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Twister that hit Oklahoma caused $2 bn in damage

Wed, 22 May 2013 17:06:51 -0400

MOORE, Oklahoma - Rescue workers were combing through the battered remains of buildings left behind in the path of the gigantic tornado that killed two dozen people, including nine children, in Oklahoma on Monday. Officials say the search for survivors is nearly over as efforts turn towards recovery. Gary Bird, fire chief of the badly hit Moore suburb, said he was "98% sure" there were no ...

FBI kill Florida man known to Boston bombing suspects

Wed, 22 May 2013 16:03:15 -0400

MIAMI - A man known to the Boston Marathon bombers was shot and killed Wednesday by an Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) agent after he turned violent during questioning, the investigating agency said. The Orlando Sentinel newspaper identified the man as Ibragim Todashev, 27. He was killed in the early morning incident in Orlando, Florida. The FBI said the shooting occurred in Orlando, ...

US Senate panel clears key immigration reform bill

Wed, 22 May 2013 16:00:41 -0400

WASHINGTON - A US Senate panel has cleared a proposed legislation that relaxes restrictions on IT companies to hire foreign techies, thus clearing one of the major hurdles to ushering changes in American immigration law in a generation. The Senate Judiciary Committee approved the bill after its authors won a bipartisan support with three Republicans joining 10 Democrats in the 18-member ...

Iran allows eight candidates for presidential race

Wed, 22 May 2013 16:00:52 -0400

TEHRAN - Iran has approved eight candidates for the presidential election due next month, rejecting President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's top aide in a major setback to the hawkish leader of the Islamic republic. Ahmadinejad criticised the decision to remove Esfandiar Rahim Mashaei from the final candidate list and said it was an act of "oppression". He announced plans to take up the case with ...

North Korean special envoy visits China to win confidence

Wed, 22 May 2013 15:56:15 -0400

PYONGYANG, North Korea - In an indication that North Korea may give diplomacy a chance to end regional tension, its leader Kim Jong Un Wednesday sent a special envoy to China to win the confidence of its most important ally. The trip by Vice Marshal Choe Ryong Hae, a senior Workers' Party official and the military's top political officer, comes after months of ignoring Chinese warnings to give ...

Russell Brand kissed Sheridan Smith

Thu, 23 May 2013 16:20:01 -0400

Actor-comedian Russell Brand was reportedly spotted kissing actress Sheridan Smith after a recent show here. The BAFTA winning actress was also said to be spotted hanging out with Brand at a food festival last week. However, she has denied having any romantic link with the actor. "Just had dinner with lovely friends. And yes they're wrong yet again. He's one of my best mates," Smith posted on ...

Eva Longoria gets her Masters degree

Thu, 23 May 2013 16:20:01 -0400

Actress Eva Longoria gladly flaunted a graduation gown after picking her Master's degree from the California State University. The 39-year-old star qualified in Chicano studies from the university. The "Desperate Housewives" star took to Twitter to share her joy, and wrote: "Big day today! Very excited to graduate for my Master's degree in Chicano Studies! You're never too old or too busy to ...

Obama to curtail drones in focused war on terror

Thu, 23 May 2013 15:40:01 -0400

Making a shift from a boundless "global war on terror", US President Barack Obama Thursday announced a new counter-terrorism policy narrowing the use of drones that has put it at odds with key allies like Pakistan. "Today, the core of Al Qaeda in Afghanistan and Pakistan is on a path to defeat. Their remaining operatives spend more time thinking about their own safety than plotting against us," ...

Senate confirms Chandigarh-born as top US judge

Thu, 23 May 2013 15:40:01 -0400

Chandigarh-born Indian-American legal luminary Srikanth 'Sri' Srinivasan made history Thursday as the US Senate confirmed his nomination as a top US judge in a 97 to 0 vote. Srinivasan, 46, currently principal deputy solicitor general of the US, would be the first judge of South Asian descent on the powerful appeals court for the American capital, often called the nation's second-highest court. ...

UAE issues stamp to commemorate satellite

Thu, 23 May 2013 15:30:02 -0400

Emirates Post has issued a stamp to showcase the UAE's achievement in the field of science and technology, and to commemorate the "Y1A", the first multipurpose satellite by Yahsat. The satellite, a milestone for the nation, is designed to provide advanced satellite services to Europe, the Middle East, Africa, Central and South West Asia. The stamp is available in a denomination of four dirhams, ...

Bid to smuggle African ivory foiled in Dubai

Thu, 23 May 2013 15:30:01 -0400

Dubai Customs has foiled a bid to smuggle 259 pieces of ivory that arrived from Africa at its Jebel Ali Customs Centre. The ivory items fall under the endangered fauna and flora category, in which international trade is prohibited by the CITES Convention. Dubai Customs inspectors seized the shipment "using advanced inspection techniques", an official said. "The smugglers tried to pass the ...

Amanda Seyfried was happy with big bosom

Thu, 23 May 2013 15:00:02 -0400

Actress Amanda Seyfried feels she looked better with bigger breasts, but she says she had to lose a bit of overall weight for her Hollywood journey. "I looked way better when I was 15. I had beautiful huge breasts and then I came to Hollywood and I was like, 'I got to lose weight. I got to look thin and fit.' And I lost them a little bit," femalefirst.co.uk quoted the 27-year-old. Seyfried ...

Jennifer Aniston to play stripteaser in Were The Millers

Thu, 23 May 2013 15:00:01 -0400

Hollywood actress Jennifer Aniston is ready to perform a striptease act in her forthcoming film "We're The Millers". The 44-year-old plays a drug smuggling lap dancer in the comedy film, directed by Rawson Marshall Thurber, reports thesun.co.uk The star cast also includes Emma Roberts, Ed Helms and Jason Sudeikis. The film will hit screens in Britain Aug ...

China seeks closer ties enhanced strategic cooperation with Pakistan Li

Thu, 23 May 2013 13:50:02 -0400

Chinese Premier Li Keqiang on Thursday urged China and Pakistan to nurture even closer ties, and enhance comprehensive strategic cooperation while addressing Pakistan's parliament. In a speech titled "Let all-weather China-Pakistan friendship bear new fruits," Li said peace, development and cooperation is the theme of the times, and Asia has become one of the most dynamic and most visible areas ...

25 killed 30 injured in suicide attacks in Niger

Thu, 23 May 2013 11:20:21 -0400

At least 25 people were killed and 30 got injured after two suicide bomb attacks Thursday at a military base and a plant run by French nuclear giant Areva in northern Niger, reported Xinhua. A total of 20 Nigerien soldiers and 5 assailants died in twin suicide attacks against a military barracks in Agadez, the main town in northern Niger, and another one at a factory owned by Somair, a ...

Syrias Assad stresses resolve to keep fighting terrorism

Thu, 23 May 2013 11:00:01 -0400

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad stressed Thursday his resolve to continue fighting "terrorism" in tandem with efforts for a political solution to the country's 26-month-old crisis, reported Xinhua citing state-run SANA news agency. Assad made the remarks while meeting with a Tunisian delegation, to whom he said his administration will keep fighting "terrorism" and "those who back it" in ...

Eisenberg imbibes stage confidence from mother

Thu, 23 May 2013 09:50:01 -0400

Hollywood actor Jesse Eisenberg, who plays a magician in forthcoming film "Now You See My", says he imbibed the confidence to perform from his talented mother. "My mother was like a hippy clown. She did folk songs at children parties. She was like a great performer and I grew up in a house of somebody who was like a confident performer. She was really great in front of an audience and my ...

Obesity in children linked to parents marital status

Thu, 23 May 2013 09:50:01 -0400

A new study by US researchers shows that children living with married parents are less likely to be obese. "Childhood obesity is a significant public health issue in our country with nearly one-third of all US children aged 2-17 overweight or obese," said Rachel Kimbro, study co-author and associate professor of sociology at the Rice university. "Despite this, very little research has been ...

Pakistani umpire Rauf withdrawn from Champions Trophy

Thu, 23 May 2013 09:40:01 -0400

The International Cricket Council (ICC) Thursday withdrew Pakistani umpire Asad Rauf from next month's Champions Trophy in England and Wales after his name cropped up in the Indian Premier League (IPL) spot-fixing scandal. ICC said it took the decision after media reports indicated that the 57-year-old umpire was under investigation by Mumbai Police. Rauf, who is an ICC Elite Panel umpire, has ...

Saudi company to hire 5000 Nitaqat-hit Indians

Thu, 23 May 2013 09:30:01 -0400

A company in Saudi Arabia's eastern province has said it will hire 5,000 Indian workers affected by that country's new labour policy. The Nasser S. Al-Hajri Corp (NSH) is holding a two-day recruiting drive in Riyadh Thursday and Friday, the Arab News reported Thursday. "We plan to recruit 27 categories of workers, ranging from technicians to project managers," a company spokesman was quoted as ...

Players recovery is of paramount importance Barua

Thu, 23 May 2013 08:30:02 -0400

Recovery of players is one of the key factors to success in tournaments like the AFC Cup where you play every alternate day, Indian women's football team coach Anadi Barua said Thursday. Three high-intensity matches in five days is bound to take a toll on any footballer. "If my player is not fit, I won't get the best from her. Our physiotherapist stresses on the importance of warm-up before ...

