Moscow

Hi! My presentation: Helgegutt

Wed, 21 Oct 2009 16:58:43 GMT

Hey,I'm a man from Norway.55 year's old singel but happy.Like to meet other people in the world,and chat with ok girls+ - my age

Hi! My presentation: Randy Deakins

Sun, 23 Nov 2008 18:10:54 GMT

Hi! I am male,41 year old.I live in arkansas usa.I would like to meet or chat with wemen 36 to 45.

Hi! My presentation: Lanasaar

Sat, 16 Aug 2008 18:33:32 GMT

Hi! My presentation: Filante2015

Wed, 26 Apr 2006 21:18:40 GMT

Hi, i come from France, and i hope i 'll go visit Russia next Summer, so if i could meet people, it will be nice ... see u

St.Petersburg is yours to explore!

Thu, 23 Nov 2006 08:30:07 GMT

It is, indeed!
Hello everybody!
Are you planning to go to Piter for the first time? But you don`t know what is to begin with? Where to go? Where to stay? Then you probably need a guide.
I`m a professional licenced guide with large knowledge of the city and its surroundings. Young, honest, intelligent and with good sense of humour. Looking for a cultural programme? I will show you all the higlights of St.Petersurg, both outside and inside, including world-wide famous museums, churches, parks, former emperior residences etc. Or, you want more "earthen" pleasures perharps? It will provide me an utmost excitement to show you the night-life of the city - every sort of clubs, casinos, theatres, and so on.
Also, you can use me just as personal interpreter, my English is Ok.
Moreover, I can aid you to book a hotel number for you in advance, meet you at the airport, provide with a reliable driver and a car.
My services will cost you 10 euros per hour plus, if you`ll want a transport, 11 euros per hour for the driver. Prices for the tickets are not included of course.

Nickolai, at your disposal.
Available every day except Saturdays.)
Will send foto, copies of licences, recomendations, etc if asked.

russianphile from across the pond...

Sat, 28 Oct 2006 08:08:39 GMT

privet!
i feel a strange affinity and kinship with st-petersburg, although i've never been there and don't speak russian ( not yet at least). i'm fond of russian culture in general, for no better reason that it simply moves me...i enjoy good conversations and good laughs. cheers, hope to make some new friends..st-petersburg is one of my mythical cities and i can't wait to hear about it some more from people who actually know it...

Hi! My presentation: Dutchblond

Wed, 18 Oct 2006 12:40:37 GMT

Hello, my name is Rob. Im from the Netherlands. Because i have to travel to St. Petersburg soon i want to know a bit more of the culture and the people. Feel free to contact me.

Hi! My presentation: James69

Thu, 12 Oct 2006 10:02:35 GMT

hello anyone at home?

Hi! My presentation: James69

Thu, 12 Oct 2006 07:45:42 GMT

any know where the best jazz clubs are in St P?

kleopatra@mail.ru

Thu, 10 Aug 2006 01:42:32 GMT

privet

lorenzokimo@aliceposta.it

Mon, 25 Sep 2006 09:33:04 GMT

ciao a tutto il forum:)
io sono lorenzo ho 27 anni e vorrei andare in russia.
mi piacerebbe conoscere qualche ragazzaper avere una corrispondenza via email e per saperne di piu sulla russia e avere un amica di un altra nazione...sperando che parli italiano:))
un grande ciao a tutti del forum:P

kadirrr

Sat, 12 Aug 2006 08:06:24 GMT

very beatuflyyy

Frindship

Wed, 09 Aug 2006 10:23:04 GMT

Hi !
i am waheed from pakistan. i am 27 and business man in pakistan
i like russina pepole and Have any nice girl like chat and friendship with me.
ok
bye

Hi there

Tue, 01 Aug 2006 14:33:23 GMT

;-)
See u in Piter!

Hello...!!! To everybody

Mon, 24 Jul 2006 11:16:31 GMT

I got here by accident as I have a Russian girlfriend and trying to knoww something about Russia, I got in this comunnity. In any event, I hope I´ll enjoy being here and meanwhile, best regards to all of you.;-)

Привет (...and learning Russian)

Tue, 18 Jul 2006 23:52:40 GMT

Hello there, (F)T've just been registered from Turkey, good to see people thinking like me! But, a bit more, could you please share your discourses about learning Russian? I'm trying to learn, but bad at pronounciation and grammer. I learnt letters quickly, used them and memorized some of nouns, verbs, but there is so so more to do. Maybe you could advise a reference site about learning русский язык.

See you!

Hi! My presentation: Babybaby

Mon, 10 Jul 2006 22:15:52 GMT

i will tell you later i will tell you lateri will tell you lateri will tell you lateri will tell you lateri will tell you lateri will tell you lateri will tell you lateri will tell you lateri will tell you lateri will tell you lateri will tell you lateri will tell you lateri will tell you lateri will tell you lateri will tell you lateri will tell you lateri will tell you later

Hi! My presentation: Bosy

Tue, 18 Jul 2006 00:03:51 GMT

how are you saad? i hope to be in agood health and all buy see you:-P:-)(F)

Hi! My presentation: Bosy

Sat, 15 Jul 2006 14:38:15 GMT

hi:'(

Privyet

Wed, 12 Jul 2006 01:05:04 GMT

Hi to all !

Im from panama, Im music student. Im interested in interchange information with other people, who likes the art (teather, music, dance etc)
I must give congratulations to natasha for his idea of make this site posible
att
miguel

Hi! My presentation: Liciniosantos

Thu, 06 Jul 2006 18:39:37 GMT

Hi. My name is licinio and I´m from Portugal.
I´m hear to meet new people and in that case girls from russia and other country.
If you need a good friend to listen you, to suport you, to be your friend and to help you in anything I can don´t hesitate and write to me.
My mail is: licinio.m.sATclix.pt. (AT is the same to @ )
The life is just 2 days; its time to get all from then...
:)
javascript:insertsmilie(":-)")
javascript:insertsmilie(":-)")

Buon giorno, caro amico invitato.

Thu, 29 Jun 2006 16:01:18 GMT

Buon giorno, Hello!

We are two young people living in St.Petersburg, Russia. We invite you to visit this wonderful city.

Anna is an professional tourguide and Alex is an experienced driver with his own car. We offer you excursions, transfers to\from airports and railway stations, accomodation and transportation in the city.

We will help you to plan your visit and book your tickets in advance. With our tickets you will not have to wait for ages in long lines.

.Contact us, it's much cheaper than in tour agencies! http://www.GuideSPb.com/

Please feel free to ask all your questions about travelling in St.Petersburg in a special section of our webpage.

Hello from Canada

Wed, 21 Jun 2006 17:49:04 GMT

Hi there how are you! I must say you seem very nice and interesting. It is very nice of you to make this forum for people interested in obtaining information on St-Petersburg.

I am coming to St-Petersburg for my first time July 1st or so. I was wondering if you had any suggestions on where to go and what to do. I am traveling alone so I do not know anybody in the area and always willing to meet new people.

I am 25yr from Canada. If you would be kind enough to say hello, dont be shy.

I can always show you a pic from there.

Well thank you and hope to hear from you!
Mitch.

Are you planning to visit St.Petersburg? We will help you!

Thu, 09 Jun 2005 14:18:03 GMT

Dear friends! :-D
We are two young people living in St.Petersburg and we invite you to visit this beautiful city. We will be happy to show you around, to accompany you to a museum or an evening performance. Anna (X) is a professional tourguide and Alex (Z) is an experienced driver with his own car. It is much cheaper than in tour agencies !!!
here and now - http://russiantourguide.land.ru

Hi! My presentation: Geoff

Sun, 04 Jun 2006 05:04:36 GMT

Любое знает Olga Anatolievna Anikina?

