China tightens Internet rules

BEIJING: China has approved new rules that require Internet users nationwide to provide real-name identification, state media reported on Friday, as the government increases its already tight online grip.The National People's Congress (NPC), the country's legislature, adopted the measures at a meeting on Friday, the official Xinhua news agency and other media said.According to Xinhua,...

Read More..

Constitution amendment bill on north Karnataka sent to President assent

GULBARGA: The Constitution amendment bill passed recently by both Houses of Parliament to provide for special economic status to north Karnataka region has been sent to the President for assent. The presidential assent was expected soon, Union minister for labour & employment M Mallikarjun Kharge said here while replying to felicitation organised by Gulbarga district unit Congerss for the efforts...

Read More..

Body Under British Parking Lot May Be King Richard III

For centuries, William Shakespeare seemed to have the last word. His Richard III glowered and leered from the stage, a monster in human form and a character so repugnant "that dogs bark at me as I halt by them." In Shakespeare's famous play, the hunchbacked king claws his way to the throne and methodically murders most of his immediate family—his wife, older brother, and two young nephews—until...

Read More..

Did the Exodus of Moses Really Happen?

In the Bible, he is called Moses. In the Koran, he is the prophet Musa.Religious scholars have long questioned whether of the story of a prophet leading God's chosen people in a great exodus out of Egypt and the freedom it brought them afterwards was real, but the similarities between a pharaoh's ancient hymn and a psalm of David might hold the link to his existence.Tune in...

Read More..

Obama reaches out to congressional leaders on ‘fiscal cliff’ talks

With just five days left before the year-end “fiscal cliff” and pessimism mounting that a deal to avert it can be reached, President Obama returned to Washington on Thursday in an effort to jump-start talks after placing late-night calls to Congress’s four top leaders. Obama made calls from Hawaii late Wednesday to Senate Majority Leader Harry M. Reid (D-Nev.), Minority Leader Mitch McConnell...

Read More..

Football: Cole and Gibson win red card appeals

LONDON: West Ham striker Carlton Cole and Everton midfielder Darron Gibson have both had their suspensions quashed after the pair were sent off in Saturday's Premier League match at Upton Park.Cole was dismissed by referee Anthony Taylor for a high challenge on Leighton Baines and Gibson also saw red for a similar challenge on Mark Noble during Everton's 2-1 win.Everton appealed against...

Read More..

Fire inside WCL coalmine in Maharashtra's Ballarpur

CHANDRAPUR (MAHARASHTRA): A massive fire has started in one of the mine blocks of Ballarpur Collieries of Western Coalfields Ltd (WCL) in WCL-Ballarpur area of Chandrapur district, company sources said on Thursday. The fire was first noticed on Tuesday, and after failing to control it, WCL management on Thursday decided to seal off the underground mine block to cut off air supply to the flames....

Read More..

Space Pictures This Week: Green Lantern, Supersonic Star

Green LanternImage courtesy Caltech/SSI/NASAAnother glorious, backlit view of the planet Saturn and its rings has been captured by NASA's Cassini spacecraft, as seen in a picture...

Read More..

Putin Will Sign Ban on Adoptions to United States

Activists protest against a bill banning U.S. adoptions of Russian children in St.Petersburg, Russia, Dec. 26, 2012. Dmitry Lovetsky/AP PhotoMOSCOW – Russian President Vladimir Putin has said he will sign a controversial ban on adoptions to the United States, defying domestic and international criticism that the move is playing politics with the lives of orphans.The ban was added last week to...

Read More..

Democrats push for tax cuts they once opposed

Democrats seeking a deal to avert the year-end “fiscal cliff” are trying to etch into stone the signature economic achievement of Republican President George W. Bush by permanently extending tax cuts enacted during his tenure. President Obama has put the extension of the tax cuts for most Americans at the top of his domestic agenda, a remarkable turnaround for Democrats, who had staunchly...

Read More..

Football: Thirteen proves lucky for Mata and Chelsea

NORWICH, United Kingdom: Juan Mata was the Chelsea match-winner after his goal turned out to be enough to defeat Norwich City 1-0 at Carrow Road on Wednesday.The Spain international broke the deadlock seven minutes before half-time to record his 13th goal of the season.It turned out to be a valuable one as Rafa Benitez's side were able to close the gap on Manchester City, beaten 1-0 at...

Read More..

Court directs police to probe into Jethmalani's remarks on Ram

HYDERABAD: A court on Wednesday directed Neredmet police to investigate into allegations against suspended BJP MP Ram Jethmalani for outraging religious feelings by his controversial comments on Lord Ram.A private complaint lodged by Bajrang Dal member Navin Kumar and advocate Srinivas Yadav in the Malkajgiri metropolitan magistrate court sought registration of a case against Jethmalani over his...

Read More..

Space Pictures This Week: Green Lantern, Supersonic Star

Green LanternImage courtesy Caltech/SSI/NASAAnother glorious, backlit view of the planet Saturn and its rings has been captured by NASA's Cassini spacecraft, as seen in a picture...

Read More..

Russia Lawmakers Pass Ban on Adoptions to US

Dec 26, 2012 8:22am Russian police officers detain a demonstrator protesting against a bill banning US adoptions of Russian children outside the Russian parliament's upper chamber in Moscow, Dec. 26, 2012.(Misha Japaridze/AP Photo)MOSCOW — The upper house of the Russian parliament unanimously approved a ban on adoptions to the United States on Wednesday. All eyes...

