Many missing as Russian boat Bulgaria sinks on Volga
More than 100 people are missing and feared dead after a tourist boat sank on the Volga River in Russia.
Dozens of people were rescued after the boat sank in the Tatarstan region, about 750km (450 miles) east of Moscow. At least two deaths are confirmed.
More than 180 passengers and crew were believed to be on the Bulgaria, which was sailing from the town of Bulgar to the regional capital, Kazan.
Hopes of finding survivors faded as a rescue operation continued after dark.
Bad weather, mechanical failure on the aged craft and overcrowding have all been cited as possible reasons why the boat sank, says the BBC's Steve Rosenberg in Moscow.
Nearly 50 Russian divers were scouring the murky river early on Monday amid vanishing hopes that any survivors would be found.
"The results of the inspection show that the chance of us finding survivors is minimal," Interfax quoted an emergencies ministry spokeswoman in Moscow as saying.
The Bulgaria - a 55-year-old vessel which is believed to be owned by a local tourism company - was on a two-day cruise when it got into difficulty at about 1400 on Sunday (1000 GMT), sinking within minutes, says our correspondent.
The 80m (260ft) boat sank several kilometres from the shore near the village of Sukeyevo, about 80km south of Kazan.
One survivor described it as "a bad ship, a very old ship", which had already been listing to starboard when it set sail.
"She went under in three minutes," said the survivor, Nikolai Chernov. "There were no announcements or anything, she just listed to starboard and capsized and sank. That was it."
While dozens of people were rescued by another pleasure boat that was passing nearby, more than 100 are still missing.
Weeping survivors draped in blankets were shown on state TV, while relatives gathered at a port in Kazan waiting for news of their loved ones.
"My son-in-law telephoned to say that he held out his hand to his wife but she could not grab on," one man told Rossiya 24 state television. "He could not pull her out."
Around 30 children had gathered in a play area on deck just before the boat went down, said one survivor, who feared all may have drowned.
Russian President Dmitry Medvedev has ordered an investigation into the incident.
The Volga, a wide river, is popular with cruise boats at this time of the year, says our correspondent
India: Train crash in Uttar Pradesh kills dozens
At least 38 people have been killed and almost 200 injured in a train derailment in northern India.
Thirteen coaches of the Kalka Mail passenger train left the rails near the town of Fatehpur in Uttar Pradesh.
Rescue workers and locals were working into the night to try to free trapped passengers from the badly damaged carriages.
The train was travelling from Howrah near Calcutta to the capital Delhi and derailed at more than 100km/h (62mph).
'Upside down'
The BBC's Sanjoy Majumder in Delhi says Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has expressed his deep concern over the accident, the second in a week in Uttar Pradesh, and has directed the railway authorities to use all available resources for the relief operation.
Soldiers were deployed to help in the rescue effort.
The cause of the derailment, about 120km (75 miles) south-east of Uttar Pradesh's capital, Lucknow, was not immediately clear.
Television footage showed carriages at skewed angles, with one on the roof of another and a third thrown clear of the train.
One passenger told CNN-IBN television: "We were sitting in our seats when suddenly everything turned upside down. When the train stopped we broke the glass windows to jump out on the track."
The driver was among those injured.
The BBC's Ram Dutt Tripathi in Lucknow says most of those hurt are being treated in hospitals in Fatehpur but the seriously injured have been taken to Lucknow, Kanpur and Allahabad.
The number of people on board was not immediately clear but reports said there may have been up to 1,000 passengers.
Accidents are common on the state-owned Indian railway, an immense network connecting every corner of the vast country.
It operates 9,000 passenger trains and carries some 18 million passengers every day.
On Thursday, 38 people died in Uttar Pradesh when a train hit a bus carrying a wedding party.
US budget: No new deal in White House talks
Talks at the White House to try to break the deadlock over the US national debt have broken up without agreement.
President Barack Obama and congressional leaders have agreed to resume the talks, which ended after 75 minutes, on Monday.
Mr Obama is struggling to marshal support for a budget package that would cut the national debt by $4tn (£2.5tn).
The US risks defaulting on its debts in just over three weeks, when the current federal budget runs out.
Eight top Senate and House of Representatives leaders met - unusually - on a Sunday in the Cabinet Room of the White House.
