Indo-American kid chefs win White House challenge
Washington: Five Indian-American kid chefs, who came out with a healthy menu, have made it to the exclusive list of 54 winners of the White House-launched national 'Healthy lunchtime Challenge' as part of the US First lady's 'let's Move!' initiative. These 54 kids would be honoured by none other than the First lady, Michelle Obama, at the Kids' "State Dinner" at the White House on July 9. The group will join the First lady for a healthy lunch, featuring a selection of the winning recipes and a performance by singer Rachel Crow, followed by a visit to the White House kitchen garden.
4 soldiers killed in suicide bombing in Pak
Islamabad: At least four soldiers were killed and three others injured today in a suicide attack on a security check-post in Pakistan's restive North Waziristan tribal region. A suicide bomber struck his explosive-laden vehicle into a security check-post in Watta Khel, killing four and injuring three other officials, according to sources. Following the attack, fire erupted at the check-post resulting in casualties. In retaliation, the security forces began aerial firing. Residents said they also heard firing after the attack. No group claimed responsibility for the attack.
Drive-by shooters, bomb kill 6 in Baghdad
Baghdad: Officials say gunmen in speeding cars shot and killed three people in Baghdad while a bombing at a teahouse the night before also killed three. A police officer says attackers opened fire from a speeding car at two doctors in the eastern New Baghdad neighborhood today morning, killing one and wounding the other. The officer says a similar drive-by shooting in the eastern Zafaraniyah neighborhood killed a woman doctor and a school guard. Another officer says a bomb went off last night inside a teahouse in the capital's northern Azamiyah neighborhood, killing three people and wounding 14 there. Two medical officials confirmed the casualty figures. They spoke on condition of anonymity as they were not authorized to talk to the media. No one has claimed responsibility for the attacks.
Death toll from Indonesian quake rises to 30
Blang Mancung: The death toll from an earthquake that hit Indonesia's Aceh province earlier this week has reached 30, and police and soldiers are searching the debris for another 12 people believed missing, officials said today. nSutopo Purwo Nugroho of the National Disaster Mitigation Agency said the main focus of recovery efforts today was to search for more victims, assist the injured and provide supplies for those in need. He said 275 people were injured and more than 4,300 houses and buildings were damaged in Tuesday's magnitude-6.1 quake.
Bomb kills 4 girls at Afghan wedding
Kandahar: A bomb attack killed four girls attending an Afghan wedding, officials said today, blaming the attack on Taliban rebels intending to target government employees at the event. The children, aged between seven and 12, died when an improvised explosive device (IED) detonated as they collected water from a river during celebrations in the southern province of Helmand. "The children were at the wedding party and this morning they went to collect water when the IED exploded on a footpath," provincial administration spokesman Omar Zwak told AFP. "The Taliban may have planted the bomb to hit local government staff who were at the wedding, but it killed innocent children."