Mumbai: Singer-songwriter Karan Aujla has announced the extension of his India tour amid the allegations surrounding infidelity.
The singer, who recently celebrated his birthday, has now added Ahmedabad, Kolkata, Jaipur, Lucknow and Ludhiana to the itinerary. The tour now spans 12 cities across the country including debut stadium performances.
Talking about the same, Karan Aujla said, “The love from India has always been unreal, and my fans have truly been my day ones. As I turn a year older, I wanted to keep them at the centre of the celebration. Expanding the tour and visiting more cities is my way of celebrating this journey with everyone who’s been part of it”.
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The P-Pop Culture India Tour 2026 builds on the momentum of his It Was All A Dream India Tour in 2024. The tour is produced and promoted by Team Innovation.
Meanwhile, Karan Aujla has recently been at the centre of a viral cheating-allegation controversy after a Canada-based artiste Ms. Gori, publicly claimed that she was in a secret relationship with him without knowing he was married to his wife, Palak Aujla. She alleged that Aujla did not disclose his marital status during their involvement and even suggested that his team tried to suppress her side of the story online. These posts spread rapidly across social media and sparked intense public discussion about responsibility, reputation, and transparency in celebrity relationships.
The controversy also drew reactions from others in the public eye, actress Parul Gulati released a video defending Karan Aujla, calling the allegations baseless and affirming that he is devoted to his wife, even as she critiqued the accuser’s claims. In response, Gori criticised public dismissals of her account, arguing that women are often discouraged from sharing their stories.
NEW DELHI: The Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) urged the government to launch a second version of the National Infrastructure Pipeline (NIP) with a corpus of ₹150 lakh crore to sustain ongoing capital expenditure, adding that India Inc’s business confidence in the country’s growth story is the highest in five quarters.
According to the NSO first advance estimates of GDP released on January 7, the Indian economy is expected to grow at 7.4% in 2025-26, led by manufacturing, services, and the government’s capital expenditure. (PIXABAY)
CII’s Business Confidence Index in the third quarter of the current financial year (Q3FY26) rose for the third consecutive quarter to 66.5 from 66.0 in Q2FY26, reflecting stronger domestic demand and improving business sentiments. It conducted the 133rd business outlook survey in December 2025, covering over 175 firms of varying sizes.
“The steady rise in business confidence shows industry’s ability to navigate external headwinds anchored by resilient domestic demand and a robust reform agenda,” CII director general Chandrajit Banerjee said. The industry anticipates the growth momentum to strengthen further in the months ahead, he added.
According to the National Statistical Office’s (NSO) first advance estimates of gross domestic product (GDP) released on January 7, the Indian economy is expected to grow at 7.4% in 2025-26, led by manufacturing, services, and the government’s capital expenditure. About a month ago, on December 5, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) projected India’s GDP growth for 2025-26 at 7.3%.
On Thursday, International Monetary Fund (IMF) director- communications Julie Kozack said, “India is a key growth engine for the world.” Saying that India’s third-quarter growth came out “stronger than expected”, she said that it may see IMF upgrading its earlier forecast of 6.6% for the country in FY26.
”Driven by bold reform initiatives, India has firmly established itself as the world’s fastest-growing major economy, demonstrating remarkable resilience amid global uncertainty shaped by geopolitical tensions, trade weaponisation, and a slowing world economy,” CII said in a statement.
Domestic demand remains the key driver, with two-thirds of firms reporting higher demand in Q2FY26 and 72% expecting further growth in Q3FY26, aided by GST rate cuts and festive consumption, it said. “Investment and hiring intentions remain robust,” it added.
CII expressed confidence that the reform momentum would continue in the forthcoming Union Budget scheduled for February 1. CII has recommended that the government sustain capital expenditure by launching a revitalised ₹150-lakh crore NIP 2.0. “The focus should be on shovel-ready, revenue-generating projects and streamlined dispute-resolution mechanisms to accelerate infrastructure delivery and crowd-in private investment,” it said.
“In parallel, CII calls for robust development and strategic funding mechanisms to enhance India’s long-term competitiveness. At the heart of this is the creation of an India Development and Strategic Fund (IDSF), which can be a sovereign-anchored platform to mobilise large pools of domestic institutional capital and foreign investment,” it said.
