Zidane takes blame as Real Madrid suffer humiliating defeat

Real Madrid crashed to a humiliating Copa del Rey exit on Wednesday when they were knocked out by little Leganes in the quarter-finals with under-fire coach Zinedine Zidane taking the blame. 
European champions Real lost 2-1 in the second leg at their Bernabeu home as the tie finished 2-2 on aggregate with their modest city neighbours going through on away goals despite having lost the first leg 1-0 last week. 
"I am responsible for all of this. It's a failure for me," said Zidane who recently penned a contract extension until 2020. 
Admitting that it had been his worst night as a coach, the Frenchman added: "It's a logical result, our opponents played their match and we did not. 

Rare 'super blood blue moon' visible on Jan 31

A cosmic event not seen in 36 years -- a rare "super blood blue moon" -- may be glimpsed January 31 in parts of western North America, Asia, the Middle East, Russia and Australia, reports AFP.

The event is causing a buzz because it combines three unusual lunar events -- an extra big super moon, a blue moon and a total lunar eclipse.

"It's an astronomical trifecta," said Kelly Beatty, a senior editor at Sky and Telescope magazine.

A blue moon refers to the second full moon in a month. Typically, a blue moon happens every two years and eight months.

This full moon is also the third in a series of "supermoons," which happen when the moon is closest to Earth in its orbit.

This point, called the perigee, makes the moon appear 14 percent larger and 30 percent brighter.

During the eclipse, the moon will glide into Earth's shadow, gradually turning the white disk of light to orange or red.

"That red light you see is sunlight that has skimmed and bent through Earth's atmosphere and continued on through space to the moon," said Alan MacRobert of Sky and Telescope magazine.

"In other words, it's from all the sunrises and sunsets that ring the world at the moment."

The alignment of the sun, moon and Earth will last one hour and 16 minutes, visible before dawn across the western United States and Canada.

Those in the Middle East, Asia, eastern Russia, Australia and New Zealand should look for it in the evening, as the moon rises.

Unlike a solar eclipse, this lunar eclipse can be safely viewed without protective eyewear.

- How rare? -

"We've had a lot of supermoons and we've had lunar eclipses, but it's rare that it also happens to be a blue moon," said Jason Aufdenberg, associate professor of physics and astronomy at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University's campus in Daytona Beach, Florida.

"All three of these cycles lining up is what makes this unusual," he added.

"It's just a wonder to behold."

According to Sky and Telescope magazine, "the last time a complete lunar cover-up took place on the second full moon of the month was December 30, 1982, at least as reckoned by local time in Europe, Africa, and western Asia -- locations where the event could be seen."

That event also occurred at the moon's orbital perigee, making it an extra bright supermoon.

Aufdenberg said that by his calculations, the last time a supermoon, blue moon and total lunar eclipse all together were visible from the eastern United States was on May 31, 1844.

According to Sky and Telescope, the last blue moon total lunar eclipse visible from North America happened on March 31, 1866.

"But on that date the moon was near apogee, its most distant point from Earth," it said.

Lunar eclipses during a supermoon happen rather regularly. The last one was in September 2015.

Lunar eclipses occur at least twice a year.

Supermoons can happen four to six times a year.

The next supermoon lunar eclipse visible throughout all of the United States will be January 21, 2019 -- though that one will not be a blue moon.

Mushy brings up fifty after Mominul ton

61.4 -- Mushfiqur cuts Lakshan Sandakan to deep point to bring up his 19 th Test half-century off his 121st delivery, a perfect foil for Mominul's aggressive play. 

End of over 60, Ban 261/2

Sri Lanka have been more disciplined after the tea break, giving away 11 runs in four overs, but there seems to be no end in sight to Mominul Haque and Mushfiqur Rahim's third-wicket stand, which currently stands at 141. 

End of over 56, Ban 250/2 at Tea

The hosts could not have asked for a better session. 130 runs were scored in just 28.2 overs without a wicket being lost. 81 of those runs were scored by Mominul Haque, who became Bangladesh's second-fastest Test centurion by bringing up his fifth Test ton in just 96 balls. He is batting on 107 off 103 balls, while Mushfiqur Rahim has been the perfect foil with an unbeaten 47 off 107 deliveries.

End of over 55, Ban 250/2

51.4 -- Having gone from 93 to 97 with a down-the-wicket loft off Lakshan Sandakan the previous delivery, Mominul Haque wastes no time in bringing up Bangladesh's second-fastest Test century by repeating his charge in the next delivery, but this time hitting it inside out over cover to bring up his fifth Test ton off 97 deliveries.

