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Lotus will bloom again in Gorakhpur, Phulpur: Keshav Prasad

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<b>By Arunav Sinha</b><br />
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<b>Lucknow, Feb 26 (PTI)</b> Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya today expressed confidence that the BJP would sweep the March 11 bypolls to the Gorakhpur and Phulpur Lok Sabha seats.
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The bypolls were necessitated after Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and Maurya vacated the Gorakhpur and Phulpur seats respectively, following their election to the Uttar Pradesh Legislative Council.
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"The lotus (BJP's poll symbol) will bloom in both the seats. I have no doubt about this. The very fact that people are talking mostly about the BJP's winning margin is itself an indicator that the party is going to win.
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"You can be rest assured that we are going to improve our margin in both the seats," Maurya told PTI in an interview here today.
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Taking a jibe at the opposition, he said, "As soon as the bye-elections were announced, the opposition parties started discussing the victory margin. This is a clear indication that the lotus will bloom in Gorakhpur and Phulpur." 
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The deputy chief minister, a former president of the state BJP, said as far as the vote-share was concerned, "60 per cent is ours and the rest is for the others to share".
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On whether he wanted one of his family members to contest from Phulpur, Maurya said, "Party workers, owing to their affection towards me, floated the idea that someone from my family should contest the bypolls.
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"However, I am a kaaryakarta-waadi (workers-centric) person, and not a parivaar-waadi (believer in dynastic politics). I am a member of the BJP's big family." 
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Referring to the BJP's winning show in the 2014 general election and 2017 Uttar Pradesh Assembly polls, he expressed confidence that the "lotus will bloom in 2018 (bypolls) and it will lay a strong foundation for the 2019 Lok Sabha election".
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The bye-elections are expected to witness a triangular contest between the ruling BJP, the Samajwadi Party (SP) and the Congress.
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The saffron party has fielded Kaushalendra Singh Patel from Phulpur and Upendra Dutt Shukla from Gorakhpur against the SP's Pravin Nishad and Nagendra Pratap Singh Patel respectively.
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Sureetha Kareem is the Congress candidate from Gorakhpur. The party has fielded Manish Mishra from Phulpur.
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"Voters are very clear as regards which party can usher in development, provide jobs, ensure safety and a robust law-and-order situation in the state. They know that it is the BJP, which is a pro-poor political party, is working to ensure that the benefits of development reach the last person, and also that it can take a tough stand against corruption," Maurya said.
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For the BJP, Gorakhpur is significant as it is the bastion of the chief minister, who has represented the seat in the Lok Sabha five times. Prior to Adityanath, the seat was thrice represented in Parliament by his mentor Avaidyanath.
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Phulpur, on the other hand, was once the bastion of the Congress and represented by India's first prime minister, Jawaharlal Nehru. It had, for the first time, witnessed a saffron surge in the 2014 Lok Sabha election, when Maurya won the seat.
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Voting for the bypolls will be held on March 11 and the results will be declared on March 14.
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Lotus will bloom again in Gorakhpur, Phulpur: Keshav Prasad

By Arunav Sinha Lucknow, Feb 26 (PTI) Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya today expressed confidence that the B...

February 25, 2018

Bombay HC refuses to defer deadline to link Aadhaar with ration card

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<b>Mumbai, Feb 25 (PTI) </b>The Bombay High Court has refused to defer the March 31 deadline imposed by the Union government for linking Aadhaar to ration card. </div>
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A bench of justices Shantanu Kemkar and Rajesh Ketkar, however, directed the Maharashtra government to look into the grievances of technological glitches faced by residents of the state in the digitisation of their ration card, and subsequently, in linking it to their Aadhaar card.

The bench was hearing a petition filed by Nashik resident Aziz Pathan. </div>
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According to the plea filed in 2015, the Maharashtra government issued a resolution notifying a scheme for digitisation of ration cards.

The scheme was launched in compliance with an order of the apex court and was aimed at streamlining and bringing about more transparency in the public distribution system (PDS).</div>
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The scheme includes digitisation of ration cards, installation of electronic point of sale devices at fair price shops and issuance of food grains through biometric authentication. It stipulates including the beneficiaries' Aadhaar numbers in their ration card database.

However, according to the plea, several beneficiaries from Nashik district were facing problems in the digitisation of their ration card, and their biometric authentication. </div>
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Pathan said there were inconsistencies in the biometric machines and the upgraded ration cards of several residents of Nashik bore incorrect names, addresses, and employment and caste details.

