World Headlines
Scrum for last Olympic tickets
BBC - Friday, July 25, 2008 1:56 a.m.
Thousands of people descend on ticket booths in Beijing, to get their hands on the last batch of Olympic tickets.
Hole forces Qantas plane to land
BBC - Friday, July 25, 2008 1:56 a.m.
A Qantas plane makes an emergency landing in Manila as a hole causes it to lose cabin pressure, an airport official says.
US hails SA judge as rights chief
BBC - Friday, July 25, 2008 1:53 a.m.
The US welcomes the nomination of a South African judge as the new UN human rights head.
Bombings hit Gaza Strip targets
BBC - Friday, July 25, 2008 1:46 a.m.
A bombing outside a cafe in Gaza City kills one person, while a second attack appears to target the home of a Hamas official.
Hibs reeling after Barca mauling
BBC - Friday, July 25, 2008 1:39 a.m.
Manager Mixu Paatelainen insists Hibs\' confidence has not been dented by the 6-0 thrashing from Barcelona.
Beating at N.Y. bar strains US-Serbia relations
AP - Friday, July 25, 2008 1:28 a.m.
NEW YORK (AP) -- It started as a bar fight in a college town in upstate New York. Police say a hulking basketball player from Serbia beat a fellow college student to a bloody pulp and fled to his home country, setting off a diplomatic crisis....
Olympian PR bout under way in Washington
AP - Friday, July 25, 2008 1:21 a.m.
WASHINGTON (AP) -- In an air-conditioned room in the Chinese Embassy, a vice minister from Beijing chastises Americans for their "very limited" understanding of violent anti-government protests in Tibet....
Olympic ticket sale in Beijing starts stampede
AP - Friday, July 25, 2008 1:20 a.m.
BEIJING (AP) -- Eager fans swarmed and in some cases scuffled as they lined up at sales windows Friday to get the final batch of tickets for next month\'s Olympics....
Honda's profit rises unexpectedly
BBC - Friday, July 25, 2008 12:38 a.m.
Honda Motor reportes an unexpected rise in three-month profits but still predicts falling full year profits.
South Africa lawyer nominated as UN rights chief
AP - Friday, July 25, 2008 12:34 a.m.
UNITED NATIONS (AP) -- One of South Africa\'s leading female jurists who won acclaim defending apartheid opponents was nominated Thursday to serve as the next United Nations high commissioner for human rights....
Damaged Qantas jet makes emergency stop in Manila
AP - Friday, July 25, 2008 12:33 a.m.
MANILA, Philippines (AP) -- A Qantas flight en route to Australia from London made an emergency stop in Manila on Friday after a loud bang punched a hole in the Boeing 747-400\'s fuselage, officials and passengers said....
Report: War crimes figure Karadzic seen in Vienna
AP - Friday, July 25, 2008 12:30 a.m.
VIENNA, Austria (AP) -- An Austrian newspaper is reporting that captured war crimes fugitive Radovan Karadzic worked in Vienna as "miracle healer" during his years under cover....
Rice: Pakistan should do more to end violence
AP - Friday, July 25, 2008 12:27 a.m.
PERTH, Australia (AP) -- Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said Pakistan needs to do more to prevent Taliban militants from launching attacks into Afghanistan from its territory....
Gaza officials: 2 bombs explode in Gaza City
AP - Friday, July 25, 2008 12:25 a.m.
GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip (AP) -- Gaza security officials say two bombs went off in Gaza City early Friday, killing one man....
Boycott may hit Champions Trophy
BBC - Friday, July 25, 2008 12:10 a.m.
Player associations around the world warn their members over travelling to the ICC Champions Trophy in Pakistan on security grounds.
Obama seeks stronger Europe ties
BBC - Thursday, July 24, 2008 11:58 p.m.
Barack Obama tells Berliners the US and Europe have drifted apart and it is time for them to come together again.
Arson fear in deadly S Korea fire
BBC - Thursday, July 24, 2008 11:47 p.m.
Officials say they suspect arson in a fire which swept through a boarding house south of Seoul, killing seven.
