Month: June 2024

Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], June 28 (ANI): Veteran singer Asha Bhosle’s biography, titled ‘Swarswamini Asha’ was launched on Friday in a star-studded ceremony.

The event saw the presence of prominent figures like RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat, actor Jackie Shroff, and singer Sonu Nigam.

In a particularly touching moment, Sonu Nigam washed Asha Bhosle’s feet as a mark of respect.

He also delivered a heartfelt speech, praising Bhosle and her late sister, legendary singer Lata Mangeshkar for their immense contribution to Indian music.

RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat graced the occasion and spoke about the Mangeshkar family’s dedication to both music and patriotism.

He highlighted the importance of music’s role beyond entertainment, emphasising its potential to benefit society.

The biography, a compilation of works by 90 authors, promises to be a treat for Bhosle’s fans.

It reportedly includes rare photographs showcasing the singer’s journey and evolution as an artist.

Actor Jackie Shroff also attended the launch and paid his respects to Asha Bhosle by touching her feet.

He even presented the legendary singer with a flower pot as a token of appreciation.

During the event, Asha Bhosle also reminisced about her association with Hindutva ideologue VD Savarkar. Her brother, music director Hridaynath Mangeshkar, was also present at the ceremony. (ANI)

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Actor Sushmita Sen, who sparked curiosity among her fans as she mentioned her ‘second date of birth’ on her social media, dropped a new selfie flaunting her new look.

Taking to her Instagram account on Friday, the actress dropped a stunning picture with a caption that read, “#newlook kisses from #Dubai Missed you guys!!! Lots of love #yourstruly #duggadugga

Earlier on Friday, she left her fans confused by mentioning a ‘second date of birth’ on her Instagram bio, stating “Second D.O.B: 27/02/2023.”

Speculations arose among fans, with some linking this new date to the heart attack Sushmita Sen survived last year in February 2023.

Sushmita suffered a cardiac arrest in February last year and following that, she underwent angioplasty.

The ‘Aarya’ actor informed her fans through social media that she was diagnosed with a 95 per cent blockage in the main artery.

Meanwhile, on the work front, Sushmita Sen was last seen in the acclaimed thriller drama ‘Aarya’ which reignited fervent admiration from fans.

In the show, Sushmita plays a tough woman, who goes beyond boundaries to protect her family from the world of crime. The first season was even nominated for the ‘Best Drama’ series at the International Emmy Awards. (ANI)

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Prime Minister Narendra Modi extended congratulations to Antonio Costa on his election as the next President of the European Council.

Further, PM Modi expressed enthusiasm for working closely with Costa to elevate the India-EU Strategic Partnership to new heights.

In a post on X, PM Modi said, “Congratulations to my friend @antoniolscosta on being elected as the next President of the European Council. I look forward to working closely with you to advance the India-EU Strategic Partnership to greater heights.”

In the recent EU Parliament elections, European Union leaders have agreed on the officials who will hold key positions in the world’s biggest trading bloc in the coming years.

The EU leaders gathered in Brussels recently to settle on the bloc’s leadership for the next five years.

Antonio Costa, the newly elected President of the European Council, proposed Ursula von der Leyen as the candidate for President of the European Commission and chose Kaja Kallas as the candidate for High Representative

Antonio Costa, the former prime minister of Portugal, has been chosen to replace Charles Michel as Council president. His appointment as Council President signals a new phase, despite questions surrounding his political career in Portugal.

His previous governance and diplomatic skills are seen as assets in enhancing the Council’s role in EU affairs.

Costa, in accepting his new role, expressed a sense of mission, stating, “It is with a strong sense of mission that I will take up the responsibility of being the next President of the European Council.” He thanked his socialist supporters and the Portuguese government for their backing and emphasized his commitment to unity and advancing the Strategic Agenda.

The trio’s selection reflects the EU’s emphasis on political diversity, geographical representation, and gender balance in leadership roles. Costa’s heritage, with roots extending beyond Europe, also highlights a broader inclusivity in EU leadership.

Looking ahead, von der Leyen has initiated discussions with Socialist and Liberal groups to formulate a cohesive agenda for her next term. She expressed openness to broader parliamentary support to strengthen Europe’s resilience and influence globally, euronews reported. (ANI)

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Heeramandi actress Sharmin Segal recently shared a series of pictures from her Italy vacation with a fun twist on her popular dialogue from the series, ‘Ek Baar Dekh Lijiye.’

Taking to her Instagram on Thursday, Sharmin dropped stunning pictures from her trip to Italy.

Along with the photos, she added a quirky touch to the famous song, ‘Ek Baar Dekh Lijiye,’ from Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s web show.

