VA study finds more veterans committing suicide

Every day about 22 veterans in the United States kill themselves, a rate that is about 20 percent higher than the Department of Veterans Affairs’ 2007 estimate, according to a two-year study by a VA researcher. The VA study indicates that more than two-thirds of the veterans who commit suicide are 50 or older, suggesting that the increase in veterans’ suicides is not primarily driven by...

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Singapore Conversation turns to animal welfare

SINGAPORE: A more inclusive society for animals or tougher rules for buying a pet were some suggestions animal lovers brought up at a dialogue on Saturday. It was also the first time the Singapore Conversation - an initiative to get Singaporeans to come to a consensus on the kind of future they want - focused on animal welfare. Saturday's event was jointly organised by the Agency for Animal...

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Rahul, Modi may visit Mahakumbh, seek blessing of Hindu seers for 2014 elections

LUCKNOW: Top Bhartiya Janta Party (BJP) and Congress leaders including Rahul Gandhi and Narendra Modi are expected to visit the ongoing Mahakumbh mela next week to take dip in holy Sangam and seek blessing of Hindu seers for elections. Newly-elected BJP national president Rajnath Singh and BJP, UP, president Laxmikant Bajpei will visit Mahakumbh in Allahabad on February 6. The visit assumes...

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Pictures We Love: Best of January

Photograph by Dieu Nalio Chery, APThe magnitude 7 earthquake that struck near Port au Prince, Haiti, in January 2010 so devastated the country that recovery efforts are still ongoing.Professional dancer Georges Exantus, one of the many casualties of that day, was trapped in his flattened apartment for three days, according to news reports. After friends dug him out, doctors amputated his right leg...

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Gov's Handling of Sandusky Case Under Investigation

The newly-elected attorney general of Pennsylvania is going after the state's governor, Tom Corbett, who was attorney general when child sex allegations against Penn State coach Jerry Sandusky were first brought forward.Kathleen Kane, a Democrat who was sworn in as attorney general on Jan. 15, said that she will name a special prosecutor in the coming days to investigate Corbett's...

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VA study finds more veterans committing suicide

Every day about 22 veterans in the United States kill themselves, a rate that is about 20 percent higher than the Department of Veterans Affairs’ 2007 estimate, according to two-year study by a VA researcher. The VA study indicates that more than two-thirds of the veterans who commit suicide are 50 or older, suggesting that the increase in veterans’ suicides is not primarily driven by...

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US says Australia "critical pillar" in Asia pivot

TOKYO: Australia is a "critical pillar" in the US pivot to Asia and the rebalancing of its military strategy, the region's most senior American commander told reporters on Friday.Chief of US Pacific Command (PACOM) Samuel Locklear speaking in a teleconference from Hawaii, said the key US ally was vital in the world order that is emerging for the 21st Century.Locklear said the challenges...

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Vishwaroopam: Tripartite talks on to break logjam

CHENNAI: Tripartite talks to break the deadlock over the release of Kamal Haasan's 'Vishwaroopam' began here today following chief minister Jayalalithaa's offer to broker peace with the protesting Muslim groups and the actor. The meeting is being attended by some representatives of the Muslim organisations, Chandra Haasan, brother of Kamal Haasan, and state home secretary. The commissioner of police,...

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Sinkhole Swallows Buildings in China

Photograph from AFP/Getty ImagesThe sinkhole that formed in the southern Chinese city of Guangzhou (pictured) is, unfortunately, not a new occurrence for the country.Many areas of the world are susceptible to these sudden formations, including the U.S. Florida is especially prone, but Guatemala, Mexico, and the area surrounding the Dead Sea in the Middle East are also known for their impressive sinkholes....

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Arias' Lawyer Shows Ex-Boyfriend's Lewd Photos

Accused murderer Jodi Arias was kept away from the Mormon friends of her lover Travis Alexander and their torrid sex affair was kept secret by Alexander, even as he sent lewd photos of himself to her online, according to court testimony today.The testimony in Arias' trial for killing Alexander in 2008 was intended to bolster the defense's argument that she killed him in self...

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Malaysian conglomerate confident of turning loss-making Lotus around

KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysian conglomerate DRB HICOM is confident it can turn around loss-making sports car manufacturer Lotus in two to three years. The company recently dispelled rumours it's selling off the British motoring legend by setting up its first regional showroom in Asia. Spanning over 10,000 square metres, the Lotus flagship showroom located along Kuala Lumpur's Penchala Link...