Indian flight attendant jailed in Dubai

Thu, 23 May 2013 08:30:02 -0400

A court here has sentenced a male Indian flight attendant of Emirates airline to six months in jail for stealing credit cards from two passengers and using them to buy mobile phones. The criminal court also ordered the 28-year-old man, identified only by his initials DT, to pay 6,000 dirhams to the passengers he stole from, The National reported Thursday. According to the report, the flight ...

London attack Hunt on for terror clues

Thu, 23 May 2013 08:30:01 -0400

A Londoner of Nigerian descent was identified Thursday as one of the two suspects who decapitated a British soldier. The terror strike prompted Prime Minister David Cameron to go into a huddle with top officials and the military put in place additional security measures. Michael Adebolajo, a 28-year-old Londoner of Nigerian descent, is one of the two suspects who hacked to death the British ...

Golfer Sharmila set for Deloitte Ladies Open

Thu, 23 May 2013 08:10:01 -0400

Indian golfer Sharmila Nicollet is raring to go at the Deloitte Ladies Open after her recent success at the Turkish Airlines Ladies Open at Antalya, where she finished tied 17th. Sharmila, the only Indian at the Ladies European Tour (LET), is playing in the prestigious tour for a second successive year and will compete against some of the top lady golfers in the world. The 250,000 euro ...

Ex-Malaysian Indian lawyer three others get death

Thu, 23 May 2013 08:00:01 -0400

A former Malaysian Indian lawyer and three others were sentenced to death Thursday in the high profile murders of a Malaysian businesswoman and three others in 2010. The high court in Shah Alam, the capital of the Malaysian state of Selangor, sentenced former lawyer N. Pathmanabhan, 43, and farm hands T. Thilayalagan, 21, R. Matan, 22, and R. Kathavarayan, 33, for the murders of cosmetics ...

China to support Pakistan for stability development Li

Thu, 23 May 2013 08:00:01 -0400

The Chinese government will unswervingly stick to its friendly policy toward Pakistan and support the South Asian nation in realising stability and better development, visiting Chinese Premier Li Keqiang said here Thursday. Li was speaking during a meeting with Pakistani military leaders, including chairman of Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee General Khalid Shameem Wynne, army chief General ...

London attack victim was a serving soldier

Thu, 23 May 2013 07:50:02 -0400

British police confirmed Thursday the man killed in Southeast London was a "serving soldier". "We can confirm that the man who died in Woolwich yesterday (Wednesday) is a serving soldier. In line with the wishes of his family we will not be releasing his identity at this stage," London Metropolitan Police said in a short statement through twitter. The man was hacked to death by two attackers ...

Londoner of Nigerian descent suspect in terror attack

Thu, 23 May 2013 07:40:02 -0400

Michael Adebolajo, a 28-year-old Londoner of Nigerian descent, is one of the two suspects who hacked to death a British soldier in London, a media report said Thursday. The two terror suspects are being held under armed guard at hospitals in London and one of them has been named by Sky News sources as Adebolajo. The vicious attack on the soldier took place Wednesday in Woolwich, southeast ...

Indian-origin mans death in custody classified as murder

Thu, 23 May 2013 07:40:01 -0400

The death of a 32-year-old Indian-origin man while in police custody in Malaysia has now been classified as a murder. N. Dharmendran had died Tuesday while he was in a lock-up at the Kuala Lumpur police headquarters. According to city police chief Mohmad Salleh, the post-mortem report showed that Dharmendran might have been murdered while in police custody, local media reported Thursday. "The ...

I learnt magic tricks from mother Jesse Eisenberg

Thu, 23 May 2013 07:20:02 -0400

Hollywood actor Jesse Eisenberg says he got confidence to perform the tricks of an illusionist in his forthcoming film "Now You See Me" by watching his mother. "My mother was like a hippy clown. She did folk songs at children parties. She was like a great performer and I grew up in a house of somebody who was like a confident performer. She was really great in front of an audience and my ...

London attack British PM holds crisis meeting

Thu, 23 May 2013 07:10:01 -0400

British Prime Minister David Cameron Thursday chaired crisis talks following a terror attack here that left a soldier dead. The government and security officials are racing to respond to the killing of a British soldier, an act that shocked the country. Cameron held a meeting of the emergency response committee Cobra Thursday morning after coming back to London from France, reported Sky News. ...

Madonna recalls meeting Kim Kardashian as a baby

Thu, 23 May 2013 07:10:01 -0400

Singer Madonna remembers meeting her fan Kim Kardashian when the reality TV star was a kid. In fact, the 54-year-old singer even gave Kim her accessories as souvenir, reports dailystar.co.uk. "I met her years ago when she was a little girl, believe it or not. She told me she was a huge fan, and it was during the time I was wearing all of the rubber bracelets on my arms," said Madonna. "I took ...

China central bank switches to liquidity injection

Thu, 23 May 2013 06:50:02 -0400

The People's Bank of China (PBOC), the country's central bank, swung back to liquidity injection this week with 128 billion yuan ($20.9 billion) being pumped into the banking system through its regular open market operations. The PBOC move marked a turn-around in the central bank's open market operations last week when it drained 35 billion yuan from banks in the open market after hedging the ...

China hasnt used Pakistan against India Daily

Thu, 23 May 2013 06:40:01 -0400

China has played a positive role in the continuous easing of the relationship between India and Pakistan, said a state-run daily which added, "China has not played balancing strategy, using one country against the other." An article in the Global Times said that when Chinese Premier Li Keqiang and his entourage flew from India to Pakistan Wednesday for a two-day visit, his plane was escorted by ...

Katherine Heigl happy being away from limelight

Thu, 23 May 2013 06:40:01 -0400

Actress Katherine Heigl, who moved with her family to Utah, is leading a non-glamorous life, but she is enjoying it. "Our house is in the mountains where I can enjoy being a mother and wife. Our dogs love roaming - every time I try to leave they bark and jump on me," femalefirst.co.uk quoted her as saying. "Everything is much easier. I'm happy arranging barbecues with neighbours and drinking ...

Indian-origin actor honoured in New Zealand

Thu, 23 May 2013 06:30:02 -0400

Indian-origin actor Jacob Rajan has been made a member of New Zealand Order of Merit for his contributions to theatre. Rajan was honoured Thursday at an investiture ceremony by New Zealand Governor General Sir Jerry Mataparae at Government House here, local media reported. Rajan is a founding partner of the Indian Ink theatre company. He is known for collaborating with his partner in Indian ...

Indian Caribbean Museum in Nat Geo list of 500 sacred places

Thu, 23 May 2013 05:10:02 -0400

The Indian Caribbean Museum, described as "a national treasure, a window to the past, and an opportunity to see history come alive", has been cited by a National Geographic publication that showcases 500 of the world's most powerful and spiritual places and guides travellers who wish to visit them. "This is a fitting recognition in just seven years of our existence, especially as we celebrate ...

ICC launches Champions Trophy website

Thu, 23 May 2013 04:50:01 -0400

The International Cricket Council (ICC) Thursday launched the official event website for the Champions Trophy, which will be held in England and Wales June 6-23. The site will be accessible at www.icc-cricket.com. The site will have short-form highlights from all tournament matches as well as exclusive behind-the-scene content. The official match centre will be informative and interactive, ...

India to train 500 Nigerians in vocational skills

Thu, 23 May 2013 04:40:01 -0400

India wants increased partnership with Nigeria in education through institutional cooperation, content development, faculty exchange and joint ventures that would enhance the West African country's human resource devlopment, according to Indian High Commissioner Mahesh Sachdev. "Bilateral cooperation in education has had a proud history and remains a priority. A generation of Nigerians have fond ...

`Ageing Asia to strain worlds long-term economic growth

Thu, 23 May 2013 04:40:01 -0400

The Asia-Pacific region will continue to power global economic growth in 2013, but the region's increasing ageing population will cast a shadow on the long-term development, according to a Canadian think-tank. "Productivity gains and a large, young working-age population have done much to boost Asian economic growth over the past three decades. But Asia's demographic dividend is quickly coming ...

Gwyneth Paltrow pockets millions for fragrance campaign

Thu, 23 May 2013 04:30:03 -0400

Actress Gwyneth Paltrow reportedly earned $2 million for the campaign of Hugo Boss's latest scent - Boss Jour Pour Femme. The ads will not be aired in the US and Paltrow will be flying from London to Spain for the launch, a source told eonline.com. The "Iron Man 3" actress might have earned a lot from the brand's campaign but she likes to stock up her closet with numerous perfumes. "I am one ...

Retail sales in South Korea fall

Thu, 23 May 2013 04:30:02 -0400

Retail sales in South Korea decreased last month as domestic demand remained in the doldrums amid the sluggish economic recovery, a government report showed Thursday. Total sales at three major discount outlets, including E-Mart, Lotte Mart and Homeplus, declined 9.8 percent in April from a year earlier, according to the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy. Combined sales at three major ...

Brazil announces $13 bn budget cut for 2013

Thu, 23 May 2013 04:30:02 -0400

The Brazilian government has announced a curtailment of 28 billion reais ($13.65 billion) in the 2013 federal budget. The budget cut aims to help the government achieve the primary surplus goal, which was established at 155.9 billion reais ($76 billion) for the year under review, which represents 3.2 percent of Brazil's GDP, Planning and Budget Minister Miriam Belchior said. The cut falls ...

