New York, Sep. 1 : John McCain’s running mate and Alaska Governor Sarah Palin is unlikely to bring in the female votes that he requires to win the November 4 presidential poll.

Though McCain has probably earned candidacy points through Palin being a life member of the National Rifle Association and a staunch anti-abortion advocate, the Fox News says that her stance on abortion, in particular, could make it difficult to win over disgruntled supporters of former Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton.

Washington, Sep. 1 : Catholics have invited acclaimed Hindu leader Rajan Zed for an inter-faith dialogue.

Zed, who is president of Universal Society of Hinduism, has been invited to attend the Diocesan Ecumenical Inter-religious Commission meeting of Roman Catholic Diocese of Sacramento on November 18.

Most Reverend William Keith Weigand, Bishop of Sacramento Diocese, in a letter to Zed, wrote, “With God’s help, we can all work for understanding through dialogue so that all faiths may proclaim their message in peace, freedom and non-violence.”

Washington - Hurricane Gustav churned toward an evacuated US Gulf Coast early Monday, headed for landfall along the Louisiana coast during daylight hours.

The National Hurricane Center said the storm was about 360 kilometres south-east of New Orleans, and warned of isolated tornadoes. Updates were expected at 0600 and 0900 GMT.

The category 3 storm on the 1-to-5 Saffir-Simpson scale was packing winds of 185 kph. Weather officials said a "little strengthening" was possible before landfall.

Washington, Sep. 1 : Fresh questions have arisen over whether John McCain’s running mate and Alaska Governor Sarah Palin has been vetted properly before her selection.

According to The Times, 44-year-old Palin is now the subject of an Internet rumor that says that her fifth child, born in April with Down’s Syndrome, is actually her 17-year-old daughter’s.

Palin is already facing allegations that she tried to use her gubernatorial office to take revenge on her former brother-in-law.

An ethics investigation is already underway and will be released to the public on October 31 " five days before the presidential election.

Washington, September 1: Some scientists are trying to stop the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) from going into operation in nine days, saying that it might create black holes which could destroy the world.

The LHC, located 300 ft underground near the French-Swiss border, is a machine that is 17 miles long and cost 4.4 billion pounds to create.

When its switch is pulled on September 10, this atom-smasher will become a virtual time machine, revealing what happened when the universe came into existence 14 billion years ago.

New particles of matter are expected to be discovered, new dimensions found beyond the four known, as scientists re-create conditions in the first billionths of a second after the Big Bang.

Washington, Sep 1: Pakistan''s Ambassador to the United States Husain Haqqani has said that his country needs to be seen in its many colours and dimensions, and not just as an anti-terrorism ally.