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Indo-Asian News Service or IANS is a private Indian news agency. The IANS was founded by Indian American publisher Gopal Raju as the India Abroad News Service. It was later renamed the Indo-Asian News Service. The IANS has its main offices located in Noida.

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Kejriwal demands pledge 'there won't be another Nirbhaya', as others hail mother's battle
2273 days ago
Politics

Kejriwal demands pledge 'there won't be another Nirbhaya', as others hail mother's battle

New Delhi, March 20 (IANS) Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Friday highlighted the battle for justice that took seven years to be delivered to Nirbhaya, and urged for a pledge that another Nirbhaya should not happen, as others hailed the parents struggle after all four convicts were hanged in an early morning execution. ## "Seven years later, Nirbhaya's convicts were hanged. Today is the day to take a pledge - that there will be no second Nirbhaya . Police, courts, state government, central government - everyone has to take a pledge that together we will remove the loopholes of the system and will not let this happen to any daughter in future," Kejriwal said. ## BJP MP and fomer cricketer Gautam Gambhir said: Hanged till death! Finally! I know we are late Nirbhaya. #NirbhayaJustice ## BJP leader Manjinder S. Sirsa said: Beginning the day with the News of Justice! I salute the struggle done by Nirbhaya's parents to see this day. ## Former beauty queen and actress Sushmita Sen said: A Mother's resilience Folded hands Asha Devi sees it through!! Finally some justice!! #Nirbhaya Dugga Dugga Folded hands ## Veteran actor Rishi Kapoor said: Nirbhaya Justice. 'Jaisi karni waisi bharni'. Let this set an example not only in India but world over. Punishment for rape is by death. You have to respect womanhood. Shame on the people who delayed the execution. Jai Hind! ## Bollywood actress Preity G Zinta said: If #Nirbhaya rapists were hung in 2012 the judicial system would have stopped so much crime against women. Fear of the law would have kept the lawless in check. Prevention is always better than cure. It's time the Indian govt. takes steps for judicial reforms. #RIPNirbhaya. Finally the #Nirbhayacase comes to an end. I wish it would have been faster but I'm happy it's over. Finally she & her parents are in peace. #RIPJyoti #RIPNirbhaya #Justicedelayed #TookTooLong ## Actor Riteish Deshmukh said: "#JusticeForNirbhaya My thoughts and prayers are with the parents, friends & loved ones of Nirbhaya. The wait has been long but the justice has been served." He further wrote, "Stricter law enforcement, harsher punishment & fast courts for quick justice is the only way to instil fear in monsters who even think of such heinous acts. #JusticeForNirbhaya" ## Nirbhaya was gang raped in December 2012, which led to her death on December 29, thirteen days after the attack. Four of the convicts were hanged earlier on Friday after thrice they managed to dodge the rope. ## For more and the latest news about Politics, stay tuned to us.

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Amid COVID-19 scare, Matthew McConaughey gives message of unity
2273 days ago
Hollywood

Amid COVID-19 scare, Matthew McConaughey gives message of unity

Los Angeles, March 19 (IANS) Hollywood star Matthew McConaughey hopes something good can come out of COVID-19 crisis and that Americans can come together to end years of deep political division. ## McConaughey made the observation in a video message posted on Twitter on Tuesday, as bars and restaurants remained shut across cities owing to the coronavirus outbreak, including in New York and Los Angeles, reports aceshowbiz.com. ## After telling his followers to take care of themselves and not to "get paranoid" during the crisis, the actor delivered a message of unity. ## He said: "Let's do our due diligence and take the precautions we need to take care of ourselves and those of us around us. Right now, more than ever before, we're more dependent on each other than we ever have been. ## "But, we have an enemy in coronavirus that is faceless, raceless, sexless, nondenominational and bipartisan. And it's all an enemy that we agree, we're gonna beat. We wanna beat, and we're gonna beat 'em." ## Expressing hope that the virus would lead to political change, he added: "So, in this time when people are gonna move on, the economy's gonna be in shambles for who knows how long, there is a green light on the other side of this red light that we're in right now." ## "I believe that green light is gonna be built on the values that we can enact right now. Values of fairness, kindness, accountability, resilience, respect, courage. If we practice those things right now, when we get out of this, this virus this time might be the one time it brings us all together and unifies us, like we have not been in a long time," he added. ## For more and the latest news about Hollywood, stay tuned to us.

