Weaker Polish zloty no reason to raise rates-report

July 13, 2010 By Leave a Comment

July 12 (Reuters) – The losses in the Polish zloty are not enough to raise interest rates and the currency is set to strengthen long term, Monetary Policy Council member Jerzy Hausner was quoted as saying on Monday.

“If we were seeing an appreciation of the zloty, then this would naturally be weakening the inflation pressure. Then the motivation to raise the interest rate would be smaller,” Hausner told daily Gazeta Wyborcza in an interview.

“But the current weakening of the zloty is not enough of an argument to rise rates.” (Writing by Gabriela Baczynska; Editing by Neil Fullick)

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Local students to get priority in medical courses in Maha

June 6, 2010 By Leave a Comment

Mumbai, Jun 6 (PTI) Maharashtra Government is considering giving priority to local students seeking admissions to degree and post graduate courses in Government-run medical colleges. “We have mooted a proposal giving priority to the students domiciled in Maharashtra for graduate and PG courses in the Government-run medical colleges,” Medical Education Minister Vijaykumar Gavit told PTI. The reason to withdraw all-India quota is that only 120 students from Maharashtra get admissions in colleges in other states annually for MBBS course, while other states get 960 seats in exchange, an official from Medical Education department claimed.

There are 84 seats for 18 super speciality courses, including cardiology, nephrology, plastic surgery and urology in the state. Gavit has also proposed that the internship period for which students serve the state should be made two years and the bond amount be increased from Rs 25 lakh to Rs two crore if they fail to do so.

“The students should serve the state at least for two years and if they fail to do so, the bond amount of Rs two crore will be forfeited,” the minister said.

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Indian couple kill son, commit suicide in Malaysia

May 20, 2010 By Leave a Comment

Kuala Lumpur, May 20 (IANS) An Indian couple poisoned to death their two-year-old son before committing suicide in Malaysia, officials said Thursday.

The couple fed rat poison to their son before jumping to their deaths off the 29th floor of their luxury condominium in Brickfields, The Star newspaper reported.

The sprawled bodies of the husband and wife, aged 34 and 29, were discovered by a security guard on the ground floor of the building, while the child’s body was found in the master bedroom of the family’s 14th floor residence.

A bottle of Panadol, rat poison and a bloodied knife were found near the toddler’s body.

According to police, the boy’s father, who worked as a financial consultant with a private firm, had first tried to slit his wrist but decided to jump with his wife instead.

The family was reported to be in the country for less than two months.

City criminal investigation chief Ku Chin Wah said initial investigations placed the time of death between midnight and 4 a.m. Thursday.

Police are yet to ascertain the reason for their suicide, he added.

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Christina Aguilera says no to reconciliation with dad

May 14, 2010 By Leave a Comment

London, May 14 (ANI): Christina Aguilera says she sees no reason to have her long-time estranged dad back in her life.

Aguilera, 29, briefly patched up with her father Fausto in 2009 only to realise she had too many bad memories associated with him.

And now she doesn”t want to reconcile with him.

“It”s (relationship) pretty nonexistent. I”m in a place in my life where I just don”t see a reason for it. There”s always room for forgiveness – and I do forgive – but you grow up and make choices for your family,” the Daily Express quoted Aguilera, as telling Latina magazine.

In 2009 the beautiful singer opened up about her childhood memories in a documentary.

She told E!: “I witnessed a lot of unpleasant things – a lot of pushing and shoving and fighting and quarrelling. Growing up I did not feel safe. Feeling powerless is the worst feeling in the world. I turned to singing as an outlet. The pain at home is where my love for music came from.” (ANI)

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Why Lily Allen walked away from her music career

May 14, 2010 By Leave a Comment

London, May 14 (ANI): ‘Smile’ hitmaker Lilly Allen has disclosed the reason why she decided to walk away from her music career – she got “fed up” with her own image.

“I just feel like I”m at a point in my life where I should be at home more and not sort of traveling the world,” the Daily Express quoted her as telling GMTV.

The British singer announced earlier this year she is planning a hiatus from recording and performing live to concentrate on launching a designer clothes hire shop and setting up her own record company.

“I”m still working on music and still writing music, maybe for other people. I”m involved with trying to make a musical at the moment. But I”m just sort of fed up with Lily Allen – the character,” she said.