Bush and Singh push nuclear deal
BBC - Thursday, July 24, 2008 11:42 p.m.
US President George Bush telephones Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to discuss the controversial civil nuclear deal.
Fossil fears
BBC - Thursday, July 24, 2008 11:35 p.m.
Road building threatens Jurassic age fossils in India
Obama urges Europeans, Americans to defeat terror
AP - Thursday, July 24, 2008 10:25 p.m.
BERLIN (AP) -- Cheered by an enormous international crowd, Democratic presidential contender Barack Obama on Thursday summoned Europeans and Americans together to "defeat terror and dry up the well of extremism that supports it" as surely as they conquered communism a generation ago....
Israelis, Palestinians: Mixed feelings about Obama
AP - Thursday, July 24, 2008 10:24 p.m.
JERUSALEM (AP) -- Both Israelis and Palestinians came away from Barack Obama\'s visit to the Holy Land with the feeling he would do more for Mideast peace than President Bush has. But neither side seemed fully convinced that Obama would have their interests at heart....
New Zealand students offer reward for Rice arrest
AP - Thursday, July 24, 2008 10:15 p.m.
WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) -- New Zealand students protesting the Iraq war offered a reward to anyone who carries out a citizen\'s arrest of Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice during her visit to the country Friday....
Ecuador draft constitution passed
BBC - Thursday, July 24, 2008 10:12 p.m.
Ecuador\'s constituent assembly overwhelmingly approves a draft constitution sought by President Rafael Correa.
Detainee on trial said boss left Guantanamo
AP - Thursday, July 24, 2008 7:59 p.m.
GUANTANAMO BAY NAVAL BASE, Cuba (AP) -- A Moroccan prisoner released from Guantanamo in 2004 was Osama bin Laden\'s top bodyguard, according to testimony Thursday in the war crimes trial of another alleged bodyguard....
Panel urges UN to consider anti-terrorism agency
AP - Thursday, July 24, 2008 7:31 p.m.
UNITED NATIONS (AP) -- A Swiss-led, five-nation panel proposed Thursday that the United Nations assert itself as leader of a global fight against terrorism and establish a new agency or program to coordinate that effort....
Farc hands hostages to Red Cross
BBC - Thursday, July 24, 2008 7:17 p.m.
Colombia\'s Farc rebel group releases eight of the 10 hostages it kidnapped last week, the international Red Cross says.
Chavez set to meet Spanish king
BBC - Thursday, July 24, 2008 6:19 p.m.
Venezuela\'s Hugo Chavez says he may hug Spain\'s King Juan Carlos - who famously told him to shut up last year.
Sporting Fame Comes With Limits In China
NPR - Thursday, July 24, 2008 5:57 p.m.
With sporting fame comes corporate sponsorship, television appearances, and fat paychecks. But in China, athletes are expected to let the government manage their image and to hand over a substantial cut of their earnings.
College gunman shoots three in US
BBC - Thursday, July 24, 2008 5:48 p.m.
Three people have been wounded in a shooting at a community college in the US state of Arizona, officials say.
Karzai 'impeding Afghan drug war'
BBC - Thursday, July 24, 2008 5:34 p.m.
An ex-US narcotics official accuses President Hamid Karzai of obstructing efforts to tackle the Afghan drugs trade.
Friends with Iran
BBC - Thursday, July 24, 2008 4:56 p.m.
Armenians and Iranians find common comfort
Tanzanian danger
BBC - Thursday, July 24, 2008 4:47 p.m.
BBC reporter tells of threats for taking on albino killers
HIV drugs 'add 13 years of life'
BBC - Thursday, July 24, 2008 4:11 p.m.
Life expectancy for people with HIV increases by 13 years on average since the late 1990s, survey finds.
Charity barred from south Niger
BBC - Thursday, July 24, 2008 3:52 p.m.
Niger\'s government orders French medical charity Medecins Sans Frontieres to stop work because of suspected rebel links.
Karadzic's Arrest Brings Mixed Feelings In Sarajevo
NPR - Thursday, July 24, 2008 3:52 p.m.
