Researchers have found that 10 minutes of walking up and down stairs at a regular pace is more likely to make you feel energised than ingesting 50 milligrams of caffeine — about the equivalent to the amount in a can of soda.

"We found, in both the caffeine and the placebo conditions, that there was not much change in how they felt," said study co-author Patrick J. O'Connor, Professor at University of Georgia in the US.

"But with exercise they did feel more energetic and vigorous. It was a temporary feeling, felt immediately after the exercise, but with the 50 milligrams of caffeine, we didn't get as big an effect," O'Connor said.

The study, published in the journal Physiology and Behavior, aimed to simulate the hurdles faced in a typical office setting, where workers spend hours sitting and staring at computer screens and do not have time for a longer bout of exercise during the day.

For the study, participants on separate days either ingested capsules containing caffeine or a placebo, or spent 10 minutes walking up and down stairs — about 30 floors total — at a low-intensity pace.

O'Connor wanted to compare an exercise that could be achieved by people in an office setting, where they have access to stairs and a little time to be active, but not enough time to change into workout gear, shower and change back into work clothes.

"And a lot of people working in office buildings have access to stairs, so it's an option to keep some fitness while taking a short break from work," O'Connor said.

Study participants were female college students who described themselves as chronically sleep deprived – getting less than 6 and half hours per night.

To test the effects of caffeine versus the exercise, each group took some verbal and computer-based tests to gauge how they felt and how well they performed certain cognitive tasks.

Neither caffeine nor exercise caused large improvements in attention or memory, but stair walking was associated with a small increase in motivation for work.

20th Century Fox studio has set Deadpool 2 release date for a June 1, 2018.

Ryan Reynolds returns as the foul-mouthed superhero with Josh Brolin as Cable in the superhero sequel. Shooting is expected to start in June this year, reports variety.com.

Reynolds is also a producer of the films with Deadpool writers Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick returning along with Drew Goddard assisting. 

"John Wick" co-director David Leitch came on board to lead Deadpool 2 last fall after Tim Miller dropped out due to creative differences with Reynolds. 

Fox made a string of dating announcements on Saturday.

It also unveiled release dates for two other Marvel titles, both X-Men spinoffs — The New Mutants, which opens April 13, 2018, and Dark Phoenix for November 2, 2018.

Union steel minister Chaudhary Birender Singh on April 22 said there was a perceptual change in the consumption of coal because of the setting up of more non-conventional power plants in the country.

“Around 1 lakh MW of power is being generated in the country from non-conventional energy sources and that around 3 lakh applications were received for setting up of solar/wind power plants in the country.

“More non-conventional power plants in the country using wind energy, solar energy are being set up,” the minister said after dedicating to the nation, the most eco-friendly 120 MW gas-based power plant in Visakhapatnam Steel Plant (VSP) on April 22.

He underlined the need to be self-sufficient in power generation and said the shore based Rashtriya Ispat Nigam Limited (RINL), the corporate entity of VSP has rightly proved its progress in that direction.

Singh said RINL has many advantages of being a skilled workforce company and two major ports behind it.

He advised RINL to take advantage of the opportunity of huge usage of steel for the construction of new capital Amaravati and other projects in Andhra Pradesh.

He said RINL is inching towards achieving international standards of efficiency and exhorted them to work relentlessly towards this end.

Chairman and Managing director of RINL P Madhusudan, said latest technologies and green initiatives were implemented in setting up of the power plant.

Actor Prabhas, ahead of the release of Baahubali 2: The Conclusion in which he plays a superhero-like character, says he grew up as a fan of popular superheroes such as He-Man and Superman.

"Even though I was very fond of superheroes such as He-Man and Superman from a very young age, I never thought of I would play such characters in my career. I need to thank S.S. Rajamouli for offering me a superhero-like character," Prabhas told.

In the second part of Baahubali franchise, Prabhas will return as Amarendra Baahubali.

