U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton says the U.S. commitment to the democratic future of Iraq remains strong despite the withdrawal of American troops by the end of the year.

"Even as our troops come home, the United States' commitment to Iraq's future as a secure, stable, democratic nation remains as strong as ever," she said at a news conference in the Tajik capital. "This will end the war and it will open a new chapter in our relationship," Clinton said Saturday.

President Barack Obama says the death of Libya's Muammar Qaddafi and ending the U.S. war in Iraq are powerful reminders of America's renewed leadership in the world
.

At the same time, Obama said Saturday that the U.S. now must tackle its "greatest challenge as a nation" -- rebuilding a weak economy and creating jobs -- with the "same urgency and unity that our troops brought to their fight."

Obama informed the nation on Friday that the long and costly war in Iraq will be over by the end of the year and that some 40,000 U.S. servicemen and women still there "will definitely be home for the holidays."

A day earlier, he hailed the killing of Libya's longtime leader as a "momentous day" in the history of a country that Gadhafi had ruled for decades through tyranny.

 Obama said in his weekly radio and Internet address that these foreign policy successes were part of a larger story.

"This week, we had two powerful reminders of how we've renewed American leadership in the world," Obama said. "After a decade of war, we're turning the page and moving forward, with strength and confidence."

He said withdrawing troops from Iraq has allowed the U.S. to focus on Afghanistan and score major victories against Al-Qaeda, including the killing in May of terrorist mastermind Osama bin Laden. Troops also have been coming home from Afghanistan.

Obama said ending both wars will allow the U.S. to focus on rebuilding a weak economy so it can start creating enough jobs to reduce high levels of unemployment. That could possibly aid his re-election bid, which is being jeopardized by the tough financial circumstances.

"Over the past decade, we spent a trillion dollars on war, borrowed heavily from overseas and invested too little in the greatest source of our national strength -- our own people," the president said. "Now, the nation we need to build is our own."

The announcement of the troop withdrawal came after the president completed a secure video conference with Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki. 

The discussion apparently finalized negotiations that have dragged on for months over what, if any, military presence the U.S. would maintain in Iraq beyond a Dec. 31 withdrawal deadline set in 2008. The president said the two are now in "full agreement" over how to move forward, and that no U.S. troops will remain. 

"As promised, the rest of our troops in Iraq will come home by the end of the year," Obama said. "After nearly nine years, America's war in Iraq will be over." 

Though the president cast the announcement as making good on his promise to wind down the conflict, the plan was far from a sure thing. 

Officials had been discussing with Iraqi leaders the possibility of several thousand U.S. troops staying beyond 2011 to train Iraqi security forces. However, Iraqi leaders had refused to give U.S. troops immunity from prosecution, something that was seen as a deal-breaker. 

Talks with the Maliki government did not begin in earnest until August of this year. The White House had authorized the ambassador there to negotiate the possibility of up to 5,000 trainers remaining -- though Gen. Lloyd Austin, the commanding general, had requested upwards of 15,000. 

Over the summer, Pentagon officials expressed public frustration with the stalling being done by Maliki -- it later became increasingly clear that all U.S. troops would have to leave.

Capitol Hill sources indicated Friday that, while the troops will come home, the standard presence of Marines will be kept to guard the U.S. Embassy there. 

Democratic leaders in Washington commended Obama Friday for the announcement. House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi called it a "promise kept."

But some Republicans have expressed concern that the U.S. runs a risk in pulling all troops out. 

"I respectfully disagree with President Obama. I feel all we have worked for, fought for, and sacrificed for is very much in jeopardy by today's announcement. I hope I am wrong and the president is right, but I fear this decision has set in motion events that will come back to haunt our country," Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., said in a statement. 

More than 4,400 American military members have been killed since the U.S. invaded Iraq in March 2003. 

There are still 40,000-45,000 U.S. troops in the country, but Obama said they would all be shipping home soon. He said the next challenge will be to ensure those troops can find work in America upon returning home. 

Fox News' 

Man killed in shark attack at Rottnest Island

SHARK ATTACK: A Google map of Rottnest Island. A man has been killed by a shark at Little Armstrong Bay. Picture: Google

AN AMERICAN man was killed in a shark attack while diving off Rottnest Island today.

The 32-year-old, believed to have been in Australia on a working holiday, was diving alone about 500m off Little Armstrong Bay on the island's north-west coast when the predator struck about 1.30pm, Perth Now reported.

Police said two people aboard a private 25ft Bertram boat made a desperate emergency call after seeing bubbles in the water, before the man's body surfaced a short time later with ``obvious traumatic fatal injuries''.

