Berlin  - The year 2008 can certainly be titled a year of extremes: it saw huge trauma, beginning in the shadow of the assassination of former Pakistani prime minister Benazir Bhutto just days earlier and ending with a global market crisis that has brought despair to millions across the world - and yet the worst is still to come.

The final months of the year were marred by attacks, with hundreds dead in India's bustling commercial metropolis of Mumbai, chaos in Thailand, pirates in the Gulf of Aden and continuing violence in the world's top conflict regions Iraq and Afghanistan.

The Middle East is still far from a peaceful solution between Israelis and Palestinians, or indeed between Palestinians and Palestinians.

Mohali/Chandigarh, Dec 10: Security has been beefed up in Mohali ahead of the second cricket Test match between India and England, as six persons were arrested with explosives in nearby Chandigarh city.

England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) Security Advisor Reg Dickason, who assessed the security arrangements at the Stadium with the Punjab Cricket Association (PCA) officials and security agencies, said that a a detailed meeting would take place on Wednesday.

PCA President I S Bindra asserted that ECB had suggested Mohali as the venue for the second Test match and there was no doubt about hosting the match there.

London, Dec 10: A husband has been sentenced to three and a half years of jail for using his semi-naked wife for target practice with an air rifle.

Vedran Ribaric, from Zapresic in Croatia forced wife Mirna to strip to her knickers and run round her garden while he took pot shots at her for target practice with an air rifle

Ribaric had ever been forcing his 23-year-old wife to pose provocatively while he took aim.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC) is working hard to equip Americans with tools to fight influenza. Flu takes life of 36,000 Americans each year. Authorities feel that this year they will be able to prevent flu-related deaths.

This week has been dubbed as week “National Influenza Vaccination Week.” Tuesday was celebrated as “Children’s Flu Vaccination Day.” Government is encouraging people to get themselves and their families vaccinated against influenza.

The CDC expanded the recommended age for children to get the flu vaccine to six months through 18 years. According to the national Parent Teachers Association, children, on average, miss five days of school a year due to cold and flu.

Sydney  - Australia's bid to host the 2018 World Cup looked better Wednesday with the government putting up 45 million Australian dollars (28 million US dollars) to pay for campaigning.

"This announcement today shows to the entire football world we are very serious in our commitment," Sports Minister Kate Ellis said.

Football Federation of Australia chairman Frank Lowy is spearheading a bid that many say is doomed to fail.

Brussels  - Asked over the summer what the European Union should do about Russia's invasion of Georgia, Swedish Foreign Minister Carl Bildt replied, "obviously, have a meeting."

In fact, 2008 has seen an abundance of gatherings by the EU's heads of state and government, not all of them due to the hyper-activism of French President Nicolas Sarkozy, the bloc's chairman for the latter half of the year.