shameen

Navy chief dismisses scientist’s claims, says Pokhran II a success

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New Delhi, August 27: Navy chief Admiral Sureesh Mehta on Thursday said that 1998 Pokhran II nuclear tests were successful and dismissed claims made by senior DRDO scientist K Santhanam to the contrary.

Reacting to the startling revelation made by the top nuclear scientist K Santhanam, Admiral Mehta said, “The tests were adequate. We believe whatever the scientists tell us. The scientists said the tests were enough and tested. We believe the scientists, as they provide us with nuclear capability.”

Centre to set up panel to ensure rights to minorities

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New Delhi, August 27: In a move to protect interests of minorities, the Centre has decided to set up an ‘equal opportunities commission’ to address any discrimination faced by them and remove shortcomings.

“People who face difficulties in their business or in getting access to education, employment or housing can approach the commission,” Minority Affairs Minister Salman Khursheed said, adding, “A draft Bill for setting up the commission will be brought in the next session of Parliament.”

Govt moots 50% quota for women in panchayats

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New Delhi, August 27: The Union Cabinet on Thursday decided to reserve 50 percent of the seats in all rural panchayats for women and a bill to this effect is expected to be introduced in the winter session of Parliament.

“The Cabinet has approved the amendment of Article 243 D of the constitution to reserve 50 percent of the total number of seats in panchayats filled by direct election for women,” Information and Broadcasting Minister Ambika Soni told reporters here after a Cabinet meeting chaired by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.

Cabinet approves seven new IIMs

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New Delhi, August 27: The Union Cabinet Thursday approved the setting up of seven new Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs) that will get operational in two phases.

Four IIMs would be set up in Trichy, Ranchi, Raipur and Rohtak in the first phase and the classes would start from the 2010-11 academic year. The other three in Jammu and Kashmir, Uttarakhand and Rajasthan will get operational from 2011-12. The exact locations in these states are yet to be decided.

Steamy heat more common in California: Study

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Los Angeles, August 27: Bouts of extreme muggy heat lasting for days, once rare in California, are becoming more frequent and intense due to ocean patterns altered by climate change, scientists said in a study released on Tuesday.

Research meteorologists at the University of California’s Scripps Institution of Oceanography reached the conclusion after examining a severe 2006 summer heat wave that was blamed for the deaths of 600 people and 25,000 cattle in California.

More than 43,000 affected by swine flu in Europe

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Stockholm, August 27: European health officials said more than 43,000 people have been affected by the swine flu in Europe.

On Wednesday 745 new cases of swine flu reported in the European countries.

Of the new cases, 615 were confirmed in Germany, 84 in Sweden, 25 in Switzerland and the remaining cases were reported in eight other European countries, the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) said in its latest report.

New test offers better diagnosis of asbestos cancer

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London, August 27: A new test can significantly improve diagnosis of the asbestos-related cancer mesothelioma, a joint team from the University of Oxford and the Oxford Centre for Respiratory Medicine at the John Radcliffe Hospital has shown.

The test will now be added to the diagnostic options available to clinicians in Oxford, when patients come to them with excess fluid in the space around the lungs.

Acting in movies is most boring job: Naseeruddin Shah

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New Delhi, August 27: After delivering superlative performances in the Indian film industry for over 30 years, veteran actor-filmmaker Naseeruddin Shah says acting in movies is the most boring job in the world.

“(I`m) terribly fatigued at the thought of acting in movies. Movie acting is the most boring job in the world. No one would do it if it weren`t for the money,” Naseeruddin said in a yet to be aired interview to NewsX.

`Wake Up Sid` not about handsome guy-plain Jane: Director

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Mumbai, August 27: Debutant director Ayaan Mukherjee admits his `Wake Up Sid` is about a younger man dating an older woman but he is appalled by rumours that it revolves around a handsome guy and a not-so-good looking girl.

“All I can tell you is that this marketing pitch didn`t come from me or Karan (Johar). You think I`d dare to call my heroine, who I think is awesome, not good-looking?” Mukherjee asked angrily.

Starring Ranbir Kapoor and Konkona Sen Sharma, the romantic comedy is produced by Karan Johar and is scheduled for release Oct 2.

TV anchoring is real hard work, says Farah Khan

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Mumbai, August 27: Farah Khan, the National Award winning choreographer and director of 2008’s greatest Box Office hit Om Shanti Om who appeared on Television as an outspoken and rather rude reality show judge, who made the contestants tremble in anticipation of what would be her next reaction, and who drew flak from both audience and media many a time for her matter-of-fact, and cutting remarks, is in real life far from the façade that swathes her actual self on camera.

Recipe: Pav Bhaji

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Make the original ‘Bombay Pav Bhaji’ by following this recipe.

Ingredients:

Pavs breads——————————–8 nos
Salted yellow Butter——————– to shallow fry.
For Bhaji:

Capsicum finely chopped ———— 1 nos
Onions finely chopped —————–2 nos
Tomatoes finely chopped ————-2 nos
Mixed vegetables chopped (beans, carrots, cauliflower, potatoes) —— 1cup
Shelled peas—————————–1/2 cup
Salted yellow butter——————– 2 tbspn
Pav Bhaji Masala———————–2 tbspn

Iran ‘pragmatists’ proposed nuclear halt

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United Nations, August 27: Iranian leaders received and rejected in May a proposal from domestic “pragmatists” to halt Iran’s nuclear enrichment program to resolve its feud with the West and avoid new U.N. sanctions, Western diplomats said.

