Major powers signaled today their willingness to reopen talks about curbing Iran's suspected pursuit of nuclear weapons but said Tehran must show it is serious about any negotiations.

British novelist Salman Rushdie pulled out of India's largest literary festival, saying he feared assassination after his participation was opposed by senior Muslim clerics.“I have now been informed by intelligence sources... that paid assassins from the Mumbai underworld may be on their way to eliminate me,” the Indian-born writer said in a statement read by the producer of the Jaipur Literature Festival,