Anushka Sharma has managed to stand out with her work as an actress and a producer in her nine-year long career and she says it is because she does not believe in following trends.

The actress made her acting debut with 2008 rom-com Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi, before featuring in hit movies like satirical comedy PK, sports-drama Sultan and romantic drama Ae Dil Hai Mushkil.

Anushka ventured into production with 2015 thriller NH-10 and is now gearing up for her banner's (Clean Slate Films) next project Phillauri.

"I don't let myself be influenced by what others might think. I don't follow trends or what is in (and what is not), when it comes to picking a film or producing one I follow my instincts and continue to do what I feel is right for me," Anushka told.

"I follow my heart and focus on being part of a good story. I believe that's why turning producer has worked out for me," she says.

Phillauri stars Diljit Dosanjh and Suraj Sharma alongside Anushka.

There have been reports that NH10 fame director Navdeep Singh has roped in Diljit and Arjun Kapoor for his next film Kaneda to be produced by Anushka's production house Clean Slate Films.

Without giving much information on the same, Anushka, 28, says, it is too early to talk about Kaneda.

Meanwhile on the occasion of Women's Day, Polaroid Eyewear announced Anushka as its ambassador for 2017 campaign and the actress is pleased to be associated with the brand.

"I have a personal sense of style which is comfortable and chic and I feel the philosophy of the brand is similar. As the campaign launches on Women's Day, I salute the power of women across the globe," she says.

UP minister Azam Khan on Tuesday moved Supreme Court against the arrest warrant issued against him by Allahabad HC in a case related to state Jal Nigam.

A Lucknow bench of Allahabad High Court had on March 1 issued a bailable arrest warrant against senior Samajwadi leader Azam Khan after he did not appear in a case related to the Uttar Pradesh Jal Nigam, which he heads.

The Court ordered issue of the warrant against Khan on a service petition filed by the UP Jal Nigam in 2013. The petition challenged the judgment of the UP Public Services Tribunal in favour of assistant engineer DK Singh, against whom the Jal Nigam had initiated recovery proceedings for financial irregularities.

A division bench of justices Sudhir Agarwala and RN Mishra passed the order against Khan after rejecting an exemption application moved on his behalf.

UP minister Azam Khan on Tuesday moved Supreme Court against the arrest warrant issued against him by Allahabad HC in a case related to state Jal Nigam.

A Lucknow bench of Allahabad High Court had on March 1 issued a bailable arrest warrant against senior Samajwadi leader Azam Khan after he did not appear in a case related to the Uttar Pradesh Jal Nigam, which he heads.

The Court ordered issue of the warrant against Khan on a service petition filed by the UP Jal Nigam in 2013. The petition challenged the judgment of the UP Public Services Tribunal in favour of assistant engineer DK Singh, against whom the Jal Nigam had initiated recovery proceedings for financial irregularities.

A division bench of justices Sudhir Agarwala and RN Mishra passed the order against Khan after rejecting an exemption application moved on his behalf.

India’s plan of setting a target of 300 runs for Australia in the second Test was scuppered in spectacular fashion thanks to a devastating spell from Australian pacers Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood. India managed a second innings total of 274/10, which gives the visitors a realistic target of 188 with a day and a half’s play remaining at the M Chinnaswamy stadium in Bengaluru.

Ajinkya Rahane (52) and Cheteshwar Pujara (92) continued where they left off on Monday and with the Indian vice-captain reaching a half-century in trying conditions, it seemed India would dominate the morning session.

Disaster struck when Australian skipper Steve Smith opted for the new ball and introduced Starc into the attack. The pacer rewarded his captain’s belief immediately, getting Rahane out via LBW on the third ball and on the very next ball removed Karun Nair (0) for a golden duck to change the complexion of the match in a span of two balls. 

The Rahane dismissal was arguably the turning point of the session, even more so with umpire Nigel Llong initially giving Rahane not out but after an Australian review, the decision was overturned much to delight of Steve Smith and co.

While Starc didn’t get his hat-trick, the psychological damage was done as Hazlewood picked up the wickets of Pujara, who was nearing a century, and Ravichandran Ashwin (4) in the next over with some beautiful deliveries that bamboozled the Indian batsmen.

