Month: December 2024

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has increased the compensation to farmers for land acquisition to build the Jewar Airport from Rs 3,100 per square meter to Rs 4,300 per square meter, an official statement from the state government said.

In a post on X, CM Yogi said, “Under the guidance of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Asia’s largest airport is being built in Jewar, the credit for this development goes to the farmers. The compensation payable for land acquisition for the third phase for Noida International Airport, Jewar has been increased from Rs 3,100 per square meter to Rs 4,300 per square meter. Hearty congratulations and salutations to all the farmer brothers!”

“Farmers will also be paid interest as per rules, and complete arrangements will be made for the resettlement of affected farmers, and their employment,” CM Yogi said.

Farmers, delighted by the announcement, expressed their gratitude to the Chief Minister.

CM Yogi said, “Jewar remained immersed in darkness for decades, and now it is ready to shine on the world stage. In the next 10 years, Jewar is going to become the most developed area of the country, and the whole world will see the prosperity. Noida International Airport will start in April 2025, Hon’ble Prime Minister will inaugurate it.”

He said that earlier bullets used to be fired for land in this place and now farmers are happily donating land.

Farmers said that they had full faith in CM Yogi Adityanath.

CM Yogi further said, “MRO will also be developed near Jewar Airport, Jewar will become a global destination for Maintenance, Repair and Overhauling (MRO) of aircraft.”

Chief Minister interacted with the farmers who are providing their land for the last phase of Noida International Airport, Jewar, and said that the interests of the farmers will be safe.

CM further said, “Jewar Airport will be a huge airport with an annual capacity of 70 million passengers by the year 2040. Rapid Rail Transit System (RRTS) will be connected to Jewar Airport, the proposal has been sent to the Government of India. Jewar Airport would have connectivity with Eastern Peripheral Road, Yamuna Expressway, Delhi-Mumbai Expressway and Delhi-Varanasi High Speed Rail.”

The Jewar Airport project, a key infrastructure initiative aimed at bolstering connectivity in the National Capital Region (NCR) and western Uttar Pradesh, is on the cusp of completion and is expected to commence the operations in April 2025 said Union Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu earlier. (ANI)

Actors Abhishek Bachchan and Aishwarya Rai were spotted on Friday as the couple attended the second day of the annual function at Dhirubhai Ambani International School in Mumbai.

The two, along with Aishwarya’s mother, Brindya Rai, came to cheer for their daughter Aaradhya, who is a student at the school.

In videos shared by paps, Abhishek was seen stepping out of a sprinter van, followed by Brindya and Aishwarya. The actress was seen holding her mother’s arm as they made their way into the school.

Abhishek sported a green co-ord set, while Aishwarya looked elegant in a black outfit.

The event was star-studded, with celebs like Vidya Balan, Ishaan Khattar, cricketer Harbhajan Singh, and Radhika Merchant also attending.

The couple had also attended the school event on Thursday, accompanied by Bollywood legend Amitabh Bachchan, as they supported Aaradhya during the celebrations.

In videos taken by paparazzi, the ‘Guru’ actor was seen being protective of his wife Aish as he held her hand while entering inside. The videos also captured Aishwarya beside Amitabh, while Abhishek taking care of her dupatta so that she doesn’t step on it.

Their joint appearance comes amidst months of rumours about trouble in their marriage, putting such speculations to rest.

Earlier this month, Aishwarya and Abhishek made another public appearance together, putting an end to whispers of a rift in the family.

Rumours about tension between the two reportedly began in July this year, when Aishwarya and her daughter attended Anant Ambani’s wedding without the Bachchan family. The rest of the family, including Amitabh, Jaya, Abhishek, Shweta, Agastya Nanda, and Navya Naveli, attended the event together leading to speculation about their separation.

On the work front, Abhishek was recently seen in ‘I Want to Talk’, directed by Shoojit Sircar. The film was released on November 22.