Beni anlayan kimse varmı ??

Tue, 23 May 2006 21:13:27 GMT

selam herkese...

Planernaya Street

Sun, 07 May 2006 03:14:35 GMT

Where in SPb is Planernaya Street?

hi

Tue, 02 May 2006 20:02:47 GMT

hi natasha

siamak0085@hotmail.com

Thu, 27 Apr 2006 21:28:07 GMT

i like to chat with u.is it possible for me. dear lady
plz reply
im aboy that like u .i think i fall in love ,i really love u .
im electronics engineer
your lover siamak
my email.

how to contact a girl from St. Petersburg?

Fri, 21 Apr 2006 07:34:18 GMT

Hi I am Patrik, 29 years old, from Milan, I d like to establish a serious contact and friendship with a girl from St Petersburg. I am planning to go there in june and should be nice if I have some friends when I will be there.
If you are interested in, please write me to
patrikmagnani at libero dot it

thank you a lot and hope to become good friend

Patrik

Ilya Yashin, Russia Opposition Leader, Arrested At Moscow Protests

Thu, 17 May 2012 21:00:00 GMT

MOSCOW -- A prominent Russian opposition leader was sentenced Thursday to 10 days in jail, a day after being arrested at a rally as activists try to keep up the pressure on President Vladimir Putin and his government.

'Western cops over-the-top against protesters' – Moscow — RT

Thu, 17 May 2012 21:00:00 GMT

Moscow is concerned over the disproportionate use of police force against peaceful protesters in the US and Europe says the Foreign Ministry representative on Human Rights, Democracy and Rule of Law.

Moscow police detain about 30 activists at new camp (PHOTOS) — RT

Thu, 17 May 2012 21:00:00 GMT

A short standoff between police and protesters at a new opposition camp in central Moscow has resulted in the arrests of about 30 activists as they tried to prevent police buses from taking away fellow activists who'd already ...

Russia Protest Camp Uprooted By Moscow Police

Thu, 17 May 2012 21:00:00 GMT

By VLADIMIR ISACHENKOV, Associated Press MOSCOW (AP) — Russian police dispersed a protest camp in central Moscow that had become a rallying point for President Vladimir Putin's foes, briefly detaining about 20 ...

Moscow police evict opposition camp — RT

Thu, 17 May 2012 21:00:00 GMT

Moscow police have evicted an opposition sit-in camp in the center of the Russian capital and detained more than 20 people. This comes after a court ruling banning the camp.

Russia Protests: Occupation Of Moscow Square

Thu, 17 May 2012 21:00:00 GMT

Associated Press MOSCOW — Several dozen people continue to occupy a square in central Moscow after some of their fellow protesters were detained Wednesday night.

Triumph on hold: Facelift for Moscow's famous victory arch — RT

Thu, 17 May 2012 21:00:00 GMT

Time wears down even monuments of glory and Moscow's Arch of Triumph has been closed for repairs. RT has been taking a closer look at the renovation project.

Chess contest becomes Moscow's daily reality show | The Raw Story

Thu, 17 May 2012 21:00:00 GMT

The man sits at a table with his head in his hands. He has not moved for several minutes. Opposite is an empty chair. Watching him through a glass panel are hundreds of people scrutinising his every gesture. An angst-ridden ...

Kasparov in Moscow - Susan Polgar Chess Daily News and ...

Thu, 17 May 2012 21:00:00 GMT

Initiator of the idea of holding the match in Moscow and its sponsor is the Russian entrepreneur Andrei Filatov (joint owner of the N-Trans Group). Other sponsors of the contest include businessman Gennady Timchenko and ...

Pokrovsky Boulevard – a whistle-stop tour of Moscow history — RT

Thu, 17 May 2012 21:00:00 GMT

A piece of leafy countryside in the heart of Moscow, Pokrovsky Boulevard is not usually a magnet for tourists, who might think it too quiet and unexciting. But RT found this place off the beaten track to be as captivating as any ...

Spat with Iraq bares Turk plunge into regional power game

Fri, 18 May 2012 18:25:49 GMT

ANKARA (Reuters) - A bitter rift with Iraq has exposed Turkey's role in a wider Middle East power struggle, with Ankara acting to protect its stability and prosperity from an Iranian-Iraqi "Shi'ite axis" it fears in the wake of the U.S. military withdrawal from Iraq. Turkey, a Sunni Muslim but secular regional power bordering Iraq, Iran and Syria, long tried to play regional mediator as Shi'ite Muslim giant Iran and Sunni powerhouse Saudi Arabia jostled for sway in a region now undergoing political upheaval. But the fall-out wrought by Arab Spring uprisings and the U.S. ...

Regime forces fire on huge Syria protests

Fri, 18 May 2012 18:25:48 GMT

Regime forces fired on protesters who took to the streets of Aleppo on Friday, wounding several people at the biggest rally seen in Syria's second city since a revolt erupted last year, a watchdog said.

International Day Against Homophobia Celebrated by Activists, Governments

Fri, 18 May 2012 18:25:47 GMT

Thursday is International Day Against Homophobia, or IDAHO, and several governments and activists have begun taking action to commemorate the day, particularly in Europe. The event is also referred to as the International Day against Homophobia and Transphobia.

Bulgaria, Qatar, Turkey eye joint infrastructure projects

Fri, 18 May 2012 18:25:45 GMT

Leaders of Bulgaria, Qatar and Turkey agreed Friday to study joint infrastructure projects like the construction of a new motorway from Istanbul across Bulgaria.

U.N. nuclear chief to visit Iran, deal may be near

Fri, 18 May 2012 18:25:42 GMT

VIENNA (Reuters) - The U.N. nuclear chief will travel to Tehran on Sunday in an apparent bid to secure a deal to tackle concerns over Iran's atomic activity, a few days before the Islamic state and world powers meet in Baghdad for broader talks on their dispute. News of the rare visit came as Western diplomats said Iran and the U.N. nuclear watchdog, the International Atomic Energy Agency, were making headway towards a framework agreement on how to address IAEA suspicions that Tehran may be seeking to develop nuclear arms capability. ...

Cash-strapped G8 looks to private sector in hunger fight

Fri, 18 May 2012 18:25:42 GMT

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Buffeted by the euro zone crisis and distracted by political problems at home, the leaders of the world's industrial powers turned to the private sector on Friday to help fight hunger and malnutrition for up to a billion people struggling with shortages, droughts and rising food prices. U.S. ...

Russian court sentences militant to 10 years prison

Fri, 18 May 2012 18:25:40 GMT

MOSCOW (Reuters) - A woman convicted of planning to carry out a suicide bomb attack during 2010 New Year's Eve celebrations in Moscow's Red Square has been sentenced to 10 years in jail, Russian investigators said on Friday. The plot was foiled after another suicide bomber was killed by explosives that accidentally detonated in her hotel room only hours before the planned attack. Investigators said Zeynap Suyunova fled Moscow for the southern city of Volgograd after the hotel room blast damaged the explosives she planned to set off close to the to the Kremlin. ...

S.African trade trend is towards emerging markets: minister

Fri, 18 May 2012 18:25:39 GMT

South African exports to Europe and other developed countries remain below their 2008 peaks while trade with emerging economies has boomed, trade minister Rob Davies said Friday.

