By Roberta Rampton and Stephen Brown BERLIN (Reuters) - U.S. President Barack Obama used a speech in Berlin on Wednesday to call on Russia to revive the push for a world without nuclear weapons, offering to cut deployed nuclear arsenals by a third, but Moscow immediately poured scorn on his proposal. Speaking in Berlin where U.S. Presidents John F. Kennedy and Ronald Reagan gave rousing Cold-War speeches, Obama urged Russia to help build on the "New START" treaty that requires Moscow and Washington to cut stockpiles of deployed nuclear weapons to 1,550 each by 2018. ...
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Court allows lie detector test on Raja Bhaiyya IANSA special court of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) Wednesday allowed the investigative agency to conduct a polygraph test on former Uttar Pradesh minister … More »
Afghan government to shun U.S. talks with Taliban ReutersBy Hamid Shalizi KABUL (Reuters) - Afghan President Hamid Karzai said on Wednesday his government would not join U.S. peace talks with the Taliban and halted … More »
- Mamata accuses media house of planning to murder her IANS
Kolkata, June 19 (IANS) In the wake of a noisy protest she faced while visiting a gang-rape-murder victim, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee Wednesday … More »
- 77 more stranded tourists airlifted in Himachal IANS
Shimla, June 19 (IANS) The Himachal Pradesh government Wednesday continued its operations to airlift tourists stranded for the past four days in Kinnaur district, … More »
- Duo plead not guilty to murdering Indian in New Zealand IANS
Wellington, June 19 (IANS) Two men accused of murdering an Indian-origin man in New Zealand in January have pleaded not guilty and are now headed for trial. … More »
- Congress ministers reject mooted Telangana package IANS
Hyderabad, June 19 (IANS) Andhra Pradesh ministers from Telangana have rejected the proposed package for the region, saying only a separate state of Telangna would … More »
- Supported Nitish to keep communal BJP at bay: Congress IANS
New Delhi, June 19 (IANS) The Congress Wednesday said it supported the Janata Dal-United government in Bihar to "keep communal BJP at bay", and endorsed Prime … More »
- CBI registers 13th case in coal blocks allocation IANS
New Delhi, June 19 (IANS) The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) Wednesday registered its 13th case against a Delhi-based private steel firm for alleged … More »
- Court stays ban on advertisements on auto-rickshaws IANS
New Delhi, June 19 (IANS) The Delhi High Court Wednesday suspended the government's order to prohibit auto-rickshaw drivers from displaying advertisements and … More »
- Head of revived watchdog pledges open look at U.S. surveillance Reuters
By Alina Selyukh WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The head of a newly revived federal privacy oversight board pledged on Wednesday to be "as transparent and public as possible" as the board reviews recently exposed U.S. government secret surveillance programs. The Privacy and Civil Liberties Oversight Board, which has been largely dormant since 2008, held its first full-fledged meeting on Wednesday after the Senate confirmed David Medine as its chairman last month. The meeting was behind closed doors to review classified information about the vast and controversial Internet and phone monitoring ...
- Yahoo rejects fears hackers will exploit old user IDs Reuters
By Alexei Oreskovic SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Yahoo Inc on Wednesday downplayed concerns that its plans to recycle inactive user IDs could leave users exposed to hackers, saying only 7 percent of those IDs are tied to actual Yahoo email accounts. The Internet company, which announced last week it would release user IDs that have been inactive for more than 12 months so that other people can claim them, was pressed to defend the plan after critics warned that hackers who take control of inactive accounts could also assume the identities of the accounts' previous owners. ...
- Actor James Gandolfini, star of 'The Sopranos,' dies in Italy Reuters
By Piya Sinha-Roy and Steve Gorman LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - James Gandolfini, the burly actor best known for his Emmy-winning portrayal of a conflicted New Jersey mob boss in the acclaimed HBO cable television series "The Sopranos," died on Wednesday while vacationing in Rome, the network said. Gandolfini, 51, who began his career in theatre in New York, making his Broadway debut in a 1992 revival of "A Streetcar Named Desire," died of a possible heart attack, HBO spokeswoman Mara Mikialian told Reuters. ...
- Afghan government to shun U.S. talks with Taliban Reuters
By Hamid Shalizi and Lesley Wroughton KABUL/WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Revived Afghan peace talks hit their first roadblock on Wednesday, a day after they were announced, as Afghan President Hamid Karzai said his government would not join U.S. talks with the Taliban and would halt negotiations with Washington on a post-2014 troop pact. The United States and the Taliban had announced on Tuesday that officials from both sides will meet in Doha, the capital of Qatar, in coming days, in a step forward for a stuttering peace process after 12 years of bloody and costly war between U.S. ...
