A proposal made by US Secretary of State John Kerry to Russia about the divided Syrian city of Aleppo details the procedure for withdrawal of rebel forces, Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov revealed on Monday, adding that the two countries will discuss the issue in the coming days.

“During the Russian-American consultations concrete routes and timing of the withdrawal of all militants from eastern Aleppo will be discussed. Once we reach an agreement, a ceasefire will be put in place,” Lavrov was cited by RT online as saying.

The Russian Foreign Minister added that any armed group that refuses to leave Aleppo will be treated by Russia as terrorists, adding that Moscow will support the Syrian Army's operations against them.

The proposal by Kerry was handed over on Saturday, after he and Lavrov met in Rome. Negotiations on the plan are expected to begin on Tuesday morning, Lavrov said on Monday. He added that the beginning of the talks had been postponed by a few days at Washington's request.

Lavrov also told journalists Monday that Russia would not support a draft resolution imposing a new ceasefire in Aleppo.

“Taking into consideration the outcome of the previous pauses [in the conflict], there is absolutely no doubt that the 10-day ceasefire which backers of the draft resolution generously want to provide the militants with would surely be used for regrouping and rearming the extremists and would slow down the liberation of eastern Aleppo from them,” he said.

INS Betwa, a guided missile frigate, on Monday tipped over during undocking at Naval Dockyard in Mumbai. As per reports, 14 sailors have been rescued with minor injuries and two sailors are still missing even as diving operations are in progress.

The incident happened when the frigate was undergoing a refit at the dockyard. “There has been an incident in the cruiser grounding dock at the Naval Dockyard in Mumbai involving INS Betwa. The incident occurred during undocking evolution wherein it is suspected that dock blocks mechanism failed. Further information is awaited,” Navy Spokesperson Capt D K Sharma said. Explaining the situation, he said that the mast of the ship hit the dockyard ground, he said.

The probable cause of the incident, which occurred at 1:50 PM, was a failure of the dock blocks mechanism.

“The incident occurred during undocking evolution wherein it is suspected that dock blocks mechanism failed. Further information is awaited,” Navy spokesperson Capt D K Sharma added.

The extent of the damage done to the vessel is being assessed.INS Betwa, a 3,850 tonne, 126-metre-long Brahmaputra-class guided missile frigate, was commissioned into the Navy in 2004 and is packed with missiles, weapons and sensors.

Aditya Chopra has opened up about his reasons to direct his upcoming Paris-set romance Befikre, saying he wanted to do something that helped him rediscover a fearless passion for filmmaking.

The director, who is known for his reclusive nature, shot to fame with Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge.

Chopra, in a note to his fans that was accompanied with his picture with lead pair Ranveer Singh and Vaani Kapoor, said he wanted to get rid of the burden of expectations that had come to haunt him.

“It’s been 21 years since DDLJ and I have worked tirelessly producing loads of films, building a studio model, even wrote and directed a couple of films on the way. All the while I gained a lot of knowledge and experience, came to know a lot of things.

“But with knowledge came a sense of fear as well… Fear of failure, fear of not meeting expectations. When you know a lot, you become more cautious and when you become cautious you tend to lose the one thing that drove you to do this in the first place, fearless passion. I figured it’s time to reboot myself.” 

Chopra said he realised that what worked for DDLJ will not connect with the youngsters today as the world has changed and so “have definitions of love”.

“More importantly, women have changed. Today they are equal to men (actually stronger) in every possible way. This truly has changed the rules of love forever. Who asks whom out first? Who says I love you first? Do we say I love you at all? Who breaks up first?.” 

The director said he wanted to leave the baggage of his three films DDLJ, Mohabbatein and Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi, all starring Shah Rukh Khan.

“I wanted to feel as if I’m making my first film. To achieve this, the most important decision I took was to surround myself with people I didn’t know. Since the film is set in Paris, I chose a full French crew….

“Since I was a complete stranger to them, they did not come with any baggage of my past achievements and treated me as any regular director. And since they were unknown to me and my style of filmmaking, I could rediscover myself as a student of cinema once again.” 

Chopra said dramatic conflict, heightened emotions and intense romance were the three pillars on which his stories stood but he decided to ditch this as well in Befikre.

“So at 45, I’m being fearless once again. I’m stepping out of my comfort zone and into the minefield of the young and restless. Unlearning everything that I know and trying to figure out if I’m still relevant to the youth today,” he said, adding he is “scared” about the response to the film, slated to release this Friday.

