Now, umbrella that protects against rain and muggers!

August 25th, 2009 LONDON - China has declared that President Hu Jintao will oversee an enormous military parade on Tiananmen Square to mark the 60th year of Communist Party rule without any interruption due to rains during the October's National Day parade. Anti-rain rockets would be ready for the celebration, said Zhang Qiang, the deputy head of the Beijing's "Weather Modification" office.

August 16th, 2009 WASHINGTON - New research shows that air pollution in eastern China has reduced the amount of light rainfall over the past 50 years and decreased by 23 percent the number of days of light rain in the eastern half of the country. Atmospheric scientist Yun Qian at the Department of Energy's Pacific Northwest National Laboratory led the research.

July 15th, 2009 WASHINGTON - A 'heart healthy' diet and taking moderate exercise can protect against cognitive decline, according to two new studies. Researchers at Utah State University in the US found that over-65s on a diet full of green leafy vegetables, oily fish and the odd glass of red wine scored higher in mental tests.

July 6th, 2009 Sydney, July 6 (ANI): Australian experts have warned that the globe's tropical zone is expanding rapidly and more research is needed to help humans adapt to the changing climate, which means less rain. According to a report by ABC News, the finding is a result of a review of over 70 scientific papers done by climate researchers Professor Steve Turton and Dr Joanne Isaacs of James Cook University in Cairns, who have documented the rapid advance of the tropical zone.

July 2nd, 2009 WASHINGTON - A new research has determined that the rain band near the equator that determines the supply of freshwater to nearly a billion people throughout the tropics and subtropics has been creeping north for more than 300 years, probably because of a warmer world. If the band continues to migrate at just less than a mile (1.4 kilometers) a year, which is the average for all the years it has been moving north, then some Pacific islands near the equator - even those that currently enjoy abundant rainfall - may be drier within decades and starved of freshwater by mid-century or sooner.

June 30th, 2009 WASHINGTON - An ingredient in human breast milk protects and repairs the delicate intestines of newborn babies, British scientists have found. The ingredient called pancreatic secretory trypsin inhibitor, or PSTI, is found at its highest levels in colostrum - the milk produced in the first few days after birth.

June 20th, 2009 LONDON - A pair of twin brothers, who had pulled a 14-year-old boy off his bike and robbing him, were arrested after their victim spotted them on Google's Street View. The muggers were snapped by one of the internet site's roving camera cars in September, just moments before they robbed the teen.

May 29th, 2009 Car scrappage program brings in 35,000 new ordersLONDON — The British government says more than 35,000 new cars have been ordered through its new car scrappage program since it was launched a month ago. The government and car industry are sharing costs to offer discounts of 2,000 pounds ($3,225) to new car buyers who trade in a model more than 10 years old.

May 9th, 2009 Amy Winehouse cuts short comeback gig in CaribbeanLONDON — Amy Winehouse was forced to cut short a comeback gig in St. Lucia because of heavy rain.

April 18th, 2009 LONDON - Singer Rihanna, who maintained a low profile after her ex-boyfriend Chris Brown assaulted her, is set to perform in Dubai May 28. 'There will be over 25,000 tickets available.

April 9th, 2009 LONDON - Muggers and robbers need to think twice before they go near actress Vanessa Hudgens, for the 'High School Musical' star now keeps herself armed with a taser gun. The 20-year-old star has recently bought a new Hollywood home, and has confessed that she feels vulnerable living on her own.

April 2nd, 2009 LONDON - A Brit woman has designed a special 'shawl' that turns into a baby hammock to protect mums' modesty while breast-feeding in public. Mother-of-one Keira O'Mara, from Birmingham, has developed the Mamascarf, which completely covers the upper half of the body.

March 1st, 2009 LONDON - Singers Rihanna and Chris Brown have reunited almost three weeks after Brown allegedly battered the 'Umbrella' singer Feb 8. The couple is currently spending time together on Miami Beach's Star Island, people.com reports.

February 8th, 2009 LONDON - Singer Rihanna has blamed the cancellation of her performance at the Grammy Awards on a traffic mishap. The 'Umbrella' star was due to perform at the annual awards show in Los Angeles Feb 8.

January 10th, 2009 LONDON - A sound sleep boosts immunity and protects against parasite infestation, according to a study. Brian Preston from the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology in Leipzig, Germany, led an international team of researchers who tested the theory that sleep boosts immunity.