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Thu, 12 July 2012
Fuel tanker crashes in Nigeria; more than 100 dead

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23:05   Fuel tanker crashes in Nigeria; more than 100 dead

More than 100 people have died in southern Nigeria after a tanker carrying petrol crashed.

The authorities say the vehicle did not immediately burst into flames so nearby villagers rushed to collect the fuel.

But the tanker then exploded, burning many of them to death.

Read the full story on BBC!

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22:12   Congress is anti-tribal, says Sangma
Dubbing Congress as "anti-tribal", BJP-backed Presidential nominee P A Sangma today said he is still inspired by the ideology of the party which "now does not have leaders like Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi". 

Talking to reporters here, he said, "Congress suspended its tribal leader Arvind Netam without prior notice when he was seen with me during the filing of nomination paper for the Presidential election. 

This step by the Congress exposes the party's anti-tribal face." Sangma, a prominent tribal leader from the northeast and a former NCP leader, arrived here to meet BJP MPs and MLAs ahead of the July 19 Presidential vote.
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21:32   Mukherjee still hopeful of Trinamool support
UPA Presidential nominee Pranab Mukherjee today said that since Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee had not spoken her mind on supporting him, he was still hopeful. 

"I am hopeful. She has not decided and, I understand, she said that she will communicate her decision two days before the elections," he told reporters here when asked whether he expected UPA ally West Bengal Chief Minister's support. 

He said all UPA partners, save one, were supporting his candidature and other parties like Samajwadi Party, BSP, RJD, LJP, Janata Dal (S), Janata Dal (U) and Shiv Sena were supporting him for which he was thankful.
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20:45   Earthquake measuring 6.1 on the Richter scale jolts Pak
A powerful earthquake measuring 6. 1 on the Richter scale jolted parts of Punjab and Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa provinces of Pakistan today though there were no reports of casualties or damage to property. 

The temblor, which lasted about five seconds, occurred at about 7 pm and was followed by powerful aftershocks. It was felt in Islamabad, Lahore and other parts of Punjab, Peshawar and across Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa. At several places, people rushed out of buildings and began praying. 

Officials said they had not received any reports of casualties or damage to property. 
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20:35   No foreign hand behind Maoists: Baba Ramdev
Yoga guru and anti-corruption activist Baba Ramdev today claimed that "there are no foreign hands" behind the massive rise of Maoist and ultra-left forces in the country. 

Talking to reporters here during his trip to Assam, Ramdev said, "The main reasons for rise of these forces (Maoists) was due to massive corruption in the government and bureaucracy". Alleging that the mineral resources of the country was being "looted" by the corporate sector, Ramdev said he will protest against building of big dams on the Ganga as well as on the Brahmaputra. 

"There are plans to build 148 big dams in the Brahmaputra which will ruin the majestic Brahmaputra river serving as the lifeline of the people of North East. If Ganga is our mother, then the Brahmaputra is our father," Ramdev said.
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20:26   Don't bring Prez poll to ordinary level: Pranab
UPA Presidential candidate Pranab Mukherjee today asked political parties not to bring the campaign down to the level of ordinary poll, a day after his opponent BJP-backed nominee P A Sangma appealed for votes on the plank of tribal identity. 

"I have appealed to all political parties not to bring the campaign to the level of ordinary elections because presidential election has its own significance and stature," Mukherjee said in an apparent reference to Sangma playing the tribal card during his visit here yesterday. 

Sangma had said he was sure that legislators from tribal-dominated Jharkhand would vote for him as he was a tribal.
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20:15   Saudis to deport Delhi blasts accused Fasih next week
Fasih Mohammed, an accused in Bengaluru and Delhi blasts and detained in Saudi Arabia, is likely to be deported to India next week. 

New Delhi has been in regular touch with Riyadh for Fasih's deportation and he is expected to be handed over to Indian authorities at the earliest, official sources said on Thursday.

An engineer by profession, 28-year old Fasih from Bihar was allegedly involved in the Chinnaswamy Stadium blast in Bengaluru and the shooting incident near Jama Masjid (Delhi) in 2010 and is wanted by both Delhi and Karnataka Police.

On the request of Karnataka and Delhi Police, CBI had asked the Interpol to issue a Red Corner Notice against Fasih, after which Saudi authorities have conveyed that he has been apprehended by them.
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20:13   Indian Navy setting up IT cadre
The Indian Navy is creating a dedicated cadre of officers specialising in Information Technology to protect its critical networks from attacks by hackers.

The Navy, which is moving towards connecting all its war-fighting assets through safe and secure e-networks for acquiring network centric capabilities, will also use these officers for administering and managing these IT networks.

"We are creating a dedicated cadre of officers for managing, administering and protecting our critical networks," Navy officials said in New Delhi.

The Navy has issued advertisements inviting IT professionals to join the Naval work force.
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19:40   Government may take NCTC out of IB's ambit
The Home Ministry will approach the Cabinet Committee on Security after July 19 Presidential poll for approval of the revised plan for NCTC which will be taken out from the ambit of the Intelligence Bureau and conduct operations only when there is an urgency.

