Brazil eyeing public service quotas for blacks
President Dilma Rousseff wants to introduce public service quotas for black Brazilians as a way to repay a historic debt for centuries of slavery and discrimination.
17 October 2012
Cambodia's ex-king Norodom Sihanouk dies in Beijing
Cambodia's former king Norodom Sihanouk, whose life mirrored the turbulent history of his nation where he remained a revered figure, died in Beijing on Monday at the age of 89.
Austrian daredevil to make new space jump bid
An Austrian daredevil hopes to make a new record-breaking attempt Sunday to jump from the edge of space, days after his initial bid was aborted at the last minute due to gusting winds.
14 October 2012
Nobel for EU praised in European, not British, press
European newspapers on Saturday praised the decision to award this year's Nobel Peace prize to the EU, with the notable exception of the British press, most of which poured scorn on the decision.
13 October 2012
Ten years on, Bali remembers bomb dead
Hundreds of survivors and relatives of the dead on Friday paid tearful tributes to the 202 people killed in the Bali bombings 10 years ago, when Islamist extremists unleashed terror on partying tourists.
Munro, Murakami and Roth among Nobel literature favourites
With just hours to go before the Nobel Literature Prize laureate is announced in Stockholm, speculation has hit fever pitch with Canada's Alice Munro and Japan's Haruki Murakami often cited as possible winners.
11 October 2012
Freed Pussy Riot member vows more protests
A member of the anti-Kremlin punk band Pussy Riot freed unexpectedly from prison on Wednesday vowed defiantly hours later that the group's protest actions would continue.
11 October 2012
Austrian space diver no stranger to danger
Felix Baumgartner, the Austrian daredevil who had hoped to make history Tuesday with a jump from the edge of space, is no stranger to death-defying danger.
11 October 2012
Doctors to decide if Pakistani girl to go abroad
A team of senior Pakistani doctors flew to Peshawar on Wednesday to decide whether a 14-year-old child activist needs medical treatment abroad after she was shot in the head by the Talibanю
11 October 2012
Time for a woman to win Nobel Literature Prize, say pundits
Stockholm's literary circles are abuzz with speculation about this year's Nobel Literature Prize, and while it's notoriously difficult to predict the laureate, some experts are saying it's time for a woman.
10 October 2012
Gaga and Assange meet in London
US pop star Lady Gaga has visited WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange at London's Ecuadorian embassy, where he is currently seeking refuge.
10 October 2012
Pussy Riot, Panahi, Beliatsky on final Sakharov short list
Russian punk band Pussy Riot, Iran's film-maker Jafar Panahi and rights lawyer Nasrin Sotoudeh, and Belarus dissident Ales Beliatsky were put on a final shortlist for the European Parliament's Sakharov rights priz.
10 October 2012
Imran Khan: from cricket star to political kingmaker?
Imran Khan, Pakistan's cricket hero turned politician, failed to reach the tribal badlands on a much-hyped march but did succeed in lighting up the political stage once more.
10 October 2012
Don't forget us in Afghan transition, women plead
Afghan women activists are urging the global community to ensure hard-won progress in Afghanistan in the past decade is not lost amid fears that as US and NATO-led troops leave they will be forgotten.