Windhoek, Namibia  - Namibia's second legal auction of stockpiled ivory tusks to Chinese and Japanese bidders began behind closed doors in the capital Windhoek on Tuesday morning.

The event, held under the auspices of the UN Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES), was closed to all media and observers due to what ministry officials termed the "sensitive nature" of the first of four ivory auctions to take place in southern Africa in the coming weeks.

Local papers had expressed dismay at not being allowed to cover the event, which has raised the hackles of animal rights activists, who claim any sale of ivory stimulates black market trade in the so- called white gold.

Hong Kong  - Asia markets rebounded as investors hunted for bargains on Tuesday, with Hong Kong making the greatest recovery of more than 14 per cent just a day after seeing their worst one-day fall for 11 years.

The blue-chip Hang Seng Index climbed 1,580.45 points, or 14.35 per cent, to close the day at 12,596.29 points, recovering all its losses from Monday in one of its biggest one-day rallies ever.

Turnover was 66 billion Hong Kong dollars (8.51 billion US dollars) and the scale of the recovery forced the stock market to issue a statement saying the "unusual" activity appeared legitimate.

Washington, Oct 28 : Planning for a romantic dinner with the man of your dreams? Well, don’t forget to wear something in red, for the colour will sure make him drool all over you, according to a new study.

In their study, Professor Andrew Elliot and Dr Daniela Niesta of the University of Rochester, New York, have said that men find women in red more sexually attractive, confirming it really is the colour of romance.

Elliot claimed that men rated a woman shown in photographs as more sexually attractive if she was wearing red clothing or if she was shown in an image framed by a red border rather than some other colour.

The researchers also speculated that the attraction towards red could be an evolutionary trait too.

London, Oct 28 : Ferrari believes that a move to use standardised engines would negate their reason for existing in Formula One. 

Ferrari warned on Monday that they could quit formula one if the sport’s governing body continues with its plans to slash costs, the Guardian reported. 

The famous Italian team, which has been in Formula One since its inauguration in 1950, sent a firm signal to the FIA president, Max Mosley, that his idea of introducing so-called standard engines into the sport would take away their raison d’être for competing in motor racing.

Putrajaya, Oct 28 : Eleven members of the banned Hindu Rights Action Force (Hindraf), who were arrested under the Societies Act after they held an illegal gathering outside the Prime Minister’s office on Thursday, have been released. 

Their release papers were signed at noon on Sunday by Kajang magistrate’s court registrar Bonney Empoh, The NST Online reported. 

Puchong Member of Parliament Gobind Singh Deo said they were released on 1,000-ringgit police bail each and would have to report to the police station in a month’s time.

“We were told that police were still investigating their cases before forwarding their recommendations to the Attorney-General’s Chambers.”

London, Oct 28 : British Airways has stopped being the UK’s national carrier and effectively become London Airways. 

Though the airline still operates flights from Manchester, Newcastle, Edinburgh, Glasgow and Aberdeen, but passengers choice of destination from these cities is limited: They can fly to any other city they like – so long as it is London, The Independent reported. 

At the weekend, the airline axed the last international flight that neither departed from nor arrived at one of the London airports, the 44-year-old link from New York to Manchester. 

The slots at JFK have been redeployed for a new BA route from Gatwick.