External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj has hailed the heroism of American Ian Grillot who was injured while trying to stop a gunman who killed an Indian in a hate crime.

Grillot suffered bullet wounds and is in hospital during the shooting in a Kansas bar last week.

"India salutes the heroism of Ian Grillot! Best wishes for a speedy recovery," Sushma Swaraj tweeted on Monday night.

Srinivas Kuchibhotla, 32, was killed and his colleague Alok Madasani was injured when Adam W. Purinton, formerly of the US Navy, shot them at the Austins Bar & Grill in Olathe, Kansas state, on February 22.

Purinton reportedly got into an argument with the two and hurled racial slurs. He yelled "get out of my country" before shooting them. 

Grillot, 24, who tried to save the Indians, was hit by a bullet that pierced his hand and then lodged in his chest. 

External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj has hailed the heroism of American Ian Grillot who was injured while trying to stop a gunman who killed an Indian in a hate crime.

Grillot suffered bullet wounds and is in hospital during the shooting in a Kansas bar last week.

"India salutes the heroism of Ian Grillot! Best wishes for a speedy recovery," Sushma Swaraj tweeted on Monday night.

Srinivas Kuchibhotla, 32, was killed and his colleague Alok Madasani was injured when Adam W. Purinton, formerly of the US Navy, shot them at the Austins Bar & Grill in Olathe, Kansas state, on February 22.

Purinton reportedly got into an argument with the two and hurled racial slurs. He yelled "get out of my country" before shooting them. 

Grillot, 24, who tried to save the Indians, was hit by a bullet that pierced his hand and then lodged in his chest. 

In a major embarrassment to the outgoing Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) and Bhartiya Janta Party (BJP) government in Punjab, the much talked-about amphibious bus, 'Harike Cruise' has failed to deliver. The dream project of Punjab deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Badal, who launched the bus on December 12, 2016 while saying “What I promised I did”, apparently to take credit in a 'hurry', is waiting to open for public.

The visitors who enjoyed the bus ride on the inaugural day had no idea that the government brought the bus here only for 'trial'. Since then the visitors have failed to get the similar experience. The bus, which was brought for a trial was sent back to Goa and now a new bus has been introduced at the site last week.

Sources said, unlike first bus, which was made in Goa, the new bus has been imported from the United States of America. However, the 48 seated-bus was assembled in Goa. As the first bus was sent back to Goa, people had been making different remarks on the social media and termed it as a ‘failed’ dream project of Sukhbir.

When asked, Sanjeev Aggarwal, managing director of Krishna HoHo Solution firm, is looking after the operations and maintenance of the much touted project 'Harike Cruise', said, “The new bus has arrived and we are ready to launch it for public. The activity will have to halt for 15-20 days as the water level in the reservoir is low for running the operation of bus,” he said.

On the other hand, sources said that the entire exercise is likely to take over one month as the Punjab irrigation department is yet to complete repairs at the main gates of the Rajasthan feeder canal and the Ferozepur feeder canal.

“A huge chunk of public money has been washed out by Punjab deputy CM. Instead of providing basic facilities in government led schools, facilities for cancer patients in hospitals and financial assistance to farmers, such projects were launched that remained on papers till date”, said, Chander Suta Dogra, Aam Adami Party (AAP) spokesperson.

Meanwhile, Punjab tourism minister, Sohan Singh Thandal, while talking to The Statesman, said, "Everything is in place. The hue and cry over the Harike Cruise will come to an end as the department is going to open it for public in next few days". It may be recalled that the first bus was sent back confidentially. Still, the act was exposed and went viral on social media. The bus has a four km ride in the water and on land.

In a major embarrassment to the outgoing Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) and Bhartiya Janta Party (BJP) government in Punjab, the much talked-about amphibious bus, 'Harike Cruise' has failed to deliver. The dream project of Punjab deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Badal, who launched the bus on December 12, 2016 while saying “What I promised I did”, apparently to take credit in a 'hurry', is waiting to open for public.

The visitors who enjoyed the bus ride on the inaugural day had no idea that the government brought the bus here only for 'trial'. Since then the visitors have failed to get the similar experience. The bus, which was brought for a trial was sent back to Goa and now a new bus has been introduced at the site last week.