Aishwarya, on the other hand, was last seen in Mani Ratnam’s ‘Ponniyin Selvan: Part 2’, for which she won the Best Actress in a Leading Role (Critics) award at the South Indian International Movie Awards (SIIMA) in Dubai earlier this year. (ANI)

Selena Gomez and Benny Blanco announced their engagement a week ago, and currently both are enjoying this phase. Gomez is so excited that she couldn’t stop herself from sharing new pictures of her engagement ring.

Taking to her Instagram stories, she posted several pictures posing with the ring. In the first picture, the focus was on the ring.

In the pictures, she was seen wearing a black top underneath a maroon trench coat. Her hair is styled in a side part. She is seen wearing large, dangly earrings, lavender-coloured eyeshadow, and soft pink lip shade, reported People.

“Sorry last post… I’ve just dreamed of this moment my whole life,” Gomez wrote, according to People.

Earlier, Benny shared his fiancee Selena Gomez’s announcement of their engagement on his Instagram Stories.

Blanco wrote, “still can’t believe it.” The photo featured him kissing Gomez on her head as they sat by a closet, while she held up her diamond ring, reported People.

The couple, who first sparked the dating speculations in 2023, shared the news on social media.

Gomez announced her engagement to Benny Blanco on Wednesday, December 11. Gomez, 32, shared a post on Instagram revealing her engagement ring, captioning the post, “Forever begins now.” Blanco, also expressed his excitement in the comments section, humorously writing, “Hey wait… that’s my wife,” reported People.

The pair, who have long been close collaborators in the music industry, first worked together on several hit songs, including Gomez’s 2015 chart-topping track ‘Same Old Love’.

It wasn’t until 2023, however, that they confirmed their romantic involvement. In December of that year, Gomez opened up about their relationship, revealing they had been dating for six months, as per People.

In a heartfelt Instagram post at the time, Gomez referred to Blanco as “my absolute everything” and declared that he had been “the best thing that’s ever happened to me.”

Their relationship quickly became a topic of admiration among their friends and family, with insiders revealing that Gomez had never been so happy.

“She loves how Benny treats her: he’s so kind and thoughtful,” a source told Us Weekly in January, adding, “It’s been a very long time since friends saw Selena this happy. She’s positively glowing.”

Before her engagement to Blanco, Selena Gomez had high-profile relationships with pop star Justin Bieber and singer The Weeknd.

Her relationship with Bieber, which began in 2010, was often in the public eye and ended in 2018. She also dated The Weeknd for part of 2017. (ANI)

Actor Kartik Aaryan, who is currently basking in the success of his recent release ‘Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3’ was spotted at the Mumbai airport on Friday afternoon.

Kartik turned heads in as he looked handsome in formal attire.

In videos shared by paparazzi, Kartik can be seen walking towards the airport gate.

The actor also took a moment to greet the photographers and as he flashed his trademark smile heading inside.

Talking about his recent release, ‘Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3’ also features Vidya Balan, Triptii Dimri, Madhuri Dixit Nene and Rajpal Yadav among others.

This also marks the third successful horror-comedy release of 2024, joining the ranks of ‘Munjya’ and ‘Stree 2’.

The film stars Kartik alongside Madhuri Dixit Nene, Vidya Balan and Triptii Dimri. It is directed by Anees Azmee, who also helmed the second part of the horror-comedy franchise.

‘Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3’ is the third instalment in the popular Bhool Bhulaiyaa franchise. The first part Bhool Bhulaiyaa, released in 2007, starred Akshay Kumar and Vidya Balan in the lead roles. The second part Bhool Bhulaiyaa 2 (2022) starred Kartik Aaryan, Kiara Advani, and Tabu in the lead roles.

The latest part was released on Diwali and faced a box-office clash with Rohit Shetty’s directorial ‘Singham Again’.

In the film, Ajay reprised the role of police officer Bajirao Singham whom he first essayed in the first part in 2011 and then again in 2014 in the second instalment of the ‘Singham’ franchise.

‘Singham Again’ also stars Kareena Kapoor Khan, Akshay Kumar, Tiger Shroff, Ranveer Singh, and Deepika Padukone, among others. (ANI)

Janata Dal-United (JDU) working president Sanjay Kumar Jha on Friday launched a scathing attack on Aam Aadmi Party national convenor Arvind Kejriwal after he urged Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar to “consider the impact” of the alleged controversial remarks by Union Home Minister Amit Shah on BR Ambedkar.

