World Vignettes

Talk-show host in prank-call scandal to quit BBC

London: One of the BBCs highest-paid television personalities announced on Thursday he is leaving the broadcaster,15 months after he was caught up in a scandal over lewd prank phone calls. Jonathan Ross said he had decided not to renegotiate his contract which ends in July. Ross,49,is one of the BBCs best-known faces,with a salary widely reported at 6 million a year. In October 2008 Ross and comedian Russell Brand were suspended by the corporation after leaving crude phone messages on the answering machine of actor Andrew Sachs.

Indian-American professor receives mentoring award

Washington: An Indian-American professor of environmental science in a prestigious US university on Thursday received an award from the US President Barack Obama,for excellence in mentoring. Kenneth Sajwan,professor in the Department of Natural Science and Mathematics at the Savannah State University in Georgia,was the only Indian American in the list of 22 eminent teachers from across the country to have received Presidential Award for Excellence in Science,Mathematics and Engineering Mentoring. The Presidential Award for Excellence in Science,Mathematics and Engineering Mentoring,awarded each year to individuals or organisations,recognises the crucial role that mentoring plays in the academic and personal development of students studying science or engineering.