Mystery surrounds motive behind Malay-Indian actress’ suicide

Kuala Lumpur, Sep. 11 (ANI): The mystery behind Malay-Indian actress K. Sujatha’s suicide continues, with her family’s counsel testifying that she took her life for reasons best known to her.

K. Kumaraendran, however, dismissed any third party involvement in her death.

The Star Online quoted Kumaraendran as saying that Sujatha’s close friend S. Vell Paari, who spent lavishly on the actress, including buying her a 420,000 ringgits condominium and financing her brothers’ education, should not be associated with her death.

Making his submissions, he said coroner Mohd Faizi Che Abu should not fail to reach a positive conclusion because there were doubts on some minor points.

Kumaraendran said the coroner had to consider the forensic expert’s evidence affirming that Sujatha herself drank the paraquat, as there were no splash marks on her.

He said the court should also consider the evidence given by Sujatha’s younger brother Surenthiran that he bought the paraquat upon her request.

“Sujatha had claimed that she wanted the para-quat for her friend. There is no interested party here,” Kumaraendran stressed.

He also said that the doctor who treated her was informed by her that she had consumed paraquat unknowingly.

DPP Geethan Ram Vincent said the coroner had to evaluate the evidence, as the evidence given by Vell Paari and Dr Sakti over the reasons for drinking the paraquat was difficult to believe.

He said Surenthiran’s evidence was suspicious, too.

Sujatha, 28, who had worked as Vell Paari’s personal assistant and head of corporate department, died on June 25, 2007, four days after being admitted to hospital. (ANI)

‘Megan Fox knows how to garner hot publicity,’ say Hollywood execs

London, July 13 (ANI): Sexy Megan Fox knows how to garner publicity that is likely to benefit her film and enhance her image, claim Hollywood execs.

“Megan obviously doesn’t need a PR team. She cleverly creates a hot media circus for herself wherever she goes,” the Daily Star quoted a Tinseltown studio executive as saying.

The 23-year-old actress has admitted fancying major stars in every country she has visited to promote her new film.

At the London premiere of her new film ‘Transformers: Revenge Of The Fallen’, Fox said that she fancied David Beckham, and added that she had the hots for ‘Girls Aloud’ star Cheryl Cole.

On her visit to France, she branded 34-year-old national heartthrob Vincent Lecoeur “the sexiest man in Europe”, and said that she would love to get up and close with him.

In Berlin, she praised the “smouldering good looks” of German superstar Christoph M. Ohrt, 49, whom she has never met.

And in Seoul, South Korea, Fox admitted to having a huge crush on actor and singer Rain, 27.

In Tokyo, she said that she was “dying to meet” movie star and singer/songwriter Teppei Koike, 23, who was last year named Newcomer of the Year by the Japanese Film Academy.

“She’s a real street-smart player who shoots from the lip every time she sees an opportunity to generate some hot publicity that’s going to benefit the film, raise her profile and enhance her image,” said another Hollywood executive. (ANI)

‘Harry Potter’ star charged with growing marijuana

London, July 8 (ANI): ‘Harry Potter’ star Jamie Waylett has been charged with illegally growing 10 marijuana plants in his north London home.

Waylett, who plays the beefy bully Vincent Crabbe in the ‘Harry Potter’ movie franchise, was first arrested in April after cops found bags of cannabis in his car, reports the New York Daily News.

The 18-year-old was charged shortly before the London premiere of ‘Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince,’ the sixth instalment of the widely popular series based on the books by British author J.K. Rowling.

He is slated to appear before the City of Westminster Magistrates’ Court on July 16.

‘Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince,’ is scheduled to U.S. theatres on July 15. (ANI)

‘Chemical nose’ can sniff out cancer

Washington. June 23 (ANI): Researchers at the University of Massachusetts Amherst have developed a ‘chemical nose’ that can sniff out cancer.

