Walcott admits he did not deserve to be part of 2006 Germany WC England squad

London, May 26(ANI): England striker Theo Walcott has admitted that he did not deserve his place in the Germany World Cup squad four years ago, but now he does.

Former England manager Sven Goran Eriksson had stunned fans when he named Walcott in his 23-man squad for the 2006 finals. At the time, Walcott was just 17 and had never played in a Premier League clash.

However, the 21-year-old reckons that he has since brushed aside his baby-faced image and has earned his place in the team.

“It feels so much different to last time. I had not played in the Premier League and did not deserve to go to Germany, I knew that. I am now playing in the Premier League and the World Cup qualifiers and am doing quite well,” The Sun quoted Walcott, as saying.

“I feel I am there by rights and, fingers crossed, I will be on that plane. There are a lot of world-class players on the right-hand side for England and it is a great competition to be a part of,” he added.

Walcott further said that he was satisfied with his performance in Monday’s friendly 3-1 victory over Mexico, and insisted that the key is to keep the momentum going.

“Now it is vital that I focus on the training camp in Austria leading up to the Japan game and not look too far ahead, as there is still a lot of work to do,” he added. (ANI)

Miranda Kerr feels sorry for Aussie banker caught ogling at her naked pics

Melbourne, May 19 (ANI): The last time Victoria’s Secret angel Miranda Kerr shot for a racy GQ photoshoot, a misfortunate Australian banker almost lost his job. Now, the model has posed for yet another racy shoot for GQ magazine’s June issue.

The Macquarie Banker, David Kiely, was caught on live TV looking at naked pics of Miranda Kerr. Images of Kiely gazing at Miranda were broadcast around the world after he was inadvertently filmed during an interview on Channel 7 news at Macquarie Bank in Sydney.

“It was a big deal,” The Herald Sun quoted Miranda as telling GQ. “I wasn’t offended. I just felt sorry for the poor guy.

“I wonder if he’ll get into trouble if we send him this cover.”

And she said that this time she hoped Kiely would not be caught out.

“We should send him a signed cover!” she said.

“He can read the magazine at home instead of at work on the Internet.”

Miranda told the Herald Sun”s Confidential: “I am told there is a petition to save his job and of course I would sign it.”

Commenting on the ideal man she would want, Miranda said, “Personally, I believe that women need to be stimulated mentally by the man.

“t”s not necessarily about his looks.

“It’s more about being stimulated mentally, like when a man is funny or he is witty or charming, I think that’s attractive. It’s all about personality, really,” she added. (ANI)

‘Don’t want Schumacher’s tainted legacy’

Lewis Hamilton says he wants to be remembered as a Formula One great, but not in the manner of Michael Schumacher. The 25-year-old Briton entered the sport the year after seven-time champion Schumacher retired from Ferrari in 2006, and this weekend is the first time the two have raced each other around the streets of Monaco.

The German’s comeback with Mercedes, at the age of 41, has revived memories of his last appearance in Monaco when he was sent to the back of the starting grid for blocking the track in qualifying to secure pole. That controversy was one of several to have dogged Schumacher’s career despite his status as the most successful driver the sport has ever seen, with 91 wins.

Hamilton, the 2008 world champion with McLaren, said he would hate to walk away from the sport with his reputation similarly ‘tainted’.

“When I leave F1 I want to be remembered as one of the best drivers of all time,” he said. “I am not really bothered if I am remembered or not. But clearly I am going to be remembered. I am part of the sport, I’m part of its history, I am a world champion,” he added.

“I think as I am going to be anyway, I would like to be remembered in the best way and the best light,” added the driver, who was himself embroiled in a furore over lying to race stewards last season.

“For me, when I think about the history it is not just about me, it is about how my family raised me, and where we came from. For that to be potentially tainted by something like that (Schumacher’s Monaco controversy) would be really devastating for me. That is definitely something I don’t want to be remembered for.”

Hamilton refused to be drawn into a judgement on what Schumacher did last time around, however.

Ex-porn star Tia Brodie keeps burning boobs while practising BGT routine

London, May 14 (ANI): A former porn star, who is taking part in the Britain’s Got Talent show, has revealed that she keeps burning her boobs while practising her daring routine.

Tia Brodie, 33, who strips in clubs around the country and features as a topless fire-eater on the show, has had to have treatment for blisters, and she fears she may have suffered permanent damage.