Radovan Karadzic\'s arrest on war crimes charges was met with a burst of celebration in the streets of Sarajevo, which suffered a brutal siege at the hands of Bosnian Serb militias loyal to Karadzic during the Bosnian war. But many citizens of Sarajevo are bitter that he was able to live on the lam for 13 years.
Serbia IDs man behind Karadzic's false identity
AP - Thursday, July 24, 2008 3:14 p.m.
BELGRADE, Serbia (AP) -- The real Dragan Dabic has emerged - and the 66-year-old construction worker was shocked Thursday to discover his identity had apparently been stolen by one of the world\'s most notorious war crimes suspects....
Life for Argentine ex-army chief
BBC - Thursday, July 24, 2008 3:04 p.m.
An Argentine ex-army officer is sentenced to life in prison for the 1977 kidnapping, torture and killing of four left-wing activists.
Reunion 'hard' on Guatemala baby
BBC - Thursday, July 24, 2008 2:45 p.m.
The mother of a Guatemalan baby girl stolen for adoption tells the BBC of the joy and pain of being reunited with her daughter.
Concerns in Europe despite Obama's warm welcome
AP - Thursday, July 24, 2008 2:28 p.m.
BERLIN (AP) -- The warm welcome that washed over Barack Obama during his Berlin appearance Thursday made it abundantly clear that Europeans have a strong desire to heal the trans-Atlantic rift and the Democratic president candidate is a good choice for the job....
Iran ends cooperation with UN nuclear arms probe
AP - Thursday, July 24, 2008 2:16 p.m.
VIENNA, Austria (AP) -- Iran signaled Thursday that it will no longer cooperate with U.N. experts probing for signs of clandestine nuclear weapons work, confirming the investigation is at a dead end a year after it began....
Iraq banned from Beijing Olympics amid feud
AP - Thursday, July 24, 2008 2:04 p.m.
BAGHDAD (AP) -- Just two weeks before the start of the Olympics, Iraq was told Thursday it\'s not welcome in Beijing because of a political feud in Baghdad that angered the games\' guardians and exiled a country that arrived to a roaring ovation at the opening ceremony four years ago....
Obama urges Europeans, Americans to defeat terror
AP - Thursday, July 24, 2008 1:53 p.m.
BERLIN (AP) -- Cheered by an enormous international crowd, Democratic presidential contender Barack Obama on Thursday summoned Europeans and Americans together to "defeat terror and dry up the well of extremism that supports it" as surely as they conquered communism a generation ago....
Woman sees family die on mountain
BBC - Thursday, July 24, 2008 1:12 p.m.
A woman watches her husband and three children fall to their deaths while climbing near Europe\'s highest peak.
Female bomber kills eight in Iraq
BBC - Thursday, July 24, 2008 1:04 p.m.
At least eight people are killed and more than 20 others hurt by a female suicide bomber in the Iraqi city of Baquba.
In Africa, No Coke Can Mean No Stability
NPR - Thursday, July 24, 2008 1 p.m.
Coke is a big business all around the world. But in Africa, the soda is so pervasive that it acts like a key indicator of political stability. In other words, if you can\'t get a Coke somewhere, you might want to get out of the country — fast. We examine this unusual political indicator.
In Africa, No Coke Can Mean NoStability
NPR - Thursday, July 24, 2008 1 p.m.
Coke is a big business all around the world. But in Africa, the soda is so pervasive that it acts like a key indicator of political stability. In other words, if you can\'t get a Coke somewhere, you might want to get out of the country — fast. We examine this unusual political indicator.
Scotland Election A Key Test For British PM Brown
NPR - Thursday, July 24, 2008 12:19 p.m.
A special election Thursday in Scotland will be a crucial test for U.K. Prime Minister Gordon Brown. The parliamentary seat of Glasgow East is in a traditional stronghold of the ruling Labour Party. But polls are forecasting a defeat for Labour, which could force the unpopular Brown to step down.
Boss of BP Russia venture leaves
BBC - Thursday, July 24, 2008 noon
BP says the chief executive of its Russian venture TNK-BP has temporarily left Russia because of "sustained harassment".
