India is fast becoming a global hotspot for cruise tourism with its five major ports witnessing a significant rise in passenger footfall, Parliament was informed today.

A leading European cruise operator has also made Mumbai Port, one of the top 12 major ports in the country, a home port for a cruise ship for several voyages.

"India is fast emerging as a cruise tourist destination.

In 2014-15, a total of 1,04,125 cruise passengers were handled at five major ports which increased to 1,25,838 during 2015-16, achieving a growth of 20.85 per cent over the previous year," Minister of State for Shipping Pon Radhakrishnan told the Lok Sabha in a written reply.

He said in 2016-17, up to January, major ports had handled 1,22,093 cruise passengers and added that during the current fiscal "Costa Neo Classica cruise ship made Mumabi port as home port for seven voyages." 

Radhakrishnan said to attract cruise lines/ships as a part of cruise tourism in India, the government has developed cruise terminals at at four major ports – Mumbai, Marmugao, New Mangalore and Cochin.

A mew cruise terminal is under develoment at Chennai Port and is scheduled to be completed by April 2017.

Incentives to attract cruise liners to make major ports as homeports include a rebate of 25 per cent in vessel related charges for coastal cruise movement, in addition to existing 40 per cent rebate for coastal vessel.

A book titled 'Zakir Hussain: A Life for Music, In Conversation with Nasreen Munni Kabir' will chronicle the Tabla maestro's life through a series of in-depth interviews.

To be released by Harper Collins Publishers India in January 2018, the book will offer an intimate look at Hussain's life and career.

While it will have Hussain's nostalgic recollection of his early years of training from his father Ustad Allarakha, it will also include his journey as a musician with Pandit Ravi Shankar and Ustad Ali Akbar Khan.

Written by Nasreen Munni Kabir, the book will offer readers a personalised view into Indian classical music and the thinking of a world musician.

Speaking about the book, Hussain said that it was a "fascinating revelation" discovering parts of his life that were overlooked.

"Talking to Nasreen and, with her help and prodding, discovering nooks and crannies long overlooked in my life has been a fascinating revelation," Hussain said.

"Getting to know such an accomplished musician and fine person through the process of this book is enlightening," Kabir said.

Hussain, who gave his first public concert at the age of seven, has been recognised as a natural genius across the globe and is also known for his talent as a "genre-bending" percussionist and composer.

"It is a privilege to be publishing this book and getting to know the world of one of the greatest musicians of our era.

What makes this a double delight is that here he is in conversation with Nasreen Munni Kabir," Shantanu Ray Chaudhuri, executive editor, Harper Collins Publishers India, said.

Six designers including Anupama Dayal, Saurabh Kant Shrivastav and Sailex have come up with a collection inspired by the film Baahubali 2: The Conclusion, in association with an online shopping portal.

Even Mrinalini Gupta, Yogesh Chaudhary and Aparijita Toor will contribute to the apparel and accessories of magnum opus "Baahubali 2: The Conclusion" via BollyWoo, read a statement.

The collection will be revealed through a fashion show, with the movie's lead star cast, including Tamannaah and Rana Daggubati who will walk the ramp on April 7.

The ensemble's cost will have nothing above Rs.4000.

Directed by S.S. Rajamouli, the second part of the franchise also stars Prabhas and will release worldwide on April 28. The film will also shed light on why Kattappa killed Baahubali.

Congress leader Jagdish Tytler, who has been given a clean chit by the CBI in a 1984 anti-Sikh riots case, on Thursday told a Delhi court that he is not ready to undergo lie detection test as it amounts to cruelty.

Tytler's counsel objected to the test, saying the CBI has not given any reason for conducting it and the agency's plea for the test was a "gross misuse of law" and it was filed with "malafide intention".

He also filed a list of events since the riots broke out till now to which the victims' counsel said they would a reply to it.

Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Shivali Sharma listed the matter for April 18 for further arguments on the CBI's plea for permission to conduct the test on Tytler and arms dealer Abhishek Verma for the purpose of further probe.

The move came in pursuance to the court's December 4, 2015 order in which it was mentioned that lie detection test may be conducted, if required.

Verma, a witness in the case, also told the court that he was ready for the polygraph test if he is provided with adequate security as he apprehends threat to his life as well as to his family.

He also said he was ready to record his statement before a magistrate.

The CBI prosecutor, however, did not agree with the proposal of recording Verma's statement and said the consent for polygraph test should be unconditional.

