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Anushka Sharma Unveils Her Wax Figurine
 
Anushka Sharma recently unveiled her own wax figurine. It was the 1st ever interactive wax figure at Madame Tussauds!
 
Anushka Sharma happens to be a global power brand & Madame Tussauds celebrated by unveiling her wax figure. Given her popularity across countries, the wax museum at Singapore unveiled the 1st ever interactive wax statue that wowed the visitors.
 
Anushka Sharma’s life-like figure holds a phone personally inviting visitors to snap a selfie with her, which can be digitally shared with friends & family. She will be the 1st ever wax statue in the Singapore museum with this feature.
Anushka Sharma’s figure joins other Bollywood stars including Shah Rukh Khan, Amitabh Bachchan, et al in the IIFA Awards Experience where you can re-live the glamour of the Bollywood awards ceremony. Walk the green carpet, snap selfies & dance with your own back up dancers on the celluloid silver screen, or star on the cover of the IIFA Magazine & shine on stage where you receive your own award. Your time is now to take the spotlight.
 
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‘Shakeela’ biopic first poster released

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The makers of Richa Chadha-starrer “Shakeela” have released a bold and feisty first look of the film.

The first poster of the Indrajit Lankesh-directed film features Richa as the eponymous adult actor who was one of the biggest stars of the ’90s from Kerala and acted in several adult films in languages spanning Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam and Kannada.

In the poster, which has the catchphrase “Not a Porn Star” inscribed on it, Richa is shown donning tons of gold jewellery.

The film is produced by Magic Cinemas and Yoddhas Entertainment

“I’m looking forward now that the film has wrapped up for the release next year. We have kept the story to the most authentic version of her real life. Shakeela herself has been pivotal to making this film happen and helping us an in-depth knowledge into her life which has helped us tell the story in its most authentic version possible,” Richa said in a statement.

“She was a brave soul who defied norms of the business during her time and her story was much more than what people know of. To essay the role of a living being is additional responsibility on me as actor and team as the makers of the film,” she added.

The film also features Richa’s “Masaan” co-star Pankaj Tripathi, who is playing the role of a ’90s actor. It is set to release early next year.

PTI

Amritsar attack: Punjab Police detain hardliners for questioning

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The Punjab Police have detained a few people having links to separatist organisations in connection with Sunday’s grenade attack on a prayer meeting of the Nirankari sect in Amritsar, police sources said on Tuesday.

The Sikh hardliner elements were detained in raids conducted by various teams of the state police at different places, including in Amritsar and Bathinda districts.

The police have not, however, officially confirmed or denied the detentions.

Punjab Director General of Police (DGP) Suresh Arora had earlier said that a “local hand” could be behind the grenade attack.

Three persons were killed and 20 injured when two motorcycle-borne youths threw a grenade at a religious congregation in Adliwal village in Rajasansi area, about 15 km from Amritsar, on Sunday.

All victims were sect followers from nearby villages who had gathered for the weekly religious meeting.

Police officials told IANS that various leads were being followed in the grenade attack case to nab the culprits.

Chief Minister Amarinder Singh on Monday said the attack seemingly carried “Pakistan’s signature”, with initial probe indicating the grenade used was similar to the ones being manufactured by the Pakistani Army Ordinance factory.

“Prima facie, this appears to be an act of terror by separatist forces, organised with the involvement of ISI-backed Khalistani or Kashmiri terrorist groups.

“My government has taken serious note of the incident and is aggressively pursuing all angles of investigation,” he said.

He also announced Rs 50 lakh as reward for any information leading to the arrest of the assailants.

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) and forensic experts were helping in the investigations.

The Chief Minister has said Sunday’s attack was a clear case of terrorism and there was no religious connection to it.

 

IANS

Sushma says not contesting 2019 polls on health grounds

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 Citing health reasons, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj, who was once touted as a prime ministerial candidate in the BJP, on Tuesday said she has decided not to contest the 2019 Lok Sabha election.

“Candidates are decided by the party. But I have made up my mind that I won’t be contesting in the next elections,” the senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader said on the sidelines of an event here. “This is in keeping with my health.”

The 66-year-old Sushma Swaraj, who underwent a kidney transplant in 2016, said she had conveyed her decision to the party.

The Vidisha MP’s decision not to contest in 2019 came even as campaigning for the November 28 Assembly elections in Madhya Pradesh, where the BJP is seeking a fourth consecutive term in office, was in full swing.

A former spokesperson of the party, Sushma Swaraj was said to have been reticent in backing Modi when he was first appointed the Chief Campaigner for the BJP in 2013 ahead of the 2014 Lok Sabha elections but later made up with him to be included in his cabinet.