End of over 50, Ban 228/4

Mushfiqur Rahim drives beautifully off the last delivery of the 50th over as Tigers reach 228 for the loss of two wickets. Mushfiqur Rahim is batting on 43 while Mominul Haque needs a further 11 runs to complete his ton.

48.3 -- A misfield at backward point and the batsmen run three. That's the 100 partnership between Mominul and Mushfiqur. 100 off 125 deliveries. Ban 221/2

End of over 45, Ban 204/2

Mominul Haque and Mushfiqur Rahim have added 84 for the third wicket and the duo are scoring at a quick rate. Bangladesh are in a strong position after choosing to bat first in this first Test against the Lankans. 

End of over 40, Ban 179/2

Bangladesh are going strong after their bright start in the morning session of the first Test. Mushfiqur Rahim has remained resilient as Tigers looked to consolidate their innings while Mominul, batting on 63 has dictated terms against the spinners. Mominul-Mushfiqur partnership is currently on 59 after they took just 56 deliveries to bring up the 50 stand.

End of over 35, Ban 157/2

34.4 -- Mominul Haque reaches his fifty in style as he lifts Rangana Herath wide of mid-on for four. That's his 13th Test fifty. Ban 155/2

Mominul Haque's fifty comes in just 61 deliveries with seven fours to his name. Bangladesh look to consolidate after the loss of Imrul Kayes just before lunch on the first day.

End of over 30, Ban 132/2

Mominul Haque strikes back-back fours off the first two deliveries post lunch off the bowling of Sandakan to start proceedings for the Tigers. Mominul moves on to 37 and Musfiqur Rahim is batting at the other end for the Tigers.

Bangladesh lose their second wicket as opener Imrul Kayes departs after scoring 40, out leg-before to Laksahan Sandakan. At Lunch Bangladesh are 120 for the loss of two wickets.

27.4 -- Kayes leaves a gap between bat and pad and Sandakan strikes as Kayes was drawn forward to reach for the ball. Imrul Kayes lbw b Sandakan 40 (75b 4x4 0x6) SR: 53.33 FOW 120/2

End of over 25, Ban 116/1

Tigers have looked at ease since the departure of Tamim Iqbal as Mominul Haque Haque played some masterful shots in his innings since coming on to the crease. There was a close shave for Imrul Kayes when a direct hit could have got him out but he reached his crease just in time.

End of over 20, Ban 101/1

Despite the loss of Tamim Iqbal, Bangladesh are in a good position is this first Test as they reached 100 for the loss of just one wicket. Mominul Haque has struck two boundaries since coming on and Kayes in his innings of 29.

15.5 -- Tamim falls to Perera after a quick-fire 50. The left-hander had dictated terms against the spinner but Perara comes back with a reply as his delivery went with the angle after pitching before it richochetted off the pads ans went through Tamim's defences before disturbing the stumps. Tamim Iqbal b Perera 52 (53b 6x4 1x6) SR: 98.11 FOW 72/1

End of over 15, Ban 72/0

It has been a fantastic morning session for Bangladesh as both openers have looked good against the Lankan attack. Tamim Iqbal picks up his fifty off just 46 deliveries while Imrul Kayes is not out on 19.

14.1 -- Tamim brings up his half-century with a single off Rangana Herath. Ban 68/0

End of 10 overs, Ban 53/0

Bangladesh are off to a flying start against Sri Lanka as they reach 53 without loss after 10 overs. Tamim Iqbal and Imrul Kayes's opening parnership reached fifty when Tamim danced down the wicket to Dilruwan Perera and picked up the delivery with class and authority for a maximum.

9.3 -- Tamim hits spinner Perera for a six to bring up the fifty-runs stand for the opening partnership. Ban 51/0

End of over 5, Ban 26/0

Tigers are off to a good start at Chittagong as Tamim Iqbal has played some fine shots early on in the innings. In the second over of the innings, Tamim hit Lahiru Kumara for three consecutive boundaries. First one was a thick edge that ran past the slip cordon before Tamim clipped one off his pads for the second four. The third boundary came when he proceeded to drive past the bowler for four.

Bangladesh have won the toss and elected to bat first against Sri Lanka at Chittagong’s Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium. Skipper Mahmudullah Riyad is captaining the side in absence of Shakib AL Hasan, who is out of the first Test due to an injury.

