• Leaders of G8 call for peace in Syria and pledge humanitarian aid

  ENNISKILLEN - The Group of Eight industrialised nations called for a swift end to the bloody civil war in Syria and urgent peace talks but stopped short of calling for the ouster of Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad in its joint statement at the end of talks Tuesday. Despite the lack of consensus among the G8 on the fate of Assad, as well as the use of chemical weapons by his regime, Canadian ...

• Its burning hot in wettest place on Planet Earth

  It has been raining cats and dogs in India's northern states, but Cherrapunjee (renamed Sohra) - known as one of the wettest places on the earth - nestled in the abode of clouds in Meghalaya in is "burning hot" at over 28 degrees Celsius! Residents of the hilltop in northeastern India say their heavenly abode is hotter and drier than ever before - due to global warming. "Sohra has been burning ...

• Champions Tropny semifinals England put South Africa in to bat

  England opted to field against South Africa in the first semifinal of the Champions Trophy at the Kennington Oval here Wednesday. South Africa: Colin Ingram, Hashim Amla, Faf du Plessis, AB de Villiers (captain), JP Duminy, David Miller, Ryan McLaren, Robin Peterson, Chris Morris, Rory Kleinveldt, Lonwabo Tsotsobe. England: Alastair Cook (captain), Ian Bell, Jonathan Trott, Joe Root, Eoin ...

• Weekend lie-in can prevent diabetes

  If you happen to be one of those who prefer staying asleep up till late on the weekend, you could be actually doing a great service to your health, suggests an Australian study. The study found sleeping longer at the weekend can help those who burn the candle at both ends during the working week. Insulin in the body worked better after a weekend of lie-ins - especially for those lacking in ...

• Injury forces Venus out of Wimbledon

  Five-time champion Venus Williams announced that she has withdrawn from Wimbledon due to injury. Williams, who has fallen to 34th in the world rankings, posted on her Facebook page that an injury will keep her out of competition until next month, reports Xinhua. "Unfortunately, I will not be able to participate in Wimbledon this year. I am extremely disappointed as I have always loved the ...

• Li Na enters second round at Eastbourne

  Second seed Li Na of China defeated French woman Alize Cornet 6-2, 6-4 to reach the second round of the Aegon International here. Li, French Open champion two years ago but beaten in the second round at Roland Garros earlier this month, will next take on former champion Marion Bartoli of France, reports Xinhua. Fifth seed Caroline Wozniacki, the former World No.1, led Tamira Paszek 6-2, 2-2 ...

• Johnny Depp not retiring from Hollywood

  Though he thinks about retiring from Hollywood everyday, actor Johnny Depp reveals he has no such immediate plans because his brain "on idle is a bad thing". "I think while I've got the opportunity, the desire and the creative spark to do the things that I can do right now, I should do them. And then, at a certain point, just take it down to the bare minimum and concentrate on, I guess, living ...

• Bradley Cooper voted man with sexiest hair

  "Hangover" star Bradley Cooper has been voted 'the man with the sexiest hair' in a survey carried out by hair brand Fudge. He has beaten Canadian actor Ryan Gosling and footballer David Beckham to secure the top position, reports contactmusic.com. The 38-year-old star was previously named the world' Sexiest Man Alive by People magazine editors. Prince Harry and One Direction's Harry Styles ...

• Kim West babys birth video not for reality show

  Socialite Kim Kardashian and her rapper-boyfriend Kanye West allowed Kim's mother Kris Jenner to film the birth of their first child with a home video camera, but only for family viewing. West refused to allow cameras for her series "Keeping Up with the Kardashians" to record any footage in the hospital about the arrival of their baby girl who was born five weeks premature at Cedars-Sinai ...

• Sienna Millers laid-back personality affects style

  Actress Sienna Miller says that she has such a laid-back personality that even if she wears suits, she looks like a hippy. "I suppose I am inherently bohemian in terms of the way I am as a person, and I definitely went through a hippy phase with my style. But I think it's more about the way my personality is than the way I dress," femalefirst.co.uk quoted the 31-year-old as saying. "Now I'm a ...

• Scientists discover new TB drug

  Scientists have hit upon a novel drug that attacks the tuberculosis bacteria, a finding that could prove to be an effective tool in treating the dreaded disease, says a study. The researchers at the New Jersey Medical School of University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey (UMDNJ) discovered the drug that cripples the TB bug by dissolving its protective fatty coating, a finding that could ...

