Beirut / Geneva - International human rights groups are calling on Syria to halt the "unfair trial" of a dozen dissidents and to release them unconditionally.

tags: ratite, tinamous, evolution, biogeography, phylogenomics, convergence, flightlessness, Paleognath, homoplasy, vicarianceWhite-throated Tinamou, Tinamus guttatus.Image: Wikipedia.New research suggests the ostriches, emus, rheas and other flightless birds known as ratites have lost the ability to fly many times, rather than just once,

tags: identify this bird, birds, nature, Image of the Day[Mystery bird] photographed at Smith Point, Texas. [I will identify this bird for you tomorrow]Image: Joseph Kennedy, 7 September 2008 [larger view]. [voice: mp3: Gough, G.A., Sauer, J.R., Iliff, M. Patuxent

These blog carnivals are hot off the presses, just for you to enjoy;Here's my other favorite blog carnival, Carnival of the Vanities, the 18 September issue. This blog carnival is all about recognizing writing -- excellent writing -- in the

U.S. administration would seek...

Obligatory, I am law-abiding citizen..."

Many analysts think the Russian invasion of Georgia last month will make it more difficult for Ukraine and Georgia to join NATO or even gain a membership action plan when NATO foreign ministers meet again in December.

At the same time, the Ukraine's central bank...

Ms Livni had run a successful...

Polish PM is holding talks...

vehicles were so obstructed in Kyiv...

Russia last month fought...

Yulia Tymoshenko claims she...

TOKYO -- The world's oldest man celebrated his 113th birthday Thursday in southern Japan, telling reporters he wants to live another five years. Tomoji Tanabe, who was born Sept. 18, 1895, received birthday gifts, flowers and $1,000 cash from the

Investing in new drug delivery technologies is becoming a critical strategy for them to maintain a strong presence in this cut-throat market as they offer the potential to enhance the life cycle of established drugs.

US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice has said the United States and Europe must "stand up to" Russian aggression and convey to Moscow that it was on a path of international isolation. In a speech outlining US policy on Russia

A US military tribunal in Germany has sentenced an American soldier to seven months in prison for his involvement in the killing of four Iraqis. The Iraqi detainees were bound and blindfolded and later dumped in a Baghdad canal. Twenty-three-year-old

Two board members at Germany's state-owned KfW Bank for Reconstruction have been suspended over a mistake that lead to millions of euros being transferred to Lehmann Brothers, just hours before it filed for bankruptcy. German Economics Minister Michael Glos said

President George W. Bush has vowed that his administration will meet serious challenges facing financial markets. Speaking at a White House news conference, Bush said the federal government would continue to act to stabilize financial markets, after the Federal Reserve

Yemeni security officials say they have arrested 25 people over Wednesday's deadly attack on the US embassy in Sanaa. An al-Qaeda linked Islamist group that called itself the Organisation of Islamic Jihad claimed responsibility for the car bombing and rocket