To strengthen India’s global integration, CII recommended enabling trade and exports through a simplified three-tier tariff structure, with low tariffs on inputs and moderate tariffs on intermediates, to enhance competitiveness, integrate into global value chains, and promote export diversification.
NEW DELHI: The Bangladesh Cricket Board has denied reports that the ICC set a January 21 deadline for a decision on the T20 World Cup. The board says no such date was communicated. It has again asked for its matches to be moved to another venue.BCB director Amzad Hossain explained what happened in the last meeting with the ICC.
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“Last Saturday, January 17, an ICC representative came. A meeting was held with a delegation from our Cricket Board. There, we clearly conveyed our position regarding the World Cup participation and informed them that we are unable to play at the specified venue, and we requested an alternative venue. A detailed discussion took place with their representative. At that time, they told us that they would inform the ICC about these matters and later communicate the decision to us. However, they did not mention any specific date or timeline for when they would inform us—only that they would let us know the next date. Thank you,” he said.Earlier media reports claimed the ICC had told Bangladesh to decide by January 21 or face removal from the tournament. Some reports also said Bangladesh could be replaced if it refused to travel to India.An ICC source was quoted as saying by news agency PTI, “The BCB officials have been told to decide on the participation by January 21. If they refuse to travel to India, then they should be ready to be replaced by another team as per rankings.”The dispute has continued for weeks. No solution has been found so far. The issue started after Bangladesh fast bowler Mustafizur Rahman was removed from the 2026 IPL. The decision came from the BCCI. The reason given was unspecified “developments all around.”The BCB says its team will not travel to India. It has cited security concerns and national pride. Bangladesh are scheduled to play group matches in Kolkata and Mumbai.The ICC is reluctant to move those games. The schedule is already finalised. Sri Lanka is co-hosting the tournament. It will also host the India–Pakistan match under an agreement that runs until 2027.Bangladesh have suggested alternatives. They want a venue change or a group change. They are currently in Group C with West Indies, Italy, England and Nepal. The BCB has proposed swapping groups with Ireland in Group B. That group plays in Sri Lanka.After talks in Dhaka, the BCB said, “…the possibility of moving Bangladesh to a different group as a means of facilitating the matter with minimum logistical adjustments was discussed.”The ICC’s risk report does not list any direct threat in India. Political ties between India and Bangladesh have worsened. Senior Bangladesh players have urged caution. Tamim Iqbal warned today’s decisions could affect the next 10 years.
Anurag Singh’s directorial Border 2 is all set to hit theatres on January 23. Ahead of the release, the makers held a grand launch for the song Ghar Kab Aaoge, a reworked version of the iconic track Sandese Aate Hain from the original Border. Most of the songs in the film are reworked versions of tracks from the 1997 classic, evoking nostalgia among audiences. Composer Anu Malik and lyricist Javed Akhtar had collaborated on the music of Border (1997).
Javed Akhtar on refusing Border 2
Several fans of the original film wondered why Javed Akhtar was not associated with the sequel. It has now emerged that the veteran lyricist was approached to write songs for Border 2 but declined the offer.
Explaining his decision, Akhtar told India Today, “They did ask me to write for the film, but I refused. I really feel this is a kind of intellectual and creative bankruptcy. You have an old song that did well, and you want to put it out again by adding something? Make new songs, or else accept that you cannot do the same level of work.”
Lyricist questions recreation of music
The lyricist further questioned the need to recreate old songs. “Whatever is bygone, let that be. What is the need to recreate it? We also had a film before us — Haqeeqat (1964) — and its songs were not ordinary ones. Be it ‘Kar Chale Hum Fida’ or ‘Main Yeh Sochkar Uske Dar Se Utha Tha’. Those were brilliant songs, but we didn’t use them. We wrote new ones and made completely different songs, and people liked them too. If you are making a film again, create new songs. Why are you depending on the past? You have accepted that you can’t do it and will live with past glory.”
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Border 2 is presented by Gulshan Kumar & T-Series in association with J.P. Dutta`s J.P. Films. The film that stars Sunny Deol, Varun Dhawan, Diljit Dosanjh and Ahan Shetty is produced by Bhushan Kumar, Krishan Kumar, J.P. Dutta and Nidhi Dutta, and directed by Anurag Singh. The patriotic war saga is set to hit cinemas on January 23, 2026.
