Arizona governor limits immigrant benefits On the day undocumented migrants lined up across the US to apply for deportation deferrals, Arizona's governor ordered state agencies to deny them driver's licenses and other benefits.
20 August 2012
Climate change driving Australian fish south: report Australian scientists said Friday there was now "striking evidence" of extensive southward migration of tropical fish and declines in other species due to climate change, in a major ocean report card.
'Expendables 2' guns to top of N. America box office All-star action romp "The Expendables 2" opened on top at the North American box office this week, pushing another sequel, "The Bourne Legacy," off the summit.
20 August 2012
Feasts and fireworks as Muslims in Asia mark Eid Millions of Muslims across Asia began celebrating the Eid al-Fitr holiday on Sunday, with a month of fasting giving way to feasting, family reunions and raucous festivities.
US army judge declines Fort Hood shooter's guilty plea A US soldier accused of killing 13 people at a Texas army base on Wednesday tried to plead guilty, but the judge refused to accept it and the trial was unexpectedly adjourned until next week.
20 August 2012
'Tumour' of Israel will soon be destroyed: Ahmadinejad Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad told an annual anti-Israel protest in Tehran on Friday that the Jewish state was a "cancerous tumour" that will soon be excised, drawing Western rebukes.
19 August 2012
Limbless Frenchman swims between US, Russian islands Quadruple amputee Philippe Croizon swam between islands in the icy Bering Strait Friday to cross from America to Asia in the final part of a quest to link all continents.
19 August 2012
New spider family found in US caves A team of amateur cave explorers and arachnologists has found a new family of spiders in caves and old-growth redwood forests in Oregon and California.
19 August 2012
US men prefer beer, women love wine US men like to drink beer, though wine is the beverage of choice for women and older adults, a poll showed Friday.
19 August 2012
Five killed in Pakistan suicide bombing: official A suicide bomber blew up his explosive-laden car at a check post in southwestern Pakistan overnight killing five people including three soldiers, an official said Saturday.
19 August 2012
Japan should fortify islets defence: senior politician Japan should strengthen its coast guard to defend disputed islands, the ruling party policy chief said Saturday, a day after Tokyo deported pro-Beijing activists who had sailed there.
19 August 2012
Syria pounds rebel bastions as UN names new envoy Syrian forces launched new air strikes and shelled rebel strongholds in several key cities on Saturday, a watchdog said, after the UN named a new envoy to try to end the conflict.
19 August 2012
Australia 'preparing' for Assange extradition to US Australia confirmed Saturday that its diplomatic post in Washington had been preparing for Julian Assange's possible extradition to the US but played it down as "contingency planning".
19 August 2012
PHOTO: Miss China crowned Miss World 2012, in China Miss China won the coveted title of Miss World on Saturday, triumphing on home soil during a glitzy final held in a mining city on the edge of the Gobi desert.
Arrests, breasts, chainsaws: Punk world backs Pussy Riot A topless Ukrainian feminist felled a cross with a chainsaw, balaclava-clad New Yorkers braved arrest to picket an Orthodox church and Bulgarian punks re-decorated a war memorial.
18 August 2012
Brahimi to become new Syria conflict envoy Lakhdar Brahimi, a veteran diplomat troubleshooter, will take over from Kofi Annan as the international envoy on the Syria conflict.