In Destitute Kingdom, Ruler Lives Like a King

The extravagance of Mswati III, the king of Swaziland, is prompting protests from his subjects.

6 Reported Dead in U.S. Afghan Strike

It was the first of what American military officials said could be more raids to attack Taliban insurgents in Pakistan?s tribal region.

Isolation Over, Libyan Leader Talks With Rice

For the first time in more than half a century, a sitting American secretary of state is in Libya, as Condoleezza Rice arrived on Friday to meet with Muammar el-Qaddafi.

Conflict Tests Ties Between the Georgian and Russian Orthodox Churches

The two churches expressed dismay after the supposedly unthinkable prospect of two Orthodox nations at war with each other failed to deter armed conflict in August.

U.S. Spied on Maliki, Book Says, Upsetting Iraq

The Iraqi government warned that claims about espionage in a book by Bob Woodward could affect negotiations over the continuing American troop presence in the country.

Cheney Pledges Support for Ukraine

As tensions with Moscow continued over Russia?s invasion of Georgia last month, Vice President Dick Cheney asserted America?s claim to act as a guarantor in a country that was part of the former Soviet Union.

Without Primaries or Caucuses, Campaign for German Chancellor Begins

The battle lines in next year?s parliamentary elections in Germany are being drawn the old-fashioned way, through back-room wheeling and dealing.

A Little Insult Is All the Rage in Venezuela: ?Pitiyanqui?

President Hugo Chávez?s use of an term that roughly translates as ?little Yankee? as a contemptuous synonym for ?sellout? or ?oligarch? has caught on in Venezuela.

Angolans Go to the Polls

War-ravaged Angola, a country with an abundance of oil, diamonds and grinding poverty, held its first election in 16 years on Friday.

Storm Surge Left 500 Dead in Haiti

Almost 500 people died when more than 16 feet of muddy water swept through the town of Gonaïves this week, propelled by torrential rains from Tropical Storm Hanna.

Israel Aids Palestinians With Arms

Some 900 assault rifles were transferred to the Palestinian Authority in late August with Israel?s approval, as part of a drive to build the capacity of Palestinian security forces.

Al Qaeda Repeats Threat to Danes

Al Qaeda said that an attack on the Danish Embassy in Pakistan in June was only the beginning of its retaliation for perceived insults to the Prophet Muhammad.

As Consumers Buy Less, Europe?s Economy Slows

For the first time in more than a decade, consumers in much of Europe are buying less than they did a year earlier, helping to slow economies that may have fallen into recession.

Mexican Court Rules Against Wal-Mart

Mexico?s Supreme Court ruled that the country?s top retailer violated the Constitution by paying a worker in part with store cards usable only in Wal-Mart stores.

International Envoys Discuss North Korea Nuclear Complex

International envoys from four nations started meetings in Beijing on Friday, seeking clarification on whether North Korea has begun reassembling its main nuclear complex.

Mila Schön, 91, a Pioneer of High-End Ready-to-Wear, Is Dead

Ms. Schön?s understated designs and precisely tailored clothes made her a stalwart of Italian haute couture beginning in the 1960s and a leader in high-end ready-to-wear.

Defamation Suit by Italian Premier Is Rejected

Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi lost a defamation suit against the magazine The Economist over a story that accused him of being unfit to lead Italy, the magazine said on Friday.

Plan Would Shift Forces From Iraq to Afghanistan

Pentagon leaders have recommended a modest shift of U.S. forces by early next year, officials said.

China Admits Building Flaws in Quake

Chinese officials said Thursday that a rush to build schools might have led to shoddy construction that resulted in student deaths in the May earthquake.

Bhutto Widower With Clouded Past Is Set to Lead

Asif Ali Zardari will start his tenure as Pakistan?s president burdened by unproven corruption allegations.

South Korea Says Moment Is Critical for North Nuclear Deal

South Korea?s chief nuclear envoy pressed North Korea to halt plans to rebuild a mothballed nuclear plant and return to the bargaining table.

U.S. Offers Storm Aid to Cuba Only Through Relief Groups

The State Department said that it had offered humanitarian aid to Cuban victims of Hurricane Gustav provided it does not go through the government of President Raúl Castro.

