Leaders of G8 nations are to set a target to cut greenhouse gases by 80% by 2050.

They will also call for any human-induced temperature rise to be held below 2 degrees Celsius.

News of the G8 plans came as ex-Prime Minister Tony Blair urged rich nations to hit short-term climate targets by ramping up existing clean technologies.

They should also paying poor countries to protect their forests, Mr Blair said.

The UN's top health official has opened a forum in Mexico on combating swine flu by saying that the spread of the virus worldwide is now unstoppable.

World Health Organization head Margaret Chan added that the holding of the meeting in Cancun showed confidence in Mexico, which has been hard hit.

The WHO says most H1N1 cases are mild, with many people recovering unaided.

As the summit opened, the UK alone was projecting more than 100,000 new cases of H1N1 a day by the end of the summer.

As the peak of the flu season approaches in South America, some areas have declared a public health emergency.

El Salvador reported its first death from swine flu, a day after Paraguay reported its first fatality.

Syria has scrapped a law limiting the length of sentences handed down to men convicted of killing female relatives they suspect of having illicit sex.

Women's groups had long demanded that Article 548 be scrapped, arguing it decriminalised "honour" killings.

Activists say some 200 women are killed each year in honour cases by men who expect lenient treatment under the law.

The new law replaces the existing maximum sentence of one year in jail with a minimum jail term of two years.

Justice Minister Ahmad Hamoud Younis said the change was made by the decree of President Bashar al-Assad, following a recent increase in "wife-killings... on the pretext of adultery".

The new law says a man can still benefit from attenuating circumstances in crimes of passion or honour "provided he serves a prison term of no less than two years in the case of killing".

The legislation covers any man who "unintentionally" kills his wife, sister, daughter or mother after catching her committing adultery or having unlawful sex. It also covers cases where the woman's lover is killed.

A court in the Indian capital, Delhi, has ruled that homosexual intercourse between consenting adults is not a criminal act.

The ruling overturns a 148-year-old colonial law which describes a same-sex relationship as an "unnatural offence".

Homosexual acts were punishable by a 10-year prison sentence.

Many people in India regard same-sex relationships as illegitimate. Rights groups have long argued that the law contravened human rights.

The court said that a statute in Section 377 of the Indian Penal Code, which defines homosexual acts as "carnal intercourse against the order of nature" and made them illegal, was an "antithesis of the right to equality".

Dozens of baby girls in southern China have reportedly been taken from parents who broke family-planning laws, and then sold for adoption overseas.

An investigation by the state-owned Southern Metropolis News found that about 80 girls in one county had been sold for $3,000 (£1,800) to foreigners.

The babies were taken when the parents could not pay the steep fines imposed for having too many children.

I wish every Canadian (Happy CANADA Day) July 1st.
hope you all enjoy today and we need to keep in mind those needy people who is looking for one time food, water & shelter. so keep doing the good work & help every human being.
Thanks
Idrees Khan

Bernard Madoff has been given the maximum prison sentence of 150 years for masterminding a massive fraud that robbed investors of $65bn (£40bn).

The sentence, which means Madoff will spend the rest of his life in jail, was greeted with cheers and applause in the packed courtroom.

US District Judge Denny Chin said he wanted to send a message that Madoff's crimes were "extraordinarily evil".

Madoff's lawyer had sought a more lenient sentence of 12 years.

Judge Chin gave Madoff the maximum sentence on all 11 charges, which included securities fraud and money laundering.

At least six people were killed and 40 injured when two carriages of a train carrying gas exploded in northern Italy.

The incident happened in the coastal town of Viareggio.

The explosion came as the train was approaching the station, and flames spread to a neighbouring street.

It is unclear whether the train derailed before or after the blast. Two buildings collapsed and emergency crews are searching the rubble.

The explosion happened shortly before midnight local time (2300 BST) as the 14-carriage train headed to Pisa.

Iran's top electoral body, the Guardian Council, has confirmed the victory of Mahmoud Ahmadinejad in the presidential election after a partial recount.

News of the decision, which comes after a series of protests by the opposition against what it says was a rigged ballot, was announced by state TV.

