Page 177 - Human Interest
Refuting rape allegations, Akbar claims his relationship with journalist was consensual
Responding to a fresh allegation against him by woman journalist Pallavi Gogoi who accused M.J. Akbar of raping her 23 years back, the former Union Minister of state for External Affairs, on Friday asserted that he was in consensual relationship with Pallavi and their relationship lasted for several months leading to acrimony in his married life.Breaking her silence for the first time over the allegations levelled against her husband, Akbar's wife Mallika backed Akbar's claims of consensual relationship with Pallavi. Mallika said on Friday that her husband's relationship with Pallavi caused a lot of unhappiness and discord in their marital life at that point of time as there was several late night phone calls and public display of affection between the two in her presence.Both Pallavi and Akbar were colleagues in Asian Age. However, 23 years after they parted ways, Pallavi in an article published in the Washington Post narrated how Akbar had once raped her in a Jaipur hotel. ...
Akbar denies rape accusations by Pallavi Gogoi, wife defends him; both say he had affair with Gogoi
Former union minister M J Akbar on Friday denied accusations of rape by US-based journalist Pallavi Gogoi, claiming he had consensual relationship spanning several months with her but it ended "perhaps not on the best note". In a separate statement his wife Mallika Akbar also dismissed Gogoi's accusations, made in a Washington Post article Friday, as a "lie". "Somewhere around 1994, Ms Pallavi Gogoi and I entered into a consensual relationship that spanned several months," Akbar, who recently resigned as the junior foreign minister following a spate of #MeToo allegations, said in a statement. "This relationship (with Gogoi) gave rise to talk and would later cause significant strife in my home life as well. This consensual relationship ended, perhaps not on the best note," he said. In her statement, Mallika said "more than twenty years ago, Pallavi Gogoi caused unhappiness and discord in our home. I learned of her and my husband's involvement through her late night phone calls and her .
'Dead' man returns home alive after family wrongly identifies body
A 49-year-old man presumed dead by his family showed up near here much to the shock and delight of his kin, a fortnight after they performed his 'funeral' mistakingly identifying a decomposed body as that of his. Saji, who used to be away from home for days in search of odd jobs, was not in touch for the last few months and the family had recently 'wrongly' identified the unclaimed body found in Karnataka to be that of his going by a similar scar, police said Friday. The body was then brought home and the final rites were performed at a cemetery here on October 16, they said. However, Saji returned home two days ago and was shocked to learn that he was believed dead and his funeral was held. Meanwhile, Karnataka Police had been informed and a probe was underway find out the relatives of the man, whose funeral was held in Kerala.
Celebrations begin for bride-to-be Deepika Padukone!
Deepika Padukone is a beaming bride-to-be as the wedding festivities have officially begun in her hometown Bangalore.The 32-year-old, who is all set to tie the knot with beau Ranveer Singh, looked radiant in an orange suit as she performed pooja before the "new beginnings."Deepika's stylist Shaleena Nathani shared the pictures from the ceremony on her Instagram account. "To new beginnings," she captioned the picture.In another picture, the 'Padmaavat' star can be seen sharing a fun moment with her team. "Love you to the mooon and back So so so so so sooooo happy for you. Cant wait for it all to starttttt. You deserve all the happiness in the world and more," read the caption.Deepika and Ranveer Singh announced last month that they are tying the knot on November 14-15. The wedding destination is reportedly Lake Como, Itlay.
Three temptations Bajrang had to overcome on road to glory
Bajrang Punia has established himself as the undisputed superstar of Indian wrestling but the road to glory was fraught with temptations which he had to overcome with strong will. The Commonwealth Games and Asian Games gold medallist and the only Indian grappler to win two World Championship medals, Bajrang kept himself away from a cell phone for seven long years, has never gone for sight seeing during competitions abroad and doesn't even know how a cinema hall looks like. These are small temptations but Bajrang thinks they can easily distract, so it was necessary to keep a strong check on himself. And the result of that is for everyone to see. The 24-year-old Bajrang has savoured an extremely successful 2018 season, winning five medals including three at Major championships. "There are a lot of things I wanted to do but controlled myself. I always wanted to have a cell phone. But When I started playing international events in 2010, Yogi Bhai (his mentor Yogeshwar Dutt) advised ...
Happy Birthday King Khan!
A superstar's birthday is no less than a festival for all the fans and well wishers. As Bollywood's Badshaah turns 53 today, hoards of heartfelt wishes are being shared on social media for Shah Rukh Khan.B-Town is also not behind in showering love on one of the most loved celebrities of the industry.Mr. Perfectionist Aamir Khan shared an adorable picture with SRK and wrote alongside, "Happy Birthday Shah! Health and happiness always! Love. a."The actor's old friend and 'Om Shanti Om' director Farah Khan shared a throwback picture from the sets to wish SRK on his special day."Happiest birthday @iamsrk it is one of the blessings of old friends that you can afford to b silly with them lov u. (one n only time u wore tight white pants.. #thingsimakeyoudo" she wrote.Here's what the others posted:Juhi Chawla: ShaahhRrukkhhh Haapppyyy Bbiirrtthhddaayyy ..!!! lots and lots of love ..!!Shilpa Shetty Kundra: Happy Birthday SRK. Wishing you more happiness and successRaveena Tandon: Happpiest ...
