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WASHINGTON: Richard Phillips, the US merchant captain seized by Somali pirates and held hostage in the Indian Ocean for five days, has been freed, CNN reported Sunday citing US officials. Details awaited.

LONDON: At least 100,000 people marched in London on Saturday to demand an immediate end to Sri Lanka's bloody offensive against Tamil Tiger rebels. Ethnic Tamils and their supporters packed the streets of the capital, brandishing Tamil Tiger flags and urging the UK to suspend development aid to Sri Lanka, a former British colony. London's River Thames embankment was flooded by Tamils wearing red, black and yellow scarves emblazoned with the rebels' tiger insignia. In Trafalgar Square, protesters carried a skeletal effigy hanging from a scaffold labeled with the words: "Continuous rape and murder." Elsewhere, children carried a mannequin representing a dead woman on a stretcher. A sign read: "Caused by government force." Sri Lankan forces have recently made significant gains in their more than 2-decade-long war against the rebels, who draw their support from the country's minority Tamil population. But the offensive has sent the civilian death...

LONDON: A rusty key, which enabled the Titanic's crew to try to rescue hundreds of mail bags from the sinking ship, is expected to fetch more than £50,000 at an upcoming auction, The Daily Telegraph reported. The key was for the door of a staff stairwell which was opened so that the crew could start unloading the mail from the bowels of the ship. It belonged to Edmund Stone, a first-class bedroom steward, who perished when the Titanic sunk. The brass tag on the key is engraved 'SERVICE FORd 'E' DECK'. At a US Senate inquiry into the disaster, Henry Etches, a steward on the ship, told how he had met Stone on the stairwell after the ship hit the iceberg. When he asked Stone the time, the first-class bedroom steward replied: "Never mind that; there is something else for you to do." Etches was then encouraged to help other staff unload hundreds of mail bags, some of them already wet from the sea water, from the post office and mail room below E deck. Eve...

LONDON: US president Barack Obama’s half brother was denied UK visa after being accused of sexually assaulting a group of young girls in Berkshire last November. Samson Obama was headed for Washington via Britain to attend the historic inauguration that saw his brother become the US president in January. But he came under the scanner of immigration officials at East Midlands airport when the hi-tech database revealed Samson had been taken into custody by British cops after trying to sexually attack a group of young girls, including a 13 year-old. He was later fingerprinted and not charged before leaving the country but not without providing his details, which were recorded on the Home Office’s new database of prints and biometric details. A Home Office spokesman confirmed Samson, one of the President’s 11 half brothers and sisters was stopped from entering the country after immigration officers detected a false document with his visa application. Samson was believed to have reach...

AMRITSAR: The inauguration of the Indian Premier League (IPL) second edition is only eight days away now and the IPL fever is being increased in various cities of India. Film star Shilpa Shetthy, owner of the Rajasthan Royals, went to Golden Temple here on Friday and offered special prarthna for the success of her team in the IPL. She was accompanied with other actors Jetander, Prem Chopra and Poonam Dhillon on the occasion. Talking with media, Shilpa said that she prayed for the success of Rajhastan Royals. Where all cricket lovers’ eyes are set on the second edition of the IPL, meanwhile there the owners of the teams are adopting various strategies for winning the matches.

BARBADOS: Former captain of the West Indies cricket team Brian Lara said that cricket is vanishing and Twenty20 cricket is a wave of fresh air to liven it. In an interview, Brian Lara said that he feels that people are getting bored from long-duration cricket and it seems that cricket is vanishing but Twenty20 cricket has become the centre of attraction for the cricket lovers and this may help a lot for turning around the vanishing cricket. Brian Lara further said that personally, he has been very much impressed by this short-duration cricket and he is very happy with this pleasant change in cricket.