Speaking to ANI, Jha slammed Kejriwal, by pointing out that when Nitish Kumar resigned from the CM post, he made a Mahadalit’ (Jitan Ram Manjhi in 2014-15) the Chief Minister. He further questioned why did he not appoint a Dalit CM in Delhi, upon resigning or in Punjab.

Scathing former Delhi CM Kejriwal over the situation of Purvanchali labourers during the Covid-19 era, the JDU leader said that when Kejriwal sent people of Bihar in “packed in buses,” it was Nitish Kumar who made all the arrangements for them.

“He wrote a letter to Nitish Kumar, so I want to say one thing that when Nitish Kumar left the post of Chief Minister, he made a Dalit the Chief Minister of Bihar. He (Arvind Kejriwal) did not look at his track record. When Kejriwal left the CM post, whom did he make the CM or why did he not make a Dalit CM in Punjab?” Jha told ANI.

“People from Purvanchal, Bihar living in Delhi have seen how people from Bihar were packed in buses and sent back during Covid. And then Nitish Kumar made all the arrangements for them in Bihar. So it is better if Kejriwal does not say all this,” he added.

Taking a dig at AAP national convenor, Jha posted on X and said Kejriwal was pained because Amit Shah was exposing the leader of his alliance (INDIA), his party and his family. He said that the “misbehaviour” of the Congress Party and its leaders towards Baba Saheb is “unforgivable.”

Highlighting the works of Nitish Kumar towards the Dalit community, Jha said that the INDIA bloc cannot even imagine doing the level of work which Nitish Kumar has done for the Dalits and backward classes in Bihar while following in the footsteps of Baba Saheb.

JDU working president urged Kejriwal to “leave prejudices” and “think positively” about the progress of the country as “the constitution of India is very strong.”

In a social media post on X, Jha wrote, “Honorable @ArvindKejriwal Sir, I read your letter to the Hon’ble Chief Minister of Bihar @NitishKumar. I can understand your real pain. Your pain is that on that day in the House, the Hon’ble Home Minister @AmitShah was exposing the leader of your alliance, his party and his family….The misbehaviour that the Congress Party and its leaders did to Baba Saheb is unforgivable…. What our leader, the honourable Chief Minister of Bihar Nitish Kumar ji has done for the Dalits and backward classes in Bihar by following in the footsteps of Baba Saheb, you and the leaders of your alliance cannot even imagine doing that. I urge you to leave your prejudices and think positively about the progress of the country. The constitution of this country is very strong.

The JDU working president also wrote a letter to Arvind Kejriwal, elaborating on the work done by Nitish Kumar for the Dalits and the backward class of society, including giving them reservations in the Panchayati Raj system

The letter dated December 20, reads, “Congress party was continuously in power in Bihar till 1990 and from 1990 to 2005 it enjoyed power with RJD. In 2015, Dalits and backward castes got reservation in Panchayati Raj system when Shri Nitish Kumar Ji became the Chief Minister. Where did the faith of your alliance leaders and their party in the Constitution and their love for Baba Saheb go then?”

“I will give you an example of how Dalits and backward classes are respected. When our leader Mr. Nitish Kumar resigned from the post of Chief Minister in 2014, he made Mr. Jitan Ram Manjhi, who comes from the Mahadalit community, the Chief Minister,” the letter reads.

On December 19, AAP convener Arvind Kejriwal wrote letters to Bihar CM Nitish Kumar and Andhra Pradesh CM Chandrababu Naidu, urging them to consider the impact of Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s allegedly controversial statement about former Minister of Law and Justice, BR Ambedkar.

Kejriwal’s letters followed Shah’s remarks made on Wednesday in the Rajya Sabha, which, according to the AAP leader, ‘insulted’ the legacy of Ambedkar.

“If they had taken the name of God so many times instead of Ambedkar, they would have got heaven for seven lives,” the Union Minister said in the Upper House.

