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US president plans talks with Russia on reducing nuclear weapons

Wed, 19 Jun 2013 17:25:30 -0400

BERLIN - US President Barack Obama on Wednesday said he would seek talks with Russia to reduce the number of strategic nuclear weapons both hold by up to a third. Speaking in front of Berlin's iconic Brandenburg Gate during a visit to the German capital, Obama said he was confident the US could maintain its security while reducing its nuclear capacity by a third. He also called for ...

Afghanistan to shun US peace talks with Taliban

Wed, 19 Jun 2013 17:23:12 -0400

KABUL - An angry Afghan President Hamid Karzai said Wednesday his government would not join US peace talks with the Taliban "until the peace process is totally under Afghan control." He also suspended talks with the US to discuss the nature of US military presence after international troops withdraw in 2014. A spokesman for President Hamid Karzai said the decision was taken over ...

Kim Jong-un on 'luxury yacht' in North Korea

Wed, 19 Jun 2013 17:35:12 -0400

SEOUL, South Korea - North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has used a luxury boat to tour the country's east coast amid indications that the 90-feet-long yacht may have been smuggled into the country in defiance of UN sanctions that bans importing of luxury items to the impoverished country. A website that tracks events in the reclusive state said the yacht, a Princess 95MY made by British-based ...

Eight UN aid workers among 15 dead in Somalia militant attack

Wed, 19 Jun 2013 17:34:40 -0400

MOGADISHU, Somalia - At least 15 people, including some United Nations workers, were killed Wednesday when a UN compound in the Somali capital came under a bomb and gun attack by Islamist militants of an Al Qaeda-linked group, a minister said. Interior Minister Abdikarim Hussein Guled in a hurriedly called press conference said that the eight slain UN workers included four foreigners working ...

Obama wife and daughters take walk in Wicklow Mountains National Park

Wed, 19 Jun 2013 02:20:02 -0400

US first lady Michelle Obama and daughters Malia and Sasha Tuesday wrapped up their brief visit to Ireland with a private guided tour of Wicklow Mountains National Park. Michelle Obama and the girls have been taking in the sights as President Barack Obama meets with other world leaders at the G8 summit in neighbouring Northern Ireland. Malia, 14, and Sasha, 12, listened attentively Tuesday ...

Surveillance stopped at least 50 terror attacks, says NSA director

Wed, 19 Jun 2013 17:28:19 -0400

WASHINGTON - The controversial US snooping of foreign emails and telephone calls has prevented more than 50 potential terrorist attacks in at least 20 countries, the director of the National Security Agency (NSA) has said in defending the surveillance programme. The targets include the New York Stock Exchange and other important installations across the world, General Keith Alexander said ...

Dumb and Dumber sequel gets green signal

Thu, 20 Jun 2013 05:00:02 -0400

The sequel to 1994 film "Dumb and Dumber" is back on track and it will be filmed this summer. Actors Jim Carrey and Jeff Daniels will be seen in their roles as hapless heroes Lloyd Christmas and Harry Dunne in the sequel after the project was passed on to Universal Studios, reports contactmusic.com. "Dumb and Dumber" directors Peter and Bobby Farrelly have also been confirmed to direct the ...

Narine holds on to number one spot in ODI rankings

Thu, 20 Jun 2013 05:00:01 -0400

West Indies off spinner Sunil Narine has maintained his number one position in the ODI bowling rankings. After taking five wickets in three games (Ave: 26.0, Econ: 4.81) at the Champions Trophy, Narine remained on 764 points. But distance was created between himself and the man whose number one position he had earlier dislodged, Pakistani Saeed Ajmal, who dropped 27 points to 729 to join ...

Dynamo Kiev signs Dutch international Lens

Thu, 20 Jun 2013 04:50:02 -0400

Ukrainian football club Dynamo Kiev has signed Dutch international striker Jeremain Lens from PSV Eindhoven. "The transfer to Dynamo is a step forward in my career," Lens was quoted by Dynamo's press-service as saying, reports Xinhua. The 25-year-old will play for Dynamo on a four-year deal, the press-service said, without disclosing details regarding the transfer fee. The local and Dutch ...

400 Nepalis stranded in Uttarakhand

Thu, 20 Jun 2013 04:50:01 -0400

At least 400 Nepalis, on pilgrimage to the Badrinath and Kedarnath shrines, are stranded in the Indian state of Uttarakhand due to torrential rains and landslides, Nepal's leading English daily the Kathmandu Post reported Thursday. Quoting Padam Prasad Subedi, who is based in the state's Haridwar town, the newspaper said there has been no contact with the Nepali pilgrims. "Those who were in ...

Dolce and Gabbana founders sentenced to jail

Thu, 20 Jun 2013 04:40:02 -0400

Fashion designers Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana have been sentenced to 20 months jail after they were convicted of tax evasion. Dolce and Gabbana, whose clients include Beyonce Knowles and Madonna, were found guilty of failing to declare $1.3 billion in income to tax authorities, reports contactmusic.com. The fashion gurus were previously hit with a $440 million fine by Italy's Tax ...

Injury concerns force Blake to withdraw from Nationals

Thu, 20 Jun 2013 04:40:02 -0400

Injury concerns have forced double Olympic silver medallist Yohan Blake to pull out of the Jamaica National Senior Championship scheduled to begin on Thursday. Manager Cubie Seegobin says the Jamaican sprinter has not fully recovered from a hamstring injury he suffered in April to run the 200m rounds this week. "Yohan Blake has withdrawn from the National Championships," Seegobin confirmed ...

Early childhood diet linked to heart condition

Thu, 20 Jun 2013 04:20:12 -0400

Researchers in Canada have observed that a child's diet at the age of three could determine its risk of heart disease as an adult. In a study, the researchers found that the effects of unhealthy eating commence at an early age, with the tell-tale signs of cholesterol noticeable in children aged between three and five, Daily Mail reported. According to the researchers, from St Michael's Hospital ...

39 killed in Nepal floods landslides

Thu, 20 Jun 2013 04:20:05 -0400

At least 39 people were killed and 18 went missing in the recent floods and landslides in Nepal, authorities said Thursday. At least half a dozen were injured in the disaster triggered by incessant rains, said Nepal's Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA). Ministry spokesperson Shanker Prasad Koirala told IANS that according to the data available until Thursday morning, at least 39 people have lost ...

When Kunis spurned Brands advances

Thu, 20 Jun 2013 03:20:02 -0400

British comedian Russel Brand says that actress Mila Kunis turned down his advances because she was in a relationship with Macaulay Culkin. Brand and Kunis worked together in a 2008 film "Forgetting Sarah Marshall" and Kunis was then in a relationship with the "Home Alone" star. "I was chatting her up, and got the conversation around to, 'Have you got a boyfriend?' and she went, 'Yeah'. So you ...

Chinas manufacturing activity at nine-month low HSBC

Thu, 20 Jun 2013 03:10:02 -0400

China's manufacturing activities fell to a nine-month low this month, according to a preliminary survey from HSBC. The HSBC Flash Manufacturing Purchasing Managers' Index (PMI) for June fell to 48.3, the lowest level since October and down from 49.2 in May, according to figures released by HSBC Thursday. An index reading above 50 indicates expansion, while a reading below 50 means contraction. ...

Drought slows New Zealand economic growth

Thu, 20 Jun 2013 03:10:01 -0400

New Zealand's economy grew by 0.3 percent in the March quarter, with the nationwide summer drought offsetting the effects of the reconstruction of the earthquake-battered Canterbury region, the government statistics agency reported Thursday. The "modest growth" in GDP followed a rise of 1.5 percent in the December 2012 quarter, said a statement from Statistics New Zealand. "The Canterbury ...

Rafale deal is progressing not bogged down Indian minister

Thu, 20 Jun 2013 03:00:01 -0400

The $10.4 billion contract for 126 multi-role medium range combat aircraft that India has awarded to French aircraft maker Dassault for its Rafale aircraft has not got bogged down in any controversy nor were certain issues holding it up, Minister of State for Defence Jitendra Singh has said. "It is not stuck anywhere. It is the biggest deal of its kind in the world and, of course, a very complex ...

Airbus Boeing compete for mega deals at Paris Air Show

Thu, 20 Jun 2013 02:40:02 -0400

Two world aviation industry giants, Airbus and Boeing, are engaged in fierce commercial battles for winning big orders for their long-haul airplanes at the 2013 International Paris Air Show. As the leading European aircraft manufacturer, Airbus Wednesday announced that Air France-KLM has ordered 25 Airbus A350 planes at list prices of $7.2 billion with an option for 25 additional aircraft, ...

The Sopranos actor James Gandolfini dead

Thu, 20 Jun 2013 02:40:02 -0400

Actor James Gandolfini, known playing the central character in popular TV series "The Sopranos", is no more. He was 51. Gandolfini, who breathed his last Wednesday, is suspected to have died of a heart attack. He was in Italy on a family holiday and was scheduled to attend the Taormina Film Festival, reports thesun.co.uk. Mourning the actor's death, actor Joseph R. Gannascoli, who played Vito ...

Robbers dressed as rabbis hit Argentine bank

Thu, 20 Jun 2013 02:40:02 -0400

Three robbers, two of whom were dressed as Orthodox Jewish rabbis and the third as a security guard, Wednesday held up a Buenos Aires bank and fled with the contents of several safety deposit boxes, police said. The robbery was carried out early in the morning in the Villa Urquiza neighbourhood when the bank was full of customers waiting in line to conduct their financial business. The three ...

