Washington, September 20 : A new study has determined that the full moon can dramatically increase the activity of a particular marine bird.

According to a report in Discovery News, the finding adds to a growing body of evidence that lunar phases affect the behavior of insects, birds, fish and mammals - including humans.

The study, which has been accepted for publication in the journal Animal Behavior, is among the first to provide direct evidence for the “full moon effect,” since many other claims have been based on indirect observations and even folklore, such as werewolf tales.

Pittsburgh, Sept. 20 : A Pennsylvania couple is fighting to maintain a church they run from a Huntingdon Township home, which officials say is really a raunchy swingers club where single men have to pay for access but women come for free.

San Francisco - The longest budget battle in California's history came to an end after the two houses of the State Legislature agreed to 104 billion dollars in spending that was 80 days overdue.

Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger said that in the coming week, he would sign the budget passed Friday night in Sacramento.

He had threatened to veto an earlier version of the budget passed Tuesday because it did not contain his demand for spending limits in times of surplus so the state could invest in a "rainy day fund." Lawmakers gave in to his demands after they realized they didn't have the votes to override a veto.

Washington, Sept 20 : Increasing number of suicidal deaths in low to middle income countries like India, Brazil, Sri Lanka, can be reduced with a low cost intervention strategy to keep in contact with people, who have previously attempted suicide, according to a new research.

The low cost strategy including a one-hour information session about suicidal behaviours, risk factors, constructive coping strategies and referral options has the potential to reduce the economic and societal loss of young people in their most productive years of life.

The researchers found that the subsequent suicide deaths reduced from 2.2 per cent in people treated with usual care to 0.2 per cent in the people given extra contact.

London, Sep 20: US Defence Secretary Robert Gates has said that American military chiefs are in close contact with the new Pakistani leadership and are on the ‘most productive path’ in dealing with al Qaeda, the Taliban and other insurgents in co-operation with the country.

Gates was in London for the NATO Defence Ministers’ meeting in which the United States is seeking 20 billion dollars from its allies to help stabilise Afghanistan by sending more troops to confront the growing insurgency.

London, Sept. 20: Former British Prime Minister Tony Blair told the Daily Show last night that his decision to send British troops into Iraq and Afghanistan, had a lot to do with his equation with U. S. President George W Bush.

When interviewer Jon Stewart, said to Blair: "Your relationship with George Bush seems inexplicable," Blair replied: "Here's something I find always goes down well, particularly back home: I like him."

Stewart retorted: "I would probably like him too, if he wasn't in charge of me."