Zuma 'shocked by white poverty'
BBC - Thursday, July 24, 2008 11:06 a.m.
The head of South Africa\'s governing ANC party, Jacob Zuma, says he is shocked by white poverty in the country.
France reveals defence closures
BBC - Thursday, July 24, 2008 10:42 a.m.
Dozens of French military units are closing as part of a major shake-up in defence strategy, the PM announces.
Leaving Beijing
BBC - Thursday, July 24, 2008 10:22 a.m.
Migrants asked to go before Olympics comes to town
S African named UN rights chief
BBC - Thursday, July 24, 2008 10:08 a.m.
South African judge Navanethem Pillay is nominated as the new UN human rights chief.
Israel to build new settlement in West Bank
AP - Thursday, July 24, 2008 10 a.m.
JERUSALEM (AP) -- A key committee has approved construction of the first new Jewish settlement in the West Bank in a decade, an Israeli official said Thursday. The news infuriated Palestinians, who said the decision could cripple peace efforts....
US cancer boss in cell phone warning
BBC - Thursday, July 24, 2008 9:56 a.m.
The director of a top US cancer research institute warns thousands of staff of possible risks from mobile phone use.
Ford posts $8.7bn loss as truck sales slump
BBC - Thursday, July 24, 2008 9:52 a.m.
Three of the world\'s top carmakers unveil plans to help them survive as the industry faces slumping demand.
Cyclone-battered fisheries worsen Myanmar's pain
AP - Thursday, July 24, 2008 9:50 a.m.
YAY TWIN GONE, Myanmar (AP) -- No matter how much she loved the river and sea that once provided her family\'s daily food, Tin Tin Latt now just wants to stay away from the water that widowed her, killed two of her children and destroyed the family\'s livelihood....
Lagos tanker explosion kills 12
BBC - Thursday, July 24, 2008 9:31 a.m.
At least 12 people are killed in Nigeria\'s main city, Lagos, as a petrol tanker bursts into flames.
Serbia to reinstate EU diplomats
BBC - Thursday, July 24, 2008 9:18 a.m.
Serbia says it will reinstate ambassadors withdrawn from EU states that supported Kosovo\'s independence.
Sensational Matadors Revive Bullfighting In Spain
NPR - Thursday, July 24, 2008 9:14 a.m.
Just a few years ago in Spain, bullfighting appeared to be on its way out. Many people, especially younger Spaniards, were telling pollsters that they just weren\'t interested. But the sport is regaining cachet — largely thanks to a new breed of bullfighters.
Concern over French nuclear leaks
BBC - Thursday, July 24, 2008 9:12 a.m.
A nuclear watchdog in France expresses its concern after a series of recent incidents at nuclear power plants.
Poll: Most Chinese Satisfied With Nation's Progress
NPR - Thursday, July 24, 2008 9:05 a.m.
As the Olympics approach, a poll finds the vast majority of Chinese are satisfied with their country\'s direction. The Pew Research Center conducted face-to-face interviews with more than 3,000 Chinese. But China\'s stunning economic growth is also raising concerns about rising prices and the income gap.
EU publishes airlines blacklist
BBC - Thursday, July 24, 2008 9:03 a.m.
The European Union issues its list of airlines who cannot travel within the EU because of fears over their safety record.
Iraq banned from Beijing Olympics
BBC - Thursday, July 24, 2008 8:50 a.m.
The International Olympic Committee bans Iraq from competing at this summer\'s Games because of political interference.
Max Mosley wins British privacy lawsuit
AP - Thursday, July 24, 2008 8:32 a.m.
LONDON (AP) -- After the sting of scandal, Max Mosley can feel the balm of victory. A British judge ruled Thursday that a tabloid newspaper breached the motorsport chief\'s privacy with a story claiming that a sadomasochistic orgy he took part in had a Nazi theme. The News of the World faces a legal bill of almost 1 million pounds ($2 million) after the judge ordered it to pay damages and Mosley\'s legal costs, as well as it2s own....
