London, Dec 19 : Music mogul Simon Cowell is said to have been raking in 250,000 pounds a day from this year's Christmas chart-toppers.

His music label is not only profiting from X Factor winner Alexandra Burke's Hallelujah, but also from rights to the legendary version by Jeff Buckley, and the original by veteran songwriter Leonard Cohen, 74.

All three tracks are among the top ten, with insiders saying Burke, 20, is at No 1, Buckley at No 2 and Cohen in the Top 10.

"Its win, win, win! This is an amazing coup, even for Simon," the Daily Star quoted a source as saying.

Los Angeles - Brandon Roy had a night to remember.

Roy poured in a career-high 52 points, including the tie-breaking three-pointer with 61 seconds remaining, as he carried the Portland Trail Blazers to a rousing 124-119 comeback victory over the visiting Phoenix Suns on Thursday night.

"That was the best game of my career," said Roy, who made 14-of-27 shots, including five three-pointers and 19-of-21 free throws. "A lot of my teammates stepped up tonight, it was a team win."

Roy came into the contest averaging 22.3 points this season, but his sparkling effort was the second highest total of the season, behind the 55 scored by San Antonio's Tony Parker.

Amsterdam - Dutch Prime Minister Jan Peter Balkenende says he would consider a possible US request for a new Dutch contribution to the International Security and Assistance Forces (ISAF) in Afghanistan.

Speaking in a late night Dutch television show on Thursday, Balkenende said US president-elect Barack Obama's advisors have given indications the US might ask the Dutch to maintain their military presence in Afghanistan after the current Dutch mission ends in August 2010.

Obama has already indicated on several occasions he will send more US troops to Afghanistan.

It is widely expected the US is going to request the European Union countries to strengthen their participation in ISAF as well.

New Delhi - India's Minority Affairs Minister Abdul Rahman Antulay has offered his resignation to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh amid controversy over his remarks on the death of a top police officer during the Mumbai terrorist attacks, media reports said Friday.

Antulay had indicated that the death of Anti-Terrorism Squad chief Hemant Karkare could be linked to bombings in the Muslim-dominated Malegaon town.

Karkare was investigating the bombings and members of radical Hindu groups were the main suspects.

Islamabad, Dec. 19 : Pakistan Information Minister Sherry Rehman has criticized PML-N chief Nawaz Sharif for attacking the PPP-led government in the wake of the Mumbai terror attacks.

Referring to an interview of Sharif aired on a private television channel, Rehman said: "It is unfortunate that the leadership of a major political party, which we want to work with for rebuilding democracy and overcoming challenges, chooses a sensitive time to launch an attack on the government when the country needs nationalunity and consensus."

Sharif in his interview called Pakistan a failed and ungovernable state, the News reported.

Washington, Dec 19 : Hollywood actor Ben Affleck thinks that Angelina Jolie does not have the power to be an ambassador for the United Nations.

The `Glory Daze' actor jovially stated at the press conference for his short flick `Gimme Shelter', which highlights the plight of families in war-torn Congo, that Angelina is not high profile enough to grab the attention.

"UNHCR has to find a goodwill ambassador who will get the attention of the president because the woman they''ve got is not high profile enough," US Weekly quoted Ben, as saying.