As the talks got under way, Mr Obama was asked whether they could "work it out in 10 days".
"We need to," he replied.
The Republican Speaker of the House of Representatives, John Boehner, said on Saturday that he favoured a less ambitious target for debt reduction of $2tn.
Republicans baulk at tax increases in the Obama proposals. And his Democrat allies are no more enthusiastic about proposals to cut social welfare and Medicaid.
Before Sunday's meeting, White House aides insisted Mr Obama would hold out for bigger savings.
"He's not someone to walk away from a tough fight," said White House chief of staff William Daley.
"Everyone agrees that a number around $4tn is the number that will make a serious dent in our deficit."
US Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner was adamant the deadline for a deal - 2 August - could be extended.
He warned there could be catastrophic damage to the US economy unless Congress agrees to raise the national debt ceiling beyond the current $14.3tn.
If no agreement is reached, the government will effectively start to run out of money to pay civil servants, government contractors, pensioners or holders of government debt.
Economists and the White House have warned that such a default could push the country back into recession and have a global economic impact.
'No alternative'
When it came to the crunch in the past, Congress has voted to raise the debt ceiling, giving government access to the cash it needed.
This year, however, newly-empowered Republicans are determined to prevent any tax increases and want to see aggressive measures to reduce the deficit in exchange for agreeing to raise the debt ceiling.
In a round of interviews before Mr Obama's meeting with Congressional leaders on Sunday, Mr Geithner said the US would not default.
He said Republicans had "no alternative" to making a budget deal with the White House and urged them not to walk away from efforts to reach a large, comprehensive deal on debt reduction.
The Obama administration wanted "the biggest deal possible" on debt reduction, Mr Geithner told NBC's Meet the Press.
Last week Mr Boehner and Mr Obama worked on a massive package of spending cuts and new tax measures that would have reduced the debt by $4tn over 10 years.
Ended in impasse
The proposals included reining in spending on entitlement programmes such as Social Security and Medicare, which Democrats hold dear.
But it also involved tax hikes and closing tax loopholes for the wealthiest Americans, something opposed by many Republicans.
In a statement released late on Saturday, Mr Boehner said he was pulling back from the $4tn package, because of the tax increases it included.
"Despite good-faith efforts to find common ground, the White House will not pursue a bigger debt reduction agreement without tax hikes," he said.
"I believe the best approach may be to focus on producing a smaller measure, based on the cuts identified in the [Vice-President Joe] Biden-led negotiations, that still meets our call for spending reforms and cuts greater than the amount of any debt limit increase."
A group of Republican and Democratic members of Congress led by Mr Biden had identified about $2tn in cuts in talks over May and June but those ended in an impasse.
Qantas sees $122m carbon tax cost and warns of higher air fares
Qantas Airways claims the new carbon tax is likely to increase the cost of its operations by as much as 115m Australian dollars ($122m; £76.7m).
However, the airline says the extra cost will be passed on to passengers as it increases fares.
Qantas expects the price on a single domestic flight to rise by about A$3.50 in 2013.
The Australian government has unveiled plans to impose a tax on carbon emissions in the country.
Prime Minister Julia Gillard said carbon dioxide emissions would be taxed at A$23 per tonne from 2012.
China's imports slow down as domestic demand dips
The pace of growth of imports to China slowed down in June as the government's efforts to rein in growth hit domestic demand.
Imports to China grew by 19.3% in June, compared with a year ago, a sharp decline from the 28.4% surge in May, latest government data showed.
Meanwhile exports rose by 17.9%, a slowdown compared to the 19.4% rise in the previous month.
China is the world's second largest economy and the biggest exporter.
The weaker-than-expected numbers resulted in a trade surplus of $22.3bn (£13.8bn) in June.
"Imports were below expectations," said David Cohen of Action Economics in Singapore.
"We are perhaps seeing some reflection of loss of momentum in China's growth," he added.
Mr Cohen said that the recent measures by China to tighten its monetary policy were starting to have an impact on the pace of growth in the country.
"The numbers are consistent with decelerating growth, with the soft landing that many people are looking for," he said.
Analysts are concerned that domestic demand is also being hit by rising consumer prices in the country.
Data out on Saturday showed that inflation in China hit its highest level in three years as prices rose by 6.4% in June, compared with a year ago.
