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Barmer oil output will bring prosperity: PM

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Barmer (Rajasthan), August 29: Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said Saturday that the inauguration of Cairn India’s Mangala oil fields here is bound to bring enormous prosperity to Rajasthan.

Speaking after inaugurating the Mangala field, India’s largest oil discovery in two decades, he said: “It is a historical fact that whenever oil has been found in a country, it has developed very fast. I believe after the oil production here, there will be a new Rajasthan where there is no poverty and less unemployment.”

Spears takes sons to Broadway

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London, August 29: Pop star Britney Spears took her sons to see “Shrek: The Musical” in New York.

This is the second broadway show Britney saw with her sons Jaden James and Sean Preston. The kids had accompanied their mother to “The Little Mermaid musical” Aug 22, reported thesun.co.uk

–Agencies

On his 51st birthday, MJ lives on – in Nepal

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Kathmandu, August 29: More than two months after he died of a drug overdose, which has now been ruled as homicide, `King of pop’ Michael Jackson lives on – in Nepal.

On Saturday, the day the American superstar would have turned 51, an extraordinary tribute is being paid to him by an amazing look-alike, who also has talent and grit.

Fee Faridi, a 27-year-old African dancer also known as the “Michael Jackson of Zanzibar”, began a vigorous solo show in Kathmandu Saturday, intending to set a world record for the longest dance performance in the style of the pop icon.

Kumble’s wife, ex-husband in custody battle over daughter

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New Delhi, August 29: Cricketer Anil Kumble’s wife Chethana has withdrawn her custody case over her 14-year-old daughter Aaruni with her former husband Kumar V. Jahgirdar in the Supreme Court. The case will now reopen in a family court in Bangalore.

Chethana has challenged a Bangalore family court’s decision to entertain Jahgirdar’s plea for custody of their daughter, who is living with her and Kumble.

Jahgirdar said he is “very confident” of proving in a family court that the “child wants to live with me” and is “is better served in my house”.

Australian state premier writes to Indian students

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Adelaide, August 29: The premier of an Australian state has taken the unusual step of writing a personal letter to each of the 4,787 Indian overseas students enrolled in his state, assuring them of their safety and welfare.

South Australia Premier Mike Rann has written to Indian students highlighting not only his government’s support but also the extra support networks available to ensure that their experience of living and studying is “overwhelmingly positive”.

Indian danseuse Shobana to stage musical in Malaysia

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Kuala Lumpur, August 29: Award winning Indian actress-dancer Shobana is to stage her acclaimed musical “Maya Ravan”, based on the Ramayana epic, for the Malaysian audience here.

The musical, which has been conceived, interpreted and choreographed, by Shobana is aimed to widen the appeal of the Ramayana among world audiences. It features top artists from Mumbai and Chennai as narrators and Shobana herself plays Ravan.

Stolen Brazilian monkeys found in Chhattisgarh

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Raipur, August 29: A 35-year-old man has been arrested in Chhattisgarh for illegally caging seven rare Brazilian monkeys that were stolen from Kolkata-based Alipore zoo this month, police said Saturday.

“We acted as decoy customers and finalised a deal with Raju Sekia in Bhilai town Friday night to purchase seven monkeys,” police Superintendent Dipanshu Kabra told IANS.

He said police finalised the deal at Rs.500,000 per monkey.

BJP, a party lost in the political woods

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New Delhi, August 29: Since the Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) problems relate to both leadership and ideology – the two crucial aspects of any organisation – the chances of its recovery do not appear too bright at the moment.

In the matter of leadership, the party has got bogged down in the most familiar of political quagmires: the reluctance of aging and uncharismatic people at the helm to make way for Generation Next.

Retain name of Indian Studies Department, university urged

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Kuala Lumpur, August 29: The Malaysian Indian Congress (MIC) has urged Universiti Malaya to retain the name of its Indian Studies Department and not change it to Indian and South Asian Studies Department.