Read More..

Federal workers feel unease over potential layoffs, furloughs unleashed by ‘fiscal cliff’

Federal employees have been skeptical for months that the biggest cuts to government spending in history could really happen. But with the “fiscal cliff” a week away, workers are now growing increasingly alarmed that their jobs and their missions could be on the line. President Obama and members of Congress headed out of town late last week for a Christmas break without reaching a deal...

Read More..

Up to 27 feared dead in Kazakh plane crash

ALMATY, Kazakhstan: A military aircraft carrying 27 people including top members of the Kazakhstan border guard service crashed Tuesday in the south of the country with all those on board feared dead, officials said.The KNB security service said the An-72 military transport was carrying seven crew and 20 servicemen, including the acting head of the Kazakh border service Turganbek Stambekov.The...

Read More..

Christmas celebrated with fervour across India

NEW DELHI: Cities were soaked in festive spirit and a spirit of yuletide pervaded the air as midnight masses, resonance of carols and merriment ushered in Christmas across the country on Tuesday. As bells tolled, worshippers thronged churches and cathedrals decorated with twinking lights for the midnight service to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ. Sparkling Christmas trees and gift items adorned...

Read More..

Photos: Humboldt Squid Have a Bad Day at the Beach

Photograph by Chris Elmenhurst, Surf the Spot Photography“Strandings have been taking place with increased frequency along the west coast over the past ten years,” noted NOAA’s Field, “as this population of squid seems to be expanding its range—likely a consequence of climate change—and can be very abundant at times.” (Learn about other jumbo squid strandings.)Humboldt squid are typically found in...

Read More..

Gunman Killed Firemen With Bushmaster, Left Note

A convicted killer, who shot dead two firefighters with a Bushmaster assault rifle after leading them into an ambush when they responded to a house fire he set in Western New York, left behind a typewritten note saying he wanted to "do what I like doing best, killing people," police said.William Spengler, 62, set his home and a car on fire early Monday morning with the intention...

Read More..

Two firefighters shot dead in New York state: police

NEW YORK: Two firefighters were shot dead and two others were wounded in New York state on Monday when a gunman opened fire as the emergency personnel responded to a Christmas Eve blaze, police said.The incident -- which comes as debate rages in the United States about gun control following the Newtown school massacre -- happened shortly before 6:00 am (1100 GMT) in Webster, a suburb of...

Read More..

Nitish positive after finance minister's statement on special status

PATNA: With the demand of special category status to Bihar at the top of his agenda, chief minister Nitish Kumar sees a silver lining and a ray of hope for the state in finance minister P Chidambaram's statement in Rajya Sabha on Thursday. "Now, we can hope that something positive will emerge," said Nitish at a function here. He said that Chidambaram while admitting Bihar's backwardness on various...

Read More..

Pictures: Fungi Get Into the Holiday Spirit

Photograph courtesy Stephanie Mounaud, J. Craig Venter InstituteMounaud combined different fungi to create a Santa hat and spell out a holiday message.Different fungal grow at different rates, so Mounaud's artwork rarely lasts for long. There's only a short window of time when they actually look like what they're suppose to."You do have to keep that in perspective when you're making these creations,"...

Read More..

4 Firefighters Shot, 2 Killed in NY 'Trap'

Two firefighters were shot and killed and two others hospitalized after a gunman targeted them as they responded to a fire he is believed to have set to a home and a car in Webster, N.Y., police said."It does appear that it was a trap that was set for first responders," Police Chief Gerald L. Pickering said.SWAT team officers used an armored personnel carrier to evacuate 33...

Read More..

Football: Michu on target as Swansea frustrate Man United

SWANSEA: Manchester United's lead over Manchester City is down to four points from six after the Premier Leage leaders were held 1-1 at Swansea City's Liberty Stadium on Sunday.Patrice Evra struck with a first-half header to put United on their way but a Michu equaliser before half-time was enough to give Swansea a richly deserved point.Having seen neighbours City cut their lead at the...

Read More..

26 of 48 UP cabinet ministers have criminal past: Report

LUCKNOW: Akhilesh Yadav-led SP government, which came to power in Uttar Pradesh with a promise of providing an improved law and order, has 54 per cent of its ministers with criminal cases against them, a report has said. The report, released today by Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR) and National Election Watch (NEW) after analysing election affidavits of the leaders, reveals that 26 of the...

Read More..

Pictures: Fungi Get Into the Holiday Spirit

Photograph courtesy Stephanie Mounaud, J. Craig Venter InstituteMounaud combined different fungi to create a Santa hat and spell out a holiday message.Different fungal grow at different rates, so Mounaud's artwork rarely lasts for long. There's only a short window of time when they actually look like what they're suppose to."You do have to keep that in perspective when you're making these creations,"...

Read More..

Norquist: Obama, Democrats Using Newtown for 'Political Purposes'

Dec 23, 2012 11:23am (ABC News)National Rifle Association board member and president of Americans for Tax Reform Grover Norquist said on Sunday that President Obama and Democrats are politicizing the Newtown tragedy by pushing for gun control.“We ought to calm down and not take tragedies like this, crimes like this, and use them for political purposes,” Norquist told...

Read More..