Los Angeles, Sep 26 (IANS) Hollywood superstar Tom Cruise has always made it a point to serve novelty to the audience with his work. And, going forward he won’t have it the other way.

The 64-year-old actor is back on the big screen for his latest movie ‘Digger’ and insists that he never wants to stop pushing the boundaries in terms of his acting career.

The actor appeared on ‘The Graham Norton Show’, and said, "Cinema is my passion. Since I was four years old, I have wanted adventure and an adventurous life. I am always doing something – learning something new which I can add to characters”.

He further mentioned, “I want to push every art form. I love the challenge of doing one thing while working on another. To create is life. The makeup was taking so long that I decided to get it down from six hours to one, it was like a ballet getting everything in place. It was just like Formula 1. I had someone else hold the stopwatch”.

The actor claims that he had "never seen a character like Digger" during his legendary film career, as he said, “My character is outrageous and unpredictable. He says things that others may be thinking and never say. It's a timeless story about power, greed, and ego framed in a very timely manner by Alejandro G. Inarritu, one of the greatest filmmakers of all time. I've never read a script like it, and I have never seen a character like Digger”.

Meanwhile, Tom revealed recently that he is keen to make a movie with pop star Taylor Swift as he thinks she would be a "brilliant" director.

--IANS

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Samarkand, Sep 26 (IANS) Reigning World Classical Chess Champion Dommaraju Gukesh secured a clutch win to help India beat overnight joint-topper Germany 2.5-1.5 in the ninth round of the Open section of the 46th FIDE Chess Olympiad in Samarkand, moving up to second position in the standings.

With this win, India roared back into title contention as they are in good position to challenge table toppers Uzbekistan for the title.

In the crucial clash on table 2, R. Praggnanandhaa, Arjun Erigaisi and Nihal Sarin were held to draws on the first three boards before Gukesh secured the lone victory of the match against Germany as India moved to 15 points, sharing the second spot with Uzbekistan 2 and Armenia. The main team of hosts Uzbekistan, who defeated top-seeded United States in the ninth round, lead the standings with 16 points.

Praggnanandhaa, playing white, was held to a draw by top German GM Vincent Keymer, while Arjun Erigaisi drew with Bluebaum Matthias. With Nihal Sarin also being held by Frederik Svane on the third board, it appeared that India would drop points in the second successive round.

But Gukesh pulled out a grand Houdini act from a seemingly lost position to turn things in India's favour with a fine performance to secure a crucial win on the fourth board.

Playing with black against Alexander Donchenko, Gukesh was in trouble and heading for defeat before he staged a comeback with precise moves to win the day for India.

In the women's section, B Savitha Shri's incredible run of seven successive wins came to an end but remained unbeaten after a draw against Karimova Guldona of Uzbekistan on the top table.

Koneru Humpy, playing with white pieces, was held by top Uzbek Afruza Khamdamova. But Women's World Cup winner Divya Deshmukh and Ventika Agrawal won their games to secure a 3-1 win for India.

The victory took them to 15 points from nine rounds as they shared the second spot with Kazakhstan and Mongolia. Armenia went down 1-3 to leaders China while Mongolia drew 2-2 with Kazakhstan.

China extended their lead to two points as they lead with 17 points, and Saturday's 10th-round clash with defending champions India will make things clear.

--IANS

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Kohima, Sep 26 (IANS) Nagaland Governor Nand Kishore Yadav has said that preserving Naga heritage should not be limited to safeguarding physical objects, but must also include preserving the traditional knowledge and cultural practices associated with them.

The Governor and Chairman of North Eastern Zonal Cultural Centre (NEZCC) on Friday released two books, --"Nagas: The Knowledge Practitioners", authored by Alok Kumar Kanungo and Alino Sumi, and 'Nagaland Textiles - Threads That Weave Stories", authored by Sentila T. Yanger, at the NEZCC Headquarters in Chumoukedima.

Addressing the gathering, Governor Yadav added that the two publications, though dealing with different subjects, brought the rich cultural heritage and knowledge traditions of the Naga people into academic and public focus.

He said both publications conveyed the importance of recognising culture as a body of knowledge created, practised, refined and transmitted across generations.

