Author: Vividh Bharathi

Soha shares glimpse of ‘weekend we all wanted’ with Sharmila, Kareena, Saif

Mumbai, Dec 11 (IANS) Actress Soha Ali Khan had spent a memorable weekend with her family including mother Sharmila Tagore, husband Kunal Kemmu, brother Saif Ali Khan and sister-in-law Kareena Kapoor Khan along with kids.

Soha took to Instagram, where she shared a video of how “the weekend” she wanted, where Sharmila is seen playing with grandchildren Inaaya, Taimur and Jeh. Some moments also featured in the clip include Kunal jumping into the pool, a chat session and a peek into what their fun dinner table conversations are like.

“The weekend we all wanted,” Soha captioned the post, which had the track “Kitni Haseen Zindagi” by singer Lucky Ali in the backdrop.

Soha and Kunal got engaged in July 2024 and in 2015 the duo tied the knot. In the year 2017, they became parents of their adorable daughter Inaaya Naumi Kemmu Khan.

On the work front, Soha will feature in horror-thriller ‘Chhorii 2’ which is a sequel to Nushratt Bharuccha-starrer 2021 film ‘Chhorii’. It is a remake of a Marathi film titled Lapachhapi.

Recently, Kareena shared a glimpse from their weekend getaway featuring her favourite couple Soha and Kunal.

Kareena took to her Instagram, where she shared a picture of Soha and Kunal sitting. In the image, Soha is seen reading a book, while her husband Kunal is listening to her with full attention.

The Bollywood diva captioned the image: “Favourite couple Kunal Kemmu and Soha Ali Khan.”

On December 8, Kareena celebrated the birthday of her mother-in-law and veteran star Sharmila Tagore.

The actress took to Instagram to wish her mother-in-law on her birthday. She shared a picture of herself with the veteran actress. In the picture, both of them can be seen in comfortable clothing.

“Who’s the coolest Gangsta ever? Do i need to say? Happy birthday to my mother-in-law. Just the Best,” she wrote as the caption.

–IANS

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Ranveer Singh recalls the time when his ‘dreams became a reality’

Mumbai, Dec 11 (IANS) As his debut film “Band Baaja Baaraat” clocks 14 years since its release, Bollywood star and new dad Ranveer Singh reminisced about the time when his “dreams became a reality.”

Ranveer took to his Instagram stories, where he shared several highlights from the film, which was released in 2010.

“14 years since Band Baaja Baaraat… When my dreams became a reality #blessings #gratitude,” he wrote as the caption for the film, where he featured alongside actress Anushka Sharma.

“Band Baaja Baaraat”, a romantic comedy film was directed by Maneesh Sharma. In the film, Anushka’s Shruti Kakkar and Ranveer’sBittoo Sharma team up to create a wedding planning business. A Tamil remake titled Aaha Kalyanam starring Nani and Vaani Kapoor in the lead roles was released in 2014.

One of the highest-paid Indian actors, Ranveer after his debut, was then seen in “Ladies Vs Ricky Behl”. He gained praise for playing a melancholic thief in the drama Lootera.

However, it was in 2013, when he established himself as a star through his collaborations with Sanjay Leela Bhansali, beginning with Goliyon Ki Raasleela Ram-Leela, Bajirao I and Alauddin Khilji in Bhansali’s period dramas Bajirao Mastani (2015) and Padmaavat (2018), respectively.

He was then seen in films such as “Simmba”, “Gully Boy”, “83” and “Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani”.

Ranveer, who is married to Bollywood star Deepika Padukone, is all set to be seen in filmmaker Aditya Dhar’s espionage thriller. The actor will reportedly play an R&AW agent in the yet-untitled movie.

It was in July, when the project was announced. Ranveer had shared a post on Instagram at that time and captioned it: “This one is for my fans, who have been so patient with me, and been clamouring for a turn like this. I love you all, and I promise you, this time, a cinematic experience like never before. With your blessings, we embark on this great, big motion picture adventure with spirited energy and pure intent. This time, it’s personal.”

The film is produced by Jyoti Deshpande from Jio Studios along with Aditya Dhar and Lokesh Dhar under their banner B62 Studios. This follows their recent super hit collaboration “Article 370”.

The movie features a star-studded cast, including Sanjay Dutt, R. Madhavan, Akshaye Khanna, and Arjun Rampal.

Ranveer’s latest release is “Singham Again” by Rohit Shetty. The film also stars Kareena Kapoor Khan, Ajay Devgn, Akshay Kumar, Deepika Padukone, Tiger Shroff, Jackie Shroff and Arjun Kapoor, who played a negative character in the blockbuster.