A prominent face of the BJP with her political career spanning for decades, Sushma Swaraj was the youngest member of the Haryana Assembly when she was elected to it in 1977 at age 25 and made a Minister.

She also served as Delhi’s fifth Chief Minister in 1998, becoming its first women Chief Minister. She represented the South Delhi Lok Sabha constituency in 1996 and 1998.

She served as Union Cabinet Minister for Information and Broadcasting with additional charge of the Ministry of Telecommunications and Health Minister in Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s second government.

Sushma Swaraj, a four-time Lok Sabha and two-time Rajya Sabha member, also won the Outstanding Parliamentarian Award in 2004 and served as the leader of the Opposition during during UPA-II government between 2009 to 2014. replacing party veteran L.K. Advani.

IANS

Trump barred from denying asylum to people entering US informally

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A US judge on Monday put a temporary halt to an order by US President Donald Trump’s administration denying the possibility of asylum to people who enter the US informally.

US District Judge Jon Tigar in San Francisco issued a temporary restraining order on Tuesday against the asylum rules to take effect immediately, applying nationwide.

The measure will last until at least December 19 when the judge scheduled a hearing to consider a more long-lasting injunction.

Trump restricts asylum at the US-Mexico border

Trump cited an overwhelmed immigration system for his recent proclamation that officials would only process asylum claims for migrants who present themselves at an official entry point.

Civil rights groups sued this, arguing that Trump’s November 9 order violated administrative and immigration law.

In his ruling, Tigar said Congress clearly mandated that immigrants and refugees can apply for asylum regardless of how they entered the country. The judge called the latest rules an “extreme departure” from prior practice.

“Whatever the scope of the President’s authority, he may not rewrite the immigration laws to impose a condition that Congress has expressly forbidden,” Tigar wrote.

Tigar was nominated to the court by Barack Obama, the previous US president.

Previous Trump immigration policies, including measures targeting sanctuary cities, have also been blocked by the courts.

Central Americans at US border

The latest asylum ruling came as thousands of Central Americans, including a large number of children, are travelling in caravans towards the US-Mexico border to escape violence and poverty at home. Some have already arrived at Tijuana, a Mexican city on the border with California.

‘The last call’: Searching for missing relatives on migrant route

Rights groups have said migrants and refugees are being forced to wait days or weeks at the border before they can present themselves for asylum.

The American Civil Liberties Union says US law stipulates that the right to request asylum must be granted to anyone entering the country, regardless of whether they do so at an official port of entry or come in informally.

Trump’s administration has argued that he has the executive power to curb immigration in the name of national security, a power he invoked right after taking office last year with a controversial ban on travellers from several mostly Muslim countries.

The final version of that order was upheld by the US Supreme Court on June 26 after a protracted legal battle.

 

Aljazeera

Imran Khan hits back at Trump’s ‘tirade’ against Pakistan

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PM hits back at ‘false assertions’ by US president, who accused Islamabad of not doing ‘a damn thing’ for Washington.

Pakistan’s Prime Minister Imran Khan has said US President Donald Trump needs to inform himself about historical facts after Trump alleged that Islamabad did not adequately support the Washington-led “war on terror”.

In a series of statements on Twitter on Monday, Khan listed ways in which Pakistan assisted the US and was impacted by the war, saying the “record needs to be put straight on Mr Trump’s tirade against Pakistan”.

The comments came a day after Trump defended his decision to cut hundreds of millions of dollars in military aid to Pakistan, accusing Islamabad of taking money while allowing former al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden to hide in the South Asian country.

Khan reacted sharply, recalling the Pakistani lives lost during the “war on terror”, before appearing to suggest the United States should look closer to home to find those responsible for the continued strength of the Taliban in Afghanistan.

“1. No Pakistani was involved in 9/11 but Pak[istan] decided to participate in US War on Terror. 2. Pakistan suffered 75,000 casualties in this war and over $123bn was lost to the economy. US “aid” was a minuscule $20bn,” Khan posted on Twitter.

Khan said the US has made Pakistan a “scapegoat” for its failures in Afghanistan, where the Taliban are stronger than at any point since the 2001 US-led invasion.

“Instead of making Pakistan a scapegoat for their failures, the US should do a serious assessment of why, despite 140,000 NATO troops plus 250,000 Afghan troops and reportedly $1 trillion spent on war in Afghanistan, the Taliban today are stronger than ever before.”

Khan also highlighted how the war devastated Pakistan’s tribal areas and uprooted millions of Pakistanis from their homes. He said the country continues to provide free lines of ground and air communications to the US.

“Can Mr Trump name another ally that gave such sacrifices?” he said.

