Washington, Nov 8: A team of theoretical and experimental physicists have designed a new black hole simulator called BlackMax to search for extra dimensions in space at the Large Hadron Collider (LHC).

Approximately two years in the making, the computer program enables physicists to test theories about the production and decay of black holes and takes into account new types of effects on both the creation and evaporation of black holes at the LHC.

The LHC, which is the world’s largest and the most powerful particle accelerator, is located at the European Center for Nuclear Research (CERN) in Geneva, Switzerland.

Lahore, Nov 8 : The International Cricket Council (ICC) has told the four host countries - Pakistan, India, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh - of the 2011 World Cup to speed up their preparations for the event, saying that they were running around ten months behind schedule.

Washington, Nov 8: Alaska Governor and John McCain’s running mate, Sarah Palin’s spokesperson has blasted the wave of anonymous post-election criticism coming from some members of McCain’s campaign team.

Palin’s allies are pushing back against a stream of accusations leaking out of John McCain’s campaign, and the Alaska Governor herself has called her critics “cowardly.”

Palin insisted that she never asked for the expensive wardrobe purchased for her use on the presidential campaign, Fox News reported.

“I never asked for anything more than a Diet Dr. Pepper once in a while,” Palin said as she returned to the Governor’s office.

London, Nov 8: Former Star Trek actor George Takei has expressed his disappointment over the passing of a ban on same-sex marriage in California.

Takei, known for his role in the sci-fi series, and his long-term partner, Brad Altman, were the first to receive a marriage licence in West Hollywood after the court ruling.

He expressed his disappointment after the people of California voted to put a stop to gay marriage.

"There are going to be heartbreaks, setbacks and sacrifices to be made, but we will soldier on," the Scotsman quoted Takei, as saying.

The Proposition 8 that seeks to ban same-sex marriages has stirred anger, protests, lawsuits and a deep sense of loss among gays in California.

Washington, Nov 8: Pop princess Britney Spears has given up the role of Virgin Mary in the new movie ‘Sweet Baby Jesus’, and she may now be writing and performing the closing number for the film.

The decision to cast the then chaotic Spears as the Virgin Mary had been made by French film Producer Philippe Rebboah late last year, but it was later changed when the Toxic singer ran into trouble.

“Britney read the script and she really liked it and really wanted to play the role of Mary,” Fox News quoted Rebboah as saying.

Washington, Nov 8: Hollywood actress Nicole Kidman has revealed that her baby daughter Sunday Rose resembles her dad Keith Urban the most.

While talking to Oprah Winfrey on her chat show, the ‘Birth’ actress revealed that her daughter looks nothing like her – all she has acquired from her is her fair skin.

"[She looks] so much like Keith, I call her Keith-ette,” People magazine quoted Kidman, as telling on Oprah Winfrey show.

"I didn't even get a look in. I think she got my fair skin and that''s about it,” she added.