Several women associated with the web entertainment firm The Viral Fever (TVF) have alleged sexual harassment by its founder Arunabh Kumar, a charge denied by the company as "categorically false, baseless and unverified".

On Monday an anonymous blog went viral on social media alleging molestation by Kumar by a woman claiming to be a former employee at TVF.

She shared an article on the blog where she alleged that Kumar molested her several times during her stint at the company from 2014-2016.

In the last two days, some more women have come forward on Facebook and Twitter backing her claim and narrating their experiences with Kumar.

In an official statement, TVF denied the allegations against its founder.

"All the allegations made against TVF and its team in the article are categorically false, baseless and unverified. We take a lot of pride in our team and in making TVF a safe workplace that is equally comfortable for women and men.

"We will leave no stone unturned to find the author of the article and bring them to severe justice for making such false allegations," it said.

Nidhi Bisht, writer-director with TVF, took to Facebook and said she feels TVF is "one of the best places for women to work".

"Let me clarify, that TVF has zero tolerance towards workplace harassment and an investigation will be conducted and appropriate actions will be taken. We have a Prevention of Sexual Harassment committee, backed by Legal and HR which deals with such issues…

"I would request women to come forward, without fear and lodge a formal complaint. Be rest assured, that due actions will be taken and we'll get to the bottom of the issue," she wrote.

Kumar, an IIT graduate, founded TVF in 2011.

Meanwhile, Joint Commissioner of Mumbai Police (Law and Order) Deven Bharti said, "We appeal that such women should lodge a complaint and strong action will be taken." 

Superstar Aamir Khan, who turned 52 on Tuesday, says he will never join politics but will always be vocal about important issues.

The Dangal star says he has never given an opinion carelessly and will continue to speak his heart out but in a careful manner.

"I've always been careful, I don't think I've been careless in giving my opinion on matters. I've always been careful and will hopefully continue to be so but also continue to say what I feel," Aamir told reporters here.

The actor was speaking at a special press conference on his birthday.

Aamir says he will never venture in politics as he feels he can contribute a lot more within his space of being an artist.

"No, politics is not for me. I feel there's a lot I can contribute, staying in the creative field that I am in," the actor says when asked if he will join politics.

"As an artist, a creative person, there's a lot I can contribute to society, to the nation. I would like to do that from where I am, I don't want to change that," he said.

Despite giving you sleepless nights, constant worry and financial headaches, parenthood may be key to having a longer life, particularly in older age when health and capacity start to decline, a new study has claimed.

By the age of 60, the difference in life expectancy, which does not seem to be influenced by the sex of the children, may be as much as two years, the findings suggest.

Researchers from Karolinska Institute in Sweden tracked the lifespan from the age of 60 onwards of all men (704,481) and women (725,290) with a birth date between 1911 and 1925 and living in Sweden.

The study, which ran until the end of 2014, also gathered registry data on marital status and the number and sex of any children they had.

Age specific risks of death were calculated and compared for each calendar year for people who had at least one child and for those who were childless.

The risk of death rose with increasing age, irrespective of whether the individuals were parents or not.

However, after taking account of influential factors, such as educational attainment, the risks of death were lower among those who had at least one child than among those who were childless – and more so among men than among women.

The one year risk of death for an 80 year old man with a child was 7.4 per cent, for example, compared with 8.3 per cent for a childless man of the same age.

The gap in absolute death risks between the two groups rose with increasing age, and was somewhat larger for men than it was for women, researchers said.

At age 60 the difference in the one year risk of death was 0.06 per cent among men and 0.16 per cent among women. By the age of 90 these differences had risen to 1.47 per cent among men and to 1.10 per cent among women.

The associations found were evident among those who were married and unmarried, but seemed to be stronger among those who were not married – at least among the men: the difference in death risk was 1.2 per cent among unmarried men and 0.6 per cent among those who were married.

