Clashes intensifies in Tehran as police fire tear gas, water cannons at thousands of protesters

Fierce Tehran clashes between police, protesters

Iranian opposition leader Mir Hossein Mousavi demands presidential vote annulled

TEHRAN, Iran — Opposition leader Mir Hossein Mousavi is repeating his demand that Iran’s presidential vote must be annulled.

Intruding US aircraft was carrying medicines and not weapons, discloses IAF

NEW DELHI J - After a thorough interrogation and search Indian authorities confirmed that the military cargo aircraft, which has landed in Mumbai air port yesterday was carrying medicines to the US troops operating in Afghanistan and no weapons or ammunition were on board said IAF spokesperson Wg Cdr Tarun Kumar Singha.

Mughal period cannon balls found near Guwahati

GUWAHATI - Residents of Hatisila Village near Guwahati are absolutely elated after the recent archaeological discovery of large number of cannon balls, believed to be of Mughal period.

Intruder US-chartered aircraft allowed to leave Mumbai

MUMBAI - The intruder US-chartered Russian-make aircraft, AN-124-100, which was ordered to land in Mumbai late Friday after it violated Indian air space, was cleared by the intelligence and security agencies and given the green signal to leave Saturday afternoon, airport sources said.

Rule of law will be established in Lalgarh, says police official

LALGARH - High on confidence after steam-rolling the Maoist resistance to reach Lalgarh, security forces Saturday threw a challenge to the leftwing rebels in West Bengal saying “We have surprises in store for them”.

British volunteer’s rape triggers fear among tourists

SHIMLA - Many foreign tourists in Himchal Pradesh, which lures hordes of backpackers every summer, say they are scared and worried about their safety following the alleged gang rape of a British teenager in the popular tourist destination of Palampur in Kangra district.

NATO to assist Pak Army in its offensive against Mehsud in South Waziristan?

ISLAMABAD - With the Pakistan government announcing a Swat like military offensive in South Waziristan with a primary motive to hunt down the Tehreek-e-Taliban (TTP) chief Baitullah Mehsud, the NATO forces deployed in Afghanistan are also ready to extend help.

American students make Obama mural from 2,420 dominoes

Washington, Jun 20 (ANI): A mural of US President Barack Obama has been created by students at Franklin Avenue Elementary School and nearby Westfield State College by using 2,420 dominoes.

Indian MPs to focus on global issues at Yale

WASHINGTON - A group of Indian parliamentarians representing various parties Saturday begin the third edition of India-Yale Parliamentary Leadership Programme focusing on global political-economic affairs and the challenges of leadership.

A look at the baggage fees charged by major US airlines

A rundown of baggage fees at major U.S. airlines:

US dollar, gold lower in European afternoon trading

LONDON — The U.S. dollar was lower against other major currencies in European trading Friday morning. Gold also fell.

Swiss police find body of US boy missing by waterfall

BERN, Switzerland — Swiss authorities said Friday they have found the body of a 12-year-old American boy who apparently fell into a torrential waterfall during an outing last month.

Markets bounce back, end on a high note (Roundup)

MUMBAI - Indian equities markets bounced back at close Friday with a key index moving in the green to end near the day’s highs. It had dipped into the red about 30 minutes of the closing bell.

Israeli-Palestinian peace agreement can be reached within a year: Blair

JERUSALEM - Middle East envoy Tony Blair has said that an Israeli-Palestinian peace agreement could be reached “within the year,” but only if all sides agree to peaceful negotiations.
The former British Prime Minister said there was a “great sense of hope and expectation” in the Middle East after US President Barack Obama’s recent outreach speech to the Islamic world delivered in Cairo.

Vizhinjam port project likely to get delayed further

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM - Mumbai-based Zoom Developers, whose bid for the proposed Rs.53.48-billion port at Vizhinjam has been rejected, Friday said it would challenge the decision in court.

Backed by robust economic growth, India’s clout ascends on global arena

When India committed $10 billion to the kitty of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) in April this year and its opinion was sought on how to overcome the worst global recession in six decades, it marked a major turning point in terms of its economic advancement as well as growing clout on the world stage.

Mehsud masterminded Benazir’s murder, says former aide

ISLAMABAD - A militant leader who broke away with Pakistan’s Taliban chief Baitullah Mehsud has accused him of killing former Pakistani prime minister Benazir Bhutto, a media report said Friday.

US tracking North Korean ship suspected of carrying nukes, missiles

WASHINGTON - The US military is tracking a flagged North Korean ship suspected of proliferating weapons material, in violation of a UN Security Council resolution passed last Friday.

NASA’s new lunar mission to hunt for water on Moon

WASHINGTON - NASA’s Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO), which will hunt for water on the Moon, launched aboard an Atlas V rocket on June 18.

Gay-rights leaders want faster action by Obama and Congress on their political agenda

NEW YORK — Frustrated gay-rights leaders want President Barack Obama to be far more forceful in supporting their political goals, but they also fault the Democratic-led Congress and vow to step up lobbying efforts in hopes of seeing campaign promises fulfilled.

US economic data helps world markets recover but recovery concerns remain

LONDON — European and U.S. stock markets rose Thursday after a run of stronger than anticipated U.S. economic data renewed investors’ hopes that the world’s largest economy may recover from recession this year.

Lockheed Martin’s F-35 fighter spotlights international partners

PARIS - International participants in the Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II programme have begun purchasing aircraft and making long-range commitments to integrate the fighter into their fleets, a company executive said Wednesday at the Paris Air Show.

US jobless claims improvement helps European stocks pare losses, Wall Street set to open up

LONDON — European stock markets recovered most of their losses Thursday and Wall Street futures turned higher following the unexpected news that continuing U.S. jobless claims fell in the last week by the largest amount in seven years — a signal that the world’s largest economy may be on the mend.

Pakistani Taliban chief implements foreign agenda, say dissenters

ISLAMABAD - Two militant leaders who broke away from Pakistan’s top Taliban commander Baitullah Mehsud have accused their former comrade of following a foreign agenda by waging an insurgency inside the Islamic state, media reports said Thursday.

US-India relationship is a good-news story: Hillary

WASHINGTON - The US-India relationship is “a good-news story” that’s “going to get even better,” says Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.

Mahindra Holidays’ IPO to hit market June 23

MUMBAI - Leisure hospitality provider Mahindra Holidays and Resorts, part of the Mahindra Group, Thursday said its initial public offering (IPO) will hit the capital market June 23.

Highlights of Hillary Clinton’s remarks on US-India ties

WASHINGTON - The Obama administration was committed to “furthering and deepening the relationship with India in every way possible”, said US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, outlining “four platforms of cooperation” and stressing that she would make the expanded partnership a “personal priority”.

Panjab University to install CCTV cameras across its campus

CHANDIGARH - Panjab University (PU) has decided to install over 50 CCTV cameras all across its campus here in order to maintain law and order.

Report finds flaws in US efforts to stop gun smuggling along US-Mexico border

WASHINGTON — Government efforts to stop the flow of guns from the United States to Mexico have suffered in recent years from having no clear plan to combat gunrunners affiliated with drug cartels, investigators have concluded.