Month: February 2021

Raising fashion goals, Bollywood star Janhvi Kapoor on Tuesday treated fans to stunning pictures in a neon green ensemble.

The ‘Gunjan Saxena: The Kargil Girl’ actor hopped on to Instagram and shared snaps from a recent photo-shoot.
In the pictures, the actor is seen striking a candid pose, while she looks off the camera. With her luscious locks open, the actor personified beauty in a designer mini neon dress that had an attached flair at the back.

The dress had an accentuated sweetheart neckline which hugged her figure towards the waist. Kapoor looked breathtakingly beautiful as she flaunted her toned legs, sporting a pair of pencil heels. The neon green dress highly complemented the actor’s perfectly toned figure.

Celebrity followers including Vaani Kapoor and more than 1.4 million fans liked the post within 48 minutes of being posted.

Scores of fans chimed into the comments section as they left red heart and fire emoticons.

Of late, the ‘Dhadak’ actor has been quite active on social media and keeps on updating fans on her activities by posting pictures and videos.

Earlier on Monday, Kapoor shared the first song ‘Panghat’ from Rajkummar Rao, and Varun Sharma’s upcoming film ‘Roohi’ featuring herself in the titular role. The peppy number features Janhvi in a never-seen-before avatar as she shows off her killer dance moves with Rajkumar and Varun adding the perfect amount of goofiness with their hilarious antics.

The film marks the first-ever collaboration of Rajkummar and Janhvi. Rajkummar and Varun have earlier shared screen space in the 2015 release ‘Dolly Ki Doli’.

‘Roohi’, which is the first major Bollywood release post lockdown, was set to hit the cinemas in the first week of June last year, but the film had to be postponed due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. (ANI)

A Delhi court on Tuesday granted bail to climate activist Disha Ravi, who was taken into custody by Delhi Police on February 13 from Bengaluru in connection with the farmers protest ‘toolkit’ case.

Additional Session Judge Dharmender Rana has granted bail to her on furnishing a bail bond of Rs 100,000 with two sureties of the same amount.
She was produced before Patiala House Court at the end of her one-day police custody.

Disha was sent to custody as part of the police probe into violence on January 26 in the national capital during the tractor march called by farmers protesting against three new farm laws.

On Monday, a Delhi Court had granted the 21-year-old climate activist one-day police remand.

She was produced before Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Dr Pankaj Sharma’s court at the end of her three days of judicial custody.

Delhi Police had sought five-day remand in yesterday’s hearing at Patiala House Court. The 21-year-old activist was arrested from Bengaluru in connection with the formulation and dissemination of the ‘toolkit’ document, in the ongoing farmers’ protest. She was one of the editors of the ‘toolkit’ Google document.

On February 3, Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg had shared this ‘toolkit’ in a tweet, which she later deleted. Greta had also extended support to the protest by farmer unions on the borders of Delhi against the new farm laws. (ANI)

Beijing is going to hold the 2022 Winter Olympics from February 4 – February 20, but shadow looms over its successful organisation due to global condemnation over its repressive policies on Tibetans, Uyghurs and coronavirus pandemic.

“The likelihood of a 2022 Olympic boycott is increasing by the day,” said Natasha Kassam, an analyst at the Lowy Institute, in Sydney, and a former Australian diplomat in China, reported CNN.
Facing not just anger over the treatment of Tibetans, but outright claims of “genocide” against Uyghurs in Xinjiang, China’s leaders may find it far harder to surf the wave of criticism this year than in 2008.

“Public opinion around the world has soured towards China, as grim realities of the Party-state become common knowledge. The level of public concern about human rights abuses in China in 2022 dwarfs the outrage around the 2008 Games,” said Kassam.

Thirteen years ago, the Olympic slogan “One World, One Dream” sounded like the type of pablum typical of the Games anywhere. But now people may be a lot more wary of what exactly that Chinese “dream” might look like as China leans further into its authoritarian style of governance — and after Chinese President Xi Jinping, himself adopted that phrase as one of his key slogans, reported CNN.

In 2008, Beijing’s hosting of the Games was seen as a potential step towards further opening up and political reform in China, but the opposite happened. While China seems unlikely to even pay lip service to the idea of liberalisation this time around, foreign governments will also be far more sceptical of any possible gains, after patting themselves on the back ahead of 2008 only to be embarrassed when few of the supposed concessions were realised.