In his letter to Kumar and Naidu, Kejriwal expressed his concern over the Home Minister’s statement in Parliament, where Shah reportedly said, “Chanting Ambedkar-Ambedkar has become a fashion these days.” Kejriwal stated that Shah’s remark “is not only disrespectful but also reveals the BJP’s perspective toward Babasaheb and our Constitution.”

“Babasaheb Ambedkar was honoured with a ‘Doctor of Laws’ degree by Columbia University, he authored the Indian Constitution, and he championed equal rights for the most marginalised sections of society. How did the BJP have the audacity to make such a comment about him?” the former Delhi CM questioned in his letter to the Andhra and Bihar CMs.

“This has hurt the sentiments of millions of people across the country,” Kejriwal wrote, adding that instead of apologising, Amit Shah defended his statement. He also noted that Prime Minister Narendra Modi publicly supported Shah’s remark, which, according to Kejriwal, made the situation even worse.

Kejriwal warned that people who admire Ambedkar are increasingly feeling they cannot support the BJP. He urged Naidu to consider the matter carefully, stating, “Babasaheb is not just a leader, he is the soul of this country. After this statement by the BJP, people expect you to deeply reflect on this issue as well.” (ANI)

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is expected to announce a significant cabinet reshuffle today amid growing calls for him to step down, according to a report by CBC News.

Sources from CBC News and Radio-Canada revealed that Ottawa MP David McGuinty and Toronto MP Nathaniel Erskine-Smith are set to join the cabinet. The reshuffle is expected to involve at least 10 members, according to insiders.

CBC News reported citing a senior government source said, however, that the timing and size of the shuffle should not be taken as a signal that the prime minister has made up his mind about his future, adding Trudeau is still “reflecting” on his position. The purpose of the shuffle is to make sure the cabinet is complete so the government can function properly, the source said.

Notably, the move follows the resignation of Chrystia Freeland, the Former Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister. Earlier on December 16, hours before the statement on Canada’s economy, Freeland announced her resignation from the Cabinet.

In the letter addressed to PM Trudeau, Freeland wrote, “It has been the honour of my life to serve in government, working for Canada and Canadians. We have accomplished a lot together. On Friday, you told me you no longer want me to serve as your Finance Minister and offered me another position in the Cabinet.”

“Upon reflection, I have concluded that the only honest and viable path is for me to resign from the Cabinet. To be effective, a Minister must speak on behalf of the Prime Minister and with his full confidence. In making your decision, you made clear that I no longer credibly enjoy that confidence and possess the authority that comes with it. For the past number of weeks, you and I have found ourselves at odds about the best path forward for Canada,” the letter added.

Following Freeland’s resignation, NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh had urged Trudeau “to resign” and stated that “all options” were on the table when asked whether he would back a non-confidence motion.

Speaking to reporters in Ottawa, Singh had said Canadians were facing various economic issues, ranging from expensive groceries to high home prices and the threat of tariffs as US President-elect Donald Trump will assume office next year.

Jagmeet Singh said, “Instead of focusing on these issues, Justin Trudeau and the Liberals are focused on themselves. They’re fighting themselves instead of fighting for Canadians. And for that reason, today, I’m calling on Justin Trudeau to resign. He has to go,” Global News reported.

Earlier in September, the federal New Democrats withdrew their support from the supply-and-confidence agreement with the Liberal government. (ANI)

Following the threats issued by US-based Khalistani terrorist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun against Indian Ambassador to the US, Vinay Mohan Kwatra, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) emphasized India’s serious approach to such security threats.

MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said that these matters are promptly raised with the government of the United States.

At the weekly MEA press briefing in New Delhi on Friday, Jaiswal said, “As in when such threats are issued, we take the threats very seriously and we raise it with the US government.”

He also expressed confidence in the US addressing India’s security concerns.

Jaiswal added, “In this case, also, we have raised it with the US government, and it is our expectation that the US government will take our security concerns seriously.”

Gurpatwant Singh Pannun is an India-designated terrorist who holds American and Canadian citizenship.