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Isha Koppikar: Ram Gopal Varma made cult films
2273 days ago
Bollywood

Isha Koppikar: Ram Gopal Varma made cult films

Mumbai, March 19 (IANS) Actress Isha Koppikar reunites with filmmaker Ram Gopal Varma in an upcoming untitled web series. She feels although the filmmaker is going through a bad phase in career right now, no one can downplay his contribution to Indian cinema for the cult films he once made. ## "I have finished shooting a major part of the web show. RGV is the showrunner and presenter of the show. The web series has been directed by four directors and after they finish the shooting of all episodes, they submit their work to RGV. He will look after post-production and hopefully create magic," Isha told IANS, about her latest collaboration with the filmmaker. ## Isha shot to fame for her dance number "Khallas" in Varma's 2002 film "Company", which is till date considered one of the most powerful films about the underworld that Bollywood has ever made. Later, she also worked in Varma productions such as "Darling" and "Shabri". ## Varma's last few Hindi releases like "Veerappan" and "Sarkar 3" fared below expectation and the filmmaker has also courted controversy for his comments on socio-political issues. Isha hopes with his upcoming show, RGV will get out of his rough patch. ## "Ram Gopal Varma is a genius. Look at the kind of films he has made, those are cult films of Indian cinema. The first Hindi horror film that I watched and loved was "Raat". Then all the other films, whether it is "Bhoot", "Rangeela", "Satya" -- you name the film and the genre -- horror, romantic-musical, gangster-action -- and he has made a cult film in that genre," she said. ## Isha continued: "In our lives, at times we go through a low phase but that does not mean that the person is finished. It is true that in the entertainment industry, every Friday could be a good Friday' or a bad Friday'," she laughed, adding: "I hope with the upcoming web series, RGV claims his space back again." ## Apart from the web series, Isha is also working on the Tamil science fiction film "Ayalaan". Directed by R. Ravikumar, the film also features Rakul Preet and Sharad Kelkar. ## According to the actress, the film will offer a unique experience to the audience. ## "Ayalaan will be an interesting film to watch out for because in the film we are using VFX quite interestingly. In fact, that is why the film will take more time than any regular film in post-production. Most of the time we use prosthetic but in this one, we are focusing on VFX," Isha said. ## For more and the latest news about Bollywood, stay tuned to us.

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Too much or too little sleep not good for heart: Study
2273 days ago
Lifestyle

