News
Catholic Church in Poland reports sharp drop in vocations
The bishop in charge of recruitment for Poland's Roman Catholic clergy says he does not believe recent scandals are to blame for a sharp fall in vocations, after the church noted a 24 percent reduction in admissions to the country's 84 Catholic seminaries.
Gunman kills 5 and then himself at Illinois college
A black-clad man fired into a lecture hall packed with students at an Illinois university on Thursday, killing five people and wounding 18 before shooting himself dead, police and college officials said.
Pentagon to shoot down satellite
The Pentagon plans to shoot down a disabled U.S. spy satellite before it enters the atmosphere to prevent a potentially deadly leak of toxic gas from the vehicle's fuel tank, officials said on Thursday.
Darfur town emptied after attack
Crammed into school buildings in the centre of Suleia, just 200 out of the West Darfur town's original 25,000 population were left after an attack by militia and the Sudanese army.
Kenyan rivals to rewrite constitution
Kenya's feuding parties have agreed to rewrite the constitution within a year in an effort to end post-election violence, but have yet to strike a deal on power-sharing, a government negotiator said on Thursday.
22,000 said died amid delayed Bayer drug recall
The lives of 22,000 patients could have been saved if U.S. regulators had been quicker to remove a Bayer AG drug used to stem bleeding during open heart surgery, according to a medical researcher interviewed by CBS Television's 60 Minutes program.
Australia PM visits East Timor for crisis talks
Australia's Prime Minister Kevin Rudd made a lightning visit to East Timor on Friday to pledge support after an assassination attempt on the country's president.
Bush says ready to delay Africa trip over spy bill
U.S. President George W. Bush ratcheted up pressure on Congress on Thursday to pass new rules for his domestic spying program before it expires this weekend, saying he was prepared to delay a trip to Africa to help advance the measure.
Kostunica tells Serbia Kosovo can't be held
Prime Minister Vojislav Kostunica told Serbs for the first time on Thursday the imminent loss of their historic province of Kosovo was a reality, but in a televised address he vowed the nation would never accept it.
Japan lawmakers want 'peace tunnel' to South Korea
Japan and South Korea, long at odds over their wartime history, should be linked by a railway tunnel under the sea symbolising peaceful ties, a group of Japanese lawmakers was reported as saying on Friday.
Fresh earthquake shakes quake-hit eastern Congo
An earthquake shook the Lake Kivu region of eastern Democratic Republic of Congo on Thursday, injuring more than 40 people and damaging buildings already hit by quakes earlier this month, a U.N. and local officials said.
New national convener for Church of Scotland Guild
At the last meeting of the Church of Scotland Guild's National Executive committee, it was announced that Esme Duncan from Caithness is to be the incoming national convener of the Church of Scotland Guild.
Synod rejects Government proposals to extend detention without charge
Church of England General Synod rejects Government proposals to extend detention without charge of terrorist suspects from 28 to 42 days.
Gunman opens fire at US university
At least 18 people were shot when a gunman opened fire at Northern Illinois University outside Chicago on Thursday, CNN said, quoting its local affiliate.
Charity worker cuts the carbon but not the romance on Valentines Day
Tearfund's Campaigns Officer Ben Clowney will be ditching the extortionately priced table at his local restaurant to do something more 'al fresco' with his Valentine date on Thursday.
Christians Against Poverty launches new centres across UK
New CAP Volunteer Centres are set to rapidly expand the reach of award-winning charity, Christians Against Poverty.