For Hollywood star Hugh Jackman, who is seen reprising his role as The Wolverine for one final time in the forthcoming superhero film "Logan", working on the franchise has been a gratifying, relieving and satisfying experience. He says his journey with the film's cast won't get over with the film as they will still "sit together, have dinner".

"I didn't know how I would feel about it until I saw the film. I was sitting next to Patrick (Stewart) and James (Mangold) and the audience were clearly very caught up in it and that was satisfying," Jackman said here during the film's press briefing for select media, including IANS here.

"It felt very gratifying, relieving and satisfying alternatively. It feels right and it was a really good feeling. I remember someone telling me that, 'You are leaving now, you are not going to be a part of it and I said, 'Oh na, we will still be sitting together having dinner, it's just that we won't be cooking anymore," added the actor, who was dressed in a black bomber jacket, T-shirt and black casual trousers.

He was also sporting a flesh-coloured dressing on his nose after having a sixth basal cell carcinoma cut.

"The Wolverine" film saga started 17 years ago. Jackman has appeared as Wolverine in nine of the "X-Men" sagas.

Writer-director James Mangold took the charge of bringing the character and his journey to a conclusion with "Logan". He previously worked with Jackman on "The Wolverine" in the year 2013.

"Logan" stars Jackman in the title role alongside Stewart, Stephan Merchant, Richard E. Grant and 11-year-old Dafne Keen, who plays the role of Jackman's daughter and young mutant X 23.

Even Stewart, who has had a long association with the film franchise, will no longer continue being a part of it after "Logan".

"I had no reason to think that this is the end of the relationship with 'X-Men' franchise at all. It was a week ago in Berlin when I realized that I don't think in terms of Wolverine and Charles Xavier… We can really do better than this. This is perfect conclusion. 

"Everything is in place that ought to be in place, so may be I am done too," said Stewart at the conference here.

Stewart jokingly told Jackman that with his exit, he felt that he has "kind of stolen your (Jackman's) thunder".

"You know it was a spontaneous feeling that I had while I watched the credit roles in the end of the movie before we went up to be introduced to the audience. I am very content with that," he said.

"Logan", that opens in theatres worldwide, including in India on March 3, has been distributed by 20th century Fox.

Buoyed by BJP's good show in civic polls in various states post note ban, Union Commerce Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Monday exuded confidence that her party will form government with full majority in Uttar Pradesh.

Voting is on Monday for the fifth phase of polling in Uttar Pradesh's 51 assembly constituencies covering 11 districts.

"BJP is doing good in Uttar Pradesh. We are confident that we will definitely get a majority. Uttar Pradesh will give good result to BJP," she said.

The minister is here for the 4th India-CLMV Business Conclave, organised by industry body CII.

She was responding to media queries related to the Uttar Pradesh elections and demonetisation.

Sitharaman further said Centre's decision on demonetisation will yield good results for the party. BJP got "huge mandate" in the recently held civic polls in Odisha and Maharashtra.

"We have got success in all elections held after demonetisation. That is why I think demonetisation is having a good impact (for the party)," she said.

Result of Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections will be declared along with that of Uttarakhand, Punjab, Manipur and Goa on March 11.

On November 8 last year, the Centre had announced scrapping of old Rs 500/1000 notes with an aim to check black money, fake currency and terror financing.

Spanish football club Deportivo La Coruna have announced the sacking of chief coach Gaizka Garitano as the side is yet to post a win across all competitions in 2017.

La Coruna on Sunday announced the news after they lost four consecutive games in La Liga following which they now remain one spot above the relegation zone.

Cristóbal Parralo, coach of Deportivo's B team, accompanied by Javier Manjarín and Julio Hernando, will take charge of the first team.

India and the South East Asian nations, including Myanmar and Cambodia, are enhancing land and sea connectivity to boost trade and are working on various projects such as Kaladan Multi-Modal Transit Transport, Union Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said on Monday.

She said huge potential exists in the Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar and Vietnam (CLMV) nations for Indian manufacturers.

The Commerce and Industry Minister said India and CLMV countries are working on accelerating projects to improve port, road and air connectivity.

India and Myanmar are cooperating to connect the Bay of Bengal ports (Visakhapatnam-Krishnapatnam) and the Sittwe port (in Myanmar), Sitharaman told reporters here.

She was speaking here for the 4th India-CLMV Business Conclave, organised by industry body CII.