As a “gracious host”, India extended all facilities to Sartaj Aziz for his trip here to attend the Heart of Asia conference and there was no reason to complain, government sources said on Monday, a day after Pakistan claimed that restrictions were put on his movement and he was not allowed speak to media.

The sources also said a rare exception was made to allow arrival and departure of Aziz, who led the Pakistani delegation, by air at Amritsar which is not a designated port for entry and exit of Pakistani nationals, besides giving swift clearance despite a last minute change in his scheduled arrival by a special flight.

In a hurriedly called press conference after his return from Amritsar last night, Aziz had accused India of not treating the Pakistani media properly at the Heart of Asia meeting and said he was not allowed to have a press conference. “The attitude towards media was not good. I wanted to have press interaction with our own media. But we were not allowed,” he alleged.

Pakistan on Monday had also claimed that Aziz was not allowed to visit the Golden Temple and speak to Pakistani media at the hotel where he was staying even as India said it was done considering his security.

“They have no reasons to complain. We were gracious hosts. Extended tarmac access, gave additional rooms, provided armoured cars (not given to every Foreign Minister) and other conveniences keeping special security requirements in view.”

“This was done despite the last minute change of programme and advancing of arrival in Amritsar by special flight by more than 12 hours. Fresh flight clearance was issued within minutes,” the sources said.

They said Aziz could be present in the official dinner and in the call on Prime Minister on the evening of October 3 due to the last minute clearance given.

“In addition, they were actively engaged in the Senior Officials Meeting and Ministerial and all other requests honoured. A rare exception was made to allow arrival and departure by air at Amritsar which is not a designated airport for entry and exit for Pakistani nationals,” they said.

Aziz was scheduled to arrive here on Sunday but came a day early for the conference due to prevailing weather condition. Almost the entire northern India has been affected by thick cover of fog for the last two days, delaying flights and trains services.

A pre-dawn fire at a hotel in Pakistan's largest city of Karachi on Monday killed at least 11 people and injured 75 others, police and a doctor said.

Among the dead were four women while the injured included some foreigners.

The blaze broke out in the kitchen located at the ground floor of the four-star hotel located on the city's Shahrah-i-Faisal, and swept through the building, trapping scores of hotel guests in their rooms.

Most of the victims had suffered from smoke inhalation or suffocated, Chief Fire Office Tehseen Siddiqui told Dawn News.

He added that the hotel has now been evacuated completely.

Some people were injured after jumping from windows to escape the blaze.

Police Senior Superintendent Saqib Memon said the cause of the fire in the Regent Plaza Hotel was not clear and an investigation had been launched.

Memon confirmed the death toll and said it took three hours for the fire to be brought under control.

International and domestic cricket players were among those injured in the blaze.

The team, which was staying at the fourth floor of the hotel, woke up to the fire, said Nadeem Khan, head of the UBL Sports Department.

He said bowler Yasim Murtaza's ankle was fractured as he jumped from the second floor to save his life and the player is now recovering at a hospital.

Karamat Ali was also injured.

International cricketer Sohaib Maqsood was also staying at the hotel but remained safe in the fire, said Nadeem.

Building fires in Pakistan are often caused by faulty wiring or electrical short-circuits.

Feyenoord and Ajax continued their nail-biting battle for the top spot of the Dutch Eredivisie football league, beating Sparta Rotterdam and FC Groningen, respectively.

League leaders Feyenoord had no problems in the Rotterdam derby against Sparta 6-1 on Sunday.

Tonny Vilhena opened the scoring and Jens Toornstra, Nicolai Jorgensen (twice), Eric Botteghin and Eljero Elia lifted the goal tally to six. Sparta substitute Thomas Verhaar produced the late consolation goal for the visitors, reports Xinhua.

Without suspended captain Davy Klaassen, Ajax had a difficult afternoon against FC Groningen but won 2-0. Davinson Sanchez headed in the early opening goal from a corner by Lasse Schone.

Ajax failed to extend the lead for an hour, but was rewarded with a penalty in the 72nd minute after Anwar El Ghazi, who returned from a one-month suspension after a training ground collision with coach Peter Bosz. Hakim Ziyech converted the penalty, but the Moroccan international also missed a penalty 10 minutes later.

