London, Nov 1: A new world record has been set for the largest gathering of zombies during a Halloween event, with 1,227 people dressed as zombies dancing to pop star Michael Jackson’s superhit song ‘Thriller’ in Nottingham.

The participants were seen covered in fake blood and face paint as they gathered in the Old Market Square, and performed a choreographed zombie dance.

The performance started at 5pm, and it took officials from Guinness World Records half-an-hour to verify the number of participants for the event, which was part of the GameCity festival.

The record had previously been held by the US, when 1,124 people attended Monroeville Mall, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, in November last year.

Washington, Nov 1: Astronomers have probed the physical conditions in the active inner regions of a number of Ultraluminous Infrared Galaxies (ULIRGs), with the help of the James Clerk Maxwell Telescope (JCMT).

ULIRGs are characterized by an enormous energy output, which is totally hidden from view for optical telescopes by massive gas and dust clouds inside these galaxies.

When the universe was much younger, such galaxies were much more common than now, and scientists believe that galaxies of this type have played a key role in shaping the present-day universe.

Chennai, Nov 1: The South Indian Artiste's Association today observed a day-long fast to protest against the ongoing conflict in Tamil dominated area of Sri Lanka.

South Indian actors Nepolean, Satyaraj, Vijay, Arjun, Pasupathi and Manorama, led by the Association's president R Sarath Kumar, observed the fast.

Talking to reporters Sarath Kumar said, "The programme was organised to express the Association's solidarity with Tamils living in Sri Lanka and support them."

"It is good that the Central and state governments have already started taking steps to find an amicable solution on the matter," he added.

Kumar hopes that normalcy will return to Sri Lanka soon.

Cairo - The ruling National Democratic Party (NDP) begins its fifth annual conference on Saturday morning with a total of 2,700 delegates participating.

On the first day, NDP chairman President Hosny Mubarak is expected to address the 3-day gathering convened under the banner "A New Style of Thinking for the Future of Our Country," focusing on the challenges facing Egypt.

Mubarak's speech is to outline the party's vision and strategy in dealing with the global food and financial crisis.

A day would be devoted to the impact of global financial meltdown on Egypt, Gamal Essam el-Din, an Egyptian journalist specialized in parliamentary affairs told Deutsche Presse-Agentur dpa.

Washington, Nov 1: Amid controversies regarding the alleged expenditure of 150,000 dollars on U. S. Republican vice-presidential nominee Sarah Palin''s campaign wardrobe, top designers have given her the thumbs up for it.

Designers have said that there was nothing excessive or inappropriate about the GOP funding as it enhances one''s image, and also plays a critical role where success is concerned.

"She is running for vice president, and both the President and vice president of the United States should be iconic. She should be someone we look up to on many levels, and her image is this country''s image," Fox News quoted Stacey Bendet, designer and owner of the world-famous Alice + Olivia, as saying.

Kathmandu - Visiting United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon Saturday reiterated the need to resolve the issue of former Maoist combatants.

Speaking to the press at the end of his two day visit to Nepal, Ban described the issue to integrate former rebel combatants into the security agencies as one of the most important issues in the peace process.