Earlier in October, the MEA had confirmed that the individual named in the US Justice Department’s indictment case in a foiled assassination plot against Khalistani terrorist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun was no longer an employee of the government of India.

“The US State Department informed us that the individual in the Justice Department indictment is no longer employed by India. I confirm that he is no longer an employee of the Government of India,” Jaiswal had said.

The US Justice Department had claimed that an Indian government employee (named CC-1), who was not identified in the indictment filed in a federal court in Manhattan, recruited an Indian national named Nikhil Gupta to hire a hitman to carry out the assassination of Pannun, which was foiled by US authorities, according to prosecutors.

According to the allegations levelled earlier, the accused Nikhil Gupta, is an associate of an employee of the Indian government and together they and others helped plot the assassination of Pannun in New York City. (ANI)

Actor Sohail Khan celebrated his 54th birthday on Friday, and the special day has been filled with love and warm wishes from family and friends.

On this joyous occasion, fellow actor Suniel Shetty took to his Instagram account to wish Sohail a very happy birthday.

Suniel, who shares a close bond with Sohail, posted a picture with him on his Instagram stories. In his message, he referred to Sohail as his “little brother,” expressing his affection and admiration.

He wrote, “Sooooo….my forever little brother… wishing you a happy happy birthday. Stay blessed, keep shining, and always keep that smile alive! Lots of love always @sohailkhanofficial.”

Sohail reshared the post on his Instagram handle and wrote, “Thank you so much Anna.”

The two actors, Sohail and Suniel, have worked together in films like ‘Lakeer – Forbidden Lines’ and ‘Fight Club: Members Only’, and their camaraderie both on and off-screen is well known.

In addition to the heartfelt wishes from Suniel Shetty, Sohail Khan also shared a touching family moment on his own Instagram account, recently.

The actor-filmmaker posted a picture that showcased his family, featuring his siblings and parents. The picture captured a lovely family gathering from their mother Salma Khan’s birthday, with Sohail posing alongside his brothers, Salman Khan and Arbaaz Khan, and their sisters, Arpita and Alvira.

Their parents, Salim Khan and Salma Khan were also present in the photo, with Salma looking elegant in a traditional outfit, while the rest of the family kept their looks casual.

Sohail captioned the beautiful family portrait as, “Blessed,” accompanied by a red heart emoji. (ANI)

Birthdays call for celebrations with loved ones, and Saif Ali Khan and Kareena Kapoor Khan went all out to make their son Taimur’s special day memorable. On Friday, the dotting parents sporty-themed birthday bash for their firstborn, Taimur.

Several videos surfaced online in which Kareena and Saif can be seen engaging in fun games with Taimur and his friends, adding a lively touch to the festivities.

A while ago, a slew of B-towners including Taimur’s “bua” Soha Ali Khan with husband Kunal Kemma was spotted arriving at Kareena and Saif’s house. They looked extremely excited to celebrate the birthday of Taimur, who is fondly called “Tim” by his loved ones.

Soha also took to Instagram and penned an adorable birthday wish for Taimur on behalf of her daughter Inaaya. She also dropped a video, showcasing the adorable bond shared between the cousins.

“From jumping on the bed to racing freestyle we have come a long way – here’s to a lifetime of family, food and prezzies !! Happy Birthday Tim bhai,” she captioned the post.

https://www.instagram.com/p/DDyuJbMCJpu/?hl=en

Filmmaker Karan Johar’s kids were also spotted at the bash.

Meanwhile, several clips of Taimur from his school’s annual day function have been doing the rounds on the internet. In one of the clips, Kareena can be seen beaming with joy and recording Taimur’s performance on her phone.

In September, during a press interaction, the ‘Jab We Met’ actor got candid about her personal and professional lives, revealing a cute anecdote involving her kids.

When asked if her son Taimur Ali Khan knows about the film festival named after her, the actress gave an interesting response.

She said, “Right now they (Taimur and Jeh) are too young to know these things. He has an idea because of the paparazzi chasing him. I think that is why he only knows. But he keeps saying, ‘Why are they chasing? Am I famous?’ I said, ‘No you are not famous, I am famous. You are nobody, you haven’t done anything.’ He’s like, ‘Maybe one day I will do it.’ But right now in his mind, it is not films. It is only football. I hope he will watch some of my films, I’m sure someday the minute I can take him away from football.”

