Hillary Clinton: China crackdown 'a fool's errand'

US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has criticised China's crackdown on dissent as "a fool's errand", saying Beijing is trying to halt history. In an interview with The Atlantic, Mrs Clinton also called the nation's human rights record "deplorable". She defended US dealings with Beijing, saying: "We live in the real world." The BBC's Kim Ghattas...

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Japan 'to review energy policy' over nuclear crisis

Japan is to reconsider plans to increase its reliance on nuclear power in the wake of the crisis at the Fukushima plant. Prime Minister Naoto Kan said Japan had to start from scratch with its energy plans following the disaster. The plant has been leaking radiation since the 11 March earthquake and subsequent tsunami damaged cooling systems to the...

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Microsoft confirms takeover of Skype

Microsoft has confirmed that it has agreed to buy internet phone service Skype. The deal will see Microsoft pay $8.5bn (£5.2bn) for Skype, making it Microsoft's largest acquisition. Luxembourg-based Skype has 663 million global users. In August last year it announced plans for a share flotation, but this was subsequently put on hold. Internet auction...

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Triesman claims four Fifa members sought 2018 bribes

Former Football Association chairman Lord Triesman claims four Fifa members sought "bribes" in return for backing England's failed 2018 World Cup bid. Triesman - who was initially chairman of England's bid - made the allegations about Jack Warner, Nicolas Leoz, Ricardo Teixeira and Worawi Makudi. He said their behaviour was "below what would be ethically...

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Punjab thrash Mumbai by 76 runs to cause big upset

Mohali: After a glut of one-sided snooze-fests, the IPL produced the kind of upset the Twenty20 format is made for, with the tenth-placed Kings XI Punjab producing a strong performance to trounce the table-toppers, Mumbai Indians. Punjab came out determined against Mumbai's gun bowlers - Lasith Malinga and Harbhajan Singh - and scrapped their way towards...

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Beckham ponders return for Neville testimonial

Manchester: David Beckham could return to Old Trafford to play in his friend Gary Neville's testimonial when Manchester United face Juventus on May 24. Nicky Butt and Phil Neville are set to play in the match, a repeat of the 1999 Champions League semi-final, as are Paul Scholes and Ryan Giggs. They, like Beckham and Gary Neville, were all members...

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Federer focussed on return to the top

Rome: Record 16-time Grand Slam winner Roger Federer insists he still has his sights set on a return to the number one world ranking. Federer has been in the shadow not only of long-time rival Rafael Nadal in recent times but now also man of the moment Novak Djokovic. But the Swiss 29-year-old believes he can still return to the top of the tree,...

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Cell phone alert system to be announced in New York, Washington

New York: A national system that will send emergency alerts to cell phones is set to begin in Washington and New York City by the end of the year. The Federal Communications Commission and Federal Emergency Management Agency said on Monday the system will warn people about terrorist attacks, natural disasters or other emergencies. Starting next year all new cell phones will be required to have a chip that receives the alerts. Some smart phones already have the technology. People can opt out of...

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US still waits for access to Osama bin Laden's widows

Islamabad: Pakistan has not yet allowed American investigators access to the three widows of Osama bin Laden taken into Pakistani custody after the raid that killed the leader of Al Qaeda, nor shared their own interrogation report, a Pakistani security official said Tuesday. The official was speaking on condition of anonymity in keeping with the...

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Man jumps to death off world's tallest tower in Dubai

Dubai: A man committed suicide on Tuesday in a plunge of 39 floors from a segment of the world's tallest skyscraper in Dubai, according to its owner and reports in the local media. Emaar Properties, the owner of the towering Burj Khalifa said in a brief statement "an incident involving a male" was reported at the tower's site at 9:00 a.m. Tuesday. "The...

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Osama bin Laden's sons say US violated international law

Washington: The adult sons of Osama bin Laden have lashed out at President Obama over their father's death, accusing the United States of violating its basic legal principles by killing an unarmed man, shooting his family members and disposing of his body in the sea. The statement said the family was asking why the leader of Al Qaeda "was not arrested...

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J&K Panchayat Polls: Muslims vote for Kashmiri Pandit woman

Srinagar: In an incredible story of hope from the Kashmir Valley, a Kashmiri Pandit woman won the Panchayat elections in Wusan, a village in North Kashmir where 98% voters are Muslims. 45-year-old Asha's victory is particularly significant as this is the first time in 33 years that a Kashmiri Pandit has been elected to a Panchayat in the Valley. ''Muslims supported me. My Muslim contender lost. A Pandit woman has won,'' she says. The villagers in Wusan are a happy lot. "We can give our blood...

