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Egypt Islamists claim victory

Muslim Brotherhood candidate Mohammed Mursi claimed victory on Monday in Egypt’s divisive race for the top job, as a military power grab overshadowed the country’s first post-Mubarak presidential election. Two generals from the Supreme Council... Full story

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Abdul Kalam will not contest presidential poll

In an official statement, former president APJ Abdul Kalam has said he will not contest the presidential election 2012 to be held on July 19. The former president said he was aware of the developments in the... Full story

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Streets deserted after Nigeria church blasts, riots kill 52

The streets of Nigeria’s Kaduna city were mostly empty Monday a day after suicide blasts on three churches carried out by Boko Haram Islamists and subsequent rioting killed at least 52 people. Full story

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Blair thought Brown was ‘bonkers’: ex-media chief

Former British premier Tony Blair thought his successor Gordon Brown was ‘bonkers’ and a ‘malign force’ that was ‘hell-bent’ on his destruction, according to his ex-media chief’s diaries aired Monday. Full story

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World pressure as Greece scrambles to form govt

World powers raised the pressure on Greece to form a government quickly, as coalition talks loomed Monday after parties backing an EU-IMF bailout won an election that eased fears of a eurozone exit. Full story

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Saudi king names Salman as crown prince

Saudi King Abdullah named his half-brother Prince Salman as heir to the throne on Monday following the death of crown prince Nayef, state television Al-Ekhbariyah reported. The monarch appointed Salman... Full story

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China astronauts complete successful space docking

Chinese astronauts carried out a manned docking with an experimental space module on Monday, the latest milestone in China’s ambitious campaign to build a space station. Full story

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Indian ‘sadhus’ protest at dam projects on Ganges

Hundreds of saffron-clad Indian ‘sadhus,’ or holy men, protested in New Delhi Monday against plans to construct more than 50 dams on the River Ganges — whose waters are sacred to millions of Hindus. Full story

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Car bomb kills 4 Pak students

A car bomb tore into a university bus in Pakistan’s insurgency-torn southwest on Monday, killing four people and wounding more than 40 others, mostly Shiite Muslim students, the police said. Full story

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Socialists take absolute majority in French parliament

France’s Socialists won control of parliament Sunday, handing president Francois Hollande the convincing majority he needs to push through his tax-and-spend agenda to battle the eurozone debt crisis. Full story

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Blast in Afghan town kills six

An improvised bomb killed four police and two civilians on Monday in an Afghan town where hundreds of French troops have been deployed to fight Taliban rebels as part of the NATO mission, officials said. Full story

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Deadly tribal clash in Indonesian Papua

Two tribesmen were killed when rival groups armed with bows and arrows clashed in Indonesia’s restive Papua province on Monday, the police said. The clash, which also left one person critically injured... Full story

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Troops pound Homs, 40 killed in Syria

Syrian forces pounded Homs on Monday as they pressed their campaign against rebel strongholds in the city and as at least 40 people were reported killed across the strife-torn country, a watchdog said. Full story

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March in NY against police ‘stop and frisk’ tactics

Thousands of people marched in silence here Sunday to protest against street checks by police that rights activists say disproportionately target blacks and Hispanics. The demonstration, called by... Full story

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Gratitude and laughs as Suu Kyi meets Bono

She wore red roses in her hair, he donned his huge orange sunglasses — Myanmar’s democracy icon Aung San Suu Kyi on Monday met one of her biggest fans, U2 frontman and activist rock star Bono. Full story

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Iran, world powers clash at tense nuclear talks

Iran and world powers on Monday locked horns in hours of tense talks in Moscow seeking a diplomatic solution to the crisis over Tehran’s nuclear programme with no breakthrough in sight. Full story

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Kuwait’s ruler suspends parliament for a month

Kuwait’s emir has suspended parliament for one month, state news agency KUNA said citing a decree, ahead of the planned questioning of the interior minister by opposition members of the assembly. Full story

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Two activists killed in Israel strike on Gaza

Two Palestinians were killed in an Israeli strike on north Gaza on Monday, medics said, just hours after gunmen mounted a deadly ambush on the Egyptian border, killing an Israeli. Full story

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Suicide bomber kills south Yemen army chief

The commander of military forces in the south of Yemen was killed by a suicide bomber in the port city of Aden on Monday, days after troops drove Islamist militants linked to al-Qaeda from their southern strongholds. Full story

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