The revolutionary tool contains an array of nanoparticles and polymers that differentiate not only between healthy and cancerous cells but also between metastatic and non-metastatic cancer cells.

Currently, detecting cancer via cell surface biomarkers has taken what’s known as the “lock and key” approach.

However, this method includes foreknowledge of the biomarker.

“Our new method uses an array of sensors to recognize not only known cancer types, but it signals that abnormal cells are present,” said chemist Vincent Rotello, who conducted the research with cancer specialist Joseph Jerry.

“That is, the chemical nose can simply tell us something isn’t right, like a ‘check engine light,’ though it may never have encountered that type before,” he added.

Further, the chemical nose can be designed to alert doctors of the most invasive cancer types, those for which early treatment is crucial.

The study conducted using four human cancer cell lines (cervical, liver, testis and breast), as well as in three metastatic breast cell lines, and in normal cells showed that the new detection technique correctly indicated not only the presence of cancer cells in a sample but also identified primary cancer vs. metastatic disease.

Rotello’s research team, with colleagues at the Georgia Institute of Technology, designed the new detection system by combining three gold nanoparticles that have special affinity for the surface of chemically abnormal cells, plus a polymer known as PPE, or para-phenyleneethynylene.

As the ‘check engine light,’ PPE fluoresces or glows when displaced from the nanoparticle surface.

The study appears in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences online. (ANI)

English lords over Hindi in Lok Sabha oath-taking ceremony

New Delhi, May 28 (ANI): Fifty nine ministers took their oath in English and Hindi at a solemn ceremony in Rashtrapati Bhavan on Thursday.

President Pratibha Patil administered oath of office to 38 ministers in English and 21 ministers in Hindi.

The 59 ministers will now join Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and 19 other Cabinet Ministers.

The 38 ministers who took their oath in English were: Farooq Abdullah, Dayanidhi Maran, A Raja, Mallikarjun Kharge, M S Gill, G K Vasan, Pawan Kumar Bansal, M K Alagiri, Praful Patel, Prithviraj Chavan, Sriprakash Jaiswal, Jairam Ramesh, Srikant Jena, E Ahamed, V Narayanasamy, Mullapally Ramachandran, Jyotiraditya Scindia, D Purandeswari, K H Muniyappa, Ajay Maken, Panabaka Lakshmi, M M Pallam Raju, Saugata Ray, S S Palanimackam, A Sai Prathap, Gurudas Kamat, K V Thomas, Dinesh Trivedi, Sisir Adhikari, Sultan Ahmed, Mukul Roy, Chowdhary Mohan Jatua, D Napolean, S Jagathrakshakan, S Gandhiselvan, Praneet Kaur, Prateek Prakashbapu Patil, R P N Singh, Shashi Tharoor and Vincent Pala.

The, 21 ministers who took their oath in Hindi were: Virbhadra Singh, Vilasrao Deshmukh, Selja, Subodhkant Sahay, Mukul Wasnik, Kantilal Bhuria, Salman Khursheed, Dinsha Patel, Krishna Tirath, Namo Narain Meena, Jitin Prasada, Harish Rawat, Bharatsinh Solanki, Mahadev Khandela, Tusharbhai Chaudhary, Sachin Pilot, Arun Yadav, R P N Singh, Pradeep Jain and Agatha Sangma.

The 79-member Union Government reflects a cross section of Indian Society. The ministers come from 21 of India’s 28 states and include representatives from both the Muslim minority and the lower castes. (ANI)

Cabinet expansion today

New Delhi, May 28 (ANI): Fifty-nine ministers will take oath in the second round of cabinet expansion here today.

Dr. Singh has recommended several names to the President for inclusion in his Council of Ministers.

The names doing the rounds are that of Virbhadra Singh, Vilasrao Deshmukh, Farooq Abdullah, Dayanidhi Maran, A Raja, Mallikarjun Kharge, Kumari Selja, Subodh Kant Sahay, M S Gill, G K Vasan, Pawan Kumar Bansal, Mukul Wasnik, Kantilal Bhuria and M K Azhagiri, who have been recommended for cabinet rank.