“It’s obvious that there are consequences with doing fire performances. I hope it won’t scar, but it probably wont be the last time I burn them,” the Sun quoted her as saying.

She has been trying out tricky moves as she battles to get through to the next stage of the ITV1 show.

“Tia’s experimenting with a number of difficult manoeuvres that have tested her to the limit,” a show insider said.

“But she’s tough so a few burns aren’t going to stop her,” the insider added. (ANI)

Aniston laughs off baby food diet rumours

London, May 14 (ANI): Jennifer Aniston is amused at reports that she consumes baby food to stay thin, insisting she has “been on solids for about 40 years”.

Recent reports suggested that she had employed the famous celebrity trainer Tracy Anderson to help her with her work out, and had embarked on the trainer”s ”Baby Food Cleanse” in a bid to keep her weight down.

The Friends star was baffled by continual questions about her baby-food diet.

“I”ve been asked lately, ”Jen, what”s this baby food diet all about?” I kept thinking, ”That”s the strangest question ever”.

“The last time I had baby food, I believe I was one. I”ve been on solids for about 40 years now,” The Daily Express quoted her as telling People.com. (ANI)

World’s most expensive stamp has a price tag of £5m!

London, May 13 (ANI): The tiny Treskilling Yellow, weighing just 0.03 grams is worth a whopping 5 million pounds.

The stamp, which will be auctioned off in Geneva next week, exists only because a 14-year-old Swedish schoolboy rescued it from his grandmother”s rubbish bin in 1885 and sold it onto a dealer for the lowly price of seven Kroner.

The three-shilling stamp was first issued in Sweden in 1855 and used in 1857 to mail a letter.

Its rarity is augmented by the fact that it was the only one in the batch to printed in yellow by mistake, when it should have been printed in green.

The last sale was in 1996 when it sold for 2,875,000 Swiss Francs, to collectors who remain anonymous.

“There was hot competition when it was sold last time. People collecting stamps like to have rare things, like to have special things. I think maybe it”s because it”s been known for so many years, it”s special,” The Telegraph quoted Thomas Høiland, a Danish auctioneer, as saying. (ANI)

Schumacher refuses to say sorry for cheating last time in Monaco

London, May 13 (ANI): Seven times Formula one champion Michael Schumacher, who is on a comeback trail, has refused to say sorry for cheating the last time he raced in Monaco.

He was dumped at the back of the grid and branded a ”scumbag” after one of the most infamous incidents in F1 history.

Schumacher deliberately parked his car at the famous Rascasse Corner to wreck title hopes of rival driver Fernando Alonso’s qualifying lap four years ago.

“It doesn’t change things if we go back into it. We are now in 2010. Let’s look forward and not backwards. I had great fun in the race. I came through the field from last and finished fifth. That was good fun,” The Sun quoted Schumacher, as saying.

Asked if the incident was a low point of his career, Schumacher said: “You made it, yes. You all did. You journalists. Some of you guys.”

And when asked if he would repeat the trick this Saturday to take pole, he moaned: “You”re boring.”

Schumacher’s career is littered with cheating controversies.

He drove into Damon Hill in Adelaide in 1994 to win their title decider and tried the same trick on Jacques Villeneuve in the season finale three years later in Jerez.

That saw the German stripped of all his points for the season, the paper reports.

On the Monaco incident, Schumacher claimed he had locked up his Ferrari, having stopped at the corner to slow then Renault rival Alonso, who was on a quicker lap. (ANI)

Wags agree to miss 2010 FIFA World Cup

London, May 10 (ANI): England football team manager Fabio Capello has won a major battle – this one off the field – the wives and girlfriends of the players have finally agreed to miss this summer’s World Cup in South Africa.

The Daily Express quoted a source, as saying: “He (Capello) will be relieved. They were a distraction the last time.” (ANI)

UK will go to polls again within a year: Experts

London, May 8 (ANI): Britain is likely to go to the polls within 12 months, political experts have predicted.

According to The Telegraph, the cost of another ballot will run into tens of millions of pounds. The cost of a general election for the parties, however, is estimated to run to about 40 million pounds in total and most would want to avoid going to the polls if possible.

It quoted Dr Richard Toye, a historian at Exeter University, as saying: “I”d bet on an election in October or November this year.”

According to bookies Betfair, the chances of a second election by the end of 2010 have gone up from 28 per cent to 38 per cent during the course of Friday, as political betters started to lay money on a Conservative-led alliance falling apart and David Cameron going to voters again to win an outright majority.

