News
Irish woman seeks 'husband' for 120 litres of beer
Julia Galvin came to Finland looking for a man that would carry her 120 kg over a 253-metres track - the incentive being the chance to win the wife-carrying world title and beer worth her body weight.
Israel to reopen Gaza border crossings
Israel was reopening some border crossings with Gaza on Sunday, an official said, after it closed them on Thursday following the launch of a rocket into the Jewish state by Palestinian militants.
Mbeki holds crisis talks with Mugabe
South African President Thabo Mbeki met Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe on Saturday to try to help end a political crisis after a violent election that extended Mugabe's 28-year rule.
Colombia foils bomb plot after rescue
Colombia found explosives set to be used in bombs across the capital in reprisal for this week's rescue of leftist rebels' highest-profile hostages, including Ingrid Betancourt, military officials said on Saturday.
No quick end in sight to Mongolia political turmoil
Private television was back on the air, alcohol on sale and restaurants open after the end of Mongolia's emergency rule, but a week after a disputed election the country's political problems were still far from resolved.
Retired California clergy rebuked over same-sex couples vow
News of the offer from more than 80 retired northern California clergy in the United Methodist Church to perform same-sex "marriages" has riled conservative Christians who say such an action is "silly" and merely a move towards "the latest fad".
Dissident patriarch of Vietnam Buddhist group dies
The patriarch of a Vietnamese Buddhist group that has peacefully campaigned against successive governments and Communist Party controls on religion, died in his monastery at the age of 87 on Saturday, the organisation said.
Babies' deaths cast shadow on Egypt's health care
The video shows a poorly lit hospital nursery filled with premature babies in incubators. Doctors are frantically trying to resuscitate some babies while others wail in the background after a night-time power cut.
Mexico plants 8 million trees in latest green project
Mexicans went out and planted more than 8 million trees across the country on Saturday as part of a government push to shed its reputation for environmental mismanagement and rampant illegal logging.
S.Africa's Mbeki meets with Mugabe
South African President Thabo Mbeki met Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe on Saturday to try to help end a political crisis.
Police arrest man in French double murder
Police arrested a man on Saturday in connection with the macabre murder of two French students who were bound and stabbed repeatedly in a case which has shocked the city.
Russian opposition activist granted British asylum
The leader of a Russian youth opposition group has been granted political asylum by Britain, the group said.
Anti-gay violence mars Hungarian parade
Hungarian riot police used water cannon and tear gas on Saturday to stop far-right extremists from throwing petrol bombs and breaking up the annual gay parade in the capital Budapest.
G8 gathers for diplomacy amid result doubts
Leaders of the Group of Eight rich nations meet this week in northern Japan to grapple with a raft of problems from soaring food and fuel prices to African poverty and global warming amid doubts about how much the annual diplomatic pageant can achieve.
Pensioners bear brunt of inflation
Pensioners have seen the average cost of living soar by more than a third during the past 10 years, research showed on Saturday.
Child trust fund rates drop despite savings war
Rates on cash child trust fund (CTF) accounts have fallen, despite the credit crunch stoking a war in the cash savings market.