Childs IQ linked to early weight gain

Thu, 20 Jun 2013 02:40:01 -0400

A new research in Australia has suggested how much weight a baby gains during its first month could determine its intelligence quotient (IQ). After studying 13,800 children born at full-term, researchers at the University of Adelaide, said children who gain more weight, and whose heads grow quickly, during the first month of life tend to have a higher IQ when they start school, Daily Mail ...

An eye for an eye Pakistani daily after funeral bombing

Thu, 20 Jun 2013 02:40:01 -0400

Terrorists need to be answered in the same language they have long employed, "the language of force", said a Pakistani daily following a suicide blast at a funeral in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa that killed 35 people, including a legislator. The suicide blast at a funeral in Shergarh, Mardan, Tuesday killed independent member of the provincial assembly (MPA) Imran Mohmand, who was targeted, and 34 ...

Video shows Mexican politician accepting wads of money

Thu, 20 Jun 2013 02:40:01 -0400

Mexican television aired Wednesday a video showing Cancun Mayor Julian Ricalde Magaa accepting cash-filled envelopes. The images surfaced less than three weeks ahead of the July 7 mayoral election in the Caribbean resort city. Ricalde is barred from seeking a second consecutive term, but his PRD party does have a candidate in the race. On the video, which dates from 2010, then-mayor-elect ...

Puerto Rico hopes to net $100 mn from tax amnesty

Thu, 20 Jun 2013 02:30:02 -0400

The Puerto Rican government expects to net around $100 million from a tax amnesty that expires June 30, Treasury Secretary Melba Acosta said Wednesday. There are many tax debtors who have the chance to get up to date with the tax office, she said in a statement on WKAQ radio. "These debtors have the opportunity to get up to date without paying interest," Acosta said, though adding that after ...

Havent seen any UFOs says Chinese astronaut

Thu, 20 Jun 2013 02:30:02 -0400

A female Chinese astronaut Thursday said from space that she and her crewmates haven't seen any UFOs during the trip. Female astronaut Wang Yaping, one of the three crew members of Shenzhou-10 spacecraft, greeted about 330 primary and middle school students at a Beijing high school through a live video feed system, about 340 km above the Earth, reported Xinhua. "Through the front windows, we ...

Mexican police nab one of FBIs 10 most wanted

Thu, 20 Jun 2013 02:10:02 -0400

Police at the Mexican sea resort of Playa del Carmen arrested one of the FBI's Ten Most Wanted Fugitives, a former college professor accused of sexually exploiting children. Walter Lee Williams, 64, was nabbed around 8.30 p.m. Tuesday in a coffee shop near a public park, Quintana Roo state Attorney General Gaspar Armando Garcia Torres said during a press conference in Cancun. "At present we ...

Pope John Paul II closer to sainthood after second miracle approved

Thu, 20 Jun 2013 02:00:07 -0400

Late Pope John Paul II has been confirmed to be steps away from 'sainthood' after his second miracle for a Costa Rican woman who was suffering from severe brain injury was approved by commission of theologians. According to New York Daily News, if the church approves the late Pope's miracle, it could lead him to 'sainthood' faster than anyone else in the history. The woman's family has claimed ...

Vast Mayan city discovered in Mexico jungle

Thu, 20 Jun 2013 01:50:01 -0400

Archaeologists have discovered a previously unknown Mayan city in the southeastern state of Campeche, which for its vastness and characteristics is believed to have been a seat of government some 1,400 years ago. A team of experts headed by Slovenian archaeologist Ivan Sprajc has christened the site Chactun, Mexico's National Institute of Anthropology and History, or INAH, said. "It is one of ...

Bolivia Venezuela collaborate in search for oil

Thu, 20 Jun 2013 01:40:01 -0400

Petroandina, a 60/40 joint venture of Bolivian state oil company YPFB and Venezuelan counterpart PDVSA, will invest an additional $35 million this year in a search for oil and gas in La Paz province. That investment will bring to $151 million the total amount devoted to the Lliquimuni project since the beginning of 2011, YPFB said. Lliquimuni, located in northern La Paz province, may hold as ...

10-year-old prodigy to enter Harvard this fall

Thu, 20 Jun 2013 01:30:02 -0400

He's only 10-years old but thanks to an IQ similar to Albert Einstein's, Luis Roberto Ramirez will begin the next school year studying applied quantum physics at Harvard University. "My dream is to create a company and sell my inventions," the boy said on a video aired by the Michoacan Radio and Television System. Ramirez, who lives in Zamora, Michoacan, taught himself English at 5 and is now ...

Brad Pitt to open Moscow film fest with `World War Z

Thu, 20 Jun 2013 01:00:01 -0400

Brad Pitt will open the 35th Moscow International Film Festival with the apocalyptic movie "World War Z", recently premiered in New York. Pitt, making his first visit to the Russian capital, will be the center of attention on the red carpet of the Oktiabr Theater Thursday. The actor will arrive in Moscow without partner Angelina Jolie, who was with Pitt, however, at the London premiere of the ...

Flydubai launches business class service

Thu, 20 Jun 2013 00:50:02 -0400

Dubai-based Flydubai airline Wednesday announced launch of business class services, based on its passengers' feedback from across its network of 60 destinations. "The introduction of Business Class will provide greater choice for our passengers, who will have access to faster check-in services, comfortable and spacious seating and can enjoy a variety of internationally -inspired menus during ...

Katie Price having difficult pregnancy

Thu, 20 Jun 2013 00:00:01 -0400

Model Katie Price says she is going through a "difficult" pregnancy as certain things have gone "wrong". The 35-year-old is already mother to 11-year-old son Harvey from her relationship with Dwight Yorke. She even has son Junior, seven, and daughter Princess Tiaamii, five, with ex-husband Peter Andre. And now she is expecting her fourth child this year with husband Kieran Hayler. She admits ...

Daniel Radcliffe wants to be a Bond villain

Wed, 19 Jun 2013 23:40:01 -0400

"Harry Potter" star Daniel Radcliff wants to play a villain in the popular James Bond film franchise. The 23-year-old feels he doesn't have the charm to play James Bond, a fictional, suave British Secret Service agent. The character is essayed by Daniel Craig on screen. "I would make a much better villain than Bond - I am not nearly strapping enough to play Bond"" contactmusic.com quoted ...

Russell Crowe to direct his first feature film

Wed, 19 Jun 2013 23:30:01 -0400

Actor Russell Crowe is set to director his first feature film. The project is set in the aftermath of World War I. The 49-year-old's directorial project is titled "The Water Diviner". It is set in 1919, reports contactmusic.com. The movie tells the story of an Australian man who travels to Turkey looking for his two sons who went missing during the Battle of Gallipoli. Crowe, who recently ...

Johnny Depp opens up about vision problem

Wed, 19 Jun 2013 23:00:01 -0400

Actor Johnny Depp, who often sports tinted glasses, has revealed he has been "basically blind as a bat" in his left eye. He ha said he suffers the problem since birth. He is also near-sighted in his right eye and says he relies heavily on his prescription spectacles for his vision. "Everything is just very, very blurry. I've never had proper vision," thesun.co.uk quoted the 50-year-old as ...

US condemns attack on UN office in Somalia

Wed, 19 Jun 2013 22:50:01 -0400

White House Wednesday strongly condemned the "despicable" attack on the UN office in Somalia. "Today's attack highlights the repugnant terrorist tactics al- Shabaab continues to use to stand in the way of efforts to ease the suffering of the Somali people," reported Xinhua citing White House National Security Council Spokesperson Caitlin Hayden in a statement. he statement came after suicide ...

US Japan South Korea urge meaningful denuclearisation

Wed, 19 Jun 2013 21:20:02 -0400

The US, Japan and South Korea Wednesday called for "meaningful" steps on denuclearisation by Pyongyang in exchange for better ties with them, Xinhua reported. After their envoys concluded a trilateral meeting here on issues related to North Korea, the three countries said: "We agreed a path is open for the DPRK (North Korea) toward improved relations with the United States, Japan and the ROK ...

Now a coat named after Duchess of Cambridge

Wed, 19 Jun 2013 21:20:01 -0400

Designer label MaxMara has named a coat after the Duchess of Cambridge after the royal wore one of their designs during an official visit in 2012. The Italian haute couture brand has paid tribute to Duchess Catherine by naming one of their outerwear pieces, The Kate, reports contactmusic.com. The Duchess, who is just weeks away from giving birth to her first child with Prince William, wore the ...

UAEs efforts to preserve environment exemplary says daily

Wed, 19 Jun 2013 21:20:01 -0400

Environment related authorities in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) have not been resting on their laurels since receiving an acknowledgment from the World Wildlife Fund in 2010, a UAE daily has reported. The UAE authorities in charge of tacking environmental issues were recognised as number one in the world in terms of having the biggest ecological footprint. "Proactivity has been their hallmark ...

Zimbabwean president rivals favour delaying polls

Wed, 19 Jun 2013 20:40:02 -0400

Zimbabwean president and his main political rivals in the coalition government have agreed to file an application at the Constitutional Court, seeking extention of the general elections' date beyond July 31, 2013. The three leaders -- President Robert Mugabe, Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai, and Industry and Commerce Minister Welshman Ncube -- met Wednesday at the State House and gave consent ...

30 killed as bus plunges into Peru ravine

Wed, 19 Jun 2013 20:40:02 -0400

At least 30 people were killed Wednesday when a passenger bus fell off 100 metres into a ravine in Peru's Chanchamayo province, Xinhua reported. The bus, with 54 passengers on board, was heading to Satipon town from capital Lima during pre-dawn hours just when it plunged into a ravine after the driver lost control of the vehicle. The accident occurred near the so- called Tunnel of the Virgin, ...

