South Africans Support Caster Semenya

The new women’s 800 metres world champion has received an enthusiastic welcome in her native South Africa. Eighteen-year-old Caster Semenya was greeted by thousands of cheering fans and well-wishers at Johannesburg airport. She hit the headlines last week after officials at the World Athletics Championships questioned her gender. She finished the race a massive 2.45 seconds ahead of the runner-up and defending champion. The BBC reports that athletics authorities tested Ms Semenya hours before the final. The results showed testosterone...

Australia May Need Extra Seasons

An Australian scientist says his country needs an extra couple of seasons. And he isn’t joking. Dr. Tim Entwisle, boss of Sydney's Royal Botanic Gardens, told Australia’s ABC News that Australians should stop thinking there are four seasons. He said this idea was “inherited” from Britain centuries ago. Dr. Entwisle said Australia really has at least five or six seasons. The country has many different regions and weather conditions. The far north is tropical and the south gets snow. In between there are deserts and mountains....

Europe Celebrates 1989 ‘Freedom Picnic’

Europeans have remembered a picnic that changed the course of history. The ‘Pan-European Picnic’, was held on the Austrian-Hungarian border on 19 August 1989. It was a peace demonstration that led to the fall of the Berlin Wall and the Iron Curtain. Twenty years later, European leaders met at the same place to celebrate the famous, historical event. Hungarian President Laszelo Solyom and German Chancellor Angela Merkel were among those who took part in the festivities. It was a special moment for Merkel as she was born and spent...

Facial Expressions Are Not Universal

The reading of facial expressions may not be universal. This is the conclusion of researchers from Glasgow University in Scotland. They report that people from different cultures read facial expressions differently. In particular, they said there were big differences between the way Westerners and East Asians interpret facial expressions. The study suggests East Asians focus mostly on people’s eyes to read an emotion, but Europeans and Americans scan the whole face. Researcher Rachael Jack said: ''We show that Easterners and...

Alcoholism – Russia’s "National Disaster"

Russian president Dmitry Medvedev has said alcoholism is a ‘national disaster’ in his country. He spoke of his shock at how much Russians drank each year. In particular, he said Russian people drank too much vodka, which is the nation’s most popular alcoholic beverage. Mr. Medvedev quoted a recent report that showed the average Russian drank 18 litres of pure alcohol each year. That means around 350 litres of beer or about 45 litres of vodka. That's almost a litre of vodka a week. The president said: “When you convert that into...

China Bride Wears 2km-Long Wedding Dress

A Chinese bride has set a new world record for wearing the longest wedding dress. Lin Rong, a 25-year-old schoolteacher, walked down the aisle wearing the record-breaking 2.2km gown at her wedding in China’s Jilin province. It took the 200 wedding guests more than three hours to stretch out the 2,162-meter-long train. The special dress was handmade by her groom's family. Lin’s new husband Zhao Peng said he wanted to show how much he loved her but didn’t want to spend money on a gorgeous wedding banquet. He also wanted to break...

Scientists Find A Reason For Itching

Scientists in the USA have found a type of nerve cell may be the reason we itch. The team from Washington University suggested itchiness was from specific cells. They also believe itching is not a minor form of pain. For decades, many in the medical community have put itching in the pain category. The researchers said they think itching is a completely different and unique sensation. Their decades-long research was on mice. It focused on how the brain reacted to itching and pain. They discovered an “itch gene”, called GRPR....

'Sexting' Craze Increasing Among Children

A British anti-bullying group has issued a report on the new problem of ‘sexting’ among teenagers. ‘Sexting’ is the sending of naked photos via text and e-mail. The word is a combination of ‘sex’ and 'texting’. BeatBullying.com’s research reveals that over a third (38%) of under-18s have received a ‘sext’, a text with an image of someone naked. The pictures young boys and girls are sending each other would be viewed as pornographic by most people. Many of the photos are breaking child pornography laws. Emma–Jane Cross, head...

Taiwan Bans Find-A-Foreign-Bride Firms

Taiwan is getting tough on mail order brides. Starting from August 1, 2009, there is a ban on companies that arrange international marriages. Taiwan’s Immigration Agency says it wants to stamp out the practice of Taiwanese men choosing Chinese or South-East Asian brides online. Companies can no longer take Taiwanese men on blind-date tours of Asian countries to select a bride. All Taiwanese men hoping to marry a foreign woman must now apply to an approved government agency. These organizations cannot charge a matchmaking fee....

California Abduction: Mystery Deepens

The California couple who were arrested for abducting an 11-year-old girl are denying the charges. Phillip Garrido and his wife Nancy have denied kidnapping Jaycee Lee Dugard in 1991 and keeping her captive for 18 years. Police charged Mr Garrido with a series of terrible crimes, including rape, kidnapping a child under 14, and imprisonment by violence. Jaycee Lee Dugard, now 29, escaped from the Garrido family home and went to a local police station. She has been re-united with her parents. Her stepfather Carl Probyn said Jaycee...

