UK defends security services over Woolwich murder

LONDON - The British government has defended its spy agencies for failing to prevent murder of a soldier in London despite signs and revelations that the two suspects were well known to MI5. Communities Secretary Eric Pickles said it was impossible to control everyone all the time. "Peers and MPs will do a thorough investigation in terms of what the security forces knew but I've seen ...

$2.6 mn necklace spirited away at Cannes Film Festival

CANNES - A second suspected jewellery heist was reported at the Cannes Film Festival, with a single necklace by Swiss jeweller De Grisogono worth nearly $2.6 million reported missing. In the case of the first gem loot at the Cannes Film Festival, thieves literally tore out a safe filled with roughly $1 million-worth of jewels from a hotel room. The second time around the event took place ...

World becoming dangerous for refugees, warns Amnesty

LONDON - Global rights body Amnesty International has said that the world is "increasingly" becoming "dangerous place" for refugees due to inaction on human rights. The London-based group in its annual report cited the increasing number of refugees around the world, and highlighted the lack of support for them, as the key human rights issue for the past year. It said that the number of ...

UEFA head warns players to stop walking off pitch despite racial abuse

The head of European football has told players not to walk off the pitch if they are racially abused, saying that any decision to stop a match should be left to the referee. The comments of UEFA president Michel Platini came after AC Milan striker Mario Balotelli, who was subjected to 'monkey chants' in a recent match against Roma, had vowed that he would leave the pitch if he was abused in ...

Russia plans four spacecraft launches in 2014

Russia's Energia Rocket and Space Corporation will make four launches next year from the Pacific Ocean-based Odyssey platform under the Sea Launch programme, an official said. Corporation president Vitaly Lopota said that after 2014, Energia will be able to make five or more launches a year. Next year's launches will be the first since one of Sea Launch's Zenit vehicles carrying an Intelsat-27 ...