BEIJING - Chinese officials are being told to dump their mistresses, avoid hostess bars, and shun extravagances as part of the Communist party's efforts to clamp down on the corruption that is threatening its rule and sullying its reputation. The la
GENEVA - Iran is preventing dissident writer Emaddedin Baghi from leaving the country to collect an international human rights prize, the organisers said Monday. Baghi, an Iranian campaigner against the death penalty, is the first laureate in the 1
LONDON - Glittering bait for the well-heeled shopper: Harrods department store has added gold bars to its merchandise line. The store announced Thursday that it has joined with Swiss refiner Produits Artistiques Metaux Precieux to offer gold bars we
WASHINGTON - The United States froze Tuesday the assets of two North Korean entities and banned them from doing business in the US as it enforced tough new sanctions against Pyongyang over its nuclear drive. The presidential order against the Gener
KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia - Malaysia's government has barred Muslims from a concert by U.S. hip-hop stars the Black Eyed Peas next month because the event is organized by Irish beer giant Guinness, an official said Thursday. The prohibition comes amid
PARIS - A Muslim woman garbed in a head-to-toe swimsuit - dubbed a burquini - may have opened a new chapter in France's tussle between religious practices and its stern secular code. Officials insisted Wednesday they banned the woman's use of the Is
Manufacturers are being asked to cut the size of chocolate bars, confectionery and cans of fizzy drink to tackle rising rates of obesity.By 2012, the Food Standards Agency wants chocolate-based snacks such as Mars bars to be no bigger than 50g compa
Turkey has extended an existing ban on smoking in public places to all bars, cafes and restaurants.The ban has come into force despite opposition from some bar and cafe owners who fear losing business. It comes after the government banned smoking fr
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