Australia plans to impose carbon tax on worst polluters
The Australian government has unveiled plans to impose a tax on carbon emissions for the worst polluters.
Prime Minister Julia Gillard said carbon dioxide emissions would be taxed at A$23 ($25; £15) per tonne from 2012.
The country's biggest economic reform in a generation will cover some 500 companies. In 2015, a market-based trading scheme will be introduced.
Households are expected to see consumer prices rise by nearly 1%, and the move has been criticised by the opposition.
Critics argue the levy would damage economic competitiveness.
Australia is one of the world's worst emitters of greenhouse gases per head of population.
The country relies on coal for 80% of its electricity generation, and is a major coal exporter.
Charm offensive
Under the new scheme set to begin on 1 July 2012, the government plans to include any company that produces at least 25,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide per year.
However, agriculture, forestry and land will be excluded from the levy. Motorists are also to be exempt, except for heavy lorries.
Steelmakers, coal mines and electricity generators will receive compensation to ensure they stay in business. Other tax cuts are planned for consumers.
"As a nation, we need to put a price on carbon and create a clean energy future," Ms Gillard told a news conference in Canberra.
"Australians want to do the right thing by the environment."
The prime minister is due to make a televised address later on Sunday to try to sell the package to the nation.
The biggest polluters will be paying the fixed price per tonne of CO2 until 2015, when a market-based trading scheme is expected to be introduced.
The government will then set a floor price and an upper limit for at least the first three years to avoid excessive price fluctuations.
The energy industry and the political opposition have mounted a vociferous campaign against the carbon tax, with protests in all of Australia's major cities in March.
Critics argue a levy would damage economic competitiveness.
Opinion polls show roughly 60% of voters against the policy.
The government hopes to win them over by spending some of the cash raised by the carbon tax to compensate households for higher energy bills.
It is promising tax cuts for low and middle-income households, as well as increased state pension and welfare payments.
However, Australia's ABC national broadcaster says households are expected to see consumer prices - including food - rise by an average of 0.7% due to the effect of the carbon prices on large emitters.
'Self-harm'
Ms Gillard's coalition government has a majority of just one seat in the lower house of parliament.
Past attempts to get the tax through parliament were defeated.
Opposition leader Tony Abbott pledged to wage a political war against the proposed carbon levy.
He said: "A one-sided carbon tax, a unilateral carbon tax is an act of economic self-harm."
But now the Australian government's aim will be to cut 159m tonnes of carbon pollution by 2020, reducing emissions by 5% below 2000 levels.
Apart from the European Union, only New Zealand currently imposes a national carbon tax.
In the USA, President Barack Obama abandoned last year plans for a federal climate bill during his current term.
British Grand Prix: Fernando Alonso storms to Silverstone win
Fernando Alonso took Ferrari's first win of 2011 with a stunning drive at a thrilling British Grand Prix.
The Spaniard took the lead following a pit-stop problem for Red Bull's Sebastian Vettel but the Ferrari had genuine race-winning pace.
Vettel was left to fend off team-mate Mark Webber, who was told to hold position by team boss Christian Horner.
Lewis Hamilton finished fourth, holding off Ferrari's Felipe Massa in an exciting last-lap duel.
"This isn't a gift to Ferrari," said BBC F1 co-commentator David Coulthard. "They've got to the lead of this race by merit."
Jenson Button retired following a problem at his final pit-stop, when he set off to rejoin the race without a wheel nut on his right front wheel and he had to stop in the pit exit.
Vettel's race also turned on a pit error. The German took the lead at the start from Webber, who began from pole, as the drivers had to cope with tricky conditions on a track that was wet over half its length but dry over the other.
The Red Bulls appeared to be in control early on in the mixed conditions, with Vettel leading Webber, and Hamilton taking third from Alonso on lap 15 with a brilliant move at the fast Copse corner.
But as the track dried, the race turned on its head.
Alonso started to pump in fastest laps, closing on Hamilton and re-passing him on lap 24, and then on the Red Bulls.
He and Vettel came in on the same lap, 27, for their penultimate stops, and a delay fitting the left-rear wheel to the Red Bull enabled Alonso to pass Vettel in the pits and take the lead.