MIC president S. Samy Vellu Friday asked UM Vice Chancellor Ghauth Jasmon to reconsider his decision to rename the department.

“He has to listen to the views of the Indian community. Tamil is our life,” Samy Vellu said when asked to comment on Jasmon’s statement on the proposal to rename the Indian Studies Department.

260 Guatemalans cook 1,200 dishes

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Guatemala City, August 29: Around 260 Guatemalan chefs set a new Guinness record by preparing 1,200 different dishes.

According to the restaurateurs association, Guatemala beat the previous record of 1,028 dishes set by Turkey last April.

The president of the restaurateurs association, Peter Meng, said the feat Thursday night wrapped up the 2009 Food Fair.

The judging was based on flavour, variety and that all the dishes prepared, many typical of Guatemalan cuisine, be eatable, according to the Guinness adjudicator Carl Saville.

Researchers develop device to save babies

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New Delhi, August 29: A foetal heart monitor designed by Indian scientists can save unborn infants in complicated pregnancies.

Developed by A.K. Mittra, from the Manoharbhai Patel Institute of Engineering and Technology in Maharashtra, and his colleagues, the simple device comprises a two-microphone system that can monitor foetal heart rate (FHR) when the mother is resting and asleep.

During complex pregnancies that end in preterm labour, miscarriage or foetal death, problems usually occur over days.

Healthy lifestyle can keep dementia at bay

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Sydney, August 29: Physical activity, non-smoking, social engagements and mental stimulation cut down the risk of dementia, a new study says.

“What’s interesting is that these lifestyle changes … don’t just have benefits for memory and preventing Alzheimer’s disease, they can also ward off heart disease and assist in overall well being,” said Leon Flicker, who conducted the study.

Flicker is the director of the Western Australian Centre for Health and Ageing and professor of geriatric medicine at the University of Western Australia (UWA).

NASA calls off first moon rocket test fire

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Promontory, Utah, August 28: A mechanical failure forced a NASA contractor on Thursday to call off the first test firing of the main part of NASA’s powerful new moon rocket.

The test wasn’t immediately rescheduled as officials scrambled to learn the root cause of the failure.

Alliant Techsystems Inc called off the rocket burn with just 20 seconds left on the countdown clock. Operators cited failure of a power unit that drives hydraulic tilt controls for the rocket’s nozzle. The rocket was anchored to the ground in a horizontal position for the test.

Iranian president: Prosecute opposition leaders

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Tehran, August 28: President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad on Friday called for the leaders of the opposition to be prosecuted over Iran’s postelection turmoil, stepping up pressure against the pro-reform movement that says he won the election by fraud.

It was the first time Ahmadinejad has made such a call, publicly siding with hard-line politicians and clerics and commanders of the powerful Revolutionary Guard who have demanded in recent weeks that opposition leader Mir Hossein Mousavi and his top allies be arrested.

‘Illegal furnaces posing a health hazard’

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New Delhi, August 28: Following a notice from the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), the Uttar Pradesh government has admitted that extraction of animal bone fat in illegal furnaces in Meerut city is causing pollution and posing a serious health hazard.

The state’s chief secretary Aug 25 admitted to the health implications and said that corrective measures would be taken, a NHRC official said Friday.

According to the official, the commission has been informed that 24 teams have been constituted to ensure that illegal furnaces for extraction of fat are not allowed to operate.

No proposal yet from Congress on Maharashtra poll tie-up: NCP

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Mumbai, August 28: With the announcement of assembly polls in Maharashtra imminent, Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief Sharad Pawar Friday said he had received no proposal from the Congress on an electoral alliance.

Pawar said that he had been received suggestions from some “well-wishers” (in the Congress) offering options like the two parties contesting jointly, separately, having a post-poll alliance, and so on, but “so far there is no clear proposal from the Congess leadership.”

New IIMs won’t dilute brand image: Sibal

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Bhubaneswar, August 28: Union Human Resource Development Minister Kapil Sibal said Friday that the setting up of new IIMs won’t dilute the brand image of these prestigious business schools.

