shameen

Common antifungal drug can slow tumour growth: Study

by

An inexpensive drug in clinical use for 40 years as an antifungal can `starve` tumours, slow down their growth and has the potential to be an important chemotherapeutic tool, a new study has claimed.

Researchers from the University of Texas at Austin found that thiabendazole, an FDA-approved, generic drug destroys newly established blood vessels, making it a vascular disrupting agent.

Inhibiting blood vessel, or vascular, growth can be an important chemotherapeutic tool because it starves tumours.

Tumours induce new blood vessel formation to feed their out-of-control growth.

US expects S Africa to make Iran shun N-programme

by

US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has urged South Africa to use its “rare authority” to persuade Iran in giving up its nuclear programme, Xinhua reported on Wednesday.

Speaking at the University of Western Cape, the visiting the US secretary said “as the first country to voluntarily give up nuclear weapons, South Africa speaks with rare authority”.

She said South Africa, which voluntarily abandoned its nuclear weapons program in 1989, can deliver a convincing message to Iran.

‘Pakistani PM Ashraf faces walk of shame’

by

Pakistan Prime Minister Raja Pervez Ashraf will have to undertake a “walk of shame” on August 27 to the Supreme Court where he may be charged with contempt of court unless a letter to reopen corruption cases is written to the Swiss authorities, said a leading daily.

“Another Prime Minister, another walk of shame,” said an editorial in the Dawn that referred to Ashraf’s predecessor Yousuf Raza Gilani who had to step down over the issue.

Industrial growth contracts 1.8% in June

by

Indicating a persistent slowdown in the economy, industrial production has declined by 1.8 percent in June mainly due to poor show by manufacturing and capital goods sectors.

Industrial output in the April-June quarter too contracted by 0.1 percent this fiscal, according to the official data released Thursday.

Growth in factory output, as measured by the index of industrial production (IIP), was 9.5 percent in June, and 6.9 percent in April-June quarter in 2011-12.

‘Pak swelling nuclear arsenal to counter India’

by

Primarily aimed at India, Pakistan is making qualitative and quantitative improvements to its nuclear arsenal and “could increase the number of circumstances under which it would be willing to use nuclear weapons”, a Congressional report has said.

“Pakistan appears to be increasing its fissile production capability and improving its delivery vehicles in order to hedge against possible increases in India’s nuclear arsenal.”

“Islamabad may also accelerate its current nuclear weapons efforts,” the independent Congressional Research Service (CRS) said in a report.

London Olympics boxing: Mary Kom secures historic bronze

by

India`s M.C. Mary Kom created history Wednesday by becoming the country`s first woman boxer to win a medal at the Olympics.

Mary Kom, however, had to settle for the bronze as she went down fighting in her 51kg semi-final bout against local favourite Nicola Adams.

The 29-year-old Manipuri also became the second Indian boxer after Vijender Singh to win an Olympic medal. Vijender got a bronze in Beijing four years ago.

Third of Earth’s organisms live in rocks, sediments

by

A third of the Earth’s organisms live in our planet’s rocks and sediments – and the amount could even be greater undersea than what we find on the surface, scientists say.

Microbiologist James Holden of the University of Massachusetts-Amherst and his colleagues revealed the first detailed data on methane-exhaling microbes that live deep in the rocks and sediments, the Daily Mail reported Wednesday.

Dams the latest culprit in global warming

by

Researchers have documented the role dams play in global warming and the surges of greenhouse gases as water levels go up and down.

Bridget Deemer, doctoral student at Washington State University (WSU)- Vancouver, Canada, measured dissolved gases in the water column of Lacamas Lake in Clark County and found methane emissions jumped 20-fold when the water level was drawn down.

A fellow WSU-Vancouver student, Maria Glavin, sampled bubbles rising from the lake mud and measured a 36-fold increase in methane during a drawdown, according to a university statement.

It was refreshing to work with Katrina: Anushka Sharma

by

All seems well between Anushka Sharma and Katrina Kaif, who were reportedly caught up in catfight over a make-up man last year. The actresses will be seen together in Yash Chopra`s untitled film, and Anushka is all praises for Katrina.

