News
Charities tell G8 not to turn backs on Africa
Charities warn Group of Eight nations not to renege on their commitments to Africa as they meet for the G8 Summit in Japan on Monday.
China Olympic city battles 'invading' algae
In China's Olympic co-host city Qingdao, sea breezes that usually bring relief from baking summer temperatures now bring a cloying stench from a massive algae bloom that locals fear will harm the city's bucolic image during the Games.
Police arrest five in knife killing of 16 year old
Police said on Sunday they had arrested four young males and one girl in connection with the knife killing last week of a 16-year-old boy on a street in south London.
Brown vows no return to strong union past
Prime Minister Gordon Brown pledged on Monday to resist calls for greater union rights, saying full employment would be achieved with a flexible workforce rather than by strikes.
Car bomb hits India Embassy in Kabul
A suicide car bomb hit two diplomatic vehicles entering the Indian Embassy in Kabul on Monday, killing or wounding at least 30 people, witnesses and Afghan media said.
Report calls for new look at biofuels
A British government report on food policy to be published on Monday says the link between demand for biofuels and rising world food prices needs to be more closely examined.
Persimmon cuts 1,000 jobs
House builder Persimmon will confirm on Tuesday that it has made around 1,000 staff redundant, the Telegraph reported on Monday, without citing sources.
Israel to exhume Hezbollah bodies for prisoner swap
Israel will begin exhuming bodies of Hezbollah fighters on Monday ahead of a planned swap with the Lebanese guerrilla group, which is holding two soldiers, an Israeli military spokesman said.
Britons unwilling to relinquish holiday despite credit crunch
Britons would rather spend less on everyday luxuries than deny themselves an annual holiday, despite the credit crunch, fear of negative housing equity and rising food and fuel costs, a survey shows.
Iranian minister optimistic about EU talks
Iran's foreign minister on Sunday expressed optimism about what he said was a "new environment" for talks with major powers over its nuclear program.
Pension funds move from equities to bonds
Almost half of final salary pension funds have moved assets from equities to bonds in the past year, as they respond to market volatility and aim to match assets more closely with liabilities, figures show.
China presses Dalai Lama ahead of Games
China's stance on future talks with envoys of the Dalai Lama rests on how he answers demands not to disrupt next month's Beijing Olympics, an official said, highlighting intense anxieties about the Games.
Technology reshapes America's classrooms
From online courses to kid-friendly laptops and virtual teachers, technology is spreading in America's classrooms, reducing the need for textbooks, notepads, paper and in some cases even the schools themselves.
Toyota to add solar panels to some Prius hybrids
Toyota Motor Corp plans to install solar panels on some Prius hybrids in its next remodeling, responding to growing demand for "green" cars amid record-high oil prices, a source briefed on the matter said on Monday.
Australia could delay emissions trade beyond 2010
Australia's government said on Monday it could delay introduction of a planned emissions trading system expected to boost fuel and power prices, as polls showed its record recent popularity slipping.
Climate change may cut South Africa corn crop sharply
Climate change could cut South Africa's maize crop by 20 percent within 15 to 20 years as the west of the country dries out while the east is afflicted with increasingly severe storms, its environment minister said on Sunday.