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By Mark Meadows LONDON (Reuters) - South Africa risked 'choking' in yet another semi-final after England ripped through their ranks to restrict them to 175 all out from 38.4 overs in their Champions Trophy clash on Wednesday. It could have been worse for South Africa had it not been for a ninth-wicket stand of 95 between David Miller (56 not out) and Rory Kleinveldt (43). England won the toss under overcast skies at The Oval and soon had South Africa reeling at four for two after James Anderson and the returning Steven Finn removed Colin Ingram and Hashim Amla in their opening overs. ...

By Foo Yun Chee BRUSSELS (Reuters) - European antitrust regulators fined nine drugmakers, including Denmark's Lundbeck and India's Ranbaxy, a total of 146 million euros for blocking the supply of a cheaper anti-depressant to the market, the first EU sanction against such deals. The punishments follow a 2009 report by the European Commission on the pharmaceutical sector, which said "pay-for-delay" agreements between companies lead to consumers paying as much as 20 percent more for their medicines. The EU action came two days after the U.S. Supreme Court said U.S. ...

By Hamid Shalizi KABUL (Reuters) - Afghan President Hamid Karzai said on Wednesday his government would not join U.S. peace talks with the Taliban until they were led by Afghans and would suspend negotiations with the United States on a troop pact. U.S. officials have said talks with the Taliban would begin in Doha, capital of Qatar, on Thursday, raising hopes for a negotiated peace in Afghanistan after 12 years of bloody and costly war between American-led forces and the insurgents. Fighting, however, continues in the war-ravaged nation. Four U.S. ...

By Jeff Mason and Roberta Rampton BERLIN (Reuters) - U.S. President Barack Obama said on Wednesday Afghans must talk to each other to resolve the conflict in their country even though huge mistrust exists between the government and its Taliban foes. Obama was speaking in Berlin a day after the United States said it would begin talks with the Taliban on Thursday to try to seek a negotiated peace to 12 years of war - a move that has deeply upset President Hamid Karzai's U.S.-backed government. ...

By Abdi Sheikh MOGADISHU (Reuters) - Islamist militants carried out their first major assault for years on a U.N. compound in the Somali capital Mogadishu on Wednesday, dealing a blow to fragile security gains that have allowed a slow return of foreign aid workers and diplomats. A car bomb exploded outside the gate of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) base and attackers then ran inside and opened fire on security guards, U.N. sources said. The al Qaeda-linked Islamist group al Shabaab claimed responsibility. ...

ABUJA (Reuters) - Pirates in speedboats attacked an oil supply vessel and kidnapped four Indian and Polish crew members in increasingly dangerous waters off Nigeria's coast last week, two security sources said on Wednesday. The gunmen launched their assault on the Singapore-flagged tugboat MDPL Continental One around 30 nautical miles from land on June 13, the security sources said. The vessel was ransacked and four crew were taken hostage off the coast of the oil-producing Niger Delta, one of the sources told Reuters. ...

ABUJA (Reuters) - Pirates in speedboats attacked an oil supply vessel and kidnapped four Indian and Polish crew members in increasingly dangerous waters off Nigeria's coast last week, two security sources said on Wednesday. The gunmen launched their assault on the Singapore-flagged tugboat MDPL Continental One around 30 nautical miles from land on June 13, the security sources said. The vessel was ransacked and four crew were taken hostage off the coast of the oil-producing Niger Delta, one of the sources told Reuters. ...

BERLIN (Reuters) - The United States has struck the right balance between the need to gather intelligence and safeguarding civil liberties, U.S. President Barack Obama said on Wednesday, following criticism over U.S. Internet surveillance programmes. "I came into office committed to protecting the American people but also committed to our values and our ideals and one of our highest ideals is civil liberties and privacy," Obama said. "I am confident that at this point we have struck the appropriate balance," he said at a joint news conference with German Chancellor Angela Merkel. ...

LONDON (Reuters) - The stories of a dyslexic hero and a little girl who overcomes her family's fear of a stray dog won two of Britain's most coveted children's literature prizes on Wednesday. "Maggot Moon" by Sally Gardner outshone Booker prize-winner Roddy Doyle to win the Carnegie medal for a book starring dyslexic hero Standish, who takes on a sinister dictatorship while friends and family disappear. ...

