News

Teen 'pregnancy pact' shocks U.S. city

A Massachusetts city is investigating an apparent teenage "pregnancy pact" that has at least 17 high-school girls expecting babies, four times more than last year, including many aged 16 or younger.

U.S. housing crisis brings Wall St. arrests

The U.S. housing crisis produced its first high-profile Wall Street arrests on Thursday, while the Bush administration called for broadening the Federal Reserve's powers over investment banks and said it has charged hundreds of people in a mortgage fraud probe.

EU defies U.S. and scraps Cuba sanctions

European Union states agreed on Thursday to scrap sanctions against Cuba in a move aimed at encouraging democratic reforms on the Communist island, officials said.

Police and protesters face off in Bangkok

Police grappled with protesters in Bangkok on Friday as thousands of demonstrators marched through the Thai capital in an attempt to force the five-month old government from power.

South African countries told to 're-double' efforts on Zimbabwe

In a joint letter, twelve senior British church leaders have called on the Southern African Development Community (SADC) to "redouble" its efforts to ensure fair elections in Zimbabwe, where people are due to vote on 27 June in a second round to elect a president.

Muslim creationist preaches Islam, awaits Christ

Harun Yahya is one of the most widely distributed authors in the Muslim world. He may also be among the most widely criticised Muslim authors in the Western world.

Retail sales sizzle in May sun

An early summer heatwave sent Britain on a shopping spree in May, driving retail sales up at the sharpest pace in more than two decades, boosting expectations the Bank of England will raise interest rates.

Tributes paid to dead soldiers

Tributes were paid on Thursday to the four British soldiers who died in a roadside explosion in southern Afghanistan, taking the death toll since 2001 to 106.

Big rise in abortions among under-age girls

The number of abortions among under 14s rose by more than a fifth last year, one of the biggest increases in terminations across all age groups, the government said on Thursday.

EU gives 127 million pounds in aid for UK floods

The European Commission said on Thursday it was granting 162 million euros (127 million pounds) of aid to Britain to help cover the costs of flooding last summer.

Four peacekeepers dead in Bosnia crash

Two Spanish pilots and two German officers of the European Union's peacekeeping force were killed when their helicopter crashed in central Bosnia on Thursday, authorities said.

Ex-Bear Stearns managers charged with fraud

Two former hedge fund managers at investment bank Bear Stearns defrauded investors by concealing problems that led to the $1.4 billion (710 million pound) collapse of funds linked to subprime lending, a federal indictment unsealed on Thursday charged.