Month: September 2025

Bollywood actor Kareena Kapoor Khan has shared glimpses from her Ganesh Chaturthi festivities, and it seems a complete family affair.

On Sunday, Kareena took to her Instagram stories and shared a bunch of pictures featuring her family members, including mother Babita, sister Karisma Kapoor, her cousins Aadar Jain and Armaan Jain and their wives Alekha Advani and Anissa Malhotra Jain, respectively.

The first picture shows the siblings posing for the camera, all dressed in traditional ensembles.

It was followed by another one which featured Kareena with her mother and sister, alongwith Alekha and Anissa. The family’s Ganpati idol was also captured in the post, placed at a beautifully decorated platform.

Kareena also shared a solo picture of herself, exuding charm as she was dressed in a white dress, pairing it with kohl eyes, minimal jewellery, and a red bindi.

“Bindi and me match made in heaven. Who agrees?” she wrote.

Likewise, Karisma Kapoor also shared pictures from the gathering. For the occasion, she chose a light green suit, looking beautiful and radiant. “Best Girl in the whole world,” Kareena wrote in the comments.

Prior to this, Kareena Kapoor had offered a peek into his kids’ Ganesh Chaturthi celebrations, with a picture of her son Jeh seeking blessings from Ganpati Bappa.

https://www.instagram.com/p/DN2fJdl0CwY

“I remember, as a child, the RK family Ganpati was always special, just like how we celebrated all festivals…Now, my children look forward to it too…Ganpati Bappa Morya! Bless us all with love and peace forever from all of us,” she wrote in the caption.

On the work front, Kareena Kapoor will soon be seen in Meghna Gulzar’s ‘Daayra’ alongside Prithviraj Sukumaran. As described by Meghna, “Daayra is a story that compels you to reflect on the society we live in and its institutions that pilot us.” (ANI)

As opposition parties unite against the BJP over the “vote theft” charge, Trinamool Congress (TMC) leaders Yusuf Pathan and Lalitesh Pati Tripathi are set to join the Rahul Gandhi-led Voter Adhikar Yatra on its concluding day in Patna on Monday.

TMC MP Yusuf Pathan said that instructions were given to him by the West Bengal Chief Minister, Mamata Banerjee and party leader Abhishek Banerjee to join the Voter Adhikar Yatra.

“We are going to as representatives of Trinamool Congress. CM Mamata Banerjee and Abhishek Banerjee are sending us. We will participate in the rally with the members of the INDIA Bloc,” said TMC leader Yusuf Patna

Party leader Tripathi, who is also joining as a representative of the TMC at the rally, said that the case of ‘vote chori’ will be raised in every state.

“We are going there on the directions of CM Mamata Banerjee and Abhishek Banerjee. We will be on the Yatra for the whole day. This is the biggest issue in the country. This case of ‘Vote Chori’ will gradually be caught in every state. It is our responsibility to raise our voice for the Constitution of the country and to save democracy,” Tripathi told reporters.

Multiple other INDIA bloc leaders have attended the yatra across different points. Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav, CPI(ML) General Secretary Dipankar Bhattacharya, Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi, and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin have joined the rally.

Other chief ministers, including Karnataka CM Siddharamaiah, Himachal CM Sukhvinder Sukhu, and Telangana CM Revanth Reddy, participated in the yatra.

The 16 day yatra, taken out by Congress leader Rahul Gandhi to highlight the alleged case of ‘vote chori’ (vote theft) by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), and the alleged irregularities in the voter list by the Election Commission of India (ECI), will conclude in Patna on September 1, Monday from Patna’s Gandhi Maidan to the Bhim Rao Ambedkar Statue in Ambedkar Park.

The rally began on August 18, with Rahul Gandhi and Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader Tejashwi Yadav riding together in Sasaram. From there, the rally spanned across 25 districts, to Aurangabad, Gayaji, Siwan and others.

Congress General Secretary (Organisation) KC Venugopal said that the yatra has been a “ray of hope” against the “blatant destruction of democracy.”

The INDIA bloc leaders visited around 110 assembly constituencies in the poll-bound state, covered over 1,300 kilometres, and saw the presence of multiple leaders. (ANI)

‘Brahmins Profiteering Off Indian People’: White House Trade Adviser Makes A Casteist Jibe To Justify Trump Tariffs

White House Trade Adviser, Peter Navarro, has once again taken a strident position justifying US President Donald Trump’s decision to levy a 50 per cent tariff on imports from India, now making a caste-based remark on the issue and accusing the Brahmins of the country of “profiteering at the expense of the Indian people.”

Referring to India as “nothing but a laundromat for the Kremlin”, Navarro, during an interview with Fox News on Monday, accused New Delhi of enabling trade imbalances and geopolitical alliances that run counter to US interests.

He criticised Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s foreign policy approach while calling him a “great leader”, suggesting that India’s engagement with Russia and China undermines its status as the world’s largest democracy.

“And on top of that, by the way, 25 per cent or 50 per cent is because India is the Maharaja of tariffs. They have the highest tariffs in the world. They won’t let us sell to them, so who gets hurt, workers in America, taxpayers in America… Ukrainians in cities are getting killed by Russian drones,” the White House Trade Adviser said.

