Reports that Nelson Mandela has been discharged from hospital are incorrect, South Africa’s presidency says. News outlets earlier quoted sources close to the former South African president as saying he had returned home. The presidency said in a statement that Nelson Mandela was critical but stable, but at times his condition became unstable, prompting medical… Continue reading Nelson Mandela is still in hospital
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Pope Francis appoints Archbishop Pietro Parolin as new secretary of state
Pope Francis has appointed Archbishop Pietro Parolin as new secretary of state. The move is seen as the Pope’s most significant appointment since he became leader of the Catholic Church in March. Archbishop Pietro Parolin, a 58-year-old Vatican diplomat, replaced Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone, 79, who is retiring. Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone, appointed by Francis’ predecessor Pope… Continue reading Pope Francis appoints Archbishop Pietro Parolin as new secretary of state
US spying “black budget” detailed in Edward Snowden’s documents
The files disclosed by leaker Edward Snowden to the Washington Post revealed the multi-billion dollar “black budget” used by US intelligence. The CIA’s budget is the most expensive, $14.7 billion out of $52.6 billion in total for 16 intelligence agencies, according to the files. Two of those agencies are also actively hacking into foreign computer… Continue reading US spying “black budget” detailed in Edward Snowden’s documents
Syria intervention: UN chemical weapons inspectors leave Damascus
UN experts arrive in The Netherlands after finishing gathering evidence of alleged gas attack in Damascus suburbs. They have left Syria having completed four days of site visits and evidence-gathering. The experts arrived in the Netherlands on Saturday afternoon, after travelling from Damascus to Beirut earlier in the day. The inspectors are seeking to determine what exactly… Continue reading Syria intervention: UN chemical weapons inspectors leave Damascus
John Kerry: Syrian forces killed 1,429 people in Damascus chemical weapons attack
Syrian government forces killed 1,429 people in a chemical weapons attack in Damascus last week, said US Secretary of State John Kerry. John Kerry said the dead included 426 children, and described the attack as an “inconceivable horror”. The US is pushing for intervention to stop the Syrian government from using chemical weapons. The government… Continue reading John Kerry: Syrian forces killed 1,429 people in Damascus chemical weapons attack
Colombian troops deployed in Bogota following violent protests
Colombia has decided to deploy troops in the capital, Bogota, following violent protests in support of a strike by small-scale farmers. Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos said the troops were needed “to assure normality”. Clashes with police broke out after thousands of people took to the streets in support of the farmers. At least two… Continue reading Colombian troops deployed in Bogota following violent protests
Syria intervention: France backs US action
President Francois Hollande has announced that France is still ready to take action in Syria alongside the US, despite UK MPs blocking British involvement. Francois Hollande said a military strike within days could not be ruled out. US Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel said after the UK vote that Washington would continue to seek a coalition.… Continue reading Syria intervention: France backs US action
India’s economy shows continuing slowdown
According to Indian government’s latest figures, the country’s economy continues to slowdown in Q2 2013. For the April-to-June quarter, India’s economy grew at a rate of 4.4%, compared with the same period in the previous year. It was a weaker performance than most economists had been expecting and was a slowdown from the first three… Continue reading India’s economy shows continuing slowdown
Burning Man Festival 2013: Nearly 70,000 people descend in Black Rock Desert in Nevada
Burning Man Festival, the annual art, music and everything-else event, currently taking place in the Black Rock Desert in Nevada, is the most popular ever than more people already on-site than attended the entire event last year. The largest outdoor arts festival in North America is in its 27th year, with as many as 68,000… Continue reading Burning Man Festival 2013: Nearly 70,000 people descend in Black Rock Desert in Nevada
British Parliament votes against Syria strike
The British Parliament vote against military strikes in Syria is a tough blow to PM David Cameron’s domestic political fortunes. Since taking office in 2010, David Cameron has on numerous occasions been undercut not just from opposition parties, but also from rebel elements within both his own Conservative Party and the Liberal Democrats, the junior… Continue reading British Parliament votes against Syria strike
US economic growth above estimates in Q2 2013
The US economy grew at an annualized pace of 2.5% in Q2 2013, the Commerce Department said in revised figures. That was more than double the pace recorded in the previous three months, and above estimates of 2.2%. The rise, helped by an increase in exports, is a further sign that the economy may be… Continue reading US economic growth above estimates in Q2 2013
Fast-food workers on strike across US
US fast-food workers are on strike, union leaders say, in what could be one of the industry’s biggest walkouts. Workers want to be paid $15 an hour, double the rate for many employees at fast-food chains. In New York City, about 300 protesters flooded into a McDonald’s near the Empire State Building. The strike comes… Continue reading Fast-food workers on strike across US
Syria intervention: Barack Obama has not yet decided on strike