HILLA: At least nine people died on Saturday when a suicide bomber struck the headquarters of a US-allied Sunni militia south of Baghdad, extending a recent sharp upturn in violence in Iraq. The bomber detonated his payload as an Iraqi army contingent was visiting the premises of the local Sahwa "Awakening" movement in the town of Latifiyah to pay salaries, army officer Lieutenant Haidar al-Lami told a foreign news agency. He added that another 23 people were wounded in the attack and that the killed and wounded included both Sahwas and regular Iraqi soldiers. An interior ministry official in Baghdad said around 200 Sahwas had assembled at the headquarters to receive their salaries when the bomber struck. "The suicide bomber was wearing military-style fatigues, which allowed him to sneak into the compound undetected," the official said on condition of anonymity. The attack comes at the end of a particularly deadly week in Iraq, where a series of bombings have killed...

TEHRAN: Iran declared on Thursday major advances in its controversial atomic drive as President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad opened a nuclear fuel plant and announced the testing of two high capacity centrifuges. Ahmadinejad's announcements at a function in Isfahan province marking national nuclear day are likely to trigger fresh concerns among world powers, who fear Iran's nuclear programme is aimed at making atomic weapons, but Washington's first reactions were skeptical. Tehran insists its programme is for peaceful purposes only. Ahmadinejad said Iran has notched up two achievements -- the manufacture of nuclear fuel and "testing of two kinds of new centrifuges having greater capacity (to enrich uranium) than the existing ones." He was speaking after cutting the ribbon at the fuel facility in Isfahan, which the Mehr news agency said can produce 10 tonnes of nuclear fuel annually to feed the heavy water 40-megawatt Arak reactor and 30 tonnes for light water reactors such...

TEHRAN: Iran's elite Revolutionary Guards has accused the Netherlands of plotting to overthrow the Islamic regime by supporting the opposition through the media and the Internet, a newspaper reported on Saturday. "One of the countries which has given financial support to the opposition over the past few years is Holland," according to a statement issued by a centre run by the Guards, a newspaper said. It said the parliament in the Netherlands had in 2005 adopted a 15 million euro budget proposed by a Dutch MP of Iranian origin which was used to fund Persian Internet sites hostile to the Islamic regime and to help rights groups. "The Dutch project aimed to encourage sexual and moral deviation in society," the Revolutionary Guards centre said, and to support the idea that the "threats (against Iran) are increasing (and) ... the idea that the current Iranian government is incapacitated." The plot was led "in coordination with Britain" and involv...

UNITED NATIONS: The United Nations Security Council is set to adopt a unanimous statement as early as Monday, condemning North Korea's rocket launch last Sunday and ordering it to comply with existing council resolutions or face further sanctions. In a rare Saturday session of the 15-member Security Council, diplomats were presented a draft statement drawn up by the United States, Britain, France, China, Russia, and Japan that clearly condemns North Korea's April 5 launch of a rocket that flew over Japan and landed in the Pacific Ocean, and demands that Pyongyang not conduct any further launch. U.S. Ambassador Susan Rice, who presented the draft to the rest of the council on behalf of the P5 and Japan, told reporters after their consultations that she believes the statement is very strong and sends a clear and unified message to North Korea that violations of international law will not be treated with impunity and will carry consequences. Ambassador Rice stated, "the draft...

JERUSALEM: The head of Lebanon's Shiite Hezbollah movement, Hassan Nasrallah, "deserves death," Israeli Transport Minister Israel Katz said Sunday on army radio. Katz, who is close to Israel's new hardline Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, declared: "Nasrallah deserves death and I hope that those who know what to do with him (in Israel) will act and give him what he deserves." The minister's remarks came after Egypt's prosecutor announced the arrest of 49 people linked with Hezbollah, suspected of planning attacks in Egypt. Nasrallah confirmed on Friday that a man Egypt is holding on suspicion of planning attacks there is a member of Hezbollah, but denied seeking to destabilise the country. The man, Lebanese citizen Sami Shihab, is one of 49 people with alleged links to Hezbollah being held by the Egyptian authorities accused of plotting "hostile operations" in Egypt.