Kerry calls Karzai over Taliban office issue

Wed, 19 Jun 2013 18:50:01 -0400

US Secretary of State John Kerry called up Afghan President Hamid Karzai in a bid to defuse tensions over opening of a Taliban office in Qatar, an Afghan spokesperson said Wednesday. Washington and Kabul had disagreed over the new Taliban office in Qatari capital city of Doha. Karzai is now expected to continue security talks with the US, which he had suspended in protest over the office, BBC ...

12 rhino poachers jailed in Nepal

Wed, 19 Jun 2013 18:00:01 -0400

Twelve poachers of the one-horned rhinos have been sentenced to a jail term, ranging between 10 -15 years, and fined in Nepal. Authorities at the Chitwan National Park said the convicts, who were from a nearby Nawalparasi district, were also ordered to pay fine amounting from $550 -$1,100 each, Xinhua reported. The one-horned rhino is an endangered species, protected in Chitwan, a place some ...

Liv Tyler to make TV debut

Wed, 19 Jun 2013 17:20:01 -0400

Actress Liv Tyler will be seen on the small screen with Justin Theroux in an adaptation of the 2011 novel "The Leftovers". The "Armageddon" star is said to play a key role in the TV version of Tom Perrotta's book, reports dailystar.co.uk. The show will air on cable and satellite television network ...

Rihanna disappoints fans

Wed, 19 Jun 2013 16:30:01 -0400

Pop star Rihanna left her fans upset after she reportedly turned up late by two hours for a gig in Birmingham. Her fans are said to have accused her of drugs. The singer was said to be partying with actress-model Cara Delevingne. "60 pounds a ticket and @rihanna turns up late, druggie bh." a fan posted on a social networking site, reports dailystar.co.uk. Another disappointed fan Maria Nichol ...

President Xi Obama summit was very successful China

Wed, 19 Jun 2013 16:30:01 -0400

The first summit between President Xi Jingping and his US counterpart Barack Obama held earlier this month proved very successful, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said Wednesday. During a telephonic conversation Wednesday with US Secretary of State John Kerry, the Chinese foreign minister also said that President Xi and Obama during the summit in California agreed to build a new model of ...

Sri Lanka are a dangerous side Dhoni

Wed, 19 Jun 2013 14:20:01 -0400

India captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni said Wednesday that Sri Lanka were a dangerous side and it was not possible to focus only on their two frontline batsmen " Mahela Jayawardene or a Kumar Sangakkara" during the semi-final of the ICC Champions Trophy slated for Thursday. "Sri Lanka are a dangerous squad. We just can`t focus on a Mahela (Jayawardene) or a (Kumar) Sangakkara. We have to think of ...

One killed 150 injured in China restaurant blasts

Wed, 19 Jun 2013 13:40:01 -0400

A series of blasts ripped through a restaurant in China's Shanxi province Wednesday night, killing one person and injuring over 150 others, officials said. The incident took place in a two-storey building housing the restaurant in Shuozhou city, Xinhua reported. Among the 156 injured, dozens are fire fighters who were at the scene when the final blast occurred. Three fire-fighting trucks were ...

Two killed in shooting at Slovenia kindergarten

Wed, 19 Jun 2013 13:30:01 -0400

In probably the first of its kind incident in Slovenia, a woman employee at a kindergarten was shot dead Wednesday by a man who later committed suicide, media reports said. No children were injured in the incident. The incident took place near Domzale town, some 10 km from the capital city of Ljubljana, Xinhua reported citing local media. The woman, an employee in the Rodica kindergarten, was ...

China holds talks with North Korea

Wed, 19 Jun 2013 13:20:01 -0400

China and North Korea Wednesday held a "strategic dialogue" on denuclearisation on the Korean Peninsula. Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Zhang Yesui met his North Korean counterpart Kim Kye Gwan, and told him that it was in the interest of all parties concerned to realise denuclearisation on the peninsula, safeguard its peace and stability and resolve all relevant issues through dialogue and ...

Champions Trophy scoreboard England vs South Africa Semi-final

Wed, 19 Jun 2013 12:40:02 -0400

The following is the scoreboard of the Champions Trophy semi-final between England and South Africa at The Oval here Wednesday. South Africa Colin Ingram lbw Anderson 0 Hashim Amla c Buttler b Finn 1 Robin Peterson lbw Anderson 30 Faf du Plessis c Buttler b Tredwell 26 A.B. de Villiers c Buttler b Broad 0 Jean Paul Duminy b Tredwell 3 David Miller not out 56 Ryan McLaren run out (Trott) ...

England enter final with emphatic win over South Africa

Wed, 19 Jun 2013 12:30:01 -0400

England entered their second Champions Trophy final steam-rolling South Africa in the tournament's first semifinal match at the Kennington Oval here Wednesday. Jonathan Trott (82 not out) and Joe Root (48) guided England past South Africa's 175 in 37.3 overs after their bowlers put up an all-round show with Stuart Broad and James Tredwell striking thrice. Earlier, the Proteas were 80 for eight ...

Obama proposes further US Russian nuclear arms cut

Wed, 19 Jun 2013 12:30:01 -0400

US President Barack Obama, currently on an official visit to Berlin, Wednesday proposed plans for America and Russia to further cut their strategic nuclear warheads. During a speech at the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin, Obama renewed his call to reduce the world's nuclear stockpiles, and said the US would ultimately strive toward eliminating nuclear weapons, Xinhua reported. "After a comprehensive ...

Rescue chopper crashes in Nepal one killed

Wed, 19 Jun 2013 11:30:01 -0400

At least one person was killed and three others were injured Wednesday when a chopper, sent for rescuing people affected by landslides and floods, crashed on the banks of the Karnali river on the Nepal-Tibet border, officials said. The ill-fated helicopter with six people onboard crashed on the banks of the river in Humla district, the district administrative office said. Three people were ...

Late pope John Paul II may be made saint

Wed, 19 Jun 2013 10:50:01 -0400

Late pope John Paul II could be made a saint, after theologians from the Vatican's Congregation for the Causes of Saints reportedly approved his second miracle. The Vatican is currently keeping the miracle a closely guarded secret, but like John Paul II's first miracle, it is said to concern a woman and will "amaze the world", an unnamed Vatican source told Italian media. Once canonisation for ...

Karzai to boycott talks with Taliban

Wed, 19 Jun 2013 10:30:02 -0400

The Afghan government will not take part in peace talks with the Taliban unless the process is "Afghan-led", President Hamid Karzai said Wednesday, a day after the US said it would talk with the Taliban in their new office in Qatar. Karzai said the opening of the Taliban office contradicted earlier US security guarantees to his government, BBC reported. He said that in protest he would suspend ...

US man wanted for child sex abuse held in Mexico

Wed, 19 Jun 2013 10:30:01 -0400

A former college professor in the US who was on the FBI's "10 most wanted" list over allegations of child sex abuse has been arrested in Mexico, officials said. Walter Lee Williams was detained Tuesday, CNN reported. The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) had put the former university professor on the list for alleged sexual exploitation of children. Williams researched in the field of ...

Shuttler Sai Praneeth upsets second seed in Singapore

Wed, 19 Jun 2013 10:20:01 -0400

After sending Taufik Hidayat into retirement, India's B. Sai Praneeth caused another big upset by defeating second seed Yun Hu of Hong Kong in the men's singles first round of the Singapore Open Super Series here Wednesday. The 20-year-old Sai, ranked 61 in the world, thrashed World No.4 Hu 21-9, 21-10 in exactly half an hour at the Singapore Indoor Stadium to level his head-to-head to 1-all. ...

Pasha-like people should be kept out of army Pak minister

Wed, 19 Jun 2013 10:10:01 -0400

Pakistan's Interior Minister Nisar Ali Khan has said that people like former Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) director-general Ahmed Shuja Pasha should be kept out of the country's army. Nisar said that though Chief of Army Staff Ashfaq Parvez Kayani has kept away from politics, "we need to purge the army and its leadership of such people (like Gen Pasha)", The News International reported ...

Raja-Sharan qualify for Wimbledon main draw

Wed, 19 Jun 2013 10:00:01 -0400

Indian tennis pair Purav Raja and Divij Sharan qualified for the men's doubles main draw of Wimbledon here Wednesday. The Indians, seeded fourth in the qualifiers, were given a walkover by Austrian-Czech duo of Andreas Haider-Maurer and Jiri Vesely in the second and final qualifying round of their category. Raja and Sharan are one of the four qualifying men's doubles team in the only grass ...

US women in all combat units by 2016 Pentagon

Wed, 19 Jun 2013 09:50:02 -0400

American women will be fully integrated into frontline and special combat roles, including elite forces such as Army Rangers and Navy SEALs, by January 2016, the Pentagon has said. More than 200,000 women are in the active-duty military, representing about 14.5 percent of the overall force, according to Pentagon figures. Most serve in the army. While air force, army, navy, Marine and special ...

Obama refuses to specify US support for Syrian rebels

Wed, 19 Jun 2013 09:50:01 -0400

US President Barack Obama, currently on a visit to Berlin, Wednesday refused to specify what military support America was providing rebels in Syria. Obama, however, reiterated that the Syrian government forces had used chemical weapons in the civil war, Xinhua reported. "I cannot and will not comment on specifics on our programmes related to the Syrian opposition," Obama said at a press ...

