Newsprint: January 03, 2018

Don’t have time to keep a tab on news throughout the day? CNN-News18 brings you the day’s top news and newsmakers in less than 3 minutes! Here are today’s top picks: Bhima-Koregaon Violence Disrupts Lok Sabha, Opposition Blames RSS & Hindutva Outfits, Maharashtra Govt Being Blamed for Failed law & order, and opposition questions PMs' Silence

ENTERTAINMENT:-

The New Year has begun for Karan Johar's Dharma Productions with new hopes and new blockbusters in making. Starring Alia Bhatt and Ranbir Kapoor, Brahmastra is Karan Johar's ambitious project which is to be directed by Ayan Mukerji. The director and the two actors are currently in Israel for the preparations and the shooting will begin in February. Brahmastra will be Ranbir and Ayan's third collaboration after Wake Up Sid and Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani. The film also marks the debut pairing of Ranbir and Alia. The film is expected to be made as a trilogy, the first part of which is expected to release in 2019.

SPORTS:-

Speaking exclusively to Cricketnext in Cape Town, Indian wicket keeper Wriddhiman Saha believes the batting line up is not at all worried about the pace battery of the South Africans. Saha, further noted that if the Proteas have the likes of Kagiso Rabada, Morne Morkel or Dale Steyn in their ranks, India have the likes Umesh Yadav and Mohammad Shami who are equally capable of bowling fast. The confident Saha also added that to win a Test match, the most important thing will be picking up 20 wickets and dismissing the opposition in time. Saha, who believes India’s success at home was due to the hardwork put in all season, acknowledges that India will be a better team after the South Africa tour.

TECH

The United States today urged Iran to stop blocking online social media and advised its citizens to set up virtual private networks, or VPNs, to circumvent censorship. Steve Goldstein, the State Department's under-secretary for public diplomacy, denounced Iran's attempts to restrict net access and urged Iranians to find a way to log in.