Month: December 2024

Bollywood actor Arjun Kapoor shared a throwback photo of his childhood and penned an adorable note for his sister, Anshula Kapoor, as she celebrates her birthday today.

Taking to Instagram, the ‘Ishaqzaade’ actor shared an adorable childhood photo which featured him, Anshula Kapoor, and their late mother, Mona Shourie Kapoor.

Arjun penned a heartfelt birthday message for his sister, Anshula Kapoor. In a nostalgic Instagram post, he shared a childhood photograph capturing a joyful moment where the siblings are enjoying a meal together, with their mother reading a book beside them. Arjun captioned the post: “Happy Birthday to my partner in crime! In life, no mission feels impossible with you around.

He wrote, “Happy birthday to the one person that watches over me (literally) while having a strawberry milkshake & has her eyes on the next glass !!! Feels good to always have u around even though now ur a jet setter globe trotter & a working Wonder Woman !!! Stay happy stay blessed & always do the right thing (that is to shop for me on ur holidays) !!! Love u to infinity & beyond @anshulakapoor”

Actor Sanjay Kapoor reacted to the post with a heart emoji.

Arjun Kapoor’s affection for his family is well-known among his fans. He frequently shares throwback photos of his family and childhood. Actor Arjun Kapoor recently got a new tattoo, and the inspiration behind it is his late mother Mona Shourie Kapoor.

Arjun recently made a successful comeback in showbiz with a powerful performance in Rohit Shetty’s directorial ‘Singham Again’, which also features Ajay Devgn, Kareena Kapoor Khan, Tiger Shroff, Ranveer Singh, Akshay Kumar, Jackie Shroff and Deepika Padukone.

In the multi-starrer film, Arjun Kapoor truly outshone his co-stars with his portrayal of the villainous character ‘Danger Lanka’.

Recently, Arjun shared a series of memes and posts celebrating his role as a fierce villain in Singham Again, along with positive reactions from both fans and critics.

He wrote, “Here’s to turning non-believers into believers! Every question and doubt only fuelled my determination to work harder and come back stronger.”He continued, “To everyone who supported me then and still does now – thank you. Your support means everything. And to those who doubted me, thank you for pushing me to prove myself again! This journey feels like my debut all over again, and I still have a long way to go. Grateful for every step, lesson, and all the love and fire!”

Before Singham Again, Arjun experienced a professional lull, with films like ‘Lady Killer’ and ‘Bhoot Police’ failing to resonate with audiences.

Over the years, he also became a target of online trolls due to the underperformance of his films. However, with his power-packed performance in Singham Again, Arjun has silenced critics and tasted success once more. (ANI)

Local girl Ashi Chouksey bagged her maiden national title, overwhelming Anjum Moudgil of Punjab in the women’s 50m Rifle 3 Positions (3P) final of the ongoing 67th National Shooting Championship Competitions (NSCC) for Rifle events, here at her home MP State Academy (MPSA) shooting range.

Ashi shot a superb 466.7, a full 3.1 points clear of two-time Olympian Anjum. Upcoming talent Sakshi Sunil Padekar of Maharashtra won bronze with an effort of 451.3 and then went on to win a silver in the junior women’s 3P as well to round off a successful day.

Ashi, who has been in great shooting form over the past two years and was also a part of the Paris Olympic trials, extended her run of good form with a solid 590 in qualifications, to get into the eight-woman match-up in third place.

Bhakti Bhaskar Khamkar of Maharashtra topped the qualification field with a blazing 592, while Anjum qualified second, her effort of 590 containing more hits to the inner 10 rings than Ashi. While Sakshi took the sixth spot, another Olympian Shriyanka Sadangi qualified seventh.

In the final, however, Ashi brooked no opposition, opening up a 2.3 points gap over Anjum at the end of the first Kneeling position itself, which she maintained after the 15 shots in the second Prone position also. That increased to 2.9 after 10-shots of the last Standing position and despite a few high 9s after that, the result was never in doubt.

In the junior women’s 3P Karnataka’s Anoushka H Thokur shot 460.5 in the final to upstage Sakshi, who settled for silver on 456.3. Haryana’s Nishchal, an ISSF World Cup silver medallist for India last year, shot 443.9 to settle for bronze.

Both Anjum and Sakshi did pick up gold on the day, however, as they won the respective women’s 3P senior and junior team events. Anjum partnered with fellow Olympian Sift Kaur Samra and Vanshika Sahi to total 1766 for the team gold, while Sakshi teamed up with Prachi Gaekwad and Saniya Sapale to clinch the junior women’s 3P team title with a tally of 1747. (ANI)

In a major shift from his earlier stance, US-President elect Donald Trump has expressed his support for the H-1B visa programme and acknowledged frequently using it for his own properties, calling it a “great programme,” according to a report by New York Post.