Unmarried men might be relying more heavily on their children in the absence of a partner, the researchers suggest.

They are also likely to be less well educated, whereas the opposite tends to be true of women, they said.

The associations were not affected by the sex of the children, as has been suggested by previous research, the researchers said.

"Our finding that the association grew stronger when parents became older is further in agreement with research suggesting that childless people face support deficits only towards the end of life," they said.

The research was published in the Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health.

Dubbing Srijit Mukerji's Begum Jaan a "masterpiece", filmmaker Mahesh Bhatt who has been in the Indian film industry for 47 years, believes the project is a "homecoming" for him and a reminder of the cinema that was his hallmark.

A Hindi adaptation of National Award winner Mukerji's critically-acclaimed Bengali outing Rajkahini, Begum Jaan sees Vidya Balan play a brothel owner in a story of survival set against the backdrop of the Partition. The film releases on April 14. It is produced by Mahesh and Mukesh Bhatt's Vishesh Films.

"This is Renaissance for Vishesh Films. It's a new homecoming for me. This is a kind of cinema which I was known for in my formative years… The movies which will be there in my obituary and I am privileged to have a filmmaker like Srijit who came as a gift to me," Mahesh said here at a preview of the trailer for select mediapersons on International Women's Day.

The Arth maker said screenings of Rajkahini as well as Begum Jaan both "stirred" and "overwhelmed" him.

"I found that my entire being kind of stirred by the images and the content. After 47 years, I find this medium of cinema still has the kind of power to physically stir you and that comes from the impulse from which this film was created and what is amazing that from the first time I laid my eyes on Rajkahini, I was overwhelmed and stirred, to the final viewing of Begum Jaan in a preview.

"What remained was the same feeling. It was consistent. It didn't evaporate," he said.

Heaping praise on Mukherji, Mahesh lamented the fact that talents from different regions of India are not considered.

"Mumbai is very inward looking and very insulated. It's a tragedy we do not look within our own country and the enormous talents that exist within our own country," he said.

Recounting his meeting with Mukerji after 32 days of exhaustive filming in trying conditions in Jharkhand for Begum Jaan, the veteran said the director looked as if he had survived a shipwreck.

"I walked up to him (Mukerji) and he looked like a man who had survived a shipwreck. The experience was etched on his body. I told Srijit 'I have a certain feeling that we have a masterpiece at hand'. He took a pause and a smile erupted on his face and he said 'I suspect you may not be totally wrong'," added Mahesh.

Australian pacer Pat Cummins, who replaced injured Mitchell Starc for the upcoming Test matches in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, on Tuesday said a tour like India can define a team as well as his captain.

Having made his Test debut in 2011, Cummins, who has not played another match till now, also said he was happy to be part of this big tour.

"Being at home for the first two Tests, I really appreciated how much passion is in this tour and how much Test cricket means. A big Indian tour like this can really identify a team and Steve Smith's captaincy. I've just been pumped watching it at home and to be over and potentially being part of the series is really cool," Cummins told reporters here.

"India is a tour that really brings the team and the squad together, it doesn't feel like a tour where there are one or two stand-outs. Everyone in the eleven needs to contribute. Winning over here is just one of those things that can bring a team together. And bring them together for the next 10 years or so," he added.

The 23-year-old, who was quietly placed on standby for the India tour in January, revealed that he was preparing for the Ashes, which is to be played Down Under later this year, but the sudden call-up for India tour was quite surprising for him.

"I'd set myself little steps of getting back into the one-day side, and from that hopefully getting back into the Test side," the New South Wales bowler said. 

"But I didn't think it was going to happen this quickly. I'd always had an eye on the Ashes next year, just thinking that I had to play three or four Shield games to put my hand up for selection. It has certainly come a lot quicker, but I always thought I'd get back here," he added.

Nimrat Kaur doesn't believe in having a "big PR machinery" behind her, and she lets her work do the talking. The actress says she likes to be a "little conservative" in professional matters.

