News brief: Big stories of the day

BJP's Pramod Sawant sworn in as new Goa chief minister, says 'will never be able to do as much as Parrikar'

The BJP's Pramod Sawant was sworn in as chief minister of Goa at 1.50 am on Tuesday. Eleven ministers were sworn in along with him. 

"I will not be able to work as much as Manohar Parrikar ji but I will definitely try to work as much as possible," Sawant said shortly after taking office. He added that it was Parrikar who had brought him into politics. 

Media 'working overtime to blame me' for New Zealand mosque attacks: Trump

US President Donald Trump has said the media is "working overtime to blame me" for the New Zealand mosque attacks. 

The attacks on the two mosques last Friday in Christchurch have left 50 people dead. Trump has condemned the attacks but he has refused to come down as strongly on white nationalism. 

Over 1,000 feared dead in Mozambique storm

More than a thousand people are feared to have died in a cyclone that smashed into Mozambique last week, while scores were killed and more than 200 are missing in neighbouring Zimbabwe.

New Zealand PM Ardern vows mosque gunman will face 'full force of law'

New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern promised on Tuesday that the man responsible for last week's deadly mosque massacres would face "the full force of the law", as she vowed never to utter his name.

"He sought many things from his act of terror, but one was notoriety — that is why you will never hear me mention his name," Ardern said in an emotional address to a special meeting of parliament, which she opened with the Arabic greeting "as salaam aleikum" — 'peace be upon you'.

Akshay Kumar not planning to contest 2019 Lok Sabha elections

If there is an actor who has been making films with the theme of nation-building, it's Akshay Kumar. The actor's past few blockbuster hits have all had nationalism as their theme which made many speculate if the actor was planning to join politics. 

There were also rumours that the BJP was planning on making Akshay contest the 2019 Lok Sabha elections from Amritsar. 

Quashing rumours about his debut in politics, Akshay said, "Politics is not on my agenda. I feel what I am doing through my films, I will never be able to do that through politics." The actor was speaking to the press while promoting his upcoming film 'Kesari'.