London, Sept. 8 : The loss of a computer disc carrying sensitive details of thousands of prison service employees is likely to cost British taxpayers millions of pounds.

The country’s Justice Secretary, Jack Straw, has ordered an urgent inquiry after it was revealed that the hard drive was reported missing in July. He has also demanded to be told why he was not informed in time about the incident that occurred in July 2007.

Abu Dhabi, Sept 8 : Pakistan has expressed its concern over the 45 member Nuclear Suppliers Group’s (NSG) approval for India.

Its defence attaché in the UAE believes that an arms race will follow in South Asia as a result of NSGs decision to lift the three-decade ban on nuclear trade with India.

According to the Gulf News, the Pakistani Embassy Defence attaché Khawar Hussain said, "I can foresee a nuclear arms race between the two countries and even China."

Washington, September 8 : Scientists have said that a new co-ordinated international set of rules to govern commercial and research activities in both of Earth’s polar regions is urgently needed to reflect new environmental realities and to temper pressure building on these highly fragile ecosystems.

The experts stressed the need for a new set of rules in Iceland at a UN-affiliated conference marking the International Polar Year.

Due to climate change, the ancient ice lid on the Arctic Ocean is fast disappearing, creating new opportunities for fishers and resource companies, and opening a potential new, far shorter ocean route between Europe and Asia, a prospect already drawing billions of dollars in investment in ice-class ships.

New Delhi, Sep 8 : China has said that relevant cooperation should help maintain the integrity and validity of the international nuclear non proliferation system after the
45 nation Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) permitted nuclear trade with India.

“China always advocates that all countries are entitled to use nuclear energy for peaceful purposes, and carry out international cooperation in this regard. However, relevant cooperation should help maintain the integrity and validity of the international nuclear nonproliferation system,” said Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Jiang Yu.

London, September 7 : Cops have started to use a branch of forensic science that analyses the electronic trail of evidence left by text messages and e-mails, to trap criminals.

According to a report in the Scotsman, British scientists are pioneering the use of forensic linguistics – the systematic analysis and comparison of patterns of written speech – to identify the authors of electronic messages and written documents.

The technique has earlier helped secure the conviction of the murderers of Essex schoolgirl Danielle Jones and Jenny Nicholl from North Yorkshire, and of al-Qaeda plotter Dhiren Barot.

New Delhi - India's benchmark Sensex index surged 4.28 per cent in early trading Monday, topping 15,000 after the Nuclear Suppliers Group gave approval for opening nuclear trade with India.

The 30-share index, which had lost 415.27 points in the previous trading session on Friday, moved up by 623.18 points to 15,107.01 soon after the bourses opened for trading.

It later shed some gains and was trading at 15,070, a gain of 4.04 per cent, at 11:40 am (0610 GMT).