US seeks boost to Pakistan F-16s
BBC - Thursday, July 24, 2008 8:30 a.m.
The US confirms plans to allocate $230m of military funding to upgrade Pakistan\'s fleet of F-16 fighter jets.
Arctic 'has 90bn barrels of oil'
BBC - Thursday, July 24, 2008 8:18 a.m.
The Arctic is estimated to hold some 90bn barrels of oil, according to data from the US Geological Survey.
UK MPs call for talks with Hamas
BBC - Thursday, July 24, 2008 8:12 a.m.
A UK parliamentary committee calls for dialogue with Hamas, as the UN says poverty has reached a new high in Gaza.
Greece accused of refugee neglect
BBC - Thursday, July 24, 2008 7:28 a.m.
The Greek government stands accused of neglecting 140 war refugees who have been evicted from their reception centre on Patmos.
Pakistan keeps Champions Trophy
BBC - Thursday, July 24, 2008 6:40 a.m.
September\'s ICC Champions Trophy will remain in Pakistan, but a special task force will aim to ensure security.
Libya 'halts Swiss oil shipments'
BBC - Thursday, July 24, 2008 6:28 a.m.
Libya\'s state shipping company says it has halted oil shipments to Switzerland in protest over the arrest of Muammar Gaddafi\'s son.
Zimbabweans 'start crisis talks'
BBC - Thursday, July 24, 2008 6:12 a.m.
Zimbabwe\'s ruling and opposition parties begin power-sharing talks in South Africa, officials say.
Five killed in Kashmir explosion
BBC - Thursday, July 24, 2008 6:04 a.m.
At least five people are killed in a blast caused by suspected militants in Indian-administered Kashmir, police say.
Motorsport chief wins orgy court case
BBC - Thursday, July 24, 2008 6:03 a.m.
World motorsport boss Max Mosley has won his legal action against a newspaper over reports of a Nazi-style orgy.
Scotland Election Key For British PM Brown
NPR - Thursday, July 24, 2008 6 a.m.
A special election today in Glasgow, Scotland, will be a crucial test for U.K. Prime Minister Gordon Brown. The parliamentary seat of Glasgow East is in a working class area, and a traditional stronghold of the ruling Labour Party. But polls are forecasting a defeat for Labour, which could be enough to force the unpopular Brown to step down.
Celebrity Matadors Propel Bullfighting's Comeback
NPR - Thursday, July 24, 2008 6 a.m.
Not long ago, many people in Spain were predicting the death of bullfighting. Its popularity was sagging, and voices decrying it as outdated and cruel were gaining ground in the country. But now, a few "rock star" bullfighters are making the art cool among twenty-somethings.
Nato warning on Pakistan fighters
BBC - Thursday, July 24, 2008 5:51 a.m.
Nato\'s chief says an international effort is needed to stop Taleban and al-Qaeda militants gathering in Pakistan\'s border areas.
Pakistan troops rescue climbers
BBC - Thursday, July 24, 2008 5:26 a.m.
Pakistan\'s army rescues two Italian mountaineers stranded for 10 days on Nanga Parbat - one of the deadliest Himalayan peaks.
EU seeks to halt cruelty to seals
BBC - Thursday, July 24, 2008 5:07 a.m.
The European Commission calls for a ban on seal products in the EU, to improve animal welfare.
Dilshan makes history with appeal
BBC - Thursday, July 24, 2008 5:04 a.m.
Sri Lanka\'s Tillakaratne Dilshan is the first player to successfully appeal against a decision during his side\'s Test match against India.
Visa program expanded for Iraqis who worked for US
AP - Thursday, July 24, 2008 4:53 a.m.
BAGHDAD (AP) -- The U.S. Embassy on Thursday launched an expanded immigration program that provides 5,000 more visas each year for Iraqis who have put themselves at risk by working for the U.S. government....
Hunt begins for Karadzic helpers
BBC - Thursday, July 24, 2008 4:42 a.m.
Officials investigating Bosnian Serb ex-leader Radovan Karadzic vow to track down those who aided his false identity.
