Month: March 2013

SOC is the legitimate representative of the Syrian

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The Syrian Opposition Council (SOC) is the legitimate representatives of the Syrian people, the White House has said, but noted that it does not support any particular individual or group in it.

“We support the Syrian Opposition Coalition. We believe that it is the legitimate representative of the opposition and of the Syrian people in their effort to rid their country of the scourge that is President Assad, a leader with enormous amounts of the blood of his own people on his hands,” the White House Press Secretary, Jay Carney, told reporters at his daily news conference yesterday.

Asin: Bollywood more open than southern film industry

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Asin was last seen in the film Khiladi 786. The southern film industry is far more traditional than Bollywood, which caters to a wider audience and gives opportunities to women in technical fields, says actress Asin Thottumkal after a five-year stint in Hindi films.

“The south Indian film industry is more traditional. This reflects in their work. The cultural differences, language and approach are completely different, while Bollywood is more open and caters to a wider audience,” Asin told IANS in a telephonic interview from Mumbai.

Protest in Egypt in support of activists

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Protesters on Tuesday night gathered at the High Court here to show their support for five opposition activists summoned by the Egyptian prosecutor-general to question them over their alleged incitement of clashes at the Muslim Brotherhood headquarters.

Police stepped up their presence outside the court in preparation for the demonstrations.

UN names head of Syria chemical arms inquiry

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UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon on Tuesday named a Swedish scientist to head a UN fact-finding mission to investigate the alleged use of chemical weapons in Syria.

The announcement to name Professor Ake Sellstrom of Sweden as the head the inquiry comes after the Assad regime of Syria alleged that the chemical weapons have been used by the opposition forces in the country.

Simultaneously Britain and France in separate letters to Ban alleged that chemical weapons have been used by the Syrian forces.

Sellstrom is currently a Project Manager at a research institute in Sweden.

Tough Western sanctions may be ‘speeding’ Iran’s nuke advancement: Report

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Tough sanctions are hurting Iran’s economy, but at the same time it also be encouraging defiance by a regime more worried about any appearance of capitulation, a report has said.

A new report, based on 30 in-depth interviews with Iranian officials, analysts, and businessmen, explained Iran’s determined defiance to Western policymakers, who will conduct a fifth round of nuclear negotiations with Iran in Kazakhstan next week.

Leading Labour leader David Miliband quits British politics

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Britain’s former foreign secretary David Miliband has announced his resignation as Labour party MP, ending days of speculation over his return to frontline politics as a challenger to his brother Ed Miliband.

David, 47, will be moving to New York as president and chief executive of the global charity International Rescue Committee, putting a firm end to speculation over his return to frontline politics as a challenger to his brother, Labour party leader Ed Miliband.

Nokia, Google clash over plan to create ‘free-to-use’ video encoding technology

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Finland mobile maker Nokia and Internet search giant Google have clashed over software that is part of free-to-use video encoding technology.

Google wants its video coding program, called VP8, to be a core part of the WebM project that is making web-centred video production tools.

Nokia, howver, says it owns key patents that define parts of VP8 and has filed an official objection to Google”s plan.

According to the BBC, the independent WebM project was started to create video production and playback software specifically designed for use online.

Pak journalist Najam Sethi nominated as Punjab caretaker chief minister

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Well known journalist Najam Sethi has been nominated to lead the caretaker government in Pakistan’s biggest province Punjab.

Rana Sanaullah, leader of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz, said his party had accepted Sethi’s nomination made by the rival Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), reports Xinhua.

Sethi appears on a prominent current affairs show on Geo television.

He is also the editor-in-chief of The Friday Times, a political weekly, and previously has been editor of English newspaper Daily Times and Daily Aajkal, an Urdu language newspaper.

Karnataka elections force rescheduling of 10 IPL matches

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The match schedule of the sixth edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) has undergone revision in view of the state assembly elections in Karnataka May 5.

