Philippine President Endorses Contraception Bill, Draws Heavy Criticism From The Church
Philippine President Benigno Aquino III Monday endorsed a reproductive-health bill designed to reduce the country's high birthrate and introduce mandatory sex education in schools, despite strong opposition from the Roman Catholic Church.
Brotherhood, Hamas Allege Israeli Involvement In Sinai Attack
Even as Egyptian government sources branded the Islamist gunmen who killed 16 policemen in Sinai near the Israeli border Sunday as "infidels," President Mohamed Morsi's Muslim Brotherhood party said on its website that the attack "can be attributed to Mossad" and was an attempt to challenge Morsi's administration.
South China Sea: China Raps U.S. on Garrison Criticism
China criticizes the U.S. for accusing Beijing of escalating tensions in the South China Sea by setting up a new military garrison on a disputed island in the waters.
Aid Groups In Bangladesh Asked To Stop Helping Rohingyas Flee Myanmar
Three international aid agencies working in Bangladesh have been reportedly asked to halt their activities on the ground that they were facilitating the Rohingya refugees from strife-torn Myanmar to travel across the border into the country.
Team Anna Takes U-Turn: India’s Anti-Graft Activist To Enter Politics, Receives Mixed Reactions
After nine days of fasting, the Team Anna, as the Indian anti-graft activist Anna Hazare and his supporters are known, has decided to call off its indefinite hunger strike Friday and has floated a proposal to form a "political alternative" as an answer to an "unresponsive" government.
Remains Of Iconic Australian Bushranger Ned Kelly To Be Returned To His Descendents
The remains of Ned Kelly, the famed bushranger considered a symbol of Irish-Australian resistance against oppression by the British ruling class, would be returned to his descendents 132 years after he was buried among other prisoners in a mass grave, Australian government officials said Thursday.
South China Sea: Chinese, Philippine And Vietnamese Oil Tenders Escalate Tensions
China has given a go-ahead for its first major tender of oil and gas blocks in the South China Sea, close on the heels of Beijing establishing a military garrison on a disputed island in the waters.
Three Commuter Jets Avert Midair Collision Near Washington DC Airport: Report
U.S. Airways said it will assist the federal officials in investigating a report which said that three commuter jets came close to within seconds of a midair collision at the Reagan National Airport on Tuesday, after air traffic controllers mistakenly cleared two outbound flights in the direction of another plane that was coming in to land.
London Olympics 2012: Saudi Judoka Allowed To Wear Headscarf; Muslim Athletes Compete During Ramadan Fast
A female judo fighter from Saudi Arabia was cleared on Tuesday to compete in the London Olympics after Saudis threatened to pull the contestant out if she was not allowed to cover her head during her event.
20 States, 684 Million People Without Power: Pictures Of India?s Blackout
Normal life was thrown out of gear when a power outage resulted in a blackout in 20 states across north, eastern and north-eastern India affecting more than 600 million people for two consecutive days and severely disrupting essential services including the water supply, industrial power supply, rail and road traffic management and medical care.
President Obama Related To America's First Enslaved Black African: Study
New research has found that U.S. President Barack Obama is related to the first documented black African enslaved for life in America, though the connection was made through the President's Caucasian mother's lineage.
Blackout Hits Northern India Again; Northern And Some Sections Of Eastern Power Grids Collapse
Power outage hit Indian capital New Delhi for the second consecutive day on Tuesday, just as the city was recovering from a blackout following the collapse of the northern power grid Monday.
UN Team To Visit Flood-Hit North Korea; Kim Jong Un, Wife Busy With Anniversary Celebration Of The War Armistice
A UN team will visit North Korea from Tuesday to assess the damage from recent floods caused by a heavy downpour that has left 88 people dead and 63,000 displaced.
Indian Anti-Graft Activist Anna Hazare Back On A Hunger Strike, Demanding Tougher Legislation
The Indian activist Anna Hazare began his fifth hunger strike in 16 months on Sunday to pressurize the government to set up an anti-graft agency and tougher laws to abate the unbridled corruption in India.
Worst Power Outage In North India In 10 Years Affects Normal Life Across 8 States
A major power outage caused a blackout in Northern India, the worst since 2001, and severely hit normal life in eight states since late Sunday night, following the collapse of the the northern power grid.