The names of Praful Patel, Prithviraj Chavan, Sriprakash Jaiswal, Salman Khursheed, Dinsha Patel, Jairam Ramesh, Krishna Tirath have been recommended for Ministers of State with Independent Charge.

The names of E Ahamed, V Narayanasamy, Srikant Jena, Mullappally Ramachandran, D Purandeswari, Panabaka Lakshmi, Ajay Maken, K H ,Muniyappa, Namo Narain Meena, Jyotiraditya Scindia, Jitin Prasada, A Sai Prathap, Gurudas Kamat, M M Pallam Raju, Mahadev Khandela, Harish Rawat, K V Thomas, Saugata Ray, Dinesh Trivedi, Shishir Adhikari, Sultan Ahmed, Mukul Roy, Mohan Jatua, S S Palanimanickam, D Napoleon, S Jagathrakshakan, S Gandhiselvan, Preneet Kaur, Sachin Pilot, Shashi Tharoor, Bharatsinh Solanki, Tusharbhai Chaudhary, Arun Yadav, Prateek Prakash Patil, R P N Singh, Vincent Pala, Pradeep Jain and Agatha Sangma have been recommended for Ministers of State.

In the first round of swearing-in on Friday, only 19 ministers were inducted along with the Prime Minister. Portfolios have been allocated to only six ministers. (ANI)

PM, Sonia Gandhi finalise list of ministers ahead of cabinet expansion

New Delhi, May 27 (ANI): Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Congress President Sonia Gandhi met here today to finalise the list of ministers ahead of the cabinet expansion.

Fifty-nine ministers will take oath in the second round of cabinet expansion on Thursday.r. Singh has recommended several names to the President for inclusion in his Council of Ministers.

The names doing the rounds are that of Virbhadra Singh, Vilasrao Deshmukh, Farooq Abdullah, Dayanidhi Maran, A Raja, Mallikarjun Kharge, Kumari Selja, Subodh Kant Sahay, M S Gill, G K Vasan, Pawan Kumar Bansal, Mukul Wasnik, Kantilal Bhuria and M K Azhagiri, who have been recommended for cabinet rank.

The names of Praful Patel, Prithviraj Chavan, Sriprakash Jaiswal, Salman Khursheed, Dinsha Patel, Jairam Ramesh, Krishna Tirath have been recommended for Ministers of State with Independent Charge.

The names of E Ahamed, V Narayanasamy, Srikant Jena, Mullappally Ramachandran, D Purandeswari, Panabaka Lakshmi, Ajay Maken, K H ,Muniyappa, Namo Narain Meena, Jyotiraditya Scindia, Jitin Prasada, A Sai Prathap, Gurudas Kamat, M M Pallam Raju, Mahadev Khandela, Harish Rawat, K V Thomas, Saugata Ray, Dinesh Trivedi, Shishir Adhikari, Sultan Ahmed, Mukul Roy, Mohan Jatua, S S Palanimanickam, D Napoleon, S Jagathrakshakan, S Gandhiselvan, Preneet Kaur, Sachin Pilot, Shashi Tharoor, Bharatsinh Solanki, Tusharbhai Chaudhary, Arun Yadav, Prateek Prakash Patil, R P N Singh, Vincent Pala, Pradeep Jain and Agatha Sangma have been recommended for Ministers of State.

In the first round of swearing-in on Friday, only 19 ministers were inducted along with the Prime Minister. Portfolios have been allocated to only six ministers. (ANI)

Graphene-carbon nanotubes promise cheaper, more powerful electronic devices

Washington, May 14 (ANI): Scientists at the University of California-Los Angeles (UCLA) say that they have devised a novel way to make a hybrid graphene-carbon nanotube (G-CNT), which can be used as a transparent conductor in solar cells and consumer electronic devices.