While the Winter Games do not have quite the prestige of the Summer competition, a successful Olympics next year could be as valuable a soft power win for China as 2008 — especially if they are the first unconstrained Games to be held since the coronavirus pandemic, with the delayed Tokyo 2020 Summer Olympics looking ever more beleaguered, reported CNN.

Chinese President Xi Jinping — who last month visited several key Olympic venues — has been keenly aware of how the coronavirus, which was first detected in Wuhan, has affected China’s standing around the world, with Beijing facing criticism for failing to contain it. A successful Beijing 2022, with hundreds of thousands of vaccinated, mask-free spectators packing stadiums, could serve as the ultimate proof of concept for China’s authoritarian political system and Xi’s continued tight control over it.

Meanwhile, the International Olympic Committee (IOC), is not pretending these Games stand a chance of influencing China’s political philosophy.

“The Olympic Games are not about politics,” former IOC president Jacques Rogge’s successor, Thomas Bach, wrote last year. “Neither awarding the Games, nor participating, are a political judgment regarding the host country.”

Mueller, the Tibet activist, said this was typical of the IOC: “The narrative changes according to the circumstances. Back then, they said the Olympics would open the door to change … (now they say) the Olympics are non-political.”

Lee Jung-woo, an expert on sports diplomacy and international relations at the University of Edinburgh, said the 2008 Games “enabled China to demonstrate its emerging economy status. The 2022 Winter Olympics could help them to revamp their image from a world factory to world power.”

And a key lesson of 2008 for China, beyond the value of the Olympics for soft power, is that a successful Games can wipe out any memory of acrimony and hostility in the run-up to them.

But while the stage may appear set for China to capitalise on a successful Games as a propaganda victory for its handling of coronavirus and its authoritarian style of governance, the trajectory of the pandemic remains unpredictable and too many variables, not to mention variants, remain for any concrete predictions, reported CNN. (ANI)

It’s a wrap for Anupam Kher and Aahana Kumra-starrer ‘Happy Birthday’. The duo, who reunited for the upcoming short film, has completed the shooting for it.

Kher took to Instagram and shared a video, celebrating the wrap of the shoot. He also wrote a heartfelt caption dedicated to the team of the short film.
Along with the video which features Kher cutting a cake, the veteran actor wrote, “It is a #Wrap for our short film #HappyBirthday. Thank you cast and crew for your love, warmth, and efficiency! You made me work for 16 hours non-stop. But it was worth it!! And it was great working with talented Ms. @aahanakumra Jai Ho! #ShortFilm #Spooky #Cinema @prasadkadam87.”

Speaking about the forthcoming short film, Kumra said, “It was an interesting concept, something that I had not come across before. I was very well-aware of the subject the film deals with but I think the way it has been written has been pretty fantastic. It also, in a way, blew my mind when I read it at one go. The minute I finished reading it I said a yes to it.”

Kumra added, “Secondly, I found out that Mr. Kher is also part of the film and would be opposite me, which I thought was very interesting and more like a cherry on the top. I had worked with him earlier on ‘The Accidental Prime Minister’ and I absolutely love working with him. We had a lot of good scenes in that film together and I am glad that I am getting to work with him once again and I’m sure he is going to shine in this one as well.”

Kher also spoke about ‘Happy Birthday’ and said, “I love working with new and young directors. The script is fascinating am looking forward to working with Prasad Kadam and of course with the entire team of Happy Birthday.”

This film will mark Kher and Kumra’s second collaboration after featuring in the 2019 critically-acclaimed movie ‘The Accidental Prime Minister’. Directed by Prasad Kadam, ‘Happy Birthday’ is being produced by FNP Media.

The upcoming short film, which is being touted as a dark thriller, also marks the second collaboration between Kadam and FNP Media, who are coming together post ‘Chuha Billi’. The short film is scheduled to release in 2021.

Apart from ‘Happy Birthday’, Kher has several projects in the pipeline including ‘The Last Show’, ‘Mungilal Rocks’, and ‘The Kashmir Files’.

The veteran actor also recently launched his book titled ‘Your Best Day is Today’ in Delhi. Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan, Union Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad, and Union Textile Minister Smriti Irani were also present at the book launch.

Kher’s ‘Your Best Day is Today’ is a self-help motivational book that has received an overwhelming response since its launch. (ANI)

Japan has appointed its first Minister for Loneliness this month after the country’s suicide rate increased for the first time in 11 years during the Covid-19 pandemic.

According to The Japan Times, Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga added a minister of loneliness to his Cabinet earlier this month, following the example of the UK, which in 2018 became the first country to create a similar role.
Suga tapped minister Tetsushi Sakamoto, who is simultaneously in charge of combating the nation’s falling birth rate and revitalizing regional economies, for the new portfolio.

