Iceland Express Flies to New York

The airline Iceland Express has began scheduled flights from Keflavík International Airport to New York four times a week in competition with Icelandair. The first flight departed fromKeflavík on Tuesday last week. Bookings have been very good.

This summer, Iceland Express will offer flights to New York Monday through Thursday. The outbound flights depart in the afternoon and the return flights land at Keflavík in the morning, Fréttabladid reports.

Iceland Express flies to Newark, which is a fairly new airport and the fifth largest in the US. It offers more US connections than any other airport in the country. The airport also offers convenient train connections to New York City; Manhattan in 26 kilometers away.

Kenya economy, exchange rate fundamentals sound: central bank

By George Obulutsa

NAIROBI (Reuters) - The fundamentals of Kenya's economy and the shilling's exchange rate are sound and the local currency's movements are due to events in international markets, the central bank said on Monday.

"The current movements in the shilling against other currencies are as a result of international market developments not related to Kenya," the bank said in a statement.

"While the shilling is weakening against the dollar, it is strengthening against the euro locally. This reiterates that fundamentals of Kenya exchange rate and the economy are sound".

On Monday, the shilling hit a new five-year low, touching 82.20/30, due to rising risk aversion globally and increased demand for the dollar and perceived pre-budget jitters.

Central bank said its policy stance on the shilling's exchange rate -- meant to absorb any external shocks to the economy -- was unchanged.

"Once the volatility in the international market is stabilised and uncertainty in the euro zone is resolved, the shilling will rediscover its path consistent with the fundamentals," it said.

White House sees smoother times with new Japan PM

WASHINGTON — A top aide to President Barack Obama on Monday predicted a smoother relationship with Japan as Naoto Kan takes over as prime minister, admitting the United States had concerns about his predecessor.

Jeffrey Bader, the National Security Council's director for Asian affairs, vigorously defended Obama's treatment of outgoing prime minister Yukio Hatoyama after widespread worries about the half-century old alliance between the two countries.

Hatoyama led the center-left Democratic Party of Japan as it ousted the long-ruling conservatives in August elections but tearfully quit last week after reneging on a promise to move an unpopular US base off Okinawa island.

"I have every reason to expect that Mr. Kan will pick up where the cabinet has left off in the last two months and that we won't find ourselves back in some of the difficult times we had last September and October," Bader said.

Bader, who was addressing the Stimson Center think tank, said Obama was encouraged by his phone conversation Saturday with Kan and the new prime minister's pledge at a news conference to honor the deal on the Futenma base.

Deve Gowda backs Malllya's Rajya Sabha bid

Abhir V P , CNN-IBN

Bangalore: Business tycoon Vijay Mallya wants to be in the Rajya Sabha again. Mallya filed his nomination papers as an Independent candidate from his home state Karnataka on Monday. His new found partner is the original humble farmer and former prime minister, HD Deve Gowda.

The liquor baron stepped out to file his nomination for the Rajya Sabha, two years after his first term ended. Gowda who has 27 MLAs in the Karnataka Assembly, is backing him.

Gowda refused to support the Congress and his decision to back Mallya instead has sparked off speculation of the nature of deal struck between Mallya and the former prime minister.

Ex-Goa Minister skips interrogation session

The former Tourism Minister of Goa, Mickky Pacheco, did not appear for the second session of questioning on Monday, while Lyndon Monteiro, his former OSD, moved a District and Sessions Court in Margao for anticipatory bail, fearing arrest in the unnatural death case of Nadia Torrado.

Crime Branch officials had summoned Mr. Monteiro for interrogation.

Mr. Pacheco resigned on Saturday as a Minister after his name got embroiled in the ‘Nadia case' in which police have filed a case of abetment to suicide against unknown persons. The woman died in a Chennai hospital where she was admitted after consuming rat poison.

An official spokesman of the Goa police said the involvement of the former Minister was clear, but to ascertain the extent of it, they wanted Mr. Pacheco to answer certain queries. He said there were many inconsistencies in the replies given by him in the first session and the statements given by the family members of the deceased. Crime Branch officials interrogated the family members of the deceased again on Monday.

