United States

Monkeys are adept at choosing greatest reward even while faced with distractions

Monkeys are adept at choosing greatest reward even while faced with distractionsWashington, February 13 : A group of researchers from Princeton and Stanford Universities have found that monkeys can consistently choose the path of greatest reward, even when they are distracted.

Revealing their findings in the open-access journal PLoS Computational Biology, the researchers said that their findings added to the growing evidence that animal foraging behaviour could approach optimality, and provide a basis for understanding the computations involved in this and related tasks.

Jacko’s clothing on display at Los Angeles'' new Grammy Museum

Rare Jacko record expected to fetch $10k on eBayWashington, February 13 : The clothes Michael Jackson donned during his Victory tour, and at the 1984 American Music Awards, are being exhibited at Los Angeles'' new Grammy Museum.

Eight elaborately embellished jackets, two gloves, and accessories form part of the exhibition, reports, Contactmusic.

The outfit that Jackson wore when he unveiled his star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in November, 1984, is also being displayed.

Is America’s ‘give and take relation’ with Pak fruitful?

Islamabad, Feb. 12 : US Special Representative Richard Holbrooke has sternly told Pakistan to eliminate militants from FATA and promised that the US would keep its promise to deliver 1.5 billion dollars aid to equip Pakistan's armed forces with counter-insurgency paraphernalia.

But, both Pakistan's `intentions and the ability' to curb militancy from vast swathes of territory are under serious doubt.

Despite President Obama's emphasis on soft-power options, Pakistan remains first and foremost a security challenge to his administration, the Dawn reports.

US, Russia satellite collision not to delay Chinese space programme

Chinese space programmeNew Delhi, Feb 13 : The wreckage of US and Russian satellites that collided over Siberia poses a threat to Chinese satellites in orbit, but the latter's space plan will proceed as scheduled.

A privately owned US communications spacecraft collided with a defunct Russian military satellite about 800 km above northern Siberia at 4:55 pm GMT on Tuesday, the China Daily reported.

The 560-kg US satellite, of Iridium Holdings LLC, was launched in 1997 and the Russian Cosmos-2251, weighing almost a ton, was sent in space in 1993.

Widow from Septembr 11 attacks among New York crash victims

New York - A woman who had lost her husband in the September 11, 2001 terror attacks on the World Trade Center was among those killed in the late Thursday air crash in New York state, her sister said early Friday.

"We know that she was on that plane," Sue Bourque was quoted by the Buffalo News as saying about her sister Beverly Eckert, who had been waiting at Buffalo airport to pick her sister up when the Continental Airlines plane crashed some 10 kilometres away.

"And now she is with him," she added, referring to her sister's husband who was among the some 3,000 killed in the twin airplane attacks on the WTC towers.

Gwyneth Paltrow’s red belt sparks ‘Kabbalah'' rumours

Gwyneth-PaltrowWashington, Feb 13 : Rumours are rife that Gwyneth Paltrow has converted to Kabbalah, after she stepped out in New York wearing a bracelet of her best friend Madonna''s faith.

The rumours were sparked after she attended a New York screening of her new movie `Two Lovers' on February 11, wearing a red string bracelet on her wrist.

Kabbalah texts cite that the bracelets protect wearers from negative forces and the "Evil Eye," reports Contactmusic.

The `Shakespeare in Love' star has been spending a lot of time with Madonna, since the `Material Girl' parted ways from husband Guy Ritchie.

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