China bans smoking in schools

BEIJING - China has banned students and visitors from smoking at elementary and secondary schools, kindergartens and vocational schools.

Australian cop dismissed for showing pierced penis at party

SYDNEY - An Australian police officer is facing dismissal order for exposing his genital piercing while performing a “party trick” by opening a beer bottle with a bottle opener attached to it.

Latino civil rights group alleges racial, gender discrimination in suit against gym chain

Latino civil rights group: Gym chain discriminates

Ne-Yo faces lawsuit, trial over failure to appear at 2008 New Year’s Eve concert in Wash.

Ne-Yo sued over failure to appear at Wash. concert

Barnes & Noble director says shareholders could trigger takeover defense jby voting against it

Barnes & Noble director defends poison pill

Man says 14-year-old son was harassed by older woman on Southwest flight

Man says teen son was sexually harassed on flight

EU parliamentary panel approves pact with Pakistan on illegals

BRUSSELS - An agreement with Pakistan on taking back its citizens illegally living in the European Union was backed by the European parliament’s Civil Liberties Committee Tuesday, EuAsiaNews reported.

US war veteran denied asylum in India

NEW DELHI - The efforts of an American Vietnam war veteran-turned-Gandhian Jeff Knaebel seeking political asylum in India suffered a blow after the central government told the Supreme Court that it could not accede to his request.

I am shocked and shattered, feel like commiting suicide: Lingaram

NEW DELHI - Lingaram Kodopi, a tribal student from Chhattisgarh who police say is the “mastermind” of an attack by suspected Maoists on a Congress leader’s house in the state’s Dantewada district, says he is “shocked and shattered” by the allegation and can prove his innocence, but would rather commit suicide than surrender to the police as he feared for his life.

Rights activists call for strict law on honour killings

NEW DELHI - Women’s rights activists Tuesday demanded that a stringent law be enacted to check the sudden spurt in cases of honour killings in the country.

Law exam rules relaxed for women who delivered babies

NEW DELHI - Two law students of Delhi University who could not log the minimum attendance required for passing their examination due to pregnancy got relief from the Delhi High Court Tuesday.

Israelis sue Al-Jazeera for allegedly aiding Hezbollah rocket attacks in Lebanon war reporting

Israelis sue Al-Jazeera over Lebanon war reporting

Kashmir Bar Association calls for strike in courts till July 15

SRINAGAR - The lawyers of the Jammu and Kashmir High Court Bar Association have called for a complete strike in courts from July 12 to July 15.

LHC dismisses petition against TV anchor Hamid Mir in ISI official murder case

LAHORE - The Lahore High Court has quashed a petition filed by the son of the killed Inter Services Intelligence (ISI) official Khalid Khwaja against TV host Hamid Mir.

New York man claims ownership of Facebook

NEW YORK - A judge here has issued a temporary restraining order on the transfer of Facebook Inc.’s assets, after a suit by a New York man who claims to own an 84 percent stake in the social-networking company, a media report said Tuesday.

Supreme Court okays 69 percent jobs quota for Tamil Nadu

NEW DELHI - The Supreme Court has given the Government of Tamil Nadu a major boost by ordering that 69 per cent quota for jobs and admissions should continue for a year.

‘Scuse me while I sue these guys: Hendrix bandmate accuses Scorsese, others over 2003 release

‘Scuse me? Hendrix bandmate sues over ‘03 release

Gujarat High Court quashes its own single judge order

GANDHINAGAR - A division bench of the Gujarat High Court has quashed and set aside the order of a single judge of its own court terming it as bad in law and passed without jurisdiction.

Apex court okays Tamil Nadu quota law

NEW DELHI - The Supreme Court Tuesday granted protection to the Tamil Nadu government’s quota law, which provides for 69 percent reservation in educational institutions and jobs.

Indians in Britain to double by 2051

LONDON - The population of Indians in Britain is expected to nearly double from 1.4 million to 2.67 million by 2051 by which time the country’s population would hover around the 78 million mark, according to a new study.

UN panel reviews women’s situation in India

UNITED NATIONS - A UN committee on the elimination of discrimination against women has begun a review of the situation of women in India and seven other countries.