Calling it a “great programme,” the President-elect said he has “always” been in its favour.

“I’ve always liked the visas, I have always been in favour of the visas. That’s why we have them,” Trump said in a telephonic interview with the New York Post.

He added, “I have many H-1B visas on my properties. I’ve been a believer in H-1B. I have used it many times. It’s a great programme.”

Notably, during Trump’s first term, the administration imposed restrictions on H-1B visas, citing concerns over “abuse” and “economic strain.”

In 2016, Trump condemned the program, describing it as a means for companies to replace American workers with lower-paid foreign employees. Restrictions tightened further in 2020 in response to economic challenges caused by the Covid-19 pandemic.

Trump’s latest remarks comes after a major divide emerged within his MAGA team in the United States, as Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy who advocated for the expansion of the visa program for ‘highly skilled workers’ faced heavy backlash from within President-elect’s base.

Musk and Ramaswamy — both foreign origin leaders heading Trump’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) — reignited the debate on H-1B visas, while reflecting a divide over immigration policy as Trump prepares to assume office.

The debate over H1B visas and immigration policy has intensified following Trump’s announcement of Sriram Krishnan as the White House policy adviser on artificial intelligence. Krishnan has previously supported removing per-country caps for green cards, a stance that has sparked mixed reactions.

While some Trump supporters back this approach, citing its potential to fill critical gaps in the tech workforce, others see it as conflicting with the administration’s broader immigration goals.

The H1B visa debate has exposed deeper divides in US immigration policy, particularly regarding the balance between skilled immigration and domestic workforce development. With Indian workers comprising 72 per cent of H1B recipients in fiscal year 2023, this issue also has implications for US-India relations. (ANI)

Congress General Secretary Jairam Ramesh on Sunday said that his party will start ‘Jai Bapu, Jai Bhim, Jai Samvidhaan’ campaign to demand the resignation of Union Home Minister Amit Shah over his alleged disparaging remarks against Babasaheb Ambedkar.

The campaign was announced after the Congress Working Committee (CWC) meeting on December 26. But the campaign is extended due to Congress’ 7-day mourning for former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.

“The campaign that was announced in Belagavi has been put on hold till 3rd January to observe a 7-day mourning for Dr Manmohan Singh… After the 3rd, we will hold rallies for the ‘Jai Bapu, Jai Bhim, Jai Samvidhaan’ campaign,” Ramesh told ANI.

“On 26 January, there will be a big rally at the birthplace of Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar… From January 25, 2025, to January 25, 2026, we will take out the ‘Samvidhaan Bachao Rashtriya Padyatra’ across the country… Our only demand is that the Home Minister apologise and resign,” he added.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah had said in the Rajya Sabha, “If they (the Opposition) had taken the name of God as many times as they take Ambedkar’s name, they would have secured heaven for seven lives.”

Following Shah’s remarks, the Opposition accused him of having insulted Ambedkar and demanded his resignation. Hitting back, the BJP accused the Opposition of misleading the country for political expediency.

Jairam Ramesh also attacked the BJP, saying that “those who are in power today should see Dr Manmohan Singh’s personality.”

“Those who are in power today, who have been singing Dr Manmohan’s praises and remembering his contributions for the last two days, should see Dr Manmohan Singh’s personality,” he said.

“His 4-minute speech on demonetization shook the government… He did not say much when he was in opposition but when he spoke, everyone listened… It is said about Lala Bahadur Shastri that he was a man without enemies, I can say the same about Dr Manmohan Singh,” he added.

He further said that the BJP criticised Manmohan Singh till date.

“The BJP criticises Dr Manmohan Singh till date. When he was the Finance Minister, he made an immense contribution to the country. India’s strong position at an international level is because of him… He was the epitome of humility, peace, ability and gentleness. He improved the country and gave us all new hope,” he said.

Manmohan Singh was accorded a state funeral with military honours at the Nigambodh Ghat, a public cremation ground in north Delhi, on Saturday.

Manmohan Singh passed away at AIIMS, Delhi, on Thursday night at the age of 92 due to age-related medical conditions. He had a sudden loss of consciousness at home after which he was rushed to the hospital. (ANI)

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday expressed pride in Tamil being the oldest language in the world. He noted the increasing global interest in learning Tamil, citing the recent launch of a Tamil Teaching Programme in Fiji with the support of the Indian government.