Speaking to reporters in Bhubaneswar, the minister said that the seven new IIMs won’t affect the existing institutions.

“The new IIMs would be of the same standard. The infrastructure and faculties would be of same standard in the new ones,” Sibal said.

The union government Thursday approved the setting up of seven IIMs to boost higher education in the country.

Hizbul Mujahideen Commander and six aides convicted

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Hyderabad, August 27: The First Additional Metropolitan Sessions Judge today held the self styled Hizbul Mujahideen commander Mujeeb Ahmed and his six aides guilty in illegal arms procurement. However the court would pronounce the sentence tommorrow.

Mujeeb and his associates were brought to the Nampally criminal courts admidst tight security and the sessions judge rewarded conviction late in the evening.

3 year old dies after falling into water sump

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Hyderabad, August 27: A three-and-a-half-year-old boy met with a watery grave when he accidentally fell into a partially-open water sump at his residence.The incident occurred at Padmavati Nagar in Borabanda in the early hours of Wednesday.

Majid was the son of Mr Syed Zahed, a fruit-seller. Majid was the third child of Syed and his wife, Ms Baqlica Begum.At about 4 am on Wednesday, Majid’s family found that he was missing.

The family thought he might be with their relatives, who stay next door.
However, Syed found Majid floating when he opened the sump to draw water.

Four arrested in NRI family Murder case

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Hyderabad, August 27: The city police on Wednesday arrested K. Madhavi Devi, an employee of ICICI Insurance, and her husband, John Abraham, for the brutal murder of an NRI family in a lodge in Secunderabad last Thursday.

Two students were also arrested for helping the couple and police recovered cash, gold ornaments and mobile phones from their possession.The Additional Commissioner of POlice (Crimes) Mr. Narasimha Reddy told that the accused persons after committing the offence fled to Vizag.

Diabetic youth dies after laddu-eating contest in Hyderabad

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Hyderabad, August 26: A 39-year-old diabetic died after he tried to gulp down seven laddus without stop in a contest on Tuesday.

Bandu Joshi died during a laddu-eating competition organised by a private FM radio channel at a Ganesh festival pandal here, police said.

Joshi, a catering worker residing at Tarnaka here, had been to his relatives’ house at New Nallakunta where he participated in the contest.

Interpol Red Corner Notice against Hafiz Saeed

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New Delhi, August 26: Interpol has issued a Red Corner Notice (RCN) on Tuesday against Jamaat-ud-Dawa (JuD) chief Hafiz Saeed, who has been chargesheeted for masterminding the 26/11 Mumbai attack carnage.

The notice will make it difficult for Pakistan to let the dreaded chief of JuD roam freely.

BJP action against Arun Shourie likely Tuesday

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New Delhi, August 25: Terming the remarks of its leader Arun Shourie as “unfortunate”, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) sources indicated here Tuesday morning that action against him is likely to be taken later in the day.

“Action against him (Shourie) is likely to be taken today (Tuesday). It may be on the same lines as the action against Jaswant Singh,” a senior party leader told IANS.

Hizb militant killed in Jammu and Kashmir gunfight

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Jammu, August 25: A Hizbul Mujahideen militant was killed as security forces raided a hideout of the guerrillas in a mountainous area of Jammu and Kashmir’s Reasi district early Tuesday, police said.

The gunfight in the upper reaches of Mahore in Reasi district, 150 km from here, is still on.

Police officials said security forces reached the suspected hideout of the militants early in the morning following a tip-off from locals.

Air India employees on three-day hunger strike

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New Delhi, August 25: About 20,000 employees of cash-strapped national carrier Air India Tuesday began a three-day hunger strike across various airports to protest delayed salaries.

However, flight operations had not been impacted, said an Air India spokesperson. “We have a well formulated contingency plan and have deployed additional manpower to ensure smooth operations,” he said.