Directed by Rajamouli, the project will finally shed the light on why Kattappa, a character played by Sathyaraj, killed Baahubali.

The film also stars Rana Daggubati, Tamannaah Bhatia, Anushka Shetty and Ramya Krishnan.

Baahubali: The Conclusion is slated for a release in Telugu, Hindi, Tamil and Malayalam on April 28.

Mumbai Indians have recorded their sixth IPL win on the trot this season, but pacer Mitchell McClenaghan says there's still a long way to think about the play-offs and his side need to be consistent to reach that stage.

McClenaghan played a crucial role in Mumbai's 14-run victory over Delhi Daredevils on Sunday night, by grabbing three wickets at the Wankhede stadium here.

“It's a long way to go (to reach play-offs). We have got a very liberal management and a very liberal team. So, fresh start every time, planning process is injected at the same time. Same routine. It's important that we do not get too high or two low, just stay consistent because there is ups and downs in T20 cricket,” he said at the post match conference.

After Sunday's win, Mumbai have 12 points from seven matches and have consolidated their top spot.

The Kiwi pacer said while defending a modest total, their bowlers stuck to the plan and bowled with control.

“Obviously, you have to take wickets upfront. The message was very clear, just do our things. When you think of a sub-par score on a pretty good wicket, the team insists you to go out and be too aggressive with the ball and make things happen from the outset.

“We worked very hard with Bondy (Shane Bond, bowling coach), our analyst, (coach) Mahela (Jayawardene) to what plans in place and we stuck to our plans. We bowled with control, but still with a nice presence,” McClenaghan said when asked what was the team's approach defending 142 on the board.

Asked if it was the most pleasing win for the side so far, he said, “We have bowled in some absolutely cracking games. It's been so many games where it may not look like we are going to win, but we showed a lot of maturity, all the young guys showed maturity in other games and the big players like Kieron Pollard standing up in few games.

“It is a nice sense of confidence, but not arrogance, which is very nice because in a group like this, because you know you can back the skills of the boy next to you and you are going to know that he is going to give his 100 per cent.

McClenaghan admitted that the dew factor did not play a part in the game and was lesser compared to other games.

“Thankfully, there was not any dew as it has been in probably the first games over here. So, slower balls came into reckoning a little bit more.

As we saw from the crowd's reaction, it can be incredibly tough to restrict guys in chasing. So, thankfully it will stay like this a little longer and provide an even contest,” he said.

The 2001 attack on the Srinagar airport is the subject of the 10th illustrated comic book brought out by the CRPF, aimed at boosting the morale of the paramilitary forces in Jammu and Kashmir.

The multi-coloured comic book is one of 12 in the series titled "Shaurya Gaathas" (Valour Stories) involving Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel, a force that has lost almost 150 personnel to militant attacks in the state in the past four years.

The 30-40 page comic, printed in Delhi, is to be launched by October or November this year. It will be followed by two other comic books — "Attack on Raghunath Temple" and "Bravery of Khubi Ram".

The comic on the airport attack shows the bravery of its men who repelled a six-member Laskhar-e-Taiba suicide squad on January 16, 2001, leaving 11 people, including two civilians and three CRPF personnel, dead.

All the six militants were gunned down in the three-hour shootout.

The terrorists were dressed in army fatigues and approached the airport's first entry point, about two kilometres away from the terminal building, in a car.

The CRPF sentries stopped the militants from going further but they lobbed grenades and fired indiscriminately, killing three troopers and injuring nine, including four women.

The Deputy Commandant of the CRPF, Rajiv Kumar, told IANS: "The heroic acts of our personnel will inspire those deputed in Jammu and Kashmir.

"The comic 'Attack on Srinagar' shows how the CRPF foiled the terror strike. I am sure the comic will really motivate our personnel deployed in the Valley," he said.

The CRPF has suffered heavily in the Kashmir Valley, where a separatist campaign raging since late 1989 has left thousands dead.

