Baghdad, December 31: Twin suicide bombs killed at least 26 and wounded more than 100 in Iraq’s Sunni Arab heartland yesterday, and a roadside bomb killed seven pilgrims returning from a Shia Muslim religious festival.
The attacks underscored the tenaciousness of Iraq’s ongoing insurgency, despite a steep drop in overall violence, and reflected Iraq’s vulnerability as it prepares for national polls in March and local troops take over from US forces.
Tehran, December 31: Tens of thousands of hardline government supporters turned out for state-sponsored rallies yesterday, some of them calling for the execution of opposition leaders as Iran’s police chief threatened to show “no mercy” in crushing any new protests by the pro-reform movement.
Kuala Lumpur, December 31: Receiving acclamation from beyond the geographical lines, a Malaysian film critic described director RajKumar Hirani’s latest movie ‘3 Idiots’ as the best directorial venture from Bollywood.
If you want to find fault with “3 Idiots”, it should be the title – for its wrong connotation. It has an intelligent storyline with acting par excellence, critic K.N. Vijiyan wrote in his review in New Straits Times.
Washington, December 31: The White House fired a salvo at former vice president Dick Cheney in reply to his sharply critical comments on President Barack Obama’s response to the botched terror attack on a US airliner on Christmas Day.
“It is telling that Vice President Cheney and others seem to be more focused on criticising the Administration than condemning the attackers,” White House Communications Director Dan Pfeiffer wrote onthe White House’s official blog Wednesday.
Washington, December 31: President Barack Obama may be America’s most admired man this year according to a new poll, but two women edge him out as the most popular person according to another.
A Gallup poll released Wednesday rated Obama as clearly America’s most admired man with 30 percent of those surveyed voting for him. Former President George W. Bush came in a distant second with 4 percent while former South Africa President Nelson Mandela scored 3 percent in the poll.
Melbourne, December 31: Mohammad Yousuf has issued a stark warning to Pakistan cricket of the impending dangers of too much Twenty20 cricket, insisting that it is “necessary” that Pakistan plays as little of the format as possible. Otherwise, the Pakistan captain believes, the format will “finish Pakistan’s cricket.”
Srinagar, December 31: One person was today killed and four others were seriously injured when a truck in which they were travelling skidded off the road and fell into a deep gorge at Kurmail, about 135 kms from here, in Doda district, police said.
The truck, on its way from Ramgarh to Assar, fell into the 200-feet deep gorge while negotiating a curve, they said, adding the injured have been admitted to district hospital at Doda.
–PTI
Jamaica, December 31: Bangladesh have omitted Mashrafe Mortaza from the squad for next month’s tri-series in Bangladesh, despite his being named in the preliminary squad. Shakib Al Hasan will lead the side with wicketkeeper Mushfiqur Rahim as his deputy in a squad that also features two former ICL players, opener Shahriar Nafees and batsman Aftab Ahmed, and a fresh face in fast bowler Shafiul Islam.
Melbourne, December 31: For Tim Nielsen, the defining moment for Nathan Hauritz wasn’t the big-turning off-break that penetrated Faisal Iqbal’s defences, nor the dismissal of Saeed Ajmal, which sealed a Test victory for Australia and a maiden five-wicket haul for the bowler.
Rather, it was Hauritz’s response to the aggressive batting of the Pakistanis, Kamran Akmal in particular, that most impressed the Australian coach, convincing him that self-belief was now a component of the spinner’s arsenal.
Pathanamthitta, December 31: “The future of Space Science in India is bright and India’s successful lunar Mission, Chandrayan-I, is a testimony to this bare truth,’’ says Shyam Bhaskaran, scientist attached to National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA).
Dr. Bhaskaran who had worked closely with Indian Space Research Organisation in Bangalore in India’s maiden Moon Mission was talking during his visit to Mar Athanasios College For AdvancedStudies Thiruvalla (MACFAST) at Thukalasserry near Thiruvalla on Wednesday.
Melbourne, December 31: Mitchell Johnson has done some wonderful things this year but his captain Ricky Ponting insists he has never bowled better than during this week’s win over Pakistan in Melbourne. Johnson has finished the calendar year as the world’s leading Test bowler with 63 wickets at 27.42, nine victims clear of Graeme Swann.
Mumbai, December 31: Bipasha Basu was caught practising for her act tonight at Seduction 2010 at the Sahara Star on New Year’s Eve.
The dance has been choreographed by Sanjay Shetty while her costumes have been designed by Rocky S.Beau John Abraham will be attending the event with his family to watch his girlfriend groove.
Along with Bipasha, Sudesh Bhosle, Anjana Sukhani, and Indipop duo Preety-Pinky will be also performing while Aamir Ali and Sanjeeda Sheikh will be anchoring the show.
——Agencies
Kanpur, December 31: Coal India Limited (CIL) will provide “special” scholarship to 100 meritorious students from the below poverty line and offer them jobs as management trainee later in the company.
Another 25 scholarships will be offered to those whose land were acquired by the CIL and left with no source of income.