- Asian stocks fall on Bernanke comments, China data eyed Reuters
By Chikako Mogi TOKYO (Reuters) - Asian shares tracked the overnight drop in U.S. equities after U.S. Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke confirmed market fears that the Fed would begin reducing its stimulus later this year as the economy improved. MSCI's broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan slid 1.2 percent, with Australian shares easing 0.4 percent and South Korean shares opening down 1.3 percent. ...
- John McAfee resurfaces as ranting video star, mocks McAfee software Reuters
By Jim Finkle BOSTON (Reuters) - Eccentric former software pioneer John McAfee is back in the spotlight - lashing out at the anti-virus software that bears his name in a profanity-laced video. McAfee, an American who helped create the anti-virus software industry, generated a media frenzy at the end of last year when he fled his home on a tropical island in Belize, claiming that police in the Central American nation wanted to frame him for murder. ...
- Actor James Gandolfini, star of 'The Sopranos,' dead in Italy Reuters
LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Actor James Gandolfini, best known for his Emmy-winning portrayal of a conflicted New Jersey mob boss in the acclaimed HBO cable television series "The Sopranos," has died while vacationing in Rome, the network said on Wednesday. Gandolfini, who was 51, died of a possible heart attack, HBO spokeswoman Mara Mikialian told Reuters. (Reporting by Piya Sinha-Roy; Writing by Steve Gorman; Editing by Cynthia Johnston)
- Silverstone podium still a step too far for Button Reuters
By Alan Baldwin LONDON (Reuters) - Jenson Button could not wait to get out of his mishandling McLaren after a miserable afternoon in Canada and now, less than two weeks later, he is impatient to step back in. British fans preparing for their annual home Grand Prix pilgrimage to Silverstone next week should not get their hopes up, however. Button, the 2009 world champion with Brawn GP, has never stood on the Formula One podium at his home circuit and does not expect to end the jinx this time either in what has been a shocking season for McLaren. ...
- LeBron dismisses critics in search of second title Reuters
By Simon Evans MIAMI (Reuters) - LeBron James, one win away from a second consecutive NBA title, is refusing to let relentless critics shift him from his goal of earning a place as one of the game's greatest. Despite a remarkable 12 months that has included a maiden NBA title with the Miami Heat, leading the U.S. to a second straight Olympic gold medal and winning a fourth league Most Valuable Player award, James still has his critics. ...
- PREVIEW - Miami, San Antonio prepare for ultimate test Reuters
By Julian Linden MIAMI (Reuters) - One of the most turbulent championships in National Basketball Association (NBA) history will reach its climax on Thursday when the Miami Heat and San Antonio Spurs meet in the decisive seventh game of the Finals. Basketball fans in the United States have been whipped into a frenzy of excitement by what has already been a classic series full of wild fluctuations and escalating drama. ...
- North Korea repeats offer for nuclear talks Reuters
By Ben Blanchard and Michael Martina BEIJING (Reuters) - A top North Korean diplomat repeated an offer for international talks on his country's disputed nuclear programme during a meeting in China on Wednesday, saying the denuclearisation of the peninsula was the "dying wish" of North Korea's founder. The Beijing trip by First Vice Foreign Minister Kim Kye-gwan comes just days after North Korea offered talks with the United States to ease tension that spiked this year when the North threatened the United States and South Korea with nuclear war. ...
- Sony spin-off plan off agenda but looms over shareholder meet Reuters
By Mari Saito TOKYO (Reuters) - A proposal by Sony Corp's top investor to partially spin off the Japanese company's lucrative entertainment business will be the elephant in the room at an annual shareholders meeting on Thursday. Daniel Loeb, who heads New York-based hedge fund Third Point, will miss the gathering and those attending will not consider his suggestion, sources familiar with the matter said. They gave no reason why Loeb would not attend. ...
- "No, we can't"- Japan's conservative values collide with plan to mobilise women for … Reuters
By Linda Sieg TOKYO (Reuters) - Days after Kaoru Shimada and other Japanese mothers rallied in Tokyo this year to press for more public daycare, she was shocked to read a local politician's blog blasting their "shameless" demands and asserting kids should be raised at home. Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has vowed to take steps, including expanding daycare, to help mobilise women power as part of his "Abenomics" plan to end economic stagnation and engineer growth in a country beset by an ageing, shrinking population. ...
