Offset surprises Cardi B on her show, pleads for reconciliation

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December 17, 2018

American rapper Offset crashed Cardi B’s performance at the Rolling Loud Festival show in Los Angeles to publicly ask his estranged wife for forgiveness.

Over the weekend, the ‘Migos’ rapper appeared on stage at Cardi’s show and surprised her with a massive cake and a floral bouquet which read “Take Me Back Cardi,” reported an online media.

Offset pleaded for reconciliation with his lady love and begged her to forgive him for his alleged infidelity.

“I just wanna tell you I’m sorry, bro, in person, in front of the world. I love you. Whatever I gotta do to show you that, I’m there,” he said.

Despite the romantic gesture by Offset, Cardi had the flowers removed from the stage after she continued her show.

On Sunday, Offset took to his Twitter handle and opened up out about his actions. “All of my wrongs have been made public, i figure It’s only right that my apologies are made public too. A n—a was just trying …..thank god I ain’t got no balloons sheeesh,” he wrote.

Hours before Offset appeared onstage, Cardi posted a message on her Instagram Story. “Pensando en ti Pensando en mi.” It means “thinking of you thinking of me” in Spanish.

However, this wasn’t Offset’s only big move to get back with Cardi. On December 9, he tweeted, “F–k YALL I MISS CARDI.”

On Friday, Offset talked about his feelings in a long video on Instagram where he also apologised for his actions.

“I apologize, and I love you, and I hope you forgive me. My birthday wish is just to have you back,” he had said.

The drama between the two made headlines when an alleged video of Offset and a woman named Summer Bunni surfaced online.

Earlier this month, Cardi B a.k.a Belcalis Marlenis Almanzar announced that the couple was calling it quits after a year of being married.

David Walliams was ‘starstruck’ by Jennifer Aniston

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December 17, 2018

British actor-comedian David Walliams has said he was starstruck by Jennifer Aniston while working on Netflix film “Murder Mystery”.

The 47-year-old comic said he initially had no idea what to say to the “lovely” Hollywood star, reported an online portal.

“She is a dream. I was so starstruck because she’s so, so famous. I was like, ‘Oh my God, it’s Jennifer Aniston. What do I say to her?’ But she’s so charming and lovely,” Walliams told Heat magazine.

The “Britain’s Got Talent” star revealed his friends were hoping that he may start dating Aniston during the filming.

“Some of my friends were saying, ‘You should go out with her’ but I think it would be a bit of a comedown from Brad Pitt and Justin Theroux. I wouldn’t wish that on her,” he said.

“Murder Mystery” also stars Adam Sandler.

Demi Lovato spends time with rumoured beau Henry Levy

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December 17, 2018

American singer-songwriter Demi Lovato was spotted spending some quality time with rumoured beau Henry Levy during a midnight stroll.

A leading online portal obtained some photos of the duo from their night time stroll in Beverly Hills. The two were seen holding hands, while another picture showed Lovato and Levy sitting inside a car using their cell phones.

However, this is not the first time that the two were captured spending time together.

The 26-year-old singer and Levy were spotted kissing on December 9 after a dinner date in Malibu. The duo was first seen together having sushi a few days after the ‘Confident’ singer left rehab.

In November, a source told E! News that Levy was just trying to help Lovato through her tough phase.

“Demi wants to be around people who are like-minded and Henry is good energy for her. They spend a huge amount of time together but Demi is not focused on dating. Demi is very focused on her health,” the source said.

Levy is the founder of a clothing company called Enfants Riches Deprime, and is more commonly known as Henri Alexander. Lovato was one of the first celebrities to wear his clothing brand.

Another insider shared, “Demi was one of the first celebrities to wear Henri’s clothing label about five years ago and that’s when she first came to his attention. Friends are hopeful he and Demi are working on their sobriety together.”

Since leaving rehab, the ‘Sorry Not Sorry’ singer has been very focused on her health and wellbeing.

Giving insights on her health, the first source explained that “Lovato has been working out with a trainer several days per week, eating right, and truly has a whole different mindset.”

Lovato made it evident with a recent social media post that she is very focused on her health. She shared a post-workout selfie on Instagram after a jiu-jitsu session.

Lovato was rushed to the hospital on July 24 after an apparent drug overdose.

Carey Mulligan enjoys playing ‘unlikeable’ characters

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December 17, 2018

Actor Carey Mulligan says “unlikable” characters attract her.

The 33-year-old actor, who has received rave reviews for her performance in “Wildlife” in which she plays an unsympathetic 1960s wife and mother, believes the negative aspects of her character makes her more realistic.

”I kind of lean into the unlikable things. Because we all have slightly crap aspects to our personality, as much as we try and pretend that we don’t, and that’s what makes us real human beings.

“So I didn’t really think about whether Jeanette was likable or not. I suppose that’s why it came as quite a shock when people started shouting at me in Q&As,” Mulligan told The Hollywood Reporter’s ‘Awards Chatter’ podcast.

“Wildlife”, directed by Paul Dano, also features Jake Gyllenhaal.

