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NEW DELHI (Reuters) - The government is not short of options to tackle the fall of the rupee and will take actions as necessary, the top adviser in the finance ministry told reporters on Thursday, after the rupee fell to a record low. Raghuram Rajan also said the Reserve Bank of India would take action to support the rupee as appropriate. The rupee fell a day after U.S. Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke confirmed the Fed would begin winding down its stimulus spending later this year, and data showed China's factory activity weakened to a nine-month low in June. ...

Reuters Market Eye - Sintex Industries Ltd's shares fall 4 percent after the announcement of the stock's exclusion from the National Stock Exchange's (NSE) derivatives segment. The NSE said in a circular on Wednesday that trading in futures and options contracts of Sintex would not be available from August 30. "However, the existing unexpired contracts of expiry months June 2013, July 2013 and August 2013 would continue to be available for trading till their respective expiry and new strikes would also be introduced in the existing contract months," the exchange added. ...

NEW DELHI (Reuters) - India is unlikely to ban gold imports or increase import taxes on the metal further, as that may lead more gold smuggling, a senior finance ministry official said on Thursday. The official added that the government has limited options to stall a record fall in the rupee. The rupee has fallen to 59.9350 to the dollar, a day after U.S. Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke confrimed the Fed would begin winding down its stimulus spending later this year, and data showed China's factory activity weakened to a nine-month low in June. ...

MUMBAI (Reuters) - The Reserve Bank of India is unlikely to cancel Friday's 150 billion rupee bond auction for now, officials close to the development told Reuters on Thursday. The 10-year benchmark 7.16 pct 2023 bond yield eased 3 basis points from the day's high to 7.33 percent, as expectations of bond cancellation fuelled mild buying. Officials will wait for the outcome of the underwriting auction to gauge demand for these bonds. (Reporting by Neha Dasgupta and Suvashree Dey Choudhury; Editing by Sunil Nair)

MUMBAI (Reuters) - The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) likely sold dollars via state-run banks after the rupee slid to a record low on Thursday, several dealers said, as fears of foreign outflows from India are roiling domestic bond and stock markets. The intervention was spotted when the rupee hit 59.90 to the dollar or below, these traders said. The rupee fell after the Federal Reserve signalled an end to its monetary stimulus and after China turned the screw on credit even as factory activity in the world's second largest economy hit a nine-month low. ...

By Chikako Mogi and Wayne Cole TOKYO/SYDNEY (Reuters) - Asian markets buckled badly on Thursday after the Federal Reserve heralded an eventual end to free money and China turned the screw on credit even as factory activity in the world's second largest economy hit a nine-month low. Shares, currencies and commodities all crumbled as spooked investors rushed to unwind crowded trades in emerging markets. ...

By Kevin Lim SINGAPORE (Reuters) - Singapore's air quality deteriorated to "hazardous" levels on Thursday as smoke from forest fires in Indonesia obscured skies over the wealthy city-state and parts of Malaysia and disrupted some businesses and travel. In Singapore, air traffic controllers gave more time for aircraft between taking off and landing at Changi Airport, a major aviation hub, because of poor visibility. Work at several Singapore construction sites slowed with few workers seen outdoors and fast-food operator McDonald's suspended its delivery service across the city-state. ...

NEW DELHI (Reuters) - India has no plans to increase the size of its inflation-indexed bond issuance in the first half of the current fiscal year, a senior finance ministry official told Reuters on Thursday, declining to be identified. The Reserve Bank of India has said it will sell 10 billion rupees of 1.44 percent 2023 inflation-indexed government bonds on June 25. The sale would mark the second tranche of up to 150 billion rupees of inflation-linked paper scheduled to be offered at monthly intervals during the current fiscal year, which started in April. ...

Reuters Market Eye - Shares of large cap private banks fall as traders fear that high foreign holding in these stocks makes them more vulnerable, as a sell-off after the Federal Reserve heralded an eventual end to free money. ICICI Bank Ltd , with 37.94 percent FII holding, falls 4 percent, while HDFC Bank , where FIIs hold 34.07 percent of total shares, is down 3 percent. "A liquidity squeeze by Fed if US economy grows will obviously reduce the flows that were coming to EMs like India, making stocks with high FII holding vulnerable for the short term, analysts say. ...