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Prince William and Princess Catherine honeymoon in Seychelles

Britain's Prince William and Princess Catherine have finally left for their honeymoon, flying to the Seychelles by private jet yesterday (09.05.11). Britain's Prince William and Princess Catherine have jetted off on honeymoon. The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge - who married at London's Westminster Abbey on April 29 - flew to the Seychelles in the...

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Drummer gets probation for sex with teen girl from band camp

A former drummer with the Miami Heat Street Band was sentenced to seven years probation Tuesday for having sex with a teenage girl he met at a band camp. Clinton Tyquiem Simmons, now 23, worked as an assistant band director at the camp and the girl was a youth counselor in June 2009. A police report blacked out the name and location of the band camp and the girl's exact age. Simmons was originally charged with three counts of lewd or lascivious battery on a victim between the ages of 12 and 15....

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Lady Gaga, Kanye West to Play Cannes Film Festival Gigs

Lady Gaga will be showing her poker face in Cannes this year. The singer landed in Paris on Tuesday to start promotion for her new album "Born This Way," which, like in the U.S., launches in France on May 23. Gaga will head to Cannes to perform a live concert on Wednesday on Canal Plus' hit show "Le Grand Journal," whose stage takes over the Croisette...

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Arnold, Maria break up after 25 years

Los Angeles, May 10 : Hollywood's sinewy superhero and former California governor Arnold Schwarzenegger and his wife Maria Shriver on Monday announced the decision to separate, ending a 25 year old union and parenting of four children. In a joint statement issued to the media, the separating couple said: “This has been a time of great personal and professional transition for each of us. After a great deal of thought, reflection, discussion, and prayer, we came to this decision together." “At this...

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One police officer dead in suicide bombing in Russia's North Caucasus

DAGESTAN, RUSSIA : A suicide bombing on Tuesday killed one police officer and injured another in Dagestan in the volatile Russia's North Caucasus region, RIA Novosti reported. A young man was walking towards the police headquarters in Dagestan's capital city, Makhachkala. Before reaching his destination, a police officer detained him in order to check his documents. However, the suicide bomber detonated an explosive device he was carrying. Police launched an investigation to determine the identity...

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Over 4,000 foreigners got Indian visa on arrival

New Delhi, May 10 : Over 4,000 foreigners from 11 countries used the tourist visa on arrival facility in the first four months of this year, with the maximum numbers hailing from New Zealand, Japan and the Philippines, the tourism ministry said Tuesday. The highest number of visas on arrival (VoAs) were issued to New Zealand citizens (946), followed by Japan (777), the Philippines (623), Singapore (596), Indonesia (551) and Finland (516). Other country-nationals who availed the facility were from...

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Claim Pakistani Kashmir before China takes over, India urged

New Delhi, May 10 : India should be assertive and proactive to claim the strategically vital parts of Kashmir "illegally" occupied by Pakistan where China has increased its footprints leading to fears that Beijing may take over the territory by 2020, according to a report. The report by New Delhi think tank Institute of Defence Studies and Analysis says China's growing footprint in the region had added another strategic dimension to the discourse on the territory that includes Northern Areas, also...

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PM, Obama discuss Osama killing

New Delhi, May 10 : Prime Minister Manmohan Singh spoke to US President Barack Obama late Monday on the killing of al Qaeda chief Osama bin Laden in Pakistan's Abbottabad and the situation post the encounter, media reports said on Tuesday. However, the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) denied to share details of their telephonic conversations. “The Prime Minister, Dr. Manmohan Singh spoke to President Obama of the United States of America. It was a warm conversation which covered wide-ranging subjects....

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Karnataka Chief Minister condoles death of Gurupadaswamy

Bangalore, May 10: Karnataka Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa today expressed his profound grief at the death of Former Union Minister M S Gurupadaswamy. In a condolence message, he said ''always simple, efficient, honest and a thorough gentleman, he has continuously strived for the welfare of the people. ''When required, he was adamant enough not to make any compromise in his firm philosophy. ''After entering into active politics at the young age of 29, he has served as member of both the houses...

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Sheen and Snoop Dogg releasing single tomorrow

Charlie Sheen and Snoop Dogg are releasing their single 'Winning' tomorrow (11.05.11). The pair’s track is set to be aired on US radio today (10.05.11) ahead of its release at midnight (PST), and all proceeds from downloads of the song will go to the actor’s Torpedos Against Tornados foundation, set up to help victims of the recent tornadoes which...

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Beyonce honoured at Billboard Awards

Singer to be honoured with top award. Beyonce will be presented with a top award at this year's Billboard Music Awards. The 29-year-old will receive the Millennium Award, which recognises her influence in the music industry, later this month. Rihanna, Cee Lo Green, Nicki Minaj and Black Eyed Peas are among the stars who will perform during the live...