Cheney Backs Membership in NATO for Georgia

Vice President Dick Cheney was in Georgia, where his words of support placed him on a direct collision course with Russia?s leaders.

Thai Leader Promises Referendum

Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej said he would hold a nationwide referendum to let the public decide how a paralyzing standoff should be resolved.

Russia?s Oligarchs May Face a Georgian Chill

Some policy makers are starting to suggest that the best way to influence the Kremlin would be to put more pressure on the Russian business community in Europe.

Hanna lashes S. Carolina coast with wind, rain

Tropical Storm Hanna picked up speed Friday as it cruised toward the Carolinas, promising to deliver gusty winds and heavy rain ...

Police liability insurance at political conventions comes under fire

Organizers of the Republican convention were required by St. Paul, city officials to purchase a $10 million insurance policy ...

Police: Suspect in Ill. bank standoff is dead

Police have cordoned off an area around a bank in northern Illinois where authorities say a suspect has taken at least one hostage.

Asian soot, smog may boost global warming in USA

Smog, soot and other particles like the kind often seen hanging over Beijing add to global warming and may raise summer temperatures ...

Rice makes historic visit to Libya

U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said Friday that her historic visit to former pariah state Libya proves that the U.S. ...

Officials find 17 new cases of airlines missing safety bar

Federal aviation regulators discovered 17 new cases of airlines failing to comply with critical safety mandates in a review prompted ...

Iraq govt reacts sharply to U.S. spying allegations

The Iraqi government reacted sharply Friday to published allegations that the U.S. spied on Iraq's prime minister, warning that ...

Lingering tensions slow Iraqi withdrawal plans

Concern over upcoming elections and widening tensions among Iraq's religious and ethnic groups appear behind the U.S. military's ...

First aid ship arrives in flooded Haitian city

A ship carrying 33 tons of U.N. relief supplies docked in Gonaives on Friday, the first significant aid delivery to tens of thousands ...

At GOP convention, who wasn't there an important part of story

With the bunting and balloons of the Republican National Convention fading away, the 2008 presidential campaign now moves into ...

New nominee McCain distances himself from GOP

On his first day as the official Republican Party nominee for president, John McCain distanced himself from the Republican Party.

Nicaragua recognizes S. Ossetia, Abkhazia

Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega is formally recognizing the independence of two breakaway Georgian provinces.

Study: No link between measles vaccine and autism

New research further debunks any link between measles vaccine and autism, work that comes as the nation is experiencing a surge ...

6 ex-Soviet neighbors back Russia over Georgia

Russia scored an important diplomatic victory Friday when it secured support from six other former Soviet nations for its war ...

U.S. suspends sanctions against Belarus

The U.S. administration has suspended some economic sanctions against this former Soviet nation, the U.S. Embassy said Friday.

The crunch bunch: More Pakistani for less

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BOZAR arts and film

You Write the Caption - 06/09/08

You Write the Caption - 30/08/08

Seashore salad

Fisherman's rice

Fried oysters and laverbread

The 50 Best Autumn Arts Events

Palin: the real scandal

I stripped for Spencer Tunick

Gibson's Hollywood comeback on hold after De Niro quits film

Gales and floods hit Britain

Revealed: Gordon Brown's £1bn green power windfall

Ministers urged to share hidden profits made through green energy scheme

Who won the convention battle?

US election: Michael Tomasky looks back over each party's performance and gives his verdict

£250m shortfall hits 2012 Games

London Olympic village costs spiral as property slump and credit crunch cause funding gap

TUC faces motion on general strike

Unions call for first strike since 1926 in protest at Labour's refusal to give back picketing rights

Property market 'will recover in 2010'

Report forecasts recovery but provides little comfort for those currently negative equity

Laughter and loss

Interview: Richard Attenborough on his sense of humour, his films, and the pain of bereavement

Floods cut off aid in Haiti

Tropical storms have left thousands with no food or drinking water as another hurricane approaches

Murray reaches the stratosphere

Tennis: Why Andy Murray is finally ready to beat Rafael Nadal. By Steve Bierley

Teacher shocked by poet's riposte

Carol Ann Duffy pens new poem in response to her work being removed from a GCSE curriculum

Hip-hop mayor guilty of perjury

After six years as mayor of Detroit, Kwame Kilpatrick steps down after lying about an affair