Singapores exports continue to fall

Thu, 23 May 2013 04:30:02 -0400

Singapore's external trade continued to fall in the first quarter of this year, with declines for total trade, non-oil domestic exports (NODX) and non-oil re-exports (NORX), the city-state's trade promotion agency, International Enterprise Singapore, said Thursday. This is the third consecutive quarter of decrease for both total trade and NODX. According to the data, the NODX, a key gauge of the ...

GM recalls nearly 20000 new Cadillac SRX SUVs

Thu, 23 May 2013 04:30:02 -0400

General Motors Corporation said it is recalling nearly 20,000 new Cadillac SRX SUVs for faulty wheel lug nuts, according to a Detroit News report. The Detroit automaker told the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration it is recalling 18,871 2013 SRX SUVs in the US and nearly 1,000 in Canada over concerns that a wheel could eventually fall off, reported Xinhua. GM has been investigating ...

Chinas manufacturing slows HSBC

Thu, 23 May 2013 04:30:01 -0400

China's manufacturing activity fell into contraction for the first time since October, a preliminary survey from the HSBC showed. The HSBC Flash Manufacturing Purchasing Managers' Index (PMI) for May fell to 49.6 in May, dropping under the boom-bust line of 50 for the first time since October, according to figures released by HSBC Thursday. Qu Hongbin, chief economist of the HSBC China, said ...

Australia looks into allowing Sikhs to wear turban at work

Thu, 23 May 2013 04:10:01 -0400

Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard has said that she would look into the issue of allowing Sikhs in her country to wear the turban while at work and also while riding motorcycles. "We will work with your community to help make the necessary changes requested on cultural and religious grounds," the Blacktown Sun quoted her as saying Thursday during a visit to Gurdwara Sahib in the Sydney ...

First edition of Harry Potter auctioned fetches 150000 pounds

Thu, 23 May 2013 03:50:02 -0400

The first edition of J.K. Rowling's "Harry Potter and The Philosopher's Stone" has reportedly been sold for 150,000 pounds (over $200,000) at an auction held at Sotheby's. The one-of-a-kind copy contains handwritten notes by Rowling, a 43-page commentary and 22 original illustrations, reports thesun.co.uk. The book, published in 1997, was sold to a telephone ...

Rupert Grint tries luck at Bingo

Thu, 23 May 2013 03:50:02 -0400

Bingo is apparently the favourite pastime for the 24-year-old "Harry Potter" star and he was seen trying his luck at it, reports dailystar.co.uk. An onlooker said: "We couldn't believe it when we saw him come in. He tried to be quite low-key and didn't ask for any special treatment." "He stayed for two hours and played a couple of games, but didn't win anything. We overheard him telling pals it ...

Cheruiyot to miss World championships for pregnancy

Thu, 23 May 2013 03:50:01 -0400

Kenya's Vivian Cheruiyot will not be able to defend her 5,000 metres and 10,000 metres titles at this year's Moscow World championships as she is expecting her first child. The runner said in a statement Wednesday that she felt it was "the right time to start a family" at the age of 29, reports Xinhua. Cheruiyot plans to return for the 2014 season and compete in the 2015 World championships in ...

Pellegrini announces Malaga departure

Thu, 23 May 2013 03:40:03 -0400

Malaga coach Manuel Pellegrini has confirmed he will leave the Spanish football club at the end of the current season. The Chilean confirmed his departure at a public appearance at the Deputation of Malaga Wednesday, where he was awarded the Golden Shield of the province of the region for his excellent work at the club, reports Xinhua. Pellegrini, who had previously coached Villarreal and Real ...

Indian-origin boy wins 2013 National Geographic contest

Thu, 23 May 2013 03:40:02 -0400

Twelve-year-old Indian-origin boy Sathwik Karnik won the 2013 National Geographic Bee by correctly naming Chimborazo, a peak in Ecuador, as the farthest point on earth from the Equator. A seventh grader from King Philip Regional Middle School in Norfolk, Massachusetts, in the US, he won the 25th edition of the bee in a heated final against 13-year-old Conrad Oberhaus of Lincolnshire, Illinois. ...

Jennifer Lopez launches shopping tool for Latinos

Thu, 23 May 2013 03:40:02 -0400

Singer Jennifer Lopez has teamed up with Verizon Wireless for the launch of Viva Mvil, a shopping tool designed with Latino consumers in mind. "This new company is here to revolutionise the entire mobile experience for Latinos," eonline.com quoted Lopez as saying. "There's no specific place for Latinos to be specifically catered to. We will continuously evolve the wireless shopping experience ...

Seedorf out to revive Botafogos past glory

Thu, 23 May 2013 03:40:02 -0400

Mention Botafogo to most young Brazilian football fans and the likelihood is the word will conjure images of a battling club with a small, if passionate, supporter base and a sparse trophy cabinet. Forgotten is the fact that Brazil's 1962 World Cup-winning team comprised five Botafogo players, including the crooked-legged Garrincha, rated by many as the game's greatest player before Pele, ...

I live for Jolie kids Brad Pitt

Thu, 23 May 2013 03:40:02 -0400

Brad Pitt says he was wasting his life on drugs before he met Angelina Jolie. The actor admits he now lives for his partner and their six children. "For a long time I thought I did too much damage - drug damage. I was a bit of a drifter and wanted to see things. But then I got burnt out and felt that I was wasting my opportunity. This was about a decade ago. It was an epiphany - a decision not ...

12 killed in Pakistan bombing

Thu, 23 May 2013 03:10:01 -0400

Twelve people were killed in Pakistan's Quetta city Thursday when a car packed with 100 kg explosives blew up just as a vehicle carrying security personnel was passing by. The deafening explosion took place in Bhosa Mandi area of Quetta Thursday morning, DawnNews reported. Fayyaz Sumbal, a senior police official, said militants targeted the police's Rapid Response Force (RRF) vehicle through a ...

Ricky Martin calls for gay rights law in Puerto Rico

Thu, 23 May 2013 02:50:01 -0400

Singer Ricky Martin called Wednesday in a letter sent to the Puerto Rican House of Representatives for the legislative body to approve a bill which would prohibit discrimination due to sexual orientation on the island. The letter, which was released by Martin's representatives in San Juan, was made public at a time when the bill has run into opposition by a group of lawmakers in the lower house, ...

Santos reject Barcelona Neymar bid

Thu, 23 May 2013 02:50:01 -0400

Santos have rejected a 20 million-euro offer from Barcelona for Brazil star Neymar. The Brazilian outfit, which last week turned down Barcelona's initial 18 million-euro bid for the striker, made the decision after a meeting of the club's board Wednesday night, reports Xinhua. "Santos has analysed the the proposal and it doesn't meet our requirements," Santos vice-president Odilio Rodrigues ...

Lydia Davis bags Man Booker Prize

Thu, 23 May 2013 02:50:01 -0400

American short story writer Lydia Davis was declared the winner of the fifth 60,000 pounds Man Booker International Prize at aceremony held at the Victoria and Albert Museum in London. Her inventive, carefully-crafted and hard to categorise works saw off the challenge from nine other contenders from around the world, a press release Wednesday evening said. India's U.R. Ananthamurthy was also ...

Home sales fall in Spain

Thu, 23 May 2013 02:40:01 -0400

The 54,512 home sales recorded in Spain in this year's first quarter represent a decline of 21.5 percent from the same period in 2012, the development ministry said. Foreigners were the buyers in 17 percent of the transactions. The decline in the first quarter reflects the impact in the sector of the end of the tax deduction for buying a primary residence and the increase in the levy on new ...

Olimpia hold Fluminense in Libertadores quarters

Thu, 23 May 2013 02:40:01 -0400

Olimpia raised hopes of an unlikely semifinal berth after holding Fluminense to a 0-0 draw in their Copa Libertadores quarterfinal first leg. The Paraguayan outfit was reduced to 10-men at the Sao Januario stadium in the 82nd minute Wednesday when midfielder Eduardo Aranda received his second yellow card for a foul on Rhayner, reports Xinhua. Despite dominating possession and creating a number ...

Kazakhstan defeat India in volleyball tourney

Thu, 23 May 2013 02:30:01 -0400

Kazakhstan defeated India 3-2 in the China International men's volleyball tournament here. Kazakhstan won 25-12, 23-25, 24-26, 25-20, 15-7 Wednesday, reports Xinhua. "Our team is so young that they didn't cooperate well and made mistakes, but I am satisfied with their performance," said Gilyazutdinov Rafael, assistant coach of Kazakhstan team. "Our setup was bad today and that is why we lost ...

Finance head Carrion to run for IOC president

Thu, 23 May 2013 02:30:01 -0400

Finance Commission head Richard Carrion has joined the race to succeed International Olympic Committee (IOC) president Jacques Rogge. The Puerto Rican will run against Thomas Bach, Ng Ser Miang and Wu Ching-kuo, who has yet to officially declare his intention to run, reports Xinhua. Carrion, 60, has no sporting background. He is chairman of a financial holding company and since 2002 has ...

