US Republicans oppose gay marriage, in Hollywood
US Republicans reaffirmed their opposition to gay marriage Friday, as they closed a three-day meeting vowing to reach out to liberals, symbolically in the lion's den of liberal Hollywood.
14 April 2013
Uruguay approves same-sex marriage
Uruguay's legislature voted Wednesday to allow same-sex marriages nationwide, making it only the second Latin American country to do so.
12 April 2013
US senators reach deal on gun-sale background checks
Senators struck a hard-fought compromise Wednesday that could expand US background checks to all commercial firearms sales, which may result in the most ambitious change to gun laws since 1994.
11 April 2013
Obama slams Republicans for gun reform 'stunts'
President Barack Obama accused Republicans of stooping to political stunts Monday to block gun reform, in a fervent appeal delivered close to the site of the Newtown school massacre.
Connecticut senate backs toughest US gun law
Senate legislators in Connecticut, where a gunman massacred 20 small children and six adults in December, passed the toughest US law on owning military-style rifles.
UN adopts global treaty on weapons trade
The UN General Assembly on Tuesday passed the first treaty regulating the conventional arms trade in an attempt to bring transparency and protection of human rights to the often murky industry.
03 April 2013
Retirement reform picking up in Kazakhstan
A special attention is given to employees working in tough and hazardous conditions; their employers will allocated extra 5% into their pension funds.
02 April 2013
US visa day sparks new debate on tech workers
As the US government opened up visa applications Monday for highly skilled immigrants, debate flared anew on the tech sector's demands to be able to hire more foreign workers.
02 April 2013
US criticizes EU restrictions on wine labels
The United States on Monday criticized the European Union's restrictions on wine labeling, saying they hinder US wine exports to the 27-nation bloc.
02 April 2013
UN General Assembly set to adopt arms treaty
The UN General Assembly is expected to adopt the first global treaty on the conventional arms trade Tuesday after the 193 member states failed to reach consensus on it last week.
02 April 2013
Kazakhstan bans smoking shisha in public places
Kazakhstan Healthcare Ministry introduced a ban on smoking shisha in public places, including night clubs, restaurants, cinemas and any indoor public entertainment facilities on March 14, 2013.
01 April 2013
China 'two-child policy' town shows scope for reform
A few places in China give parents a rare right to have two offspring rather than one, but many stop at a single child anyway -- fuelling demands to end what critics call an unnecessary, harmful rule.