PM Modi further praised the Indian Embassy in Paraguay for promoting Ayurveda, with local residents seeking traditional health consultations.

The remarks by PM Modi came while addressing the 117th episode of Mann Ki Baat.

He said, “It is a matter of great pride for us that Tamil is the oldest language in the world and every Indian is proud of it. The number of people learning it is constantly rising in countries around the world. At the end of last month, a Tamil Teaching Programme was started in Fiji with the support of the Government of India. This is the first time in the last 80 years that trained Tamil teachers are teaching the language in Fiji.”

PM Modi added, “There is a country in South America called Paraguay. The number of Indians living there would not be more than one thousand. A wonderful effort is being done in Paraguay. At the Indian Embassy in Paraguay, Erica Huber offers Ayurveda Consultation. A large number of local people are reaching out to her to get Ayurved-based advice.”

PM Modi also lauded the participation of 23,000 Egyptian students in a painting competition showcasing Indian culture and historical ties.

“The radiance of Indian culture is spreading to every nook & corner of the world. Today I will tell you about such efforts from three continents, which are witness to the global reach of our cultural heritage. Just a few weeks ago, around 23,000 students from Egypt participated in a painting competition that depicted Indian culture and the historical relations between the two countries,” PM Modi said.

Mann Ki Baat is Prime Minister Modi’s monthly radio programme, where he discusses important national issues with the citizens of India. The programme is broadcast on the last Sunday of every month. Launched on October 3, 2014, Mann Ki Baat aims to connect with various segments of Indian society, encompassing women, the elderly, and the youth.

Apart from 22 Indian languages and 29 dialects, ‘Mann Ki Baat’ is broadcast in 11 foreign languages, including French, Chinese, Indonesian, Tibetan, Burmese, Baluchi, Arabic, Pashtu, Persian, Dari, and Swahili. Mann Ki Baat is broadcast by more than 500 centers of All India Radio. (ANI)

Aam Aadmi Party MP Sanjay Singh lashed out at the Bharatiya Janata Party alleging that the ruling party is working to “stop” all schemes of the Delhi government.

Citing various examples, Singh alleged that the BJP’s aim is to oppose every work that is done by AAP and party supremo Arvind Kejriwal. He alleged that BJP halted the Mohalla clinic scheme, and the scheme of making electricity, water and bus travel for women free.

Attacking the BJP further, the Rajya Sabha MP affirmed that AAP would not let the BJP “succeed” in their plans.

Speaking to ANI, Sanjay Singh said, “BJP’s aim is to stop all schemes in Delhi. When Arvind Kejriwal was making bus travel free for women, they opposed that too. They also opposed making electricity and water free. BJP’s aim is to oppose every work. Schools, hospitals and mohalla clinics could not be built here, but Kejriwal ji fought and got all the work done. We will not let the BJP succeed in their plans. BJP is losing the elections badly.”

Earlier today, AAP spokesperson Priyanka Kakkar criticized the BJP for its stance on Delhi’s welfare programs. Kakkar also questioned the BJP for not acting against Parvesh Verma who she alleged was openly distributing money.

Speaking to ANI, AAP spokesperson, Priyanka Kakkar said, “BJP will end free bus rides for women, free electricity, and free water in Delhi if elected to power, whereas Arvind Kejriwal has provided all these services before and he will do this again. He will also give Rs 2100 to women every month. Why is the BJP not against Parvesh Verma openly distributing money?”

On Saturday, Delhi Lieutenant Governor Vinai Kumar Saxena initiated an inquiry into the allegation that “non-government” people are collecting personal details of residents of Delhi in the name of registration for AAP’s proposed welfare scheme ‘Mahila Samman Yojana’.

The letter further stated that the Commissioner of Police may direct the field officers to take action as per law against the person who is breaching the privacy of citizens by collecting their personal data in the name of registration for AAP’s poll promise of giving Rs 2,100 to women.

The directive was issued by the Delhi LG after receiving complaints from the Congress’ New Delhi assembly constituency candidate Sandeep Dikshit, following the Delhi Women and Child Development (WCD) department public notice that Mahila Samman Yojana had not been notified by the government and “no such scheme is in existence.”

The Mahila Samman Yojana is aimed at providing women residing in Delhi with Rs 2,100 per month.

Assembly polls in Delhi are expected to be held in early 2025. In the 2020 elections, AAP won 62 of the 70 seats, while the BJP secured eight. (ANI)

Bollywood star Akshay Kumar penned a heartfelt birthday wish for his wife Twinkle Khanna. He shared an adorable video of Twinkle in which she was seen dancing joyfully, giving a glimpse of the different sides of her personality.