–IANS

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High alert sounded in TN’s in Valparai as elephant rampage continues

Chennai, Dec 11 (IANS) The Tamil Nadu Forest Department has issued a public advisory urging residents near the forest in Valparai, Coimbatore district, to avoid venturing out at night due to the increasing threat posed by wild elephants straying into human habitats.

Forest officials are patrolling the area after three elephants, separated from a 17-member herd, raided human settlements in Valparai on Monday, injuring several people.

Four individuals sustained fractures to their hands and legs in the attacks and have been admitted to a government hospital.

This incident follows the death of 18-year-old S. Mukesh a few months ago. Mukesh, a resident of Puthukad near Valparai, was fatally attacked by a wild elephant while travelling on a two-wheeler through an estate road on his way to the Sholayar Dam.

Despite being rushed to the Valparai General Hospital, he was declared dead on arrival. The death Mukesh came just days after a tribal man, Ravi, was trampled to death by a wild elephant at the Anamalai Tiger Reserve (ATR), near Valparai.

Over the past year, there have been several incidents of wild elephants damaging property, including houses and shops, in the Valparai region.

Forest officials attribute these attacks to habitat degradation caused by invasive plant species, the destruction of swamps, and land-use changes, which have led to increased human-wildlife conflict.

As the annual migration season of elephants approaches its peak in the Valparai plateau, the Tamil Nadu Forest Department, in collaboration with non-governmental organisations and local residents, is working to facilitate the free movement of elephants.

However, officials have warned that elephants that stray from their herds often turn aggressive, posing significant risks to human life and property.

Currently, nearly 100 elephants are moving through plantation areas on the plateau, which include tea, coffee, and cardamom estates, as well as swamps, abandoned fields, eucalyptus patches, and forest fragments within estates.

This number is expected to rise as migration peaks between January and February. Valparai residents and estate workers, accustomed to the annual migration of elephants from Kerala, have learned strategies to minimise negative interactions with the animals.

The migration, which begins in September, sees elephants navigating the mosaic landscape of Valparai’s estates and fragmented forests until it ends in March.

Forest officials note that factors such as rainfall, availability of grass, and human behaviour influence elephant migration patterns.

Manoharan, a Valparai resident, acknowledged the Forest Department’s efforts to raise awareness about reducing conflicts with wild elephants, emphasising the importance of coexistence during the migration period.

–IANS

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Delhi liquor policy scam: SC to hear today Sisodia’s plea to relax bail condition

New Delhi, Dec 11 (IANS) The Supreme Court is slated to hear on Wednesday a plea filed by senior Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader and former Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia seeking relaxation of the bail condition requiring him to report to the Investigating Officer semi-weekly.

As per the causelist published on the website of the apex court, a bench headed by Justice B.R. Gavai will take up Sisodia’s application for hearing on December 11.

Earlier on Monday, the Bench, also comprising Justice K.V. Viswanathan, agreed to list the plea moved by Sisodia after senior advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi mentioned it.

“Day after tomorrow,” it had told Singhvi, who sought an urgent hearing on Sisodia’s plea seeking relaxation of the bail condition requiring him to report to the Investigating Officer every Monday and Thursday.

In August this year, the Supreme Court granted bail to the senior AAP leader, saying that he cannot be kept behind bars for an unlimited period of time in the hope of a speedy completion of trial in the alleged excise policy case.

Pronouncing the verdict on Sisodia’s bail pleas, a Bench presided over by Justice Gavai had said: “In the present case, in ED as well as CBI matter, 493 witnesses have been named and the case involves thousands of pages of documents and over lakh pages of digitised documents.”

“It is thus clear that there is not even a remotest possibility of the trial being concluded in the near future. In our view, keeping the appellant behind bars for an unlimited period of time in the hope of speedy completion of the trial would deprive him of the Fundamental Right of Liberty given under Article 21 of the Constitution.”

The Bench, also comprising Justice Viswanathan, held that on account of a long period of incarceration running for around 17 months and the trial not having commenced, Sisodia had been deprived of his right to a speedy trial.

Rejecting the contention that Sisodia, if granted bail, may tamper with the evidence, the Supreme Court had said that the prosecution case majorly stems from documentary evidence, which has already been seized by the CBI and the ED.

The SC refused to accept central agencies’ submission that Sisodia should not be allowed to visit the Delhi Chief Minister’s Office or Delhi Secretariat.

“The appellant (Sisodia) shall surrender his passport with the Special Court. The appellant shall report to the Investigating Officer every Monday and Thursday between 10-11 a.m. and the appellant shall not make any attempt either to influence the witnesses or to tamper with the evidence,” it said.

