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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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Virtual avatars can help perform physiotherapy at home
2291 days ago
Lifestyle

Virtual avatars can help perform physiotherapy at home

London, March 1 (IANS) Virtual Reality (VR) combined with 3D Motion technology could allow physiotherapy to be translated onto a virtual avatar whom the patient can follow at home with ease, say researchers. ## Outside of the clinic, patients rarely receive any guidance other than a leaflet of sketches or static photographs to instruct them how to complete their exercises. ## This leads to poor adherence, with patients becoming anxious about not getting the exercise right, or simply getting bored by the repetitiveness of the movements. ## "There is huge potential for consumer VR technologies to be used for both providing guidance to physiotherapy exercises, but also to make the exercises more interesting," said Dr Mark Elliott, Principal investigator on the project from the University of Warwick. ## To reach this conclusion, the researchers asked participants to step in time with an avatar viewed through a VR headset. ## Unknown to the participants, the researchers subtly slowed down or speeded up one of the avatar's steps, such that the participants would have to correct their own stepping movement to stay in time. ## The effect this correction had on their step timing and synchronisation with the avatar was measured. ## "We found that participants struggled to keep in time if only visual information was present," said lead author Omar Khan from WMG, University of Warwick. ## However, "when we added realistic footstep sounds in addition to the visual information, the more realistic multisensory information allowed participants to accurately follow the avatar," Khan added in a paper published in the Journal PLOS ONE. ## The digitally-enabled technological solution can underpin transformative health innovations to impact the field of physiotherapy, and have a direct benefit to patients' rehabilitation. ## "We now plan to investigate other types of movements working closely in partnership with physiotherapists, to establish the areas of physiotherapy that will benefit most from this technology," said Professor Theo Arvanitis, co-author and Director of the Institute of Digital Healthcare. ## For more and the latest news about Lifestyle, stay tuned to us.

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Reality TV is the new talent factory for Bollywood music
2291 days ago
Bollywood

Reality TV is the new talent factory for Bollywood music

New Delhi, March 1 (IANS) Singing-based reality shows have been going on for years and have given some gems to the industry such as Sunidhi Chauhan, Shreya Ghoshal, Arijit Singh and Neha Kakkar. Such shows have proven to be great platforms for aspiring playback singers but it's very rare that as many as four contestants of a show get picked by Bollywood while the competition is still on. ## That just happened in the recently concluded "Indian Idol 11". While Sunny Hindustani, Rohit Raut, Jannabi Das and Ankona Mukherjee were all vying for the coveted title, they got the ticket to Bollywood even before the show concluded in February. ## Sunny, who also lifted the "Indian Idol" trophy, has started rolling in Bollywood. He was spotted by well known composer-singer Shankar Mahadevan during the show and as they say, rest is history. Sunny, the shoeshine youngster from Bathinda in Punjab, went behind the microphone with Shankar for the song "Jugnu" from Kangana Ranaut-starrer "Panga". The young singer also sang "Rom rom" for composer Shamir Tandon for the film "The Body", starring Emraan Hashmi and Rishi Kapoor. He is now looking forward to record a song with his former judge Himesh Reshammiya. ## "I used to think that there would be a day when my songs would feature in films...During the show only, I got to sing in such big movies and for big stars. I can't express how happy I am. The credit goes to the people who prayed for me and voted for me," Sunny told IANS. Along with him, Rohit and Ankona have also been given music offers by Himesh. ## "I have always believed that there is a place for each one of them as far as singers are concerned and I have been always supporting good talent on reality shows and giving them break in films whether it's Darshan Raval, Mohammed Irfan or Sunny, Rohit and Ankona. As far as the music industry is concerned, there is so much work and since each singer has his or her own zone and range, I don't feel that anyone will be deprived of work if he or she has talent which is great and unique. I also feel that for the singers to survive longer, they need to not depend on composers but they should start composing songs for their voices," Himesh told IANS. ## Jannabi also walked home with a music contract by "Zingaat" hitmakers Ajay-Atul. ## What's more? Music label giant T-Series took the plunge in reality shows this year and signed on Sunny. ## "If you look around, each and every person is filled with talent whether it's singing, dancing, art, history or acting. 'Indian Idol' is one such place that gives a huge platform for upcoming singers. Since the time my father established T-Series, we have believed and tried to bring forth new talent via our music label. We are completely into helping new singers nurture and explore their talents via our platform," Bhushan Kumar, Chairman and managing director, T-Series, told IANS. ## "Sunny will be singing a song in one of our films that's under production and then hopefully with audiences' love, we will collaborate on more songs together. He is an amazing talent," he added. ## In the past also, some of the reality show contestants got absorbed in the industry but this year, it seems like Bollywood is taking an extra step in making dreams of reality show singers come true. ## "We as an industry are not trying to create a trend. Our industry has always been welcoming new talent be it actors, writers, directors, filmmakers or music artistes. It's our responsibility to help fresh talent reach out to our audiences. We get a chance to meet and know singers via reality shows, concerts, YouTube videos, and other sources, I consider it as my father's and my vision to give them a platform to grow and nourish their talent," said Kumar. ## Darshan, former participant of "India's Raw Star", got his Bollywood break in 2015 with Salman Khan-starrer "Prem Ratan Dhan Payo". Since then he has given Bollywood hits like "Chogada", "Ek Ladki Ko Dekha Toh Aisa Laga" and "Odhani". He feels that reality TV shows are like national level competitions. ## "When you participate in a reality show, you overcome a big struggle. Like in sports events, there is state level and national level. Similarly, I consider reality TV shows as national level competitions. Contestants are already sorted out and taken in reality shows," the singer told IANS. ## "Composers and people can watch you and listen to your voice. That's why reality show contestants have got offers in the past also. They are helpful for everybody." ## But the journey doesn't end there. ## "You have to keep working hard, no matter what. You have to keep getting better because everyday the scene is changing and you need to adapt, you need to be true to your art then people will keep on loving you," said Darshan. ## (Natalia Ningthoujam can be contacted at [email protected]) ## For more and the latest news about Bollywood, stay tuned to us.