Rapper tweets London attack live

Thu, 23 May 2013 02:30:01 -0400

"Ohhhhh myyyy God!!!! I just see a man with his head chopped off right in front of my eyes!," rapper Boya Dee live tweeted in horror as he saw the London terror attack unfold. Boya Dee tweeted furiously as two machete-wielding men brutally attacked and killed a soldier in southeast London Wednesday afternoon. The two attackers were later shot and injured by police. Prime Minister David Cameron ...

Oklahoma tornado damage could top $2 bn

Thu, 23 May 2013 02:30:01 -0400

The tornado that killed 24 people and injured more than 200 others in Moore, Oklahoma, could have done more than $2 billion worth of damage, officials said Wednesday. State Insurance Commissioner John Doak announced that figure Wednesday in a statement to the press, adding that losses from the wreckage could equal the amount caused by the twister that struck Joplin, Missouri, in 2011, leaving ...

Four debutants in Dutch squad for Indonesia China friendlies

Thu, 23 May 2013 02:20:01 -0400

Dutch football head coach Louis van Gaal has named four debutants in the squad for the friendlies in Indonesia and China in June. Heracles Almelo midfielder Lerin Duarte, Feyenoord leftback Miquel Nelom, Swansea City defender Dwight Tiendalli and FC Utrecht midfielder Jens Toornstra were included in the squad Wednesday, reports Xinhua. Ajax reserve goalkeeper Jasper Cillessen, who is yet to ...

Japanese economy has begun to recover central bank

Thu, 23 May 2013 02:10:01 -0400

Japan's central bank said Wednesday that it will continue pursuing its current stimulus program and that the country's economy "has begun to recover" thanks to a reversal in the decline of exports, which account for 40 percent of Japanese GDP. "Domestic demand remains resilient due to the effects of the monetary relaxation measures" and the recently-approved stimulus policies, the Bank of Japan ...

Russian rocket wreckage threatens Ecuador satellite

Thu, 23 May 2013 02:10:01 -0400

The Ecuadorian Civil Space Agency issued an alert Wednesday about a possible collision of its Pegaso satellite, launched last month, with the wreckage of a Russian rocket. "ALERT: Possible collision of NEE-01 PEGASO and remains of Russian rocket," appeared Wednesday on the Twitter account of the space agency known as EXA. EXA's director, astronaut Ronnie Nader, published a notice from the Joint ...

Youre going to lose woman tells London attacker

Thu, 23 May 2013 01:40:02 -0400

"You're going to lose," a brave woman told one of the two machete-wielding London attackers who killed a soldier. "You're going to lose. It's only you versus many," said Ingrid Loyau-Kennett as she tried keep the attacker talking so he would not kill anyone else. Two men carrying weapons brutally assaulted and killed the soldier in Woolwich in southeast London Wednesday afternoon. The two ...

Mexico City hosts chili pepper festival

Thu, 23 May 2013 01:40:01 -0400

Chili peppers and sauces will take centre stage at a festival being held this week in Mexico City, where the spicy plant, one of the pillars of Mexican cuisine, will be honoured, organizers said. The first Chilis, Sauces and Mortars Festival, which will be held Friday to Sunday, is being organized by the Enchilada Fair, the National Anthropology and History Institute, or INAH, said. Mexico ...

13 people held for protesting mystery death in China

Thu, 23 May 2013 01:40:01 -0400

Thirteen people were arrested after taking part in a protest demanding transparency in the investigation of the mysterious death of a 22-year-old woman near a Beijing market, Chinese police said Wednesday. The circumstances surrounding her death, which authorities attribute to suicide but which the deceased's friends and family are calling a rape-murder, had hundreds of people demonstrating in ...

12 die in Pakistan bombing

Thu, 23 May 2013 01:30:01 -0400

Twelve people, including eight police personnel, were killed and over 20 injured Thursday in a powerful bombing in Pakistan's Quetta city. The deafening explosion took place in Bhosa Mandi area of Quetta Thursday morning, DawnNews reported. Fayyaz Sumbal, a senior police official, said militants targeted the vehicle of police's Rapid Response Force (RRF) through a remote control bomb. The ...

US senate panel approves immigration reform

Thu, 23 May 2013 01:30:01 -0400

Immigration reform that plans to legalize some 11 million undocumented immigrants in the US passed its first test as the Senate Judiciary Committee voted 13-5 to approve a bipartisan bill to overhaul the system. The draft prepared by the "Gang of Eight" Republican and Democratic senators will next go to the full Senate for debate. President Barack Obama congratulated the Judiciary Committee and ...

China to buy gas from Turkmenistan

Thu, 23 May 2013 01:10:01 -0400

China will import gas from the world's second largest gas reserve in the Central Asian republic of Turkmenistan. Kakageldy Abdullayev, CEO of Turkmenistan's national gas company Turkmengaz, said the Galkynysh field will be used to build up Turkmen gas exports to China. The field is expected to produce 25 billion cubic metres of natural gas per year for China, with Turkmenistan's total gas ...

European leaders hold summit on tax evasion

Thu, 23 May 2013 01:10:01 -0400

The heads of state and government of the European Union held a summit Wednesday in an effort to make more progress in fighting tax evasion and tax fraud. EU leaders are targeting tax crimes both within the borders of their countries and in foreign tax havens despite the reluctance of Austria and Luxembourg. The leaders of the EU's 27 member states are expected to give the go ahead to the ...

Dead Boston bomber involved in 2011 slayings Report

Thu, 23 May 2013 01:00:01 -0400

Deceased Boston Marathon bombing suspect Tamerlan Tsarnaev participated in a 2011 gruesome triple murder outside Boston along with a Chechen killed during a confrontation with law enforcement officers, according to media reports. Ibragim Todashev was fatally shot early Wednesday during an interview with the FBI and Massachusetts State Police in Orlando, Florida, CNN reported citing a federal ...

Bangladeshs Green Radio heralds new era of environment education

Wed, 22 May 2013 23:50:01 -0400

Nature lovers in Bangladesh can tune in to 89.6 FM for their daily dose of green awakening, courtesy a 45-minute programme which aims at bridging the gap between environmentalists and laymen by keeping them abreast of burning topics related to the sector. "As our country has become the most vulnerable nation to climate change, we thought of making a dedicated programme on the environment to ...

Italy has lowest graduate share in Europe

Wed, 22 May 2013 23:40:01 -0400

Italy has the lowest graduation rates in Europe with just one-fifth of people aged 30-34 holding a university degree, according to a study. A total of 31 percent of Italian families cannot afford to pay for their children's university studies, and must take out loans or have their offspring seek jobs to help fund tuition and living costs, said the report by charity Save the Children. It said ...

Policeman shoots wife dead commits suicide

Wed, 22 May 2013 23:30:02 -0400

A policeman allegedly shot his wife dead at their home in the northern Italian town of Cadoneghe and then turned the handgun on himself, officials said. The policeman's colleagues became concerned after he failed to arrive for work. They went to his apartment, where they found the couple's lifeless bodies inside, lying in a pool of blood. The alleged murder-suicide is believed to have been a ...

Over 10 new oil fields found in Siberia

Wed, 22 May 2013 23:00:01 -0400

Space imaging studies have revealed over 10 new oil deposits in Krasnoyarsk territory in Siberia, a scientist said. "The method of space imaging quantum-optical filtration allows us to identify the boundaries of deposits," said Valery Rostovtsev, associate professor of Tomsk Polytechnic University's geology and prospecting department. "We can see four deposits near Bely Yar in the Tomsk Region, ...

US tourist stabbed in Italy loses kidney

Wed, 22 May 2013 22:20:01 -0400

A 68-year-old American tourist underwent emergency surgery to remove a kidney after he was stabbed in Italy's Florence city. The tourist, who was not named, was attacked near the famous Duomo cathedral. Doctors at the Santa Maria Nuova hospital said the man suffered knife wounds to a kidney and a lung but was no longer critical, and was conscious and breathing unaided. Police arrested a ...

Hollywood star Steven Seagal visits Chechnya

Wed, 22 May 2013 22:10:01 -0400

Hollywood star Steven Seagal spent some time with Ramzan Kadyrov, the former militant fighter who now heads Chechnya, in the latest in a series of visits by Western celebrities to the volatile Russian republic. "The famous American actor, film producer, writer, director and martial arts expert (seventh dan aikido) Steven Seagal visited our republic today (Wednesday)," Kadyrov wrote on ...

Six Ukrainians evacuated from Syria

Wed, 22 May 2013 21:50:01 -0400

Six Ukrainian nationals have been evacuated from Syria and have returned to Kiev, the Ukrainian foreign ministry said. "These individuals were evacuated via Lebanese territory, and subsequently flown to Ukraine on a regular Beirut-Kiev flight," the ministry said in a statement. Ukraine has evacuated more than 500 of its citizens from Syria since last July. Syria has been locked in a civil war ...

Farmer chains employee scalds him with boiling water

Wed, 22 May 2013 20:50:02 -0400

A farmer in south Russia allegedly chained up an employee and scalded him with boiling water, police said. The alleged victim in Krasnodar territory told investigators that he had worked for the farmer for a certain period of time, but when he decided to leave, unsatisfied with his working conditions, his former employer caught him. "The victim says the farmer hunted him down and put him on a ...

Stewart Swift new best friends

Wed, 22 May 2013 20:50:02 -0400

Actress Kristen Stewart was reportedly nursing her broken heart by spending an entire day at singer Taylor Swift's house here. Stewart, 22, is once again going through a rough patch in her relationship with Robert Pattinson after he moved out of their love nest. It is said that he caught the actress' messages to director Rupert Sanders, with whom she had a fling in July last year. Stewart was ...