Speaking on the book – "Nagas: The Knowledge Practitioners", the Governor said indigenous knowledge should not be viewed merely as folklore, but as knowledge developed through observation, experience, experimentation and adaptation.

The Governor added that traditional knowledge relating to agriculture, crafts, technologies, forests, natural resources, rituals and material culture represented valuable knowledge systems developed within communities.

Referring to the publication on Naga textiles, Governor Yadav said that Naga shawls represented more than pieces of cloth and carried identity, memory, social meaning and artistic expression.

He noted that colours, patterns, motifs and weaving techniques reflected knowledge and traditions developed within different communities.

He also stressed the importance of proper documentation of indigenous knowledge, saying that documentation could provide an accessible record for researchers, students, artisans, museums and future generations and said that such documentation should be undertaken with sensitivity to the communities from whom the knowledge originated, with due recognition of their identity, ownership, dignity and intellectual rights.

Speaking on the relevance of indigenous knowledge in the present context, the Governor said that technological advancement should not lead to cultural amnesia.

He encouraged the younger generation to embrace modern education and technology while also understanding the traditional knowledge of their communities.

Governor Yadav said that traditional knowledge could offer valuable insights into contemporary concerns such as climate change, biodiversity conservation, sustainable agriculture, responsible use of natural resources and sustainable livelihoods.

He stressed that the challenge was not to choose between tradition and modernity, but to build a meaningful dialogue between the two.

The Governor appreciated the scholars, institutions, researchers, field workers, artisans and elders involved in documenting Naga knowledge and traditions.

He encouraged educational institutions in Nagaland to make greater use of such publications and called for more research by young Naga scholars on languages, oral traditions, architecture, agriculture, traditional medicine, music, textiles, craftsmanship, customary institutions, and stressed the need for village-level documentation of traditional knowledge before it was lost with the passing of its practitioners and called for greater efforts to document, research, teach and transmit Naga traditions to younger generations.

The NEZCC Director Alobo Naga, said that the NEZCC had been supporting scholars, artists and cultural practitioners in documenting traditional knowledge, folk practices, indigenous art forms and other cultural traditions and added that such efforts helped preserve aspects of Naga cultural identity and pass them on to future generations.

--IANS

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Mumbai, Feb 13 (IANS) Maharashtra NCP(SP) President Shashikant Shinde has written a commemorative editorial in the party’s magazine, shedding light on the hidden dynamics of the split and the alleged merger plans between the two NCP factions.

Shinde claimed that late Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar was forced to exit the original NCP due to threats and conspiracies orchestrated by "invisible powers."

He further said that a final decision to merge the two parties was reached in the presence of Maratha strongman Sharad Pawar and was to be announced on February 12.

In a massive revelation, Shinde asserted that Sharad Pawar and other senior leaders had agreed to hand over the entire command of the unified party to Ajit Pawar following the merger.

“Fulfilling this merger and rebuilding the party with strength would be the only true tribute to Ajit Dada," Shinde wrote.

Shinde clarified, "It was our decision to hand over all party responsibilities to Ajit Dada once the merger process was complete. However, fate had other plans. We were all mentally prepared to accept Ajit Dada’s leadership.”

Shinde appealed to the party faithful, asserting that a merger is the only true tribute to the late leader. He noted, “Ajit Pawar’s dream remains unfulfilled, and it is now the party's responsibility to complete it. Unity: Reuniting and strengthening the NCP is the ultimate goal. Leaders and workers must set aside their differences and broaden their perspective to achieve this unity.”

Following the publication of the article, senior NCP(SP) leader and former Home Minister Anil Deshmukh remarked, "I am unaware of what our State President has said. Since he wrote the article, he likely has more information than I do. I personally have no knowledge of this matter."

While Sharad Pawar has avoided commenting publicly on the matter, Shinde’s article has brought these behind-the-scenes developments to light. However, Shinde’s revelations have sparked a new controversy and the NCP (Ajit Pawar faction) has reacted with sharp skepticism.