Putin seeking control in Russian cabinet selection

Fri, 18 May 2012 18:25:39 GMT

MOSCOW (Reuters) - President Vladimir Putin will likely name allies to key economic posts when he unveils his new cabinet on Monday, asserting control over the government in a move that could hamstring reforms backed by his more liberal premier. At stake is the future of Russia's privatization program and the drive to diversify a $1.7 trillion Russian economy still heavily dependent on oil and gas exports, which yield half of all state revenues. "It will be Putin's cabinet," said Lilia Shevtsova, a senior associate at the Carnegie Moscow Center think-tank who is an author and expert on Putin. ...

Diplomats: Nuclear agency chief to visit Tehran

Fri, 18 May 2012 18:25:38 GMT

The U.N. nuclear agency chief will fly to Tehran over the weekend to sign a deal meant to allow his organization to resume a long- stalled search for evidence that Iran worked on developing nuclear arms, the agency and diplomats said Friday.

Iran diplomacy gathers pace with surprise IAEA visit

Fri, 18 May 2012 18:25:37 GMT

The head of the UN atomic agency will visit Iran Monday, the IAEA said in a surprise announcement that raised hopes of a deal on closer cooperation just days ahead of major talks with world powers.

Somali fishermen beg end to anti-piracy air strikes

Fri, 18 May 2012 18:25:36 GMT

Somali fisherman pleaded Friday for international navies protecting shipping to halt air strikes on coastal villages, after the EU Naval Force struck a pirate base for the first time.

Russia protesters try new tactics against Putin

Fri, 18 May 2012 13:43:22 GMT

A mass walk led by writers, camping out at night in the city, cat-and-mouse games with the police: Russia's protest movement is trying out novel tactics to keep up pressure on Vladimir Putin.

G8 leaders meet at Camp David amid eurozone crisis

Fri, 18 May 2012 13:43:21 GMT

World leaders will huddle at Camp David Friday with the focus on Greece as it stumbles toward a possible eurozone exit that would hold wildly uncertain repercussions for the global economy.

Resource-rich Mongolia plays populist card in run-up to polls

Fri, 18 May 2012 13:43:17 GMT

ULAN BATOR (Reuters) - Mongolia's bid to discredit one of its most popular opposition politicians, a staunch supporter of resource nationalism, could backfire and strengthen his party in approaching elections, putting at risk mining investments in the central Asian nation. Former president Nambar Enkhbayar, freed on bail this week over corruption charges his family says were fabricated, is the most popular figure fighting the June 28 election, opinion polls showed just before his arrest on April 13. ...

G-8 or G-Zero? Why the West No Longer Sets the Global Agenda

Fri, 18 May 2012 13:43:13 GMT

The spectacle of some of the most powerful leaders in the world gathering at Camp David on Friday for the G-8 summit, and then for this weekend's NATO anniversary in Chicago, won't disguise the fact that things seem to be gradually falling apart. These once-mighty symbols of international leadership appear almost paralyzed before the tides of economic, financial and political change. ...

Pro-EU Tadic leading polls ahead of runoff vote

Fri, 18 May 2012 13:43:10 GMT

Serbs seem poised this weekend to re-elect a reformist who arrested Bosnian Serb general Ratko Mladic, rejecting a nationalist promising closer ties with Russia — in a sign that the troubled Balkan nation is edging away from its 1990s war legacy.

Iran may seek "tactical gain" with U.N. nuclear deal

Fri, 18 May 2012 13:43:10 GMT

VIENNA (Reuters) - Iran and the U.N. nuclear watchdog are making headway towards a framework deal on how to tackle concerns about its atomic activity, diplomats say, a potential bargaining chip for Tehran in next week's negotiations with world powers. Iran says such an agreement is needed before it can consider a request by U.N. inspectors to visit the Parchin military site where they believe explosives tests relevant for developing nuclear weapons may have been carried out. ...

Netanyahu says Iran aims to deceive in atomic talks

Fri, 18 May 2012 13:43:09 GMT

Iran is looking to deceive the world over its nuclear programme in talks with the P5+1 group of world powers, Israel premier Benjamin Netanyahu said on Friday after talks with Czech President Vaclav Klaus.

Facebook prices at top of range in landmark IPO

Fri, 18 May 2012 05:36:43 GMT

NEW YORK/SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Facebook Inc priced its initial public offering at the top of its target range to raise more than $16 billion, as strong demand, particularly from retail investors, fuels anticipation of a big pop in the stock when it begins trading Friday on the Nasdaq. Predictions of how much the stock will rise on its first day of trade vary greatly -- some experts said the high IPO price and increased float could limit gains to 10 percent to 20 percent, while others said anything short of a 50 percent jump would be disappointing given the hype. ...

Japan launches rocket with first foreign satellite

Fri, 18 May 2012 05:36:42 GMT

A rocket has lifted off in Japan in the country's first commercial launch of a foreign satellite — one from South Korea designed to monitor the environment.

Iran vows never to renounce nuclear 'rights'

Thu, 17 May 2012 21:30:11 GMT

Iran rejects Western pressures over its nuclear activities and will never give up its rights, Tehran's chief nuclear negotiator said Thursday ahead of crunch talks with world powers in Baghdad next week.

Can global leaders help Europe contain crisis?

Thu, 17 May 2012 21:30:08 GMT

When leaders from eight of the world's biggest economies meet this weekend outside Washington, the focus will be on how to prevent Europe's debt crisis from spiraling out of control.

Syria opposition chief resigns amid infighting

Thu, 17 May 2012 21:30:07 GMT

Syrian National Council chief Burhan Ghalioun said on Thursday he will step down to avert divisions within the opposition bloc, after activists on the ground accused him of monopolising power.

Russia says action on Syria, Iran may go nuclear

Thu, 17 May 2012 21:30:05 GMT

MOSCOW (Reuters) - Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev warned on Thursday that military action against sovereign states could lead to a regional nuclear war, starkly voicing Moscow's opposition to Western intervention ahead of a G8 summit at which Syria and Iran will be discussed. "Hasty military operations in foreign states usually bring radicals to power," Medvedev, president for four years until Vladimir Putin's inauguration on May 7, told a conference in St. Petersburg in remarks posted on the government's website. ...

US military option on Iran 'ready': envoy to Israel

Thu, 17 May 2012 21:30:04 GMT

The United States has a military option "ready" if diplomacy fails to halt Iran's controversial nuclear programme, the US envoy to Israel has said, an Israeli newspaper reported on Thursday.

Russian police detain protest leader, five others

Thu, 17 May 2012 21:30:03 GMT

MOSCOW (Reuters) - Russian riot police detained a prominent protest leader and five other demonstrators on Thursday as authorities extended a crackdown on Occupy-style protests in central Moscow against newly-inaugurated President Vladimir Putin. In a Moscow square where hundreds of people had gathered, police pulled environmental activist-turned-protest leader Yevgeniya Chirikova into a waiting police van as fellow demonstrators tried to protect her. "What a coward Putin is," wrote Chirikova in one of several frantic Twitter messages on her way to a police station. ...

Finns, Russia go through, Slovaks upset Canada

Thu, 17 May 2012 21:30:00 GMT

Holders Finland advanced to the semi-finals of the world ice hockey championships with a last-gasp winner against the United States on Thursday, but Olympic champions Canada were shocked by Slovakia.

Russia delivers three astronauts to ISS

Thu, 17 May 2012 13:23:36 GMT

A Soyuz capsule carrying two Russians and an American on Thursday successfully docked with the International Space Station (ISS), two days after their launch from Earth, officials said.

