The government on Friday said it has not received any "official report" on deaths during the course of currency exchange and withdrawals following demonetisation.

"No such official report has been received," Minister of State for Finance Arjun Ram Meghwal said in a written reply in the Lok Sabha.

He was responding to a query on the total number of people who died during the demonetisation period and compensation that would be provided to the families of the deceased.

The question was asked by CPM MP Jitendra Chaudhury and BJP MP Manoj Tiwari.

The government had cancelled old Rs.500 and Rs.1,000 notes in November 2016 and the public was given time till December 2016 to exchange and deposit the defunct notes.

Restrictions were also imposed on withdrawals, which were gradually removed.

However, there is a separate deadline for NRIs and people who were abroad during this period.

There were reports that several people had died in different parts of the country while standing in queues for withdrawal and exchange of the scrapped notes.

The issue was repeatedly raised in Parliament during the Winter Session.

Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley on Friday said that there is no proposal to withdraw new Rs.2,000 notes from the system.

"There is no proposal to withdraw the Rs.2,000 denomination banknote," Jaitley said in a written reply the Lok Sabha, adding, “Rs.500 and Rs.1,000 notes returned to currency chests of the RBI amounted to Rs.12.44 lakh crore (as on December 10, 2016)”.

March 3, 2017 the currency in circulation was Rs.12 lakh crore. It was Rs.9.921 lakh crore, Jatiley informed the lower house of Parliament.

The finance minister said the demonetisation move will help in developing a transparent economy and support the banking sector.

"This exercise has resulted in an increase in deposits with banks. This will facilitate reduction of interest rates and provide more headroom to banks to expand their credit base," Jaitley said.

The government on November 8, 2016 announced demonetisation of Rs.500 and Rs.2,000 notes.

A new party will launch in northern Italy aimed at protecting "the poorest of the poor" and guaranteeing every citizen a house, job, free healthcare and pension.

The "innovative" party, to be called the Fourth Popular Pole, will be formed in Calderara di Reno in Bologna province on Saturday by several associations, independent trade unions and civil society organisations, according to its future leader Antonino Magistro.

The Fourth Popular Pole will aim to represent voters alienated from Italy's mainstream parties including the ruling centre-left Democratic Party (PD) and also from the Internet-based populist 'grassroots' Five Star movement, Magistro said.

"We represent true innovation in Italian politics in that we are based on the direct participation of citizens," he stated. 

"The Five-Star movement has shown itself to be an empty vessel that appears democratic but in reality is run by just four people," Magistro said.

"And we have all seen what the PD has become," he said, referring to a recent schism in the party by leftists disillusioned with the more centrist politics of former premier Matteo Renzi.

Actress Alia Bhatt comes from a family of actors and filmmakers, but with her versatility and choice of films like Highway, Udta Punjab and Dear Zindagi, she has made her own mark in Bollywood. She feels people are unnecessarily talking "too much" about the existence of nepotism in the industry.

"We are talking too much about it. We need to stop," the actress, who recently turned 24, told on phone when asked about her views on the nepotism debate.

The discussion was sparked off after actress Kangana Ranaut tagged filmmaker Karan Johar a 'flagbearer of nepotism'.

Alia, who was launched in the Hindi film industry by Karan with Student of The Year, has been charged many a time with getting an easy entry into Bollywood because of her father Mahesh Bhatt. 

However, the actress let her work talk with her talent in her second film Highway. She again impressed many by taking the attention away from Shah Rukh Khan in Gauri Shinde's Dear Zindagi, and in Udta Punjab, she got a thumbs up for portraying a Bihari girl with ease.

Asked about what makes her choose roles as varied as the ones in Student Of The Year and the very recent Badrinath Ki Dulhania, Alia said: "Like the way I don't dress up for other people, in a similar way, I do different films for myself and not for someone else. I want to do different films for myself and not because 'log aise kar rahey hai' (people are doing so).

"That's the byproduct of it."

Her five-year journey in the film industry has made her more responsible.

"I think the more years you spend in the industry, the more you get experience. I don't know how I have changed as an actor, but yes, I have learnt a lot of the technical things. I am growing up in the public eye, so there will be changes. But it's not like I really sat down and noticed things that have changed. 

