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BASRA, Iraq (Reuters) - Two car bomb blasts in Iraq's predominantly Shi'ite southern oil hub of Basra killed at least 11 people early on Monday, police and medics said. (Reporting by Aref Mohammed; Editing by Catherine Evans)

By Frank Jack Daniel NEW DELHI (Reuters) - Chinese Premier Li Keqiang is seeking to build trust with India on his first foreign trip since taking office, which comes just a few weeks after a military standoff between the Asian giants on their ill-defined border in the Himalayan mountains. The number two in the Chinese leadership offered India a "handshake across the Himalayas" in an editorial published on Monday in The Hindu newspaper and said that together the emerging economic giants could become a new engine of the world economy. ...

Reuters Market Eye - Shares in Mahindra and Mahindra Ltd gain 3.8 percent, after stocks of its subsidiary Ssangyong Motor Co Ltd hit a 16-month high, dealers say. Shares in Ssangyong Motor jumped as much as 13.5 percent on Monday amid expectations the ailing automaker may post a profit this year. Ssangyong Motor's factory utilisation and sales were growing faster than expected, and the company was seen returning to profit this year, said Yang Hee-joon, an analyst at Taurus Investment & Securities, in a note on Monday. Mahindra and Mahindra will raise its holding in Ssangyong Motor to 72. ...

MUMBAI (Reuters) - Gold futures in India are likely to fall past their lowest level in a month, weighed by expectations of a strong dollar, dimming the yellow metal's appeal as an alternative investment. At 12.22 p.m., the actively traded gold for June delivery on the Multi Commodity Exchange (MCX) was 1.61 percent lower at 25,420 rupees per 10 grams. It earlier dropped to 25,373 rupees, a level last seen on April 18. "The trend will continue to be bearish. ...

ISLAMABAD (Reuters) - Two Pakistani ministers in charge of water and power explained what can be done to end power cuts of up to 20 hours a day in parts of the country enduring temperatures of 40 degrees Celsius and above - absolutely nothing, it seems, except raise prices. The power shortages have sparked violent protests and crippled key industries, costing hundreds of thousands of jobs in a country already beset by high unemployment, a failing economy, widespread poverty and a Taliban insurgency. ...

By Jane Lee SHANGHAI (Reuters) - Humor may not always translate well, but Jon Stewart is picking up millions of fans in China, where his gloves-off political satire is refreshing for many in a country where such criticism is a rarity - especially when directed at their own leaders. A recent segment on North Korea scored over 4 million views on microblogger Sina Weibo, and even stodgy state broadcaster CCTV has used Stewart's "The Daily Show" in a report, though they wouldn't let a Chinese version of him near their cameras. ...

REUTERS - Morgan Stanley said on Monday it has signed an agreement to sell its Indian wealth management unit to Standard Chartered . Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed. "Morgan Stanley will work closely with Standard Chartered over the coming months to ensure a smooth transfer of our wealth management clients currently serviced in India," the U.S. bank said in a statement. This process is expected to be completed by the end of 2013, it said. ...

Reuters Market Eye - The BSE Sensex gains 0.52 percent while the broader Nifty advances 0.37 percent, after earlier marking their new 2-1/2-year intraday highs, as foreign portfolio investors extend their record buying spree. Foreign investors have been net buyers for 22 consecutive sessions as of Friday, bringing in a net of about $13.52 billion in 2013, regulatory and exchange data shows. Asian stock markets edge higher after U.S. equities hit record closing highs on Friday as encouraging economic data prompted investors to buy into growth companies. ITC Ltd gains 0. ...

By Masayuki Kitano SINGAPORE (Reuters) - The yen edged higher on Monday after Japan's economics minister said further weakness in the yen could harm households, while Asian shares rose in response to U.S. equities rallying on upbeat economic data. European shares were seen rising at the open on Monday. Financial spreadbetter IG expected Britain's FTSE 100 to open 0.3 percent higher, Germany's DAX to open 0.7 percent higher, and France's CAC 40 to gain 0.5 percent. The dollar fell to as low as 102.00 yen earlier on Monday, pulling away from Friday's high of 103. ...