MAKKAH MUKARRAMA: More than 40 pilgrims suffered various injuries when two buses collided head-on in the plain of Arafat yesterday. The pilgrims were out sightseeing when the collision took place. Capt. Fawzi Al-Ansari, spokesman for Makkah Traffic Department, said the pilgrims on board the buses were from Iran and Morocco. The injured were taken to Al-Noor Specialist Hospital and King Abdul Aziz Hospital. “Luckily no one died in the accident,” Al-Ansari said. One of the victims was admitted into intensive care, and another was taken for immediate surgery to his right hand. The rest of the victims sustained mainly medium and minor injuries, and bruises.

WASHINGTON: Storms continued to develop to the south and east and travelled into Arkansas just after dusk. Here is where the meanest of these cells hit Mena, Arkansas and as of now 6 have been confirmed dead. Arkansas National Guard troops are going house to house to look for more fatalities. More than 100 homes were destroyed. Nationwide 27 tornado reports were logged on Thursday. Storms continued east and refired on Friday, hitting 30 miles southeast of Nashville in Murfreesboro, Tennessee injuring at least 30 and killing 6. Preliminary reports are that the tornado was very large and I fear the results may be worse than what we have seen in Mena, Arkansas on Thursday. Nationwide around 40 tornado reports have been logged so far on Friday.

LIMA: Peru's Shining Path rebels killed 13 soldiers in an ambush of a military patrol in the country's southeast, Defense Minister Antero Flores Araoz said Saturday.

COLOMBO: Sri Lanka's president on Sunday ordered government troops to halt their offensive against cornered Tamil rebels over the two-day Sinhala and Tamil New Year that starts on Monday.

MUMBAI: The trend of coining unique or unusual film titles has caught up with Bollywood filmmakers. After record successes of Munnabhai MBBs, films came out under titles of Lagey Raho Munnabhai and Garam Masala. Among recently released movies included titles of Chandni Chowk to China, Aloo Chat and Billo Barbar. From the use of numbers to a mix of English and Hindi words, producers and directors say they try to grab viewer attention right from the word go - which is the film title whether it is Karan Johar's Wake Up Sid or Farhan Akhtar's Kartik Calling Kartik. Other such film names include Raj Kumar Santoshi's Ajab Prem Ki Ghazab Kahani, Rajat Kapur's Rectangular Love Story, Shyam Benegal's Abba Ka Kuan, Deepti Naval's Do Paise Ki Dhoop, Chaar Aane Ki Baarish, Sanjay Dutt starrer Chatur Singh Two Star and Vishal Bhardwaj's Kaminay. "When one is looking for a title for the film, it goes without saying that one looks for an interesting, catchy title to g...

WASHINGTON: The Obamas have chosen a 6-month-old Portuguese water dog to be the first pet. In what was one of the White House's most tightly kept secrets, President Barack Obama's daughters, 10-year-old Malia and 7-year-old Sasha, have settled on a pup they named Bo, The Washington Post reported in its online editions Saturday night. The black-and-white puppy is a gift from Sen. Ted Kennedy of Massachusetts, who owns several Portuguese water dogs himself. Bo is scheduled to make his big debut Tuesday afternoon. Obama's daughters chose the name Bo because first lady Michelle Obama's father was nicknamed Diddley, the Post said. White House aides told that the office of the first lady arranged an exclusive deal on the dog story with the Post. They said the dog was not in the White House as of this evening.

KANDAHAR: Afghan and international forces killed 40 Taliban militants in separate battles in the troubled country, authorities said on Sunday. In one incident, the rebels ambushed a joint Afghan and foreign forces patrol in Shinkay district of Zabul province late Saturday, sparking an exchange of gunfire, provincial police chief Abdul Rehman Sarjang told. "Twenty-two Taliban were killed. The militants left the bodies behind. Four are Pakistani nationals and the rest are Afghans," he said. Sarjang added the international forces called in air support after the ambush. There were no casualties to the joint forces. The interior ministry gave the same toll in a statement. But the US military said separately it had killed four Taliban in the same area, also on Saturday. It was unclear if it was the same incident. Separately, troops killed 18 insurgents in the northeastern province of Kunar overnight, the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force said. The Afghan and ISAF for...

