Pressing a construction freeze in those areas was widely viewed by the public as an unreasonable demand, especially when it was not accompanied by any demands on the Arabs or Palestinians.

On November 15, Indonesian authorities said they had shot and wounded two Afghan refugees they said were trying to escape after their boat was intercepted three days earlier.

The president should find a receptive audience in President Lee Myung-bak. The two are expected to reaffirm their alliance, but the U.S.-Korea free-trade agreement remains in question.

A 20-year-old woman divorcee accused of committing adultery in Somalia has been stoned to death by Islamists in front of a crowd of about 200 people.she gave birth to a still-born baby and was found guilty of adultery. Her boyfriend was given 100 lashes.

Israeli authorities have bulldozed a Palestinian-owned building in occupied East Jerusalem reported to have been home to two Palestinian families.The demolition came a day after the US said it objected to Palestinian homes being destroyed

Rizah Salah has had his home demolished twice by Israeli military forces. His family of nine now live in a two-room dwelling, vulnerable to the weather and settler violence.

"Most of the kids I walk home with have been hurt by stones. We all have bruises on our legs from where rocks have hit us. Last year, one girl was sent to hospital because a stone hit her face and she was badly injured; she was 12 then. . ."

For many, 2009 will be remembered as the year water on the moon was confirmed beyond any reasonable doubt. Earlier this year, NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter and India's Chandrayaan-1 spacecraft detected possible chemical traces of lunar water....

Most Afghans see not Taliban militants but poverty, unemployment and government corruption as the main causes of war in their country, according to a report by a leading aid group released on Wednesday

The Israeli interior ministry has approved planning applications for 900 new housing units at a Jewish settlement in East Jerusalem. The planning and construction committee authorised the expansion of Gilo, which is built on land captured in 1967 and a