WORLD

The First Lady makes her first official trip to Sub-Saharan Africa in an effort to strengthen diplomatic relations between the US and Africa.

Dean Skelos, the state senate Majority Leader said a framework agreement is in place on all outstanding issues except gay marriage.

Nine new warning labels with graphic images will be required on U.S. cigarette packs, FDA announced on Monday. The labels will cover the top half of a tobacco package on both sides, each including a national quit smoking hotline number. 20% of an ad will also be given to warning labels.

President Obama is still mulling his options as he prepares to announce a schedule for withdrawing the 33,000 additional troops he committed to Afghanistan upon assuming office.

Small Indian carrier GoAir has placed a contract valued at $7.2-billion to purchase 72 airplanes from Airbus – a reflection of soaring aircraft demand in the subcontinent.

A plane went down just a few hundreds yards from its destination in northeastern Russia.

Jon Huntsman officially announced his presidential bid today, charging that the country's current course will hobble future generations.

Obama's visit to New York City this week includes speaking at the annual LGBT Leadership Gala at the Sheraton New York, in the very midst of 2011 NYC Pride events. Does it hint Obama's new position in same-sex marriage? There are some historical facts that may back up its likelihood.

Despite the attention became focused upon the drunk-driving death of former MTV star Ryan Dunn, the incidence of DUI deaths has actually been decreasing in the U.S.

As the Libya conflict continues, Libyan rebels have taken and are repairing weapons from forces loyal to Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi. On Monday, rebel army officers were seen in a workshop in Benghazi fixing weapons.

I have vague memories of a postal strike in Britain which lasted almost two months in 1971.

Twitter is ablaze with outrage over Pulitzer Prize winner movie critic Roger Ebert's comment about Jackass star Ryan Dunn high speed car accident.

As outrage gathers over film critic Roger Ebert’s insensitive comments following the death of “Jackass” TV star Ryan Dunn, almost exactly two years ago a similar controversy erupted over the passing of a much bigger celebrity, Michael Jackson.

After over a week of backdoor negotiations and heated coverage, the state legislators are still stuck on the same-sex marriage bill in New York.Governor Andrew Cuomo is putting unprecedented pressure on Republicans to approve his bill, which now awaits one more vote in the Senate to cross the finishing line.

Lisa Raitt, the Canadian Minister of Labor, said her Federal Conservative party has introduced a law to end the strike that has paralyzed the nation’s state-owned postal system, Canada Post.

Google has used the Solstice to celebrate the work of Japanese artist Takashi Murakami

There are too few holidays-cum-excuses to get hammered in mainstream American society- a lesson we are learning from the Pagans and the Christians this week-in Summer Solstice 2011.

The RusAir Tu-134 plane that crashed in heavy fog and burst into flames on a highway in northwestern Russia left 44 people dead according to officials.

The Conservative government on Monday introduced back-to-work bill that could send the locked-out postal employees back to work to end the ongoing postal dispute between Canada Post and the Union.

Fitch Ratings agency has warned any voluntary rollover by commercial lenders of Greece’s debt would be regarded as a “default,” putting even more pressure on Euro Zone ministers and Greek Prime Minister George Papandreou, who is facing a crucial vote of confidence.

Apple and Samsung executives are holding hold talks to end the patent dispute between the companies.

Vladimir Pettaya, one of the Russia's leading Premier League football referees, was killed when a passenger jet crashed in north-west Russia, killing 44 people.

On the coming Wednesday, President Obama will announce the details of his plan to reduce the number of U.S. troops in Afghanistan next month, according to administration officials.

Senate Republicans emerged from a three-hour conference behind closed doors in New York's capital without comment on Monday.

Reggie Brown, whose prominence as a President Obama impersonator got a boost after a performance at a prominent GOP conference over the weekend, says he wants to star in whatever movie is eventually made about the Commander in Chief.

Barack Obama, decked with a 2012 Twitter profile image, is getting more personal with the social networking platform. His staff recently announced that the Twitter world can expect to hear from Obama regularly. When he Tweets, he will always sign it with -BO.

President Obama plans to speak on the future of the U.S. mission in Afghanistan on Wednesday, senior administration officials said Monday.

World Refugee Day is held to increase awareness of refugees globally. It is observed June 20 every year.

NBC issued an on-air apology for omitting the words under God from the Pledge of Allegiance during its coverage of golf's U.S. Open.