Teams:

Bangladesh XI: Tamim Iqbal, Imrul Kayes, Liton Das, Mominul Haque, Mushfiqur Rahim, Mahmudullah, Mosaddek Hossain, Mehedi Hasan, Taijul Islam, Sunzamul Islam (debut), Mustafizur Rahman

Sri Lanka XI: Dimuth Karunaratne, Dhananjaya de Silva, Kusal Mendis, Dinesh Chandimal, Niroshan Dickwella, Roshen Silva, Dilruwan Perera, Rangana Herath, Suranga Lakmal, Lakshan Sandakan, Lahiru Kumara

Bangladesh have picked three spinners in the lineup with Mehedi Hasan, Taijul Islam and Sunzamul Islam, who is making his Test debut. Mosaddek Hossain is also back in the Test fold after he was dropped following the tour of Sri Lanka.

Tigers’ batsman Tamim Iqbal is 114 runs away from becoming the first Bangladesh batsman to reach 4000 Test runs.

Focus: Destination Tajikistan

In an effort to highlight places of interest in countries across the world, their varied culture, economy and history, The Statesman brings to you a Weekly Focus on countries with which India shares diplomatic ties and friendship. This week’s focus is on Tajikistan.

Know all about the country.

Capital: Dushanbe, Currency: Tajikistani somoni, Ethnic groups: Tajik 84.3%, Uzbe 13.8% (includes Lakai, Kongrat, Katagan, Barlos, Yuz), other 2% (includes Kyrgyz, Russian, Turkmen, Tatar, Arab) (2010 est.) Languages: Tajik (official), Russian widely used in government and business

Note: different ethnic groups speak Uzbek, Kyrgyz and Pashto, Religions: Sunni Muslim 85%, Shia Muslim 5%, other 10% (2003 est.)

Weather and climate

In Dushanbe, temperatures vary between a minimum -13°C in December/January to a maximum 33°C in July/August. Humidity is generally low. In the mountains, it can reach -45°C when the wind chill factor is taken into consideration, and rise to 20°C in summer. In the Pamir Mountains, the climate is semi-arid to polar.

Secular celebrations

In 1999, the government created Consolidation Day (17 June) to celebrate the Saminid era, in an attempt to unify the people and promote the idea of the state. Other festivals and holidays celebrated are New Year’s Day, International Women’s Day, Navruz (a Zoroastrian feast is the traditional New Year’s celebration), International Labour Day, Victory Day (10 May celebrates the triumph of the allied forces in World War II), Independence Day and Constitution Day.

Food and Drink

Over the last few years, dining options have improved substantially in the cities and it is now possible to find most culinary forms somewhere in Dushanbe. However, the quality is variable and once out into the countryside options rapidly shrink to Central Asian staples. Some of the specialities include Plov, Lagman, Mante, Beshbarmak and Non (Flat bread served with every meal. Custom dictates that diners should never turn their bread upside down or throw their bread away). Apricot jam and dried apricots appear on most Tajik tables. Regional drinks are Zeliony (black tea) and chorny chai(Green tea).

Tourist Attractions

Pamir Highway: This is a road that traverses through the majestic Pamir Mountains and goes through Uzbekistan, Afghanistan, Kyrgyzstan, and Tajikistan. This is an important continuous route that exists in the difficult terrains of mountains and serves as the major supply route to the autonomous regions in Tajikistan. Travellers on this highway enjoy viewing the Lake Karakol, which is usually frozen for a large part of the year.

Dushanbe: Dushanbe is the largest city as well as the cultural, political and economic heart of the country. Its centre contains one of the world’s tallest flagpoles. In the surrounding streets, there’s plenty of modern and Soviet architecture to admire as well as myriad museums, statues and historical sites reflecting the strong Persian influences in the city’s past. It’s a green city, with many alleyways to duck into, but for many, the fun is to be had shopping in Dushanbe’s Oriental bazaars.

Penjikent ~ Ancient ruins: Modern Penjikent is a quiet small city famous for being the home of the most delicious national dish in the country, plov. However, the reason to visit Penjikent is not only plov, but also the ruins of ancient civilizations. UNESCO World Heritage site Sarezm was a city dating back to 3000 years BC. Another astonishing site is that of the ancient Penjikent ruins, in its heyday a city of rich Sogdian traders on the Silk Road.

Zeravshan: Located in the Kyzylkum desert, it receives water from the Amudarya by a 220-km pipeline. The area is famous for its unique mountain landscapes and its beautiful lakes: the Alauddin lakes, the Kulikalon lakes, Iskanderkul Lake and the seven lakes of Shing among many others.