With the wins, both Feyenoord and Ajax walked away from league leaders PSV, who drew 0-0 at Roda JC Kerkrade on Saturday. Both Feyenoord and Ajax collected 36 points from 15 matches, but Feyenoord lead the table on goal difference. PSV trail by six points.

Also on Sunday, FC Utrecht beat ADO Den Haag 2-0 Willem II and FC Twente drew 0-0.

On Saturday, SC Heereveen defeated the Go Ahead Eagles 3-1, Excelsior and AZ Alkmaar drew 3-3 and Vitesse beat PEC Zwolle 3-1.

Heerenveen are fourth in the standings with 26 points, followed by AZ (25), Twente (21) and Utrecht (21).

Centre on Monday dispatched a team of specialists from the All India Institute of Medical Science to Apollo Hospital in Chennai where Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa is undergoing treatment after suffering cardiac arrest last evening.

Four specialists from AIIMS will soon be reaching Apollo Hospital, Health Minister J P Nadda said here.

“We are in constant touch with Apollo and Tamil Nadu Government. They had requested a team of doctors from AIIMS.

We have sent a team of specialists from AIIMS Dr Khilani, Dr Trikha, Dr Narang and Dr Talwar. We hope that doctors from AIIMS and Apollo will be able to help in her recovery. We pray to God that she regains her health,” Nadda said.

The team of AIIMS doctors inlcude pulmonologist Dr GC Khilnani, anaesthetist Dr Anjan Trikha, cardiac surgeon Dr Sachin Talwar and cardiologist Dr Rajiv Narang.

Jayalalithaa has been critical after she suffered a cardiac arrest in Apollo Hospital yesterday where she was admitted over two months ago.

Apollo Hospitals, in a tweet late last night, had said doctors were closely monitoring Jayalalithaa’s condition and trying their “very best”.

“Our doctors are closely monitoring Hon’ble CM’s condition and they are trying their very best,” Sangita Reddy, Joint Managing Director of Apollo Hospitals, tweeted.

68-year-old Jayalalithaa is “critical”, she said in an earlier tweet, adding that AIADMK chief was on extracorporeal membrane heart assist device and being treated by a team of expert doctors and critical care specialists.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday invited foreign companies to invest in the Indian oil and gas sector, saying the country's economy was expected to grow five-fold by 2040.

“My message to global hydrocarbon companies is come and Make in India. Our commitment is strong and our motto is to replace Red Tape with Red Carpet,” Modi said at the inauguration of Petrotech 2016, adding: “We expect growth in manufacturing, transport, civil aviation among other sectors.”

“India needs energy which is accessible to the poor,” the Prime Minister added.

For having affordable energy to attain sustainable growth, the government aims to provide electricity to all by March 2018, piped natural gas connection to 10 million and pipeline network to 30,000 km in 5 years, he said.

“Government is building a new gas pipeline to the least developed eastern region, which has become a catalyst to new jobs,” he said.

Modi said the government plans to reduce oil imports by 10 per cent in 2022, and that efforts should be made to move towards a gas-based economy.

Speaking earlier, Petroleum Minister Dharmendra Pradhan said that with India becoming the world's third largest oil consumer, the bi-annual Petrotech international conference will play a key role in preparing a roadmap to meet the country's future energy needs.

The three-day event will see the participation of six thousand delegates from 68 countries, as well as 20 ministerial delegations, he added.

Besides Petrotech 2016, International Energy Forum and International Gas Union Ministerial Conferences are also being organised here simultaneously.

Urdu poetry has done wonders to calm the hearts of people, especially in Jammu and Kashmir, which has seen so much violence and bloodshed, Chief Justice of India Justice T S Thakur has said.

“Urdu is a beautiful language. It warms the hearts of even those who have no relation to this language,” he said at an 'Urdu mushaira' on Sunday.

“In today's situation where there is so much of violence and bloodshed everywhere, especially in this state (Valley), the effort of Urdu poets to present the reality is worth appreciating,” he said.

The mushaira was organised by the department of Law and Justice and JK Academy of Art Culture and Languages in honor of the Chief Justice of India.

Noted poets of the state participated in the event and enthralled the audience with their creation.

Besides others, the programme was attended by Chairman Legislative Council Haji Anayat Ali, Minister for Law and Justice Abdul Haq Khan, Minister for Revenue, Relief and Rehabilitation Syed Basharat Bukhari, Minister of State for Education Priya Sethi, Secretary JKAACL Aziz Hajini and senior jurists.