The police spokesman also said that the official divorce papers submitted by her husband to the investigating officials showed a clear relationship between Mr. Pacheco and the deceased.

Torchwood to return for fourth series

The Doctor Who spin-off show has been given the green light after the BBC secured US funding

Jason Deans

John Barrowman and Eve Myles are to return for a fourth series of theDoctor Who spin-off Torchwood, after the BBC securing funding from the US cable network Starz Entertainment.

Barrowman, as Captain Jack Harkness, and Myles, as Gwen Cooper, will be working along with new cast members on the new 10-part series with a team of writers led by Torchwood's creator, Russell T Davies.

The new series will be a three-way co-production between BBC Wales, which made the previous series, Starz and the corporation's commercial arm, BBC Worldwide, which distributes the show.

Torchwood has previously been shot on location in and around BBC Wales's Cardiff base. The new series will feature location filming in the US and around the world and is being made by BBC Worldwide Productions.

The first series of the sci-fi drama drama was broadcast on BBC3 in late 2006, with the second run shifting to BBC2 when it was transmitted in early 2008. The third series aired on BBC1 in July last year as a five-part mini-series, Children of Earth, stripped across consecutive nights.

Starz is the US broadcaster behind Spartacus: Blood and Sand, the graphic retelling of the Roman slave revolt story that has just started airing in the UK on Bravo.

North Korean leader's son denies plans to defect as uncle is promoted

Kim Jong-nam tracked down to Macau hotel as elevation of Kim Jong-il's brother-in-law to No 2 spot in leadership is announced

William Foreman, Associated Press in Seoul

He was once widely touted to succeed his father as leader of North Korea. But Kim Jong-nam reportedly fell out of favour in 2001 when he was caught trying to enter Japan on a fake Dominican Republic passport to visit Tokyo's Disney resort.

Today he was tracked down by a South Korean newspaper to a hotel in the Chinese territory of Macau. Unshaven, paunchy and wearing jeans and blue suede loafers, Kim, 39, dismissed reports he intended to seek asylum in Europe because he lost out in a power struggle with his brother, said the JoongAng Ilbo.

"I have no plans on moving to Europe. Why would I?" he said, while waiting for the lift. "I could go there for a vacation, but I think you have only heard rumours".

The remarks come as it was reported that his father, Kim Jong-il, had promoted a brother-in-law, Jang Song-thaek, to the No 2 spot, a position that could allow the latter to become the next ruler or kingmaker in deciding which son succeeds the Dear Leader.

Baha Mousa death 'a stain on army's character'

Head of army during Iraq war attacks commander of regiment in whose custody a Basra hotel worker was beaten to death

Richard Norton-Taylor

The head of the army during the invasion of Iraq delivered a withering attack on the commander of the regiment in whose custody a civilian was beaten to death.

"It is absolute bedrock to the British army's philosophy that a commanding officer is responsible for what goes on within his command," General Sir Michael Jackson told the inquiry into the death of Baha Mousa, a Basra hotel worker who died in September 2003.

The death of Mousa, 26, remained "a stain on the character of the British army", he added. The inquiry has heard that Mousa was hooded for 23 hours and 40 minutes during 36 hours in the custody of 1st Battalion the Queen's Lancashire Regiment before he died.

Asked if those below the commanding officer should have known what was going on, he said: "Those who were present in that place at the time of these dreadful events must answer that question". Jackson did not name him but the regiment was commanded by Colonel Jorge Mendonça, who was decorated before becoming the most senior British army officer to face a court martial in modern times. He was charged with negligently performing a duty but cleared in 2007.

He left the army seven months later, saying he believed he had been "hung out to dry" and made to feel like a "common criminal" by his commanders. Giving evidence to the inquiry earlier this year, Mendonça was asked whether he was accountable for Mousa's death. He replied: "As the commanding officer of that unit, yes, I do accept that responsibility".

India and Australia to work jointly in energy sector

India on Monday expressed its willingness to work jointly with Australia in energy, minerals and power generation sectors including tie-up for gas supply for new plants to be set up by both countries in India.