Helicopter rescues 2 Italian climbers in Pakistan
AP - Thursday, July 24, 2008 4:30 a.m.
ISLAMABAD, Pakistan (AP) -- A high-altitude rescue helicopter safely plucked two stranded Italian climbers from one of the world\'s highest mountains on Thursday, officials said....
Obama in Germany on European tour
BBC - Thursday, July 24, 2008 4:29 a.m.
US presidential hopeful Barack Obama lands in Berlin, where thousands are expected to gather for a key speech.
Reynolds' China
BBC - Thursday, July 24, 2008 4:11 a.m.
Anti-terrorist advice from the Chinese government
Washington snubs Syria delegation
BBC - Thursday, July 24, 2008 3:49 a.m.
The US State Department turns down a request by a Syrian delegation to meet a top US official despite initially saying it would happen.
Taiwan demilitarizes picturesque offshore islet
AP - Thursday, July 24, 2008 3:34 a.m.
DONGSHA, Taiwan (AP) -- Concrete pilings designed to prevent an invasion no longer dot this tiny Taiwanese islet\'s shoreline. A formidable marine garrison also has vanished, replaced by laid-back coast guardsmen and marine biologists....
Live text - Tour de France
BBC - Thursday, July 24, 2008 3:31 a.m.
Carlos Sastre looks to retain the Tour de France\'s yellow jersey in stage 18 from Bourg-d\'Oisans to Saint Etienne.
Efforts to 'retake' Afghan town
BBC - Thursday, July 24, 2008 3:22 a.m.
Nato-led forces and Afghan troops are trying to retake an area which insurgents seized earlier this week, Isaf says.
Turkish jets target PKK in Iraq
BBC - Thursday, July 24, 2008 3:16 a.m.
Turkish warplanes attack 13 Kurdish rebel targets in northern Iraq, the Turkish military says.
Rice hits out at Burma 'mockery'
BBC - Thursday, July 24, 2008 3:10 a.m.
US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice says the Burmese military\'s plan to restore democracy gradually is a sham.
Will Smith tops Hollywood earner list
BBC - Thursday, July 24, 2008 2:50 a.m.
Will Smith was the highest-paid actor in Hollywood last year, according to US business magazine Forbes.
Prize defendant
BBC - Thursday, July 24, 2008 2:42 a.m.
Karadzic trial will be chance to get over Milosevic debacle
Japan recovers from strong quake
BBC - Thursday, July 24, 2008 2:30 a.m.
Residents in northern Japan are clearing up after a strong - but luckily deep - earthquake struck early on Thursday.
Senegal 'ready' for Habre trial
BBC - Thursday, July 24, 2008 2:12 a.m.
Senegal says it is ready to put Chad ex-leader Hissene Habre on trial over alleged rights abuses.
Defeat threatens Federer ranking
BBC - Thursday, July 24, 2008 2:04 a.m.
Roger Federer\'s long reign as world number one is looking perilous after he crashes out of the Toronto Masters in his first match since Wimbledon.
MPs scrap France's 35-hour week
BBC - Thursday, July 24, 2008 2:03 a.m.
France\'s parliament passes a law which effectively ends the country\'s compulsory 35-hour working week.
UK move against online music piracy
BBC - Thursday, July 24, 2008 1:48 a.m.
Six of the UK\'s biggest net providers sign up to a government plan to tackle illegal file-sharing.
China clamps down on issuing business visas
AP - Thursday, July 24, 2008 1:39 a.m.
BEIJING (AP) -- China has clamped down further on issuing business visas, government officials said Thursday, in the latest expansion of already-tight entry restrictions for next month\'s Olympic Games....
Asia-Pacific eyes coordinated disaster relief work
AP - Thursday, July 24, 2008 1:37 a.m.
SINGAPORE (AP) -- Asia-Pacific powers on Thursday announced an ambitious plan to pool their military and civilian resources for disaster responses in a region beset by cyclones, earthquakes and floods....
Backlash fears
BBC - Thursday, July 24, 2008 1:36 a.m.
Palestinian workers under pressure after digger attack
