13 missing after ship sinks off Iranian coast

Tehran, Iran:  An Iranian news agency says a diving support ship has sunk in the Persian Gulf and 13 people, including eight foreigners, are missing.

The semiofficial ISNA news agency said Friday that the vessel, the Koosha 1, went down some 15 miles (25 kilometers) off Iran's coast Thursday afternoon.

Occupy Wall Street-inspired protest closes London's St Paul's Cathedral

London:  St Paul's Cathedral said today it was closing its doors to the public for the first time in modern history because of anti-capitalist demonstrators camped outside the London landmark.

More than 200 activists inspired by the Occupy Wall  Street movement have taken over a paved area in front of the cathedral in the city's financial district since last Saturday to protest against corporate greed and state cutbacks.

Obama announces total Iraq troop withdrawal

Washington:  President Barack Obama on Friday declared an end to the Iraq war, one of the longest and most divisive conflicts in U.S. history, announcing that all American troops would be withdrawn from the country by the end of the year.

Pakistan gets seat on United Nations Security Council as non-permanent member

New York:  A Pakistani diplomat getting a hug from his Indian counterpart - a rare sight given that the two South Asian nuclear rivals have been at war four times. But an uncharacteristic bonhomie was on display on Friday when Pakistan won a seat on the United Nations Security Council as a non-permanent member.

7.6 magnitude earthquake hits South Pacific

Nuku'alofa, Tonga:  A strong earthquake struck far off the South Pacific island nation of Tonga on Friday, but there were no immediate reports of damage or injuries.

The U.S. Geological Survey reports the magnitude-7.6 quake struck Friday at 1:57 p.m. (1757 GMT) about 541 miles (870 kilometers) south of Nuku'Alofa on Tonga. The quake struck at a depth of 24 miles (39 kilometers).

Murdoch takes on shareholders at board meeting; protests outside

Los Angeles:  Rupert Murdoch jousted with disgruntled shareholders Friday as the 80-year-old chairman and CEO of News Corp. defended his handling of a phone hacking scandal in Britain and deflected any notion that he plans to step down soon.

US and UN demand details on how Gaddafi died

Misurata, Libya:  International calls mounted Friday for Libya's interim leaders to provide a fuller accounting of the final moments before Col. Muammar el-Gaddafi's violent, messy death, as new videos circulated that showed him and his son Muatassim alive, apparently while in the custody of the former rebels. 

Rooftop gunman kills woman trying to shield children

New York:  Police say a gunman opened fire near a public school in Brooklyn, killing one parent and injuring an 11-year-old and another parent. 

The shooting started at about 2:30 pm (local time) yesterday. Police are looking into whether the gunman was firing from a rooftop where shell casings were found. 

New videos help piece together Gaddafi's last minutes

(Warning: Some of the videos included in this post are extremely disturbing)



An examination of several brief video clips that have emerged since Col. Moammar el-Gaddafi and his son Muatassim were killed on Thursday seems to suggest that both men suffered their fatal wounds sometime after they were captured. Their dead bodies were later put on display in the city of Misurata.

435 Indian students of Tri-Valley University, to be transferred to other schools

Washington:  US authorities have approved the transfer of 435 Indian students of the Tri-Valley University (TVU) to other institutions, indicating some progress in addressing the plight of nearly 1,800 Indian students affected by its closure.

Gaddafi's daughter sick after seeing dead father on television

Algiers:  Moammar Gaddafi's daughter Aisha was hospitalised in Algeria after learning that her father and brother Muttasim had been killed by Libyan transitional government forces, according to a news report.

Saudi Crown Prince's death opens up succession issue

Riyadh:  The heir to the Saudi throne, Crown Prince Sultan bin Abdul-Aziz Al Saud, died undergoing treatment for illness in New York. The death of the prince, who was in his 80s, opens questions about the succession in the critical, oil-rich US ally.

The man who made the Taj Mahal disappear

Franz Harary once made the the Taj Mahal disappear for over a minute. It has been his most famous act as an internationally acclaimed magician. When asked how he did it, Harary's answer was: “It was the perfect illusion."

Need to reverse mood of negativity, says Prime Minister

must have special programmes to increase the earning capacity of poor and vulnerable sections. must have special programmes to increase the earning capacity of poor and vulnerable sections. must have special programmes to increase the earning capacity of poor and vulnerable sections. 

New Delhi:  At a meeting of chief ministers, the Prime Minister said this morning, "It is our collective responsibility to reverse the mood of negativity."

He was addressing the National Development Council which includes the chief ministers of all states and is responsible to ensuring balanced development in different parts of the country.

Karunanidhi meets Sonia Gandhi, Law Minister

New Delhi:  On a crucial day in court for his daughter, in jail for the telecom scam, M Karunanidhi today met with Sonia Gandhi, the President of the UPA. Mr Karunanidhi's party, the DMK, described the 15-minute-long meeting as "a courtesy call" - the southern leader wanted to enquire about Mrs Gandhi's health. She returned a few weeks ago to Delhi after an operation in the United States. But this was the first time that the DMK chief met Mrs Gandhi since his daughter was arrested in May.

India congratulates Pakistan on winning UNSC seat

United Nations:  India today congratulated Pakistan on winning a non-permanent seat in the United Nations Security Council (UNSC), saying it looks forward to working with its neighbour on a range of global issues.

2G scam: Raja, Kanimozhi to be tried for criminal breach of trust

New Delhi:  A special court in Delhi has accepted all the charges levelled by the CBI against the 14 people and three companies accused in the telecom scam. The trial for these people will now begin.  

Those accused include former Telecom Minister A Raja and Kanimozhi, the daughter of DMK chief M Karunanidhi.

2G case: How the scam unravelled

New Delhi:  For sheer pedigree, it's hard to top the telecom scam. It's estimated to be India's most expensive swindle, and the principal characters include A-listers from the political and corporate world. That combo has resulted in a political morass that seems to deepen every day, as new details of the case emerge.