He said because of these inconsistencies, the residents were facing difficulties in linking their Aadhaar cards with ration cards and as a result, the linking process was getting delayed.

Pathan urged the court to grant an interim relief by deferring the March 31 deadline, and directing the state government to ensure the affected citizens did not lose out on receiving food grain subsidies and other benefits under the PDS, if they failed to link the ration cards with the Aadhaar by March 31 this year. </div>
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The bench, however, refused to defer the deadline saying that going by Pathan's plea, it seemed the problem was limited to Nashik district alone.

The court asked Pathan to approach the state authorities for redressal of his grievance. </div>
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The bench also directed the Maharashtra government's food, civil supplies and consumer protection department to grant an urgent hearing to Pathan, and to address his grievance within a week's time.

The bench, on February 23, directed the department to look into the reasons for such frequent mistakes in the digitisation process across Nashik. </div>
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"We are of the opinion that the grievance is mainly restricted to Nashik district. We think the petitioner can approach the food supplies department in Mantralaya (the state secretariat) and make a representation there and apprise the authorities of the issues faced by citizens in his district," the bench said. </div>
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"The secretary of the department concerned must also treat this petition as a representation and look into the problems faced by the residents in the digitisation of their ration cards," the bench said.

"We expect the secretary to take appropriate decision expeditiously and within a maximum period of one week," it said.</div>
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Bombay HC refuses to defer deadline to link Aadhaar with ration card

Mumbai, Feb 25 (PTI) The Bombay High Court has refused to defer the March 31 deadline imposed by the Union government for linking Aadhaa...

February 25, 2018

PSG coach 'optimistic' injured Neymar will recover to face Real

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<b>Paris, Feb 25 (AFP) </b>Paris Saint-Germain coach Unai Emery remains optimistic that superstar Neymar will be fit to face Real Madrid in their do-or-die Champions League clash despite suffering an ankle injury in Sunday's 3-0 victory over Marseille.</div>
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Neymar, the world's most expensive footballer, was stretchered off 10 minutes from time at the Parc des Princes as PSG opened up a 14-point lead in Ligue 1.
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The 26-year-old was on his own when he innocuously rolled his ankle and flopped to the ground in pain.
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"The first examination in the locker room revealed that it was a twist to the ankle. Now we will do a medical examination to find out what this twist is," said Emery, whose team face Real at home on March 6 in the Champions League last 16 where they need to overturn a 3-1 deficit.
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"We will wait for the examination, we will be optimistic. If I had to say today (whether or not he will face Real) I would rather say yes to being optimistic."
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PSG skipper Thiago Silva told Canal: "Neymar already had a swollen ankle. I am not a doctor, but I don't think he'll be available on Wednesday (when PSG face Marseille again in the French Cup). He has to rest."
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It was an otherwise easy night for the big-spending Parisians as teenager Kylian Mbappe became the youngest scorer in the French 'Classique'.
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Uruguayan goal-machine Edinson Cavani was also on the scoresheet while Neymar had a hand in PSG's other goal.
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With Monaco drawing 3-3 at Toulouse on Saturday and Lyon held 1-1 at home to local rivals Saint-Etienne earlier on Sunday, it meant none of PSG's three nearest challengers managed to win.
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Monaco remain second with Marseille third, two points behind, and Lyon a further five adrift.
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This result was never in doubt and Emery even had the luxury of bringing off Mbappe, 19, after an hour to give Argentine international Angel Di Maria a half-hour run out.
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PSG were off to a flying start through Mbappe but Marseille were in part the architects of their own downfall.
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France midfielder Adrien Rabiot tried to thread a through ball on 10 minutes to Mbappe, cutting in from the right.
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Former Aston Villa full-back Jordan Amavi was in place to intercept the ball but he slipped and succeeded only helping it onto teenage star Mbappe, who jinked inside onto his left foot and dragged a low shot inside Yohann Pele's near post.
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As expected, the hosts were dictating the tempo and dominating the ball, but Neymar was off target with a header from a Dani Alves cross.
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The second came before the half hour mark, though, and again it owed much to poor Marseille defending.
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Layvin Kurzawa slipped Rabiot into the inside left channel in the visitors' box and he picked out Brazilian Neymar with a cut-back.
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The forward's poked finish was heading off target until his compatriot and Marseille centre-back Rolando thrust out a boot and inadvertently directed the ball into the goal.
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<b>- Showboating - </b></div>
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The match was as good as over and PSG had barely needed to break sweat. Ten minutes before half time and the men in blue were already breaking out the showboating tricks and flicks, with Rabiot's backheel setting up Neymar to curl a long-range strike just past the post.
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Marseille barely had a sniff and when midfielder Andre Anguissa got up to meet a header in the box, it looped up harmlessly and landed in goalkeeper Alphonse Areola's arms.
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It took just 10 more minutes after the break for PSG to extend their advantage as Neymar was allowed time and space to reach the byline on the left.
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His cross picked out Cavani, whose first touch with his left was sublime to turn marker Rolando, while his right-footed finish was unstoppable.
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Marseille were barely putting up a fight, but substitute Clinton N'Jie managed to get himself booked for needlessly lashing out at Marquinhos and then clashing with Dani Alves, who also saw yellow.
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After Neymar was stretchered off, the pacey N'Jie almost gave Marseille hope but having rounded Areola, his goal-bound effort was cleared off the line by sliding PSG captain Thiago Silva.
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Areola also made smart saves to deny Florian
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PSG coach 'optimistic' injured Neymar will recover to face Real

