Africa/International

Fighting has intensified in Ivory Coast's main city of Abidjan as forces loyal to the UN-recognised president, Alassane Ouattara, battle those of his rival, the incumbent Laurent Gbagbo. Heavy artillery fire has been heard as the troops…

A court in Guatemala has ordered a halt to the divorce proceedings of the country's first couple. First Lady Sandra Torres said last week she was seeking to divorce President Alvaro Colom, so she could stand for election to succeed him.…

Swedish wireless equipment maker LM Ericsson on Saturday said it is suing Chinese rival ZTE Corp. for alleged infringement of several of its patents in handset and network technology. Fredrik Hallstan, a spokesman for the Stockholm-based…

Google co-founder Larry Page is known for his vision, passion and intelligence. Yet there is a fair amount of concern that Page's other known traits — his aloofness, rebellious streak and affinity for pursuing wacky ideas — might lead…

United Arab Emirates special forces stormed a cargo ship hijacked in the Arabian Sea, freeing the crew and detaining the pirates on Saturday, the official news agency WAM said. Anti-terrorism forces acting in coordination with the U.S.…

Consistent lifelong exercise preserves heart muscle in the elderly to levels that match or even exceed that of healthy young sedentary people, a surprising finding that underscores the value of regular exercise training, according to a new…

Charlie Sheen's first stop on his My Violent Torpedo of Truth/Defeat is Not An Option tour took a giant nose-dive Saturday night. A packed crowd of beer-drinking fans at the Fox Theatre started out on Sheen's side, booing an opening…

Oil prices jumped on Friday, as supportive U.S. jobs data reinforced economic growth expectations and Libya's conflict and Middle East unrest kept supply threats in focus, pushing both Brent and U.S. crude to their highest settlements since…

Nigeria, Africa's most populous country, is set to begin three consecutive weeks of elections. Some 73 million people have registered to vote in the parliamentary, presidential and gubernatorial polls on the next three Saturdays. Security…

Brazil's biggest bank - the state-run Banco do Brasil - is being sued for allegedly funding deforestation in the Amazon. Public prosecutors say the bank lent money to companies that illegally cleared the rainforest and used labour…