“Many people in my position quite frankly go a bit mad and that”s because they are pushing it too hard. So it”s actually a sensible thing to do,” she concluded. (ANI)

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Why Lily Allen walked away from her music career

May 14, 2010 By Leave a Comment

London, May 14 (ANI): ‘Smile’ hitmaker Lilly Allen has disclosed the reason why she decided to walk away from her music career – she got “fed up” with her own image.

“I just feel like I”m at a point in my life where I should be at home more and not sort of traveling the world,” the Daily Express quoted her as telling GMTV.

The British singer announced earlier this year she is planning a hiatus from recording and performing live to concentrate on launching a designer clothes hire shop and setting up her own record company.

“I”m still working on music and still writing music, maybe for other people. I”m involved with trying to make a musical at the moment. But I”m just sort of fed up with Lily Allen – the character,” she said.

“Many people in my position quite frankly go a bit mad and that”s because they are pushing it too hard. So it”s actually a sensible thing to do,” she concluded. (ANI)

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Kim Kadarshian in make-up free photo shoot

May 13, 2010 By Leave a Comment

Melbourne, May 13 (ANI): Socialite Kim Kardashian wants her fans to see what she really looks like.

The 29-year-old reality TV star bravely showed off her natural complexion as she was photographed for America”s Life and Style magazine.

Her reason for going make up free was to send an important message to her millions of fans.

“Make-up is fun, but it’s just another accessory. I’m happy with myself, and this is who I am.

“As much as it’s fun to glam up, the most important thing is to be comfortable in your own skin – with or without make-up,” The Daily Telegraph quoted Kim as saying to the magazine.

She, however, did admit that she often relies on cosmetics to help maintain her flawless complexion.

“I use it to give my whole face a little more colour since it’s so pale in comparison to my body,” she said. (ANI)

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How a pet pooch can help treat Parkinson”s

May 13, 2010 By Leave a Comment

London, May 13 (ANI): A significant treatment for Parkinson”s disease has been revealed by doctors – a pet pooch.

Health of a 28-year-old woman with the brain disease improved thanks to her pooch.

The woman, who started taking large doses of four different drugs a day to control symptoms three years after being diagnosed, had a morphine pump for 14 hours a day and her health was deteriorating fast.

But after being given a highland terrier by a friend, docs reported improvements in symptoms and a drop in the drugs she needed, reports The Sun.

What’s more, she no longer needed her daily morphine.

Doctors at Imperial College London, who report her case in the Journal Of Neurology, said: “Remarkably sustained benefits occurred, with improvement in her walking and symptoms including appetite, sleep and bowel function, as well as socialisation.”

Docs are not able to zero in on the reason as to how the dog had such a dramatic effect, but they say that having to walk, feed and look after the pet encouraged her to exercise regularly. (ANI)

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1 in 5 Brit male students has had a gay fling

May 8, 2010 By Leave a Comment

London, May 8 (ANI): A survey has found that one in five British male students has had a gay fling, but only 35 percent class themselves as straight.

The study, carried out by Oxford University newspaper Cherwell, revealed that while nearly half confessed to watching gay porn, a third say that they had given or received oral sex with another man, reports the Daily Star.

It also revealed that just half of gay or lesbian students have come out to their families and friends.

And among the other 50 percent, the biggest reason they stayed in the closet was because they feared the reaction of loved ones. (ANI)

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Jaipur city”s dolls museum looks for more visitors

May 4, 2010 By Leave a Comment

Jaipur, May 4 (ANI): Despite the thirty-five years old dolls museum in Rajasthan”s Jaipur city possessing around three hundred dolls from across the world, it witnesses only a few visitors.

Ironically, the museum receives only a few visitors.

Those who do visit, admire the beauty of the dolls.

“We got to see many dolls from different countries, cultures and states, in this museum. We got to know about their traditional wedding attires. This is a nice place and everybody should come here once,” said Vikas, a visitor
The museum has dolls from India in one section and from different parts of the world in the other. These include United States, Canada, Latin American countries, Africa, Europe, and China.

“Basically, this dolls museum is divided in two parts. In the first part, we have dolls from different states of the country and in the second part; we have dolls from different countries of the world. We got these dolls from different embassies. The founder of this school made this museum in the fond memory of his sister,” said Avdhani, the owner of the museum.