Sources said, unlike first bus, which was made in Goa, the new bus has been imported from the United States of America. However, the 48 seated-bus was assembled in Goa. As the first bus was sent back to Goa, people had been making different remarks on the social media and termed it as a ‘failed’ dream project of Sukhbir.

When asked, Sanjeev Aggarwal, managing director of Krishna HoHo Solution firm, is looking after the operations and maintenance of the much touted project 'Harike Cruise', said, “The new bus has arrived and we are ready to launch it for public. The activity will have to halt for 15-20 days as the water level in the reservoir is low for running the operation of bus,” he said.

On the other hand, sources said that the entire exercise is likely to take over one month as the Punjab irrigation department is yet to complete repairs at the main gates of the Rajasthan feeder canal and the Ferozepur feeder canal.

“A huge chunk of public money has been washed out by Punjab deputy CM. Instead of providing basic facilities in government led schools, facilities for cancer patients in hospitals and financial assistance to farmers, such projects were launched that remained on papers till date”, said, Chander Suta Dogra, Aam Adami Party (AAP) spokesperson.

Meanwhile, Punjab tourism minister, Sohan Singh Thandal, while talking to The Statesman, said, "Everything is in place. The hue and cry over the Harike Cruise will come to an end as the department is going to open it for public in next few days". It may be recalled that the first bus was sent back confidentially. Still, the act was exposed and went viral on social media. The bus has a four km ride in the water and on land.

Indian filmmaker Alankrita Shrivastava's Lipstick Under My Burkha, which has been denied a certificate by the country's movie censor board, has bagged the Audience Award at the Glasgow Film Festival 2017 here. The director says the honour couldn't be better timed.

Scottish actor David Tennant presented Shrivastava with the award, which was voted for by the festival's audience, on Monday.

The Prakash Jha production, starring Konkona Sen Sharma and Ratna Pathak Shah, chronicles the secret lives of four women of different ages in a small town in India as they search for different kinds of freedom.

India's Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) on February 23 refused to give a certificate to the film for its sexual references and use of abusive words, among other reasons.

"I am so deeply honoured that 'Lipstick Under My Burkha' has won the ScotRail Audience Award at the Glasgow Film Festival. Right now, when the film has been denied certification for exhibition in India because it is a women-centric film with a female point of view, I think the award could not have been more timely," Shrivastava said in a statement.

"The fact that the people of Glasgow have loved the film is an affirmation of the relevance of the film across cultures and nations. It is an affirmation of the fact that women's stories need to be told, through the female point of view. This award gives me hope. It gives me courage. It makes me believe that as women, we must continue to tell our stories, undeterred by those who want to silence us," she added.

The CBFC's decision has drawn flak from a string of celebrities, including Pooja Bhatt, Farhan Akhtar and Vivek Agnihotri.

Indian filmmaker Alankrita Shrivastava's Lipstick Under My Burkha, which has been denied a certificate by the country's movie censor board, has bagged the Audience Award at the Glasgow Film Festival 2017 here. The director says the honour couldn't be better timed.

Scottish actor David Tennant presented Shrivastava with the award, which was voted for by the festival's audience, on Monday.

The Prakash Jha production, starring Konkona Sen Sharma and Ratna Pathak Shah, chronicles the secret lives of four women of different ages in a small town in India as they search for different kinds of freedom.

India's Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) on February 23 refused to give a certificate to the film for its sexual references and use of abusive words, among other reasons.

"I am so deeply honoured that 'Lipstick Under My Burkha' has won the ScotRail Audience Award at the Glasgow Film Festival. Right now, when the film has been denied certification for exhibition in India because it is a women-centric film with a female point of view, I think the award could not have been more timely," Shrivastava said in a statement.

"The fact that the people of Glasgow have loved the film is an affirmation of the relevance of the film across cultures and nations. It is an affirmation of the fact that women's stories need to be told, through the female point of view. This award gives me hope. It gives me courage. It makes me believe that as women, we must continue to tell our stories, undeterred by those who want to silence us," she added.