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Vishwaroopam may be released soon, compromise on the cards

CHENNAI: Kamal Haasan's 'Vishwaroopam' may soon be released in Tamil Nadu, as the actor and the government appear to be inching towards a compromise. Two press conferences - one by Tamil Nadu chief minister J Jayalalithaa and the other by a group of film artists - in quick succession on Thursday afternoon gave enough indication that Vishwaroopam may come out of the tangle.The first bench of the...

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New Theory on How Homing Pigeons Find Home

Jane J. Lee Homing pigeons (Columba livia) have been prized for their navigational abilities for thousands of years. They've served as messengers during war, as a means of long-distance communication, and as prized athletes in international races.But there are places around the world that seem to confuse these birds—areas where they repeatedly vanish in the wrong direction or scatter on...

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No Device Eliminates Concussion Risk, Experts Say

As the long-term consequences of concussions become clearer, a cottage industry has popped up to sell athletes and worried parents products designed to mitigate risks of concussions that even helmets cannot prevent.Despite the bold claims of some companies, however, many experts say the Holy Grail in contact sports -- a device that prevents concussions -- simply does not exist....

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Gabrielle Giffords to testify at Senate hearing on gun violence

Former congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords (D-Ariz.) is expected to testify Wednesday at a Senate hearing on gun violence, lending the emotional resonance of her experience with the issue to what had already promised to be a dramatic exchange between lawmakers and advocates for and against stricter gun-control laws. The Senate Judiciary Committee will hold its first hearing on gun-related...

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MINDEF signs contract with ST Engineering to construct naval vessels

SINGAPORE: Singapore's Defence Ministry (MINDEF) has signed a contract with Singapore Technologies Engineering Ltd for the design and construction of eight new naval vessels.MINDEF said it will replace the existing Fearless-class Patrol Vessels (PVs) in the Republic of Singapore Navy (RSN). The Patrol Vessels will reach the end of their operational lifespan in 2020 after being in service...

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Kamal Haasan agrees to delete some scenes from 'Vishwaroopam'; court upholds ban

CHENNAI: Soon after making an emotional pitch about leaving Tamil Nadu and even India for a secular place, actor Kamal Haasan on Wednesday said he is ready to cut a few scenes from his movie 'Vishwaroopam'.But, soon after his statement on a compromise with Muslim leaders, the Madras high court on Wednesday set aside a single judge order staying the government's prohibitory orders on film 'Vishwaroopam'....

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Timbuktu’s vulnerable manuscripts are city’s "gold"

French and Malian troops surrounded Timbuktu on Monday and began combing the labyrinthine city for Islamist fighters. Witnesses, however, said the Islamists, who claim an affiliation to al Qaeda and had imposed a Taliban-style rule in the northern Malian city over the last ten months, slipped into the desert a few days earlier. But before fleeing, the militants reportedly set fire to several...

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Clinton Talks 2016, Stands by Benghazi Testimony

In her final television interview as Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton told ABC's Cynthia McFadden that she is "flattered and honored" at the intense interest in whether she might run for president in 2016.But Clinton maintained that right now she's "not focused" on a presidential campaign; instead she said she wants to return to a "normal" life when she steps down from office...

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Singapore stocks close mixed

SINGAPORE : Stocks in Singapore ended on a mixed note on Tuesday ahead of upcoming earnings reports.The Straits Times Index declined 0.43 per cent, or 14.16 points, to end at 3,259.75. Volume was 5.73 billion shares.In the broader market, gainers led losers 273 to 211. Noble Group was down 2.8 per cent at S$1.215, Thai Beverage rose 8.8 per cent to S$0.495, Fraser and Neave was unchanged...

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Telangana Congress MPs put off resignation decision

HYDERABAD: Seven Congress MPs from the Telangana region of Andhra Pradesh on Tuesday put off their decision to forward their resignation -- both from Lok Sabha and the party -- by a day as they reportedly could not iron out differences among themselves on the issue. They, however, told reporters this afternoon that they would go ahead with their move and reach New Delhi tomorrow to submit their...

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Space Pictures This Week: Martian Gas, Cloud Trails

Image courtesy SDO/NASAThe sun is more than meets the eye, and researchers should know. They've equipped telescopes on Earth and in space with instruments that view the sun in at least ten different wavelengths of light, some of which are represented in this collage compiled by NASA and released January 22. (See more pictures of the sun.)By viewing the different wavelengths of light given off by the...