Too much or too little sleep not good for heart: Study

New York, March 19 (IANS) Getting too much or too little sleep, may be bad for your heart, say researchers, adding that people who get seven or eight hours of sleep per night have less stiffness in their arteries, which is associated with a lower risk of developing heart disease or suffering a stroke. ## "The message, based on our findings, is 'sleep well, but not too well.' Getting too little sleep appears bad for your health but too much seems to be harmful as well," said study lead author Evangelos Oikonomou from Yale University in the US. ## For this analysis, researchers assessed sleep patterns in 1,752 people living in the Corinthia region of Greece using a standard questionnaire. ## They ranged in age from 40 to 98 years, with a mean age of 64 years old ## Participants were then divided into one of four groups based on self-reported sleep duration: normal (seven to eight hours a night), short sleep duration (six to seven hours a night), very short sleep duration (less than six hours a night) or long sleep duration (greater than eight hours a night). ## At the time of the study, each participant also underwent ultrasound imaging to measure the thickness of the inner part of the arterial wall. ## Thickening of the arterial walls reflects plaque buildup and is associated with an increased risk of stroke and other cardiovascular events. ## The researchers found that even after accounting for other known risk factors for heart disease or stroke, people who slept less than six hours or more than eight hours a night had significantly greater odds of having plaque buildup in the walls of their carotid arteries--a 54 per cent and 39 per cent increase, respectively--compared with those who got seven or eight hours of shut eye. ## The study adds to mounting evidence that sleep patterns, similar to diet and exercise, may play a defining role in someone's cardiovascular risk. ## "We don't fully understand the relationship between sleep and cardiovascular health. It could be that sympathetic nervous system withdrawal or a slowing [of this system] that occurs during sleep may act as a recovery phase for [usual] vascular and cardiac strain," Oikonomou said. ## "Moreover, short sleep duration may be associated with increased cardiovascular risk factors--for example, unhealthy diet, stress, being overweight or greater alcohol consumption--whereas longer sleep duration may be associated with a less active lifestyle pattern and lower physical activity," Oikonomou added. ## The research is scheduled to be presented at the American College of Cardiology's Annual Scientific Session Together with World Congress of Cardiology on March 28-30 in the US. ## For more and the latest news about Lifestyle, stay tuned to us.

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COVID-19 effect: Sonam Kapoor, husband self-quarantine after London trip
2273 days ago
Bollywood

COVID-19 effect: Sonam Kapoor, husband self-quarantine after London trip

New Delhi, March 19 (IANS) Bollywood actress Sonam Kapoor Ahuja and her husband Anand Ahuja have chosen to self-quarantine in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, on returning from London. ## The couple is currently on quarantine at their home in Delhi. ## A video has gone viral on the Internet where Sonam is seen interacting with her mother-in-law Priya Ahuja from her first floor window. Mrs Ahuja stands outside her home across the street, and both maintain safe distance. ## Sonam, who has just returned from London, has lauded the government's efforts to handle the coronavirus outbreak. She recently tweeted suggestions for netizens, which reads: "Hygiene is the best way to avoid the Coronavirus. Washing hands thoroughly, avoid touching your face and stay away from crowded areas. a healthy lifestyle ( good sleep, food and excercise ) is important. Also have supplements that boost immunity ( vit c and d , zinc)." ## Meanwhile, as shooting activity has come to a halt, B-Towners are forced to remain within the confines of their homes. Most of them are using up the time to pursue hobbies such as reading, painting and music, while many have aggressively taken to fitness regimes including yoga and workout sessions. ## For more and the latest news about Bollywood, stay tuned to us.

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Have family 'me-time' in depressing times but with precaution
2273 days ago
Lifestyle

Have family 'me-time' in depressing times but with precaution

New Delhi, March 19 (IANS) Amid the social distancing, family members can still find some 'me-time' together but with precautions and being vigilant, health experts said on Thursday. ## Although various state governments have banned large gatherings -- Delhi Government has made an order to avoid gathering of over 25 people eat at one place - families can plan indoor parties with precaution. ## "Close family members can enjoy their evenings and dinners but with precautions and being vigilant. People should be aware about the do's and don'ts and if a family consist of elderly person (above the age of 60 years) or those who have chronic, stable illnesses, like diabetes, hypertension, asthma, should definitely avoid even the smallest of gathering," Dr RS Mishra, associate director and consultant, internal medicine, Max Super Specialty Hospital, Saket, told IANS. "The so-called social animals have to act like responsible citizens and need to understand the situation. The only definitive and well proven way of preventing the n-COVID 2019 is social distancing," said Mishra. ## Small family gatherings are still allowed in India also people have to be vigilant that whoever is attending the gathering should not have any illnesses. ## "Individualism needs to be replaced by altruism and social responsibility. We are in a time where our collective social responsible efforts can help us collectively as a society beat the corona epidemic in our country," said Dr Samir Parikh, Director, Mental Health & Behavioural Sciences, Fortis Healthcare. ## "This is not about individuals, their social needs, their likes and needs- it is about ensuring that we contribute to the government efforts, comply with the medical advisories- we maintain social distancing, ensure the right hygiene and sanitizing practices. ## "Stay connected, talk to family friends, use social media, take time for your own self- but maintain social distancing," Parikh elaborated. ## With one more death reported from Punjab on Thursday, India's death toll due to novel coronavirus reached four. The earlier three deaths were reported from Delhi, Karnataka and Maharashtra. ## In India, there are 167 active cases of Covid-19 cases at present, while 15 people have recovered and have been discharged from the hospital. ## "The precautions include hand hygiene, maintaining distance between two people, and avoid anybody who has a recent travel history to other countries or who is not well to be a part of the gathering," said Mishra. ## For more and the latest news about Lifestyle, stay tuned to us.

