Jacob Cherian

Retail Shares were down in early trading on Wednesday after reports confirmed a lacklustre 0.1 per cent growth in the sector. In another report indicating the strength of the economy, sales of new homes were up 1.6 percent in May adding to a cumulative increase in the last four months.

In early Wednesday trading, Australian shares have suffered losses after the decline of Aussie currency. That combined with a decline in commodity prices has had a negative impact on shares linked to resources. Other global indexes also point to the red.

With Cupertino, California-based Apple filing for a trademark for the iconic 'iWatch' in Japan, rumours suggest that the big-time tech giant is getting ready for a computing gadget that can be worn. The industrial heavyweight has also filed for an iWatch trademark in Taiwan and Mexico and rumours suggest another filing took place in Russia.

Emerging news reports say that Chinese authorities have begun an investigation into price fixing deals by manufacturers of imported baby formula.

Scores of protesters gathered around the construction site where a new McDonald's fast food restaurant is being built. Some of them were camping out on the rooftop of the burger joint.

A couple of Tasmania have pleaded guilty to keep their son away from school. The couple, Geoff and Hannah Briggs, said they kept their 11-year-old child from going to school because they were afraid of the boy's life-threatening allergies. Appearing before the Magistrates Court , Davonport, they were charged with one count of disrupting their child's education.

According to the Vatican, a Syrian priest was beheaded in northern Syria. The 49-year old priest, Father Francois Murad, was publicly executed in June during an attack by militants at his residence.

News sources say that a 66-year-old man was mugged as he was exiting the train station at Warwick Farm on Monday evening.The robbery comes on the heels of a number of similar incidents in June.

Despite his win as the Prime Minister, Kevin Rudd may not be as good as balancing the budget as one might assume. The reason being - his phone bills in the first half of the year skyrocketed to $29,676. In comparison, Julia Gillard spent just $2,961during his term as prime minister; the figure is ten times less than what Rudd had spent.

In a sad trail of events, a Las Vegas Cirque de Soleil acrobat artist Sarah Guyard-Guillot fell 50ft to her death, after loosing her grip on a safey wire towards the end of the Ka performance. The Cirque de Soleil is a popular show in Vegas and Guillord has been part of the team since 2006.

In a culture where dogs are not for food, a Florida citizen has been charged with cruelty to animals after killing and cooking his mother's pitbull puppy.

Alastair Cook, Captain of the England Cricket team is destined for greatness on the cricket pitch, according to Kevin Pieterson.

Prince Jackson is the first to testify in a Jackson trial alleging concert promoter AEG of collaborating with Michael's physician to provide overdoses of an anesthetic for the singer. Prince was 12 when his father died and he told the jury what it was like to grow up as a superstar's son.

A reporter was fired from an Indian TV Channel after he reported sitting on the shoulders of one of the flood victims in Uttarakhand. The reporter said that he was pleased to carry him across a flooded street and he decided to report at the same time.

Nobel Peace Prize winner and leader apartheid movement, Nelson Mandela is in critical condition.

A recent survey suggests that a large number of women are using the Internet in India to take care of daily activities.

In order to tap the growing number of users on the Internet, Google plans to send balloons up in the air. These helium balloons will communicate with signal devices on tops of houses to provide Internet connections to areas were cables and fibre optics are not available.

Despite economic reforms and rapid growth in the economy following the 2008 recession, India's currency is at rock-bottom against the dollar. This could spell higher interest rates on loans for resident Indians and the interest rate is likely to stay the same for a longer period of time.

In the most devastating monsoon floods in nearly 80 years, the state of Uttarakhand, home to a Hindu shrine has been badly hit killing at least 1000 by unofficial figures.

Following Uttarakhand government's request, the central forces have declined their role in cremation of bodies. They say it is not their job.

Emerging reports that the terrorist attacks on Kashmir Monday was executed by a Pakistai terrorist group, the LeT. Suspicion of the LeT comes amid Hazbul Mujahadeen's claim that they carried out the acts of terror.

Following so-called harsh restrictions by the FDA to purchase adequate supplies of drugs and staff at least one qualified pharmacist in every store, owners of pharmacies are opposing these measures by protesting against the regulatory agency.

Bollywood continues to dominate the entertainment industry with the release of mega-movies that their die-hard fans are waiting for. This version of Raanjhanaa is slated for a release in Tamil Nadu in late June.

Despite intervention from the Indian government, gold prices continue to decline piggy-backed by the devaluation of the dollar.

In a survey highlighting the best places to work in India in 2013, Google ranked on top of the list with chipmaker Intel and American Express trailing behind. Placement on the list is linked to performance in the industry, according to analysts.

Amid their victory over England in the Champions Trophy, the Indian cricket team is thinking about the victims of the monsoon rains and floods back home.

Despite brave efforts by India's armed forces, the weather in northern India is hampering rescue operations in Uttarakand state. On Sunday, 12000 people were lifted on choppers and brought to safety, but another 15,000 are awaiting rescue. Most of them are believed to be pilgrims and tourists.

The caste system may be a thing of the past in India. But that would be ignoring some of the grave changes that the country is going through. Being born into a family determines the level of education, profession and freedom one could obtain in India.according to this centuries class system. However, caste is also the number one determining factor in almost every aspsect of Indian culture.

The Indian state of Uttarakhand has been hit the hardest by this year's monsoon. Flooding in the state has led to the evacuation of 34,000 pilgrims and visitors to the area, while another 60,000 are awaiting rescue operations.