Christian Science Monitor | World

Saudi woman scales Everest for first time

Saudi woman scales Everest with group of 64 climbers Saturday. Raha Moharrak, a 25-year old graphic designer, is the first Saudi woman to have reached the summit of Mount Everest.

Showgirls dressed as Obama at Berlusconi's 'bunga bunga' parties

Showgirls dressed as Obama, Brazilian footballer Ronaldinho, as well as nuns and nurses at former Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi's parties. Karima El Mahroug testified about showgirls dressing up at a prostitution trial in Italy.

Sea of protesters fills streets in Rome

Thousands took to the streets on Saturday to protest austerity measures and advocate for job creation and workers' rights in Italy. The country is experiencing its longest recession since 1970, with unemployment rates soaring.

North Korea fires three short-range missiles. Why? (+video)

The firing of three short-range missiles Saturday by North Korea could be to improve their accuracy. Or it could be atmospherics as a period of tentative diplomacy begins.

Opposition groups protest proposed law regulating NGOs in Egypt

Egypt's opposition parties and human rights groups say a proposed bill requiring NGOs to be vetted and receive special permissions by the government would restrict their work.

In visit with Pope, Angela Merkel urges strong financial regulation

Two days after Pope Francis called for world finance reform, German Chancellor Angela Merkel met with him to discuss financial crises worldwide. She emphasized the need for tightening financial regulation.

Scotland Yard announces new suspects in Madeleine McCann case

Six years after 3-year-old Madeleine McCann went missing from her parents' hotel room in Portugal, British investigators say they have a new list of people they would like to question.

Steve Jobs widow: How is Laurene Powell Jobs spending her wealth? (+video)

Steve Jobs widow, Laurene Powell Jobs, is emerging as a education philanthropist and immigration reform campaigner. Since her husband, Steve Jobs, passed on, Mrs. Powell Jobs has joined the push for passage of the Dream Act.

Francois Hollande signs France's same-sex marriage bill into law (+video)

On Friday, France became the fourteenth country to legalize same-sex marriage. A campaign promise by French President Francois Hollande, the bill was hotly contested by conservatives in France.

Afghanistan fails to pass law banning violence against women

A law banning violence against women, considered a major step forward in women's rights in Afghanistan, failed to pass parliament. The law would have also created shelters for abused women, and limited the number of wives permitted to two.

With conservative Islamists in power, blasphemy cases surge in Egypt

Accusations of blasphemy, a criminal offense under Egypt's new Islamist-backed constitution, have been leveled more frequently against writers, activists, and Christians in recent months.

How much do you know about Gangnam style?

Pop music sensation Psy is the first Korean solo artist to have a top-selling US single. He swept the US with his hit single “Gangnam Style” in 2012. He’s taught his signature horsey dance to everyone from the UN’s Ban Ki-moon to Britney Spears. But how much do you know about the artist?

No more drug war in Latin America? Report explores new ways to fight drugs

A new OAS report looks at alternatives to prohibiting the drug trade, including legal market regulation, reform of the UN drug convention, and smarter policing.

Venezuela's Maduro still waiting on Washington's recognition

More than a month since Maduro was elected Venezuelan president by less than 2 percent of the vote, the US has not recognized his victory. A partial recount of the ballot is currently underway.

EU austerity hawks shrug off criticism of flawed academic paper

Despite a new paper detailing flaws in the Rogoff-Reinhart study that has been used to argue in favor of austerity policies, Europe's austerity advocates are holding course.

Spain's controversial educational reform: Will the Green Tide wash it away?

New government reforms aim to reduce Spain's dropout rate. But they are opposed by green-shirted protesters from the education sector, known as the Green Tide.

Canada 5.2 quake: Earthquake felt in Ontario

Canada 5.2 quake: Canada's government agency that monitors earthquakes said the quake it registered a 5.2-magnitude temblor with an epicenter located about 11 miles northeast of Shawville, Quebec.

Gazans struggle to reel in a livelihood

One man alone used to employ more than 2,000 fishermen to bring in Gaza's daily catch, but Israel has reduced the areas in which Palestinians may fish, curbing the number of accessible fish.

Don't let strangers in, even in Paris

When a man in work clothes showed up at her door, the Monitor's Europe bureau chief let him inside. But fortunately, he didn't get a chance to pull off a well-known Parisian scam.

Why Afghanistan is nervous about the US troop withdrawal

By December 2014 the Afghan National Security Forces that have been built by the US and NATO will be left to largely stand on their own.