The six member nations of the Gulf Co-operation Council say they are pulling their ambassadors from Syria immediately because of President Bashar al-Assad’s refusal to accept Arab attempts to end the country’s bloodshed. The move will further isolate the Syrian regime, as Western nations also withdraw their ambassadors. On Monday, the U.S. pulled its embassy [...]

Supporters and opponents of California’s ban on same-sex marriage were anxiously awaiting a federal appeals court decision Tuesday on whether the voter-approved measure violates the civil rights of gay men and lesbians. A three-judge panel of the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals that considered the question plans to issue its long-awaited opinion 18 months [...]

Centuries ago, emperors flocked to the Temple of Heaven in Beijing to pray for a good harvest. And that’s where Prime Minister Stephen Harper will make one of his first stops on a four-day trip through China, continuing a course he set two years ago to harvest more of the country’s wealth for Canada. The [...]

The World Anti-Doping Agency on Tuesday urged U.S. federal authorities to quickly hand over evidence collected in their lengthy probe into seven-time Tour de France winner Lance Armstrong and doping in American cycling. WADA president John Fahey said federal agencies in the United States gathered “significant evidence” in the criminal investigation that was abruptly closed [...]

The Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame has unveiled its Class of 2012. Doug Melvin, Rusty Staub, Rheal Cormier and the 2011 Canadian senior national team will be inducted this June. Melvin, from Chatham, Ont., has served as the general manager of the Milwaukee Brewers since 2002 and was named Baseball Executive of the Year for [...]