She feels too much publicity sometimes backfires, and so she prefers to abstain from it. 

"I just love to do my job more often than not and then looking at what I am doing next. If I get publicity by the virtue of my work, fantastic, great and if not then work keeps happening on its own anyway," Nimrat told in an email interview.

She added: "I also feel sometimes too much PR or publicity around something can be counterproductive, so I like to take a little conservative take on this in my professional matters."

The critically-acclaimed actress, who has worked in films like "The Lunchbox" and "Airlift", has made her presence felt internationally after being associated with foreign TV shows like "Homeland" and Manoj Night Shyamalan's TV series "Wayward Pines" – which was aired in India on Star World Premiere HD. 

Nimrat, who has been roped in to play the lead — of a combat role in the Indian Army — in Ekta Kapoor's new web series, feels "it's so important for one's work to speak for itself". 

"And sometimes I think to each his own, as long as you think you can do justice to what is expected of you whether or not you have big PR machinery behind you," she said. 

The actress likes to keep a "little bit of a balance". 

She said: "I find it exhausting to constantly have to be in too many different places even if it literally to attend different things at one time. I am little bit of a one-thing-at-one-time kind of person."

Aamir Khan says his meeting with Shah Rukh Khan was "casual" and the duo did not discuss any projects.

Recently, Shah Rukh tweeted a picture along with Aamir and the team of Netflix, which started speculation that both of them might be coming on board for a project.

"No, I met him (Shah Rukh) twice in the last few months.

Once at Ajay Bijli's party, where we met after a long time. It felt wonderful spending time with him.

"Recently there was a get together at his place. We are meeting casually, just as friends. We haven't discussed work," Aamir said at a special press conference on his birthday.

The actor, who turned 52 on Tuesday, is currently gearing up for his forthcoming "Thugs of Hindostan".

There were reports that the actor has been approached for a biopic on Rakesh Sharma, the first Indian to fly into space.

The film is reportedly titled be "Saare Jahan Se Achcha", as a tribute to Sharma's description of India from the space.

But Aamir says he is only working on 'Thugs' now and hasn't signed anything else. The actor, however, is excited to work with megastar Amitabh Bachchan in "Thugs…" 

"This year I am very excited for one thing. I am a fan of Amitji and this is my first chance of working with him. I am so excited… The kind of actor that he is, the level that he has… I am sure I will learn a lot from him and it will be a very memorable experience for me," Aamir says.

The actor denied that the heavy moustache that he is sporting these days is the final look for the movie.

"We are still experimenting with different looks. This is one among them. But this is not the final look."

Indian actress Priyanka Chopra says her life has been full of serendipitous moments, so she will let fate take control even of her love life.

In an interview to Marie Claire magazine, the 34-year-old said that she believes that her romantic life will fall into place naturally, reports dailymail.co.uk. 

"I'm not someone who looks for love. I don't believe in making it happen. My life has been shaped by so many serendipitous moments so far, I feel like, 'Why screw with a good thing?'," Priyanka said. 

Priyanka said she didn't even consider herself beautiful when, as a teenager, her mother entered her into the Miss India competition — which she won.

The actress went on to have a very successful career as a Bollywood star before moving to the US, where she earned a gig starring in Quantico, which airs in India on Star World and Star World HD. 

She is also set to star in the remake of Baywatch, and covers this month's Marie Claire magazine — which calls her "Hollywood's most bankable badass". 

The Bajirao Mastani star said she wants to have as many kids as she can, and added: "I love kids. Love, love kids. I prefer their company to the company of adults, actually."

Striker Robin Singh, who was out with an injured knee for seven months last year, is pleased that he is back in contention to renew his international career at the upcoming friendly against Cambodia in Pnom Penh and in the AFC Asian Cup qualifier against Myanmar at Yangoon.

