Bollywood actress Sonakshi Sinha, who will be donning the judge's hat once again for the eight season of dance reality show Nach Baliye, says this time she is going to have a different experience.

"I have judged children for a singing reality show. I really get along with children so it was easy. Here it will be a different experience for me and for the contestants as well. I am going to judge a dance reality show for the first time," Sonakshi told reporters here on Tuesday.

About judging the performances, the Akira star said, "I will look how well they do as a pair and the coordination between them. To see the equations between the couples would be beautiful."

On the work front, the actress said she is excited for her forthcoming movie Noor. "I am very excited and looking forward to promoting the movie. 'Noor' is a very special film for me." 

Directed by Sunhil Sippy, Noor features Sonakshi Sinha in the titular role. The film is based on Pakistani author Saba Imtiaz's novel "Karachi, You're Killing Me!" and follows a journalist-writer Noor's mis-adventures and love life in Mumbai.

The film is scheduled for a worldwide release on April 21.

 Spiders are one of the most prolific predators and researchers have found that they wipe out an estimated 400-800 million tonnes of prey every year, compared to an estimated 280-500 million tonnes of prey that the world's whales eat.

With more than 45,000 species and a population density of up to 1,000 individuals per square metre, spiders are one of the world's most species-rich and widespread groups of predators, the researchers said.

More than 90 per cent of spider prey is insects and springtails (Collembola).

"Our calculations let us quantify for the first time on a global scale that spiders are major natural enemies of insects," said lead author of the study Martin Nyffeler from the University of Basel in Switzerland.

"In concert with other insectivorous animals such as ants and birds, they help to reduce the population densities of insects significantly," he added.

The findings published in the journal The Science of Nature also showed that spiders kill many times more insects in forests and grasslands than in other habitats. 

Due to their secretive lifestyle — many spiders are nocturnal or live well camouflaged in vegetation — it was previously difficult to demonstrate their ecological role, but the zoologists at the University of Basel and Lund University in Sweden used calculations to conclude that spiders indeed have an enormous ecological impact as natural enemies of insects.

The researchers used two calculation methods based on different models, which consistently showed that the global spider population (with a weight of around 25 million tons) wipes out an estimated 400-800 million tons of prey every year. 

The worldwide human population consumes around 400 million tonnes of meat and fish every year, according to the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations.

Whales in the world's oceans eat an estimated 280-500 million tonnes of prey a year.

A Chetak helicopter of the Indian Air Force toppled while making an emergency landing during a training sortie from Bamrauli near Allahabad on Wednesday.

Both the pilots are safe.

The chopper toppled when the pilots tried a forced landing after it developed a technical snag, sources in IAF said.

The IAF has ordered a court of inquiry (COI) to ascertain the cause of the accident.

The sources said the aircraft toppled while the pilots tried to force land it on an uneven field.

The helicopter was on a routine training sortie from Bamrauli.

In a major development to the rape-accused minister Gayatri Prajapati case, the Uttar Pradesh Police have arrested the minister on Wednesday morning and sent him to 14-day judicial remand.

Absconding since February 27, the minister apparently came under pressure after two of his sons were detained by the Uttar Pradesh police on Tuesday.

The Uttar Pradesh Special Task Force (STF) had last week arrested two more persons from Noida in connection with this case.

Earlier, the Supreme Court had refused to stay the arrest of absconding Prajapati and asked him to approach the concerned court.

The Samajwadi Party leader had approached the top court for a stay on his arrest. An apex court bench headed by Justice Arjan Kumar Sikri made it clear that it wouldn't modify its order.

Prajapati is accused of raping a woman and molesting her minor daughter back in 2014.

The Uttar Pradesh Police had issued non-bailable warrants against Prajapati and six others in connection with the rape charges.

Acclaimed filmmaker Srijit Mukherji revealed on Tuesday how Vidya Balan, who has been known for her jovial and down-to-earth personality, completely transformed herself to no-nonsense brothel madam Begum Jaan.

