California beaches 'contaminated'

California beaches 'contaminated'
US to protect 'wild' public land
Many killed in Ivory Coast clashes
Paterson Commutes Sentence in Racially Charged Killing
Toyota to Settle Suit Over California Crash
The TV Watch: Ye Olde Yule Log Now Blazes in 3-D
Skype blackout: Your experiences
Number of civilian casualties in Afghan war rises 20%, U.N. report shows
Glasnost - African style
Sentence Commuted in Racially Charged Long Island Killing
Once Chilly With Sports Stars, Boston Warms Up to Shaq
Italy approves hotly contested university reform
At War: 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell' Repeal: the Values We Fight For, Reaffirmed
Venezuela student protest blocked
Venezuela security forces break up student protest
Hungary's New Media Law Draws Fire
Saudis Ban Protest Calling for Political Reform
Police Clash With Protesters in Venezuela
Good cop, bad cop?
New solar fuel machine unveiled

Posted: 23 Dec 2010 12:48 PM PST

California health officials warn residents to stay away from beaches contaminated by run-off after a week of torrential rain.

US to protect 'wild' public land

Posted: 23 Dec 2010 01:01 PM PST

The US is to make millions of acres of public land eligible for wilderness protection, repealing a Bush administration policy, officials say.

Many killed in Ivory Coast clashes

Posted: 23 Dec 2010 12:37 PM PST

Post-election violence has claimed 173 lives in Ivory Coast, the UN says, as international pressure mounts for Laurent Gbagbo to quit the presidency.

Paterson Commutes Sentence in Racially Charged Killing

Posted: 23 Dec 2010 12:43 PM PST

A black man from Long Island convicted of manslaughter after shooting a white teenager, one of a group confronting the man's son, was freed from a New York State prison.

Toyota to Settle Suit Over California Crash

Posted: 23 Dec 2010 12:19 PM PST

Toyota has agreed to pay $10 million to settle the lawsuit brought by the family of a California state trooper and three relatives whose fatal car wreck helped spark the automaker's wide-ranging safety recall.

The TV Watch: Ye Olde Yule Log Now Blazes in 3-D

Posted: 23 Dec 2010 12:28 PM PST

The traditional yule log now burns in 3-D on some cable stations. (A 3-D television set and special glasses required.)

Skype blackout: Your experiences

Posted: 23 Dec 2010 08:18 AM PST

The free internet phone service Skype is slowly coming back online after an outage that affected millions of people around the globe. Here, people affected describe their experiences.

Number of civilian casualties in Afghan war rises 20%, U.N. report shows

Posted: 23 Dec 2010 12:15 PM PST

KABUL - The number of civilians killed or wounded in the Afghan war increased by 20 percent during the first 10 months of this year, compared with the same period last year, according to a U.N. report issued this week.

Glasnost - African style

Posted: 23 Dec 2010 09:23 AM PST

Is Zimbabwe's media really freeing up as polls loom?

Sentence Commuted in Racially Charged Long Island Killing

Posted: 23 Dec 2010 12:13 PM PST

Gov. David Paterson commuted the sentence Thursday of a black man imprisoned for the shooting death of a white teenager on Long Island.

Once Chilly With Sports Stars, Boston Warms Up to Shaq

Posted: 23 Dec 2010 11:45 AM PST

Shaquille O'Neal has gone out of his way to charm Boston since signing with the Celtics this summer.

Italy approves hotly contested university reform

Posted: 23 Dec 2010 12:10 PM PST

ROME (Reuters) - Italy's Senate on Thursday gave parliament's final approval to a university system reform, including funding cuts of at least 300 million euros in 2011, that has drawn large-scale, sometimes violent student protests.

At War: 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell' Repeal: the Values We Fight For, Reaffirmed

Posted: 23 Dec 2010 11:44 AM PST

There is power, not danger, in the truth.

Venezuela student protest blocked

Posted: 23 Dec 2010 11:51 AM PST

Venezuelan police use water cannon to break up a student protest against a new law that changes the way universities are run.

Venezuela security forces break up student protest

Posted: 23 Dec 2010 11:49 AM PST

CARACAS (Reuters) - Venezuelan security forces fired a water cannon and rubber bullets on Thursday to disperse hundreds of students protesting against a new law tightening the government's control over universities.

Hungary's New Media Law Draws Fire

Posted: 23 Dec 2010 11:14 AM PST

European officials stepped up criticism of Hungary's restrictive new media law, saying it runs counter to the European Union's democratic values, as frustration with Budapest escalated into a public political fight on the eve of Hungary's takeover of the EU's rotating presidency.

Saudis Ban Protest Calling for Political Reform

Posted: 23 Dec 2010 11:32 AM PST

Saudi Arabia's leading human rights group has claimed that it has been denied the right to a sit-in protest for political reforms in the conservative Islamic kingdom.