"It's a proud moment to be back in contention to wear India colours. Hopefully the coach (Stephen Constantine) gives me the nod and I will be back in India colours," said Robin who is in the camp for the probables for the March 22 friendly followed by the March 28 AFC Asian Cup qualifier.

The camp commenced at the Andheri Sports complex yesterday and Robin, who had suffered the knee injury in the SAFF Cup tournament last year in Thiruvananthapuram, had his first training session with the others.

Currently there are 15 players in the camp and fifteen more from Bengaluru FC and Mohun Bagan will join it once the two clubs' face-off against one another in the AFC Cup 2017 ends tonight in Bengaluru.

The final list of players for the friendly and the AFC Asian Cup qualifier game is yet to be decided.

Robin did not agree with the view in some quarters that India are placed in a relatively easy group in the AFC Asian Cup qualifiers.

"When you play for the country obviously the expectations go high. We are in a group which everyone says is easy, but it depends on who plays better on that day. Everyone out there wants to qualify and so are we," said the 26-year-old from Uttar Pradesh.

India have been clubbed in Group A with Kyrgyzstan , Myanmar and Macau.

"Hard work brings result. We all want to make sure we progress into next stage of tournament," he added.

He dismissed the notion that there was extra pressure on him and other strikers like Sunil Chhetri and Jeje Lalpekhlua.

"I don't think there is pressure on us as strikers or us as a team. The coach will have to decide whether I will be in the first eleven for the next game. Jeje and Sunil are great strikers and we have seen them performing. I am just happy to be among them.

After failing to re-dig the controversial Sutlej-Yamuna Link (SYL) canal at Punjab border last month, Haryana's leading opposition party the Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) will
protest in national capital Delhi on Wednesday on the same issue.

After holding demonstration at Jantar Mantar, the INLD protesters would march towards to 'Gherao the Parliament' if the Prime Minister Narendra Modi does not give them time  to meet. Seeking Prime Minister's (PM) intervention on the SYL canal, INLD's two members of Parliament, 19 legislators and workers will gather from across the state, led by senior party leader Abhay Singh Chautala, plan to give memorandum to the PM on the issue.

Apart from the memorandum, the INLD has also plan to submit resolutions passed by various Khaps (community council) and Panchayats (village councils) on the SYL canal water issue. Chautala who is the Leader of the Opposition in Haryana, has announced that his party would continue its fight  on the SYL issue till the state gets its legitimate share of water from the neighbouring Punjab.

More than 90 INLD leaders including Chautala were arrested by the Punjab police on February 23 while trying to enter the state for digging up the controversial portion of the SYL canal falling in Patiala district. After arrest, the INLD leaders were sent to judicial
custody till February 27 by a Rajpura court.

Failing to win "water war", the INLD leaders, immediately after their release from Patiala jail, announced to 'gherao' the Parliament'. Criticizing both the ruling BJP and the Congress party for adopting dual standard on the SYL water issue, the INLD also strongly raised the SYL issue in recently concluded Budget Session of the Haryana
Legislative Assembly. State Assembly witnessed ruckus many times over the issue.

Decades-old contentious issue between the two states again hit the headlines during the previous year when the Supreme Court on November 10, held as unconstitutional the 2004 Punjab Termination of Agreements Act passed by Punjab Assembly to terminate the SYL canal water sharing agreement with neighbouring state. The decision led a political storm in both of the states. 

A "mentally unsound" man, allegedly tried to deposit currency notes having face value of Rs.9.91 lakh that had "Children Bank of India" printed on them at a PSU Bank on Tuesday, police said.

Shaik Yousuf went to the bank in Malkajgiri area with the notes in denomination of Rs.2,000 and Rs.500 that had "Children Bank of India" written on them and allegedly tried to deposit them in his account, police said.

When the cashier noticed he informed senior officials of the bank, who in turn lodged a complaint with police.