Limbless Frenchman swims from PNG to Indonesia

Thu, 17 May 2012 13:23:34 GMT

A Frenchman who lost his limbs in an accident braved strong winds and currents to swim from Papua New Guinea to Indonesia Thursday, in the first stretch of a mission to swim between five continents.

Plans to strike Iran "ready," says U.S. Israel envoy

Thu, 17 May 2012 13:23:33 GMT

JERUSALEM (Reuters) - U.S. plans for a possible military strike on Iran are ready and the option is "fully available", the U.S. ambassador to Israel said, days before Tehran resumes talks with world powers which suspect it of seeking to develop nuclear arms. Like Israel, the United States has said it considers military force a last resort to prevent Iran using its uranium enrichment to make a bomb. Iran insists its nuclear program is for purely civilian purposes. ...

Russia faces fuel crisis after railway wagon ban

Thu, 17 May 2012 13:23:31 GMT

MOSCOW (Reuters) - Russia, the world's largest oil producer, faces domestic fuel shortages after authorities restricted the transport of crude oil by rail, forcing several refiners to cut production, industry and market sources said. Analysts estimate that output of a quarter or more of refined oil products could be lost, threatening a repeat of last year's fuel shortages following Russian leader Vladimir Putin's order to oil companies to curb pump prices. However, it is unlikely to dent crude exports, as Russia uses pipelines as its main method of transporting oil abroad. ...

Half as many women die during pregnancy, childbirth as in 1990

Thu, 17 May 2012 05:17:34 GMT

Maternal mortality across the globe has been cut nearly in half over the past two decades – that’s the good news.

Police disperse, detain anti-Putin protesters

Thu, 17 May 2012 05:17:31 GMT

MOSCOW (Reuters) - Russian riot police detained at least 35 demonstrators on Wednesday, breaking up one Occupy-style sit-in at a Moscow park and threatening to disperse another in a crackdown on a protest movement against newly inaugurated President Vladimir Putin. Police raided the site of the week-old sit-in at a central Moscow park, citing a court order to end the protest. They ordered the 50 or so demonstrators to pick up their belongings, detained at least 15 and pushed the others into a nearby underground train station. ...

Limbless Frenchman begins epic world swim

Thu, 17 May 2012 05:17:27 GMT

A limbless Frenchman planning to make four challenging swims around the world finally got his epic journey under way Thursday after sorting out paperwork problems in Papua New Guinea.

Iran nuclear output seen steady before Baghdad talks

Thu, 17 May 2012 05:17:25 GMT

VIENNA (Reuters) - Iran is installing more centrifuges in an underground plant but does not yet appear to be using them to expand higher-grade uranium enrichment that could take it closer to producing atom bomb material, Western diplomats say. They say Iran's production of uranium refined to a fissile concentration of 20 percent, which it started two years ago, seems to have remained steady in recent months after a major escalation of the work in late 2011 and early this year. ...

Syria's Assad 'doomed,' says Israel's Barak

Thu, 17 May 2012 05:17:24 GMT

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad is "doomed," Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak said Wednesday, urging the international community to increase pressure on his embattled regime.

The Fatal Flight of the Superjet 100: Why Did It Slam Into a Mountain?

Wed, 16 May 2012 21:11:32 GMT

On May 9, the veteran Russian pilot Alexander Yablontsev was flying an exhibition flight over the mountains of Indonesia when he radioed in to flight control with an odd request. There was bad weather ahead, and he asked permission to drop more than a kilometer in altitude to avoid it. Normally, a plane is supposed to climb to avoid thick clouds, not descend, especially when flying over the craggy peaks and cliffs of the Indonesian archipelago. But, apparently trusting Yablontsev's judgment, the controller gave him permission to descend. ...

Assad says Syrians support his reform efforts

Wed, 16 May 2012 21:11:27 GMT

Syrian President Bashar Assad has told a Russian state news channel that his country supports his reform agenda.

UN team in Syria evacuated from tense town

Wed, 16 May 2012 21:11:26 GMT

A team of international observers was evacuated from a tense town in northern Syria on Wednesday, one day after a roadside bomb hit their convoy and left them stranded overnight with rebel forces, a U.N. spokesman said.

Police uproot protest camp in Moscow

Wed, 16 May 2012 21:11:22 GMT

Russian police dispersed a protest camp in central Moscow that had become a rallying point for President Vladimir Putin's foes, briefly detaining about 20 activists in a show of force that comes as part of a broadening crackdown on the opposition.

Syrians back regime, Assad tells Russia TV

Wed, 16 May 2012 21:11:21 GMT

Syrians showed in elections this month that they support the government's policy of reform and a majority back the regime, President Bashar al-Assad said in an interview broadcast Wednesday.

Israeli intelligence head 'visited US for Iran talks'

Wed, 16 May 2012 21:11:19 GMT

Israeli military intelligence chief Aviv Kochavi made a "secret visit" to Washington earlier this month to discuss the upcoming talks between world powers and Iran, a newspaper reported on Wednesday.

Russia's protest movement shows staying power, despite today's dispersal

Wed, 16 May 2012 21:11:18 GMT

Moscow police moved in today to shut down the little "democracy preserve" set up 10 days ago in a downtown park near Chistye Prudi metro, but Tweeting and Facebooking opposition activists quickly transferred their encampment to another part of the city, signaling that they will carry on.

Syrian leader says terrorists are behind unrest

Wed, 16 May 2012 21:11:17 GMT

In his first interview since December, Syrian President Bashar Assad insisted Tuesday his regime is fighting back against foreign mercenaries who want to overthrow him, not innocent Syrians aspiring for democracy in a yearlong uprising.

U.N. atomic talks with Iran may show progress: diplomats

Wed, 16 May 2012 21:11:16 GMT

VIENNA (Reuters) - The U.N. nuclear watchdog and Iran may be narrowing their differences on how to tackle concerns over Tehran's atomic ambitions, diplomatic sources said on Wednesday, suggesting a previously unexpected agreement was now not ruled out. They spoke a day after the U.N. agency said there was a "good exchange of views" with Iran in a May 14-15 meeting which tested the Islamic state's readiness to address questions about suspected nuclear weapons-relevant research. ...

Kadhafi son refusing to accept defense lawyer: envoy

Wed, 16 May 2012 21:11:14 GMT

Moamer Kadhafi's son is refusing to name a defense lawyer, a top Libyan diplomat said Wednesday amid growing questions over the conditions in which Seif al-Islam is being held.

Police move against new protest in Moscow

Wed, 16 May 2012 21:11:13 GMT

Russian police arrested about 20 protesters on Wednesday night at a central Moscow square where demonstrators had moved after police uprooted them from a camp, the latest move in a broadening crackdown on the forces opposing President Vladimir Putin.

Exclusive: Iran flouts U.N. sanctions, sends arms to Syria: panel

Wed, 16 May 2012 21:11:12 GMT

UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) - Syria remains the top destination for Iranian arms shipments in violation of a U.N. Security Council ban on weapons exports by the Islamic Republic, according to a confidential report on Iran sanctions-busting seen by Reuters on Wednesday. Iran, like Russia, is one of Syria's few allies as it presses ahead with a 14-month old assault on opposition forces determined to oust Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. News of the panel's report came as Tehran and the U.N. ...

