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REUTERS - Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel called sexual assault a "scourge" on Saturday as he addressed graduates of the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, where a sergeant stands accused of videotaping female cadets in the showers. "Sexual harassment and sexual assault in the military are a profound betrayal - a profound betrayal - of sacred oaths and sacred trusts," Hagel said. "This scourge must be stamped out." His comments came a day after President Barack Obama delivered a similar message to graduates at the U.S. ...

REUTERS - Two freight trains collided at a rail intersection in southeastern Missouri on Saturday, triggering the collapse of a highway overpass when several rail cars derailed and struck a support pillar, authorities said. None of the seven people hurt - two aboard the trains and five people who had been in cars on the two-lane overpass - suffered life-threatening injuries, Scott County Sheriff Rick Walter said in a statement. ...

KARACHI (Reuters) - Pakistani umpire Asad Rauf, who has been withdrawn from the Champions Trophy following media reports he was under investigation by Mumbai police, will clear his name, his elder brother Adnan said on Saturday. Adnan Rauf told reporters that Asad had returned to his hometown Lahore but could not speak to them because of the code of conduct for umpires on the International Cricket Council (ICC) elite panel. Asad Rauf, 57, who has officiated 48 tests and 98 one-day internationals, was removed from the Champions Trophy panel this week by the sport's world governing body. ...

By Jason Bush MOSCOW, May 25 - Interpol has refused to include UK-based fund manager William Browder on its international search list after deciding that Russia's tax evasion case against him is "of a predominantly political nature". The decision is the latest twist in a long-running battle between the government of Russian President Vladimir Putin and Browder, whose investment company Hermitage Capital was once the largest investor in Russia's equity market. ...

BEIRUT (Reuters) - The leader of Lebanese guerilla movement Hezbollah said his group would stay in the Syrian war "to the end of the road" and bring victory to its ally President Bashar al-Assad. Hassan Nasrallah, head of the militant Shi'ite Muslim group, said in a televised speech on Saturday Syria and Lebanon were under threat from radical Sunni Islamists. "We will continue to the end of the road, we accept this responsibility and will accept all sacrifices and expected consequences of this position," he said, speaking from an undisclosed location. ...

CANNES (Reuters) - This year 20 films are in the main competition at the Cannes film festival, vying for the Palme d'Or for best picture that will be awarded on Sunday. Here is the lineup with the average rating out of four by 10 international critics as published in trade magazine Screen: - HELI by Amat Escalante, Mexico Stars: Armando Espitia, Andrea Vergara. Synopsis: A 12-year-old girl falls in love with a police cadet, dragging her family into Mexico's brutal drug war. Average Critic Score: 1. ...

By Justin Palmer LEEDS, England (Reuters) - Joe Root's composed half-century steadied England after lunch on day two of the second and final test against New Zealand at Headingley on Saturday. Root, in his sixth test, was not out 61 with Jonny Bairstow on 13, both playing on their home ground, as England progressed to 178 for four at tea. England lost Ian Bell for 30 to part-time off spinner Kane Williamson in the afternoon session after he and Root had added 79 for the fourth wicket. ...

By Tony Jimenez VIRGINIA WATER (Reuters) - Sergio Garcia spoke of his unending gratitude to the Wentworth galleries after soaring into title contention at the PGA Championship with a sizzling four-under-par 68 in Saturday's third round. The 33-year-old Spaniard was embroiled in a racism row with Tiger Woods earlier this week and had to issue an unreserved apology after making a "fried chicken" jibe at the world number one. Garcia was almost lost for words as he was asked to describe the reaction he had received from the crowd at the European Tour's flagship event. ...

By Khaled Yacoub Oweis ISTANBUL (Reuters) - Syria's opposition resumed talks on Saturday aimed at closing their fractious ranks, crucial to launching an international peace conference, and government forces pressed an onslaught on a rebel-held town to try to gain the upper hand in civil war. Failure of the opposition to unite could weaken the hand of conference co-sponsors Russia and the United States in ending Syria's conflict, which has killed 80,000 people, threatens to spill across borders and whip up wider sectarian conflict. The U.S. ...

By Alexandria Sage CANNES (Reuters) - An avenging Venus settling the psychological and sexual score is the star of acclaimed director Roman Polanski's "La Venus a la Fourrure" ("Venus in Fur"), one of the Cannes film festival's two final movies in main competition to premiere on Saturday. The French-Polish director is one of 20 vying for the top Palme d'Or prize to be handed out at the festival on Sunday by a jury led by Steven Spielberg. Polanski won the prize in 2002 for "The Pianist", his semi-autobiographical drama about the Warsaw Ghetto, for which he also won an Oscar for best director. ...