Condoleezza Rice meets Gadafy in Libya

US secretary of state first senior US official to visit Libya in 50 years

Shannon mother held over kidnap

Karen Matthews charged with kidnapping and false imprisonment of nine-year-old daughter

Tory MP was force-fed whitener

Colombian soldiers forced MP to eat coffee whitener after thinking he was smuggling drugs

Storms bring more misery to flood-hit homes

Worst of weather in south-west and Wales, with Met Office warning more rain likely next week

Student rescued after 3,700-mile SOS alert

Injured Briton airlifted in Russian wilderness after distress signal was picked up by RAF base in Scotland

In pictures: The week in wildlife

The pick of this week's flora and fauna images from around the world

News quiz: Week in review

Have you been paying attention to the headlines this week?

Daily podcast: The Aldi effect

In our daily audio show, John McCain at the Republican convention, racism in schools and credit crunch success stories

Ron Paul breaks with convention

Snubbed by the Republican convention, Ron Paul set up his own version, bringing a motley crew of supporters to Minnesota - Oliver Burkeman reports

The Guardian & Observer wine guide

Life & style: You may know what you like to drink, but our two-week wine course is here to teach you why you like it and what you might enjoy even more

Our rescue dog

Life & style: Barney Bardsley decided to get a dog when her husband, Tim, was diagnosed with terminal cancer

'You can't help being what you write'

Culture: 'Theatre is a recreation - but it's not just a children's playground,' Tom Stoppard tells Maya Jaggi

Pride, prejudice and punch-ups

Culture: To mark the Booker prize's 40th anniversary, we ask a judge from every year for the inside story of how the winner was chosen

Knives out for Newcastle United

Sport: Alan Shearer and LMA chief Richard Bevan launch stinging attacks on those in charge at Newcastle

England 'gripped by fear of failure'

Sport: Football: John Terry has appealed to England's travelling fans to be patient during their World Cup qualifier against Andorra

Angola's landmark election marred by delays

Burma’s imprisoned Suu Kyi refuses food for three weeks

Daimler and RWE to test electric car network

Rice visits Tunisia after historic Kadhafi meeting

Cheney reaffirms support for Ukraine's NATO bid

Suicide bomber targets Chalabi convoy - Iraq police

Zardari poised to become Pakistan's next president

German FM calls for probe into Georgia conflict

Jung criticises US air strikes in Pakistan

Medvedev says CSTO nations back Russia on Georgia

German Defense Minister Slams US Ground Strike in Pakistan

During a visit to Pakistan Friday, German Defense Minister Jung slammed US ground strikes in the country that killed civilians but said Islamabad needed to do more to curb militants operating near the Afghanistan border.

Daimler, RWE to Roll out Electric Cars in Berlin

German carmaker Daimler is joining forces with RWE, one of the country's largest energy providers, to create a network of electric cars and charging stations in Berlin.

Secret Memo Confirms Existence of CIA Prison, Polish Paper Says

A Polish newspaper has reported that a top secret memo confirms the existence of a secret CIA prison in Poland, a claim rejected by the Polish government.

Bosnia Seeking International Consortium to Explore Oil

The energy map of Europe could be changing with a Serbo-Russian pipeline running through the Balkans and Bosnia drilling for oil with international partners.

Rice Hails EU-US Cooperation on Russia

US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said she was "very satisfied" with the European Union and United States sending a clear message of disapproval to Russia over the Georgia conflict.

Steinmeier Calls for International Probe Into Georgia Conflict

German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier has called for an international probe into the conflict over Georgia's breakaway provinces in an interview published Friday.

European Press Review: Upstaging McCain in St. Paul

In their coverage of the Republican National Convention in St. Paul, European papers agreed that the star turn was Alaska Governor and vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin.

Cheney Pledges US Support For Ukraine

The US Vice President says Ukrainians should be able to live "without the threat of tyranny" from Russia as he met with the quarreling leaders of the Ukraine's government in Kyiv.

Germany and Mongolia to Cooperate on UN Peacekeeping

Germany and Mongolia agreed on a comprehensive military partnership during a state visit by German President Horst Koehler to the Asian country.

Germany's Lufthansa to Increase Flights to India

German airline Lufthansa will increase the number of connections from Germany to India, including the addition of daily flights between the cities of Munich and Mumbai, said an airline official.