• Kim-Kanyes daughter name decided

  Socialite Kim Kardashian and boyfriend Kanye West have reportedly decided to call their new-born daughter Kaidence Donda West. The couple welcomed their first child June 15. The news is said to be leaked out by a nurse, who works at Cedars Sinai hospital where Kim gave birth to the child five weeks early, reports thesun.co.uk. The baby's middle name is tribute to Kanye's late mother ...

• Breakup with Paradis was unpleasant says Depp

  Actor Johnny Depp has spoken about his breakup with Vanessa Paradis, revealing separation decision was tough for all of them. The duo were in a relationship for 14 years and have two children Lily-Rose and son Jack. They ended their relationship last year and Depp says it was tough for the family to deal with it, reports radaronline.com. "At times, certainly unpleasant, but that's the nature ...

• Helen Mirren new face of Marksamp Spencer

  Award-winning actress Dame Helen Mirren is said to be the new face of lifestyle and fashion brand, Marks amp; Spencer. The 67-year-old was spotted shooting for brand's new ad campaign at London's St Katharine's Docks, here, Sunday, alongside TV personality Katie Piper, who is also believed to be starring in the advertisement, reports femalefirst.co.uk. It would be the first fashion campaign ...

• Max George single ready to mingle

  Singer Max George says he has moved on from his past relationship and is ready to mingle again. The 24-year-old was engaged to actress Michelle Keegan for almost two years, but they ended their relationship in April 2012. However, George, member of The Wanted band, now wants to enjoy life, reports thesun.co.uk. "I do fancy seeing someone else now. My last relationship, it was with a very ...

• Smith to lead Australia A in Africa

  Cricket Australia's (CA) National Selection Panel (NSP) Wednesday named a 15-man squad for Australia A's tour to Africa in July and August. All-rounder Steve Smith will lead the side, and right-hand bat Aaron Finch has been named as his deputy. The side will play three four-day matches against Zimbabwe and South Africa A in July before the tri-series involving South Africa A and India A in ...

• Australian cricketers to train on Thames

  Australian cricketers will participate in a unique training session on the Thames river here for a promotional event. The cricket pitch will be positioned on a barge in front of the iconic Tower Bridge. Skipper Michael Clarke, Shane Watson, Chris Rogers, James Faulkner and Mitchell Starc will come together on the floating pitch for a brief session to prepare for the Ashes, which starts July ...

• Sri Lankan media code threatens free speech

  A new media code proposed by the Sri Lankan government contains overbroad and vague language that could have a severe and chilling effect on free speech, Human Rights Watch said Wednesday. On June 17, the mass media and information ministry officially proposed a Code of Media Ethics that would apply to print and electronic media, including the Internet. The proposed code comes at a time when ...

• Veronica Campbell-Brown denies knowingly taking drug

  Olympic and World Champion Veronica Campbell-Brown has denied knowingly taking a banned substance Lasix, which also goes by the name Furosemide. Brown's first public reaction came in the form of a statement released by her On Track Management (OTM) group following reports that she has tested positive for the banned drug. The OTM statement says Brown is determined to clear her name and included ...

• Brazil protests will calm down Blatter hopes

  FIFA president Sepp Blatter denied that the Confederations Cup and World Cup are the causes for mass protests across Brazil. Demonstrations, which began last week in response to rise in public transport fares, have turned into a nation-wide rally against bad governance and corruption, reports Xinhua. Many marchers expressed their anger at the billions of dollars spent on new football stadiums ...

• Proper sleep lowers risk of diabetes in men

  Scientists have found that adequate sleep can reduce the risk of developing Type 2 diabetes in men, says a US study. The findings of the research, carried out by Los Angeles Biomedical Research Institute (LA BioMed), were presented at the Endocrine Society's 95th Annual Meeting in San Francisco Tuesday. The study by Peter Liu, an LA BioMed lead researcher, found that insulin sensitivity - the ...

• Japan registers trade deficit

  Japan registered 993.9 billion yen of goods trade deficit in May, the government said Wednesday. Exports increased 10.1 percent from a year earlier, while imports rose 10 percent, the finance ministry said in a preliminary report. The figures were calculated on a customs-cleared basis, reported ...

