Washington, Apr 2: Portuguese researchers have identified a vital component of olive oil that gives greatest protection from heart attack and stroke.

Lead researcher Fatima Paiva-Martins from University of Porto has discovered an antioxidant called DHPEA-EDA that protects red blood cells from damage more than any other part of olive oil.

“These findings provide the scientific basis for the clear health benefits that have been seen in people who have olive oil in their diet," said Paiva-Martins.

Washington, April 2: Barack Obama’s choice of gift to the Queen on his first meeting with the monarch has managed to draw frowns from critics.

The U. S. President, who arrived in London to attend the G20 summit, had presented the royal with a personalised iPod during the historic meeting at Buckingham Palace.

The 82-year-old Queen, an iPod fan, who already holds a 6GB silver model, was presented the gadget containing photos and a video of her last visit to America in 2007.

Washington, April 2: While most people appear to be extremely stressed amidst the ongoing recession, a study has suggested that stress may further worsen their financial troubles.

Anthony J. Porcelli and Mauricio R. Delgado, both psychologists at Rutgers University, have found that acute stress affects risk taking during financial decision making.

They conducted a study in which a group of volunteers chose between various financial gambles, after being asked to immerse their hand for a period of time in either ice-cold or room-temperature water.

Washington  - With the House of Representatives preparing to vote Thursday on President Barack Obama's 2010 budget proposal, Republican lawmakers have presented an alternative spending plan that they argued cuts the deficit while still reviving the economy.

The Republican alternative, put forward in the House of Representatives, has little chance of becoming law as Democrats hold a sizeable majority in both chambers of Congress. But the versions offer insights into the parties' sharply differing ideologies and answers to the economic crisis.

Washington  - Car sales in the United States remained very weak in March, plummeting more than 38 per cent on average from 2008, but carmakers pointed to signs that the market may be bottoming out as they struggle to survive the global recession.

General Motors Corp reported a 45-per-cent decline in sales in March compared to the same month a year earlier. Ford Motor Co said sales fell 41 per cent and Chrysler LLC reported sales dropped 39 per cent.

Los Angeles - The dysfunctional cartoon family The Simpsons has been chosen for one of the most iconic honours in the United States. The portraits of Homer, Marge, Bart, Lisa and Maggie Simpson will all feature on five first class postage stamps, the US Postal Service announced Wednesday.

The stamps are in recognition of the 20th anniversary of the show, which is the US's longest-running prime-time comedy and the first to receive its own stamp while still on the air.