Monthly Archives: July 2012
Landmark Apple-Samsung patent trial looms
Samsung and Apple will square off in federal court trial over control of the US smartphone and computer tablet markets. The trial will begin on Monday in San Jose, California, with the
Civilians flee Aleppo as assault continues
Fierce fighting has continued in rebel-held districts of Aleppo for the second straight day as opposition forces continue to hold out in Syria’s largest city. At least 200,000 residents of the country’s
Colorado shooter ‘posted attack plans’
The man accused in the Colorado movie theatre killings mailed a notebook detailing his plans to a psychiatrist at his university before the attack, as the first funeral was held for one
EU chief in Greece for economy talks
Jose Manuel Barroso, European Commission president, will be in Athens for talks on Thursday amid concerns over whether Greece has done enough to have the next tranche of bailout loans. Barroso’s first
US says food prices to soar due to drought
The record drought gripping half the US will help push food prices up by 3 per cent to 4 per cent next year, the Department of Agriculture had said. “In 2013 as
Syrian military bombards rebel strongholds
Activists say Syrian forces are shelling several neighbourhoods in Aleppo as the battle for control of Syria’s largest city rages into its sixth day. Most fighters believe the bombardments will be followed
Norway marks one year since massacre
Norwegians are marking the first anniversary of twin attacks that killed 77 people, the worst atrocity carried out in the country since World War II. Commemorative events are scheduled across the country
China hit by heavy rainfall
The heaviest rain to hit Beijing in six decades killed at least 10 people and left cars and buses submerged, and 10 other storm deaths were reported elsewhere.. The deluge struck on
Syria fighting spreads to Aleppo
Syrian troops and armoured vehicles have pushed into a rebel-held district of Aleppo and struck back in the capital, Damascus, against fighters emboldened by a bomb attack that killed top officials of
Olympics security firm boss admits failure
The head of private security giant G4S has agreed under questioning by British lawmakers that the firm’s failure to provide enough security guards for the Olympics was “a humiliating shambles”. Nick Buckles,
India seeks action over UAE boat shooting
India has called on the United Arab Emirates to investigate the fatal shooting of an Indian fisherman by a US navy ship in waters off Dubai, the country’s foreign ministry has confirmed.
Annan and Putin show no progress on Syria
Russian President Vladimir Putin vowed to do everything to support Kofi Annan’s plan for ending the violence in Syria that the UN-Arab League envoy said had reached “unacceptable” proportions. Annan arrived on
Israel’s Kadima party quits government
Israel’s Kadima party has quit the country’s coalition government amid a dispute over drafting ultra-Orthodox Jews into the military, local media reported. “The decision was eventually reached with an unequivocal majority,” Kadima
Iran targeted in cyber espionage campaign
Security experts have uncovered an ongoing cyber espionage campaign targeting Iran and other Middle Eastern countries that they say stands out because it is the first such operation using communications tools written
Ben Bernanke says Libor system flawed
Ben Bernanke, the chairman of the US Federal Reserve, has said that revelations a key interbank lending rate had been fixed were “very troubling” and undermined confidence in the financial system. Speaking
Credit card giants agree on $6bn settlement
Credit card companies Visa and MasterCard have agreed to pay more than $6bn to US retailers in a negotiated settlement to resolve a seven-year-old case. Visa agreed to pay $4.03bn to settle
Clinton due in Egypt for talks with Morsi
US Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton is due to arrive in Egypt for talks with the country’s new president, Mohamed Morsi, the country’s first ever under free elections. Clinton’s talks with
UN monitors in Syria head to ‘massacre site’
United Nations observers have left their headquarters in the Syrian capital Damascus to try to reach the impoverished village of Tremseh in Hama province, where large numbers of people are reported to
US plunges into China-ASEAN maritime talks
Washington is hoping China will accept a code of conduct for resolving territorial disputes in the resource-rich South China Sea, a difficult mediation effort that has often been rebuffed by the communist
Romney booed at civil rights group meeting
Republican candidate Mitt Romney has made a major pitch to black voters, with a heavy emphasis on the economy, but was booed upon criticising President Barack Obama and promising to get rid
Spanish miners dig in for prolonged protest
Spanish miners and sympathizers have clashed with riot police on one of Madrid’s most famed avenues, and six demonstrators were hospitalized after police fired rubber bullets. The violence on Wednesday came after
Security personnel killed in Pakistan raid
Gunmen have shot dead nine Pakistani police, and wounded eight others after storming a building in the eastern city of Lahore where they were sleeping, police said. Thursday’s raid was the second
Drought Monitor Shows Record-Breaking Expanse of Drought Across United States
Analysis of the latest drought monitor data revealed that 46.84 percent of the nation’s land area is in various stages of drought, up from 42.8 percent a week ago. Previous records were
Life’s Molecules Could Lie Within Reach of Mars Curiosity Rover
The new findings, which suggest optimal depths and locations to probe for organic molecules like those that compose living organisms as we know them, could help the newest Mars rover scout for
Dust Today, Gone Tomorrow: Astronomers Discover Houdini-Like Vanishing Act in Space
“It’s like the classic magician’s trick — now you see it, now you don’t,” said Carl Melis, a postdoctoral scholar at UC San Diego and lead author of the research. “Only in
Smaller Volcanoes Could Cool Climate
Adam Bourassa, from the U of S Institute of Space and Atmospheric Studies, led the research. He explains that until now it was thought that a massively energetic eruption was needed to
Diabetes Drug Makes Brain Cells Grow
The discovery is an important step toward therapies that aim to repair the brain not by introducing new stem cells but rather by spurring those that are already present into action, says
Antibodies Reverse Type 1 Diabetes in New Immunotherapy Animal Study
The findings, published online ahead of print (June 29, 2012) in the journal Diabetes, suggest for the first time that using a short course of immunotherapy may someday be of value for
