Rustenburg (South Africa), June 11(ANI): England skipper Steven Gerrard is tipping striker Wayne Rooney to become a World Cup legend like Pele and Maradona.“Wayne’s in a position to make this World Cup his own just like Pele and Maradona did. He is a fantastic age, he is in great shape and he is coming off the back of an unbelievable season, probably his best, so his confidence is sky high,” The Sun quoted Gerrard, as saying.“He is right up there in the category of the very best players in the tournament like Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi. That gives all of us such confidence,” he added.Gerrard further insists that he is delighted with Rooney being in his team, and said that the entire England team will be right behind him.“Hopefully he can be our main goalscorer and score the goals that spur us on to victory,” he added.Pele became a global superstar as a 17-year-old, when he scored twice for Brazil in a 5-2 win over Sweden in the 1958 World Cup final, while Maradona inspired Argentina to World Cup glory in Mexico in 1986.England is pitted against USA, Algeria and Slovenia in Group C, and will play their first game against USA in Rustenburg on Sunday. (ANI)
Friday, June 11, 2010
‘Pakistan fifth most unstable country in world’
Washington, Jun 11 (ANI): Pakistan is ranked fifth in the list of the world’s most unstable countries, according to the US State Department’s Global Peace Index (GPI).Only Iraq, Somalia, Afghanistan and Sudan rank lower that Pakistan, whose position deteriorated for the second consecutive year as it slipped three places to find itself placed in the bottom five in the list of 149 countries.Among other South Asian countries Nepal has the best record and is ranked 82nd in the list, while India finds itself in the 128th spot, The Dawn reports.The report pointed out that Pakistan’s score and rank did not fall further in part because of an improvement in the measure of relations with neighbouring countries, albeit from the lowest possible level, and a slight rise in political stability.The report also said that the “overall, government level relations between India and Pakistan are much stronger than in the past, and the fact that India’s recent general election resulted in another government led by the Indian National Congress party means that Indian policy towards Pakistan will remain stable.” (ANI)
Naga student body likely to relax highway blockade
The Naga Students' Federation on Thursday hinted at relaxing economic blockade imposed on all Manipur-bound vehicles after receiving a letter from the neighbouring state's chief secretary expressing "regret" over May 3 police action against its leaders.NSF leaders travelling to Oinam village in Manipur's Senapati district for the organisation's federal assembly were refused entry by the Manipur police at Mao Gate.The incident led to an indefinite economic blockade on National Highways 39 and 53.The NSF demanded an apology from Manipur chief minister and lifting of Section 144 CrPC and armed police from the Naga-inhabited areas of Manipur.It had on Wednesday written to Chief Minister O Ibobi Singh stating it would consider relaxing the blockade imposed on all Manipur-bound vehicles "within a short period", but demanded lifting of the prohibitory orders under Section 144 CrPC from the Naga-inhabited areas in that state.Earlier, organisations like the Joint Parliamentary Working Committee of Nagaland Assembly, Churches of Nagaland and Manipur and All Assam Students Union had appealed to the NSF to lift the blockade on the two highways on humanitarian ground.
