On Thursday, chief minister M Karunanidhi warned that legal actions would be taken against those who are functioning or speaking in support of the banned organizations. The announcement came as the signs of tension between the Congress and pro-LTTE parties were growing.

London, Dec 27: New research has revealed that many Vikings paid for fake swords, which had forged the mark of authentic ones, almost a thousand years ago.

According to a report in The Guardian, the research was undertaken by Dr Alan Williams, an archaeometallurgist and consultant to the Wallace Collection, the London museum, and, Tony Fry, a senior researcher at the National Physical Laboratory (NPL) in Teddington, south-west London.

The legendary swords found at Viking sites across northern Europe bear the maker's name, Ulfberht, in raised letters at the hilt end.

Responsibility for Wednesday's car bomb attack in Lahore has been claimed by a pro-Taliban group called 'Ansar Wa Mohajir'. Pakistani authorities had arrested four alleged Indian nationals, whom they suspected to be involved in the bomb blast.

The News daily got a phone call from a man identifying himself as Toofan Wazir, the commander and spokesman of the group from somewhere in North Waziristan, to state that they were responsible for the blast in Lahore and earlier rocket attacks on Dera Ismail Khan City.

Prime Minister's Adviser on Interior Affairs, Rehman Malik said that Pakistan is not accepting the plea for the consular assistance made by Ajmal Amir Kasab, the terrorist arrested during the Mumbai terror strikes.

During the function on Wednesday, at the National Database and Registration Authority (Nadra) headquarters, he said, "There is no question of consular access unless it is proved that Ajmal Kasab is a Pakistan national."

Punjab and Haryana High Court had directed that only the Heads of State, including the Chief Minister, Speaker and the Chief Justice were entitled to the escort vehicles. This would require about 50 police personnel and shall be made available from Mohali police station. ADGP handed a list of around eight persons from whom the security shall be withdrawn.

The security guards of Akali workers Amrik Singh of Mohali, Jasbir Singh, SGPC member Hardeep Singh and Sapna Sethi has already been withdrawn.

London, December 27: This is what may be called pure coincidence-a Peruvian woman called Virgen Maria, closely resembling "Virgin Mary", gave birth to a baby boy on Christmas Day and named him Jesus.

The 20-year-old woman gave birth to the 7.7pound boy in the early hours on December 25 at the central maternity hospital in the capital Lima, and called her son Jesus Emanuel.

Interestingly, the baby's father, Adolfo Jorge Huamani, 24, is a carpenter.

The strange coincidences prompted Peruvians to make Biblical comparisons.

Peru's leading newspaper El Comericio even published a story headlined `Two thousand years later the story of Bethlehem is relived'.