Passengers travelling back to Perth from Rottnest Island today spoke of their shock and disbelief over the latest fatal shark attack in WA waters.

Police spokesman Gerry Cassidy said witnesses on the boat told police they had seen the shark, which they described as a 3m white pointer.

It is not clear if the man had been diving from a charter vessel or part of a dive tour operating in the area when the fatal attack happened.

It comes just 12 days after respected Perth businessman Bryn Martin disappeared while swimming at Cottesloe Beach. He is presumed dead, the victim of a shark attack.

Two water police vessels and the Rottnest Island ranger rushed to the scene to assist Rottnest police today.

It is understood the man had been in Australia on a working visa and lived at North Beach.

His body was repatriated to Perth by Water Police this afternoon.

A Department of Fisheries spokesman confirmed the maneater was still in the area late yesterday afternoon.

``The shark is still said to be in the area so the water users are being advised of the attack and to keep clear of the area and essentially the local authorities and the police have been clearing people from the beaches,'' he said shortly after the attack.

``We are going to assess the situation with police to see what further action is required.''

A Perth Diving Academy spokesman confirmed the dive company had a boat near the area today, but said it was unlikely that the shark's victim had been diving with a charter group because Little Armstrong Bay was not favoured by professional divers.

While most ferry passengers returning to Perth were unaware the incident had taken place when their ferries docked this afternoon, many said they could not believe another person had been attacked.

Some had been at the island enjoying the unusually balmy weather, while others were there to watch the preparations for the annual Rottnest Island Marathon being held tomorrow.

``There were very grey waters over there. No one was swimming but there was a lot of people running on island preparing for tomorrow's marathon,'' said The Sunday Times deputy editor Bill

Rule, who was at Rottnest today when the attack occurred.

The death is the fourth fatal shark attack in WA in the past 14 months.

Mr Martin is presumed dead after he was last seen 350m off of Cottesloe on October 10. His bathers, with bite marks consistent to a shark, were found by police divers on the seabed.

A memorial service for Mr Martin will be held tomorrow at North Cottesloe Surf Lifesaving Club at 1.30pm.

Last month, bodyboarder Kyle Burden, 21, was killed by a 4.5m shark near Bunker Bay at Dunsborough.

In August last year, surfer Nicholas Edwards, 31, died after being attacked at a popular surf break near Gracetown.

Police will interview witnesses about the circumstances surrounding the Rottnest death and will prepare a report for State Coroner Alastair Hope.

Meanwhile, aerial summer shark patrols, which usually start in October across metropolitan beaches, have been delayed this year as Surf Life Saving WA awaits delivery of their new $2 million helicopter.

The patrols, to start in November, will cover weekends and public holidays and run seven days a week during school holidays.

Read more: http://www.news.com.au/national/shark-attack-in-rotto/story-e6frfkxi-1226173917497#ixzz1bVZXqSow

Hindu Temples In Nepal

A Hindu temple (Sanskrit:mandira), is a house of worship for followers of Hinduism. They are usually specifically reserved for religious and spiritual activities.

A Hindu temple can be a separate structure or a part of a building. A feature of most temples is the presence of murtis of the Hindu deity to whom the temple is dedicated. They are usually dedicated to one primary deity, called the presiding deity, and other subordinate deities associated with the main deity. However, some temples are dedicated to several deities, and some have symbols instead of a murti.

indu temples are not just worshiping places. They are denoting the cultural, art (including music, dance drama), Martial art, depiction of history. It also for meditation, center for passing knowledge from generation to generation. Some places it is used as storage center of food grains (Bhandar) for the entire village or town. In some places it is used as a fort of the kingdom.

Pictures of Hindu Temples 

Hindu temples are known by different names in different parts of the world, depending upon the language. The word mandir or mandira is used in many languages, including Hindi, and is derived from a Sanskrit word, mandira, for 'house' (of God by implication). Temples are known as kO-yil - கோயில் (and occasionally, especially in modern formal speech, aalayam - ஆலயம்) in Tamil. The etymology is from kO - கோ, or lord, and il - இல் - home (note that besides meaning God's home, this term could also mean a King's home, since the term kO - கோ is used interchangeably for royalty and divinity). Temples are known as Devasthana or Gudiin Kannada, as Gudi, Devalayam or Kovela in Telugu and Mondir in Bengali, asKshetram or Ambalam in Malayalam.

Nepal has numerous temples on different districts. Kathmandu District itself is well known as the city of temples which has attracted not only for the Hindu people but also others who have interest on others’ religion. Pictures of Hindu Temples Following is the lists of temples of Nepal district basis.