Los Angeles - Dwight Howard of the Orlando Magic is the NBA's new secretary of defense in a landslide decision.

Howard was named the NBA's Defensive Player of the Year on Tuesday, after becoming the fifth player in league history to finish tops in rebounds and blocked shots.

"To be the defensive player of the year at 23 is remarkable," Magic coach Stan Van Gundy said. "To be a great defensive player usually comes later in a career. And he still has so much room for improvement."

Washington - US President Barack Obama had invited the Egyptian, Israeli and Palestinian leaders to Washington in the weeks ahead for talks on resuming the peace process, White House spokesman Robert Gibbs said.

Obama will hold separate meetings with Egyptian President Hosny Mubarak, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, Gibbs said. No dates have been set for the three visits, he said.

Hyderabad-based Satyam Computer Services Ltd. notified on Tuesday that it has got regulatory approval from NYSE Euronext, to delist its American depositary shares, effective May 20.

NYSE Euronext is a Euro-American corporation that operates multi-securities exchanges.

The latest development comes after Venturbay Consultants Private Ltd, a subsidiary controlled by Tech Mahindra last week emerged as the highest bidder to acquire a majority stake in the troubled software company.

San Francisco  - A medical student who allegedly targeted women advertising erotic services on Craigslist was ordered held without bail Tuesday on charges of murder and kidnapping in a case that has captivated America.

Washington  - US President Barack Obama has not ruled out the possibility of prosecuting officials who drafted the policies allowing harsh interrogation tactics against prisoners in the war on terrorism.

Obama said Tuesday that the decision will be left to the chief of the US Justice Department, Attorney General Eric Holder, about whether those who drafted the policies should be criminally investigated.

Washington  - Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinjed's remarks against Israel at a UN racism conference were "appalling and objectionable," and damaging to the prospects of better relations with the United States, President Barack Obama said Tuesday.

During a meeting with Jordanian King Abdullah, Obama responded to Ahmadinejad's comments a day after the Iranian president called Israel a "racist regime" created "under the pretext of Jewish suffering."