The confessed killer of six-year-old Etan Patz, whose disappearance exactly 33 years ago sparked New York's biggest modern crime mystery, was charged Friday with murder -- but his lawyer questioned whether he is mentally capable to face prosecution. More »Confessed killer of New York boy charged with murder
However much David Cameron may swat at the Balls bluebottle, he will never be able to squash the superbly annoying shadow chancellor. Ed Balls is not supposed to play a big part in prime minister's questions. This session is supposed … Continue reading More »Ed ‘muttering idiot’ Balls is superbly annoying
VIENNA (Reuters) - United Nations nuclear inspectors have found uranium particles refined to a higher-than-expected level at an underground site where Iran has installed more than 50 percent more enrichment centrifuges, a U.N. watchdog report said on Friday. It said Tehran had told the U.N. agency that the presence of traces of highly refined uranium - still well below potential nuclear weapons-grade material - "may happen for technical reasons beyond the operator's control". ... More »U.N. inspectors find high-grade uranium traces in Iran
BERLIN (Reuters) - British Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg said on Thursday that data showing Britain's economy shrank more than expected in the first quarter underlined the need to accelerate efforts to free up investment and credit. Britain's economy, in its second recession since the 2007-08 financial crisis, contracted by 0.3 percent between January and March, Thursday's data showed, following a slump in construction output. "The revision of the growth figures for the first quarter was very disappointing," Clegg said during a visit to Berlin. ... More »Clegg says time to shift economy up a gear
BUDAPEST (Reuters) - Evidence from FIFA's medical experts on why the ban on Muslim women footballers wearing the Islamic headscarf or hijab should remain in place was deeply flawed and had no foundation, the campaign's principal supporter said on Friday. More »Prince Ali stunned by FIFA experts' hijab knock back
Egypt is heading for a divisive run-off vote in its landmark presidential election, with the two most controversial candidates leading the race. More »Egypt Elections: Controversial Candidates Ahead
VIENNA (Reuters) - Iran has raised its potential capacity to make sensitive nuclear material by installing hundreds more uranium enrichment machines at an underground site, a U.N. watchdog report said, a day after world powers failed to convince Tehran to halt such activity. The International Atomic Energy Agency also said on Friday satellite images show "extensive activities" at the Parchin military complex which inspectors want to check over suspicions that nuclear weapons-relevant research was done there. ... More »Iran boosting sensitive nuclear capacity - IAEA
Hospital patients will be invited to rate the treatment they receive and say whether they would recommend it to their loved ones, Prime Minister David Cameron will announce on Friday. More »Patients to rate care in 'family and friends test'
BAGHDAD (Reuters) - Iran's insistence that world powers acknowledge what it sees as its right to enrich uranium emerged as a significant difference in international talks on its nuclear energy programme this week, a senior U.S. administration official said. Speaking after two days of discussions between Iran and six world powers aimed at trying to defuse fears of a covert Iranian effort to develop nuclear bombs, the official added that looming additional sanctions were likely to raise pressure on Iran to seek an agreement ahead of a further round of talks in mid-June. ... More »U.S. set against recognising Iranian right to enrich
Scottish nationalists launched an official 'yes' campaign for independence on Friday ahead of a likely 2014 referendum on severing the more than 300-year-old union with England. More »Scottish nationalists launch 'Yes' vote campaign
A Pakistani surgeon recruited by the CIA to help find Osama bin Laden was Wednesday sentenced to 33 years in prison for treason, sparking a warning from US senators over American aid. More »Pakistani jailed for 33 years over bin Laden hunt
BAKU (Reuters) - Swedish Eurovision Song Contest favourite Loreen strayed off script into a human rights row in Azerbaijan this week that has drowned out an annual European music show best known until now for its camp costumes and kitschy acts. Loreen met with activists who accuse the government of Eurovision host Azerbaijan of human rights violations, some of which are related to the building of the arena where the song contest final will be held on Saturday night. "Human rights are violated in Azerbaijan every day. ... More »Swedish Eurovision star strays into Azeri rights row
President Francois Hollande on Friday defended France's imminent exit from Afghanistan, saying 2,000 combat troops will leave in a coordinated withdrawal this year but vowing not to abandon the country. More »Hollande defends French exit in Afghanistan
(Reuters) - Central banks and companies risk making a grave error if they do not brace for a possible Greek exit from the euro zone, Belgium's foreign minister said on Friday, rattling markets already alarmed by Spain's deteriorating finances. Greek elections are scheduled for June 17 and could hasten the country's departure from the currency club should a government intent on ripping up the country's bailout programme result. Contrasting findings of opinion polls on Friday showed the outcome is too tight to call. ... More »Spain region, Greek exit warnings rattle euro zone
Beijing's public toilets must not exceed two flies, according to new standards handed down by zealous officials striving to clean up China's notoriously filthy loos. More »Two-fly rule for Beijing toilets
David Cameron has defended his style of leadership after a new biography of the Prime Minister claimed he often “chillaxes” at the weekend with a number of social activities. More »David Cameron “chillaxing” and five other leaders who enjoyed the good life while in power
The World Health Organization announced on Friday it was set to approve a new target to reduce premature deaths from chronic illnesses such as heart disease by a quarter by 2025. More »WHO target to cut early chronic illness deaths
BEIJING (Reuters) - China hit back on Friday at the U.S. State Department's annual survey of human rights, saying that only the Chinese people could pass judgement on what the Foreign Ministry said were the country's obvious achievements in the area. Asked about criticism of China in the report, Foreign Ministry spokesman Hong Lei condemned it for being prejudiced. "The United States State Department's annual report on human rights maligns other countries, and the content concerning China ignores the facts and is filled will prejudice, confusing black and white," he told a daily news briefing. ... More »China hits back at critical U.S. human rights report
Judges narrowly acquitted Socrates, the philosopher whose teachings earned him a death sentence in ancient Athens, in a retrial Friday billed as a lesson for modern times of revolution and crisis. More »Socrates acquitted in ancient trial re-run
KABUL (Reuters) - French President Francois Hollande made an unannounced trip to Afghanistan on Friday to visit some of the French troops he wants to pull out later this year, defending his plan for their early exit after meeting his Afghan counterpart Hamid Karzai. Hollande was strongly criticised at a NATO summit last weekend for accelerating France's withdrawal of its roughly 3,400 troops in Afghanistan to the end of this year, two years ahead of the timetable agreed by the alliance. ... More »France's Hollande defends early Afghan pullout