“It was a refreshing experience to work with Katrina. She is normal and friendly. We shot together for the film in London and even went out a few times,” said Anushka.

“She is hardworking and I appreciate her for what she has achieved,” she added.

The movie also features superstar Shah Rukh Khan, who returns in his classic romantic avatar in the film.

I`m stylish, not sexy: Sonam Kapoor

by

Bollywood fashionista Sonam Kapoor says she is considered stylish, but she doesn`t think she is sexy.

“I have only been called stylish till now. I can only say that there is a lot of time before I become sexy,” the 27-year-old said.

She says it’s important for every person to show different facets of their personality one by one.

“I think we shouldn`t open all our cards at once, something should be kept under wraps. So, one thing at a time,” she added.

Shun junk food to boost kid’s IQ

by

Babies and infants fed junk food may have a slightly reduced IQ, while those going in for healthy diets have a slightly higher IQ, says a study.

The study, led by University of Adelaide Public Health researcher Lisa Smithers, looked at the link between the eating habits of children at six months, 15 months and two years, and their IQ at eight years of age.

Japanese-aided AIDS centre set up in Madurai

by

A centre for AIDS patients constructed with the assistance of Japanese Government will be opened in Madurai on Friday.

The Home Care cum Vocational Training Centre and Dispensary for AIDS patients was constructed with the fund of 1,00,121 USD offered by the people and the government of Japan under the Grant Assistance for Grassroots Projects (GGP).

The newly constructed Centre at Kaandai village in Madurai district is designed to benefit 1,190 People Living with HIV/AIDS (PLHA) and their family members annually, a release from the Consulate General of Japan here said.

Chicken Do Pyaza

by

Try this delectable Punjabi delicacy today!

Ingredients:

1 kg Chicken
1/2 kg Onions (cut into rings)
250g Yogurt
2 tsp Chilli Powder
25g whole Garam Masala
2 tsp Salt
1 tbsp Ginger-Garlic Paste
1 tsp Turmeric (Haldi)
1 tsp Garam Masala Powder
1 tsp Coriander Powder
250g Tomato Puree
250g Oil
4 Eggs (boiled)

Procedure:

Heat oil in a wok (kadhai) and add whole garam masala to it.
On a grinder, take the yogurt, fried onions, blend it together and add into the kadhai.
Add, ginger-garlic paste to the mixture and garam masala and cook for a while.

Monsoon fury: Seven UP rivers in spate

by

Seven rivers in Uttar Pradesh are in spate as rains continued in most parts of the state.

The Burrhi Rapti river in Kakrahi, Sharda river in Palia Kalan, Ghaghra river in Elgin Bridge, Ayodhya and Turtipar, Rapti river in Balrampur were flowing above the danger mark while the Ganga river was flowing at the danger mark in Varanasi, the Central Water Commission said.

UP’s Irrigation Minister Shivpal Yadav, who did an aerial survey of the flooded areas Tuesday, blamed neighbouring Nepal for the floods.

Pak rejects report of joint military operations with US

by

The Pakistan military on Tuesday said it was not mounting joint operations with the US against Haqqani fighters holed up in the lawless North Waziristan region, and it alone would decide when to conduct campaigns within Pakistani territory.

While rejecting reports about joint counter-terrorism campaigns with the US, a Pakistani military official said “targeted actions” were being undertaken by the Pakistan Army in North Waziristan.

Intruders cut cables, stop Maldivian TV broadcast

by

Intruders cut cables and stopped broadcasts at a private television station in Maldives on Tuesday, and the station chairman said he suspected government involvement.

Rajje TV has aired reports critical of the government, and international media rights groups have reported declining freedom in the Indian Ocean island nation since a disputed power transfer earlier this year.

Pak SC summons PM over graft cases against President

by

Pakistan’s Supreme Court on Wednesday issued a show-cause notice to Prime Minister Raja Pervez Ashraf for failing to implement its order to write to the Swiss authorities to reopen corruption cases against President Asif Ali Zardari.

“We hereby issue a notice to Prime Minister Raja Pervez Ashraf…to show cause why he may not be proceeded against for committing contempt,” the court said in its order, Dawn reported.

