
Iran Zoroastrians celebrate ancient feast of fire
Followers of Iran's minority Zoroastrian religion gathered after sunset to mark Sadeh — an ancient mid-winter feast dating to Iran's pre-Islamic past ...

Egypt army chief warns state could collapse
Residents of this Mediterranean coastal city burying their dead from Egypt's wave of political violence vented their fury at Egypt's Islamist ...

Scouts' future uncertain if ban on gays is dropped
The Boy Scouts of America's proposed move away from its no-gays membership policy has outraged some longtime admirers, gratified many critics and ...

Who's who in Egypt's latest political crisis
Following are the main players in Egypt's latest political crisis, which began around the time of the second anniversary of the start of the uprising ...

Under pressure, Boy Scouts may ease no-gays policy
Facing diverse and ceaseless protests, the Boy Scouts of America is signaling its readiness to end the nationwide exclusion of gays as scouts or ...

Scouts considering retreat from no-gays policy
The Boy Scouts of America may soon give sponsors of troops the authority to decide whether to accept gays as scouts and leaders - a potentially ...

Masked 'Black Bloc' a mystery in Egypt unrest
An unpredictable new element has entered Egypt's wave of political unrest: a mysterious group of masked young men called the Black Bloc who present ...

White House: Egypt's democracy on 'difficult path'
Egypt is on a "difficult path" to a peaceful democracy, the White House said Monday as months of lukewarm political support for the conservative ...

Hamas says next inter-Palestinian talks in Egypt
Reconciliation talks between Palestinian militant group Hamas and its rival Fatah are on track and will resume in Egypt on Feb. 9, Hamas' political ...
Bahrain opposition gives cautious nod for talks
Bahrain's main opposition groups say they are willing to open dialogue aimed at easing the Gulf nation's two-year political crisis, but they seek more ...

Egypt declares state of emergency in 3 provinces
Egypt's president declared a state of emergency and curfew in three Suez Canal provinces hit hardest by a weekend wave of unrest that left more than ...

Berlusconi defends Mussolini for backing Hitler
Former Italian Premier Silvio Berlusconi praised Benito Mussolini for "having done good" despite the Fascist dictator's anti-Jewish laws, immediately ...
Friar accused of abuse in 2 states kills self
A Franciscan friar accused of sexually abusing students at Catholic high schools in Ohio and Pennsylvania killed himself at a western Pennsylvania ...

Stan Musial remembered during funeral Mass
Stan Musial was remembered during a funeral and memorial outside Busch Stadium on Saturday as a Hall of Famer and a St. Louis icon embraced by ...

Obama birth control mandates loosens lawsuits
The legal challenges over religious freedom and the birth control coverage requirement in President Barack Obama's health care overhaul appear to be ...

Feds: 'Monsignor Meth' dealt drug, bought sex shop
To onlookers, Monsignor Kevin Wallin's fall from grace at his Connecticut parish was like something out of "Breaking Bad," the television series about ...

Child soldier's tale illustrates Mali's dirty war
The boy sits with his knees tucked under his chest on the concrete floor of the police station here, his adolescent face a tableau of fear. He's still ...

Iraq: 2 soldiers killed near rally shooting site
Gunmen killed two Iraqi soldiers and abducted three others in Fallujah on Saturday as hundreds of mourners gathered in the restive western city for ...

Iraqi insurgents try to harness opposition rage
Iraqi insurgents are trying to capitalize on the rage of anti-government protesters and the instability caused by rising civil unrest, complicating ...

Angry protests leave 7 dead on Egypt anniversary
Violence erupted across Egypt on Friday as tens of thousands took to the streets to deliver an angry backlash against President Mohammed Morsi and his ...

Angry protests, clashes on Egypt anniversary
Egyptians delivered an angry backlash against President Mohammed Morsi and his Muslim Brotherhood on Friday, marking the second anniversary of the ...

New Israeli political star sets lofty expectations
Political newcomer Yair Lapid electrified Israel with his surprising success in this week's election and an Obama-like message of hope and change, and ...
Philly priest-abuse case in hands of jury
The credibility of a 24-year-old heroin addict whose sex-abuse complaint took down a Roman Catholic church official in Philadelphia — and helped bring ...

Violence erupts at Iraq rally; 5 protesters killed
Iraqi troops opened fire on stone-throwing Sunni demonstrators in the country's restive west on Friday, leading to the deaths of at least five ...

Religion comes to Davos forum
Who created Davos, and why does it exist? Questions about God and religion were rife at the World Economic Forum in the Swiss resort of Davos this ...