President Barack Obama has said he has not yet decided on Syria strike. However, the president said he had concluded Syrian government forces were behind a recent chemical weapons attack near Damascus. Speaking on US television, Barack Obama said the use of chemical weapons affected US national interests and that sending a “shot across the… Continue reading Syria intervention: Barack Obama has not yet decided on strike
Vodafone and Verizon in talks over US stake sale
Vodafone has confirmed it is in talks with Verizon Communications over the sale of its 45% stake in their joint venture, Verizon Wireless. Reports earlier this year suggested that Verizon was looking to buy Vodafone’s stake in Verizon Wireless for about $100 billion. However, there has also been speculation that the stake is worth more… Continue reading Vodafone and Verizon in talks over US stake sale
Panama: North Korea ship to Cuba violated UN embargo
Panama announces an undeclared Cuban weapons cargo found on a North Korean ship is an “undoubted violation” of the UN’ arms embargo on Pyongyang. A draft report by UN experts sent to Panama after the seizure of the ship in July confirmed a breach of sanctions, the ministry of public security said. Two North Korean… Continue reading Panama: North Korea ship to Cuba violated UN embargo
Life started on Mars before arriving on Earth
A new research presented at the Goldschmidt Meeting in Florence, Italy, say that life may have started on Mars before arriving on Earth. The research supports an idea that the Red Planet was a better place to kick-start biology billions of years ago than the early Earth was. The evidence is based on how the… Continue reading Life started on Mars before arriving on Earth
Nidal Hasan sentenced to death by lethal injection for Fort Hood rampage
Former US Army psychiatrist Major Nidal Hasan has been sentenced to die by lethal injection for killing 13 soldiers at Texas Army base Fort Hood, a military jury has decided. Nidal Hasan, 42, was convicted last week of the 2009 shooting at Fort Hood, in which 32 others were also injured. The defendant had tried… Continue reading Nidal Hasan sentenced to death by lethal injection for Fort Hood rampage
Martin Luther King “I have a dream” speech 50th anniversary
America is commemorating the 50th anniversary of the March for Jobs and Freedom, the civil rights rally at which Martin Luther King Jr. made his “I have a dream” speech. President Barack Obama is to mark the occasion in Washington DC with an address from the same spot. Members of the King family and veterans… Continue reading Martin Luther King “I have a dream” speech 50th anniversary
Nidal Hasan trial: Fort Hood gunman makes no plea on death penalty
Nidal Hasan, the US Army psychiatrist who shot dead 13 people at Texas Army base Fort Hood, has declined to make a statement as jurors begin considering his sentence. Major Nidal Hasan, 42, faces the death penalty after being found guilty of the attack at Fort Hood Army base in 2009. He is defending himself… Continue reading Nidal Hasan trial: Fort Hood gunman makes no plea on death penalty
Joe Biden: No doubt Syrian government used chemical weapons
Vice-President Joe Biden has said the US has “no doubt” that the Syrian government has used chemical weapons and that it must be held accountable. The US has said its military is ready to launch strikes if President Barack Obama order an attack, and allies say they too are ready to act. The Syrian government… Continue reading Joe Biden: No doubt Syrian government used chemical weapons
New Zealand: Fonterra dairy products free of botulism
New Zealand has announced that Fonterra dairy products at the centre of a global contamination scare did not contain botulism-causing bacteria. The scare had triggered a recall and import bans from some countries. However, the Ministry for Primary Industries said that tests indicated the presence of a different type of bacteria that does not cause… Continue reading New Zealand: Fonterra dairy products free of botulism
Kenneth Bae case: US envoy sent to North Korea to seek his release
The US has decided to send a senior official to North Korea to request the release of American citizen Kenneth Bae jailed in the communist state. Robert King, the US special envoy for North Korean rights, will arrive in Pyongyang on Friday, the state department said. He will request a pardon and amnesty for Kenneth… Continue reading Kenneth Bae case: US envoy sent to North Korea to seek his release
Facebook details government requests in 2013
According to a newly released Facebook report, governments around the world requested information on about 38,000 of the social network users in the first six months of 2013. Facebook’s Global Government Requests Report, released on Tuesday for the first time, offers details on official requests from 74 countries. The US made by far the most… Continue reading Facebook details government requests in 2013
Syria intervention: US ready to launch strike
The US forces are “ready” to launch strikes on Syria if President Barack Obama chooses to order an attack, Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel announces. “We have moved assets in place to be able to fulfill and comply with whatever option the president wishes to take,” said Chuck Hagel. US Secretary of State John Kerry has… Continue reading Syria intervention: US ready to launch strike
Facebook pays $20 million to compensate users in Sponsored Stories case
Facebook will have to pay $15 for each of the nearly 614,000 users whose personal details appeared in ads on the site without their permission. The names and pictures of an estimated 150 million Facebook members were used in Sponsored Stories, but only those who responded to an email from the site earlier this year… Continue reading Facebook pays $20 million to compensate users in Sponsored Stories case