Paes-Stepanek seeded fourth at Wimbledon

Wed, 19 Jun 2013 09:40:02 -0400

Veteran Indian tennis player Leander Paes, who turned 40 on June 17, has been seeded fourth with Czech partner Radek Stepanek in the men's doubles competition at Wimbledon which starts Monday. Another veteran Mahesh Bhupathi with Austrian Julian Knowle has been seeded eighth while Rohan Bopanna, with Frenchman Edouard Roger-Vasselin, has been seeded 14th. In the women's doubles category, Sania ...

Obama defends US internet surveillance

Wed, 19 Jun 2013 09:40:02 -0400

US President Barack Obama, currently on a trip to Berlin, Wednesday defended the country's internet surveillance programmes, saying that lives have been saved and threats averted thanks to the monitored information. At least 50 threats, both in the US and countries including Germany, have been averted because of information the National Security Agency (NSA) was able to access, Obama said during ...

5000 Indian expats in Saudi Arabia get new jobs

Wed, 19 Jun 2013 09:20:02 -0400

Around 5,000 expatriate Indians in Saudi Arabia, affected by a new labour policy in the Gulf nation, have found new jobs, the Indian consul general in Jeddah said. Consul General Faiz Ahmed Kidwai said the consulate's various pro-active measures have helped these Indians rectify their residency status and get new jobs, Arab News reported Wednesday. Indian expatriates were badly hit by the new ...

Over 8000 held for food crimes in China

Wed, 19 Jun 2013 09:20:02 -0400

More than 8,200 people have been arrested in China since a crackdown on food safety crimes was launched in January, authorities said Wednesday. The ministry of public security said police uncovered more than 4,500 cases involving food safety offences and closed about 6,300 workshops and markets that produced or sold illegal food products. Police confiscated more than 150,000 illegal products, ...

Nepal-Africa film festival opens with Earth Anthem

Wed, 19 Jun 2013 09:20:02 -0400

The third edition of the Nepal-Africa Film Festival opened with the screening of "Earth Anthem", a short film written, produced and directed by Indian poet-diplomat Abhay K. The screening of the 2.5-minute-long film was held Wednesday at the Russian Cultural Centre in the Nepal capital. It was attended by celebrities of the Nepalese film industry. The "Earth Anthem", originally a poem written ...

South Africa skittled out for 175 against England

Wed, 19 Jun 2013 09:10:01 -0400

South Africa riding on crucial knocks from David Miller and Rory Kleinveldt posted 175 all out in 38.4 overs against England in the first semifinal of the Champions Trophy at The Oval here Wednesday. Miller (56 not out) and Kleinveldt (43) shared a superb 95-run stand for the ninth wicket after South Africa were reduced to 80 for eight. Spinner James Tredwell was the pick of the bowlers, ...

India to have equal opportunity commission

Wed, 19 Jun 2013 09:00:02 -0400

A high-level Indian delegation led by Minister for Minority Affairs K. Rahman Khan met senior British ministers and officials to formulate the framework of an equal opportunity commission for India. Minister Khan and his delegation, that included Joint Secretary Y P Singh, met Eric Pickles, secretary of state for communities and local government, Baroness O'Neill of Bengarve, chair of the ...

Assange to stay in Ecuador embassy even if charges are dropped

Wed, 19 Jun 2013 09:00:01 -0400

WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange has vowed to remain in the Ecuadorian embassy in London even if accusations of sex crimes are dropped, BBC reported Wednesday. Assange entered the embassy last June last year when his appeal against his extradition to Sweden for questioning was turned down. The WikiLeaks founder has always denied the charges. Assange told journalists at the embassy in ...

Sri Lankans will target Indian bowling Jayasuriya

Wed, 19 Jun 2013 08:40:02 -0400

Former captain Sanath Jayasuriya said Sri Lanka will target the Indian bowlers during the Champions Trophy semifinal slated for Thursday at the Sophia Gardens here. "Their (India) bowling isn't the best, so we need to have a very good plan. The goal was to make the semifinals. Anything can happen now," Jayasuriya told the BBC. Jayasuriya, who led Sri Lanka when it shared the Champions Trophy ...

Slip into slip dress for night out

Wed, 19 Jun 2013 08:40:02 -0400

Slip dress, a sleeveless dress with narrow straps, is usually worn by women as innerwear, but the same can now be flaunted at parties too. Fashion designer Nicole Richie was spotted at one of the recent awards in a metallic bronze slip dress. To complement her look, she wore a red matt lipstick, chose bronze colour to do up her eyes and slicked back her hair. Femalefirst.co.uk picked out few ...

Dads rely on Google to solve childrens problems Survey

Wed, 19 Jun 2013 08:40:01 -0400

What do dads do when their children approach them for help or for advice? They go to Google for answers to their kids' query or problems, reveals a new research. The survey conducted by Plusnet reveals that 67 percent of children said they go to their dads for help and advice and 63 percent of dads will then go to Google to find the answer for them, reports femalefirst.co.uk. Fathers mostly ...

Clapping is a contagious chain reaction

Wed, 19 Jun 2013 08:30:01 -0400

The amount of applause an audience gives after a performance is a "contagious" chain reaction where people are influenced by one another, and do not depend on the quality of the performance, a Swedish study has found. Scientists from the University of Uppsala have found that it takes a few people to start clapping for the applause to spread through a group, BBC reported. It similarly takes just ...

Bharti Airtel to invest $125 mn in Gabon

Wed, 19 Jun 2013 08:20:01 -0400

India's Bharti Airtel will invest $125 million more in Gabon to develop the communications network in the central African country. The company announced the investment on the sidelines of "The New York Forum Africa 2013" event here Wednesday. Bharti will use the money to expand third-generation and fourth-generation telecommunications networks and on some social programmes in the country, Manoj ...

Radioactive element found in groundwater near Japan n-plant

Wed, 19 Jun 2013 08:10:01 -0400

High levels of a toxic radioactive isotope have been found in groundwater near the tsunami-hit Fukushima nuclear plant in Japan, the plant operator said Wednesday. The Tokyo Electric Power Company (Tepco) said tests showed Strontium-90 was present at 30 times the legal rate, BBC reported. The radioactive isotope tritium was also detected at elevated levels. The nuclear plant was crippled by ...

Mandela spends 12th day in hospital

Wed, 19 Jun 2013 08:00:01 -0400

Anti-apartheid icon and South Africa's first black president Nelson Mandela Wednesday spent his 12th day in hospital -- with no official update about his condition. Mandela is receiving treatment at the Mediclinic Heart Hospital in Pretoria, Xinhua reported. The latest news about Mandela's health came from his daughter Zenani Mandela-Dlamini, who had said Monday that the former president "is ...

Duo plead not guilty to murdering Indian in New Zealand

Wed, 19 Jun 2013 07:50:01 -0400

Two men accused of murdering an Indian-origin man in New Zealand in January have pleaded not guilty and are now headed for trial. Bryne Pelmar, 20, and Shivneel Shahil Kumar, 18, have been charged with burning alive 21-year-old Shalvin Prasad Jan 30 in south Auckland. The two appeared in the Auckland High Court Wednesday and pleaded not guilty to the charge, media reports said. Both the ...

Alcohol more dangerous than weed Miley Cyrus

Wed, 19 Jun 2013 07:20:01 -0400

Singer Miley Cyrus defends her decision to smoke weed saying it is far less dangerous than alcohol. The 20-year-old, who landed in hot water in 2010 when she was caught on film allegedly smoking pot from a bong, also joked that she smoked too much weed after receiving a Bob Marley cake for her 19th birthday, reports contactmusic.com. When asked if she is a "stoner", she said: "You can't ask ...

Afghans break off talks with US on security deal

Wed, 19 Jun 2013 07:20:01 -0400

The Afghan government Wednesday said it has suspended talks with the US on the proposed security agreement, saying America has a contradictory stance over the peace process in the country. "The ongoing fourth round of talks between Afghanistan and the US on the security agreement is suspended. The decision was taken because of US inconsistency in statements and actions in regard to the Afghan ...

80 Sri Lankans held while trying to migrate to Australia

Wed, 19 Jun 2013 07:10:01 -0400

At least 80 Sri Lankans were detained by the navy Wednesday for attempting to illegally migrate to Australia, the navy said. The trawler in which the detainees were travelling was intercepted by the navy. They were handed over to police for investigation, Xinhua reported. On May 30, as many as 52 Sri Lankans were detained, and later handed over to the Criminal Investigation Department. The ...

Australian charged in attack on Indian restaurateur

Wed, 19 Jun 2013 06:50:01 -0400

Police in Australia charged a man Wednesday in connection with a vicious gang attack on the owner of an Indian restaurateur earlier this month. The 19-year-old man handed himself in to the police in connection with the attack on Himanshu Goyal, 22, while he was closing his restaurant in Bridge Mall at Ballarat in the Australian state of Victoria June 7, according to media reports. The eight ...

Its burning hot in wettest place on Planet Earth

Wed, 19 Jun 2013 05:50:01 -0400

It has been raining cats and dogs in India's northern states, but Cherrapunjee (renamed Sohra) - known as one of the wettest places on the earth - nestled in the abode of clouds in Meghalaya in is "burning hot" at over 28 degrees Celsius! Residents of the hilltop in northeastern India say their heavenly abode is hotter and drier than ever before - due to global warming. "Sohra has been burning ...

Weekend lie-in can prevent diabetes

Wed, 19 Jun 2013 05:20:01 -0400

If you happen to be one of those who prefer staying asleep up till late on the weekend, you could be actually doing a great service to your health, suggests an Australian study. The study found sleeping longer at the weekend can help those who burn the candle at both ends during the working week. Insulin in the body worked better after a weekend of lie-ins - especially for those lacking in ...

