Asian News International back issues from May 2009:
Birds can dance just as rhythmically as humans.
May 01, 2009 ... Byline: ANI Washington, May 1 (ANI): Humans aren't the only ones who can groove to a beat, birds too can bob their heads, tap their feet and sway their bodies in time to music, a new research has found. After studying a cockatoo that grooves to the Backstreet Boys and ...
Madonna's Hamptons estate aspirations bite the dust.
May 01, 2009 ... Byline: ANI New York, May 1 (ANI): Madonna's desire to buy a Hamptons estate had to bite the dust because the owners didn't agree with her 10-page list of demands. Few weeks ago, the Queen of Pop, who recently signed a contract for a townhouse on East 81st Street, ...
The 9 things Lindsay needs to do to save her career.
May 01, 2009 ... Byline: ANI New York, May 1 (ANI): Lindsay Lohan was a superstar in the making at the age of 17-what with four major movies, followed by a hit with 'Mean Girls' and a platinum album and numerous magazine covers. However, with her lifestyle turning towards DUIs, a ...
Obesity on the rise amongst Dehradun students.
May 01, 2009 ... Byline: ANI Dehradun, May 1 (ANI): Students in affluent schools in Dehradun are growing obese due to lack of exercise and unhealthy eating habits. The students believe that the cause for their being obese is lack of sports activities. They believe that that they do ...
Indian Army to celebrate 71st Armour Day today.
May 01, 2009 ... Byline: ANI New Delhi, May 1 (ANI): The Indian Army will celebrate 71st Armour Day today to honour the arrival of armoured vehicles in place of horses in the Indian cavalry regiments. Armour Day is celebrated every year on May 1. On this day in 1938, the Scindia ...
SC to decide on speedy trial of Gujarat riots cases.
May 01, 2009 ... Byline: ANI New Delhi, May 1 (ANI): The Supreme Court will today decide on how to speed up the trial of 14 Gujarat riot cases. On April 27, the apex court asked the Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe the role of 64 people, including that of Gujarat Chief ...
Varun Gandhi's two-week parole ends today.
May 01, 2009 ... Byline: ANI New Delhi, May 1 (ANI): The two-week parole of Bharatiya Janata Party leader Varun Gandhi ends today. The Supreme Court will decide on the extension of Varun's parole. On April 16, the apex court ordered the release of Varun Gandhi on parole ...
How 'angel' and 'devil' brain areas interact while exercising self-control.
May 01, 2009 ... Byline: ANI Washington, May 1 (ANI): When on diet, skipping a favourite calorie-laden dessert can take a whole lot of self-control - an ability that comes easier to some people than others. Now, US scientists have identified an "angel" centre in the brain which holds back ...
Mercury is more dynamic than scientists first suspected.
May 01, 2009 ... Byline: ANI Washington, May 1 (ANI): A NASA spacecraft gliding over the surface of Mercury has revealed that the planet's atmosphere, the interaction of its surrounding magnetic field with the solar wind, and its geological past display greater levels of activity than scientists ...
Next two weeks decisive for Pakistan's survival : Petraeus.
May 01, 2009 ... Byline: ANI London, May 1 (ANI): US Central Command chief General David Petraeus has said that the next two weeks would be decisive to ascertain the stability of the Pakistan Government. According to Fox News, General Petraeus told US officials that Pakistan has run ...
Taliban expel 50 Sikh families from FATA for not paying Jazia.
May 01, 2009 ... Byline: ANI Lahore,May 1 (ANI): The Taliban has expelled at least 50 Sikh families from the Orakzai Agency in the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) after they failed to pay 'Jazia'. The Taliban had demanded 12 million rupees as protection money from the ...
Al Qaeda No.2 Zawahiri the new operational leader: State Department.
May 01, 2009 ... Byline: ANI Washington, May 1 (ANI): The US State Department has said that al Qaeda's No.2 Ayman al-Zawahiri has emerged as the terrorist outfits operational leader, having a similar 25 million dollars prize money on his head as Osama bin Laden. Despite years of the ...
Harry Potter's invisibility cloak comes closer to reality.
May 01, 2009 ... Byline: ANI London, May 1 (ANI): Scientists have made yet another advancement in bringing invisibility cloak closer to reality by developing a material that renders objects invisible to near-infrared light. Previous "cloaks" had metals in their structure, which ...
NASA's electronic nose can detect brain cancer cells.