Man found hanging at St. Petersburg theatre

Wed, 22 May 2013 19:50:03 -0400

A workman who disappeared from St. Petersburg's Mariinsky Theatre in December was found hanging in the theatre's attic, investigators said. The body of the 22-year-old man was found hanging from a rope. Investigators believe he hanged himself. The legendary Mariinsky Theatre opened a new $700-million stage earlier this month in a gala ceremony attended by President Vladimir Putin. --IANS/RIA ...

West urges Smith to get back to studio

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

Singer Kanye West wants actor Will Smith to start making music again, but Smith says he needs to be "truly inspired". "I've been messing around with West. We went in the studio a couple times, so I might get the bug. I'm not going to do it unless I'm truly inspired, but he's been pushing me a little bit," femalefirst.co.uk quoted Smith as saying. Smith's last album released in ...

Drunk driver jailed for killing seven people

Wed, 22 May 2013 18:50:01 -0400

A drunk driver who crashed into a bus stop in Moscow, killing two adults and five teenagers, has been sentenced to eight and a half years in prison. The car, driven by 29-year-old Alexander Maximov, crashed into the bus stop in September 2012 after Maximov exceeded the speed limit and lost control. Five teenagers aged between 15 and 17 from an orphanage for disabled children, their teacher and ...

Brad Pitts drug tales

Wed, 22 May 2013 17:50:02 -0400

Actor Brad Pitt says he wasted a lot of time using drugs in the past. He admits he damaged his health with it just in the quest of exploring new things. The 49-year-old, who is engaged to actress Angelina Jolie and has six children, says he realised his mistake and took control of his drug intake. "For a long time I thought I did too much damage - drug damage. I was a bit of a drifter. A guy ...

Belarus dismisses US report on religious freedom

Wed, 22 May 2013 17:50:02 -0400

The Belarusian foreign ministry has dismissed part of the Religious Freedom Report published by the US State Department about the country as "outdated" and failing to take into account the current situation in the country. "As for the State Department's report, it is permeated with trite phrases and usual abstract rubber stamps which the authors of the report rewrite every year, without even ...

Heather Graham in no hurry to marry

Wed, 22 May 2013 17:50:01 -0400

Actress Heather Graham says she is in no hurry to walk the aisle because she wants to take her time to make the right choice about her life partner. The 43-year-old has dated celebrities like Adam Ant, James Wood and Stephen Hopkins in the past, and she does not wish to get married in haste, reports thesun.co.uk. "I want to make the right choice. I feel I have a happy, good life, so someone ...

Boston bombing probe Man shot dead by FBI

Wed, 22 May 2013 16:50:02 -0400

An FBI agent shot and killed a 27-year-old alleged friend of slain Boston Marathon bombing suspect Tamerlan Tsarnaev in Florida, a day after questioning him as part of the investigation into the April 15 attack, media reports said. The victim, identified as Ibragim Todashev, was shot at a condominium complex Wednesday in Orlando, Florida. The FBI confirmed a man died while one of its agents was ...

UAE-Korea economic forum to be held in Seoul

Wed, 22 May 2013 16:50:02 -0400

The Third UAE-Korea Economic Partnership Forum begins May 27 in the South Korean capital city of Seoul. UAE Minister of State Abdulla Ghobash will lead a delegation of officials and heads of governmental agencies to the two-day event. The forum has the support of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Economy, Federation of UAE Chambers of Commerce and Industry, Department of Economic ...

UAE leaders hold talks with foreign officials

Wed, 22 May 2013 16:50:01 -0400

Leaders of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) have met senior officials of the US, the Czech Republic and Kenya and held talks on enhancing ties. Lt. Gen. Obaid Mohammed Al Ka'abi, undersecretary of the UAE ministry of defence, met US Assistant Secretary of Defense (Logistics amp; Material Readiness) Alan F. Estevez. Ras Al Khaimah ruler Sheikh Saud bin Saqr Al Qasimi met visiting First Deputy ...

Obama Global War on Terror Is Over

Thu, 23 May 2013 16:23:54 -0400

President Barack Obama speaks about his administration's drone and counterterrorism policies at the National Defense University in Washington, D.C., on May 23, ...

How sweet it isn’t Scientists learn how some roaches rapidly evolve to avoid poison

Thu, 23 May 2013 16:22:22 -0400

People have been getting rid of cockroaches for decades by setting out bait mixed with poison. But in the late 1980s, in an apartment test kitchen in Florida, something went very wrong.A killer product stopped working. Cockroach populations there kept rising. Mystified researchers tested and discarded theory after theory until they finally hit on the explanation: In a remarkably rapid display of ...

Clashes in Lebanon feed fear of Syria spillover

Thu, 23 May 2013 16:20:30 -0400

In this image from amateur video obtained by a group which calls itself Ugarit News, shows rebel fighters celebrating after purportedly capturing an army base in Nairab, northwestern Syria, Thursday, May 23, 2013. The video is consistent with independent AP reporting. Rebel fighters captured an army base late Wednesday, a rare victory after a series of battlefield setbacks, the Britain-based ...

Embattled Toronto mayor fires chief of staff

Thu, 23 May 2013 16:20:28 -0400

While the firing comes amid a scandal involving a video purportedly showing the mayor smoking crack cocaine, City Councillor Jaye Robinson said it had to do with football. Ford was fired as coach of a Catholic high school football team on ...

Two more arrested over London soldier murder

Thu, 23 May 2013 16:09:40 -0400

British police investigating the brutal murder of a soldier by suspected Islamists in London said on Thursday they had arrested two alleged ...

UN investigator calls for ‘killer robot’ ban

Thu, 23 May 2013 16:03:31 -0400

Christof Heyns, UN special rapporteur on executions, said there is reason to believe states will 'seek to use lethal autonomous robotics for targeted ...

President Obama defends drone strikes - but moves to rein them in

Thu, 23 May 2013 16:03:14 -0400

Known for his commentary on international relations and US politics, Rupert Cornwell also contributes obituaries and occasionally even a column for the sports pages. With The Independent since its launch in 1986, he was the paper's first Moscow correspondent - covering the collapse of the Soviet Union - during which time he won two British Press Awards. Previously a foreign correspondent ...

Alexander Lebedev witnesses say they were pressured into attending court case by investigators

Thu, 23 May 2013 16:03:13 -0400

The trial of the businessman Alexander Lebedev has descended into farce as witnesses admitted they had been pressured into attending the court case by ...

Woolwich attack police seeking source of suspects extremism

Thu, 23 May 2013 15:53:42 -0400

Among the questions for counter-terrorism officials after the Woolwich attacks is how the alleged attackers became radicalised to the point where they decided to carry out violence on Britain's streets.Part of that radicalisation can be tracked to extremist groups such as the now-banned al-Muhijaroun. Its former UK head, Omar Bakri Mohammad told the Guardian that he had known Michael Olumide ...

HSBC faces court threat as deal on money laundering charges stalls

Thu, 23 May 2013 15:53:33 -0400

HSBC 's controversial $1.9bn (1.6bn) settlement deal with the US authorities over money laundering charges has stalled after a row between the justice department and the judge overseeing the case.The deal - known as a deferred prosecution agreement (DPA) - meant HSBC was exempt from prosecution and triggered a storm of criticism. Judge John Gleeson is now believed to be considering rejecting ...

Glencore and Trafigura may have supplied Irans nuclear programme

Thu, 23 May 2013 15:53:27 -0400

The Guardian reported in April that Glencore had traded $659m (430m) of goods, including aluminium oxide, with Iran last year .Glencore, which is run by the ...

Europe drops plans to ban refillable olive oil jugs in restaurants

Thu, 23 May 2013 15:53:23 -0400

The commission wanted to ban restaurateurs from giving customers olive oil in refillable glass jugs or dipping bowls. Photograph: Brian ...

US graduation season 2013 the best commencement speeches

Thu, 23 May 2013 15:53:20 -0400

Every year around this time, clusters of newly minted "adults" in caps and gowns sit like sponges, soaking up the wisdom that booms from the front of the auditorium:"Parents, friends, distinguished guests, graduates of the class of 2013 ..."So begins the commencement speech, a tradition at college and university graduations around the US. They can be boring, they can be ...

Noaa predicts wildly active hurricane season out of Atlantic and Caribbean

Thu, 23 May 2013 15:53:20 -0400

Americans were warned on Thursday to brace for an extremely active hurricane season - less than a year after the devastation of Sandy, which hit the east coast in October 2012 - with 13 to 20 named storms, including seven to ...

One dead around 10 injured in Guinea opposition protest

Thu, 23 May 2013 15:52:33 -0400

CONAKRY (Reuters) - One person was killed and around 10 injured when security forces and supporters of Guinea's president clashed with protesters marching in the capital on Thursday against planned legislative ...

Teacher confronted terrorists

Thu, 23 May 2013 15:46:40 -0400

>Were you there? Send us your photos, videos(CNN) -- Wednesday afternoon, former teacher Ingrid Loyau-Kennett was just a passenger on a bus passing through southeast London. Thursday she was being hailed as one incredibly brave woman who confronted a man seconds after he hacked a British soldier to death in broad daylight. READ MORE: Cameron condemns brutal hacking death, says Britain stands ...

