Reuters Group plc

Famous the world over for housing masses of foreign journalists during the US-led invasion of Iraq, the Palestine Hotel has since undergone a makeover and looks brand new. Now all it needs is customers.

An Egyptian journalist accused of trespassing and filming in a military zone on the border with the Gaza Strip has been released, but only until his trial continues next week, his lawyer said on Wednesday.

Advocacy group Amnesty International has called for the release of an Egyptian journalist facing military trial under a controversial law that allows the army to court-martial civilians.

Beijing on Thursday denied rejecting a New York Times reporter's visa after the paper -- which has published a series of exposes on Premier Wen Jiabao's family -- said he had been forced to leave mainland China.

Tens of thousands of gay marriage supporters marched through the streets of Paris on Sunday. ?Tens of thousands of gay marriage supporters marched through the streets of Paris on Sunday. Police estimated 60,000 joined the planned march in support of the government's plans to legalize marriage and adoption for gay and lesbian couples. Opposition from conservatives and religious groups has been surprisingly strong ? 100,000 protested the marriage reform last month. And a second march in Paris is planned for January 13. Paris Mayor Bertrand Delanoe, who is openly gay, joined Sunday's march, where demonstrators waved rainbow flags and placards which read ?liberty, equality, dignity? and ?hate is not a family value,? Reuters reported. The Socialist government of Francois Hollande has sent the proposed plan to lawmakers for debate. The National Assembly is expected to start debate on the legislation on January 29, and a vote could come by mid-2013. If approved ? and most believe the governme

Lady Gaga has been accused of promoting gay rights to minors during a concert on Sunday in St. Petersburg, Russia. Lady Gaga has been accused of promoting gay rights to minors during a concert on Sunday in St. Petersburg, Russia. A law which criminalizes ?public actions aimed at propaganda of pederasty, lesbianism, bisexuality and transgenderism among minors? took effect in St. Petersburg earlier this year. The measure's architect, Vitaly Milonov, accused Lady Gaga of violating the law. ?We saw that in addition to music, songs and such, there were direct calls for 12-year-old citizens to support the LGBT [lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender] community,? Milonov is quoted as saying by Reuters. ?We will contact prosecutors and the law enforcement agencies to carry out a thorough investigation of the situation,? he told Russian tabloid Life News. ?When people tell kids 'you must support sexual minorities,' that can create a false equivalence for them between traditional and non-traditi

Brian Brown, the president of NOM, is calling on supporters to raise $30 million to defeat gay marriage initiatives. Brian Brown, the president of the National Organization for Marriage (NOM), is calling on supporters to raise $30 million in the coming year to defeat gay marriage initiatives. In remarks to Reuters, Brown said his group would use four so-called traditional marriage losses at the ballot box as a rallying cry to outraise supporters of marriage equality. ?Frankly, Americans never really thought that they would have to defend something so obvious as the reality that it takes a man and a woman to make a marriage, and only recently has the threat become clear,? Brown said. ?We're committed to not letting that happen again, to being outspent in that way. And I think a lot of our donors will step up to the plate, in a way that you haven't seen before, in any future state fights.? Those battlegrounds are likely to include Rhode Island and Delaware, two states which currently rec

International news agencies suspended coverage of the Test series between India and England starting Thursday after Indian cricket authorities refused to lift restrictions on photo agencies.

International news agencies, including AFP, warned Tuesday they may be forced to suspend coverage of the Test cricket series between India and England to protest restrictions imposed by authorities.

