US urges UK, Scotland to provide fresh evidence linked to Megrahi’s release
Washington, Aug 15 : A team of four US senators conducting an inquiry into the release of the convicted Lockerbie bomber Abdelbaset al-Megrahi, has urged the concerned Scottish lawyers and doctors, to come forward with fresh evidence this week about the matter.
According to the Scotsman, the team is also calling on insiders with knowledge of the UK Government''s trade links to Libya, including arms deals with the Gaddafi regime to reveal any evidence they were linked to Megrahi''s return home.
Obama backs off from his previous stance on mosque near 9/11 site
Washington, Aug 15 : US President Barack Obama, who strongly backed the building of a proposed Muslim community center and mosque near ground zero in Manhattan, has defended his decision to wade into the controversy the night before, but backed off from his previous stance.
“In this country we treat everybody equally and in accordance with the law, regardless of race, regardless of religion,” Obama said when asked about his remarks at a White House dinner on Friday marking the start of Ramadan.
The more you trust others, the better you can detect lies: Study
Washington, Aug 14 : Remember how everyone keeps saying that trusting others easily is being very naïve. Not anymore. A new study shows that trusting can make you a lot smarter.
The study asked participants to watch taped job interviews of 2nd year MBA students – who had either lied to better their chances, or told the truth.
Several days before the participants watched the tapes, they filled out a questionnaire that measured their trust in other people, with questions such as "Most people are basically honest," and "Most people are basically good-natured and kind."
Happy employees may be the key to organizations’ success
Washington, Aug 14 : Employee job satisfaction is the key to a company’s successful performance, according to a new study.
Numerous studies have linked general attitudes towards work to mood outside of work and health outcomes such as coronary heart disease.
However, psychological scientist James K. Harter of Gallup, Inc. and his colleagues found that employee perceptions of work conditions might also have a big impact on the bottom line of employing organizations.
In the study, the researchers examined data from more than 2,000 business units (e. g., retail stores, factories, sales offices) of ten companies.
Experts predict onset of new cycle of solar-terrestrial activity
Washington, Aug 14 : Scientists from Boston University''s Center for Space Physics (CSP) believe that there’s new evidence to suggest the onset of a new cycle of solar-terrestrial activity.
The team observed recent aurora displays at high latitudes (ones visible to the naked eye), accompanied by far less luminous glows in the atmosphere at lower latitudes.
Typically, the Sun has an activity cycle of about 11 years, during which it ejects electrically charged particles that cause changes in the Earth''s magnetic field.
Ocean''s colour can change hurricane patterns: Study
Washington, Aug 14 : A new research indicates that a change in the color of ocean waters could have a drastic effect on the prevalence of hurricanes.
In a simulation of such a change in one region of the North Pacific, the study finds that hurricane formation decreases by 70 percent. That would be a big drop for a region that accounts for more than half the world''s reported hurricane-force winds.
Too bored to comment? Click ‘Meh’ button on Facebook
New York, Aug 14 : We often come across videos or pictures on Facebook that just don’t impress us enough to comment. Soon, you may not need to – just click the ‘Meh’ button to respond.
Just as you can ‘like’ something on Facebook, by pasting this bit of code onto your blog or video, you can ascertain in real time how many people find your content, well, not interesting enough to comment on.
Todd Greene, creator of the button, says it’s a hit on many sites.
"What’s great about real-time technology is that you see the results immediately, you don’t have to wait," The New York Daily News quoted him as saying.
Report enlists top priority research activities for astronomy and astrophysics
Washington, Aug 14 : A new report by the National Research Council has enlisted top priority research activities for astronomy and astrophysics in the next decade.
The report is based on the activity''s ability to advance science in key areas, and for the first time also takes into account factors such as risks in technical readiness, schedule, and cost.
The report identifies space- and ground-based research activities in three categories- large, midsize and small.
Celeb NY rabbi facing divorce from 4th wife after sex scandal expose
New York, Aug 14 : Marc Schneier, a New York rabbi to celebrities, was caught kissing another woman in Israel and now, his fourth wife wants separation from him.
Schneier, the founder of the star-studded Hampton Synagogue, was slapped with a shocking photograph of him kissing another woman.
Tobi Rubinstein-Schneier - whose complaint claims her husband impregnated his lover - this week petitioned a Manhattan court for a legal separation from the high-profile rabbi, who is friends with Russell Simmons and makes the scene in the Hamptons.
US says Kerry’s Pak visit will propel international response to floods
Washington, Aug 14 : The United States has said that Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman John Kerry’s visit to flood-ravaged Pakistan next week would help raise the level of international response to the disaster.
Kerry, who is the co-architect of a multi-year 7.5 billion dollar aid measure for Pakistan, will be the first senior US policymaker to visit the country since the disaster, which has claimed of over 1600 people and affected up to 15 million people.
