Henryville (Indiana): A string of violent storms from the Gulf Coast to the Great Lakes demolished small towns and cut off rural communities as an early season tornado outbreak killed more than 30 people, and the death toll rose today.

New York: US President Barack Obama invoked the legacies of his heroes Mahatma Gandhi and Nelson Mandela as he sought support from voters for a second term, saying he too needs time to fulfil his promise of bringing a "real change" to America just as the two legendary leaders did. "The change we fought for in 2008 hasn't always happened as fast as we would have liked... real change, big change, is always hard," Obama said at a fundraiser held here.

New Delhi: Red planet Mars will be brightest and closest "it can get" to earth tomorrow, giving sky gazers an opportunity to see it with naked eyes. "On March 3, Mars was at opposition to sun because of which it would be brightest and closest it can get to earth on March 5," General Secretary of Planetary Society of India N Raghunandan said.

Houston, Texas: A Tomball woman has won $1 million in a Texas Lottery scratch-off game.

Washington: US Special forces teams are currently stationed in five South Asian countries including India as part of the counter-terrorism co-operation with these nations, a top Pentagon commander has disclosed.

BRUSSELS: Serbia took a "milestone" leap towards EU membership when Europe's leaders granted Belgrade candidate status Thursday, opening a new chapter in the troubled history of the Western Balkans.

Male: Angry lawmakers of former President Mohammed Nasheed’s party today prevented the new President from delivering the opening address in Parliament even as protesters hit the streets clashing with police, deepening the political crisis here.

NEW DELHI: Modern India continues to be plagued by social and health ills like child marriage, early motherhood and domestic violence.

Latest data in the "State of the World's Children report 2012" released by Unicef on Wednesday shows that almost 22% women in India, who are now aged between 20 and 24 years gave birth to a child before they turned 18.

Washington, Mar 1 :  North Korea raised hopes on Wednesday for a major easing in nuclear tensions under its youthful new leader, agreeing to suspend uranium enrichment at a major facility and refrain from missile and nuclear tests in exchange for a mountain of critically needed U.S. food aid.

London: Slain al Qaeda chief Osama bin Laden kept two copies of the Bible where he wrote secret clues to future terror attacks to be conducted across the globe, according to Pakistani intelligence officials.