Millions of children around the country are singing 'Happy Birthday' to former South African President Nelson Mandela, to celebrate his 93rd birthday.

More than 12 million school pupils sang a special version of the song, written for the anti-apartheid leader, before lessons began Monday.

A volatile volcano in central Indonesia unleashed its most powerful eruption in days Sunday, spewing hot ash and smoke high into the air and sending panicked villagers racing back to crowded government shelters. There were no immediate reports of casualties.

Mount Lokon, located on northern Sulawesi island, rumbled back to life last week.

The kidnappers of an American woman, her son and Filipino nephew in the southern Philippines have telephoned their family by phone demanding a ransom, officials said Sunday.

At least 14 gunmen seized Philippine-born U.S. citizen Gerfa Yeatts Lunsmann, her 14-year-old son and 19-year-old nephew Tuesday from a relative's house they were visiting in a village near southern Zamboanga City. They were taken away at gunpoint on board a motor boat, officials said.

Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez arrived in Cuba late Saturday to begin chemotherapy treatment for his cancer.

Chavez, who was accompanied by his daughter Rosa, will stay there an undisclosed period of time.

Niko Alm wanted to test an Austrian law saying that head coverings would only be allowed in official documents for religious reasons.

So the tongue-in-cheek atheist applied for a new driver's license in his country with a photo of himself wearing a pasta strainer as headgear. Alm said he was a "pastafarian" and that the headpiece was required by his religion.

Even one of online video's biggest stars isn't immune to copyright claims.

Lady Gaga's YouTube account was suspended Thursday. The notice read that the suspension was due to "multiple or severe violations of YouTube's copyright policy."

American television audiences will see something unique this week — filmed live in the streets and palaces of an Italian city: Verdi's "Rigoletto" with Placido Domingo, singing right where the story is set.

When the plot says "midnight" — he's there exactly at midnight, singing from the city of Mantua for TV.

Kazan, Russia has been awarded the right to host the world swimming championships in 2015 and Guadalajara, Mexico in 2017.

World swimming body FINA made the announcement Friday just before the start of the 14th world titles in Shanghai. Barcelona, Spain, will host the same event in 2013.

Scientists scouring the mountains of Borneo spotted a toad species last seen in 1924 by European explorers and provided the world with the first photographs of the colorful, spindly legged creature, a researcher said Thursday.

In recent years, the Washington-based Conservation International placed the Sambas stream toad, also known as the Bornean rainbow toad, on a world "Top 10 Most Wanted Lost Frogs" and voiced fears it might be extinct.

Life is tough for the top baboon.

Oh sure, you're No. 1 so you get the best food and girl baboons. But there's also all that pressure to defend your status.