She wrote, “Ek baar break lijiye, ice cream kha lijiye, swimming karne ko hai tayyar hum, neela neela pani dikha dijiye.”

The album includes stunning photos of Sharmin enjoying sunny days in beautiful locations in Italy.

Some pictures show her swimming and relaxing by the pool. She also shared glimpses of enjoying delicious ice cream and pudding.

Sharmin was last seen in Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s show ‘Heeramandi.’

‘Heeramandi: The Diamond Bazaar’, features a star-studded cast, including Manisha Koirala, Sonakshi Sinha, Aditi Rao Hydari and Sanjeeda Sheikh.

The series also stars Fardeen Khan, Taha Shah Badussha, Shekhar Suman, and Adhyayan Suman in the roles of the Nawabs.

Set against the backdrop of India’s struggle for independence in the 1940s, the show explores the lives of courtesans and their patrons, delving into the cultural dynamics of Heera Mandi.

‘Heeramandi’ is streaming on Netflix. (ANI)

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Banarasi saris are masterpieces of creativity, and they are undoubtedly perfect for every occasion. Ahead of her son Anant Ambani’s wedding, Reliance Foundation Founder and Chairperson, Nita Ambani, reached Varanasi and went shopping for the saris.

She met loom owners and weavers in Varanasi and purchased about 50-60 saris. She invited various Banarasi merchants and craftsmen to the hotel, where she chose saris. She placed orders with several weavers, showing her genuine admiration for their craftsmanship.

The Banarasi saris will get a boost in the international market as many Bollywood, Hollywood, and foreign guests will also come to Anant Ambani’s wedding.

The weavers expressed their happiness as they received orders of saris from the Ambani family.

Banarasi handloom weaver Chhote Lal Pal told ANI that Nita Ambani liked his Lakkha Buti sari, “Ambani family is a well-known business family of India if Nita Ambani wears a sari made by me at her son’s wedding, then everyone will see it on TV and social media. She liked my sari and I am very excited. I am making their orders, and today the work done by my generation seems to be successful.”

He added, “We are old artisans of Banaras, we are the third generation, our grandfather and father were weavers, the saree we are making is called Lakhha Buti. The speciality of this sari is that there is a corner near the Aanchal in the sari, when we set up the loom once, we prepare the entire sari but to prepare this special sari, the loom is prepared thrice. Chunari and Piyari are used in auspicious events of the Hindu religion, it takes 60 to 62 days to make this sari.”

In making a sari, apart from the weaver, the help of 20 to 25 people is taken. First, there is preparation. The drawing is done. The design layout is made. The map is made. Punching is done. Then the leaves are cut. After this, this sari goes to the handloom. In this way, it passes through the hands of a total of 20 to 25 people.

Angika Hathkargha Handloom owner Akshay Kushwaha in Golaghat added that Nita Ambani had visited his loom. “We have received an order of 15 to 20 saris by Nita Ambani.”

All the saris are made of real zari, which will have silver and gold threads. Silver will be coated with 58-60 per cent and 1.5 per cent is gold. The sarees with gold and silver threads cost from Rs 1.5-2 lakhs to Rs 5-6 lakhs.

“These saris take a lot of time to be made. Nita Ambani has bought a special sari, which is called Hazara Buti which has about 35 thousand silver Buti. It takes 40-45 days to make a Hazara Buti sari.”

Banarasi weavers are very happy with the order of saris received for the wedding of the Ambani family. Many weaver families are getting work from this big order.

Famous fashion designer Manish Malhotra earlier shared “It feels very good to come to Kashi, I recently did a fashion show at Namo Ghat in which actor Ranveer Singh and actress Kriti Sanon came, for me this is such a place where I get a lot of peace.”

The highly anticipated wedding of Anant Ambani with industrialist Viren Merchant’s daughter Radhika Merchant will take place on July 12 at the prestigious Jio World Convention Centre in Bandra Kurla Complex (BKC), Mumbai.

Nita Ambani visited Kashi Vishwanath Temple to seek blessings and offered the first wedding invitation to Lord Shiva.

Clad in a beautiful pink saree, Nita Ambani was seen attending the Ganga Aarti.

After offering prayers at the temple, she spoke to the media about her purpose for visiting Kashi Vishwanath.

She said, “I offered prayers to lord Shiva. I am feeling very blessed. Today I came here with the invitation for the wedding of Anant and Radhika to offer it to the almighty. I came here after 10 years. I am happy to see the development here.”

On visiting the temple after 10 years, Nita Ambani expressed her excitement and told ANI, “It is my fortune that I have come here during Ganga Aarti. It feels so good…There is so much ‘Shakti’ here.” After the temple visit, Nita Ambani also visited a chaat shop and interacted with locals.