Paris, Feb 25 (AFP) Paris Saint-Germain coach Unai Emery remains optimistic that superstar Neymar will be fit to face Real Madrid in the...

February 25, 2018

Sridevi: The diva who lit up Indian cinema screen

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<b>Mumbai, Feb 25 (PTI)</b> Those expressive eyes and the mischievous smile sent hearts aquiver and lit up the cinema screens, making Sridevi Bollywood's first female superstar.</div>
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Sridevi's sudden death at the age of 54 in Dubai due to cardiac arrest yesterday has left family and fans in shock and grief. This 'Chandni' left the world too soon.
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The actor, wife of producer Boney Kapoor, died late at Saturday night reportedly due to cardiac arrest in Dubai, where she had gone along with her family to attend her nephew Mohit Marwah's wedding.
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In an impressive career, spanning five-decades, the actor ruled the commercial cinema space in the '80s and '90s like no heroine had done before.
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In an industry dominated by male superstars, Sridevi reversed the trend by her sheer acting prowess. Her name, most of the times, was a guarantee enough for a film's success.
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An extremely shy person in real life, Sridevi came alive in front of the cameras, playing a variety of roles. Such was her popularity that her style and dance moves would be copied by her fans country over. She was 'Miss Hawa Hawaaii' and 'Chandni' for them. 
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Sridevi started acting at the age of four and made her debut with M A Thirumugham's "Thunaivan". She continued acting in Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam and Kannada films but it was her career in Bollywood that made her a household name in the country.
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She made her Bollywood debut as a child artiste in 1975 hit "Julie" but continued ruling the South Indian film industry where she established herself as a leading heroine with films such as "16 Vayathinile", "Sigappu Rojakkal", "Meendum Kokila" and "Moondram Pirai".
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In Bollywood, she made her debut in 1978 as a lead actor in "Solva Sawan".
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She gained commercial success with the 1983 film "Himmatwala" opposite Jeetendra, which also established her as one of the best dancers in cinema. She was grace-personified dressed as an apsara (a celestial beauty in Hindu mythology) performing on the hit track 'Nainon mein sapna'.
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The year 1983 also saw Sridevi give stellar performances in both critically acclaimed and box-office hits such as "Sadma", where she played the role of a woman who loses her memory.
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Both she and actor-turned-politician Kamal Haasan played the roles in the Hindi remake of their 1982 Tamil movie, "Moondram Pirai". The climax of the heart-wrenching movie was deemed as poetic as the entire plot, with the song 'Ae zindagi gale laga le' as an ode to the philosophy of uncertainty in life.
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Sridevi followed it up with a number of commercial hits such as "Mawaali", "Tohfa", "Masterji" and "Nazrana".
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In 1987 came Shekhar Kapur's "Mr India", a film which was produced by her future husband Boney Kapoor.
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Sridevi gave a memorable performance as crime reporter Seema Sohni. She was one of the few female actors who left the audience spellbound with both her comic timing and sensuality.
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How her undercover scribe transformed into Ms Hawa Hawaaii, thanks to her dancing skills in one of the popular songs, is one of the most memorable scenes of the film.
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Owing to the cult status the song went on to achieve, the Kavita Krishnamurthy number has been recreated a number of times in films such as "Shaitan" and most recently in Vidya Balan's "Tumhari Sulu".
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And so will 'Kaate nahi kat-te', an iconic sultry number which saw the actor romance an invisible man in a song revelling in a never-before-seen boldness and fantasy.
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Filmmaker Yash Chopra cast her in the title role of "Chandni" in the 1989 film, another iconic film of her career. Such was her performance in the film that fans came to recognise her with the name of Chandni.
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Impressed with her performance in the film, Chopra cast her again in "Lamhe" in a dual role, where she played the mother and the daughter.
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It did not do well at the box office at that time but has come to be known one the best films of Sridevi, Chopra and Anil Kapoor's careers. The film was said to be ahead of its times as it dealt with a woman falling for an older man who is in love with her dead mother.
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Her other major box office hits of the era were "Chaalbaaz", where she played the role of twins, "Nagina", and "Khuda Gawah" opposite Amitabh Bachchan.
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Her pairing with Anil Kapoor, her "Mr India" co-star and brother-in-law, was particularly successful and she would work with him again in "Laadla" and "Judaai".
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After "Judaai", Sridevi took a break from acting to focus on her marriage with Boney Kapoor. She had two daughters -- Janhvi and Khushi -- with Kapoor.
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The actor made a successful comeback to cinema 15 years later with Gauri Shinde's "English Vinglish", playing a housewife who learns English after feeling left out in her family.
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She also had a starring role in Tamil film "Puli" and followed "English Vinglish" with another successful outing in "Mom", which also featured Nawazuddin Siddiqui and Akshaye Khanna.
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The actor's elder daughter Janhvi is on the cusp of her own cinematic journey with "Dhadak", a remake of the Marathi blockbuster "Sairat". Unfortunately, Sridevi will not be there to witness it.
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Sridevi: The diva who lit up Indian cinema screen

