Briefly World

Mini versions of the Big Bang which gave birth to the universe almost 14 billion years ago have been created within the Large Hadron Collider

Cern collider recreates Mini Big Bang

Geneva: Mini versions of the Big Bang which gave birth to the universe almost 14 billion years ago have been created within the Large Hadron Collider LHC,the giant machine probing the nature of matter near Geneva,Switzerland. The LHC successfully created a mini Big Bang by smashing together lead ions instead of protons,on Sunday,the BBC reported. Up until now,the worlds highest-energy particle accelerator 8211; which is run by the European Organisation for Nuclear Research Cern has been colliding protons. The experiment created temperatures a million times hotter than the centre of the Sun,the BBC report said.

Iraq car blasts target Iranians,14 killed

IRBIL: The Iraqi police said a car bomb went off near one of Shia Islams holiest sites in the city of Najaf,killing seven people. Officials say the blast went off about 500 yards from the shrine of Imam Ali. Two Iranian pilgrims were among those killed. The blast came hours after a car bombing in Karbala,another holy Shia city south of Baghdad,also killed seven people,including six Iranians. The blasts occured as Iraqi politicians met in the northern city of Irbil in an attempt to form a government after inconclusive polls in March.

Bush calls Obama failed President

NEW YORK: Former US President George W Bush has criticised the policies of his Republican successor Barack Obama,saying he has made a mess of relations with Pakistan and is worried about Americas strategy on Afghanistan,a media report said. Bush thinks Obama has failed as President,a Republican official close to Bush was quoted as saying by the New York Daily News.

Hostage crisis ends at BMW France office

PARIS: The police say they have taken into custody an armed employee of BMW France who allegedly took three hostages at the German automakers offices in Paris. The alleged assailant,in his 50s,is said to have fired at least two shots in the office lobby. No one was injured.

Knox indicted in Italy murder case

ROME: Amanda Knox,the American convicted of the murder of a British student in Italy,was indicted Monday on charges of slander for claiming police beat her during questioning,ANSA news agency reported. Knoxs trial on slander charges is due to start 17 May 2011. Knox was sentenced in 2009 to 26 years in prison for the murder of Meredith Kercher.