LUBUMBASHI, DR Congo, Sept 30, 2008 (AFP) - Several thousand people in southeastern DR Congo protested Tuesday against clashes roiling the country's east, in the latest of growing demonstrations against rebel fighters here.

Organised by local authorities who promised a paid day off work, the march in the Katanga province capital of Lubumbashi paralysed commercial activity in the city.

ATHENS, Sept 29, 2008 (AFP) - Dozens of people demonstrated Monday in Athens in favour of gay unions ahead of a trial set for this week, with a prosecutor seeking to have Greece's first two such unions declared null and void.

'The marriages are valid' said a large rainbow-coloured banner unfurled by demonstrators in front of the Greek parliament building.

MOSUL, Iraq, Sept 28, 2008 (AFP) - Crowds of Iraqi Christians protested on Sunday against a newly approved provincial election law, saying the legislation failed to represent the interests of the minority community.

ROME, Sept 27, 2008 (AFP) - Italy's leading trade union pulled tens of thousands onto the streets Saturday to protest against the social and economic policies of Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi's right-wing government.

GAZA CITY, Sept 26, 2008 (AFP) - A Hamas parliamentarian called on Friday for more suicide attacks against Israel as thousands of Palestinians marched through Gaza in honour of Al-Quds (Jerusalem) Day, an Iranian-declared observance.

GAZA CITY, Sept 26, 2008 (AFP) - A Hamas parliamentarian called on Friday for more suicide attacks against Israel as thousands of Palestinians marched through Gaza in honour of Al-Quds (Jerusalem) Day, an Iranian-declared observance.

ABIDJAN, Sept 26, 2008 (AFP) - Ivorian soldiers fired into the air and blockaded roads on Friday in protest at the government's failure to pay their bonuses -- the latest sign of military tensions over a fragile peace accord.

TEHRAN, Sept 26, 2008 (AFP) - Iranians chanted 'Death to Israel' as a group of Islamist students unveiled a book mocking the Holocaust in an annual parade on Friday to show solidarity with the Palestinians.

Featuring dozens of cartoons and sarcastic commentary, the book 'Holocaust' was published by members of the Islamist Basij militia.

BERLIN, Sept 25, 2008 (AFP) - Tens of thousands of hospital workers from all over Germany made their opposition to the country's healthcare policy loud and clear Thursday with a noisy demonstration in central Berlin.

BERLIN, Sept 25, 2008 (AFP) - Health workers from across Germany gathered in Berlin Thursday for a protest expected to draw 70,000 doctors, nurses and staff angry at a lack of funding they say will force hospitals to close.

PARIS, Sept 22, 2008 (AFP) - Iran summoned the French ambassador to Tehran to protest a conference of European far-right activists in Germany, which Iran branded as 'Islamophobic,' the French foreign ministry said Monday.

COLOGNE, Germany, Sept 21, 2008 (AFP) - Violent protests by leftists forced the cancellation of a far-right rally against the influence of Islam in Europe and prompted the detention of 500 people, German authorities said Sunday.

YOKOSUKA, Japan, Sept 21, 2008 (AFP) - Nearly 200 Japanese rallied Sunday against a controversial US nuclear-powered aircraft carrier which is due to arrive this week for a deployment near Tokyo.

The USS George Washington is set to dock on Thursday, becoming the first US nuclear-powered aircraft carrier to be stationed outside of the United States.

COLOGNE, Germany, Sept 20, 2008 (AFP) - German police Saturday banned an extreme-right 'anti-Islamification' rally in Cologne just as it was about to begin, following clashes with thousands of opponents, a spokesman said.

BERLIN, Sept 20, 2008 (AFP) - Thousands of people in France and Germany took to the streets on Saturday calling for soldiers deployed in Afghanistan to be brought home, police and march organisers said.

Both countries have parliamentary votes coming up on the issue.

COLOGNE, Germany, Sept 19, 2008 (AFP) - Demonstrators and counter-protesters clashed Friday at the start of an 'anti-Islamification congress' in Cologne, where city fathers have approved plans for one of Europe's biggest mosques.

BERLIN, Sept 18, 2008 (AFP) - Cologne is bracing for violence this weekend as far-right supporters from all over Europe gather for an 'anti-Islamification congress' and rally defending the continent against an 'immigrant invasion.'

STOCKHOLM, Sept 16, 2008 (AFP) - Hundreds of protestors demonstrated in Stockholm Tuesday against a controversial new Swedish law allowing all emails and telephone calls to be monitored in the name of national security.

SAN SEBASTIAN, September 14, 2008 (AFP) - Riot police clashed Sunday with pro-independence Basque demonstrators and detained four people in the northern Spanish city of San Sebastian, a spokesman for the Basque government said.