Union Power Minister Sushilkumar Shinde during his bilateral talks with his Australian counterpart in Perth said Australia could play a major role in the Indian energy sector, which is growing at a rapid pace with huge opportunities for investments and technology.

Speaking at the first Australia-India Energy and Minerals Forum in Perth, he said the two countries could work together in the areas of development of use of brown coal (lignite), energy efficiency, efficiency improvements of coal based power plants, hydro power development and power generation technology research and development of smart grids.

Mr. Shinde also expressed his desire to have a tie-up with Australian companies for supply of gas for gas-based power plants in India especially western India.

He said Indian companies were interested in procurement of coal and liquefied natural gas from Australia. In the area of exploration, he said, companies were beginning to invest in each other's country and expressed hope that these investments would grow further. Indian companies had invested in coal mining, copper mining, oil and gas exploration and entered into a partnership agreement with a uranium exploration company also.

South Africa deports Argentine football 'hooligans'

South Africa has deported 10 suspected Argentine football hooligans who police say were planning to disrupt the World Cup.

The men, part of a larger group of about 80 fans, were arrested at Johannesburg airport and found to be on an entry blacklist.

South African police have said the move shows security preparations ahead of the games are paying off.

The World Cup - the first held on the African continent - begins on Friday.

The men were said to belong to the country's "barras bravas", organised groups renowned for football-related violence.

They were detained on Sunday after travelling from Argentina via the Angolan city of Luanda, and deported on Monday.

At least two of them were group leaders, and another was out on bail for murder, according to police.

Invasion of the urban foxes

It's the noisy, scavenging pest that is now responsible for a shocking attack on two babies asleep in their beds. But how fair is our view of the urban fox – and is it actually any different from its country cousin?

Patrick Barkham

It was a warm Saturday evening and Nick and Pauline Koupparis left a door to their three-storey house open as they watched Britain's Got Talent on television. Shortly before 10pm, a curious fox padded into their home in Victoria Park, east London, and made its way upstairs, where their nine-month-old twins Lola and Isabella were asleep. The fox attacked the girls on their arms and faces. When Pauline heard the crying, she rushed upstairs. "I went into the room and I saw some blood on Isabella's cot," she said yesterday. "I thought she'd had a nosebleed. I put on the light and I saw a fox and it wasn't even scared of me, it just looked me straight in the eye".

As the children were treated in hospital, where they were in a serious but stable condition, the shocking story spread around the globe, triggering a new panic about urban foxes. Police told local residents they should keep their doors closed in hot weather for their own safety. Neighbours spoke of how foxes creep not merely into their gardens but into their kitchens and living rooms. A fox trap was set; one fox has already been killed.

"Something should be done about them. I would love to get them out of here. They're really a nuisance and a danger," said one neighbour, Michael Parra. "I think the foxes are getting bolder. They almost go up to you. I've got fearful myself. They've gone towards my dog too".

Police hunt four after security guard is shot dead in central Sydney

Jodie Minus

NSW Police are hunting four bandits who shot dead a security guard as they attempted to rob an armoured vehicle in Sydney's CBD yesterday morning.

Chubb security officer Gary Brian Allibon, from Gymea Bay, south of Sydney, died from a single gunshot wound during the armed hold-up on Sussex Street shortly before 6am.

Mr Allibon, 59, was with two colleagues at the time of the shooting and police said one of the men's work-issue handguns was missing.

Acting Superintendent Greg Antonjuk said Mr Allibon and the two other guards had been parked outside the Darling Park building, home to the Holiday Inn and businesses including PricewaterhouseCoopers, Mercer and Chinta Ria restaurant, when they were ambushed by the four men, at least two of whom were carrying guns.

According to police, the masked men demanded access to the armoured vehicle but an altercation occurred between the two groups; one shot was fired, hitting Mr Allibon in the chest.

