'This is the closest India and the UAE have ever been': Reem Al-Hashimy, UAE Minister of State for International Cooperation

The ‘wise’ chancellor: Uttar Pradesh Governor Anandiben Patel recently raised eyebrows when she claimed that it was not the Wright brothers but Maharishi Bharadwaj who developed aviation technology. But, this paled in comparison with the gem she dropped a few weeks ago. That Kumbhkarna, one of Ravan’s brothers who is said to have slept for six-month stretches, was actually a techie who spent the said duration making machines in his secret laboratory. Patel, who is the chancellor of the state’s universities, has emphasised that such ‘correct’ knowledge be imparted to students | Illustrations by Jairaj T.G.

Quiet and disquiet: In politics, silence can have multiple meanings. Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar has refrained from speaking for a while, despite numerous political statements from various quarters on his future. His silence has sparked speculations over his next move. Is he readying for another switch or just expressing his disapproval over some statements from the BJP camp over leadership ahead of the polls due in October-November? The BJP has been quick to attempt damage control, by saying the next polls will be under Nitish’s command. And then came the compliment from his harshest critic, Union Minister Giriraj Singh, that Nitish should be given the Bharat Ratna. But this, too, could not elicit a response from the chief minister. Rumour mills are working overtime and will halt only when Nitish breaks his silence.

No place for crooks: Vijay’s Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam is gearing up to appoint new officeholders at the district and state levels. The TVK is set to follow the same structure and bylaws as the two Dravidian majors—the DMK and the AIADMK. Vijay also wants to ensure that no one with a criminal background or a history of legal trouble holds office. So, he has instructed the party seniors to gather personal details of those who are seeking posts. He has apparently told them to expel those who fail the screening.

Light after dark: It seems Wonder Woman is not as invincible as she looks. Gal Gadot, who played the character in the DC films, revealed that she had a massive blood clot during the eighth month of her fourth pregnancy. For weeks, she had experienced excruciating headaches that confined her to bed, until she finally underwent an MRI that revealed the “terrifying truth”. She gave birth to daughter Ori last March. Ori’s name, meaning “my light”, wasn’t chosen by chance. “Before the surgery, I told [husband] Jaron that when our daughter arrived, she would be the light waiting for me at the end of the tunnel,” she said. Thankfully, Gadot is alright now, and Wonder Woman is back in business | Shutterstock

Charity bell: Most people resolve to diet or exercise more on New Year, or to cut down on online shopping, or not to lose their temper with the nosy mother-in-law. Actor Kristen Bell, however, started the year on a more charitable note. She is collaborating with internet star Quentin Quarantino to raise money for families with high health care expenses. As part of it, she will promote one health-related page each day on the crowdfunding platform, GoFundMe. Recently, the two raised $25,000 on a GoFundMe page for a young girl’s battle with leukemia, and Bell matched the amount. She is famous for her philanthropy, and is supporting charitable organisations such as Baby2Baby, No Kid Hungry, and Mercy For Animals | Shutterstock

Seeking stimulation: Despite making Mumbai his muse in projects like Bombay Velvet, Black Friday and Sacred Games, it seems filmmaker Anurag Kashyap is so “disgusted” with the Maximum City that he is leaving it. He says he is relocating to south India for a more “stimulative” environment. “Right from the beginning, before the film starts, it becomes about ‘how do we sell it?’,” he said about Bollywood. “So the joy of filmmaking is sucked out.” He further trashed the industry when he said it cannot even produce a money-spinner like Pushpa, because it “doesn’t have the brains to make a film”. Ouch | Rijo Joseph

The Good Samaritan: Salman Khan might be out to stop a rogue agent from Pakistan’s ISI (Tiger 3) or to fight human trafficking (Baby John) or to expose drug cartels (Radhe), but his fans are involved in more humble efforts. Such as distributing clothes to those in need on Khan’s 59th birthday on December 27. The fan in question—Kuldeep Singh Kaswai from Rajasthan—handed out packages of clothing from Khan’s brand, Being Human, worth 06.35 lakh. “[The brand] is doing great work in health care and education as an NGO, and we should support them,” said Kaswai | AFP