EU Seeks to Bolster Ties to Former Soviet States

The European Union's foreign ministers are to seek ways of boosting their influence in the former USSR following the recent conflict between Russia and Georgia when they meet for informal talks in France.

Readers Approve of VP Pick Palin and Cologne Mosque Decision

Most readers supported US Sen. John McCain's choice of Alaska Governor Sarah Palin as his running mate. Others wrote in with their approval of the decision to allow the building of a large mosque in Cologne.

Berlin Transport System Introduces Scentsational New Plan

Everything is coming up roses on Berlin's public transportation system thanks to a new fragrance to be specially created for the capital's commuter railway system.

Berlin to Tighten Germany's Data Protection Laws

At an emergency summit in Berlin, German ministers have agreed to update data protection laws for the digital age in the wake of scandals that showed how easily personal details can be bought on the Internet.

European Rates on Hold as Economic Worries Mount

The European Central Bank (ECB) kept rates on hold at 4.25 percent despite signs that inflationary pressures are easing and fears are growing that large parts of Europe's economy are edging towards recession.

World War II Landmark: Berlin Slow to Fix Bomb-Damaged Church

Most tourists who visit the German capital know the Gedächtniskirche in the heart of former West Berlin. But the monument is crumbling and funds for needed renovations are scarce. It's yet another sign that Berlin life has moved east.

Picture This: Blowing Fire

The Sweet Smell of Commuting: Berlin Sniffs Out New Scent for S-Bahn

The fragrance used to mask bad metro smells in Paris isn't strong enough for the Berlin commuter rail. Transportation authorities have started sniff tests in a project to give the S-Bahn a new, refreshing odor.

Battery-Powered Bad Boy: Electric Motocross Bike Could Redeem Rebel Sport

The deafening engines that send motocross bikes shooting off jumps and tearing up hillsides have earned the cycles a bad reputation. But a German entrepreneur wants to rehabilitate the sport -- with an all-but-silent new engine.

Green Gold Rush: Africa Becoming a Biofuel Battleground

Western companies are pushing to acquire vast stretches of African land to meet the world's biofuel needs. Local farmers and governments are being showered with promises. But is this just another form of economic colonialism?

The World from Berlin: Nuclear Slop in Leaky Mine Washes over Berlin

The nuclear waste scandal involving leaky drums of "radioactive liquor" at a storage facility in a German salt mine called Asse II keeps growing. Commentators see consequences not just for some federal politicians, but also for Germany's ongoing nuclear debate.

Workin' for a Living: EU Rookies Put in Longest Hours on the Job

A surprising new study shows that Europe is still divided when it comes to work hours: the EU's newest members work the longest and have the least vacation, while "old" Europe tends to take the most time off.

Autobahn Stunt: Police Chase Skateboarding Daredevil

Lots of people like to go fast on the autobahn. But police in Germany are now looking for a skateboarder who hit 100 kilometers per hour on a stretch of motorway near Stuttgart. The stunt came to their attention via a video posted on YouTube.

Diplomacy With Russia: EU Civilian Mission Could Monitor Georgian Peace

EU foreign ministers meeting on Friday and Saturday would like to clear the way for an observer mission to Georgia. The idea is to push Russia to remove its troops and comply with the peace agreement. The ministers will also consider what to do about Ukraine.

Bargain Medicine: Outsourcing the Drug Industry

US giants are rushing to partner with Indian and Chinese companies -- tapping their brainpower and saving millions of dollars in the search for breakthrough treatments.

Men of Substance: McCain to Obama -- Do as I Say, Not as I Do

John McCain disapproves of contests of personality and style -- unless he thinks he can win them.

David Brooks: A Glimpse of the New

The central drama of the convention was the struggle by reform Republicans to break through the pull of old habits and create something new.

Republican Convention: McCain Speaks but Says Little

For Republican presidential candidate John McCain, it was the biggest night yet of his campaign. He spoke about change and reform. But the message was a different one -- namely that he is a very conventional candidate.

Radioactive Leakage: Berlin Takes Steps to Address Nuclear Waste Scandal

Responsibility for a leaking radioactive waste site in the mountains of Lower Saxony has been shifted from one office to another in the German government. The scandal has political fallout, but whether -- and how -- the leaking waste can be cleaned up is still not clear.