May 01, 2009 ... Byline: ANI Washington, May 1 (ANI): Researchers have found that an electronic nose developed for air quality monitoring on Space Shuttle Endeavour can also be used to detect cancerous brain cells. The finding can open up new possibilities for neurosurgeons to fight ...
NASA mission to upgrade Hubble to launch on May 11.
May 01, 2009 ... Byline: ANI Washington, May 1 (ANI): NASA has selected the launch date for the STS-125 mission of space shuttle Atlantis as May 11, which will upgrade the Hubble Space Telescope. The date was announced after NASA managers did a complete review of its readiness for ...
Like humans, goldfish too feel pain.
May 01, 2009 ... Byline: ANI London, May 01 (ANI): A team of researchers has claimed to have solved the mystery that intrigued the science world for decades: Whether or not fish feel pain? And, the answer is yes. Just like humans, goldfish feel pain too. Whilst the marine ...
Africans are the most diverse people on Earth, suggests DNA analysis.
May 01, 2009 ... Byline: ANI London, May 1 (ANI): In a new DNA based study, an international team of scientists has suggested that the Africans are the most diverse people on Earth, as they originated from 14 ancestral groups that mixed freely with each other to create the distinct populations ...
Tamil sympathy for LTTE will keep the movement alive: Analysts.
May 01, 2009 ... Byline: ANI London, May 1 (ANI): The support enjoyed by the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) among Sri Lanka's Tamils will make it hard for the Lankan Army to neutralise them in the north-east, as the movement will retain the capacity and perhaps the public support to ...
Sleeper agent Al-Marri finally admits plotting with al-Qaeda.
May 01, 2009 ... Byline: ANI Washington, May 1 (ANI): Ali Al-Marri, a Qatari man held without charge by the Bush administration for seven years on suspicion that he was an Al Qaeda sleeper agent, has admitted in a US District Court that he was a member of the terrorist outfit and provided ...
Pak to seek World Bank's help to resolve Kishanganga dispute with India.
May 01, 2009 ... Byline: ANI Islamabad, May 1 (ANI): After the Baglihar Dam issue, Pakistan is considering an approach to the World Bank (WB) to appoint a neutral arbitrator to resolve the Kishanganga water dispute with India. The Pakistan Foreign Office (FO) claims New Delhi has not ...
Cricket tycoon Stanford tries to surrender in Texas.
May 01, 2009 ... Byline: ANI Washington, May 1 (ANI): Cricket entrepreneur and alleged fraudster Sir Allen Stanford tried to hand himself in to a US court, but was turned away because there is no warrant for his arrest, his lawyer has said. The Texas billionaire, who is facing civil ...
Man U's Fergie believes Arsenal have it easy.
May 01, 2009 ... Byline: ANI London, May 1 (ANI): Arsenal has an advantage over Manchester United because they are out of the Champions League title race, believes Sir Alex Ferguson. Ferguson's side beat the Gunners 1-0 in last night's Champions League semi-final first leg at Old ...
Dictator Bainimarama says Australia once threatened to invade Fiji.
May 01, 2009 ... Byline: ANI Suva (Fiji), May 1 (ANI): Fiji's military ruler Commodore Frank Bainimarama has revealed that Australia's defence force chief Angus Houston threatened to invade the country in 2006, shortly after the coup which brought him to power. "He woke me up early ...
'Top Gun' star Kelly McGillis says she's a lesbian.
May 01, 2009 ... Byline: ANI Washington, May 1 (ANI): Top Gun actress Kelly McGillis, who played Tom Cruise's girlfriend in the hitmovie, has confessed she is a lesbian. The 51-year-old, who has been divorced twice and has two daughters with her second hubby, on being questioned if ...
Monster Worldwide reports first quarter 2009 results.
May 01, 2009 ... Byline: ANI New York, May 1 (ANI/Business Wire India): Monster Worldwide reported financial results for the first quarter ended March 31, 2009. Sal Iannuzzi, chairman, president and chief executive officer of Monster, said, "As anticipated, the challenging global ...
Jacko 'keeps out of UK amid flu scare'.
May 01, 2009 ... Byline: ANI London, May 1 (ANI): Michael Jackson has reportedly shed plans to travel to the UK fearing the swine flu epidemic. The King of Pop was said to have planned a trip to Blighty to hunt for a temporary abode when he takes to the stage at London's O2 arena ...
