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In Jharkhand, trees too get Rakhis
By Girija Shankar Ojha, Patan (Palamau) Jharkhand, Aug.5 : Ahead of the upcoming siblings' festival "Rakhi", scores of people are tying Rakhis (the sacred thread) around trees as part of their attempt to preserve trees from being felled down in the forest-rich Jharkhand state. (152)

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A Setback for Believers in UFOs
By A C Tuli: It must have come as a great disappointment to millions of people over the world, whose faith in the existence of UFOs is unshakable, to know that, according to the latest press release of Britain’s Ministry of Defense on this matter, there is no tangible proof that such alien objects exist or have ever visited our planet. (348)

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Nalanda - The City of Knowledge
By K K Khullar: Nalanda, like Rome, was not built in a day. It took several centuries to evolve, diversify and extend its civilising reach to the rest of the country and in distant lands. (245)

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Food and Healthcare
By Som Dutt: 'In the times when our immune systems are compromised on a day-to-day basis by the air we breathe and the food we eat, it is reassuring to know that there is at least one food which can actually reverse the effects of toxins and that food is Noni', according to a release from the World Noni Research Foundation, Secundrabad, Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh. (277)

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Sincerity and Resolve of SAARC Countries
By Pallab Bhattacharya: In the backdrop of terror attacks on the Indian embassy in Kabul and serial blasts in Bangalore and Ahmedabad, the security scenario in South Asia and also economic challenges in the form of soaring global prices of food and energy are expected to weigh heavily on the minds of top leaders of SAARC countries when they meet in Colombo from August 2. (261)

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Take care of your pets they too run heart attack risk
New Delhi: Humans have heart attacks not dogs! Well, new global research has poured cold water on the belief by pointing out that heart disease affects one in four dogs over the age of seven. (536)

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I have achieved everything in life: Pandit Shivkumar Sharma
Prantick Majumder, New Delhi: The task assigned to him by his father was not an easy one. It meant giving a new lease of life to an instrument that was about to become part of history. (200)

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India's gated townships can induce psychological barriers
By Anuradha Shukla, New Delhi, Aug 4 : A two-hour flight from Pune to Delhi was a huge leap for 14-year-old Ritabh. It meant leaving his luxurious abode at Magarpatta city, a gated township on the outskirts of Pune, to go and live in a regular residential area in the Indian capital. (218)

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Poor Mohammad Wasi promoting the Indian Tricolour with Dupattas
By Girish Dubey, Varanasi, Aug. 3 : Varanasi's Mohammad Wasi, who is a weaver by profession, is trying to generate public respect and love for the Indian national flag-the tricolour-by making Dupattas which have colours of the national flag. (189)

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SC, ST school dropout has gone up: CAG report
New Delhi, Aug 3 : A report of the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) says that school dropout rates for students from Scheduled Caste (SC) and Scheduled Tribe (ST) have gone up. (159)

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Children of lepers to get education in Haridwar
By Shatabdi Biswas, New Delhi, Aug. 1 : A group of non-governmental organizations here have taken up the responsibility to educate about 50 children in Uttarakhand's Haridwar city. They belong to Leprosy affected parents involved in begging in the national capital. (304)

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A glass of camel milk a day can keep impotency away
By Lokendra Singh,Jaipur, July 30 : While most of us enjoy cow's milk every day, many people in Rajasthan prefer drinking camel milk. The reason being, apart from its other health benefits, camel milk can also be beneficial to check impotency. (581)

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Fine-tuning sense of smell helps fruit flies find their mates
Washington, July 31 : When it comes to finding a mate, fruit files don't require good looks, for fine-tuning of their olfactory systems is more than enough to do the 'magical' trick, says a new study. (447)

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Terrorism hits schoolchildren in Ahmedabad
A Feature By Uday Adhvaryu. (561)

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Meet the man who 'cropped' the question!
London, July 30 : Brit Robert Szabo certainly went to great 'fields' to ask his girlfriend to spend the rest of her life with him. (588)

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Varanasi Muslim lady makes idols of Hindu gods
By Girish Kumar Dubey,Varanasi, July 30 : Despite occasional conflicts in the name of religion, there have been so many examples of communal harmony between Hindus and Muslims when people have risen above communal considerations and emerged clear winners. (573)

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'Taleem', a Muslim martial art practised by Hindus in Kerala
By Juhan Samuel, Kasaragod (Kerala), July 30 : An intricate form of martial art and gymnastics called 'Taleem', which was a part of the Muslim culture in Kerala centuries ago, is now practised by the Hindu community. (570)

