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Washington, Aug 31 : Technology firms Microsoft and Google are set to sue the US government to win the right to reveal more information about official requests for user data in the wake of revelations by Edward Snowden, the Guardian reported Saturday.

The companies announced the lawsuit Friday after talks with the justice department stalled.

This is expected to escalate a legal battle over the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (Fisa), which is used by the National Security Agency (NSA) and other US government agencies to gather data about foreign internet users.

New Delhi, Aug 31 : India does not need the International Monetary Fund's help to ensure the stability of the rupee, which has depreciated by almost 20 percent against the dollar in the past three months, Planning Commission Deputy Chairman Montek Singh Ahluwalia said Saturday.

“I don't think our current economic situation requires us to go to IMF. I don't anticipate that situation in the near future,” Ahluwalia said at a media conference here.

He said the rupee had “over depreciated” and should appreciate now, and find an appropriate level.

New Delhi, Aug 31 : Petrol and diesel will cost Rs. 2.35 and Rs. 0.50 more per litre, excluding state taxes, from midnight Saturday, state-run Indian Oil Corporation (IOC) announced.

The IOC said that it had to hike prices due to sharp depreciation of the rupee and hardening of crude prices in the international market due to the volatile situation in Syria.

Concerns have been raised over escalation in tensions in Syria with a possible US intervention and, thereafter, the fallout on oil prices.

Mumbai, Aug 31 : Actress Soha Ali Khan, who has featured in films like "Rang De Basanti", "Khoya Khoya Chand" and "Soundtrack", will now be seen in a comical movie, "War Chhod Na Yaar". She says the genre is lighter and also great fun.

"I am doing comedy for the first time and it has been great fun. I have done films where to get into a role, you have to bring back all these depressing memories before a shot. Comedy is much lighter, you can improvise, you can have fun, and you can let yourself go," Soha said in a statement.

Venice, Aug 31 : Actor George Clooney has bee

Vladivostok, Aug 31 : Russian President Vladimir Putin said Saturday that the Syrian government had never used chemical weapons and described the recent chemical attack in a Damascus outskirt as a provocation.

“As far as this incident is concerned, it is well-known that the Syrian government used to turn to the world community with a request to inspect, what it thought, cases of using chemical weapons against civilians by militants. Unfortunately, that did not happen,” the Russian leader told journalists.

According to Putin, the Syrian government troops are now on the offensive.