‘Govt’s intense pressure on RBI could undermine India’s long-term financial stability’

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December 17, 2018

Indian government’s “sustained and intense” pressure on the RBI could “undermine” the hard-fought improvements in the banking system over the past few years as well as the long-term financial stability in the country, S&P Global Ratings warned on Monday.

In particular, S&P Global Ratings views as credit negative the circumstances leading to the recent resignation of RBI Governor Urjit Patel.

“We await any changes to banking system regulation at the next RBI board meeting in January 2019, said the agency, days after Patel resigned as Governor of Reserve Bank of India (RBI) amid talk of a face-off with the government over autonomy and independence of the central bank.

At this time, it sees no material change in the central bank’s level of independence, especially with regards to its adoption and implementation of prudent policy.

“The RBI has traditionally shown greater independence than many regional peers, and a robust institutional culture. But sustained and intense external pressure from the Indian government risks eroding these settings over time and could also undermine the long-term financial stability in the country,” said S&P.

This is particularly a risk because the central bank was focusing on four R’s – Recognition, Recapitalisation, Resolution, and Reform – to restore the health of the financial sector, it said.

Recapitalisation has continued for both public and private sector banks.

“We note that more needs to be done to recapitalise public sector banks in general. In our view, the RBI’s Prompt Corrective Action to rebuild capitalisation at distressed banks is appropriate given the fundamental issues these banks face,” said S&P in a report on the Indian banks.

S&P said that its assessment of India’s banking system continues to factor in its relatively weak governance and transparency.

CIC demands disclosure on Data on printing of Rs 2000 and Rs 500 post demonetisation

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December 17, 2018

The note printing subsidiary of the RBI has failed to explain how disclosure of data on Rs 2,000 and Rs 500 notes printed after demonetisation will affect economic interests of the state, the CIC has noted ordering its disclosure.

The Bhartiya Reserve Bank Note Mudran (P) Limited, a wholly owned subsidiary of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), claimed that the printing of currency and related activities cannot be shared with people as it will result in “proliferation of counterfeit currency and economic chaos, it observed.

The matter was being heard by Information Commissioner Sudhir Bhargava.

In a surprise demonetisation decision, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had on November 8, 2016, announced that Rs 500 and Rs 1000 notes, which constituted 86 per cent of total currency in circulation, would cease to be legal tender with immediate effect.

They were replaced by new Rs 2000 and Rs 500 currency notes but their erratic supply saw empty ATMs and long lines of people outside banks trying to cope with rationing of currency.

Banning high value notes dragged India’s economic growth down: Rajan

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December 17, 2018

Demonetisation slowed down India’s economic growth at a time when the world economy was growing and it impacted the GDP significantly, former RBI Governor Raghuram Rajan said.

Rajan said he has seen studies which reaffirm that banning of high value currency notes in late 2016 impacted India’s growth significantly.

“I think the net impression is that it (demonetisation) had a significant effect on our growth. And now, I have seen studies which reaffirm that. It has slowed down (our growth).

“…the world (economy) was growing faster in 2017, we slowed down,” Rajan told NDTV news channel in an interview.

The growth was not only impacted due to demonetisation but also because of implementation of Goods and Services Tax (GST), he said.

In 2017-18, the Indian economy grew by 6.7 per cent.

“That was the twin blow of demonetisation and GST (that impacted India’s growth). And before anybody accuses (me) of being anti-GST, it’s a good idea in the longer run, but it has short term teething effect,” Rajan noted.

When asked if he was asked to implement demonetisation during his tenure as the RBI Governor, Rajan said he was asked for his opinion on banning high value currency notes from the system, which he thought was a “bad idea”.

Expressing his views further on the GST, the former RBI Governor said that the reformist tax system could have been implemented in a much better manner.

On whether GST should have one rate rather than five different slabs, he said it is a matter of debate.

“In my view, which is an alternative view, once you do it, you find out the problem then you start fixing it one by one. So, this (teething problem) was inevitable,” Rajan said.

Kamal Nath sworn in as Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister

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December 17, 2018

Congress leader Kamal Nath was sworn in as the 18th Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh on Monday.

Governor Anandiben Patel administered the oath of office to Nath, 72.

The governor had on Friday invited Nath to form the new government in the state.

The Congress on Thursday named Nath, the nine-time Lok Sabha member from Chhindwara, to head the state Congress Legislature Party, after hours of hectic parleys held by party chief Rahul Gandhi with senior party leaders.

Nath, who has held several portfolios in the Union cabinet, was appointed the Madhya Pradesh Congress Committee president on April 26 and was at the forefront in steering the party to a win in the November 28 Assembly polls.

The results were declared on December 11.

The Congress, which won 114 seats, has secured support of 121 MLAs, including SP (1) and BSP (2) legislators and four independents, to cross the majority mark of 116 seats in the 230-member Assembly.

The BJP, which ruled the state for 15 years, got 109 seats in the elections. The saffron party’s Shivraj Singh Chouhan was the state’s longest serving chief minister since taking charge in 2005.