Advocate Prabhsahay Kaur, who represented the victims, questioned the CBI as to why it was refusing to record the statement when the witness was ready for it.

She also said that the witness should be given proper security if he apprehends threat to his life.

Meanwhile, the CBI filed a status report before the court in a sealed cover regarding its further probe in the case.

The case pertains to riots at Gurudwara Pulbangash in north Delhi where three people were killed on November 1, 1984, a day after the assassination of then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi.

Tytler, who has denied any role in the riots, has been given a clean chit by the CBI thrice in the case but the probe agency has been directed by the court to further investigate the matter.

Verma has made several statements to the CBI against Tytler that he allegedly pressured the witnesses in the case.

The court had in December 2015 directed the CBI to further investigate the matter and had said it would monitor the probe every two months so that no aspect is left uninvestigated.

The agency had reinvestigated the case of killing of Badal Singh, Thakur Singh and Gurcharan Singh near the gurudwara after a court in December 2007 refused to accept its closure report. The CBI has filed three closure reports in the case.

Haryana government on Thursday directed the officers to carry out a detailed survey to explore the possibility of
developing water bodies, lakes and aquaculture in the water-logged and low lying areas in the state.

While presiding over the 48th meeting of State Drought Relief and Flood Control Board here Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar said that a committee of experts should be constituted to look into the causes of water-logging through scientific manner. Khattar also asked the officials to prepare district-wise action plan for desilting
of village ponds.

As many as 117 new schemes were approved in the meeting to strengthen the flood control system in the state. A sum of Rs.177.21 crore will be spent on their implementation to strengthen the flood-control system during the rainy season. As many as 140 ongoing schemes costing Rs.266 crore for flood control and drainage of Irrigation and Water Resources department were also reviewed.

Directing the Deputy Commissioners and other officers of Irrigation Department to ensure speedy implementation of these schemes, the chief minister asked them to complete desilting  of all canals and drains before May 2017.

He also directed to set up a separate cell in Irrigation Department to study and monitor provisions about natural water flow of the state.

Public health and Engineering Department officers were directed to take advance steps for providing adequate drinking water facilities during the summer season keeping in view the possibility of more heat this year as compared to last year.

Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare minster OP Dhankar asked the officers to conduct a study about natural flow of water and prepare a latest map accordingly so that further action could be taken to ensure effective solution to the problem of water logging and floods in different areas in the state.

The Kolkata Municipal Corporation has ordered an investigation into the alleged sale of "artificial eggs" made of "plastic" in the city's markets, the KMC mayor said on Thursday.

Acting on a police complaint by Anita Kumar, who discovered "artificial eggs" once she cracked a couple open, the civic body has asked police and municipal officials to check all municipal markets.

"These eggs are being sold in the Tiljala market. As soon as I got to know about the complaint, I let the police know so that we can carry out checks of all municipal markets. I have also received some documentary evidence," KMC Mayor Sovan Chatterjee said.

According to Anita Kumar, the "fake egg" had a strange "plastic-like quality" when it was spread out on a pan.

"I tested my suspicion by putting a match to it and it caught fire. The shell also looked plastic. I was sure that this was not natural and, being a mother, I felt I should alert the public," Anita said.

The Himachal Pradesh Assembly on Thursday passed the annual budget for 2017-18 and related Appropriation Bill authorising the state government to spend Rs.37,939.97 crore from consolidated fund.

The budget was presented in the state assembly by Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh, who also holds the finance portfolio, on March 10.

The house discussed the demands with regard to Irrigation and Public health and Urban development and housing today, while remaining demands were passed without discussion after the Speaker applied guillotine at 4 pm.

Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu's "Mission Zero Accident", the highlight of last year's Railway Budget, seems to have made little headway given the increasing number of mishaps.

Today, over 40 passengers were injured after the Mahakaushal Express derailed in Uttar Pradesh.

Earlier this year, 41 passengers died and over 60 were injured after nine coaches of the Hirakhand Express derailed in Andhra Pradesh.

In November last year, 150 people died and over 300 were injured after 14 coaches of the Patna-Indore Express derailed near Kanpur. Though a terror angle has been suspected in some of these accidents, the claims have not been substantiated.

In fact, statistics pertaining to train accidents in the last five years reveal that one of the two leading causes of train accidents is derailment.