A total of 2,580 CRPF personnel were injured between July 8, 2016, and February 27, 2017. In all 122 CRPF personnel received grievous injures, 43 were injured in stone-pelting and kerosene or petrol bomb attacks, and 47 suffered when grenades were lobbed from amongst the crowds.

The 300,000-strong CRPF is the country's largest paramilitary force.

Kumar said it was Prime Minister Narendra Modi who suggested the idea of comic books on the CRPF men's gallantry tales — months after taking office in 2014.

So far, nine comics have been released.

Over 20,000 copies of each comic have been circulated among new recruits and allied organisations. These will soon go for sale to the public as well.

"Funds generated from the sale of comic books will be spent on the welfare of the families of martyrs," the officer said.

The comics cover, among others, the valour of the CRPF troopers against the Chinese Army in October 1959 in Leh in Jammu and Kashmir, the December 2001 Parliament attack and the July 2005 Ayodhya temple attack.

Written in colloquial Hindi, the stories draw heavily from the regions the soldiers came from. The comics poignantly portray the CRPF men's lives and give detailed accounts of their operations.

The entire project, including compilation of the content, is handled by the CRPF.

Romanian tennis legend Ilie Nastase was sensationally kicked out of the Fed Cup after a foul-mouthed rant compounded his controversial racial slur over Serena Williams's unborn baby.

The 70-year-old captain of Romania's Fed Cup team was escorted from the Constanta venue where a World Group play-off was taking place against Britain after swearing at the umpire, the British skipper and a visiting player who was even reduced to tears.

He was heard to call pregnant captain Anne Keothavong and national number one Johanna Konta “f****** b******”.

The day before, Nastase, a former world number one and two-time Grand Slam title winner, was overheard making derogatory remarks about US superstar Serena Williams's pregnancy.

“Let's see what colour it (the baby) has. Chocolate with milk?,” he said in Romanian, remarks then reported widely internationally, including by a British female reporter who he then berated, describing her as “stupid” and “ugly”.

The controversy in Romania overshadowed what was meant to be the weekend's main Fed Cup business — the semi-finals where Belarus and Switzerland are locked at 1-1 while the United States are also level against defending champions Czech Republic.

The International Tennis Federation (ITF) said that Nastase had been expelled from the tie against Britain for “serious misconduct” and hinted at further punishment.

After his slur against Williams, who will give birth in September, Nastase was still raging on Saturday.

He was warned twice by the umpire for unsportsmanlike conduct as Konta took on Sorana Cirstea in the day's second rubber.
Nastase screamed at the umpire: “It's not the opera, what's your fucking problem?”

Konta broke down in tears after the abuse and the match was held up for 25 minutes before Nastase was banished to the stands and then escorted out of the venue by burly security guards.

“His accreditation was removed and he will play no further part in the tie,” said the ITF in a statement.

“The ITF has launched an investigation into this matter as well as previous comments made by Mr Nastase during the week. The ITF does not tolerate discriminatory and offensive language and behaviour of any kind.”

'Nastase is caring'

Konta went on to beat Cirstea to level the tie at 1-1 after Simona Halep had seen off Heather Watson.

“The abusive language of everybody who was involved snowballed,” said Konta.
Keothavong, who was reportedly propositioned by Nastase despite being pregnant and married, said she was stunned by his behaviour.

“What Nastase said to me and Johanna is language that is not appropriate for anyone to speak to any other human,” she told fedcup.com.
However, Cirstea leapt to the defence of Nastase and the crowd.

“The supervisor told me he stopped play because she (Konta) was crying. The Romanian public are quite fair and did not do anything out of the ordinary,” she said.

“It was great to have Nastase's experience on the bench…it was a nice surprise to see that he is very human and caring.”
She added: “I have played all over the world and I have been called 'bitch', 'arsehole', 'idiot', got all kinds of signs. But I never cried and left the court.”

The semi-finals were reduced to a sideshow by the Nastase controversy.