Kareena tied the knot with Saif Ali Khan in 2016. The two have worked together in LOC Kargil (2003) and Omkara (2006), but it was on the sets of the 2008 film Tashan that they fell in love with each other. In addition, on October 16, 2012, they solemnized their relationship.

In 2016, the two became parents to son Taimur and in February 2021, they welcomed Jeh. Saif was married to Amrita Singh before Kareena and they have two children together, Sara Ali Khan and Ibrahim Ali Khan. (ANI)

Several BJP MPs launched a scathing attack on Congress leader Rahul Gandhi for his alleged behaviour during a ruckus in Parliament on Friday, accusing the Leader of Opposition of “arrogance,” “violating parliamentary rules,” and a “shameful attitude” towards fellow MPs.

BJP MP Anurag Thakur condemned Gandhi’s actions, saying, “The arrogance of Rahul Gandhi that was seen yesterday and his attitude towards his fellow MPs is very unfortunate. The way he created a ruckus by violating all the rules and instead of going on the designated path, he deliberately took his supporters along and created a ruckus… this is not forgivable. Can a leader of the opposition go with this thinking? When he (Rahul Gandhi) was taken to the injured, forget about asking about their well-being, forget about apologizing, arrogance was visible on his face… His (Rahul Gandhi’s) statement was that pushing and shoving keeps happening. This makes it clear that his thinking is that you can do anything to anyone, and nothing is going to happen to us.”

BJP MP Bansuri Swaraj also slammed Gandhi for ignoring repeated warnings from security forces.

She said, “The public representative is the biggest sentinel of democracy, but Rahul Gandhi and all the members of the INDIA alliance have forgotten this. Just by showing the Constitution, you do not become the protector of the Constitution. Yesterday, the security forces repeatedly urged Rahul Gandhi to take an alternate route. He (Rahul Gandhi) knew that a peaceful protest was going on, yet he deliberately and maliciously pushed and passed through the midst of all our MPs who were peacefully protesting there… Two of our colleagues have been seriously and deeply injured… Along with this, he should also apologise for the shameful attitude he adopted with our Nagaland MP Phangnon Konyak.”

BJP MP Aparajita Sarangi expressed concern over the injuries sustained by two senior MPs. She said, “Something which happened in Parliament yesterday should not have happened. We strongly condemn it. There are two issues which I would like to highlight: two very senior MPs have been hospitalized and are still under doctors’ observation. This is extremely unfortunate. We are all supposed to hold the decorum and dignity of Parliament.”

“The woman MP from Nagaland felt uncomfortable in the presence of Rahul Gandhi, and it is her statement in Rajya Sabha. This is extremely unfortunate. We condemn this,” the BJP MP added.

Further BJP MP Jagdambika Pal accused Congress MPs of “hooliganism” and alleged that Gandhi pushed BJP MPs Pratap Sarangi and Mukesh Rajput. He said, “Rahul Gandhi should be ashamed. His party (Congress) insulted Babasaheb for the last 60 years… Today, democracy has been attacked, and the Adivasi daughter was insulted. Apology should be sought, and if he has morality, he should resign.”

The BJP has demanded an apology from Gandhi, raising concerns over the incident’s impact on parliamentary decorum.

Meanwhile, the Lok Sabha was adjourned sine die shortly after proceedings began on Friday, a day after the massive scuffle in Parliament. Rajya Sabha was also adjourned until noon.

Before Lok Sabha adjourned, Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal moved a motion to refer two bills concerning “One Nation, One Election” to a Joint Committee of the two Houses. The motion, which included the names of 27 Lok Sabha members, was approved amid the uproar. The committee will also have 12 Rajya Sabha members and will submit its report by the last week of the next session.

Speaker Om Birla underlined the collective responsibility of maintaining Parliament’s dignity and said protests at Parliament’s “dwars” were inappropriate. He warned of appropriate action in case of violations. (ANI)