Shaik had procured the notes from a stationary shop and took photocopies of the same and attempted to deposit them in his account, Assistant Commissioner of Police (Malkajgiri Division) G Sundeep told PTI.

Based on preliminary investigation, the ACP said Shaik seems to be a "mentally disturbed" person and he got the thought of depositing these notes (with a face value of Rs.9.91 lakh) through his "inner self".

Malkajigiri Police Station Inspector Janaki Reddy said following the complaint they registered a case under IPC sections 420 (cheating), 489 A (counterfeiting currency notes or bank notes) and 489 E (making or using documents resembling currency notes or bank notes) against case and took him into custody.

Former Bangladesh Prime Minister and opposition leader Khaleda Zia did not appear in the trial proceedings of 11 cases against her at a Dhaka court on Tuesday citing ill health, her lawyer said.

Zia, a two-time Prime Minister of Bangladesh (1991-1996; 2001-2006), faces trial in 10 cases related to violence during Bangladesh Nationalist Party's (BNP) anti-government protests in early 2015 over demands to advance election dates.

"Khaleda Zia could not appear before the court today as she is sick," her lawyer Sanaullah Mia told Efe news.

The BNP chief is also facing sedition charges for expressing doubts over the widely-accepted version that three million were killed or martyred during the 1971 Liberation War when Bangladesh gained independence from Pakistan.

Zia had not appeared before the court on health grounds also on February 27, when the court had allowed it "for one last time", and postponed her appearance until Tuesday, said Mia.

"There is nothing called as one last time. We informed the court about her illness and the court gave us a new date," he said.

The opposition leader has now been asked to appear before the court on March 28.

The Awami League, led by current Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, and Zia's BNP have alternately been in power in the country since 1991, except for a brief period of military rule between 2006 and 2008.

The BNP — currently absent from Parliament — boycotted the last General Elections of 2014 and has been much weakened lately owing to continued arrests of its leading members and cadres, apart from the 35 cases of corruption, violence and sedition that Zia herself is embroiled in.

The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) has ordered Tata Chemicals to shut down its Haldia plant in East Midnapore district of West Bengal for alleged non-compliance of the prescribed norm of liquid affluent discharge, the company said on Tuesday.

"This is to inform you that on March 11, 2017, 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 operation at Haldia, West Bengal, for alleged non-compliance for liquid affluent discharge," the company said in a filing to BSE.

This order was based on the analysis of sample drawn on January 9, 2017 by the CPCB.

The spring might just have stepped into our lives once again, but that need not mean that it hasn’t raised our hopes to look forward to warmer months that follow the pleasant spring weather. Summer brings with it higher temperatures, unbearably hot and humid afternoons for the most of the country, but with the little inconveniences it also brings longer days, breezy evening and sun lined trees. And as plans are made for that much awaited summer time wandering and vacations on the beach, don’t forget to carry that book.  

Take your pick this time that will accompany you through your summer adventures.

Big Little Lies – Set in a faraway beach town where people are struggling behind the glitz and glamour of their high end lifestyles. Liane Moriarty’s book tells the tales of ex-husbands, second marriages, estranged children and know it all characters add a touch of reality in a world where every second person is faking something or the other. There are lies and questions of the pasts that seem to haunt a few characters, while other are busy being imposing and overpowering. Hint of a scandal and a lot of drama is what this book promises to bring to its readers. Making it a perfect summer time read.

The Vacationers– What can happen during an American family’s two week holiday in the Balearic Island of Mallorca? According to this novel- a lot of things. As the protagonists of the novel set on to a two-weak long 35th marriage anniversary celebrations with friends and extended family members, long-kept secrets and buried down feelings come to surface. The book recounts the tales of a family struggling with their true feelings.

Confessions of a Shopaholic– Sophie Kinsella’s Shopaholic series doesn’t promise adventures to faraway lands, but it does promise a light read with Becky Bloomwood taking her life’s problems heads on. As Becky realises that she cannot solve all her problems by buying season’s must haves, readers are taken through the hilarious situations. A fun read for days when you just want to relax with comical narratives.

