The Dalai Lama will arrive in Taiwan on Sunday for a trip that will include praying for victims of Typhoon Morakot, his spokesman told CNN. While in Taiwan, the Tibetan spiritual leader is also expected to give a public talk on compassion and religious harmony, spokesman Tenzin Taklha said Friday. The Dalai Lama, who will return to India on September 4, will also comfort and offer prayers for typhoon victims, Taklha said. Taiwan President Ma Ying-jeou said earlier ...

Worldwide tributes for U.S. Senator Edward Kennedy, who has died after a long battle with brain cancer, poured in Wednesday, led by politicians hailing his role in securing a lasting peace in Northern Ireland. Former British Prime Minister Tony Blair, whose administration presided over the 1998 Good Friday Agreement which led to an end to decades of sectarian violence in the province and established a united ruling Assembly, praised Kennedy's commitment to the process. "I saw his focus and determination ...

Jesse Ray Beard said he was constantly in trouble, even when he behaved. It took being accused of the racially charged attempted murder of a white classmate in the Deep South to turn his life around. Beard, 18, now interns at a New York law firm as he prepares for his senior year next month at Canterbury School, a Connecticut prep academy where Beard is highly regarded among peers and teachers. "I didn't change the way I act. I didn't ...

President Obama and his family are hoping for a chance to unwind during their weeklong getaway to Martha's Vineyard. The first family, along with Obama's sister Maya Soetoro-Ng and the first dog Bo, arrived on the Massachusetts island Sunday. The Obamas are staying at a secluded 28-acre private estate. The No. 1 priority on Obama's vacation agenda is "To get a little break," White House spokesman Bill Burton said Monday. "He certainly appreciates the hospitality of the folks who ...

Bill, a Category 1 hurricane, moved along the New England coast Sunday morning as authorities maintained tropical storm warnings for parts of eastern Canada. Though beaches along the Massachusetts coast remained closed, the National Weather Service lifted its tropical storm warnings there at 8 a.m. Stuart Smith, the harbormaster in Chatham, Massachusetts, said there were reports of "insignificant" storm-related damage, but Bill did not cause much concern. "I think we really dodged a bullet," he said. "It ...

Hurricane Bill is expected to remain in open waters this weekend, but experts warn it still poses dangers along the U.S. East Coast. Although Bill weakened Friday afternoon to a Category 2 storm, CNN meteorologist Bonnie Schneider said it was "still a large and dangerous storm," especially the threat of rip currents along the coast. Rip currents, or rip tides, are strong seaward flows of water that occur where there's a break in the shoreline. They are capable of ...

While Hurricane Bill looked less organized early Friday, a tropical storm warning remains in effect for Bermuda. Tropical storm conditions, including winds of at least 39 mph (63 kph), are expected on the island within 24 hours. A hurricane watch was also in effect, meaning hurricane conditions, including winds of at least 74 mph (119 kph), are possible within 36 hours. As of 5 a.m. ET Friday, Bill's center was about 425 miles (680 kilometers) south of Bermuda, and about ...

Taiwan's President Ma Ying-jeou apologized again today for the slow response to Typhoon Morakot and said he plans sweeping changes to the country's rescue agencies and may punish some government officials. "We will try our best to do a better job in the rescue work that has been criticized for being too slow," said Ma. "There are things that we have to correct and we also will be responsible for whatever mistakes or neglect that government officials have ...

Flash floods have inundated refugee camps in northern Sri Lanka, endangering more than 16,000 Tamil refugees who only months ago survived cross-fire in the country's two-decade civil war, the United Nations says. Three days of heavy rains have damaged or destroyed nearly 2,000 shelters housing the refugees in the Vavuniya District and in Menik Farm, according to the U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. An internal U.N. memo obtained by CNN painted a dismal picture for the refugees, ...

Taiwanese President Ma Ying-jeou said Sunday he accepts responsibility for the government's slow response after Typhoon Morakot slammed into the island killing at more than 120 people and unleashing floods, mudslides and misery. Ma, who has faced heavy criticism from victims of the disaster, ruled out resignation, insisting his government did its best in the face of difficulties, however he pledged an investigation into any irregularities. "Certainly, I will take full responsibility whatever the blame is because, after all, I ...