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Wildfires rage across southern Australia
Australian officials battled a series of wildfires amid scorching temperatures across the country on Friday, with one blaze suspected of damaging or destroying dozens of buildings in the island state of Tasmania. -
Cleaner injured after 'driving stolen train into building' in Stockholm
A cleaner stole an empty commuter train from a depot and drove it to a suburb of Stockholm where it derailed and slammed into an apartment building, officials have said. -
Two Dead after Helicopter Crashes into Central London.
A passenger due to be collected by a helicopter which crashed in central London had suggested the pilot delay taking off, it has been revealed.
Pilot Capt Pete Barnes and a pedestrian died when the helicopter hit a crane in Vauxhall on 16 January. -
Algeria Hostage Crisis
Algerian troops were in a standoff on Wednesday night with Islamist militants who took at least 20 western contractors hostage in a raid on a desert gas field in which two people were killed, one of them British. -
Floods in Indonesian Capital
Seasonal rains triggered massive flooding in Indonesia's capital on Thursday, killing at least four people, triggering the evacuation of at least 20,000 and paralyzing much of the city. -
Lance Armstrong Admits to Using Drugs
Calling himself "deeply flawed," now-disgraced cyclist Lance Armstrong says he used an array of performance enhancing drugs to win seven Tour de France titles then followed that by years of often-angry denials. -
Obama Sworn In for 2nd Term
With only his family beside him, Barack Hussein Obama was sworn into office for a second term on Sunday in advance of Monday’s public pomp, facing a bitterly divided government at home and persistent threats abroad that inhibit his effort to redefine America’s use of powe -
Protests Threaten Morsi Government
Violent protests erupted throughout Egypt on the second anniversary of the revolution. Demonstrators focus their ire on the Muslim Brotherhood and President Mohammed Morsi's government, frustrated that the country is on an ideologically conservative path under the Islamists and that Morsi has failed to bolster the economy or fulfill promises to introduce broader civil liberties and social justice. Dozens of people are killed in the violence at the protests. -
Fire at Kiss Nightclub in Brazil
The Kiss nightclub fire started between 2:00 and 2:30 on 27 January 2013 in Santa Maria, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil, killing at least 242 people and injuring at least 168 others. It is considered the second most-devastating fire disaster in the history of Brazil. -
French, Malian forces fight Islamist rebels in Gao
French and Malian troops fought Islamists on the streets of Gao and a car bomb exploded in Kidal on Thursday, as fighting showed little sign of abating weeks before France plans to start withdrawing some forces. -
Explosion inside Headquarters of Mexico's state-owned oil company
A massive explosion rocked the main headquarters of Mexico's state-owned oil company in the capital, leaving 25 dead and at least 101 others injured Thursday.
Rescuers continued to search the rubble for victims trapped in the debris late Thursday with the aid of rescue dogs, trucks with mounted lights and an oil company crane. Interior Minister Miguel Osorio Chong said it was uncertain if there were any people still trapped but that crews would keep searching.
The blast occurred in the basement -
Ravens Beat 49ers in Super Bowl XLVII
In a wild game, which includes a 34 minute stadium blackout, the Baltimore Ravens beat the San Francisco 49ers, 34-31. Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco is named MVP. The game, held in New Orleans, draws 108.4 million viewers, making it the third highest rated television program ever. -
Horsemeat Scandal
The discovery of horsemeat in processed beef products sold by a number of UK supermarket chains has resulted in a series of product recalls and thrown the spotlight on the food industry's supply chain. It has also inspired a stricter food testing regime across Europe. -
Blizzard paralyses north-east US and Atlantic Canada
A major snowstorm has brought swathes of the north-eastern US and eastern Canada to a standstill, leaving about half a million homes without power. -
Obama's State of Union Speech
President Obama outlined plans to revive American prosperity by rebuilding "a thriving middle class," calling it the "true engine of America's economic growth" during his annual State of the Union Address.