BANGKOK: Thai protesters seized at least one army tank deployed to enforce a state of emergency in Bangkok, a police spokesman told.

JERUSALEM: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told president Mahmud Abbas on Sunday that he intended to hold talks with the Palestinian leader in order to advance peace in the Middle East.

TEHRAN: Iranian parliament speaker Ali Larijani said on Sunday world powers must accept the Islamic republic as a nuclear power as top officials vowed no let-up in Tehran's sensitive uranium enrichment drive. Larijani's comments came after the five permanent members of the UN Security Council -- Britain, China, France, Russia and the United States -- plus Germany offered to hold direct talks with Iran over its nuclear programme. "Now the 5+1 has no reason to deny or refuse Iran's nuclear technology and the expected negotiations will be based according to the rights mentioned in the Non-Proliferation Treaty," Larijani said in a speech to parliament.

TEHRAN: Iranian parliament speaker Ali Larijani said on Sunday world powers must accept the Islamic republic as a nuclear power as top officials vowed no let-up in Tehran's sensitive uranium enrichment drive. While addressing in the parliament, Ali Larijani said that the world powers have no reason to deny or refuse Iran's nuclear technology and the expected negotiations will be based according to the rights mentioned in the Non-Proliferation Treaty. The international community has called on Iran to halt its uranium enrichment programme which some countries suspect is aimed at making atomic weapons, a charge strongly denied by Tehran. Larijani, Iran's former chief nuclear negotiator, said that the "more intense supervision as advocated by some of the members of 5+1 is baseless and has no legal foundation." His comments came after the five permanent members of the UN Security Council -- Britain, China, France, Russia and the United States -- plus Germany o...

KANDAHAR: Afghan and international forces killed 40 Taliban militants in separate battles in the troubled country, authorities said on Sunday. In one incident, the rebels ambushed a joint Afghan and foreign forces patrol in Shinkay district of Zabul province late Saturday, sparking an exchange of gunfire, provincial police chief Abdul Rehman Sarjang said. "Twenty-two Taliban were killed. The militants left the bodies behind. Four are Pakistani nationals and the rest are Afghans," he claimed. Sarjang added the international forces called in air support after the ambush. There were no casualties to the joint forces. The interior ministry gave the same toll in a statement. But the US military said separately it had killed four Taliban in the same area, also on Saturday. It was unclear if it was the same incident. Separately, troops killed 18 insurgents in the northeastern province of Kunar overnight, the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force said. The Afghan and ISAF ...

NEW DELHI: Terrorists have blown up railway track at Dheepu railway station in Indian state of Assam on Sunday, Indian media reported.

NEW DELHI: After taunting the Congress party with his "budhiya" (aged woman) comments, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader and Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi Sunday termed the 125-year-old national party a "gudiya" (doll). Addressing a poll rally in this Uttar Pradesh district, Modi said: “Now I will refer to the Congress not as an aged woman, but a doll.” Modi's "budhiya" comments had evoked sharp criticism from the Congress party, which said he should apologise to women and the elderly. Modi had likened the Congress to an aged women and said it was a burden on the country. Taking up cudgels on behalf of the Congress, Priyanka Gandhi, the 37-year-old daughter of party president Sonia Gandhi, had also asked Modi Saturday whether she looked old.

MOGADISHU: A US captain seized by Somali pirates and held hostage in the Indian Ocean for five days was freed Sunday, the US state department said. "I can confirm that Captain (Richard) Phillips has been safely recovered," said spokeswoman Laura Tischler, without providing additional details on the operation. A US television, citing a senior US official, reported that three of the four pirates holding Phillips had been killed, and the fourth pirate was in custody. Phillips, who was unharmed, had been taken aboard the USS Bainbridge, one of the two US naval warships involved in the tense stand-off near the Somali coast, according to the network. The breakthrough came shortly after four freed hostages, including the widow and three-year-old son of a French sailor killed in a special forces shootout with Somali pirates, landed back in Paris. Phillips had been held aboard a lifeboat since Wednesday when his ship's unarmed crew managed to regain control of their Danish-operate...