Kylian Mbappe has asked the fans to back Vinicius Jr. as the Brazilian forward has struggled for form this season. The frustration of Real Madrid’s supporters was clearly visible during Saturday’s match, where Vini Jr. was heavily booed, particularly during the announcement of the starting line-ups. The mood at the stadium reflected ongoing dissatisfaction following defeats in the Spanish Super Cup final to Barcelona and a shock Copa del Rey exit at the hands of second-division Albacete earlier this month.
In the wake of these events, Mbappe addressed the supporters directly, saying that he understands their frustration, but singling out the Brazilian for jeers wasn’t the right way. In 29 matches in all competitions, Vini Jr. has scored six goals and provided nine assists.
“I understand the fans because we’re not doing things right,” Mbappe told a press conference on Monday.
“What I didn’t like was that if they boo, they should boo the whole team. You shouldn’t single out one player. It’s not Vini’s fault that we’re playing the way we are now.
“That’s all I have to say: don’t go after one player. It’s our collective fault, and we have the character to change that on the pitch.”
Mbappe’s comments come as Real Madrid prepare for a pivotal Champions League tie, with a win over Monaco at home potentially securing a place in the last 16. The France forward emphasised the need for unity.
“Vini, like you, like her, like everyone else, he’s a human being,” Mbappe said.
“He’s an unbelievable talent, a great guy, and I’m fortunate to know him. We all need to protect him better. He’s not alone at Real Madrid, and we’re all with him. When he’s at his best, he’s one of the best players in the world.
“My job is to support him, look after him. When he’s happy, he’s a difference-maker, and that should be our collective focus.”
Mumbai, Imran Khan is back on the big screen after a decade with a cameo in “Happy Patel” and the actor says his return is driven by a desire to reconnect and make movies for the sheer joy of it.
Not seeking to be a big star, want to do films for the joy: Imran Khan on comeback with ‘Happy Patel’
Over the past two years, Imran sifted through numerous scripts but found none that sparked interest until he heard about “Happy Patel”, which marks the directorial debut of his “Delhi Belly” co-star and friend Vir Das.
“In late 2023, when I started reemerging from my hibernation, and connecting with the world, people said, ‘Hey, this guy is alive’ and started reaching out. My approach at this point is very different from what it was back then,” the actor, who was last seen on screen in 2015 film, “Katti Batti”, told PTI in an interview.
“Not everybody wants the same thing from their careers. Everyone’s got different paths that they’re seeking. I’m not seeking to build myself into a very big star, to be the biggest star or to be in the top three. Unless I love the film and really want to make it, I won’t… I will only make a film if I feel FOMO ,” he said.
Acknowledging that he is financially secure, Imran best known for rom-coms like “Jaane Tu…Ya Jaane Naa”, “I Hate Luv Storys”, and “Break Ke Baad” said at this point in his life, he prefers working alongside friends and like-minded individuals.
“The reason that I ever made films was to play with my friends. We get a bunch of friendly people together, we paint our faces, we put on costumes and we play . That’s how I see moviemaking. Not to take away from how seriously one takes the thing, but creating art must come from a place of love and joy,” he said.
Imran said when he heard that Das and another friend, actor Mithila Palkar, were working together on a “zany, spoofy spy comedy”, he couldn’t shake off the feeling of missing out.
“I’d not heard a narration or a script, it’s the buzz that I was getting from my friends. I was struck with FOMO. I was like, ‘Guys, you’re all doing this fun thing. Can I also come along and have fun with you guys?’
“I texted Vir saying, ‘I would love to be in your film, can you include me somewhere?’. So, he wrote me a part, which was not in the original script and said, ‘Let’s have some fun’.”
Imran said Das is one of the best stand-up comedians in India and he loves attending his comedy shows across the world.
“Happy Patel”, which released in theatres on Friday, is a quirky spy comedy. It is a reunion between Imran and Das after “Delhi Belly” , and with Palkar after “Katti Batti” .
In the film, Imran takes on the role of Milind Morea, an international supermodel.
He and Das had planned to keep the news of his cameo a “secret”, hoping to “surprise” audiences when they saw him in the theatre. However, the news leaked immediately.
The 43-year-old actor admitted that he was surprised to see himself in the film’s trailer and never anticipated the attention and interest it would generate. He added that he has not actively tried to stay relevant during his hiatus.
“It’s all a lot more than one would have imagined. When you consider all of the conventional wisdom that tells you that you must make great efforts to stay in people’s consciousness and to stay relevant, you’ve to reach out and grab them and hold their attention,” he said.