The Bomb Plot: Terror from the German Heartland

Exactly one year ago, German investigators arrested three Muslim extremists. They wanted to build a bomb in southern Germany capable of killing as many as possible. The ringleader was born and raised in a German family. But how did he become a terrorist?

Focusing on Inflation: ECB Keeps Interest Rates Unchanged

Interest rates are to remain high in Europe despite sluggish growth. The ECB is focusing on fighting inflation and is keeping the benchmark rate at 4.25 percent.

Picture This: Discipline, Dedication, Harmony

Interview with Racecar Driver Bruno Senna: 'Thinking about Danger Slows You Down'

Brazilian racecar driver Bruno Senna is hoping to follow in the footsteps of his legendary uncle Ayrton, who got him hooked on high-speed racing as a child. In an interview with SPIEGEL ONLINE, the 24-year-old discusses Formula One, the fear of dying and Michael Schumacher.

Brawling Beasts of Burden: The Wrestling Camels of Turkey

The west coast of Turkey has a tradition of camel wrestling, which pits champion beasts from local villages against each other in a dusty stadium. But it tends to be as comic as it is exciting, since camels aren't natural-born fighters.

Homage to Mugniyah: Hezbollah Exhibit Celebrates War and 'Martyrs'

A new exhibit in Lebanon celebrates Hezbollah's 2006 war against Israel and commemorates fallen military leader Imad Mugniyah. Though gruesome and kitschy, the show has been a huge success.

Crashed Philippine military plane located

Rescuers have managed to locate the wreckage of the Philippine air force C-130 cargo plane one week after it crashed into the southern Philippine sea, military sources said Friday. Citing field reports from Task Force Hercules, Maj. Armand Ricoof the Armed Forces of the Philippines Eastern Mindanao Command said the U.S. survey ship USNS John McDonnell on Thursday night located the wreckage at 1.3 nautical miles east of Bucana village in Davao City, news network GMA News said in an online ...

Different walks of life in Myanmar hold activities in cyclone relief fund raising

Different walks of life in Myanmar have been holding various activities to raise relief funds for cyclone victims as a charity move. According to this week's issue of the local 7-Day News, vocalists serving in Myanmar's State Radio Broadcasting Station will take part in more live show sponsored by the country's national-level Musicians Association to raise fund for the relief and resettlement of cyclone survivors. As a follow-up of several other music shows held earlier by the as ...

U.S. Republicans formally nominates Palin as VP candidate

U.S. Republicans formally nominated Alaksa governor Sarah Palin as the party's vice presidential candidate Thursday at their national convention. There is only one name on the ballot and her nomination was unanimously approved by acclamation during the Republican National Convention in St. Paul in the U.S. state of Minnesota. Palin, a 44-year-old mom of five children, had already accepted vice presidential nomination and delivered a speech at the convention Wednesday night. ...

California to fight drought with water bank

California's water officials have decided to use a water bank system across the state to fight another dry spell, which could hit the state as early as next year. The state's Department of Water Resources said Thursday that it has created the 2009 Drought Water Bank, which will allow them to buy excess water from farmers and agencies in one part of the state and then sell it to cities and growers in areas facing water shortages. Under the program, water buyers would have to cut t ...

At least 90 killed as tropical storm Hanna passes by Haiti

Tropical storm Hanna killed at least 90 people in Haiti as it brought downpours when passing through the country, Civil Protection Bureau said Thursday. According to information reaching here from Port au Prince, capital of Haiti, heavy rains caused severe flooding as Hanna passed by the country Tuesday. The northern province of Artibonite, the locality of Nippes in the south and some regions in the west were hardest hit, where the90 people were killed. Authorities declar ...

Coastal town in Cuba on alert for Hanna, Ike

The northeast Cuban town of Gibara went on alert Thursday as the sea swelled due to Tropical Storm Hanna and Hurricane Ike. The civil defense system of Gibara, in the province of Holguin, started to function at the first signs of the swelling sea. Waves of three meters high Wednesday hit the coast of Gibara and the Baracoa bay in the province of Guantanamo as Hanna advanced to the Bahamas. Hanna was moving northeast by the Caribbean sea with a speed of19 km per hour and w ...

