WORLD

Journalist Natasha Smith suffered a vicious sexual assault in Egypt.

MSCI downgrades firm in Corporate Social Reponsibility Index for Israel's use of Caterpillar bulldozers to destroy Palestinian homes.

Birth control legislation may be brought in as Africa's most populous country faces demographic nightmare of 400 million by 2050.

International envoy Kofi Annan invites permanent members of UN security council to Action Group for Syria.

WWF and Traffic voice support as Gabon president Ali Baba lit a pyre of more than 4,000 Kilos of Ivory blocked from illegal trade in Asia.

At least 42 migrants found dead after suffocating in back of smuggling truck on way to Malawi.

The case had come up in a court in Cologne when the circumcision case of a four-year-old Muslim boy became complicated.

Kong Hee, founder of one of Singapore's richest evangelical churches, charged with fraud for allegedly funnelling millions of dollars of church funds to fund his wife's singing career.

Opposition gunmen storm HQ of al-Ikhbaria satellite broadcaster and kill seven in shootout and bombing.

Queen Elizabeth and Martin McGuinness shake hands in historic milestone in Anglo-Irish relationship.

Japan is ignoring lessons from the Fukushima nuclear disaster, triggered by last year's earthquake and a massive tsunami, say two seismologists.

Van full of gas canisters reversed into Microsoft building in Greek capital and incendiary device triggered but nobody hurt.

Newcastle University scientists find green rust could be used to clean up metal pollution and even radioactive waste.

Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao wraps up his visit to Latin America with the announcement of a $10bn credit support for infrastructure development of the region.

Argentine bishop Fernando Bargallo caught frolicking with woman in Mexican beach resigns amid fresh calls to allow priests to marry.

Iranian Foreign Minister Ali Akbar Salehi seeks more engagement than confrontation with the EU.

Caltech scientists have discovered panguite, a new mineral, embedded in the Allende meteorite.

Assad says Syria is at war as fighting reaches outskirts of capital Damascus.

Vigilante squads hunt down father of Feng Jianmei's aborted child as local government turns up heat in propaganda war.

Vladimir Putin tours the Middle East to remark Russia's controversial albeit growing role in the area

Masum Turker claims intelligence services pinpoint Russia's Admiral Chabanenko warship in Syrian harbour as aggressor.

Hacker Hell attacks anti-graft campaigner elected to board of state-controlled airline Aeroflot

UN expert tasked with investigating human rights violations in Syria finally enters the country.

Russian leader urges more commitment to peace process and warns against unilateral actions undermining it.

Lou Nuer and Murle tribal groups engaged in tit-for-tat theft, arson, looting and kidnapping, says UN.

Rescuers use machetes and hoes in desperate bid to dig out families, homes and livestock buried in thick red sludge.

Viral video shows men abducting women off the street and forcing them into matrimony as ancient tradition lives on.

Four ultra-Orthodox Jews held on suspicion of defacing the Yad Vashem Holocaust memorial in Jerusalem.

Erdogan ups the ante in row with Damascus and warns Syria border incursions will be viewed as military threat.