Showing 1 - 10 of 143
Russian women decry plans to therapise them into having children
AFP, Published on 01/04/2026
» MOSCOW - Russian women say the idea of "therapising" them into having children is coercive, cruel and unworkable, and will do little to reverse declining birth rates -- currently at their lowest in 200 years.
Young Chinese parents tighten belts as childcare costs rise
AFP, Published on 08/03/2026
» LANGFANG (CHINA) - New mother Zhang Xiaofei wanted to be financially secure before having a baby, wary of high childcare costs that have been softened only a little by Chinese government cash incentives to boost record-low births.
UN says Israeli actions raise 'ethnic cleansing' fears in West Bank, Gaza
AFP, Published on 19/02/2026
» GENEVA — Israel's increased attacks and forcible transfers of Palestinians "raise concerns over ethnic cleansing" in the Gaza Strip and West Bank, the United Nations (UN) reported on Thursday.
'Artists of steel': Japanese swords forge new fanbase
AFP, Published on 11/02/2026
» MISATO, SAITAMA (JAPAN) - Sparks illuminate the soot-covered studio of Japanese swordsmith Akihira Kawasaki as his apprentice hammers red-hot steel, showcasing a millennium-old craft now enjoying a resurgence in popularity.
Polar bears bulk up despite melting Norwegian Arctic: study
AFP, Published on 30/01/2026
» PARIS (FRANCE) - Their icy hunting grounds are rapidly shrinking, but polar bears in Norway's remote Svalbard archipelago have defied the odds by bulking up instead of wasting away, a study said on Thursday.
Trump's MAGA movement ramps up attacks on 'progressive white women'
AFP, Published on 23/01/2026
» WASHINGTON — Progressive white women have been persistent punching bags of President Donald Trump's MAGA (Make America Great Again) movement, but attacks targeting the demographic group have become particularly vicious in recent weeks.
'Not about condoms': Chinese shrug off contraceptive tax
AFP, Published on 05/01/2026
» BEIJING - China has made condoms and other contraceptives more expensive as it tries to boost birth rates, but residents in Beijing and analysts say the measure will have little impact.
White House will host cage fight on July 4, says UFC boss
AFP, Published on 13/08/2025
» WASHINGTON - The White House wil host a mixed martial arts bout on July 4 next year, the day the United States marks the 250th anniversary of its founding, UFC boss Dana White said Tuesday.
US Senate edges towards vote on Trump's divisive spending bill
AFP, Published on 30/06/2025
» WASHINGTON - US senators were inching Sunday towards a vote on Donald Trump's "big beautiful" spending bill, a hugely divisive proposal that would deliver key parts of the US president's domestic agenda while making massive cuts to social welfare programs.
Northern Ireland hit by fourth night of clashes
AFP, Published on 13/06/2025
» PORTADOWN (UNITED KINGDOM) - Northern Ireland was rocked by a fourth night of anti-immigrant unrest on Thursday as police clashed with protestors in a second town, undeterred by driving rain.