Faced with strong opposition from several chief ministers to the earlier proposal of NCTC, the Home Ministry is preparing a revised plan for implementing the ambitious project and will approach the Cabinet Committee on Security headed by Prime Minister for its approval.

"After the CCS approval, a revised order will be issued notifying the states," an official said.

According to the new plan, the NCTC will now be kept out of the ambit of the Intelligence Bureau and will be an independent entity directly reporting to the Home Ministry. Besides, the anti-terror body will conduct operations on its own only if there is an urgency or in rarest of rarest case.

The revised plan for NCTC, a pet project of Home Minister P Chidambaram, is being prepared after the Centre faced strong opposition to NCTC from Chief Ministers at a specially convened meeting on May five.
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19:29   95 Nigerians killed while trying to scoop fuel from tanker
At least 95 people, including women and children, were killed on Thursday when an overturned oil tanker in Nigeria's southern Rivers state exploded as people tried to scoop up fuel, officials said.

"We have recovered 93 bodies from the scene," National Emergency Management Agency spokesman Yushua Shuaib told PTI. 

Ninety-three people died on the spot while two others died on their way to the hospital, the official said. 

Officials of the oil-rich African country's Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC) said 18 others were also seriously injured when the tanker loaded with petrol fell in Okogbe and exploded as people rushed to the spot to scoop the spilled petrol.
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19:25   Is Antony the new number two in UPA government?
After the exit of Pranab Mukherjee from the Council of Ministers, Defence Minister A K Antony seems to have got the number two position in the government.

Indication to this effect came as Antony was allocated the seat next to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh at cabinet meeting in New Delhi on Thursday.

Antony was allocated the seat to the right of the Prime Minister, where Mukherjee used to sit, sources said.

The seat next to the Prime Minister on the left side was occupied by Cabinet Secretary Ajit Seth as usual, they said.

Earlier, Mukherjee, who resigned as the Finance Minister on June 26 to contest the Presidential poll, was the de facto number two in the government. He would stay in Delhi whenever the Prime Minister had to go abroad on official visits. 

There was speculation last week that NCP leader and Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar had been given the number two position as his name was listed after that of the Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on the official website of the PMO. 
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18:51   India scales down diplomatic ties with Denmark
India has decided to scale down its diplomatic ties with Denmark after that country's refusal to appeal in their Supreme Court against a decision of its lower court rejecting the extradition of Purulia arms drop case accused Kim Davy.

Upset over Copenhagen's refusal to act on New Delhi's consistent request to appeal in their apex court to facilitate Davy's extradition to India, government has issued a circular directed all senior officials not to meet or entertain any Danish diplomat posted in India. 

"It is against all civilised norms to harbour a terrorist. Despite being a signatory to many UN conventions, Denmark refused to act against the prime accused in the Purulia arms drop case," a senior government official said. 

Denmark even did not pay any heed to a special request of External Affairs Minister S M Krishna who wrote to his Danish counterpart requesting to appeal in their Supreme Court against the lower court order rejecting Davy's extradition. 

India has failed to understand the reason behind the stubborn attitude of Denmark despite its promise to put Davy in a special jail if extradited.
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18:31   Heavy rains lash north India
Rains lashed parts of north India today keeping temperatures below normal at most places as monsoon activity picked up over the region. Heavy rains lashed the national capital which recorded a total of 4.1 mm rainfall. The maximum temperature was recorded at 32.8 degrees celsius and the minimum was 28.2 degrees celsius.

The heavy showers started after 1:30 pm and resulted in widespread water-logging. Monsoons hit the capital on Friday evening after missing the normal onset date of June 29. Last year, the monsoons reached the city on June 26.
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18:28   India at Asean: Backs freedom of navigation
External Affairs Minister S M Krishna is at Phnom Phen for the ASEAN summit. Amid growing tension between China and a number of ASEAN countries over territorial disputes relating to the South China Sea, India Krishna today said it supports freedom of navigation and access to resources in the region in accordance with principles of international law.

Krishna also delved on the issue of the grave threat of terrorism and sought a comprehensive global approach and strengthened commitment to deal with the menace.
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18:16   Catholic Melinda Gates defies Vatican over birth control fund
In other news:
Melinda Gates, billionaire philanthropist and practising Catholic, yesterday laid down the gauntlet to the Vatican by vowing to dedicate her life to improving access to contraception for women in the developing world. Read
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18:13   Shettar's first words as K'taka CM: Belgaum is ours
The first task Karnataka Chief Minister Jagadish Shettar handled today was rejecting Maharashtra's demand for declaring disputed border areas of Belgaum as a Union Territory. He said till the Supreme Court takes a final decision on the row between the two states, the issue is a "closed chapter".

"Belgaum is ours. It's ended matter (closed chapter)," he said today. Responding to questions at his maiden press conference after being sworn in as chief minister, he said Marathis and Kannadigas in the border district of Belgaum were living in harmony.
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18:00   Girl stolen from CST reunited with parents
In a happy reunion, the three-year-old baby girl, who was stolen from the CST railway station here last month, was today handed over to her parents by the railway magistrate court.