Uncomfortable allies

In an interview with Fox News that aired on Sunday, Trump said Pakistan “don’t do a damn thing” for the US, and once again blamed Pakistan for allegedly sheltering bin Laden.

“He was living in Pakistan, we’re supporting Pakistan, we’re giving them $1.3bn a year, which we don’t give them any more. By the way, I ended it because they don’t do anything for us, they don’t do a damn thing for us,” he said.

Pakistan-US ties tested but not killed by huge aid cut

Shortly after Khan’s comments on Monday, Trump took to Twitter again to slam Pakistan.

“We paid Pakistan billions of dollars and they never told us he was living there. Fools! We no longer pay Pakistan the billions because they would take our money and do nothing for us, Bin Laden being a prime example, Afghanistan being another.

“They were just one of many countries that take from the United States without giving anything in return. That’s ENDING!” Trump posted.

Bin Laden was found to be hiding in the Pakistani city of Abbottabad, where he was killed in a raid by US Navy Seals in 2011.

Relations between the two allies have nosedived since Trump took office last year, mainly because of a clash of interests in war-torn Afghanistan.

Washington accuses Islamabad of providing safe havens to the powerful Haqqani network, which is blamed for numerous attacks on foreign forces in Afghanistan in recent years.

Aljazeera

4,288 nominations filed in Rajasthan

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Array

A total of 4,288 nomination papers have been filed by 3,295 candidates for the Rajasthan Assembly elections, Chief Electoral Officer Anand Kumar said on Tuesday.

The filing of nomination papers started on November 12 and continued till November 19 for all 200 seats. The candidates can withdraw their nominations by November 22, Kumar added.

The maximum nominations have been filed for Jaipur’s 19 seats — 632 by 502 candidates.

Rajasthan will elect a new Assembly on December 7 and the vote count will take place four days later.

 

IANS

6 killed in Maharashtra army depot blast

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 Six persons died in a blast at the Wardha ammunition depot of the army here in Maharashtra on Tuesday, officials said.

The toll shot up to six from the earlier three, with another 10 injured, including four seriously.

The explosion occurred at the Pulgaon Central Ammunition Depot (CAD) around 7.15 a.m. when discarded ammunition intended for destruction was being unloaded at the sprawling demolition ground. The depot is some 110 km from here.

The demolition work was being carried out by the Ordinance Factory (OF), Khamaria, Jabalpur, with the help of an authorised contractor.

The personnel were helping dig up pits and place sand bags over the explosives, according to a defence spokesperson here.

The fatalities included one Khamaria ordinance factory staffer and three casual workers employed by the contractor, besides two others.

The intensity of the blast was so severe that the victims were thrown several metres away and their bodies were badly mangled and burnt.

Top police, army, Khamaria OF and civil officials have rushed to the site.

The identity of the dead and injured, who were rushed to nearby hospitals, was being ascertained.

Congress cheated farmers in loan waiver schemes: Modi

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 Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday slammed the Congress governments for repeatedly “cheating farmers” by making “fake promises” on their loan waiver schemes and transferring the money to their cronies who were not eligible for the benefit.

“The Congress keeps talking about farmers. What has it done for them? In Karnataka, it formed a government by making fake promises to farmers. But now it’s asking them to pay up or face imprisonment. When farmers turned up at their doors, they shooed them away calling them goons,” Modi said in his public address at Jhabua.

Elections for the 230-member Madhya Pradesh assembly are scheduled to take place on November 28.

Modi said that the Congress party did the same in 2008 just before the 2009 general election, when it did not waive the loans as promised.

“The Congress did a similar thing in 2008. Just before the elections, it promised to waive farm loans, which amounted to six lakh crore rupees then. But it did not waive loans worth even Rs 60,000 crore.

“This scam never got the limelight because of other big scams by the Congress such as coal scam, 2G scam, and Commonwealth Games scam,” he said.

Modi also referred to a certain finding by the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) of India, according to which, he said, the Congress granted loan waivers to 30-40 lakh people who were not on the rolls as beneficiaries.

“They looted the poor’s money by putting it in the pocket of their cronies… Then they did not even give certificate to 1.25 crore farmers who got waivers, a proof that their loan has been waived. And these people were then made to run from office to office,” Modi said.

The Prime Minister also mentioned his government’s success in curbing black money sources.

“This is the power of Modi that he forced these people to come out with their black money… And now that money is being spent on public welfare schemes.

The Prime Minister said that he had plugged all sources of corruption at the top level, but one is still cheated of small amounts at the low level. To stop that, the government is using technology for transferring money directly into the bank accounts of beneficiaries.

