Beijing, June 19 (IANS) US General Motors Co. is set to recall about 231,000 older SUVs over fire risks and has urged owners to park them outside garages until they are repaired, a media report said. More »General Motors recalls 231,000 SUVs over fire risk
REUTERS - Aston Villa have signed towering Denmark striker Nicklas Helenius from Aalborg, the Premier League club said on Tuesday. The 22-year-old, who stands 6 feet 5 inches tall, agreed a three-year contract at Villa Park after signing for an undisclosed fee. "Nicklas is a young lad but also a full international with a good goal-scoring record in Denmark and he'll prove himself in the Premier League," manager Paul Lambert told Villa's website (www.avfc.com). Helenius scored 16 goals in 33 league appearances for Aalborg last season and has played twice for Denmark. ... More »Aston Villa sign giant Denmark striker Helenius
By Jennifer Saba REUTERS (Reuters) - Facebook Inc said on Tuesday it now has 1 million active advertisers globally who used the platform in the last 28 days, a milestone for the company that is seeking to revive its revenue growth. A vast majority of those advertisers are small business owners who have flocked to the world's No. 1 social network. Facebook executives are hoping to net even more small advertisers since 16 million local businesses, ranging from jewelry sellers to clothing stores, set up free pages on the network. ... More »Facebook reaches 1 million active advertisers
By Tabassum Zakaria and John Whitesides WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The head of the National Security Agency said U.S. surveillance programs had helped disrupt more than 50 possible attacks since September 11, 2001, as sympathetic members of Congress also defended the use of the top-secret spying operations. In the first hearing dedicated to the programs since former NSA contractor Edward Snowden exposed them earlier this month, members of the House of Representatives Intelligence Committee showed little will on Tuesday to pursue significant reforms. Instead, both U.S. ... More »NSA head, lawmakers defend U.S. surveillance programs
By Mark Gleeson MAPUTO (Reuters) - The impressive run of Egypt in World Cup qualifying over the last fortnight has much more significance for the country than just moving the tournament dream a step closer, coach Bob Bradley told Reuters. "At a time when the country is looking for things that are good, this is very important," he said of Egypt's seamless progress to the last phase of African qualifiers for next year's tournament in Brazil. ... More »World Cup success a lift for troubled Egypt
By Andrew Downie RECIFE, Brazil (Reuters) - A wave of protests across Brazil have alarmed soccer organisers concerned that the unrest could affect the current Confederations Cup and even jeopardise next year's World Cup. At least 200,000 people took to the streets of more than half a dozen Brazilian cities on Monday night in the biggest demonstrations in the country for 20 years. The protests were originally sparked by a hike in bus fares but they expanded to embrace broader issues. ... More »Brazil protests pose challenge for World Cup organisers
By Andrew Osborn and Maria Golovnina ENNISKILLEN, Northern Ireland (Reuters) - Russia's Vladimir Putin derailed Barack Obama's efforts to win backing for the downfall of Syrian leader Bashar al-Assad at a G8 summit on Tuesday, warning the West that arms supplied to the rebels could be used for attacks on European soil. After two days of intense talks that fell far short of what Obama and Prime Minister David Cameron had been hoping for, Putin fumed against Western moves to supply weapons to rebels while defending his own supplies of arms for Assad. ... More »Russia's Putin torpedoes G8 efforts to oust Assad
NEW YORK (Reuters) - Chinese network equipment and cellphone maker Huawei Technologies Co said it "has no plans to acquire Nokia" , responding to a Financial Times report that it would consider buying the Finish phone maker. The denial came from Huawei's vice president for external affairs, Bill Plummer. The story on the FT website on Tuesday had quoted the head of Huawei's consumer business, Richard Yu, as saying: "We are considering these sorts of acquisitions; maybe the combination has some synergies but depends on the willingness of Nokia. We are open-minded." Nokia declined comment. ... More »Huawei says has no plans to buy Nokia
REUTERS - Billionaire investor Carl Icahn promised Dell Inc shareholders that the company would buy back up to $16 billion of stock if they join his campaign to stop the computer maker from going private. Time is running out for Icahn. Next month, the company's shareholders will vote on whether to accept a $24.4 billion bid from the company's founder, Michael Dell, and private equity firm Silver Lake, and so far shareholders' reaction to two of Icahn's proposals has been mixed. Icahn has said repeatedly that Michael Dell's bid undervalues the company. ... More »Icahn seeks Dell share buyback, buys Southeastern stock
By Doug Palmer WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A bipartisan group of more than 170 U.S. lawmakers joined with a coalition of U.S. business groups on Tuesday to demand increased U.S. pressure on India to change policies that they said threaten American exports, jobs and innovation. "Over the last year, Indian policymakers and courts have taken a series of actions designed to block imports by forcing local production of a wide range of manufactured goods," the lawmakers from the House of Representatives said in a letter to President Barack Obama. ... More »U.S. lawmakers, businesses demand Indian trade reforms