In total, the timing and location of 10 matches have been changed. The following is the list of changes that have been made:

1. Kings XI Punjab vs Delhi Daredevils – shifted from April 23 (8.00 pm, Mohali) to May 16 (8.00 pm, Dharamshala)

2. Sunrisers Hyderabad vs Delhi Daredevils – stays on May 4 – moves from 4.00 pm to 8.00 pm – Hyderabad

Encouraging response to same day surgery, discharge: Apollo Health

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Healthcare chain Apollo Hospitals group will wait and watch the performance at its first Apollo Day Surgery outlet here before going for network expansion, a senior official said Wednesday.

“We are looking at the experience of the first outlet in Chennai. Then we will decide on expanding the network. The investment for such a centre will be in the region of Rs.12-14 crore and the centre is expected to break-even in one-and-half years,” Ravindra Pai, senior vice president-marketing, Apollo Health and Lifestyle Ltd, told reporters here Wednesday.

Special security arrangements for Musharraf in Pak

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Authorities have put in place special security arrangements in the federal capital for former President Pervez Musharraf, who received a death threat from the Taliban days before he returned to Pakistan from self-exile.

Ahead of Musharraf’s scheduled arrival in Islamabad on Thursday, police have deployed three commandos outside his farmhouse at Chak Shahzad on the outskirts of the city.

Vigilance has been heightened and new road blocks have been set up near the private residence, officials told the media.

Musharraf to contest polls from Chitral in north Pak

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Former President Pervez Musharraf will contest the upcoming general election from a parliamentary constituency in Chitral in northern Pakistan, members of his political party announced today.

Musharraf will file nomination papers for the constituency in Chitral area of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa province tomorrow, said Shahzada Khalid Pervez, a leader of the All Pakistan Muslim League.

Imran Khan says will not take oath from Zardari if PTI wins elections

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Pakistan Tehrik-e-Insaf (PTI) chief has said he would never take oath from President Asif Ali Zardari if his party wins the next general elections.

Khan said the PTI has only those workers who are committed to the party’s ideology. Khan criticised the previous government, saying that the rulers have destroyed the country’s system, reports The Nation.

He further said that the PTI has carefully drafted its manifesto to build a new Pakistan. He said the PTI would not only resolve the issue of power loadshedding in the next five years, but will also reduce electricity charges.

ANI

Qadir critical of rank turners prepared by India for Oz Tests

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Former Pakistan leg-spinner Abdul Qadir has criticized the pitches prepared by Indian curators for the recently concluded Test series against Australia.

“It is true that Test cricket is supposed to be a test of the batsmen and bowlers who must show the required skills to adapt themselves in different conditions and pitches but to ask any touring team to play on surfaces where the ball turns square on the first day is not justified,” Qadir said on Tuesday.

The master spinner said he was disappointed to see the quality of some of the pitches prepared in the series.

Google Glass facing privacy and safety concerns

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Google Glass, the US techology giant’s revolutionary wearable computer is still months away from release, but there is a growing movement across America seeking to limit and in some cases ban the use of the glasses due to both privacy and safety concerns.

“We heard of many crashes caused by texting and driving, most involving our youngest drivers,” Republican Gary Howell of the West Virginia state legislature told tech website CNET.

Howell has introduced a bill that would effectively ban the use of Google Glass by drivers behind the wheel of a vehicle, siting safety concerns.

Goa to file FIR against two former CMs and minister’s son

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The Goa government plans to file a First Information Report (FIR) against 151 people including two former Goa chief ministers, the son of a former Goa home minister, several state and central government officials, besides 100-odd mining firms in connection with illegal mining.

“The FIR will be filed by the state within six weeks as directed by the court,” Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar told PTI.

‘Lack of triggers to keep rupee at current level of 54.30’

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The rupee is likely to hover around the present level of 54.30 to the dollar in the near future in absence of any visible triggers, coupled with the lingering political uncertainties after the DMK pullout and the wavering of support SP, according to marketmen.

They say political uncertainty after the DMK pulled out of the government last week and the talks of the Third Front revival by the Samajwadi Party (SP), would also weigh on the currency in the near future.