Umesh Yadav was next to walk in and he would be the next to walk back to the pavilion after he attempted to drive Hazlewood but found David Warner at mid-off instead.

Wriddhiman Saha (20*) proved to the be the sole source of resistance, keeping his head and playing some smart shots even as his teammates lost their heads and built a vital 16-run partnership with tail-ender Ishant Sharma (6). 

Sharma eventually fell to Steve O’Keefe, driving a loose ball which went straight to Shaun Marsh at short over to end the Indian innings at 274.

Hazlewood (6/67) was the pick of the visiting bowlers but had able support from Starc (2/74) and O’Keefe (2/36) in an action-packed opening session and while the Test is by no way done and dusted, the momentum is firmly with the Australians.

India’s plan of setting a target of 300 runs for Australia in the second Test was scuppered in spectacular fashion thanks to a devastating spell from Australian pacers Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood. India managed a second innings total of 274/10, which gives the visitors a realistic target of 188 with a day and a half’s play remaining at the M Chinnaswamy stadium in Bengaluru.

Ajinkya Rahane (52) and Cheteshwar Pujara (92) continued where they left off on Monday and with the Indian vice-captain reaching a half-century in trying conditions, it seemed India would dominate the morning session.

Disaster struck when Australian skipper Steve Smith opted for the new ball and introduced Starc into the attack. The pacer rewarded his captain’s belief immediately, getting Rahane out via LBW on the third ball and on the very next ball removed Karun Nair (0) for a golden duck to change the complexion of the match in a span of two balls. 

The Rahane dismissal was arguably the turning point of the session, even more so with umpire Nigel Llong initially giving Rahane not out but after an Australian review, the decision was overturned much to delight of Steve Smith and co.

While Starc didn’t get his hat-trick, the psychological damage was done as Hazlewood picked up the wickets of Pujara, who was nearing a century, and Ravichandran Ashwin (4) in the next over with some beautiful deliveries that bamboozled the Indian batsmen.

Umesh Yadav was next to walk in and he would be the next to walk back to the pavilion after he attempted to drive Hazlewood but found David Warner at mid-off instead.

Wriddhiman Saha (20*) proved to the be the sole source of resistance, keeping his head and playing some smart shots even as his teammates lost their heads and built a vital 16-run partnership with tail-ender Ishant Sharma (6). 

Sharma eventually fell to Steve O’Keefe, driving a loose ball which went straight to Shaun Marsh at short over to end the Indian innings at 274.

Hazlewood (6/67) was the pick of the visiting bowlers but had able support from Starc (2/74) and O’Keefe (2/36) in an action-packed opening session and while the Test is by no way done and dusted, the momentum is firmly with the Australians.

Tracking lower closing of US markets and mixed trade in Asian peers, domestic benchmark indices were trading with almost flat in late morning trade Tuesday. At 11.25 am, the Sensex at the BSE was trading 54 points down at 28,994 and the Nifty at the NSE was trading 20 points lower at 8,944.

In the broader markets, BSE Midcap index gained 0.2 per cent but Smallcap index slipped 0.1 per cent.

Among the BSE sectoral indices, Consumer Durables index jumped the most, up 0.6 per cent, while Metal index became the top loser, down 1.5 per cent.

On Monday, the Sensex had closed 216 points higher at 28,048 and the Nifty had closed 66 points up at 8,963.

Top gainers in the Sensex-30 pack: Adani Ports (up 1.5 per cent), ONGC (up 1.1 per cent), TCS (up 1 per cent), Gail (up 0.4 per cent) and Tata Motors (up 0.3 per cent).

Top losers in the Sensex-30 pack: Tata Steel (down 2 per cent), Infosys (down 1.4 per cent), Axis Bank (down 1 per cent), Bharti Airtel (down 1 per cent) and Lupin (down 0.9 per cent).

In the overseas markets, US stocks closed marginally down on Monday. Asian markets were trading with mixed moves. China’s Shanghai Composite Index increased 0.1 per cent, Japan’s Nikkei 225 Index slipped 0.3 per cent, Hong Kong’s Hang Seng gained 0.4 per cent and Singapore’s Straits Times Index rose 0.2 per cent.