The court also remanded the accused, Raju, to police custody till July 18 after the police told the court that they want to trace the route by which Raju had taken the girl to Haridwar in Uttarakhand.

After the CST railway police got the remand of the accused, they produced the papers regarding handing over the custody of the child to her parents.

The baby girl was stolen from the Chhattrapati Shivaji Terminus here on June 10 when she was sleeping with her parents and was traced in the holy town of Haridwar from where she has been rescued, police said.

On July 6, the Railway Police had released a photograph and CCTV footage to track down the culprit.
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17:47   Nat King Cole's wife passes away
Maria Hawkins Cole, widow of jazz crooner Nat "King" Cole and mother of singer Natalie Cole, has died in South Florida after a short battle with cancer. She was 89.A representative of the family confirmed that she died Tuesday at a Boca Raton hospice, surrounded by her family.

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17:42  
Also read: Top 10 facts about Kalmadi's Commonwealth Games scandal
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17:31   Want to go to Olympics, scam-tainted Kalmadi tells court
Just in: Sacked CWG Organising Committee chairman Suresh Kalmadi, an accused in a games-related graft case, today sought a Delhi court's permission to attend the 2012 Olympics in London.

In his plea to Special CBI Judge Talwant Singh, Kalmadi said he is a member of International Association of Athletics Federation (IAAF) Council and sought permission to go to the United Kingdom for the games from July 26 to August 13.

The Lok Sabha MP and 10 others have been charge-sheeted by the CBI under various provisions of the IPC and the Prevention of Corruption Act for allegedly "illegally" awarding contract to install Timing, Scoring and Results (TSR) system for the 2010 Commonwealth Games to Swiss Timing, causing a loss of over Rs 90 crore to the exchequer.
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17:28   ED to record jailed Jagan's statement from tomorrow
The Enforcement Directorate will begin recording the statement of jailed YSR Congress chief Jaganmohan Reddy in the Andhra Pradesh capital from tomorrow  in connection with the case registered against him under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act.
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17:19   'Laila Khan was NOT a typical Bollywood struggler'
The Laila Khan murder mystery has captivated the media for the last two weeks. If you want a conversation piece at a party, this is it. Here's all that you wanted to know about the case, but didn't know where to find it. Rediff.com's Vrushali Lad gives us this captivating account. Read
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17:11   Of mango parties and Salman Khurshid
Our sources in Delhi tell us that CBI director Amar Pratap Singh will appear before the Parliament's Select Committee on Lokpal. The Lokpal Bill which aims at setting up an anti-corruption watchdog in the country was referred to the Select Committee of Rajya Sabha in May.

Meanwhile, Union Law Minister Salman Khurshid will host a mango party at his house on Saturday for media persons. There will be 60 varieties of mangoes brought to Delhi from six districts of Uttar Pradesh. At least a thousand journalists are likely to attend.
Khurshid was in the news lately for his tart comments on Rahul Gandhi and the Congress. Read
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16:56   Historic Olympics for Saudi: Women to compete
Saudi Arabia is to send two female athletes to complete in the London 2012 Games, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) has said.Sarah Attar will compete in the 800m and Wodjan Ali Seraj Abdulrahim Shahrkhani in the judo competition.

The Saudi authorities lifted a ban on women from the Gulf kingdom competing in the Games last month.The public participation of women in sport is still fiercely opposed by many Saudi religious conservatives.

Read the story
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16:44   Dalai Lama arrives on six-day visit to Kashmir Valley
Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama arrived here today on a six-day private visit to Kashmir during which he is scheduled to meet Tibetan refugees living in the Valley. The Dalai Lama, who will be a state guest during his stay in the Valley, was received at the airport by Chief Minister Omar Abdullah.

"The Chief Minister welcomed the (Buddhist) religious leader and conveyed his good wishes to him. Omar also enquired about the health of the Dalai Lama," an official spokesman said. He said the Dalai Lama reciprocated the good wishes and prayed for peace, prosperity and development of the state.
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16:38   He jute! Rice crop headed to plastic bags
India is bracing for a further shortage of jute bags for packing the upcoming rice harvest, compounding the country's difficulties in storing food crops.India already lacks warehouse space for crops, meaning thousands of tons of food rots each year despite the country being home to the largest number of hungry people in the world.
Read
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16:36   Why steel demand is ahead of industrial growth
Also on the WSJ: Indian steel demand rose sharply in the April to June quarter, bucking weak industrial growth and a slowdown in infrastructure spending. Read
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16:34   Salman mulls Pakistan visit
It's not often that Bollywood actors visit Pakistan. Although the Hindi film industry is hugely popular over the border, Pakistan-India relations are only slowly inching toward normalization and casual visits remain rare.