Lead researchers Yang Yang and Richard Kaner reckon that G-CNTs may provide a cheaper and much more flexible alternative to materials currently used in these and similar applications.

Presently, the creation of transparent conductors depends upon indium tin oxide (ITO), which is expensive because of its production costs and a relative scarcity of indium.

The researchers say that the G-CNT hybrid provides an ideal high-performance alternative to ITO in electronics with moving parts.

They point out that graphene is an excellent electrical conductor, and carbon nanotubes are good candidates for transparent conductors because they provide conduction of electricity using very little material.

Yang and Kaner say that their single-step technique to combine the two is easy, inexpensive, scalable and compatible with flexible applications.

According to them, G-CNTs produced this way already provide comparable performance to current ITOs used in flexible applications.

The researchers have revealed that their method builds on one of their previous studies, which introduced a method for producing graphene, a single layer of carbon atoms, by soaking graphite oxide in a hydrazine solution.

They have now found that placing both graphite oxide and carbon nanotubes in a hydrazine solution produces not only graphene but a hybrid layer of graphene and carbon nanotubes.

“To our knowledge this is the first report of dispersing CNTs in anhydrous hydrazine. This is important because our method does not require the use of surfactants, which have traditionally been used in these solution processes and can degrade intrinsic electronic and mechanical properties,” Yang said.

G-CNTs are also ideal candidates for use as electrodes in polymer solar cells because they retain efficiency when flexed and also are compatible with plastics.

The researcher envision the use of such flexible solar cells in a variety of materials, including the drapes of homes.

“The potential of this material (G-CNT) is not limited to improvements in the physical arrangements of the components. With further work, G-CNTs have the potential to provide the building blocks of tomorrow’s optical electronics,” said Vincent Tung, a doctoral student working jointly in Yang’s and Kaner’s labs and the first author of the study.

The novel processing method has been described in a research paper published in the journal Nano Letters. (ANI)

Cameras clear Proteas spinner Botha to board Twenty20 plane

Cape Town (South Africa), May 5 (ANI): The assistant coach of the South African cricket team, Vincent Barnes, has said that controversial off spinner Johan Botha has been technically cleared to join the national squad for next month’s Twenty20 World Cup in England.

Botha returned to South Africa from Perth on Saturday after his bowling action was tested for a second time at the University of Western Australia.

Sports24 quoted Barnes, who undertook the journey with Botha, as saying: “I am optimistic. The naked eye differs, of course, from all the cameras, but it’s looking good.” (ANI)

Fitch downgrades Thailand’s credit rating after unrest

Bangkok – Fitch downgraded Thailand’s sovereign and local currency credit ratings Thursday in the wake of street violence and political upheaval earlier this week.

The credit agency lowered Thailand’s long-term sovereign, or country, credit rating to BBB from its previous BBB+ status and its baht currency ratings to A- from A.

“The downgrade of Thailand’s ratings reflects the deterioration in sovereign creditworthiness associated with the inability of successive governments to resolve disruptive civil unrest, which threatens to extend an already protracted period of political uncertainty,” said Vincent Ho, Singapore-based associate director in Fitch’s Sovereign Group.

Thailand has been suffering unprecedented political instability since 2006 when street protests first erupted against former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra, whose strong-arm rule combined with populist policies deeply divided Thai society and continues to do so.

Thaksin was overthrown in a September 2006 coup, but Thailand remains split into anti- and pro-Thaksin camps, which have resorted to street protests since May to achieve their aims.

The last spate of protests, led by the pro-Thaksin red shirts, forced the government to cancel a regional summit over the weekend and ended with an army crackdown that left two people dead and 123 injured.

“The cumulative effect of repeated episodes of political disorder is a structural weakening of Thai governance, undermining the authority of the state and the credibility of the country’s political leadership,” Ho said.

Despite the downgrades, Fitch noted that Thailand’s sovereign ratings are still supported by a sound fiscal position and strong external finances.

