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Wedding Choreographer Speaks Out About Smriti Mandhana-Palash Muchhal Rumours: "I Had Nothing to Do with Their Personal Life Tonight, well-known celebrity choreographer Sumit Khetan posted a quiet but emotional message on social media, asking people to stop dragging him into rumours about Indian cricketer Smriti Mandhana and singer Palash Muchhal's marriage. "I was only hired to choreograph the sangeet and wedding dances," the choreographer wrote. "My job was just about dance rehearsals—that's it. I never talked about their relationship, never gave them any advice, and I definitely never tried to cause problems between them. These stories are completely made up and they're hurting innocent people." People who were at the wedding events said earlier that Smriti and Palash looked really happy and loving during rehearsals. The choreographer agreed: "The whole time we were preparing, they were smiling, holding hands, and enjoying every dance ...

Netanyahu Asks to Be Let Off the Hook in Corruption Trial Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has officially asked President Isaac Herzog to pardon him in his long-running corruption trial, claiming it would help heal the country's deep divisions. The request, made public today, has triggered furious debate, with supporters saying it's a chance for unity and critics calling it a desperate attempt to escape justice. Netanyahu, Israel's longest-serving leader, is facing charges of bribery, fraud, and breaking the public's trust across three separate cases. Prosecutors say he traded political favours with rich businessmen in exchange for expensive gifts and flattering media coverage. He was charged back in 2019, making him the first sitting prime minister ever to go on trial. The case has dragged on for over five years now, with Netanyahu himself giving evidence since late 2024. Wars and political chaos have caused constant delays, and there's no verdict expect...

Elon Musk Praises Indian Talent Boost to US on H-1B Visas Tech billionaire Elon Musk has publicly backed the H-1B visa scheme, declaring that America has massively benefitted from skilled Indian workers. During a podcast chat with Indian entrepreneur Nikhil Kamath, Musk defended the programme that allows US companies to recruit foreign experts for specialist jobs in fields like software development and engineering. He said bluntly: "Yes, I think America has benefitted immensely from talented Indians that have come to America." Musk, who runs Tesla and SpaceX, has firsthand experience with this. His companies regularly use H-1B visas to hire brilliant minds from overseas. However, he admitted the system isn't perfect. "I think there's been some misuse of the H-1B programme," he said, calling out outsourcing firms that he believes have twisted the rules. "Some companies have gamed the system on the H-1B front, and we need to stop the gaming of the syste...

A Moment That Made History: When the Ramayana Came Alive in Karachi In July 2025, whilst India and Pakistan were still dealing with political tensions, something absolutely extraordinary happened in Karachi that touched hearts on both sides of the border. The Mauj Collective, a young independent theatre group, did something nobody had ever dared to do before—they staged Pakistan's first ever full-length production of the Ramayana, the ancient Hindu epic, at the Arts Council of Pakistan. The show was directed by 30-year-old Yogeshwar Karera, a Sindhi lad who studied finance but secretly spent all his time obsessed with ancient myths and legends. He calls himself a "mythology nerd," and his passion was absolutely infectious. The production mixed timeless storytelling with modern creativity, proving something incredibly powerful: that art can build bridges between people even when politics tries to tear them apart. This wasn't just a play—it was a bold statement. I...

  The National Herald Case: What's It All About? Imagine a famous old newspaper called the National Herald, which was started way back in 1938 by Jawaharlal Nehru – India's first Prime Minister and Rahul Gandhi's great-grandfather. It was basically a newspaper that supported India's fight for freedom from British rule. The paper was run by a company called Associated Journals Limited (AJL), which was mostly owned by Congress party leaders and freedom fighters. Over the years, it became a really important part of the Gandhi family's history. But by 2008, the newspaper was losing loads of money and had to stop printing altogether. AJL owed the Congress party about ₹90 crore (roughly £8 million) in loans – these were interest-free loans that the party had given to keep the paper running, pay workers, and keep its buildings in places like Delhi, Mumbai, and Lucknow. These properties were worth over ₹2,000 crore (about £180 million) because they were really valuable lo...

The Blue Pouch at the White House.The blue pouch travelled across the globe, carrying not just a few personal items, but a message of genuine inclusion and respect. The grand doors of the White House had just swung open, and cameras from around the world were focused on the new arrivals. Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong of Singapore and his wife, Ho Ching, stepped out. Amongst all the formal diplomacy and designer dresses, one quiet detail caught everyone's attention: in Mrs Lee's hand was a small, blue denim pouch. It wasn't a posh, expensive handbag; it was a simple clutch decorated with cute white dinosaurs. Later, the internet went mad. How could one of Asia's most powerful businesswomen carry such a cheap item to such an important event? The answer revealed a story far more meaningful than any designer label. Just the weekend before, Mrs Lee, who advises the Autism Resource Centre, had been to a fundraising fair for Pathlight School, a school for students with ...