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B-Town's pet parents gear up for a 'paw-erful' summer
2291 days ago
Bollywood

B-Town's pet parents gear up for a 'paw-erful' summer

New Delhi, March 1 (IANS) Ever imagined wearing a faux fur coat on a hot summer afternoon? Unthinkable, right? Now just spare a thought for your four-legged buddies in the time of the soaring mercury. ## Bollywood celebrities maybe juggling between their erratic work schedules but they surely don't forget their furry friends during the hot season, and make sure to take good care of them despite their busy lives. ## Heartthrob hunk John Abraham, who is an ardent animal lover, has two furry babies, Sia and Bailey. He makes sure that his pets have cold water and a comfortable place to hangout. ## "Think about how hot it gets and now imagine being covered in fur like dogs! Not fun. When summer temperatures soar, I make sure my beloved Bailey and Sia always have fresh, clean water and a cool, shaded place to hangout in to prevent heatstroke," John told IANS. ## Bailey and Sia are stars too, just like "daddy" John. The two have an Instagram profile with a fan following of 15.2K. Their bio reads: "Hi, I'm Bailey and this is my baby girl Sia! I was adopted by my awesome parents and we all live together". ## Raveena Tandon-Thadani has often treated her fans with photographs of her cute Pomeranian named Lucifer on Instagram. The actress has even made a profile Lucifer on the photo-sharing website to give everyone an insight to her puppy's life. ## Lucifer enjoys a fan following of over 1K fans on the social media website. Raveena, who is all set to make her comeback in films with "KGF: Chapter 2", just not thinks about Lucifer well-being but also other stray animals. ## "I know that my companion dog Luficer's resting body temperature is already higher than humans', so it's crucial that I give him plenty of water and a cool place to hang out when it's hot. And to protect community dogs from deadly heatstroke, I put out clean, fresh bowls of water in my neighbourhood," Raveena told IANS. ## Sunny Leone, who recently joined hands with People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals India (PETA) for new campaign against the use of animal skin, stresses that it is important to keep companion canines cool and also to look out for strays. ## Sunny told IANS: "When the weather is blazing outside, I walk my baby Lilu on grass and in shaded areas. The ground can get so hot that it burns dogs' paws and heatstroke claims countless dogs' lives every year. Any overheated dog can sustain brain damage and even die within minutes, so it's important to keep your companion canines cool and to look out for strays." ## Twinkle toes Madhuri Dixit Nene, an ardent animal, adopted a stray pup and named him Carmella. The puppy was adopted on her son Arin's birthday on March 17 last year. ## Madhuri urged to not leave pets unattended in cars. "Would never leave my babies or Carmello in a closed car in the summer. Animals and people overheat easily. Please do everyone a favour and don't leave your loved ones unattended in a closed car," Madhuri told IANS. ## Actress Richa Chaddha has always campaigned for "adopt and not shop" for pets. Her social media is full of her 'catty' companion Jugni and other animals. She stresses about putting up shelters for community dogs so that they have shade during the hot afternoons. ## "My summer rule: If the ground is too hot for my feet, then it's definitely too hot for dogs, too. Hot pavement can burn the skin right off of dogs' paws. It's important to put up a shelter for community dogs so they have shade," Richa told IANS. ## Sachin Bangera, director of Celebrity and Public Relations, PETA India, emphasised that dogs can die from heatstroke in just 15 minutes and that "if one sees a dog suffering, do something!" ## Here's to making summer 'paw' friendly! ## (Durga Chakravarty can be contacted at [email protected]) ## For more and the latest news about Bollywood, stay tuned to us.