"Before we started shooting Begum Jaan we organised two workshops simultaneously. One with Vidya, another with girls… because Vidya is a jovial down-to-earth person and she easily mingles with everybody on set and I didn't want that. I wanted certain kind of distance with the girls from Vidya," he said at the trailer launch of the film.

"Vidya used to ask many questions during the workshop like what the memories of Begum Jaan were when she was three, when she was first exploited or what happened when she got married. So at the end of the workshop, I had already completed writing four scripts… one Begum Jaan and others are the prequels and sequels. I had to keep ready all the backstories of Begum Jaan and the girls," added the 'Zulfiqar' helmer. 

"After the workshop when Vidya entered the set, I saw Begum Jaan who is a fierce, manipulative no-nonsense kind of woman, walking in. There was no trace of Vidya Balan," he told the media.

The National award-winning filmmaker said the Kahani actress has an immense commitment towards her craft.

Srijit Mukherjee's directorial is a Hindi adaptation of Bengali film Rajkahini, which saw Rituparna Sengupta in the lead, and also marks his debut in Bollywood.

Vidya is portraying the character of a brothel madam, while Ila Arun, Gauahar Khan, Pallavi Sharda, Ridheema Tiwary, Ashish Vidyarthi, Chunky Pandey and Rajit Kapoor are portraying the pivotal roles in the film.

The hard-hitting plot deals with the trauma of displaced women in a brothel during India's partition. While Rajkahini was based in Bengal, Begum Jaan is based out of Punjab.

Produced by Mukesh Bhatt, the film is scheduled for release on April 14.
 

Young singer Nahid Afrin, against whom some Islamic clerics in the state have issued a 'fatwa', says she is not afraid and would not stop singing or performing till her death.

Over 40 clerics from Muslim organisations issued the 'fatwa' against the 16-year-old, restricting her to perform on stage, saying that the performance by a girl on stage was against the "Sharia laws". 

The clerics organisation had also distributed some leaflets in and around Udali area near Hojai in central Assam, asking the singer not to perform in a function scheduled for March 25.

Talking about it, Afrin told the media: "I was broken completely after hearing about the 'fatwa'. But I am not going to stop singing. I have received hundreds of calls and messages from the people of Assam and different organisations supporting me."

Afrin had brought laurels for the state by becoming the runner up in popular television show "Indian Idol Junior" in 2015. 

The young singer shot to fame after she made her debut in Bollywood with 2016 Sonakshi Sinha starrer "Akira".

"Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal spoke to me and told me not to be afraid. He also assured me of security during the scheduled programme at Udali on March 25.

"I am a singer and music is my life. I don't think I can survive without music. Allah has blessed me with this voice for singing, and I'll die if I am not allowed to sing," said Afrin.

Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal on Wednesday tweeted: "Freedom of artists are essence of democracy. Spoke to Nahid and reiterated our government's commitment to provide safety and security to artists."

Meanwhile, several organisations and individuals in Assam have come out to support the young singer and against the 'fatwa' issued against the singer and said that people of Assam will give security to her.

In yet another incident of attack, unidentified goons have on Tuesday night vandalised and burnt down Sanjay Leela Bhansali's Padmavati film set in Kolhapur.

The incident took place at around 10:30 pm on Tuesday night. The filmmaker and the crew members were not present during the incident and no report of injury or causality has been reported so far.

Police have reportedly arrested some people as well. Some of the cars parked around the sets were also damaged.

In January, the activists of a Rajput organisation, Karni Sena, entered the Jaigarh Fort and assaulted Bhansali, slapped him and tore his shirt. They even misbehaved with the crew and criticised the National Award-winning director for 'distorting' history in the film about the medieval-era Delhi ruler Alauddin Khilji, who fell in love with Rajput queen Padmavati.

They damaged cameras and other equipment, forcing Bhansali to stop shooting. The film stars Shahid Kapoor, Ranveer Singh and Deepika Padukone in leading roles.