More arrests

Thu, 23 May 2013 15:38:31 -0400

>Are you from the area affected, or London in general? What is your reaction to the incident? Send us your images, video and experiences. London (CNN) -- British police have arrested two more people as part of the probe of the brutal cleaver attack that killed a British soldier. A man and a woman, both 29, were arrested Thursday on suspicion of conspiracy to murder, Metropolitan Police said. ...

Military calls UK attack victim a model soldier

Thu, 23 May 2013 15:36:21 -0400

LONDON (AP) -- Britain's military says the soldier brutally murdered in a suspected terrorist attack was a popular drummer and machine gunner, a father, and a passionate fan of Manchester ...

London attack

Thu, 23 May 2013 15:20:41 -0400

Obama limits use of U.S. drone strikes offers steps to close Guantanamo

Thu, 23 May 2013 15:07:38 -0400

Reuters © U.S. President Barack Obama addresses a joint news conference in the White House Rose Garden in Washington, May 16, 2013. REUTERS/Kevin ...

7.4 magnitude quake strikes southwest of Tonga USGS

Thu, 23 May 2013 15:07:32 -0400

SYDNEY (AFP) - A 7.4-magnitude earthquake struck 255 kilometres southwest of Tonga early Friday, according to the US Geological Survey.The under-sea quake struck at 5:19 am (1719 GMT Thursday) and sparked a tsunami alert, although no damage is expected due to its depth of 171 kilometres, according to the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center."A destructive tsunami was not generated based on ...

Video Forecasters developing tool to predict hurricane storm surge

Thu, 23 May 2013 15:06:44 -0400

After storms like Sandy inundated coastal areas last year, forecasters have developed an experimental model to show potential areas of impact in a deadly "storm ...

Swedens riots raise questions about inequality

Thu, 23 May 2013 15:05:03 -0400

For some, the real reason for the unrest is the high unemployment and isolation of youths in the southern and western Stockholm suburbs where the violence occurred - ones who see little future for themselves or access to Sweden's ...

Canada terror suspect Lawyer must use holy book

Thu, 23 May 2013 15:04:59 -0400

TORONTO -; A man accused of plotting to derail a train in Canada with support from al-Qaida is asking to be represented by a defense attorney willing to use the "holy book" as a reference in his ...

Israel says Iran unaffected by world pressure

Thu, 23 May 2013 15:04:58 -0400

JERUSALEM -; Israel's prime minister says a new report by the U.N. atomic agency shows that international pressure is having no effect on halting Iran's suspect nuclear ...

AP PHOTOS Egypts languishing Islamic antiquities

Thu, 23 May 2013 15:04:57 -0400

In this photo taken Sunday, May 12, 2013, Egyptians walk by the medieval fortress wall in the historic Fatimid Cairo, Egypt. Cairo, the Arab world's most populated city, is often referred to as an open-air museum of Islamic antiquities and the city of 1,000 minarets. But its rich history and contributions to Islamic art has languished. (AP Photo/Nasser ...

Obama Narrows Scope of Terror Fight

Thu, 23 May 2013 15:02:24 -0400

WASHINGTON ...

Cuomo Shame on us if Anthony Weiner elected mayor

Thu, 23 May 2013 15:01:38 -0400

Scattered arrival and departure delays on US Airways and Southwest ... contact carrier ahead of time. Long Island Mac Arthur Airport In Bohemia delayed until further notice on Vets Highway/Rt-454 WB between Trade Zone Rd and CR-112/Johnson Ave in ...

Stock markets lose nerve on fears of end to quantitative easing

Thu, 23 May 2013 14:57:02 -0400

FTSE 100 came within 90 points of its December 1999 all-time high, the index slumped 143 points yesterday to 6696, wiping 36bn off the value of Britain's top companies.The 2.1% fall was the index's worst in one day since it lost just over 2.5% a year ago to the day, on fears that Greece could leave the eurozone. But after its recent strong surge this latest fall in the blue-chip index ...

Chinua Achebe funeral celebrates revered Nigerian author

Thu, 23 May 2013 14:56:33 -0400

Chinua Achebe's coffin is carried into St Phillips Anglican church for his funeral in Ogidi, south-east Nigeria. Photograph: Pius Utomi Ekpei/AFP/Getty ...

Coburn No I dont oppose tornado aid

Thu, 23 May 2013 14:55:06 -0400

>Editor's note: Tom Coburn, a Republican, is a US senator from Oklahoma and the ranking member on the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, which oversees the Federal Emergency Management Agency.(CNN) -- Millions of Americans have been shocked by the devastation caused by the tornadoes in Oklahoma. Having toured the area, it's impossible to put the scope of the damage in ...

US govt expects up to 11 Atlantic hurricanes this year

Thu, 23 May 2013 14:49:55 -0400

photos The 2013 Atlantic hurricane season will be active and spawn 13 to 20 tropical storms, seven to 11 of which are expected to become hurricanes, the US government's top climate agency has predicted. Three to six of the hurricanes could become major at Category 3 or above, with winds of more than 177 km per hour, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration said in its annual ...

Two more arrested in case of murdered British soldier

Thu, 23 May 2013 14:46:59 -0400

Drummer Lee Rigby (25) from the 2nd Battalion, Royal Regiment of Fusiliers who was named today as the soldier hacked to death in Woolwich yesterday. Photograph: police handout/PA ...

UN warns DR Congo rebels it will intervene

Thu, 23 May 2013 14:46:49 -0400

The UN Secretary General has warned armed rebels in eastern Congo that the organisation's new "intervention brigade" would prevent any repeat of the fighting that has driven thousands of refugees out of camps this ...

Second jewellery theft reported near Cannes

Thu, 23 May 2013 14:46:49 -0400

Police said that the "high value" necklace was stolen on Wednesday night in Cap d'Antibes. Last week, thieves stole about $1m (663,000) worth of jewels after ripping a safe from the wall of a Novotel hotel room in Cannes. The jewellery was taken from the room of an employee of Chopard, the Swiss-based watch and jewellery maker that has loaned items to A-list stars walking the red ...

A Berliner in 1963 – but did John F Kennedy once admire Adolf Hitler

Thu, 23 May 2013 14:46:48 -0400

President John F Kennedy openly admired Nazi Germany when he toured the country as a young man, according to a new book marking the 50th anniversary of his historic 1963 visit to Cold War West ...

Teenagers trapped on Yemen’s death row

Thu, 23 May 2013 14:46:47 -0400

"My hands were tied. The doctor drew a circle on my back around my heart. I was to lie on the sand for the executioner to shoot me. Then I heard the phone call." Hafedh Ibrahim's words trip mechanically off his tongue as he describes being moments from the carrying out of his death sentence. I feel guilty making him relive it for my television camera. Especially because, being ...

Stockholm burning Riots grip surburbs as violent trouble spreads

Thu, 23 May 2013 14:46:44 -0400

Stockholm was braced for a fifth night of riots as violent unrest that began almost a week ago in the northern suburbs of the Swedish capital continued to spread to other corners of the ...

Blogger sentenced to Turkish prison for blasphemy

Thu, 23 May 2013 14:45:48 -0400

Sevan Nisanyan accuses Turkey's government of politically persecuting him His crime: "openly denigrating the religious values held by a certain portion of the population." He says he has been prosecuted simultaneously in three Turkish courts Nisanyan told CNN he recognizes he was deliberately confrontational in ...

Ill woman at center of abortion debate in El Salvador

Thu, 23 May 2013 14:45:38 -0400

A woman known as Beatriz is pregnant and suffering from illnesses She wants an abortion to help save her life But abortions are illegal in El Salvador in all circumstances The Supreme Court is debating the ...

Obama US Has Compromised Basic Principles

Thu, 23 May 2013 14:44:31 -0400

In a wide-ranging, impassioned speech to define US foreign policies on terror, President Barack Obama says the US has at times "compromised our basic principles" in the international war on terrorism since 9/11. Mr Obama indicated he regrets past uses of torture or other tactics to gather terror intelligence, and said he is "haunted" by unintended civilian casualties in ...

Woolwich Help For Heroes Swamped With Pledges

Thu, 23 May 2013 14:44:31 -0400

The website of the charity Help For Heroes crashed as it was swamped with donations. The popular military support group was deluged with calls, donations and demands for its merchandise, prompting its website to go down due to massive internet traffic. Supporters took to Twitter and social networks in a bid to boost the charity's coffers after a soldier wearing a Help For Heroes top ...

Syria opposition open key talks on peace initiative

Thu, 23 May 2013 14:44:03 -0400

ISTANBUL (AFP) - Syria's main opposition group met for key talks in Istanbul on Thursday to debate whether to join a new US-Russian peace initiative to end the two-year civil war, while the regime vowed to crush the insurgency.Holding its seventh general assembly meeting since its creation last November, the National Coalition is expected to choose a new president, discuss incorporating new ...

Conservation agency approved cull of endangered birds documents show

Thu, 23 May 2013 14:36:46 -0400

birds have been shot, trapped and poisoned on one of England's largest shooting estates with the approval of the government agency responsible for protecting the species, a Guardian investigation has found.The government has licensed an annual cull ...