"Sittwe is a major port in Myamnmar. If Sittwe is connected with our Bay of Bengal ports, Visakhapatnam, Krishnapatnam and also south Chennai or even further up to Haldia, Paradaip or Dhamra, a lot of trade which goes from India to these SEA countries can go and land in Sittwe and from there go to Myanmar or CLMV countries," she said.

As regards the land connectivity, she informed that the work is being expedited for the Kaladan Multi-Modal Transit Transport project (KMTTP).

It aims to improve connectivity between Indian ports on the eastern seaboard and Sittwe port in Myanmar.

The Myanmar government has stated that it will expedite the work from its side, she said, adding that the Indian side of the work is progressing.

This project, she said, would technically connect Kolkata through the north eastern states of India to the entire South East Asian nations.

On improving the air connectivity, she said that a lot is happening between SEA and India in this area and from Gaya airport, there is a need to give more connections.

"We want more aircraft to go from there. Also, from Assam and Guwahati airports as from other parts of India. We want to connect with the south east Asian countries…lot of discussions are going on. These are international negotiations, so they do take time," Sitharaman added.

On a project in Bangladesh, she said that through Petrapole, the under sea linkage for Internet facility "is something on which India and Bangladesh are working". It will improve the Internet connectivity of the north east states states.

Bharti Airtel on Monday announced removal of all roaming charges for outgoing and incoming calls as well as SMSes and data usage within India as it takes on competition from new comer Reliance Jio.

India's largest mobile phone service provider also said international call rates will be cut by up to 90 per cent to as low as INR 3 per minute and data charges by up to 99 per cent to INR 3 per MB across popular roaming destinations.

In a press statement, 'Airtel declares War on Roaming', the company said the move will lead to "death of National Roaming" from April 1.

Also, it said, there will be no bill shocks while roaming overseas daily billing will be automatically adjusted to the price of basic one day pack even for customers who don't buy a roaming pack.

"With this, Airtel mobile customers will be able to carry their numbers across India and the world and stay connected all the time without having to worry about high call/data charges," it said. "Bill shocks will now be a thing of the past." 

The Punjab Social Security and Development of Women and Child Department has cautioned people against fraud agents who were selling fake forms of 'Beti Bachao Beti Padhao Scheme' of Centre government.

Disclosing this, an official spokesperson of department said that it has been brought to the notice of department that some organisations were deceiving people by making false claims that a beneficiary would get Rs.2 lakh under this 'Beti Bachao Beti Padhao' scheme, whereas, there was no such provision of financial benefit to the beneficiary under this scheme.

He said that department advised the people to be vigilant against such fraudulent agents who were collecting money from the people under the name of this scheme. It has also been advised that if anyone found selling the form the matter must immediately be brought to the notice of district administration and the department’s official so that appropriate action could be taken against such anti social elements.

Drug price regulator NPPA on Monday asked hospitals and doctors to report shortage of stents as part of its measures to ensure availability of the medical device in the wake of price cap.

"Hospitals/doctors finding any shortage of stents of any company and/or any brand should inform NPPA which will ensure supplies," the National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA) said in a tweet.

The regulator has been taking several steps to ensure stents are available under its prescribed price list as reports emerged that there were shortages in the market.

Last week, NPPA had warned hospitals, stent manufacturers and importers of legal action in case they are found spreading "misinformation" about shortage of the medical device after the regulator capped the prices of stents.

NPPA also asked stents manufacturers and their distributors to align their system according to the new price list.

"Drug companies need to restructure their stents trading and supply channel to work within 8 per cent maximum trade margin without circumventing it," it said in a separate tweet.

It had earlier said in a memorandum that as trade margin of 8 per cent is included in the ceiling price of stents, no additional charge except local sales taxes and VAT can be demanded from patients.

The 8 per cent margin also adequately covers hospital handling charges, if any, the regulator had said.

The drug price regulator said it has received complaints against Anand Hospital in Meerut Uttar Pradesh and King Edward Hospital at Parel in Mumbai for overcharging.

In a major relief to patients, the NPPA last week slashed prices of coronary stents by up to 85 per cent, capping them at Rs.7,260 for bare metal ones and Rs.29,600 for the drug eluting variety.

Former India opener Virender Sehwag, who is known for his witty remarks on Twitter, landed in trouble as he received mixed reactions to his social media post on Gurmehar Kaur, the daughter of Kargil martyr Captain Mandeep Singh.

