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WASHINGTON: US president-elect Barack Obama is considering naming former first lady Hillary Clinton, his onetime rival for the White House, as his secretary of state, a foreign news channel reported.Two unnamed Obama advisers told the network that Clinton, now a senator for New York, "is under consideration" for the post.Clinton flew to Chicago -- where Obama is based -- on Thursday, but an adviser said it was on personal business.Clinton, 61, has extensive foreign policy experience from her time in the senate, where she serves on the Senate Armed Services Committee, and indirectly when her husband Bill Clinton was president from 1993 to 2001.Several big names have been mentioned in the press as possible Obama secretaries of state, including another former Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry, New Mexico governor and former UN ambassador Bill Richardson, a favorite of the powerful Latino community; and moderate Republican Senator Richard Lugar.The Obama transition tea...

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has asked the International Monetary Fund (IMF) for a $9 billion bailout along with help from other lenders to avert a balance of payments crisis, a finance ministry official said on Friday."We are asking $9 billion from the IMF, they are talking about $7.4 billion. IMF can give us up to $7.6 billion," a finance ministry official told a foreign news agency. The official said that the government would soon deliver a letter of intent to the IMF, paving the way for the world's lender of last resort to release funds rapidly.Another official said on Friday that the letter of intent would probably be sent before Monday, when potential donors are due to gather in Abu Dhabi for a "Friends of Pakistan" conference.The conference of officials is not expected to result in loans being pledged, but it could pave the way for a ministerial meeting later.Credit ratings agency Standard & Poor's cited Pakistan's tardiness in securing foreign assist...

MONTECITO: Firefighters were battling a wind-driven wildfire on Friday that ripped through an exclusive California enclave, forcing celebrities, millionaires and thousands of residents to flee. At least 100 homes in the hillside community of Montecito, 100 miles (160 kilometers) northwest of Angeles, had been gutted by the blaze which was raging in the rugged hills and canyons of the picturesque seaside town. Montecito, ranked by Forbes magazine in 2006 as the seventh most expensive neighborhood in the United States with an average home price of 2.9 million dollars, is a popular retreat for the rich and famous. Celebrities such as talk-show queen Oprah Winfrey and Hollywood actors Michael Douglas, Jeff Bridges and Rob Lowe all own property in the area. The firestorm erupted after flames driven by wind gusts of up to 70 miles per hour, known locally as "sundowners", overwhelmed firefighters on Thursday. There have been no reported fatalities but 13 injuries, including three su...

MUMBAI: The famous star of Indian Bollywood, actress Priyanka Chopra has turned out to be the busiest actress as she gave six films to her name this year.She, besides standing among the leading stars in Indian film industry, kicked off this year with two films Love Story 2050 and My Name is Anthony followed by her three release, God tussi great ho with stylish Salman Khan, Chamku featuring Boby Devol and Drona.Now, she is busy shooting her upcoming possibly hit film Dostana. She has proved to be the most successful heroin this year as she presented six films this year.

FLORIDA: Shuttle Endeavor lifted off on trip to space station, 14 Nov 2008 The U.S. space shuttle Endeavor is on its way to the International Space Station, after a successful night-time launch.The shuttle took off late Friday from the Kennedy Space Center in the U.S. state of Florida, carrying seven astronauts and components to increase living space on the space station.The U.S. space agency, NASA, planned to double the size of the space station crew from three members to six next year. So as part of their 15-day mission, the astronauts on Endeavor, will deliver two new sleeping units, a bathroom, a kitchenette and exercise equipment. They will also install a new system to recycle wastewater into safe drinking water.Endeavor is also delivering a new member of the space station crew. American Sandra Magnus will replace U.S. astronaut Gregory Chamitoff.Spacewalks are also scheduled during the mission to repair a broken solar panel array on the space station. The array has not been rota...

AMSTERDAM: A world record for the number of dominoes toppled was set when 4.3 million fell during a two-hour TV show. More than 85 people from 13 countries took part in the challenge, which took eight weeks to set up and was a year in the planning. Acrobat and former Miss Finland, Salima Peippo, toppled the first domino while suspended from the ceiling by ropes. The aim of Domino Day 2008 was to break ten world records made in previous years. According to the organisers the 2008 attempt required 9,500 sq m (31,168 sq ft) of space, more 250 different types of domino, 300 mechanics, 100 decor pieces, 1500 turning fences and more than 5,000 square m (16,404 sq ft) of floor paint.

NEW YORK: Europe officially fell into recession on Friday and the US economy suffered thousands more layoffs and the biggest retail sales dip on record as world leaders are in Washington to address the worst financial crisis in 80 years. Leaders of the Group of 20 advanced and emerging economies said they were working on plans to counter the growing economic threat and prevent future crises, but big breakthroughs were not expected at their meeting in the US capital, given the absence of US President-elect Barack Obama, whose involvement will be key to any global initiatives. The financial crisis continues to wreak havoc on the world's major economies, with official data showing the 15-nation euro zone economy had shrunk by 0.2% for the second quarter in a row, meaning it is technically in recession. The United States is probably already in recession, most economists agree, but official data showing that will not come out until January. "Frankly, we at Dow are looking at an ...

Most ATM robberies occur at night between 8:00 PM and midnight. ATM robbers are usually males under 25 years of age and usually work alone. ATM robbers usually wait nearby for a victim to withdraw cash. Most ATM robbery victims are women and were alone when robbed. Most claim that they never saw the robber coming. Most ATM robbers use a gun or claim to have a concealed weapon when confronting the victim and demanding their cash.Here are some tips that can make the ATM process safer:Use ATM machines in well-lit, high-traffic areas. Don't use ATM machines that are remote or hidden behind buildings, pillars, walls, or away from public view. Beware of obvious hiding places like shrubbery or overgrown trees. ATM robbers like to have the element of surprise and no witnesses. Robbers like good escape routes such as nearby freeway on-ramps or high-speed thoroughfares.Choose an ATM that looks and feels safe, even if it is a couple of miles out of your way. Try and limit your use to daylight...