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The Economics Legislation Committee of the Australian Senate reported Tuesday on their investigation into the matter of investigating the benefits of religious charities in Australia, and recommended the formation of a Charities Commission. The recommendation has received bipartisan support. The inquiry began as the result of legislation initially introduced in the Senate by Senator Nick Xenophon after he had received complaints from former members of the Scientology organization in Australia. The Charities Commission recommended by the Austra

British Prime Minister David Cameron today cancelled his political engagements and missed Prime Minister's Questions to be with his ill father in France. 77 year-old Ian Cameron suffered a stroke and heart complications while on holiday. Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg took Cameron's place in the House of Commons to answer the questions. A spokesman at number 10 Downing Street, the official office of the Prime Minister, said "The Prime Minister was informed this morning that his father Ian is seriously ill after suffering a stroke and heart c

The Scottish Football Association has apologised after fans booed the Liechtenstein national team during their national anthem at last night's Euro 2012 qualifier. A section of the Scottish fans started to jeer the anthem due to its similarity to God Save the Queen. Acting chief executive George Peat said in a statement that "I was embarrassed and extremely disappointed by the disgraceful behaviour of some of our supporters during the Liechtenstein national anthem at Hampden Park last night". He added "I apologise unreservedly to our visitors

The father of British Prime Minister David Cameron died in France today. 77 year-old Ian Cameron suffered a stroke while on holiday. David Cameron travelled to France this morning after hearing the news that his father was ill. A Downing Street spokesman said that Ian died shortly after the Prime Minister arrived at the hospital. It has been reported that the Prime Minister will stay in France overnight. Ian Cameron was born with both legs deformed, and during his life he underwent numerous operations. Speaking of his father in March, Cameron

ETA (Euskadi Ta Askatasuna), a separatist group based out of the Basque region of northern Spain, announced in a recorded and written message that it would end its armed campaign for independence, instead focusing on political means for achieving its goals. The Spanish government has rejected the ceasefire. In the video sent to the BBC, ETA stated that, while the autonomy framework enshrined in the Spanish constitution is "not the way to satisfy the wishes of the Basque people", the organisation was committed to finding a democratic solution t

US airline JetBlue announced Saturday flight attendant Steven Slater is not currently employed by the company and his lawyer says he resigned last week. Last month, the air carrier announced Slater's duties had been suspended. On August 9, the 38-year-old Slater announced that he was quitting his job in a profane loudspeaker announcement and exited the plane with two beers in hand on the emergency slide. According to Slater, the incident was due to a rude female passenger hitting him in the head with her luggage. However, other passengers on t

Jefferson Thomas, one of the members of the Little Rock Nine, a group of African-American students who were enrolled in Little Rock Central High School in 1957, has died at the age of 67. His death was confirmed by fellow Little Rock Nine member's Carlotta Walls LaNier and Minnijean Brown. The cause of death was announced as pancreatic cancer. As a student at Dunbar Junior High School, Thomas volunteered to integrate into all-white Little Rock Central High School. Along with eight other African-American students Thomas attempted to enter th

Indian nuclear scientist Homi Sethna has died at the age 86. His death was announced by Homi Mehta, a long time associate of Sethna. The cause of death was announced as lung fibrosis. During his career Sethna held several posts including director of the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre and chairman of the Atomic Energy Commission. During his time with the AEC Sethna presided over India's nuclear experiment at Pokhran in 1974. K. Sankaranarayanan, governor of Maharashtra, said in a condolence message “Dr. Homi Sethna was one of India's pioneering

Members of Irish rock band U2 took a walk on Istanbul's famous Bosphorus Bridge connecting Europe and Asia on Sunday, accompanied by Turkish ministers Egemen Bağış and Hayati Yazıcı. Lead singer Bono gave a speech during the trip. "Last September I was asking, what would be the most inspiring thing about Istanbul? And I said you know[, Bağış], it is the bridge between the East and the West, Europe and Asia, the secular and the religious. It is very important. And then you suggested 'maybe would you like to walk on the bridge? Would you like to

At the Internationale Funkausstellung Berlin (IFA) industrial exhibition in Berlin, the South Korean corporation Samsung released its first tablet computer, called "Galaxy Tab". The device features the Android operating system and a seven-inch screen. Samsung's own applications, called "Reader's Hub" and "Media Hub," display ebooks and videos respectively. Latest Flash, and an interface to stream to TV also are included. Wireless technologies supported include 3G networks, Wi-Fi, and Bluetooth. The device is a competitor to Apple's iPad. Brit

In the hopes of resolving Australia's political gridlock of a hung parliament after the 2010 Australian federal election, Independent member of Parliament (MP) for Kennedy in Northern Queensland Bob Katter has released a list of policy initiatives such as indigenous housing which he considers to be the criteria that will determine who he will side with to form a government. Katter, who was a former State Minister for Indigenous Affairs in Queensland, suggests that past governments have oppressed indigenous Australians and put issues pertaining

Nine people died in New Zealand after a small tourist plane crashed on Saturday afternoon on the West Coast of the South Island, killing all on board. The aircraft, a Fletcher FU24 owned by a local sky diving company, crashed and caught fire at 13:15 local time soon after taking off from the Fox Glacier Airport to carry out tandem skydiving over the Fox Glacier. The cause of the accident is not yet known, but the plane banked, dipped, smashed nose-first into the ground, and burst into flames. There were four overseas tourists on the plane,