Maverick filmmaker Ram Gopal Varma made snide remarks at National Film Awards, saying superstar Aamir Khans decision to skip all award events points out at the losing relevance of the system in India.

The director, who often gets embroiled in controversies due to his remarks, tweeted on Sunday that Aamir "doesn't care to be measured by any Indian award committee including National (Film Awards)". 

He posted: "Fact that Aamir khan, the greatest filmmaker of India does not attend any award events including National Award speaks about those events."

"Highest quality films are made by Aamir and that he doesn't care to be measured by any Indian award committee including National speaks loud."

At the 64th National Film Awards announcement earlier this month, the Best Actor honour went to Akshay Kumar for Hindi movie Rustom, leaving much of Bollywood wondering why movies like Dangal and Aligarh were left out. 

It is being speculated that Aamir's work in Dangal was not taken into consideration because he doesn't attend any award functions. 

Kashmiri girl Zaira Wasim was named as the Best Supporting Actress for Dangal. 

The UK Independence Party (UKIP) in its general election manifesto to ban the burqa or full-face veils worn by some Muslim women in public, the media reported on Sunday.

Party leader Paul Nuttall will launch what he calls an "integration agenda" on Monday ahead of the upcoming snap general election on June 8, reports the BBC.

He is also set to propose outlawing Sharia law — the religious rules that form part of Islamic tradition.

The party's manifesto is expected to suggest that anyone with evidence of female genital mutilation will be bound by law to inform the police.

Former UKIP leader Nigel Farage proposed a burqa ban in 2010.

But the party later dropped the policy, and it did not appear in its 2015 manifesto.

Full-face veils are already banned in public in some European countries, including France.

The government order to block child sexual abuse content by using resources of a UK-based organisation, will create monopoly and make it an expensive affair for companies, Internet service providers have said.

The Internet Service Providers Association of India (ISPAI) also demanded that the government should share the responsibility with industry as companies will pass on extra cost burden to consumers which would not be in the interest of 'Digital India' movement.

“The order issued by Meity (Ministry of Electronics and IT), to block child sexual abuse material (CSAM), is creating monopoly of an organisation where membership varies between 1,000 British pound and about GBP 78,000 (Rs.84,000- Rs.64 lakh). Government should also share responsibility with industry,” ISPAI President Rajesh Chharia told PTI.
The government on April 18 directed Internet service providers (ISP) to block distribution and transmission of child sexual abuse content by July 31.

Service providers are required to adopt and implement UK-based Internet Watch Foundation (IWF) resources to prevent distribution and transmission of offensive content.

Chharia said that the solution to block CSAM should be developed in the country, and the order is different from what the government had discussed with the industry.

“We were under impression that any one body in India will subscribe to the IWF and share it with other players as per rule till we do not develop an indigenous solution and the government will also provide support to the industry.”

“The order, however, says that every Internet company with ILD permit will have to approach individually to IWF. The IWF will charge fees based on the subscriber base of a company which will make it expensive for individual companies,” Chharia said.

The order was issued after the recommendation of an inter-ministerial committee that was constituted to suggest solutions to address the issue of child sexual abuse material (CSAM) following a Supreme Court order.

The panel noted that most of the CSAM is being hosted outside India and the websites or web links to access such unlawful content are dynamic in nature and frequently changing which makes it difficult to block such content.

The panel noted that no centralised mechanism exists in India to monitor online CSAM.
When asked about the obligation of Internet firms to check transmission of CSAM, Chharia said that Internet companies cannot get into 'deep packet inspection' on what is being transmitted on to networks.

“Deep packet inspection will lead to violation of privacy and also is in violation to government's policy. We are committed to block CSAM but the responsibility should be shared by all, including government. ISPs will pass on extra cost burden to consumers which is not in the interest and spirit of Digital India movement,” Chharia said.