Avdhani added that lack of interest among the travel guides and operators is a major reason for its low popularity.

The dolls represent the culture of these countries. (ANI)

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Katy Perry squeezes her feet into shoes two sizes small for fashion

April 26, 2010 By Leave a Comment

New York, April 26 (ANI): Katy Perry”s desire to look glamorous saw her slipping into shoes that were two sizes small for her feet.

The 25-year-old singer was seen sporting 2,495-dollar Jimmy Choo “Zap” shoes, with heels that light up, at Hollywood”s Tea Room for the Super Street Fighter IV launch after-party.

Perry, however, told guests such as Kid Rock, Adrian Grenier and David Guetta the reason for wearing the sample-size shoes.

“These shoes are two sizes too small, but God, it”s worth it,” the New York Post quoted Perry, as saying. (ANI)

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North Korea not likely to have sunk ship – Yonhap

March 27, 2010 By Leave a Comment

North Korea appears to have had nothing to do with the sinking of a South Korean navy ship near the disputed border that divides the peninsula, Yonhap news agency quoted a government official as saying on Saturday.

The ship went down on Friday night and there was initial speculation it might have been targeted by the North.

“Given the investigations by government ministries so far, it is the government’s judgement that the incident was not caused by North Korea, although the reason for the accident has not been determined yet,” a senior government official was quoted as saying.

(Reporting by Cheon Jong-woo, writing by Jonathan Thatcher; Editing by Paul Tait)

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Hilditch backs Ponting to continue until 2013 Ashes

March 27, 2010 By Leave a Comment

Sydney, Mar 27(ANI): Cricket Australia’s chairman of selectors Andrew Hilditch has given skipper Ricky Ponting his backing to continue playing until the 2013 Ashes.

Hilditch reckons that Ponting is the player who can play longer than others, and said he would be surprised if the 35-year-old does not get back to England for the series.

“His contribution to Australian cricket has been extraordinary, not just for his skills with the bat but also his leadership of the side. It”s been exceptional for a long period of time now. It”s hard to say if he will do it because you can”t get too far ahead of yourself in cricket unfortunately. But I know Ricky wants to get back to England,” The Daily Telegraph quoted Hilditch, as saying.

“Obviously age catches up with everybody, but one thing Ricky has got is he”s extremely fit. He has very few injuries and prepares himself very well physically and mentally. For me, that”s a sign he”s in a good place. I”ve probably never seen him fielding better than he has at the moment,” he added.

Hilditch further said that Ponting, who would be six months shy of his 39th birthday if he skippered a third Ashes series in England, had no reason to fear losing the captaincy.

“There”s always various things said about Ricky and his captaincy and stuff like that, but when it comes down to it Ricky is a great leader of men and he does a fantastic job within the side,” Hilditch said.

“He leads by example, he”s always rock solid and has the team heading in the right direction. He really unites the side,” he added. (ANI)

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Cricinfo website pays monetary damages to Chris Cairns

March 26, 2010 By Leave a Comment

Wellington, Mar 26 (ANI): The Cricinfo website has paid monetary damages to Chris Cairns and also published an extensive interview telling his side of the story over allegation of the former New Zealand all rounder’s involvement in match fixing in the 2008 Indian Cricket League (ICL).

Cairns said he has received monetary damages from the Cricinfo website and now wants one of the cricket’s most powerful figures to front up in court so that he can clear his name.

He is continuing with plans to sue the Indian Premier League (IPL) commissioner Lalit Modi over his comments alleging Cairns’ involvement in match fixing.

“We’ve had damages from Cricinfo and it”s good to see that has occurred,” Cairns told NZPA.

“They have acknowledged the whole reporting of the Modi statement was a process they should have done better,” Stuff.co.nz quoted him, as saying.

“It’s about righting a wrong. Whether it was a huge amount or a small amount, I’m just happy they’ve acknowledged that what they did was wrong, and that’s what we want to get from Modi as well,” Cairns said.

Cairns said Modi’s comments “completely destroyed me within the cricketing environment,” and he had engaged a team of London-based libel lawyers to pursue Modi through the courts. It had already proved difficult to initiate.

Modi claimed in January that he would produce evidence in court to back his claims, which he said was the reason Cairns was axed from this year’s IPL auction list.

