Month: May 2022

Alia Bhatt, fresh from her dreamy wedding with Ranbir Kapoor, shared her life through four selfies where she posted her pictures from the first four months of 2022.

Sharing instances from her life occasionally, Alia often leaves her fans in awe of her beauty with the pictures she shares on her Instagram handle.
Similarly, Alia has taken the Internet by storm when she posted four pictures that give us a glimpse of the actor at different times from January to April.

In the first selfie, the actor is seen basking in the sun.

The second one shows a delighted Alia upon receiving a handwritten letter from Amitabh Bachchan praising her performance in Gangubai Kathiawadi.

Her third photo is a cute selfie from the sets of Ayan Mukherji’s Brahmastra, with her hair covered in yellow petals.

Meanwhile, in her last photo, the actress enjoyed is seen spending some quality time in the pool.

Meanwhile, the newly-wed couple Alia and Ranbir will be seen in Ayan Mukerji’s fantasy drama ‘Brahmastra’ which is slated to release on September 9, 2022.

Besides, Alia is also working on the next schedule of her upcoming film ‘Rocky Aur Rani Ki Prem Kahani’ directed by Karan Johar, which also stars Ranveer Singh. (ANI)

New York City on Monday adjusted its COVID-19 alert level from low to medium, indicating the presence of medium community spread of COVID-19.

The accumulated new cases per 100,000 people in the city in the last seven days moved up to 209.02, which surpasses the threshold of 200 to enter the medium level, according to the official data.
The seven-day average new cases have increased to nearly 2,500 by April 29 from over 600 in early March.

With the medium risk alert level, New Yorkers must exercise even greater caution than they have the last few weeks, said Dr Ashwin Vasan, health commissioner of NYC in a statement.

New Yorkers are advised to upgrade to higher-quality masks while wearing a face mask in public indoor settings, according to the colour-coded alert system introduced in early March.

Led by Northeast, Midwest and Northwest regions, COVID-19 cases in the United States are on a meaningful rebound in the last few weeks.

According to the latest data from Johns Hopkins University, the national count of COVID-19 cases in the United States has exceeded 81 million, with 993,733 related deaths so far. (ANI/Xinhua)

Global fashion event Met Gala 2022 got a dash of desi tadka with the stunning presence of India’s businesswoman Natasha Poonawalla.

Natasha, the wife of Serum Institute of India’s CEO Aadar Poonawalla, marked her presence at the latest edition of Met Gala wearing an exquisite Sabyasachi saree. She paired a Sabyasachi couture sari with a Schiaparelli hand-forged metal bustier.
Designer Sabyasachi took to Instagram to share Natasha’s photos in the all-golden ensemble that she wore for the biggest fashion night held at The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York.

Decoding the Indian twist that Natasha Poonawalla brought to Met Gala 2022’s theme ‘In America: An Anthology of Fashion’, Sabyasachi wrote: “Sabyasachi contributed to Natasha’s vision by celebrating Indian craftsmanship with a gold handcrafted printed tulle sari and trail embroidered with silk floss thread and embellished with bevel beads, semi-precious stones, crystals, sequins and applique printed velvet.”

“The jewellery is a curation of custom pieces from Sabyasachi Fine Jewellery and limited edition collectibles from Sabyasachi’s Curiosity Art and Antiquity Project-crafted using traditional techniques with precious and semi-precious stones,” the post read.

Credits also go to ace fashion stylist Anaita Shroff Adajania for styling Natasha for Met Gala 2022.

Previously, Natasha was spotted walking the Met Gala 2018 red carpet in a white off-shoulder gown. (ANI)

The portals of Gangotri Dham in Uttarakhand opened on Tuesday in the presence of Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami.

Earlier on Monday, the CM had flagged off free health services provided by a private health organization for devotees on the route of Char Dham Yatra to ensure a safe and comfortable pilgrimage to the people.
The doors of Gangotri Dham were shut for devotees from 5 November 2021 in the view of the winter season.

According to the Uttarakhand government, 7,000 pilgrims will be allowed daily at Gangotri, 15,000 at Badrinath, 12,000 at Kedarnath, and 4,000 at Yamunotri. This arrangement has been made by the government for 45 days.

Unlike the last year, the government has not mandated carrying out a negative COVID-19 test report or a COVID-19 vaccination certificate. (ANI)

The celebration of Akshaya Tritiya is in its full fervour across the country on Tuesday. Starting the day with a holy dip on this occasion, people took a holy dip at the sacred rivers.

