Harry Potter star Emma Watson indulged in a stand-up comic act to entertain her classmates on her first day in college. The young actress was quick to find some muggles to muck around as she started college in the US entertaining her classmates with a demonstration of how to magically raise yourself from a sitting [...]

A bronze statue of a seated Buddhist deity presented by Mahatma Gandhi to his Irish friend Emma Harker will go on sale on Tuesday. The 13-inch-high figure, possibly of the Bodhisattva of compassion Avalokitesvara, is estimated to sell for 3,000-5,000 pounds at Bonhams sale of Asian art. The sale comes at a time when buyers [...]

Three British Muslims were convicted on Monday of plotting to murder thousands by downing at least seven airliners bound for the US and Canada in what was intended as the largest terrorist attack since September 11. A jury at a London court found Abdulla Ahmed Ali, 28, Assad Sarwar, 29, and Tanvir Hussain, 28, guilty [...]

An Indian naval crew will take part in the final phase of pre-delivery trials of Russian Akula-II class nuclear attack submarine ‘Nerpa’ commencing later this month. As per the understanding reached under the larger Gorshkov aircraft carrier deal inked in January 2004, the Nerpa nuclear submarine built at the Komsomolsk-on-Amur-based shipyard is to be leased [...]

A Sudanese judge convicted a woman journalist on Monday for violating the public indecency law by wearing trousers outdoors and fined her $200, but did not impose a feared flogging penalty. Lubna Hussein was among 13 women arrested on July 3 in a raid by the public order police in Khartoum. Ten of the women [...]

What role do religious symbols play in a secular society? Well, France believes none and banned turbans, burkhas, headscarves and the like. However, after the outrage that followed the ban many French schools are now allowing Sikh children to wear some covering on their heads. But does that really solve the problem? Vikaranjit Singh is [...]

In a new embarrassment for British Prime Minister Gordon Brown, a new report claims Britain, Scotland and Libya connived to free the Lockerbie bomber responsible for the death of 270 people. Ali Mohmed al-Megrahi was released on compassionate grounds after medical advice paid for by Libya claimed he only had three months to live. This [...]

Afghanistan President Hamid Karzai has moved into a clear lead in the controversial race for the presidency, with 48.6 per cent of the vote, according to partial results. Afghan officials announced results from 75 per cent of the polling stations used in only Afghanistan’s second direct presidential election, held on August 20 and overshadowed by [...]

As the famous Pashupatinath Temple re-opened on Sunday for devotees after a two-day gap amid tight security, Maoists blocked roads adjoining the 5th century Hindu shrine and shouted slogans against the Nepalese government for appointing Indian priests. The former rebels protested the government’s action of appointing Indian priests to perform puja at the shrine and [...]

Pakistan Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani has made a startling revelation that the attack on the Sri Lankan cricket team in Lahore in March this year was funded from Sri Lanka. He claimed this information was given to him by the Sri Lankan PM in Libya. The Pakistan PM also said that a Pakistani Interior [...]

A ferry carrying nearly 1,000 passengers sank in the southern Philippines early on Sunday, leaving at least five dead and more than 60 missing. The Superferry 9 began to list before dawn about nine miles (15 kilometres) off Zamboanga del Norte province, rousing terrified passengers from their sleep and sending many jumping into the water, [...]

Scotland has rejected allegations that its decision to free the Lockerbie bomber because he is terminally ill was based on medical advice from doctors paid by Libya. The statement comes after The Sunday Telegraph reported that Libyan government paid for the medical evidence that suggested Ali Mohmet al-Megrahi was eligible for compassionate release under Scottish [...]

Katrina Kaif is making it abundantly clear to beau Salman Khan that his enemies are not hers, and she is ready to do anything that will further her career. Shortly after working with Salman’s arch-enemy John Abraham in New York, reports say that Katrina is now all set to work opposite his other nemesis, Shah [...]

Trade deals with Libya played a “very big part” in Britain’s decision to include the Lockerbie bomber in a prisoner transfer deal with Tripoli, a government minister acknowledged in an interview on Saturday. Justice Secretary Jack Straw told The Daily Telegraph that trade and an oil exploration deal between BP and Libya were factors in [...]

Bollywood superstar Aamir Khan might play the much revered monkey god, Hanuman, along side actor Keanu Reeves who is set to play Ram in the Hollywood version of the Hindu epic Ramayana. The Speed star has been approached to play the character of Lord Ram in the movie based on the mythological character ‘Hanuman’ and [...]

Pakistani troops killed over 43 alleged militants in an operation in the Khyber tribal region while airstrikes left several more dead on Saturday in the stronghold of the new Taliban chief elsewhere in the northwest, officials said. Militants frequently attack trucks along the famed Khyber Pass, a main route for supplies destined for US troops [...]

The latest edition of the annual ranking compiled by British fashion magazine Vanity Fair has retained billionaire Anil Ambani in its list of the world’s 100 most powerful people, while his brother Mukesh Ambani has made a total exit. A sharp erosion in his wealth and a long-running sibling rivalry notwithstanding, the younger Ambani has [...]

The top finance officials of the 20 richest nations wound up their meeting in London. There was consensus that the global economy was at a critical juncture and still needed life support in the form of trillions of stimulus dollars. From India’s point of view, there is progress on two important issues. One, G-20 has [...]