The Karni Sena alleged that the film had a dream sequence between Padmavati and Allaudin Khilji.

Bhansali and his production house have dismissed the reports and said no such scene exists. However, this has not stopped the attacks.

Historians have also pointed out that Padmavati, the 16th century poem by Malik Muhammad Jayasi on which the film is based, is a work of fiction but to no avail.

The Trump administration is working on a comprehensive immigration reform, the White House said on Wednesday but declined to comment on whether changes would be made in the H-1B work visa programme, popular among Indian IT professionals, before April 3.

The White House was responding to a question on possible changes in the H-1B visas through an executive order before April 3 when the US Citizenship and Immigration Services starts accepting application for the next fiscal year beginning October 1, 2017.

"I think we've talked about immigration in the past I think there's an entire comprehensive process that's being looked at in both in terms of how we're preventing illegal immigration and then what we're doing about legal immigration, whether it's H-1Bs or K-1 or other visas that exist within the system," White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer told reporters at his daily news conference.

"There is an entire look that is being taken with respect to the visa programme and – and we will probably – we will have more for you as we – as we get through the system," Spicer said in response.

Meanwhile, five US universities later this week will launch a Global Entrepreneur-in-Residence (EIR) programmes which is aimed at retaining foreign-born founders through the H-1B visa.

These universities are — Northwestern University, Loyola University, DePaul University, Columbia College Chicago and Illinois Institute of Technology.

These universities would take advantage of provision of H-1B in which higher educational institutes are exempted from the Congressional mandated 85,000 visas in this category.

Several other universities — University of Colorado-Boulder, and City University-New York — have launched similar programmes.

San Jose State University, University of Missouri-St Louis, the University of Alaska in Anchorage and Alaska Pacific University are also creating similar programmes.

During his presidential campaign, Trump had promised to increase oversight of our H-1B and L-1 visa programmes that are used widely by Indian tech companies.

The H1B visa is a non-immigrant visa that allows American firms to employ foreign workers in occupations that require theoretical or technical expertise. The technology companies depend on it to hire tens of thousands of employees each year.

"Polyandry? No way. We have our own dreams to chase." The answer by a Language teacher, Yashoda Negi, 27, from the Sangla valley in Kinnaur district of Himachal Pradesh echoes the feeling of youngsters in the tribal belt.
"We do respect our tradition and believe in preserving the culture in certain ways. But aspirations apart, individual choices matter a lot for the generation today," said Ram, 29, a graduate from Kalpa (Kinnaur), who runs a shop.
Irrespective of gender, the younger lot in Kinnaur, at once rejects the tradition of polyandry in this tribal district. 
Most of them feel shy to talk about it or even admit that their parents followed this common marriage system, as they refer it.
Polyandry was a traditional system of marriage in Kinnaur and some other remote areas of HP, wherein all brothers in a family tied nuptial knot with one woman. The logic was that people in this tough area in the past were generally poor and illiterate and lived on the little income they had from farming on small land holdings. The common marriage saved their family assets from division and strengthened the family bonding.
"It's uncomfortable and embarassing to have one wife in progressive lifestyle," said Prakash Negi, a student of the BA final year in a college in Shimla. He said there was no guarantee that in common marriage, there would be no quarrel among brothers over property in this materialistic touch that has touched even the tribal society.
Negi's two elder brothers are settled in Delhi and are married.
The reasons for change are visible. In old times, the tribal district did not have much to offer in terms of education and employment and people were not connected with the outside world for lack of roads. Over the decades, however, Kinnaur saw developments that changed the profile, aspirations and economy. Now people are leaving the tribal area for education and career and get married outside. The literacy rate in Kinnaur is above 80 per cent with 71.34 per cent female literacy. While the conservative elderly tribals show much resistance to changing traditions, there is no conflict to do away with polyandry. The families who are living in polyandry system are not interested to push their children into it. They divide the property among their sons on their own at the appropriate time. 
"Our times were different. When my parents fixed my marriage with two brothers while I was just 15, I had to obey," said Shanti Devi, 74, of Sangla. "But life has definitely not been easy on that system, although I have five children and we are united,"she hastened to add. Two of her illiterate daughters have gone for common marriage, but sons have not.

