Washington, Aug 15 : In political campaigns, what candidates say to the voters is undoubtedly important. Now, a research team, including an Indian-origin scientist, has shown that the timing when they say those things also influences voter preferences.

The study, co-authored by the University of Minnesota''s Akshay Rao, Hakkyun Kim (Concordia) and Angela Lee (Northwestern), shows that the timing and content of political messages affects voters particularly swing voters.

London, Aug 15: Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama’s plane was forced to endure an emergency landing after his aircraft suffered mechanical problems over Missouri.

A spokesman for the Federal Aviation Authority confirmed that there had been an emergency landing in St Louis last month after the pilot notified air traffic control of problems.

It is understood that the pilot of Obama’s plane had warned that he was having problems controlling the pitch of the plane and requested emergency assistance, The Times reported.

Washington, Aug.13 (ANI): Careful negotiation

New York, Aug. 13: A new book has sought to expose presumptive Democratic Party presidential nominee Barack Obama as being nothing but a “stealth radical liberal who has tried to cover up “extensive connections to Islam”.

Written by conservative gadfly Jerome R. Corsi, who shot to the top of the best-seller lists as co-author of “Unfit for Command,” a book attacking Senator John Kerry’s record on a Vietnam War Swift boat, the book says questions whether Obama’s admitted experimentation with drugs in high school and college ever ceased.

Washington, August 12 : Hillary Clinton’s exit from the presidential race may have consolidated Barack Obama’s chances of becoming U. S. President, suggests a new study by an Indian-origin researcher.

Akshay Rao and his colleagues at the University of Minnesota''s Carlson School of Management have discovered that when an option enters and later leaves a market, the most similar remaining option — in this case Obama — stands to benefit.

The researchers say that this rule is applicable to almost everything, including political candidates, beer, healthy care plans, automobiles, etc.

Washington, Aug. 12 : Senator Barack Obama has hit back at his Republican rival Senator John McCain with a new negative TV ad that paints the latter as a star too cozy with Washington lobbyists and an unpopular president.

According to the Washington Times, the Obama ad, called "Embrace," shows McCain hugging President Bush and walking down the street with what the narrator labels "the lobbyists running his low road campaign."