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• UPDATE 2-Vimpelcom unit drops bid to control Canada's Wind Mobile Wednesday, 19 Jun 2013 | 7:38 PM ET

  TORONTO, June 19- A subsidiary of European telecoms company Vimpelcom Ltd has withdrawn its bid to take control of Canada's Wind Mobile from its founder and chief executive, Anthony Lacavera, a surprise move that creates further uncertainty about the future of the upstart Canadian wireless company.

• AIRSHOW-US aerospace companies seek to reassure public on drones Wednesday, 19 Jun 2013 | 5:09 PM ET

  Marion Blakey, former administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration, and AIA's chief executive, said she was heartened by the poll, conducted by the Christian Science Monitor newspaper, but her industry needed to do a better job dispelling misperceptions about drones.

• Argentine wheat prices skyrocket as supplies shrink Wednesday, 19 Jun 2013 | 3:12 PM ET

  *Local wheat price shoots to all-time high $363 per tonne. The local price of warehoused wheat has shot to $363 per tonne from $219 at the start of the year. Demand is strong for wheat from the South American grains powerhouse after poor harvests last year in Russia, the United States and Australia.

• Norway opens more Arctic waters to oil exploration Wednesday, 19 Jun 2013 | 3:05 PM ET

  OSLO, June 19- Norway's parliament voted on Wednesday to open an offshore Arctic zone bordering Russia to oil and gas exploration, paving the way for the area to be included in the next licensing round.

• AIRSHOW-With Russian help, Europe prepares to search for life on Mars Wednesday, 19 Jun 2013 | 1:52 PM ET

  *First direct search for life since NASA's 1970 s Viking probes. Until last year, the ExoMars program was a joint project between ESA and the U.S. space agency NASA. But NASA dropped out, citing budget problems.

• UPDATE 1-China ships Ukraine grain under loan/export programme Wednesday, 19 Jun 2013 | 12:32 PM ET

  *Ukraine uses Chinese loan to buy grain for exports. *Ukraine firm sees high flour exports to Middle East. KIEV, June 19- A Chinese state company has started a programme of purchasing grain from Ukraine's state-run grain corporation for export to clients in China, the Middle East and markets further afield, the Ukrainian chief executive said on Wednesday.

• UPDATE 1-U.S. puts Russia on notice in first report on WTO compliance Wednesday, 19 Jun 2013 | 12:21 PM ET

  WASHINGTON, June 19- The United States, in first report on Russia's compliance with its World Trade Organization commitments, said on Wednesday it was closely watching Moscow for any violations that thwart U.S. exports to world's sixth-largest economy.

• UPDATE 1-Vimpelcom unit drops bid to buy Canada's Wind Mobile Wednesday, 19 Jun 2013 | 12:08 PM ET

  Orascom Telecom, an Egyptian company that is majority-owned by Vimpelcom, said on Wednesday it has dropped its application to the Canadian government for permission to take control of Wind. Orascom had initially bankrolled Wind Mobile's operations in Canada before being bought by Vimpelcom.

• UPDATE 5-Obama defends U.S. intelligence strategy in wary Berlin Wednesday, 19 Jun 2013 | 12:03 PM ET

  *Obama makes first trip to Berlin as U.S. president. *Leaders touch on Afghanistan, Syria, economy. BERLIN, June 19- President Barack Obama defended U.S. anti-terrorism tactics on a visit to Berlin on Wednesday, telling wary Germans Washington was not spying on the emails of ordinary citizens and promising to step up efforts to close the Guantanamo Bay prison.

• UPDATE 6-Oil supported by Middle East worries, all eyes on Fed Wednesday, 19 Jun 2013 | 11:00 AM ET

  LONDON, June 19- Brent oil rose on Wednesday supported by fears that violence in Syria could spread elsewhere in the region, disrupting supply, while investors looked to a meeting of the Federal Reserve later in the day for clues on the outlook for continuing stimulus.