Juventus beat Porto 1-0 on the night to qualify for the UEFA Champions League quarterfinals (3-0 aggregate) in a dour round-of-16 second leg tie at the Juventus Stadium on Tuesday night.

Leading 2-0 from the first leg in Portugal, Juve were virtually assured of a place in the last eight but coach Massmiliano Allegri was taking no chances as he sent out his best possible XI with Medhi Benatia starting in place of Giorgio Chiellini.

While the game reflected fairly close game, it was anything but as the home side dominated proceedings straight from kick-off.

But with Juve struggling to put away their chances, a chance of Porto scoring a shock away goal were increasing and the Bianconeri faithful urged their side to score a goal which would effectively put the game beyond doubt.

Paulo Dybala, on a hot-streak of late, came close on several occasions as did fellow forward Mario Mandzukic but somehow the visitors held out.

The first half was meandering towards goalless one, when the match turned firmly in the hosts visitors, Maxi Pereira getting sent off five minutes before the interval. The full back illegally blocked Gonzalo Higuain’s goal bound shot with his hands and gave no choice to match referee Ovidiu Hategan to show him a straight red and award Juve a penalty.
Dybala, who had scored a last-gasp penalty in the thrilling win over AC Milan on the weekend, stepped up and sent Iker Casillas the wrong way in the 42nd minute to seal the deal.

The second half was played at a relatively sedate pace as Porto were left with an improbable task of scoring three goals if they were to qualify and against a steely Juve defence, it never looked like happening.

While the likes of Real Madrid, Barcelona and Bayern Munich are strong contenders, Juve have an impressive squad at their disposal and they might just go all the way this year.

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Wednesday alleged that Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) had been tampered with, resulting in 20-25 per cent of votes cast in favour of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) getting transferred to the SAD-BJP alliance in Punjab.

"In 32 places in Punjab, (Voter-Verified Paper Audit Trail) VVPAT were installed. We demand the (poll panel) to match the details of the VVPAT with EVMs. Around 20-25 per cent of our votes were transferred to the SAD-BJP through tampering of EVMs," Kejriwal told the media here.

The entry of India and Pakistan into China-led SCO may help boost anti-terrorism cooperation between the two countries and provide a platform to resolve their differences, the official media here said on Wednesday.

India and Pakistan are expected to be admitted into the six-member Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) during its next summit to be held at Astana, the capital of Kazakhstan, in June this year.

"In a bid to become members of the SCO, India and Pakistan, which have a long-time rivalry concerning the issues of anti-terrorism and Kashmir, will need to sign a number of documents and pledge to perform in accordance with the SCO laws, including the SCO Member States Agreement on Border Defence Cooperation that was signed in 2015," an article in the state run Global Times said.

"The entry of the two nations into the SCO may help boost cooperation between India and Pakistan in areas such as infrastructure and anti-terrorism efforts," the article said.

As per the framework of the SCO, a third party could step in to prevent an outbreak of conflict between the two countries, it said.

"Though New Delhi may try to seek fairly flexible multilateral agreements with the SCO countries, both India and Pakistan will have to adhere to the principle and basic framework under the SCO to strengthen security and anti- terrorism cooperation," it said.

"The hostility between India and Pakistan is unlikely to be dispelled in a short time, but the SCO is likely to provide a fresh platform for the two nations to gradually resolve disputes," it said.

"Additionally, a third party could step in to mediate the situation within the SCO framework to prevent an outbreak of conflicts between Pakistan and India," it said.

The SCO, which is headquartered in Beijing, focuses mostly on security related issues like counter-terrorism cooperation in Central Asia.

It is comprised of China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan as full members. Afghanistan, Belarus, India, Iran, Mongolia and Pakistan have observer status.

