India's Sini Shetty Out Of Miss World 2024 Race

India's Sini Shetty is out of the Miss World 2024 race. At the grand finale of the 71st edition of the pageant, being held in India after 28 years, Ms Shetty was bested by Miss Lebanon who made it to the top 4.

Ms Shetty, a 22-year-old trained Bharatanatyam dancer born and raised in Mumbai, was crowned Miss India World in 2022.

A 12-member jury consisting of Miss World 2017 winner Manushi Chhillar, actors Kriti Sanon, Pooja Hegde, Julia Morley, chairperson and CEO of the Miss World Organisation, film producer Sajid Nadiadwala, former cricketer Harbhajan Singh, and news personality Rajat Sharma presided over the Miss World 2024 pageant.

Representatives from 112 countries participated in the event being held at the Jio World Convention Centre in Mumbai's BKC. It was hosted by Karan Johar and Megan Young, the winner of the Miss World 2013 pageant.

Manushi Chhillar is the most recent Indian to win the pageant. Earlier, Reita Faria Powell, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, Diana Hayden, Yukta Mookhey, and Priyanka Chopra Jonas had won the competition.

India last hosted the event in 1996 which saw Irene Skliva of Greece win the coveted title.

(This story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)

from NDTV News- Special https://ift.tt/7E6IZ9b
via IFTTT

"I Have Lovely Memories With Her": Vindu Dara Singh On Ex-Wife Farah

Actor Vindu Dara Singh recently opened up about his divorce from Naseeb Apna Apna actress Farah Naaz. In conversation with Siddharth Kannan, the star revealed that his father, the late actor Dara Singh, advised him to think before marrying a girl from a different religion. Recalling that his father has always given him the right advice, Vindu said, “Always…Jo bhi vo kehte the sahi hota tha. [Whatever he used to say was always right]. I remember I was in love with Farah, and we were going to get married and Dad said, ‘Vindu sochle acchi tarah. Love tak to thik hai, par shaadi jab hoti hai…When it's different religions—Hindu and Muslim—jab shadi hoti hai it's a little hard. [Vindu think once because love is fine but when the marriage takes place between two religions, Hindu and Muslim, it gets a little hard].' I said, ‘Ni dad kuch hard nahi hai [No, dad nothing is hard] because we were both in love and we didn't care much about religion.'”

Vindu Dara Singh added, “But aagey chalke [moving forward] you realise that what dad has said was right. When religion comes into the picture things change, equations change. Tabhi hum bolte hain Hindu aur Muslim mein shadi karna theek nahi hai. Agar agey chalkr koi ek bhi zada religious hogaya to dusre ko problem ajati hai because they were born in that religion. [That is why we say, it is not right for Hindus and Muslims to get married. If moving forward one becomes more religious it is hard for the other one].”

Vindu Dara Singh added that his marriage had both pros and cons. The actor said, “Vo dad ki baat mujhe aaj bhi strike hoti hai. [I still remember my father's words]. But I have a beautiful, fantastic son from that marriage [Fateh Randhawa] and I have very lovely memories with her [Farah Naaz], which I cherish. We are friends. And I have the best son, I couldn't get anything better than that. Fateh is a darling. Iske pros and cons dono ho gaye. Ek to dad ki baat and jo 4-5 sal maine Farah ke sath bitaaye the, they were brilliant. [This has both pros and cons. Firstly, I regret not listening to my father's advice and secondly, I have spent a brilliant 4-5 years with Farah].”

When asked if the split was because of religion, Vindu Dara Singh said, “When we met she never cared about her religion. She also used to smoke. No one else in our family used to smoke. I used to ask her to quit smoking. But one day, she said to me ‘You send for Hajj then I will quit smoking.' I was like what is the big thing in that? I made all the settings and sent her for Hajj. When she came back from Hajj, she was a completely different woman. Everything about her was changed. That's when I remembered whatever Dad said to me. From there, things started to go downhill. But it is ok.” 

Vindu Dara Singh added that after their divorce Farah Naaz didn't allow him to visit their son for six months. He said, “We were fighting. For six months, she didn't let me see my son. But my system is that I forget the previous day after waking up from sleep. She herself called me after a few months. And after that, there was no problem between us. She is a wonderful lady. She is a wonderful mother.”

