He was king of England, but for centuries he lay without shroud or coffin in an unknown grave, and his name became a byword for villainy.On Monday, scientists announced they had rescued the remains of Richard III from anonymity _ and the monarch's fans hope a revival of his reputation will soon follow.In a dramatically orchestrated news conference, a team of archaeologists, geneticists, genealogists and other scientists from the University of Leicester announced that tests had proven what they s

MOSCOW,  (AFP) -- At least 20,000 Russians marched on Sunday through Moscow to protest a Kremlin law that banned US adoptions of Russian orphans and led to a further split in an already polarised society.The protest dubbed "the March Against Scoundrels" was aimed at naming and shaming the lawmakers who fast-tracked the anti-adoption bill through the lower house of parliament, the State Duma.Besides slogans such as "Stop Lying," participants carried pictures of lawmakers Alina Kabayeva, a former

MANILA, Philippines (AP) -- A 150-day ban on the carrying of firearms outside residences across the Philippines began Sunday to prevent violence that could erupt during May 13 congressional and local elections in a country awash with weapons and plagued by a history of deadly poll rivalries.Commission on Elections Chairman Sixto Brillantes Jr. said the ban, which ends June 12, suspends all permits to carry firearms in public areas and exempts only top officials, on-duty troops and police, and pe

BELGRADE, Serbia (AP) -- Serbia on Sunday adopted a set of guidelines for reconciliation talks with the leaders of Kosovo, in a strong first signal it is loosening its claim to its former province in hopes of getting closer to European Union membership.In a resolution adopted by an overwhelming majority in Parliament, Serbia maintained it will never recognize Kosovo's 2008 declaration of independence. But in a big shift in policy, the document called for wide autonomy for minority Serbs within K

BERLIN, (AFP) -- US Vice President Joe Biden is expected to travel to Berlin soon for talks with Chancellor Angela Merkel, a German government spokesman said Sunday."There are plans for a visit," the spokesman told AFP. "The details and timings will be made known when they are confirmed."The newsweekly Der Spiegel had previously reported that Merkel would host Biden for an official visit in early February.Biden is to address the Munich Security Conference, an annual meeting of top brass and fore

JERUSALEM, (AFP) -- Israel's defence ministry has published plans for 170 new housing units and another 84 guest rooms in the West Bank settlement of Rotem in the Jordan Valley, anti-settlement activists said on Sunday.The settlement itself previously received government approval, but no building plan was set out, according to Hagit Ofran of the Peace Now organisation."Last week it was deposited for public review. It is talking about 200 units, 30 of them are already built. In addition, another

NEW DELHI (AP) -- Police said Sunday they have arrested six men in another gang rape of a bus passenger in India, four weeks after a deadly attack on a student on a moving bus in the capital outraged Indians and led to calls for tougher rape laws.Police officer Raj Jeet Singh said a 29-year-old woman was the only passenger on a bus as she was traveling to her village in northern Punjab state on Friday night. The driver did not stop at her village despite her repeated pleas and drove her to a des

BEIRUT (AP) -- Activists say Syrian fighter jets have bombed Damascus suburbs as part of a government offensive to dislodge rebels from strategic areas around the capital.  The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights says warplanes carried out airstrikes Sunday on towns and villages around the capital, including Kfar Batna and Gesereen, while regime forces bombarded other neighborhoods with artillery and mortars.  The Observatory also says regime troops are battling rebels in the subur

Figure skating star Kim Yu-na will compete in the South Korean national championships this weekend, her first appearance at the tournament in seven years, as she tries to qualify for the world championships this spring.The Korea Skating Union (KSU) said Wednesday Kim will take part in the 2013 Korea Figure Skating Championships at Mokdong Ice Rink in western Seoul. The ladies' short program is set for Saturday and free skating is on Sunday.Kim, 22, last competed in the national championships as

A total of 24 South Korean nationals were killed or injured in a deadly bus crash on a rural highway of the U.S. state of Oregon, Seoul's foreign ministry said Wednesday.Five Koreans were among the nine people who died after the tour bus carrying 47 people slid off an icy highway and down an embankment Sunday morning in Oregon, the ministry said in a statement, identifying the Korean victims by name.Local news reports said the crash took place as the bus was returning to Vancouver, Canada from L

BERLIN,  (AFP) -- The Berlin film festival on Thursday unveiled its preliminary line-up for the February event including new releases from US director Gus Van Sant, South Korea's Hong Sang-soo and Ulrich Seidl of Austria.Van Sant will present "Promised Land", an ecological drama about fracking starring Matt Damon, Frances McDormand and John Krasinski at the 63rd Berlinale, taking place February 7 to 17.Organisers of the first major European film festival of the year said Hong Sang-soo, a critics

BERLIN,  (AFP) -- The Berlin film festival on Thursday unveiled its preliminary line-up for the February event including new releases from USdirector Gus Van Sant, South Korea's Hong Sang-soo and Ulrich Seidl of Austria.Van Sant will present "Promised Land", an ecological drama about fracking starring Matt Damon, Frances McDormand and John Krasinski at the 63rdBerlinale, taking place February 7 to 17.Organisers of the first major European film festival of the year said Hong Sang-soo, a critics'

Two prosecutors and four prosecution officials were referred to police Thursday for investigation for their alleged involvement in making and circulating a photo file of a female suspect accused of engaging in sex acts with a prosecutor during questioning, officials said.A special investigation team at the Supreme Prosecutors' Office sent the six-man list to police, paving the way for police to summon and question an incumbent prosecutor for the first time. No sitting prosecutor has ever been qu

BRUSSELS, (AFP) --Much-needed rescue funds for Athens "will be flowing to Greece as early as next week," the head of the Eurogroup Jean-Claude Juncker said on Thursday.Juncker spoke at a news conference after finance ministers of the 17-nation eurozone agreed to release a first 34.3 billion euros of aid to Greece, part of a rescue package held up for months due to worries over economic reform delays.