Syria's Assad: Nations that sow chaos will suffer

Wed, 16 May 2012 21:11:11 GMT

AMMAN (Reuters) - Syrian President Bashar al-Assad said on Wednesday that countries trying to "sow chaos" in Syria could be infected with it themselves, an apparent warning to Arab Gulf nations that back the insurgency aimed at forcing him from power. Assad's remarks, to a Russian TV channel, came after U.N. staff monitoring an increasingly shaky ceasefire were caught up in an attack that killed at least 21 people, and had to spend a night with rebel forces. ...

Indonesian searchers find 'black box' from Russian passenger jet that slammed into volcano

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:05:22 GMT

JAKARTA, Indonesia - Investigators on Wednesday were analyzing the cockpit voice recorder from a Russian passenger jet that slammed into the side of an Indonesian volcano. They hope the final words of the two pilots will help explain what caused last week's crash, which killed all 45 people on board.

Ukraine dismisses EU plea over jailed Tymoshenko

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:05:21 GMT

KIEV (Reuters) - Ukrainian Prime Minister Mykola Azarov on Wednesday brushed aside Western concerns about his government's treatment of opposition leader Yulia Tymoshenko as misguided and unwarranted, indicating that Kiev was unlikely to change its mind. The EU has condemned the sentencing of former prime minister Tymoshenko - the top opponent of President Viktor Yanukovich - to seven years in prison last October as politically motivated. ...

Moscow police detain 23 breaking up protest

Wed, 16 May 2012 11:29:45 GMT

Moscow police detained 23 people on Wednesday breaking up an eight-day occupy protest that sprung up on a scenic square following strongman Vladimir Putin's swearing in for a third Kremlin term.

Russian plane crash probe focuses on black box

Wed, 16 May 2012 11:29:44 GMT

Indonesian investigators on Wednesday expressed hope that the newly found cockpit voice recorder from a Russian airliner would help answer why the plane crashed into a mountain.

Indonesia finds black box from crashed Russian Sukhoi

Wed, 16 May 2012 11:29:43 GMT

JAKARTA (Reuters) - Indonesia's national search and rescue agency has found a black box flight recorder from a Russian Sukhoi Superjet 100 that crashed during a demonstration flight killing all 45 people on board, an agency official said on Wednesday. The aircraft crashed on May 9 on the slopes of a dormant volcano about 40 miles south of Jakarta. Those on the flight to show off the passenger jet unveiled in 2007 as part of a drive to restore pride in Russia's aviation industry included Indonesian businessmen, Russian embassy officials and journalists. ...

Iran nuclear concession would test big power unity

Wed, 16 May 2012 11:29:42 GMT

LONDON/VIENNA (Reuters) - Facing an imminent toughening of sanctions, Iran is hinting at a readiness to give some ground in its long nuclear stand-off with world powers, but any flexibility could split their ranks and lead to protracted uncertainty about how to respond. The stakes are high, for the longer the impasse goes on, the closer Iran will get to the technological threshold of capability to develop atomic bombs, raising the odds of last-ditch Israeli military strikes on its arch-foe and the risk of a new Middle East war a troubled global economy cannot afford. ...

Austerity to strain transatlantic ties at NATO Chicago summit

Wed, 16 May 2012 11:29:41 GMT

LONDON/WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Defense spending cuts are putting an increasing strain on relations between the United States and its European allies in NATO, sharpening transatlantic battles over issues ranging from financing Afghan security forces to missile defense. European governments have slashed defense budgets in response to the economic crisis. Coupled with U.S. plans to cut $487 billion of its own projected defense spending over the next decade and shift its focus toward Asia, this will limit NATO's capabilities and force it to scale back its ambitions. ...

Iran nuclear talks: negotiators cite progress ahead of Baghdad meeting

Wed, 16 May 2012 05:30:36 GMT

Negotiators from Iran and UN's nuclear watchdog agency have made enough progress during two days of technical talks in Vienna that they will resume next Monday.

'Black box' found of Russia jet in Indonesia crash

Wed, 16 May 2012 05:30:33 GMT

Indonesian special forces have found the voice-and-data recorder of a new Russian passenger jet that slammed into a jagged, mist-shrouded cliff on a dormant volcano, an official said Wednesday.

Analysis: China's "small stick" approach to South China Sea

Wed, 16 May 2012 05:30:32 GMT

HONG KONG (Reuters) - In a month-long standoff between China and the Philippines over a disputed shoal in the South China Sea, Beijing has so far refrained from sending warships from its increasingly powerful and modern navy to enforce its territorial claims. Instead, China has deployed patrol vessels from its expanding fleet of paramilitary ships to Scarborough Shoal, known in Chinese as Huangyan Island. Naval experts say the intent is to minimize the risk of conflict and contain any regional backlash. ...

Putin praised by leaders of ex-Soviet states

Tue, 15 May 2012 21:24:48 GMT

MOSCOW (Reuters) - Russian President Vladimir Putin won praise from leaders of former Soviet republics on Tuesday and called for closer integration among the now-independent states once ruled by Moscow. He pointedly decided to snub a G8 summit in the United States this weekend and instead made the one-day conference of post-Soviet leaders the first meeting with foreign heads of state of his new presidential term. ...

Canada living the life of O'Reilly at ice hockey worlds

Tue, 15 May 2012 21:24:45 GMT

Olympic champions Canada's impressive form at the world championships continued here on Tuesday as they rounded off their preliminary group campaign with their sixth win out of seven a 5-1 thrashing of Belarus.

Ukrainian court postpones appeal by jailed former PM Tymoshenko until June 26

Tue, 15 May 2012 19:53:16 GMT

KIEV, Ukraine - A Ukrainian court has postponed hearing former Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko's appeal of her conviction and seven-year sentence for abusing her powers in signing a gas deal with Russia.

Somali pirate: EU aistrike destroyed our equipment

Tue, 15 May 2012 19:53:13 GMT

A Somali pirate says an airstrike by the European Union naval force patrolling the Indian Ocean has destroyed speed boats, fuel deports and an arms store.

EU force strikes Somali pirate land base

Tue, 15 May 2012 19:53:12 GMT

A helicopter gunship swooped over the Somali coast to strike at a pirate stronghold Tuesday in a major escalation of an international effort to protect vital shipping lanes.

NATO invites Pakistani president to summit after FM suggests unblocking Afghan supply routes

Tue, 15 May 2012 19:53:11 GMT

BRUSSELS - NATO says it will invite Pakistan's president Asif Ali Zardari to the alliance's summit in Chicago, after the country's foreign minister proposed reopening its Afghan border to NATO military supplies.

NATO invites Pakistan to Chicago summit

Tue, 15 May 2012 19:53:10 GMT

BRUSSELS (Reuters) - NATO said on Tuesday it had invited Pakistan to a summit in Chicago next week, lifting a veiled threat that it might exclude the country from the talks on the future of Afghanistan. "Allies decided to invite President (Asif Ali) Zardari of Pakistan to Chicago to the meeting on Afghanistan, which will include ISAF contributor nations, as well as Japan, Russia, other countries from the region and international organizations," NATO spokeswoman Oana Lungescu said in a statement. ...

EU carries out first air strikes on Somali pirates

Tue, 15 May 2012 19:53:09 GMT

The European Union naval force patrolling the Indian Ocean on Tuesday carried out its first air strikes against pirate targets on shore, with a pirate reporting that the raid destroyed speed boats, fuel depots and an arms store.

NATO invites Pakistan to summit

Tue, 15 May 2012 19:53:08 GMT

NATO on Tuesday invited Pakistan's president to the upcoming Chicago summit on Afghanistan, the strongest sign yet that Islamabad is ready to reopen its western border to U.S. and NATO military supplies heading to the war in the neighboring country.

