World/Local News

STUDENTS at a Gold Coast primary school are being warned against hugging a move some parents say is political correctness gone mad. They say children at the William Duncan State School in Nerang are being […] […]

IRANIAN security agents struck French diplomats in scuffles at a Tehran embassy residence, prompting France to summon Iran’s ambassador and complain of “unacceptable violence”, officials said overnight. “On November 14, particularly serious incidents took place […] […]

A SINGAPORE court has sentenced a 76-year-old British author to six weeks in jail for contempt of court over a book deemed critical of the city-state’s judiciary. Alan Shadrake had offered a qualified apology during […] […]

SHANGHAI—Police detained unlicensed welders Tuesday on suspicion of accidentally starting a fire that engulfed a highrise apartment building under renovation in China’s business capital, killing at least 53 people, as public anger grew over the […] […]

In a fame hungry world, the celebrity endorsement can do wonders for a brand. Companies spend millions signing up sports figures and A-listers to front their campaigns in the hope that their star appeal will […] […]

MIR ALI, Pakistan—A suspected U.S. missile strike targeting a home and a speeding vehicle near the Afghan border killed 15 alleged militants early Tuesday, Pakistani intelligence officials said. The attack happened in the Bangi Dar […] […]

BANGKOK—The Thai government agreed Tuesday to extradite accused Russian arms trafficker Viktor Bout to the United States to face terrorism charges, rejecting heavy pressure from Moscow for him to be freed. Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva […] […]

Leo Campione was not on trial. Leo Campione was a victim, the father of two little murdered girls, killed by their mother’s hand. Leo Campione had pleaded with child welfare officials to remove those children […] […]

THE death toll from a Shanghai apartment block fire has risen to 53, as China’s top police official vowed to punish anyone found responsible for the disaster. The blaze raged for several hours yesterday, causing […] […]

WASHINGTON—An exploding star spotted 30 years ago in a nearby galaxy appears to be a newborn black hole, astronomers reported Monday. X-ray observations suggest the supernova, called SN 1979C, is a black hole in the […] […]