By Alan Baldwin MONACO (Reuters) - Germany's Nico Rosberg scorched to his third successive Formula One pole position with team mate Lewis Hamilton completing a front row lockout for Mercedes at the Monaco Grand Prix on Saturday. The pole was the fourth in a row for Mercedes, whose qualifying form has faded in the races so far this season, and second successive sweep of the top two places. Red Bull's triple world champion Sebastian Vettel qualified third, on a drying track after a damp session, with Australian team mate and last year's winner Mark Webber lining up alongside. ...

By Peter Griffiths LONDON (Reuters) - British police arrested a man under anti-terrorism laws at BBC headquarters after an interviewee said security services tried to recruit one of the two men arrested after a soldier was hacked to death in a London street. Michael Adebolajo, 28 and Michael Adebowale, 22, are under armed guard in hospital after being shot and arrested by police on suspicion of the murder of 25-year-old Lee Rigby, a veteran of the Afghan war, on Wednesday. ...

REUTERS - David Beckham was not included in Paris St Germain's squad for their final Ligue 1 game of the season at Lorient on Sunday as the former England captain headed into retirement. The 38-year-old midfielder had expected as much after his special send-off in Paris last weekend, saying he did not think he would play on the artificial pitch at the Brittany side because the surface could aggravate previous Achilles injury problems. Beckham was not among the 19-man squad named by manager Carlo Ancelotti on Saturday on the Ligue 1 champions' website (www.psg.fr). ...

Jeddah, May 25 (IANS) Indian External Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid Saturday discussed bilateral issues, including the Nitaqat law, with his Saudi Arabian counterpart Prince Saud Al Faisal as the Indian missions there scrambled to help over 55,000 Indian workers leave the kingdom in adherence to its new stringent work policy.

New Delhi, May 25 (IANS) Transport Minister Ramakant Goswami Saturday directed the Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC) to replace its faulty air-conditioned buses that break down frequently.

Kolkata, May 25 (IANS) Amid the growing chorus for sacking BCCI chief and Chennai Super Kings boss N. Srinivasan in wake of the spot fixing allegations, his team Saturday sought to distance itself from the raging controversy.

Shanghai, May 25 (IANS) India's 18-year old Raj Bharath continued his charge in the Formula Masters championship as he clinched second place at round two of the series here Saturday.

Tehran, May 25 (IANS) Iranian Defense Minister Brigadier General Ahmad Vahidi denied Saturday that Iran has dispatched any military forces to Syria, reported Xinhua citing the semi-official Fars news agency.

New Delhi, May 25 (IANS) Penal provisions on rape have been misused by some women who develop consensual physical relationship with their lovers and after the breakup file false rape cases to force them to marry them, the Delhi High Court has said.

Mumbai/New Delhi, May 25 (IANS) Embattled BCCI president N. Srinivasan refused to quit Saturday as his son-in-law Gurunath Meiyappan was sent to police custody till May 29 in connection with the raging spot fixing scam in Indian cricket.

Kolkata, May 25 (IANS) Chennai Super Kings coach Stephen Fleming Saturday attributed "loyalty to players" and "consistency in selection" for the success of his team which has played in five IPL finals and won two of them.

Dead Sea (Jordan), May 25 (IANS) US Senator John McCain said Saturday that if the second Geneva conference on the Syria issue failed, his country would act to take out the air power of the Syrian government.

Addis Ababa (Ethiopia), May 25 (IANS) Indian Vice President Hamid Ansari Saturday participated in the golden jubilee celebrations of the African Union at Addis Ababa that is being attended by around 75 heads of state, including of 54 African countries.

Yangon, May 25 (IANS) At least 11 people were killed and 15 others injured Saturday when a passenger bus overturned on Yangon-Nay Pyi Taw highway in Myanmar, reported Xinhua citing state-run radio.

Jaipur, May 25 (IANS) A Kerala Police team Saturday arrived in Rajasthan's capital Jaipur with former Odisha police chief's son Bitti Mohanty, who jumped parole in 2006 while serving a sentence in a jail here for raping a German tourist.

New Delhi, May 25 (IANS) Four people were arrested here for manufacturing and supplying high quality illegal firearms to criminals in the national capital region and Uttar Pradesh, police said Saturday.