The first spacecraft designed to taste the water of an alien planet landed safely on Mars’ northern pole Sunday afternoon, beginning a three-month mission to determine whether the Red Planet ever did, or still might, support rudimentary forms of life. The Phoenix spacecraft parachuted to the planet’s surface at 4:53 p.m. PDT, successfully ending a 422 million-mile journey through space. Cheers... 

Toyota is building a $192 million plant in Japan to produce batteries for gas-electric hybrid vehicles, as it seeks to keep its lead in an intensifying race for green cars among the world’s automakers. Toyota’s joint venture with Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., which makes Panasonic brand products, is building the plant in Shizuoka prefecture, in central Japan, Toyota spokesman Paul... 

The Burmese military government today agreed to let in “all” aid workers to help the 2.4 million survivors of Cyclone Nargis. The junta’s leader, General Than Shwe, made the announcement during a meeting with the UN secretary general Ban Ki-moon. The decision comes some three weeks after the devastating cyclone swept through the south-east Asian country, leaving nearly 134,000 dead... 

Experts warily monitored dozens of lakes and the natural dams that formed them during China’s earthquake to see if aftershocks could unleash flooding, and the death toll from the quake rose Friday to more than 55,000. Hardest-hit Sichuan province also announced plans to rebuild within three years, as it copes with the aftermath of the May 12 temblor that left some 5 million homeless. The province... 

A LUOSHUI TOWN state tv reported as troops dug burial pits in this quake-shattered town and black smoke poured from crematorium chimneys elsewhere in central China as priorities began shifting Thursday from the hunt for survivors to dealing with the dead. Officials said the final toll could more than double to 50,000. Thousands of residents poured onto the streets of areas near the epicentre and in... 

Microsoft Corp., the world’s biggest software maker, revived the possibility of a deal with Yahoo! Inc. to challenge Google Inc. after failing to agree on a merger. Microsoft said yesterday it’s exploring an agreement with Yahoo that stops short of a full takeover. Redmond, Washington- based Microsoft didn’t elaborate on the proposal and said it “reserves the right” to... 

Women who are stressed about money, relationships and other problems during pregnancy may give birth to babies who are predisposed to allergies and asthma, U.S. researchers said on Sunday. The findings, presented at a meeting of the American Thoracic Society in Toronto, suggest a mother’s stress during pregnancy may have lasting consequences for her child. “This research adds to a growing... 

Women who are stressed about money, relationships and other problems during pregnancy may give birth to babies who are predisposed to allergies and asthma, U.S. researchers said on Sunday. The findings, presented at a meeting of the American Thoracic Society in Toronto, suggest a mother’s stress during pregnancy may have lasting consequences for her child. “This research adds to a growing... 

At least 10 people have been killed in a suicide attack in the heart of Sri Lanka’s capital Colombo, the army says. Seven police personnel, two civilians and the bomber died when a motorcycle packed with explosives rammed into a bus carrying police, officials said. The blast happened near the Hilton Hotel and a twin-tower commercial building at around 1230 local time (0700 GMT). Doctor Hector... 

Yahoo faces a proxy fight for control of the company by a billionaire activist with a history of closing controversial corporate deals. Carl Icahn has announced he will file a slate of alternate directors to replace the present board when it gets together for its shareholder meeting on 3 July. Mr Icahn purchased 50 million shares in Yahoo after Microsoft walked away from talks in May to buy the net...