Pope visits Italy refugee island
Pope Francis arrived on the tiny Italian island of Lampedusa, a key destination of tens of thousands of would-be immigrants from Africa, in a visit the Vatican hopes will raise awareness of their plight.
Art collector Saatchi divorcing TV chef wife after row
British art collector Charles Saatchi told a newspaper on Sunday that he is divorcing his wife, celebrity chef Nigella Lawson, following an incident in which he grabbed her by the neck outside a London restaurant.
Israelis pessimistic over talks with Palestinians: poll
Nearly three quarters of Israelis think it will not be possible to reach a peace agreement with the Palestinians even if stalled peace talks resume.
H1N1 flu outbreak in northern Chile kills 11
At least 11 people have been killed in an outbreak of H1N1 flu virus in northern Chile, where the rate of infection is more than six times higher than the rest of the country.
'Cousin marriage' doubles gene risk for babies: study
First cousins who marry run twice the risk of having a child with genetic abnormalities, according to the findings of a study in the English city of Bradford, published Friday in The Lancet.
Scramble to reach Indonesia quake survivors as toll hits 22
Rescuers battled Wednesday to reach survivors from an earthquake in Indonesia's Aceh province that has killed at least 22 people.
Iraq attacks kill 41 as unrest surges
Attacks north of Baghdad left 41 dead on Monday as the UN said more than 2,500 were killed in the past three months, highlighting concerns that Iraq is slipping back into all-out war.
Halving world hunger by 2015 'within reach': UN
Despite economic crises and dwindling aid, the UN said Monday huge progress had been made towards meeting the so-called Millennium Development Goals.
Lithium greatly reduces suicide risk: study
The mood-stabilising drug lithium reduces suicide risk by more than 60 percent among people with depression.
US Senate passes comprehensive immigration reform
In a vote hailed by US President Barack Obama, the Senate on Thursday passed comprehensive immigration reform that would put 11 million undocumented people on a path to earning citizenship.
More than 2mn Tibetans rehoused, relocated: rights group
More than two million Tibetans in China have been forced to change homes or relocate in a government-sponsored programme that is damaging their traditional culture and rural lifestyle.
Gene clues show which children will grow out of asthma
A gene scorecard may one day help predict which youngsters are likely to grow out of childhood asthma and which will have the disease in adulthood.
Pricey but worth it: Cubans finally surf the Web
Cuban teacher Nancy Garcia would love to surf the Web at home. But since that is restricted in this communist country, she now logs on from new hotspots -- at a price few can afford.
Rowhani election creates surge of hope in Iran
The election of moderate Hassan Rowhani as Iran's next president has sent a surge of expectation through a nation anxious.
Tableware colour influences food flavour, study
British hospitals use red trays in a programme to combat malnutrition, but may have chosen the worst possible colour.
In US, Asian immigrants better off than whites: study
Asian immigrants tend to live in highly segregated enclaves in the United States and their income level is often higher than that of white Americans.
US Supreme Court steps back into abortion battle
After refusing a string of cases dealing with the hot-button issue of abortion, the US Supreme Court waded back into the fray on Monday by accepting a case dealing with protests at clinics.
More protests as Brazilian street speaks
A new wave of street protests swept Brazil on Sunday amid mounting popular support for demands for wide-ranging institutional reform and investment in crumbling public services.
Rousseff says Brazil can do better, slams violence
Embattled president Dilma Rousseff admitted in a televised address that Brazil can do better and pledged to do more to fight corruption.
Rebels barring access to Sudan conflict zones: UN
Rebels battling government forces in two southern states in Sudan are holding up relief and medical supplies into areas they control.