Briefly World

Israeli police arrest nuke whistleblower

JERUSALEM: Nuclear whistleblower Mordechai Vanunu was ordered to be put under house arrest on Tuesday after being charged with violating a condition of his 2004 release from an Israeli prison. Police spokesman Micky Rosenfeld said Vanunu met with a number of foreigners, something he was ordered not to do for fear he might divulge information. His lawyer,Avigdor Feldman,said Vanunu was arrested because he has a Norwegian girlfriend whom police have interrogated.

Headley 2nd biggest FBI bust of 2009

WASHINGTON: The arrest of Pakistani-American LeT operative David Coleman Headley,that busted an LeT plot to carry out terror strikes in India,has been classified by the FBI as its second biggest case for the year 2009. The Headley case figured at number two in the 10 biggest cases of the year in a list in which the case of two young American extremists was placed on the top. 8220;We had our hands full during the year,from heading off potential plots on US soil to identifying Americans being recruited to wage jihad overseas,8221; the FBI said in its statement.

Bill may allow oath in Hindi in Nepal

KATHMANDU: The government on Tuesday tabled the Seventh Amendment Bill to the interim constitution in the Nepal parliament that would make it legal for the President and Vice President to take oath of office and secrecy in their mother tongues,a move likely to resolve the row over the unconstitutional oath by Parmananda Jha. The position of Jha has been inactive after the Supreme Court held his oath in the Hindi language unconstitutional. He had refused to retake the oath of office in the Nepali language and had preferred to remain inactive in the post after his earlier oath was held illegal.

To counter US,must develop arms: Putin

MOSCOW: Russia will have to develop new offensive weapon systems capable of piercing American missile shields in order to maintain balance with the US and prevent it from feeling it can do anything it wants,Prime Minister Vladimir Putin said on Tuesday. To maintain the power balance while not developing AMD anti-missile defence,like the US,well have to develop offensive arms, Putin said in Vladivostok.

See-through goldfish in Japan

TOKYO: Japanese researchers have succeeded in producing goldfish whose beating hearts can be seen through translucent scales and skin. The transparent creatures are part of efforts to reduce the need for dissections,which have become increasingly controversial,in schools. You can see a live heart and other organs because the scales and skin have no pigments, said Yutaka Tamaru,a professor at Mie University.

Madge caused orphanage fund crisis

LONDON: Pop diva Madonna is being held responsible for a downturn in donations to the Malawian orphanage from where she adopted Mercy James. People have wrongly assumed that the Material Girl singer has handed the owners thousands of dollars,which is making it tough for the staff to raise funds for the orphanage,Mirror online reported.

Sheens wife claims knife threat in assault

DENVER: Charlie Sheens wife,Brooke Muellera,accused the actor of threatening her with a knife in a Christmas Day emergency phone call to police that led to his arrest,a recording released on Monday revealed. She told police that Sheen had threatened to kill her during an argument about a possible divorce,according to a police report obtained by TMZ.com. Sheen was arrested on Friday in the ski resort of Aspen on suspicion of assault,menacing and criminal mischief. Police said all three counts were coupled with domestic violence components.