UK fighters escort Pakistan plane to airport; two arrested
LONDON - British fighter jets escorted a Pakistan International Airlines passenger plane to Stansted Airport near London on Friday, where police went on board and arrested two men on suspicion of endangering an aircraft.
Gold faces more pressure as inflation stays tame
LONDON - Gold prices are looking even more vulnerable after April's price crash, as rampant inflation expected from successive rounds of monetary easing fails to materialise.
IOC sets Sept 1 deadline for India elections
The International Olympic Committee has set India a September 1 deadline for a new election to facilitate the country's return to the Olympic fold. Full Article
Several blasts, shooting witnessed in Kabul
Several large explosions rocked a busy area in the centre of the Afghan capital, Kabul, on Friday with Reuters witnesses describing shooting in the area. There were at least four blasts interspersed by heavy shooting, a Reuters witness said. Full Article
N.Korea says will take "positive steps" for peace
A North Korean envoy told China's president on Friday that his reclusive country was willing to take "positive actions" to ensure peace and stability on the Korean peninsula, as China steps up diplomatic efforts to bring Pyongyang back to talks. Full Article
Flying car for the masses set for take-off
New England aviation company Terrafugia has unveiled its latest conceptual version of a flying car. Unlike its current flying car, which is designed for pilots, the new design incorporates autonomous functionality, a move the company says will open up the skies to everybody. Terrafugia is already testing a flying car prototype called the Transition. Video
Latest Headlines
Market Pulse
Sensex losers, gainers this week
It was a tough week for Indian shares as the BSE Sensex fell nearly 3 percent and the Nifty lost 3.3 percent as U.S. Fed chief Bernanke’s suggestion that stimulus measures may be scaled back at one of their next few meetings dented sentiment. Here's a look at the top Sensex losers and gainers. Full Article
OPINION
Revenge of the markets
For months, markets have been dancing to central bankers' tune, but that may now be changing. It must have been fun to be a central banker in the early part of 2013. That seems to have ended rather abruptly in the 24 hours beginning with the Bank of Japan's disappointing response to bond market volatility and including Ben Bernanke's anodyne but market-roiling comments on Wednesday on the possibility of a policy taper. Full Article
The many interpretations of Ben Bernanke
The reaction to Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke's tediously familiar statement, and release of the equally repetitive minutes of the last Fed meeting, was some of the wildest gyrations seen in the world’s financial markets for months. Why did the financial world react in this manic-depressive way to a statement that was bland and predictable? Commentary
Prosperity without power
In Moscow, they are “non-Soviet Russians.” In New Delhi, they are a “political Goliath” that may soon awake. In Beijing and Sao Paolo, they are lawyers and other professionals who complain about glacial government bureaucracies and endemic graft. Across the BRIC nations, frustrated members of the middle class are demanding change, but traditional power holders remain entrenched. Commentary
Breakingviews
Blame Japan’s debt on companies, not the state
Japan’s government is up to its neck in debt. That, however, is not because the government has been overly profligate, but because Japanese companies have been deleveraging for a long time. If Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s policies revive private investment, the government’s track record suggests it will tighten its belt. Full Article
Bollywood fashion at Cannes
Remember fashion’s golden rule: you are what you wear. The Bollywood brigade at this year's Cannes Film Festival may seem a bit like the contestants in the national costume round of a beauty pageant. Keeping their identity intact while representing their country on an international platform is praiseworthy, but is it making a fashion statement? Blog
Beckham's final 81st minute
In his last match as a professional footballer, Beckham did everything to be a key player on the pitch. Thanks to him his team was able to score. However, there was something different this time. You could see his desperation to score, a need to shine, and an attempt to make those final minutes on the pitch last as long as possible. Full Article
Decoding Assange
WikiLeaks documentary spotlights complexity of Julian Assange
WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange may claim to be a champion of transparency, but when an Oscar-winning filmmaker wanted to shine a light on his rise to fame after publishing secret U.S. diplomatic cables on his website, Assange was none too pleased. Full Article















