Aniston, Mayer ’split’…again

WASHINGTON - Love has slipped through Jennifer Aniston’s fingers once again. The stunner has been dumped by musician boyfriend John Mayer, it has emerged.

Somnath expresses regret over pending women’s quota bill

NEW DELHI - Speaker Somnath Chatterjee Thursday expressed regret that the women’s reservation bill could not be passed during his tenure as the presiding officer of the 14th Lok Sabha.

Indian slum kids’ fairytale experience at Oscars

LOS ANGELES - Starry-eyed, excited and wearing little tuxedos and dresses for the first time, a motley of Indian slum kids from Academy award winning ‘Slumdog Millionaire’ and ‘Smile Pinki’ walked the Oscar red carpet with panache despite the stark contrast between their everyday living and the glitzy event.

Manchester United go eight points clear at the top

LONDON - Manchester United moved eight points clear at the top of the English Premier League after an edgy 2-1 win over Blackburn Rovers.

I did role for my country, says hero of Oscar-nominated documentary

NEW DELHI - Polio-affected Mohammad Gulzar Saifi, who stars in the Academy Award nominated ‘The Last Inch’, will not be at the Oscars. But he says he did the role for his country and hopes both his documentary and ‘Slumdog Millionaire’ will bag the awards Feb 22.

US to ‘watch and help’ Pakistan in Mumbai investigation

NEW DELHI - US Ambassador to India David Mulford Friday said the US will adopt a ‘watch and help’ policy to ensure that Pakistan completes investigations into the Mumbai attack links and prosecutes the accused.

Koli, Pandher get death for Nithari killing

GHAZIABAD - Punjab businessman Moninder Singh Pandher and his domestic help Surendra Koli were Friday sentenced to death for raping and killing 14-year-old Rimpa Haldar of Nithari village near here four years ago.

Indian-origin doctor found guilty of fatal injection

LONDON - An Indian-origin doctor has been found guilty of manslaughter after she injected an intensive care patient with adrenaline against the advice of three colleagues.

Klose fit to play, Hummels to leave, van Bommel unhappy

MUNICH - Bayern Munich striker Miroslav Klose came through training unscathed Friday and is fit to face Borussia Dortmund in Sunday’s Bundesliga clash.

Pakistan cocks a snook at the world (Comment)

A court in Pakistan Friday passed an order that freed disgraced nuclear scientist Abdul Qader Khan from the house arrest that he had been subject to since 2004, when the clandestine nuclear Wal-Mart that he had nurtured for decades first came to light. Global capitals ‘regretted’ this audacious judicial decision that made light of the grave nuclear transgressions that Dr. Khan had been guilty of - but to little avail. The Pakistani state appears to have succumbed to domestic compulsions and has decided to play up to the gallery and join the chorus that sees the tainted scientist as a national hero.

Hewitt, Klein fined for code violation (Australian Open Diary)

MELBOURNE - Local favourites Lleyton Hewitt and Brydan Klein list among a host of players to be slapped with penalty at Australian Open.

Lance strong as the Tour Down Under goes uphill

SYDNEY - Cycling great Lance Armstrong was on the pace and happy to finish in the bunch Wednesday as Australia’s Tour Down Under hit the Adelaide hills.

Mining approval for Posco divides Orissa’s ruling coalition

BHUBANESWAR - Orissa’s recommendation to the central government that South Korean steel major Posco be given rights to an iron ore mine in Sundergarh district has caused a divide in the state’s ruling coalition, with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) openly opposing the move.

Gap between our best and worst is huge: Ponting

SYDNEY - As Australia Saturday head into the last Test trailing 0-2, captain Ricky Ponting admits it is a disappointing position to be in at the Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG) that has been a happy hunting ground for the hosts.

Omar Abdullah to be next chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir

NEW DELHI - The National Conference and the Congress Tuesday confirmed that they would form the new coalition government in Jammu and Kashmir, with Omar Abdullah heading it.

Christmas celebrated in Kerala in traditional style

KOTTAYAM - After attending the midnight mass, Christians across Kerala got up early Thursday and headed for the dawn mass, heralding Christmas celebrations with traditional fervour and style.