Sehwag, on Sunday night, posted a photo of him, showing a placard: "I didn't score two triple centuries, my bat did." and the tweet read: "Bat me hai Dum! #BharatJaisiJagahNahi".

The cricketer's comment was in response to Kaur, a 20-year-old Delhi University student, who launched a social media campaign against the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) following the Ramjas College violence that happened on February 22.

"I am a student of Delhi University. I am not afraid of ABVP. I am not alone. Every student of India is with me. #fightbackdu #studentsagainstabvp," she had posted, initiating the social media campaign '# studentsagainstabvp'.

Earlier, Kaur was seen in a video promoting the idea of peace with the neighboring nation Pakistan.

“Pakistan did not kill my dad, war killed him,” read her message, to which Sehwag decided to reply in his own witty style.

Since his retirement from cricket, Sehwag has been enormously active on Twitter and amused a lot of people with hilarious birthday wishes, social messages and remarks on subjects ranging from different aspects of society.

With the tweet on the DU girl this time, Sehwag has been receiving mixed reactions that majorly contain criticism.

However, Bollywood actor Randeep Hooda backed Sehwag as he first tweeted clapping emoticons and later said, " What's sad is that the poor girl is being used as political pawn and it seems you are a party to it .."

Besides appreciations and criticisms to the idea initiated by Sehwag and backed by the actor, Kaur, herself, replied: "Political pawn? I can think. I don't support violence perpetuated on students? Is that so wrong."

Ramjas College Principal Rajendra Prasad on Monday urged students to not involve in ‘activities’ that spoils the image of the prestigious college.

“Appeal to the students to not indulge in any activity which spoils the name of Ramjas College. Let us resolve problems in a peaceful and constructive manner. I share safety concerns of the parents,” Prasad said in his appeal to the Ramja College students.

“Confront ideas and not people. My heart bleeds when Ramjas bleeds,” Prasad added.

A Delhi University student whose social media campaign against the ABVP went viral, alleged on Sunday to have received “rape threats”.

“I have been getting a lot of threats on social media. I think it is very scary when people threaten you with violence or with rape,” Lady Sri Ram College student Gurmehar Kaur said.

Gurmehar Kaur, a Kargil martyr’s daughter on the day of clashes posted in Facebook: “I am a student from Delhi University. I am not afraid of ABVP. I am not alone. Every student of India is with me. #StudentsAgainstABVP.”

Ramjas College on February 22 witnessed violent clashes between members of the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) and the All India Students Association (AISA). The ABVP carried out the protest against an event invite to Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) student Umar Khalid, accused in sedition case last year for an event in the college.

Professors and students of the college were injured during the clashes.

The green hills on both sides of the Jammu-Srinagar highway are heartlessly being flattened by the politically backed land mafia as price of real estate has soared following four-laning of the scenic highway.

The worst hit is the stretch of highway between Nagrota and Udhampur where several hotels and restaurants have come up on the bulldozed areas that till recently were green hills. The green hillocks have been replaced by concrete monsters that do not fit into the scenic beauty which motorists used to relish.

The thirst for grabbing land on this stretch is unending because of the increasing number of pilgrims and tourists driving through the highway.

The number of pilgrims to the holy cave shrine of Vaishnodevi has crossed 80 lakh figure per year and was expected to touch one crore in the next few years. About 4 to 5 lakh pilgrims visit the Amarnath Shrine in Kashmir and an equal number of tourists visit the valley thereby boosting economic activity on the highway. The newly mushroomed eateries are generally targeting the visitors to Vaishnodevi that has become a round the year destination.

The left side of the highway has become favourite for the mafia because disposal of debris of the bulldozed green hills is easy in the Jhajjar water stream.

The forest and revenue departments have shut their eyes to this plunder of green cover and scenic spots on the highway. Ironically, the union environment ministry and the National Green Tribunal, which are otherwise very sensitive towards any meddling with the green cover, are also maintaining silence on the issue.

The greed of the forest mafia has grown as requirement of commercial land has increased. According to forest minister, 14,345 hectares of forest land has been encroached in the state. Only about 2600 hectares has so far been got vacated.This is besides the land of the revenue and other departments that has been grabbed. Evicting encroachers has become an uphill task for the authorities because various local political parties and the mafia try to give the eviction drives a communal colour.

The portfolio of a forest minister was abruptly changed as he waged a relentless war against the grabbers of forest land particularly around Jammu.

