Standard Chartered fined $340m over Iran deals Standard Chartered on Tuesday settled allegations that it helped Iranian clients dodge US sanctions, announcing a fine of $340 million from a New York banking watchdog.
17 August 2012
Brazil court orders work on Amazon dam suspended A federal court in Brazil on Tuesday ordered that work on the huge Belo Monte dam in the Amazon be suspended, saying native communities affected by the controversial hydroelectric project must be heard.
India to launch Mars mission: PM India plans to launch a space probe that will orbit Mars, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh confirmed on Wednesday after press reports that the mission was scheduled to begin late next year.
British media did not apologize to VinokourovBritish media still has not apologized to Aleksandre Vinokourov for calling him a “Nowhere Man” after his victory in the race at the London Olympics.
17 August 2012
Pussy Riot punks face harshest female jail possible If a Moscow judge sends the three young Pussy Riot punk rockers to a corrective labour facility on Friday, they could face the harshest conditions possible for jailed women.
Australia passes law to send boatpeople offshore Australia's parliament has passed a law allowing it to transfer asylum-seekers arriving by boat to other countries, despite objections that refugees could be held indefinitely in remote camps.
17 August 2012
Addiction to heroin can be blocked: research Addiction to morphine and heroin can be blocked, according to research released Wednesday which could prove a major breakthrough in treating addicts and in pain relief treatments.
17 August 2012
Ecuador grants Assange asylum in confrontation with Britain Ecuador granted political asylum to WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange on Thursday, setting up a diplomatic confrontation with Britain, which angrily insisted it would extradite him to Sweden.
17 August 2012
US hails OIC for suspending Syria The US commended Muslim states for suspending Syria's membership in the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, saying it sent a "strong message" to President Bashar al-Assad's regime.
17 August 2012
Relief as storm leaves Philippines Tropical Storm Kai-tak blew out of the Philippines on Thursday, offering some relief for millions of people struggling to recover from a brutal few weeks of monsoon rains that claimed 109 lives.
Asylum-seekers 'force' Singapore ship to Australia A boatload of asylum-seekers picked up by a Singaporean merchant vessel after a distress call were Thursday accused of acting like pirates after forcing the captain to take them to Australia.
16 August 2012
US migrants sign up to Obama deportation deferral Long lines of undocumented immigrants sprang up across the US on Wednesday as thousands took advantage of President Barack Obama's decision to grant many of them temporary residency.
16 August 2012
Eurozone fears shadow Merkel's arrival in Canada German leader Angela Merkel held talks Wednesday with her Canadian counterpart on a first-ever bilateral visit shadowed by eurozone fears and Ottawa's refusal to wade into relief efforts.