• 3D-printed tiny batteries developed

  US researchers announced they have successfully used the three-dimensional (3D) printing technique to print lithium-ion microbatteries the size of a grain of sand. The printed microbatteries could supply electricity to tiny devices in fields from medicine to communications, including many that have lingered on lab benches for lack of a battery small enough to power them, according to a research ...

• Brazil to produce H1N1 flu vaccine

  Brazil plans to produce vaccines against the influenza H1N1 virus, Health Minister Alexandre Padilha said. Nationwide production of the vaccine will help the country have an easier and faster access to the drug in case of an epidemic, he said Tuesday. "When Brazil has the technology, no economic crisis, exchange rate fluctuations, nor unilateral decision from a company can put patient ...

• Cisco set to open new centre in Israel

  The US technology giant Cisco plans to open a new research and development center in Israel, the company's CEO John Chambers said during his meeting with Israel's Minister of Finance Yair Lapid. The new centre is expected to offer 100 jobs, to be added to about 2,000 employees already work at Cisco center in Israel, reported Xinhua. Chambers Tuesday said the new project, whose main focus is ...

• Sex tape official stands trial in China

  The trial of a former official embroiled in a sex tape scandal opened Wednesday in a court in southwest China's Chongqing city. The Chongqing No.1 Intermediate People's Court will hear the case of Lei Zhengfu, former secretary of Chongqing's Beibei district committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC). Lei, who also stands accused of accepting bribes, was dismissed from his post and placed ...

• Chinese official executed for raping 11 girls

  An official in central China's Henan province was executed Tuesday for raping 11 girls, sources said Wednesday. Li Xingong, former deputy secretary general of the Yongcheng city committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC), was arrested in May 2012 on charges of raping several girls starting from the second half of 2011, reported Xinhua. The Shangqiu City Intermediate People's Court later ...

• India delivers indelible ink for Cambodian polls

  Some 40,000 bottles of indelible ink, donated by the Indian government, were delivered to Cambodia's National Election Committee (NEC) Wednesday for use in general elections July 28. The poll panel accepted the ink from Indian Ambassador to Cambodia Dinesh K. Patnaik. NEC's chairman Im Suosdey said the ink cost $877,800, and each bottle contains 70 cc, reported Xinhua. "The Indian government ...

• Rousseff proposes new regulatory framework for Brazil mining

  President Dilma Rousseff has proposed a new regulatory framework for mining in Brazil, one of the world's biggest producers of iron, bauxite, gold, nickel, manganese and other minerals. Rousseff said her plan calls for a new government agency that would regulate mining activity and create a new concessions regime. The new concessions "will run for 40 years, extendable for another 20", and the ...

• Dali fruit watercolours fetch over $1 mn at auction

  Fourteen watercolour fruit studies by Salvador Dali were sold for the first time Tuesday at an auction in London, fetching a total of 726,000 pounds ($1.13 million). The series of works by the Spanish surrealist took centre stage at the Bonhams auction, which also included Impressionist and modern masterworks by Auguste Rodin, Pablo Picasso, Henri Matisse and others. In these previously unseen ...

• Beckham travels to China

  Retired soccer champ David Beckham is in China to build enthusiasm for the game in the world's most populous country, where fans are pretty discouraged at the moment over the poor performance of their national team. The former England international, who became a goodwill ambassador for Chinese soccer earlier this year, arrived in Beijing Monday, two days after China's national squad suffered a ...

• Now talcum powder linked to ovarian cancer

  A new research has suggested women regularly using talcum powder to keep fresh actually increase their risk of developing ovarian cancer by almost a quarter. Scientists have warned powder particles applied to the genital area can travel into a woman's body and trigger inflammation, which allows cancer cells to flourish, Daily Mail reported. In the past, several studies investigated the link ...

• US first lady daughters tour Irish park

  US first lady Michelle Obama and daughters Malia and Sasha Tuesday wrapped up their brief visit to Ireland with a private guided tour of Wicklow Mountains National Park. Michelle Obama and the girls have been taking in the sights here as President Barack Obama meets with other world leaders at the G8 summit in neighbouring Northern Ireland. Malia, 14, and Sasha, 12, listened attentively ...

• Japanese firm to mass-produce synthetic spider silk

  A Japanese company has developed a synthetic protein based on spider silk and plans to use it to mass-produce a highly resistant and flexible fiber in the near future. After six years of research, Spiber, in collaboration with Keio University's Institute for Advanced Biosciences and the company Kojima Industries, will inaugurate a plant this year with the capacity to produce up to 100 kg of ...