Salinas' Palma, Notre Dame High seniors graduate

About 190 students from Salinas' two Catholic high schools receive diplomas

By Kimber Solana

Palma and Notre Dame high schools ushered a combined 190 young men and women toward adulthood Sunday in separate graduation ceremonies at Sherwood Hall in Salinas.

Speakers told the graduating seniors from the city's two Catholic high schools to never forget their time together and to lead their lives with God.

Notre Dame senior class president Caitlin Michels offered a short prayer in the beginning of their ceremony.

"Bless us Lord, fill our minds with wisdom and knowledge, fill our hearts with peace ... and fill our spirit with faith and hope," she said. "Don your light upon the class of 2010".

About 1,500 people filled the city's dimly-lit municipal auditorium to watch Notre Dame's 80 young women wearing blue caps and gowns graduate.

"This moment in time may very well be one of the most significant events of our lives," said Notre Dame High School co-salutatorian Oluwatosin Adenuga. Adenuga shared the stage with her fellow salutatorians Sara Eastwood and Krystina Parco.

Postmodern author David Markson has died

David Markson, the author of "Wittgenstein's Mistress," has died. He was 82.

Markson was a serious writer with a sense of play. His book "This Is Not a Novel" was, in fact, a novel, if a fractured one; it was an assemblage of short interludes, which acknowledged the presence of the writer, that seemed to point toward a novel in progress rather than fully realize it.

His most seminal work, "Wittgenstein's Mistress," was told from the point of view of a woman who had either lost her mind or was the last person on Earth. Although this may not sound all that unusual, the form and narrative pushed all kinds of boundaries when it came out in 1988. Edgy Publisher Dalkey Archive described it as "a novel unlike anything David Markson — or anyone else — has ever written before". When we were putting the Jacket Copy list of61 essential postmodern reads together, "Wittgenstein's Mistress" was a shoo-in.

The 'quiet' hero of Rwanda's genocide

By Monita Rajpal, CNN

Every week CNN's African Voices highlights Africa's most engaging personalities, exploring the lives and passions of people who rarely open themselves up to the camera. This week the show profiles Paul Rusesabagina, who saved the lives of 1,200 people during the Rwandan genocide, his story portrayed in the 2004 film Hotel Rwanda.

London, England (CNN) -- Paul Rusesabagina has been called a hero, a life-saver, even a godsend.

In 1994, while the world watched as hundreds of thousands of Tutsis and moderate Hutus in Rwanda were slaughtered at the hands of Hutu militias, Rusesabagina lived in the thick of the nightmare.

While the militias went house to house searching for people to kill, Rusesabagina hid and sheltered people in the luxury hotel he managed in Kigali.

He was the hotel's frontman and took that job to heart. When I met him, he came across as unassuming, even quiet. If you met him, you probably wouldn't think that here was a man whose actions changed the course of many lives from what would have been certain death and inspired the Hollywood film, "Hotel Rwanda".

Injured Dutch star Robben: I will fight until I drop

(CNN) -- Dutch star Arjen Robben hasn't given up hope of playing in the World Cup after he was diagnosed with a hamstring tear.

The Bayern Munich winger was injured during the Netherlands warm-up match against Hungary on Saturday.

Scans revealed Robben has a small tear in his left hamstring but he is confident that intense physiotherapy can help salvage his dream of playing in South Africa.

He told reporters: "On Sunday I had the scan and it's just a small tear in my left hamstring. It's the first time I have a injury on that spot of my leg.

Security tight for Indian premier's visit to Kashmir

By Mukhtar Ahmad, CNN

Srinagar, India (CNN) -- Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh arrived on a two-day visit to Indian-administered Kashmir on Monday amid a complete shutdown and curfew-like restrictions in parts of the capital city.

A strike to protest the visit, called by Kashmiri hard-line separatist leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani, closed shops, businesses, educational institutions, government offices and banks.

The streets were deserted, with no public transport operating and only thin private traffic.

Srinagar's old city was placed under tight restrictions, with Indian police officers and paramilitary troopers strictly enforcing the rules, witnesses said.

Intersections in the area had been barricaded with coils of razor wire, allowing no pedestrian or vehicular movement.