From pot to gay marriage, US voters have lots to decide
From legalizing marijuana and gay marriage to wiping outdated segregation laws off Alabama's state constitution, US voters have a lot more to decide next week than simply picking the next president.
US meningitis death toll rises to 28: official
Twenty-eight people have died from fungal meningitis they contracted after using suspected tainted steroid injections blamed for a growing national outbreak.
Myanmar minorities fight to save mother tongue
For half a century a single precious copy of a textbook kept the language of Myanmar's Shan people alive for students, forced to learn in the shadows under a repressive junta.
China protesters wary after chemical plant victory
Protesters who forced a Chinese city to halt a new chemical plant massed outside government offices Monday in a wary response to their victory, which highlighted the country's growing environmental activism.
New peace bids eyed after Syria truce collapses
Air raids, clashes and car bombings shook Syria on Sunday, killing nearly 100 people, monitors said, as world powers look to pick up the pieces of a failed bid to bring in a Muslim holiday ceasefire.
Israel turns back dozens of African migrants: HRW
Israel has turned back dozens of African asylum-seekers, mostly Eritreans, trying enter the country from Egypt, Human Rights Watch and two other NGOs said on Sunday.
UN says over 26,000 displaced by Myanmar unrest
Homeless people fled to packed camps or clustered near their charred houses in western Myanmar on Sunday, amid ongoing unrest that the UN said displaced 26,500 from mainly Muslim communities.
Obama campaign worries storm could impact turnout
President Barack Obama's jittery campaign voiced fears Sunday that Hurricane Sandy could hurt his re-election chances by reducing turnout, as the storm forced both candidates to cancel campaign stops.
India tries handing out cash to help teeming poor
Uddal Singh, a retired army sergeant, is part of an experiment trying out radical changes to the Indian welfare system that the government plans to adopt nation-wide.
Washington: Seat of power, but without a vote
Eleanor Holmes Norton pounds her fist in frustration over her role as a non-voting member of the US Congress. She has endured this second-class status for 20 years.
Maya demand an end to doomsday myth
Guatemala's Mayan people accused the government and tour groups on Wednesday of perpetuating the myth that their calendar foresees the imminent end of the world for monetary gain.
Thousands protest at parliament in Madrid
Thousands of Spaniards massed near parliament in Madrid Tuesday yelling in anger at government austerity cuts that they say are punishing the poor.
Hurricane Sandy set to strengthen on path to Cuba
Hurricane Sandy was expected to strengthen as it careened towards Cuba early Thursday after battering Jamaica, where it downed power lines and forced more than a thousand people to seek emergency shelter.
'There'll be no Eid in Syria.' Bleak holiday in Aleppo
Like many Syrians living on the frontline of the war, Abu Hamid is not slaughtering a sheep this year and not celebrating Eid al-Adha. The only thing he's worried about is staying alive.
Singapore may bin phone books over privacy fears
Singapore is considering stopping the publication of free telephone directories listing residential and office numbers as privacy concerns mount.
Canadians' well-being down as economy grows: study
Quality of life for Canadians has dropped significantly since the last recession in 2008, even though indicators show a rebound in the economy, said a study published Tuesday.
US probes deaths for possible energy drink links
The US Food and Drug Administration is investigating five deaths and a heart attack for possible links to consumption of Monster Energy drinks, an agency spokeswoman.
Japan's radiation monitoring unreliable: Greenpeace
Government radiation monitoring in areas near Japan's crippled Fukushima nuclear plant is unreliable, Greenpeace charged on Tuesday, with heavily populated areas exposed to 13 times the legal limit.
Merkel to open Berlin Holocaust memorial for Roma
German Chancellor Angela Merkel will inaugurate a memorial to murdered Roma and Sinti victims of the Nazis on Wednesday, as Europe's largest minority grapples with ongoing discrimination.
The man on a mission to debunk Obama 'myth'
He did nothing for African-Americans, left the poor even poorer, his health care reform was a step backwards, and he may yet let another financial disaster erupt on his watch.