Recently in International News Category

Prince William and his bride to be Kate Middleton have requested that those who wish to give them gifts for their wedding instead donate to charity.

The soon-to-be wed couple set up a royal "Gift Fund", allowing those who wish to give gifts to the couple to instead chose from one of 26 charities on their website (royalweedingcharityfund.org).

The royal charity registry is the first of it's kind and many are showing their support for the couples decision.

"It reflects the new, modern royal family," Andrew White, a British construction management consultant from Minneapolis told the Star Tribune, "and what the princes are all about, "They have everything they could possibly need. I think it's brilliant."

While many support the registery, some are concerned that the list does not include charities focused on relief efforts involved in the earthquake and tsunami in Japan.

According to a statement from a spokeswoman at the royal office gave to the Arizona Star, William and Middleton are "obviously very shocked and saddened by the events in Japan," but the list of charities has been in the works for weeks and is focused on countries the prince has visited.

An underground society of women known as Belizean Grove shows ties with major corporations around the world.

The society, which is similar to groups like the Skull and Bones, has affiliations with many organizations around the world and works as a mentor program for women in powerful positions. Grove members are made up of women mainly in their 50's and 60's. The women hold high positions in society and including a supreme court judge, senators, and CEO's of major corporations.

"We leave our egos and business cards at the door," Catherine Allen, a Grove member who is CEO of Santa Fe Group told the New York Times, "It's about: 'I have this problem. I'm a C.E.O. of a corporation, what should I do?' and this becomes a sounding board because there are other women who have been in similar situations. It's about learning from each other, enriching our minds, developing true friendships. There's a real generosity of spirit."

Grovers use the club for networking and use their power to lobby for certain causes, back fellow members of the club and impact society. Though the group makes no particular affiliations with either political party, it's been reported that their next goal is to see a women president.

"The Belizean Grove is a global constellation of influential women who are key decision makers in the profit, non-profit and social sectors;" According to Belizean Grove mission statement, "who build long term mutually beneficial relationships in order to both take charge of their own destinies and help others to do the same."

While the membership process is confidential it is known that the society is very selective and has strict criteria for its members that includes only allowing one employee from a corporation to join.

"Many of us had to shoehorn our way into a completely male world," Davia Temin, a Grover who is chief executive of Temin & Company, which specializes in crisis and reputation management told the New York Times, "so there's one level of network that provides solace and comfort, but now we're taking it to the next level, which is actually to create value in the world."

The United States has the highest occurrence of Bipolar disorder according to a worldwide study released in March, that surveyed people from 11 nations as part of the World Health Organization's World Mental Health Survey Initiative.

Current information suggests that 2.4 percent of people worldwide have suffered from the disorder at some point in their lives. The United States came in with almost double the average number with 4.4 percent of people claiming to have experienced bipolar symptoms within their lifetime.

Most concerning, according to information collected between 2002 and 2007 the Archives of General Psychiatry found that, one in every five persons with bipolar disorder have made suicide attempts.

Despite the growing number of cases of bipolar disorder within the United States, those who said they had the disorder within the past 12 months declined to 2.8 percent.

"Treatment needs for bipolar spectrum disorder are often unmet," said the LA Times, "Particularly in low-income countries."

Arun Gandhi has a lot to live up to as he continues to try to spread the non-violent ideals of his grandfather Mahandas K. Gandhi.

The South African native moved to Memphis, Tennessee in 1987 where he founded the Mohandas K. Gandhi Institute for Peace and Nonviolence which eventually relocated to Rochester, New York.

Gandhi initially worked as a journalist and came to the United States for a research project in 1987. He focused mainly on the topics of color prejudice, caste prejudice, and racism.

After discovering that the institution founded by his grandfather, the Phoenix Ashram of South Africa had been destroyed, Gandhi worked to carry out his legacy.

"My father also spent his entire life there teaching nonviolence," Gandhi told the Rochester City Newspaper, "but it was in total ruins.

Gandhi tried to rebuild the institute in South Africa where it was initially constructed, but the South American government would not allow of it.

Despite adversities, Gandhi developed his Memphis based institution in hopes to continue to spread the philosophies of nonviolence.

Gandhi told the City Newspaper that his mission is, "to inform the younger generation in particular what this philosophy is about and why it should be a part of our lives."

According to the Ithica Journal, Gandhi is also president of Gandhi World wide Education Institute, an organization that combats forced child labor and trafficking.

Gandhi continues to spread the message of nonviolence offering free public lectures around the world.

"I have been all over the world and I am convinced that people are not born as bad people," Gandhi told the City Newspaper, They are unfortunately born into bad situations, and without our help, it is difficult to see a way out.

In the aftermath of the devastating tsunami, Japan has now discovered that highly contaminated water is escaping from a damaged reactor at the nuclear power plant.

It is feared that the toxic water could soon leak into the ocean and poses further setbacks in the efforts to contain the nuclear crises by placing workers in increasing hazardous conditions, The New York Times Reported.

Officials believe the radioactive water leak has caused radioactivity levels to rise heavily along the coast and has begun to seep into soil and seawater, said the Star Tribune.

Researchers remain skeptical in regards to some tests for radioactive material based on trace amounts left over from nuclear tests done in the 1980's.

The Star Tribune reports that since the nuclear crisis began the contaminated water has been emitting radiation levels four times what the Japanese government considers safe.

While workers remain on site and continue attempts to contain the leak, officials claim to be in a brainstorming phase in efforts to find the best solution for the problem.