Mumbai, Feb 25 (PTI) Those expressive eyes and the mischievous smile sent hearts aquiver and lit up the cinema screens, making Sridevi ...

February 25, 2018

add add I was astounded by Sridevi's rise, says Kamal Haasan

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<b>Chennai, Feb 25 (PTI)</b> Actor-turned-politician Kamal Haasan has said legendary actor Sridevi surprised him with her dedication to the craft of acting and he was blown away by her ability to grow as an artiste.</div>
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The diva, who passed away late last night in Dubai at the age of 54 reportedly due to cardiac arrest, had acted with the actor in 27 films, including director K Balachander's "Moondru Mudichu", which also featured South superstar Rajinikanth.
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In a video message, Haasan remembered Sridevi as an "astounding talent", which was "no luck" but a result of her hard-working nature throughout a career spanning almost five decades.
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"Sridevi Kapoor's astounding talent was no luck. It was well-deserved and she worked for it from her childhood. I'm also a child actor, I've known her from her teens. She was still a child then when she came to work with me and Mr Balachander, my mentor sometimes gave me the responsibility of working with her, correcting her and shaping her acting, even her dance moves.
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"When she came she was not as talented as she is, she was. But she developed everyday she learnt. I was astounded by her climb and every step of it she worked for. She was very fond of me and I was very fond of her. We were working so continuously that our personal lives were on the periphery... So the kind of dedication she had truly matched mine and so it's no wonder that we were fond of each other," the 63-year-old actor said.
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Haasan recounted his last meeting with Sridevi which took place in January.
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"We were not prone to showing emotion but we both hugged each other and I'm very grateful for that hug... 'Sadma' song rings in my ears now. I think that (is) favourite lullaby for this talented, beautiful Sridevi. That's our lullaby for her," he added talking about the Yesudas song "Surmayi ankhiyon mein" from the 1983 hit movie.
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The actor also praised his deceased co-star as a dedicated mother to her two daughters - Janhvi and Khushi and offered his condolences to her husband, producer Boney Kapoor.
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add add I was astounded by Sridevi's rise, says Kamal Haasan

Chennai, Feb 25 (PTI) Actor-turned-politician Kamal Haasan has said legendary actor Sridevi surprised him with her dedication to the cr...

