Soldier beheaded in shocking London street attack

Zimbabwe cops detained for attending PM party rally

May 22 | HARARE, May 22 - Zimbabwe's police force have detained three of its officers for attending a rally of Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai's party, a rights group said Wednesday. An internal police court sentenced Courage Manyengavana, Marshall Zindoga and Lovemore Mupedzapasi to 14 days detention for "acting in a manner which brought disrespect to the...

More English at French universities? The debate begins

May 22 | PARIS, May 22 - France's lower house will start debating a proposal on Wednesday to introduce more courses in English at universities, amid a storm of controversy in a nation fiercely protective of its identity. The measure, which would also introduce lessons in other languages as part of a wider bill on higher education reform, aims to increase the...

Ugandan police arrest sellers of shut newspaper

May 22 | KAMPALA, May 22 - Ugandan police on Wednesday arrested sellers of one of two newspapers they shut down earlier this week, but which had managed to still publish black market copies. Police continued for a third day to search the offices of The Daily Monitor and Red Pepper - which they had shut down on Monday - after the papers reported a falling out...

Japan hospital tests powerful breast cancer therapy

May 22 | TOKYO, May 22 - A Japanese cancer specialist said Wednesday she has started the world's first clinical trial of a powerful, non-surgical, short-term radiation therapy for breast cancer. The National Institute of Radiological Sciences has begun the trial using "heavy ion radiotherapy" which emits a pinpoint beam that can be accurately directed at malignant...

Gunmen kill 12 at Baghdad brothel

May 22 | BAGHDAD, May 22 - Unknown gunmen shot dead at least seven women and five men at a brothel in Baghdad on Wednesday, security and medical officials said. The attack took place in the capital's eastern area of Zayouna, where a number of brothels are located. No further details were immediately available on the shooting. Both prostitution and alcohol are...

Zimbabwe’s Mugabe signs new constitution into law

May 22 | HARARE, May 22 - President Robert Mugabe on Wednesday signed Zimbabwe's new constitution into law, clearing the path to crucial elections later this year. The longtime ruler inked the document two months after it was overwhelmingly approved in a referendum. "This day is an historic day, it's about the future," Constitutional Affairs Minister Eric Matinenga...

Office bullying video sparks outcry in Singapore

May 22 | SINGAPORE, May 22 - A Singapore company supervisor caught on video slapping a male intern is in trouble after the clip went viral on the web and sparked a public outcry. Police confirmed to AFP that a complaint had been lodged against the supervisor, who works at a software company, and the manpower ministry said it had also been alerted about the...

Malaysia tribal groups protest world hydro meeting

May 22 | Malaysia, May 22 - About 300 Borneo tribespeople staged a protest at a world hydroelectric industry meeting in Malaysia on Wednesday to denounce dams they say are destroying forests and native ways. Officials in the Malaysian state of Sarawak have for years been accused of ramming through controversial dams, and opponents have harshly criticised the...

Japan parliament approves child abduction treaty

May 22 | TOKYO, May 22 - Japan's parliament on Wednesday approved an international treaty on child abductions after decades of pressure from the United States and other Western nations. Japan is the only member of the Group of Eight major industrialised nations that has not ratified the 1980 Hague Convention, which requires nations to return snatched children...