The CBFC's decision has drawn flak from a string of celebrities, including Pooja Bhatt, Farhan Akhtar and Vivek Agnihotri.

A bomb was recovered here on Tuesday ahead of the visit of Congress leader Rahul Gandhi for campaigning for the Manipur Assembly elections.

Police said the bomb was found near the gate of a residential building around 6 AM in Khongman Bashikhong Turel Mapal area in Imphal East district. The bomb was later defused.

The bomb was recovered about 6 km from the venue where the Congress Vice President is scheduled to address a rally.

Rahul Gandhi will campaign for Congress candidates at Hapta Kangjeibung ground.

Elections in the state are slated for March 4 and 8.

A bomb was recovered here on Tuesday ahead of the visit of Congress leader Rahul Gandhi for campaigning for the Manipur Assembly elections.

Police said the bomb was found near the gate of a residential building around 6 AM in Khongman Bashikhong Turel Mapal area in Imphal East district. The bomb was later defused.

The bomb was recovered about 6 km from the venue where the Congress Vice President is scheduled to address a rally.

Rahul Gandhi will campaign for Congress candidates at Hapta Kangjeibung ground.

Elections in the state are slated for March 4 and 8.

Lee Jae-yong, the de facto leader of Samsung Group, will be indicted on charges of bribery, an independent counsel said on Tuesday, as investigators wrap up their probe into an influence-peddling scandal.

Prosecutors suspect that Lee, vice chairman of Samsung Electronics Co., gave or promised some 43 billion won ($36 million) worth of bribes to President Park Geun-hye's jailed friend Choi Soon-sil in return for the government's backing of a merger of two Samsung affiliates in 2015, Yonhap News Agency reported.

The business merger was seen as critical for the smooth management succession of the group from ailing Samsung Electronics Chairman Lee Kun-hee to his only son Lee.

The investigation team, led by Park Young-soo, was given 70 days with another 20 days for preparation to look into the allegations President Park let her friend Choi meddle in state affairs and amass profits using her ties to the president.

Lee was formally arrested by the investigators earlier this month, marking the first time that the chief of the country's largest family-run business group has been detained.

Lee Jae-yong, the de facto leader of Samsung Group, will be indicted on charges of bribery, an independent counsel said on Tuesday, as investigators wrap up their probe into an influence-peddling scandal.

Prosecutors suspect that Lee, vice chairman of Samsung Electronics Co., gave or promised some 43 billion won ($36 million) worth of bribes to President Park Geun-hye's jailed friend Choi Soon-sil in return for the government's backing of a merger of two Samsung affiliates in 2015, Yonhap News Agency reported.

The business merger was seen as critical for the smooth management succession of the group from ailing Samsung Electronics Chairman Lee Kun-hee to his only son Lee.

The investigation team, led by Park Young-soo, was given 70 days with another 20 days for preparation to look into the allegations President Park let her friend Choi meddle in state affairs and amass profits using her ties to the president.

Lee was formally arrested by the investigators earlier this month, marking the first time that the chief of the country's largest family-run business group has been detained.

 A day after Delhi Commission for Women (DCW) chief Swati Maliwal wrote to Police Commissioner Amulya Patnaik over rape threats to Delhi University student Gurmehar Kaur, the police on Tuesday registered an FIR against unidentified persons.

An FIR has been registered under section 67 of the IT Act on publishing or transmitting obscene material in electronic form, 354 A of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) which is on sexual harassment, and section 506 of the IPC for criminal intimidation, Joint Commissioner of Delhi Police Dependra Pathak told IANS.

"It was registered by the economic offences wing of Delhi Police as the matter was against unidentified people," Pathak said.

Kaur in a meeting with Maliwal on Monday complained against online threats she was receiving ever since the Lady Shri Ram College student launched a social media campaign against Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad, the students wing of RSS.

Kaur posted a picture on Facebook with placards, one of which read: "I am a student of Delhi University. I am not afraid of ABVP. I am not alone. Every student of India is with me."

 A day after Delhi Commission for Women (DCW) chief Swati Maliwal wrote to Police Commissioner Amulya Patnaik over rape threats to Delhi University student Gurmehar Kaur, the police on Tuesday registered an FIR against unidentified persons.