“Again, because up until this moment, it’s not like I had suddenly made a great film that everyone was appreciating, ‘Oh, what a wonderful film, what great acting is’, it’s none of that. People responded a lot more than ,” Imran added.
Imran said he chose to take a step back from acting after a bunch of his films including “Katti Batti” and “Gori Tere Pyaar Mein” failed at the box office.
“…At first, you’ve that feeling, ‘Oh, no, my film has flopped’. I had made the films with love and with friends. I enjoyed the process,” he recounted.
This article was generated from an automated news agency feed without modifications to text.
ROME, – Italian fashion designer Valentino Garavani, known to the world simply as Valentino, has died at the age of 93, his foundation announced on Monday.
QUOTES-‘We lost a true maestro’: tributes to Italian fashio
Founder of his eponymous brand, he built a global fashion empire and introduced the iconic “Valentino Red.” He had retired in 2008, after rising to the top of haute couture.
Giancarlo Giammetti, Valentino’s partner in business and life, posted his picture on Instagram captioned “forever.”
Here are some of the other tributes to him:
ITALIAN PRIME MINISTER GIORGIA MELONI
“Valentino, undisputed master of style and elegance and eternal symbol of Italian haute couture. Today, Italy loses a legend, but his legacy will continue to inspire generations. Thank you for everything.”
ACTRESS SOPHIA LOREN
“You had a kind soul, rich in humanity. You were a friend, and your art and passion will forever remain a source of inspiration. It was a privilege to know you, and I will always carry you with me. My family and I extend our hearts to your Giancarlo and all your family.”
FASHION DESIGNER DONATELLA VERSACE
“Today, we lost a true maestro who will forever be remembered for his art. My thoughts go to Giancarlo who never left his side for all these years. He will never be forgotten.”
KERING CEO LUCA DE MEO
“Valentino elevated elegance into a universal language, blending tradition and audacity with rare precision. His legacy remains one of the strongest expressions of Italian culture. My thoughts are with his family, his loved ones, and especially with Giancarlo Giammetti. His spirit will continue to live on through the House that bears his name.”
ALESSANDRO MICHELE, CREATIVE DIRECTOR AT MAISON VALENTINO
“Valentino Garavani was not only an undisputed protagonist of fashion, but a central figure in Italian cultural history. A man who pushed the boundaries of possibility, traversing the world with rare delicacy, silent rigor, and a boundless love of beauty.
“He leaves us all a profound legacy: the idea that creating means caring, that beauty is radical and patient attention to bodies, to forms, to the time that passes through and preserves them.”
MODEL CINDY CRAWFORD
“I’m heartbroken to hear of Valentino Garavani’s passing. He was a true master of his craft, and I will always be grateful for the years I had the privilege of working closely with him.”
MODEL CLAUDIA SCHIFFER
“He is what true legends are made of, living on forever through the brand he created, the embodiment of timeless elegance and glamour.”
SINGER AND FORMER MODEL CARLA BRUNI
“He was a master, and it was an honor and a great privilege to know him and model for him, and I will always remember his great kindness and infinite elegance. My thoughts go out to @giancarlogiammetti and the entire Valentino family. Rest in peace #valentino.”
FASHION WRITER SUZY MENKES
“Intensely Italian in his passion for decoration, yet also international in his attitude and his designs, the spirit of the company continued beyond his own creation of a luxury brand. Looking back, Valentino was the last member – and leader – of gorgeous glamour delivered to the upper crust of the fashion world.”
ITALIAN GAY LGBT PARTY
“We want to remember Valentino Garavani not only for his ‘Rosso,’ but for the courage of a life lived in the light of day with his lifelong partner, Giancarlo Giammetti. His coming out, expressed with the naturalness of greats, broke down barriers in an era when silence was the norm.”
CHAMBER OF ITALIAN FASHION PRESIDENT CARLO CASA
“His creations became symbols of style and glamour, worn by the protagonists of history and by central figures of international cultural life. His aesthetic, coherent and rigorous, never chased trends, but he was able to unite artisanal heritage and modernity, contributing decisively to the global recognition of Italian fashion.”
This article was generated from an automated news agency feed without modifications to text.