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Why Anangsha cried for hours while shooting new short film
2273 days ago
Digital Media

Why Anangsha cried for hours while shooting new short film

Mumbai, March 19 (IANS) "Mirzapur" fame actress Anangsha Biswas, who recently featured in the short film "Pratibimb: A Reflection", says it is not easy for her to shoot for the film, given the fact that it deals with the grim subject of child abuse. ## Anangsha revealed that she would cry for hours after shooting for the film. ## "It was a challenging role for me. There are no dialogues in the film hence it's all emotion-based. This film tries to put light over Child abuse and how that child and her choices in life are thereafter impacted. I would cry for hours sitting in my vanity after a sequence was shot," Anangsha said. ## Anangsha has featured in shows such as "Hostages" and "Maaya 2" in the past. She is now gearing up for the second season of "Mirzapur". She has also worked in the Bollywood films "Luv Shuv tey Chicken Khurana" and "Benny Baboo". ## For more and the latest news about Digital Media, stay tuned to us.

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Dhanush's 'Karnan' to feature three heroines
2273 days ago
Kollywood

Dhanush's 'Karnan' to feature three heroines

Chennai, 19 March (IANS) Tamil star Dhanush stars with not one but three heroines in his upcoming film "Karnan". ## Malayalam actress Rajisha Vijayan, "96" fame Gouri G. Kishan and "Maya" actress Lakshmi Priyaa Chandramouli have been signed up for the film, directed by Mari Selvaraj. ## Pictures from the film's set show Rajisha looking unrecognisable donning the look of a rural woman. The actress has had a dream run in Malayalam films last year with releases such as "June", "Finals" and "Stand Up", and "Karnan" marks her Tamil film debut. ## Gouri took to social media to talk about the film, which was known as D41 before it got an official title. "I am deeply humbled to announce that I am on-board D41 with the phenomenal Mari Selvaraj sir," wrote Gouri. She is also a part of actor Vijay's new film "Master", where she is said to be playing a student. ## Lakshmi, who has starred in films such as "Richie" and "Sivaranjiyum Innum Sila Pengalum", tweeted, on the auspicios occasion of Tamil New Year: "I am very happy to announce that I have joined the sets of #D41 #Karnan directed by the brilliant @mari_selvaraj sir. Very happy and excited to work with this amazing cast and crew." ## Last month, "Karnan" was embroiled in controversy when rumours flew that the film is based on the 1995 Kodiyankulam Maniyachi communal clash. The makers reportedly received threats to stop shooting that was underway in Tirunelveli and Thoothukudi. Members of the political party Mukkulathor Pulipadai demanded that the shoot be cancelled. The party's leader, actor-turned-politician Karunas, even went on to say that the film is critical of a particular community, and its portrayal of history might create unrest in the region. Party members also urged the police to arrest the director. ## Dhanush's other much-awaited film right now is Karthik Subbaraj's "Jagame Thandhiram". The film is likely to release on May 1. The first look poster of the film resembles the 15th-century mural painting "The Last Supper" by Italian master Leonardo da Vinci. ## For more and the latest news about Kollywood, stay tuned to us.