An FIR has been registered under section 67 of the IT Act on publishing or transmitting obscene material in electronic form, 354 A of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) which is on sexual harassment, and section 506 of the IPC for criminal intimidation, Joint Commissioner of Delhi Police Dependra Pathak told IANS.

"It was registered by the economic offences wing of Delhi Police as the matter was against unidentified people," Pathak said.

Kaur in a meeting with Maliwal on Monday complained against online threats she was receiving ever since the Lady Shri Ram College student launched a social media campaign against Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad, the students wing of RSS.

Kaur posted a picture on Facebook with placards, one of which read: "I am a student of Delhi University. I am not afraid of ABVP. I am not alone. Every student of India is with me."

World Bank CEO Kristalina Georgieva on Tuesday travelled by a Western Railway suburban train to inspect Mumbai's lifeline first hand, officials said.

Georgieva travelled in a second class ladies compartment from Churchgate to Dadar, the busiest terminus on the suburban network.

Mumbai Rail Vikas Corp (MRVC) CMD Prabhat Sahai boarded an adjacent compartment.

Earlier, at the MRVC headquarters, Georgieva was given a brief presentation on the status and progress of various World Bank-funded railway infrastructure projects for Mumbai and surroundings.

She took a short tour of the iconic Churchgate station and Western Railway headquarters and around 11 a.m. boarded the train with a team of 20 others. She got off at Dadar.

En route, she chatted with the women commuters on various aspects pertaining to the city's suburban services, which ferry over eight million commuters daily on three networks.

Many commuters requested Georgieva for selfies and she obliged, clicking her own photos as well, both in the train and on the platform.

MRVC's Sahai, World Bank Country Director Junaid Ahmad and other Indian Railway officials travelled in an adjacent second class gents compartment.

Later, she proceeded for other site visits organised by the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA), including a school catering to slum dwellers and children with special needs.

These form part of the World Bank-supported Sarva Shikshan Abhiyan initiative.

Georgieva's other major engagements in Mumbai include a meeting with Reserve Bank of India Governor Urjit Patel and Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis.

She will also meet policy makers in New Delhi.

World Bank CEO Kristalina Georgieva on Tuesday travelled by a Western Railway suburban train to inspect Mumbai's lifeline first hand, officials said.

Georgieva travelled in a second class ladies compartment from Churchgate to Dadar, the busiest terminus on the suburban network.

Mumbai Rail Vikas Corp (MRVC) CMD Prabhat Sahai boarded an adjacent compartment.

Earlier, at the MRVC headquarters, Georgieva was given a brief presentation on the status and progress of various World Bank-funded railway infrastructure projects for Mumbai and surroundings.

She took a short tour of the iconic Churchgate station and Western Railway headquarters and around 11 a.m. boarded the train with a team of 20 others. She got off at Dadar.

En route, she chatted with the women commuters on various aspects pertaining to the city's suburban services, which ferry over eight million commuters daily on three networks.

Many commuters requested Georgieva for selfies and she obliged, clicking her own photos as well, both in the train and on the platform.

MRVC's Sahai, World Bank Country Director Junaid Ahmad and other Indian Railway officials travelled in an adjacent second class gents compartment.

Later, she proceeded for other site visits organised by the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA), including a school catering to slum dwellers and children with special needs.

These form part of the World Bank-supported Sarva Shikshan Abhiyan initiative.

Georgieva's other major engagements in Mumbai include a meeting with Reserve Bank of India Governor Urjit Patel and Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis.

She will also meet policy makers in New Delhi.

The Supreme Court on Tuesday refused to allow a 26-week pregnant woman to abort her foetus on the ground that it suffered from 'Down Syndrome', saying "we have a life in our hands".

Down Syndrome is a congenital disorder which causes intellectual impairment and physical abnormalities.

The apex court said that as per a report of the medical board constituted to examine the 37-year-old woman, there was no physical risk to the mother in continuation of pregnancy.

A bench of Justices S A Bobde and L N Rao observed that though "everybody knows that children with Down Syndrome are undoubtedly less intelligent, but they are fine people".

