MOSCOW, January 1 -- One died and 21 were wounded in the fire of a plane in Surgut, a source in the region’s law enforcement authorities told Itar-Tass reporter on the phone on Saturday.

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As a New Year gift for the citizens, the State Government has simplified issuing of birth and death certificates. Accordingly, both the documents would be issued to the people concerned free of cost in the hospitals. In a press release here, Deputy Commissioner Harsh Gupta has said since most of the births are taking place in hospitals, it would be easy for the persons concerned to collect the birth certificates of the newborns while getting discharged from the hospitals. As per Sec 7(5) of the Birth, Death Registration Act 1969, sub-registration centres are opened at the government hospitals of H D Kote, Hunsur, K R Nagar, Nanjangud, Periyapatna and T Narasipur and station medical officers as sub-registrars with effect from January 1.

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Ratan Tata’s next venture might just be building a car that runs on water.According to the Chairman of the Scientific Advisory Council to the Prime Minister, Prof C N R Rao, the Tata Group Chairman has invested USD 15 million in a start up venture which is conducting research in that field.

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The New Year isn’t bringing good news for regular fliers. Private carriers Kingfisher Airlines and Jet Airways have decided to hike fares by Rs 200 per ticket with immediate effect. The hike, which is in the form of increase in fuel surcharge, comes after jump in global crude oil prices.

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Sydney’s Harbour Bridge exploded in a spectacular blaze of New Year fireworks Friday as people around the globe began welcoming 2011 with a glittering array of parties.

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Sharjah/Chandigarh, Dec 31 (IANS) Claiming innocence, 17 Indians sentenced to death for killing a Pakistani man in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) have refused to settle the case by paying blood money to the victim’s family as recompense for the murder. Their families in India agree and say they will not take up the new offer by the victim’s family.

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Mumbai: The government has permitted bars and restaurants to remain open all through the night on December 31 for new year celebrations in Mumbai, Thane and Navi Mumbai but boat parties along the coast have been banned for the third time in a row due to the terror threat. "The state excise department has allowed bars, hotels and restaurants to remain open till 5 am on January 1, 2011. Usually, these establishments are shut by 1:30 hours but due to the New Year celebrations, the norms have been relaxed," Joint Police Commissioner (Law and Order) Rajnish Seth said. "Boat parties along the coastline have been banned as a precautionary measure in the wake of intelligence inputs. Earlier also, for two years, the boat parties were not allowed due to security reasons," Seth added. Loudspeakers will be allowed to play till midnight in an open ground, instead of the usual 10 pm deadline.

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MECCA - Flash flooding killed a man and three children in the Mecca region of Saudi Arabia on Thursday, as waist-high water snarled traffic in the nearby Red Sea port of Jeddah, where 123 people died in flooding last year. The governor of Mecca, Prince Khaled al-Faisal, reported the deaths and added that another 200 people had been rescued from flood waters, many by helicopter.

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Muscat: Oman’s Al Hajar Mountain range has received snow as temperature drastically dipped in the country following winter rains in the last couple of days. Mountains in both Jabal Akhdar and Jabal Shams were covered with snow as campers woke up on Tuesday morning. "We were camping at Upper Sayq Plateau and woke up to see snow all around our tent at around 6.30am," Briton Mandy Hendry told Gulf News on her return to Muscat.

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Bahrain is set to nominate a Christian woman as its ambassador in a European capital Manama: Bahrain is set to nominate a Christian woman as its ambassador in a European capital, diplomats told Gulf News. Alice Samaan, a former Member of Parliament, will be the first Christian ambassador to represent the overwhelmingly Muslim country.

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Citibank manager Shivraj Puri, accused of cheating investors of over Rs.200 crore, surrendered before police and was taken into custody Thursday, almost two days after one of India’s biggest banking frauds came to light, officials said.

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Private carrier Jet Airways today advised its passengers to check-in two hours prior to their flight departure due to an enhanced security and holiday rush at airports.

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With curtains down on all sorts of campaigning in the district for the Zilla Panchayat and Taluk Panchayat polls, elaborate security arrangements have been made by district administration for smooth conduct of polls.

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Those ringing in 2011 with a glass of champagne and no alcohol licence will be breaking the law - even tourists. And so are those throwing a party and sharing their alcohol and those drinking in an emirate for which their licence is not valid. Federal law makes it illegal to consume alcohol in the UAE without a licence - whether at home or in a hotel, and this applies to both residents and tourists, according to the Abu Dhabi-based lawyer Khalid Mustafa.

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French retail giant Carrefour today announced its entry into the Indian market by opening its first cash and carry store for wholesale distribution. The new store -- Carrefour Wholesale Cash&Carry -- in New Delhi will house over 10,000 stock keeping units and cater to professional businesses, institutions, restaurants and local retailers.

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In a development that could save the 17 Indians who have been awarded death penalty for killing a Pakistani man over a bootlegging turf war in Sharjah, the victim’s family on Thursday told the Appellate Court that they are ready to accept compensation.

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Court documents show that Latisha Lawson of Fort Wayne faces felony counts of battery and neglect of a dependent. Fort Wayne: An Indiana woman who told investigators she fed her young son olive oil and vinegar until he stopped breathing and died, then hid his body more than a year has been formally charged.

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A Citibank manager accused of cheating investors of Rs.100 crore after promising to double their deposits continues to be on the run, police said on Wednesday, a day after one of India’s biggest banking frauds came to light. Haryana Police has issued a lookout circular for Shivraj Puri, the bank’s relationship manager here, after failing to track him down.

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In a major haul, N R Police claim to have busted a gang of three inter-state thieves adept at vehicle theft. Nine vehicles-eight cars and a goods van worth ’ 43 lakh have been recovered from them. This was disclosed to the media on Wednesday here by Police Commissioner Sunil Agarwal. The accused are identified as Viji alias Patrick, aged 38 years, car mechanic, resident of Dr Rajkumar Road, Syed Ali alias Syed, 31, mechanic, A J Block, N R Mohalla and Nandan N R, 27, K C Layout, sales executive manager with a private cellular service provider, of the city.

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Controversial godman Swami Nithyananda was on Wednesday greeted with fierce black-flag protests at his home-turf, Tiruvannamalai, in Tamil Nadu. Nithyananda, out on conditional bail and against whom the Karnataka Criminal Investigation Department (CID) had recently filed a massive 430-page charge-sheet in the Ramnagaram Judicial Magistrate court, was visiting his “Dhyana Peetam” ashram at Tirunvannamalai on the occasion of his birthday.

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