As per the data, from 2009-20015, there were a total of 803 accidents in Indian Railways leading to a death toll of 620 and injuries to 1855 people. Altogether 46.5% of these accidents were due to derailment of trains.

Nine out of ten railway accidents during this six-year period occurred due to derailments and accidents at level crossings.

The percentage of accidents taking place at level crossings too is a whopping 43.5 per cent with 349 accidents out of the total 803 accidents taking place at level crossings.

While the derailment of trains is generally beyond the control of the Railways, it has launched several awareness drives for its staff. The ministry is largely concentrating on bringing down the number of accidents taking place at manned level crossings (MLCs) and unmanned level crossings (ULCs).

Recently, the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Railways had asked the ministry to provide details pertaining to the elimination of these LCs and replacing these with railway under bridges (RUBs) or railway over bridges (ROBs) wherever required.

In its response, the Ministry stated there are 19,267 MLCs and 9340 ULCs besides 6388 ULCs on broad gauge. Out of these, so far, only 1000 have been eliminated till January this year.

The expected remaining ULCs on broad gauge will be eliminated in a phased manner over the next three-year period. Similarly, till January this year, so far only 105 ROBs and 846 RUBs have been constructed since 2014-15 besides the 381 MLCs which were closed during the same period.

However, taking a critical view of this progress amid growing concerns for safety, the committee recommended, "The Ministry should meet its target on strict adherence basis as the matter of unmanned level crossings is directly connected with the safety of human life and progress in this regard should be reviewed on quarterly basis while ensuring that the targets are met within the stipulated time period".

Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Thursday accused the previous SAD-BJP and Congress governments of Punjab for turning a blind eye to the government school education in the state. None of the government in past ever took initiatives to revive the education system and make it as good as the private education system.

Reacting sharply on the report of CAG  report that as many as 1,170 primary schools in Punjab are running with single teacher and 572 upper primary schools with less than three teachers,  AAP state convener, Gurpreet Singh Waraich said it is the mockery of education system in state and poor and underprivileged people are deprived of their right to education.

He demanded that the government must take strict action against those responsible for ruining the generation by not giving them chance to get good education.

Waraich said that the 1362 Crore fund received under Sarv Shiksha Abhayan were not released by the previous Parkash Singh Badal government. CAG also raised finger on the embezzlement in the fund released for purchasing school books and uniforms of students.

He demanded that a case must be registered against those responsible.

AAP convener suggested chief minister Captain Amrinder Singh to revive the education system in state on the terms of Arvind Kejriwal-led Delhi government.

He demanded to increase the education budget as Delhi government did. Waraich assured that AAP will help and
appreciate if government seriously makes efforts to revive the education system in state.

Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Thursday accused the previous SAD-BJP and Congress governments of Punjab for turning a blind eye to the government school education in the state. None of the government in past ever took initiatives to revive the education system and make it as good as the private education system.

Reacting sharply on the report of CAG  report that as many as 1,170 primary schools in Punjab are running with single teacher and 572 upper primary schools with less than three teachers,  AAP state convener, Gurpreet Singh Waraich said it is the mockery of education system in state and poor and underprivileged people are deprived of their right to education.

He demanded that the government must take strict action against those responsible for ruining the generation by not giving them chance to get good education.

Waraich said that the 1362 Crore fund received under Sarv Shiksha Abhayan were not released by the previous Parkash Singh Badal government. CAG also raised finger on the embezzlement in the fund released for purchasing school books and uniforms of students.

He demanded that a case must be registered against those responsible.

AAP convener suggested chief minister Captain Amrinder Singh to revive the education system in state on the terms of Arvind Kejriwal-led Delhi government.

He demanded to increase the education budget as Delhi government did. Waraich assured that AAP will help and
appreciate if government seriously makes efforts to revive the education system in state.

A local court on Thursday asked the Delhi Police to file a detailed action-taken report against those who allegedly raised anti-national slogans at the Delhi University's Ramjas College.

Metropolitan Magistrate Abhilash Malhotra sought the report from the Crime Branch of the Delhi Police and listed the matter for further hearing on April 27.

The court's instruction came after the Delhi Police filed a status report on Thursday. The court observed that the report was absolutely silent on the slogan-raising aspect of the incident on February 21.

The court also noted that the report was also absolutely silent in respect of the complainant and the charge of sedition that found a mention in the FIR.