Party spokesperson Suraj Chavan questioned the timing of these claims. Chavan alleged that discussing a merger while the leader’s mortal remains were still at Vidya Pratishthan suggests a "lust for power" rather than genuine respect. He clarified that Sunetra Pawar is now the ultimate authority of their party and any dialogue must happen through her.

Further, the party legislator Amol Mitkari stated that no such merger discussions have occurred within their internal party meetings, attributing the rumours to the rival camp's leaders.

While the Pawar family continues to demonstrate a unique balance of political rivalry and familial bond — recently seen at family weddings — the political future remains clouded.

All eyes are now on Sunetra Pawar. Whether she will pursue the "unfulfilled dream" of a unified NCP or maintain a separate identity, remains a question that will define the next chapter of Maharashtra politics.

--IANS

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New Delhi, Feb 13 (IANS) India’s share in global electronics demand has expanded at a rapid compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 17.2 per cent, significantly outpacing global growth of 4.4 per cent between 2015 and 2024, driven primarily by the sharp rise in mobile phone exports, according to NITI Aayog's Trade Watch Quarterly report for July-September 2025-26, launched on Friday.

Between 2016 and 2024, electronics exports increased nearly five-fold, reaching USD 42.1 billion. With global electronics trade valued at USD 4.6 trillion, the sector represents one of the largest and fastest-evolving segments of the world economy. India has demonstrated particular strength in products such as mobile phones, consumer electronics, and communication equipment, with exports increasingly directed towards major final-consumption markets including the United States, the United Kingdom, and the UAE, the report states.

Electronics, the thematic focus of this quarter's edition, has emerged as a cornerstone of India's manufacturing and export transformation. Now the second-largest item in India's export basket, the sector is both technology-led and deeply interconnected with industries such as automotive, renewable energy, telecom, defence, and digital services, making it a powerful multiplier for industrial growth.

The report states that having established a strong foothold in assembly and system integration, India is now entering the next phase of its electronics journey, moving decisively toward component manufacturing and higher value addition. This transition is supported by targeted policy measures, including the Union Budget's Rs 40,000 crore allocation under the Electronics Components Manufacturing Scheme, aimed at strengthening domestic capabilities.

The analysis underscores that sustained competitiveness will be driven by deeper integration into global electronics value chains, encompassing printed circuit board design, semiconductor assembly and testing, power electronics, and embedded systems. Complemented by continued improvements in logistics efficiency, tariff rationalisation, and industry-aligned skill development, these shifts position electronics as a key engine of India's export growth and technological advancement in the coming decade.

NITI Aayog Vice-Chairman Suman Bery said, "Electronics, as the organising core of modern manufacturing value chains, with semiconductors and components, plays a key role in determining trade balances and technological sovereignty. While India has achieved scale in final assembly, sustained competitiveness will depend on correcting structural cost disabilities, deepening domestic component ecosystems, and leveraging anchor investments in components to embed Indian firms more firmly within global production networks."

The publication also provides a comprehensive assessment of global and domestic trade trends at a time when global trade growth has moderated but remains positive, with services continuing to outperform goods and developing regions emerging as key drivers.

The analysis highlights that India's trade performance in Q2 FY26 was driven by export-led momentum sustaining the overall trade expansion amid heightened global uncertainty. Services and merchandise exports recorded robust growth of around 8.5 per cent, outpacing import growth in both merchandise and services.

At a structural level, the edition underscores the deepening of trade among developing economies, which has expanded nearly four-fold since 2005 and now accounts for a rising share of global exports, with India’s trade trajectory increasingly aligned with this Global South rebalancing through regional value chains and new trade corridors.

Further, this edition highlights the growing role of e-commerce as a key enabler of future export growth. India is now among the world’s top six e-commerce markets, with electronics accounting for nearly half of online retail.

--IANS

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New Delhi, Feb 13 (IANS) In a farmer-centric step to stabilise domestic markets and ensure remunerative returns to producers, the Centre on Friday approved the export of 25 lakh metric tonnes (LMT) of wheat, along with an additional 5 LMT of wheat products.

According to a Consumer Affairs Ministry statement, wheat stock availability with private entities during 2025–26 stands at approximately 75 LMT, which is nearly 32 LMT higher compared to the corresponding period last year.