The mushaira was presided over by noted poet Aresh. The poets depicted the contemporary socio-political scenario through their poetry and also highlighted the issues faced by the common man.

Superstar Shah Rukh Khan said he and Salman Khan can definitely work together in a film again. 

Shah Rukh, 51, and the Dabangg actor have worked in films like Karan Arjun, Hum Tumhare Hai Sanam and Kuch Kuch Hota Hai. 

When asked if there is a possibility of them coming back for a film, Shah Rukh told reporters, “Woh bhi ho jayega (That will also happen). We are here. Someone will bring a film, we will do something.” 

Salman added, “It will happen. If some good, knowledgeable writer comes up with something, we will definitely do it.” 

To which, the Fan actor said that they will need a director with lots of patience too. 

The duo were speaking at the Star Screen Awards, where they co-hosted a segment. 

On being quizzed how was the experience, Shah Rukh said, “It’s fun. This is the way we are normally also. It’s nice to have extended it. We really had fun.” 

Salman added, “It was really good fun. The theme is friendship so who better than him and me to host it.” 

When asked if Aamir will also join them in hosting the awards next year, Shah Rukh quipped that the Dhoom 3 actor doesn’t attend awards. 

Shah Rukh and Salman, 50, have had ups and downs in their friendship over the years but the latter said sometimes their “fights” were blown out of proportion. 

“It happens with everyone, just what happened with us but so much of fuss was created around that. We had no contribution in that, it was (pointing at the media) and some loved ones too.”

Thousands of Thais gathered on a Bangkok bridge named after the late King Bhumibol Adulyadej on what would have been his birthday on Monday, the latest organised mass display of grief in a divided nation adjusting to life without him. 

For much of his remarkable seven decade reign, Bhumibol’s 5 December birthday was an auspicious moment for Thais with the monarch often delivering key speeches offering social — and sometimes distinctly political — guidance in a nation buffeted by years of coups and instability. 

Stricken with ill health in the last decade of his life, he missed his last two birthday appearances before his death aged 88 on October 13. 

His passing has plunged Thailand into a year of mourning, heavily orchestrated by an arch-royalist junta who seized power two years ago, and has removed a key pillar of stability. 

“I still feel lonely and empty as we don’t have him anymore,” a visibly moved Yaowana Kaewpud, one of the mourners on the bridge said. 

The 47-year-old and her daughters had travelled from the outskirts of Bangkok to attend today’s dawn ceremony, which featured black-clad mourners giving alms to 999 monks. 

Bhumibol was widely revered as a calming constant and afforded a near god-like status among many Thais through his many years criss-crossing the nation, a reputation further burnished via a slick palace propaganda machine. 

He was also shielded from any criticism or scrutiny inside the kingdom by a strict lese majeste law forcing subjects and the media to heavily self-censor. 

His passing is a delicate transition both for the monarchy and its backers in the military elite. 

Bhumibol forged a strong alliance with Thailand’s coup-prone generals, who often used perceived threats against the monarchy to seize power in putsches that were almost always recognised by the king. 

His reign saw breakneck development but also entrenched disparity between a Bangkok-centric elite and the rural poor. 

In the last ten years Thailand has been torn apart by competing political factions representing those two sides. 

While Bhumibol was widely revered, King Maha Vajiralongkorn has not yet achieved the same level of popularity. 

The 64-year-old prince ascended the throne last Thursday after a seven week hiatus in which he asked to be allowed time to mourn his father. 

He is comparatively unknown to ordinary Thais, choosing to spend much of his time outside the kingdom and has not given an interview for years.

Amidst indications that SP leader and Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav is warming up to the idea of an alliance with Congress, UP PCC President Raj Babbar on Monday said his party will contest alone in the state and described such talks as “hypothetical”.

“Alliance talks in some way demoralises workers. I have no such information. The party leadership has not asked me to look for a tie up and it's not under consideration. This is hypothetical,” he said in an interview here.

Recently Akhilesh had said that his party was capable enough to get majority on its own but if there was an alliance with Congress, they would together get over 300 seats, triggering speculation of a pre-poll tieup.

Akhilesh's father and SP patriarch Mulayam Singh Yadav has already ruled out any pre-poll alliance, asserting that there can only be mergers.

The Chief Minister, however, had said that a final decision on the alliance will be taken by the SP supremo and he can only give suggestions.