Meanwhile, the Rupee was trading eight paise higher at 66.64 against the US Dollar.

Tracking lower closing of US markets and mixed trade in Asian peers, domestic benchmark indices were trading with almost flat in late morning trade Tuesday. At 11.25 am, the Sensex at the BSE was trading 54 points down at 28,994 and the Nifty at the NSE was trading 20 points lower at 8,944.

In the broader markets, BSE Midcap index gained 0.2 per cent but Smallcap index slipped 0.1 per cent.

Among the BSE sectoral indices, Consumer Durables index jumped the most, up 0.6 per cent, while Metal index became the top loser, down 1.5 per cent.

On Monday, the Sensex had closed 216 points higher at 28,048 and the Nifty had closed 66 points up at 8,963.

Top gainers in the Sensex-30 pack: Adani Ports (up 1.5 per cent), ONGC (up 1.1 per cent), TCS (up 1 per cent), Gail (up 0.4 per cent) and Tata Motors (up 0.3 per cent).

Top losers in the Sensex-30 pack: Tata Steel (down 2 per cent), Infosys (down 1.4 per cent), Axis Bank (down 1 per cent), Bharti Airtel (down 1 per cent) and Lupin (down 0.9 per cent).

In the overseas markets, US stocks closed marginally down on Monday. Asian markets were trading with mixed moves. China’s Shanghai Composite Index increased 0.1 per cent, Japan’s Nikkei 225 Index slipped 0.3 per cent, Hong Kong’s Hang Seng gained 0.4 per cent and Singapore’s Straits Times Index rose 0.2 per cent.

Meanwhile, the Rupee was trading eight paise higher at 66.64 against the US Dollar.

Tamil Nadu government on Tuesday cited Apollo hospitals and AIIMS reports to deny that the health complications of late J Jayalalithaa was due to wrong medication and said she passed away on December 5 after a massive cardiac arrest.

Listing multiple factors as the cause of her death, Apollo Hospitals said that late Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa had several medical problems.

The Tamil Nadu goverment released the treatment summary of Apollo hospital and the reports of AIIMS doctors.

Against the background of suspicions into circumstances surrounding her death and demand for a probe, both reports said that she was given the best medical care.

They said Jayalalithaa had multiple medical problems even before her hospitalisation.

"The late Chief Minister Jayalalithaa passed away at 11.30 PM on December 5, 2016," the reports said.

Stating that "certain insinuations" had been made that administration of "wrong drugs" over a period of time prior to her hospitalisation had led to "health complications", Tamil Nadu Health Secretary J Radhakrishnan denied it in an official release.

"The medical reports indicate that except for corticosteroids administered for atopic dermatitis, the late Chief Minister was only taking oral hypoglycemic and anti-hypertensive drugs to control pre-existing diabetes mellitus and hypertension," he said.

In the wake of suspicions related to circumstances under which she was hospitalised on September 22, 2016, the reports said she was admitted that day at around 10 PM. When the ambulance went to her residence, they found her "breathless with low oxygen saturation, resulting in drowsiness." 

Radhakrishnan told reporters in New Delhi after receiving the report by AIIMS doctors that there "is no basis to the speculation which has been circulated in the media" on Jayalalithaa's treatment.

To end these speculations, the medical report by AIIMS doctors has been received "from the Government of India at our request", he said.

"It is a very self-explanatory report and we have not held back anything," Radhakrishnan added.

The official statement quoting the reports said Jayalalithaa was administered resuscitation and provided ECMO (Extracorporeal Membrance Oxygenation) support after the cardiac arrest.

"Every possible clinical attempt was made to sustain her revival as per prescribed medical protocols," the statement said, quoting Radhakrishnan. .

Tamil Nadu government on Tuesday cited Apollo hospitals and AIIMS reports to deny that the health complications of late J Jayalalithaa was due to wrong medication and said she passed away on December 5 after a massive cardiac arrest.

Listing multiple factors as the cause of her death, Apollo Hospitals said that late Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa had several medical problems.

The Tamil Nadu goverment released the treatment summary of Apollo hospital and the reports of AIIMS doctors.