As Anant Ambani and Radhika Merchant’s wedding day approaches, Mumbai is set to witness a grand celebration that combines tradition, opulence, and a touch of modernity.

The wedding festivities are meticulously planned, adhering to the traditional Hindu Vedic customs.

The main ceremonies will commence on Friday, July 12, with the auspicious Shubh Vivah or wedding function. Guests are encouraged to embrace the spirit of the occasion by dressing in traditional Indian attire.

The celebrations will continue on Saturday, July 13, with Shubh Aashirwad, where attendees will receive divine blessings.

The final event, Mangal Utsav or the wedding reception, is scheduled for Sunday, July 14. For this grand occasion, guests have been asked to dress in ‘Indian chic.’

Radhika Merchant, daughter of Encore Healthcare CEO Viren Merchant and entrepreneur Shaila Merchant, is set to join the Ambani family, marking a union of two prominent industrialist families.

Earlier this year, the couple hosted a series of pre-wedding festivities in Jamnagar, which saw a star-studded guest list from around the globe.

Business leaders, heads of state, and Hollywood and Bollywood celebrities graced the occasion, making it an event to remember.

Among the distinguished guests were Meta founder Mark Zuckerberg and his wife Priscilla Chan, Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates, and Ivanka Trump.

Indian corporate giants like Gautam Adani, Nandan Nilekani, and Adar Poonawala were also in attendance, along with cricket legends Sachin Tendulkar, MS Dhoni, and Rohit Sharma. Spiritual leader Sadhguru Jaggi Vasudev added a touch of serenity to the celebrations.

Bollywood’s elite, including Amitabh Bachchan, Rajinikanth, Shah Rukh Khan, Salman Khan, Aamir Khan, Karan Johar, Ranbir Kapoor-Alia Bhatt, Anil Kapoor, and Madhuri Dixit, added glamour to the festivities.

The highlight of the pre-wedding celebrations was an electrifying performance by pop sensation Rihanna, marking her debut performance in India.

The theme ‘A Walk on the Wildside’ with ‘jungle fever’ was a creative touch that left guests in awe, followed by ‘Mela Rouge,’ a celebration of South Asian culture.

The three-day extravaganza also featured the world-renowned illusionist David Blaine, who left guests spellbound with his incredible feats.

Bollywood stars and family members joined in the sangeet performances, with a special appearance by actor-singer Diljit Dosanjh, captivating the audience. (ANI)

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Actor Hina Khan on Friday confirmed that she has been diagnosed with stage three breast cancer.

The ‘Yeh Rishta Kya Kehlata Hai’ actor shared that she has started treatment and is “doing well” and “fully committed” to overcoming the disease.

Taking to her Instagram handle, Hina said, “Hello Everyone, To address the recent rumour, I want to share some important news with all the Hinaholics and everyone who loves and cares for me. I have been diagnosed with stage three breast cancer. Despite this challenging diagnosis, I wish to reassure everyone that I am doing well. I am strong, determined and fully committed to overcoming this disease. My treatment has already begun and I am ready to do everything necessary to emerge from this even stronger,” Hina wrote.

“I kindly ask for your respect and privacy during this time. I deeply appreciate your love, strength and blessings. Your personal experiences, anecdotes and supportive suggestions would mean the world to me as I navigate this journey. I, along with my family and loved ones, remain focused, determined and positive. With the grace of the almighty, we believe I will overcome this challenge and will be completely healthy. Please send your prayers blessings and love,” she added.

Meanwhile talking about her work front, the actor gained a lot of recognition for her role ‘Yeh Rishta Kya Kehlata Hai’. She is also known for her negative character Komolika in ‘Kasautii Zindagii Kay’. She was recently seen in Shinda Shinda No Papa and Ritam Shrivastava’s directorial comedy-drama series ‘Namacool’.

‘While talking about her shooting experience in Lucknow for ‘Namacool, she said earlier, “It was a lovely experience shooting in Lucknow. I absolutely loved my stay in the city. The people there were really warm, and the food was absolutely lip-smacking. I enjoyed trying out all the local delicacies that the cast and crew made me try. Overall, it was a great experience shooting there.”

Set in Lucknow, the series revolves around two friends, Mayank and Piyush, who want fame and popularity as they enter their second year of college. (ANI)

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Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister and NCP chief Ajit Pawar who also holds the finance portfolio in the state, presented the state budget on Friday in the Maharashtra Assembly during the ongoing Monsoon Session announced ‘Mukhyanantri Majhi Ladki Bahin’ a scheme under which all woman between 21 and 60 years will be given 1500 per month.