The court was hearing a criminal complaint filed by Advocate Vivek Garg, who alleged that "massive anti-national slogans and activities were raised by leaders and students of the All India Students Association (AISA) and the Students' Federation of India (SFI) in Ramjas College, shamelessly and openly supporting India's enemy — Pakistan".

"The criminal acts of the accused were also boosting morale of terrorists against our country," the complainant said.

On February 21-22, members of the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP), the students wing of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, and activists of the Left-leaning AISA clashed on the Ramjas College campus.

A local court on Thursday asked the Delhi Police to file a detailed action-taken report against those who allegedly raised anti-national slogans at the Delhi University's Ramjas College.

Metropolitan Magistrate Abhilash Malhotra sought the report from the Crime Branch of the Delhi Police and listed the matter for further hearing on April 27.

The court's instruction came after the Delhi Police filed a status report on Thursday. The court observed that the report was absolutely silent on the slogan-raising aspect of the incident on February 21.

The court also noted that the report was also absolutely silent in respect of the complainant and the charge of sedition that found a mention in the FIR.

The court was hearing a criminal complaint filed by Advocate Vivek Garg, who alleged that "massive anti-national slogans and activities were raised by leaders and students of the All India Students Association (AISA) and the Students' Federation of India (SFI) in Ramjas College, shamelessly and openly supporting India's enemy — Pakistan".

"The criminal acts of the accused were also boosting morale of terrorists against our country," the complainant said.

On February 21-22, members of the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP), the students wing of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, and activists of the Left-leaning AISA clashed on the Ramjas College campus.

Scientists have identified a hormone critical for preventing pneumonia bacteria from spreading throughout the body, which may help fight off a severe form of the deadly disease.

Stimulating hepcidin production in patients who do not produce it well, such as people with iron overload or liver disease, may help their bodies effectively starve the bacteria to death, said researchers, including those from University of Virginia in the US.

Researchers found that mice that had been genetically modified to lack hepcidin were particularly susceptible to bacterial pneumonia.

Nearly all of the mice had the pneumonia bacteria spread from the lungs into their bloodstream, ultimately killing them.

"It is the exact same thing that happens in people," Borna Mehrad of University of Virginia.

"The mice that lacked the hormone weren't able to hide iron away from the bacteria, and we think that's why the bacteria did so well in the blood," Mehrad said.

The hormone, hepcidin is produced in the liver and limits the spread of the bacteria by hiding the iron in the blood that the bacteria need to survive and grow, said researchers.

"The rate at which these organisms become resistant to antibiotics is far faster than the rate at which we come up with new antibiotics," Mehrad said.

"Increasingly, the choice of antibiotics to treat these infections is more and more limited, and there are occasions where there just isn't an antibiotic to treat with, which is a very scary and dangerous situation," he added.

Singers The Weeknd and Selena Gomez are reportedly planning a "summer wedding", which will be held in August this year.

According to a source, the couple, who started dating each other from January this year, are thinking about taking their relationship to the next level, reports aceshowbiz.com.

"Selena Gomez is set to tie the knot with The Weeknd in August." the source told InTouch magazine.

The source said that the couple is "getting married".

"She's told pals that they're planning to exchange vows in August once he finishes his Starboy: Legend of the Fall 2017 World Tour'" the source added. 

It was claimed that Gomez feels that "The Weeknd is her soulmate" and she doesn't want to spend years waiting to get married.

Also, the source said that Gomez "already has a wedding dress in mind." 

Heavy rains accompanied by strong winds and hailstorm lashed many parts of the Northeastern region, weather officials said on Thursday.

Similar weather will continue the next three days.

The rains have submerged the polo ground in Imphal, the oldest polo ground in the world. 

"As all drains in and around Imphal are clogged, the rain waters have submerged lanes, residential and public fields," an official said.

"Efforts are on to clear the clogging but due to the torrential rains, there is not much improvement."

Many parts of the city also experienced power cuts due to snapping of transmission lines.

Several houses were destroyed by hailstorm. 

After entertaining film lovers for more than eight decades, Regal Theatre is signing off in style with a 'house-full' last show of Raj Kapoor's 1964 movie Sangam on Thursday night.

Built in the pre-independent era, Regal once hosted Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru, his daughter Indira Gandhi and megastar Amitabh Bachchan.

The cinema hall, which opened in 1932, will stop operating as a single screen from Friday but the staff is treating the last day at work just like another day.

