US: Top al-Qaida in Iraq Figure Captured
The highest-ranking Iraqi leader of al-Qaida in Iraq has been arrested and told interrogators that Osama bin Laden’s inner circle wields considerable influence over the Iraqi group, the U.S. command said Wednesday.

Oprah Winfrey to Raise Money for Obama
Forget the girl of YouTube videos. The real Obama girl is doing her part for the candidate. Talk show host Oprah Winfrey plans to hold a Sept. 8 fundraiser for Democratic hopeful Barack Obama at her palatial estate near Santa Barbara, Calif., according to campaign spokesman Dan Pfeiffer.

Company: Japan radioactive leak bigger
The operator of an earthquake-ravaged nuclear plant said Wednesday a radioactive leak from the plant was 50 percent bigger than first reported two days ago. The mayor ordered the facility closed until its safety could be confirmed

Merkel Open to Missile Shield Due to Iran Threat
German Chancellor Angela Merkel said she does not oppose U.S. plans for an anti-missile shield to counter any future attack by Iran.

One giant leap for space fashion: MIT team designs sleek, skintight spacesuit
In the 40 years that humans have been traveling into space, the suits they wear have changed very little. The bulky, gas-pressurized outfits give astronauts a bubble of protection, but their significant mass and the pressure itself severely limit mobility.

Microsoft researchers show off wireless projects
Microsoft Research workers showed off some of their projects, including several that find new uses for mobile phones, on Monday at a summit in Redmond, Wash.

Save the date: August 7 for new iMac, iLife to emerge early?
Reliable sources have zeroed in further on the release date for Apple’s revamped iMac since our last report, pointing to an announcement on August 7. Meanwhile, preliminary signs suggest Apple may be ready to release its next-generation iLife suite around the same time in an effort to further bolster the iMac’s appeal ahead of the back-to-school buying season.

Harry Potter 5: The Book Vs. The Movie
Considering this thesis came out to 17 single-spaced pages in Word, I’ll make this intro here brief. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix — I’ve read the book, I’ve seen the movie, now here’s the differences …

Huge Steam Pipe Blast Kills One in NYC
An underground steam pipe explosion tore through a Manhattan street near Grand Central Terminal on Wednesday, swallowing a tow truck and killing one person as hundreds of others ran for cover amid a towering geyser of steam and flying rubble. New York Police Department spokesman Paul Browne said the explosion was not terrorism.

A Worm for Your Apple
A small controversy is brewing over claims that an independent researcher going by the moniker Information Security Sellout (or InfoSec Sellout) has developed the framework of a worm that targets a currently undisclosed vulnerability affecting the Intel versions of OS X. The worm is expected to extend to PPC versions as soon as the author is able to test against that architecture. With the author dubbing it ‘Rape.osx’, the evolution of the worm is likely to be keenly watched by Apple watchers, security researchers, and malware developers.

Teen Girls Accused Of Setting Kitten Ablaze
A three-month-old kitten is fighting for his life after allegedly being set afire by two teenage girls last week.

Is VW considering a new logo?
Volkswagen has a very simple and instantly recognizable logo which has seen subtle change through the years. In the end, though, it has remained generally the same.