But this is a step Bollywood superstar Salman Khan may be willing to take to promote his upcoming film Ek Tha Tiger,  (There Was One Tiger) after Pakistans media regulator banned the films theatrical trailer from airing in the country.
Read
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16:27   Milkha Singh remembers 'brother' Dara
Legendary athlete Milkha Singh today remembered wrestler and Bollywood actor Dara Singh as a brother and a self-made man. The 'Flying Sikh' recalled his old association with Dara, saying he was a self-made man who had risen from a humble rural background.

"He was just like a brother to me. I recall in 1955-56 we stayed in a same hotel in Mumbai when we were practising in that city for a sports event," Milkha told PTI here. He said that whenever Dara used to visit his Chandigarh residence, which was adjacent to Milkha's house in upscale Sector 8 here, the latter made it a point to visit him.

"Whenever he was in Chandigarh, first he used to come to my house early in the morning after a walk. We used to have a cup of tea and have breakfast together. Our free-wheeling chats for hours used to cover topics from films to sports etc," Milkha recalled.
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16:00   Dara Singh's body consigned to flames
And so, final farewell, as Dara Singh's body is consigned to flames.
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15:58   Dara Singh: The pehlwan who never lost a bout
Dara Singh, the 'pehlwan,' who gave India the global name in wrestling even before independence in 1947 was a champion in every sense. He may have lost his battle with life but when he lived, he ensured he never lost a bout. He remained undefeated through his wrestling career.

Read  the obit here
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15:55   Dara Singh was taken off ventilator yesterday
Dara Singh's body has reached the crematorium and preparations are being made for his last rites at the Pawan Hans crematorium at suburban Vile Parle. Dara Singh was taken off the ventilator yesterday as his last wish was to die at home.


In Dara Singh's ancestral village upon hearing the demise of the great wrestler-actor. Streets in Dharmuchak filled with young and old, sharing their grief and heroics of the man. For the past five days, the residents here were praying for his recovery. "We had been fearing the worst, but we had not lost all hope. We can't believe our 'Hanuman' is not amongst us. This news (that Dara Singh has passed away) looks unreal," Sukhraj, a local resident, said. Singh's nephew Baljit Singh said that they were hopeful that Dara Singh's condition will improve. Now a number of residents are preparing to leave for Mumbai.
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15:47   Goodbye Dara Singh! India bids farewell at funeral
Dara Singh's son Vindu Dara Singh accompanying the flower-bedecked body in the funeral cortege. Interesting factoid -- Dara Singh wrestled 500 times in his career, and emerged undefeated each time.  The actor/wrestler suffered a cardiac arrest and a brain hemorrhage after being hospitalised over the last four days. He was called the Action King of Bollywood in the 1980s.


Farhan Akhtar ‏@FarOutAkhtar
RIP Dara Singh. Always respected the honesty & dignity with which you lived your life.

KABIR BEDI ‏@iKabirBedi
RIP DARA SINGH, Rustam-e-Hind, India's iconic wrestler, pride of Punjab, loved by all generations. We'll miss you deeply.

Karan Johar ‏@kjohar25
RIP DARA SINGH.....have the most heartfelt memories.....

Kamaal R Khan - KRK ‏@kamaalrkhan
RIP Dara singh ji. He was real mard of Bollywood. The world will not forget him before the end.
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15:37   43 Tibetians have i'lated themselves since 2009'
Forty three Tibetans have immolated themselves since 2009 in a bid to draw the world's attention towards the Tibetan issue, a member of the Tibetan Parliament-in-Exile said here today.

"Since 2009, 43 persons have committed self immolation to attract the world's attention towards the burning issue of Tibet. We have confirmed information 31 have died, while we still don't have any information about the remaining 12," Tibetan Parliament-in-Exile member Karma Yeshi aid today.

Last July 6 too, a 22-year old man set himself ablaze in the Tibetian capital city of Lhasa, he said, adding all the victims were aged between 16 and 44 years.
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15:28   Gujarat minister weighed in blood on 77th birthday
Gujarat Food and civil supplies Minister Narottam Patel turned 77 amidst a novel celebration, where he was weighed with blood on a weighing scale decorated with flowers. The celebration was organised apparently to impress the Patel community, a major vote bank in election-bound Gujarat. Bharatiya Janata Party's and his supporters had earlier organised a blood donation camp across the city.
Read
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15:23   Stunning pictures of Earth
The view of Earth from space has transformed our understanding of, as well as our admiration for, the planet. The data and images collected by Earth-observing satellites have been used in thousands of scientific papers, helped us better respond to natural disasters, improved weather and climate forecasts, enlightened us about our impact on Earth and captivated us with beauty. See
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15:19   Fans pay last respects at Dara Singh's funeral procession
The mortal remains of actor, wrestler Dara Singh begins its last journey. The funeral will be held this evening. TV images show fans lining the roads to pay their final respects. Dara Singh passed away at the Kokilaben Ambani Hospital in Mumbai at 7.30 am.

Also read: Dara Singh: A Life In Pictures

And another: RIP Dara Singh: the only superhero I knew
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15:03  
The incident happened Saturday evening when the warden of Karabi hostel, Uma Poddar, while on an inspection found Punita guilty of bedwetting. She allegedly then made the girl drink her urine as a punishment.