Its 2015 summit in Ufa, Russia, the SCO formally adopted a resolution which started the procedures to admit India and Pakistan into the grouping.

"The entry of the two nations into the SCO is likely to contribute to the stability and security of the region, thus boosting economic growth and speeding up regional economic integration," it said.

The admission of India and Pakistan into the SCO may accelerate the South Asia's highway network construction, it said.

"Improving Pakistan's transportation infrastructure is a major aspect of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) and hopefully the entry of Pakistan and India into the SCO will bring new momentum to the development of the CPEC," it said.

"Pakistan's entry will also likely offer convenience for attracting new partnerships into the CPEC," it said.

Tata Chemicals shares traded lower in the late morning trade on Wednesday after the company said that the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) has ordered it to shut down its Haldia plant in West Bangal.

“The company has received a notice from the CPCB directing the company under Section 5 of the Environment Protection Act, 1986 to shut down plant operations at Haldia, West Bengal, for alleged non-compliance with prescribed norms for liquid affluent discharge,” the Tata-Group company said in a BSE filing after market hours on Tuesday.

“This order was based on the analysis of sample drawn on January 9, 2017 by CPCB which alleges to have breached the prescribed norms for discharge of effluents,” it added.

However it said: “The company in its representation (to CPCB) has submitted the reports of parallel samples drawn on the same day as CPCB confirming the compliance with the prescribed norms by the State Pollution Control Board approved lab”.

“The company is awaiting the response from CPCB,” it added.

Tata Chemicals was trading 1 per cent down at the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE), at 11.45 am.

Andhra Pradesh on Wednesday presented nearly Rs.1.57 lakh crore budget for 2017-18, an increase of 15.71 per cent in the outlay over the previous year.

Presenting the maiden budget in the new state capital, Finance Minister Y Ramakrishnudu proposed total expenditure at 1.57 lakh crore, comprising revenue expenditure of Rs.1.26 lakh crore and capital expenditure of Rs.31,087 crore.

The estimated revenue deficit is around Rs.416 crore and the fiscal deficit is estimated at around Rs.23,054 crore.

The government has allocated Rs.1,061 crore for the development of the new state capital.

US President Donald Trump will give his $400,000 salary to US charities by the end of 2017, a White House official said.

"The President's intention right now is to donate his salary at the end of the year," Efe news quoted Sean Spicer as saying in response to a question from a reporter about whether Trump had already donated his February pay of more than $30,000.

"In all seriousness, I think his view is, he made a pledge to the American people, he wants to donate it to charity and he'd love your help to determine where it should go," Spicer said.

During a question and answer session with Twitter users in September 2015, Trump responded to a question on whether he would take a salary.

"As far as the salary is concerned, I won't take even one dollar. I am totally giving up my salary if I become President," Trump, whose personal fortune is estimated by Forbes at $3.7 billion, said.

In a campaign speech in Oklahoma later that week, Trump said, "I'll be working for our country free, I don't want any salary. I've already said, I turned down my salary. I don't even know what the hell the salary is, but I don't want the salary."

Later, in a CBS interview, Trump said he would take $1 because the law requires that he receive a salary.
 

After eight days, the strategic Jammu-Srinagar national highway was restored for one-way traffic on Wednesday as vehicles were allowed to move from Srinagar to Jammu.

Authorities had re-opened the highway for stranded vehicles on Tuesday evening and over 200 vehicles stranded between Ramban and Bannihal towns were allowed to move to the Valley.

"Traffic will move on the Jammu-Srinagar national highway from Jammu to Srinagar today," traffic department officials said in winter capital Jammu.

"No vehicle will be allowed to move in the opposite direction. The restricti on will also apply to convoys of the army and the paramilitary forces," the officials added.

As the highway remained closed due to landslides and road sinking in Panthal section of the road in Ramban district for several days, authorities arranged defence aircrafts to airlift stranded passengers between Srinagar and Udhampur yesterday.

The continued closure of the highway has resulted in shortages of mutton, poultry products and vegetables in the Valley.