I am always a student: Shiamak Davar
Ace choreographer Shiamak Davar, who has trained the likes of Bollywood celebrities Shahid Kapoor, Varun Dhawan and Sushant Singh Rajput under his company, says that he is still a student and learning continues.
Prince Harry takes cutest photo of Meghan Markle with baby bump
The Duke of Sussex Prince Harry clicked the cutest picture of wife Meghan Markle cradling her baby bump.Kensington Palace shared the photo taken by Prince Harry on their official Instagram account. The adorable picture was taken during the couple's Redwood Treewalk in Rotorua, New Zealand and featured Meghan cradling her baby bump, reported E! Online.The couple thanked all of their international hosts for their hospitality during their recent visit in the caption of the picture."Thank you New Zealand for the most wonderful last week of our tour. It has been a privilege to meet so many friendly Kiwis. Australia, Fiji, Tonga and NZ-we leave feeling inspired and reminded of how every single one of us can make a difference. 'The rain that refreshes the parched ground, is made up of single drops' - Kate Sheppard," the post read.The two-week tour was special in a lot of ways, as it not only marked their first tour as a married couple but was also kicked off with the announcement of ...
Lily Allen cancels US tour dates
Singer Lily Allen has been forced to cancel two of her shows in the US this week after falling ill.
Beyonce pays tribute to Fastest Woman on Halloween
After taking the internet by storm with her Toni Braxton look, American singer Beyonce chose to dress as the fastest woman in the world, Florence Griffith Joyner, on Halloween.Joyner was an American track and field athlete. She is considered as the fastest woman in the world based on the fact that she set the 100-meter record in 10.49 seconds at the 1988 Olympics trials in Indiana.The 'Halo' singer took to her official Instagram account to post a series of pictures where she sported Joyner's ensemble from 1988, which saw her set world records of the 100m and 200m. She slipped into a one-legged pink Adidas unitard, with Florence's number 371 stuck on the front.Jay-Z also dressed up as gold medallist Tommie Smith. At the 1968 Summer Olympics, Smith and bronze medallist John Carlos raised their gloved fists during the National Anthem after the 200m race.It has become a tradition for the 37-year-old star to pay homage to her inspirations on Halloween. She started the ritual in 2014 where .
WADA leader says wife threatened divorce if he didn't quit
World Anti-Doping Agency President Craig Reedie says his wife threatened to divorce him if he didn't resign from the organisation amid the furore over the Russia investigation. Critics say because Reedie is a member of the International Olympic Committee his objectivity has been compromised. Reedie told The Associated Press, "I don't think the world gets better by me not being there." Despite WADA investigators finding a state-sponsored doping program was run from Moscow, the Russians haven't had to accept the full findings before being readmitted to the agency, which allows them to test athletes again. Reedie says "it's not particularly comfortable to continually read in the papers ... that you should resign or you're not doing (the job) properly." It's affecting his home life. Reedie says "my wife gave me an option a few days ago, resignation or divorce. Fortunately she calmed down." Asked how he persuaded Rosemary Reedie, the Scotsman said, "I decided to develop a new kitchen which
LPU students dance their way to world record
Dancing joyfully to the beats of 'dhols', hundreds of enthusiastic students of Lovely Professional University (LPU) set a Guiness World Record for the largest 'bhangra' performance.
Sandeep Singh's statue unveiled at Jaipur Wax Museum
Former Indian Hockey captain Sandeep Singh is the latest celebrity whose statue has been installed at the Jaipur Wax Museum. Singh, along with his family members, unveiled the statue Thursday at the museum in Nahargarh fort here, said Anoop Srivastava, founder and director of the museum. "His life is an inspiration for many Indians. Bollywood has also depicted his life on reel. His statue would be an added attraction at the museum," Srivastava said. Singh was left almost paralysed after he was accidentally shot by an Railway Protection Force (RPF) jawan inside the Delhi-Kalka Shatabdi Express in 2006. The bullet not only fractured his lowest rib, it also damaged his spine, kidneys and liver. But Singh made a sensational comeback to the national team after a gap of almost two years before being handed the captaincy in 2009.
Akshita Gandhi to Showcase Art at Prestigious Middle East Venues; The Global Art Awards and Grand Prix Abu Dhabi
/ -- Akshita Gandhi, artist, philanthropist and entrepreneur has been invited to showcase her work at two very prestigious platforms in the UAE - the Global Art Awards and the Grand Prix at Abu Dhabi. The artist has been selected as a finalist for the eminent; Best Global Artist of the Year; award in the mixed media category, for the Global Art Awards. This important event on Dubai's art calendar will be held at the elegant Palm Jumeirah Hotel, an event attended by internationally acclaimed artists, critics, and media with the royal family as Guests of Honour. Akshita's work, Painfully Concealed Silence, is an artistic representation of the chaos within, will be exhibited as part of the 20 artworks selected from several hundred submissions from around the world. The awards are created to honour and generate public recognition of the achievements and positive contributions of artists, galleries, and art professionals worldwide. Amongst the judging panel for the prestigious accolades ...