“The general government balance and debt-GDP ratio have been consistently better than the BBB peer group median in recent years,” the agency noted.

It added that Thailand’s ratio of external credit to gross domestic product is by far the largest of any BBB-rated sovereign. (dpa)

New Resource Bank Appoints Vincent Siciliano as CEO

New Chief Executive Brings 30 Years of Banking Experience

SAN FRANCISCO–(Business Wire)–
New Resource Bank has tapped Vincent Siciliano, a longtime finance executive who
has held the top spot at several California banks, as its new chief executive
officer.

“We are pleased to have such a qualified and values-aligned CEO join the bank
and its dedicated staff,” said New Resource`s recently appointed Chairman of the
Board Mark A. Finser.

Mr. Siciliano brings a wealth of management experience to New Resource Bank. He
served as Chief Executive Officer at International Savings Bank, San Diego`s
largest local savings and loan; President and Chief Executive Officer of the
Danielson Trust, a $1.5 billion trust company providing investment management
services, and as Chief Operating Officer at First National Bank.

In 2001, he was hired as the CEO of 1st Pacific Bank of California. Under his
management, 1st Pacific was named the best-performing de novo bank in California
by The Findley Reports, a banking consulting firm.

A long-time environmentalist, Mr. Siciliano double majored in Human Biology and
Environmental Engineering at Stanford, and received a Master`s Degree in
Environmental Planning at the University of California at Berkeley. He also
worked for the California Coastal Commission and the federal equivalent program
in Washington, D.C. Mr. Siciliano and his wife Susan live in San Francisco.

As CEO of New Resource Bank, Mr. Siciliano says he will keep the bank focused on
providing high-level customer service and supporting clients engaged in green
and sustainable enterprises.

“I`ve learned through the years that a bank`s success is measured in the
achievements of its clients,” said Mr. Siciliano. “New Resource Bank has
established an impressive track record in a short period of time, funding some
of the most innovative, creative and sustainable businesses in California. I am
proud and excited to now be leading the effort to enhance New Resource Bank`s
stature as a new model of lending institution focused on a triple bottom line -
one that balances a commitment to the community and the environment as well as
economic interests for the benefit of all of our stakeholders.”

New Resource Bank opened in late 2006 as a bank built “by the people and for the
people” of their community. The founding organizers and initial shareholders
brought together an unparalleled blend of proven entrepreneurial success along
with banking expertise and community leadership.

Currently, the bank has over $170 million in assets and serves over 2,000
clients.

New Resource Bank received a “Reader`s Choice Award” by San Francisco Magazine
in 2008 and this year won the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency`s
Environmental Award.

For more information, visit www.newresourcebank.com.

New Resource Bank
Rosita Nunes, 415-995-8125

Copyright Business Wire 2009

Woodside says Vincent oil field shut after fire

SYDNEY, April 15 (Reuters) – Production from the Vincent oil field off western Australia has been halted indefinitely after a fire on Monday on board a floating production and storage facility, 60 percent owner Woodside Petroleum Ltd (WPL.AX) said on Wednesday.

The field was producing at an annual rate of 35,800 barrels of oil per day at the end of last year, a Woodside spokesman said.

The fire, which occurred on April 13, had been extinguished with no injuries to staff, the spokesman said.

Mitsui E and P Australia Pty Ltd holds a 40 percent stake in the field.

UK’s new Catholic leader opposes changing sex ads

Archbishop Vincent Nichols, who will take over as the head of the Catholic Church of England and Wales next month, warned Friday against relaxing rules on broadcasting abortion and condom adverts. Skip related content
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In an interview with the Press Association news agency, the 63-year-old urged the country’s five million Catholics to respond to a public consultation on the proposed changes, saying adverts should be “truthful and tasteful”.

“I doubt that any intended adverts about abortion would be fully truthful and tell the whole truth of the effects of abortion in a woman’s life,” he said of plans to allow pregnancy advisory services to advertise on radio and TV.