The Waqf Amendment Bill: Protests, Riots, and a Push for Transparency in West Bengal What is Waqf? Waqf is a special kind of donation in Islam. It means giving away land or buildings permanently to help poor people, or to build mosques, schools, or hospitals. In India, organisations called Waqf Boards look after these donations. There are over 600,000 Waqf properties across the country, worth billions of pounds. West Bengal alone has about 80,000 of them. The idea is straightforward: wealthy Muslims give property so the income from it can help those in need. But sometimes, the people in charge keep the money for themselves instead of giving it to the poor. This has led to major problems like fraud and arguments over who owns what land. The Waqf Amendment Bill 2024 In August 2024, the Indian government introduced a new law called the Waqf (Amendment) Bill to sort out these problems. It became an Act in April 2025 after Parliament approved it. The law is meant to make things fairer. ...

When Politics Grounded a Turkish Company in India In May 2025, a terrorist attack in Pahalgam pushed India and Pakistan to the brink of war. India launched "Operation Sindoor" to strike back. Then Turkey's President Erdogan stepped into the mess—loudly backing Pakistan, criticizing India, and even supplying drones that Pakistan used against Indian forces. Indians were furious. The hashtag BoycottTurkey exploded on social media, with people demanding Turkish companies be kicked out of the country. The Company Caught in the Crossfire One Turkish company got hit hard: Celebi Aviation, which handles baggage, cargo, and ground services at nine major Indian airports including Delhi, Mumbai, and Chennai. On May 15, India's aviation security agency (BCAS) canceled Celebi's security clearance, citing "national security risks" because of Turkey's support for Pakistan. Almost overnight, airports like Mumbai and Ahmedabad switched to Indian companies like Ai...

Pakistan's Last Hindu Kingdom: A Royal Family That Refused to Leave Picture this: In the middle of Pakistan, a Muslim-majority country, there's a Hindu king who flies a bright orange flag—the sacred color of Hinduism—right out in the open. It sounds impossible, but it's real. Welcome to Umerkot, a dusty town in southern Pakistan's Sindh province, home to the country's only surviving Hindu royal family. Ancient Warriors Who Built a Kingdom The story begins almost a thousand years ago. The Sodha Rajputs, a tough warrior clan from Rajasthan's deserts, conquered the area in the 11th century and made it their home. They built the massive Umerkot Fort around 1226 and ruled the surrounding desert villages as local kings. This place has serious history. In 1542, the great Mughal Emperor Akbar was born here. His father, Humayun, was running from enemies and the Sodhas gave him shelter. For centuries, these Hindu kings ruled their land through Muslim empires and British...

Jakarta Becomes the World's Biggest City, Overtaking TokyoA. Major Shift in Global Cities Indonesia's capital city, Jakarta, is now officially the world's most populated city, according to the United Nations' latest World Urbanization Prospects 2025 report. With nearly 42 million residents, Jakarta has overtaken Japan's Tokyo, which has dropped to third place with 33.4 million people. This is a huge jump for Jakarta—it was ranked 33rd in 2018. This change shows how quickly cities are growing, especially in Asia. Cities Are Growing Fast Everywhere The UN report shows that today, 45% of the world's 8.2 billion people—about 3.7 billion—live in cities. Back in 1950, only 20% lived in cities. "Megacities" (cities with over 10 million people) have increased four times since 1975—there are now 33 of them. Asia has 19 megacities and holds nine of the top 10 spots on the list. Dhaka, Bangladesh, is now the second-largest city with 36.6 million people, and it...

What Is India's Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of Voter Lists? A Simple Explanation What Is SIR? The Special Intensive Revision, or SIR, is a massive nationwide project by India's Election Commission to clean up and update voter lists (also called electoral rolls). It started on November 4, 2025, in 12 states and union territories, including West Bengal and Madhya Pradesh. This is the first major cleanup in about 20 years—the last one was in 2002. The goal is simple: make sure every name on the voter list belongs to a real, eligible Indian citizen who actually lives where they claim to live. Local volunteers called Booth Level Officers (BLOs) go door-to-door to check details, hand out forms, and verify information. The process runs until December 4, 2025, with draft lists coming out on December 9. Think of it as spring cleaning for voting: add new young voters (like 18-year-olds), remove people who have died or moved away, fix duplicate entries (same person listed twice), a...