“So, you know, look, Modi’s a great leader… But I don’t understand why he’s getting into bed with Putin and Xi Jinping…when he’s the leader of the biggest democracy in the world. I would just simply say to the Indian people. Please, understand what’s going on here. You’ve got Brahmins profiteering at the expense of the Indian people. We need that to stop,” he added.

His remarks followed Prime Minister Modi’s bilateral engagement with Chinese President Xi Jinping on Sunday, on the sidelines of the SCO leaders’ summit, during which both leaders welcomed the positive momentum and steady progress in bilateral relations since their last meeting in Kazan on the sidelines of the BRICS Summit in October 2024.

PM Modi and Xi Jinping, during their bilateral meeting in Tianjin, recognised the role of India and China’s economies in stabilising the global trade, according to a Ministry of External Affairs statement on Sunday.

The statement comes as the world is grappling with US President Donald Trump’s tariffs, which the US Appeals Court has itself ruled as “illegal.”

This is not the first time that Navarro has made such remarks to justify Trump’s tariffs on India.

Earlier on Friday, Navarro accused India of profiting from Russian oil in scalding remarks.

“India’s Big Oil lobby has turned the largest democracy in the world into a massive refining hub and oil money laundromat for the Kremlin. Indian refiners buy cheap Russian oil, process it, and export fuels to Europe, Africa, and Asia – shielded from sanctions under the pretence of neutrality,” he said in a series of posts on X. (ANI)

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping shared light moments ahead of the SCO Summit’s plenary session.

The leaders were seen holding discussions and having a conversation in a pull aside.

President Putin and Prime Minister Modi greeted each other with a warm hug, after which they walked towards the stage for a family photo of the SCO members.

The interaction between PM Modi and President Putin came ahead of their bilateral meeting which is scheduled to take place after the plenary session.

“Prime Minister will be addressing the plenary session of the Summit, where he will outline India’s approach to fostering regional cooperation under the SCO umbrella. After this engagement, he is scheduled to have a bilateral meeting with President Vladimir Putin of Russia, following which he will depart for India,” Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri said on Sunday.

PM Modi held bilateral talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping on the sidelines of the SCO leaders’ summit, during which both leaders welcomed the positive momentum and steady progress in bilateral relations since their last meeting in Kazan on the sidelines of the BRICS Summit in October 2024.

Both reaffirmed that the two countries were development partners and not rivals and that their differences should not turn into disputes and called for a stable relationship and cooperation between India and China based on mutual respect, mutual interest and mutual sensitivity, necessary for the growth and development of the two countries, as well as for a multipolar world and a multipolar Asia befitting the trends of the 21st century.

The Prime Minister also underlined the importance of peace and tranquility in the border areas for the continued development of bilateral relations.

The SCO comprises 10 members. In addition to India, they include Belarus, China, Iran, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Russia, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan. There are also several dialogue partners and observers. India has been a member of the SCO since 2017, having been an observer since 2005.

During its membership period, India has held the chair of the SCO Council of Heads of Government in 2020 and of the SCO Council of Heads of State from 2022 to 2023. (ANI)

Congress MP Randeep Surjewala on Monday criticised the BJP government in Haryana, led by Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini, for failing to take adequate measures to prevent flooding, including proper drainage and flood management systems.

In an ‘X’ post, Surjewala said that the Saini government is busy “cracking jokes”; meanwhile, 3 lakh acre crops in the state have been destroyed. He alleged that six people have lost their lives in floods, whereas the Ghaggar and Yamuna rivers have caused heavy losses in the state.

“Rivers in Haryana are overflowing, fields submerged in water, Nayab Saini government absent, ‘busy’ cracking jokes! 3,00,000 (3 lakh acres) of crops destroyed! 6 people lost their lives, thousands of cattle swept away! From Ghaggar to Yamuna, everything in flood, heavy losses!,” the ‘X’ post read.

The lack of preparedness and response has exacerbated the situation, leaving many people stranded and without access to necessities.

The Congress leader further criticised the state government, alleging that there were no arrangements for water drainage and no efforts to clear the silt in emergency drains.

Surjewala further accused the Centre of abandoning Haryana and Punjab, leaving them to fend for themselves during this crisis.

“The BJP government has left Haryana, like Punjab, to fend for itself. Neither were drains cleaned, nor were flood management arrangements made. Even now, no arrangements for water drainage, no efforts to clear silt from safety or emergency drains, no relief, no compensation. The Modi government has completely washed its hands of Haryana and Punjab, leaving them to their fate. Will Nayab Saini now step out of jokes and laughter to take care of the state?,” the ‘X’ post said.

Earlier on Sunday, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) issued a nowcast alert for Haryana and Punjab, forecasting thunderstorms, lightning, and rain in several districts.

According to the IMD, thunderstorms accompanied by lightning and heavy rainfall are expected in areas including Gharaunda, Karnal, Thanesar, Safidon, Panipat, Asandh, Kaithal, Nilokheri, Narwana, Kalayat, Panchkula, Guhla, Pehowa, Shahabad, Ambala, Chandigarh, and Kalka. Wind speeds are likely to reach 30-40 kmph.

Meanwhile, other than Haryana, floods and landslides have caused damage in several other parts of north India, including Himachal Pradesh and Jammu and Kashmir.

The death toll in Himachal Pradesh has reached 320 due to floods, whereas in a recent incident of a landslide in Jammu and Kashmir, more than 30 people lost their lives near the Vaishno Devi shrine. (ANI)