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Bombings rock Indian tourist city

At least 60 people have been killed and more than 150 wounded after a series of bomb blasts tore through the city of Jaipur in western India, officials say.

The bombs went off near historic monuments in the crowded old city at one of the busiest times of the day.

The head of state police said it was a terrorist attack. Reports suggest the death toll could rise.

Jaipur, in Rajasthan, is a popular tourist destination about 260km (160 miles) from the Indian capital, Delhi.

No group has admitted planting bombs in Jaipur. It is not yet clear what the motive for attacking the city might be.

Clinton aims for big win in West Virginia

Hillary Clinton may be looking to go out with a bang as she is poised to win big in the West Virginia primary while rumours swirl she is looking toward the exit.

Obama retains his lead in delegates and — for the first time ever in the campaign race — superdelegates.

Amidst the competition, fears of a split in the Democratic party where again disputed, as a new poll showed two-thirds of national Democrats said there is no rush for Hillary to quit the race ahead of the final vote on June 3.

Robert Rauschenberg, Titan of American Art, Is Dead at 82

He died of heart failure, said Arne Glimcher, chairman of PaceWildenstein, the artist’s gallery in Manhattan.

Mr. Rauschenberg’s work gave new meaning to sculpture. “Canyon,” for instance, consisted of a stuffed bald eagle attached to a canvas. “Monogram” was a stuffed Angora goat girdled by a tire atop a painted panel. “Bed” entailed a quilt, sheet and pillow, slathered with paint, as if soaked in blood, framed on the wall. They all became icons of postwar modernism.

A painter, photographer, printmaker, choreographer, onstage performer, set designer and, in later years, even a composer, Mr. Rauschenberg defied the traditional idea that an artist stick to one medium or style. He pushed, prodded and sometimes reconceived all the mediums in which he worked.

He will be missed.  Rauschenberg was so fluent and groundbreaking in so many facets of art, his influence will live on for many generations to come. 

Families Argue Autism-Vaccine Link in Special U.S. Court

Overall, nearly 4,900 families have filed claims with the U.S. Court of Claims alleging that vaccines caused autism and other neurological problems in their children. Lawyers for the families are presenting three different theories of how vaccines caused autism. The theory at issue Monday was whether vaccines containing the preservative thimerosal caused autism.

Lynn Ricciardella, a Justice Department lawyer, said that theory has not moved beyond the realm of speculation. She said that the Institute of Medicine and theCenters for Disease Control and Prevention have rejected any link between thimerosal and autism.

Deadly earthquake hits China

As many as 5,000 people are dead, another 10,000 are injured as a 7.8 magnitude earthquake shook the Sechuan province.

Most of the damage is in the Beichuan county, where at least eight school collapsed, trapping as many as 900 students inside. The death toll is expected to rise throughout the clean-up effort.

For First Time, More Superdelegates Favor Obama

The trump card Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton held in her faltering bid for president — her support among the superdelegates who can control the fate of the Democratic nomination — began slipping from her grasp on Friday as Senator Barack Obama moved into the lead on this front, with uncommitted delegates declaring their allegiance to him as others deserted her.

Democrats spend $200,000 on Political Art

Could the Clinton/Obama fight to secure the presidential nomination be clinched by a Karaoke sing-a-long? For when Democratic delegates meet in Denver from 25 to 28 August, they will be treated to $200,000 worth of “participatory” art commissioned by the city and the Democratic National Convention (DNC) host committee.

Seth Goldenberg, director of the DNC public programme Dialog:City, has asked ten artists to create work which will take place across Denver and focus on political issues. Daniel Peltz will present a Karaoke sing-along of presidential candidate speeches in bars, clubs and restaurants. The DNC has given $200,000 towards the commissions.

Australia likely to abandon $1m whale case against Japan

AUSTRALIA is likely to abandon its $1 million attempt to take Japan to the international court over whaling after New Zealand gave up plans to use legal action to stop the cull. The Rudd Government embraced the use of the UN’s international court soon after the election, using aircraft and ships to gather evidence against Japanese whalers in the Southern Ocean.

But the New Zealand Government has since discovered “significant difficulties” with taking Japan to the international court and has abandoned the tactic.

The hunt for evidence against Japan in its “scientific hunt” for whales became highly contentious when the crew of the environmental crusader ship Sea Shepherd was accused of piracy and violence after activists threw bottles of “acid” and boarded a Japanese whaling ship.

Ahead of official visits to Japan by Kevin Rudd next month and Foreign Minister Stephen Smith this week, expectation is growing that Australia’s aggressive attempt to take Japan to court over whaling will lapse.

Last night, Mr Smith told The Australian the Government would make a final decision on whether to pursue Japan in an international court “at an appropriate time” based on legal advice and the evidence gathered by the Customs vessel Oceanic Viking.

Speaking from South Korea, he said the Government would make its decision on legal action “in dialogue with the Japanese Government”.

The likelihood of a resolution without going to an international court has increased after the New Zealand Government dropped its plans to build an international case against Japan over whaling.

Pakistan tests nuclear-capable missile

PAKISTAN today successfully tested a nuclear-capable, air-launched cruise missile with a range of 350km, the military said, a day after India tested a long-range missile.

The Hatf-VIII (Ra’ad) missile has been developed exclusively for launch from aircraft, a military statement said.

“It has enabled Pakistan to achieve a greater strategic stand-off capability on land and at sea,” it said.

The indigenously developed missile also had special stealth capabilities and could deliver all types of warheads with great accuracy, the military said.

India yesterday tested a nuclear-capable missile with a range of more than 3000km.

The south Asian neighbours, who have fought three wars since their independence in 1947, routinely test missiles in spite of a peace process launched in 2004 that has led to better relations.

Pakistan tested nuclear weapons in 1998, days after old rival India conducted similar tests.

Six New World Auction Records Set Including Monet, Giagometti, Rodin and Miro

This evening’s sale of Impressionist and Modern Art at Christie’s New York totaled $277,276,000/£140,749,239/€178,887,742, Christie’s third highest result ever for the category. The auction featured particularly strong results for both 19th and 20th century paintings and sculpture created by some of the leading masters of art history. The sale was 82% sold by value, 76% sold by lot.

“We saw very strong prices in many areas this evening as the global market responded positively, and we are pleased with the overall result for the sale. Christie’s set new auction records for major masters, and it was particularly gratifying to note sculpture continued its ascent in the marketplace, and now commands prices equivalent to great pictures,” said Marc Porter, President of Christie’s Americas.