‘Holy’ pumpkins fetch Rs.100,000

September 2nd, 2009 German court lets boy be named 'Djehad' _ holy warBERLIN — A Berlin court has upheld rulings in favor of parents who sought to name their son Djehad, a variation on the Arabic "jihad," or holy war. The superior court upheld two lower court rulings allowing the name on grounds that it is recognized for males in Arabic-speaking countries.

September 1st, 2009 Obama to host dinner for Islamic holy monthWASHINGTON — President Barack Obama is hosting a dinner celebrating the Islamic holy month of Ramadan. Obama was also to highlight the contributions of American Muslims at the Tuesday evening event in the State Dining Room.

August 21st, 2009 Longer, hotter days strain Islamic holy monthDETROIT — American Muslims face an August Ramadan for the first time in 33 years, meaning the days of the holy month are going to be longer and hotter than many can remember. Religious leaders see the seasonal shift as an opportunity for increased faithfulness, but worry participation by the young and some programming and social events could suffer.

June 27th, 2009 PATHAPUR - Tribals of Pathapur village in Chhattarpur district in Madhya Pradesh still quench their thirst with water seeping through the rocks. Situated in a mountainous terrain, the village does not have a water supply system.

June 8th, 2009 Dog plays fetch with live grenade in GermanyBERLIN — A dog playing fetch in Germany has found and delivered to its owner a U.S. hand grenade from World War II.

June 4th, 2009 Obama invokes Koran in key points of Cairo speechCAIRO — President Barack Obama's speech reaching out for a fresh start with the Islamic world was laced with references to the Koran and his Muslim roots. Obama quoted the Holy Koran as commanding, "Be conscious of God and speak always the truth." He said he shared that conviction, as "rooted in my own experience." The president noted that while he now is a Christian, his father had come from a Kenyan family that "includes generations of Muslims." He pointed to a Muslim — Rep.

May 12th, 2009 Rare blue diamond to fetch up to $8.5M at auctionGENEVA — A rare 7.03-carat blue diamond is expected to fetch up to $8.5 million at auction in Geneva Tuesday. The buyer will be able to name the diamond, auctioneer Sotheby's said.

May 3rd, 2009 Pope hopes Holy Land trip will promote peaceVATICAN CITY — Pope Benedict XVI says he hopes his upcoming trip to the Holy Land will give encouragement to Christians there and also promote peace and reconciliation between Israel and the Palestinians. Benedict says he is urging particular prayers for the Palestinians, whom he says have endured "great hardship and suffering." Benedict travels to Jordan, Israel and the Palestinian territories May 8-15.

May 2nd, 2009 Pope: I go to Holy Land as 'pilgrim of peace'VATICAN CITY — Pope Benedict XVI said Saturday that he is going to the Holy Land next week as a pilgrim of peace in a region marked by injustice, mistrust and fear. Benedict's eight-day pilgrimage, which begins Friday, will take him to Jordan, Israel and the Palestinian territories.

April 26th, 2009 AMRITSAR - A man was nabbed in the holiest of Sikh shrines Harmandir Sahib for jumping into the area of the sanctum sanctorum where the holy book Guru Granth Sahib is kept, police said. Eyewitnesses said the man jumped over the brass barricade and perched himself on the stand on which the holy book is kept at the Golden Temple.

March 17th, 2009 LONDON - A grand piano played by rock and roll legend Elvis Presley is expected to fetch a whopping $1 million at an auction. The white Knabe piano, which was installed at the singer's Graceland home in Memphis, Tennessee, is among the items at a rock and roll memorabilia sale, reported contactmusic.com The auction also features one of Presley's most famous stage outfits - a gold and blue jumpsuit and cape.

February 22nd, 2009 THIRUVANANTHAPURAM - An association of the Malayali diaspora in Australia Saturday purchased Rs.100,000 worth of lottery tickets to chip in for a Kerala government welfare fund for artistes from various fields. Thiruvallam Bhasi, a journalist based in Australia, told IANS over the phone that the tickets were handed over to Tom George, regional vice chairman of the World Malayalee Council, by film actor Indrans Saturday.

February 13th, 2009 LOS ANGELES - A nude photograph of Madonna, taken when she was a struggling dancer in 1979, was sold for $37,000 at auction - more than double the $15,000 it was expected to fetch, Christie's auction house said Friday. The buyer was identified as a European collector.

February 10th, 2009 BHOPAL - Three more towns in Madhya Pradesh, Maihar, Chitrakut and Salkanpur have been declared 'holy towns' - a status that prohibits the sale of liquor, meat and eggs there, official sources said Wednesday. The decision was taken at a cabinet meeting here chaired by Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan late Tuesday evening.

January 13th, 2009 NEW DELHI - The Delhi High Court Wednesday slapped a fine of Rs.100,000 on a Blueline bus owner and ordered contempt proceedings against him for forging the post mortem report of a man killed in a road accident and for wrongly filing a case against the police. A division bench headed by Chief Justice Ajit Prakash Shah and Justice S.