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Kunal shares pic with Kareena: Too many K's in one frame
2273 days ago
Bollywood

Kunal shares pic with Kareena: Too many K's in one frame

Mumbai, March 19 (IANS) Actor Kunal Kemmu shared a photograph along with sister-in-law Kareena Kapoor Khan and gave a hilarious caption to it. ## Kunal on Thursday took to Instagram, where he shared a photograph of himself with Kareena. ## "KK AND KKK.. That's too many K's in one frame. @kareenakapoorkhan," he captioned the image. ## The photograph currently has 127K likes on it. ## Kunal is married to Soha Ali Khan while Kareena is married to Soha's brother Saif Ali Khan. ## On the acting front, Kareena is shooting for "Laal Singh Chaddha", which stars Aamir Khan. ## "Laal Singh Chaddha" is self-produced by Aamir, and directed by "Secret Superstar" maker Advait Chandan. An official adaptation of the 1994 Hollywood hit "Forrest Gump", starring Tom Hanks, the film is set to release on Christmas this year. ## Kunal was last seen on screen in Mohit Suri's "Malang". ## For more and the latest news about Bollywood, stay tuned to us.

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'Mom' actress Sajal Ali gets married in Abu Dhabi
2273 days ago
Bollywood

'Mom' actress Sajal Ali gets married in Abu Dhabi

Abu Dhabi, March 19 (IANS) Actress Sajal Ali, who impressed Bollywood fans playing late Sridevi's daughter in the revenge thriller "Mom", got married here to longtime beau Ahad Raza Mir. ## The couple got engaged last June. Their wedding was an intimate three-day affair, attended by close friends and family. The rasm-e-henna (henna ceremony) was held at the Emirates Palace Hotel. ## Sajal and Ahad have both posted first photographs from their wedding on Instagram, and fans are excited. ## The destinations selected by Sajal and Ahad are prestigious landmark locations of Abu Dhabi. If rumours are to be believed they were staying at the ultra-luxurious Emirate Palace Suite that hosts international dignitaries. ## Their Nikah location was Zaya Nurai, a luxurious private resort island. ## Ahad and Sajal be seen next in the Zee5 series "Dhoop Ki Deewar". ## For more and the latest news about Bollywood, stay tuned to us.

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COVID-19 effect: Here's how B-Town whiles away time in isolation
2273 days ago
Bollywood