After the girl told her mother about the ordeal, her parents and several other people stormed the hostel premises and allegedly manhandled Poddar.

The girl's mother has also lodged a complaint against Poddar at the Bolpur police station in Birbhum district, some 160 km from state capital Kolkata.

The National Commission for Protection of Child Rights had taken cognisance of the matter and sought a report from the university, which led to the apology. 
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14:53   Visva Bharati aplogises to girl made to lick urine
The class V student of Patha Bhavan at Visva-Bharati University, Shantiniketan who was forced to drink her own urine as a punishment for wetting her bed, has been given admission to a school in Bolpur. The University has allowed the girl to be a day-boarder and has apologised for the incident saying such acts will not happen again. 
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14:46   The Scream's buyer named
Billionaire New York financier Leon Black believed to have paid 74m for Edvard Munch's masterpiece. Read
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14:35   Team USAs uniforms for London Olympics made in China
Team USA's uniform for the London Olympics, that includes berets and blazers, are "made in China,' it has been revealed. 

The athletes will wear their national colours red, white and blue on their clothing designed by Ralph Lauren, for the opening ceremonies of the 2012 Summer games.  

Every item in the uniforms that the US athletes will be wearing at the opening ceremony in London will carry an overseas label, ABC news reported.   Nanette Lepore, one of the top US fashion designers, said she was shocked that none of the uniforms had been made in the states.   
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14:23   PM: Dara Singh was a son of the soil
Describing acclaimed wrestler Dara Singh as a "son of the soil" Prime Minister Manmohan Singh today expressed grief at his demise saying he rose to the heights of the entertainment world, sports arena and public life with humility and grace.

"I am deeply saddened to learn of the passing away of Dara Singh, who has been an inspiration and icon to many generations in our country... his contribution to the Hindi and Punjabi cinema, wrestling and the Upper House of the Parliament will be remembered by millions," he said in his condolence message.

The Prime Minister said Singh was "a self educated son of the soil" who rose to the heights of the entertainment world, sports arena and public life with humility and grace. "I wish to send my deepest condolences to the family of Dara Singh and to his countless admirers in India and abroad," he said.
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14:20   What you can take to the Olympics
Well, the list of what you can't take is shorter, so here it is. No frisbees, picnic hampers or vuvuzelas. Read
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14:18   Security for Olympics may be inadeuate
UK Olympic security firm calls for back-up as thousands of troops are put on standby. The private contractor G4S warns it may not be able to train 10,000 staff it needs in time. Read the report on the Telegraph. 
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14:11   How Tom Cruise was introduced to Scientology
Tom Cruise was already on his way to becoming a movie star well before he joined the Church of Scientology. With leading roles in hit films like "Risky Business" and "Top Gun," Cruise's celebrity status was quickly building, which made him a prime target to be inducted into the Church. Read

Also read: The cult of Scientology: A religion or a deception?

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13:46   Pakistani soldier held in J-K seeks asylum
Just in: CNN IBN reports that a Pakistani soldier had been held in Poonch, Jammu and Kashmir. The J-K police interrogating him say he seeks asylum in India as Pakistan is bankrupt. Currency notes worth thousands and two SIM cards have been retrieved from him. The soldier has been identified as Arif Ali of Pakistan's Frontier Force. Details awaited.
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13:40   Pay homage to Dara Singh on Zara Bol
If you want to pay homage to Dara Singh, you don't have to go far. Just click here and join his fans in saying a final goodbye.
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13:37   UP: Wardboy playing doctor suspended, CMO sacked
Amid shocking visuals of ward boys playing doctors in a Bulandshahar hospital, the Uttar Pradesh government today "removed" the Chief Medical Superintendent and suspended a ward boy of the government facility.

"The ward boy, who was putting stitches, has been suspended and the CMS has been removed," Health Minister Ahmad Hasan told reporters here. The CMS has been removed as he was present in the hospital and such a thing should had not have happened in his presence, he said.

"We want to assure people that a lot of improvement has taken place in health services. Best medicines would be provided and corrupt and incapable doctors will be terminated," Hasan said. In shocking state of affairs in a government hospital in Bulandshahar, ward boys and sweepers were were found performing medical procedures on patients.

Visuals showing a class IV employee of the Bulandshahar district hospital putting stitches on the wounds of an injured child and another one giving an injection to a patient were aired by TV channels.

But the hospital authorities maintained such staff were "trained" to carry out the procedures. The UP government had on Tuesday ordered an inquiry, saying laxity will not be tolerated and stern action will be taken against the errant staff.
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13:35   Dow Olympic sponsorship rethink
The Dow Chemicals controversy refuses to die down and for good reason. London's municipal authority has piled up pressure on the International Olympic Committee to rethink on its relationship with the Dow chemical company as the sponsor of the games in light of the 1984 Bhopal gas tragedy.

A motion agreed at a meeting of the London Assembly urged the IOC and national organising committees to consider the environmental, social, ethical and human rights records of companies when awarding high-profile partnership and sponsorship deals.