Growing the economy and creating good middle-class jobs "must be the North Star that guides our efforts," Obama told a joint session of Congress and a national television audience. -
North Korea confirms successful nuclear test
North Korea's third nuclear test is confirmed on state television. The test, which took place in the north-east of the country just before noon local time, could bring North Korea a step closer to developing a nuclear warhead. The action has been widely condemned around the world -
Paralympic star charged with Girlfriend‘s Murder
South African "Blade Runner" Oscar Pistorius, a double amputee who became one of the biggest names in world athletics, was charged on Thursday with shooting dead his girlfriend at his upscale home in Pretoria. Police said they opened a murder case after a 30-year-old woman was found dead at the Paralympic and Olympic star's house in the Silverlakes gated complex on the capital's outskirts. -
Meteor in Russia
Almost a thousand people were injured after a meteor streaked through the skies above Russia's Ural mountains. Fragments of the meteor fell to the ground, breaking windows and setting off car alarms in the Chelyabinsk region while a series of loud bangs at around 03:20 BST, or 9.20am local time, caused panic amid initial fears there had been a plane crash. -
Brussels Airport Diamond Heist
On 18 February 2013, eight masked gunmen in two cars with police markings stole approximately US$50 million (€38 million, GB£33 million) worth of diamonds from a Swiss-bound Fokker 100 operated by Helvetic Airways on the apron at Brussels Airport, Belgium, just before 20:00 CET. The heist was accomplished without a shot being fired. -
Egypt Hot Air Ballon Crash
Egyptian authorities have launched an investigation after a hot air balloon crashed 1,000 feet to the ground, killing 19 tourists who had taken a sunrise flight near the ancient city of Luxor. Witnesses described seeing people leaping out of the balloon as it was on fire. The casualties included British, French, Belgian, Hungarian and Japanese nationals and nine tourists from Hong Kong, the Luxor governor, Ezzat Saad, told reporters. -
Pope Benedict XVI's last Speech
Benedict XVI told the 150,000-strong crowd in St Peter's Square in the Vatican City, the papal enclave in Rome, that he had been aware of the "gravity" of his decision to step down, but it was for the good of the Church. The Pope stunned the Roman Catholic Church when he announced on February 11 he no longer had the mental or physical strength to carry on in the role. He will officially stand aside on Thursday evening, the first pope to do so in 600 years. As he arrived in the square, Benedic -
Plosky Tolbachik Volcano erupts
The 3,085-meter-high Plosky Tolbachik has emitted two streams of lava one of which has traveled down more than 6 kilometers while the other one made 18 kilometers. The fiery river has been setting trees on its way ablaze while turning ice and snow into clouds of steam. The nearest settlement is located 60 km away, so there seems to be no direct threat, according to Kamchtka’s geophysical service of the Russian Academy of Science. -
Hugo Chavez's coffin moves through Caracas
Venezuela has announced seven days of mourning after the death of its charismatic leader who divided opinion, Hugo Chávez. His body is expected to be transferred from the military hospital to the military academy, where he trained and where people will be able to pay their respects ahead of Friday's funeral. The constitution requires new elections to be held within 30 days, although there has been no announcement so far. -
Violent Rages in Cairo
Three protesters have been killed and reportedly 65 injured in Cairo as outraged crowds protest both in the Egyptian capital and the city of Port Said over the latest verdict on the deadly Port Said stadium riot in February 2012. -
Second Anniversary of Japan's devastating earthquake and tsunami
TOKYO — Amid growing dissatisfaction with the slow pace of recovery, Japan marked the second anniversary Monday of the devastating earthquake and tsunami that left nearly 19,000 people dead or missing and has displaced more than 300,000.
Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said that the govrnment intends to make “visible” reconstruction progress and accelerate resettlement of those left homeless by streamlining legal and administrative procedures many blame for the delays. -
Snowy Weather cause travel chaos across England
Unseasonable freezing weather and snowy conditions have continued to cause disruption across the UK, with a huge backlog of freight traffic waiting to use the Channel Tunnel. Bad weather in France and Belgium forced the tunnel's closure on Wednesday, causing hundreds of lorry and heavy goods vehicle drivers to sit out the wintry weather on the M20 in Kent. The motorway was turned into a giant car park on Tuesday night as vehicles waited for the tunnel to be opened. -
Pope Francis Elected as Leader of the Catholic Church
Pope Francis I today held his first Mass since being elected as supreme pontiff, gathering with the cardinals in the Sistine Chapel to offer prayers for the future of the Church.
In a sign of his low-key style, the new Pope and his cardinals were dressed in simple yellow robes over their cassocks, rather than the formal ceremonial outfits they would normally wear on such a major occasion.