The 12-strong council is the most influential body in Iran and is currently controlled by conservatives.

Some 17 people are thought to have died during opposition street protests.

"The secretary of the Guardian Council in a letter to the interior minister announced the final decision of the Council... and declares the approval of the accuracy of the results of... the presidential election," the state broadcaster said.

A partial recount of the election carried out on Monday showed no irregularities in the vote, Iran's English-language Press TV television station added, according to Reuters news agency.

Mr Ahmadinejad was officially re-elected with 63% of the vote on 12 June.

His main challenger, Mir Hossein Mousavi, has said the whole election should be annulled and held again.

Today we all want to wish birth day:
Happy Birth Day to Jennifer Corriero
Co-founder and Executive Director, TakingITGlobal

Send her many wishes for her birth day & hope she will have long successfull life so that she work more for the sack of betterment of humanity & community work.
Happy birth day from Me & All TIG Community Members.
Thnx
Idrees Khan

Michael Jackson's family suspects that the singer's personal doctor, Conrad Murray, knows more about Jackson's death, but they have been unable to contact him.

The parents need to know what happened in the last hours of their son's life, according to Jesse Jackson, a civil rights activist and Baptist minister unrelated to Michael Jackson.

Murray is believed to be the last person to see Michael Jackson alive.

"The routine inquiry is now an investigation," Jesse Jackson said. "They [the Jacksons] didn't know the doctor. ... He should have met with the family, given them comfort on the last hours of their son."

Police, who met briefly with Murray after the singer's death, have been able to reach him and are trying to set up an interview, Los Angeles Deputy Police Chief Charlie Beck told the Los Angeles Times on Friday. Police said the doctor has been fully cooperative.

Detectives impounded Murray's car, which was parked at the singer's rented home, because it may contain evidence related to Michael Jackson's death.

Police have released no information on what they may have found.

Michael Jackson died Thursday, and an autopsy was performed the following day. The body was taken to an undisclosed mortuary Friday night.

Lebanon's President Michel Suleiman has named Saad Hariri as the country's new prime minister, following parliamentary election earlier this month.

Mr Hariri's pro-Western alliance won 71 out of 128 seats in the vote, with the Hezbollah-led bloc taking the rest.

His choice as leader was confirmed when 86 MPs backed his nomination.

Mr Hariri, the son of assassinated former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri, must now form a cabinet from the country's polarised political factions.

The 39-year-old said he would seek to form a national unity government.

"In line with our commitment during the election campaign in favour of a national unity government in which the main parliamentary blocs are represented... we will begin consultations with all parliamentary blocs,"

US President Barack Obama has praised the opposition candidate in Iran's disputed presidential election.

Mr Obama said Mir Hossein Mousavi had captured the imagination of groups in Iran that were interested in opening up to the world.

He spoke of the bravery of protesters in the face of "outrageous" violence.

Mr Obama's comments came hours after foreign ministers from the G8 nations issued a statement "deploring" the post-election violence in Iran.

In Iran itself, a spokesman for the powerful Guardian Council - which is due to give its final ruling on the election on Sunday - said there had been no election fraud.

And a member of Iran's top clerical body urged the judiciary to deal ruthlessly with the leaders of the protests.

Some 17 people are thought to have died in street protests in the past two weeks, and Tehran has imposed severe restrictions on journalists and the internet.

Rights group Amnesty International called on Iranian leaders to release more than two dozen journalists arrested since the polls.

World mourns pop legend Jackson

Tributes from stars and fans have been pouring in for singer Michael Jackson, who has died aged 50 after suffering a cardiac arrest at his Los Angeles home.

Stars and fans pay tribute to Michael Jackson following his sudden death, amid concerns over the singer's use of pain medication.

G8 'deplores' Iran poll violence

Foreign ministers from the world's main industrialised countries have issued a statement "deploring" post-election violence in Iran.

The G8 bloc's comments fell short of the condemnation wanted by France and Italy, after Russia warned against isolating Iran.

Earlier the US accused Iran's President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad of seeking to blame the US for the unrest.

Iran has seen unprecedented protests against Mr Ahmadinejad's re-election.