"All shows are booked for today. But we have a few tickets left for the front-stall of the evening show of Raj Kapoor's 'Mera Naam Joker'. We don't know if any of them will be left in a few hours from now," says manager Roop Ghai.

He says it was a difficult moment for the Regal family but it was something that could not have been avoided.

"Yes, it is the end of an era but this is how it is." 

Ghai is not sure about the future of the 15-odd people employed at the theatre but hopes that the owners retain the old staff once Regal returns as a multiplex.

Despite it being the last day, the manager says they kept the rates of the tickets unchanged.

"No, we have not hiked the prices. They are the same. The front-stall for Rs.80, the rear-stall for Rs.100, the balcony for Rs.120 and the box for Rs.200." 

Amar Singh Varma is busy settling accounts of the employees while attending to customers' calls just as diligently as he has been doing for more than four decades of his service as an accountant.

"I have worked here as accountant for almost half the time this theatre has been functioning. My main concern right now is to settle all dues of the employees. But the phone keeps ringing as people are still calling to ask for tickets." 

Varma says there are around 10-15 people who have been actively working for the cinema hall, apart from the other staff.

The grandeur and magic of the bygone era is still visible in its corridors, which are flanked by the black-and-white images of cine stars Nargis, Madhubala, Meena Kumari, Dev Anand and Raj Kapoor.

When asked what films he has watched in the theatre, a misty-eyed Varma says, "I am a huge fan of Raj Kapoor and I don't like watching films that are being made today. I don't call them films. Tonight, I will watch 'Sangam', which is the last show." 

One would expect for a theatre as old and loved as the Regal to go out with some pomp and show. But the atmosphere is quiet and no special arrangements have been made for the final day.

"We are just going to have an intimate lunch with the staff and it will be our 'bidaai' (farewell)." 

He, however, wishes that they had a grand celebration but that is something the owner should have thought about.

On saving single screens, Varma says it is going to be a difficult time as people do not wish to come to such cinema halls anymore.

"Nobody cares. So, it gets difficult for us to survive in the changing market. Now, only the government can do something to preserve whatever is left of the single screens in the country. If they will not cut down the taxes, I don't see single screens sustaining for long." 

Veteran actor Rishi Kapoor took to Twitter to bid an emotional goodbye to Regal.

"Demolish. Adios Regal Theatre, Delhi. A place where all the Kapoor's theatre and cinema work was seen. Had 'Bobby' premiered there too! Thank you!," the actor posted on Twitter alongside a picture of the iconic cinema hall.

The Union government on Thursday sought to reassure the African nations of its commitment to ensuring the safety and security of all African nationals in India and promised that those responsible for the violence against Nigerian students in Greater Noida recently would be prosecuted in accordance with the law of the land.

‘’Such criminal acts are completely unacceptable…we remain engaged with our African friends and African students will continue to be welcomed in India,’’ MEA spokesperson Gopal Baglay said at a media briefing here. He added that the assault on Nigerian students in Greater Noida represented the action of ‘’uninformed and misguided few’’.

spokesperson said the MEA was in touch with the district administration of Greater Noida which has enhanced the security of the area. The District Magistrate had held a meeting with residents and foreign students’ associations in the presence of representatives from the Nigerian mission. The students who were hurt during the incident had been treated in a local hospital and had already been released.

Regarding yesterday’s incident in which a Kenyan woman claimed that she had been assaulted in Greater Noida, he said the Kenyan High Commissioner had met senior officials of the MEA earlier today and conveyed to them that the reported incident in question ‘’does not correspond to reality’’.

He confirmed that Indian High Commissioner to Nigeria B N Reddy had met with officials of the Nigerian Foreign Ministry and assured them that New Delhi was committed to ensuring the safety and security of Nigerian nationals.

Reports from Abuja said Nigeria asked India to ensure the immediate arrest and prosecution of those responsible for attacks on its nationals following the death of an Indian youth of a suspected drug overdose in Greater Noida.

The Nigerian media said the Indian envoy was summoned to the foreign office in the wake of the attacks. Abike Dabiri-Erewa, Senior Special Assistant on Foreign Affairs and Diaspora to President Muhammadu Buhari, condemned the attacks, describing them as “deplorable and unwarranted”. She asked the Indian government to “ensure that any alleged suspect should be prosecuted to the full extent of the law”.

She called on Nigerians in India to “remain calm and be watchful of their surroundings”. Her appeal followed “multiple distress calls” by Nigerian students on concerns over their safety.