NATO invites Pakistan to summit in Chicago

Tue, 15 May 2012 19:53:07 GMT

Somali pirate: EU airstrike destroyed equipment

Tue, 15 May 2012 19:53:06 GMT

European Union naval forces and attack helicopters conducted their first onshore raid on a suspected pirate lair in Somalia Tuesday. A pirate said the strike destroyed a supply center and set back their operations.

Tymoshenko appeal to be heard during Ukraine's Euro 2012

Tue, 15 May 2012 19:53:05 GMT

KIEV (Reuters) - Ukraine, threatened with a political boycott of the European soccer championship it co-hosts next month over the jailing of opposition politician Yulia Tymoshenko, on Tuesday put off a ruling on her appeal until the tournament is under way. The European Union has condemned Tymoshenko's abuse-of-office conviction last October and her seven-year prison sentence as politically motivated. It has called for her release and shelved landmark association and free trade deals with Ukraine over the issue. ...

Russia's Patriarch launches Facebook page

Tue, 15 May 2012 19:53:04 GMT

MOSCOW (Reuters) - A Facebook page dedicated to Russian Orthodox Patriarch Kirill was launched on Tuesday to feed growing interest in the divisive religious figure who has embodied the church's thickening ties with newly inaugurated President Vladimir Putin. Kirill has openly supported Putin, whose campaign and election to a six-year term in March was dogged by regular street protests against his rule. The silver-haired Kirill, who has warned against "manipulation" on the Internet, is shown at the top of the page deep in prayer over a large golden chalice and crucifix. ...

Iran, IAEA in 'good exchange', to meet again Monday

Tue, 15 May 2012 19:53:03 GMT

Talks between the UN atomic agency and Iran saw a "good exchange of views" and will resume on Monday, two days before world powers meet Tehran representatives in Baghdad, the watchdog's chief inspector said.

Pakistan signals readiness to end Afghan blockade

Tue, 15 May 2012 19:53:02 GMT

Pakistan's top military and civilian body has indicated that the country will soon reopen NATO and U.S. supply lines to Afghanistan but stopped short of calling for an immediate end to the war blockade.

Syrian attack kills 21; rebels hold U.N. monitors

Tue, 15 May 2012 19:53:01 GMT

BEIRUT (Reuters) - At least 21 people were killed on Tuesday in an attack in northern Syria, activists said, and members of a team of U.N. monitors caught in the battle said they were left in rebel hands. Reuters asked one of the four monitors by phone if they were being held prisoner. He did not reply. Another said: "We are safe with the (rebel) Free Army." A spokesman for the rebel military council said the rebels were working on a safe exit for them. "They are now with the Free Army which is protecting them. ...

Indonesia team finds crashed Sukhoi's black box

Tue, 15 May 2012 19:53:00 GMT

A search team on Tuesday found the black box of a Russian jet that could explain how a veteran pilot last week crashed the new plane into a dormant Indonesian volcano, killing all 45 on board.

EU navy, helicopters strike pirate supply center

Tue, 15 May 2012 19:52:59 GMT

European Union naval forces in attack helicopters on Tuesday conducted their first onshore raid on a suspected pirate lair in Somalia. A pirate said the strike destroyed a supply center and set back operations.

Canada's Wind Mobile growth slows sharply

Tue, 15 May 2012 19:52:58 GMT

TORONTO (Reuters) - Globalive's Wind Mobile, one of Canada's more recent wireless entrants, grew at a much slower pace in the first quarter than a year earlier, suggesting established operators are managing to blunt the threat posed by newcomers offering lower rates. The slowdown comes as Wind, facing stiff competition on the lower end of the market, pushes to sell more expensive phones and data plans. ...

Dozens killed in Syria, Saudi doubts Annan peace plan

Tue, 15 May 2012 09:44:26 GMT

Syrian troops on Monday pushed an assault on a central rebel bastion, with dozens reportedly killed across the country, as Saudi Arabia warned that Kofi Annan's peace efforts appeared to be failing.

Japan to launch 4 satellites Friday, 1 for SKorea

Tue, 15 May 2012 09:44:23 GMT

Japan plans to launch four satellites into space this week, including a South Korean one that is its first payload for a foreign customer.

Three-man crew launches on Russian-made Soyuz craft for mission at international space station

Tue, 15 May 2012 09:44:22 GMT

ALMATY, Kazakhstan - A three-man crew blasted off from a space centre in southern Kazakhstan on board a Russian-made Soyuz craft for a half-year stay at the International Space Station.

Three-man Soyuz crew departs for space station

Tue, 15 May 2012 09:44:21 GMT

A three-man crew blasted off from a space center in southern Kazakhstan Tuesday morning on board a Russian-made Soyuz craft for a four-and-half-month stay at the International Space Station.

Astronauts head towards ISS in Russian rocket

Tue, 15 May 2012 09:44:19 GMT

Two Russians and an American on Tuesday blasted off for the International Space Station (ISS) on a Soyuz rocket in Russia's first manned space launch for almost five months.

EU carries out first strikes on Somali pirates

Tue, 15 May 2012 09:44:16 GMT

The European Union's naval force off the Somali coastline on Tuesday carried out its first air strikes against pirate targets on shore, officials said.

Iran says nuclear talks with U.N. "good, constructive"

Tue, 15 May 2012 09:44:15 GMT

VIENNA (Reuters) - Iran's talks with the U.N. nuclear watchdog about Tehran's atomic activities are going well, a senior Iranian official said on Tuesday, the second day of discussions. The talks will test Iran's readiness to address U.N. inspectors' concerns over military links to its nuclear work, ahead of wider diplomatic negotiations on the program's future in Baghdad next week between Tehran and world powers. The U.N. ...

Russians perplexed by Putin's snub of G8. Is it because of protests? Obama?

Tue, 15 May 2012 01:37:54 GMT

It's part Occupy Wall Street, part Hyde Park Corner, and entirely something new for Russia.

Cyprus president says will not seek re-election

Tue, 15 May 2012 01:37:50 GMT

NICOSIA (Reuters) - Cypriot President Demetris Christofias, the European Union's only Communist head of state, said on Monday he would not seek re-election next year, citing lack of progress towards the island's reunification. Elected in 2008, Christofias is lagging in opinion polls over a faltering economy and unpopular concessions in peace talks. The presidential election is due in February 2013. "Taking as a fact that the Cyprus problem has not been solved, and it does not appear that there can be definitive progress in the next few months ... ...

Canada, Poland partner to develop shale gas

Tue, 15 May 2012 01:37:46 GMT

Visiting Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk and his Canadian counterpart Stephen Harper on Monday announced that their two countries would bolster energy cooperation to develop shale gas deposits.

Prison hunger strikers end mass fast in deal with Israel

Tue, 15 May 2012 01:37:44 GMT

Palestinian prisoners on hunger strike agreed with Israel on Monday to end their fast in return for improved conditions, officials on both sides said.

NATO urged to probe 72 Libyan civilian deaths

Mon, 14 May 2012 17:31:18 GMT

NATO's bombing campaign in Libya left 72 civilians dead last year, a leading human rights group said Monday, accusing the military alliance of failing to acknowledge the deaths.

Putin ally maneuvering for power in Medvedev government

Mon, 14 May 2012 17:31:17 GMT

MOSCOW (Reuters) - A close ally of President Vladimir Putin staked a claim on Monday to stay on as the Russian government's No.2, signaling continuity on economic policy and potentially weakening Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev's future role. With just a week to go until expiry of a deadline to form a new government following Putin's swearing in for a third Kremlin term on May 7, the shape of the next government remains unclear. ...