Syria: Regime Forces Pound Aleppo; Opposition Calls For Support As Annan Says He Fears 'Imminent Battle'
Tanks and helicopters pounded a rebel stronghold in the Syrian city of Aleppo Saturday, signaling the start of a government offensive, as the opposition and international envoy Kofi Annan warned the international community of dire consequences.
London Olympics 2012: China Grabs First Golds And a World Record
China swept four golds on the first day of the Olympics and set a new world record in the women's 400 meter medley.
Ethnic Clashes In Northeastern India Repetition Of Past; Assam Government Accused Of Ignoring Warnings
Ethnic violence in India's northeastern state of Assam, which has left 58 dead and 200,000 displaced so far, was a tragedy waiting to happen, affected by the influx of immigrants who mostly came from the former East Pakistan before it became Bangladesh in 1971.
Storms Disrupt Power In US Northeast; Forecast Warns Of Possible Derecho (PICTURES)
Storms hit the U.S. Northeast, leaving at least one person dead, while strong winds knocked out power to hundreds of thousands of residents. Severe thunderstorms accompanied by heavy downpour are expected to hit the U.S. Midwest today and into New York City and the Northeast, forecasters said.
Al-Qaeda's Role In Syria Causes Alarm; Russia Slams US For Justifying Terrorism
Amid reports that Islamic fundamentalists are trying to hijack the Syrian revolution, which have raised concerns among U.S. intelligence and Iraqi officials, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov slammed Washington's position over the Damascus bombing that killed several top Syrian officials, as "a direct whitewashing of terrorism."
Ticketless Boy Boards Plane From Manchester To Rome; Underscores Lax Security On The Eve Of London Olympics
Even as London gears up to host the Olympics with the biggest peacetime security operation underway since World War II, security measures at the Manchester airport, about 300 kilometers from London, came under scrutiny following reports that a 11-year-old boy boarded a plane from Manchester to Rome without a passport, ticket or boarding pass.
South China Sea: Philippines Says Won't Give Away That Which Is Rightfully Theirs
The Philippine President, Benigno Aquino III, said on Monday that he will not give away what rightfully constitutes a part of his country in the territorial dispute with China, adding that Filipino troops will expand their military capabilities as a defense measure, although Manila isn't preparing for a fight.
Cuban Dissident's Family Alleges Foul Play In His Death
Family members of one of Cuba's most vocal government critics Oswaldo Payá, who died in a car crash on Sunday, said they believe his death was not an accident.
Arab League Will Offer 'Safe Exit' To Syrian President Assad If He Resigns Quickly
The Arab League has offered a safe exit for Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and his family if he quickly resigns and leaves the country, in the latest attempt from the international community to end 17 months of bloodshed in Syria.
South China Sea: China Will Station Troops On Disputed Island, India To Continue Exploration Ignoring Chinese Objection
China will establish a military garrison on a disputed island in the South China Sea, amid escalating tensions that have strained its ties with the neighboring nations and the U.S.
The Rohingya Subjected To Rights Violations During State Of Emergency In Myanmar: Amnesty
Communal tensions continued to flare in western Myanmar six weeks into the declaration of a state of emergency in the region, even as targeted attacks and human rights violations by the security forces against the minority community of the Rohingya and other Muslims have increased, said Amnesty International on Friday.
German Parliament Passes Resolution Defending Circumcision
The German lower house of parliament passed a resolution Thursday to protect the rights of Muslim and Jewish parents to have their sons circumcised, after a German court banned the practice in a ruling on June 26, drawing severe criticism from the religious groups.
South China Sea: Indonesia Seeks To Unify ASEAN Opinion Split Under Chinese Pressure
Foreign ministers of Indonesia and Cambodia said the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, or ASEAN, hoped to agree on a number of issues over the territorial dispute in South China Sea, after the recent rift which is believed to have been complicated by Beijing's influence on some of the member nations.
Syrian Regime Dealt A Tremendous Blow: World Powers Still Waiting For Russia To Forego Syria
Seventeen months into the Syrian crisis, with numerous worsening instances of blood-chilling violence and massacre, everything still stays the same because the big players are waiting for the right moment to intervene.
Shooting Off Dubai Coast: US Says Boat's Crew Ignored Warnings, Indian Fishermen Say Shooting Was Unprovoked
The U.S. officially Tuesday confirmed that shots were fired by a U.S. Navy vessel, killing an Indian national and injuring three others off a Dubai port Monday afternoon, Indian officials said.