The scheme is inspired by Madhya Pradesh’s Ladli Behna Yojana of the BJP government.

While presenting the budget Pawar said, “We are announcing Mukhyanantri Majhi Ladki Bahin (CM My Beloved Sister). Under this, all women will be given Rs 1500 per month. The scheme will be implemented from July 2024.”

Further Ajit Pawar announced, “We will provide Rs 5000 per hectare bonus to all farmers for their crops of cotton and soybean in Maharashtra…We will also give 5 rupees per litre bonus to milk-producing farmers even after 1st July 2024. Govt has increased the monetary help in deaths due to animal attacks, now the next of kin will get Rs 25 lakhs instead of 20 Lakhs earlier.

Under CM Anna Chhatra Yojana of the Maharashtra government, Pawar said, “We will give 3 free cylinders every year to all households”

On Tax over diesel and Petrol Pawar said, “Tax on diesel is being decreased from 24% to 21 % for Mumbai region, effectively 2 rupees per litre less prices of diesel. While petrol being decreased from 26% to 25% which will effectively decrease rates of petrol by 65 Paise per litre.

All religious minorities in Maharashtra will be supported by the Maharashtra government under schemes for poor people. The government has already made available a separate category for the third gender to enable them to get benefits from other government schemes. The limit of medical insurance for families is being increased upto 5 lakhs from 1.5 lakhs earlier. Also the number of Empaneled Hospitals Being increased from 1000 to 1900 hospitals.”

“The government will provide help for planting bamboo and Rs 175 will be provided for each plantation of Bamboo. To make available free energy to farmers 8 lakh solar pumps will be given to farmers,” said Ajit Pawar.

The monsoon session of the Maharashtra Assembly began on Thursday (June 28) and will go on till July 12. This is the last legislative session before the state assembly polls which will be in the next four months. (ANI)

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India has achieved an “outstanding outcome” in the 2023-24 Mutual Evaluation conducted by the Financial Action Task Force (FATF).

The Mutual Evaluation Report, adopted during the FATF plenary held in Singapore from June 26 to June 28, placed India in the ‘regular follow-up’ category, a distinction shared by only four other G20 countries. This marks a significant milestone in India’s efforts to combat money laundering (ML) and terrorist financing (TF), a Finance Ministry release said.

The release said FATF has recognized India’s comprehensive measures in mitigating risks arising from ML and TF, including the laundering of proceeds from corruption, fraud, and organized crime.

It includes effective measures to transition from a cash-based to a digital economy, reducing ML/TF risks and Implementation of the JAM (Jan Dhan, Aadhaar, Mobile) Trinity and stringent regulations on cash transactions, significantly increasing financial inclusion and digital transactions, making transactions more traceable and reducing ML/TF risks.

India’s performance in the FATF Mutual Evaluation brings substantial benefits to the country’s growing economy as it highlights the stability and integrity of its financial system.

According to the ministry, the high ratings will enhance access to global financial markets and institutions, boost investor confidence, and support the global expansion of India’s fast payment system, the Unified Payments Interface (UPI).

This recognition from FATF highlights the rigorous and effective measures implemented by India over the past decade to safeguard its financial system from ML/TF threats. It sets a benchmark for other countries in the region to effectively implement international standards on terrorist financing.

India’s excellent rating enhances its capacity to lead global efforts in countering cross-border terror financing and money laundering.

Since 2014, the Indian government has enacted a series of legislative changes and enhanced enforcement efforts to tackle ML, TF, and black money. This multi-pronged strategy has brought these measures in line with international standards and proven effective.

Indian authorities have had success in dismantling the terror funding network using actionable intelligence inputs. These operations have stemmed the flow of terror funding, black money, and narcotics, even along the coastline.

The release said that over two years, the Department of Revenue (DoR) spearheaded India’s engagement with FATF during the mutual evaluation process. This success was driven by exceptional efforts and contributions from a diverse, multi-disciplinary team comprising representatives from various ministries, the National Security Council Secretariat (NSCS), state authorities, the judiciary, financial sector regulators, self-regulatory organizations, financial institutions, and businesses. This collaborative effort demonstrated India’s effective (Anti Money Laundering and Combatting the Financing of Terrorism) AML/CFT framework.

Already a member of the FATF Steering Group, India’s current performance provides an opportunity to contribute significantly to the group’s overall functioning. India remains committed to further strengthening its AML/CFT framework and continuing collaboration with international partners to combat financial crimes and build on its success to ensure a secure and transparent financial environment for all, the release said.

