Hindus have asked European Union and countries of Europe to urgently take steps to end apartheid of their Roma people, terming it as immoral and a dark stain on the face of Europe.

Acclaimed Hindu statesman, Rajan Zed, in a statement in Nevada (USA) today, said that it was moral obligation of Europe to take care of its largest minority Roma population and stop human rights violations reportedly regularly suffered by them, who numbered around ten million and were the most disadvantaged.

Washington, April 28 : A new study has described a novel technique for reattaching large sponges that have been dislodged from coral reefs.

According to the study in Restoration Ecology, the findings could be generally applied to the restoration of other large sponge species removed by human activities or storm events.

As part of the study, 20 specimens of the Caribbean giant barrel sponge were removed and reattached at Conch Reef off of Key Largo, Florida in 2004 and 2005 at depths of 15m and 30m.

Washington, Apr 28 : While most Hollywood stars strongly advocate a woman's right to choose whether to terminate a pregnancy or not, former model Kathy Ireland has decided to make a stand against it.

Ireland, 46, has decided to take a stand against pro-choice, and she has also elaborated on the reasons why she is so against a woman terminating a pregnancy.

"My entire life I was pro-choice - who was I to tell another woman what she could or couldn't do with her body? But when I was 18, I became a Christian and I dove into the medical books, I dove into science," Fox News quoted her as saying while promoting her insightful new book "Real Solutions for Busy Mom: Your Guide to Success and Sanity".

New Delhi/Washington, Apr. 28 : As senior diplomats and politicians from 17 biggest greenhouse gas emitting (1) countries assembled in Washington DC for the climate talks under the `Major Economies Forum' (MEF), they couldn't have missed a couple of Greenpeace climbers dangling below a huge banner bearing a picture of our beautiful blue planet and the words "Too big to fail".

"Time is running out. This meeting is an opportunity to fast track discussions on avoiding catastrophic warming and inject some much needed urgency and cooperation into the ongoing UN climate talks, which are dragging on at a snail's pace," said Karen Sack, Greenpeace International Political Director.

Washington, April 28 : It will take at least six months to come up with an effective vaccine in the event of a pandemic flu outbreak, scientists have warned.

Dr Iain Stephenson, Consultant in Infectious Diseases at the Leicester Royal Infirmary and a Clinical Senior Lecturer at the University of Leicester, said that by that time, the first wave of pandemic flu might be over before people are vaccinated.

Stephenson conducted a study to find out if a pre-pandemic vaccine could mitigate the worst effects of pandemic flu.

Washington, Apr. 28 : President Barack Obama has apparently had a full schedule in the week gone by at the Oval Office.

If last Monday, golf great Tiger Woods dropped by the Oval Office to promote June's AT and T National, Tuesday brought country singer Toby Keith. On Wednesday, while Barack Obama was in Iowa, R and B singer Usher swung by the premises to talk with administration staff about fighting malaria. Thursday was quieter - maybe just the lull before actor Forest Whitaker's visit Friday.