New Delhi - Midnight Christmas mass was attended by thousands of Christians amid heavy security across India's eastern state of Orissa that had witnessed widespread anti-Christian violence earlier this year, a news report said Thursday.

"We have not received information of any trouble. It seems to be all peaceful," Raphael Cheenath, Archbishop of Bhubaneshwar, the state capital, told the IANS news agency.

Cheenath said the Christmas mass was held with prayers and singing in churches across the state, adding that he was satisfied with the security arrangements made by the government.

Lucknow, Dec. 25: Uttar Pradesh Police arrested the Bahujan Samaj Party MLA from Auraiya, Shekhar Tewari, on Wednesday for allegedly killing Manoj Kumar Gupta, an executive engineer of the Public Works Department near State capital.

The BSP MLA Tewari, who already has many court cases for murder and abduction pending against him, was arrested near Raniya in Kanpur district.

London, December 20: British Home Secretary Jacqui Smith is considering an appeal against a High Court ruling following which thousands of rapists and paedophiles may seek to be taken off sex offenders register to protect their human rights.

She is concerned that it might mean that some of the most dangerous sex offenders would not be required to keep the police up to date with their addresses and movements.

Under the Sexual Offences Act 2003, a sex offender sentenced to 30 months or more "shall be subjected for life" to the register''s notification requirements, without any review.

Hong Kong - Police in Hong Kong were Saturday investigating the death of a 14-year-old boy who collapsed after apparently drinking methadone by accident on a visit to his aunt's flat.

The schoolboy fell into a coma and died after consuming the liquid heroin substitute on Friday while staying at the home of his
37-year-old aunt in the city's Kwai Chung district.

The aunt called police when the boy collapsed. An ambulance rushed him to hospital where he was declared dead an hour later, according to a police spokesman.

Methadone is used to treat heroin addicts in strictly controlled conditions at government-run health clinics in Hong Kong and should not be stored at addicts' homes.

Sana'a, Yemen - Three Germans taken hostage earlier in the week in Yemen have been freed, Sana'a government sources said Friday.

Sana'a, Yemen - Kidnappers holding three Germans in Yemen denied on Friday reports claiming that they have demanded the release of two clerics jailed in the United States.