Other attractions include Fann Mountains, Istaravshan, Yurt Stays, Isfara(famous for its apricot orchards), Wakhan Valley, Murghab (Highest City in Central Asia) and Yagnob Valley.

Pencil-maker Faber-Castell sharpens up for digital age

If the digital revolution is going to consign anything to the dustbin of history, you might think the humble pencil would be a leading contender.

However, with such pastimes as doodling and colouring being touted as stressbusters to escape the daily grind and the relentless lure of smartphones, German pencil-maker Faber-Castell is thriving 256 years after it was founded.

“We see that people with all the digital devices around go back to a more manual way of expressing themselves,” Daniel Rogger, chief executive of the family owned firm, told Reuters.

“It’s like a counter-trend to digitalisation in terms of product usage and of course that’s something that we love to see.”

The fashion for adult colouring, where people have books of different themes and patterns to complete, like children, lifted Faber-Castell to record sales of 667 million euros in 2016/2017.

While that fad has now ebbed, new trends such as “bullet journals” - a combination of writing to-do lists and artistic doodling - will keep sales stable in 2017/2018, Rogger said.

Faber-Castell is even seeking to turn the online world to its advantage by setting up a digital gallery.

It launched the platform last year in Brazil – one of its biggest markets – where artists can share their work and creative ideas.

It is also setting up fine art academies in Japan and Lebanon modelled on the one in Stein, outside Nuremberg, where Faber-Castell makes 150 million coloured pencils a year.

A larger factory in Brazil produces more than 2 billion each year. Laid end to end, its annual production would go round the world 10 times.

The company has been in the same family for nine generations, and over that time it has faced repeated threats to its existence.

The castle overlooking its factory was commandeered by the Nazis and, after World War Two, requisitioned by the Americans to house journalists covering the Nuremberg war crimes trials.

And, in a case of what today might be called digital disruption, the invention of electronic calculator in the 1970s destroyed Faber-Castell’s sideline making slide rules virtually overnight.

Last year Faber-Castell appointed Rogger as its first chief executive from outside the family. For him the digital era and social media presents an opportunity.

“It enables us to get very close to our customers, to our consumers, to interact, to get direct feedback on our products, on trends,” said Rogger, a 49-year-old Swiss with a background in the luxury watch industry.

Alia Bhatt looking like million bucks

Alia Bhatt is the best Bff one can ask for. Despite her super busy schedule, she makes sure to make time for her besties. Alia is currently in Jodhpur for her best friend Kripa Mehta's big fat Indian wedding has been giving us a sneak peek of all the crazy wedding fun that has been happening and we love every bit of it. At the wedding, Alia was seen being the perfect bridesmaid enjoying all the functions right from Mehendi to sangeet
The actor looked every bit gorgeous in all her different avatars. Be it Manish Malhotra's beautiful yellow Anarkali she picked for the Mehendi or Kresha Bajaj's pastel lehenga for Sangeet, her Gauri & Nainika one shoulder dress for the brunch or her final look for the big night - the Koëcsh glittery ensemble. 

Bruno Mars wins Record of Year Grammy

Bruno Mars on Sunday won the Grammy for Record of the Year for his party anthem "24K Magic," the first time the funk
revivalist has won the US industry's award for top song on his own, reports AFP.
 
"24K Magic" is the title track of the Hawaiian-born singer's third album, which revives his mix of fun-loving retro funk but adds touches of 1980s- inspired synthesizers.
 
BBC reported that Bruno Mars and Kendrick Lamar stole the show, and most of the awards, at the 2018 Grammys.
 
Mars provided the night's big upset, taking the album of the year trophy that most critics assumed would go to Lamar's rap tour de force, Damn.
 
In the end, voters found Mars's crowd-pleasing R&B more palatable, while Lamar dominated the rap categories.
 
Alessia Cara won best new artist - making her the only female artist to win a major prize.
 
Stars like Lady Gaga, Kesha, Lorde and SZA were overlooked, with only 17 awards (out of a total of 86) going to women or female-fronted bands.
 
Kesha's performance was an emotional highlight of the show 
Kesha's performance was an emotional highlight of the show
The imbalance was particularly incongruous on a night that highlighted the #TimesUp and #MeToo campaigns.
 
Most performers arrived for the show wearing a white rose to symbolise their support for the movements, which tackle sexual harassment and inequality.
 