No concrete evidence of match fixing in the now-defunct ICL has emerged. (ANI)

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Ambitious Huxley makes Super 14 return

March 25, 2010 By Leave a Comment

Julian Huxley says he would love to play for the Wallabies again as he prepares to return to Super 14 rugby two years after a brain tumour threatened to end his career.

Brumbies coach Andy Friend paved the way for Huxley’s return to the field in professional rugby on Wednesday when he named the 30-year-old backline utility on his team’s bench for Friday night’s home match against the Chiefs.

“It was something I always thought I could do but didn’t know if it would happen,” said Huxley, who has played two games for the Brumbies reserves team since receiving the necessary clearances three weeks ago.

“The day has come and it seems the last two years have gone like a flash and I’m back there.”

While he was urged by people close to him to consider life beyond rugby in the wake of surgery to remove a benign brain tumour, Huxley said he never gave up on making a return to the field.

“There were certainly a lot of people who said, ‘maybe it’s time to move on’ but it was never based around any sort of fact with regards to the safety of it.

“But I just wanted to explore that fully and I kept waking up wanting to do it.

“Life’s too short to worry too much about the future and you have to what you want to do today within reason.”

Huxley said his comeback is not about just filling gaps on the Brumbies bench and admitted hopes of adding to his six Wallabies caps earned in 2007.

“I’d love to play for the Wallabies again but that’s all way off down the track and if the last couple of years has taught me anything it’s not to look too far ahead.”

“Whilst that would be great, I’m not putting too much pressure on it. I’m just really enjoying being able to get back out there and if the chance comes to get on the field on Friday I certainly won’t be trying to set the world alight.”

Huxley was diagnosed with the brain tumour in March 2008, three days after collapsing and convulsing on the field following a head knock in a match against the Queensland Reds.

He has played 53 Super matches for the Brumbies and previously for the Reds and has remained contracted to the Brumbies since his tumour was diagnosed.

The Brumbies starting line-up has seen several changes following the 39-34 loss to the Blues in Auckland last Friday.

Matt Toomua comes into the starting side at fly half with Matt Giteau shifting to inside centre following the loss of the in-form Christian Leallifano who was injured against the Blues.

Eighteen-year-old Michael Hooper will make his Super 14 debut at open side flanker as a replacement for injured George Smith who will miss his first match for the Brumbies since their Week 11 encounter against the Chiefs in 2005.

The side also welcome back veteran Wallabies outside centre Stirling Mortlock from injury.

- AAP

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Himalayan glacier meltdown: Pachauri says won”t resign over one mistake

March 15, 2010 By Leave a Comment

New Delhi, Mar. 15 (ANI): The UN International Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) chairman, Dr R K Pachauri, today said that he would not resign over what he called “one mistake” reported in the IPCC report.

Accepting that he and his team had erred in declaring a complete meltdown of the Himalayan glaciers by the year 2035, Pachauri said “just one mistake wasn”t grounds enough for him to resign.”

“There is no ”several mistakes”. There is only one mistake. Why should I resign? I have no reason to resign. I have a task to complete and I will finish it,” he said adding that it was he who had asked for the probe into the blunders reported in the IPCC report.

Regarding the recent resignation of Boer from his UNFCC post last week, Pachauri said: “That”s his decision, what can I say about it?”

The United Nations has launched an independent review of the IPCC, which has come under much criticism in recent months after it said wrongly claimed that the Himalayan glaciers would melt away by 2035. The error has also been attributed to a typographical error with the words 2035 appearing instead of 2350.

The review is being conducted by the InterAcademy Council, independently of the United Nations. The InterAcademy Council (IAC) is a multinational organisation of science academies crated to produce reports on scientific, technological and health issues.

According to a private television report, Pachauri had earlier stated that the IAC will only look at IPPC procedures and implementation in the preparation of reports, steering clear of any inquiry into the science of climate change – something he believes is well within the competency of scientists at IPCC. (ANI)

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Northeast celebrates peaceful Holi with enthusiasm

March 11, 2010 By Leave a Comment

Guwahati, Mar 10 (ANI): Holi, the festival of colors, was celebrated with enthusiasm in northeast along with rest of the country recently.

People splashed water, threw water filled balloons, smeared gulal and colors on each other and chanted “Holi Hai”.

The reason for high spirits of the people result from the fact that peace and normalcy could soon return to the region as indicated by surrender of militant groups and ongoing peace talks.