He added: “It will no doubt be presented as a simple solution. But in fact it has traumatic implications in women’s lives. Surely you would not expect it to be advertised alongside a packet of crisps?”

As part of a shake-up of advertising rules, ad watchdogs have proposed allowing pregnancy advisory services, including ones that offer abortion services, to screen prime time broadcast adverts.

They also want to allow condom ads — which can currently only be broadcast on major channels after 9.00 pm, when an adult audience is presumed — at any time of the day, except around programmes targeted at children under 10.

“I seriously wonder if any advertisements for the use of condoms would be tasteful because the ones we have at the moment are demeaning of the young people of this country,” Nichols said.

“They depict casual sex on the street corner and drunken sex. I do not think these things do anything to genuinely help young people to understand themselves.”

The Vatican last week named Nichols, a champion of traditional Catholic values, to replace Cardinal Cormac Murphy-O’Connor as archbishop of Westminster.

World’s tallest teenagers to appear in TV documentary

London, Apr 8 (ANI): At 7ft 4 1/2ins, Brenden, from Ellensburg, Washington, is the tallest boy in the world, and will be featured in an ITV1 documentary ‘Superhuman’, along with other adolescents who stand higher in a crowd.

Most of the teenagers in the documentary tower over Peter Crouch, the 6ft 7ins England footballer, and have to have custom-made beds, clothes and houses to accommodate their frames.

Although Brenden was born a normal 7lb 4oz, at 12 months he was the size of a three-year-old.

And by the time he turned eight, he was as big as an adult, reports the Telegraph.

Doctors diagnosed his abnormal height to a problem with his chromosomes, and have now slowed down the rate at which he is getting taller.

Another teenager is 17-year-old Thai Malee Duangdee, who is the tallest girl in the world with a height of 6ft 10ins.

Also appearing in the programme will be Marvadene Anderson, 15, who stands at 6ft 9 1/2ins and has been named the second tallest girl in the world.
Britain’s tallest family, the Van Neses, will also appear in the documentary.

The family comprises of Dad Frank, 6ft 10ins, mum Miriam, 5ft 11ins, sons Vincent, 16, 6ft 10ins, Lucas, 15, 6ft 8ins and Franklin, 13, 6ft 1in. Daughter Naomi, 11, is 5ft 9ins. (ANI)

Teen ‘Harry Potter’ actor arrested for marijuana production at home

London, Apr 8 (ANI): A teenage actor, who has appeared in all of the six Harry Potter films, has been arrested for growing a 2,000 pounds worth cannabis plantation in his bedroom.

A tip-off made drug squad officers to grab hold of Jamie Waylett, famed as bullying Hogwarts School pupil Vincent Crabbe in the wizard movies.

After stopping him and a friend in an Audi car, the police discovered eight bags of pot inside the vehicle.

Both boys were held at the scene on suspicion of drug possession.
The cops later raided his home-where he lives with his mum Theresa, two brothers and a sister-and seized ten mature cannabis plants valued at about 2,000 pounds, which were

The plants were growing under powerful hydroponic lights beside the actor’s DJ decks and a PlayStation.

Waylett was then arrested on suspicion of production of a Class B drug.

“It was a pretty significant find. We are concerned the drugs in the car were all bagged up and ready to go,” the Sun quoted a police source as saying.

The source added: “Work now needs to be done to establish how far down the line we are towards dealing.”

Waylett, who was earlier accused of snorting cocaine in 2006, refused to comment on the issue.

Scotland Yard has confirmed the two arrests.

A spokesman said: “Both men have been bailed until July pending further inquiries and tests on the substances.”

The maximum jail term for cannabis production is 14 years. For possession, it is a five-year stretch.

Waylett, a pal of fellow Potter stars Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson and Rupert Grint, will be seen in the latest Harry Potter instalment- ‘Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince’ – which is out in July. (ANI)

Pope names Nichols to lead Church in England, Wales

Pope Benedict has appointed Birmingham Archbishop Vincent Nichols to be the new leader of the Roman Catholic Church in England and Wales, the Vatican said on Friday.