- Britain to look at RBS split, start Lloyds sale soon Reuters
By Matt Scuffham and David Milliken LONDON (Reuters) - Britain is ready to start selling its shares in Lloyds Banking Group and will examine whether to break up Royal Bank of Scotland , Finance Minister George Osborne said on Wednesday, after acknowledging the re-privatisation of RBS remains a long way off. The government is keen to show Britain's part-nationalised banks are recovering from the 2008 financial crisis and a profitable sale of part of its 39 percent stake in Lloyds would allow it to claim at least partial success ahead of the next election in 2015. ...
- Zimbabwean president, rivals favour delaying polls IANS
Harare, June 20 (IANS) Zimbabwean president and his main political rivals in the coalition government have agreed to file an application at the Constitutional Court, seeking extention of the general elections' date beyond July 31, 2013.
- 30 killed as bus plunges into Peru ravine IANS
Lima, June 20 (IANS) At least 30 people were killed Wednesday when a passenger bus fell off 100 metres into a ravine in Peru's Chanchamayo province, Xinhua reported.
- Four killed, 21 injured Iraq attacks IANS
Baghdad, June 20 (IANS) At least four people were killed and 21 wounded in separate incidents of shooting and bomb attacks in Iraq Wednesday, the police said.
- Kerry calls Karzai over Taliban office issue IANS
Kabul, June 20 (IANS) US Secretary of State John Kerry called up Afghan President Hamid Karzai in a bid to defuse tensions over opening of a Taliban office in Qatar, an Afghan spokesperson said Wednesday.
- 12 rhino poachers jailed in Nepal IANS
Kathmandu, June 20 (IANS) Twelve poachers of the one-horned rhinos have been sentenced to a jail term, ranging between 10 -15 years, and fined in Nepal.
- Liv Tyler to make TV debut IANS
Los Angeles, June 20 (IANS) Actress Liv Tyler will be seen on the small screen with Justin Theroux in an adaptation of the 2011 novel "The Leftovers".
- President Xi, Obama summit was 'very successful': China IANS
Beijing, June 20 (IANS) The first summit between President Xi Jingping and his US counterpart Barack Obama held earlier this month proved very successful, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said Wednesday.
- Rihanna disappoints fans IANS
London, June 20 (IANS) Pop star Rihanna left her fans upset after she reportedly turned up late by two hours for a gig in Birmingham. Her fans are said to have accused her of drugs.
- Sri Lanka are a dangerous side: Dhoni IANS
Cardiff, June 19 (IANS) India captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni said Wednesday that Sri Lanka were a dangerous side and it was not possible to focus only on their two frontline batsmen " Mahela Jayawardene or a Kumar Sangakkara" during the semi-final of the ICC Champions Trophy slated for Thursday.
- One killed, 150 injured in China restaurant blasts IANS
Beijing, June 19 (IANS) A series of blasts ripped through a restaurant in China's Shanxi province Wednesday night, killing one person and injuring over 150 others, officials said.
- Two killed in shooting at Slovenia kindergarten IANS
Ljubljana (Slovenia), June 19 (IANS) In probably the first of its kind incident in Slovenia, a woman employee at a kindergarten was shot dead Wednesday by a man who later committed suicide, media reports said. No children were injured in the incident.
- China holds talks with North Korea IANS
Beijing, June 19 (IANS) China and North Korea Wednesday held a "strategic dialogue" on denuclearisation on the Korean Peninsula.
- 'Bhaag Milkha Bhaag' not a sports film: Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra IANS
Mumbai, June 19 (IANS) Producer-director Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra, who is all set to release his film, "Bhaag Milkha Bhaag", based on the life of former athlete Milkha Singh, said that the film was not based on sports and could have been on anybody in an endeavour to show the human spirit.
- Sonia surveys flood-hit Uttarakhand, seeks quick relief for victims IANS
New Delhi, June 19 (IANS) Congress president Sonia Gandhi, who conducted an aerial survey of the flood-affected areas of Uttarakhand along with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh Wednesday, sought quick relief for stranded people, a party statement said.
- Champions Trophy scoreboard: England vs South Africa, Semi-final IANS
London, June 19 (IANS) The following is the scoreboard of the Champions Trophy semi-final between England and South Africa at The Oval here Wednesday.
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- Govt can't fight nature but we'll extend all help to victims: CM Hindustan Times
- 'Even talking to district magistrate didn't help' Hindustan Times
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