Californian public services reeling under budget standoff

Fallout from the California's longest budget standoff on record is rippling through California, plunging public services into crisis, the Los Angeles Times reported on Thursday. If there is no spending plan by the end of the month, the state will owe 12 billion dollars to government service providers who bylaw cannot be paid in the absence of a budget, the paper reported. Because of the budget crisis, care expenses were being cut off for thousands of low-income parents, said the ...

Panamanians take to street protesting high cost of living

Panamanians Thursday staged a 24-hour strike to protest against the rising costs of living, which has paralyzed the public transportation system and affected hospital services. The strikes in many sectors of society were widely supported, said Mario Almanza, a leader of the strike organized by the Coordinator of Fight for the Life and Dignity and Respect for the People. The public transportation system in the east of the Panama City was paralyzed, which made it impossible for man ...

Brazil to deploy federal troops in Rio to secure election

Brazil's federal troops will arrive in Rio within a week in order to ensure the security of this October's election, Brazil's Defense Minister Nelson Jobimsaid Thursday. "We will be at the position in up to a week," Jobim said after a meeting with Carlos Ayres Brito, president of Brazil's Supreme Electoral Court (TSE). In August, the TSE asked for the support of federal troops, after drug dealers and illegal militia members stopped candidates from campaigning in some parts of the ...

McCain accepts Republican nomination, vows to change Washington

Senator John McCain on Thursday formally accepted the Republican Party's nomination for president in a prime-time speech in which he touted himself as a reformer, problem solver and a patriot. "Let me offer an advance warning to the old, big spending, do nothing, me first, country second Washington crowd: change is coming," McCain said in the nationally-televised speech at the 39th Republican National Convention. &$&$Source:Xinhua&$&$ ...

Al-Qaida suspect skips court in New York

A Pakistani woman labeled an al-Qaida supporter refused to appear in federal court in Manhattan of New York on Thursday, the Associated Press reported. The woman reportedly refused to answer charges that she tried to kill U.S. soldiers and FBI agents after they detained her this summer in Afghanistan. Aafia Siddiqui had been expected to plead not guilty to attempted murder and assault charges contained in an indictment unsealed earlier this week. The indictment alleged that she w ...

New "Free Gaza" vessel to arrive in Gaza on September 22

A third boat also called "Free Gaza" will arrive in Gaza on September 22, Jamal al-Khodary, head of the Popular Committee Against the Siege said Thursday. On August 23, two boats with the slogans of "Freedom for Gaza" sailed from Cyprus to Gaza shores, with 44 foreign peace activists as well as Palestinian refugees on board. The two boats went back to Cyprus after staying in Gaza for a few days, but left nine activists including Lauren Booth, the sister-in-law of former British P ...

Moderate quake hits easternmost Indonesia

An earthquake with magnitude of 5.2 rocked eastern most of Indonesia on Friday with no report of damage or casualties, the meteorology agency said. The quake rattled at 05:56 Jakarta time (2206GMT Thursday) wit hepicenter at 88 kilometers northeast Timika of Papua province and at 10 kilometers in depth, an official of the agency said. Indonesia sits at a vulnerable zone so called "the Pacific Ring of Fire" where two continental plates, stretching from the Western Hemisphere throu ...

S Korea protests Japan's claim over disputed islets

South Korea on Friday protested Japan's territorial claim over the disputed islets of Dokdo, which Japan calls Takeshima in a newly published Japanese defense white paper. "The government strongly protests at the Japanese government's description of Dokdo as its own territory in the defense white paper issued on Sept. 5," said South Korean Foreign Ministry spokesman Moon Tae-young in a statement. "The government calls for Japan to take immediate measures to correct it," he said. ...

Former Pakistani Chief Justice not to be restored

The Pakistan People's Party (PPP)has decided in principle not to restore the deposed Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry and his fellow judges, local newspaper The News reported on Friday. The News quoted PPP spokesman Farhatullah Babar as saying that Prime Minister Syed Yousaf Raza Gillani had been duly informed in this regard. Gillani has declared in the Senate that the deposed judges would be restored and the 17th Amendment of the Constitution would be repealed. T ...