By Ivan Castro and Lomi Kriel MANAGUA/PANAMA CITY (Reuters) - For centuries since the colonization of the New World, entrepreneurs have dreamed of building a canal spanning Nicaragua to make it easier to tap Asia's riches. Sixteenth century Spanish conquistador Hernan Cortes yearned to cleave the isthmus, and ever since, French, American and Dutch financiers have all made abortive, Quixotic attempts to bisect the Central American country's volcano-studded terrain. Now it's the turn of the Chinese. And skepticism is as strong as ever. ...

By Keith Coffman DENVER (Reuters) - Lawyers for James Holmes, who has pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity to killing 12 moviegoers in a Colorado theater last year, cannot be present during his court-ordered psychiatric examination, the judge in the murder case ruled on Wednesday. Arapahoe County District judge Carlos Samour Jr. rejected a motion by Holmes' public defenders, who argued that they should be allowed to attend the exam - especially since prosecutors are seeking the death penalty against their client. ...

WELLINGTON (Reuters) - The founder of the outlawed Megaupload file-sharing site denounced on Thursday "the largest data massacre in the history of the internet", after a European firm wiped out private photos, videos and documents stored on servers used by the site. Dutch firm LeaseWeb said it had in February erased 630 servers rented by Megaupload, about a year after U.S. authorities closed the site and charged its operators with facilitating online piracy, racketeering and money laundering. ...

By Stephanie Simon (Reuters) - Watch out Ivy League, there's a new generation of elite universities on the rise around the globe, according to a new "100 Under 50" report from Times Higher Education magazine. The report, published on Wednesday, ranks the best young universities - defined as those founded no more than 50 years ago - in categories including research prowess, student-to-faculty ratio and international reputation. South Korea's Pohang University of Science and Technology came out on top. ...

Beijing, June 20 (IANS) China's manufacturing activities fell to a nine-month low this month, according to a preliminary survey from HSBC.

New Delhi, June 20 (IANS) Bollywood actress Deepika Padukone, who is on a roll after the success of "Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani", will take to the International Indian Film Academy (IIFA) awards stage in Macau next month. She is excited about her performance.

Mumbai, June 20 (IANS) Filmmaker Anand L. Rai, whose latest romantic offering "Raanjhanaa", says the movie tells a love story which is thicker and deeper than his last directorial "Tanu Weds Manu".

San Juan, June 20 (IANS/EFE) The Puerto Rican government expects to net around $100 million from a tax amnesty that expires June 30, Treasury Secretary Melba Acosta said Wednesday.

Beijing, June 20 (IANS) A female Chinese astronaut Thursday said from space that she and her crewmates haven't seen any UFOs during the trip.

The welfare subsidies, if one recaps, were introduced by the European rulers following the French revolution to entice their subjects. Such welfare subsidies did not adversely affect the overall economy since there had been easy flow of capital - predominately generated from the captive markets of their colonies spread over the world. Similarly, in the US, following the anti-apartheid movement, social sector schemes were mooted to appease its socially backward communities, largely black habitants.

New Delhi, June 20 (IANS) The water level in the Yamuna started receding in Delhi Thursday morning but stayed above the danger mark of 204.83 metres. Many low-lying areas in the city also remained inundated, a government official said.

Cancun (Mexico), June 20 (IANS/EFE) Police at the Mexican sea resort of Playa del Carmen arrested one of the FBI's Ten Most Wanted Fugitives, a former college professor accused of sexually exploiting children.

Chennai, June 20 (IANS) Tamil actor Dhanush, who is awaiting the release of his first Hindi film "Raanjhanaa", says even though superstar Rajnikanth has a lot of influence on him, he doesn't like being compared with his father-in-law because he considers him a "legend".

Mexico City, June 20 (IANS/EFE) Archaeologists have discovered a previously unknown Mayan city in the southeastern state of Campeche, which for its vastness and characteristics is believed to have been a seat of government some 1,400 years ago.

La Paz, June 20 (IANS/EFE) Petroandina, a 60/40 joint venture of Bolivian state oil company YPFB and Venezuelan counterpart PDVSA, will invest an additional $35 million this year in a search for oil and gas in La Paz province.

Thiruvananthapuram, June 20 (IANS) The Kerala-headquartered Mind Media Innovations Pvt. Ltd has developed a new smartphone app on baby care to help young parents with baby rearing tips.

Bhubaneswar, June 20 (IANS) Prashant Dash, head of an Odisha-based business group, has been arrested in Mumbai in connection with an alleged chit fund scam, police said Thursday.