Hyperbole and a Half – Allie Brosh's book is based upon her posts on her website by the same name. The book includes a comical narrative that leaves you tickled to your bones. A fresh wit and sense of humour is what the readers will find in the book. A humorous read that doesn’t demand much of your energy but leaves you with a smile on your face.

My Family and Other Animals-The Durrell family an adventure in Corfu is something that can be enjoyed by all ages. Gerald Durrell’s part memoir is considered to be a modern day classics that recounts the tale of hilarious situations in an eccentric family, which is narrated through the eyes of a 12 year old child.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday congratulated Manohar Parrikar who became the Chief Minister of Goa for the fourth time.

"Congratulations to @manoharparrikar and his team on being sworn in. My best wishes in taking Goa to new heights of progress," Modi said on Twitter. 

Parrikar was administered the oath of office by Governor Mridula Sinha.

With the stunning election victory in Uttar Pradesh indicating validation of BJP-led government's demonetisation move, Prime Minister Narendra Modi is expected to intensify the drive to push black money hoarders to declare funds under income disclosure scheme, says a report.

As per Bank of America Merrill Lynch (BofA-ML), the Centre will step up the drive against black money "through make-an-example raids and seizures" and the income disclosure scheme II (IDS II) is expected to net Rs 1,000 billion — almost double of what is budgeted.

"We expect PM Modi to intensify the drive to push black money hoarders to declare under the IDS II, ending March 31, after his party, the BJP, swept the critical Uttar Pradesh (UP) polls last week," BofA-ML said.

"We see this as a reconfirmation of political stability, with the UP victory likely improving the prospects of a BJP re-election in 2019," it added.

The report noted that the Modi-led government "would surely want to build on the perception that the UP victory has validated the government's demonetisation drive".

Accordingly, the union ministry of finance, among other measures, is likely to threaten to investigate black money hoarders' property investments using the Benami Property Act.

The government had announced demonetisation of Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 currency notes in November, last year, with an aim to curb the black money menace.

The government on December 16, 2016, had announced that the second income disclosure scheme will run till March 31.

Under this scheme, black money hoarders would have time until March-end to come clean by paying 50 per cent tax on bank deposits of junked currencies post-demonetisation.

For those holding unaccounted cash, it offered a new tax evasion amnesty scheme wherein 50 per cent tax will be charged on declarations and a quarter of the total sum would be parked in a non-interest bearing deposit for four years.

Nongthombam Biren will be sworn in as the first BJP Chief Minister of Manipur on Wednesday morning, Raj Bhavan sources said.

He will be sworn-in at Raj Bhavan at 10:30 am, the sources said. Biren and one or two elected members may take oath.

A formal communique is yet to be received.

National and regional BJP leaders are expected to be present during the swearing in ceremony. 

Meanwhile, Congress leaders are keeping their fingers crossed. Former Chief Minister Okram Ibobi Singh, who tendered his resignation on Monday night, said: "We had staked our claim to form the next ministry."

However, that hope is fading away as all other members of the non-Congress parties and the lone independent have extended support to the BJP, and the Congress has not been able to increase its strength from 28. 

Ibobi Singh had pinned his hope on the National People's Party, which has four MLAs. However, the NPP general secretary Vivekraj Wangkhem said, "We have extended support to the BJP and it is final."

The BJP ministry is also facing troubles since the Naga People's Front has demanded that its four MLAs should be given ministerial berths. The earlier understanding was that it would support the BJP from outside. The NPF further said that four other Naga MLAs should also be accommodated with important portfolios.

The BJP had bagged 21 seats. But the NPF and NPP with four MLAs each supported it. Besides one MLA each of the AITC, LJP and independent had supported it. Congress has been in power for three consecutive terms.