Hawking’s wheelchair, medals up for auction
London: British physicist Stephen Hawking’s motorised wheelchair, medals and awards, and a signed copy of his PhD thesis are among a range of items set to go under the hammer in the UK. The motorised BEC Mobility wheelchair, used by the late cosmologist from the late-1980s to the mid-1990s, is alone expected to fetch 15,000 pounds.
Pak reopens vital Af border crossings
Islamabad: After remaining closed for over two days due to parliamentary polls in Afgh-anistan, Pakistan has reopened the friendship gate at the Afghan border in Chaman, the shut down of which caused a loss of Rs 100 crore to the country.
Taliban key commander, 21 killed in Afghanistan
Kunduz: Taliban key commander Mullah Mansoor, the military operational chief of the outfit, was among 21 armed insurgents who were killed in Afghanistan’s Kunduz province in a crackdown, officials said on Monday.
Asian elephants have maths skills: Study
Tokyo: Asian elephants demonstrate numeric ability which is closer to that observed in humans rather than in other animals, according to a study. Researchers at SOKENDAI (The Graduate University for Advanced Studies) in Japan found that an Asian elephants’ sense of numbers is not affected by distance, magnitude or ratios of presented numerosities. The finding, published in the Journal of Ethology.
2nd French priest commits suicide
Orlans: A priest in central France accused of sexually assaulting a minor committed suicide in his church, Catholic authorities said, the second French priest to take his life over abuse claims in a month.