Captain Ross Taylor said on Wednesday that New Zealand were confident of winning their first Test in Australia for 26 years against a weakened bowling attack at the Gabba this week.

Assamese litterateur Indira Raisom Goswami, who had taken the initiative to bring the ULFA to the negotiating table, on Tuesday passed away at a hospital here after prolonged illness.

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Tuesday chaired an all-party meeting to arrive at a consensus over allowing foreign direct investment (FDI) in the retail sector.

Singer Miley Cyrus joked about her drug use when she was presented with a bob Marley birthday cake at her party last week.

Sri Lankan middle-order batsman Thilan Samaraweera, who was earlier overlooked by the selectors for the upcoming tour to South Africa, has been reinstated in the squad, sports minister Mahindananda Aluthgamage said on Tuesday.

The US has said that there will be no scale down in its military operations against Taliban linked militants in Afghanistan, despite Pakistan cutting of supplies to Nato-led forces after the deadly border air strikes that killed 24 soldiers.

An Atlanta businesswoman claimed on Monday she had a 13-year affair with Republican presidential hopeful Herman Cain, whose campaign has already been hurt by a rash of sexual harassment allegations.

Ayaz Memon

Saturday’s pulsating climax at the Wankhede sent me hurtling back a quarter of a century in time to the tied Test at Chennai against Australia. In both matches, it finally boiled down to one ball, one run or one wicket to decide the outcome, leaving players physically and emotionally drained and spectators on the edge of their seats.

Egyptian voters begin casting their ballots on Monday in the first parliamentary elections since a popular uprising toppled Hosni Mubarak in February.

Pop star Jennifer Lopez’s romance with backing dancer Casper Smart is heating up as the couple have gone vacationing in Hawaii.