Dow is a Worldwide Olympic Partner and paid for the plastic wrap around the Olympic Stadium. Dow Chemical bought the Union Carbide Chemical Company, owners of the Bhopal pesticide plant in India where the 1984 disaster took place. Over 3,000 people are believed to have died in the December of 1984 in Bhopal due to the immediate after effects of the tragedy.
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13:26   IAF evacuates over 400 flood-affected people in Assam
In the far corners of India, in Assam, the Air Force has evacuated over 400 flood-affected persons across the state in the past 20 days as relief helicopters and transport planes are on round-the-clock standby.

Air Commodore P E Patange of the Eastern Air Command said besides airlifting 400 marooned persons from various parts of the state, the IAF also airlifted dozens of tonnes of relief materials for distribution.
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13:19   The kidnapping that unravelled a spy's career
The ex-CIA operative knew she was taking a risk when she booked her flight from Washington to India. Sabrina De Sousa was still getting used to the idea that she was an international fugitive, with a European arrest warrant issued in her name.

She figured she'd be safe, as long as the plane didn't make an emergency stop anywhere in Europe. Anyway, she had to go. She needed to see her aging mother and tell her for the first time about all of it: The kidnapping of a radical Egyptian Muslim cleric from the streets of Milan in 2003.

Her indictment in Italy in 2007 alleging that she had been involved in his disappearance. Her resignation from what she carefully describes as a "U.S. government job' in 2009. The full story on the Washington Post.

Also read the rediff.com story: Mumbai-born to 'Mata Hari': Sabrina de Sousa's amazing story
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13:08   Rupee at 55.62 a dollar, erases initial losses
The good news at this hour is that the rupee erased early losses today and was trading at 55.62 against the dollar at the Interbank Foreign Exchange Market. The rupee resumed marginally higher at 55.60 per dollar as against the last closing level of 55.63, but fell sharply to 55.74 on good demand for the American currency from banks and importers.
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13:06   Nuclear power vs. people power
India has come into its own, a once-sleeping tiger waking with a seismic roar. In the last two decades, India has emerged as a robust modern military force, a formidable science and technology hub, and a soaring economic success despite the global recession. These developments, however, are accompanied by more and more demand for, and reliance on, nuclear power -- and lots of it.

Read more
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12:59   Bollywood mourns Rustom-e-Hind Dara Singh's death
And in Bollywood celebrities mourned the death of wrestler-actor Dara Singh, saying India has lost its real superhero and the symbol of strength. Samplers...

Amitabh Bachchan: A great Indian and one of the finest humans... An entire era of his celebrated presence gone!,

Abhishek Bachchan: Had the honour of working with him in Shararat. The most gentle and kind man. Really looked up to him. Will miss him. He was always so loving and gave the best hugs.

Shah Rukh Khan: Wrestlers are made of sweat, determination and a hard to find alloy called guts... Most apt for Dara Singhji our very own Superman. Will miss you sir.

Director Imtiaz Ali: It's a great loss... It's sad that he is not with us now. I wish for peace for the departed soul and his family. I was following up on what was happening with his health recently.

Director Sajid Khan: Feel I have lost my father again. He was a very nice human being. I feel India has lost its symbol of strength."

Akshay Kumar: Sad to know the great Dara Singh ji is no more. Some more goodness taken away from us... He was Hanuman for every kid...
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12:46   Katie Holmes registers with Catholic church
Update on the Katie Holmes-Tom Cruise saga...
The actress has finally turned her back on the controversial religion of Scientology by registering with a Catholic church in New York, it has been claimed.
Read more
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12:42   On the Olympic trail: Langars in London for Fauja's torch run
In other news...
When Fauja Singh - the 101- year-old marathon runner - carries the Olympic relay torch in London on July 21, Sikhs will celebrate the occasion by organising a langar (community kitchen) along the road for the public.

They will serve free roti rolls at several key points along the Olympic torch route from Greenwich Park to Waltham Forest Town Hall between 7 am (12.30 pm IST) to 8 pm (1.30 am IST). Read more 
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12:40   Omar Abdullah: Pakistan has a stake in Kashmir
Contrary to India's assertion that Jammu and Kashmir is an internal issue, chief minister Omar Abdullah claimed that it is not an internal issue but a political one between India and Pakistan. The Jammu and Kashmir chief minister, speaking at a gathering on the 12th death anniversary of his grandmother Begum Akbar Jahan, wife of National Conference founder Shiekh Abdullah, said the two countries must sit down and resolve the issue.

Yesterday, Omar also tweeted that PA Sangma should have more decorum since he was running for the highest office in the country.

Read more 
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12:37   Vindu Dara Singh: I want to party, not cry at his death
Vindu Dara Singh on his father's death. He was with his father when he breathed his last this morning. "I don't want to cry and be down. I think I want to party. My mother won't understand that part. He lived a beautiful life. There would not be a single person on earth who can say anything bad or negative about my father," Vindu said.
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12:27  
Shettar was sworn in as Karnataka CM, along with two deputies -- R Ashok and K S Eshwarappa. A total of 32 ministers are also been sworn in today at the Raj Bhawan. 
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12:26   Industrial production slows to 2.4% in May
Just in: The disinvestment of SAIL has been deferred as the steel minister is not in town.

