26 killed in Brazil rains
Brasilia, March 15 (IANS) At least 26 people were killed due to heavy rain in the Brazilian city of Sao Paulo, the media reported on Tuesday. The rain that lashed the city since last week…
International
Say goodbye to curtains as ‘smart’ windows are here
New York, March 15 (IANS) Researchers from Harvard University have developed a technique that can quickly change the opacity of a window, turning it cloudy, clear or somewhere in between with the flick of a…
Russia forces begin withdrawal from Syria
Moscow, March 15 (IANS) The Russian defence ministry on Tuesday announced that its airbase in Syria was preparing aircraft to return home following a surprise withdrawal order by President Vladimir Putin, media reports said. Defence…
Myanmar elects civilian president after 50 years
Nay Pyi Taw, March 15 (IANS) Myanmar on Tuesday elected U Htin Kyaw of the ruling National League for Democracy (NLD) party as its new president, the first civilian to lead the country after over…
Can you help increase your child’s intelligence?
New York, March 15 (IANS) Environmental intervention can increase a child’s general intelligence, but the effects are unlikely to be permanent, new research has found. The findings suggest that intelligence can adapt to meet increased…
Drug combo shuts down tumour growth in aggressive lung cancer
New York, March 15 (IANS) A combination treatment consisting of the rheumatoid arthritis drug auranofin and an experimental targeted agent may shut down one of the most common and lethal forms of lung cancer, says…
State of disaster declared in Texas
Washington, March 15 (IANS) A state of disaster was declared in the US state of Texas after it was hit by huge rains resulting in floods, the media reported on Tuesday. The state of disaster…
Brazilian ex-president’s case sent to federal judge
Brasilia, March 15 (IANS) A state court judge in the Brazilian city of Sao Paulo has ruled that the corruption charges against former president Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva must be sent to a federal…
HIV drug may check skin cancer becoming drug-resistant
London, March 15 (IANS) A drug prescribed for patients affected with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection is likely to prevent skin cancer developing resistance at the initial stages, suggests a new study. The experiment carried…
Jaishankar meets Nepal Madhesi leaders
Kathmandu, March 15 (IANS) Visiting Indian Foreign Secretary S. Jaishankar on Tuesday met the agitating Madhesi leaders here in connection with their dialogue with the Nepal government. Jaishankar arrived in the capital on Monday night…
Young women in poor neighbourhoods at high obesity risk
New York, March 15 (IANS) Adolescents, especially young women, who grow up and live in poor neighbourhoods are more likely to become or remain obese in adulthood than their peers who live in more affluent…
Ivory Coast attack: Facebook slammed for safety feature failure
New York, March 15 (IANS) In the latest controversy over the implementation of its Safety Check tool, users are questioning social media giant Facebook why it failed to turn on the feature after an attack…
12 die in Russia fire
Moscow, March 15 (IANS) Twelve people were killed in a fire that broke out in a brick house in the Russian city of Sterlitamak, investigators said on Tuesday. Bodies of 10 men and two women…
New ‘social’ robot can teach better than humans
New York, March 15 (IANS) A team of researchers from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) is working on a new social robot that is helping students learn through personalised interactions. A team led by…
Obese women using oral contraceptives at stroke risk
London, March 15 (IANS) Overweight women using oral birth pills are likely to have an increased risk of a rare type of stroke, suggests a study. The results showed that women who are obese (a…
Turkmenistan, Pakistan to review TAPI project progress
Islamabad, March 15 (IANS) Turkmenistan and Pakistan will on Wednesday review the progress on the multi-billion dollar Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India (TAPI) gas pipeline project. During Turkmenistan President Gurbanguly Malikgulyyewic Berdimuhamedov’s two-days visit to Islamabad, Pakistani Prime Minister…
Japan develops sensor to detect viruses in five minutes
Tokyo, March 15 (IANS) Japanese electronics giant Toshiba in collaboration with Osaka University has developed a sensor that detects infectious viruses in five minutes, the media reported on Tuesday. Faster diagnosis will help not only…
Medical students at higher alcohol abuse risk: Study
New York, March 15 (IANS) A team of US researchers has found that medical students, especially who are young, single and under high debt are twice as likely to abuse alcohol than their peers who…
Bank of Japan leaves negative rate policy unchanged
Tokyo, March 15 (IANS) The Bank of Japan (BOJ) on Tuesday announced it will not change its current monetary policy after launching negative interest rates on February 16. The nine-member board approved, by a 7-2…
Coming, non-toxic way to power smartphones, cars
New York, March 15 (IANS) Forget the toxic material lithium as researchers from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) have come up with an alternative system for generating electricity which harnesses heat and uses no…