Coldplay To Appear On The Simpsons

Hollywood insiders say a star is not really a star until he, she or they have appeared on ‘The Simpsons’. The latest act to reach these greater heights is the British rock band Coldplay. The UK rockers follow a long list of artists to appear in the long-running animation. Previous musicians include Michael Jackson, U2 and the Red Hot Chili Peppers. The cartoon versions of Coldplay will feature in the 21st season of The Simpsons, which starts on the 27th of September. The band give a private concert at the Simpson’s house after...

Justin Timberlake Opens Own Golf Course

Pop superstar Justin Timberlake has just opened his own golf course. He bought it at the end of 2007 in his hometown of Memphis, Tennessee. It was about to go up for auction and Timberlake wanted to save it from property developers. He has called it Mirimichi, which means ‘place of happy retreat’. Timberlake invested in the new course to make it more environmentally friendly. The 18-hole, par-72 course has a cutting-edge drainage system. This means it uses water more efficiently. There are also many restored areas of natural...

Parents Face Fines In New School Rules

British parents could soon face a fine and prison if their children misbehave at school. Britain’s government wants to introduce tough new laws to improve discipline in schools. They want to make parents more responsible for their sons and daughters. Some of the new measures include making parents attend parenting courses, paying a $1,700 fine or going to prison. The Schools Secretary Ed Balls said current policies on unruly behaviour are not strict enough. Many British schools suffer from high levels of bullying, truancy and...

Israel And Hamas Reject Amnesty Report

Israel and Hamas have rejected an Amnesty International report into the 22-day Gaza conflict that started on December 27, 2008. The 117-page document accuses both sides of war crimes. Amnesty says: "The scale and intensity of the attacks on Gaza were unprecedented." The report observes that: "Some 300 children and hundreds of other unarmed civilians who took no part in the conflict were among the 1,400 Palestinians killed by Israeli forces." Other accusations include Israel’s use of weapons that should never be used in built-up...

Michael Jackson Dies Aged 50

Michael Jackson has died aged 50 after having a heart attack at his Los Angeles home. He was rushed to hospital, where doctors spent over an hour trying to save him. His brother Germaine told reporters: "The family request that the media please respect our privacy during this tough time." Jackson was perhaps the greatest singer and dancer the world has ever seen. He transformed the music industry forever. The pop icon greatly influenced generations of singers with his unrivalled professionalism. Michael was known as the king...

Fillings For Baby Teeth A Waste Of Time

It may be a waste of time sending children to the dentist to have fillings. The BBC reports on the opinion of 50 British dentists who attended a dental conference. They suggested it could be unnecessary to fill baby teeth. Many of the dentists said many young children go to the dentist when they don’t have to. This could be good news for kids who hate the dentist. Many children develop a fear of dentists because of fillings, injections and the sound of the drill. This can become a phobia and continue into adulthood. The BBC...

Artificial Brain Ten Years Away

A top British professor has told a cutting-edge ideas conference he is close to building a replica human brain. Professor Henry Markham told the annual Technology, Entertainment, Design global conference that a working synthetic brain can be built in the next decade. He told his audience: "It is not impossible to build a human brain and we can do it in 10 years." He set himself a challenge by stating that if he succeeded, he would “send a hologram to T.E.D. to talk.” Professor Markram is director of the Blue Brain project, which...

World Population Aging At Record Rate

The world is getting older and older. Not the planet, but the people who live on it. A new report reveals the global population of older people is growing at its fastest rate ever. The United States Census Bureau calculated there were just over half a billion over-65s in 2008. Officials predict this number will more than double to 1.3 billion by 2040. Around 14 per cent of the world’s population will be retirement age. Researchers say the number of elderly will soon outnumber the young for the first time in human history. This...

Standing Room On Airplanes A Possibility

The latest cost-cutting idea from budget airlines is for passengers to stand. Michael Ryan, the CEO of Ryanair, is seriously considering this option. Ryanair is one of Europe’s biggest airlines. It carried 5.84 million passengers in June, which is 13% more than a year earlier. Mr. Ryan says his airline is so popular because it is so cheap. Most of Ryanair’s flights are short hops to Europe. This makes the idea of standing for an hour or so on an airplane a workable one. Ryan said that many people stand for over an hour on a...

South Korea Hit By Cyber Attacks

Countries around the world are beefing up their Internet security systems following cyber attacks in South Korea. Up to 60,000 computers in South Korea have been hit by mystery hackers in the past few days. The virus is spreading and could erase all data on infected machines. South Korean computer security experts say there is more to come. They warn the hackers are aiming at government websites. This could create chaos with the country’s transport, hospitals, banks and social services. Philip Kim, CEO of South Korea's largest...

Brazil Fury Over Britain’s Toxic Waste

Brazilians are furious over 1,400 tonnes of British garbage arriving at its ports. The stinking waste included toilet seats, dirty diapers, leaking batteries and used syringes. The rotting cargo arrived in 64 different containers at three Brazilian ports earlier this year. It was destined for Brazilian waste recycling companies. The recyclers were angry over the contents as they were expecting only recyclable plastic. Brazil has demanded that Britain take back its rubbish. Roberto Messias of Brazil’s environment protection agency...