According to official figures, more than 2556 hectares of forest has been damaged due to 781 fires in the past three years.

As such there was need to preserve the existing forests instead of allowing free run to the land mafia, environmentalists point out. 

Mohamed Hussamuddin went down fighting in the final of the men's bantamweight (56kg) category as India finished with three medals at the 68th Strandja Memorial boxing tournament here.

Hussamuddin put up a spirited fight against 2013 European Championship silver medallist Mykola Butsenko of Ukraine before going down 2-3 to settle for the silver late on Sunday evening.

Among other Indians in the fray, Amit Phangal lost in the semi-finals of the men's Light Flyweight (49kg) division and Meena Kumari Maisnam went down in the last four stage of the women's 54kg class to settle for the bronze.

A total of 15 Indian boxers — 10 men and five women — took part in the event.

Meanwhile, China won two gold medals during Sunday's finals.

Yin Junhua, silver medallist at the 2016 Rio Olympic Games, defeated European champion Denitsa Eliseeva of Bulgaria 5-0 in the final of the women's 60kg class here on Sunday evening, reports Xinhua news agency.

Rio 2016 bronze medallist Li Qian won the women's 75kg category by beating Rio silver medallist Nouchka Fontijn of the Netherlands 3-2.

China's Hu Jianguan, bronze medallist at Rio, lost to European champion Daniel Asenov of Bulgaria in the final of the men's 52kg division.

Two other Chinese boxers took bronze medals, including Wen Yinhang and Huang Jiabin in the men's 75kg and 81kg categories, respectively.

The six-day competition, the oldest and one of the toughest international boxing tournaments in Europe, featured more than 280 male and female boxers from 35 countries and regions.

Students ended their siege of the Administrative Block of Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) on Monday, allowing the authorities to restore normal functioning of the premier institution, authorities said.

A group, called "Committee of Suspended Students", led by the JNU Students Union members, had occupied the Administrative Block on February 9 in protest against a University Grants Commission (UGC) notification that could alter the university's admission policy leading to seat cuts in the M.Phil and Ph.D programmes.

"The officers have immediately resumed their work, so that the huge pending works are completed… There are certain irreparable damages, which will keep reminding the current and future agitators that improper methods of protests are always harmful," a statement issued by the university said.

Appreciating the "patience" shown by the entire JNU administration, the authorities said many JNU students and teachers suffered because of the agitation.

"The erosion of JNU's atmosphere of peaceful and harmless protests is a cause of wider concern in the JNU community and this erosion must be stemmed now," the statement said.

The university administration invited the students leaders concerned to discuss their issues peacefully. 

Students ended their siege of the Administrative Block of Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) on Monday, allowing the authorities to restore normal functioning of the premier institution, authorities said.

A group, called "Committee of Suspended Students", led by the JNU Students Union members, had occupied the Administrative Block on February 9 in protest against a University Grants Commission (UGC) notification that could alter the university's admission policy leading to seat cuts in the M.Phil and Ph.D programmes.

"The officers have immediately resumed their work, so that the huge pending works are completed… There are certain irreparable damages, which will keep reminding the current and future agitators that improper methods of protests are always harmful," a statement issued by the university said.

Appreciating the "patience" shown by the entire JNU administration, the authorities said many JNU students and teachers suffered because of the agitation.

"The erosion of JNU's atmosphere of peaceful and harmless protests is a cause of wider concern in the JNU community and this erosion must be stemmed now," the statement said.

The university administration invited the students leaders concerned to discuss their issues peacefully. 

The Haryana Governor Prof Kaptan Singh Solanki, has said that concerted efforts made by his government have resulted in a favourable verdict from the Supreme Court (SC) on the Presidential reference, which has paved the way for initiation of the long pending construction work on the remaining portion of the Sutlej Yamuna Link (SYL) Canal.

Addressing the legislative assembly on the first day of the budget session on Monday, Solanki said it was heartening that on November 28, 2016, an all-party delegation from Haryana submitted a memorandum to the President of India, seeking his intervention to ensure that our rightful and legitimate share in surplus Ravi-Beas waters was allowed to reach our parched lands and thirsty villages.

“My government will earnestly keep pursuing the matter and shall do its best to protect the interests of the hard working and law abiding people of our state who have full faith in our Constitution and the judiciary,” he added.