Britney's ex manager files appeal against restraining order.
May 01, 2009 ... Byline: ANI Washington, May 1 (ANI): Britney Spears' former manager Sam Lutfi has filed an appeal after a Los Angeles Superior Court judge ordered him to maintain his distance from the singer for three years. The 34-year-old was slapped with a restraining order after ...
Barack Obama taking health tips from Brit mum.
May 01, 2009 ... Byline: ANI London, May 1 (ANI): A British mother had a hard time believing that US President Barack Obama was following her tips on healthy eating. Sally Bee, 41, of Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwicks, thought she was being played at after the President ordered 12 copies ...
Prince Harry's no hair-wash for two years horror admission!
May 01, 2009 ... Byline: ANI London, May 1 (ANI): Prince Harry left his army pals gobsmacked when he revealed that he hasn't washed his hair in 2 years. The Royal's pals were teasing him over his unkempt and messy hair, when the prince told them he had not washed his hair in 2 years. ...
Taliban can choke NATO supplies.
May 01, 2009 ... Byline: ANI Lahore, May 1 (ANI): The Taliban has the potential to not only expand suicide attacks inside Pakistan, but also to put greater pressure on the routes ferrying supplies to NATO troops in Afghanistan. The new US plan calls for increasing troop levels in ...
Two ministers says UK PM Brown has lost control of his party.
May 01, 2009 ... Byline: ANI London, May 1 (ANI): Two senior Cabinet ministers have privately warned that Prime Minister Gordon Brown has lost control of the Labor parliamentary party and have predicted that election defeat is almost certain. One minister close to Brown told The ...
Pak shares confidential information about its nukes with West to allay fears.
May 01, 2009 ... Byline: ANI Lahore, May 1 (ANI): In the face of a Taliban advance, senior Pakistani civil and military officials are sharing confidential information about the country's nuclear arms programme with Western countries in order to allay fears about the security of the weapons. ...
Pakistan could still win UAE series : Intikhab Alam.
May 01, 2009 ... Byline: ANI Abu Dhabi, May 1 (ANI): Despite being 2-1 down in the five game series against Australia, Pakistan coach Intikhab Alam believes his side could still manage to win the remaining two games to pocket the series. After defeating the Kangaroos in the first ...
Supreme Court orders retrial of Gujarat riots by fast track courts.
May 01, 2009 ... Byline: ANI New Delhi, May 1 (ANI): The Supreme Court on Friday ordered a retrial of the Gujarat riots cases by fast track courts. The apex court also directed that the trial would not be shifted out of Gujarat. Besides, it also ordered he filing of ...
Hamza was invited as a special "attraction" to a terror training camp.
May 01, 2009 ... Byline: ANI London, May 1 (ANI): Hate cleric Abu Hamza was invited to appear as a special "attraction" at a terror training camp, a court has heard. The Sun quoted James Ujamma, a terrorist turned star prosecution witness, a s saying that the camp was to have been ...
Popular diabetes drug can trigger pancreatitis, pancreatic cancer.
May 01, 2009 ... Byline: ANI Washington, May 1 (ANI): A drug commonly used to treat type 2 diabetes has been found to increase the risk of pancreatitis in some patients and pancreatic cancer in long-term users, say researchers. The team led by Larry L. Hillblom Islet Research Centre ...
Injured Rio likely to miss return leg of Man U's Champions League semi-final.
May 01, 2009 ... Byline: ANI London, May 1 (ANI): Defender Rio Ferdinand is likely to miss the return leg of Manchester United's Champions League semi-final after spending Wednesday night in hospital for examination of a rib injury. Ferdinand went off near the end of Wednesday's 1-0 ...
Guy Ritchie 'plans to make gangster musical'.
May 01, 2009 ... Byline: ANI London, May 1 (ANI): British filmmaker Guy Ritchie is set to make a gangster musical, it has emerged. Reports have suggested that the filmmaker's musical would be a cross between 'Wurzel Gummidge'-a TV show about a talking scarecrow, and 'Bullitt'-the ...
Kirk Douglas recovering from broken foot.
May 01, 2009 ... Byline: ANI London, May 1 (ANI): Legendary actor Kirk Douglas has injured his foot after he took a tumble at his California mansion. Recently, the 92-year-old star fell in his Beverly Hills home, but refused to see a doctor until the next day.owever, after consulting ...
On-screen stunts 'encourage speeding'.
