Indian American voters are jumping on to the Lotus Potus bandwagon

Caught in the act: Many people say the post of intelligence chief is both lucrative and prestigious, being the very eyes and ears of the government. But in the Telugu states, it is turning out to be a rather perilous role. Former Telangana SIB (Special Intelligence Bureau) head, retired IPS officer Prabhakar Rao, is all set to appear before a special investigation team in a phone-tapping case. Rao, who served under the previous BRS regime, was in the US for a year, evading arrest. The Supreme Court now wants him to face the probe. Meanwhile, in Andhra Pradesh, former SIB chief P.S.R. Anjaneyulu is in jail, facing cases involving the alleged harassment of an actress and irregularities in the state Public Service Commission exams | Illustrations by Jairaj T.G.

Action time: Maharashtra Education Minister Dada Bhuse is planning to introduce military education from class one onwards to instil patriotism among students. The proposal drew mixed reactions—some welcomed the possible discipline it could bring, others raised eyebrows. At the Mantralaya’s press room, journalists shared concerns about the proposal, including staffing. And then came the news: Bhuse plans to enlist retired military personnel from the state, numbering around 2.5 lakh, to do the job.

Much ado about nothing: The DMK general council meeting in Madurai was part political gathering, part food festival. Chief Minister M.K. Stalin led from the front, walking 19km in a spirited roadshow, and even popping in to see his brother M. K. Alagiri after ages. Council members, meanwhile, were treated to a lavish lunch of biryani—mutton, fish and prawns. But while the biryani was spicy, the meeting itself lacked bite. Hopes were high that Udhayanidhi Stalin would be promoted and some organisational reshuffle would shake things up. But the only thing that moved was the biryani, as last-minute jitters and a gentle warning from party elders like Durai Murugan seemed to stall everything else.

Baby steps: Shanaya Kapoor’s film debut has been a talking point, for n (nepotism, for one) number of reasons. Finally, the first look of her film Aankhon Ki Gustaakhiyan with Vikrant Massey was released. The romantic musical drama is slated for a July 11 release. While her father, actor Sanjay Kapoor, commented on the post by Zee Studios, saying, “God is kind”, her mother Maheep gushed with a dozen red heart emojis. Shanaya also recently bagged a brand deal—she and Ishaan Khatter are the new faces for Nykaa Fashion | PTI

On a high note: She had us high on ‘Espresso’ last summer. And, this year, Sabrina Carpenter is hoping to top the charts again with her new single—‘Manchild’. Going by the reactions to her tease of an Instagram post regarding the project, her fans are already in a frenzy. The Grammy winner had shared a teaser video of her trying to hitch-hike a ride, followed by a post showing the track’s cover art with a caption that read, “this one’s about you!!” Relatable much—women world over know a manchild or two, don’t you? | Getty Images

Where’s the money, honey?: Being rich doesn’t necessarily mean you have money. That is what YouTube star MrBeast (Jimmy Donaldson), whose net worth is estimated at $1 billion, will have you believe. Apparently, he is running low on cash for his upcoming wedding to fellow YouTuber Thea Booysen, and is actually borrowing money from his mother. He has his reasons though. “I personally have very little money because I reinvest everything (I think this year we will spend around a quarter of a billion on content),” he posted on X recently. He did add a rejoinder that on paper the businesses he owns are worth a lot. Small mercies! | Getty Images

It’s a rap: Any talk about fan frenzy is incomplete without Eminem fans. Hundreds of them turned up in bleach-blond buzzcuts and white tank tops—an ode to the rapper—for the opening night premiere of the music documentary Stans at SXSW London music festival. The documentary comes 25 years after the release of Eminem’s iconic song ‘Stan’, following not just the Grammy winner’s musical journey but also his most loyal superfans. On the personal front, the rapper, also known as Marshall Mathers, hit a milestone recently—he became a grandfather. And while he hasn’t released a new song this year, he has issued a legal rap—he has filed a Rs900 crore lawsuit against Meta for copyright infringement | Getty Images