Washington, September 9 : Researchers at the Fraunhofer Institute for Manufacturing Technology and Applied Materials Research IFAM in Bremen are exploring how useful a combination of riveting and adhesive bonding can be in the development of lighter aircraft, which will consume less fuel and, thereby, help reduce carbon dioxide emissions.

Dr. Oliver Klapp of the IFAM points out that, to create lighter planes, aircraft manufacturers are pinning their hopes on particularly lightweight construction materials that include fiber composite plastics, particularly carbon-fibre reinforced plastics (CFRPs).

The researcher says that whenever two CFRP components have to be joined together, this has so far been accomplished primarily by riveting.

New York, Sept. 9 : Democratic presidential nominee Barack Obama seems to have wrapped up the Catholic vote, according to Robert Kennedy’s daughter, Kelly.

"Certainly, Catholic voters will be key in this election. I think they are responding to the vision of hope that Barack Obama articulates," said Kennedy, who founded the Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Center for Human Rights in honor of her late father.

"Catholics want what other Americans want: access to health care and jobs that pay a living wage. They want to send their kids to good schools. They want something done about poverty. This is the central message of the Obama-Biden campaign," the New York Daily News quoted her, as saying.

Washington, Sept. 9 : Barack Obama verbal “My Muslim Faith” gaffe during a weekend television interview, has been described by his campaign as being just a gaffe and nothing else.

Obama gave that interview on Sunday with ABC’s “This Week” host George Stephanopoulos.

Asked whether Obama’s misstatement will continue to fuel rumors of his faith, allegiances or patriotism, the Obama campaign responded that it is clear after watching the interview that the senator was cut off by Stephanopoulos before he could self-correct.

Spokesman Ben LaBolt repeated that rumors Obama is Muslim are unfounded.

New York, Sept 9 : Rapper 50 cent has been allowed to spend weekends with his 11-year-old son, while he fights custody case with his ex-lover Shaniqua Tompkins.

The New York judge David Freundlich ruled in favour of the star a. k. a Curtis Jackson and said that he can spend alternate weekends with son Marquise.

"I''m happy. I get a chance to see him," New York Daily News quoted him, as saying

But Tompkins didn’t seem happy with the verdict, insisting two weekends per month is too much.

However, the 33-year-old singer said that he has no plans to change his high-flying lifestyle.

Washington, September 9 : A team of researchers from Dartmouth’s Thayer School of Engineering and Mascoma Corporation in New Hampshire, US, have genetically engineered a bacteria that is important for producing large quantities of cellulosic ethanol, a leading candidate for a sustainable and secure alternative to petroleum-derived transportation fuel.

For the first time, the group has genetically engineered a thermophilic bacterium, meaning it’s able to grow at high temperatures, and this new microorganism makes ethanol as the only product of its fermentation.

Washington, September 9 : Scientists have pointed to forests for carbon storage solutions, as they help stabilize the climate and are abundant sources of other ecological goods and services – such as cleansed air, fertile soil and filtered water.

The scientists, who have determined how much carbon is stored annually in upper Midwest forests, hope their findings will be used to accelerate global discussion about the strategy of managing forests to offset greenhouse gas emissions.

Quantifying the amount of carbon that forests can keep out of the atmosphere is one way of showing forests’ value to energy policymakers, they suggested.