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Hailey Baldwin's 'party trick' made Justin Bieber call her
2291 days ago
Hollywood

Hailey Baldwin's 'party trick' made Justin Bieber call her

Los Angeles, March 1 (IANS) Model Hailey Baldwin has shared the party trick that made her now-husband Justin Bieber give her a call and reconcile after the two took a break from their relationship. ## During her appearance on "The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon", the model was asked "Did you do any party tricks?" ## "Well, I say this because the last time you were on our show, you did something that was the most amazing thing ever. Everybody was talking about it, you opened a beer bottle with your teeth," said Fallon, reports people.com. ## Hailey found it "really fun and there's actually another funny story behind this and that is that last time I was here, we did this little party trick where I opened a Corona bottle with my teeth". ## "The next morning -- after the interview had aired -- I got a certain phone call from a certain someone and it was a little like, ‘Hey, how are you? I saw you on Jimmy Fallon last night. You were looking really good. I loved that trick that you did, I had no idea that you can do that. It was so cool'. Cut to, I'm now married to that certain someone," she said. ## Fallon later said that the model initially met Bieber when she was just 13 years old in 2009. ## "I know, it sounds like this weird arranged marriage situation. We met because my dad, he brought me to the 'Today' show when Justin performed there. He was no more than 15 I think," she recalled. ## When asked if she was a fan of the singer at the time, she said that she was not. ## "To be honest, this is the truth. He was so new that I didn't really know a lot about him yet," she said. ## "It was really kinda before anything. I met him and his mom and my dad kind of just connected as friends and we invited them over to our house the next day. Him and his mom just came over for family dinner with me and my family and we went bowling." ## For more and the latest news about Hollywood, stay tuned to us.

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Nicolas Cage spotted holding hands with mystery 'girlfriend'
2291 days ago
Hollywood

Nicolas Cage spotted holding hands with mystery 'girlfriend'

New York, March 1 (IANS) Hollywood actor Nicolas Cage was photographed carrying a stuffed beluga and holding hands with mystery 'girlfriend'. ## The 56-year-old actor was seen last weekend taking the same woman to visit his own pre-bought pyramid tomb in New Orleans. ## When he was seen in New York, Cage was wearing a suit and carrying a big white stuffed beluga whale, reports dailymail.co.uk. ## Meanwhile, his rumoured girlfriend sported leather trousers and a black jacket with thick fur trim. ## He bought himself the nine-foot-tall pyramid tomb in the French Quarter of New Orleans in 2010, and it was reported that he took the same woman to see it last weekend. ## A source said: "He was probably in there for 15 minutes looking at his tomb and then he came out. He waved to everyone and said: ''Have a great Mardis Gras'." ## For more and the latest news about Hollywood, stay tuned to us.

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Bhagyashree: Recall of separation from hubby still scares me
2291 days ago
Bollywood

Bhagyashree: Recall of separation from hubby still scares me

Mumbai, March 1 (IANS) Actress Bhagyashree shot to fame with her 1989 debut film 'Maine Pyar Kiya' opposite Salman Khan. Then, even as she was being touted as Bollywood's next big thing, she announced her marriage to Himalaya, who was an aspiring actor then, and subsequently became a businessman. The early marriage took a toll on her fledgling career and she never quite managed to make a comeback. ## While Bhagyashree and hubby Himalaya have always known to be deeply in love, she has now revealed that there was a one-and-a-half year phase when she had to stay away from him. ## In a video posted by celebrity lensperson Viral Bhayani on Instagram, the 51-year-old actress is seen interacting at an event. In the video, she says: "Himalaya ji was my first love and, yes, I got married to him. Lekin ek arsa tha beech mein jab hum juda ho gaye the (However, there was a period of time in between when we were separated)." ## Bhagyashree continued to say that the period of separation made her mull over the question of what would happen if she had not married Himalaya. "I had that feeling that 'what if I hadn't got him in my life and I had married someone else?' It got me to that stage because there was a period of a year and a half that we weren't together. Woh ehsaas abhi bhi yaad aata hai toh darr lagta hai (recalling that feeling still scares me)." ## Back in the day, it had been reported how Bhagyashree and Himalaya got married in a hush-hush temple ceremony against the wishes of their parents, in the presence of Salman and "Maine Pyar Kiya" director Sooraj Barjatya among a handful of close friends and colleagues. ## Bhagyashree's son Abhimanyu Dassani is now an aspiring actor. He has a couple of projects lined up this year. In "Nikamma", he will be seen opposite debutante actress Shirley Setia, while Shilpa Shetty makes a comeback in the film. That apart, Abhimanyu has also signed "Aankh Micholi" opposite "Super 30a actress Mrunal Thakur. The film directed by "OMG: Oh My God" maker Umesh Shukla also stars Sharman Jshi, Divya Dutta, Paresh Rawal, Grusha Kapoor, Abhishek Banerjee, Darshan Jariwala and Vijay Raaz. ## For more and the latest news about Bollywood, stay tuned to us.

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