Vettel rejoined behind Hamilton and was unable to overtake him on the track as Alonso extended his lead with another run of impressive fastest laps, building it to 10 seconds by the time the Red Bull made its final pit stop.
The German managed to jump Hamilton, who came in on the next lap, but although Vettel was now second behind Alonso, the Ferrari continued to pull away to victory.
Vettel admitted that Ferrari had deserved their victory: "I think you have to accept fair and square Ferrari beat us today.
"There has been a bit of a trend over the last couple of races, they have been very strong on race days, so it shows us we need to keep pushing and improving the car."
He added: "It would have been a tight race because Ferrari had very good pace. It was not just us being unlucky and finishing second because of a mistake. Fernando was very competitive."
A delighted Alonso hailed his Ferrari colleagues as he spoke of his victory.
T&T’s medley relay team into World Youth finals
Trinidad and Tobago’s boys medley relay team will be seeking to win this country’s first medal at the 7th IAAF World Youth Track and Field Championships which comes to an end later today at the Stadium Lille-Metropole, in Lille, France. The quartet of Reuben Walters, Jereem Richards, Theon Lewis and Machel Cedenio advanced to the medal round after winning heat four in yesterday’s preliminaries.
The local lads clocked 1 min 53.32 seconds to finish ahead of Jamaica (1:53:66). In today’s finals set for 11.25 am (TT time) they will start out of lane six. The runners will be seeking to emulate the silver medal won by T&T at the 2005 edition of the meet in Morocco. Richards failed in his quest to make the boys 200m finals. The lanky runner was third in heat three in yesterday’s semifinals in personal best of 21.47. However, his time was the ninth quickest overall and missed on making the final by one place.
Women’s Football: Bermuda Win 5-0
The Bermuda Women’s Olympic Football team won their third and final game in the Preliminary Competition CONCACAF Caribbean Zone in the Dominican Republic at the Estadio Panamericano stadium.
Bermuda’s starting team included Kimmisha Perinchief, Julesa Robinson, Ebonie Burgess, Wayneisha Bean, Jaylen Bean, Akelya Furbert, Cheyra Bell, Jenay Edness, Tschana Wade, Shabena Crockwell and Keunna Dill.
In the 15th minute Bermuda took the lead when Bell scored a goal from a direct free kick from outside the box. The lead was doubled ten minutes later after some good ball possession allowed Wade to burst through into the box to finish uncontested, giving Bermuda a two goal lead.
Coach Morton brought on Donte Allen to replaced Crockwell at the half and with a two goal lead at the start of the second half, the Bermuda team grew in confidence and continued with good ball possession allowing them to create numerous one on one goal scoring opportunities.
In the 60th minute Khyla Brangman replaced Wade and seven minutes later it was 3 – 0 as Brangman found the back of the net with a smart finish inside the box.
In the 76th minute Allen cut inside from the left hand side of the field to squeeze the ball underneath the onrushing goalkeeper to increase the score to 4 – 0.
The final goal was scored by Bell in the 80th minute where she side stepped a few players inside the box to finish.
Finishing third in the group, the Bermuda team failed to advance to the next round of the 2012 Olympic Games.
Century for Chanderpaul
SHIVNARINE CHANDERPAUL compiled his 23rd century and with tailender Fidel Edwards led a West Indies’ fightback against India at lunch on the final day of the third Digicel cricket Test at Windsor Park here today.
At the interval, the West Indies, who conceded a first innings lead of 147 runs, were 294 for eight in their second innings. Chanderpaul was not out on 105 and Edwards was on 16 as the West Indies were 151 runs ahead with two wickets in hand.
Resuming from 224 for six overnight, the West Indies made a bright start with skipper Darren Sammy square cutting fast bowler Ishant Sharma for two boundaries, off the day’s first and third deliveries.
But when he reached 17, Sammy was unlucky to be given out by umpire Richard Kettleborough for a catch at short leg as television replays showed the ball striking the batsman’s pads only. Two balls later, Ravi Rampaul was run out by a direct throw by Sharma at point for just one.
But Edwards joined Chanderpaul, who restarted on 73 and helped his partner to his sixth Test century versus India in an unbroken 38-run ninth-wicket stand.
Chanderpaul, playing a record 133rd Test for the West Indies, reached his century in 356 minutes off 265 balls with five fours