In an earlier judgment delivered on October 30 last year, the top court had denied bail to the former Deputy Chief Minister but said that if the trial proceeds slowly in the next three months, he may apply for bail afresh.

Recently, the Delhi High Court issued notice on Sisodia’s plea against the trial court’s decision to take cognisance of the prosecution complaint filed by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in the alleged liquor policy scam case.

In his petition filed before the Delhi HC, Sisodia contended that the trial court took cognisance of the alleged offences under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) without any prior sanction having been obtained by the ED for prosecution.

The plea added that the trial court should have not taken cognisance of the ED’s prosecution complaint without sanction since he held a public office at the time of the commission of the alleged money laundering offence.

The matter is slated to be heard next on December 20, along with a similar petition filed by AAP supremo and former Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal seeking a stay of trial proceedings on the grounds of lack of sanction.

–IANS

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European countries halt asylum process for Syrians after fall of al-Assad govt

Prague, Dec 11 (IANS) Several European countries have announced the suspension of asylum processes for Syrian nationals in light of the political developments in Syria following the collapse of the Bashar al-Assad government.

The Dutch government has imposed a six-month freeze on decisions regarding asylum applications from Syrians, the country’s Asylum and Migration Minister Marjolein Faber stated in a letter to the House of Representatives on Monday, Xinhua news agency reported.

Faber explained that the uncertainty surrounding the situation in Syria after the fall of the al-Assad regime made it difficult to evaluate asylum applications accurately.

In Belgium, the Office of the Commissioner General for Refugees and Stateless Persons has also temporarily suspended the processing of asylum applications from Syrian citizens. Scheduled personal interviews will be canceled, and ongoing reviews of applications are on hold. According to the office, this suspension aims to allow a more precise evaluation of the risks faced by applicants in the event of their return to Syria.

Austrian Chancellor Karl Nehammer instructed the country’s Interior Ministry on Monday to halt all ongoing Syrian asylum applications and review previously granted asylum cases. Family reunifications for Syrians in Austria have also been suspended, according to Austrian broadcaster ORF. Interior Minister Gerhard Karner announced plans to prepare a repatriation and deportation program for Syrians.

In the Czech Republic, Interior Minister Vit Rakusan told the Czech News Agency that the country had ceased processing asylum applications from Syrians as of Sunday due to the evolving situation.

“This is a common procedure in situations where there are significant changes in the situation in the country,” Rakusan explained.

Malta has similarly paused the examination and processing of both new and existing asylum applications from Syrian nationals, while countries such as France and Greece are reportedly considering similar measures.

France’s Office for the Protection of Refugees and Stateless Persons (Ofpra) said on Monday that it is closely monitoring the developments in Syria. “In cases where the situation in an asylum seeker’s country of origin changes, this may lead to a temporary suspension of decisions on asylum applications from Syrian nationals, depending on the specific circumstances,” Ofpra stated.

In 2023, 4,465 asylum applications were submitted to Ofpra by Syrian nationals, with around 2,500 more submitted in 2024 so far.

In Greece, sources at the Migration and Asylum Ministry revealed that decisions on asylum applications from Syrian nationals are expected to be temporarily suspended. The decision, which could impact approximately 9,500 applicants, is set to be finalised later this week.

According to a recent report by the European Union Agency for Asylum (EUAA), asylum authorities in the 27 EU member states, along with Norway and Switzerland, received 84,000 asylum applications in September 2024, of which 14,000 were submitted by Syrians.

–IANS

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Biden kept updated on Syria, Sullivan to travel to Israel: White House

Washington, Dec 11 (IANS) US President Joe Biden has been kept up-to-date about the situation in Syria, and his national security advisor, Jake Sullivan, is traveling to Israel on Wednesday with Syria on top of the agenda, an administration spokesperson said.

“The president is staying fully briefed by his national security team” on the development in Syria, National Security Council Coordinator for Strategic Communications John Kirby said during a gaggle with members of the press. “And that will remain the case going forward,” he added.

Biden spoke with Jordanian King Abdullah II on Monday, during which the president “emphasised his full support for a Syrian-led transition process under the auspices of the United Nations as outlined in UN Security Council Resolution 2254,” Xinhua news agency reported quoting a readout of the call provided by the White House.

“I think it’s safe to say that he will stay in contact with our counterparts in the region, and he has directed the national security team to do the same,” Kirby said of Biden.

Additionally, Kirby said Sullivan will be traveling to Israel on Wednesday. “Certainly, there will be a lot on the agenda,” he said of Sullivan’s trip, “but Syria will no doubt be at the top of that list.”

–IANS

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Zambia’s top court bars ex-leader from contesting future elections

Lusaka, Dec 11 (IANS) Zambia’s Constitutional Court has ruled that former President Edgar Lungu is barred from contesting the 2026 general elections and any future elections, as he has already served the constitutionally mandated two terms in office.

