News
US presidential candidates asked to reject divisive religious talk
Christian leaders urge US presidential candidates to resist divisive religious rhetoric and respect religious freedom.
UK must challenge "damaging" EU trade deals - agency
Christian Aid is calling on the British Government to push for a comprehensive review of "serious, damaging flaws" in trade agreements it said had been "forced upon" a number of developing countries in recent weeks by the European Union.
Bush wraps up Middle East visit
U.S. President George W. Bush, wrapping up a Middle East trip on Wednesday, hopes his talks in Saudi Arabia will help encourage OPEC to raise production and dampen oil prices, the White House said.
U.S. insists cluster bombs not bad if used right
Cluster bombs, which nearly 100 countries are seeking to ban, should not be considered bad as long as states involved in conflicts use them responsibly, a senior United States official said on Wednesday.
Female suicide bomber kills eight in Iraq
A female suicide bomber wearing a vest packed with explosives killed eight people in an attack on a crowded market in a mainly Shi'ite town in Iraq's volatile Diyala province on Wednesday, police said.
Canada fires nuclear watchdog over isotope debacle
The Canadian government said in a statement late on Tuesday it had fired the country's top nuclear watchdog, criticizing her for how she handled the closure of a key reactor which makes medical radioisotopes.
Zimbabwe opposition to march for free and fair poll
Zimbabwe's main opposition said on Wednesday it planned a protest next week to demonstrate against a crumbling economy and press for a new constitution it says will guarantee free and fair elections scheduled for March.
Militants capture Pakistani fort
Hundreds of militants in northwest Pakistan attacked and captured a paramilitary fort early on Wednesday, and 40 militants and seven soldiers were killed and 20 soldiers missing, the military said.
Two dead as Kenyan police fight protesters
Kenyan police battled hundreds of opposition protesters on Wednesday, killing two, as the opposition defied a ban on rallies against President Mwai Kibaki's disputed re-election, witnesses said.
Flood warnings rise with more rain on way
The number of flood warnings across the country has risen to more than 75 after days of heavy rain swelled rivers to ominously high levels.
Cycling champion MacIntyre killed
Time trial cycling champion Jason MacIntyre was killed on Tuesday after being knocked off his bike by a van while training in Scotland.
Government backs overhaul of organ donor system
An overhaul of the country's organ donation system could lead to a 50 percent rise in donations after death within five years, a taskforce set up by the government said on Wednesday.
Fourth swan positive for H5N1 bird flu
A fourth swan in southern England has tested positive for the deadly H5N1 strain of bird flu, DEFA said on Wednesday.
Northern Rock sinks to record low
The search for a private buyer for Northern Rock could go on for several more weeks, Prime Minister Gordon Brown said on Wednesday, but he left open the option the stricken lender could be nationalised.
Brown backs Hain over donations
Prime Minister Gordon Brown declared his support for Peter Hain in parliament on Wednesday, a day after describing his cabinet colleague's failure to properly declare political donations as "an incompetence".
Prostitutes' drug habits proved fatal
The trial of a former forklift truck driver accused of murdering five women in Ipswich during an unprecedented killing spree was told on Wednesday their decision to turn to prostitution to fund their drug habits had proved fatal.