By Subhadip Sircar MUMBAI (Reuters) - The rupee rose on Wednesday, yet remained within close of its record low hit last week, as outflows from equity markets added to concerns about the funding of the current account deficit ahead of the U.S. Federal Reserve's decision on its stimulus programme. Such concerns have compounded because of the likelihood of the Fed tapering its bond purchases, which could trigger an outflow from emerging markets. Foreign fund selling in Indian equities have picked up pace to add to the huge sell-off in debt markets. ...

MADRID (Reuters) - Spanish golfer Jose Maria Olazabal has won the Iberian nation's most prestigious sports award, the Prince of Asturias prize, after he captained Europe's Ryder Cup team to a stunning win against United States last year. "One of the best golfers in history, with two Masters titles at Augusta and four Ryder Cup wins, a competition in which he also showed his leadership qualities, as captain helping the Europe team to an epic comeback in 2012," the jury said in announcing their decision. ...

BERLIN (Reuters) - U.S. President Barack Obama said on Wednesday reports that the United States was ready to go to war in Syria were exaggerated and he also reiterated his view that the Damascus government had used chemical weapons and could not regain legitimacy. "Some of the stories that have been out there publicly have gotten a little overcranked in terms of the idea that somehow the United States is preparing to go all in and participate in another war. What we want to do is end a war," Obama said. "We're confident that in fact the (Syrian) government has used chemical weapons. ...

By Paul Ingrassia and Mike Peacock LONDON (Reuters) - The World Bank is concerned about the spillover effects on developing countries of a slowing of U.S. money creation and will move to provide affordable capital when borrowing costs rise, its president said on Wednesday. The U.S. Federal Reserve has sparked a bout of financial market turmoil since its chief, Ben Bernanke, announced on May 22 that the Fed could, before the year is out, begin slowing the pace at which it creates dollars. ...

London, June 19 (IANS) South Africa riding on crucial knocks from David Miller and Rory Kleinveldt posted 175 all out in 38.4 overs against England in the first semifinal of the Champions Trophy at The Oval here Wednesday.

London, June 19 (IANS) A high-level Indian delegation led by Minister for Minority Affairs K. Rahman Khan met senior British ministers and officials to formulate the framework of an equal opportunity commission for India.

Mumbai, June 19 (IANS) The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) Wednesday rewarded media manager R.N. Baba for keeping the media at bay in the Champions Trophy by asking him to stay with the India team on its forthcoming tour the West Indies for the tri-series.

Dehradun/Lucknow, June 19 (IANS) Thousands of people are missing following the devastating floods in Uttarakhand, officials said Wednesday, adding the death toll may run into frightening figures.

London, June 19 (IANS) WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange has vowed to remain in the Ecuadorian embassy in London even if accusations of sex crimes are dropped, BBC reported Wednesday.

New Delhi, June 19 (IANS) It's time to hit the gym in style - a new range of comfortable gym wear has been launched to make workout sessions easier.

Mumbai, June 19 (IANS) Regular toilets will be replaced by eco-friendly bio-toilets for disposing human waste at all stations of the Konkan Railway (KR), an official said here Wednesday.

Cardiff, June 19 (IANS) Former captain Sanath Jayasuriya said Sri Lanka will target the Indian bowlers during the Champions Trophy semifinal slated for Thursday at the Sophia Gardens here.

Los Angeles, June 19 (IANS) Slip dress, a sleeveless dress with narrow straps, is usually worn by women as innerwear, but the same can now be flaunted at parties too.

Bangalore, June 19 (IANS) Hyderabad-based PVP Group Wednesday became the first franchise of the proposed $1 million Indian Badminton League (IBL).

London, June 19 (IANS) What do dads do when their children approach them for help or for advice? They go to Google for answers to their kids' query or problems, reveals a new research.

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 Minister Manmohan Singh's view that Chief Minister Nitish Kumar was a secular person.

Shimla, June 19 (IANS) The Himachal Pradesh government Wednesday continued its operations to airlift tourists stranded for the past four days in Kinnaur district, which has been entirely cut off following landslides, an official said here.