Injury forces Venus out of Wimbledon

Wed, 19 Jun 2013 05:10:01 -0400

Five-time champion Venus Williams announced that she has withdrawn from Wimbledon due to injury. Williams, who has fallen to 34th in the world rankings, posted on her Facebook page that an injury will keep her out of competition until next month, reports Xinhua. "Unfortunately, I will not be able to participate in Wimbledon this year. I am extremely disappointed as I have always loved the ...

Johnny Depp not retiring from Hollywood

Wed, 19 Jun 2013 05:00:02 -0400

Though he thinks about retiring from Hollywood everyday, actor Johnny Depp reveals he has no such immediate plans because his brain "on idle is a bad thing". "I think while I've got the opportunity, the desire and the creative spark to do the things that I can do right now, I should do them. And then, at a certain point, just take it down to the bare minimum and concentrate on, I guess, living ...

Bradley Cooper voted man with sexiest hair

Wed, 19 Jun 2013 05:00:02 -0400

"Hangover" star Bradley Cooper has been voted 'the man with the sexiest hair' in a survey carried out by hair brand Fudge. He has beaten Canadian actor Ryan Gosling and footballer David Beckham to secure the top position, reports contactmusic.com. The 38-year-old star was previously named the world' Sexiest Man Alive by People magazine editors. Prince Harry and One Direction's Harry Styles ...

Kim West babys birth video not for reality show

Wed, 19 Jun 2013 05:00:02 -0400

Socialite Kim Kardashian and her rapper-boyfriend Kanye West allowed Kim's mother Kris Jenner to film the birth of their first child with a home video camera, but only for family viewing. West refused to allow cameras for her series "Keeping Up with the Kardashians" to record any footage in the hospital about the arrival of their baby girl who was born five weeks premature at Cedars-Sinai ...

Sienna Millers laid-back personality affects style

Wed, 19 Jun 2013 04:50:02 -0400

Actress Sienna Miller says that she has such a laid-back personality that even if she wears suits, she looks like a hippy. "I suppose I am inherently bohemian in terms of the way I am as a person, and I definitely went through a hippy phase with my style. But I think it's more about the way my personality is than the way I dress," femalefirst.co.uk quoted the 31-year-old as saying. "Now I'm a ...

Scientists discover new TB drug

Wed, 19 Jun 2013 04:50:02 -0400

Scientists have hit upon a novel drug that attacks the tuberculosis bacteria, a finding that could prove to be an effective tool in treating the dreaded disease, says a study. The researchers at the New Jersey Medical School of University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey (UMDNJ) discovered the drug that cripples the TB bug by dissolving its protective fatty coating, a finding that could ...

Kim-Kanyes daughter name decided

Wed, 19 Jun 2013 04:50:01 -0400

Socialite Kim Kardashian and boyfriend Kanye West have reportedly decided to call their new-born daughter Kaidence Donda West. The couple welcomed their first child June 15. The news is said to be leaked out by a nurse, who works at Cedars Sinai hospital where Kim gave birth to the child five weeks early, reports thesun.co.uk. The baby's middle name is tribute to Kanye's late mother ...

Breakup with Paradis was unpleasant says Depp

Wed, 19 Jun 2013 04:50:01 -0400

Actor Johnny Depp has spoken about his breakup with Vanessa Paradis, revealing separation decision was tough for all of them. The duo were in a relationship for 14 years and have two children Lily-Rose and son Jack. They ended their relationship last year and Depp says it was tough for the family to deal with it, reports radaronline.com. "At times, certainly unpleasant, but that's the nature of ...

Helen Mirren new face of Marksamp Spencer

Wed, 19 Jun 2013 04:40:01 -0400

Award-winning actress Dame Helen Mirren is said to be the new face of lifestyle and fashion brand, Marks amp; Spencer. The 67-year-old was spotted shooting for brand's new ad campaign at London's St Katharine's Docks, here, Sunday, alongside TV personality Katie Piper, who is also believed to be starring in the advertisement, reports femalefirst.co.uk. It would be the first fashion campaign for ...

Max George single ready to mingle

Wed, 19 Jun 2013 04:40:01 -0400

Singer Max George says he has moved on from his past relationship and is ready to mingle again. The 24-year-old was engaged to actress Michelle Keegan for almost two years, but they ended their relationship in April 2012. However, George, member of The Wanted band, now wants to enjoy life, reports thesun.co.uk. "I do fancy seeing someone else now. My last relationship, it was with a very ...

Smith to lead Australia A in Africa

Wed, 19 Jun 2013 04:40:01 -0400

Cricket Australia's (CA) National Selection Panel (NSP) Wednesday named a 15-man squad for Australia A's tour to Africa in July and August. All-rounder Steve Smith will lead the side, and right-hand bat Aaron Finch has been named as his deputy. The side will play three four-day matches against Zimbabwe and South Africa A in July before the tri-series involving South Africa A and India A in ...

Australian cricketers to train on Thames

Wed, 19 Jun 2013 04:30:01 -0400

Australian cricketers will participate in a unique training session on the Thames river here for a promotional event. The cricket pitch will be positioned on a barge in front of the iconic Tower Bridge. Skipper Michael Clarke, Shane Watson, Chris Rogers, James Faulkner and Mitchell Starc will come together on the floating pitch for a brief session to prepare for the Ashes, which starts July ...

Sri Lankan media code threatens free speech

Wed, 19 Jun 2013 04:30:01 -0400

A new media code proposed by the Sri Lankan government contains overbroad and vague language that could have a severe and chilling effect on free speech, Human Rights Watch said Wednesday. On June 17, the mass media and information ministry officially proposed a Code of Media Ethics that would apply to print and electronic media, including the Internet. The proposed code comes at a time when ...

Four killed 21 injured Iraq attacks

Wed, 19 Jun 2013 19:40:01 -0400

At least four people were killed and 21 wounded in separate incidents of shooting and bomb attacks in Iraq Wednesday, the police said. Three people were killed and 15 injured in a roadside bomb explosion at a popular football field at a village near Maqdadiyah city, some 100 km from Baghdad, reported Xinhua citing a local police source. In another incident, an Iraqi army colonel was shot dead ...

Mandela International Day launched

Wed, 19 Jun 2013 12:10:02 -0400

The UN and the Nelson Mandela Centre of Memory (NMCM) Wednesday launched the Mandela International Day, even as the anti-apartheid icon spent his 12th day in hospital for a recurring lung problem. Wednesday's event marked the official launch of programmes to celebrate Mandela's 95th birthday July 18, Xinhua reported. July 18 was endorsed in 2009 by the UN General Assembly as Nelson Mandela ...

Hamas holds talks to stop being listed as terror group

Wed, 19 Jun 2013 12:10:01 -0400

The Islamic Hamas movement has been holding meetings with foreign officials in a bid to get its name erased from the list of international terrorist organisations, a Hamas official said Wednesday. The US, several European countries and Israel have classified the Hamas movement, which has ruled the Gaza Strip since June 2007, as a terrorist organisation. A series of meetings with European ...

NRI lawyer wins Iran bank case in British Supreme Court

Wed, 19 Jun 2013 11:50:02 -0400

Mumbai-born Parsi lawyer Sarosh Zaiwala Wednesday notched a remarkable success in a bank case in the British Supreme Court, with major ramifications on the international banking system, an official said. By the court verdict, the British government's sanctions on Iran's largest private bank, Bank Mellat, were lifted after the its security service's "Secret Court" failed to produce significant ...

UN headquarters in Somalia attacked

Wed, 19 Jun 2013 09:20:02 -0400

An attacker Wednesday blew himself up at the entrance to the UN headquarters in the Somali capital of Mogadishu, CNN reported. Others wearing suicide vests entered the UN compound and a gunfight ensued, said police officer Hussein Ahmed. The compound had now been secured and was in the hands of African Union troops, according to the official Twitter account of the African Union Mission to ...

South Korean president visits Indian book pavilion

Wed, 19 Jun 2013 07:30:01 -0400

South Korean President Park Geun-hye Wednesday toured the Indian pavilion at an international book fair here in which India is participating as the guest of honour for the first time. She toured the Indian pavilion at the Seoul International Book Fair, spending close to 10 minutes there, said an embassy press release. It was followed by a brief interaction when Minister of State for Human ...

Palestinians should have a state as a right Blair

Wed, 19 Jun 2013 07:00:01 -0400

Palestinians "should have a state, not as a reward for good behaviour but as a right", Tony Blair, the official envoy of the Middle East Quartet, said Wednesday. Blair cautioned Israeli leaders that the "window of opportunity" for peace with the Palestinians might close shortly, Xinhua reported. "Some say the two-state solution is a fantasy. The fantasy is thinking one-state is sustainable or ...

Li Na enters second round at Eastbourne

Wed, 19 Jun 2013 05:10:01 -0400

Second seed Li Na of China defeated French woman Alize Cornet 6-2, 6-4 to reach the second round of the Aegon International here. Li, French Open champion two years ago but beaten in the second round at Roland Garros earlier this month, will next take on former champion Marion Bartoli of France, reports Xinhua. Fifth seed Caroline Wozniacki, the former World No.1, led Tamira Paszek 6-2, 2-2 ...

Veronica Campbell-Brown denies knowingly taking drug

Wed, 19 Jun 2013 04:20:01 -0400

Olympic and World Champion Veronica Campbell-Brown has denied knowingly taking a banned substance Lasix, which also goes by the name Furosemide. Brown's first public reaction came in the form of a statement released by her On Track Management (OTM) group following reports that she has tested positive for the banned drug. The OTM statement says Brown is determined to clear her name and included ...