Against the background of suspicions into circumstances surrounding her death and demand for a probe, both reports said that she was given the best medical care.

They said Jayalalithaa had multiple medical problems even before her hospitalisation.

"The late Chief Minister Jayalalithaa passed away at 11.30 PM on December 5, 2016," the reports said.

Stating that "certain insinuations" had been made that administration of "wrong drugs" over a period of time prior to her hospitalisation had led to "health complications", Tamil Nadu Health Secretary J Radhakrishnan denied it in an official release.

"The medical reports indicate that except for corticosteroids administered for atopic dermatitis, the late Chief Minister was only taking oral hypoglycemic and anti-hypertensive drugs to control pre-existing diabetes mellitus and hypertension," he said.

In the wake of suspicions related to circumstances under which she was hospitalised on September 22, 2016, the reports said she was admitted that day at around 10 PM. When the ambulance went to her residence, they found her "breathless with low oxygen saturation, resulting in drowsiness." 

Radhakrishnan told reporters in New Delhi after receiving the report by AIIMS doctors that there "is no basis to the speculation which has been circulated in the media" on Jayalalithaa's treatment.

To end these speculations, the medical report by AIIMS doctors has been received "from the Government of India at our request", he said.

"It is a very self-explanatory report and we have not held back anything," Radhakrishnan added.

The official statement quoting the reports said Jayalalithaa was administered resuscitation and provided ECMO (Extracorporeal Membrance Oxygenation) support after the cardiac arrest.

"Every possible clinical attempt was made to sustain her revival as per prescribed medical protocols," the statement said, quoting Radhakrishnan. .

India is open to the idea of investing in America's energy sector and acquiring assets if it gets a good deal, Union Oil and Natural Gas Minister Dharmendra Pradhan said on March 7.

"Our basket is really global," the Minister said.

India, which in the coming years would emerge as the largest energy consumer of the world accounting for nearly one-third, is open to investment in the US, subject to a good deal, Pradhan said.

Noting that India's source of procuring crude oil is multidimensional, Pradhan said if India gets "good terms and reasonable price," it is open to buy energy from anywhere, including the US.

India, of late, has invested in the energy market across the globe Russia, Canada, New Zealand, Australia, Vietnam, Africa, Latin America.

However, the presence of Indian oil and energy companies is minuscule in the US.

But India, he said, is open to the idea of investing more in the US.

"If we get good asset, good property, why not?" Pradhan said when asked if India is open to investment in the US.

"For the long-term asset acquisition, current price is not the only factor what we are looking after.

We are looking after geology of the project, logistic of the project. And also the market condition," he said.

"So, price is not the only issue," he said.

To a question on investment in Russia, Pradhan said,

"I think, this is one of the biggest overseas investments in the world." 

Noting that Russia is a "strategic partner" of India, Pradhan said, "We are talking to them. This financial year is yet to end." 

"Petrochemical is a sunrise sector in India. We see petrochemical as a commodity for a common man, day to day use.

We see huge opportunities from outside. We are expecting good investment from outside," he said.

Bollywood actress Vidya Balan revealed the first poster of her much awaited film Begum Jaan on Tuesday morning.

Begum Jaan, directed by Bengali director Srijit Mukherji, is a remake of Bengali film Rajkahini, stars Vidya in the lead, a brothel’s madam in Punjab during India’s partition in 1947.

The film also stars Gauahar Khan, Pallavi Sharda, Ila Arun, Mishti Chakraborty, Pitobash, Naseeruddin Shah, Chunkey Pandey in pivotal roles.

Produced by Vishesh Films, Begum Jaan is set to hit the theaters on April 14.

North Korea on Tuesday banned Malaysians from leaving the country, dramatically escalating an already-heated diplomatic row over the murder of Kim Jong Nam.

Moments later, Kuala Lumpur retaliated, banning diplomats and staff at the North Korean embassy from leaving Malaysia.

The tit-for-tat moves marked an extraordinary heightening of tensions three weeks after the airport assassination of leader Kim Jong-Un's half-brother with the banned VX nerve agent.

