London, Sept 17 : Newly-elected Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari has reportedly sought UK’s help in resolving the simmering row with Washington over US’ unilateral strikes on its (Pakistan’s) tribal areas.

He said Britain had a better understanding than any other country, and hoped that British Prime Minister Gordon Brown would use his influence on others (read the US).

“Britain has always had a better understanding of the Subcontinent than any other country so if [the UK] will take our point of view and put it across to the world I think it will be better,” the Daily Times quoted Zardari as saying.

Washington, Sept 17: Lacking the motivation to go for a run or hit the gym? Please check your fingers, for according to a new study, there’s a direct correlation between digit length and voluntary exercise.

The joint University of Alberta/ University of California- Riverside research is to be published by PLoS ONE, the online, open-access journal from the Public Library of Science.

The study, conducted using 1,000 white mice, supports a stronger connection between digit length, voluntary exercise and high levels of prenatal stress hormones, which was indicated by the difference in activity level between the control mice and the selectively-bred active mice.

Islamabad, Sept 17: America’s top military official Adm. Mike Mullen made a hurriedly arranged visit to Pakistan last evening for holding talks about a recent incursion by American commandos based in neighboring Afghanistan.

The visit assumes significance in the wake of strong reactions emanating from Islamabad against the US’ raids on its territory, and especially after the Pakistan Army ordered its troops to hit back at US’ troops in case of future raids.

Washington, September 17: A new research, from the John Innes Centre and the Central Science Laboratory in the US, could help breeders to develop pea varieties that would be able to withstand drought stress and climate change.

The researchers used NMR spectroscopy to produce a profile of the levels of all the different small molecules or metabolites in pea plant leaves.

This profile, known as the metabolome, was then compared with that from plants subjected to controlled drought stress.

The study found several key plant metabolites increased under drought stress, some of which had not previously been shown to be involved.

Less water, especially at critical times in the growing season, means lower yield and quality.

Washington, September 17 : A team of engineers and scientists at the University of Texas at Austin, US, have shown the usage of graphene as a new carbon-based material for storing large quantities of renewable electrical energy.

They have shown that the material can be used for storing electrical charge in ultracapacitor devices, perhaps paving the way for the massive installation of renewable energies such as wind and solar power.

Islamabad, Sept 17: Taking a strong exception to the highly unusual Sept. 3 ground attack by US commandos near the Angoor Ada town, the Pakistan Army has reportedly ordered its forces to open fire at US troops if they launch another air or ground raid from across the Afghan border.

According to a Pakistan Army spokesman, the orders are certain to “heighten tensions” between Washington and Islamabad as far as the fight against terrorism is concerned. Although the ground attack was rare, there have been repeated reports of US drone aircraft striking militant targets, the latest being on Sept. 12.