Mueller cautions lawmakers on NSA

Thu, 20 Jun 2013 04:12:15 -0400

WASHINGTON - FBI Director Robert S. Mueller III on Wednesday urged Congress to move carefully before making any changes that might restrict the National Security Agency programs for mass collection of people's phone records and information from the Internet. In an appearance before the Senate Judiciary Committee, the FBI director said there were 10 or 12 cases in which the phone records ...

Frederick Douglass presides in Capitol

Thu, 20 Jun 2013 04:12:13 -0400

WASHINGTON - Frederick Douglass, prominent abolitionist, writer and orator, now towers over a podium in the U.S. Capitol, a speech curled passionately in his hand. Vice President Biden, House Speaker John A. Boehner, and several key members of Congress sat next to the likeness during a Wednesday ceremony in Emancipation Hall that unveiled the 7-foot bronze statue of a man who escaped the bounds ...

U.S. tries to reassure Afghan president

Thu, 20 Jun 2013 04:12:11 -0400

Afghan President Hamid Karzai was "justifiably" upset, according to U.S. administration officials. Washington intends to go ahead with Taliban talks. RAHMAT GUL / ...

Obama urges cuts in nuclear warheads

Thu, 20 Jun 2013 04:12:09 -0400

President Obama and Chancellor Angela Merkel at the Brandenburg Gate. Decrying complacency, he said: "People often come together in places like this to remember history, not to make ...

New probe asked over 1996 crash

Thu, 20 Jun 2013 04:12:07 -0400

The reconstructed fuselage of TWA Flight 800 is seen in Calverton, N.Y., in 1997. The National Transportation Safety Board concluded that the crash was caused by a center fuel tank ...

As deadline looms student-loan compromise taking shape

Thu, 20 Jun 2013 04:12:05 -0400

WASHINGTON - Students applying for financial aid for the coming school year could find some comfort in a bipartisan student-loan compromise taking shape in the Senate that would prevent interest rates from doubling and set a single rate each year for undergraduate students, rich or poor. Interest rates, which would be tied to the financial markets, would rise slightly to 3.8 percent for ...

Eisenhower memorial park gets go-ahead

Thu, 20 Jun 2013 04:12:02 -0400

WASHINGTON - A federal commission charged with building a national memorial honoring President Dwight D. Eisenhower voted unanimously Wednesday to approve architect Frank Gehry's design for a park near the National Mall, allowing the project to move forward over the objections of Eisenhower's family. Gehry, whose Los Angeles-based firm was selected for the project in 2009, presented ...

IRS draws fire over bonuses

Thu, 20 Jun 2013 04:12:00 -0400

Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, ranking Republican on the Senate Judiciary Committee speaks on Capitol Hill in Washington. Grassley says the Internal Revenue Service is about to pay $70 million in employee bonuses despite an Obama administration directive to cancel discretionary bonuses. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn ...

No avoiding controversy with World Food Prize

Thu, 20 Jun 2013 04:11:58 -0400

DES MOINES, Iowa - The World Food Prize Foundation on Wednesday took the bold step of awarding this year's prize to three pioneers of plant biotechnology whose work brought the world genetically modified crops. The private nonprofit foundation, which is in part funded by biotechnology companies, refused to shy away from the controversy surrounding genetically modified crops that ...

U.S. destroying war equipment ahead of Afghan exit

Thu, 20 Jun 2013 04:11:57 -0400

NATO solders move toward helicopters after a ceremony at a military academy on the outskirts of Kabul, Afghanistan. Afghan forces have taken over the lead from the U.S.-led NATO coalition for security nationwide, Afghanistan President Hamid Karzai announced in the significant milestone in the 12-year war. (AP Photo/Rahmat ...

Tributes to genius Gandolfini

Thu, 20 Jun 2013 04:06:36 -0400

Tributes have poured in for James Gandolfini, the American actor best known for his role as the mob boss in The Sopranos, who died on Wednesday at the age of ...

UNESCO lists 6 Syrian heritage sites as endangered

Thu, 20 Jun 2013 04:01:48 -0400

UNESCO on Thursday added six ancient sites in Syria to the endangered World Heritage list, warning that more than two years of civil war had inflicted heavy ...

Senators closing in on border security compromise

Thu, 20 Jun 2013 03:57:08 -0400

Revenue Service, illegal immigration, and the Obama administration, in Washington. After secretive talks, key senators expressed optimism Wednesday night that they were closing in on a bipartisan agreement to toughen the border security requirements in immigration legislation that also offers a path to citizenship to millions living in the country illegally. (AP Photo/J. Scott ...

Rescue bid after India landslides

Thu, 20 Jun 2013 03:56:42 -0400

Rescuers in India are using helicopters and climbing through mountain paths to reach nearly 4,000 people trapped by landslides in a narrow valley near a Hindu shrine in the northern ...

Kate Prank Call Station Breached Licence

Thu, 20 Jun 2013 03:54:29 -0400

Australia's media watchdog has found the radio station at the centre of a prank call targeting Prince William's pregnant wife Kate in breach of its broadcasting licence. The Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) has been ...

Iraqis vote in 2 Sunni-dominated provinces

Thu, 20 Jun 2013 03:51:49 -0400

BAGHDAD (AP) -- Iraqis in two Sunni-dominated provinces where provincial elections had been delayed over security concerns were casting ballots Thursday amid tight security measures aimed at thwarting insurgent ...

Analysis Obama prods gets share of pushback

Thu, 20 Jun 2013 03:51:49 -0400

WASHINGTON (AP) -- Over the past two weeks, President Barack Obama has argued with Chinese President Xi Jinping over cybersecurity, consulted with world leaders over Syria and trade, declared his desire to reduce U.S. and Russian nuclear weapons, and embraced the uncertain steps toward reconciliation in ...

Sony chief says time needed to study Daniel Loeb proposal

Thu, 20 Jun 2013 03:47:02 -0400

Sony needs more time to consider a proposal to spin off a part of its entertainment unit as a way to propel its fledgling revival, the chief executive has told shareholders.Kazuo Hirai spoke to thousands of investors at an annual general meeting at Tokyo hall, where the proposal from the Third Point hedge fund, led by activist investor and billionaire Daniel Loeb, was the first question from the ...

A tour round an endangered wildlife market in Indonesia – in pictures

Thu, 20 Jun 2013 03:47:01 -0400

Got a spare $200? That's all you need to pick up an orphaned, caged orangutan at this market in Aceh, Sumatra. For three years the market has openly traded endangered species such as sun bears and pangolins, in conditions so bad that some animals die of ...

Yemens displaced families yearn for home – video

Thu, 20 Jun 2013 03:46:59 -0400

Conflict in the Houthi-controlled areas of north-west Yemen has been devastating for Qasim and his family, who now live in a camp for internally displaced people. About 300,000 people have been displaced and are struggling to cope with water shortages and poor services. Authorities are encouraging people to go home, but renewed fighting, damaged houses and the lack of opportunities are a ...

Tony Abbott defends calling Sayed Adbellatif a convicted jihadi terrorist

Thu, 20 Jun 2013 03:46:58 -0400

Tony Abbott has defended his handling of the case involving Sayed Abdellatif, the Egyptian asylum seeker he branded a "convicted jihadist terrorist", in his first public comments on the matter since an investigation by ...

AP EXCLUSIVE Taliban offer to free US soldier

Thu, 20 Jun 2013 03:32:31 -0400

ISLAMABAD, Pakistan (AP) -- The Afghan Taliban say they are ready to hand over a U.S. soldier held captive since 2009 in exchange for five of their senior operatives being held at the Guantanamo Bay ...

AP PHOTOS Bangladesh collapse left many amputees

Thu, 20 Jun 2013 03:00:38 -0400

SAVAR, Bangladesh -- It was the worst disaster in the history of the garment industry. When the Rana Plaza factory building crashed down in April, 1,129 people were killed. But many others had to sacrifice their limbs to survive.Arms and legs were trapped under the building rubble, forcing rescuers with no medical training to perform amputations on the spot to free the victims. No anesthesia was ...

Singapore shrouded in fire smog

Thu, 20 Jun 2013 02:57:50 -0400

Officials in Singapore are urging people to remain indoors amid unprecedented levels of air pollution after a smoky haze caused by forest fires in neighbouring Indonesia worsened ...

James Gandolfini master Soprano dies of suspected heart attack in Italy

Thu, 20 Jun 2013 02:57:25 -0400

James Gandolfini at the Toronto film festival in 2006. The star of television series The Sopranos has died suddenly aged 51. Photograph: Warren ...

In northern Iraqi city al-Qaida gathers strength

Thu, 20 Jun 2013 02:48:20 -0400

View Photo Associated Press - FILE - in this file photo taken on Jan. 16, 2012 Iraqi security forces inspect the scene of a car bomb attack outside the northern city of Mosul, 225 miles (360 kilometers) northwest of ...

Pele mocked on social media over appeal to end Brazil protests

Thu, 20 Jun 2013 02:48:03 -0400

Brazilian football legend Pele at an event earlier this month in Rio de Janeiro marking one year to kick-off for the 2014 World Cup. Photograph: Ronald Martinez/Getty ...

Afghanistan threatens to boycott US-backed peace talks in anger at Talibans Qatar office

Thu, 20 Jun 2013 02:44:10 -0400

The United States was racing to gather up the pieces of its always fragile relationship with President Hamid Karzai of Afghanistan after he broke off security talks with Washington and denounced plans for the start of peace negotiations with the ...

