TopNews

Washington, June 7 : A research team has developed a new method that converts cellulose into chemical feedstock for fuels and plastic.

The researchers, from the Department of Energy''s Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, developed the new method.

It is a one-step process to convert cellulose found in plant material and other biomass into a chemical that can serve as a precursor to make fuels and plastics.

Washington, June 7 : NASA has created a web site for the review of US Human Space Flight Plans Committee to facilitate a two-way conversation with the public about the future direction of the agency''s space flight programs.

In addition to providing documents and information, the site will allow the public to track committee activities, receive regular updates and provide input through Web 2.0 tools such as Twitter, Flickr, user-submitted questions, polls and RSS feeds.

Manila  - Muslim militants abandoned a lending firm employee held captive for four months in the southern Philippines after government troops launched an offensive and killed three rebels, the military said Sunday.

Captain Neil Estrella, a military spokesman, said Lea Patris was left by Muslim Abu Sayyaf rebels as they fled the attack late Saturday in Tipo-Tipo town in Basilan province, 900 kilometres south of Manila.

Mumbai, June 7 : A close aide of Union Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar, Padamsinh Patil, who was detained on Saturday by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) for his alleged involvement in the murder of senior Congress leader Pawanraj Nimbalkar in
2003, may not appear in court Sunday.

According to sources, Patil complained of severe chest pain this morning and has now been admitted to the ICU of Mumbai''s J J Hospital. He was to be taken to the Panvel court at about 11:30 a. m.

London, June 7 : After failing to adopt Mercy from Malawi, Madonna has reportedly turned to an orphanage in Nigeria - and this time toyboy lover Jesus is by her side.

Apparently, the star has been making inquiries at an orphanage in the city of Kaduna about a female tot.

The Material Girl was devastated when her bid to adopt a little girl called Mercy was rejected by a Malawi court in April.

A source close to the 50-year-old singer revealed: "She was distraught when her adoption failed in Malawi.