Hamburg, Nov 09: A new nasal spray boosts short-term memory while you sleep, according to a team of German scientists at a sleep research lab.
In a research report in The FASEB Journal, the researchers show that a molecule from the body’s immune system (interleukin-6) when administered through the nose helps the brain retain emotional and procedural memories during REM sleep.
New Delhi, November 09: Relaxing in his hotel room in Guwahati not quite 24 hours after he single-handedly held the cricketing world in thrall, Sachin Tendulkar was excited and thoughtful by turn as he chatted about cricket and life. But if his knock caught his detractors on the wrong foot, the man himself – all of 36 and an incredible 20 years into the international game – said he was not surprised at knocking off 175 runs in 141 balls and running the Australians ragged in the process. “To be honest, I always knew I could do it,” Tendulkar told HT from Guwahati.
Mumbai, November 09: The Reserve Bank of India today fixed the Reference rate for the US currency at Rs 46.58 per dollar and the single European unit at Rs 69.58 per euro from Rs 46.82 per dollar and Rs 69.64 per euro, respectively on November 6. In a press note issued here by the apex bank, the exchange rates of Great Britain”s Pound and Japanese Yen against the Rupee have been given as Rs 77.8585 per pound and Rs 51.73 per 100 yen respectively, based on the Reference rate for US dollar and middle rates of the cross currency quotes at noon.
Kathmandu, November 09:India and Nepal reiterated their commitment not to allow their territories for cross-border terrorism. However, no decision was taken on the pending extradition treaty and the treats posed by Maoists. “We agreed on a coordinated effort to prevent cross-border terrorism,” said Home Secretary G.K. Pillai while addressing a joint press conference with his Nepali counterpart, Govind Prasad Kusum, in Kathmandu on Saturday.India, Nepal meet in Kathmandu HT Correspondent India and Nepal reiterated their commitment not to allow their territories for cross-border terrorism.
Mumbai, November 09: The Bombay Stock Exchange benchmark Sensex soared by over 340 points in pre-close trading today on increased capital inflows by funds in heavy-weight stocks on the government”s assurance to push for reforms to help economic growth. The 30-share Sensex, which had gained over 107 points in the morning trade, surged over 340.96 points, or 2.02 per cent, in pre-close trade to 16,499.24 points.
Tehran, November 09: Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez says his Iranian counterpart will visit Caracas before the end of the year to help inaugurate a joint housing project.
“I want him (Mahmoud Ahmadinejad) to accompany me to inaugurate some houses,” Chavez told Iran’s Ambassador to Venezuela, Ahmad Sobhani, in a Sunday TV-radio show.
The houses to be inaugurated are 240 homes built as part of a housing development program between the two countries.
Mumbai, November 09: There was pandemonium on the first day of the new Maharashtra assembly Monday when Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) legislators roughed up Samajwadi Party member Abu Asim Azmi for taking the oath of office in Hindi.
As Azmi started to take his oath in Hindi, several MNS members swooped on him and pushed him aside. Legislator Ramesh Banjle uprooted the microphone from the podium.
As Azmi attempted to save himself, MNS member Ram Kadam slapped him and hit him on the face and chest, shocking the 288-member house that had converged for the oath-taking ceremony.
Mumbai, November 09: Megastar Amitabh Bachchan is full of praises for beautiful Katrina Kaif. She along with Ranbir Kapoor on Saturday appeared on Bigg Boss and spoke at length about their latest film, ‘Ajab Prem Ki Ghazab Kahani’. Amitabh is stunned to see how Katrina has grown up as an actress.
“Katrina is a modern day marvel. From a non-Hindi speaking young shy and uncertain lady of Boom, she has grown and grown to become one of the most desired actresses in our fraternity,” Amitabh posted on his blog bigb.bigadda.com.
Baghdad, November 09: Iraq’s parliament ended weeks of debate Sunday and passed a long-delayed law paving the way for the planned January election to go forward, sidestepping a crisis that could have delayed the U.S. troop withdrawal.
The decision appeared to resolve a key sticking point — who will be allowed to vote in the disputed, oil-rich city of Kirkuk. The issue had threatened to delay Iraq’s key parliamentary elections, which in turn would affect how quickly American combat forces could leave the country.
Gaza, November 09: The Palestinian Authority (PA) says that a plan proposed by Israel to form a temporary Palestinian state is not acceptable.
Any plan that does not address the issue of Jerusalem Al-Quds will not be acceptable, Nabil Abu Rudeineh, a spokesman for the PA said.
Shaul Mofaz, the Israeli army chief of staff and Kadima’s second-in-command, unveiled his new “diplomatic platform” On Sunday. Its main element is establishing a Palestinian state with temporary borders on 60 percent of the West Bank within a year, Haaretz reported.
Tehran, November 09: A senior Islamic Revolution Guards Corps commander says Israeli claims of intercepting a ship carrying Iranian-made weapons intend to divert attention from a UN report detailing Israeli war crimes in Gaza.
In remarks that were later proven to be false, Israeli military sources said Tuesday they found a large cache of Iranian-made arms when they stormed a vessel near Cyprus in the Mediterranean Sea.
They claimed that the ship was heading for the Hezbollah resistance movement, either in Lebanon or Syria.
Mumbai, November 09: Choreographer Ahmed Khan is back from the US after months’ of shooting for a song with his best-friend Shahid Kapoor. And Ahmed just can’t stop singing his star-pal’s praises, for the generosity Shahid showed in the US. The actor actually made sure Ahmed Khan’s kids got a long-cherished dream come true.
