New Delhi, Dec. 8: India’s External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee has regretted that Pakistan is giving credibility to a ‘hoax’ call, and charged it with resorting to a tactic to confuse the public by only releasing part of the story.

Claiming that the call was a bid to divert attention from what he called ‘Pakistani-based’ elements’ attack on India, Mukherjee flayed Pakistan for putting its military on alert after the call.

He clarified that the last time he had spoken to Zardari was during his visit to Islamabad in May and that the reports about his telephonic call to the president were ‘misleading’.

Washington, Dec. 8 : US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice has said that Pakistan must take action against militants on its territory who may be linked to the Mumbai attacks, and added the argument that the Mumbai attackers were non-state actors is unacceptable.

She told ABC, “I did say to the Pakistanis that the argument that these are non-state actors is not acceptable. Non-state actors in your territory are still your responsibility.”

She said, “This is a time when Pakistan must act. They must act in concert with India, with the United States. Great Britain is helping.”

She added that Pakistan has expressed “a good, strong commitment” to take action, “but now we have to see follow-through.”

Zamboanga City, Philippines  - Five soldiers and 12 Muslim rebels were killed in separate clashes in the southern Philippines, a regional military spokeswoman said Monday.

Fighting broke out Sunday between government troops and Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) fighters, backed by al-Qaeda-linked Abu Sayyaf rebels in Albarka town, Basilan province, 900 kilometres south of Manila.

London, Dec 8 : ‘Out of Sight’ has been named as the ‘Sexiest Film Of All Time’ in a new poll.

The 1998 thriller, starring George Clooney and Jennifer Lopez, topped a list chosen by 100 actors, directors, critics and producers for an American magazine Entertainment Weekly.

The judges said Clooney and Lopez combined to make the ultimate "cinematic aphrodisiac".

"It made Clooney a major star and gave J-Lo her most well-rounded role to date. And thanks to director Steven Soderbergh, it features a number of scenes that belong in a sexy cinema hall of fame," the Telegraph quoted the judges, as saying.

Washington, Dec. 8 : US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice on Sunday denied that India had given Pakistan a 48-hour deadline to take action against those behind last month’s terror attacks in Mumbai that claimed close to 200 lives and caused injuries to about 300.

Interviewed on Fox television, Rice said there was evidence of involvement of Pakistani elements in the attacks and added that they were non-state actors.

She echoed remarks from Pakistan’s Foreign Office denying Islamabad had agreed to a 48-hour timetable to take action against Pakistanis accused of involvement in the Mumbai attacks.

“No. There’s not a timetable involved here,” the US top diplomat said.

Sydney  - Millions of Australians were given cash from the government's piggy bank Monday and ordered to go on an anti-recession spending spree.

"Go out and spend the money," Prime Minister Kevin Rudd said as he waved goodbye to half the 21-billion-Australian-dollar (13-billion-US-dollar) budget surplus built up over the previous six years. "By spending their payments, families and pensioners will help create Australian jobs and strengthen the Australian economy."

Even 50,000 Australians living abroad will find that Canberra has deposited money in their bank accounts.