"I think I have become more responsible now because now I also live by myself. I am satisfied with my work and not anything else," Alia told IANS, and added that she doesn't miss anything in her life.

"This is what I always wanted to do so I enjoy doing this," added the actress, who is in the capital to walk the ramp at Amazon India Fashion Week (AIFW) Autumn-Winter 2017.

She is the showstopper for the 'Maybelline New York presents Namrata Joshipura' show scheduled for Friday night. The show is bringing drama and the latest beauty trends from New York to New Delhi.

Talking about her fashion and make-up choices, the actress says she never cares about the fashion police while dressing up.

"It's not like I am ignorant to them, but it's also not like I won't choose or make my fashion choices thinking about them either. Because that means, I am dressing for someone else and not myself. It's not like I am not aware of what they are writing and what they feel, but it also does not mean that I am not overtly conscious either," said the actress, who says her make-up on a certain day reflects her mood.

"Make-up is the second nature for an actor. It is part of my daily life and the best and comfortable part of make-up is that its always parallel to the way I am feeling and my mood. If I am feeling dramatic, then I will go for dramatic eyes, and if I am feeling subtle, then I go for subtle or nude look.

"I think that's the way it should be. We shouldn't do things which we are not comfortable with, because then you won't be able to carry it off," Alia signed off.

People who examine an issue virtually as a debate or dialogue between two sides are more likely to have deeper, more sophisticated reasoning skills, according to new research.

The research findings showed that envisioning opposing views leads to a more comprehensive examination of the issue. 

Moreover, constructing opposing views leads people to regard knowledge less as fact and more as information that can be scrutinised in a framework of alternatives and evidence.

"Constructing a dialogue would lead to deeper, more comprehensive processing of the two positions and hence a richer representation of each and the differences between them… thus helping to expand and sharpen students' thinking," said Deanna Kuhn of Columbia University in New York. 

"Everything possible should be done to encourage and support genuine discourse on critical issues, but our findings suggest that the virtual form of interaction may be a productive substitute, at a time when positions on an issue far too often lack the deep analysis to support them," Kuhn added. 

For the study, published in the journal Psychological Science, the team asked 60 undergraduates to participate in a one-hour writing activity. Some participants were randomly assigned to construct a dialogue between TV commentators discussing two mayoral candidates.

They received a list of notable problems that the city was facing and a list of actions proposed by each candidate to solve these problems. 

Other participants received the same information about the city and the candidates but were asked to write a persuasive essay highlighting the merits of each candidate instead. 

Then, participants in both groups were asked to write a script for a two-minute TV spot, promoting their preferred candidate.

The results showed that participants who had constructed a dialogue included more discrete ideas in their writing.

Game of Thrones co-director Matt Shankman says dragons will be the size of jumbo jets in the forthcoming seventh season.

"The dragons this year are the size of 747s," ew.com quoted Shankman as saying. 

He added: "Drogon is the biggest of the bunch – his flame is 30 feet in diameter!"

Shankman is one of four directors helming next season (the others are Alan Taylor, Jeremy Podeswa and Mark Mylod). 

The seventh season of the popular fantasy drama series Game of Thrones will premiere on July 16. It will be back in India on Star World, Star World HD and Star World Premiere HD. The final season likely will air in 2018. 

The President and CEO of the US Gymnastics, Steve Penny, has quit following intensified pressure on the organisation over its handling of allegations of sexual abuse over the years.

"We all care deeply about the safety of our athletes, which is fundamental to a rewarding experience at any level of gymnastics," Xinhua news agency quoted Penny as syaing in a statement. 

"It has been heartbreaking to learn of instances of abuse and it sickens me that young athletes would be exploited in such a manner."

Last year, the Indianapolis Star published an investigative report which revealed that about 350 gymnasts had alleged abuse in gyms over two decades and that top US Gymnastics officials mishandled complaints and allowed accused coaches to move from gym to gym. 

Former national team's physician Larry Nassar was accused of 22 counts of first-degree criminal sexual conduct.