Emergency transmitter found at Indonesia crash site

Mon, 14 May 2012 17:31:13 GMT

Search teams Monday found an emergency transmitter from the Russian jet that slammed into a dormant volcano in Indonesia but said they are yet to locate the flight recorders that could explain the deadly crash.

IAEA, Iran begin new nuke talks

Mon, 14 May 2012 17:31:12 GMT

A senior U.N. nuclear agency official urged Iran on Monday to allow access to sites, people and documents it seeks in its probe of suspicions that Tehran conducted secret research into nuclear weapons development.

Rebels kill 23 Syrian soldiers, opposition snubs Arab talks

Mon, 14 May 2012 17:31:11 GMT

AMMAN (Reuters) - Syrian rebels killed 23 government soldiers on Monday, activists said, and efforts to find a viable political alternative to Bashar al-Assad faltered when an opposition group said it would boycott Arab-backed talks to unite its splintered ranks. The latest bloodshed centered in the town of Rastan, where opposition sources said President Assad's forces killed nine other people, further unraveling a month-old U.N. ceasefire pact that is being overseen by international monitors. ...

Dozens killed in Syria as EU adopts new sanctions

Mon, 14 May 2012 17:31:08 GMT

Syrian troops on Monday attacked a central rebel bastion, with dozens reportedly killed across the country, as the EU slapped fresh sanctions on Damascus due to the "appalling violence."

Russia says killed seven Islamist militants: agencies

Mon, 14 May 2012 17:31:07 GMT

MOSCOW (Reuters) - Security forces killed seven Islamist militants in Russia's turbulent southern region of Dagestan, news agencies quoted its top anti-terror agency as saying on Monday. Russian forces launched an offensive in Dagestan late last week against militants who aim to carve an Islamic state from Russia's mostly Muslim southern flank. "As a result of a detailed survey of the conflict zones near the village of Tsvetkova, the bodies of seven members of insurgent groups were found," Itar-Tass quoted a statement from Russia's chief anti-terror agency as saying. ...

U.N. nuclear agency to push Iran on military site access

Mon, 14 May 2012 17:31:06 GMT

VIENNA (Reuters) - The United Nations nuclear watchdog signaled on Monday it would press Iran for access to a military installation where it suspects Iran has built a chamber for high-explosive tests that could serve to develop atomic bombs. The Vienna talks will test Iran's readiness to address U.N. inspectors' suspicions of military dimensions to its nuclear program, ahead of broader-ranging talks on the program's future in Baghdad next week between Tehran and six world powers. ...

EU ministers delay Ukraine pact, soccer decision

Mon, 14 May 2012 17:31:05 GMT

BRUSSELS (Reuters) - EU foreign ministers postponed ratifying a cooperation agreement with Ukraine on Monday in a protest over its human rights record, but were unable to agree on whether to snub Ukraine when it hosts the European soccer tournament next month. The 27-nation bloc has become increasingly concerned by Kiev's treatment of jailed opposition leader Yulia Tymoshenko who has said she has been beaten and whose health has deteriorated sharply since she was convicted of allegedly abusing her powers as prime minister. ...

On the road in Canada, Poland's Tusk finds another Wilno

Mon, 14 May 2012 09:24:40 GMT

Visiting Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk on Sunday said he was proud to find another Wilno, settled by Canada's first Polish immigrants, on pine-covered hills east of Ottawa.

NATO underplayed civilian deaths in Libya: HRW

Mon, 14 May 2012 09:24:39 GMT

BRUSSELS (Reuters) - NATO air strikes killed 72 civilians in Libya last year, Human Rights Watch said on Monday, accusing the western alliance of failing to acknowledge the scope of collateral damage it caused during the campaign that helped oust Muammar Gaddafi. In a report based on investigations at bombing sites during and after the conflict, the New York-based HRW said NATO strikes killed 20 women and 24 children. It called on the alliance to compensate civilian victims and investigate attacks that may have been unlawful. ...

PNG delay for limbless Frenchman's epic world swim

Mon, 14 May 2012 09:24:38 GMT

A limbless Frenchman planning to make four challenging swims around the world was delayed from starting his epic journey in Papua New Guinea on Monday by a paperwork problem.

Libyans want answers over deadly NATO airstrikes

Mon, 14 May 2012 09:24:37 GMT

Mohammed al-Gherari lost five family members, including a young niece and nephew, when NATO accidentally struck their compound in the Libyan capital as they slept.

Iran, IAEA begin first talks in three months

Mon, 14 May 2012 09:24:36 GMT

Iran and the UN nuclear agency started their first meeting in three months Monday, with world powers watching closely for clues on whether progress can be made in their talks in Baghdad next week.

Iran says pressures may damage nuclear talks

Mon, 14 May 2012 01:17:56 GMT

DUBAI (Reuters) - Iran warned Western powers on Sunday that applying pressure on Tehran could jeopardize talks on its nuclear program, state television reported. "The era of a pressure strategy is ended. Any strategic miscalculations would endanger success at the Baghdad negotiations," said Saeed Jalili, Iran's chief nuclear negotiator, quoted by state television. Jalili was speaking with French former prime minister Michel Rocard who visited Iran ahead of the talks on May 23 in Baghdad with the United States, Russia, China, France, Britain and Germany. ...

Queen Elizabeth watches huge jubilee horse pageant

Mon, 14 May 2012 01:17:54 GMT

Britain's Queen Elizabeth watched a glittering pageant Sunday of hundreds of horses and over 1,000 performers from around the world, the first big celebration for her diamond jubilee.

South Africa hopes tax reform will boost shipping

Sun, 13 May 2012 17:11:55 GMT

South Africa has some of the busiest ports on the continent but no commercial ships, but officials hope a new tax regime may give it an entry into the multi-billion-dollar industry.

Punk band's arrest at heart of growing feud over Putin and Russian Orthodox Church

Sun, 13 May 2012 17:11:52 GMT

MOSCOW - The skinny dissident is thrown headfirst into a police van by camouflage-clad officers. Nearby, a dozen bearded men bearing Russian Orthodox crosses and wearing skull-and-crossbones T-shirts cheer on the cops.

Punk band arrest at heart of Russia church feud

Sun, 13 May 2012 17:11:51 GMT

The skinny dissident is thrown headfirst into a police van by camouflage-clad officers. Nearby, a dozen bearded men bearing Russian Orthodox crosses and wearing skull-and-crossbones T-shirts cheer on the cops.

Indonesian, Russian teams scouring ravine for crashed Russian jet's black box

Sun, 13 May 2012 17:11:50 GMT

JAKARTA, Indonesia - Indonesian special forces and professional climbers scaled down a treacherous ravine on a volcano face Sunday in search of the missing flight recorder that could explain the deadly crash of a Russian-made jetliner.

Indonesia teams scour ravine for plane's black box

Sun, 13 May 2012 17:11:49 GMT

Indonesian special forces and professional climbers scaled down a treacherous ravine on a volcano face Sunday in search of the missing flight recorder that could explain the deadly crash of a Russian-made jetliner.

AP Exclusive: Drawing focuses on Iran's nuke work

Sun, 13 May 2012 17:11:48 GMT

An image said to come from inside an Iranian military site shows an explosives containment chamber of the type needed for nuclear arms-related tests that U.N. inspectors suspect Tehran has conducted at the site. Iran denies such testing and has neither confirmed nor denied the existence of such a chamber.