Speaking in Italian without notes, he said: 'We can walk all we want, we can build many things, but if we do -
Xi Jingping Becomes President of China
Xi Jingping assumes the presidency of China. Of the 2,956 delegates, only one votes against Xi. Three delegates abstain. Li Yuanchao is named vice president. Assuming the presidency completes the transition of power to Xi. This final step puts him in charge of all three centers of power in China. -
Cyprus seeks EU bailout amid worsening economic crisis
The Cypriot government has announced that it is seeking a bailout from the European Union, citing exposure to Greek economy as the cause. The country on Monday informed European authorities of its decision to submit to euro member states a request for financial assistance, according to a statement by the country’s European Union embassy in Brussels. -
Italy Overturns Amanda Knox Acquittal
A new trial is ordered by the Court of Cassation, Italy's highest court, for Amanda Knox, the exchange student from the U.S. who was accused of murdering Meredith Kercher, her 21-year-old roommate in 2007. The ruling means the case will be reheard, this time by a new appeals court in Florence. The new trial will be later this year or in 2014. Currently attending the University of Washington in Seattle, Knox releases a statement through a spokesman and calls the ruling "painful." -
US nuclear-capable bombers complete training mission in South Korea
The US has taken the unprecedented step of publicly announcing that two of its nuclear-capable B-2 bombers have taken part in military exercises with South Korea, dropping dummy munitions on an island range, in what is taken to be a show of force following weeks of North Korean hostility. The announcement on Thursday is likely to further enrage Pyongyang, which has already issued a flood of ominous statements to highlight its displeasure at the exercises and at UN sanctions over its nuclear tes -
North Korea Rally
PYONGYANG, North Korea -- Thousands of North Koreans have turned out for a mass rally at the main square in Pyongyang in support of their leader's call to arms. Chanting "Death to the U.S. imperialists" and "Sweep away the U.S. aggressors," soldiers and students marched through Kim Il Sung Square in downtown Pyongyang on Friday during a 90-minute rally. State media reported early Friday that leader Kim Jong Un called an emergency military meeting to order the army's rocket unit to prepare to s -
North Korea Threatens To Restart Plutonium-Producing Nuclear Reactor
The Yongbyon nuclear site which had remained closed by a 2007 disarmament agreement will be restarted, North Korea has said in its latest threat among series of several other strongly-worded threats the country has issued almost on a daily basis, escalating the tensions in Korean Peninsula to an unprecedented level. -
Margaret Thatcher dies of stroke aged 87
Her son, Sir Mark, and daughter Carol confirmed that she died this morning.
Lord Bell, her spokesman, said: "It is with great sadness that Mark and Carol Thatcher announced that their mother Baroness Thatcher died peacefully following a stroke this morning.A further statement will be made later."
Lady Thatcher died at the Ritz hotel at about 11am after suffering a stroke. Her children were not at her bedside as they were abroad. Her doctor and carer were there when she died. -
Boston Marathon Bombing
Explosions at the Boston Marathon on Monday resulted in a loss of life and left dozens injured. NBC reported that a small homemade bomb was the preliminary cause of the tragic event. According to the Associated Press, an intelligence official said authorities sought to dismantle additional explosive devices found on the scene. -
Letters Containing Ricin Sent to Congress, President Obama
Paul Kevin Curtis of Tupelo, Miss., is arrested for sending letters contaminated with poison ricin to President Obama, a Mississippi Senator Roger Wicker, an a local judge. The letters are intercepted by mail-sorting facilities. (Apr. 23): Charges against Paul Kevin Curtis are dismissed. Curtis is released as the investigation turns toward a new suspect. -
Earthquake in Iran, Pakistan
TEHRAN, Iran (AP) — An earthquake toppled homes and shops on both sides of the Iran-Pakistan border Tuesday, killing dozens of people and causing skyscrapers to sway in Dubai. It also forced Iranian officials — for the second time in less than a week — to issue assurances that its main nuclear reactor wasn't damaged. At least 34 people were killed in a single village in Pakistan, a military official said. But the overall death toll became clouded after conflicting reports from Iran. -
Texas Explosion
Search and rescue teams have launched a frantic hunt for as many as six missing firefighters among the rubble of a Texas fertilizer plant which exploded on Wednesday night, killing up to 15 people and inflicting horrific injuries on hundreds more.