No mediating between Blackberry maker, India: US
Washington, Aug 14 : The United States will not mediate between Blackberry maker Research In Motion (RIM) and the Indian Government, which has asked the smartphone vendor to provide access to some of mobile messaging services or face a ban due to security threats after August 31.
Ayn Rand fan ‘writes’ world’s longest 12000-mile message with GPS logger
Washington, Aug 14 : Meet author Ayn Rand’s biggest fan – a man who drove more than 12,000 miles to write ‘Read Ayn Rand’ with his GPS logger.
Nick Newcomen drove 12,328 miles across the 30 states in the United States to ‘write’ the message that can only be seen on Google Earth.
Newcomen used a Qstarz BT-Q1000X GPS tracking device as a "pen" to write his message as he drove. The GPS logger allows users to turn their travel records into files that can be displayed on a Google Earth map.
He spent part of the spring and summer of this year driving around, footing the entire bill himself.
Read 'body shops' for 'chop shops', says senator
Washington, Aug 14 - US Senator Charles Schumer, the prime mover behind the controversial law to hike worker visa fees, has amended his remarks branding Indian IT firms like Infosys as "chop shops".
He meant to call them "body shops", which exploit cheap labour, not "chop shops" that break stolen cars to sell parts. Also the idea was not to target only Indian firms but all such companies be they from "Bangalore, Beijing, or Boston."
US puts LeT in five 'most dangerous bad guy' groups
Washington, Aug 14 - Five Pakistan-based "most dangerous bad guy groups", including Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) responsible for the 2008 Mumbai terror attack, pose a critical threat in war-torn Afghanistan, says a top US official.
"Of course, Afghanistan and Pakistan have always been closely related," US special representative for Pakistan and Afghanistan Richard Holbrooke told "Charlie Rose" on PBS. "From the day Pakistan became independent they've had a bad relationship."
US hopes visa law will not hurt India ties
Washington, Aug 14 - The United States hopes that a new law to secure US-Mexico border by raising $600 million through steep work visa fee hikes would not affect its "close, robust and vital relationship" with India.
"I think this administration has a very close relationship with India and we hope to sustain it as such," US Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano told reporters Friday when asked about fears the law, which largely affects India's IT and outsourcing industries, would hurt their relationship.
Obama aims to make India-US ties a 'defining partnership'
Washington, Aug 14 - Wishing India a happy and safe Independence Day, US President Barack Obama has said he was looking forward to his India visit aimed at making their relations "one of the defining partnerships of the 21st century".
"The strategic partnership between our countries will continue to grow, and I am looking forward to my November visit to India," he said in a message on India's Aug 15 Independence Day.
"Our goal is to make this one of the defining partnerships of the 21st century," Obama said noting "Ties between our two peoples have never been stronger."
US approves five-day emergency contraceptive
Washington, Aug 14 - US regulators have approved an emergency contraceptive that can prevent pregnancy when taken within five days of unprotected sex, but which has drawn ire from anti-abortion advocates.
The Food and Drug Administration approved Friday the medication ulipristal acetate, known by the brand name ella, for use in the US.
It is effective much longer than other emergency contraceptives available in the market, which are ineffective after three days. It prevents pregnancy by delaying or inhibiting ovulation in women and was found to be safe in clinical trials, the FDA said in a statement.
7.2-magnitude quake hits Guam
Washington, Aug 14 - A major 7.2-magnitude earthquake struck southwest of US territory Guam Saturday, the United States Geological Survey (USGS) reported on its website.
The quake occurred at 7:19 a. m. Saturday (local time), 375 km southwest of Hagatna (formerly Agana), capital of Guam, at a depth of 4.7 km, the USGS said.
The Hawaii-based Pacific Tsunami Warning Center said that, based on historical earthquake and tsunami data, no destructive widespread tsunami threat exists, Xinhua reported.
BP must ensure stopping of oil spill
Washington, Aug 14 - Oil giant BP must complete work on a relief well in order to be certain that the worst oil spill in US history has been stopped for good, government officials said Friday.
But new tests taken Thursday raised fresh warnings and left engineers uncertain how to proceed with drilling the relief well, currently idle about 10 metres away from the source of a months-long ecological disaster in the Gulf of Mexico.
US continues push for Middle East direct talks
Washington, Aug 14 - US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton called key regional leaders, continuing the America's push to start Middle East direct talks, the State Department said Friday.
"Secretary Clinton discussed with Israeli Prime Minister (Benjamin) Netanyahu on issues to be resolved for direct negotiations to begin," State Department spokesman Philip Crowley said in his Twitter messages.
"Secretary Clinton also talked with Jordanian Foreign Minister Judeh and Egyptian Foreign Minister Aboul Gheit about negotiation details," Crowley was quoted as saying by Xinhua.