• REFILE-UPDATE 4-Obama defends intelligence tactics in wary Berlin Wednesday, 19 Jun 2013 | 9:42 AM ET

  *Leaders touch on Afghanistan, Syria, economy. BERLIN, June 19- President Barack Obama defended U.S. intelligence methods on a visit to Berlin on Wednesday, telling Chancellor Angela Merkel and wary Germans that Washington was not monitoring the emails of ordinary citizens or damaging civil liberties.

• UPDATE 4-Obama defends terrorism tactics in wary Berlin Wednesday, 19 Jun 2013 | 9:33 AM ET

  *Leaders touch on Afghanistan, Syria, economy. BERLIN, June 19- President Barack Obama defended U.S. intelligence methods on a visit to Berlin on Wednesday, telling Chancellor Angela Merkel and wary Germans that Washington was not monitoring the emails of ordinary citizens or damaging civil liberties.

• UPDATE 2-Russian cbank head, in parting shot, warns on inflation Wednesday, 19 Jun 2013 | 9:26 AM ET

  MOSCOW, June 19- The Russian central bank's departing chairman sought on Wednesday to anchor his inflation-fighting legacy, warning of the risks to price stability that the government's push for a weaker rouble could entail.

• UPDATE 1-Iraqi Kurds say new oil pipeline to Turkey to start soon Wednesday, 19 Jun 2013 | 7:53 AM ET

  *Natural gas exports to Turkey seen by 2016. LONDON, June 19- Iraqi Kurdistan will start a new oil pipeline to Turkey within months, its energy minister said, increasing the autonomous region's control over its resources in a dispute with Baghdad and raising its exports to world markets.

• UPDATE 2-Afghans must talk to each other for peace, Obama says Wednesday, 19 Jun 2013 | 7:44 AM ET

  President Barack Obama said on Wednesday Afghans must talk to each other to resolve the conflict in their country even though huge mistrust exists between the government and its Taliban foes.

• Dozing prince a cult hero for disenchanted Czechs Wednesday, 19 Jun 2013 | 5:59 AM ET

  PRAGUE, June 19- It was a moment of high drama: the Czech prime minister stood up in parliament to try to salvage a political career torpedoed by the arrest of an aide, and Foreign Minister Karel Schwarzenberg, sitting next to him, had dozed off.

• UPDATE 3-Oil gains on lower US stockpile, all eyes on Fed Wednesday, 19 Jun 2013 | 5:48 AM ET

  Violence in the Middle East and lower oil stockpiles in the United States supported prices. Brent futures for August delivery were up 50 cents to $106.52 a barrel by 0940 GMT and set for their highest close since April 4. U.S. crude for July delivery rose to a nine-month high of $99.01, before easing to $98.91, still up 47 cents.

• AIRSHOW-New Eurofighter chief aims to make jet cheaper Wednesday, 19 Jun 2013 | 4:46 AM ET

  The multi-role Eurofighter combat jet is made by EADS, representing France and Spain, Britain's BAE Systems and Italian weapons maker Finmeccanica, with each taking responsibility for particular campaigns. It is vying for orders in South Korea, Kuwait, Qatar, Bulgaria and Denmark, Gutierrez said.

• UPDATE 1-Obama to set nuclear arms cut goal in Berlin speech Wednesday, 19 Jun 2013 | 2:45 AM ET

  *Obama makes first trip to Berlin as U.S. president. BERLIN, June 19- President Barack Obama will unveil plans for a sharp reduction in nuclear warheads in a landmark speech at the Brandenburg Gate on Wednesday that comes 50 years after John F. Kennedy declared "Ich bin ein Berliner" in a defiant Cold War address.

• Reuters World News Highlights at 0515 GMT, Jun 19 Wednesday, 19 Jun 2013 | 1:57 AM ET

  WASHINGTON/ KABUL- The United States and the Taliban raised hopes for a negotiated peace in Afghanistan with commitments to meet this week after 12 years of bloody and costly war between American-led forces and the insurgents.