The court determined Monday that Lungu is not eligible to run again, having been elected twice — first from 2015 to 2016 and again from 2016 to 2021. In a landmark judgment delivered by six judges, the court dismissed Lungu’s argument that his first term should not count as a full term since he had completed the remainder of the term left by his late predecessor Michael Sata, Xinhua news agency reported.

Justice Arnold Shilimi, deputy president of the Constitutional Court, who read the judgment, clarified that the combined interpretation of the constitution clearly defined Lungu’s term in office from Jan. 25, 2015, to September 13, 2016, as a full term.

However, the court also ruled that Lungu was eligible to contest the 2021 elections.

In response to the ruling, Lungu posted a statement on his Facebook page, describing the verdict as expected and accusing it of political manipulation. “For months, the hands of political manipulation have, with undeniable force, steered us toward a conclusion foreseen not by the merits of reasoned argument or constitutional fidelity but by the weight of orchestrated design and political machinations,” he said.

While he acknowledged the verdict, Lungu expressed his resignation to the outcome, saying he had put plan B in motion which shall legally fight to win for Zambians.

This judgment effectively blocks Lungu’s attempt at a political comeback, after his defeat in the 2021 elections to incumbent Hakainde Hichilema. Lungu had previously insisted that the Constitutional Court had already resolved his eligibility for the 2021 polls, which were the subject of the case brought before the court by a young activist seeking clarity on Lungu’s future eligibility.

–IANS

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French forces begin withdrawal from Chad

Yaounde, Dec 11 (IANS) France started the withdrawal of its troops from Chad, with some fighter jets taking off from a French base in the Chadian capital of N’Djamena, according to the Chadian army.

In a brief statement, Chanane Issakha Acheikh, Chadian army spokesperson, said on Tuesday that the public would be informed of each stage of the withdrawal until the final departure of all French forces, Xinhua news agency reported.

Last month, Chad announced that it had ended a security and defence cooperation agreement with France, stressing that it was time for Chad to assert its full sovereignty and redefine its strategic partners according to national priorities.

–IANS

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Three arrested in connection with The Hague explosion

The Hague, Dec 11 (IANS) Dutch police announced the arrest of three suspects in connection with Saturday’s devastating explosion in The Hague that claimed six lives.

The arrests took place on Monday night, with several vehicles seized during the operation, police said on Tuesday, Xinhua news agency reported.

Investigators are working to determine whether one of the seized cars matches the description of a vehicle reportedly seen speeding away from the explosion site on Tarwekamp Street in the northeastern Mariahoeve district. A burnt-out car discovered near the scene has intensified suspicions.

Authorities are continuing their investigation into the cause of the explosion, which has been classified as a criminal case. Police said that their probe remains active, and additional arrests have not been ruled out.

Dutch emergency services concluded their search for victims late Monday. The explosion, which occurred on Saturday morning, caused the partial collapse of an apartment building, resulting in six deaths and four injuries.

–IANS

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India evacuates 75 nationals from Syria after rebel forces overthrow Assad regime

New Delhi, Dec 11 (IANS) India evacuated 75 of its nationals from Syria on Tuesday, two days after rebel forces overthrew President Bashar al-Assad’s authoritarian government, said the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on Wednesday.

The evacuation was carried out amid a rapidly deteriorating security situation in the country following the collapse of the Assad regime. The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) confirmed the successful operation, stating that the evacuees had safely crossed over to Lebanon and would soon return to India via commercial flights.

“The evacuees included 44 ‘zaireen’ from Jammu & Kashmir who were stranded at Saida Zainab. All Indian nationals have safely crossed over to Lebanon and will return by available commercial flights to India,” the MEA said in an official statement.

India’s embassies in Damascus and Beirut coordinated the operation, prioritizing the safety of its citizens in the conflict-ridden nation. “The Government of India accords the highest priority to the safety and security of Indian nationals abroad,” the statement added.

The MEA also urged Indian nationals still in Syria to stay connected with the Embassy in Damascus for updates. They were advised to reach out via the emergency helpline number (+963 993385973) or email (hoc.damascus@mea.gov.in).

The situation in Syria escalated rapidly after rebel group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) seized control of Damascus, marking the end of Bashar al-Assad’s nearly 14-year rule and the Assad family’s five-decade dominance. Assad fled the country and reportedly sought asylum in Russia.

In response to the developments, the MEA earlier called for a peaceful and inclusive political transition in Syria. “India will continue to monitor the situation closely and advocate for a resolution led by the Syrian people,” it said.

–IANS

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