BERLIN, September 14, 2008 (AFP) - Twenty-six people were injured in clashes between activists from the neo-Nazi National Democratic Party of Germany (NPD) and counter-demonstrators, authorities said Sunday.

About 2,000 people turned out in the eastern town of Altenburg Saturday to demonstrate against the anti-foreigner NPD, which was staging its own rally to defend its views.

MADRID, September 14, 2008 (AFP) - A global forum on migration wrapped up Sunday in Spain with a march through the streets of Madrid by some 5,000 people to demand more rights for immigrants around the world, organisers said.

NEWCASTLE, September 13, 2008 (AFP) - Thousands of Newcastle United fans brought the centre of the city in northeast England to a near standstill on Saturday in protest at the departure of coach Kevin Keegan.

WOLFSBURG, September 12, 2008 (AFP) - Tens of thousands of workers demonstrated at Volkswagen's headquarters Friday against what they see as threats to their jobs from Porsche's takeover efforts and from EU regulators.

WOLFSBURG, September 12, 2008 (AFP) - Tens of thousands of workers demonstrated at Volkswagen headquarters on Friday to ward off what they see as threats to their jobs from both Porsche and the European Commission.

WOLFSBURG, September 12, 2008 (AFP) - Workers began gathering at Volkswagen headquarters Friday for a mass Demonstration against two beasts they see as threatening their jobs -- Porsche's boss and the European Commission.

CONAKRY, September 8, 2008 (AFP) - Police in Guinea used teargas to break up violent demonstrations in the capital Conakry late Sunday and early Monday after dozens of youths took to the streets to protest electricity cuts.

Armed with clubs and stones, the demonstrators smashed vehicles, erected barricades and burned tyres in the Ratoma and Hamdallaye suburbs.

NASIRIYAH, September 7, 2008 (AFP) - Around 100 Iraqi businessmen protested in the southern city of Nasiriyah on Sunday charging that they had been swindled out of more than 385 million dollars (270 million euros).

YEREVAN, September 6, 2008 (AFP) - Several hundred demonstrators lined the road from Yerevan's airport on Saturday to protest against the imminent arrival of Turkish President Abdullah Gul.

Gul arrived at 1145 GMT for the historic visit, the first to Armenia by a Turkish president, and was to travel from the airport to a meeting with Armenian President Serzh Sarkisian.

YEREVAN, September 6, 2008 (AFP) - Several hundred demonstrators formed a human chain Saturday along the road to Yerevan's airport to protest against Turkish President Abdullah Gul's visit to Armenia, an AFP reporter said.

GAZA CITY, September 6, 2008 (AFP) - Hamas-run security forces dispersed some 150 teachers loyal to the Islamic Jihad movement who had gathered on Saturday to protest against the politicisation of the civil service in the Gaza Strip.

GAZA CITY, September 6, 2008 (AFP) - Teachers loyal to the Islamic Jihad movement on Saturday planned to protest against both the Hamas-run government's recent sacking of civil servants and the resulting territory-wide strikes.

LA PAZ, September 5, 2008 (AFP) - Rebel governors in the east of Bolivia are mounting a 'civil coup' against the government, President Evo Morales has charged, as a political crisis gripping the country edged closer to confrontation.

KINSHASA, September 4, 2008 (AFP) - The UN mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo deplored Thursday attacks by demonstrators on its peacekeepers which left soldiers injured and a vehicle burned out.

'MONUC greatly regrets these acts of violence against the international community and its personnel,' spokeswoman Sylvie van den Wildenburg said in Kinshasa.

GOMA, September 3, 2008 (AFP) - UN troops fired shots to disperse demonstrators in the Democratic Republic of Congo Wednesday as a protest turned ugly with injuries to soldiers and a vehicle burnt out, an official said.

LONDON, September 3, 2008 (AFP) - A British woman was suspended from the ceiling of a London shop by hooks put through her skin, in protest Wednesday against the practice of slicing fins from sharks and throwing them back into the ocean alive.

Spectators gasped as blood trickled down the back of 26-year-old performance artist Alice Newstead, but she insisted it did not hurt.

GAZA CITY, September 3, 2008 (AFP) - Former British prime minister Tony Blair's sister-in-law said on Wednesday she is trapped in Gaza because Israel refuses to let her leave the Palestinian territory she entered aboard a protest boat.

'They have made it clear I won't be admitted to Israel,' said Lauren Booth, a British journalist and pro-Palestinian campaigner.

JERUSALEM, September 3, 2008 (AFP) - Former British Prime Minister Tony Blair's sister-in-law says she is trapped in the Gaza Strip as Israel refuses to let her leave the Palestinian territory she entered aboard a protest boat.