Those present at the swearing in ceremony included Rahul Gandhi, former prime minister Manmohan Singh, AICC general secretary Mallikarjun Kharge, Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot, his deputy Sachin Pilot, MPs Jyotiraditya Scindia, former Karnataka chief minister Siddaramaiah and Punjab minister Navjot Singh Sidhu.

NCP chief Sharad Pawar, National Conference president Farooq Abdullah, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu, Loktantrik Janata Dal leader Sharad Yadav, DMK’s MK Stalin, RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav and Kamal Nath’s predecessor and BJP leader Shivraj Singh Chouhan were also present.

Cong ‘knowingly’ misleading people on Rafale Jet pricing: Sitharaman

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December 17, 2018

In a scathing attack on the Congress, Defence Minister Niramala Sitharaman Monday alleged that the opposition party was “knowingly” misleading people over the Rafale jets’ pricing.

Lashing out at the Gandhi family for alleging corruption in the defence contract, she said “amazing audacity” was shown by them “in not listening” to the Supreme Court’s verdict in the Rafale deal case.

“The Congress is knowingly misleading people on the pricing of the Rafale jets,” Sitharaman told reporters at the BJP office in Mumbai.

“The stance of the country’s ‘first family’ in not listening to the apex court’s order on the Rafale deal case petition can be termed as, with due respect, amazing audacity,” the minister said.

She was speaking as part of the BJP’s move to hold pressers in 70 cities across the country on Monday to attack the opposition party against the backdrop of the Supreme Court’s verdict on the controversial Rafale jet deal.

Sitharaman said, “We’ve given the price to the CAG, in a parliamentary system the CAG looks into it and then its report goes to PAC. The PAC will have a look at it and then it’ll become a public document. It is a process and it has commenced.”

“In the affidavit we’ve given the data and the information. We think there’s an interpretation problem, we would like you (court) to look at it and correct it. That’s our appeal to the court, we’ll wait for them to take the call,” she said.

The Minister further said that they have explained the process through which information comes to Parliament.

“In that the past tense, future tense, present tense and present continuous tense has come into play. That is post the decision, is it not? Therefore, how is it going to affect the verdict?” she said.

The Supreme Court on Friday had said there is no occasion to doubt the decision-making process in the procurement of 36 Rafale jets from France, and dismissed all the petitions seeking an investigation into alleged irregularities in the Rs 58,000 crore deal.

There was no substantial evidence of commercial favouritism to any private entity, the bench headed by Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi had said on the issue of an offset partner in its ruling on a batch of petitions.

Notwithstanding the court’s verdict, Congress chief Rahul Gandhi had said there was massive corruption in the contract and wondered why the Comptroller and Auditor General’s (CAG) report “cited by the Supreme Court” on it had not yet been shared with the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) of Parliament.

Gandhi had also reiterated the Congress’ demand for a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) probe into the fighter jet deal and claimed that if it was conducted, names of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and businessman Anil Ambani will come to the fore.

He said the apex court in its verdict cited that a report by the CAG on the Rafale deal was submitted to the PAC but asserted that no such report was given to the House panel headed by Congress’ leader in Lok Sabha Mallikarjuna Kharge.

Kharge also said PAC did not receive any such report.

The Congress has repeatedly criticised the deal for the 36 Rafale jets, alleging that the government was procuring each aircraft at a cost of over Rs 1,670 crore as against Rs 526 crore finalised by the UPA government.

However, both government and Anil Ambani’s Reliance Group have rejected Gandhi’s allegations of any wrongdoing.

Gay Singaporean man wins right to adopt surrogate son

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December 17, 2018

A gay Singaporean man on Monday won the right to adopt a child he fathered via a surrogate in the United States, in a landmark court ruling for the conservative city-state.

While Singapore is affluent and modern in many ways, attitudes towards homosexuality are routinely criticised as outdated.

Gay marriage is not permitted and sex between men remains illegal under a law that dates from the British colonial era, although it is rarely enforced.

In the latest case, the man — who is in a long-term relationship — first inquired about adopting in Singapore but was told a homosexual couple was unlikely to get permission.

He found a surrogate in the United States who agreed to carry his child for US$200,000.

Surrogacy is effectively banned in Singapore.

A son was born and is now five years old.

The man, a 46-year-old pathologist who has not been identified, brought the boy back to Singapore and applied to formally adopt him, in the hope of securing him Singapore citizenship. A district judge rejected the initial application in December last year. But he appealed to Singapore’s High Court, which ruled in his favour.

Delivering the verdict, Chief Justice Sundaresh Menon said that “the evidence has demonstrated to us that it is very much in the interests of the child that the adoption order be made”.

“His prospects of acquiring Singapore citizenship could be significantly enhanced by making an adoption order, which would in turn lead to an overall increase in the stability of his life in Singapore.” But he noted that the decision was related to that particular case and should not be viewed as an endorsement of what the man and his partner had done.

The man’s lawyer Ivan Cheong said his client was “overjoyed and happy that at the end of a long adoption process, the child’s welfare is upheld.” “At the end of the day, it is about what is in the child’s best interests.