"Today's announcement will hopefully allow US Gymnastics to shift its attention to the future with a secure environment for its athletes and continued success in competition," US Olympic Committee (USOC) board chairman Larry Probst said.

Penny, 53, was named president of the US Gymnastics in 2005 after joining it in 1999. 

Under his leadership, America has won 100 medals at the Olympics and world championships. The US has won the last two team titles at the Olympics as well as the last four all-around titles.

Finance Minister Arun Jaitley on Friday said there is no proposal to withdraw the Rs.2,000 notes that were introduced post demonetisation.

The Rs.2,000 banknotes were introduced along with new Rs.500 currency following the withdrawal of old Rs.500 and Rs.1,000 notes from November 9, 2016.

"There is no proposal to withdraw the Rs.2,000 denomination banknote," the minister said in a written reply in the Lok Sabha.

Jaitley further said the Rs.500 and Rs.1,000 notes returned to currency chests of the RBI amounted to Rs.12.44 lakh crore (as on December 10, 2016).

The data obtained in this regard would need to be reconciled with the physical cash balances to eliminate counterfeit notes, accounting errors and possible double counts after which only the final figures will be arrived at, he said.

He added that as on March 3, 2017 the currency in circulation was Rs.12 lakh crore and as on January 27, it was Rs.9.921 lakh crore.

Jaitley said the cash recall seeks to create a new "normal" wherein the GDP will be bigger, cleaner and real.

"This exercise is part of the government's resolve to eliminate corruption, blackmoney, counterfeit currency and terror funding.

"This exercise has resulted in an increase in deposits with banks. This will facilitate reduction of interest rates and provide more headroom to banks to expand their credit base," the minister said.

Following demonetisation, several restrictions were imposed on withdrawal from banks as well as ATMs. The restrictions have been gradually removed.

In a surprising development in the ongoing race for UP CM's post, one of the leading contenders Manoj Sinha on Friday denied reports of his name figuring for the coveted post. Sinha said that he has no idea of who else are in the race.

"Neither I am in the race for UP CM nor do I know of any such race," Manoj Sinha was quoted as saying by a news portal.

With UP BJP chief Keshav Prasad Maurya's name being ruled out of the race on health grounds, reports suggested that Sinha is most likely to become the next CM of the most populous states. Interestingly, Manoj Sinha is believed to be the common choice of both PM Narendra Modi's and BJP president Amit Shah.

Hailing from eastern Uttar Pradesh, Manoj Sinha is known for his clean image. The 57-year-old BJP leader of the Bhumihar caste has served as a Lok Sabha member from Ghazipur three times.

At present, Sinha is the Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) of Communications and Minister of State for Railways.

While sources in the party are confident that Sinha’s name will be announced after the meeting of the newly elected party MLAs on Saturday, the party leadership, however, has not announced anything as yet on the matter.

Many other names are doing the rounds for the CM candidature for UP as well. Apart from Home Minister Rajnath Singh and Manoj Sinha, others in the fray are Shrikanth Sharma and Yogi Adityanath for the coveted post.

The BJP claimed a resounding triumph in Uttar Pradesh in the recently held assembly elections and won 325 seats out of 403 with its allies.

The oath ceremony for the newly appointed chief minister of UP will be held on March 19 at Smriti Upwan, Lucknow.

DMK Working President and Leader of Opposition in the Tamil Nadu Assembly M K Stalin on Friday sought Prime Minister Narendra Modi's intervention in ensuring the passage of the Women's Reservation Bill.

"The bill which was moved to empower women's voice in the Legislatures and Parliament of our great nation is struggling to succeed. This is really disheartening," he said in a letter to Modi.

Former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee had made two 'great efforts,' in 1998 and 1999, to get the bill passed, "but the efforts did not materialise," he said.

Stalin recalled that his father and DMK President M Karunanidhi had written to Modi in 2014 mentioning Vajpayee's efforts in this regard and had "pleaded" with him to pass the Women's Reservation Bill.

He said his party has been consistently seeking social, economical and political justice for women and fighting for women's emancipation "in letter and spirit."

DMK considers women's rights as human rights and therefore had brought legislations to empower and honour the women in Tamil Nadu, Stalin said.