The North decided to "temporarily ban the exit of Malaysian citizens in the DPRK", Pyongyang's official Korea Central News Agency said, citing the foreign ministry and using the North's official name, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea.

The bar would remain in place "until the safety of the diplomats and citizens of the DPRK in Malaysia is fully guaranteed through the fair settlement of the case that occurred in Malaysia".

Pyongyang and Kuala Lumpur had unusually strong links for years, but ties have rapidly degenerated in the weeks since Kim Jong-Nam was attacked at an international airport by two women using VX nerve agent, a chemical so deadly it is classed as a weapon of mass destruction by the UN.

Seoul has blamed Pyongyang for the assassination, and Kuala Lumpur wants to question several North Koreans, although the only one it arrested was released for lack of evidence.

The North has never confirmed the dead man's identity, but has denounced the Malaysian investigation as an attempt to smear it.

Kuala Lumpur announced the expulsion of the North's ambassador over the weekend. He flew to Beijing on Monday, after launching a final verbal assault on his hosts.

Kang Chol slammed what he called a "pre-targeted investigation by the Malaysian police" as he was leaving Kuala Lumpur.

Photographs later showed him sitting in the economy section of the plane.

Pyongyang retaliated by formally ordering out his counterpart — who had already been recalled for consultations.

According to KCNA, Pyongyang's foreign ministry expressed hopes that the Malaysian government would solve the issue "as early as possible" from a position of "goodwill" and "setting store by and developing the bilateral relations".

Malaysian diplomats and nationals in the North "may work and live normally under the same conditions and circumstances as before" while the travel ban is in place, it added.

It did not specify how many Malaysians are currently in the North or how long the travel ban might last.

The escalating diplomatic row already prompted Malaysia to cancel last week a rare visa-free travel deal with the North and to ban its national football team from playing an Asian Cup qualifying match in Pyongyang, citing security threats.

Following Union government’s data which showed no major impact of demonetisation, Fitch on Tuesday said the Indian economy will grow at 7.1 in the current financial year and 7.7 per cent in the next financial year.

“Indian economy to grow by 7.1 per cent in current fiscal, 7.7 per cent in 2017-18,” Fitch report stated.

The global rating agency had earlier predicted that Indian Gross Domestic Product (GDP) will grow 6.9 per cent in the current financial year (FY16-17).

“Fitch now expects Indian GDP to grow by 7.1% for FY16-17, before picking up to 7.7% in both FY17-18 and FY18-19,” the report said.

According to government data released on February 28, the Indian GDP growth for the quarter ended December 31, 2016 (Q3 FY16-17) was 7 per cent which is better than expected.

However, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) in a report last month has predicted that India’s GDP growth will go down due to temporary disruptions caused by the Union government’s demonetisation drive.

“Growth is projected to slow to 6.6 per cent in financial year 2016-17, and then rebound to 7.2 per cent in financial year 2017-18, due to temporary disruptions, primarily to private consumption, caused by cash shortages,” the IMF said.

The government announced demonetisation or note ban of Rs.500 and Rs.1,000 notes on November 8 midnight to curb black money and terrorism and promote digital transactions.

The Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bangalore, has entered into the top 10 global university rankings, according to a new assessment that has three institutions each from France and Italy in the list.

On Tuesday, the Times Higher Education (THE) has revealed the ‘Best Small Universities in the World 2017’ in which IISc stood at number 8.

The first position has been grabbed by CalTech of the United States of America while South Korea’s Pohang University of Science and Technology is at the third place.

In the 2017 rankings, universities of France and Italian have taken three places in the top 10.

The Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences is at the ninth position.

Last year, in the ‘BRICS and Emerging Economies University Rankings 2017’ report, the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) had entered the top 15 universities for the first time.

Small universities are defined by the publication as having fewer than 5,000 students and teach and research across more than four disciplines.

Domestic coal gas can be used as a feedstock for producing urea and other chemicals that can help reduce the country's import bill by $10 billion in five years and cut carbon emissions, a top official said.

Coal Secretary Susheel Kumar also said that India's dependence on petroleum and natural gas can be reduced or done away with if the country is able to get gas from coal.