As rescuers searched the smoking remnants of the small town of West on Thursday for anyone still trapped in the debris, Mayor Tommy Muska told CNN that so far there have been no signs of life among smashed houses and decimated apartment blocks. -
Second Boston Marathon bombing suspect arrested
WATERTOWN, Mass. — Police arrested the second suspect in the Boston Marathon bombing here Friday night after a day-long manhunt led them to the wounded man hiding in a back yard. Dzhokhar Tsarnaev, 19, was found after a resident in Watertown saw blood on a boat parked behind his home. The man looked under a plastic cover and saw a man inside the boat, covered in bloog. -
France Becomes 14th Nation to Approve Same-Sex Marriage
The lower house in France's National Assembly votes 331 to 225 in favor of same-sex marriage. The legislation is expected to be approved by the Constitutional Council and signed into law by President François Hollande. The vote makes France the 14th nation in the world to pass legislation for same-sex marriage. Uruguay and New Zealand have also both recently passed same-sex marriage legislation. -
Three Additional Arrests Made in Boston Marathon Bombing
Three arrests are made in connection to the Boston Marathon bombing. Dias Kadyrbayev and Azamat Tazhayakov are arrested and charged with concealing evidence during a federal investigation. Robel K. Phillipos is charged with lying to impede the federal investigation. All three are close friends with Dzhokhar Tsarnaev. If Kadyrbayev and Tazhayakov are found guilty they face up to five years in prison. Phillipos faces eight years. -
Spring Economic Slowdown Is Avoided
According to the Labor Department, 165,000 jobs are added in April, exceeding the 140,000 jobs predicted by economists. It is also a big improvement over March's numbers. The Labor Department also provides more good news, revising the number of jobs added in February and March. Their latest data adds 114,000 jobs to totals from February and March. However, unemployment drops only slightly from 7.6 percent in March to 7.5 percent in April. Read more: May 2013 Current Events: Business News | Info -
Israel Takes Responsibility for Airstrikes in Syria
Israel makes two airstrikes on Damascus. The first happens on Friday, May 3, and the second two days later. Israeli officials maintain that the airstrikes are not meant as a way for Israel to become involved in Syria's ongoing civil war. Instead, the strikes focus on military warehouses in an effort to prevent Hezbollah from getting more weapons. Hezbollah is a Lebanese Shiite militia group with strong ties to Iran. Read more: May 2013 Current Events: World News | Infoplease.com http://www.info -
Rhode Island, Delaware and Minnesota Legalize Same-Sex Marriage
After same-sex marriage legislation passes in both houses of Rhode Island's legislature, Governor Lincoln Chafee signs it into law. The new law, legalizing same-sex marriage, goes into effect on August 1, 2013. (May 7): Governor Jack Markell signs the Civil Marriage Equality and Religious Freedom act, legalizing same-sex marriage for the state of Delaware. The new law goes into effect on July 1, 2013. -
Death toll in Bangladesh factory collapse reaches 950
The death toll of the Savar building collapse reached 950 by Thursday evening, refuting earlier claims of the Bangladesh government and business organisations, which put the number of deaths at a lower figure.
Press reports indicated121 decomposed bodies were retrieved from the wreck of the Savar building by noon on the 16th day after the disaster. It is feared that the death toll will increase further as the debris continues to be cleared. -
Mile-Wide Category 4 Tornado Hits Oklahoma
An enormous category 4 tornado hits Oklahoma City, Moore, and Newcastle. Moore is hardest hit. The city's Plaza Towers Elementary School is flattened. At least 24 people are killed in the storm. The tornado, stretching about a mile wide, is on the ground for 40 minutes. -
Soldier Killed on London Street
Two men approach and murder a uniformed soldier on the street in London. The men are armed with knives and a meat cleaver. After they kill the soldier, police shoot and arrest them. The United Kingdom treats the incident as an act of terror. -
Civil War in Syria Spills over into Lebanon
Hezbollah and Syrian forces bomb the rebel-controlled town of Al-Qusayr, Homs. Dozens are killed. (May 26): Multiple rockets strike Beirut, mainly hitting Shiite suburbs, which are also strongholds of Hezbollah. (May 27): The ban against arming the Syrian rebels is lifted by the European Union. -
Huge Turnout for Anti-Gay Marriage Rally in France
An estimated 150,000 people protest gay marriage during a rally in Paris, France. At least 100 people are arrested. An additional 50 people are arrested before the rally begins. -
Top 10 Disasters
- Mile-Wide Category 4 Tornado Hits Oklahoma
- Texas Explosion
- Fire at Kiss Nightclub in Brazil
- Explosion inside Headquarters of Mexico's state-owned oil company
- Meteor in Russia
- Wildfires rage across southern Australia
- Floods in Indonesian Capital 8.Plosky Tolbachik Volcano erupts
- Blizzard paralyses north-east US and Atlantic Canada
- Snowy Weather cause travel chaos across England
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Top 10 U.S. News
- Boston Marathon Bombing
- Mile-Wide Category 4 Tornado Hits Oklahoma
- Second Boston Marathon bombing suspect arrested
- Texas Explosion
- Rhode Island, Delaware and Minnesota Legalize Same-Sex Marriage
- Obama Sworn In for 2nd Term
- Blizzard paralyses north-east US and Atlantic Canada
- Lance Armstrong Admits to Using Drugs
- Letters Containing Ricin Sent to Congress, President Obama
- Obama's State of Union Speech
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Top 10 News on People
- Pope Francis Elected as Leader of the Catholic Church
- Obama Sworn In for 2nd Term
- Second Boston Marathon bombing suspect arrested
- Margaret Thatcher dies of stroke aged 87
- Hugo Chavez's coffin moves through Caracas
- Xi Jingping Becomes President of China
- Pope Benedict XVI's last Speech
- Lance Armstrong Admits to Using Drugs
- Paralympic star charged with Girlfriend‘s Murder
- Ravens Beat 49ers in Super Bowl XLVII