 The bench said as per the report, the foetus is "likely to have mental and physical challenges" but the advice of the doctors does not warrant termination of pregnancy.

 "With this report, we don't think we are going to allow termination of pregnancy. We have a life in our hands," the bench said.

 "In these circumstances, as per the present advice, it is not possible to grant permission to terminate the pregnancy," the court said.

 The bench had on 23 February constituted a medical board comprising doctors of Mumbai-based KEM Hospital to examine the woman and file a report about her condition and advisability of permitting medical termination of pregnancy forthwith.

The woman, a resident of Maharashtra, had approached the apex court seeking nod to terminate her pregnancy saying that apart from serious mental and physical health problems for the child on birth, even her life was in danger.

 The law prohibits termination of pregnancy after 20 weeks even if there is a fatal risk to the mother and the foetus.

The woman had said in her plea that this disorder could cause physical and mental retardation and the child would not be able to lead a normal and healthy life.

 In a separate case, the apex court had on 7 February allowed a 22-year-old woman to terminate her 24-week pregnancy on the ground that it would endanger her life.

 In another case, the apex court in January had allowed a Mumbai-based woman, who was in her 24th week of pregnancy, to terminate her pregnancy under the Medical Termination of Pregnancy Act while taking into consideration the report of a hospital which had suggested that the foetus would not be able to survive without the skull.

The Lego Batman Movie director Chris McKay is in the talks to direct a live-action Nightwing film, a spin-off of Batman franchise.

This venture will be a part of the DC Universe by Warner Bros, which was launched with Man of Steel (2013) and last year's Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice and Suicide Squad, reported Variety.

Bill Dubuque, who penned The Accountant, is writing the script.

Talking about the character, Nightwing first appeared in a 1963 DC comic book as an alias used by Superman in stories set in Kandor, a Kryptonian city that was preserved in a bottle.

McKay made his feature film directorial debut with Lego Batman which has grossed $110 million domestically in its first 12 days and collected over USD 72 million in the international circuit

India takes the issue of defaulters very seriously, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley has said, indicating that he may raise the matter of liquor baron Vijay Mallya with his British counterpart.

"Certainly, when the opportunity does come, I do take that opportunity to mention it (issue of defaulters based in Britain) to my counterparts here," he told reporters here when asked if the issue of defaulters based in the UK will feature on the agenda of his discussions with British ministers.

The Union Minister for Finance and Corporate Affairs is set to meet his UK counterpart and the Chancellor of Exchequer on Tuesday.

"As far as the government of India is concerned, we take this issue of defaults against the financial system in India very seriously and we have already sent a strong signal that if [you] dupe the exchequer or dupe the banking system, the government of India will lend its full support to all financial institutions to recover up to their last pie," Jaitley told reporters at a media briefing here yesterday.

"It is obvious that because of this strong position the government has taken, that some defaulters are on the run.

Being on the run, they find refuge in certain other jurisdictions, exploiting the systems in other parts of the world," the minister added.

He said Indian investigating agencies are utilising every provision of the law available to them to recover amounts and attach assets in India to "get these people back and held responsible as per law".

Over the weekend, Jaitley had said that the UK's democracy was "liberal enough to permit defaulters to stay here", in an apparent reference to liquor baron Mallya, who is wanted in India for loan default and other cases.

Mallya, the chief of the now defunct Kingfisher Airlines, had moved to Britain in March last year after banks sued him to recover around USD 1.4 billion owed by the airline.

Earlier this month, the Indian government formally requested Britain to extradite him to India to stand trial for alleged loan default and money laundering.

Jaitley also said that the UK must realise the importance of Indian students to its economy because they help "subsidise" education costs here.

Referring to a major drop in students coming to study at the UK universities over the last few years, he highlighted that there were other countries that were more welcoming.

"They (the UK) have to realise that when international students come here (Britain), they subsidise the educational costs here," he said.

"We already have a reality where the quantum of students coming into the UK is declining and other jurisdictions are available. The UK also is a part of the competitive market in that area," Jaitley said.

The minister is in the UK to represent the Indian government at a special reception hosted by Queen Elizabeth II at Buckingham Palace to launch the UK-India Year of Culture.