Akhilesh also suggested that Congress will have to accept that it may have to fight on a fewer number of seats than it wants in an alliance because a tie-up will not work out if it keeps thinking about “profit and loss”.

Asked about the issue, Babbar stressed that Congress will “contest UP polls alone” and the first list of the party candidates is likely to be released by the end of this month.

“The exercise of candidate selection is on…We have again asked for the prospective candidates list from district presidents,” he said.

To a question about the party's expected performance in 2017, he said, “The situation is changing in the state. Those who were considering Congress as zero are now talking about it. Various campaigns in past few months have succeeded in connecting with people and they are looking for an alternative”.

“There is anger among people against BJP, SP and BSP.

While BJP will be facing consequences of demonetisation, there is feud in SP and people did not have faith and trust on BSP due to its past record…The only alternative is Congress,” he said, adding that party will certainly be improving its tally in 2017 Assembly polls from 29 it got in 2012.

Babbar criticised Prime Minister Narendra Modi's call for cashless society, saying people of the country are not “plastic” but “emotional”.

“In the country where 90 per cent sector is unorganised people cannot be plastic rather they are emotional. They help each other due to emotions. BJP will have to suffer losses for what it has done creating problems for common man,” he said.

Asked why the aggressive campaign started by Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi in UP has slowed down, Babbar said it was because of the Parliament session as the entire focus of the top leaders has shifted there.

“Important leaders of the state including PL Punia, Pramod Tiwari, Ghulam Nabi Azad have got busy in Parliament where burning issues are being raised. We have to focus there.

But soon we will again be concentrating in UP,” he said.

In the 2014 Lok Sabha polls, Congress had secured only two seats in UP with Sonia and Rahul emerging victorious from their family strongholds of Rae Bareli and Amethi respectively.

The party is trying to regain its lost moorings in the state where it currently has only 29 MLAs in the 403-member Assembly.

Congress has been in political wilderness in UP since 1989 following the emergence of Mandal-Mandir politics and rise of BSP which took away its crucial Dalit vote base.

Mayawati's party had also lured a large chunk of Brahmin votes in the past when candidates of the community were given tickets by her to contest elections.

The Brahmin community plays a significant role in poll outcome in central and eastern UP as it is the dominant caste there.

Once a traditional vote bank of the Congress, Brahmins in the state shifted allegiance to BJP in the aftermath of the emergence of Mandal-Mandir politics.

Perhaps, to keep Brahmins in good humour, the party is projecting former Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit as its chief ministerial face.

In a bid to woo Hindu votes ahead of the Assembly polls in UP, Rahul Gandhi recently offered prayers at the Hanuman Garhi Temple in Ayodhya, becoming the first member of the Nehru-Gandhi family to visit Ayodhya since the demolition of the disputed structure in 1992.

Rahul recently completed 2,000 km kisan yatra in Uttar Pradesh to woo voters in favour of his party.

As thousands gather and pray for the speedy recovery of Tamil Nadu CM J Jayalalithaa, doctors in Apollo Hospital on Monday said that her situation was “extremely grave” despite their best efforts.

 “Despite our best efforts, our beloved CM remains in a grave situation,” Apollo Hospital's Joint Managing Director Sangita Reddy said in a Twitter post.

“The situation is extremely grave but I can confirm that everything possible is being done to give her the best chance of surviving (the cardiac arrest),” Dr Richard Beale said in a statement. Beale, from the London Bridge Hospital, has been regularly consulted by doctors at the Apollo Hospital here ever since Jayalalithaa was admitted in September.

This comes barely two hours after the hospital in an official statement said that the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhakam (AIADMK) leader “continues to be very critical”.

Jayalalithaa, who suffered a cardiac arrest on Sunday evening, “continues to be very critical and is on ECMO and other life support systems”, according to an earlier statement from the hospital. It said she was being treated and closely monitored by experts.

AIADMK MLAs have rushed to the hospital. They would be holding a meeting at 6 pm in an apparent move to pick a successor.

Earlier in the morning, Jayalalithaa was declared out of danger by Union Health Minister JP Nadda. “She is out of danger but she needs ICU care,” Nadda told a television news channel in New Delhi.

However, crowds throng the hospital from Sunday evening as news spread like wildfire that the AIADMK leader, who has been continuously in hospital since September 22, had suffered a cardiac arrest.

