Lastnight World

North Korea has ordered its border guards to open fire on anyone who crosses its border without permission....

N Korea defectors will be shot: Report

Seoul: North Korea has ordered its border guards to open fire on anyone who crosses its border without permission,in what could be an attempt to thwart defections by people disgruntled over its recent currency reform,a news report said on Saturday. The National Defence Commissionthe top government body headed by North Korean leader Kim Jong Ilrecently instructed soldiers to kill unauthorised border crossers on the spot,South Korea8217;s Chosun Ilbo newspaper said,citing unidentified sources inside the North.

Iran says it needs 20 nuclear sites

TEHRAN: Iran needs 20 uranium enrichment plants to produce enough fuel for its nuclear power plants and has no plans to withdraw from the Non-Proliferation Treaty,the official IRNA news agency reported on Saturday. To provide fuel for our nuclear power plants,we need to have 20 uranium enrichment plants, IRNA quoted Irans nuclear chief Ali Akbar Salehi as saying.

Bush,Blair war on Iraq was illegal

London: George W Bush and Tony Blair were orchestrating a witch-hunt against Saddam Hussein that ended with Iraq war which in my view was illegal,a former UN weapons inspector has said. Hans Blix,who headed the UN inspection team in the run up to the 2003 Iraqi invasion said then US President and British PM had misled themselves and the public about the conflict. Blix told the Daily Mail: They were convinced they had the witch in front of them,and they searched for the evidence and believed it without critical examination.

Man grows beard,donates daughter

Peshawar: A 30-year-old man in northwest Pakistan has donated his six-month-old daughter to his brother-in-law in line with a promise to do so if God granted his wish to have facial hair in order to grow a beard. Arshad Malang,a resident of Buner district in North West Frontier Province,had no hair on his body due to some health problems. He had made a pledge to donate one of his children if God granted his wish to grow a beard. Malang also believed that a beard was necessary for him to become a complete man. He said,Today,with the blessing of almighty Allah,I have a beard on my face8230; Therefore,I donated my youngest child,Marwa,to my brother-in-law Wasil Khan,who had no children.

A R Rahman opens online store

London: Oscar award winning music maestro A R Rahman has opened an online shop selling a few sound tracks of films like Slumdog Millionaire and Elizabeth besides other scores. Called A R Rahman Store on his official website,this online shop presently sells seven items but promises to expand the inventory to include exclusive pre-sale tickets,DVDs and more. But currently one can shop only with Canadian dollars,Euros,British Pounds and US dollars.