"This substantial year-on-year increase indicates a comfortable supply position in the country. Furthermore, as on April 1, 2026, total wheat availability in the central pool with FCI is projected at around 182 LMT, thus ensuring that export permissions will not impact domestic food security requirements," it said.

Moreover, wheat acreage in Rabi 2026 has also increased to about 334.17 lakh hectares compared to 328.04 lakh hectares last year.

This reflects strong farmer confidence in wheat cultivation supported by assured MSP and procurement mechanisms, and signals the likelihood of another robust harvest, the official statement further added.

The decision to permit export of 25 LMT of wheat and 5 LMT wheat products will help stabilise domestic prices, improve market liquidity, ensure efficient stock rotation, and further strengthen farmers’ income while ensuring national food security.

Meanwhile, to facilitate sugar exports, the government decided to allow export of an additional 5 LMT of sugar to willing sugar mills during the current Sugar Season 2025–26.

Earlier, the government had permitted the export of 15 LMT of sugar during the current Sugar Season 2025–26. This decision is expected to facilitate higher sugar exports and help in managing surplus sugar availability in the country.

As per data, only about 1.97 LMT of sugar has been exported up to January 31, 2026.

In addition, approximately 2.72 LMT of sugar has been contracted for export by sugar mills to date.

The ministry said that the additional export quantity of 5 LMT shall be made available to willing sugar mills, subject to the condition that at least 70 per cent of their allocated quantity is exported by June 30, 2026.

--IANS

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Chennai, Sep 25 (IANS) Popular Tamil actor Sivakarthikeyan's next film, which is being directed by Ramkumar Balakrishnan, went on floors with a traditional pooja ceremony here in the city on Friday.

The film, which is yet to be titled, is tentatively being referred to as #SK27 and is being produced by well known production house Sathya Jyothi Films.

Sharing a video clip of the inaugural function on its social media handles, the popular production house wrote, "A powerful start to a promising story. #SK27 begins with a pooja. On floors today. Starring @sivakarthikeyan. A film by @ramkumar_dir. Produced by @sathyajyothifilms. @kayadu_lohar_official @omdop #TGThyagarajan #SendhilThyagarajan @arjun1on @saisiddharth @kalai_editor #ARajesh @praveenraja @stevenkumar_action @appoo_dir @teamaimpro @pro_barani @themugdigital."

The film will feature Kayadu Lohar, who has been making waves with her performances in the superhit films 'Dragon' and 'Immortal', as the female lead opposite Sivakarthikeyan.

Apart from Sivakarthikeyan and Kayadu Lohar, the film is likely to feature popular comedians Sudhakar and VTV Ganesh among others. Sources say character artistes George Maryan and Babloo Prithviraj too are likely to be seen in pivotal roles in the film.

On the technical front, the film will have cinematography by one of the best in the business, Om Prakash, and editing by Kalaivanan, who was also the editor of Sivakarthikeyan's blockbuster film, 'Amaran'. Costumes for the new film are to be designed by Praveen Raja while stunts in the film are to be choreographed by Steven Kumar.

Sources close to the unit of the film say that the first schedule of the film, which began in Chennai on Friday, will be for a period of 10 to 15 days.

For the unaware, director Ramkumar Balakrishnan, who is directing this film, is best known for having directed the superhit Tamil film 'Parking' which walked away with three National Awards including the award for Best Screenplay and The Best Regional Movie (Tamil) at the 71st National Film Awards.

--IANS

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Los Angeles, Sep 25 (IANS) Singer-songwriter Ed Sheeran’s troubles don’t seem to cease. The singer’s pair of his high-profile stadium shows have been canceled due to weather. The singer was set to perform on September 25 and September 26 in Massachusetts.

However, his shows now have been nixed. The tour promoter Messina Touring took to their Instagram, and shared the updates.

They wrote, “Due to the severe weather warnings in place in Boston and across New England throughout the weekend and following consultation with local officials, we have made the difficult decision to cancel the Ed Sheeran concerts at Gillette Stadium. The decision was made with the safety of fans, staff and everyone involved in the shows as the top priority”.