The ‘Housefull’ actor wished his wife, author, Twinkle Khanna in a unique way on her 51st birthday. Taking to Instagram, Akshay Kumar posted an edited clip of Twinkle Khanna which showcased the two sides of her personality.

The video started with the words, “What everyone thinks my wife is like…”. It is followed by the actress sitting on a chair at home enjoying the sun with a book. A lit candle and her beverage among other things were kept on the table in front of her.

The video then had the words “But what she’s really like” which was followed by Twinkle dancing her heart out in green pants and a black shirt.

Penning a heartfelt birthday note, Akshay Kumar wrote, “Happy Birthday, Tina.You’re not just a sport; you’re the whole game. I’ve learned so much from you–how to laugh until my stomach hurts (and you’re almost always the reason for it), how to sing my heart out when a favorite song plays on the radio, and how to dance just because I feel like. Tere varga sach mein hor koi na.”

https://www.instagram.com/p/DEJhoNDN1cD

The fans and followers of the actress flocked to the comment section to extend their birthday wishes.

It also included several celebrities including Diana Penty, Nargis Fakhri and Arjun Kapoor.

“Happy Happy” wrote Diana Penty.

Nargis expressed her reaction with a laughing and fire emoji.

“Tina Ka Tandav” wrote Arjun Kapoor.

Akshay and Twinkle tied the knot on January 17, 2001. They are proud parents of a son named Aarav and a daughter named Nitara, who was born in 2012.

Twinkle quit acting in 2001 after starring in a string of films. She ventured into writing in 2015 and released her first book titled ‘Mrs Funnybones’. She followed it up with an anthology of stories titled ‘The Legend Of Lakshmi Prasad’ in 2017 and ‘Pyjamas Are Forgiving’, which came out in 2018. In 2023, she came up with ‘Welcome to Paradise’ book.

She was chosen as the winner in the Popular Fiction category of Crossword Book Award 2024 recently.

Akshay congratulated Twinkle in a hilarious way. He pulled her leg while appreciating and congratulating on winning the Crossword Popular Choice Award.

“My trophy wife literally. But she earns her own accolades. So proud of my Crossword Popular Choice Award winner,” he captioned his Instagram story.

Twinkle took to Instagram and posted a video of her receiving the award.

She captioned the post, “Last night, Welcome to Paradise won the Crossword Book Award 2024 in the Popular Fiction category and I decided to celebrate. Among the goodies in one of the hampers was a chocolate cake. I sliced a piece, left it on the coffee table, and when I came back–Mr Jeeves, had consumed it. This led to a midnight dash to the vet to get my ‘celebration’ pumped out of his stomach.”

“These things only happen to me, which is why I’ll never run out of stories. Mr Jeeves is a little tired but fine, and so am I. A big shout out to my friend and editor, @chikisarkar We fight over every story but, dare I say, produce some winners. PS Since Freddie Mercury and his music play a prominent role in Welcome to Paradise, I thought this was the perfect song,” concluded her note. (ANI)

The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) is set to launch its year-end mission, “Space Docking Experiment” (SpaDeX), on Monday at 9:58 pm from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre (SDSC) SHAR in Sriharikota. The mission will use PSLV-C60.

As per the ISRO, the primary objective of the SpaDeX mission is to develop and demonstrate the technology needed for rendezvous, docking, and undocking of two small spacecraft (SDX01, which is the Chaser, and SDX02, the Target, nominally) in a low-Earth circular orbit.

“In addition, SpaDeX, because of its small size and mass, is even more challenging due to the finer precision required for the rendezvous and docking maneuvers compared to docking two large spacecraft. This mission will be a forerunner for autonomous docking needed for future lunar missions like Chandrayaan-4 without the support of GNSS from Earth,” ISRO said in a statement.

Like all ISRO satellites in low-Earth orbit, both the SpaDeX spacecraft carry a differential GNSS-based Satellite Positioning System (SPS), which provides PNT (Position, Navigation, and Timing) solutions for the satellites.

“In SpaDeX, a novel RODP processor is included in the SPS receiver, which allows accurate determination of the relative position and velocity of the Chaser and the Target. By subtracting the carrier phase measurements from the same GNSS satellites in both Chaser and Target SPS receivers, highly accurate relative states of the two satellites are determined. The VHF/UHF transceivers in both satellites aid this process by transferring the GNSS satellite measurements from one satellite to the other. Hardware and software test beds, including closed-loop verifications, were carried out to characterise the RODP performance,” the statement said.