The last time Britain elected a hung parliament, in February 1974, it resulted in a second election in October of that year, eight months later.

Dr David Butler of Nuffield College, Oxford, one of the country”s leading election experts, said there was likely be another election very soon, “because I don’t see the compromises that are necessary for a coalition.”

Historically, no minority government has lasted much more than two years.

The hung parliament of 1974 lasted for eight months, while the hung parliament of 1923 lasted for less than a year. (ANI)

Mosquitoes are choosy on where they lay their eggs

Washington, May 8(ANI): A new Baylor study suggests that female mosquitoes have the ability to sense if larvae have been laid successfully at a place earlier. They then choose the same place to lay their eggs.

According to Dr. Richard Duhrkopf, associate professor of biology at Baylor, once a safe site is found the number of eggs laid may be three times more than the last time. This also indicates that female mosquitoes can detect metabolic by-products of larvae.

Duhrkopf and his team created five separate water-based solutions where the mosquitoes could choose to lay their eggs, one of which was collected from a backyard where the water contained the mosquito larvae.

The results show that the ‘back yard’ water solutions significantly attracted more females and more eggs per positive trap. The back yard water solutions had 1,808 eggs on them versus the next highest one, deionized water, which had only 799.

The results were presented at the South Central Regional Mosquito Control Conference. (ANI)

For Heidi Montag ”bigger is better” when it comes to her boobs

Washington, May 6 (ANI): ‘The Hills’ star Heidi Montag’s husband Spencer Pratt has revealed that his wife is not satisfied with the size of her breasts and wants bigger implants.

Pratt, 26, revealed to Life & Style Magazine that Montag, 23, who has already had an astonishing 13 procedures, was angry when she woke up from her last surgery, as she had wanted bigger boobs.

“When Heidi woke up from the anaesthesia [last time], she was angry [her breasts] weren’t bigger. She said she wanted to punch the doctor in the face,” Fox News quoted him as telling the tabloid.

“I try to stop her. She’ll do what she wants with her body,” he stated.

Even Dr. Frank Ryan, who performed most of her previous surgeries, has told her that she has had enough surgery.

“I told Heidi, ‘What are you going to do? You’re done!’” he revealed.

Montag revealed to People magazine that she is now eager to get even bigger implants.

“It sounds crazy, but once you get a certain size boob, you always want bigger,” she said.

“Bigger is better,” she added. (ANI)

Sony announces death of the floppy disk

London, April 27 (ANI): Sony is finally killing off the floppy disk.

The Japanese electronics manufacturer, that sold over 12 million of the devices, has made it clear that it will stop making floppy disks from next year, leaving no manufacturer in the market, reports The Telegraph.

“It”s amazing to think anyone still uses them, but they are popular still in Japan and India. The last time I used one was when I was at school,” said Kat Hannaford, the technology websites Gizmodo’ contributing editor.

“Due to dwindling demand, Sony discontinued European production of 3.5 inch floppy disks in September 2009. The last European sale of a floppy disk took place in March 2010,” said a spokesman for Sony in Britain.

First developed in 1971, floppies have helped consumers store documents, pictures and data on an easy to use format. (ANI)

Pak Taliban issues ‘last warning’ to media against showing it in bad light

Peshawar, Apr.24 (ANI): The Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) has warned newspapers and television channels for the ‘last time’ for presenting only one side of the story of their struggle and supporting the armed forces.

An e-mail sent by a self-proclaimed spokesperson of the ‘Taliban Media Centre’ in North Waziristan, Muhammad Umar, blamed the media for working as an ally of the government, and said it is hiding the truth.

“Why is the media only conveying the army’s point of view? Is this proof that the media is also working as an ally for the government and the army? Or they are being forced to hide the truth?” The Daily Times quoted the e-mail, as saying.

“This email should be considered a last warning for the media of Pakistan. If the media doesn’t stop working as an ally of the government and the army, the Taliban would have to treat the media as they want to be treated,” it warned.

The e-mail was sent just hours after militants targeted an Army convoy in Dattakhel area of North Waziristan killing seven soldiers and injuring 25 others.

Six vehicles were destroyed in the attack in was said to have been carried out by supporters of a powerful Taliban commander Maulvi Saddiq Noor.

Noor belongs to the Hafiz Gul Bahadur group which had attacked a military convoy in Wecha Bibi area last year and killed 23 soldiers.