The government has asked all the ISPs to continue to observe the existing due diligence requirements prescribed by the central government under the Information Technology Act 2000 and rules and regulations.

The publication or transmission of material depicting children in the sexually explicit act or conduct in electronic form is a heinous crime, specifically prohibited by section 67B of the IT Act 2000.

Indian origin British supermodel Neelam Gill will be joining Grammy Award-winning singer Justin Bieber on his maiden India tour in May here.

Bieber's highly anticipated India Purpose Tour will be held at DY Patil Stadium here on May 10. 

Gill, who has become a muse of international fashion house Burberry and another fashion brand Abercrombie & Fitch, is expected to arrive on May 7 with Bieber, read a statement from White Fox India — the sole promoter of the tour in the country. 

The model, who has also worked with rapper Kanye West, is looking forward to explore different fashion and entertainment opportunities in the country.

Arjun Jain, Director of White Fox India, said: "The Purpose Tour in India will be represented by a mix of Hollywood and Bollywood personalities. There has been a lot of global interest in the tour and we are happy to host global names on our tour and open up relevant opportunities for the whole global crossover."

English actress-model Elarica Johnson, best known for her role in Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, is also set to host Bieber's India gig. 

Apart from India, the Asia leg of the tour comprises Tel Aviv and Dubai. Bieber is touring in support of his fourth studio album "Purpose", which debuted at number one in over 100 countries and has sold over eight million copies worldwide.

Concert-goers can look forward to a set list that will surely comprise worldwide smash hits including Where are u now, Boyfriend, Love yourself and As long as you love me.
 

Evergreen American sprinter Justin Gatlin struck gold when he anchored his team to victory at the IAAF World Relays in Nassau, while double Olympic champion Elaine Thompson shone for Jamaica.

The battle between Gatlin, the 35-year-old 2004 Olympic 100m champion who has served two doping bans, and Usain Bolt's self-professed successor Andre de Grasse did not play out, the Canadian deprived of the chance to run his leg after a botched handover by his teammates.

De Grasse, a three-time medallist at the Rio Olympics, had cocked his head over towards Gatlin three times before turning on the afterburners to edge the American in the heats.

But there was to be no showboating come the final at a breezy, half-full Thomas A. Robinson stadium as Aaron Brown fluffed his handover to Brendon Rodney.

The US were not out of danger, however, with Britain looking to be ahead as Gatlin took the baton from Ronnie Baker after slick passovers between Leshon Collins and Mike Rodgers.

But Englishman Danny Talbot failed to hit his mark and Gatlin had a free run in for 38.43sec, eyes glued on the big screen in near bewilderment as Barbados took silver at a distant 39.12 and China bronze (39.22).

Thompson, who won double gold in Rio last year, was afforded a rousing welcome as she safely led her Jamaican teammates to victory in the women's 4x200m.

The 24-year-old anchored her team also including Jura Levy, Shericka Jackson and Sashalee Forbes home in a championship record of 1min 29.04sec, Germany (1:30.68) snatching silver from the United States by 0.21.

“There was no pressure,” said Thompson. “We came on the track and do what we do.”

The US defended their women's 4x800m relay title in first final of the night, Laura Roesler and Charlene Lipsey pulling away in the final two legs after teammates Chanelle Price and Chrishuna Williams were involved in an early nip-and-tuck battle with Australia.

“I've had the pleasure of making all three teams that have won here in the Bahamas,” said Price, whose opening leg of 2:01.73 was the quickest run on the night.

“I knew we had a target on our backs and that all the other teams wanted to take the crown from us. We also wanted to set the tone for the USA.”

Belarus eventually edged the Australian quartet into third thanks to a strong anchor leg by Maryna Arzamasova, the 2015 world champion in Beijing.

Heartache for Shaunae

Despite Olympic 400m champion Shaunae Miller-Uibo running a scorching first leg, the Bahamas failed to progress to the final of the women's 4x400m. France, with European indoor champion Floria Guei running anchor, also failed to qualify.