Nichols, 63, will become the new Archbishop of Westminster, succeeding Cardinal Cormac Murphy-O’Connor, 76, who is retiring.

Traditionally, the Archbishop of Westminster is made a cardinal, meaning he will enter the elite group of the pope’s closest advisers around the world.

Cardinals under 80 can enter a secret conclave to choose a new pontiff, meaning that after he is made a cardinal Nichols will almost certainly have a say in the election of the next leader of the 1.1 billion member Roman Catholic Church.

Nichols, who has been archbishop of Birmingham since 2000, studied at the Venerable English College in Rome and was ordained a priest in 1969.

He also studied at the prestigious Gregorian University in Rome, Manchester University and Loyola University in Chicago.

Pope John Paul made him a bishop in 1992 and after that Nichols worked as a close aide to the late Cardinal Basil Hume, Murphy-O’Connor’s predecessor.

During that time, he served in the influential role of the general secretary of Catholic Bishops Conference of England and Wales and became a Church power broker in his own right.

A soccer fan, he was born in Crosby, Liverpool, the son of teachers and as a child wanted to be a lorry driver but felt the calling to become a priest when he was a teenager.

‘Holy Grail of comic books’ up for grabs

Washington, Feb 27 (ANI): An ultra rare copy of the action comic book that launched Superman as the first superhero is valued at around 126,000 dollars.

“Action Comics #1″ was published in June 1938, and is considered by experts to be the world’s most valuable comic book, reports Fox News.

“It’s the Holy Grail of comic books,” comic expert Stephen Fishler, who created the 10-point grading scale used to evaluate comic books, said.

“This is the one that started it all. There was no such thing as a super hero before it. No flying man. Comics weren’t even that popular. It’s the single most important event in comic book history,” he added.

He said copies of the comics are in “fine” condition and are worth about 126,000 dollars, but this one could sell for several times that.

About 100 copies of the No. 1 edition are known to exist.

The owner, who has not been identified, bought the comic in 1950 when he was 9-years-old after begging his father for 35 cents.

Fishler and Vincent Zurzolo, co-owners of Metropolis Collectibles, will offer the comic on their Web site for two weeks.(ANI)

Music boosts teens’ academic performance

Washington, Feb 11 (ANI): Music lessons taken in or out of school can significantly improve reading and mathematic achievement in early childhood and adolescence, according to a new study.

Darby E. Southgate, MA, and Vincent Roscigno, Ph.D., of The Ohio State University have found music participation and parents attending concerts with their children have positive impact on adolescents’ academic performance.

During the study, the researchers analysed the patterns of music involvement and possible effects on math and reading performance for both elementary and high school students.

They found that music is positively associated with academic achievement, especially during the high school years.

The study also found that families with high socioeconomic status participate more in music than do families with lower socioeconomic status.

In addition to social class as a predictor of music participation, ethnicity is also a factor.

“This topic becomes an issue of equity at both the family and school levels,” wrote the authors.

“This has major policy implications for federal, state, and local agencies, as well as knowledge that can help families allocate resources that are most beneficial to children,” they added.

The study appears in the journal Social Science. (ANI)

Orlando Bloom roped in for ‘The Cross’

Washington, Feb 5 (ANI): Actor Orlando Bloom has been roped in to star in sci-fi film titled ‘The Cross’.

James Bond girl Olga Kurylenko also joins the cast along with French Vincent Cassel.

In the film, Bloom plays a man seeking to cross a mysterious border, something no one else has achieved, while Cassel plays the guard who will go to any lengths to foil him, reports Variety.

Kurylenko plays the female lead.

Andrew Niccol of the “Lord of War” fame will helm the project. He has initiated pre-production on the 24 million dollars sci-fi escape story, which is scheduled to start principal photography in July in Australia. (ANI)