Maharashtra Governor C Vidyasagar Rao, who has additional charge of Tamil Nadu, visited the hospital on Sunday night. But he did not issue any statement after his hospital visit. On earlier occasions, Raj Bhavan used to issue statements each time he visited Apollo Hospital.

The hospital, in a tweet, called on the people to pray for the CM: “The Hon'ble CM is the beloved leader of the masses. Please join us in praying for her speedy recovery. #GodblessAmma #Jayalalithaa.”

Tamil Nadu ministers and legislators gathered at the hospital along with a mass of AIADMK activists and her supporters. Many broke down outside the hospital. Some men and women, their hands folded, offered silent prayers for her early recovery. Some tried to enter the hospital premises but were restrained.

President Pranab Mukherjee joined the political class in wishing Jayalalithaa a speedy recovery.

“Distressed to hear about Jayalalithaa suffering a cardiac arrest, my prayers for her speedy recovery,” said a post on the President's Twitter account.

DMK chief M Karunanidhi and his son and party leader MK Stalin also conveyed their best wishes for her recovery.

“Let her be healthy soon,” tweeted Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu.

“Praying for Jayalalithaaji's quick recovery. I hope she gets better very soon,” said Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi.

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee expressed her concern and wrote. “May God bless her.”

“Maharashtra prays for her speedy recovery,” posted Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis.

Rajasthan CM Vasundhara Raje tweeted: “Prayers for the speedy recovery of Jayalalithaaji. May she get recover soon.”

RJD chief Lalu Prasad said: “Totally worried about the health of Jayalalithaaji… Let's all pray for her.”

Jayalalithaa was first admitted to the hospital for treatment of fever and dehydration on September 22. 

Apollo Hospital earlier said she was on the road to recovery and she could take a decision on going home.

Meanwhile, a large number of police personnel were deployed at the Apollo hospital. Security was also stepped up across the sprawling state where Jayalalithaa enjoys widespread support.

Also, authorities in Kerala have strengthened security on the border with Tamil Nadu. Police were told to be alert in Thiruvananthapuram, Kollam, Idukki and Palakkad districts that border Tamil Nadu.

(With inputs from Agencies)

The long-held belief that saturated fats are unhealthy has been challenged by researchers at University of Bergen in Norway in a new study.

“These results indicate that most healthy people probably tolerate a high intake of saturated fat well, as long as the fat quality is good and total energy intake is not too high. It may even be healthy,” said one of the researchers Ottar Nygard, Professor and cardiologist.

The researchers found strikingly similar health effects of diets based on either lowly processed carbohydrates or fats.

In the randomised controlled trial, 38 men with abdominal obesity followed a dietary pattern high in either carbohydrates or fat, of which about half was saturated.

Fat mass in the abdominal region, liver and heart was measured with accurate analyses, along with a number of key risk factors for cardiovascular disease.

“The very high intake of total and saturated fat did not increase the calculated risk of cardiovascular diseases,” Nygard said.

“Participants on the very-high-fat diet also had substantial improvements in several important cardiometabolic risk factors, such as ectopic fat storage, blood pressure, blood lipids (triglycerides), insulin and blood sugar,” he said.

Both groups had similar intakes of energy, proteins, polyunsaturated fatty acids, the food types were the same and varied mainly in quantity, and intake of added sugar was minimised.

“We here looked at effects of total and saturated fat in the context of a healthy diet rich in fresh, lowly processed and nutritious foods, including high amounts of vegetables and rice instead of flour-based products,” PhD candidate Vivian Veum said.

“The fat sources were also lowly processed, mainly butter, cream and cold-pressed oils,” Veumsaid.

Total energy intake was within the normal range. Even the participants who increased their energy intake during the study showed substantial reductions in fat stores and disease risk.

“Our findings indicate that the overriding principle of a healthy diet is not the quantity of fat or carbohydrates, but the quality of the foods we eat,” Johnny Laupsa-Borge, another member of the research team, noted.

Saturated fat has been thought to promote cardiovascular diseases by raising the “bad” LDL (low-density lipoprotein) cholesterol in the blood.

But even with a higher fat intake in the diet intervention study compared to most comparable studies, the study — published in the The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition — found no significant increase in LDL cholesterol.

Rather, the “good” cholesterol increased only on the very-high-fat diet, the study said.

The researchers said future studies should examine which people or patients may need to limit their intake of saturated fat.