News
France to crack down on under-age binge drinking
France will ban the sale of alcohol to minors and drinking in public near schools as part of a broad crackdown on binge drinking among youths, the health minister said in an interview published on Sunday.
France launches Med Union
Leaders from Europe, North Africa and the Middle East launched a 43-nation Union for the Mediterranean on Sunday pledging practical cooperation among erstwhile enemies on water, energy and education.
Insurgents kill 9 U.S. troops in Afghanistan
Insurgents killed nine U.S. soldiers in an assault on an Afghan army and NATO outpost in northeastern Afghanistan on Sunday, making it one of the worst days for foreign troops casualties in the country since 2001.
UK military investigating 2003 Iraq abuse claim
British military police are investigating an abuse allegation after a newspaper reported an Iraqi youth claimed troops made him perform a sex act on another prisoner in 2003, the Ministry of Defence said on Sunday.
Government scrambles to fight knife crime
Britons convicted of carrying knives will be made to visit hospital emergency wards in an attempt to confront them with the reality of stab wounds, Home Secretary Jacqui Smith said on Sunday.
Israel-Hezbollah prisoner swap set for Wednesday
Israel and Lebanon's Hezbollah group will exchange prisoners on Wednesday under a U.N.-mediated deal, the Israeli prisons service said on Sunday.
Iraq poised for new offensive
Iraqi security forces are poised to launch a major crackdown in volatile Diyala province, the Interior Ministry said on Sunday, the latest in a series of operations aimed at stabilising the country.
Sixth teenager charged over Shakilus stabbing
A sixth teenager has been charged with the murder of 16-year-old Shakilus Townsend who was stabbed to death in south London last week, police said on late on Saturday.
Suspicions mount in Israel against Olmert
Suspicions of fraud mounted on Sunday against Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert with the publication in a newspaper of what it said were invoices backing police allegations he made duplicate claims for travel expenses.
Actor McKellen says he received gay death threats
Actor Sir Ian McKellen said on Sunday he used to receive death threats due to his homosexuality and while these had fallen off in recent years, others were still being subjected to homophobia.
Wolseley to cut hundreds of jobs
Wolseley will this week outline plans to cut hundreds of jobs due to trading conditions that are bad enough to warrant a profits warning, the Sunday Telegraph reported.
Gazprom considers gas sales to UK households
State-controlled Russian gas giant Gazprom is examining a possible entry into the UK retail gas market, a spokesman for the company's UK unit said on Sunday.
Olmert says peace deal closer than ever
Israel and the Palestinians have never been so close to a peace deal, Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert said on Sunday after talks with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and French President Nicolas Sarkozy.
Man held over consulate attack in Turkey
A Turkish court on Sunday ordered a man to be held in custody over an attack on the U.S. consulate in Istanbul in which six people were killed, the state-run Anatolian news agency reported.
Bush climate action now? 'Bogus': Schwarzenegger
California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger said on Sunday the Bush administration did not believe it should do anything about global warming and that any last-minute action before leaving office would be "bogus."
Heckler interrupts Gene Robinson's sermon
A protester forced openly gay US Bishop Gene Robinson to pause his sermon at a west London church on Sunday.