Dravid formally inducted into ICC Hall of Fame
Ahead of India's final ODI of the five-match series against West Indies, former cricketer Rahul Dravid was officially inducted into the International Cricket Council (ICC) Hall of Fame at Greenfield International Stadium, Thiruvananthapuram on Thursday.With this, the former skipper has become the fifth Indian after Bishan Bedi, Sunil Gavaskar, Kapil Dev and Anil Kumble, to be bestowed with a Hall of Fame cap.Ecstatic to receive the honour, Dravid said, "I am honoured and delighted to have been formally inducted into the ICC Cricket Hall of Fame in front of my home fans. This award gives me the satisfaction that I have been able to contribute to the success of the India cricket team in particular, and cricket in general.Dravid further thanked all his co-players, coaches and officials for their support and guidance."I have enjoyed each and every moment of my association with them, as together we not only set big targets but achieved most of them," he addedMeanwhile, the Board of Cricket
Politicians visit Bhilwada to consult astrologer before Assembly polls
As assembly elections are round the corner in several states, scores of political contenders belonging to various political parties are flocking to a small village called Kario, about 20 kilometres from Bhilwada, to seek future advice from well-known astrologer Nathulal Vyas.Interestingly, due to a large number of people practicing astrology as a profession in the area, Karoi is known as 'Jyotish Nagri' of the country.Vyas, who hails from Karoi village, is an expert in Bhrigu Sa?hita, a Sanskrit astrological (Jyotisha) treatise.Political leaders, especially from Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh, who are seeking party tickets for the upcoming polls and are curious to know what lies in fate for them are paying regular visits to the elderly astrologer.The 95-year-old astrologer shot to fame after former president Pratibha Patil, along with her husband Dev Singh Patel, flew down to consult him. Vyas had predicted that she will hold the highest office of the country. Later, after being ...
Abhishek wishes Aishwarya on her birthday, calls her 'my happy place'
Abhishek Bachchan has shared an adorable picture with wifey Aishwarya Rai Bachchan on the occasion of her 45th birthday.Alongside the black-and-white image, in which the 'Manmarziyaan' star can be seen hugging Aishwarya with one arm, Abhishek wrote, "Happy Birthday Wife. I love you! #MyHappyPlace"The 'Fanney Khan' star also took to Instagram to share some glimpses of her special day, which she celebrated with her family. In the picture, the birthday girl can be seen posing near her cake along with Abhishek, Aaradhya, mother Brinda Rai and others.Aishwarya shared another picture with hubby Abhishek and their darling daughter. The selfie was seemingly clicked at the airport as the family is off to Goa for a quick getaway.One of the most loved couples of Bollywood, Abhi-Aish (as they are lovingly called by their fans), met on the sets of 'Dhai Akshar Prem Ke' in 2000. They tied the knot in April, 2007 and welcomed their bundle of joy, Aaradhya in 2011.
Karnataka minister throws sports kits at athletes
Karnataka Revenue Minister RV Deshpande sparked a controversy after he threw sports kits from a stage at an event to honour sportspersons in Karwar's Haliyal on Wednesday.At the event, Deshpande was seen standing on the stage and throwing the kits, packed in plastic covers, towards athletes who had earner laurels at the national, state and district levels.The act was captured on video, which was later circulated on social media.The Congress leader was in his home constituency to inaugurate a new indoor stadium and to honour local sportspersons.Earlier, state Public Works Department (PWD) minister HD Revanna faced the flak after he threw food materials towards flood victims in Kodagu district.
BSF motercyclist made seven world records in five days
Border Security Force's (BSF) trick riding team 'JANBAZ' created two world records on Wednesday, making total seven world records since October 15.
J-K panchayat polls: 1,886 nominations filed for sarpanch halqas, 6,763 for panch wards in phase 1
For the first phase of the panchayat polls in Jammu and Kashmir, 1,886 nominations have been filed for 547 sarpanch halqas and 6,763 nominations for 4,151 panch wards across the state, a spokesman said Wednesday. Polling and counting of votes for the first phase is scheduled be held on November 17. The spokesman said, in Kashmir division, 713 nominations have been filed for 259 sarpanch halqas and 2,383 nominations for 2,021 panch wards while in Jammu division, 1,173 nominations have been filed for 288 sarpanch halqas and 4,380 nominations for 2,130 panch wards. The last date for filing nominations has been extended by four days in Gurez block of Bandipora district in Kashmir division in view of the fresh snowfall in the area, he said. The last date for withdrawal of nominations for the first phase is November 2.