How the gangster-terrorist nexus is luring the youth of Punjab

Nilambur via Tehran: Geopolitical developments, particularly in the Middle East, spark intense interest in Kerala. Recently, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan condemned Israel’s attack on Iran, calling the former a “themmadi” (scoundrel) nation. Critics allege that the statement was aimed at capturing the significant Muslim vote in Nilambur, which had an assembly byelection on June 19. In response, Muslim League leader and former state education minister P.K. Abdu Rabb made a sarcastic post on social media: “Some people are going around saying that even when there are no elections in Kerala—especially in Malappuram or Malabar—the chief minister and his comrades are heading straight to the very America that supports Israel. But how many know that they are going to America to teach the world-renowned Kerala model of health care?” | Illustrations by Jairaj T.G.

Speech impediment: Politicians seem brave when they take the stage to address a large gathering, but in the lighter moments, some of them like to confess their weaknesses, too. In an informal chat with journalists at the Congress headquarters in Delhi, Bhupesh Baghel—former Chhattisgarh chief minister and current general secretary in-charge of Punjab—brought in some humour by discussing the Punjabi language. Asked if he had learnt it, Baghel smilingly shook his head. He explained that the language was easier to grasp in urban Punjab compared with the rural dialect. To illustrate his point, he used his hand to gesture that Punjabi just went over his head!

Effects of Pakistani water: Om Prakash Rajbhar is known for his weird statements. The latest is that Akhilesh Yadav and Rahul Gandhi “drank water from Pakistan” and thus were opposed to all the good that the BJP government—of which Rajbhar’s Suheldev Bhartiya Samaj Party is an ally—had done. He said that this Pakistan connection was the reason they had opposed the building of the Ram Mandir, the distribution of Samman Nidhi to farmers and the free distribution of foodgrains to the poor. There is of course no evidence that either leader has opposed any of these. But to Rajbhar, facts have never really mattered.

Dream home: The six-storey Bandra house of Ranbir Kapoor and Alia Bhatt—Krishna Raj Bungalow—is finally ready, and the couple, along with daughter Raha and Ranbir’s mother Neetu, will be moving in shortly. It is named after Ranbir’s late grandmother Krishna Raj Kapoor. Apparently, it cost 0250 crore, beating Shah Rukh Khan’s Mannat and Amitabh Bachchan’s Jalsa to become the most expensive celebrity bungalow in Mumbai. It was originally owned by Ranbir’s grandparents. The only thing the house lacks? A gate. Netizens were amused by this, joking about how the house cost so much that they decided to do away with the gate | Amey Mansabdar

Tourist attraction: The Maldives has named Katrina Kaif its global brand ambassador for tourism. She was chosen for her “vibrant personality and strong connection with audiences worldwide”. Katrina, of course, seems super-charged about it. “This collaboration is about bringing the finest travel experiences to global audiences, and I’m excited to help people around the world discover the unique charm and world-class offerings of this extraordinary destination,” she said. After the diplomatic row between the Maldives and India last year—when a few Maldivian politicians called PM Narendra Modi derogatory names—choosing Katrina seems a strategic move. What better way to unite the two countries than through this beauty’s charm and chutzpah? | AFP

Drama queen: Nicole Scherzinger won the Tony Award for best leading actress in a musical for her Broadway debut as Norma Desmond in Sunset Blvd. It was a dream come true for this “little Hawaiian-Ukrainian-Filipino girl”. Her acceptance speech was an emotional entreaty to everyone who, like her, felt they did not belong. “Growing up, I always felt like I didn’t belong, but you all have made me feel like I belong and I have come home at last,” she said. Purpose, about a black civil rights activist’s dysfunctional family, won the award for the best new play and Cole Escola edged out George Clooney—who had made his Broadway debut this year in the stage adaptation of Good Night, and Good Luck—to win the award for best leading actor in a play | AP

Pop topper: Enrique Iglesias, the Spanish heartthrob who wooed many millennials with his honey-dripping voice, is holding a concert in India after 13 years. He will apparently deliver an “unprecedented nostalgic showcase embracing a career-spanning setlist encompassing both his iconic standards and contemporary chart-toppers from his illustrious three-decades-plus career”. He is performing on October 30 at the MMRDA Grounds in Mumbai’s Bandra Kurla Complex. Many 1990s kids, who were serenaded by Iglesias’s songs like ‘Bailamos’ and ‘Hero’ through heartbreaks and broken dreams, will be queuing up from June 27 for the tickets | Getty Images