New Delhi, December 31: Food inflation rose to 19.83 per cent for the week ended December 19 on the back of spurting prices of potato and pulses.
In the second week of December, the food inflation was at 18.65 per cent.
Potato prices more than doubled while pulses became costly by over 41 per cent over the last year. Onion rates rose by 40.75 per cent.
Prices of vegetables rose by 46.7 per cent while fruits became dearer by 10.35 per cent.
London, December 31: Hollywood siren Megan Fox’s sex appeal has often overshadowed her acting talents as she has been named worst actress of the year but also the sexiest in a new poll.
Fox has topped the list of worst actresses by film
website Moviefone.com for her role in action sequel ‘Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen’, narrowly beating out Beyonce Knowles
for her performance in thriller ‘Obsessed’ and Hilary Swank in ‘Amelia’.
Hyderabad, December 31: A Home Guard, attached to a local police station here committed suicide apparently to express his support for a separate Telangana state, police said today.
23-year-old T Vinod Kumar, attached to Tirumalghery traffic police station, hanged himself from the ceiling fan of his house at Addagutta area yesterday, they said.
In a suicide note purportedly written by him, Kumar said, “I want a separate state for backward Telangana region,” police added.
–PTI
Panaji, Decenber 31: A girl died of drug overdose at the Sunburn Music Festival in Goa on Wednesday. The 23-year-old girl, Meha Bahuguna, had come from Bangalore to attend the festival.
She was rushed to a private hospital in Panaji after she collapsed at the party.
Police personnel were not allowed inside the party premises, but drug pedalling at the festival was taking place despite the presence of sleuths of the Anti-Narcotics Cell at the venue.
A post-mortem has been ordered in the case.
Mumbai, December 31: RAAT GAYI BAAT GAYI comes from the team of actors who are pretty much seen collaborating in numerous films off late. Different combinations from the pool of actors like Rajat Kapoor, Saurbh Shukla, Vinay Pathak and Neha Dhupia have been seen in films like MITHYA, DASVIDANIYA and BHEJA FRY earlier. Now RAAT GAYI BAAT GAYI is the latest to join the fray.
Kabul, December 31: In Afghanistan, at least 13 foreigners including eight American civilians and Four Canadian soldiers were killed in two separate militant attacks on Wednesday.
U.S. officials said a suicide bomber blew himself up in a military base used by the CIA in eastern Khost province bordering Pakistan, killing at least eight US civilians.
The bomber eluded security at the facility used by the CIA as an operations and surveillance center. At least one Afghan citizen also died in the blast.
Washington, December 31: Arab League chief Amr Moussa calls on the United Nations to assume a greater role in the Middle East peace process, saying Washington should not be the only mediator.
“The United Nations role, which was marginalized at a certain stage with regards to the Arab-Israeli struggle, should be brought back,” Moussa said in a Tuesday interview with Reuters.
The senior Arab leader did not directly criticize the policies of the United States, traditionally deemed as Israel’s closest ally in the region, but suggested Washington’s mediation must be objective.
Karachi, December 31: At least two people have been killed and two others have been injured when militants attacked a NATO oil tanker in southwest Pakistan, officials say.
Police officials told on Thursday that unknown militants opened fire on a NATO oil tanker in Qalat area in Balochistan province late Wednesday.
The oil tanker was passing through Chaman Pass from Karachi to supply fuel to NATO forces stationed in Afghanistan.
The Pakistan-Afghanistan High Way on Chaman Pass has been closed to traffic due to bad weather, suspending NATO supply line to Afghanistan.
London, December 31: Actress-singer Lindsay Lohan, who started designing stylish leggings in 2008, is now planning to expand her fashion line by creating a full range of clothes and accessories.
She is set to launch her full collection in autumn 2010, reports contactmusic.com.
Revealing the news on her Twitter.com page, Lohan joked: “I am so sad about this, how can I tell everyone about my full collection coming out! All clothing.”
Mumbai, December 31: Singer Sonu Niigaam, is not keeping well as he was recently admitted to a hospital with complains of fatigue. Preliminary results indicated he had low blood pressure.
Friends comment that Sonu fell ill and had to be rushed to hospital in an emergency situation which currently will lead him to fall-back on his professional commitments.
—–Agencies
Mumbai, December 31: Suhail, Dimple’s younger brother fondly known as Munna met with an awful car accident a little before Christmas. The impact of the accident involving Munna and his friend was tremendous. Munna has slipped into a coma after both he and his friend were admitted to a suburban hospital.
The car involved in this accident is parked outside Juhu Police Station with only an intact bumper Amitabh Gupta, Additional Commissioner, West Region, confirms the news of the accident.
Mumbai, December 31: Along with being good friends and doing a lot of things together, it seems that Shahrukh Khan and Karan Johar are in sync with their new year’s celebrations as well. Mannat, SRK’s Bandra residence seems to be the place to be for SRK in keeping with plans for a quiet family time.
While Karan continues to move ahead with the editing and soundwork of “My Name is Khan’ in Mumbai, which compels him to abandon celebration.