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A U.S. appeals court on Tuesday let stand a 2011 decision by the U.S. Export-Import Bank to finance the sale of 30 Boeing wide-body jets to Air India in a legal challenge brought by Delta Air Lines . However, the court directed the government-run bank to better explain its rationale for the loans. The ruling allowed both the bank and Delta, which has been engaged in a long-running spat with the Ex-Im Bank, to claim victory. ... More »U.S. court lets stand Ex-Im Bank loan for Air India
SEATTLE (Reuters) - Google Inc asked the U.S. Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court on Tuesday to allow it to publish aggregate numbers of national security requests it receives separately from criminal requests, on First Amendment grounds. In its filing, Google requested the court to allow it to publish the aggregate number of national security requests it receives, including disclosures under the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA), claiming it as part of its First Amendment right to free speech. ... More »Google challenges US surveillance court on 1st Amendment grounds
By Kayon Raynor KINGSTON, Jamaica (Reuters) - Jamaica's twice Olympic 200 metres champion Veronica Campbell-Brown was suspended by her national federation on Tuesday following a positive test for a banned diuretic at a meeting last month. "The Jamaican Athletics Administrative Association (JAAA) can now confirm that a case concerning Mrs Veronica Campbell-Brown is currently ongoing," the Jamaican governing body said in a statement. "She has been provisionally suspended from competition awaiting the outcome of a disciplinary panel that will be empanelled to hear this case. ... More »Campbell-Brown suspended by Jamaican federation
Washington, June 19 (IANS) The US has decided to hold direct peace talks with the Taliban, senior White House officials have announced. The first meet is due to take place in the coming days in Qatar's capital, where the Taliban have opened their first official overseas office, BBC reported. More »US, Taliban to have direct peace talks
By Ryan Vlastelica NEW YORK (Reuters) - U.S. stocks advanced for a second straight day on Tuesday as investors bet the Federal Reserve would temper statements which were interpreted to mean a sooner-than-expected winding down of stimulus efforts. Strong market breadth showed an increased appetite for equities, but trading volume was light, a sign that many market participants were taking a wait-and-see attitude. The Fed's two-day policy meeting started Tuesday, and traders are trying to guess its timeline for scaling back purchases of $85 billion per month of bonds. ... More »Wall St extends rise, investors see no change in Fed policy
LONDON (Reuters) - American Venus Williams has pulled out of this year's Wimbledon because of a back injury, the five-times singles champion said on Tuesday. The 33-year-old has not played since pulling out of the doubles at this year's French Open. "I will not be able to participate in Wimbledon," Williams wrote on her Facebook page. "I am extremely disappointed as I have always loved The Championships." Williams won her last Wimbledon title in 2008. Her sister Serena is the defending champion in this year's tournament which starts on Monday. ... More »Venus Williams pulls out of Wimbledon
Los Angeles, June 19 (IANS) Singer Will.i.am doesn't have a home despite purchasing properties for several close family members and paying off their mortgages. More »I don't have a home: Will.i.am
By Daren Butler and Parisa Hafezi ISTANBUL/ANKARA (Reuters) - A lone, silent vigil by a man in Istanbul inspired copycat protests on Tuesday, as police detained dozens of people across Turkey in an operation linked to three weeks of often violent demonstrations against Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan. Overnight in Ankara, riot police used teargas and water cannon to disperse hundreds of people who had gathered in and around the government quarter of Kizilay. ... More »Dozens held in Turkey, silent protester goes viral
By Patrick Johnston REUTERS - Australia and Iran booked their fourth World Cup finals appearances with nervous 1-0 victories in a dramatic finale to Asian qualifying on Tuesday. South Korea joined them and Japan in qualifying for the finals after sneaking through on goal difference and Uzbekistan and Jordan retained hope of making it five Asian sides in Brazil after taking the third spots in the groups to set up a playoff. The teams will meet over two legs in September with the winners taking on the fifth-placed side in South America in a similar playoff in November for a place at the finals. ... More »Australia, Iran and S.Korea head for Brazil
By Zorianna Kit LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - One-eyed green monster Mike Wazowski and his giant blue, furry friend James P. "Sully" Sullivan go back in time as "scaring" students in "Monsters University," as Walt Disney Co.'s Pixar Animation Studios pins its hopes for a blockbuster on the coming-of-age story. "Monsters University," a prequel to 2001 animated film "Monsters, Inc.," will be released on Friday in U.S. theaters, and director Dan Scanlon told Reuters one of the main challenges was to keep the film fresh and surprising for audiences. ... More »Crystal, Goodman head back to school in 'Monsters University'