Confirming the ambush, the Inter Services Public Relations (ISPR) said the convoy was going from Miramshah to Datakhel when it came under attack near Boya area of the restive region. (ANI)

Taliban warn Pak media against ‘ignoring’ their viewpoint

The Taliban have warned the Pakistani media for “the last time” against “ignoring” the group’s viewpoint and claimed that newspapers and television channels were hiding the truth and working as an ally of army.

Pakistani Taliban ‘spokesman’ Muhammad Umar issued the warning through an e-mail sent to journalists in Peshawar hours after militants attacked an army convoy in North Waziristan tribal region, killing seven soldiers and injuring 16 others yesterday.

Umar, who described himself as “a spokesman for the Taliban Media Centre” in North Waziristan, said: “Why is the media only conveying the army’s point of view? Is this proof that the media is also working as an ally for the government and the army? Or they are being forced to hide the truth?”

“This e-mail should be considered a last warning for the media of Pakistan. If the media doesn’t stop working as an ally of the government and the army, the Taliban would have to treat the media as they want to be treated,” he said.

Umar said the media could either be with “the terrorists or the truth.”

The Taliban have issued threats to the media in northwest Pakistan on several occasions in the past two years.

Scientists waiting to see if Iceland”s `Angry Sister” volcano also erupts

London, Apr.19 (ANI): Scientists are waiting to see of Iceland”s Eyjafjallajökull volcano’s ”Angry Sister” Katla also erupts.

Every time in recorded history that the Eyjafjallajökull volcano has erupted, the much larger Katla volcano has also erupted, making the volcanic history of Iceland uncomfortable reading for thousands of would-be air travelers, who are stranded across northern Europe and beyond.

The last time Eyjafjallajökull erupted, it continued belching the Earth”s unsettled insides for 14 months, from December 1821 to January 1823.

According to the BBC, scientists do not expect Eyjafjallajökull to keep northern Europe”s airports closed for 14 months, but they suggest that Eyjafjallajökull”s impact on world travel might not end with the end of this current eruption.

Moreover, Iceland”s “Angry Sister” hasn”t even awoken yet.

The three times in recorded history when Eyjafjallajökull has erupted, its neighbor, the much larger Katla, has followed suit.

Data does yet suggest that a Katla eruption is imminent. Yet, in some respects, it is the far greater concern, both in Iceland and beyond.

Katla has erupted 16 times since 930, in 1755 exploding so violently that its ash settled on parts of Scotland.

In 1918, Katla tore chunks of ice the size of houses from the Myrdalsjökull glacier atop it, sending them careening down its slopes and into the Atlantic on floods of melted glacier water.

While Eyjafjallavökull is virtually anonymous in Icelandic lore, Katla is one of the “Angry Sisters” along its even-more active twin, Hekla.

The 1918 eruption was the last major eruption of Katla – a volcano that has erupted twice a century, on average – which is why scientists have paid particularly close attention to it in recent days. (ANI)

Scientists waiting to see if Iceland”s `Angry Sister” volcano also erupts

London, Apr.19 (ANI): Scientists are waiting to see of Iceland”s Eyjafjallajökull volcano’s ”Angry Sister” Katla also erupts.

Every time in recorded history that the Eyjafjallajökull volcano has erupted, the much larger Katla volcano has also erupted, making the volcanic history of Iceland uncomfortable reading for thousands of would-be air travelers, who are stranded across northern Europe and beyond.

The last time Eyjafjallajökull erupted, it continued belching the Earth”s unsettled insides for 14 months, from December 1821 to January 1823.

According to the BBC, scientists do not expect Eyjafjallajökull to keep northern Europe”s airports closed for 14 months, but they suggest that Eyjafjallajökull”s impact on world travel might not end with the end of this current eruption.

Moreover, Iceland”s “Angry Sister” hasn”t even awoken yet.

The three times in recorded history when Eyjafjallajökull has erupted, its neighbor, the much larger Katla, has followed suit.

Data does yet suggest that a Katla eruption is imminent. Yet, in some respects, it is the far greater concern, both in Iceland and beyond.

Katla has erupted 16 times since 930, in 1755 exploding so violently that its ash settled on parts of Scotland.

In 1918, Katla tore chunks of ice the size of houses from the Myrdalsjökull glacier atop it, sending them careening down its slopes and into the Atlantic on floods of melted glacier water.

While Eyjafjallavökull is virtually anonymous in Icelandic lore, Katla is one of the “Angry Sisters” along its even-more active twin, Hekla.