For the unversed, Vindu Dara Singh got married to Farah Naaz in 1996. In 1997, the couple was blessed with a son. Vindu and Farah parted ways in 2002.

from NDTV News- Special https://ift.tt/V5pMGKk
via IFTTT

Dakota Johnson, Coldplay's Chris Martin Engaged: Report

Coldplay frontman Chris Martin and Fifty Shades Of Grey actress Dakota Johnson are reportedly preparing to walk down the aisle after six years of dating, according to Mirror UK. As per the report, the couple got engaged but have kept details of their relationship private. Chris Martin reportedly proposed to Dakota Johnson, with blessings from his ex-wife Gwyneth Paltrow and their children, Apple and Moses. The couple, who have been together for several years, have often been seen enjoying holidays together. A source close to the couple revealed, “The couple got engaged a while ago and have kept the news private. But now they are being open about it with their circles. They have been besotted with each other from day one so taking this next step was inevitable. They are in no rush to plan the wedding but are just enjoying making their commitment official.”

The way I never knew that Dakota Johnson and Chris Martin have been dating for Almost SEVEN Years ??? pic.twitter.com/G4vMEaE5Fy

— S 🇵🇸 (@VELVETHERHYTHM) March 7, 2024

Madame Web actress Dakota Johnson was spotted wearing an emerald green ring on her wedding finger at her 34th birthday celebration in LA last October, fueling speculation about their engagement. Additionally, Dakota Johnson recently expressed her desire for motherhood in an interview with Bustle Magazine. She said, "I love those kids like my life depends on it. With all my heart. How do I feel about motherhood? I'm so open to that. I've gotten to this place where I really want to experience everything life has to offer. And especially being a woman, I'm like: ‘What a magical thing to do. What a crazy, magical, wild experience. If that's meant to happen for me, I'm totally down for it. We're not here for very long, so if I'm meant to be a mother, bring it on.”

Last year, Chris Martin's ex-wife Gwyneth Paltrow shared a selfie with Dakota Johnson on social media. Gwyneth Paltrow, who described Dakota Johnson as a "very good friend" during an Instagram Story Q&A in October 2023, further solidified their connection with another photo the following month, where they were seen smiling while holding hands. Chris Martin and Gwyneth Paltrow married in 2003 and "consciously uncoupled" in 2014 before finalising their divorce in 2016. For the unversed, Chris Martin began dating Dakota Johnson in 2017, according to People magazine.

from NDTV News- Special https://ift.tt/xHQeEcO
via IFTTT

Rahul Gandhi's Top Aide, KC Venugopal, To Contest From Alappuzha

In a sign of the Congress's focus on the southern states, where it is perceived to be in a much stronger position than arch-rival BJP, the party has decided to field KC Venugopal from Alappuzha in Kerala despite him being a sitting Rajya Sabha MP.

Mr Venugopal, who had held the seat since 2009, had opted not to contest the 2019 Lok Sabha elections because he was playing a key role in the Congress' overall strategy for all 543 constituencies. The Congress had ended up losing the seat to the CPM that year.

When he was asked why he was contesting the Lok Sabha polls again, the Congress General Secretary said on Friday, "Brother, our priority is to win the maximum Lok Sabha seats to defeat Narendra Modi in the next elections. Our target is to win the maximum number of parliament seats for the Congress party."

Seen as a top organisation man as well as the right-hand man of former Congress president Rahul Gandhi, Mr Venugopal has been a three-time MLA and a two-term MP. He was a cabinet minister in the Kerala government as well as a junior minister in the Union government twice. 

In the list of 39 candidates announced by the Congress on Friday, 16 are from Kerala. Apart from Mr Venugopal, another name that stands out is that of Shashi Tharoor, who will be contesting from Thiruvananthapuram.

Mr Tharoor, who has held the seat since 2004, will face off against Union Minister Rajeev Chandrasekhar of the BJP, who will be making his electoral debut. 

The Congress is in power in three states in the south - Karnataka and Telangana, where it has a majority on its own, and Tamil Nadu, where it shares power with the DMK. 

The BJP, on the other hand, does not have a government in any southern state. It had also won only 29 of the 129 seats (130 including Puducherry). These had come from Karnataka and Telangana, where it is expected to face a stiffer challenge this time around. 

from NDTV News- Special https://ift.tt/uVZ4aIA
via IFTTT

Biden Warns Against Trump's "Revenge, Retribution" In High-Stakes Speech

US President Joe Biden will use his State of the Union address Thursday to attack election rival Donald Trump for plotting "revenge and retribution" while offering skeptical voters his own optimistic version of an American comeback.