COVID-19 effect: Here's how B-Town whiles away time in isolation

Mumbai, March 19 (IANS) All activity in Bollywood studios has come to a standstill owing to the COVID-19 pandemic, and B-Towners are making most of the free time. Forced to being confined to their homes, our stars are trying to enjoy the unscheduled break while they are on self-isolation and this is reflected in their social media posts. ## Sharing a picture of his workout equipment kept at home, Vicky Kaushal wrote: "Work(out) from Home! #QuarantineStacking." ## Jacqueline Fernandez shared a video of her performing Surya Namaskar at home. The actress captioned: "This is 1 surya namaskar, 20 mins you can do 20 and it's a great workout! I do 108. yoga to the rescue!!!" ## Urvashi Rautela is into yoga too, right now. Urvashi wrote: "24 MILLION love on @Instagram love you all. practicing self quarantine doing #BACKWALKOVER (CHAKRASANA+BACKBONE+URDHVA DHANURASANA) indoors ! Self training is best training. To my 24M family & loved ones i'd like to encourage all of you to workout indoors amidst the Coronavirus heath scare." ## Other like Sidharth Malhotra and Siddhant Chaturvedi are using up the free time to catch up on reading. ## Sharing a photo where he can be seen reading a book while sipping coffee, Sidharth wrote: "It's time to take some time off and focus on things we've always wanted to do but never had enough time for. Let's read, reinvent and live our hobbies, spend time with our family and just try to do all we can to stay safe and keep others around us safe too! I love you guys, so please take good care of yourself, stay at home, wash your hands and avoid unnecessary travel." ## Siddhant shared a photo where he reads a book in bed. "Life's slow down and I'm by myself all day, I'm glad I found you the old-fashioned way," he wrote. ## Sharing a picture of her performing yoga, Rakul Preet Singh wrote: "Excuses never burn calories. Who knew home furniture makes for the best props. Don't let #self quarantine stop your growth. Do things that you never found the time for !!" ## Sharing a selfie from home, Arjun Kapoor wrote on Instagram: "Quarantine Day 3. Can't deal, Feels surreal. The paranoia is real, maybe its her way of putting us back on an even keel." ## Shilpa Shetty is using her break to spend quality time with her kids. The actress shared a video where she is seen having fun with son Viaan as they engage in some tie-and-dye activity. ## Shilpa wrote: "How do I keep my child occupied?!" is the million dollar question playing on every parent's mind right now. This 'unplanned' break has to be endured, since it can't be cured. We try planning a few hours of interesting activities in a day for our kids...invent, innovate, and come up with something as it's a DO OR "DYE" situation.. that'll keep them busy and you happy. Today's bonding session with Viaan happened with some tie-and-dye activity at home, with a special appearance by Simba! (Who nearly got her tail dyed)." ## Meanwhile, as reported earlier by IANS, Bollwood superstar Salman Khan is using up his free time to pursue his hobby of painting. The actor shared a video on Instagram this morning where he can be seen sketching, even as he hums "Kaho naa pyaar hai". ## For more and the latest news about Bollywood, stay tuned to us.

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How people react to fake news on Twitter, Facebook
2273 days ago
Bollywood

How people react to fake news on Twitter, Facebook

Seattle, March 19 (IANS) When it comes to fake news on social media platforms, some users outright ignore it, some take it at face value, some investigate whether it is true and some get suspicious of it but then choose to ignore it. ## Social media platforms, such as Facebook and Twitter, provide people with a lot of information, but it's getting harder and harder to tell what's real and what's not. ## "We wanted to understand what people do when they encounter fake news or misinformation in their feeds. Do they notice it? What do they do about it?" said senior study author Franziska Roesner, an associate professor at University of Washington in Seattle. ## "There are a lot of people who are trying to be good consumers of information and they're struggling. If we can understand what these people are doing, we might be able to design tools that can help them," added Roesner in a paper accepted to the 2020 ACM CHI conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems. ## The team watched 25 participants scroll through their Facebook or Twitter feeds while a Google Chrome extension randomly added debunked content on top of some of the real posts. ## Participants had various reactions to encountering a fake post. ## Previous research on how people interact with misinformation asked participants to examine content from a researcher-created account, not from someone they chose to follow. ## "That might make people automatically suspicious," said lead author Christine Geeng, a doctoral student. "We made sure that all the posts looked like they came from people that our participants followed". ## The researchers either installed the extension on the participant's laptop or the participant logged into their accounts on the researcher's laptop, which had the extension enabled. ## The team told the participants that the extension would modify their feeds -- the researchers did not say how -- and would track their likes and shares during the study -- though, in fact, it wasn't tracking anything. ## The extension was removed from participants' laptops at the end of the study. ## Participants could not actually like or share the fake posts. ## On Twitter, a "retweet" would share the real content beneath the fake post. ## The one time a participant did retweet content under the fake post, the researchers helped them undo it after the study was over. On Facebook, the like and share buttons didn't work at all. ## After the participants encountered all the fake posts -- nine for Facebook and seven for Twitter -- the researchers stopped the study and explained what was going on. ## "Our goal was not to trick participants or to make them feel exposed. We wanted to normalize the difficulty of determining what's fake and what's not," said Geeng. ## While this study was small, it does provide a framework for how people react to misinformation on social media. ## The researchers can use this as a starting point to seek interventions to help people resist misinformation in their feeds. ## For more and the latest news about Lifestyle, stay tuned to us.

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