Why Kolkata's Orange Metro Line Is Stuck: A Simple Explanation What's the Problem? People in Kolkata are frustrated because the Orange Line of the Kolkata Metro has been delayed for years. This metro line is supposed to connect New Garia (Kavi Subhash) in south Kolkata to Salt Lake Sector V and eventually to the airport. It would make life much easier for lakhs of daily commuters who currently spend 2+ hours traveling by road. The metro would cut that time to just 45 minutes. The Orange Line Project The Orange Line (Line 6) is a 29.87 km elevated metro line that was approved back in 2010. It costs about ₹3,951 crore and is being built by Rail Vikas Nigam Limited (RVNL), which works under India's central government Railway Ministry. The line is designed to serve about 5 lakh passengers every day once it's complete. As of November 2025, only a 9.9 km stretch from Kavi Subhash to Beleghata is running (opened in August 2025), with trains operating on weekdays from 8:10 AM ...

Immigration Interviews Turning Into Arrests: Families Being Torn Apart The Nightmare at Green Card Interviews Imagine going to your final immigration interview—the last step to getting a green card so you can live permanently in the U.S. with your American spouse or children. You're excited and maybe a bit nervous. Then suddenly, federal agents rush in, put handcuffs on you, and take you away. This is the terrifying reality many immigrant families are facing right now, especially in San Diego. What's Happening? Starting in mid-November 2025, ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) has been arresting people during their interviews at U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) offices. These aren't criminals—they're people who overstayed their visas but are married to U.S. citizens or have American children. They're following the legal process to fix their immigration status. They don't have criminal records, just paperwork delays. Lawyers report at lea...

UAE Stops Giving Visas to Most Pakistanis: Here's Why What's Happening? The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has quietly stopped issuing most visas to Pakistani citizens. It's not officially a complete ban, but it's very close to one. Only high-ranking government officials with diplomatic passports can get visas easily. Everyone else is facing huge rejection rates—up to 80% of first-time applicants trying to go to Dubai are being turned down. This came to light during a recent Pakistani Senate meeting where officials discussed the problem. Why Is the UAE Doing This? The main reason is a rise in crimes involving some Pakistani visitors. UAE police have discovered organized begging gangs where people come on tourist visas and pretend to be poor to ask for money on the streets. There have also been cases of drug smuggling, human trafficking, street violence, and even murders—including a shocking incident where a Pakistani man attacked Indian workers in a Dubai bakery while shou...

Hong Kong's Deadliest Fire in Decades: 128 Dead, 200 Still Missing A Terrible Disaster Strikes Hong Kong A devastating fire swept through a large apartment building complex in Hong Kong's Tai Po neighborhood on November 27, 2025. The fire started around 3 p.m. at Wang Fuk Court, a public housing estate where about 4,600 people live in eight tall buildings. The fire started in one building but quickly spread to seven others, helped by strong winds and possibly unsafe building materials. Firefighters fought the flames for over 42 hours before finally putting it out early on November 28. The Tragic Death Toll As of November 28, at least 128 people have died—making this Hong Kong's worst fire disaster since 1948, when 176 people died in a warehouse fire. Most victims were found in two towers. Among the dead are families and domestic workers from Indonesia and the Philippines—two Indonesian workers are confirmed dead, and 19 Filipino workers are still missing. At least 79 peop...

  West Bengal 2026 Elections: Can Mamata Banerjee Lose Power? In 2021, West Bengal's state elections were very close between Mamata Banerjee's Trinamool Congress (TMC) party and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). TMC won big with 213 seats out of 294 total, getting about 48% of votes. But BJP wasn't far behind—they won 77 seats with 38% of votes, their best performance ever in West Bengal. The gap was only 10% in votes, showing the state was almost evenly divided. Now, four years later, a lot has changed that could completely flip the results in 2026. Corruption Scandals Are Hurting Mamata People are angry about constant corruption scandals in Mamata's government. Her close ally Partha Chatterjee, who was the education minister, got arrested in July 2022. He was involved in a huge scam where people paid bribes to get teaching jobs. Police found over Rs 50 crore in cash and Rs 4.5 crore worth of gold hidden at his associate's homes. The Supreme Court cancelled 26,00...

twenty states (mostly led by Democrats) sued President Trump's government over cuts to homeless programs. New York's Attorney General Letitia James and California's Governor Gavin om are leading the lawsuit. Here's what happened: There's a federal program called Continuum of Care that has helped homeless people since 1987 by giving money to local groups. Trump's housing department made big changes. They cut funding for permanent housing from 90% down to 30%. Instead, they want short-term shelters where people must work, get addiction treatment, and follow other rules. The new policy also blocks money from going to LGBTQ+ programs or diversity initiatives. N Critics say this could put 170,000 homeless people back on the streets – including 5,000 families in Los Angeles alone. They say the old "housing first" approach worked better – give people homes first, then help with other problems. Trump's team says they're trying to fix the real reasons p...