US defence chief accuses China of cyber spying
SINGAPORE, June 1 (AFP)-US Defence Secretary Chuck Hagel today accused China of waging cyber espionage against the United States, raising pressure on Beijing over the issue ahead of a key summit between their leaders. The Pentagon chief, speaking at a Singapore security forum attended by senior Chinese military officials, pointedly blamed the Chinese government and armed [...]
Samsung officially unveils the Galaxy S4 Mini
Samsung has unveiled the latest model in its Galaxy range of smartphones and tablets – the Galaxy S4 Mini. It is a compact version of the Galaxy S4 handset, which was launched in March, and the Mini has a 4.3-inch screen, an 8MP camera, a dual-core processor and weighs 107g. The specifications match those that were [...]
A new generation of Bollywood glam girls
Bollywood is always on a lookout for fresh faces and new talent. The burden of elevating the glam quotient of our films lies on the shoulders of the leading ladies, which makes it important for filmmakers to launch new female leads every other Friday. Bollywood has always been a male-dominated bastion where nearing- 50 heroes [...]
Newly-elected Pakistan parliament sworn-in
ISLAMABAD, June 1 (AFP) -Pakistan’s new parliament was sworn-in today, completing the country’s first-ever democratic transition of power in a country ruled for half its history by the military. Newly-elected lawmakers came to the parliament building for the oath-taking ceremony amid tight security around the “Red Zone” of the capital Islamabad where key government buildings are [...]
Palestinian victims of 1948 war found in mass grave in Tel Aviv
JERUSALEM (AFP) – The remains of dozens of Palestinians killed by Israelis in fighting following the 1948 foundation of the Israeli state have been found in a mass grave in Tel Aviv’s Jaffa district. An official at the Muslim cemetery there told AFP that the grisly find occurred on Wednesday when ground subsided as workers carried [...]
Chinese wonder why their tourists behave so badly
BEIJING (Reuters) – From faking marriage certificates to get honeymoon discounts in the Maldives to letting children defecate on the floor of a Taiwan airport, Chinese tourists have recently found themselves at the centre of controversy and anger. Thanks to microblogging sites in China, accounts of tourists behaving badly spread like wildfire across the country, provoking [...]
Japan government says unaware of ghosts at Prime Minister’s residence
TOKYO (Reuters) – A delay in Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and his wife moving into their official residence, the site of past assassinations, has revived talk of ghosts in the corridors, prompting the government to deny any knowledge of hauntings. Abe has not moved into the prime minister’s official residence for five months since [...]
All eyes on Everest
Nepal marks ‘Diamond Jubilee’ of summit victory KATHMANDU (AFP)— Nepal on Wednesday marked 60 years since the first ascent of Everest, celebrating the pioneering climbers whose bravery spawned an industry that many mountaineers fear is now ruining the world’s highest peak. Four days of ceremonies dubbed the “Everest Diamond Jubilee” ended Wednesday with family members of [...]
The iWatch is coming: Apple boss says
Apple boss Tim Cook has hit back at claims Apple is losing its cool by saying the tech giant has ‘some incredible plans’ which are likely to include both a TV and a wearable computer. The Apple boss took part in a rare interview at the D11 conference in California. ‘Televisions have not been brought up [...]
Could eating yoghurt help treat depression?
Probiotics found in natural yogurt could help boost a person’s mood because they affect brain function, according to new research. Previous studies had shown that beneficial bacteria affected the brains of rats but no research has confirmed that the same occurred in human brains. The study found that those who ate probiotic yoghurt twice daily [...]
WHO calls Middle Eastern virus, MERS, ‘threat to the entire world’
Three people have died from a deadly new SARS-like virus, taking the total death toll to 27. The unnamed victims were from Saudi Arabia and died in the country’s eastern region, the Saudi health ministry confirmed today. This week a 65-year-old man died in France as health officials warned the MERS-CoV virus is now a global threat [...]
The hi-tech tattoo that could replace all passwords
Motorola reveals plans for ink and even pills to identify us Motorola has announced it is looking at alternatives to traditional passwords in a bid to make logging into online sites, or accessing mobile phones, more secure. Among the ideas discussed at the D11 conference in California on Wednesday were electronic tattoos and authentication pills [...]
Woolly mammoths could be brought back from extinction
Scientists discover blood and muscle tissue buried in an ice tomb for 10,000 years Scientists in Siberia have found the first ever well-preserved sample of blood from a woolly mammoth, which could be used to recreate the extinct species. The 10,000-year-old blood was sealed inside ice beneath the carcass of a female mammoth. Preserved muscle tissue was [...]
One man and his tiger
Monk cuddles up to the big cat, one of a hundred raised by the Buddhist keepers from cubs at the Temple in Kanchanaburi,Thailand When temperatures reaching a stifling 37 degrees, even these well-adapted tigers need to find a way of escaping the heat. The beautiful big cats are pictured at the controversial Tiger Temple in [...]
A robot butler to tend to your every need
Developed at Cornell University using Kinect sensors, 3D cameras and a database of videos to work out what ‘owners’ want A beer-pouring robot that can read your body movements and anticipate when you want another drink has been developed by American students. Researchers from Cornell University used Microsoft Kinect sensors and 3D cameras to help [...]
Mumbai blames lingerie-clad mannequins for sex crimes
NEW DELHI (Reuters)- You can’t blame it on illiteracy or poor policing. Or patriarchal mindsets in India. It’s the fault of the racy mannequins haunting Mumbai’s lingerie stores, seducing passers-by and turning them into sex offenders. At least that’s what the city’s municipal corporation would have you believe. In a move ridiculed on Twitter, the Brihanmumbai [...]
India’s lost Buddhist university to rise from ashes
NEW DELHI (AFP) – Indian academics have long dreamt of resurrecting Nalanda University, one of the world’s oldest seats of learning which has lain in ruins for 800 years since being razed by foreign invaders. Now the chance of intellectual life returning to Nalanda has come one step closer after the parliament in New Delhi last [...]
Arming Syria rebels too risky for Washington
WASHINGTON, (AFP) – Despite welcoming the lifting of a European ban on arming Syrian rebels, Washington is unlikely to follow suit, fearing its weapons could fall into the hands of jihadists or fuel a proxy war with Russia. President Barack Obama has long been under pressure from Republican lawmakers and even officials in his own administration [...]
The long march towards abolition of war
UNITED NATIONS, (IPS) – Slavery. Colonialism. Apartheid. Gender discrimination in voting. All were abolished in most places after longstanding battles – largely in bygone eras. Now a high-level panel is scheduled to meet next month to discuss another politically sensitive issue: Should the institution of war be abolished? Asked if this would be just an exercise [...]
The voices behind Angelina Jolie
NEW YORK – On May 26, Angelina Jolie’s aunt, Debbie Martin, died of breast cancer at 61. Jolie’s mother, Marcheline Bertrand, died at 56 from a related illness, ovarian cancer. And, two weeks before Martin died, Jolie revealed that she had undergone a preventive double mastectomy after testing positive for a BRCA gene mutation – [...]
Financial secrets and lies
LONDON – In early April, a major exposé of financial secrecy sent shock waves around the world. After devoting more than a year to examining 2.5 million leaked files, the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ), in partnership with several global news outlets, revealed the names behind more than 120,000 anonymous offshore companies and trusts. [...]