They celebrations marked the happiness of the people for a better future.

Holi is a centuries old festival, which brings together people and spreads the message of love and harmony.

“We hope that all those people who have been isolated and not joined the mainstream, on this day of Holi we want to send them a message that they should come and join people of Assam and add more to its happiness,” Sapnanil Baruah, a local.

“We are all getting together for the festival of Holi. We would like to say that this festival of colours sends a message through which we can bring peace and harmony can achieve by gathering together,” Atul, Nagaland

The festival was celebrated with great enthusiasm all over the country. (ANI)

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Forest group defends rail funding delay

March 10, 2010 By Leave a Comment

The Forest Industries Federation has defended the Western Australian Government’s decision to defer funding for an upgrade of the Greenbushes railway.

The Member for Collie-Preston, Mick Murray, has accused the Government of breaking an election promise by reallocating the $18 million set aside for the railway, to upgrade the grain freight network.

The upgrade is designed to reduce safety hazards associated with transporting timber by road.

The federation’s Bob Pearce says the collapse of agribusinesses Timbercorp and Great Southern is the reason behind the delay in upgrading the Greenbushes line.

“It’s a commercial thing fundamentally. We can’t afford to go onto the railway line unless we can get the same rates basically as we’re getting on the road and I believe we will get back onto a rail service probably within a couple of years,” he said.

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Muslims in Lucknow offer ‘Alvida Namaz’ before Eid

September 19, 2009 By Leave a Comment

Lucknow, Sep 18(ANI): Muslims gathered in huge numbers at several mosques of Lucknow on Friday to offer the ‘Alvida Namaz’ marking the last Friday prayers of the holy month of Ramadan.

“We prayed to the Lord to raise the financial status of Muslims and also eradicate all their problems. In India, Hindu and Muslims have been living together for several centuries and we want them to be like this in future,” said Moulvi Faizul Rehman, an Islamic cleric at a mosque in Lucknow.

Highlighting the significance of the ‘Alvida Namaz’, Mohammad Sayeed, a Namazi said that it is the reason why thousands of Muslim from across the city gather to offer prayers.

“During Ramadan if we participate in the ‘Alvida Namaz’ and offer our prayers, then we get a reward for it and it will usher prosperity to us,” Sayeed said.

Ramadan, the ninth month of the Hijri lunar calendar, commemorates the revelation of Quran, Islam’s holy book, and has traditionally been a time of religious fervour, settling old disputes and behaving charitably towards neighbours.

Fasting during Ramadan is one of the five pillars of Islam. Considered auspicious for prayers, Muslims observe the month-long fasting named ‘Roza’.

They believe this secures them a place in heaven and also brings them face to face with Allah, the Almighty, on the day of ‘Kayamat’.

The end of Ramadan heralds the festival of Eid-ul-fitr. (ANI)

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Some Americans think opposition to Obama’s policies is based on racism

September 19, 2009 By Leave a Comment

Washington, Sep. 18 (ANI): Some Americans, including former President Jimmy Carter, believe that those who are opposing US President Barrack Obama’s policies have a racial element against him instead of simple disagreement.

According to a recent Fox News poll, 65 percent Americans think that opposition to Obama’s policies is based on honest disagreements, while 20 percent say it is mostly motivated by racism.

However, Black voters are twice as likely to say the opposition is motivated by race, with 63 percent citing racism as the reason for opposition and 27 percent say it is based on honest disagreements.

Most white voters (71 percent) say the opposition comes from honest disagreements.

Most Republicans (87 percent) and independents (69 percent) believe that opposition to Obama’s policies is based on honest disagreements, while 48 percent Democrats say honest disagreements and 34 percent say it is motivated by racism, the poll found.

Opinion Dynamics Corp. conducted the national telephone poll of 900 registered voters with a 3-point margin of error.

The poll also found that 54 percent of Americans think Obama is a “new kind” of politician, while a large 39 percent minority says he is a “typical” politician.

As for Obama’s handling of health care, 44 percent approved and 48 percent disapproved.

Obama received better ratings on his handling of the economy (55 percent approve) and on the war in Afghanistan (51 percent).

By a wide 60 percent to 27 percent margin, Americans think the country has become more divided rather than more united since Obama took office in January, the poll found. (ANI)

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