POLITICS & POLICY

Manufacturers of Russian vodkas stand to suffer potential losses after the global LGBT movement has unilaterally decided to ban the type of alcoholic drinks from gay bars in response to Russian President Vladimir Putin's crackdown against the sector in his home country.

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) officially released the dazzling image of the 2013 Comet ISON that Hubble Space Telescope was able to capture last April 30, 2013. The image shows Comet ISON speeding its way close to planet Earth with a visible tail and spectacular background.

Bell FX Currency Outlook: The Australian Dollar is trading lower this morning as the market plays it safe ahead of the US Federal Reserve meeting later this week.

New Zealand Defence Force officials are now denying responsibility for accusations of spying and calling journalist subversive.

As expected, eight division title holder Manny Pacquiao's announcement over the weekend of a plan to run for the presidency of the Philippines drew flak.

Attorney General Eric H. Holder Jr. sent a letter to Russia, affirming that Edward Snowden would not be given a death sentence if he tries to enter the U.S. Mr. Holder Jr. also said that a passport would be issued right away so that he could fly back to the U.S. Russian President Vladimir V. Putin had said that the U.S. had gotten itself into an awkward shape, where Mr. Snowden had become immobile.

Just like any other family man, Invercargill taxi driver Tariq Humayun was just there to work for a day's honest living. But he never expected that the guy he would pick up from the central city would quell him so bad he's now almost close to the brink of thinking that Kiwis probably all are racists.

Italy’s first black minister Cecile Kyenge has been subjected to another racial attack on Friday when an unknown assailant threw bananas at her during a rally in Cervia. The incident is the latest of the several harassments the Minister of Integration has endured since she was appointed in April.

Ji Yingnan, a 26-year-old woman apparently jilted by her lover who is a Chinese government official just got even. Not only has she bravely identified her former lover, Fan Yue, a deputy director at China's State Administration of Archives, she has also revealed their relationship and the kind of lifestyle they had when they were still together.

Aussie voters are becoming impatient as Prime Minister Kevin Rudd does dilly-dallying over election dates

NSW Coalition leads the recent Newspoll over NSW Australian Labor Party while Galaxy Poll says Rudd still more popular than Abbott

Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd may have drawn some criticism on his asylum seeker deal with Papua New Guinea but he has gained the support of the local music industry when he announced that Labor government will allot funds worth $560,000 to establish a National Office for Live Music in three years.

Besides the two penis selfie photos allegedly taken by New York mayoral candidate and former Congressman Anthony Weiner, more self-taken images of the controversial politician appeared online

'In the Way' guy is not "ridiculously photogenic" or "unimpressed." But he is the latest star in the funny viral memes circulating the social media sites via Reddit today. Thanks to him, photobombing reaches a whole new level. Have you seen him yet on Facebook, Twitter?

The Federal Opposition has doubted the economic update to be released by the government's Treasury and Finance Departments after the election has been called. Shadow Treasurer Joe Hockey said the Australian Labor government is planning to release pre-emptive budget of its own to influence that statement.

A South Carolina man, along with his wife, has been arrested for the death of a sex offender who hasn’t done anything wrong to him or his family. He only knew about him, his offenses as well as personal information from the state registry.

A guard from Manus Island detention camp for asylum seekers revealed more harrowing details of rape

Two Chinese government officials tasked to enforce the country's one-child policy had been stabbed to death by a disgusted father after he was told he can no longer register his fourth and youngest child until he pays the fines for breaking the law.

Julian Assange, through a video link announced Wikileaks Party’s candidates for the coming federal election

Bell FX Currency Outlook: The Australian Dollar benefited from a fall in the US Dollar against all currencies in the G-10 basket, after comments suggesting the Fed might not raise rates, even if the unemployment rate falls below 6.5%.

The set used in the 1990s movie Jurassic Park would look like a miniature model when Australian mining magnate Clive Palmer builds the world's largest dinosaur park.

In a bid to reverse the negative repercussion of the Carlos Danger sexting scandal on his campaign to become New York City mayor, former Congressman Anthony Weiner blamed his behaviour on his troubled marriage to wife Huma Abedin.

Marte Deborah Dalelv, the Norwegian woman slapped with a 16-month jail time in Dubai for reporting rape but later pardoned by the Emir, has finally come home to the waiting arms of her loved ones in her native homeland.

Opposition Leader Tony Abbott and immigration spokesman Scott Morrison announced military’s involvement in the boat-riding asylum seekers

Papua New Guinea Prime Minister Peter O’Neill has only scathing remarks regarding Opposition Leader Tony Abbott’s accusations. Mr. Abott had attacked Australia Prime Minister Kevin Rudd for telling Mr. O’Neill that he has the power to decide where the foreign aid budget will be spent.

Australia’s Foreign Minister, Bob Carr, has sent a letter to Britain’s foreign office, stating its suggestions for inclusion in the European Union. The foreign office has been posted the letter on its website.

There were two interesting stories in Taiwan-based media company, WantChinaTimes.com, that provides more details of excesses of Chinese officials, quoted by Business Insider. One form of bribe, according to a July 17 post of Zhou Fang on his microblog, is the holding of parties where the Chinese officials pay an $815 (about 5,000 yuan) admission for sex orgies. Besides the standard sex with women, these parties feature the male guests drinking breast milk from young nursing mothers.

A whistleblower exposed detailed of rape to men asylum seekers in Manus Islands

Arjean Marie Belco, the indigenous Filipino woman who was earlier denied by KLM Airlines to board her flight from Malaysia to Brazil, has finally landed in Rio de Janeiro. Goodxorg, the nonprofit group who organised and sponsored Ms Belco's trip in time for the World Youth Day 2013 festivities, believed its scholar was denied her "right to travel" all because she did not fit KLM's idea of a traveler, thus essentially "a case of discrimination."