Honduras crisis mediator proposes unity government, early vote and amnesty to end showdown

SAN JOSE, Costa Rica — Hopes for a quick resolution to Honduras’ political crisis dimmed when its interim government balked at a plan presented in talks Saturday to reinstate ousted President Manuel Zelaya and form a national unity government.

Turkey extends smoking ban to bars and restaurants; business owners fear ban will hurt them

ANKARA, Turkey — Patrons of a usually smoke-filled hookah bar stepped outside to light up Sunday as Turkey extended a ban on indoor public smoking to bars, restaurants and coffeehouses.

Honduras crisis talks start, but ousted leader gives them little time to succeed

SAN JOSE, Costa Rica — Crucial talks to resolve the leadership crisis in Honduras began Saturday following an ultimatum from ousted President Manuel Zelaya that appeared to leave little room for compromise.

Same-sex couples make push for inclusion in coming immigration reform debate

WASHINGTON — Judy Rickard took an early retirement and a reduced pension so she could be assured of more time with her partner, a British citizen whose stays in the U.S. are limited to six months.

Nearing end of confirmation questioning, Sotomayor signals support for Supreme Court TV

WASHINGTON — Judge Sonia Sotomayor signaled an openness to television coverage of Supreme Court proceedings Thursday as she neared the end of three grueling days of questioning, all but assured of confirmation.

Younger teens really do care what others think about them

WASHINGTON - They might be fond of chanting ‘I don’t care’ slogans every now and then, but deep down inside younger adolescents or “tweens” care a lot about what others think about them, a new study has found.

How Sotomayor’s comments at her confirmation hearing compare with Roberts, Alito

WASHINGTON — Supreme Court nominees rarely take risky or controversial positions when in front of the Senate Judiciary Committee, and Sonia Sotomayor is no exception.

Clinton says Iran has only limited time to accept US engagement offer

WASHINGTON — Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton on Wednesday warned Iran it has only a limited time to accept the Obama administration’s offer for engagement. She also urged Arab nations to take immediate steps to improve ties with Israel to bolster Mideast peace hopes.

PML-N rules out any Sharif, Zardari meeting in near future

ISLAMABAD - The Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) is not optimistic about any talks between party president Nawaz Sharif and President Asif Ali Zardari in the near future.

Darwin and Gender project launched by Cambridge University

LONDON - A groundbreaking new study, supported by The Bonita Trust, that will look at Charles Darwin’s impact on attitudes to gender and sexuality, has been announced by Cambridge University.

Education funding, welfare reforms emerge as main sticking points in Calif. budget talks

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — California’s top lawmakers on Sunday focused on cost-saving reforms to social welfare programs and how deeply to cut an array of state services as they dove into the complex task of closing the state’s $26 billion deficit.

Australia says spy arrest could affect China’s business

MELBOURNE - Australia’s Financial Services Minister Chris Bowen has warned that the country’s business people may not want to work in China in the wake of Australian origin Rio Tinto executive Stern Hu being arrested in the country on espionage charges.

Australia wants evidence from China on Rio Tinto exec’s detention, says it could hurt business

BEIJING — Australian officials said Sunday that China has not given them any evidence to support its detention of an Australian mining executive on spying charges and warned that the affair could discourage foreign companies from doing business there.

Scorecard needed to tell the players as senators consider Sotomayor’s high court nomination

WASHINGTON — Live from the Capitol, Sonia Sotomayor’s confirmation hearings promise high political theater this week, beamed to the world in dramatic, historic, perhaps comedic glory.

How Java’s seafarers built their boats in the 6th and 7th centuries

JAKARTA - The recent discovery of an ancient boat in Indonesia has shed light on how Java’s seafarers in the 6th and 7th centuries built their boats.

Dialogue only in violence-free atmosphere, India tells Pakistan

NEW DELHI - Ahead of the meeting between Indian and Pakistani leaders during a nonaligned summit in Egypt next week, India Thursday made it clear that the dialogue is premised on an atmosphere free of the threat of violence and asked Islamabad to take all steps that are necessary to address the issue of cross-border terrorism.

61 killed in West Bengal by Maoists in three years

KOLKATA - Suspected Maoists killed 61 people in six districts of West Bengal between 2005 and 2008, while 323 activists of the Left-wing radical group were arrested during the same period, state Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee said here Thursday.

Oil rises above $61 in Asia after weak crude demand, economy spark big weeklong sell-off

SINGAPORE — Oil prices rose above $61 in Asia on Thursday, recouping some losses after tumbling 17 percent since last week as rising U.S. gasoline inventories suggested crude demand remains weak.

Charity says Canadian investment firm paid $1.68M for lunch with billionaire Warren Buffett

OMAHA, Neb. — The Canadian investment managers who paid $1.68 million in a charity auction to win lunch with investor Warren Buffett believe the meal will be worth it because of what they might learn from the billionaire.

At least 646 US military deaths in Afghanistan region since 2001, Defense Department says

As of Tuesday, July 7, 2009, at least 646 members of the U.S. military had died in Afghanistan, Pakistan and Uzbekistan as a result of the U.S. invasion of Afghanistan in late 2001, according to the Defense Department. The department last updated its figures Tuesday at 10 a.m. EDT.

Fireworks blasts kill 4 on NC island and 1 in Pa; 25 hurt in Ind. pedestrian bridge collapse

OCRACOKE, N.C. — Five people working on Independence Day fireworks shows were killed by explosions, four of them by a single blast that rocked this remote village on the Outer Banks.

Indian chartered accountants sign exchange programme with Australia

AGRA - Indian chartered accountants can now practise in Australia with the inking of an agreement between the chartered accountants institutes of India and Australia at an event here.

Unemployed seek solace, guidance from God in church-based unemployment support groups

BEVERLY, Mass. — Her fellow job seekers offer knowing groans as Diane Castro recalls the day she was laid off: The fear of being summoned to the front office. The phones in nearby cubicles going off like grenades. Finally, a ring at her desk.

Air India employees to go on strike over non-payment of salaries

NEW DELHI - Employees of India’s flagship carrier Air India have announced they will be on strike for two hours on Friday in protest against the non-payment of salaries.

Factory orders rise more than expected in May, post largest increase in 11 months

WASHINGTON — Orders to U.S. factories jumped in May by the largest amount in nearly a year, another sign that the nosedive in manufacturing is nearing an end.

Don’t fool people by claiming “premature”success in Swat operation : former PAF official

ISLAMABAD - While the Pakistan government has been claiming that the Swat military offensive has been successful and nearing its end, a former Pakistan Air Force (PAF) top official, Air Marshal (retired) Masood Akhter has raised questions over the claims by saying that people shouldn’t be fooled through such statements.

Virage Logic expands presence in India to serve growing market demand for broad IP portfolio

FREMONT - Virage Logic Corporation, the semiconductor industry’s trusted IP partner, announced it has expanded its presence in India with the appointment of CoreEL as its sales representative.

British Special Forces asked to gear up for Mumbai-like attacks

LONDON - Britain must strengthen its elite Special Forces to deal with a Mumbai-style terrorist attack, according to a sweeping independent review of British national security published Tuesday.

Time to sing the requiem for Agra Gharana?

AGRA - The Rajputs passed it on to the Mughals, in whose courts the classical Hindustani music of Agra Gharana flourished. Now, however with few patrons and students left in the city of its origin, is it perhaps time to sing the requiem of the musical tradition?

Seeking to keep the focus on energy, Obama announcing new lighting efficiency standards

WASHINGTON — Aiming to keep the focus on climate change legislation, President Barack Obama put a plug in for administration efforts to make lamps and lighting equipment use less energy.