Tokyo - Japan's benchmark Nikkei 225 Stock Average on Friday lost nearly 10 per cent of its value, tumbling below 8,000 for the first time since May 2003, on indications the global financial crisis was beginning to hit the nation's exporters.

The Nikkei shed 811.9 points, or 9.6 per cent, to close at 7,649.08.

The broader Topix index of all first-section issues plunged 65.59 points, or 7.52 per cent, to 806.11.

The tumble was led by Sony Corp, whose shares plunged 14 per cent one day after the world's second-largest electronics company warned its profits this year were expected to drop nearly 60 per cent compared with last year.

Beijing - Germany's support after the devastating Sichuan earthquake in March helped smooth German-Chinese relations after past upsets, Chinese President Hu Jintao said Friday.

Germany was the European country "which helped China most after this catastrophe," Hu told Chancellor Angela Merkel, who is in Beijing to participate in the Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) Summit on Friday and Saturday.

"This is a clear sign of friendship from the German government to the Chinese people," he added.

Merkel vowed closer cooperation with China in view of the global economic crisis. "We are ready to work even closer with China, especially in times of economic difficulties," the conservative chancellor said.

It was a memorable moment for people of Garo hills in Meghalaya. After a gap of long 56 years they got chance to have a glimpse of their President.

President Pratibha Devisingh Patil visited the Garo hills yesterday and inaugurated the Baljek airport in Tura in Meghalaya. Baljek becomes the second airport in the hilly state.

The President congratulated the people of the state in a function organized at the newly inaugurated airport for focusing on building, critical infrastructure for development and said progress and prosperity cannot be realized without adequate infrastructure and a network of connectivity.

Washington, October 24 : Scientists have found new evidence that genetic findings made through studies on mice can be directly applied to humans to predict the risk of anxiety disorders.

Lead researcher Jonas Donner, a medical geneticist at the University of Helsinki, evaluated genes that may be associated with the risk for human anxiety disorders.

The research team utilized a cross-species approach and tested 13 human homologs of genes that had previously shown to be differentially expressed in mouse strains that differed in their innate anxiety levels.

They then studied groups of humans with anxiety disorders and found some evidence of association among six of these genes and particular anxiety disorders.

Washington, Oct 24 : Scientists have explained the technicalities behind a car that aims to be the fastest vehicle of all time by breaking the 1,000 mph barrier, which would make it faster than a speeding bullet.

Bloodhound SSC, named after the British cold war supersonic air defence missiles, will attempt to beat the existing record by more than 250mph.

Working from an aircraft hangar in Bristol, the research team’s engineers have been working on the project in secret for the past 18 months.

Calculations suggest the car could reach 1,050mph, fast enough to outrun a bullet from a .357 Magnum revolver.

The Bloodhound team plans to have the car built within a year, with the record attempt expected in three years.