The Financial Action Task Force (FATF) is an intergovernmental organisation established in 1989 as the international watchdog to combat money laundering, terrorist financing, and other related threats to the integrity of the international financial system. India became a member of FATF in 2010. (ANI)

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Former World Cup-winning captain Kapil Dev lauded Team India skipper Rohit Sharma’s captaincy and said that the Men in Blue have done ‘wonderfully well’ in the ongoing T20 World Cup 2024 under the 37-year-old’s leadership.

The India skipper Rohit Sharma played a stupendous knock in the first inning of the semi-final match against England on Thursday. Rohit played a 57-run knock from 39 balls at a strike rate of 146.15. He smashed 6 fours and 2 sixes during his time on the crease. However, his knock had to come to an end in the 14th over when Adil Rashid dismissed him.

Speaking to ANI, Kapil Dev said that it’s a ‘wonderful’ feeling that the Men in Blue have reached the finals of the ongoing T20 World Cup 2024.

The former World Cup-winning captain added that when a side reaches the final one should praise the whole team and not a single player. Kapil Dev further added that he always believes in the team’s performance.

“It’s wonderful. If anybody reaches in finals you just say how wonderfully they played. Not one name but the entire team. I always believe in a team. They have done wonderfully well, under the leadership of Rohit Sharma, the team has done extremely well…,” Kapil Dev said.

When asked about Axar Patel and Jasprit Bumrah’s performance against England in India’s last match, the former cricketer pointed out that it was a team effort and not a single player’s performance.

Recapping India’s previous match against England in the semi-final, Jos Buttler’s side won the toss and decided to bowl against the Men in Blue.

Rohit Sharma (57 runs from 39 balls, 6 fours and 2 sixes) and Suryakumar Yadav (47 runs from 36 balls, 4 fours and 2 sixes) helped India power to 171/7. Hardik Pandya (23 runs from 13 balls, 1 four and 2 sixes) and Ravindra Jadeja (17* runs from 9 balls, 2 fours) also played a supporting role in the first innings.

Chris Jordan led the England bowling attack after he bagged three wickets and gave away 37 runs in his three-over spell.

During the run chase, England failed to understand the nature of the surface and eventually could only reach a total of 103 in 16.4 overs. Harry Brook (25 runs from 19 balls, 3 fours) and Jos Buttler (23 runs from 15 balls, 4 fours) were the only standout batters for the Three Lions.

Axar Patel and Kuldeep Yadav led the Indian bowling attack with both of them picking up three wickets in their respective spells and helping India clinch a 68-run win. Jasprit Bumrah bagged two wickets while defending the 172-run target.

The final of the T20 World Cup is now perfectly set as the clash between the unbeaten sides, India and South Africa, is set to take place in Barbados on Saturday. (ANI)

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Vikram Misri, a 1989-batch officer of the Indian Foreign Service currently serving as the Deputy National Security Adviser, has been appointed as India’s new Foreign Secretary.

The Appointments Committee of Cabinet (ACC) approved the proposal made by the Ministry of External Affairs for appointing Vikram Misri as the next Foreign Secretary. He will be succeeding Vinay Mohan Kwatra as Foreign Secretary.

Misri’s tenure as Foreign Secretary will begin on July 15 as the extension granted to Kwatra will end on July 14.

“The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet has approved the following proposals of the Ministry of External Affairs: In partial modification of the order dated March 12, 2024, grant of extension in service of Shri Vinay Kwatra, (IFS :1988) as Foreign Secretary beyond April 30 2024 up to July 14, 2024. Curtailment of tenure of Shri Vikram Misri, IFS (1989) as Deputy National Security Advisor in the National Security Council Secretariat,” the official order said.

“Appointment of Shri Vikram Misri, IFS (1989), Deputy National Security Advisor in the National Security Council Secretariat to the post of Foreign Secretary w.e.f. July 15, 2024 vice Shri Vinay Kwatra,” it added.

Kwatra had been given a six-month extension in March this year.

Misri, 59, has the unique honour of having served as private secretary to three Prime Ministers – Inder Kumar Gujral in 1997, Manmohan Singh in 2012, and Narendra Modi in 2014.

Misri was born in Srinagar in 1964 and received his early education in Gwalior. He holds a Bachelor’s degree in history from Delhi University’s Hindu College and an MBA from XLRI.

Misri was India’s ambassador to China and played a significant part in discussions between India and China following the 2020 Galwan Valley clashes that resulted from the actions of the Chinese military in Eastern Ladakh.

In his early career, Misri worked at Indian embassies in Brussels and Tunis. He became India’s ambassador to Spain in 2014 and to Myanmar in 2016. He has also held positions in several Indian diplomatic missions across Africa and North America. (ANI)

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