Top CBI official seeks court-monitored probe in Asthana bribery case

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 A top CBI official, Manish Kumar Sinha, on Monday moved the Supreme Court seeking a court-monitored SIT probe into the allegation of bribe against Special CBI Director Rakesh Asthana in the meat exporter Moin Qureshi case.

The petition refers to charges of bribe being made to a Union minister and the other accused claiming connections with the “high and mighty” in the power corridors, including National Security Advisor (NSA) Ajit Doval.

Sinha, a DIG-rank officer transferred to Nagpur on the dramatic night of October 23 when he was supervising the probe against Asthana, has said his transfer was “arbitrary, motivated and malafide”.

The application challenging his transfer to Nagpur, refers to November 8, 2018 purported message from Andhra Pradesh cadre IAS officer Rekha Rani to the office of Sana Sathish Babu claiming Union Law Secretary Suresh Chandra, who was in London, wanted to speak to Sathish Babu to convey a message of Cabinet Secretary P.K. Sinha offering “full protection” to Sathish Babu.

Sathish Babu is a witness in the Moin Qureshi case and the meeting between Asthana and Chief Vigilence Commissioner (CVC) V.K. Chaudhary at latter’s residence where matter relating to some transactions between Gorantla Ramesh, Sathish Babu and Moin Qureshi was discussed.

Seeking the top court direction for summoning of the records pertaining to the case against Asthana to ensure their safe custody and guard against tampering, Sinha in his application for impleadment has cited several instances where people who were interrogated in the case flaunted their high connections and one Manoj Prasad “dropped” the name of NSA Ajit Doval in the course of interrogation.

The payment of alleged illegal gratification involved a case against meat supplier Moin Qureshi. The accused in the case are Asthana, Deputy Superintendent of Police Devender Kumar, the investigating officer, two private persons Manoj Prasad and Somesh Prasad and unknown others.

The allegation of illegal gratification against Asthana, the application says, primarily pertained to December 2017 and October 2018. There are two instances of acceptance of bribe in December 2017 totalling to Rs 2.95 crore and three instances of acceptance of bribe in October 2018 totalling to around Rs 36 lakh.

This is a case in which Sathish Babu is a complainant who has recorded his complaint before a magistrate in Delhi.

Recalling the course of the events, Sinha in his application says that Manoj Prasad was intercepted at Delhi airport on his arrival from Dubai on the morning of October 16, 2018. He was brought to the CBI headquarters, where in the first few hours of his arrival, Manoj was “garrulous and arrogant, both at the same time, and in equal measure”.

“He tried his best to ward off the investigation by dropping names of ‘high and mighty’ and mentioning his ‘top contacts’ to create fear in our mind,” says the application.

Taking exception to CBI picking him from the airport, Manoj told the interrogators that his father Dineshwar Prasad “retired as Joint Secretary, RAW and has close acquaintance with present NSA Shri Ajit K. Doval.”

Manoj Prasad also claimed that his brother Somesh Prasad was “very close to an officer at Dubai (name withheld) and to Samant Goel, presently Special Secretary, RAW and he can get us ‘finished off/kicked out’.”

The application says that no attempt was made to verify genuineness his claim about his closeness to NSA Doval.

In another revelation pointing to alleged close connections of the accused to the power corridors, the application says after the arrest of Manoj Prasad on the intervening night of October 16/17, in the morning of October 17 there was a call from Special Cell of Delhi Police to CBI Dy.SP A.K. Bassi, investigating the case but he did not take the call. Later, another Inspector of Special Cell called up and sought to know if Manoj had been arrested.

Enquiries revealed that the query had originated from the Cabinet Secretariat, says the application.

The application says that immediately after it became public that the arrest of Manoj Prasad in the intervening night of October 16 ad 17, there were “4 calls between Somesh and Samant Goel and 4 calls between Samant Goel and Shri Rakesh Asthana by 17th afternoon”.

Manoj also claimed that he and his contact Samant Goel “helped NSA Shri Ajit Doval on an important personal matter”. He further claimed that India opted out of a contest for a post in the Interpol.

Sinha says that on verification it was found to be correct.

India was to contest for the post of delegate in Interpol and CBI Joint Director (Policy) A.K. Sharma was its nominee. There were four other contending countries. The elections were to be held sometime in the third week of November this year. Sometime in September, Sharma was to go abroad for a meeting but at the last minute, his trip was abruptly cancelled.

Meanwhile, CBI Director Alok Verma on Monday filed his reply to the adverse findings against him by the CVC after the anti-corruption watchdog inquired into the allegations of corruption levelled against him by his second in command Special Dirtector Rakesh Asthana.

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