China astronauts float water blob in kids lecture

Thu, 20 Jun 2013 02:43:08 -0400

BEIJING (AP) -- Astronauts struck floating martial arts poses, twirled gyroscopes and manipulated wobbling globes of water during a lecture Thursday from China's orbiting space station that's part of efforts to popularize the space program among young ...

India floods strand thousands more than 100 dead

Thu, 20 Jun 2013 02:43:07 -0400

LUCKNOW, India (AP) -- Days after floods killed more than 100 people - possibly many more - Indian officials say rescuers are using helicopters and climbing through mountain paths to reach nearly 4,000 people trapped by landslides in a narrow valley near a Hindu shrine in the northern ...

G8 pledges on trade where have we heard it all before | Ruth Bergan

Thu, 20 Jun 2013 02:38:26 -0400

Doha trade talks in order to drive growth and raised living standards. They sought to create markets, increase trade in services and improve infrastructure and customs to make cross-border trade easier.Those of you with a long memory will have spotted that the above commitments come not from this ...

Hundreds of young scholars are being held hostage by the Greek state | Varvara Trachana and Stelios Gialis

Thu, 20 Jun 2013 02:38:25 -0400

The Greek government's accession to EU and IMF demands to curtail public spending has left young researchers out in the cold. Photograph: AFP/Getty ...

James Gandolfini stars react to his death

Thu, 20 Jun 2013 02:38:24 -0400

Link to video: James Gandolfini, star of The Sopranos, dies in Italy James Gandolfini's fans and colleagues shared reaction to his death Wednesday in Italy. He was 51."He was a genius. Anyone who saw him even in the smallest of his performances knows that. He is one of the greatest actors of this or any time. A great deal of that genius resided in those sad eyes. He was my partner. ...

Diplomacy demands Abbott put Indonesia trip on standby

Thu, 20 Jun 2013 02:38:23 -0400

Julie Bishop has indicated.In a recent interview with Guardian Australia, Bishop said that, given Australia would hold the council's rotating presidency when the UN's annual "leaders week" starts on 16 September, there was a strong expectation that whoever was elected prime minister on 14 September should attend."I have spoken to other foreign ministers about it and they ...

Swiss parliament blocks bill on easing bank secrecy

Thu, 20 Jun 2013 02:36:42 -0400

The Swiss parliament has effectively killed off a bill designed to sidestep secrecy laws to allow banks to release clients’ details. The lower house voted two-to-one against a debate even though the upper house backed it. The Swiss government warned that without the law banks may be sued by US authorities chasing wealthy American tax ...

Dolce and Gabbana punished for tax avoidance

Thu, 20 Jun 2013 02:36:41 -0400

Fashion designers Dolce and Gabbana have been given 20 month jail terms and heavy fines for tax avoidance by a court in Milan. The sentences are suspended pending an appeal. The duo contest the verdict. It is claimed they sold their brand to a holding company in Luxembourg to hide hundreds of millions of euros from Italian ...

Italy knock out Japan in Confederations Cup

Thu, 20 Jun 2013 02:36:40 -0400

Italy join Brazil in the semi finals of the Confederations Cup after knocking out Japan. Substitute Sebastian Giovinco tapped in a late goal to secure Italy a 4-3 win . Japan might be out but their quick passing style of play will make them a crown pleaser at next year’s World Cup, for which they have already ...

Sopranos star James Gandolfini dies aged 51

Thu, 20 Jun 2013 02:36:40 -0400

Three-times Emmy award winning actor James Gandolfini has died of a possible heart attack while on holiday in Rome at the age of 51. He was best known for his portrayal of a New Jersey mafia boss juggling his criminal career and family life in the acclaimed television series ';The Sopranos';. Since ';The Sopranos'; ended in 2007 a colleague said of Gandolfini, ';he ...

Greek coalition to resume crisis talks over state broadcaster

Thu, 20 Jun 2013 02:36:40 -0400

ERT , but will continue talks later today. With Prime Minister Antonis Samaras at odds with the Socialist Pasok and Democratic Left parties, snap election remains a possibility. After a court ruling ordering the TV station back on air, the parties must agree on what form that will take. Reporting for euronews in Athens, Stamatis Giannisis said: ';This was the second in a row fruitless ...

Obama trip to Berlin style over substance

Thu, 20 Jun 2013 02:36:39 -0400

Barack Obama’s first trip to Berlin as president was portrayed as a visit between friends. Both country’s leading families appeared to get along well – even the rarely seen husband of Chancellor Angela Merkel joined in. Using the anniversary of ...

Bulgarias government u-turns but fails to stem protests

Thu, 20 Jun 2013 02:36:38 -0400

Thousands of people demonstrated in the Bulgarian capital Sofia against the the three-week old government of Prime Minister Plamen Oresharski. The unrest was initially sparked by the appointment of Delyan Peevski as head of the security service – a 32 year-old with no security experience, but powerful family connections according to local media. Parliament voted on June 16 to dismiss ...

Czech Republic could appoint its first woman as PM

Thu, 20 Jun 2013 02:36:37 -0400

The Czech Republic’s ruling party, has proposed the popular lower house speaker Miroslava Nemcova to become the country’s first woman prime minister. Her possible appointment follows the resignation of premier Petr Necas in a corruption scandal. But the political crisis is far from over. The centre-right Civic Democrats need the support of their coalition partners and at least one ...

Syria war gives US-Jordan war games a sharp edge

Thu, 20 Jun 2013 02:36:37 -0400

The US and Jordan have ended annual joint military exercises in the Arab country, with the drills taking on heightened significance due to the war raging in neighbouring Syria. The US is reportedly increasing its military presence in Jordan. Earlier this month it said it would deploy Patriot anti-aircraft missiles and F-16 fighter jets there, drawing swift criticism from Moscow. Nineteen Arab ...

Militants storm United Nations compound in Somalia 20 killed

Thu, 20 Jun 2013 02:27:54 -0400

Somali soldiers walk through rubble after insurgents blasted into the U.N. compound in Mogadishu. IPTC: Somali National Government (SNG) soldiers are pictured after Al-Qaeda linked Shebab insurgents shot and blasted their way into the United Nations (UN) compound in Mogadishu on June 19, 2013. It is the most serious attack on the UN in the troubled country in recent years. Three foreigners and at ...

Singapore haze at worst yet Malaysia schools shut

Thu, 20 Jun 2013 02:24:27 -0400

SINGAPORE (AP) -- Singapore urged people to remain indoors amid unprecedented levels of air pollution Thursday as a smoky haze wrought by forest fires in neighboring Indonesia worsened dramatically. Nearby Malaysia closed 200 schools and banned open burning in some ...

Experts Trifecta of elements says no ...

Thu, 20 Jun 2013 02:20:54 -0400

>Editor's note: Note language in story(CNN) -- A documentary on the 1996 explosion that brought down TWA Flight 800 offers "solid proof that there was an external detonation," its co-producer said Wednesday. "Of course, everyone knows about the eyewitness statements, but we also have corroborating information from the radar data, and the radar data shows a(n) asymmetric explosion coming out of ...

Tributes to genius Gandolfini

Thu, 20 Jun 2013 01:46:33 -0400

Tributes have poured in for James Gandolfini, the American actor best known for his role as the mob boss in The Sopranos, who died on Wednesday at the age of ...

Panic over MERS virus fades in Saudi Arabia

Thu, 20 Jun 2013 01:42:06 -0400

People in Saudi Arabia's Eastern Province have again started greeting friends with the traditional kiss on the cheek, and face masks in public are becoming rarer, as panic subsides over the outbreak of a deadly respiratory disease that hit the country last ...

US Postpones Taliban Talks Amid Karzai Fury

Thu, 20 Jun 2013 01:32:28 -0400

Talks between the US and the Taliban aimed at ending the Afghan war have been delayed for several days following anger from President Hamid ...

Owen Paterson UK must become global leaders on GM crops

Thu, 20 Jun 2013 01:25:22 -0400

genetically modified crops , which he will say will reduce fertiliser and chemical use and improve efficiency.Paterson's strongest speech yet in favour of the controversial practice is expected to make both a moral and economic case for them to be grown widely both in Britain and in developing countries."While the rest of the world is ploughing ahead and reaping the benefits of new ...

Men built X-ray gun to shoot Israel opponents – FBI

Thu, 20 Jun 2013 01:25:04 -0400

Israel .An indictment charges 49-year-old Glendon Scott Crawford and 54-year-old Eric J Feight with conspiracy to provide support to terrorists with the weapon.Investigators have said Crawford approached Jewish organisations in 2012 looking for funding and people to help him with technology that could be used to surreptitiously deliver damaging and even lethal doses of radiation against those he ...

Banning ‘likely to offend’ road names is fun-spoiling officiousness | Gary Nunn

Thu, 20 Jun 2013 01:25:03 -0400

Titswobble Road. You don’t get more wonderfully speak-as-I-find descriptive than that in naming a particularly rocky outback street. But if the Geographical Names Board gets its heavy-handed way, the name will be banned for being "likely to offend" under ...

Mysterious new MERS virus spreads easily deadlier than SARS

Thu, 20 Jun 2013 01:24:49 -0400

UNDATED: This electron microscope image made availalbe by the National Institute of Allergy and Infections Diseases - Rocky Mountain Laboratories shows novel coronavirus particles, also known as the MERS virus, colorized in ...

Istanbul memorials and vigils honour anti-government protesters

Thu, 20 Jun 2013 01:23:25 -0400

In Istanbul’s Galata Square, just a kilometre from Taksim Square, a group of residents gathered to leave pairs of shoes – memorials to those who suffered during weeks of anti-government protests this month. Four people died during the unrest, which was characterised by fierce demonstrations and clashes with police using water cannon and tear gas. Thousands of people were injured. ...