In Varanasi, people worshipped Lord Vishnu, Goddess Lakshmi and paid obeisance to the deities after taking a holy dip.
One of the devotees present at the venue said, “It is considered very auspicious to take a holy dip in River Ganga today. I am glad to be here with my family. I hope God wipes away the harmful effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.”

Similar visuals were seen in Prayagraj wherein people were seen taking a holy dip in River Ganga to mark the occasion.

Several leaders from the political spheres also extended their greetings on the occasion.

Taking to twitter Union Home Minister Amit Shah tweeted today morning, “Wishing everyone a very Happy Akshaya Tritiya. May Goddess Lakshmi fill everyone’s life with good health, progress and prosperity.”

Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal also Tweeted and wrote, “Greetings on the blessed occasion of #AkshayaTritiya. May your lives be filled with the gift of good health, happiness and prosperity. My best wishes to all.”

“Warm wishes to all the countrymen on the auspicious occasion of Akshaya Tritiya,” tweeted Union Minister Nitin Gadkari.

Akshaya Tritiya is considered a highly auspicious and holy day for Hindu communities. As per the Hindu calendar, it falls during Shukla Paksha Tritiya in the month of Vaishakha.

The word Akshaya means refers to the one who never diminishes positivity. According to several Hindu beliefs, Akshaya Tritiya is believed to bring good luck and success. Most people purchase Gold on this day as it is believed that buying Gold on Akshaya Tritiya brings prosperity and more wealth in the coming future. (ANI)

India’s daily COVID-19 count fell below 3000-mark, by logging in fresh 2,568 new COVID-19 infections on Tuesday.

India reported 2,927 cases last Thursday, after which the single-day rise in cases stayed above 3,000 for five consecutive days.
With today’s fresh cases, the total number of COVID-19 infections recorded is 4,30,84,913. India’s active caseload currently stands at 19,137 which accounts for 0.04 per cent of the total cases.

The Union Health Ministry informed that today’s single-day rise of 20 fresh fatalities pushed India’s COVID-19 death toll to 5,23,889.

As a sign of relief, the health ministry said that the recovery rate is currently at 98.74 per cent. As many as 2,911 recoveries were logged in the last 24 hours thereby increasing the total recoveries to 4,25,41,887.

The government data mentioned that 4,19,552 tests were conducted in the last 24 hours, wherein a daily positivity rate of 0.61 per cent was observed.

On the vaccination front, as many as 189.41 crore vaccine doses have been administered so far under the nationwide vaccination drive. (ANI)

Former Congress chief Rahul Gandhi was seen in a viral video at a nightclub in Kathmandu.

The viral video seemingly has a discotheque as its background with people around him seen consuming liquor.
The viral video has come at a time when Congress is seen to be in deep leadership crisis, with the party’s bid to onboard the poll strategist Prashant Kishor having failed.

Rahul Gandhi, who is in Kathmandu, reportedly attended the wedding of a friend a day ago. In the purported video, the Congress leader is seen attending the party. The video has gone viral on various social media platforms.

According to a report in Kathmandu Post, Rahul Gandhi had landed in Nepal’s capital city on Monday afternoon. The daily cited Bhim Udas, former Nepali ambassador to Myanmar, as saying that he had extended an invitation to Rahul Gandhi to attend the wedding of his daughter.

Udas’s daughter Sumnima, a former CNN correspondent, is getting married to Nima Martin Sherpa, according to the Nepali publication.

Kathmandu Post report said that in August 2018, Rahul Gandhi had visited Kathmandu on his way to Kailash Mansarovar.

Rahul Gandhi was apparently in the viral video at a Lord of Rings, a nightclub. However, there is no independent authentication of the contents of the viral video.

Rahu Gandhi has even during the Galwan crisis when Indian and Chinese troops faced each been in controversy by calling on the Chinese envoy.

Congress is widely being commented in the political circles to be in a leadership crisis. Only a few days ago, the long discussions with the poll strategist Prashant Kishor abruptly ended.

Rahul Gandhi has recently been critical of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Central government on various issues, including the price rise and unemployment. He has been actively tweeting against the government. Yesterday, Rahul Gandhi had hit out at the Centre for “job crisis, power crisis, and inflation”.

Meanwhile, while taking potshots at Rahul Gandhi, Union Minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi on Tuesday called him a “full-time tourist and a part-time politician, who is filled with hypocrisy”.