Pop star Kesha also gave a powerful, stirring performance of her single Praying, which addresses her own experience of surviving abuse.
 
She was backed by an all-star choir, including Cyndi Lauper and Camila Cabello, who were dressed in white to reflect the white rose campaign.
 
"We come in peace but we mean business," said R&B star Janelle Monae, introducing the performance.
 
"To those who would dare try to silence us, we offer two words: Time's Up.
 
"We say Time's Up for pay inequality, discrimination or harassment of any kind, and the abuse of power."
 
"Let's work together, women and men, as a united music industry committed to creating more safe work environments, equal pay, and access for all women."

The night's other pivotal moment was a tribute to the music-loving victims of the tragedies in Manchester and Las Vegas.
 
Handwritten notes bearing the names of the dead were projected on the stage as country music stars Maren Morris, Eric Church and pothers Osborne performed Eric Clapton's Tears In Heaven.
 
All three acts played at the Route 91 festival last October before a gunman opened fire on the audience, killing 58.
 
"All of country music was reminded in the most tragic way then connection we share with fans and the loving power that music will always provide," said Eric Church, choking back tears.
 
"We wanted to come together and honour the memory of the beautiful, music-loving souls so cruelly taken from us," added Morris.
 
Grammys 2018
 
Album of the year: Bruno Mars - 24K Magic
 
Record of the year: Bruno Mars - 24K Magic
 
Song of the year: Bruno Mars - That's What I Like
 
Best new artist: Alessia Cara
 
Best pop album: Ed Sheeran - ÷ (Divide)
 
Best rock album: The War On Drugs - A Deeper Understanding
 
Best R&B album: Bruno Mars - 24k Magic
 
Best rap album: Kendrick Lamar - Damn
 

MWC 2018: What's coming!

Mobile World Congress or MWC, as it is most popularly known, is undoubtedly the mother of all mobile event globally. All the top dog smartphone, tablet, mobile network and gadget industry throng to this event to show off their latest offering. This annual tradeshow, which is organised by GSMA, will be hosted at Barcelona Spain almost a month from now. Like every year, we follow this event religious to bring you all the scoops and leaks surrounding this event. Here's what top brands like Samsung, LG, Huawei, Apple etc. are expected to bring to Barcelona for this iteration of MWC:

Samsung

Initially it was rumoured though, Samsung would be unveiling their next flagship at CES earlier this year. But it didn't. So the obvious next choice to unveil a device of such stature would be the MWC. And to everyone’s delight, a few days ago Samsung did confirm- it is finally going to unpack the S9 on February 25, 2018. Samsung also plans to live stream the event for the eager fans that won't be able to attend the event. For folks in Dhaka, livestreaming is all we are going to get!

Sony

Following the last years' trend where Sony launched their XZ premium line up, we are expecting something similar from Sony this time. A newer model of XZ premium might be launched during the event. Reports suggest the new flagship is to be named Xperia XZ Pro. Moreover, Sony did previously communicate about launching an array of low to mid-level devices during the mobile world congress. Definitely, something we are looking forward to.

Seine inches higher, keeping Paris on alert

The swollen Seine inched even higher on Sunday, keeping Paris on alert, with forecasters expecting flooding to peak early Monday, leaving a lengthy mop-up job.

The river rose to 5.82 metres (19 feet) on Sunday, more than four metres above its normal level, causing continued headaches for commuters as well as people living near its overflowing banks.

Around 1,500 people have been evacuated from their homes in the greater Paris region, according to police, while a similar number of homes remain without electricity.

Tourists also suffered with the capital's famous Bateaux Mouches rivercraft out of service, and only emergency services authorised to navigate the waterway.

The Vigicrues flooding watchdog expects the river to peak at between 5.85 and 5.95 metres (19.3 feet) before dawn on Monday, not quite reaching the 2016 high of 6.1 metres, when priceless artworks had to be evacuated from the Louvre.

But the world's most visited museum was still on alert Sunday, along with the Musee d'Orsay and Orangerie galleries, with the lower level of the Louvre's Islamic arts wing closed to visitors at least until Monday.

A statue of an Algerian French army soldier from the Crimean War named Zouave that has guarded the river at the Pont d'Alma bridge in central Paris since 1910 was drenched up to the thighs in the muddy waters.

"Fluctuat nec mergitur (tossed but not sunk) but it's cooold," the Zouave statue tweeted from an account set up in its name by an anonymous admirer, using the Latin motto of the City of Paris.

