Africa/International

Gold hit new highs in Asian trading late Monday as stock markets slumped and the dollar struggled. Gold futures jumped to $1,718 an ounce, a record high and up 4.2% from Friday’s closing price of $1,648.80 in New York. The metal now is up…

Asian stocks nose-dived Monday as the first-ever downgrade of the U.S. government's credit rating jolted the global financial system, reinforcing fears that the world economy is weakening. Oil prices extended recent sharp losses, trading…

Charities are facing cuts totalling nearly £3 billion over the coming five years due to Government spending reductions, according to a new report. The National Council for Voluntary Organisations (NCVO) used figures on the Government's…

Fear gripped Asian markets on Monday as the fallout from the historic downgrade of the U.S. debt rating drowned out pledges of assistance from Europe's central bank and soothing words from the Group of Seven. Facing the unknown investors…

The U.S. dollar may weaken and Treasury yields rise when Asian markets reopen on Monday, though any selling in response to ratings agency S&P's downgrade of the United States is likely to be tempered by the escalating crisis in the euro…

Petrol bombs were thrown, shops looted and eight officers hurt during riots in Tottenham - prompting criticism of the police from the area's MP. David Lammy said officers should have stepped in earlier to combat "small initial skirmishes"…

Tens of thousands of unionized Verizon Communications Inc. workers from Massachusetts to Washington, D.C., went on strike early Sunday after they failed to agree on a new labor contract with the telecommunications company. The…

The world's leading economies on Sunday urgently discussed the stability of financial markets after a historic U.S. credit downgrade rattled investors already worried about European debt crises. Deputies from the Group of 20 advanced and…

A US man charged with sending more than 27 million spam messages to Facebook users has turned himself in. Sanford Wallace, who is known as the "Spam King", surrendered to FBI agents in California. Prosecutors allege he developed a program…

Lady Gaga has been accused of copying her hit single Judas from a Chicago-based singer and songwriter. Rebecca Francescatti filed a lawsuit against the outlandish star, claiming she plagarised her song Judas, which she recorded in 1999.…