February 25, 2018

Fans gather outside Sridevi's house, mortal remains to arrive tonight

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<b>Mumbai, Feb 25 (PTI)</b> The air outside Sridevi's residence is heavy with grief as fans of the veteran actor continue to queue up to catch one last glimpse of their 'Chandni'.</div>
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Sridevi, 54, died late at Saturday night reportedly due to cardiac arrest in Dubai, where she had gone to attend her nephew Mohit Marwah's wedding.
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Ever since the news broke out, Sridevi's Lokhandwala home - where she used to live with her husband Boney Kapoor and two daughters Janhvi and Khushi - witnessed a steady stream of ardent fans assembling outside her house to pay their respects.
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According to an Airports Authority of India source, a private jet is being flown to Dubai to carry the late actor's mortal remains.
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The aircraft which will bring Sridevi's body is likely to depart from Mumbai around 1 pm and will arrive in Dubai at 4 pm. It is expected to reach Mumbai around 8 pm.
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Meanwhile, no celebrity has visited her residence yet.
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Two police vans have been stationed and the security, too, has been beefed up to avoid any commotion outside her residence.
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The actor, who started off her career down South as a child artiste, became a prominent Bollywood star in the early '80s with box-office hits such as "Mawaali" (1983), "Tohfa" (1984), "Mr India" (1987) and "Chandni" (1989) among others to her credit.
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Her outings in "Sadma" (1983), "ChaalBaaz" (1989), "Lamhe" (1991), and "Gumrah" (1993) earned her critical acclaim, establishing her as one of the most sought after actors of her era.
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Sridevi went on a hiatus for 15 years after starring in home production -- "Judaai" -- co-starring with her brother-in-law actor Anil Kapoor and Urmila Matondkar.
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It was director Gauri Shinde's "English Vinglish" in 2012 that marked her comeback to the silver screen.
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Sridevi was last seen in revenge-drama -- "Mom" -- alongside Nawazuddin Siddiqui and Akshaye Khanna. She shot for a special appearance in superstar Shah Rukh Khan's upcoming film -- "Zero" -- which releases in December.</div>
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Fans gather outside Sridevi's house, mortal remains to arrive tonight

Mumbai, Feb 25 (PTI) The air outside Sridevi's residence is heavy with grief as fans of the veteran actor continue to queue up to c...

February 25, 2018

After shooting, students make emotional return to Florida school

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<b>Washington, Feb 26 (AFP) </b>Students and teachers returned to a Florida school for the first time since 17 people were killed there, consoling each other even as they called for swift action to address gun violence.</div>
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"Imagine (being) in a plane crash and then having to get on the same plane every day and fly somewhere else -- it's never going to be the same," David Hogg, a survivor of the February 14 shooting at a Parkland, Florida high school, told ABC television's "This Week."
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The school held a voluntary "orientation" Sunday, with teachers and staff due back starting Monday and classes resuming on Wednesday -- a prospect described as "daunting" and "scary," but which is also a step for survivors to move forward after the attack.
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One teacher who had already been back told NPR radio that the shock of returning to a classroom left exactly as it had been during the attack -- notebooks still on desks, the calendar still set to February 14 -- made her so physically ill she had to leave.
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But Cameron Kasky, a student who survived the attack, tweeted a picture of people on campus, saying: "It is GOOD TO BE HOME."
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"I have all my friends here with me and it just makes me feel like I'm not alone in this situation," student Michelle Dittmeier, who attended the orientation, told ABC.
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Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School also received support from alumni, with previous graduating classes making banners to decorate the school, the WSVN news reported.
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Amid ardent demands by students like Hogg for action, President Donald Trump has said he is open to raising the minimum age for gun purchases and to banning so-called bump stocks, which can effectively convert semi-automatic weapons into automatic firearms.
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Speaking at the Governors Ball ahead of meetings with the top officials from all 50 states on Monday, Trump said that school safety is a top priority: "I think we'll make that first on our list." 
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A new CNN poll, conducted a week after the Florida shooting, shows surging public support for stricter gun laws -- surpassing levels seen even after other horrific shootings of recent years -- and for a ban on powerful semi-automatic weapons like the AR-15 used in Parkland.
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Overall, 70 percent of those surveyed said they supported stricter gun laws, up from 52 percent in October, and 57 percent favored a ban on semi-automatic arms, an increase from 49 per cent.
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Florida Governor Rick Scott has laid out a plan to station a police officer at every public school in the state, raise the legal age for gun purchases from 18 to 21 and pass a "red flag" law for authorities to more easily remove guns from the mentally ill or people with violent histories.
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The age change and "red flag" law are staunchly opposed by the influential National Rifle Association, of which Scott is a member.
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Scott, who holds the NRA's highest rating of A+, noted on "Fox News Sunday" that "there will be some that disagree. But... I want my state to be safe."
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Trump had Scott stand up to applause on Sunday, telling him: "You're doing a great job."
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Florida was also the scene of a June 2016 shooting at an Orlando nightclub that left 49 people dead.
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