These included an Act granting equal rights to women in inheritance of property, 33 per cent reservation for them in local bodies and a 30 per cent quota in government jobs, Stalin said.

Seeking Modi's "personal intervention at the earliest" to get the Women's Reservation Bill passed, Stalin said it will facilitate the "long-pending representation" for women in legislatures.

National security is not an issue on which political parties should attack each other, Defence Minister Arun Jaitley said in the Lok Sabha on Friday.

"National security and national preparedness are not political issues…," Jaitley said while intervening in a discussion on the demands for grant for the Defence Ministry.

"There are some problems that are there since decades, and there are some good systems as well which have been there for decades," Jaitley said.

The minister assured the house that Indian forces are "fully prepared" to face any threat to national security.

He also said that the government is working on making procurements faster and there will be no compromise on the requirements of the forces.

"Procurement procedures are on. We are trying to make it fast. Any critical requirement of the forces will not be compromised with, even if we have to cut expenditure somewhere else," Jaitley said.

Earlier, Congress leader Jyotiraditya Scindia attacked the government over not paying attention to the Defence Ministry, and took a jibe at former Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar for not being present in Delhi.

"Want to ask the Prime Minister, where is your patriot government why could we not bring progress in Defence. The answer is not mysterious, problems can be solved only when the Defence Minister is in Delhi," Scindia said.

As the treasury bench members objected, Scindia said: "I am referring to that Defence Minister, I knew you will jump."

He also slammed the government for not taking action on a post Pathankot attack report by a committee under former Vice Chief of Army Lt Gen Philip Campose (retd).

"Post Pathankot a committee was formed under Lt Gen Campose. He gave the report, it is still gathering dust and the nation got Uri and Nagrota," he said.

The debate will be later replied to by Minister of State for Defence Subhash Bhamre.

Malavika Mohanan, the young Malayali actress from Mumbai who has bagged the female lead's role in Majid Majidis new India-set film Beyond The Clouds, says she is a fan of the Iranian auteur's work but wanted to do Bollywood films.

"It was all so sudden," says Malavika, disbelieving of and yet comfortable with the windfall.

"I didn't have the time to get tense and anxious. I did an audition and then I left for a brief vacation abroad. When I came back, I am told I am doing the film," she added.

A big Majidi fan, she said: "I've watched a lot of his work. I can't even say I dreamt of working with him. He seemed far too distant. I wanted to do Bollywood films. But before that could happen, this has come my way."

She knows what it means to her career.

"It's like going to another level altogether. It all happened so suddenly. Luckily, I wasn't committed to do anything else. Sometimes, a clean slate is the best option," Malavika said.

The shooting so far with the Iranian genius has been a learning curve for Malavika, who is the daughter of renowned cinematographer K.U. Mohanan.

"If Mr Majidi is shooting in Mumbai for the first time, so am I. I've lived all my life in Mumbai and yet I am getting to see parts of the city that I never knew."

There is a translator on location. But Malavika, who has a background in theatre, is increasingly getting to know that the spoken language is the least important component of cinema.

"There is so much being said and expressed between the director and me without the need of words or a translator. I've shot only for about a week so far with Mr Majidi. And I've learnt so much."

Any thoughts on getting a role that Deepika Padukone coveted?

"That would be a very arrogant thought. I don't think of what came before me. I am just focusing on getting my character right. I know I'll be watched all over the world. It's a big responsibility."

Beyond The Clouds is being described by the makers as a beautiful story centered around a brother-sister relationship. The film also marks the debut of Shahid Kapoor's brother Ishaan Khatter.

India’s opening pair of KL Rahul (18*) and Murali Vijay (2*) were cruising for India at Tea as the hosts reach 20 for no loss, trailing Australia by 431 runs in the third Test at the JSCA International Stadium Complex, Ranchi on Friday.

Earlier, Australian captain Steve Smith and all-rounder Glenn Maxwell struck emphatic knocks to help the visitors reach a comfortable total.

Smith smashed unbeaten 178 runs, while Maxwell scored a causative 104-run knock as Australia were wrapped up for 451 runs in their first innings.

