World News

South Korean Army soldiers aim their weapons during a South Korea-U.S. military exercise in Seoul, South Korea, Wednesday, Aug. 20, 2008.

photo: AP / Ahn Young-joon

South Korea begins massive military drill
read more BBC News

South Korea has launched its biggest-ever anti-submarine exercises, the military says, despite warnings of retaliation from...

Italian premier Silvio Berlusconi is applauded during the debate prior to vote operations on a censure motion at the Italian lower chamber in Rome Wednesday, Aug. 4, 2010.

photo: AP / Alessandra Tarantino

Italy's Leader Prevails in Crucial Test Of Coalition
read more Wall Street Journal

By CHRISTINA PASSARIELLO And MARGHERITA STANCATI ROME—Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi prevailed in a critical parliamentary vote Wednesday that tested the strength of his dwindling ruling coalition, easing pressure on the leader until September. View Full Image Reuters Italy's Minister of Justice Angelino Alfano (left) gestures...

Abdullah Khadr, right, walks with his lawyers Dennis Edney, left, and Nate Whitling outside court in Toronto, Wednesday, Aug. 4, 2010.

photo: AP / Colin Perkel, The Canadaian Press

Canadian accused of buying weapons for al-Qaeda freed
read more BBC News

A Canadian accused by the US of supplying weapons to al-Qaeda has been freed in Toronto after a judge refused to extradite him to the US. Abdullah Khadr, 29, had been in jail since 2005, when...

A man looks at charred car standing in the middle of the charred chimneys, all what is left of the houses that were burned to the ground during a fire at the village of Peredeltsy in Ryazan region, some 180 km (111 miles) southeast of Moscow, Wednesday, Aug. 4, 2010.

photo: AP / Misha Japaridze

Medvedev sacks officers over Russia fire failures
read more Inquirer

MOSCOWRussian President Dmitry Medvedev on Wednesday sacked a string of officers over failures to stop wildfires that have killed 48 people as a new blaze raged close to a secret nuclear research facility. With the week-long crisis showing no sign of abating amid Russia's worst heatwave in decades, the emergencies ministry said hundreds of new...

The Development Driller III, which is drilling the primary relief well, and the Helix Q4000, background left, the vessel being used to perform the static kill operation, are seen at the site of the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill in Gulf of Mexico, off the coast of Louisiana, Tuesday, Aug. 3, 2010.

photo: AP / Gerald Herbert

Crush of Mud Finally Plugs BP's Well in the Gulf
read more ABC News

The Associated Press By GREG BLUESTEIN and TAMARA LUSH Associated Press Writers NEW ORLEANS August 5, 2010 (AP) The Development Driller III, which is drilling the primary relief well, and the Helix Q4000,... The Development Driller III, which is drilling the primary relief well, and the Helix Q4000, background left, the vessel being used to perform...

Kenyan election officials help a voter cast his vote at a poling station in the Rift Valley town of Naivasha, Kenya, Wednesday Aug. 4, 2010.

photo: AP / Jerome Delay

"Yes" voters take early lead in Kenya referendum
read more The Star

NAIROBI (Reuters) - Partial results showed two-thirds of Kenyans voted in favour of a new constitution on Wednesday in a peaceful poll that could reshape the politics of east Africa's largest economy after years of disputed, violent elections. Electoral officials sort out ballots before counting votes at a polling centre in Eldoret town, 300km west...

Stuart Gaffney, center, holds up a sign while celebrating the decision in the United States District Court proceedings challenging Proposition 8 outside of the Phillip Burton Federal Building in San Francisco, Wednesday, Aug. 4, 2010.

photo: AP / Eric Risberg

Judge overturns California gay marriage ban
read more The Times of India

LOS ANGELES: A federal judge overturned California's ban on same-sex marriage Wednesday, the latest twist in a legal saga which could have nationwide implications for the divisive social issue. In a written opinion, Judge Vaughn Walker ruled in favor of rights activists who argued that a November 2008 referendum which barred gays and lesbians from...

Kashmiri Muslims shout slogans during the funeral procession of Iqbal Ahmed Khan in Srinagar, India, Wednesday, Aug. 4, 2010.

photo: AP / Dar Yasin

Hurriyat hawk talks peace, raises hope in Kashmir
read more The Times of India

SRINAGAR: In a last-ditch attempt to break the cycle of violence in the Valley and save his beleaguered government, J&K; chief minister Omar Abdullah on Wednesday extended an olive branch to hardline separatist leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani. Geelani was released after one-and-a-half months in prison and the first thing he did was to address a press...

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, center, is surrounded by bodyguards as he arrives to address a public gathering,i n Hamedan about 204 miles (340 kilometers) southwest of the capital Tehran, Iran, Wednesday, Aug. 4, 2010.

photo: AP / ISNA, Saman Aghvami

Iranian President unhurt after blast near motorcade
read more The Independent

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad was unharmed by an attack with a homemade explosive device on his motorcade during a visit to the western city of Hamadan today, a source in his office said. The source said Ahmadinejad's convoy was targeted as he was travelling from Hamadan's airport to give a speech in a local sports arena. The president was...

Kenyans line up to cast their votes during the referendum for Kenya constitution in the Kibera slum, Nairobi, Kenya, Wednesday,Aug.4, 2010.

photo: AP / Khalil Senosi

Kenya votes amid tight security in referendum on new constitution
read more The Guardian

High turnout expected as country decides on laws that would increase ethnic rights and limit powers of the president Women from the Turkana tribe line up to vote on a constitutional referendum in Loyangalani, north-west Kenya Photograph: Sigfried Modola/AFP/Getty Images...