The apex court summoned Ashraf before adjourning the hearing of the NRO implementation case to August 27.

CRISIL cuts growth forecast to 5.5% for 2012-13

by

Rating agency CRISIL on Tuesday cut the economic growth forecast for the current fiscal to 5.5 percent, from 6.5 percent estimated in June, in view of deficient rainfall and worsening global situation.

CRISIL also expects the average Wholesale Price Index (WPI) inflation to be higher at around 8 percent as against of 7 percent estimated earlier.

“The downward revision in India’s growth forecast factors in the adverse impact of rainfall deficiency and worsening of the euro zone growth outlook,” CRISIL said in its report ‘India: Macroeconomic Outlook Revision 2012-13’

‘India second-least preferred place to set up data centre’

by

India is the second-least preferred destination for setting up of data centres by global companies, according to a study conducted by Cushman & Wakefield.

The country ranked at the 29th place in the ‘Data Centre Risk Index’ study conducted among the 30 countries.

A data centre is a facility used to house computer systems and associated components, such as telecom and storage systems.

The Data Centre Risk index ranked countries based on various risk factors such as energy costs, bandwidth, ease of doing business, cost of labour and political stability.

CAG report on coal blocks to be tabled in current session: FM

by

The much awaited CAG reports on allocation of coal blocks and GMR-run Delhi Airport will be tabled in Parliament during the current session, Finance Minister P Chidabaram said on Wednesday.

“The CAG reports were received in the Ministry of Finance on May 11, 12th and 13th were Saturday (Sunday), so it was put up to the Finance Minister on May 14 and we approved sending of the reports to the President,” he told reporters here.

Cuba plans to increase forest area

by

Cuba is developing a National Forest Programme to increase the nation’s freen cover, the Granma official daily reported.

The director of Cuban ministry of agriculture’s forestry department, Isabel Russo Milhet, said the programme would increase forest land by 2.3 percent to 29.3 percent of the country’s total area by the end of 2015, reported Xinhua.

Cuba has already achieved some “tangible results” in working to increase forest land and is improving an early fire warning system, Russo said.

Makhana Kheer Recipe

by

Ingredients:

100gms soft white Makhanas
1 tsp ghee
5 cups milk
4 tbsp sugar or as desired
1 tbsp shredded almonds
1 tbsp grated pistachios
1 tsp green cardamom seeds (crushed)

How to make sabudana kheer:
Cut makhanas into halves and put it in a saucepan along with ghee.
Fry over a low heat for about 5 minutes.
Add milk and sugar and stir well.
Leave to simmer for about 1 hour, until milk reduces to half and of a creamy consistency.
During this period stir from time to time so that milk does not sticks to the bottom of pan.

I would love to work with Aamir: Sunny Leone

by

Apart from Salman Khan, Indo-Canadian porn star Sunny Leone, who has made her Bollywood debut with `Jism 2`, would love to pair up with superstar Aamir Khan as well.

“Aamir Khan is one of my most favourite actors. I would love to do any movie with Aamir Khan,” said the 31-year-old, who has revealed her desire to work with Salman.

Pooja Bhatt`s erotic thriller `Jism 2` is doing roaring business at the box office. It has managed to rake in an encouraging figure of Rs.21 crore in its opening weekend.

Heroine dialogue on Dubai not meant to demean anyone: Madhur Bhandarkar

by

Director Madhur Bhandarkar has come out in the open about the controversy over Heroine trailer and says they did not mean to demean anyone. “We have censored it. It has been censored for Dubai and has been passed by the censor board. There are some people who have raised objections. But we did not mean to demean anyone, Dubai is my personal favourite city,” the 43-year-old said.

Infants of obese mothers slow developers

by

Pregnant women who are overweight or obese affect how their children grow up and develop, at least initially.

A team led by a University of Iowa researcher compared the weight and height of babies born to overweight and obese mothers with those born to normal-weight mothers.

Contrary to expectations, babies of overweight/obese mothers gained less weight and grew less in length than babies of normal-weight women from just after birth to three months, the Journal of Pediatrics reports.