Virat Kohli keeps defying age. He might be 37, but he’s still as quick between the wickets as he was earlier. The ultimate testament to his fitness was seen in the third and final ODI against New Zealand at the Holkar Stadium in Indore, where he ran faster than Harshit Rana, who is just 26. The partnership between Rana and Kohli saw the duo running quick doubles, but there was one instance where the former put his hand up, refusing the second run as he was visibly tired. Rana’s expression said it all as he had run out of steam, but Kohli was raring to go at the other end.
India’s Virat Kohli during the third ODI cricket match between India and New Zealand. (PTI)
Kohli aggregated 240 runs in the three ODIs against New Zealand, but his knock of 124 in the decider went in vain as the Kiwis registered a 41-run win to take the series 2-1. The former India captain has been in red-hot form in ODIs of late, scoring three centuries and two fifties in his last six matches for India.
This golden run is a smashing answer to all the Kohli critics who questioned his future not that long ago. The recent run of the right-hander forced former New Zealand pacer Simon Doull to say that Kohli can play on until he’s 44 or 45, as he is still the fittest player in Team India.
“Some of the shots were just crisp and clean. Beyond that, it’s how he manoeuvres the field and how he runs between the wickets. There’s still an air of youth about him. Despite his age and experience, he’d probably still be the fittest guy on that side. That’s professionalism,” Doull told JioHotstar.
“The willingness to keep trying to win games, to drag your team back into the contest when they’re so far behind, and to run as hard as he does, for his own runs and for his teammates. There’s so much to love about how he’s playing at the moment. May he stick around in international cricket until he’s 44 or 45 years old,” he added.
54 ODI centuries for Kohli
The century in Indore was the 54th one for Kohli in the ODI format and the 85th overall in international cricket. Midway through this knock, he also surpassed Ricky Ponting to become the leading run-scorer at the No.3 spot in ODIs.
In the three matches against the Kiwis, Kohli returned with scores of 93, 23 and 124. Previously, he had also hit two centuries and one fifty in the previous series against South Africa.
Kohli then also represented Delhi in the first two matches of the Vijay Hazare Trophy, returning with one century and one fifty.
Celebrity fitness trainer Vinod Channa, who is currently working with the Ambani family and has trained some of the biggest names in Bollywood, including Riteish Deshmukh, John Abraham, Shilpa Shetty has recently opened up on his journey. He revealed how it takes many years of struggle to reach this point. Coming from a working-class background in Mumbai, Vinod began his professional life as a watchman. He said during a chat with Hindi Rush, “I never imagined in my life that I would stand in front of Amitabh Bachchan and Abhishek Bachchan as a trainer. Growing up, I never used to wear slippers. I come from a very poor family in Dadar, Lalbaug where you see typical working class people. From there, I got my first job at Peddar road and that’s when I realised people also stay so lavisly and have such big houses. That’s something we’d never seen before.” Vinod shared that he spent nearly 15 years dedicated to bodybuilding before breaking into the world of celebrity fitness. He started out as a trainer at a Mumbai gym, slowly building his expertise and reputation. “I did bodybuilding for 15 years before becoming a celebrity fitness trainer. When you work hard for 10–15 years, then you get opportunity like this. You need a lot of training and knowlede, because you cannot many any mistake. Many people ask me how can they become a trainer like me who charges in lakhs and they are only one and two month old in training,” he explained.After spending 12 years at the same gym, Vinod made a bold decision to move on, taking his clients with him, in search of better pay and bigger opportunities. He shifted to Bandra, fully aware of the risks involved. “I shifted to Bandra for better fees and also hoping that I would get celebrity client,” he recalled.The move proved to be a turning point. As a former bodybuilder, Vinod was recognised by the manager of a Bandra gym, who gave him a chance. “I started from zero in Bandra with no clients. Whoever I used to found in gym, I used to train them. Then a relative of Ritesh Deshmukh spotted me and he recommended me to Riteish Deshmukh,” he said, adding that he later travelled the world with the actor.With perseverance and relentless work, Vinod eventually became one of the most popular trainers in the industry. Recalling his peak years, including training John Abraham for Force, he said, “I was at the peak of my career at that time I was charging Rs 25,000 per hour. At that time, Ananya Birla also approached me, and they would give me a higher amount.”During that phase, Vinod was working nearly around the clock. “I was working for 16 hours per day,” he added, revealing how the grind paid off. “I bought 5-6 homes. I bought a gym for Rs 15 crore.”