• Mexican telecom firm in talks to restructure debt

  Mexico's Maxcom Telecomunicaciones said Tuesday it was looking to raise new capital and restructure debt after failing to make an interest payment. In a filing with the Mexican Stock Exchange, Maxcom said it would use a 30-day grace period with respect to Tuesday's scheduled interest payment of roughly $11 million to continue talks with a new investor and certain of its bondholders with a view ...

• Scientists identify 280 craters on moon

  A team of Australian scientists has identified 280 craters on the moon's surface using a combination of gravitational data and topographical images from satellites, media reports said. A high-definition map prepared by the researchers at Curtin University in Perth identifies lunar craters not previously detected, ABC reported Tuesday. The project was initially designed to capture ...

• Three `Spider-Man sequels in pipeline says studio

  Sony Pictures announced that it has firm plans for three sequels to 2012 mega-hit "The Amazing Spider-Man", with the first already in production and set for release in May 2014. The studio set opening dates for the third and fourth instalments of the saga in June 2016 and May 2018, respectively. "Spider-Man is our most important, most successful, and most beloved franchise, so we're thrilled ...

• Australian fashionistas mourn closing of Lisa Ho boutiques

  Australian fashionistas are mourning the closing of the Lisa Ho fashion house, which has dressed stars such as Olivia Newton-John, Jennifer Lopez and Elle Macpherson over the past three decades. Lisa Ho Group, which has total debts of some A$10.47 million ($9.91 million), handed over control of its operations to receivers earlier this month as part of its bankruptcy filing. The Lisa Ho ...

• Egypt says it values its relations UAE

  Egypt is proud of its deep-rooted fraternal ties with the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and its people, an Egyptian foreign ministry spokesperson has said. The relations with the UAE were based on mutual respect and joint interests, and would not be affected by any statements here or there, said spokesperson Badr Abdel Aaty in an official statement. The Egyptian foreign ministry was closely ...

• Kesha likes showing off legs

  Singer Kesha says she has worked really hard to get perfect toned legs and therefore likes flaunting them. The 26-year-old, who has sung songs like "Tik tok", "Blow" and "Die young", is proud of her figure. "For me, I like showing off my legs because I work really hard on them. So, you will rarely find me wearing pants," Self magazine quoted Kesha as saying. The singer has posed for the cover ...

• Kourtneys motherhood tips to Kim

  Socialite Kim Kardashian's sister Kourtney has reportedly asked the new mother to be more careful with her lifestyle now. Kim, 32, gave birth to her and rapper Kanye West's daughter June 15. Kourtney, mother of son Mason, 12, and 11-month-old daughter Penelope, believes that Kim's life is not going to be the same now. "Kourtney has told Kim that she has no idea what she's in for as a mom," ...

• Williams jealous of Styles

  Singer Robbie Williams says he is jealous of teen sensation Harry Styles' female fan following and link ups. Styles, 19, is said to be a ladies' man and is time and again linked to a new woman. The singer, member of One Direction band, last dated singer Taylor Swift, but called off the relationship in January this year. "I've been following Harry and his messy romances and been slightly ...

• UN chief hails G8 leaders understanding on Syria

  UN Secretary-General Ban Ki- moon Tuesday welcomed the understanding reached on Syria by leaders of the Group of Eight (G-8) industrial nations. Ban welcomed the commitment to bring the Syrian sides to the negotiating table, saying that he stands ready to convene the Geneva Conference on Syria as soon as possible to help the Syrian sides reach "a comprehensive agreement based on the Geneva ...

• Israel wants Iran to halt uranium enrichment

  Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Tuesday that his country would not accept anything less than the total halt of Iranian uranium enrichment. "We cannot accept anything less than a total cessation of all enrichment of nuclear materials at all levels, removal of all enriched nuclear material and a closure of Iran's illicit nuclear facilities," reported Xinhua citing Netanyahu during ...

• Rihanna to seek therapy to get over break up

  Singer Rihanna is reportedly seeking a medical programme in order to cure her heartache, post her break up with Chris Brown. The 24-year-old is nursing her broken heart ever since her on and off relationship with Chris Brown came to an end a few weeks back. However, now she wants to move on from her past and is going to seek a 12-step programme for it, reports thesun.co.uk. "Rihanna is still ...

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