Decision on immunity for U.S. troops by year-end: Karzai

KABUL (Reuters) - A decision on immunity for U.S. troops staying in Afghanistan after the 2014 planned withdrawal will be made by the end of the year, Afghan President Hamid Karzai said on Monday. "The issue of immunity is under discussion (and) it is going to take eight to nine months before we reach agreement," Karzai told a news conference in the capital, Kabul, after returning from...

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Football: Ronaldo wants to see out contract at Real

MADRID: Cristiano Ronaldo says he wants to stay with Real Madrid until the end of his contract with the club.The 27-year-old Portuguese striker's contract with Real runs out in June 2015 but Spanish media have reported that he is unhappy at the club and may leave at the end of the season.The player has been linked to a move to Paris Saint-Germain or back to Manchester United."I want to...

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Telangana state soon; Congress leaders get "signals" from Centre

HYDERABAD: Congress leaders from Telangana region of Andhra Pradesh today claimed that they have received "signals" from the Centre on creation of a separate state. Two ministers and an MP came out with the claim today even as the deadline set by Union home minister Sushilkumar Shinde for a decision on the statehood demand is just a fortnight away. "We have indications from the Centre that AP is...

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Flu more widespread in US; eases off in some areas

NEW YORK (AP) — Flu is now widespread in all but three states as the nation grapples with an earlier-than-normal season. But there was one bit of good news Friday: The number of hard-hit areas declined.The flu season in the U.S. got under way a month early, in December, driven by a strain that tends to make people sicker. That led to worries that it might be a bad season, following one of the mildest...

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Big Winners, Best Golden Globe Moments

Let's finally bury this idea that women can't be funny once and for all. Fey and Poehler were undeniably hilarious throughout the Globes, so much so that many fans on Twitter demanded more of them during the ceremony. From their opening bit -- Poehler: "Meryl Streep is not here tonight, she has the flu. And I hear she's amazing in it." -- to their pseudo drunk heckling of best TV comedy actress...

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France bombs Mali rebels, African states ready troops

BAMAKO/PARIS (Reuters) - French aircraft pounded Islamist rebels in Mali for a second day on Saturday and neighboring West African states sped up their plans to deploy troops in an international campaign to prevent groups linked to al Qaeda expanding their power base. France, warning that the control of northern Mali by the militants posed a security threat to Europe, intervened dramatically...

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Lions Befrienders charity race raises S$215,000 for senior activity centres

SINGAPORE: Call it a race to make a difference.About 250 people took part in a car race organised by the Lions Befrienders to raise awareness about vulnerable seniors.Acting Minister for Social and Family Development Chan Chun Sing flagged them off at the former Tanjong Pagar Railway StationParticipants were required to make pit stops at 12 islandwide checkpoints.These included four activity...

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BJP slams PM's 'silence' on LoC killings

NEW DELHI: The BJP has attacked the Prime Minister for his "silence" on the issue of killing of Indian soldiers on the line of control and said there was no clarity in the government's response. "This country has never been insulted in such a manner," leader of the opposition in the Rajya Sabha Arun Jaitley said at a rally here on Sunday referring to last week's brutal killing of soldiers by Pakistani...

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Flu more widespread in US; eases off in some areas

NEW YORK (AP) — Flu is now widespread in all but three states as the nation grapples with an earlier-than-normal season. But there was one bit of good news Friday: The number of hard-hit areas declined.The flu season in the U.S. got under way a month early, in December, driven by a strain that tends to make people sicker. That led to worries that it might be a bad season, following one of the mildest...

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Poisoned Lottery Winner's Kin Were Suspicious

Urooj Khan had just brought home his $425,000 lottery check when he unexpectedly died the following day. Now, certain members of Khan's family are speaking publicly about the mystery -- and his nephew told ABC News they knew something was not right."He was a healthy guy, you know?" said the nephew, Minhaj Khan. "He worked so hard. He was always going about his business and,...

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