In one of the most important speeches of his long political career, the 81-year-old Democrat will try to ease growing concerns among voters about his age by painting himself as the only alternative to to anti-democratic Trump in November's election.

"My lifetime has taught me to embrace freedom and democracy," Biden was to say in the primetime speech starting at 9:00 pm (0200 GMT), according to excerpts released by the White House.

"Now some other people my age, see a different story," he said in a clear dig at Trump, although without mentioning his name. "An American story of resentment, revenge, and retribution. That's not me."

The oldest president in US history, Biden narrowly trails in the polls behind Republican former president Trump, who at 77 is just four years younger than him.

Biden routinely paints Trump -- who was impeached twice and faces multiple criminal indictments including for trying to overturn his 2020 election loss -- as a threat to the survival of US democracy.

In his speech, Biden was also to slam Republican abortion opponents, saying they have "no clue about the power of women in America," in what Democrats see as a key vote-winning issue.

With many Americans struggling from high prices, Biden was to say of the US economy that "in thousands of cities and towns the American people are writing the greatest comeback story never told."

Biden was also set to use the annual speech on the floor of Congress to overcome doubts about US support for Israel's war on Hamas, and for Washington's backing for Ukraine against Russia's invasion.

Biden was to announce during the speech that he has ordered the US military to set up a port on Gaza's coast to bring in more aid, reflecting the acute political pressure from many in his own party on the issue.

Biden's age under scrutiny

However, the millions of Americans tuning in to the spectacle will be watching not just what Biden says in the joint session of Congress, but how he says it.

Will he stumble, for example? Or will he mix up the names of people and countries, deepening concerns fueled by a recent special counsel report that described him as elderly and forgetful?

The White House said Biden was fully prepared for the speech -- and ready for any repeat of last year's heckling by Trump allies, which he successfully parried with spirited ripostes.

Ahead of the speech, Trump said Biden was "on the run from his record" and accused him of "horrific devastation" during his three years so far in office.

Trump vowed a "rapid response" to Biden during the speech.

"It's time to tell Crooked Joe Biden -- you're fired," Trump said in a video "prebuttal", making a well-worn reference to the catchphrase of his former TV reality show "The Apprentice."

Trump, who is seeking a historic White House comeback, continually mocks Biden's health and mental acuity, despite his own repeated verbal slips.

The White House meanwhile released a light-hearted video showing Biden talking to Hollywood stars who have previously played US presidents, including Geena Davis, Michael Douglas and Morgan Freeman.

In line with tradition, First Lady Jill Biden will host a number of guests chosen to highlight the White House's priorities. 

This year they include a Texan woman forced to leave the state for an abortion, auto workers leader Shawn Fain, whose union recently backed Biden, and the prime minister of Sweden, which became NATO newest member on Thursday.

Ukrainian first lady Olena Zelenska and the widow of Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny were both invited but were unable to attend, the White House said.

The speech comes two days after Trump and Biden all-but set up a rematch of the 2020 election with their sweeping wins in this week's "Super Tuesday" primaries -- but it is a sequel that polls show many US voters do not actually want.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

from NDTV News- Special https://ift.tt/Z0Av5OX
via IFTTT

Gurugram Trader Shot Dead In Front Of Mother, Wife And Children

In a daring, bone-chilling murder caught on camera, a scrap trader from Gurugram was killed after being shot multiple times by three men in front of his mother, wife and two little children. The mother, who tried to intervene and prevent the men from shooting her son, also suffered a bullet injury to the leg.
 
The responsibility for the murder, which took place in Haryana's Rohtak, has been claimed by Rohit Godara, a member of the Lawrence Bishnoi gang, who alleged in a video that the man who had been shot was a bookie and associated with their rivals, the Kaushal Chaudhary-Amit Dagar gang. 

Officials said the alleged murderers had escaped from a reform home in Jaipur and were paid to kill the businessman. They were arrested from near the Nepal border, while trying to flee, on Wednesday night.

Murder Footage
 
The scrap trader, identified as Sachin, was headed to Punjab's Sangrur with his mother, wife and children to attend a wedding. The family stopped at a restaurant in Rohtak's Lakhan Majra on the evening of February 29.
 
