Nationals’ pitching phenom Strasburg tears elbow ligament (AP)

August 27th, 2010

Washington Nationals' starting pitcher Stephen Strasburg throws against the Philadelphia Phillies in the second inning of a baseball game Saturday, Aug. 21, 2010, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/H. Rumph Jr)AP - Stephen Strasburg has a torn elbow ligament and will likely have Tommy John surgery, bringing the pitcher’s promising rookie season to an abrupt end.


A new dawn for agriculture

August 27th, 2010

In a scientific tour-de-force that has been hailed as the most significant breakthrough in wheat production since the cereal crop was cultivated by the first farmers more than 10,000 years ago, scientists have decoded the genome of the wheat plant. As a result, new breeds of disease-resistant crops could be producing higher wheat yields in as little as five years’ time, raising the prospect of lower bread prices and greater food security in a more populated world. And rather than guard their knowledge, the British scientists responsible for the research will today place a draft version of the genome online, making it available for free to wheat breeders around the world, who will be able to…

Japan PM Kan vows firm moves against strong yen (Reuters)

August 27th, 2010

Women look at a board displaying the rate of the Japanese Yen against foreign currencies outside a brokerage in Tokyo August 26, 2010. REUTERS/Kim Kyung-HoonReuters - Japan’s prime minister said on Friday he will take firm measures on currencies when needed and will meet the Bank of Japan governor, increasing the possibility the central bank will ease policy soon as it confronts a surging yen.


Feds to remove temporary cap from Gulf well (AP)

August 27th, 2010

BP PLC drilling engineer Brett Cocales testifies during the Deepwater Horizon joint investigation hearings by the U.S. Coast Guard and the Department of Ocean Management Regulation and Enforcement Friday, Aug. 27, 2010 in Houston. (AP Photo/Pat Sullivan, Pool)AP - The federal government said it will start work Monday to remove the temporary cap that stopped oil from gushing out of BP’s blown-out Gulf well so that engineers can raise a key piece of equipment from the seabed.


Pakistan orders evacuation of southern town (AFP)

August 27th, 2010

A flood-affected mother tends her diarrhea-suffering baby at a hospital in Nowshera. Pakistan ordered 300,000 people to evacuate a southern city after waters breached its defences as the United Nations warned Friday the country's worst humanitarian crisis was deepening.(AFP/Aamir Qureshi)AFP - Pakistan ordered 300,000 people to evacuate a southern city after waters breached its defences as the United Nations warned Friday the country’s worst humanitarian crisis was deepening.


Toyota Recalls 1.1 Million Cars for Engine Problem

August 27th, 2010

DETROIT — Toyota Motor, the Japanese automaker, said Thursday that it would recall 1.13 million compact cars, days after federal safety regulators upgraded an investigation into numerous complaints about the cars stalling. Add to Portfolio Toyota Motor Corp Go to your Portfolio » The recall, which covers the 2005 through 2008 Corolla sedan and Matrix hatchback, is the 15th this year for Toyota, which has found itself battling widespread questions about the quality and reliability of its vehicles. Toyota has recalled about 11 million vehicles worldwide since November, including about 8 million in connection with complaints about sudden acceleration. The latest recall is not related…

Ford recalls 575,000 Windstar vans in U.S., Canada (Reuters)

August 27th, 2010

A security personnel on duty stands in front of the headquarters of Zhejiang Geely Holding Group in Hangzhou, Zhejiang province, in this August 2, 2010 file photo. China's Geely Automobile  Holdings Ltd, whose parent bought Ford Motor Co's Volvo AB unit this month, said on Wednesday it had net cash of 1.5 billion yuan ($221 million) at the end of June. Geely expected exports to make up about 3.5 percent of its total sales this year, and would not be a major contributor to during the period, Executive Director Lawrence Ang told a media briefing to discuss the company's interim results. Picture taken August 2, 2010. REUTERS/Steven Shi/Files (CHINA - Tags: TRANSPORT BUSINESS)Reuters - Ford Motor Co> is recalling about 575,000 Windstar vans in 21 cold-weather U.S. states and Canada from model years 1998 to 2003 because of the possibility that the rear axle may fracture due to corrosion, federal regulators reported on Friday.