Microsoft To Offer Windows Online

Microsoft has announced plans for a free web-based version of its popular Office software. From 2010, computer users will be able to use software such as Windows, Excel and PowerPoint on the Internet. Analysts believe Microsoft has to go online to compete against similar software offered by Google. One expert said: "Microsoft was forced to provide a free product" because of Google Docs, a free, online document and spreadsheet editing programme. The Web-based version of the Office suite will be available next year. There is an...

Dollar Under Threat As The Global Currency

India is the latest country to cast doubt on the U.S. dollar as the major global currency. Suresh Tendulkar, a top government economist, has advised India to rely less on the dollar. He suggests buying a number of different currencies instead of just the greenback. He told reporters: “The major part of Indian reserves is in dollars. That is something that’s a problem for us.” India’s treasury holds over $260 billion in foreign currency reserves. A weaker dollar means those reserves could fall in value. This is especially possible...

Researchers Identify Key Contributor To Preeclampsia

A new study by researchers at Wake Forest University School of Medicine reveals a key component in the development of preeclampsia in pregnant women, a condition that can result in miscarriage and maternal death.The study, funded by the National Institutes of Health, appears in the September issue of Endocrinology.In it, researchers focused on identifying the differences in the uteri of pregnant women with and without preeclampsia and how the mother's tissues vary from the immediately adjacent fetus' tissue in preeclamptic women."Preeclampsia...

Women Urged Not To Drink While Pregnant

Learning disabilities, mental health issues and behavior problems are just some of the issues that afflict babies exposed to alcohol in the womb, yet some doctors still tell their patients it is safe to have a drink now and then while pregnant.Those hoping to change that are meeting on September 9, the ninth day of the ninth month, for a forum dedicated to raising awareness about the dangers of drinking while pregnant and the plight of children and families affected by Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASD). State legislators,...

Karolinska Development Portfolio Company Completes Successful Phase II Clinical Trial

Karolinska Development (publ) announced that one of its portfolio companies, Dilafor AB, has concluded an extensive clinical study of its candidate drug, tafoxiparin, a new drug substance for the prevention of protracted labor during childbirth. The promising results of the Phase II trial bring the project closer to exit in line with Karolinska Development's business strategy.Dilafor's candidate drug, tafoxiparin DF01 is one of 11 compounds within the Karolinska Development portfolio that are currently conducting clinical trials....

2009 Charles River Laboratories' Excellence In Refinement Award

Paul Flecknell, PhD, widely recognized for his expertise in the identification and management of pain in laboratory animals, is the 2009 recipient of the Charles River Laboratories' Excellence in Refinement Award. This award was presented on September 3 at the 7th World Congress on Alternatives and Animal Use in the Life Sciences in Rome.Sponsored by Charles River Laboratories, in cooperation with the Johns Hopkins Center for Alternatives to Animal Testing (CAAT), the award honors an individual who has made an outstanding contribution...

Opening an UK Bank Account

More and more people are going to UK... People from Poland, India, Australia, France, Romania, Bulgaria - all these people are going to the United Kingdom, some to study, others are looking for career opportunities. By the end of 2007 there were over 3 million foreign workers in UK. There are several things you have to do if you are looking for a fresh start in UK - find a job, find accomodation, apply for National Insurance number (NIN) etc.You should also open a bank account. Why? Because it is easier and cheaper to pay the...

Traditional v. Online Banking

google_protectAndRun("ads_core.google_render_ad", google_handleError, google_render_ad);The Future Of BankingI often see commercials for financial institutions advertising...

Is your BANK FAILING?

google_protectAndRun("ads_core.google_render_ad", google_handleError, google_render_ad);Is your bank failing? Even if it is, rest assured,...

A Bank Account for Low and Fixed Income People

Is It Worth It?Having a bank account is always worthwhile. The question for low-income individuals is whether it is worth the financial risk. Many people who live on low and/or fixed incomes find that it is. Having a personal bank account (which usually consists of a checking account and associated savings account)is the way people do business today. Many banks offer free checking accounts with no minimum-balance requirement. Some of these free accounts are aimed at people who will do their banking through electronic means...

Some easy-to-adopt security tips for computing and banking

Be safe on the internet and when bankingThis hub discusses better and simpler ways to keep your web passwords organised and secure, as well as offering practical advice when using your bank cards. Numbers...

Tips On Good Secure PINs and Passwords

The need to easily recall a PIN or a password tempts us to choose something familiar that we can easily recall. It also tempts us to choose universal PINs and passwords that we can use the same ones for many purposes without having to remember more than one set. These are dangerous shortcuts that can often be easily broken by an intelligent identity thief.A password based on the user's real name or log in user name should be avoided. Any password that is based on information that can easily be suggested by a little research...

9 Tips to Keep Spyware Off Your Computer

Image via Wikipedia You’ve got a brand new computer. You set it up with visions of high-speed downloads and fast computing. However, before too long, you notice that performance on your shiny new...

Tips for Choosing a Good Password

Nowadays everyone in the family has their own password for something, whether it's your Tween's email address, your own secret blog or Grandma's online pension access. If you don't want others checking/reading...