In a significant development, Pakistan had stopped the visit of famous Ghazal singer Ghulam Ali to India.

Ghulam Ali was scheduled to visit eight cities of India and perform there.

The ghazal maestro was to kick-off his umpteenth India visit - this time with Bihar's Rajgir Mahotsava on Saturday.

After this sudden development Ghulam Ali told an Indian English daily over phone that, "Hum sadme mein hain. Hamein roka gaya hai (I am traumatised. I have been stopped from travelling)."

Two Naxalites were killed in a gun battle with the police near a village in Bijapur area of Chhattisgarh on Friday.

The exchange of fire took place when the extremists were trying to attack a police camp near Pamalvaia village in Bijapur area, Inspector General of Police (Bastar range) A N Upadhya said.

A rifle and explosives were recovered from the site, he said.

The Naxalites attacked the Chhattisgarh Armed Police Force (CAF) camp, following which the police returned fire, killing two of them, Upadhya said.

The United Nations help the rural communities in western and southern Nepal suffering from serious food insecurity caused by increasing food and fuel prices, the effects of long-term conflict and the destruction of food stocks and crops by the recent floods. Around 1.5 million populations in the remote areas also require urgent help, the U.N. said in a statement late on Wednesday. The United Nations Central Emergency Response fund (CERF) has allocated NPR 247 million (US $3 million) to help them.

Prominent OBC leader Chhagan Bhujbal was on Friday named as the Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra by the Sharad Pawar-led NCP.

Bhujbal, besides taking charge of Deputy CM’s post will have an additional responsibility of Home Ministry.

"Our state legislature party has decided that Chhagan Bhujbal will be the leader," NCP supremo Sarad Pawar said.

Bhujbal succeeds RR Patil, who had quit owning moral responsibility for the Mumbai terror attacks.

Researchers have found a new drug, which could ease jet lag and reset the body's natural sleep rhythms. According to Shantha Rajaratnam from Monash University's School of Psychology, Psychiatry and Psychological Medicine, the drug testimelteon works on melatonin receptor in the brain and helped troubled sleepers nod off quicker and stay asleep for longer.  

According to an Italian research, obesity among children may damage their thyroid as it creates a vicious cycle of metabolism and overweight. Researchers conducted the study on 186 obese children who were overweight. They tested their thyroid hormone levels, thyroid antibodies and imaging the thyroid gland by using ultrasound for about three years. These tests suggested that their weight might be linked to structural changes in the thyroid.