Iran has repeatedly rejected international demands that it freeze its uranium enrichment program, which Western powers suspect is a facade for nuclear weapons development — a charge Iran denies. Tehran has been hit with three rounds of U.N. sanctions for pressing ahead with enrichment.

Netanyahu says ready to meet Abbas

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Berlin, August 27: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Wednesday he was prepared to meet with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas

calling it a “positive thing,” Israeli media reported.

He was reacting to reports from earlier in the day that Abbas would be willing to meet with him, but this should not be seen as the resumption of suspended peace talks between the sides.

Abbas in turn was reacting to reports of a possible three-way meeting, attended also by US President Barack Obama, at the United Nations next month.

Police Arrest Three Laptop Thieves

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Dubai, August 27: Dubai Police arrested the main suspect and two others, in connection with the 35 laptops stolen from cars in parking lots since April.

Colonel Ahmed Al Merri, Director of Criminal Investigation Department said that after four months the police have managed to solve the issue.

Al Marmoum Camel Festival Races Opened

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Dubai, August 27: Shaikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and Chairman of the Dubai Executive Council and, Shaikh Ahmed bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Chairman of the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Foundation, opened the second edition of the Dh4 million Al Marmoum Ramadan Camel Festival on Tuesday.

Sharjah Cops Avert Disaster at Tanker Accident Site

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Sharjah, August 27: Highly-flammable fuel poured out onto a Sharjah street after an accident caused a tanker to turn on its side. Police managed to avert disaster by closing the road for over five hours until 10am on Wednesday morning while rescue teams cleared the area.

Sharjah Police Operations room was notified about the accident at around 4.40 am when the tanker turned on its side and diesel started leaking.

Dubai Malls Bring on the Charm of Arabian Culture

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Dubai, August 27: While malls in Dubai are offering deals and special offers this Ramadan – they are equally focussed on recreating “Arabian culture” in various ways, including putting up Majlis, featuring family shows, and playing Ramadan movies.

Ibn Battuta Mall’s Grand Cinemas are showcasing “Journey to Mecca” and other special Ramadan movies 
for families.

Road Deaths Down Despite More Mishaps

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Abu Dhabi, August 27: Road accidents in the UAE for the first half of 2009 have increased by 11.5 per cent while fatalities have decreased by 2.6 per cent compared to the same period last year.

According to the figures from the General Directorate of Traffic Coordination at the Ministry of Interior (MoI), traffic accidents for the first six months of 2009 went up to 5,026 compared to 4,506 in 2008.

Pilgrims, Students to Get Flu Vaccination Priority

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Dubai, august 27: Immunisation against swine flu will be given as a priority to religious pilgrims and students of schools and universities, the Minister of Health,
Dr Hanif Hassan, said on Wednesday.

A wide-ranging plan to handle the spread of swine flu met the approval of His Highness Shaikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, during a tour of the Ministry of Health’s premises in Dubai on Wednesday.

Dr Hassan said the plan was based on four components: prevention, treatment, awareness and training.

Iraq Shiite leader Hakim dies in Iran

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Tehran, August 27: The leader of Iraq’s largest Shiite party, Abdel Aziz al-Hakim, died on Wednesday in a Tehran hospital after a battle with lung cancer, five months before key parliamentary elections in Iraq.

Hakim — a cleric who had fought the Iraqi regime of executed dictator Saddam Hussein — was praised by both political leaders in both Iraq and Iran.

“He died a few minutes ago after battling cancer for 28 months,” his son Mohsen Hakim told AFP. Iranian state television quoted a doctor as saying he died at 1010 GMT.

Palestinian radio says Israel seizes transmitters

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West Bank, August 27: Popular Palestinian radio station Bethlehem 2000 said on Wednesday it went off the air after the Israeli army seized its transmitters.

The private radio station said in a statement that Israeli soldiers dismantled and took away the transmitters during a raid on Tuesday night in Beit Jala, just outside Bethlehem in the occupied West Bank.

The soldiers warned against any attempt to restart broadcasts, the statement said, calling the raid an attack on press freedom.

Iraqi forces recover stolen Picasso

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Baghdad, August 27: Iraqi police say special forces have recovered a stolen Picasso and arrested a man planning to sell the painting during a raid on his house in southern Iraq.

Police spokesman Maj. Muthana Khalid says the painting, “The Naked Woman,” apparently had been among the artwork looted from Kuwait during Saddam Hussein’s 1990 invasion.

He said it was seized Tuesday during a raid on the suspect’s house near the mainly Shiite city of Hillah, about 60 miles (95 kilometers) south of Baghdad.

Israeli PM resists US pressure over settlements

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Berlin, August 27: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu agreed with a key US envoy Wednesday that “meaningful” talks must start with Palestinians, but there was no sign of progress on the vexed settlement issue.

In a joint statement, the hawkish premier and US Middle East envoy George Mitchell said Israeli and US officials will meet again next week in the United States to pursue efforts to revive the moribund peace process.

US hopes for dialogue between Iraq, Syria

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Washington, August 27: The United States said Wednesday it hoped that Iraq and Syria would pursue dialogue after they recalled their envoys over Baghdad’s allegations that its neighbor is sheltering insurgents.

“We believe that as a general principle that diplomatic dialogue is the best way to address the concerns of both parties,” State Department spokesman Ian Kelly told reporters.

The diplomatic spat flared after Iraq alleged that Syria was harboring leaders who plotted one of two devastating attacks that killed 95 people and wounded about 600 in the Iraqi capital last week.