CCTV footage shows Sachin walking out of the restaurant to his SUV and, as he nears it, his wife and one of his children enter the frame. A white car that had been waiting by the roadside drives towards the SUV and Sachin's unsuspecting wife asks her child to move out of the way. As the car stops near the SUV, the man's mother and the other child, a toddler, also come into view.
 
The wife can be heard shouting, "Look, they are looting him". Two of the men then open fire at Sachin, who was in the driver's seat. While the wife takes the children to safety, the mother runs towards Sachin and the people shooting him. 

After firing a few rounds, the men head towards their car before coming back to the passenger's side of the SUV and opening fire again, pushing away Sachin's mother, who was trying to save him. 
 
Even as the mother keeps lamenting, "my child has been killed", the men collect something from the SUV and leave in the waiting car. 
 
In her complaint to the police, the mother, who suffered a bullet injury herself, said Sachin died on the spot. She said the attackers also took away his cellphone.
 
Gangster's Video
 
In a video that is now going viral, a man claiming to be gangster Rohit Godara, who had also taken responsibility for killing Rashtriya Rajput Karni Sena chief Sukhdev Singh Gogamedi in Jaipur in December, can be heard saying, "I am Rohit Godara Goldy Brar (a reference to another Lawrence Bishnoi gang member). The bookie (Sachin Goda) of Gurugram, who considered himself the biggest bookie of Delhi has been killed in Lakhan Majra, Haryana."
 
"We take full responsibility for this. He was a partner of our enemies Kaushal Chaudhary and Amit Dagar," the gangster said.
 
The Lawrence Bishnoi gang had made national headlines after it had claimed responsibility for the murder of Sidhu Moosewala in 2022. It is also said to have links with Khalistani outfits. 

'Scrap And Property Dealer'

Sachin's younger brother, Amit, said he was a scrap businessman. "My mother was also shot in the leg. My brother was shot 10-15 times. He was a scrap dealer and property dealer."

Asked about Rohit Godara claiming Sachin was a bookie, Amit said, "I don't have knowledge of any such thing. We want justice."

A childhood friend, Deepak, said Sachin had received threats recently. "He was not linked to any gang, he was a scrap and property dealer. Three to four years ago, his partner was also killed after extortion attempts," Deepak said. 

A police official said the gang war angle is also being investigated. 

from NDTV News- Special https://ift.tt/oRZdBch
via IFTTT

Rajiv Gandhi Assassination Convict In High Court For Passport For UK Travel

S Nalini, one of the convicts in the former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi assassination case, has filed a petition in the Madras High Court seeking an order from the central and state governments to allow her husband Murugan to appear for an interview to obtain a passport to travel to the UK and live with his daughter there.

In the petition filed in this regard, Ms Nalini mentioned that while the Supreme Court has released all seven people, her husband Murugan has been kept in a special camp in Trichy since he is a citizen of Sri Lanka.

Ms Nalini and Murugan were released from jail following the Supreme Court order on November 12, 2022.

As she wants to live with her daughter who lives in London, she mentioned that she and her husband have applied for passports to travel to all countries and were called for an interview on January 30, 2024.

She mentioned that her interview was completed but her husband could not attend the interview when called by the Sri Lankan Consulate.

As two people have already died in a month due to the bad conditions in the camp, she said in the petition that she wants to join her daughter before anything happens to her husband.

So, she has requested the central and state governments to allow her husband to go to the Sri Lankan Consulate in Chennai for the interview.

In the petition, she has also requested to order the police to provide adequate security if required.

The bench of Justice MS Ramesh and Sundar Mohan at Madras High Court is hearing the plea.

Justice Sundar Mohan announced that he would recuse himself from hearing the case.

Subsequently, the registration department has been directed to obtain the Chief Justice's approval for listing Ms Nalini's case in another session.

Nalini Sriharan, one of the six convicts in the Rajiv Gandhi assassination case who was released in November 2022, told ANI, "I am thankful to the people of Tamil Nadu who supported me for the last 32 years."

The country's longest-serving woman prisoner serving a life sentence, Ms Nalini was released from the Vellore jail following an order from the Supreme Court, freeing all six convicts, including Nalini Sriharan and RP Ravichandran, in the case.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

from NDTV News- Special https://ift.tt/yOEBdxf
via IFTTT