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No apology for raid to kill Osama: US to Pakistan

Washington, May 10 (IANS) The United States has asked Pakistan to undertake a 'full investigation' of government connections to Osama bin Laden, bluntly telling Islamabad it will make no apology for the raid on the Al Qaeda leader's hideout. While the Obama administration understands Pakistan's 'concerns,' President Barack Obama was set on using 'whatever means necessary' to kill Osama, White House press secretary Jay Carney told reporters Monday. A 'full investigation' by Islamabad should see...

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'Japan has no plans to dump spent nuclear fuel abroad'

Moscow, May 10 (IANS/RIA Novosti) Japan has no plans to dispose its spent nuclear fuel overseas, State Secretary for Foreign Affairs Chiaki Takahashi was quoted by Kyodo news agency as saying. The recent magnitude-9 quake and tsunami in northeastern Japan triggered a number of explosions at the Fukushima nuclear power plant, which caused the worst nuclear crisis since Chernobyl in 1986 and claimed 14,919 lives, while 9,893 people remain unaccounted for. Earlier Monday, media reported citing sources...

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Tuscaloosa mayor says faith helped after tornado

Hours after a tornado devastated Tuscaloosa, Mayor Walt Maddox couldn't believe what he was looking at — whole stretches of his city just "wiped off the map." He asked the police sergeant who was driving the SUV — a police chaplain — to pull over. "Sergeant," he asked Chad Palmer, "will you pray for us and pray for our city?" Palmer's prayer asked...

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NJ governor likes being asked to run for president

New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie said he never tires of being asked to run for president, but insists he's still not doing it. "How self-important would one have to be to become tired and annoyed by having people ask you to run for president?" Christie said Monday morning during an interview on a Philadelphia radio station. "I'm a kid from Jersey who has people asking him to run for president. I'm thrilled by it," he said. "I just don't want to do it." That hasn't stopped the Christie, who only...

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Poll panel to end voting two hours earlier in sixth phase

Kolkata, May 9 (IANS) The Election Commission (EC) is taking extra care of poll officials deployed in West Bengal's final round of voting Tuesday in 14 constituencies, considered a Maoist hotbed, and has made elaborate security arrangements for them, an official said Monday. 'All the polling personnel have already been alerted and asked to be careful while conducting poll process even though elaborate security arrangements have been made for them,' said state Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Sunil...

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IPL scoreboard: Chennai Super Kings vs. Rajasthan Royals

Jaipur, May 10 (IANS) Scoreboard of the Indian Premier League match between Chennai Super Kings and Rajasthan Royals here Monday: Chennai Super Kings: Michael Hussey b Botha 46 Murali Vijay run out (Botha) 53 Suresh Raina b Singh 43 Mahendra Singh Dhoni not out 41 Albie Morkel not out 5 Extras:(lb-2, w-6) 8 Total: (for three wickets in 20 overs) 196 Fall of wickets: 1-77 (Hussey, 9.2 overs), 2-135 (Vijay, 14.4), 3-179 (Raina, 18.3) Bowling: Ashok Menaria 2-0-17-0 Amit Singh 4-0-40-1 Shane...

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Ratings agencies hammer Greece in EU chaos

(Reuters) - Credit ratings agencies hammered Greece on Monday after senior euro zone policymakers acknowledged that Athens will need a second bailout package soon to avert a disorderly overhaul of its debt obligations. Officials said the European Union was also looking to lower interest rates on rescue loans to Ireland within weeks and eyeing easier...

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Diggers in Afghanistan on red alert for revenge over Osama bin Laden's death

AUSTRALIAN troops in Afghanistan are bracing for a "spectacular" suicide bombing or large "fireworks display" following the death of Osama bin Laden. Lieutenant-Colonel Darren Huxley, commanding officer of Mentoring Task Force 2 (MTF2), said his troops were prepared for a tough fighting season, including suicide attacks, as soon as the harvest finished...

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Man United overpower Chelsea, close in on title

Manchester United got one hand on the Premier League crown this morning as a 2-1 victory over champions Chelsea crushed their rivals' late bid to snatch the trophy from their grasp. United burst out of the blocks to take the lead after 37 seconds when Javier Hernandez swept in a delightful Park Ji-sung pass and they doubled their lead after 23 minutes...

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Kings of Leon guitarist becomes first time father

Matthew Followill has become a father for the first time. The Kings of Leon guitarist and wife Johanna Bennett welcomed a son into the world in Nashville, Tennessee, on April 22 and the boy has been named Knox Cameron Patrick. A spokesperson for the couple said: "Mother, father and baby are happy and healthy and doing well." News of Bennett's pregnancy...

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