21+ min ago (643+ words) Panaji, Filmmaker Ashwiny Iyer Tiwari says she had no plans to step into direction but when the story of "Nil Battey Sannata, about a single mother's struggle to get her daughter educated, inspired her to step behind the camera. She calls the 2015 film, starring Swara Bhasker and Pankaj Tripathi, as one of her "most precious experiments. The movie was part of the work-in-progress lab at Film Bazaar in 2013, Tiwari said on the sidelines of the festival. "Festivals have been an important part of my life. It went to a lot of festivals and later it was released in the country, with a lot of love and support, and that made me the filmmaker that I'm. I'm known for certain kinds of stories. "Film festivals help you open up your mind, you meet different people, see different kind of stories, it's…...

27+ min ago (205+ words) A video showing a cab driver arguing with a passenger after refusing to switch on the air conditioner has captured widespread attention on social media, prompting a wave of mixed reactions from viewers. The clip was posted by the Facebook account Tricity Cab Association and has already gained more than 2 lakh views. In the short clip, the driver can be heard defending his decision not to switch on the AC. He points out that the passenger is dressed warmly, wearing a winter cap and a sweater, and therefore does not need the AC as urgently as he would. In the video, the driver says, "Theek hai, aap keh rahe ho ki AC nahi chala raha main. Aapne cap pehen rakhi hai, upar se sweater bhi pehen rakha hai, toh AC ki zaroorat aapko padhegi na. Aap utar ke rakho na....

29+ min ago (312+ words) A tragic incident has been reported from Kuduregere in Bengaluru North taluk, where a 35-year-old man lost his life after setting himself on fire, allegedly due to emotional turmoil over his wife's prolonged extramarital relationship. ALSO READ | Bengaluru woman dies 9 months after husband 'injected' her with mercury; probe on: Report The victim's mother, who tried desperately to save her son from the flames, suffered severe burns and is undergoing treatment at Victoria Hospital, said a report by the NDTV. The deceased has been identified as Harish, who had been married to Manjula for a decade. According to police sources, Manjula had been in a relationship with a man named Suresh for about three years. When Harish confronted her about the affair, she reportedly beat him with a slipper in Suresh's presence, leaving him humiliated and devastated. ALSO READ | Doctor duped…...

31+ min ago (239+ words) New Delhi, Harinder Sikka, author of the 2008 novel "Calling Sehmat", which later inspired Alia Bhatt-starrer "Raazi", is making his return with new espionage thriller unfolding amid General Zia-ul-Haq's 1977 coup. "The Chabimaster", published by Penguin Random House India , is Sikka's fourth novel after "Calling Sehmat", "Vichhoda" and "Gobind". The book will hit the stands on Wednesday. Set during General Zia-ul-Haq's 1977 coup, the story follows Samy, a RAW locksmith known as "Chabimaster, as he infiltrates a shadowy network spanning India, Pakistan, London and Istanbul. A hidden steel box and its secret papers drive a tense, fact-grounded plot where ingenuity and judgment are as crucial as bravery. It's touted to be a taut thriller that unfolds against real historical events without portraying real individuals. According to the publisher, the book combines a timely look at procurement networks, counter-proliferation and the ethics of risk…...

35+ min ago (272+ words) Jaipur: An 18-year-old student, who had been preparing for the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET) from a reputed coaching centre in Kota, was found dead near a railway station in Bundi's Keshoraipatan on Tuesday morning, said officials. Sub-inspector of Keshoraipatan, Bheru Lal, said, "The body was found at around 8 am on Tuesday morning by the GRPF staff. Prima facie, it was an accident. However, we are probing the probability of a suicide case as well." According to the officials, the victim and his sister arrived in Kota a year ago from Bihar's Mokama. "They had been staying at a hostel and studying in a coaching centre to prepare for NEET. On Monday they took a train from Kota at 12 am to return to Mokama for a visit to their parents," said Lal. The accident took place an hour after they boarded…...