Woolwich killing residents reflect on murder of Lee Rigby

Thu, 23 May 2013 14:36:40 -0400

People gather outside the Royal Artillery barracks in Woolwich, close to the scene where Lee Rigby was killed on Wednesday. Photograph: Facundo ...

Blue is the Warmest Colour installed as frontrunner for Palme dOr

Thu, 23 May 2013 14:36:39 -0400

A hail of enthusiastic tweets followed the Cannes premiere of Blue is the Warmest Colour - elevating it to the status of the critics' favourite of the festival, and not a moment too long at three hours.It also happens to contain the lengthiest, most intimate and most graphic lesbian sex scenes in mainstream cinema history. Praised for its tenderness and intensity, it has been hailed as a ...

President Barack Obamas speech at National Defense University – full text

Thu, 23 May 2013 14:36:37 -0400

It's an honor to return to the National Defense University. Here, at Fort McNair, Americans have served in uniform since 1791- standing guard in the early days of the Republic, and contemplating the future of warfare here in the 21st century.For over two centuries, ...

John Kerry makes unscheduled shawarma sandwich stop in West Bank

Thu, 23 May 2013 14:36:35 -0400

John Kerry shows delight at his shawarma sandwich in Ramallah. Photograph: Fadi Arouri /Xinhua It's enough to give the healthy eating lobby a heart attack. US secretary of ...

What is the economic responsibility of corporate America | Heidi Moore

Thu, 23 May 2013 14:36:33 -0400

dealing with a do-nothing Congress with little more than perhaps quiet exasperation. Now that his term is nearly over, he is a bolder man. In his testimony before the Joint Economic Committee of Washington, he pulled no punches. He ...

Prosecutor in Berlusconi sex trial receives letter containing bullets

Thu, 23 May 2013 14:36:30 -0400

Silvio Berlusconi has received a series of anonymous threatening letters, including one with two bullets, Milan's chief prosecutor said on Thursday.The letters to Ilda Boccassini have become more frequent since she requested a six-year jail sentence and a lifetime ban on holding public office for Berlusconi, Edmondo Bruti Liberati said."In the last few weeks there has been a crescendo ...

George Osborne puts his pride before the national interest | Ed Balls

Thu, 23 May 2013 14:36:28 -0400

Link to video: George Osborne: GDP figures show we are 'making progress' The International Monetary Fund is not usually known for racy language and dramatic press releases. When IMF chiefs come to national capitals, diplomacy is normally the order of the day. So no one should be surprised that in London this week there was no public repeat of the IMF's previous comments that ...

Imam condemns Woolwich killing as barbaric murder - video

Thu, 23 May 2013 14:36:26 -0400

Imam Swaleh, speaking on Thursday from the steps of Greenwich Islamic Centre, condemns the killing of a British soldier in Woolwich on Wednesday. With fears the attack could inflame tensions between Muslim and non-Muslim communities, the imam says he is deeply saddened and his heart goes out to the family of the victim, who has been named as Drummer Lee Rigby of the Royal ...

Bangladesh factory collapse blamed on swampy ground and heavy machinery

Thu, 23 May 2013 14:36:25 -0400

The defects and errors that led to the world's deadliest garment-industry accident include the swampy ground the Rana Plaza was built on, the "extremely poor quality" construction materials and the massive, vibrating equipment operating when the eight-story building collapsed, a committee appointed ...

John Kerry acknowledges failures over Israeli-Palestinian peace process

Thu, 23 May 2013 14:36:24 -0400

John Kerry , has acknowledged years of disappointment over the Israeli-Palestinian peace process at the start of his fourth recent visit to the area, but added that he hoped to confound sceptics and cynics.Kerry met the Israeli prime minister, Binyamin Netanyahu, and the Palestinian president, Mahmoud Abbas, and won strong support for his peace mission from the British foreign secretary, William ...

Ukrainian court blocks countrys first gay pride demonstration

Thu, 23 May 2013 14:36:21 -0400

Svyatoslav Sheremet, head of the Gay Forum of Ukraine, was beaten up last year shortly after a scheduled gay parade was cancelled. Photograph: ...

ENRC fears data loss from hacking and stolen laptop

Thu, 23 May 2013 14:36:19 -0400

Eurasian Natural Resources Corporation , warned on Thursday that it may have lost internal data as a result of computer hacking and the theft of a laptop.The problems add to a complicated picture for ENRC, a London-based but Kazakh-facing producer of minerals from iron ore to coal, which received an indicative takeover offer last week but is also the subject of an investigation by the Serious ...

EU probes ally of Kosovo PM ambassador for war crimes

Thu, 23 May 2013 14:35:24 -0400

A file photo shows senior ex-commander of the Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA), Sami Lushtaku (L) during a reburial ceremony at village of Likoshane in, February 28, ...

Insight In attackers argot Londoners shocked to hear one of their own

Thu, 23 May 2013 14:35:24 -0400

LONDON (Reuters) - In the lurid scene of the red-handed knifeman describing his motives for hacking to death a British soldier in broad daylight, perhaps the most chilling aspect for Londoners was the man's unmistakably familiar ...

Ukrainian PM reverses journalist ban in wake of protest

Thu, 23 May 2013 14:34:42 -0400

Ukrainian prime minister Mykola Azarov has reversed a decision to strip ten reporters of their media credentials, after more than 100 journalists took part in a demonstration in Kiev. The ten were barred from government meetings after staging a silent protest during a Council of Ministers meeting on Wednesday. They claimed that police failed to protect two colleagues, who were allegedly set ...

Lagardes IMF post hangs in balance

Thu, 23 May 2013 14:34:41 -0400

IMF in a row in legal scandals of different kinds begins to reflect embarrassingly on their country of origin. Christine Lagarde, when she was shortlisted for the job after Dominique Strauss-Kahn resigned in disgrace, did mention there was a risk of her past career resurfacing, but she got the post anyway. She still has the French ...

Militants attack French mine and army barracks in Niger

Thu, 23 May 2013 14:34:40 -0400

Islamist suicide bombers have struck at an army barracks and a French-run uranium mine in Niger. In Agadez in the north, at least 20 soldiers were killed and 16 others injured when the bombers attacked at dawn. In Arlit, one person died and several others were injured in a car bomb attack at a uranium mine operated by the French nuclear group Areva. A West African offshoot of al-Qaeda’s ...

Trouble with the new 5 euro notes

Thu, 23 May 2013 14:34:40 -0400

Holiday-makers planning to travel to Greece this summer may be well advised not to take the new five-euro bank notes with them. The new five-euro notes that began circulating earlier this month are not recognised ...

Anger debate and fear in the UK after Woolwich attack

Thu, 23 May 2013 14:34:38 -0400

The murder of a soldier in Woolwich has already sparked a sequence of worrying and violent reactions in the United Kingdom. Hours after the brutal killing, members of the English Defense League ...

Pussy Riot member denied parole by Russian judge

Thu, 23 May 2013 14:34:37 -0400

A Russian court has refused to grant parole to a jailed member of the Pussy Riot punk band. According to supporters, the judge ruled against Maria Alyokhina because she had broken prison rules. The breaches included not making her bed and writing letters during meal times. She was jailed after performing a so-called punk prayer in a Moscow cathedral against Vladimir Putin, during his ...

Paris Singer and Piaf songwriter Moustaki dies

Thu, 23 May 2013 14:34:35 -0400

French singer and songwriter Georges Moustaki has died after a long illness. He was 79. Greek-born Moustaki arrived in Paris in 1951 and will be remembered by many for his songs celebrating liberty and his collaborations with Edith Piaf. French Culture Minister Aurelie Filippetti hailed an ';artist with convictions who conveyed humanist values… and a great poet.'; Twitter was ...

Flooding forces people from homes in Norway

Thu, 23 May 2013 14:34:34 -0400

Hundreds of people have been evacuated from their homes after heavy rain caused flooding in southeastern Norway. In Nesbyen, a mudslide reached properties, filling some basements with water. A river overflowed its banks in Kvam, sending water through the centre of the village. Around 250 people had to be evacuated. Roads and rail services have also been affected by the bad weather, including ...

Italian students mark anniversary of anti-mafia magistrate killing

Thu, 23 May 2013 14:34:34 -0400

Thousands of Italian students have sailed to Palermo on so-called ';ships of lawfulness'; to mark the 21st anniversary of the killing of an anti-mafia magistrate. Giovanni Falcone, his wife and three bodyguards were killed when their car was blown up on a road near Capaci in Sicily. Two months later, colleague Paolo Borsellino was killed in another bomb attack in ...

Lagarde quizzed over pay-off deal

Thu, 23 May 2013 14:33:04 -0400

International Monetary Fund chief Christine Lagarde faced questions at a special Paris court today over her role in the EUR400m pay-off to a controversial businessman when she was France's finance minister.The court hearing threatens to sully the reputations of both Ms Lagarde and France.The payment was made to well-connected entrepreneur Bernard Tapie as part of a private arbitration ...

Pivoting From a War Footing Obama Acts to Curtail Drones

Thu, 23 May 2013 14:05:23 -0400

WASHINGTON ...

A BitterSweet Shift in Cockroach Defenses

Thu, 23 May 2013 14:04:31 -0400

Everyone knows that cockroaches are the ultimate survivors, with enough evolutionary tricks up their carapaces to have thrived for 350 million years and to have completely adapted to the human species. But the nature of the adaptation that researchers in North Carolina described on Thursday in the journal Science is impressive even for such an ancient, ineradicable lineage, experts say. ...