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60-year-old lady's success story in diversified farming
Jalandhar, July 29 : 60-year-old Sangeeta Deol was stricken by polio when she was a child, but her determination and strong will did not let it affect her desire to succeed. Today her success in diversified farming is an example for others to follow. (515)

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Moving Into a New Era
By Joginder Singh: The process of economic reforms has come to stay, and is moving forward. There is a political consensus on the issue. All the governments, since 1991 have followed the path, of economic liberalisation, despite differing ideologies. (327)

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The Trust Vote and After
By Sunil Gatade: Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has shaken off the challenge to his government by convincingly winning the trust vote in the Lok Sabha last week. (272)

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Indo-US Nuclear Deal
By Ajay Kaul: It nearly led to the fall of the UPA government but the Indo-US nuclear deal is now set on its course with the opposing Left parties off the backof the ruling coalition. (291)

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Can't find a job? Groom your looks!
London, July 27 : Forget polishing resume to find a suitable job, for your looks are more than enough to do the trick, suggests a new study, which has found that a majority of jobseekers are not hired because of their bad dress sense and poor appearance. (280)

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The wig, his source of happiness, turns into nightmare
By F. Ahmed, Srinagar, July 27: Cosmetic surgery, breast implants and hair transplants may be buzzwords in the metros, but as a bald and middle aged Abdul Razak discovered, even a simple thing like a wig can still be an object of ridicule in Jammu and Kashmir. (344)

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Campus fashion comes at a price
By Shilpa Raina, New Delhi, July 27: Chequered shorts, skin-fit jeans, tunics in floral colours, big bags, wedge sandals and waistcoats - all this and more is on view on the Delhi University campus as its students make their personal style statements. But all this comes at a price. (324)

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Reading aloud to kids helps them develop oral language
Washington, July 26 : Want to make sure that your kid's learning process is best in the class? Well, then just read the chapters aloud to him or her, says a new study. (96)

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The next big 'A' in advertising : Ambient?
Priya Iyer, New Delhi: A water fountain spouts blood. A dog walks around with a leash around its neck, ominously suspended in mid-air. No, these are not attempts to create a sci-fi thriller but ambient advertisments. (82)

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DU students initiate AIDS awareness drive
Sabi Hussain, New Delhi: Karan Deep, a student of Delhi University has a 'special assignment' on hand everyday, a tete-a-tete with 100-odd rickshaw-pullers in the capital's campus area. (85)

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Jurassic era fossils turning to dust in Jharkhand
By Nityanand Shukla, Rajmahal Hills (Jharkhand), July 26 : Nature's treasure trove of fossils, some dating back to the Jurassic era and preserved for millions of years in Jharkhand's Sahebganj district, is being steadily eroded by rampant mining, say scientists. (104)

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Gwalior septuagenarian plays 11-feet flute for Guinness Book
By Ashok Pal, Gwalior, July 25 : A septuagenarian in Gwalior wishes to leave no stone unturned to get his name endorsed in the Guinness Book of World Records. To make his claim for inclusion in the record book, he plays an eleven-feet flute, designed by him. (174)

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Why do low-income people buy lottery tickets?
Washington, July 25 : Why do people from the low income group invest a large percentage of their income on lottery tickets than do their richer counterparts. (177)

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Girls are just as good at math as boys
Washington, July 25 : When it comes to math, girls are just as good as boys, says a new research. (168)

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Middle-aged men are happier than female counterparts
London, July 25 : Middle-aged men are happier than women in their age group, according to a new study. (154)

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Having fat pals can make you put on weight
Washington, July 25 : Do you have a big belly? Well, one of the key reasons behind the extra flab could be your friends, says a new research, which found that spending time with fat people can increase a person's chances of becoming obese. (207)

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Real men cry, search for true love and are not sex-mad, shows survey
New York, July 25 : They're stereotyped as immature, insensitive and sex-obsessed, but deep down inside majority of men pine for true love, aren't scared of commitment, and say real men can cry, a new survey has shown. (237)

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Why poor people bank more on lottery tickets
Washington, July 25 : When it comes to buying lottery tickets, people with lower incomes 'invest' their money more in the game than do the wealthier sections of the society. Now, a new research has shed light on the reasons why low-income lottery players eagerly invest in a product that provides poor returns. (154)

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Walk on the stars - with zodiac shoes!
By Radhika Bhirani, New Delhi, July 24 : Wearing customised rings, pendants and bangles studded with semi-precious stones for fortune is passe. It is time to flatter your feet - and your luck - with astrological and zodiac shoes. (107)