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US Mom Missing in Turkey Took Side Trips

Sarai Sierra, the New York mother who disappeared in Turkey while on a solo trip, took several side excursions out of the country, but stayed in contact with her family the entire time, a family friend told ABC News.Turkish media reported today that police were trying to establish why Sierra visited Amsterdam and Munich. Police were also trying to establish the identity of a...

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Bipartisan group of senators to unveil framework for immigration overhaul

A key group of senators from both parties will unveil on Monday the framework of a broad overhaul of the nation’s immigration laws, including a pathway to citizenship for more than 11 million illegal immigrants. The detailed, four-page statement of principles will carry the signatures of four Republicans and four Democrats, a bipartisan push that would have been unimaginable just...

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Anger over delay in govt's decision on new Indian state

INDIA: Protests are simmering on the streets of the Andhra Pradesh state capital, Hyderabad, in India. Anger is growing as the federal government deferred a decision on the formation of a new state.In December, the central government had said it would decide within a month, on a proposal to form a separate Telangana state out of Andhra Pradesh.It now says more time is needed for consultations...

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India, Pakistan resume bus service in Kashmir

SRINAGAR: An official on Monday said India and Pakistan have resumed a bus service in the disputed region of Kashmir near the area where their armies recently engaged in deadly skirmishes. Kashmir's home secretary Suresh Kumar said nearly 120 passengers from both sides of Kashmir crossed the transit point in the Poonch region on Monday. The bus service as well as trade between Indian and Pakistani...

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Doomed Dolphin Speaks to New York's Vibrant Wildlife

By the time New Yorkers spied a dolphin swimming through the superfund sludge of the Gowanus Canal last Friday, it was too late. The marine mammal didn't even survive long enough for a rescue plan to come together. First sighted on Friday afternoon, the dolphin perished at 6:00 p.m.The reason the marine mammal died, and why the dolphin swam up the...

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'Barrier of Bodies' Trapped Nightclub Fire Victims

The bodies of the young college students were found piled up just inside the entrance of the Kiss nightclub, among more than 230 people who died in a cloud of toxic smoke after a blaze enveloped the crowded locale within seconds and set off a panic.Hours later, the horrific chaos had transformed into a scene of tragic order, with row upon row of polished caskets of the dead...

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Senate’s pragmatic ranks depleted by one with Chambliss’s departure

The trio of Southern gentlemen came to the Senate together in 2003, the leading edge of a renegade Republican class set on shaking up the chamber’s staid ways and aggressively promoting the Bush White House’s conservative agenda. Ten years later, Sens. Lamar Alexander (Tenn.), Saxby Chambliss (Ga.) and Lindsey O. Graham (S.C.) are now establishment dealmakers and elder statesmen — roles...

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France destroys Mali rebel leader's house

BAMAKO: French air strikes destroyed the home of the leader of an Al-Qaeda-linked group in northern Mali as French-led forces advanced on Sunday on the Islamist stronghold of Timbuktu.The overnight strikes in Kidal came 24 hours after French-led troops seized Gao, the most populated town in Mali's Islamist-controlled arid north, which is roughly the size of Texas. Gao is home to about...

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VHP demands Shinde's apology for terror remark

BHOPAL: Vishwa Hindu Parishad's international president Dr Pravin Togadia demanded on Sunday that Union home minister Sushil Kumar Shinde take back his remarks on "Hindu terrorism" and apologise to the nation for it. "VHP has strong objections to the Union home minister's statement on saffron terrorism. He should take back his words and extend an apology to the nation on the issue," Togadia demanded...

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Pictures: The Story Behind Sun Dogs, Penitent Ice, and More

Photograph by Art Wolfe, Getty ImagesIf you want the beauty of winter without having to brave the bone-chilling temperatures blasting much of the United States this week, snuggle into a soft blanket, grab a warm beverage, and curl up with some of these natural frozen wonders. Nieve penitente, or penitent snow, are collections of spires that resemble robed monks—or penitents. They are flattened columns...

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Squatter, Bank of America Battle for $2.5M Mansion

Bank of America is taking a Florida man to court after he attempted to use an antiquated state law to legally take possession of a $2.5 million mansion that is currently owned by the bank.Andre "Loki" Barbosa has lived in a five-bedroom Boca Raton, Fla., waterside property since July, and police have reportedly been unable to remove him.The Brazilian national, 23, who reportedly...

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