Houthi, November 09: Houthi fighters in Yemen say Saudi fighter jets are using phosphorous bombs to back a deadly Yemeni government offensive against them.
“Saudi combat fighter jets launched intense raids against border areas inside Yemeni territory on Sunday night,” the fighters’ spokesman Mohammad Abdessalam told AFP by telephone.
“The Saudi military used phosphorus bombs during those night raids, burning mountainous regions,” he said adding that “The Saudi air raids resumed this morning (Monday). ”
Mumbai, November 09: Emraan Hashmi was mobbed by a group of girls in Kolkata who tore his shirt while trying to kiss him on the cheek.
Emraan was in Kolkata on Friday to promote Tum Mile. He had to attend a press conference at a mall. He was supposed to be going to a store in the mall and was waiting near the escalator when the excited girls grabbed him and one of them kissed him. In their excitement, they ended up tearing his shirt. He bought a new shirt immediately and changed into it.
Mumbai, Nov. 09 : Till last Tuesday, 24-year-old Kaushalkumar Khushwaha was excited, and grateful to the men who had taken Rs 60,000 from him and promised him a welder’s job in Singapore. They even gave him an Air India ticket for November 3. That’s the day he discovered there was no such job, and that the men had disappeared with his money and his passport.
Melbourne, November 09: Worried that Twenty20 is diluting the fabric of cricket, Australian captain Ricky Ponting has advised youngsters in the national team to set their priorities right by choosing the country first over cash offered by Indian Premier League and Champions League T20.
The quartet of Clint McKay, Burt Cockley, Jon Holland and Moises Henriques in the current ODI squad in India tasted CL T20 success with NSW and Victoria but Ponting hopes they will become addicted to the buzz of national representation rather than T20 cash bonanzas.
Panaji, November 09: Months after the state government bowed to public pressure and decided to cancel the three sanctioned special economic zones (SEZ) in Goa, a senior Cabinet minister Monday said he would “still welcome SEZ”.
Speaking to a local news channel, Environment Minister Aleixo Sequeira came out openly against the Goa government’s stated policy, saying the SEZs would have worked wonders in the state.
New Delhi, Nov 09: Maharashtra Navnirman Sena MLAs prevent Samajwadi Party MLA Abu Asim Azmi from taking oath in Hindi.
Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) MLAs on Monday created a ruckus in the Maharashtra Assembly after SP MLA Abu Asim Azmi took oath in Hindi despite their call that all legislators take the pledge in Marathi with one of the members from Raj Thackeray’s party slapping him.
Soon after Mr. Azmi began taking oath in Hindi, the 13 member-strong MNS contingent rushed towards him, snatching the mike placed for taking oath at the podium.
New Delhi, Nov 09: Both the countries condemned terrorism and stressed on the need to enhance cooperation in the fight against the global menace.
Agreeing to take forward their defence exchanges in a meaningful way, India and Japan on Monday expressed commitment to contribute to bilateral and regional cooperation in areas like ASEAN Regional Forum, peacekeeping and disaster relief.
New Delhi, Nov 09 : Bills to introduce reforms in the education sector, including setting up an independent accrediting body, will be introduced in the next two sessions of parliament, Human Resource Development Minister Kapil Sibal said here Monday.
“We are going to have a separate overarching agency and an accreditation system. We don’t call it (the overarching agency) a regulator, that is an erroneous phrase,” Sibal told reporters at the India Economic Summit of the World Economic Forum.
Kathmandu, Nov 09 : Hundreds of people flocked to hospitals for tests with swine flu like symptoms while public schools were shut down for three days in a third district in western Nepal after fears of an epidemic loomed large in the region following detection of the virus in school students and security forces.
Washington, Nov 9 : Calcium and vitamin D supplements can improve bone density during a crucial growth period for young girls.
A six-month study looked at identical twin girls aged between nine and 12, who were randomly assigned to receive either the calcium and vitamin D tablets, or a matched placebo.
David Greene, lecturer in exercise science at Australian Catholic University (ACU), said results showed that the supplements improved measures of bone mineral density, bone mineral content and bone strength in these girls.
New Delhi, November 09: Worried over the rise in terror incidents in Pakistan and Afghanistan, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Sunday asked the global community to extend sustained cooperation for dealing with the menace for ensuring stability in the region.
“We are very worried about the rise of terrorism in our neighbourhood, particularly what is going on in Afghanistan and in Pakistan. We have a vital stake in peace, progress and stability of these countries and other countries of South Asia,” Singh said while inaugurating the India Economic Summit.
Washington, Nov 09 : A new breakthrough will help scientists eavesdrop on bacteria and learn how they chat with one another. This finding is likely to lead to new therapeutic discoveries for diseases ranging from cancer to diabetes and allergies.
Pieter C. Dorrestein, pharmacy professor at the University of California-San Diego (UCSD) and Paul Straight of Texas A&M University, utilised a technology called natural product MALDI-TOF imaging mass spectrometry to translate bacterial language.
Jakarta, November 09: A strong undersea earthquake killed two people and damaged buildings on the remote island of Sumbawa in central Indonesia, officials said on Monday.
Two people were killed in a part of Sumbawa called Ambalawe, local government spokesman Abdul Wahab Usman said.
“They were hit by a collapsing building,” Usman said.
At least 20 people were hospitalised on the island after the 6.7-magnitude temblor, many of them with broken bones, said Rustam Pakaya, the head of the Health Ministry’s crisis center. He said at least 40 people were injured.