May 01, 2009 ... Byline: ANI London, May 1 (ANI): Watching thrilling stunts in computer games, TV shows and Hollywood films encourage drivers towards a dangerous culture of speeding, according to a new report. A Co-operative Insurance survey found that high-speed movie chases and ...
Ronaldo dreaming of Rome after win over Arsenal.
May 01, 2009 ... Byline: ANI London, May 1 (ANI): Portuguese and Manchester United striker Cristiano Ronaldo has said that he is already dreaming of Rome after his club beat Arsenal one nil in the Champions League semi-final first leg at Old Trafford on Wednesday. Ronaldo is ...
Hugh Hefner: I'm in love with No. 1 girl Crystal Harris.
May 01, 2009 ... Byline: ANI New York, May 1 (ANI): Putting all speculations to rest, Hugh Hefner has confessed that his heart beats for new squeeze Crystal Harris - not ex-flame Holly Madison. Days after the Playboy mogul was quoted as calling Madison "the love of his life" and ...
80-mln yr old protein found in bones and tissues of duck-billed dino.
May 01, 2009 ... Byline: ANI Washington, May 1 (ANI): A new study has confirmed that ancient protein dating back 80 million years to the Cretaceous geologic period has been preserved in bone fragments and soft tissues of a hadrosaur, or duck-billed dinosaur. Led by scientists at Beth ...
Kanye West voted 'Best Dressed Rapper of all Time'.
May 01, 2009 ... Byline: ANI London, May 01 (ANI): Kanye West has been voted the 'Best Dressed Rapper of all Time' in a new magazine poll. The fashionable hip-hop star, who recently launched his own sneaker designs with Nike and Louis Vuitton, won the title with 77 per cent of the ...
Zia-ul- Haq, Musharraf could be tried under the High Treason Act: Pak minister.
May 01, 2009 ... Byline: ANI Islamabad, May 1 (ANI): Pakistan Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Babar Awan has said that former dictators, General Zia-ul- Haq and General Pervez Musharraf could be tried under the High Treason (Punishment) Act of 1973 for subverting the Constitution. ...
Hewitt's Adelaide mansion up for sale for less than he paid for it.
May 01, 2009 ... Byline: ANI Brisbane, May 1 (ANI): Tennis star Lleyton Hewitt's Adelaide mansion could go for less than he had paid for it. Brock Harcourt Semaphore agent Steve von der Borch said the Hewitts had this week decided to formally advertise the waterfront property for ...
Cancer-causing virus linked to higher new HIV infection risk.
May 01, 2009 ... Byline: ANI Washington, May 01 (ANI): A new study has found a link between infection with anal human papillomavirus (HPV), a virus that can cause anal and cervical cancers, and higher risk of new HIV infection in previously HIV-negative men who have sex with men (MSM). ...
Potentially harmful plant toxins found in forest fire smoke.
May 01, 2009 ... Byline: ANI Washington, May 1 (ANI): In a new study, scientists have detected common plant toxins that affect human health and ecosystems in smoke from forest fires. The study, which was of Ponderosa pines, was done by scientists at the Department of Energy's Pacific ...
Arthritis significantly affects computer use.
May 01, 2009 ... Byline: ANI Washington, May 01 (ANI): People with arthritis experience more pain and discomfort while using the computer as compared to the general population of computer users, according to a new study. Little is known about the magnitude of problems experienced by ...
Hayden Panettiere 'auditions for Footloose remake'.
May 01, 2009 ... Byline: ANI Washington, May 1 (ANI): 'Heroes' star Hayden Panettiere has auditioned for a role in the 'Footloose' remake. The stunner has auditioned for the role of Ariel Moore in the updated movie musical based on the '80s Kevin Bacon classic, according to E! News. ...
Lanka minister accuses UK's Miliband of toeing LTTE line.
May 01, 2009 ... Byline: ANI Colombo, May 1 (ANI): Sri Lanka's Defence Minister Gotabaya Rajapaksa has launched an angry verbal attack on British Foreign Secretary David Miliband, accusing him of basing his policies on Tamil Tiger propaganda. Rajapaksa, who is known as a passionate ...
Explorers discover world's largest cave passage in Vietnam.
May 01, 2009 ... Byline: ANI London, May 1 (ANI): A team of British explorers has claimed to have discovered the world's largest cave passage in Hang Son Doong, Vietnam. According to a report in the Telegraph, measuring more than 650 ft high and almost 500 ft wide, Hang Son Doong ...
