Obama sends Congress sweeping update of nation’s financial regulations

WASHINGTON — President Barack Obama proposed new “rules of the road” for the nation’s financial system Wednesday, casting the changes as an essential response to the economic crisis and the greatest regulatory transformation since the Great Depression.

Palin nominates Daniel S. Sullivan to be Alaska’s attorney general

SOLDOTNA, Alaska — Gov. Sarah Palin on Tuesday appointed a former Anchorage lawyer with White House and State Department service to be Alaska’s new attorney general after her earlier choice was rejected by state lawmakers.

Ahmadinejad brushes off violence over Iran election dispute, challenger wants vote canceled

TEHRAN, Iran — Protesters set fires and smashed store windows Sunday in a second day of violence as groups challenging President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad’s re-election tried to keep pressure on authorities. Anti-riot police lashed back and the regime blocked Internet sites used to rally the pro-reform campaign.

Cell phone service appears to have been cut in Tehran, Iran’s capital, after disputed election

Cell phone service down after disputed Iran vote

TEHRAN, Iran — Cell phone service appears to have been cut in Iran’s capital after a disputed election that the government said President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad won.

Suicide bombers hit Pakistan mosque, religious school after Friday prayers; at least 2 dead

LAHORE, Pakistan — Friday prayers had just ended when the suicide bomber walked into the seminary office of a popular anti-Taliban cleric and detonated his explosives.

Investigation into former Ohio AG, who resigned amid sensational scandal, ends with $1K fine

COLUMBUS, Ohio — The long-running case against former Ohio Attorney General Marc Dann, accused of running his state office like “Animal House” and spending campaign money on goodies for himself and his family, ended Thursday with a fine and no criminal charges.

Va. state senator, a bit rough around the edges, beats party star in Dem primary for governor

RICHMOND, Va. — For four years, Democratic state Sen. R. Creigh Deeds has coped with losing the closest statewide race in modern Virginia history to Republican Bob McDonnell.

Despite Pentagon claims military in charge, report says security firm oversees for-hire guards

WASHINGTON — A major security contractor is running an office overseeing armed guards in Afghanistan, a situation at odds with the Pentagon’s claim that military officers would be in charge of such sensitive work.

German exports plunge in April amid global economic slump

BERLIN — Germany, Europe’s largest economy, saw its exports plunge nearly 30 percent in April as the global economic crisis continued to hurt demand for its products, the Federal Statistical Office reported Tuesday.

Indian-origin man named Australian envoy to India (Second Lead)

SYDNEY - In an apparent move to placate India, Australia Monday named Indian-origin Peter Varghese, considered the country’s top spy, its next envoy to New Delhi.

Oz-Indian Peter Varghese appointed new Australian envoy to India

MELBOURNE J - Peter Varghese, Australia’s top spy has been appointed the new high commissioner to India.

SC Legislative manual uses terms ‘Negro’ and ’scalawag’ for some former officeholders

COLUMBIA, S.C. — The official manual of South Carolina’s Legislature continues to label some of the state’s former politicians as “Negro” or “scalawag” — apparent remnants of disgruntlement over Reconstruction that are drawing fresh scrutiny.

Congress civic chief murdered in Maharashtra

LONAVALA - The civic chief of Lonavala township in Mahashtra was killed and another civic leader seriously wounded, when two unidentified persons barged into their office Tuesday afternoon and attacked them with swords and choppers, police said.

Congress-led UPA set to form government again

NEW DELHI - The Congress-led UPA is set to form the government at the Centre again, as it is leading the BJP-led NDA.

THE INFLUENCE GAME: Impact of administration curbs is uneven as lobbyists hunt ways to cope

WASHINGTON — Lobbyist Elizabeth Moeller knew Energy Department officials wouldn’t let her press them for an economic stimulus project for a California company hoping to turn algae into energy.

Only two, not five iconic skyscrapers for New York’s World Trade Center

NEW YORK - The incredible shrinking World Trade Center will be cut back from five iconic skyscrapers to just two signature towers under a new Port Authority plan, the Daily News has learned.

Andhra CID begins probe into secretariat fire

HYDERABAD - Amid a political row over the cause of a fire in the Andhra Pradesh state secretariat which destroyed some official records, the crime branch of the state police and forensic experts Friday launched a probe.

Hillary Clinton beats Obama in job approval ratings

WASHINGTON - After finishing 100 days in the office, US Secretary of state Hilary Clinton has trumped President Barack Obama in job approval ratings.

Nepal plunges into political crisis as PM fires army chief and protesters take to the streets

KATMANDU, Nepal — Nepal’s prime minister fired the army chief Sunday after a struggle over admitting former Maoist rebel fighters to the military, sparking mass protests and jeopardizing the survival of the country’s first elected government.

Venezuela approves law to transfer funds from opposition mayor to government

CARACAS, Venezuela — Venezuela’s National Assembly has approved a law that gives control over the budget of an opposition-run city to an official appointed by President Hugo Chavez.

Canadian minister resigns after being caught over-speeding

TORONTO - Imagine even a junior minister in India driving his own vehicle and being booked by cops. But the home minister of Canada’s British Columbia province resigned Monday after he was caught and fined for over-speeding.

Iraqi officials say suicide bomber strikes Shiite neighborhood in Baghdad, killing at least 22

BAGHDAD — A suicide bomber blew himself up among a group of Iraqis collecting humanitarian aid Thursday in a mainly Shiite area in Baghdad, killing at least 22 people, the Iraqi military said.

There are things about government that I miss: Cheney

WASHINGTON - Former US Vice President Dick Cheney has revealed that there are still things about working in the government that he misses.

Orissa voter turnout pegged at 65.9 percent

BHUBANESWAR - At least 65.9 percent voting was recorded in the first phase of Lok Sabha and assembly elections in Orissa Thursday, an official statement said Friday after compiling data from all polling centres.

Poll promises to die for (Poll Prattle)

NEW DELHI - A man on his deathbed doesn’t lie, they say. So a Lok Sabha aspirant from Uttar Pradesh came on a bier to file his nomination and make the point that he would keep his promises to voters.

Sharif says that Gilani has been told to repeal of 17th Amendment

LAHORE - Former Pakistan Prime Minister and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) chief Nawaz Sharif said Wednesday that Prime Minister Gilani has been told to repeal the controversial 17th Amendment.

Obama’s Indian American information czar goes on leave till end of FBI probe

WASHINGTON - US President Barack Obama’s Indian American White House chief information officer, Vivek Kundra, has gone on leave until the FBI completes its investigation into the Washington city office he once headed.

New York auction house going ahead with Gandhi items’ sale

WASHINGTON - Hours before a few of Mahatma Gandhi’s personal items were set to go under the hammer, a New York auction House Thursday said it was going ahead with the sale amid reports that New Delhi had rejected a proposal from the collector.

Bhanu Athaiya - India’s first Oscar winner walks down memory lane

MUMBAI - Twenty-seven years ago, she made history when she became the first Indian to win an Oscar. Now, as two other Indians are again within kissing distance of that prized statuette, Bhanu Athaiya walks down nostalgia lane to remember that 1982 day when she won the Oscar for best costume design for ‘Gandhi’.

LTTE ‘actively prevent’ civilians from leaving war-zone: UN

COLOMBO - Expressing concern over the plight of thousands of civilians caught up in the fighting in Sri Lanka’s north, the UN office here said Monday the Tamil Tiger rebels were ‘actively’ preventing people from leaving the war-zone.