"If we are able to replace this import by indigenous coal gasification … it can safely be said that in next five years time, about $10 billion worth of import can be substituted. That's the mechanics which one has to really work on," the Coal Secretary told PTI in an interview.

"Our dependence on petroleum and natural gas will be reduced … We know that coal is there. That's the real issue and I want that as a Secretary I should steer the sector towards that," he said further.

The official said that imports of four-five chemicals like urea, methanol, ammonia and ascetic acid are worth around $5.5 billion, at present, he said.

If the country is able to gasify coal and use that for production of chemicals, including urea and methanol, it would lead to reduction in import bill manifold by 2030.

Underground coal gasification is a method of converting coal underground into gaseous mixture of hydrogen, carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide and water that can be used in place of natural gas as fuel or feedstock.

"The problem with our coal use is when we burn coal for power generation our efficiency is only about 32-33 per cent. 100 (per cent) is possible but you get only 32-33 per cent. But you emit C02 by burning the entire quantity of coal," he said.

As far as the India's international commitment is concerned, the country should gradually reduce its emission intensity and for doing so India has to produce power which is non-coal, he said.

"So we will do renewable … Power will shift away from coal. But your overall energy security has to be provided by your own sources. Our predominant source is coal," the Secretary said.

The government is also planning to come up with a series of pilot projects in areas like coal gasification and coal-to-polychemicals next fiscal.

Once the projects are successful, government will push for commercial use of technology for utilisation of country's huge coal reserves.

"We want to do at least one (pilot) project on Underground Coal Gasification and not only on a project scale or 5-6 MW … Beyond that, we want commercial production also if it is possible," Kumar had earlier said.

The US on Monday issued a travel warning for its citizens visiting Pakistan, Afghanistan and Bangladesh, and said extremist elements are also "active" in India.

"The US government assesses terrorist groups in South Asia may be planning attacks in the region, possibly against US facilities, citizens and interests. US citizens should avoid travel to Afghanistan, as no region in the country is immune from violence," the State Department said in its worldwide caution.

"A number of established terrorist organisations, indigenous sectarian groups, and other militants pose a danger to US citizens in Pakistan.

"Extremist elements are also active in India, as outlined in a recent emergency message. Terrorists have hit a wide variety of targets and institutions in Bangladesh," it added.

Goals from Diego Costa and Eden Hazard ensured Chelsea came away with an important 2-1 win against West Ham on Monday night, reestablishing their 10-point lead at the top of the English Premier League in the process.

After Tottenham Hotspur had temporarily trimmed the Blues’ lead with a thrilling 3-2 victory over Everton on Sunday, Antonio Conte’s men were under pressure to beat their derby rivals at the London Stadium.

Cesc Fabregas continued his run of starting for Chelsea, with Nemanja Matic on the bench but it was another midfielder who proved pivotal in the opening goal.

Chelsea were defending a free kick deep in their own half when N’Golo Kante made yet another interception and released Eden Hazard on the left wing. The Belgian winger played a quick one-two with Pedro before accelerating past trailing West Ham defenders and rounding Darren Randolph to open Chelsea’s account in the 25th minute.

The visitors continued to assert their dominance and should have doubled their lead when Hazard teed up Diego Costa for a simple tap-in, but the cross was a shade behind the forward and the Hammers were let off for the moment.

With the score leading 1-0 in Chelsea’s favour at half time, Conte must have felt another goal was required to put the game beyond doubt and his side responded early on in the second half.

Fabregas sent in a corner from the left and the ball came into Costa’s path who made no mistake from inside the six yards box to double Chelsea’s lead in the 50th minute.

Costa then came close to scoring his second and Chelsea’s third after a brilliant pirouette inside the box but Randolph made a stunning save to keep his side in the game.

Manuel Lanzini would pull one back for West Ham in the 92nd minute after a tiring Chelsea had been caught out but it was too little too late and Chelsea hung on for their 21st league win of the season.

On 66 points from 27 games played, Chelsea are sitting pretty on the top of the pile with their closest rivals, Tottenham, some way back with 56 points.

It really is their title to lose now, as with just 11 games only the most optimistic Tottenham fan would think that their side can still overhaul the Blues.