“Refunds are available now at the point of purchase. Ticketholders who purchased through Ticketmaster will be automatically refunded”, they added.

Earlier, the singer became embroiled in a controversy over Palestine after rapper Macklemore, his opening act, voiced support for Palestinians, and said, “Free Palestine” during a New Jersey concert. Macklemore was subsequently removed from Sheeran’s US Loop Tour after venue owners objected to his comments.

Sheeran said the decision was made by the tour promoter following pressure from venues, and denied personally removing Macklemore. 4 other supporting acts later withdrew in solidarity with Macklemore. Sheeran initially said his shows were not intended to be political, but addressed the issue publicly when the tour resumed in Philadelphia on September 19. He apologised for mistakes in handling the controversy and described the situation in Gaza as “catastrophic and unjustifiable”, while also condemning the October 2023 Hamas attack.

--IANS

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Mumbai, Sep 25 (IANS) Music composer Shankar Mahadevan has shared an interesting anecdote about the title track of the iconic film ‘Dil Chahta Hai’. The composer shared that he along with his fellow composers Ehsaan Noorani and Loy Mendonsa, and sound engineer Vijay Benegal (Benny) had made 21 versions of the title track.

However, the scratch version of the song made it to the final cut as it was liked the most by the makers, and everyone in the team.

In a special video for Spotify, Shankar Mahadevan sat down for a chat with Ehsaan Noorani, Loy Mendonsa, playback singer Shaan, and Meiyang Chang.

He said, “Shall I reveal one more secret about this song? Benny did about 21 mixes of the song. And this, what you're hearing is the rough mix. There was something, something magical about it. What you're hearing is actually the first scratch that we did of the song. The bass lines and all. We had some new samples and great drums, we experimented, and it paid off. People get scared of being minimalistic”.

He further mentioned, “Most people in the business want to fill it up. That shows a person's insecurity. If you're very confident about your melody, if you're confident about your groove and your bass line and your, and that minimal thing, you don't need stuff. If you have a good engineer who mixes it well, it fills up the space”.

‘Dil Chahta Hai’ marked the directorial debut of Farhan Akhtar, and became a defining film of modern Hindi cinema, particularly for its portrayal of urban friendship, romance and youthful independence. Its Goa road trip turned into a cultural touchstone, inspiring generations to recreate the journey with friends.

The film’s visual language, casual fashion and conversational storytelling also influenced Bollywood’s depiction of contemporary urban India. The soundtrack was equally influential, blending rock, pop and Indian sounds.

--IANS

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Los Angeles, Sep 25 (IANS) Singer-songwriter Joe Jonas has recollected his scary holiday experience. The singer has shared that he was left "really spooked" after getting trapped in the water between two boats while on vacation.

The singer and his girlfriend Tatiana Gabriela recently enjoyed a two-night trip on a yacht in Portofino, Italy, with Morgan Stewart and her husband Jordan. The two couples had a "terrifying" incident when they stepped out for dinner.

Joe appeared on Morgan's podcast, and recalled how they "had the best time" out on the vessel, which had its own crew, chef and tender boat. However, disaster struck exactly when they decided to stop at a restaurant. The venue had requested customers use its own transfer boat and staff.

The 37-year-old singer said, “But as I took a step, I think a wave came in and it pushed the boat far out from the yacht. It sounds like the bougiest problem, but it was terrifying because then I slipped and fell between these two boats. The first mate tried to grab me, but he also fell in after me”.

The singer was fully dressed, and had his phone in his pocket. He got stuck in the water between the two vessels, which were a few feet apart, and as he swam to the surface, he was keen to get further away from the vessel.

He decided not to swim towards the yacht's ladder because of the engines, as he said, “The first time I climbed up, I must have hit my shin or something, and then I fell back in”.

He further mentioned, “In those moments, you’re just like, your adrenaline is going so fast, and of course, all your faces are like in shock. You’re like, ‘Oh my god, is he, is he okay?’ Which I was like, ‘No, I’m fine’”.

“I finally came down from the anxiety and I looked at Tati and I was like, ‘That s*** was really scary’. Like that really spooked me for a while. It was really intense”, he added.

--IANS

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