Smith was the first Aussie captain and fifth overseas captain to score a 150-plus knock in India. Earlier West Indies’ Clive Lloyd and England’s Alastair Cook had done it thrice and twice respectively.

For India, orthodox spinner Ravindra Jadeja led the bowling attack as he claimed a five-wicket haul, while pacer Umesh Yadav supported him, claiming three big wickets.

Off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin dismissed Shaun Marsh (2) to join the bowling assault.

President Pranab Mukherjee will inaugurate on Saturday a three-day international conference on "Universities of the Future: Knowledge, Innovation and Responsibility" in Haryana.

The President's office on Friday said the conference — at the OP Jindal Global University in Sonipat — will examine the future of Indian universities in the 21st century and will have sessions on 13 themes.

Director James Gunn has confirmed that Guardians of the Galaxy will be return for a third instalment.

The 46-year-old director told Complex magazine that the film is "for sure" happening, but alluded he may not be the one to direct it, reports dailymail.co.uk. 

"There will be a 'Guardians 3', that's for sure. We're trying to figure it out. I'm trying to figure out what I want to do really, that's all it is," Gunn said. 

The director of volumes one and two of Guardians of the Galaxy, Gunn said he is keeping his options open. 

"I got to figure out where I want to be, what I want to spend the next three years of my life doing. You know, I'm going to make another big movie; is it the 'Guardians…' or something else? I'm just going to figure it out over the next couple of weeks."

Chris Pratt and Zoe Saldana return to their roles in the upcoming Guardians of the Galaxy volume two, which is scheduled for release on May 5, over two years after the original blockbuster was released to critical acclaim. 

Ricardo Medina, who starred in the "Power Rangers" TV series, has pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter for stabbing his roommate to death with a sword.

Prosecutors said Medina stabbed his roommate to death with a sword during an argument. 

The 38-year-old entered the plea during a hearing in Los Angeles Superior Court. He faces up to six years in state prison when he is sentenced on March 30, reports mirror.co.uk. 

Prosecutors said Medina stabbed Josh Sutter with a sword multiple times on January 31, 2015 as the two men argued about the actor's girlfriend at their apartment in Palmdale, north of Los Angeles.

Following the fatal confrontation, Medina called the 911 emergency number and remained at the scene until the sheriff's deputies arrived. Sutter died of the injuries.

Medina was arrested at the time of Sutter's death but was released within days after prosecutors asked for further investigation into the high-profile case.

Medina played the Red Lion Wild Force Ranger on the popular "Power Rangers Wild Force". He also voiced the character of Deker on a later series, "Power Rangers Samurai". He has also appeared on prime time shows like "CSI: Miami" and "ER".

Chief Minister N Biren Singh on Friday called on titular King of Manipur Leishemba Sanajaoba, to seek his help in cementing the relations between the tribals and non-tribals in the state.

Sanajaoba assured him of all possible help.

Breaking protocol, Biren Singh on Friday morning called on the titular King at his palace in Imphal. 

He said: "Since time immemorial people in the hills and the valleys, today categorised as tribals and non-tribals, had been living as children of the same parents." 

"People still believe that tribal was the elder brother of the non-tribal in the past," he added. 

Biren Singh requested Sanajaoba, who wields considerable influence among the people, to use his good offices to cement the brotherly relationship. 

There is an annual ritual called Mera Houchongba during which gifts are exchanged among the elders. 

Biren Singh said: "The titular king could strengthen the brotherly relationship."

He is of the opinion that scheming politicians and other agents provocateurs had driven a wedge between the communities and said: "My government will try to stem the rot."

"We have decided to hold the cabinet meetings in the hill districts on rotation so that our ministers could know first-hand the urgent needs. The government is for balanced development of the hills and the valleys," he said. 

The government has already appealed to the United Naga Council to end the indefinite economic blockade imposed from November 1, 2016.

Meanwhile, Chief Secretary Oinam Nabakishore has asked all commissioners and secretaries to prepare project reports within one week for demanding developmental funds from the central government. 

Conveying the instruction of the new chief minister, Nabakishore told the officials that there has to be a corruption-free and transparent government.