The Roman Catholic Church in France is being criticized for leading the opposition against a proposed gay marriage law. The Roman Catholic Church in France is being criticized for leading the opposition against a proposed gay marriage law. At the church's annual plenary held in the town of Lourdes on Saturday, Paris Cardinal Andre Vingt-Trois called on Catholics to oppose the measure, Reuters reported. ?The presidential and legislative elections did not give them carte blanche, especially not for reforms that very profoundly affect the equilibrium of our society,? said Vingt-Trois. ?It will not be 'marriage for all,' it will be the marriage of a few imposed on all,? he added, calling the proposed reform ?a fraud.? The bill is expected to be introduced to the French cabinet on Wednesday. The Socialist government has said they expect to pass the reform by mid-2013. ?I'm shocked by this attitude which I think is a kind of return to a fundamentalism that I find problematic,? Jean-Marie Le

Malawi has suspended its law which criminalizes gay sex as lawmakers consider repealing it altogether. Malawi has suspended its law which criminalizes gay sex as lawmakers consider repealing it altogether. President Joyce Banda, who ascended to her position in April after the death of her predecessor, President Bingu wa Mutharika, backed repeal of the law shortly after assuming her office. Justice Minister Ralph Kasambara said Malawi's indecency and unnatural acts laws would be set aside until parliament votes on a new law. Gay men face up to 14 years imprisonment if convicted under the statutes. ?If we continue arresting and prosecuting people based on the said laws and later such laws are found to be unconstitutional it would be an embarrassment to government,? Reuters quoted Kasambara as saying. ?It is better to let one criminal get away with it rather than throw a lot of innocent people in jail.? Sexual conduct between people of the same sex is banned in 37 African countries. If re

The Roman Catholic Church in France is calling on members to show their opposition to a planned marriage reform. ?The Roman Catholic Church in France is calling on members to show their opposition to a planned marriage reform. The Socialist government of President Francois Hollande is expected on Wednesday to introduce a bill which would legalize gay marriage. At the church's annual plenary held in the town of Lourdes on Saturday, Paris Cardinal Andre Vingt-Trois called on Catholics to oppose the measure, Reuters reported. ?The presidential and legislative elections did not give them carte blanche, especially not for reforms that very profoundly affect the equilibrium of our society,? said Vingt-Trois. ?It will not be 'marriage for all,' it will be the marriage of a few imposed on all,? he added, calling the proposed reform ?a fraud.? Government officials have said they expect to pass the reform by mid-2013. In August, gay rights advocates chided Vingt-Trois for criticizing the plan in

A US judge ordered prosecutors Wednesday to hand over hundreds of emails by officers overseeing the detention of WikiLeaks suspect Bradley Manning, who has alleged he suffered mistreatment at a Marine Corps brig.

A PepsiCo Russian subsidiary is being accused of promoting homosexuality to minors. ?A PepsiCo Russian subsidiary is being accused of promoting homosexuality to minors. Anti-gay activists object to food and beverage giant Wimm-Bill-Dann's Jolly Milkman (which also translates to gay, but is not a reference to homosexuality) marketing, which includes a colorful rainbow. According to The Moscow Times, the St. Petersburg chapter of the group People's Council (Narodny Sobor) has filed a complaint with city officials. They accuse Wimm-Bill-Dann of violating a local ordinance which prohibits the ?promotion of homosexuality to minors.? ?It [the rainbow] is the international symbol of the homosexual movement,? Anatoly Artyukh, head of the group, told Interfax on Friday. ?I consider it to be blatant propaganda of vice.? Wimm-Bill-Dann is Russia's largest food and beverage company. It was purchased by PepsiCo in 2010 for $3.8 million. Reuters reported that the group is also planning protests agai

It seems like a terrible time to be launching a news operation.

The partner of a Japanese war reporter shot dead in Syria urged Damascus on Tuesday to investigate her death, saying she had been ambushed by pro-government forces.

A veteran Japanese war reporter killed while covering the anti-regime movement in Syria suffered nine bullet wounds with the fatal injury sustained in the neck, police said Sunday after an autopsy.

The body of a veteran Japanese war reporter killed while covering the anti-regime movement in Syria's second city was flown home on Saturday.

A veteran Japanese war reporter died after she was shot in the neck when coming under fire from up to 15 apparently pro-government troops in Syria's second city, a colleague said on Tuesday.

A female Japanese reporter has been killed after being caught in gunfire in the conflict-torn north Syrian city of Aleppo, Japan's foreign ministry said Tuesday.