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President Barack Obama's pledge to raise the minimum wage by 24 percent has divided economists and businesses who warn it could threaten recent improvements in jobless numbers.

Bulgaria's Orthodox Church on Sunday elected metropolitan Neophyte of the northern city of Ruse as its new leader after Patriarch Maxim died last November aged 98 after leading the church for over 40 years.

Bulgaria's parliament accepted Thursday the resignation of Prime Minister Boyko Borisov's government after days of at times violent protests over low wages and persistent corruption, opening the way for early elections in late April.

Bulgaria's parliament accepted Thursday the resignation of Prime Minister Boyko Borisov's government after days of sometimes violent protests against high electricity bills and low wages in the EU's poorest country.

Bulgaria's prime minister announced Wednesday the surprise resignation of his government after days of sometimes violent rallies, paving the way for early elections in the European Union's poorest member.

Several thousand people joined street rallies across Bulgaria on Monday as initial protests against high electricity bills snowballed into bitter anger against the right-wing government of Prime Minister Boyko Borisov.

New US Secretary of State John Kerry held out an olive branch to sanction-hit Iran on Friday, saying the world would respond if Tehran seriously addressed its nuclear program at upcoming talks.

Tens of thousands of pro-life supporters converged on the US Supreme Court to protest its landmark decision 40 years ago this week that legalized abortion in America.

Tens of thousands of pro-life supporters converged Friday on the US Supreme Court to protest its landmark decision 40 years ago this week that legalized abortion in America.

A two-day economic summit that opens Monday in Saudi Arabia must break with tradition and tackle people's aspirations in the wake of the Arab Spring uprisings, the Saudi foreign minister said.

A two-day economic summit that opens Monday in Saudi Arabia must break with tradition and tackle people's aspirations in the wake of the Arab Spring uprisings, the Saudi foreign minister said.

Top US diplomat Hillary Clinton was in a New York hospital Tuesday because of a potentially dangerous blood clot near her brain, but doctors said she should make a full recovery.

Top US diplomat Hillary Clinton is suffering from a rare blood clot in a vein in her head but should make a full recovery, doctors said as she spent New Year's Eve in hospital.

Top US diplomat Hillary Clinton remained in hospital on New Year's Eve after news her health had taken a turn for the worse with the discovery of a blood clot just weeks before she is due to step down.

A majority of Americans support the Boy Scouts of America's (BSA) ban on gay leaders, a poll has found. A majority of Americans support the Boy Scouts of America's (BSA) ban on gay leaders, a USA Today/Gallup poll has found. According to the survey, conducted between November 26-29, 52 percent of respondents said the ?Boy Scouts of America should not allow openly gay adults to serve as Boy Scout leaders.? Forty-two percent said the BSA should lift its ban, while 6 percent said they had no opinion. The same respondents, however, overwhelmingly support inheritance rights (78%) and insurance benefits (77%) for gay spouses. Sixty-one percent said they approve of adoption rights for gay men and lesbians. And 53 percent endorsed the legalization of gay marriage. Gallup noted in releasing its data: ?Less than half of Americans ? support the idea of openly gay adults as Boy Scout leaders. Given the lack of a trend on this question, it is not clear whether support is higher than in the past, or

Bollywood wives were once expected to stay loyal, discreet and out of sight, but today they forge influential careers as businesswomen, designers and producers as India embraces celebrity culture.

Access to healthcare and its cost remain Americans' top medical concerns, two years after President Barack Obama's reforms were passed, a poll said Wednesday.

An off-the-cuff comment by Mitt Romney about women job applicants went viral online Wednesday in a bizarre twist of a potentially decisive election duel for the hearts and minds of female voters.

0305 GMT: This concludes the AFP Live Report on the second presidential debate. The third and final debate will be held on Monday, October 22 with a focus on foreign policy.

An intense Barack Obama bounced off the ropes and accused Mitt Romney of untruths in a furious opening to his bid to blunt his opponent's momentum surge in their second presidential debate.