A major project for rehabilitation of Jawaharlal Nehru Canal and its lift system costing Rs.143 crore is in progress and is likely to be completed by the end of financial year 2017-18, the governor said.

Besides, major rehabilitation works costing about Rs.150 crore will be completed during the current financial year.

The government has also planned rehabilitation of 125 channels and 400 water courses during 2017-18 and 2018-19 under State Plan and NABARD. A project for increasing the capacity of carrier system costing about Rs.2,000 crore is being prepared to utilise surplus monsoon water in the river Yamuna, which will make available about 4,000-5,000 cusecs of additional water in the WJC and JLN systems.

The Haryana Governor Prof Kaptan Singh Solanki, has said that concerted efforts made by his government have resulted in a favourable verdict from the Supreme Court (SC) on the Presidential reference, which has paved the way for initiation of the long pending construction work on the remaining portion of the Sutlej Yamuna Link (SYL) Canal.

Addressing the legislative assembly on the first day of the budget session on Monday, Solanki said it was heartening that on November 28, 2016, an all-party delegation from Haryana submitted a memorandum to the President of India, seeking his intervention to ensure that our rightful and legitimate share in surplus Ravi-Beas waters was allowed to reach our parched lands and thirsty villages.

“My government will earnestly keep pursuing the matter and shall do its best to protect the interests of the hard working and law abiding people of our state who have full faith in our Constitution and the judiciary,” he added.

A major project for rehabilitation of Jawaharlal Nehru Canal and its lift system costing Rs.143 crore is in progress and is likely to be completed by the end of financial year 2017-18, the governor said.

Besides, major rehabilitation works costing about Rs.150 crore will be completed during the current financial year.

The government has also planned rehabilitation of 125 channels and 400 water courses during 2017-18 and 2018-19 under State Plan and NABARD. A project for increasing the capacity of carrier system costing about Rs.2,000 crore is being prepared to utilise surplus monsoon water in the river Yamuna, which will make available about 4,000-5,000 cusecs of additional water in the WJC and JLN systems.

A Delhi University student who got rape and death threats on social media after launching an online campaign against the ABVP on Monday approached the Delhi Commission for Women (DCW).

Gurmehar Kaur met DCW chief Swati Maliwal and complained against the online threats she had been receiving ever since she stood up to the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP), a DCW official said.

Daughter of an army officer killed in the Kargil war, the Lady Shri Ram College student posted pictures on her Facebook page saying: "I am a student from Delhi University. I am not afraid of ABVP. I am not alone. Every student of India is with me."

She hashtagged #StudentsAgainstABVP

Kaur launched the online campaign against the RSS student wing after the February 22 violence in Delhi University's Ramjas College. 

She then received rape and death threats on social media by some who called her "anti-national".

Speaking to the media on Monday, Kaur said she was not afraid because she was fighting for "the right cause".

"Just because you are a student organisation which is in power does not mean you can threaten me. I don't want to be scared of you. 

"A student organisation's job is to work for the welfare of the students, not to rule them or to scare them," she said.

"I am getting hundreds of threats. If I start lodging complaints against each of them, then even the police would ask me to stop," she added.

Along with threats, Kaur has also received the support of innumerable people — young and old — for her stand against the ABVP and violence on the campus.

A Delhi University student who got rape and death threats on social media after launching an online campaign against the ABVP on Monday approached the Delhi Commission for Women (DCW).

Gurmehar Kaur met DCW chief Swati Maliwal and complained against the online threats she had been receiving ever since she stood up to the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP), a DCW official said.

Daughter of an army officer killed in the Kargil war, the Lady Shri Ram College student posted pictures on her Facebook page saying: "I am a student from Delhi University. I am not afraid of ABVP. I am not alone. Every student of India is with me."

She hashtagged #StudentsAgainstABVP

Kaur launched the online campaign against the RSS student wing after the February 22 violence in Delhi University's Ramjas College. 

She then received rape and death threats on social media by some who called her "anti-national".

Speaking to the media on Monday, Kaur said she was not afraid because she was fighting for "the right cause".

"Just because you are a student organisation which is in power does not mean you can threaten me. I don't want to be scared of you. 

"A student organisation's job is to work for the welfare of the students, not to rule them or to scare them," she said.

"I am getting hundreds of threats. If I start lodging complaints against each of them, then even the police would ask me to stop," she added.

Along with threats, Kaur has also received the support of innumerable people — young and old — for her stand against the ABVP and violence on the campus.