Meanwhile, industrial production growth rate slowed to 2.4 per cent in May, 2012 due to contraction in capital goods and mining output, coupled with poor show by manufacturing sector, indicating persistent slowdown that may prompt RBI to cut lending interest rate. Growth in factory output, as measured by the Index of Industrial Production (IIP), was 6.2 per cent in May 2011, according to the official data released today.
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12:21   Entire Opposition gives Shettar's swearing-in a miss
Jagadish Shettar's swearing in ceremony was marked by the absence of the entire opposition which decided to stay away from the ceromony. The 32 other MLAs who will be part of the cabinet will also be sworn in today. The ceremony took place at the Raj Bhavan and saw members of the BJP including former chief ministers -- Sadananda Gowda and B S Yeddyurappa. Both the former CMs were seated together, but did not speak with each other. The names of the two deputy chief ministers will be announced later in the day.
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12:13   Jagadish Shettar sworn in as Karnataka CM
Jagadish Shettar has been sworn in as Karnataka Chief Minister.
Yesterday, when Sadananda Gowda met with Karnataka Governor H R Bharadwaj to tender his resignation, there was an interesting conversation between the two. Sources privy to the meeting told Rediff.com that the governor was upset with the political state of affairs and said, it was sad that senior BJP leaders L K Advani did not turn up to Gowda's rescue. Read
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12:09   Mirror, mirror on the wall, Mr Geelani
In taking positions inimical to the return of Pandits to the Valley, Syed Ali Shah Geelani is not unlike the Zionists whom he berates. Read the op-ed piece on the Hindu. 
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12:03   Lt Col in soup for befriending ISI agent on Facebook
In yet another security breach in the military, an Army officer has been caught for establishing contact on social networking site Facebook with a Bangladeshi woman working for Pakistan's ISI. The woman, in fact, had earlier "honey-trapped" another Indian officer in an ISI espionage operation in Bangladesh late last year.

More on the TOI.
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11:55   CPI(M): Want non-Congress person as Vice President
Update on the vice presidential elections. The CPI(M) leader Prakash Karat says the party wants a candidate who does not belong to the Congress. The Congress wants vice president Hamid Ansari to be given a second term. Prime Minister Manmohan Singh last night stepped up efforts to drum up support for Ansari. Elections are scheduled for August 7. Ally TMC is against the candidature.
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11:50   Legal battle likely after Pranab becomes President
Next week, on Thursday, the voting on the Presidential elections begin. The Opposition says Pranab Mukherjee, who was the chairman of the Indian Statistical Institute Council, did not quit that office before filing the papers for his Presidential run. Mukherjee knows exactly how tricky these details can be, and how they can trip up even the most seasoned politician, says T V R Shenoy on rediff.com. Read
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11:46   At sperm bank in Bihar, caste divisions start before birth
For those of us who think that India's caste system should be referred to in the past tense, here's an eye-opener. (Unless of course, you've watched Satyamev Jayate over the weekend).

The NYT reports that India's caste system is now asserting itself even before birth as more couples in rural areas turn to sperm donors as treatment for infertility.
Read
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11:42  
Some shocks, no panic: Five takeouts from Infosy results. Read the report on Firstpost.com.
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11:37   Ex-files: Nicole offers support to Kat over divorce
Katie Holmes reached out to Tom Cruise's second wife, Nicole Kidman when she planned her divorce from the actor, it has been revealed. The two have reportedly been friends since 2006, when Holmes, 33, married Cruise.  

Kidman, 45, divorced the 'Top Gun' star in 2001 after 11 years, but has two adopted children with him '" Isabella, 19 and Connor 17.   "They've spoken over the last few weeks,' the Telegraph quoted a source as telling Us magazine. "Nicole has been supportive, saying she's been through it too and to hang in there," the source said.  

When Holmes and Cruise's marriage became beyond repair and there were increasing concerns over the future and well-being of their six-year-old daughter Suri, she turned to Kidman for advice. "Nicole offered her support and help," the source added.
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11:30   Amitabh: Dara Singh one of the finest human beings
More Megastar Amitabh Bachchan, who played Dara Singh's son in 1985 action film "Mard", remembers the wrestler-actor as one of the "finest humans" whose demise ended an era. Dara Singh, who was battling for life since the last five days, passed away early this morning. He was 83.

"Dara Singh ji passed away this morning. A great Indian and one of the finest humans... An entire era of his celebrated presence gone!," Bachchan, 69, wrote on Twitter.

