1. Egyptian church attack

    A New Year’s Day bomb, possibly detonated* by a foreign-backed suicide bomber, killed 21 people outside a curch in Alexandria in Egypt.

    The blast, which occurred shortly after midnight on Saturday, also injured more than 90 people.

    The car, which was parked outside the Al-Qiddissine church in the Sidi Bechr district of Alexandria, exploded as worshippers* were leaving after a service. It was not immediately known who was responsible.

    2. Australian floods

    Large parts of Australia’s coastal northeast disappeared under floodwaters in a spreading disaster that has brought some of the highest floods on record and forced thousands from their homes.

    One person was confirmed dead in the floods, while a search was under way for a second missing.

    Queensland State Treasurer* Andrew Fraser said the ultimate* cost would exceed 1 billion Australian dollars (US$980 million).

    3. Arnie quits

    Arnold Schwarzenegger steps down* as California governator on Monday, defending his record to the last and keeping fans and others guessing about his next move.

    After seven years at the helm* of the Golden State, the former champion body builder turned “Terminator” movie star and businessman is leaving California in huge financial woes*.

    A budget crisis* in 2010 pushed California — which would have been the world’s eighth-largest economy if it were a country — to the brink* of bankruptcy.

    4. Brazil’s new

    president

    From torture in a jail cell to the helm of Latin America’s largest nation, it has been an unlikely political rise for President Dilma Rousseff, who claimed Brazil’s seat of power on Saturday.

    In becoming the country’s 36th president, Rousseff created a feat* nearly unthinkable a year ago when the relative unknown was tapped* by then-President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva to be the ruling* Workers Party candidate.

    5. Russian passenger jet explodes

    A Russian Tu-154 passenger jet carrying 124 people caught fire as it taxied* down a snow-covered runway in Siberia and then exploded Saturday, killing three people and injuring 43, including six who were badly burned.

    Most of the passengers and crew were taken off before the explosion, although people on board described a chaotic scene as the burning plane and panicked* passengers climbed over one another to rush through flames to escape.

    6. Former Israeli

    president convicted

    Former Israeli President Moshe Katsav was convicted* on Thursday of raping an employee when he was a Cabinet minister, the most serious criminal charge* yet brought against a high-ranking official and a case that shocked the nation.

    Katsav, 65, faces a minimum of four years and up to 16 years in prison on raping an employee in 1998 when he was tourism minister. (SD-Agencies)