Film TWA 800 crash was no accident

Thu, 20 Jun 2013 00:59:21 -0400

TWA Flight 800

Thu, 20 Jun 2013 00:59:21 -0400

TWA Flight 800

Thu, 20 Jun 2013 00:59:21 -0400

China Manufacturing Contracts to Lowest Level in 9 Months

Thu, 20 Jun 2013 00:58:05 -0400

HONG KONG ...

Cops Teen on bicycle struck by car in Lindenhurst

Thu, 20 Jun 2013 00:42:41 -0400

Traffic map, cameras A teenage bicyclist was seriously injured when he was struck by a vehicle in Lindenhurst Wednesday afternoon, Suffolk police said.Joseph Calabrese, 16, of Lindenhurst, was hit at 4:47 p.m. by a 2010 Volkswagen Routan at the intersection of West Hoffman and South Wellwood avenues, police said. He was taken to Good Samaritan Hospital Medical Center in West Islip.Calabrese was ...

China jails Uighurs for online extremism

Thu, 20 Jun 2013 00:38:50 -0400

Xinjiang have sentenced 19 ethnic Uighurs to up to six years in jail for promoting racial hatred and religious extremism online, in the latest crackdown on what China sees as violent separatists.All but one of those jailed were from the heavily Uighur southern part of Xinjiang, including eight from the old Silk Road city of Kashgar, the Justice Ministry's official newspaper Legal Daily ...

NHS Cover-Up Staff Could Be Named

Thu, 20 Jun 2013 00:27:03 -0400

A decision not to name those accused of covering-up failures by an NHS watchdog to properly investigate baby deaths could be reversed. The Care Quality Commission has been accused of destroying an internal report into maternity units that were part of University Hospitals of Morecambe Bay NHS Trust. An independent investigation - leaked on Wednesday - found the CQC failed to properly ...

Jill Meaghers husband killers rape sentence too lenient

Thu, 20 Jun 2013 00:19:36 -0400

The family of Jill Meagher, (left to right) mother, Edith McKeon, brother Michael McKeon, husband, Tom Meagher, and her father, George McKeon, leave the supreme court. Photograph: DAVID ...

2Day FM contests media watchdog investigation into prank call incident

Thu, 20 Jun 2013 00:19:34 -0400

2Day FM presenters Michael Christian and Mel Greig were at the centre of a prank call which led to a nurse's suicide. Photograph: Channel Nine/AFP/Getty ...

LI needs more walkable urban spaces expert

Wed, 19 Jun 2013 23:37:43 -0400

Photo credit: Daniel Brennan | Caron Washington of the Urban League of Long Island Young Professionals speaks to an audience of business leaders and planners during the Destination Long Island Leadership Summit at the Marriott Residence Inn in Plainview. (June 19, ...

Tributes to genius Gandolfini

Wed, 19 Jun 2013 23:34:30 -0400

Tributes have poured in for James Gandolfini, the American actor best known for his role as the mob boss in The Sopranos, who died on Wednesday at the age of ...

13-year-old boy charged over wrestling death of his sister

Wed, 19 Jun 2013 23:34:24 -0400

A 13-year-old boy has been charged with second-degree murder over the death of his five-year-old half-sister after investigators said he told them he repeatedly struck her with wrestling moves imitated from ...

Brazil fare hikes rolled back in victory for protests

Wed, 19 Jun 2013 23:30:00 -0400

Brazil's two biggest cities rolled back transit fare hikes that had triggered massive protests as demonstrators clashed with police outside a Confederations Cup ...

Tributes to genius Gandolfini

Wed, 19 Jun 2013 23:24:35 -0400

Tributes have poured in for James Gandolfini, the American actor best known for his role as the mob boss in The Sopranos, who died on Wednesday at the age of ...

Jury Selection Reaches Final Stages in Trayvon Martin Murder Case

Wed, 19 Jun 2013 23:17:31 -0400

SANFORD, Fla. ...

I know why asylum seekers come by boat - I was one of them | Hussein

Wed, 19 Jun 2013 23:14:18 -0400

We asked each other what we imagined Australia would be like, to keep spirits high as we drifted aimlessly in the ocean. "I hear Australians are nice ... they like human rights, and they respect everyone." "Australia has every religion and every ethnicity, so people can be whatever they like." "No one cares what our faces looks like. They won’t care that we are ...

Polyamory Bernardi and more news The Mini Roast - video

Wed, 19 Jun 2013 23:14:16 -0400

On the Mini Roast today: Cory Bernardi tries to link same-sex marriage to bestiality again, and a study shows over half of Australian TV is news reporting - the rest is news ...

Australian dollar hits 33-month low

Wed, 19 Jun 2013 23:14:15 -0400

The Australian dollar is out of favour with currency traders after spending much of this year above parity with the greenback. Photograph: Sukree ...

North Korea repeats offer for international talks over its nuclear program

Wed, 19 Jun 2013 22:38:34 -0400

A top North Korean diplomat repeated an offer for international talks over his country's disputed nuclear programme during a meeting in China on Wednesday, saying the denuclearisation of the peninsula was the "dying wish" of North Korea's founder. The Beijing trip by First Vice Foreign Minister Kim Kye-gwan comes just days after North Korea offered talks with the United ...

Italy edge spirited Japan to seal final-four spot

Wed, 19 Jun 2013 22:26:07 -0400

Second-half substitute Sebastian Giovinco scored a dramatic 86th-minute winner on Wednesday as Italy defeated Japan 4-3 in a pulsating Confederations Cup Group A match.The result secured Italy and Brazil a place in the semifinals while eliminating Japan and Mexico from the tournament, considered a warmup event for next year's World Cup.CSKA Moscow midfielder Keisuke Honda and Manchester ...

Mentally Ill Locked Up In Police Custody

Wed, 19 Jun 2013 22:21:04 -0400

Too many people suffering from mental health issues are being locked up in police custody rather than being protected in hospitals, a joint inspection has found. Police have powers to take individuals suffering from mental health issues in a public place to a "place of safety" for their protection. But guidance states that in all but "exceptional" circumstances this should ...

GM Crops Safe And Beneficial Says Minister

Wed, 19 Jun 2013 22:21:03 -0400

Environment Secretary Owen Paterson is to call on the Government, scientists and industry leaders to join forces to allay the public's fears on the use of genetically modified (GM) crops. In a speech later he will say that they "owe a duty to the British public to reassure them that GM is a safe, proven and beneficial innovation" for farmers and consumers. Mr Paterson, who has ...

One-Sided Bill on Asbestos Injuries

Wed, 19 Jun 2013 22:20:30 -0400

Republicans rammed a bill through the House Judiciary Committee last month that would make it harder for plaintiffs injured by asbestos to get fair compensation. The bill is supposedly designed to root out fraud and abuse, but there is no persuasive evidence of any significant fraud or abuse. Before plunging ahead with this misguided attempt to protect asbestos companies from lawsuits, Congress ...

Poor White Children Failed By Schools

Wed, 19 Jun 2013 22:15:41 -0400

Disadvantaged white children are being failed by the education system, according to the chief inspector of schools. Ofsted's Sir Michael Wilshaw will make a major speech saying more needs to be done to help what he calls "unseen children" from poorer backgrounds. He says the problem has shifted from deprived inner cities - with improvements needed in seaside resorts, rural ...

Opera House anniversary strengthens Danish-Australian ties

Wed, 19 Jun 2013 22:08:13 -0400

Denmark's Crown Prince Frederik and his Australian wife, Crown Princess Mary, are to be the patrons of the Sydney Opera House's 40th anniversary celebrations in October.The Opera House's chief executive, Louise Herron, said the couple embodied Danish-Australian collaboration, which had also been behind the landmark building, designed by Danish architect Jrn Utzon."The building ...

Gillards trip to Indonesia and gay marriage - parliamentary video highlights

Wed, 19 Jun 2013 22:08:12 -0400

Labor's Craig Emerson, the Liberal Scott Morrison, Greens Christine Milne and Adam Band, Nationals senator Barnaby Joyce and Democratic Labor party man John Madigan discuss the prime minister's visit to Indonesia, asylum seeker policy and gay marriage ...

Religion and sexuality shouldnt compete against each other | Senthorun Raj

Wed, 19 Jun 2013 22:08:11 -0400

Public discussions of religion and homosexuality provoke intense moral and political anxieties. In fact, "gays v God" is a popular theme that seeps into TV shows, novels, and even legislation. Such a dichotomy, however, is unhelpful. Presenting faith and (homo)sexuality as sparring partners in some ill-defined boxing match erases the fact that the two are often intimately woven ...

Protesters out again in Brazilian citiesScattered street demonstrations popped up around Brazil Wednesday as protesters continued their collective cry against the low-quality public services they receive in exchange for high taxes and rising prices.

Wed, 19 Jun 2013 21:55:23 -0400

SAO PAULO: Scattered street demonstrations popped up around Brazil Wednesday as protesters continued their collective cry against the low-quality public services they receive in exchange for high taxes and rising prices. In one of several protests, about 200 people blocked ...

Dotcom in tears after Megaupload files deleted

Wed, 19 Jun 2013 21:29:40 -0400

Megaupload founder Kim Dotcom said Thursday he was "in tears" after a European company deleted all the data it was hosting from his shuttered file-sharing site.Netherlands-based LeaseWeb announced it had deleted all Megaupload files from 630 servers.LeaseWeb said in a statement it hosted the data for over a year at its own expense without receiving any requests to access it or retain it ...