There was also no such luck for the Jamaican men's 4x100m quartet, missing Bolt and late withdrawal Asafa Powell, as the precision needed for baton passovers was highlighted in their first-round race.

Third leg runner Jevaughan Minzie bolted before Kemar Bailey-Cole could get the baton anywhere near to him, leaving anchor leg Yohan Blake, the 2011 world 100m champion and double 2012 Olympic silver medallist behind Bolt, with his head in his hands.

“We didn't get here in time to practise,” said Minzie, the team having had just one previous outing. “It was just a misunderstanding. It happens in relays,” added the last member of the team, Everton Clarke.

That leaves the Jamaicans needing to post a top-16 qualifying time for the London worlds by July 23.

Sunday's action sees the men compete in the 4x200m, 4x400m and 4x800m and the women in the 4x100m and 4x400m, while there will also be a mixed-sex 4x400m relay, handing Miller-Uibo a second chance to shine in front of her raucous home support. 

Actor Vin Diesel, the voice of Groot in Guardians of the Galaxy and baby Groot in its sequel, says that he had a secret script where he was told what the talking tree was trying to say.

"Groot is ­always challenging to play. As an audience what you hear is, ‘I am Groot', but he is expressing himself and you have to try and convey what he intends to say and his emotions in those three words," Diesel told dailystar.co.uk.

"I actually had a secret script where I was told what Groot was trying to say. That made him a lot of fun to voice."

He had to say the line again in 16 different languages for international versions of the movie.

"Korean was interesting. It was cool though because in some countries people have only heard my characters with voice actors. It was good to know people would finally hear me," he said.

Since he became dead wood at the end of Marvel's 2014 movie, he has been reborn as a squeaky sapling with a taste for mischief.

"Groot in the first movie was a college-level Groot. He might have had some growing up to do, but essentially he had the mind of a man. After he sacrificed himself, he has to start again. Baby Groot is naïve. He has to learn everything again."
 

Zlatan Ibrahimovic's magical season with Manchester United appears over after the club announced he had suffered a serious knee injury in Thursday's Europa League clash with Anderlecht.

The club revealed that both the 35-year-old Swedish striker and Argentinian defender Marco Rojo had suffered knee injuries in the same match.

“Detailed investigations on the injuries sustained by Marcos Rojo and Zlatan Ibrahimovic during Thursday's Europa League match have confirmed significant knee ligament damage in both players that requires specialist opinions over the coming days,” read the United statement on their website.

“Estimations of time to full recovery will only be possible once definitive treatment plans have been decided after these consultations.”
Ibrahimovic didn't have his finest game agianst Anderlecht — Marcus Rashford edging United through to the semi-finals on aggregate after extra-time — but his goals this season have been the main reason for an improvement in the club's fortunes, albeit without ever being title challengers.

Ibrahimovic has defied many doubters since joining on a free transfer from Paris Saint-Germain last year, scoring 28 goals and inspiring United to victory in the League Cup.

Rojo's injury is also a serious bodyblow to United's depleted resources at the back with both England international central defenders Phil Jones and Chris Smalling expected to be out till mid May.

Ibrahimovic's one-year contract is up at the end of the season, meaning it is possible the Swede has played his last game for the club, with speculation linking him with a move to Major League Soccer.

His loss is a blow to United's hopes of European success and their chances of securing a top-four finish in the Premier League.

At times he has carried the team this season, his form earning him a PFA Player of the Year nomination.

United travel to Burnley on Sunday knowing victory will see them cut the gap to fourth-placed Manchester City to one point, with the city rivals going head-to-head at the Etihad Stadium on Thursday.

The Europa League offers an even stronger chance of Champions League qualification, though, with only two legs against Celta Vigo and a final against either Lyon or Ajax standing between United and a maiden triumph in the competition, and with it a place at Europe's top table next season.