In his inaugural press conference, Sakamoto said Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga appointed him to address national matters “including the issue of the increasing women’s suicide rate under the pandemic,” according to CNN.

“Suga instructed me to examine the issue and put forward a comprehensive strategy, by coordinating with the related ministry… I hope to carry out activities to prevent social loneliness and isolation and to protect ties between people,” Sakamoto added.

CNN reported that the Japanese government also created an “isolation/loneliness countermeasures office” within the cabinet on February 19 for issues such as suicide and child poverty — which have risen during the pandemic.

The country has recorded more than 426,000 Covid-19 cases and 7,577 deaths, according to data from John Hopkins University. (ANI)

A day after former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Farooq Abdullah said that terrorism has not ended and suggested talking to Pakistan, Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha took a veiled dig at him and said India is capable of solving its own problems.

Sinha also indicated that issues pertaining to talks with another country are dealt by the External Affairs Ministry.
“I don’t want to react to someone’s statement. Ministry of External Affairs assesses this. India is capable of solving its own problems,” Sinha told reporters on Monday.

He was asked a query about the remarks of the National Conference leader who had on Sunday urged the Centre to talk to Pakistan.

“It is true that terrorism still exists. They are wrong when they say that it has ended. If we want to end terrorism, then we must speak to our neighbours. I remember Vajpayee’s remark that friends can be changed but not neighbours,” Abdullah had told ANI.

Answering a question on Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and National Conference’s demand for holding assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir, Sinha said those who want polls should help in the delimitation process and not make excuses.

“PM has assured the entire nation and the delimitation commission has begun its work. I request that those who want election soon should help in this delimitation process, instead of making excuses,” he said.

“There are constitutional institutions in India. The decision is taken by the Election Commission. Let the work related to delimitation get completed, the Commission will definitely conduct elections,” he added.

Answering a query relating to terrorism, he said two incidents had taken place last week in Srinagar.

“A dhabawallah was attacked for which three have been arrested. We have also broken a big network. Another was an attack on unarmed (police) personnel. I condemn the act. We will defeat terrorism,” he said.

Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) terrorists attacked a famous food outlet Krishna Dhaba on February 19 in Srinagar to terrorise the non-locals living in the valley and to disrupt tourist activity. In another incident on the same day, terrorists fired bullets at a Police party in the Barzulla area of the Srinagar district in which two policemen were injured. (ANI)

With the Chinese government continuing to suppress Uyghurs in Xinjiang, malnutrition has been rising in the community, especially among children and adolescents, according to two separate studies by Chinese researchers.

About 16 per cent of Xinjiang residents 15 years old or younger had anaemia, according to South China Morning Post (SCMP). The rate of anaemia in Xinjiang is 23 per cent higher than the national average.
The discovery “suggests that there may be malnutrition among adolescents in Xinjiang”, Professor Sun Hong, of Central South University’s Xiangya Hospital, said in a peer-reviewed paper published in the journal Soft Science of Health early this month. Sun’s data came from Xinjiang’s health authorities.

SCMP reported that another study by Xinjiang Medical University’s school of public health found that over a quarter of Xinjiang children aged up to six years old had anaemia, more than twice the national rate. The results were published by Zikeya Naijimu and colleagues in a paper in another Chinese-language journal, Modern Preventive Medicine, in January.

The researchers say the anaemia was likely caused by the shortage of some elements, such as iron and vitamins, in the diet.

China’s sweeping crackdown on Muslim ethnic minority, Uyghurs in Xinjiang since 2017 in the name of counterterrorism has drawn global ire, particularly US State Department, that has classified it as ‘genocide’, reported The Washington Post.

More than one million Uyghurs were detained in re-education camps, where they receive daily indoctrination programmes, with reports of torture for periods ranging from weeks to years.

China denied the existence of such camps, but under global pressure in 2019 it eventually accepted that all trainees at “vocational educational and training centers” in Xinjiang had graduated.

However, China has continued to build massive detention centers in the region since then.

The US State Department negates the theories of China and in January categorised Beijing’s action against Uyghurs as ‘genocide’. It also banned imports of goods made in Xinjiang, citing a risk of forced labour in the region.

A number of Western governments have denounced China’s policies in Xinjiang, with Britain pressing China in January to allow United Nations rights inspectors to visit the region. The European Parliament condemned China in December for forced labor in Xinjiang.

