A fuel-efficient, lightweight hybrid vehicle that could keep soldiers safe? It might sound like mission impossible, but such a machine is already roaming the earth – albeit on a tight leash. A rugged new US Army research prototype Ultra Light Vehicle (ULV) has recently entered an advanced blast-testing phase in Michigan, with further tests scheduled for mid-December in Nevada Developed by the Army’s Tank Automotive Research, Development and Engineering Center […]

  Forest officials in the southern Indian state of Karnataka are searching for a tiger which they say has killed three villagers in the past week. Teams have gone deep into Bandipur tiger reserve with orders to shoot the “man-eater” with tranquilisers. A fourth fatality in recent days is being blamed on another tiger. Meanwhile, angry locals demanding compensation for the families of those killed have set fire to two […]

  Maybe you’re just about to receive an inheritance from a relative. Perhaps you made a brilliant investment. Or maybe your number came up in the big lotto. In any event, there is money coming your way. It sounds great, but there are downsides to receiving large sums — it’s often not as simple as stashing the money in the bank and going on your merry way. First off, that […]

India has successfully launched a spacecraft to the Red Planet – with the aim of becoming the fourth space agency to reach Mars. The Mars Orbiter Mission took off at 09:08 GMT from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre on the country’s east coast. The head of India’s space agency told the BBC the mission would demonstrate the technological capability to reach Mars orbit and carry out experiments. The spacecraft is […]

Pakistani PM Nawaz Sharif has told President Obama the US should halt drone strikes in Pakistan, a critical source of tension in the relationship. The two leaders held wide-ranging talks at the White House on Wednesday, pledging to strengthen the often-strained ties between the nations. The leaders also discussed tension between Pakistan and India over the disputed Kashmir region. Mr Obama said the US and Pakistan remained important strategic partners. […]

The controversial Kudankulam nuclear plant in India’s Tamil Nadu state has begun producing electricity after years of delays and protests, officials say. The plant was connected to the grid on Tuesday, Press Trust of India reported. In May, India’s Supreme Court ruled that the power station could start operations as it was “safe and secure”. Opponents of the plant, which is on the coastline hit by the 2004 Asian tsunami, […]

A baby’s first smile is an exciting moment. But what can it tell us about their understanding of the world? Boasting about the speed of childhood development is the sport of choice for many a doting parent. From the 12-week scan right through the early years, monitoring the physical and mental progress of their pride and joy is a source of both excitement and concern. Especially rewarding is the onset […]

At least 30 people have been killed by a suicide truck bombing on the edge of the central Syrian city of Hama. State news agency Sana said Syrian rebels had driven a truck laden with over a tonne of explosives into a government checkpoint on a busy road. The explosion appears to have set ablaze a nearby petrol tanker, increasing the damage and casualties. The UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human […]

  Workers are battling to rescue tens of thousands of people marooned by rising flood waters in Orissa, after the state was hit by the strongest cyclone in 14 years. Flood waters have left nearly 100,000 people stranded in Mayurbhanj and Balasore districts, officials say. Twenty-seven people were killed in the cyclone and floods – all but one of the deaths were in Orissa. A flood alert has been also […]

  The Israeli army says it has discovered a tunnel running 1.7km (1 mile) from the Gaza Strip into Israel. The tunnel led from a house to a site close to a kibbutz, Ein Hashlosha, and could have been used to carry out attacks on civilians, a spokesman said. Israel has responded by halting the transfer of all construction materials to Gaza. Restrictions on the private sector were lifted last […]