Ander Herrera and Ashley Young, described by Mourinho as “fresh to play” after not featuring in midweek, appear set to feature at Turf Moor, where Burnley have won 10 of their 16 league games this season. 

Actress Regina Cassandra, who has teamed up with debutant Dileep Prakash in the upcoming Tamil-Telugu bilingual Hare Rama Hare Krishna, says she didnt have any qualms about working with a newcomer as the script got her excited.

"It's a script with difference. The story and screenplay have been written in such a way that it got me really excited. I really didn't have second thoughts about acting with a newcomer," Regina, who plays HR professional in the film, told.

She went on to add that she is privileged to be sharing screen space with senior artistes such as Prakash Raj, Aamani and Kashi Vishwanath.

"The film has a battalion of well-known supporting actors. I'm lucky to be sharing screen space with them," she said.

Launched on Friday, the project will be helmed by Arjun Sai and is slated to go on the floors soon.

Anup Rubens has been roped in to compose music.
 

Why can't women live in peace in this country, a Supreme Court bench, apparently exasperated over growing crimes against women, has observed.

The observation came when a bench headed by Justice Dipak Misra was hearing an appeal filed by a man who was sentenced to seven years in jail by the Himachal Pradesh High Court for allegedly teasing and compelling a 16-year-old girl to take the extreme step of committing suicide.

"Why can't women live in peace in this country," the apex court said while reserving its verdict on the appeal.

Maintaining that no one can force a woman to love someone as she has her own independent choice, the bench, which also comprised Justices A M Khanwilkar and M M Shantanagoudar, said "a woman has a choice to love or not to love a person. No one can force her to love somebody. There is a concept of love and man has to accept it." 

During the arguments, the counsel, appearing for the man, raised doubts over the girl's dying declaration, saying that as per the medical report, she was unable to speak or write after being hospitalised.

"The doctors said that she was 80 per cent burnt and it was not possible for her to write dying declaration. She was unable to speak also. Her both hands were burnt. This dying declaration has to go. She was not in a position to say or write anything," the counsel said.

To this, the bench told the man that as per her dying declaration, "you had created a situation which had compelled her to commit such act." 

The man was initially acquitted by the trial court in July 2010 after which the state had approached the high court.

According to the police, the girl's father had lodged an alleged kidnapping and rape case against the man in which he was subsequently acquitted.

It had alleged that the accused used to threaten and eve-tease the girl and in July 2008, she set herself ablaze when her parents were not at home. She was taken to a hospital where she died during treatment.

The high court, while convicting the man, had relied on the dying declaration as well as evidence placed before it and had said that the accused had abetted commission of suicide by consistently teasing the deceased.

The Gujarat Traders Federation on April 22 asked Prime Minister Narendra Modi to intervene for easing the rules and structure of the upcoming Goods and Services Tax (GST).

The federation reached out to Prime Minister Modi through a letter which pointed out various hindrances towards ease of doing business that will occur once the GST is implemented. 

In the letter, they said what they learnt from the structure of the GST rules adopted by GST Council which are being published now and in public domain, "it seems that it defeats and violates the very concept of Ease of Doing Business".

"We on behalf of honest small traders, small medium enterprises (SME) of India request you to kindly intervene into the matter and use your kind office to make the provisions and rules vide GST more simple and implementable." 

According to the traders' body, GST should enable "ease of doing business", "smooth movement of material across India" and "one India, one market, one tax". 

"Instead of promised removal of check posts at state borders, the government is starting mobile check post at every corner in the city, state and country. 

"This is directly giving powers to inspectors and harassment and increasing tax terrorism," they wrote.

The federation mentioned the common practice of loaning goods for a short period of time which are replaced shortly will no longer be hassle-free under the GST.

"Although it is not sale, it is supply. Creating e-way bills for such transactions will result in cross verification issues," the letter added.

"Many shops have their warehouses situated away from their selling premises. Movement of goods from warehouse to shop will also require e-waybill. It will be absurd to do so."