36+ min ago (335+ words) A couple in New York City was brutally attacked after attempting to stop an aggressive mob from descending onto their area during an out-of-control car meet-up that resulted in vehicles on fire. Vickie Paladino, a member of the New York City Council, posted a wild video of a bunch of reckless drivers speeding over lawns and doing donuts shortly after midnight on Sunday in Malba, a wealthy Queens neighborhood. The councilwoman claimed that a private security guard tried to defuse the situation, but the mob attacked him and set his car on flames. The video shows members of the mob watching as cars speed around the blazing vehicle. Victims Blake Ferrer and his spouse were assaulted after attempting to remove the unruly group from their premises. A group of approximately 12 people kicked, punched, and stomped on Ferrer, resulting in a…...

39+ min ago (259+ words) A pandal (tent) spread over 170 acres with separate areas for private parking and buses saw pilgrims coming from across Haryana and adjoining Punjab and Delhi to attend the programme organised by the state government and the Haryana Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee (HSGMC). A white gate resembling the domes of a gurdwara welcomed the sangat (followers), while two community kitchens run by Sikh philanthropists were set up for the estimated gathering of 1 lakh people. Devotees participating in four nagar kirtans (religious processions) from Sirsa, Panchkula, Yamunanagar and Faridabad had arrived at Jyotisar on Monday. As many as 350 children performed shabad kirtan of Guru Ki Vaani, while a sand art show was also organised on the occasion. Since November 1, programmes dedicated to Guru Tegh Bahadur have been organised across the state to spread his teachings. Parminder Kaur, 65, from Singhpura village in Kurukshetra…...

45+ min ago (403+ words) Police on Tuesday said they have arrested four people - two of them sub-inspectors - for allegedly threatening a jewellery artisan and robbing him of gold. The two arrested officers were identified as Malappa Chippalakatte and Praveen Kumar. "We arrested both the officers yesterday on charges of robbing a person of gold," a senior police officer told PTI. ALSO READ | Karnataka Lokayukta conducts statewide anti-corruption raids against 10 govt officials, recovers gold, cash and more According to the complaint, the sub-inspectors, who were recently transferred from Haveri district to the eastern range office in Davangere, allegedly intercepted Vishwanath Arakasali, a jewellery artisan from Karwar. Vishwanath was returning from Davangere with a 76-gram gold bar and a 2.15-gram ring he had collected from gold merchants. ALSO READ | Bengaluru woman dies 9 months after husband 'injected' her with mercury; probe on: Report Police said that around…...

46+ min ago (259+ words) Japan's Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi reaffirmed Tokyo's strong alliance with the United States during a phone call with President Donald Trump, following rising tensions with China over Taiwan. Takaichi said Trump requested the call and briefed her on his recent conversation with Chinese President Xi Jinping, but declined to provide details " including whether Taiwan was discussed. The diplomatic tension comes after China accused Japan of "crossing a red line." Earlier this month, Takaichi suggested that a Chinese naval blockade or actions against Taiwan could trigger a Japanese military response. Beijing called the remarks "shocking" and a "grave violation of international law," even sending a formal letter of protest to UN Secretary-General Ant'nio Guterres." | Videos On cam: Japan backs US after Trump-Xi talks? Takaichi reveals "close cooperation' call with Trump Japan's Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi reaffirmed Tokyo's strong alliance with the…...

47+ min ago (632+ words) Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday said the "wounds and pain of centuries are healing" as India marked the formal completion of the Ram temple in Ayodhya, and used the occasion to draw a broader national roadmap aimed at achieving the goal of a developed India by 2047. Addressing a gathering after hoisting a saffron flag atop the Ram temple to mark the ceremonial completion of its construction, Modi said the moment symbolised a cultural resurgence for the nation. "Today, the entire nation and the world are immersed in Ram. Centuries-old wounds are healing, centuries-long pain is finding closure, as the resolve that burned for 500 years finally reached its fulfilment," Modi said. Calling the flag-hoisting "a unique and divine moment", the prime minister said the sacred flag atop the Ram temple would stand as a testimony to the fact that "truth…...