Toronto, Feb 20 (IANS) Believe it or not, seals require only half of their brain to fall asleep, thanks to the presence of specific chemicals, suggests a biological study.

St. John's (Antigua), Feb 18 (IANS/CMC) West Indies selectors have rested captain Darren Sammy for the upcoming One-Day International series against Zimbabwe, which bowls off in Grenada Friday.

Toronto, Feb 18 (IANS) Using powerful X-rays, researchers have modelled arrhythmia in real time.

Vancouver, Feb 16 (IANS) When Czech ice hockey star Jaromir Jagr turned professional in the 1990-91, four of his Dallas Stars teammates were yet to be born.

Washington, Dec 29 (IANS) After weeks of wrangling over how to avoid what has been described as the fiscal cliff that may push America into another recession, President Barack Obama has turned to Senate leaders to work out a last-minute deal.

New York, Dec 29 (IANS) Police are searching for a heavyset woman in her 20s, wearing a ski jacket and sneakers, who allegedly shoved an Indian man to his death in front of a train on a New York City subway platform.

Washington, Dec 29 (IANS) The life and death struggle of an Indian woman, whose gang-rape aboard a bus in New Delhi ten days ago spawned days of mass protests across India, was covered prominently by the American media.

New York, Dec 29 (IANS) Police in New York are searching for a woman who allegedly shoved an Indian immigrant man to his death in front of a train on a New York City subway platform.

Mexico City, Feb 21 (IANS/EFE) Actor Joaquin Cordero died at his home in the Mexican capital, the secretary of the ANDA actors guild told EFE. He was 89.

Mexico City, Feb 20 (IANS/EFE) The police chief of the Mexican border city of Nuevo Laredo is missing and two of his brothers have been murdered, prosecutors said.

Mexico City, Feb 20 (IANS/EFE) A total of 47 Spanish wine producers participated in the 7th Wines of Spain Exhibition held Tuesday here, an event designed to allow local professionals to get to know brands that do not yet have a presence in the Mexican market.

Mexico City, Feb 20 (IANS/EFE) Officials will begin working on the legal framework for creating a unified police command in each of Mexico's states, an initiative that has the support of state governors, President Enrique Pena Nieto said.

San Diego, Feb 21 (IANS) A less-invasive and biocompatible gel that can repair damaged tissue in heart attack patients has been developed by American scientists.

Buenos Aires, Feb 20 (IANS) Argentina will receive Chinese-built trains next year as part of a push to modernize its ageing metropolitan railway network that links the capital Buenos Aires with its main suburbs, a minister said.

San Francisco, Feb 14 (IANS) Market research firm Gartner said in its latest research that worldwide mobile phone sales declined in 2012 for the first time since 2009.

Buenos Aires, Feb 12 (IANS) Former Argentina international playmaker Juan Roman Riquelme says he "feels like a footballer again" after ending his seven-month exile from Boca Juniors.

Quito, Feb 18 (IANS/RIA Novosti) Ecuadorean President Rafael Correa celebrated his election to a third term as the country's president, singing and dancing at a meeting with his supporters.

Quito, Feb 13 (IANS/EFE) At least 18 inmates escaped from a maximum-security prison in the coastal city of Guayaquil, Ecuadorian authorities said.

Quito, Feb 6 (IANS/EFE) A court handed down a four-year prison term to a German citizen caught trying to smuggle four iguanas out of the Galapagos islands, authorities at Ecuador's Galapagos National Park said.

Quito, Dec 21 (IANS) Ecuador expressed its concern about the fate of WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange Thursday and criticized Britain for depriving him of his right to seek asylum.

Milan, June 16 (IANS/AKI) A male model said at the "bunga bunga" sex trial for former Italian prime minister Silvio Berlusconi that he was offered 4,000 euros by teenage Moroccan nightclub dancer Ruby to have sex with her.

Milan, June 1 (IANS) Italy football captain and Juventus goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon was interrogated by Turin tax police for his alleged involvement in illegal gambling.

Milan, March 29 (IANS) AC Milan held Barcelona to a 0-0 draw with their resilient defence in the first leg of the teams' Champions League quarterfinal at San Siro here.

Milan, March 25 (IANS) Swedish striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic scored a brace as AC Milan beat Roma 2-1 at home to extend their lead in the Italian Serie A to seven points.

Norfolk, Virginia, Dec 2 (IANS) The US Navy inactivated its first nuclear-powered aircraft carrier, Enterprise, Dec 1.

Dixville Notch (US), Nov 6 (IANS) Voters in the tiny New Hampshire town of Dixville Notch cast their votes just after midnight, kicking off the quadrennial US presidential elections Tuesday.

New Brunswick (New Jersey), May 21 (IANS) Indian American student Dharun Ravi was Monday sentenced to 30 days in jail by a New Jersey judge for spying on his roommate kissing another man on his webcam. The judge said he will recommend that Ravi not be deported.

Guatemala City, Feb 5 (IANS/EFE) Guatemala now raises its national flag on a monument that has the tallest flagstaff in Central America, which makes it visible from any part of the capital, Defense Minister Ulises Anzueto said.

Guatemala City, Jan 29 (IANS/EFE) A Guatemalan judge ordered Monday that former strongman Gen. Efrain Rios Montt and one of his closest collaborators be tried for genocide and crimes against humanity.

Guatemala City, Dec 13 (IANS/EFE) US software guru John McAfee, who fled here last week from neighbouring Belize where authorities want to question him about a murder, was deported to the US Wednesday, a Guatemalan official said.

Guatemala City, Dec 7 (IANS/EFE) US software guru John McAfee was hospitalized here Thursday after complaining of chest pain as Guatemalan authorities prepared to deport him to neighbouring Belize, where police want to question him in connection with a murder.

Las Vegas, Dec 20 (IANS) American Olivia Culpo was crowned Miss Universe 2012 at a gala ceremony Wednesday.

Las Vegas, Dec 20 (IANS) Shilpa Singh, India's official contestant at the Miss Universe 2012, has entered the top 16 at the international beauty pageant.

Tegucigalpa, Dec 8 (IANS/EFE) A son of Honduras' former ambassador to the Organization of American States, Carlos Sosa Coello, was fatally shot Friday, his father said.

Las Vegas, Nov 17 (IANS/EFE) Mexican brother−sister duo Jesse & Joy were the big winners in the 13th edition of the Latin Grammy Awards, taking home four prizes, while Colombian pop star Juanes came away with album of the year.

Managua, Feb 2 (IANS/EFE) A subsidiary of Nicaraguan conglomerate Grupo Pellas presented here a novel plastic surgery method for Latin America based on the use of stem cells extracted from the patient's fatty tissue.

Managua (Nicaragua), Dec 6 (IANS) Spanish giants Real Madrid plan to open a football school next year in Nicaragua, diplomatic sources said.

Managua, Sep 8 (IANS/EFE) Nicaragua has signed a memorandum of understanding with a Chinese company on financing for a $30 billion inter-oceanic canal, an official said.

Managua, Aug 28 (IANS/EFE) Eighteen people arrested last week while trying to enter Nicaragua disguised as a news crew from Mexico's Televisa television were carrying $9.2 million in cash, police said.