PM to address 5th BRICS Summit in Durban, meet Chinese President

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Prime Minister Manmohan Singh will address the Fifth BRICS Summit in Durban, South Africa, on Wednesday. He will also meet Chinese President Xi Jinping on the sidelines of the event and handover the Chairmanship of the BRICS grouping to the summit hosts during the plenary session this afternoon.

During his speech, Dr. Singh is expected to call for equitable inclusive economic development and for fast tracking reforms for a more balanced global financial architecture.

Mass extinction in the Pacific due to humans

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The arrival of human beings in the Pacific including New Zealand led to a rapid mass extinction of about 10 percent of the world’s bird species, a new study has revealed.

In New Zealand, Fiji and Hawaii most of the 1300 bird species wiped out were eaten by the people or were destroyed when the new arrivals burnt out forests, Stuff.co.nz reported.

The region was the last part of the Earth colonised by human beings, about 4000 years ago.

New kind of ‘mini’ supernova discovered

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Supernovae were always thought to occur in two main “flavors” – a core-collapse supernova that is the explosion of a star about 10 to 100 times as massive as our Sun and a Type Ia supernova, which is the complete disruption of a tiny white dwarf.

Now, astronomers are reporting their discovery of a new kind of supernova called Type Iax. This new class is fainter and less energetic than Type Ia. Although both varieties come from exploding white dwarfs, Type Iax supernovas may not completely destroy the white dwarf.

Saif sees me walk the ramp every day at home: Kareena Kapoor Khan

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Bollywood actress Kareena Kapoor, who looked fabulous in a pinkish-orange outfit designed by Namrata Joshipura at the Lakme Fashion Week (LFW) Summer-Resort 2013, says her husband Saif Ali Khan likes her in all colours.

The collection had a range of vibrant colours.

Asked which colour her husband Saif Ali Khan likes to see her in, the actress promptly replied that he likes her in all colours.

“Saif likes to see me in every colour. He has no choice,” she told the media.

Saif was not present to cheer the actress at the show, but she took it sportingly.

`Raanjhanaa` makes way for `Ghanchakkar`?

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Instead of Dhanush-Sonam Kapoor starrer ‘Raanjhanaa’, Vidya Balan and Emraan Hashmi`s ‘Ghanchakkar’ will reportedly hit the screens June 28.

A source from the industry said: “When the calendar came out this year, `Raanjhnaa` was supposed to release on June 28th. Though there was no official announcement made about it, but there were reports of the film releasing on June 28th.”

“Now with `Ghanchakkar` releasing on June 28th, the makers of `Raanjhanaa` have decided to push release date of their film further,” the source added.

Varun Dhawan’s father proud of him

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Filmmaker David Dhawan, who has come a long way in showbiz, says he is extremely proud of his son Varun Dhawan and its now payback time with his entry into Bollywood.

“It’s payback time I would say with Varun`s entry into showbiz. After working so hard in the industry, I am glad the industry has accepted my son. It`s the initial stage and the way they have welcomed him nothing like it. I am extremely proud of Varun,” Dhawan said.

Varun Dhawan, who made his entry into Bollywood with Karan Johar`s ‘Student Of The Year’, was widely accepted by the audiences for his performance.

I`m single, says `Mahadev` fame Mohit Raina

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Mohit Raina, seen as Lord Shiva in mythological TV series ‘Devon Ke Dev… Mahadev’, has clarified he is not dating anyone. A self-confessed Mama`s Boy, the actor is shocked by the reverence and adulation.

Cutting down talk of being involved with his co-star Mouni Roy and of a marriage proposal from Priyanka Chopra, Mohit said he is single.

“There is no real-life Parvati in my life. There has been talk of my linkups. But seriously, there is no time. All I do is shoot and go to the gym. My mother lives with me after my father passed away two years ago,” said Mohit, a Kashmiri.

Microorganisms detected in breath test could indicate one`s body weight

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The content of a person`s breath may indicate how susceptible they are to weight gain, a new study led by an Indian researcher has revealed.

People whose breath has high concentrations of both hydrogen and methane gases are more likely to have a higher body mass index and percentage of body fat, according to the findings.

The combination of the two gases signals the presence of a microorganism that may contribute to obesity.