The SpaDeX spacecraft were designed and realized by the UR Rao Satellite Centre (URSC) with the support of other ISRO centers (VSSC, LPSC, SAC, IISU, and LEOS). The spacecraft, in its orbital phase, will be controlled from ISTRAC using ISRO ground stations and other externally hired ground stations.

“The full integration and testing of the satellite were carried out at M/s Ananth Technologies, Bangalore, under the supervision of URSC. Presently, after completing all tests and clearances, the spacecraft has moved from URSC to SDSC and is undergoing preparations for launch,” the statement said. (ANI)

Amid the success of Pushpa 2: The Rule, the makers unveiled the track Dum Hai To Rok Ke Bata from the film on Saturday.

Allu Arjun’s captivating moves and Fahadh Faasil’s commanding presence in the song have grabbed the attention of netizens.The track features vocals by Javed Ali, Keerthi Sagathia, and Pooja AV, with lyrics penned by Irshad Kamil.

According to Mythri Movie Makers, the official production house of Pushpa 2: The Rule, the film has surpassed the Rs 1,500 crore mark in worldwide box office collections.

On the massive success of Pushpa 2: The Rule, Allu Arjun expressed his heartfelt gratitude to fans at the “Thank You India” press meet. He said, “I have to say something about the box office number. The number you see is a reflection of the people’s love. The numbers are temporary, but the love that is etched in your hearts will remain forever. Thank you for that love.”

Directed by Sukumar and produced by Mythri Movie Makers and Muttamsetty Media, the film stars Allu Arjun, Rashmika Mandanna, and Fahadh Faasil, reprising their roles as Pushpa Raj, Srivalli, and Bhanwar Singh Shekhawat.(ANI)

Salman Khan hosted a grand birthday celebration in Jamnagar, where he was joined by family members and close friends, including the Ambanis.

Among the attendees were his mother Salma Khan, brother Sohail Khan, sisters Arpita and Alvira, actor Riteish Deshmukh, and his wife Genelia D’Souza.

Several pictures and videos from the bash surfaced online, showing Salman cutting a huge cake with his niece Ayat. Mukesh Ambani and Nita Ambani were also spotted cheering for Bhaijaan.

Reports suggest that the Ambani family hosted the celebration for Salman.

Meanwhile, Bollywood actress Ananya Panday’s aunt, Deanne Pandey, posted pictures from the venue on Instagram, including an image featuring a large sign that read, “Love (red emoji) you Bhaijaan.”

Bollywood actress Ananya Panday’s aunt Deanne Pandey posted pictures from the venue on her Instagram. One of the images features a big sign reading “Love (red emoji) you Bhaijaan.”

Deanne also posted a photo in which she held a picture frame of Salman and his siblings. Sohail Khan shared a photo on Instagram posing with his nephew Arhaan Khan and son Nirvan Khan.

On his 59th birthday, Salman received several social media wishes.

Ajay Devgn shared a playful picture with Salman, captioning it, “Best birthday wishes from Singham to Chulbul,” referring to their iconic roles in Singham and Dabangg.

Shera, Salman Khan’s long-time bodyguard, posted a photo with the actor on Instagram, expressing his deep respect with the caption, “Mere MAALIK ka birthday hai. Love MAALIK.”

Shilpa Shetty also wished Salman a happy birthday on Instagram, writing, “Happy birthday, Rockstar! I wish you happiness, success, and great health always. Loads of love.”

On the professional front, Salman will headline AR Murugadoss’ upcoming film Sikandar, co-starring Rashmika Mandanna. The film is slated for release on Eid 2025. Earlier this year, Salman shared a glimpse from the sets of Sikandar.

In the image, he is seen smiling in a light blue shirt alongside film producer Sajid Nadiadwala and director Murugadoss, who appear to be sharing a laugh. He captioned the post, “Looking forward to #Eid2025 with team #Sikandar. #SajidNadiadwala’s #SikandarDirected by @a.r.murugadoss. Releasing in cinemas EID 2025.”

In May 2024, the production house officially announced Rashmika Mandanna’s role in the film, posting, “Welcoming the fabulous @rashmika_mandanna to star opposite @beingsalmankhan in #Sikandar! Can’t wait for their on-screen magic to unfold on EID 2025!”

Rashmika shared her excitement on Instagram Stories, writing, “You guys have been asking me for an update for a long time, and here it is. Surprise!! I’m truly grateful and honoured to be a part of Sikandar.”

Apart from Sikandar, Salman is also set to appear in Kick 2 in the coming months. (ANI)