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The British government has reached an out-of-court settlement with a number of Guantanamo detainees who alleged they were tortured. The detainees say that British agents either arranged or knew about their mistreatment, and the group has been suing the government for compensation. Press reports say ministers decided it was better to pay large sums of money to the detainees, rather than have details of security service operations aired in open court.

Public sector workers walked off their jobs Wednesday in Britain to protest pension cuts. They tied up airports, shut down schools and slowed delivery of health services. No one knows for sure how many joined the walkout, though some reports say it was as many as two million people. The strike is an important sign of the growing discontent with Britain's austerity program.

In Greenland, the search is on for big deposits of oil and gas. Driven by high commodity prices, international companies are also looking for other riches, including diamonds and gold. And this is raising some environmental, social and economic issues.

The concept of multiculturalism is now being called into question in much of Europe. Some think it has failed.

Britain's prime minister called a special gathering of Parliament to argue forcefully for military intervention in Syria in response to the apparent chemical strike that he said killed hundreds there. He met with opposition among legislators who don't want to rush to war.

After the United Nations voted overwhelmingly to recognize the Palestinians as a non-member state, Israel announced it would expand settlements in the West Bank and East Jerusalem. If completed, the project would effectively divide the West Bank in two, according to the Palestinians.

Exiled Hamas leader Khaled Meshaal is expected to visit the territory, crossing over from the Egyptian border. His visit comes amid speculation that Hamas, which rules Gaza, will seal a reconciliation deal with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas's Palestinian Authority in the West Bank.

In Lahore, Pakistan, breeding and racing pigeons is an integral part of everyday life.

To Pakistan, the Afghan elections and the withdrawal of most U.S. troops seems reminiscent of the Soviet departure decades ago — leaving Afghanistan in Pakistan's lap, for better or worse.

A full-blown congressional debate on the expiring 2001 and 2003 tax cuts will unfold this fall, but some lawmakers have already weighed in on the most controversial issue: whether it makes sense, at a time of huge budget deficits, to extend tax relief for those earning more than $250,000.