In order to further impose restrictions on reporting the “genocide” by the Chinese goverment, the Chinese Communist Party has barred the broadcasting of BBC World News on the mainland claiming that it has shown ‘falsified reports’ on issues of human rights violations in Xinjiang against Uyghurs. (ANI)

Bollywood stars Riteish and Genelia Deshmukh on Monday commemorated the birthday of their pet dog Flash and shared glimpses from the birthday party.

Jumping on the ‘Pawri’ bandwagon, Riteish took to Instagram and shared a glimpse from the birthday party of Flash.

In the video, the ‘Ek Villain’ actor is seen holding the camera as he showcases the celebrations and people at the back holding balloons.

The actor said in the video, “This is flash, this is us, and this is our party).”

He captioned the post as, “Happy Birthday Son #Flash.”

Celebrity followers including Lara Dutta Bhupathi and more than 88 thousand fans liked the post within an hour of being posted.

Tiger Shroff also chimed into the comments section and wrote, “Sooo cute.”

The ‘Jane Tu Ya Jane Na’ star took to Instagram and posted an adorable video with her furry friend who is seen sporting dressed in party ensemble.

The video sees Genelia pecking kisses on Flash’s face post which she shares a warm hug with the four-legged friend.

Penning down a sweet birthday note for her beloved friend, she noted in the caption, “Happy Birthday My Angel. I Love you more so so much, But I know you Love me more #FlashDeshmukh.” (ANI)

Hitting out at the Mamata Banerjee-led Trinamool Congress (TMC), Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday said that West Bengal will not be able to progress if syndicate rule and “tolabaji (extortion)” continue to persist.

Addressing a public rally here in Hooghly, Prime Minister Modi alleged that the monetary benefits of schemes in West Bengal never reached the poor as “TMC does not care the poor, needy and women of the state.”
Asserting that the people of the state have made up their mind for “poriborton (change)”, he said the BJP work for a ‘Sonar Bangla’ (golden West Bengal) that will strengthen the history and culture of Bengal.

“Development in West Bengal not possible as long as cut money culture, syndicate rule and “tolabaji” (extortion) persists. BJP government should be formed not just for political ‘poribartan’ (political change), but ‘asol poribartan’ (real change) in Bengal. Lotus will bring that ‘asol poribartan’ that youth aims for. Our youth is living with the hope of this ‘Ashol Poriborton’ (real transformation), and thus, we need to form the BJP government in Bengal,” he said while urging the people to vote for the BJP in the upcoming Assembly polls in the state.

“The BJP government will bring changes in the industrial policies for development in the state. We will take quick decisions for swift development,” he added.

The Prime Minister lashed out at the Mamata government for its failure to keep Vande Mataram Bhawan in a good state and called it an “injustice” to West Bengal’s pride.

“I am told that Vande Mataram Bhawan, where Bankim Chandra Ji lived for 5 years, is in very bad condition. This is the same Bhawan where he brainstormed to write Vande Mataram, the poem which gave a new lease of life to the freedom struggle. Failure to keep the place of the creator of such ‘amar gaan’ in a good state is an injustice to West Bengal’s pride and there is huge politics involved in this — the politics which focuses on vote bank, not patriotism; appeasement, not Sabka Sath, Sabka Vikas,” he said.

“This kind of politics stops people of Bengal from performing Durga puja and visarjan. People of Bengal will never forgive those who insult their culture for vote bank politics. BJP will work for a Sonar Bangla that will strengthen the history and culture of Bengal. We will build a Bengal where religion, faith, spirituality and ability will be respected. We will build a Bengal where there will be development will be for all and appeasement of none. A Bengal which will be ‘tolabaji-mukt’ and ‘rojgar-yukt,” he added.

Cornering Mamata for not providing benefits of central government schemes to the common people, the Prime Minister pointed out that 1-1.75 crore houses (in West Bengal), only 9 lakh have water pipeline.

“The way the state government works, no wonder how many more years it will take to deliver water to the poor. This shows that TMC doing injustice to ‘Bengal Ki Beti’. Can they be forgiven? Centre transfers money directly into bank accounts of farmers and poor. But monetary benefits of schemes of the government does not reach the poor without the consent of all the ‘tolabaaz’ of TMC. This is why TMC leaders are becoming richer and normal families are becoming poorer,” he said.

“The Central government has provided Rs 1,700 crores for relief work after Cyclone Amphan to the TMC government in Bengal. The state government has only spent Rs 609 crores. The leftover Rs 1,100 crores have been siphoned off by the TMC,” he added. (ANI)