By Dorene Internicola NEW YORK (Reuters) - Fitness experts are shining a new light on group classes from Zumba to yoga because they believe the right lighting can transform the four walls of a fitness studio from a dance party to a meditation space, and back again. "Because of the theatrical nature of group fitness classes, lighting is key to differentiate programming," said Donna Cyrus, senior vice president of programming at Crunch fitness centers. ...

By Vidya Ranganathan SINGAPORE (Reuters) - There is a new gold rush in the Asia-Pacific: rising incomes and consumer spending by Asia's fast-growing middle classes that is generating unprecedented opportunities for multinational firms. If western firms recognise those opportunities in markets for consumer and luxury goods, travel and other services, their strategies will increasingly shift towards building commercial ties with Asia, says Rajiv Biswas, the Asia-Pacific chief economist for IHS Global Insight. ...

Reuters Market Eye - Tata Steel Ltd may miss January-March profit consensus forecasts when it reports results on Thursday, according to Thomson Reuters StarMine data. StarMine's SmartEstimates, which places greater emphasis on forecasts by top-rated analysts, expects Tata Steel to report a profit of 3.34 billion rupees for the quarter compared with a wider consensus mean estimate of 3.64 billion rupees. Shares in Tata Steel are up 1.35 percent at 11.13 a.m. (Reporting by Abhishek Vishnoi)

NEW DELHI (Reuters) - There is no case for downgrading India's sovereign credit rating, Economic Affairs Secretary Arvind Mayaram told the news channel ET Now on Monday, after Standard & Poor's reiterated its negative outlook on the country's credit rating. The rating agency last week warned that India needed to follow through on implementing a slew of pending economic reforms, a warning that dealt a blow to a government that had recently pitched for an upgrade. ...

Los ANgeles, May 20 (IANS) Hollywood actress Jennifer Lawrence and her brother Blaine Lawrence are reportedly being stalked by a Canadian named Han Cong Zhao.

Los Angeles, May 20 (IANS) Supermodel Miranda Kerr suffered a wardrobe malfunction at the Miami Beach while she was shooting an ad campaign.

London, May 20 (IANS) British pop star Jessie J says her craze for long nails comes from her grandmother.

Manali, May 20 (IANS) The majestic Rohtang Pass, which is still wrapped in a thick blanket of snow near this picturesque tourist resort of Himachal Pradesh, will be reopened for the tourists from Wednesday, an official said.

London, May 20 (IANS) Singer Justin Bieber's abandoned pet monkey Mally has found a new home at a British animal sanctuary.

Chennai, May 20 (IANS) The makers of Junior NTR's upcoming Telugu action-drama "Ramayya Vasthavayya" have released half-a-minute teaser of the film as a birthday gift for the actor, who turned 29 Monday.

Los Angeles, May 20 (IANS) Harry Styles of One Direction is so obsessed with cleaning the band's tour bus that it has earned him the Mrs. Mop moniker.

Chicago, May 20 (IANS) A woman in her seventies takes the microphone to recite a short poem, which, she warned the men present, was on the hazards of flirting. "Cheda na karo ate jatein raston mein, pale pad gayi to mushkil hogi" (Do not flirt with every girl who crosses your path, if she falls for you, you will have a problem).

Mumbai, May 20 (IANS) A benchmark index of the Indian equities markets was trading nearly half a percent up in the pre-afternoon trade Monday on the back of sustained buying from foreign institutional investors (FIIs) and on positive global cues.

Kathmandu, May 20 (IANS/EFE) Mexican David Liaño Gonzalez Sunday became the first climber to double summit on Mount Everest, the world's tallest mountain, in the same season, the climb's organizers said.

Islamabad, May 20 (IANS) A leading Pakistani daily Monday hoped that incoming prime minister Nawaz Sharif and army chief General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani "can at least be expected to try and work together".

Beijing, May 20 (IANS) If you are a tourist in China, you better have "healthy and civilised" manners.

Brasilia, May 20 (IANS/EFE) Mexican Foreign Relations Secretary Jose Antonio Meade visited his Brazilian counterpart, Antonio Patriota, with whom he agreed to promote a series of business meetings to boost bilateral trade.