Heat forces nearly one-third Russians to behave inappropriately

Moscow, Aug 4 (IANS/RIA Novosti) About 30 percent people in Russia have begun panicky behaviour during the heat wave and fires across the country, a leading psychiatrist said Wednesday.

British scandal over beef from cloned cow offspring points to changes in Europe food market

Cloned beef flap spreads alarm in Britain

LONDON — News that meat and milk from the offspring of cloned cattle — illegal to sell here without proper authorization — may have made their way into the U.K. food chain has set hands wringing in Britain, a country still sensitive from its experience with mad cow disease.

41 infra related project pending with environment ministry

NEW DELHI - About 41 infrastructure related projects involving diversion of forest land in nine states are pending with the government for clearance, Environment Minister Jairam Ramesh said Wednesday.

Light showers expected in the capital

NEW DELHI - The sun and rain played hide and seek all through the day Wednesday in the capital but more rains are expected during the night, the weatherman said.

Enjoy Aurora Borealis in the Sky Tonight !!

Booby-trapped website could direct attacker to person’s home, says expert

LONDON - A security expert has revealed that it would take just one visit to a booby-trapped website to direct the attacker to a person’s home.

BlackBerry Torch smartphone to take on Apple’s iPhone

LONDON - The makers of BlackBerry have unveiled a new smartphone with a touchscreen and slideout keyboard that it hopes will fend off competition from Apple’s iPhone.

Tap water for 10,000 people in southern China town contaminated by metal pollution

Tap water in south China town contaminated

Kangaroos ‘barometer of climate change’

MELBOURNE - Kangaroo evolution could be the key to understanding climate change, shows a new study.

Soon, urine to be used as power source for robots

WASHINGTON - Think twice before you use the flush after a pee, for according to researchers at the Bristol Robotics Lab, urine could actually be used as an alternative power source for future robots.

Body odour may help ’sniff out ‘ partners

LONDON - Apart from good looks, smell can also act as a crucial factor in deciding upon a partner, according to a study on mandrills.

Scientists link gum inflammation to Alzheimer’s

WASHINGTON - A research has found that individuals with gum disease are more likely to have cognitive dysfunction associated with Alzheimer’s disease.

‘Designer protein’ opens new door in cancer research

WASHINGTON - Researchers have made a major breakthrough in how to target and destroy the most malignant and aggressive brain cancer cells.

Scientists discover new drug target for immune diseases

LONDON - Scientists have found a new mechanism that explains how certain immune cells are activated to create protective antibodies against infections or pathological antibodies such as those present in autoimmune diseases like lupus and rheumatoid arthritis.

‘Static kill’ operation at US oil well successful: BP

LONDON/WASHINGTON - Oil company BP Plc said Wednesday that its so-called “static kill” operation of pumping mud into the ruptured well in the Gulf of Mexico had been successful.

Oil or no oil, rest of summer will do little to save Ala., Fla. beach business

For Gulf businesses, fading summer is a lost cause

World’s biggest automaker Toyota posts $2.2 billion quarterly profit despite recall crisis

Toyota posts $2.2 bln profit as car sales recover

Amateur scientist discovers snails ‘have a homing instinct’

LONDON - A 69-year-old amateur scientist has discovered that her garden snails can apparently find their way back home.

Culture affects how our brain works

WASHINGTON - Where you grow up can have a big impact on how your brain works, according to a study by psychological scientists Denise C. Park from the University of Texas at Dallas and Chih-Mao Huang from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

Changes in sun’s conveyor belt could be behind prolonged solar cycle

WASHINGTON - Changes in the Sun’s conveyor belt could have caused the prolonged solar cycle 23, which ended recently.

Venus Flytrap is not as merciless a killer as is believed

WASHINGTON - While it is known for its carnivorous nature, Venus Flytrap is not that merciless a killer as it is projected to be, found a new study.

‘Virtual mates’ shed light on role of romance in parrot calls

WASHINGTON - Challenging traditional understandings of the difference between birds ’songs’ and ‘calls’, scientists used ‘virtual mates’ to discover if female parrots judge male contact calls when deciding on a mate.

Catch The Northern Lights on August 3

420 mn Chinese now use the internet

BEIJING - The number of Chinese internet users has reached a staggering 420 million, authorities said.

Snoring husbands turn women into beastly bedfellows

LONDON - All it takes is a gentle snore to turn a woman into a beastly bedfellow.

Most Haryana areas get more rain

CHANDIGARH - Haryana received 4,472 milimetres (mm) more rain in July this year compared to the corresponding period in 2009.

Archaeologists unearth 67,000-year-old human bone

LONDON - Archaeologists have unearthed a 67,000-year-old human bone they claim proves the area was settled by man 20,000 years earlier than previously thought.

Quit-smoking drug ‘instigates suicidal tendencies’

MELBOURNE - As many as 15 people have committed suicide and hundreds have thought of killing themselves while taking the popular quit-smoking pill ‘Champix’ since 2008, data from Australia’s drug regulator revealed.

Memory-boosting drug may prevent relapse in drug-addicts

WASHINGTON - A memory-boosting medication paired with behavioral therapy could help addicts stay clean, animal study suggests.

Happy extroverts ‘more creative’

LONDON - When it comes to creativity, outgoing people in a good mood are better than introverts, according to a new study.

All-over tan is impossible: Study

WASHINGTON - Getting a consistent tan all over the body is impossible as some parts are much more resistant to tanning than others, according to a new study.

Women who smoke, pierce nipples ‘more likely to develop breast abscess’

WASHINGTON - A new study has revealed that women who smoke or pierce their nipples are more likely to develop a breast abscess.

Parents of grown kids with autism ‘more likely to divorce’

WASHINGTON - A new data from a large longitudinal study of families of adolescents and adults with autism has found that the parents of grown children with autism are more likely to divorce than couples with typically developing children.

Foetal exposure to plastic bottles, cans behind high testicular cancer rates

LONDON - Foetal exposure to common environmental chemicals, called phthalates-which are used in many different household items, including plastic furniture and packaging-could be responsible for rising testicular cancer rates.