Aamir Khan has exited an upcoming biopic on entrepreneur Ashneer Grover due to creative differences with director Rahul Mody. Shraddha Kapoor remains attached as lead actress and producer, with the team now seeking a younger actor for Grover's role, with the cast expected to be locked soon.
Hearts fans face a tumultuous period after losing their captain, coach, and talisman to Rangers. New head coach Wouter Vrancken's debut saw a 4-0 defeat to Sturm Graz, yet underlying stats offer cautious optimism amidst the club's ongoing rebirth and significant departures.
Chelsea are exploring a free transfer for England defender John Stones, who recently left Manchester City. The London club is also in talks for Crystal Palace's Maxence Lacroix and assessing other options while looking to sell current central defenders like Trevoh Chalobah.
Turkey's main opposition CHP faces a major split as leader Ozgur Ozel and allies announce their resignation to form a new party, Yeni Parti. This follows a court ruling annulling Ozel's chairmanship and reinstating Kemal Kilicdaroglu, deepening the opposition's crisis amid a legal crackdown.
Jens Spahn's resignation as CDU parliamentary leader after admitting to using a surrogate mother, a practice banned in Germany, has given Chancellor Friedrich Merz an unexpected chance for a cabinet reshuffle to consolidate power and address low approval ratings ahead of crucial regional elections.
Jens Spahn's resignation as CDU parliamentary leader, following his admission of using a surrogate mother, offers German Chancellor Friedrich Merz an unexpected chance for a cabinet reshuffle. This move could stabilize the coalition, reset before crucial regional elections where the AfD is strong, and potentially boost Merz's historically low approval ratings.
Ukraine launched over 400 drones at Moscow, hitting industrial sites and an oil depot, while Russia continued ballistic missile attacks on Ukrainian cities, causing multiple casualties. Cross-border strikes also led to deaths in Belgorod and on a cargo vessel near Odesa, as Ukraine's military commander Syrskyi faces potential dismissal.
João Gomes has completed a £38m transfer to Aston Villa from Wolves, while Morgan Rogers is reportedly close to a £117m move to Chelsea. Manchester United is targeting Lewis Hall and Antonee Robinson for left-back, seeking a third midfielder, and has signed Tynan Thompson from Tottenham. Lisandro Martínez sustained an injury.
Gavin McKenna, the Toronto Maple Leafs' 2026 top pick, is expected to play on the top line with Auston Matthews this season. Signed to a three-year contract, analysts project his rookie performance to be comparable to Matvei Michkov's debut.
Keir Starmer resigned as UK Prime Minister, declaring "my work is done" before handing power to Andy Burnham, who became Labour leader after Starmer's forced resignation. Burnham, the seventh PM since 2016, pledges to restore political stability and raise living standards.
The Nothing Phone 4a Pro offers a unique blend of style and functionality with its aluminium body, large OLED screen, and distinctive dot-matrix LED display on the back, though its mid-range performance and camera capabilities position it as a pricey option in its class.
Brendon McCullum has resigned as head coach of the England men's Test team after a period of mixed results, including Ashes and New Zealand series losses. He will continue coaching the white-ball teams. The 'Bazball' era, known for its aggressive style, concludes after transforming England's Test cricket identity.
Indian cricket team's assistant coach Ryan ten Doeschate and fast bowling coach Morne Morkel are reportedly considering leaving their roles after the current England tour concludes. BCCI is in discussions to retain them, with VVS Laxman set to lead a separate coaching staff for upcoming series.
Greg Brockman, OpenAI's president, is now responsible for the company's most profitable projects following Fidji Simo's departure due to chronic illness. Simo, formerly product and business chief, will transition to a part-time advisor role. Brockman will oversee ChatGPT, go-to-market teams, and compute initiatives.
England secured a crucial breakthrough just before Tea, dismissing Harmanpreet Kaur for 57. Smriti Mandhana earlier fell for 83, ending an 89-run partnership. India reached 202/5 at the break.
Arsenal have confirmed the signing of Spain full-back Ona Batlle on a free transfer from Barcelona. The 27-year-old is Arsenal's fourth signing of the window, bringing significant experience and a winning mentality to the London club.
Several national football teams have seen recent changes in their head coaching positions, with coaches departing due to performance, contract expirations, or mutual agreements. Teams like Tunisia, Portugal, South Korea, Czechia, Scotland, Uruguay, Croatia, Ghana, Germany, Mexico, and the Netherlands have all experienced these transitions.
SCMP's weekly report features China's Xi Jinping sending a July 4 message to Trump, setting a new precedent amid diplomatic efforts to stabilize US-China relations. Other highlights include Hong Kong's top IB scorers and China's role in Cabo Verde's FIFA journey.
Madhu Gurumurthy, formerly Google's head of product for Gemini, has joined Meta to build AI products. Gurumurthy announced his departure from Google in May, highlighting his role in developing AI businesses. He expressed excitement about Meta's potential to advance AI agents.
England secured a dominant nine-wicket victory over India in Bristol, powered by Harry Brook's explosive 79 off 35 balls. India struggled to 159, with Shreyas Iyer scoring 80, before England comfortably chased the target, with Phil Salt also contributing significantly. This win puts England in a strong position to overtake India as world No1.
Newcastle faces a critical juncture regarding midfielder Bruno Guimarães, with Arsenal keen on a transfer. The club's financial constraints, stemming from Premier League spending rules and the ownership's 'sustainable business' mantra, necessitate player sales, potentially including Guimarães, despite his importance to manager Eddie Howe.
Newcastle United faces a critical decision regarding Bruno Guimaraes' future, as the midfielder reportedly desires a move to Arsenal. The club needs to sell players due to financial rules, but losing Guimaraes, their "beating heart," could jeopardize their long-term project.
Louise Haigh claims Keir Starmer's allies briefed "viciously" against her after her 2024 cabinet sacking. She alleges a "cabal of men mistreating women" targeted her and colleagues. Haigh was dismissed after admitting to fraudulently reporting a lost phone as stolen, a fact she claims Starmer knew.
Three former Trinamool Congress (TMC) leaders, Sushmita Dev, Sukhendu Sekhar Ray, and Prakash Chik Baraik, formally joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Kolkata. Their induction follows resignations amid internal turmoil in the TMC after its defeat in the West Bengal assembly elections.