'Pinky' Liz Hurley wows at Hot Pink bash in New York.
May 01, 2009 ... Byline: ANI London, May 1 (ANI): Liz Hurley looked stunning in a pink dress as she walked down with hubby Arun Nayar and old pal Elton John for a New York bash. The 43-year-old actress dazzled as she showed off her curves in the satin outfit at the Hot Pink party - ...
Man U may put up 30 m pound bid for French striker Benzem.
May 01, 2009 ... Byline: ANI London, May 1 (ANI): Manchester United will bid 30 million pounds for French striker Karim Benzema, who will replace Argentine Carlos Tevez. SunSport can reveal that Man U coach Alex Ferguson sent his brother Martin to see striker Benzema play for Lyon ...
'I only strip off for money', says Jennifer Ellison.
May 01, 2009 ... Byline: ANI London, May 1 (ANI): Hollywood stunner Jennifer Ellison has revealed that she strips only for money. The 25-year-old busty star admits that she strips off for pay cheques - and will continue to while she's in demand. "I do it for the money and ...
Star Trek director denies Captain Kirk return.
May 01, 2009 ... Byline: ANI Washington, May 1 (ANI): Star Trek director has shot down reports claiming that William Shatner will return to the franchise, insisting his character of Captain Kirk is dead. Director JJ Abrams said that bringing back Shatner might irk film fans who saw ...
Scientists find key gene that allows plants to survive drought, freezing and heat.
May 01, 2009 ... Byline: ANI Washington, May 1 (ANI): A team of scientists from Canada, Spain and the United States has identified a key gene that allows plants to defend themselves against environmental stresses like drought, freezing and heat. "Plants have stress hormones that they ...
UK police trebled stop and search of Muslims in 2008.
May 01, 2009 ... Byline: ANI London, May 1 (ANI): British Police anti-terror stop and search powers trebled last year, prompting fears that the policy is alienating the country's Muslim community. According to The Independent, officers in England and Wales used Terrorism Act powers ...
The six factors that affect a woman's happiness after breast surgery.
May 01, 2009 ... Byline: ANI Washington, May 1 (ANI): A new study has discovered six major factors that can affect a woman's happiness with the outcome of her breast surgery. The research led by Andrea Pusic, from Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, New York, has determined that, ...
Matthew McConaughey, Jennifer Garner in battle of the push-ups!
May 01, 2009 ... Byline: ANI Washington, May 1 (ANI): American actor Matthew McConaughey and his 'Ghosts of Girlfriends Past' co-star Jennifer Garner were revealed to have competed against one another on-set, each one trying to outdo the other as they did push-ups. The two romantic ...
Parminder Nagra snubbed parents' arranged marriage offer at 18.
May 01, 2009 ... Byline: ANI Washington, May 1 (ANI): 'Bend It Like Beckham' star Parminder Nagra had to face the music from her parents after she refused to agree to an arranged marriage at 18. The 33-year-old revealed her parents had shown her a picture of a suitor, telling him to ...
The trio of musts that Obamas' pooch, Bo, needs to learn.
May 01, 2009 ... Byline: ANI Chicago, May 1 (ANI): Experts have come up with the trio of musts that all pooch owners, including the Obamas, need to practice with their pets, namely exercise, affection and obedience. According to Karen Okura, manager of animal behaviour and training ...
Channel Nine's delayed Grand Final replay strewn with sex ads.
May 01, 2009 ... Byline: ANI Melbourne, May 1 (ANI): Channel 9's blackout of tonight's Grand Final replay in Melbourne has angered Storm fans, especially after it was revealed that its delayed broadcast is strewn with erotic advertisements for the sex industry. While the ...
US Congress unlikely to pass emergency aid for Pakistan: US Senator.
May 01, 2009 ... Byline: ANI Washington, May 1 (ANI): Pakistan might be eagerly waiting for 1.4 billion dollars as aid which the United States has pledged, but according to an American lawmaker, the US Congress appears to be in no mood to pass the bill in a huff. Democratic Senator ...
Revealing origin and evolution of planet Mercury.
May 01, 2009 ... Byline: ANI Washington, May 1 (ANI): Scientists, using multispectral images obtained from the Messenger spacecraft, are trying to reveal the origin and evolution of the planet Mercury. Mercury's interior is thought to generally resemble that of the Earth and Mars ....