“Pappu ji (Rahul Gandhi) is a full-time tourist and a part-time politician who is full of hypocrisy. After getting time from travelling, Rahul Gandhi fabricates fake stories and remarks and tries to mislead the people of this country,” Naqvi told ANI.

He further added, “His remarks (Rahul Gandhi) misleads his own party members, not the people of this country. The situation will remain the same if he will walk on this path only.” (ANI)

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz on Monday invited Prime Minister Narendra Modi to the upcoming G-7 summit in Germany in June.

“I invited you as our guest to the G7 Summit end of June and we look forward to welcoming you back to Germany,” Scholz said while addressing the joint press conference with PM Modi after the 6th India-Germany Inter-Governmental Consultations (IGC).

Speaking at the presser, Scholz said that such consultations help India and Germany deepen their relationship.

The German Chancellor also expressed his happiness over signing the agreement with the Indian government.

“Delighted that the first Inter-Governmental Consultations of this government took place with Indian Government. To me, it’s a sign of the special quality of our relationship,” he said.

The German Chancellor also said that India is a very important partner of their country in Asia in terms of economy and security policy.

“India is among our very important partners here. The world can only develop well if we are clear as to the fact that future relations in the world will be characterised and marked by many countries, not by a few powerful countries,” Scholz added.

PM Modi held a bilateral meeting with Chancellor Scholz. This was their first engagement since Chancellor Scholz assumed office in December 2021.

Discussions covered key areas of bilateral cooperation under the overall strategic partnership, as well as regional and global developments.

He arrived in Germany on the first leg of his three-day Europe visit and got a rousing welcome from the Indian diaspora in Berlin.

PM Modi is also scheduled to visit Denmark on Tuesday to hold talks with leaders from Nordic countries. He will also make a stopover in Paris on Wednesday and meet the newly re-elected French President Emmanuel Macron. (ANI)

Former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) president Mehbooba Mufti on Monday slammed the Centre for alleged “anti-Muslim” propaganda and said Indian Muslims are facing “incredibly difficult times”.

Mufti, in a series of tweets, claimed that this is happening under institutions which are “expected to discharge their functions in an impartial manner.”

“This year Eid comes at a time when Indian Muslims are undergoing incredibly difficult times. We are at the receiving end of a government that unleashes anti-Muslim propaganda followed by systematic violence and marginalisation of Muslims socially, politically and economically,” the PDP leader said.

“All this is happening under the very nose of institutions expected to discharge their functions in an impartial manner by upholding the rule of law and justice,” she added.

Mufti expressed hope that the country would withstand the “assault” on its foundational values of secularism.

“Gradually, fringe elements have replaced the mainstream which is being criminalised for its belief in the Indian constitution. I hope that the secular fabric of this country withstands this assault on the very foundational values that define it,” she said.

Earlier, the PDP chief slammed the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) over the loudspeaker and bulldozer issues and reminded BJP that “our country is based on a secular foundation” while adding that the BJP is trying to tear apart the secular fabric of the country. (ANI)

Members of the Indian community raised ‘2024: Modi once more’ slogan as they waited for Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s address at the community event in Berlin on Monday.

The slogan ‘2024, Modi Once More’ resonated as people in the gathering at an auditorium cheered and waved flags. PM Modi is into his second successive term as Prime Minister. He led BJP to a second successive victory in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls with the party getting more seats than in 2014. The next Lok Sabha elections will be held in 2024.

PM Modi has addressed diaspora events in several countries he has visited and has sought to establish a stronger connection between Indians living abroad and India’s development journey.

PM Modi also tried his hands on a drum, as he arrived at Theater at Potsdamer Platz in Berlin to address members of the Indian community.

“I’m fortunate that I received the opportunity to meet the children of ‘Maa Bharti’ in Germany. It feels great to meet all of you. Many of you’ve come here to Berlin from different cities in Germany,” PM Modi said in his speech.

“Today, I’m here to neither talk about myself nor Modi Govt. I want to talk to you about the capabilities of crores of Indians and sing their praises. When I speak about crores of Indians, it includes not only the people who live there but also those who live here,” he said.

Earlier in the day, PM Modi and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz co-chaired the 6th India-Germany Inter-Governmental Consultations. Prime Minister reached Germany earlier in the day and received a rousing reception from the members of the Indian community. (ANI)