Police again warned flooding aficionados against bathing or canoeing in the river, saying it was "forbidden and extremely dangerous".

Flooding to recede 'slowly'

More favourable weather is expected for the week ahead, but even once the water levels start to recede forecasters and officials say it will be a slow process, as much of the ground in northern France is already waterlogged.

"If we're talking about things getting completely back to normal, that's going to take weeks," said Jerome Goellner, regional head of environmental services.

The potential damage has led to questions about what could be done to avoid further flooding in future.

"We know that this phenomena will keep happening," said Paris police prefect Michel Delpuech.

"It is really necessary that, with prevention in mind, we avoid this type of urban planning," he said.

Neighbourhoods under water

The December-January period is now the third wettest on record since data collection began in 1900, according to France's meteorological service.

A main commuter line, the RER C, has halted service at Paris stops until at least February 5, and some expressways that run alongside the Seine have been closed.

However, fears of flooding like that seen in 1910, which saw the Seine rise to 8.62 metres and shut down much of Paris's basic infrastructure, appeared unfounded.

In the city centre, the Seine flows through a deep channel, limiting the potential flooding damage.

But several areas on the city's outskirts were under water, including the southern suburb of Villeneuve-Saint-Georges, where some residents were getting around by boat and dozens have been evacuated from their homes.

Ten regions still had an orange warning level on Sunday night, according to the meteorological service, due to flooding in the basins of the Seine and tributaries.

Downstream from Paris, water levels in some areas surpassed those of 2016.

"Everyone is getting around by boat" on the island of Migneaux in Poissy, a western Paris suburb, said local Serge Matikhin.

"The mood is still good, we are used to it -- in 20 years we are on our eighth or ninth flood," he said.

.

Gayle third time lucky, Unadkat and Tye become IPL millionaires

Twenty20 freelance Chris Gayle found a team at the third time of asking while seam bowlers Jaydev Unadkat and Andrew Tye earned big on the second and final day of the player auction ahead of this year's Indian Premier League (IPL) on Sunday.

West Indian Gayle went unsold in two rounds with none of the eight franchises looking interested in the swashbuckling left-hander whose five centuries in IPL is the most by any batsman.

It was in the third round that Kings XI Punjab bought Gayle, IPL's leading six-hitter, at his base price of 20 million Indian rupees ($314,613).

Unadkat emerged as the most expensive Indian buy from the two-day auction when the 26-year-old was sold to Rajasthan Royals for 115 million rupees.

Australian Tye, who has played four one-day internationals, also earned big money with Kings XI Punjab buying him for 72 million rupees.

The nature of the format means while the lesser known pacers were in demand, South African stalwart Dale Steyn did not find a team.

England's limited-overs captain Eoin Morgan suffered the fate of Test captain Joe Root after going unsold in the auction.

Rajasthan bought all-rounder Ben Stokes for $1.97 million on Saturday, while also adding his England team mate and wicketkeeper Jos Buttler to their squad.

Sandeep Lamichhane became the first player from Nepal to land an IPL deal when the 17-year-old was picked by Delhi Daredevils for two million rupees.

The 11th edition of the Twenty20 tournament begins in Mumbai on April 7.

Sonam Kapoor to get married in April

You can run, but you cannot hide. Especially from the prying eyes of the media. But Sonam Kapoor claims she never was hiding.
Hiding, the fact that she is dating rumoured beau Anand Ahuja. And so it seemed when she revealed that she is not only dating Ahuja, but is set to take the vows with him in April. Yes, it is official! And after Anushka Sharma and Virat Kohli made tied the knot last year in what was easily the biggest wedding of the year, we are set to see another one now in April.
When talking to the media recently, Sonam Kapoor confirmed that she is going to marry her long-term boyfriend Anand Ahuja in what will be a grand affair at the Umair Bhawan Palace in Jodhpur.
And the dates have already been booked! Only recently the buzz about her wedding had begun and reports of wedding surfaced. "Sonam Kapoor has booked the palace for 5-6 days somewhere around March and it is suggestive that she might tie the knot here," said a source close to them.
It was deemed to be a secret affair between the two love birds whose social media profiles are clad with each other's pictures. The two, who are currently residing in London, also spent the new year together in Paris. However, Sonam clarified that she was always open about the fact that she is dating Anand. Sonam also shared that Anand is very close to her family, and her family loves his company as well. On the work front, Sonam is currently busy shooting her upcoming film Veere Di Weddin which is to release in May 2018.