U.S. to join talks over Iran's nuclear program

WASHINGTON: The United States will join five other countries in direct talks with Iran to find a diplomatic resolution to a dispute over Tehran's nuclear ambitions.After meeting with European Union officials in London Wednesday, Britain, the U.S., China, France, Germany and Russia appealed to Iran to engage in talks on what they termed a "critical issue."The countries fear Iran is looking to enrich uranium with the goal of building nuclear weapons, a charge Tehran has repeatedly denied, insisting it only wants to harness nuclear energy for use in power plants."We strongly urge Iran to take advantage of this opportunity to engage seriously with all of us in a spirit of mutual respect," the six said in a joint statement.U.S. State Department spokesman Robert Wood confirmed Wednesday the United States would be at the table from now on when senior diplomats from the five permanent members of the UN Security Council and Germany meet with Iranian officials to discuss the nuclear issue.It is not immediately clear when the talks would occur.U.S. President Barack Obama has said his administration is looking for opportunities to engage Iran and pledged to rethink Washington's relationship with Tehran, which soured considerably while his predecessor George W. Bush was in power.Earlier in the day, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said he was willing to return Obama's call for increased dialogue between the two countries, provided the U.S. president was sincere."If a hand has truly been extended with sincerity, based on justice and respect, Iran will welcome it," Ahmadinejad said Wednesday during a speech in the city of Isfahan. "If it's a hand that is sincere in appearance and deep down dishonest, Iran's answer will be the same as the one given to Bush."

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India's swine flu death rate is increasing

Friday, August 14, 2009 MUMBAI: A 26-year-old woman died Thursday of H1N1 swine flu in the southern city of Bangalore, raising India's death toll from the virus to 20, authorities said.The death was the first reported in India's information technology capital, the Press Trust of India reported.Meanwhile in Pune, the worst-affected in India, two more victims of the virus died Thursday, raising the death toll in that western city near Mumbai to 12, the report said. The victims were an 11-month-old boy and a 75-year-old old woman.US media reported movie halls, schools and colleges were ordered closed Thursday for three days to a week in Mumbai, the commercial and financial capital of the country, as fear of the pandemic spread.Prajakata Lavangare, a spokeswoman for the government of Maharashtra state of which Mumbai is the capital, said similar orders were issued in Pune, which is also located in the state.The woman who died in Bangalore was identified only as Roopa, a teacher in...

Tennis: Clijsters wins US Open, second time

NEW YORK: Kim Clijsters of Belgium won the US Open on Sunday by defeating Caroline Wozniacki of Denmark 7-5, 6-3 in the final.She is the first mother to win a Grand Slam title since Evonne Goolagong in 1980, the victory coming just five weeks after she returned to the sport following a 27-month retirement. She was the first wildcard, man or woman, to win a US Open title in the history of the tournament.

42 killed in wave of Iraq bombings

BAGHDAD: At least 42 people were killed and nearly 100 wounded in a spate of bomb attacks near the restive northern Iraqi city of Mosul and in the capital Baghdad on Monday, police said. In the deadliest single attack, two booby-trapped lorries exploded before dawn in the village of Khaznah, east of Mosul, leaving 25 people dead and 70 others wounded. Thirty-five houses were destroyed in the village, which is home to members of the tiny Shabak community, a sect of Kurdish origin. In Baghdad, two car bombs went off as day labourers were gathering in the early morning hours looking for jobs.The first bomb exploded at Hay al-Amel, in the west of the capital, killing nine people and injuring 46. The second bomb attack in Shurta Arbaa in the north of the city killed seven people and wounded 35 others.

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