5.0 magnitude earthquake hits New Zealand South Island

An earthquake measuring 5.0 on the Richter scale struck New Zealand South Island's Canterbury region on Friday, causing no casualties or damage, the GNS Science said. The quake, which occurred at 2:35 p.m. local time (02:35 GMT), was centered 20 km northwest of Hanmer Springs at a focal depth of11 km. It was widely felt in Canterbury, Marlborough, Nelson, and parts of the West Coast. &$&$Source:Xinhua&$&$ ...

Three injured in New Zealand light plane crash

Three people were injured when the light plane they were in crashed at New Zealand South Island's West Coast on Friday, Radio New Zealand reported. The light plane crashed on its way into the airfield near the South Island town of Fox Glacier just before 01:00 pm local time (0100 GMT), police said. The pilot was briefly trapped, while the two passengers scrambled out of the wreckage. Police said the extent of their injuries is unknown, but it is understood they are not li ...

Quake hits upper parts of Pakistan

An earthquake measuring 5.3 on the Richter scale jolted the upper parts of Pakistan on Friday, local newspaper The News reported. Tremors were also felt in the capital Islamabad, Muzzafarabad, Abbotabad, Chitral, Lahore, Malakand and Mingora, said the report. The meteorology department believes the epicenter to be lying at 218 km in Hindukush region of Afghanistan. There are no reports of damage or casualties. 　 &$&$Source:Xinhua&$&$ ...

Aso formally announces bid for Japan's ruling party presidency

Japan's popular politician Taro Aso formally announced Friday that he will take part in the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP)'s presidential election to succeed outgoing party leader and Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda. At a press conference held at the LDP's headquarters in the morning, Aso, who is the LDP's secretary general, said he will target reviving the economy and create comfortable lives for citizens. The 67-year-old politician, who used to be foreign minister in both Ju ...

TV: 4 kids killed in missile attack in Pakistan's tribal area

Four children were killed in a missile attack in Pakistan's tribal area on Friday, private TV channel Geo reported. American drone fired three missiles and targeted two houses in North Waziristan tribal region bordering Afghanistan, leaving four children dead and several others injured, according to Geo. Local newspaper DAWN reported Friday that five foreigners were killed in a missile attack by a suspected unmanned U.S. plane in the Momadkhel village of North Waziristan on Thurs ...

Can McCain lead the "Republican redemption?"

As the curtain falls for the Republican National Convention Thursday night, the newly-nominated Republican presidential candidate John McCain has formally become the person to lead the party in a fierce general election in November. The task for him, however, is more than keeping the White House. Moreover, he is now entrusted to try to turn the tide and redeem his party's declining political brand. The question is, can he make it? REBRANDING THE PARTY From every aspe ...

Two U.S. soldiers killed in bomb attack in Iraq

Two American soldiers have been killed in Iraq in a roadside bomb attack in Baghdad, the U.S. military said on Friday. The two soldiers, assigned to Multi-National Division - Baghdad, were killed shortly after midday on Thursday when insurgents struck their patrol with an improvised explosive device in eastern Baghdad, the military said in a statement. The names of the deceased soldiers are being withheld pending notification of next of kin, it added. About 4,154 U.S. sol ...

Angolan parliamentary election begins

Angola's parliamentary election began at 7 a.m. (0600 GMT) on Friday, in which 10 political parties and four coalitions are contesting for 220 parliamentary seats. More than 8 million voters have been registered for the parliamentary elections, the first ones since the 27-year civil war ended in the country in 2002. According to the National Electoral Commission (CNE), they will cast their votes at 12,274 polling stations across the southwestern African country. At a polling stat ...

Angolans start voting in landmark elections

Angolans started voting in Angola’s parliamentary elections on Friday following years of conflicts in the oil-rich African country. The elections, the first to be held since 1992, were expected to be a contest between the ruling MPLA and the UNITA, a former rebel group. Official results are not expected to be released in a week. &$&$Source:Xinhua&$&$ ...

Remains of 17 killed in DRC plane crash found

The United Nations has confirmed that the remains of the 17 people aboard an aid flight which went down in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) Monday have been located in the vicinity of the crash site, according to the news release on the U.N. website Thursday. Seven U.N. staff were among those on the plane which crashed as it was preparing to land in bad weather in the eastern Congolese province of South Kivu. Search and rescue teams located the site of the accident, ...