News
Ecumenical visit to Egypt to focus on Middle East peace
The necessity of peace in the Middle East will be at the top of the agenda during a 16 to 21 June visit to Egypt by the World Council of Churches (WCC) General secretary Rev Dr Samuel Kobia.
Sentamu thanks journalists for 'giving voice to voiceless'
The Archbishop of York praised journalists and aid workers for fighting against the tide of celebrity gossip, trivia and cynicism to "give a voice to the voiceless".
Azerbaijan: Baptist pastor faces new prison sentence
Baptist former prisoner of conscience Zaur Balaev, who was freed on 19 March after being held for nearly a year for leading his congregation, was summoned and threatened with a new prison term in early May.
Guantanamo prisoners can appeal
Guantanamo Bay prisoners can go before U.S. federal judges to challenge their years-long detention, the Supreme Court ruled on Thursday in a landmark decision that delivered a stinging setback for President George W. Bush's policies.
U.S. urges U.N. talks on Zimbabwe
The United States called for urgent U.N. Security Council talks on Zimbabwe because it said President Robert Mugabe had ignored international calls to end political violence ahead of a presidential election run-off.
Yahoo in Google online ad deal
Microsoft's plan to establish a strong footing in online advertising suffered a big blow on Thursday as merger talks with Yahoo finally, formally failed and Yahoo said it would let Google sell search ads on its site.
China and Taiwan agree on flights
China and Taiwan signed a landmark deal on Friday to launch regular flights between the long-time rivals as politics was put aside in favour of practicalities in the first such talks in almost a decade.
Ecuador says it foils plot to kill president
Ecuadorean police arrested four men accused of plotting to kill leftist President Rafael Correa, the country's attorney general said on Thursday.
Malaysia protesters begin march over fuel hikes
Hundreds of Malaysians began a march in the capital on Friday, demanding the government withdraw a steep hike in fuel prices or resign, in the biggest protest yet against Prime Minister Ahmad Abdullah Badawi's coalition.
EU probes biodiesel subsidies in new trade row
European Union trade officials have launched an investigation into whether imports of U.S. biodiesel break international trade rules because of subsidies, the EU's executive Commission said on Friday.
Ethiopia says rights report fabricated
Ethiopia said on Friday a report by a human rights group accusing its military of war crimes during a campaign against rebels was fabricated and slanderous.
David Davis quits over detention plan
Conservative Shadow Home Secretary David Davis announced on Thursday he would quit to fight the consequent by-election in his constituency on a platform of protest against government terrorism plans.
Shell tanker drivers go on strike
A four-day strike over pay by hundreds of Shell fuel tanker drivers began on Friday morning after last-ditch talks broke down.
Johnson slams brakes on Olympic gravy train
London will have no Olympic gravy train pulling in to Beijing in August after mayor Boris Johnson announced a 1.2 million pounds cut to his city's hospitality budget during the Games in the Chinese capital.
Two British soldiers killed in Afghanistan
Two British soldiers were killed while on foot patrol in southern Afghanistan on Thursday, bring the total military deaths in the country since 2001 to 102, the Ministry of Defence said.
Inquiry finds forced marriage victims 'are being failed'
A specialised programme similar to police witness protection schemes should be created to help victims of so-called honour-based violence, a parliamentary inquiry said on Thursday.