His son Abhishek Bachchan, who also worked with Dara Singh in one of his early films "Shararat", said he looked up the wrestler. "Dara ji passes away. Had the honour of working with him in Shararat. The most gentle and kind man. Really looked up to him. Will miss him."
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11:25   China spruces up highway through Aksai Chin
Chinese officials have said they are close to completing the repaving of the Xinjiang-Tibet national highway, which runs through the disputed Aksai Chin region, for the first time in 50 years. Read the report on the Hindu.
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11:23   'Pak willing to resolve bilateral disputes with India'
Pakistan today said it is willing to go by the agreement that it had in the past with India to resolve some of the disputes like Sir Creek and Siachen."If you look at may be some of the disputes that we have. We have Sir Creek, we have Siachen... Pakistan has already made it clear that we are willing to go by the agreement that we had in the past,' Foreign Minister Hina Rabbani Khar said in an interview.

She said the two countries must move forward in the relationship and "moving forward would require that we all are able to sometimes show flexibility, some times we don't need to show flexibility."
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11:18   Infosys tanks over 10 pc on weak outlook; drags down Sensex
If you're an Infosys stockholder... Shares of the blue chip tumbled over 10 per cent after the company today lowered its revenue guidance in dollar terms for 2012-13, dragging down the BSE benchmark Sensex.

The IT bellwether scrip opened the day on a weak note following the guidance at its quarterly results announcement this morning and lost 10.14 per cent to touch a low of Rs 2,216.05 on the BSE. Later, it recovered some ground but was still down nearly 8.7 per cent. Similarly, on the NSE, the stock tanked 10.19 per cent to a low of Rs 2,219.
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11:09   Ambika Soni condoles Dara Singh's death
If you've just joined us, actor and wrestler Dara Singh passed away today. Singh was the Commonwealth wrestling champion in 1968 and a Rajya Sabha member from 2003 to 2009.    

Condoling his death, Information and Broadcasting Minister Ambika Soni today said he will always have a special place in the hearts of people for his contribution to the Indian film industry.

"I am deeply saddened to learn of the passing away of Dara Singh. Dara Singh will always have a special place in our heart for his immense contribution to the Indian film industry in various capacities, as an actor, director and producer," Soni said in her condolence message.

The Minister also recalled Singh's distinguished record as member of the Rajya Sabha. "May his soul rest in peace," she said. The 83-year-old actor died at his home in Mumbai this morning. The last rites will be carried out at 2 pm.
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10:59   Militants gun down 8 Pakistani policemen
A group of heavily armed militants today gunned down nine policemen in Lahore after storming a building where dozens of security personnel were living.   

Eight more policemen were also injured in the attack in the densely populated neighbourhood of Ichra, officials said.   

The policemen belonged to the prison department of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa province in the northwest and had come to Lahore for training.
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10:05   Pakistan, India MUST move forward: Khar
Pakistan and India must move forward in the relationship, Pakistan Foreign Minister Hina Rabbani Khar has said.   

The two countries must find a solution to some of disputes like the Sir Creek issue, said Khar.
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10:04   US: Indian couple charged with $8.8 million fraud
An Indian-American couple has been charged by US federal authorities for running a healthcare fraud scheme in which they claimed over eight million dollars through false medical bills. 

Usha Shah and Deepak Shah, both 63, were charged in a federal indictment for their participation in a series of separate Medicare fraud schemes involving home health services, US Attorney Barbara McQuade said.

 According to the indictment, the Shahs were allegedly involved in fraudulent claims submitted to Medicare totaling more than 8.8 million dollars through their company, Miracle Home Health of Southfield, for home health care services that were medically unnecessary and never provided.
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09:08   US eases financial sanctions on Myanmar
In an apparent recognition to the ongoing reform efforts in Myanmar, the US has eased certain financial and investment sanctions imposed on it, but stressed that the country should "continue with its reform process". 

"As these vital economic and political reform efforts move forward, the US will continue to support and monitor Myanmar's progress," the US Department of State said, adding that Washington expects Myanmar to implement measures for "socio-economic development" and protection of human rights, "including political rights and civil liberties".
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09:03   Dara Singh passes away
Dara Singh died of a cardiac respiratory arrest around 7.30 am. He had been taken off the ventilator on Wednesday night.   

Singh was the Commonwealth wrestling champion in 1968 and a Rajya Sabha member from 2003 to 2009.   

 His last rites will be conducted in Mumbai at 2 pm.
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08:40   Dara Singh passes away

Wrestler-turned-actor Dara Singh passed away on Thursday morning at his residence on Mumbai. He had been battling for his life in a city hospital since the last four days and was brought back home on Wednesday night.

The 84-year-actor was admitted to Kokilaben Hospital in an emergency condition on July 7. He had suffered a cardiac arrest and since then he had been in the ICU.

The Commonwealth wrestling champion entered the film industry in the fifties and is known for his roles in King Kong and Faulad. He was last seen in Imtiaz Ali's Jab We Met in which he played Kareena Kapoor's grandfather.

The veteran actor had played the character of Hanuman in Ramanand Sagar's epic television series Ramayan.

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01:53   Spain announces budget cuts amid protests

Spain's government has announced sweeping new austerity measures, amid clashes between protesters and police.

Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy said sales tax would rise from 18% to 21%, and local authorities would have their budgets slashed.

The move coincided with a miners' rally in Madrid, where police fired rubber bullets at crowds of protesters.

Read more on BBC!

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