The 1918 eruption was the last major eruption of Katla – a volcano that has erupted twice a century, on average – which is why scientists have paid particularly close attention to it in recent days. (ANI)

Witnesses sought for Kalgoorlie bashing, robbery

Police have released more details about two men accused of robbing a man the night he was found dead in Kalgoorlie.

Last Friday, 49 year old Grant Charles Jesser was drinking at the Exchange Hotel in Kalgoorlie.

Hours later he was found dead in an alley on Maritana Street.

26 year old Gregory Cullen was charged with causing grievous bodily harm but it has now been revealed Mr Jesser was also robbed during the evening.

Detective Sergeant Paul Robinson says police are trying to piece together his final movements.

“The last time that Mr Jesser was actually seen alive was leaving the Exchange hotel where there was an incident with another person. The next time he was located he was deceased, in the alleyway near National Australia Bank.”

Police say the two incidents are not related.

Two Kalgoorlie men, aged 19 and 20, have been charged with stealing and will face court next month.

Detectives are appealing for anyone who was in the area on Thursday night to contact police.

Sergeant Robinson says there were a lot of potential witnesses because the town was hosting the International Miners Games.

“I believe that there are people out there that did witness this incident and I would appeal to them to please come forward.”

Julio Iglesias receives Lifetime Achievement award in Malaysia

Kuala Lumpur, April 01 (ANI): Spanish superstar Julio Iglesias received a Lifetime Achievement Award from Sony Music Malaysia at the Mandarin Oriental Hotel yesterday.

Sony Music managing director Adrian Lim presented the award.

The balladeer will be performing a 90-minute concert of hits recorded over more than 40 years at a “Starry Starry Night with Julio Iglesias” concert at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre”s Plenary Hall, tonight.

“It was a big honour to be invited to perform here for the first time, many years ago,” The New Straits Times Online quoted him, as saying.

“And it”s an even bigger honour to be asked to return for another concert. When I close my eyes and sing, I lose my nationality and become one with the audience.

“I love Malaysia and everyone in my entourage is so impressed with what you have achieved since we were here the last time,” he added. (ANI)

Blainey tells population summit another state is possible

Leading historian Professor Geoffrey Blainey says the idea of a separate northern Australian state should not be ruled out in light of rapid population growth.

Queensland Premier Anna Bligh has told a summit in Brisbane a city such as Townsville in north Queensland may come to rival Brisbane as the state grows.

But Professor Blainey says there cannot be two capital cities in the one state.

“If we said the present state system in Australia is right, how come 1859 – that was the last time the state was created in Australia, that was Queensland – how come the people of 1859, when Australia had only a million people, when very little was known about the resources, how come they got it right and got the right boundaries?” he said.

BJP says people will make Sonia Gandhi resign as NAC chief

New Delhi, Mar 30 (ANI): The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has cried foul over Congress President Sonia Gandhi again taking charge as the head of the National Advisory Council (NAC).

BJP spokesperson Tarun Vijay said this time the people of the country would make Gandhi resign from her post.

“It has been a history of the Congress party to hold an office of profit while being an MP. Last time, it was a show by Sonia Gandhi of ”tyag”, but the fact is that under the pressure of whole country, she had to resign,” said Vijay.

“This time also, the people of this country will make her resign from this post,” he added.

The Union Government on Monday constituted the National Advisory Council (NAC), which will be headed by Congress President Sonia Gandhi as its Chairperson.

She will hold the rank and status of Union Cabinet Minister with immediate effect.

The term of appointment of the Chairperson of the NAC will be with effect from the date of assuming charge of the office as the Chairperson.

It will be co-terminus with the term of the NAC or until further orders which ever is earlier.

The term of the members of the NAC shall be for a period of one year with effect from the date of their appointment, which may be extended.

The Chairperson of the NAC shall be entitled to the same salary, pay, allowances and other facilities to which a member of the Union Council of Minister is entitled.

Under the special provision for a Member of Parliament appointed as the member of the NAC, it has been provided that the member shall not be entitled to draw any remuneration, allowances or perks as such member from the NAC other than the compensatory allowance as defined in clause (a) of the section 2 of the Parliament (Prevention of Disqualification) Act, 1959.

Sonia Gandhi quit the NAC in March 2006 after the BJP- led Opposition alleged that she had violated the office of profit principle.

Gandhi had also resigned from her Lok Sabha seat. But later despite winning the Rae Bareilly by poll, she kept herself away from the NAC. (ANI)