World

Tonga's largest criminal trial today ended in the conviction of four men and the state shipping firm over the sinking of MV Princess Ashika. 74 were killed when the ferry went down off Nuku'alofa in 2009. The vast majority of bodies remain missing. Only two were recovered, including one Tongan — a 21-year-old mother called Vae Fetu'u Taufa. The Shipping Corporation of Polynesia (SCP) manager John Jonesse, acting director of the national department for ports and marine affairs Viliami Tu'ipulotu, captain Viliami Makahokovalu Tuputupu, and first

Ed Miliband — the current leader of the Labour Party and Leader of the Opposition in the United Kingdom — and Justine Thornton, his long-term partner, have announced that they are now engaged to each other. They are anticipated to marry in Nottingham, England on May 27. The couple, who have been in a relationship for five years, currently have two children — Daniel, aged twenty-one months, and Samuel, who was born in November 2010. Until now, they had been "too busy" to perform the act of marriage, due to various occurrences; according to The

In a somewhat unexpected turn of events, it emerged on Monday that Arrow Light Rail — the existing operators of Nottingham, England's Express Transit (NET) system — were to have their contract ripped up, after the preferred bidder for the construction of Phase 2 was announced. The change means that the entire network will be able to be integrated throughout, rather than having two operators effectively running two separate systems. Nottingham City Council have selected Tramlink Nottingham as their preferred bidder to construct and operate the

Radiation levels have rocketed in the sea near the Fukushima I nuclear plant in Fukushima, Japan, as government officials admitted on Wednesday they are fighting a constant battle to halt the growing nuclear crisis which began after the devastating earthquake and tsunami which struck the country earlier this month. The news comes after the chief executive of plant operator Tepco, Masataka Shimizu, was hospitalized with exhaustion on Tuesday. Levels of Iodine-131 off the coast of the plant were recorded to be almost 3,400 times the legal limit

A man thought to be the oldest person ever held in custody in Scotland is facing charges of attempted murder. Sylvester 'Eddie' Nowak, 98, is imprisoned in hospital for psychiatric evaluation after a court appearence; it is alleged he used a knife and axe to attack two police officers. Nowak had been alone in his home in Scone, Perthshire on Tuesday after leaving hospital on Monday. A carer became alarmed for his well-being and summoned police. Tayside Police said in a statement two officers attended "which would be deemed appropriate. This in

Edward Stobart, famed for his construction of the Eddie Stobart truck empire and being its chief executive officer for over thirty years, has died at the age of 56. In a statement, the Stobart Group commented: "It is with great sadness and regret that Stobart Group shares the news that Edward Stobart, son of Eddie Stobart, passed away at 8:10 AM this morning at University Hospital Coventry, after heart problems yesterday." When Eddie Stobart — Edward's father, who is aged over eighty — created the company during the 1950s in Cumbria in norther

Troops loyal to Libyan leader Colonel Muammar Gaddafi launched an offensive Tuesday and managed to push rebel forces out of the town of Bin Jawad. This comes as world powers met the same day to discuss the future of the country. Rebels disclosed that their troops in Bin Jawad came under heavy artillery and rocket fire, after which they made a hasty retreat. Rebels who were still in the open desert sought cover and fired at Gaddafi troops as they appeared. One rebel warrior said that the shelling was too much for them to handle, A rebel fighter

One year and one month after the earthquake that affected most of Chile, and triggered a destructive tsunami throughout its coast, the governor of the Cardenal Caro Province, Julio Ibarra, told El Mercurio Online that the Pichilemu Municipality "did not register, nor conducted inspection visits" to the homes of 107 families affected by the earthquake. Their registration, and the inspection visits are a needed step for those families, in order to request housing subsidies given by the government because of the catastrophe. "We found a list of p

New York City officials plan to dispute the Census Bureau's data, after it was discovered that the 2010 Census reported only minimal growth in New York City and in the boroughs of Brooklyn and Queens. On Sunday, NYC mayor Michael Bloomberg stated "[t]hat can't be possible," and announced that the city would formally challenge the bureau's findings. NY Senators Kirsten Gillibrand and Charles Schumer also expressed interest in the alleged error. "These are high growth areas w/large immigrant populations. It's crucial that #NYC get the federal

Robert Gibbs, the former press secretary for the U.S. White House, has been said to be in talks with Facebook about possible future employment as a manager for the communications aspect of the company. According to an anonymous source close to the company, Gibbs is being pressed to quickly accept the job, in which Mr. Gibbs may receive millions of dollars in both salary and initial stock options for a planned public offering of Facebook Inc. in 2012. Both Facebook and Gibbs have declined to comment. Mr. Gibbs, who has worked for the Obama a

The driver of a taxicab was charged on Saturday by Wiltshire Police with the murder of Sian O'Callaghan, a 22-year-old woman. 47-year-old male Christopher Halliwell was arrested on Thursday. Personal assistant Sian O'Callaghan disappeared after departing from a nightclub, called Suju, in Swindon, England on March 19, 2011. She was never seen publicly again. The remains of her body were discovered during examinations taking place near Uffington, Oxfordshire on Thursday; the discovery was announced on Saturday. Christopher Halliwell is expecte

Sunday morning showed Trafalgar Square, London damaged during the night by demonstrators. Bottles, cans, and placards littered the concrete ground of one of the most iconic landmarks in London. Demonstrators livid at government cuts had sprayed graffiti on the four bronze lions. "No-one rules if no-one obeys," one message, next to the symbol of anarchy, read. On the steps leading up to the National Gallery lay placards, dropped by demonstrators the night before. Hours earlier the square was an arena for running battles between the anarchist pr