Latest developments

Thu, 23 May 2013 14:04:05 -0400

>Editor's note: Are you from the area affected, or London in general? What is your reaction to the incident? Send us your images, video and experiences.(CNN) -- The brutal killing of a British soldier Wednesday near a military barracks in the Woolwich neighborhood of southeast London has shocked the United Kingdom. Prime Minister David Cameron said the act appears to have been a terrorist ...

Latest developments

Thu, 23 May 2013 14:04:05 -0400

Teacher who confronted terrorists

Thu, 23 May 2013 14:03:53 -0400

Dont-miss spots in the Smokies

Thu, 23 May 2013 14:03:40 -0400

>Editor's note: CNN.com's weekly Summer in the Park series turns to rangers at the United States' most popular national parks to get insider recommendations for your visits, whether you have just one day or can stay longer. The series will run through Labor Day.(CNN) -- The boundary between Tennessee and North Carolina might be one of the loveliest border crossings ever: It's the crest of the ...

Dont-miss spots in the Smokies

Thu, 23 May 2013 14:03:40 -0400

Italys Berlusconi in tax fraud scheme as PM judges say

Thu, 23 May 2013 13:49:15 -0400

Reuters © People of Freedom party member Silvio Berlusconi gestures as he makes an address on stage in Brescia May 11, 2013. REUTERS/Alessandro ...

86 sentenced in Macedonia highway toll scam case

Thu, 23 May 2013 13:46:14 -0400

SKOPJE, Macedonia -; A criminal court in Macedonia's capital has sentenced 86 employees of a road management company to prison terms ranging from eight months to more than six years for involvement in a massive highway toll ...

Appellate court Berlusconi ran illegal scheme

Thu, 23 May 2013 13:46:13 -0400

MILAN -; A Milan appeals court has explained why it upheld Silvia Berlusconi's tax fraud conviction, saying the politician illegally purchased the rights to broadcast U.S. movies on his private TV network, then falsely declared the payments to avoid ...

Long Islands best burgers

Thu, 23 May 2013 13:43:23 -0400

Anticipate seasonal delays along Sunrise Highway/CR39/Montauk Hwy/Main Street in "the hamptons"along long islands south fork In Southampton major event on Sunrise Hwy/NY Rt-27 EB between CR-38/Sea Rd and Stephen Hands Path in ...

Cayman opposition will lead coalition govt

Thu, 23 May 2013 13:42:08 -0400

A former Cayman Islands premier who faces 11 criminal charges and was ousted from leadership last year went into Wednesday's general elections with an outside chance of returning to power in the British Overseas ...

Ghitis The real enemy in London

Thu, 23 May 2013 13:33:08 -0400

>Editor's note: Frida Ghitis is a world affairs columnist for The Miami Herald and World Politics Review. A former CNN producer and correspondent, she is the author of "The End of Revolution: A Changing World in the Age of Live Television. " Follow her on Twitter: @FridaGColumns.(CNN) -- When a man with hands drenched in blood stands just feet away from the body of a person he just hacked to ...

Secret papers reveal Churchill and Stalins boozy meeting

Thu, 23 May 2013 13:32:10 -0400

Winston Churchill leads Josef Stalin into the reception room at the British Legation in Tehran on the occasion of Churchill's 69th birthday, 30 November 1943. ...

Britain names soldier killed in London he had served in Afghanistan

Thu, 23 May 2013 13:32:02 -0400

Manchester United fan and a drummer in the military band, he had also served in Germany and Cyprus but was at the time of his death working in London. "An extremely popular and witty soldier, Drummer Rigby was a larger than life personality within the Corps of Drums and was well known, liked and respected across the Second Fusiliers," said a statement from the ministry of defence. ...

The changing war on terror

Thu, 23 May 2013 13:29:39 -0400

war on terror . we know since 9/11 it's been constantly a changing target. where are we now in this war and the president is reassessing how we protect ourselves? how different does that reassessment look? are we pushing the reset button, ...

Murdered soldier was father of two-year-old boy

Thu, 23 May 2013 13:29:25 -0400

Drummer Lee Rigby (25) from the 2nd Battalion, Royal Regiment of Fusiliers who was named today as the soldier hacked to death in Woolwich yesterday. Photograph: police handout/PA ...

IMF Managing Director Christine Lagarde in court over money to disgraced tycoon Bernard Tapie in 2008

Thu, 23 May 2013 13:29:11 -0400

Ms Lagarde, 57, spent most of today answering questions in a private hearing about her role in a EUR403m compensation award to the disgraced tycoon, Bernard Tapie, while she was French finance minister in 2008.The elegant, and much admired, Ms Lagarde is accused not of enriching herself, but of engineering a sweetheart settlement to Mr Tapie to pay him off for switching sides to support the ...

Stockholm sees fourth night of rioting

Thu, 23 May 2013 13:28:35 -0400

Police: Rioters set fires, then pelt responding firefighters and police with rocks Husby, a northern suburb of Stockholm, had been at the center of the disorder But police say violence is increasing in the southern suburbs Prime Minister Fredrik Reinfeldt has appealed for calm in the ...

Jobs housing data show economy has some muscle

Thu, 23 May 2013 13:23:03 -0400

The improving employment picture is helping to prop up housing, with rising home prices keeping domestic consumption supported, limiting the drag from tighter fiscal policy that is dampening factory ...

The War on Drugs the Observer debate – live

Thu, 23 May 2013 13:19:41 -0400

Join us for tonight's panel discussion on drug laws with David Simon, writer of The Wire, documentary maker Eugene Jarecki, Rachel Seifert, the director of the documentary Cocaine Unwrapped and others at the Royal Institution of Great Britain. The debate will be chaired by Observer editor John Mulholland.While the event is sold out you can still follow what's happening here, leave your ...

Jerry Lewis women doing broad comedy bothers me

Thu, 23 May 2013 13:19:39 -0400

Cannes film festival for the first time since 1989, and the 87-year-old duly turned up to receive the plaudits, waspishly shouting "[The French] kept me alive for 50 ...

Senate rejects GM food labeling amendment to farm bill

Thu, 23 May 2013 13:19:38 -0400

The Senate on Thursday overwhelmingly rejected an amendment that would allow states to require labeling of genetically modified foods.Senator Bernie Sanders ...

A letter to Moore Oklahoma | Eric Gregg

Thu, 23 May 2013 13:19:36 -0400

Leap Day tornado outbreak , that your neighboring communities will stand with you, as will the nation as a whole. One of the most enduring memories I have of that dark time is that citizens from across our country reached out and selflessly proved how truly great they are. We received donations, help reconstructing, and plenty of notes. We will do the same for you. As Americans, this is who we ...

Disputed deaths in Palestinian territories

Thu, 23 May 2013 13:19:35 -0400

Palestinian woman in the West Bank village of Bili'in died following a protest in which Israeli soldiers fired teargas . According to witnesses, Jawaher Abu Rahma collapsed after inhaling the gas, vomiting, convulsing and foaming at the mouth. After Palestinian leaders described her death as a war crime, anonymous IDF sources briefed the Israeli media to suggest she was not present at the ...

On Woolwich British media could learn from Swedish riots coverage | Andrew Brown

Thu, 23 May 2013 13:19:35 -0400

riots around Stockholm had made the front page of the Financial Times, I scurried over to the sites of Swedish papers to see in some detail what was happening. It turned out that the dismembered parts of a Thai woman had been found in Lapland, various television stars had been variously unhappy in their love lives, a farmer had caused the evacuation of a police station in the south of the country ...

Oklahoma funerals begin as severe weather hampers recovery efforts

Thu, 23 May 2013 13:19:33 -0400

Oklahoma City suburb, the first since the storm killed 24 people on Monday.The funeral for Antonia Candelaria -who was killed at a Moore elementary school that took a direct hit in Monday's storm - was scheduled for Thursday morning. A family photo showed the girl, Antonia Candelaria, beaming with a big smile and wearing a white sun hat.Meanwhile, a band of thunderstorms battered the ...

US new home sales rose to second-highest level since 2008 in April

Thu, 23 May 2013 13:19:32 -0400

Sales of new US homes rose in April to the second highest level since the summer of 2008 while the median price for a new home hit a record high, further signs that housing is recovering.New-home sales rose to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 454,000 in April, the Commerce Department said Thursday. That was up 2.3% from March and just slightly below January's 458,000.Both January and ...

Anthony Weiner kicks off mayoral campaign with chaotic Harlem event

Thu, 23 May 2013 13:19:31 -0400

Anthony Weiner began his comeback campaign in Harlem on Thursday at a chaotic event where police were called and the candidate faced heckling. But overall Weiner expressed satisfaction with his first contact with voters, finding them to be in a largely forgiving mood.Asked about poor poll figures that show him with only 15% support, he told reporters it was only the first day of his campaign. ...

Boy Scouts of America set to vote on gay youth ban

Thu, 23 May 2013 13:18:43 -0400

GRAPEVINE, Texas (Reuters) - The Boy Scouts of America will vote on Thursday on a proposal to remove its ban on openly gay scouts that has been in place throughout the organization's 103-year ...