announced earlier this month. The Daily Mail newspaper reported this week that her grandfather Constantine Dobrowolski defected from the Soviet Union's Red Army to become a Nazi informant in the Chernigiv region of modern-day Ukraine. The newspaper said German archives showed Dobrowolski was known as "the Butcher" or "Agent No 30" by Wehrmacht commanders. "Blaise Metreweli neither knew nor met her paternal grandfather," a Foreign Office spokesperson said in a statement. Live Events "Blaise's ancestry is characterised by conflict and division and, as is the case for many with eastern European heritage, only partially understood. "It is precisely this complex heritage which has contributed to her commitment to prevent conflict and protect the British public from modern threats from today's hostile states, as the next chief of MI6." The Daily Mail said Dobrowolski had a 50,000 ruble bounty placed on him by Soviet leaders, and was dubbed the "worst enemy of the Ukrainian people". He also sent letters to superiors saying he "personally" took part "in the extermination of the Jews", the newspaper added. The head of MI6 is the only publicly named member of the organisation and reports directly to the foreign minister. Metreweli, 47, will be the 18th head of MI6. Like her predecessors she will be referred to as "C", not "M" as the chief is called in the James Bond film franchise.