Protesters in mass "stroll" to test Putin's police

Sun, 13 May 2012 17:11:47 GMT

MOSCOW (Reuters) - About 10,000 people staged a mass "stroll" through central Moscow on Sunday to test the state's tolerance a week after police beat and scattered demonstrators upset over Vladimir Putin's return to the presidency. With few police in evidence, demonstrators gathered at a statue of revered poet Alexander Pushkin and walked down Moscow's Boulevard Ring to the site of an Occupy-style, 24-hour protest two km (1.25 miles) away. Police took no action. ...

AP Exclusive: Drawing of structure said to shed light on Iran's secret nuclear work

Sun, 13 May 2012 17:11:46 GMT

VIENNA - An image said to come from inside an Iranian military site shows an explosives containment chamber of the type needed for nuclear arms-related tests that U.N. inspectors suspect Tehran has conducted at the site. Iran denies such testing and has neither confirmed nor denied the existence of such a chamber.

Palestinians say hunger strike nearing decisive point

Sun, 13 May 2012 06:04:41 GMT

Palestinian officials said Saturday they expected a breakthrough soon on efforts to end a mass hunger strike by Palestinian prisoners in Israel, some of them close to death.

Investigators scour Indonesia plane crash site

Sun, 13 May 2012 06:04:40 GMT

Dozens of Russian experts combed a remote mountainside in Indonesia on Sunday searching for the flight recorders of a Sukhoi jet that slammed into a dormant volcano killing everyone on board.

Indonesia jet crash bodies sent for identification

Sat, 12 May 2012 21:57:43 GMT

Body bags containing the victims of a Russian jet crash arrived in the Indonesian capital Saturday as Russian investigators flew in to probe how the new aircraft smashed into the side of a dormant volcano.

Putin's first week: days that could bring tears to any leader's eyes

Sat, 12 May 2012 21:57:39 GMT

MOSCOW - Vladimir Putin appeared to shed tears of joy the night he won back the presidency in March. After less than a week in office, he may be tempted to shed some in frustration.

Polish PM heads to Canada for three-day visit

Sat, 12 May 2012 21:57:38 GMT

Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk was headed to Canada on Saturday for a three-day visit postponed two years ago by the air crash that killed president Lech Kaczynski in Russia.

Putin, Ahmadinejad discuss future contacts: Kremlin

Sat, 12 May 2012 21:57:35 GMT

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has congratulated Russian President Vladimir Putin on his election victory and the two leaders have discussed future contacts, the Kremlin said on Saturday.

Canada rout Kazakhstan to confirm group lead

Sat, 12 May 2012 21:57:34 GMT

Vacouver Olympic champions Canada maintained their world ice hockey championship preliminary group lead with an 8-0 thrashing of former Soviet republic Kazakhstan here on Saturday.

New Zealand on brink of world sevens title

Sat, 12 May 2012 21:57:32 GMT

New Zealand were just one win away from clinching a 10th Sevens World Series title in 13 years after the first day of the final leg of the championship at Twickenham here on Saturday.

Remains retrieved from Indonesian plane crash

Sat, 12 May 2012 08:46:23 GMT

Clearer weather finally allowed Indonesian helicopters to land Saturday and retrieve some remains of the 45 people aboard a Russian-made plane that crashed into a volcano during a demonstration flight.

Putin's first week sees wave of challenges

Sat, 12 May 2012 08:46:22 GMT

Vladimir Putin appeared to shed tears of joy the night he won back the presidency in March. After less than a week in office, he may be tempted to shed some in frustration.

Postcard from Iraq: Dancing, singing left out of celebration of culture in post-Saddam Iraq

Sat, 12 May 2012 00:40:15 GMT

BABYLON, Iraq - Poetry has returned to the Triangle of Death. But dancing and singing are being left behind.

Critics: Biggest UN summit heading toward failure

Sat, 12 May 2012 00:40:14 GMT

The largest-ever United Nations conference, a summit billed as a historic opportunity to build a greener future, appears to be going up in smoke.

Syria says thwarts 1,200 kg car bomb in Aleppo

Sat, 12 May 2012 00:40:08 GMT

BEIRUT (Reuters) - Syrian forces foiled an attempted suicide car bombing with 1,200 kg (2,640 pounds) of explosives in the northern city of Aleppo on Friday, state television said, a day after two bombs in the capital Damascus killed at least 55 people. The would-be bomber was killed in the al Shaar district of Syria's largest city which, like Damascus, has seen increasing street protests against President Bashar al-Assad and rising levels of bloodshed after months of relative calm. ...

Canada come back to upset hockey hosts Finland

Sat, 12 May 2012 00:40:07 GMT

Olympic champions Canada battled back from two goals down to clinch their group lead with a 5-3 win over reigning champions, and co-hosts of the world ice hockey championship, Finland here Friday.

Ashton hopes new talks to end Iran nuke program

Fri, 11 May 2012 16:34:00 GMT

BRUSSELS (Reuters) - The European Union's foreign policy chief said on Friday she hoped upcoming talks with Iran would form the basis for Tehran to eventually abandon its alleged nuclear weapons project. Speaking ahead of talks scheduled for May 23 in Baghdad, Catherine Ashton - who has been representing the major powers at talks about Iran's nuclear activity - said she had high hopes for the new round of negotiations. "My ambition is that we come away with the beginning of the end of the nuclear weapons program in Iran," she told reporters in Brussels. ...

200 activists occupy a plaza in central Moscow

Fri, 11 May 2012 16:33:55 GMT

Some 200 activists are camping out in central Moscow to protest the election of Vladimir Putin and the arrest of two opposition leaders.

Analysis: Israel frets on sideline as fall of Assad delayed

Fri, 11 May 2012 16:33:54 GMT

JERUSALEM (Reuters) - Keen for a little bit of certainty in a turbulent Arab world, Israeli leaders persuaded themselves last year that Syrian President Bashar al-Assad - the devil they knew next door - was finished, and something possibly better might be on the way. But it was not to be. With the Syrian uprising now into its 14th month and Assad still firmly in power, Israel has few options other than to sit the crisis out, unable to influence the outcome of an upheaval that is sure to affect it. ...

AP Interview: Tymoshenko's daughter champions mom

Fri, 11 May 2012 16:33:52 GMT

Even after she was thrown in jail, crippled by back pain and abandoned by allies, imprisoned former Ukrainian Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko didn't despair: She had her daughter by her side.

Iraq arts fest: more words, less song and dance

Fri, 11 May 2012 16:33:52 GMT

Poetry has returned to the Triangle of Death. But dancing and singing are being left behind.

NATO head urges Pakistan to open transit routes in time for summit

Fri, 11 May 2012 16:33:50 GMT

BRUSSELS (Reuters) - NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen suggested on Friday that Pakistan could miss out on important talks on the future of Afghanistan if it fails to reopen supply routes in time to secure a place at a NATO summit in Chicago on May 20-21. Speaking at a news conference, Rasmussen made no explicit reference to excluding Pakistan - which closed transit routes to Afghanistan after 24 of its soldiers were killed in a NATO cross-border air attack last November. ...

Iran nuclear talks: Are sanctions on the table?

Fri, 11 May 2012 12:54:49 GMT

When Iran agreed to serious engagement with world powers over its controversial nuclear program last month, it put special store in the agreed upon process: a "step-by-step approach and reciprocity."

Plane crash in Indonesia upends strategy to put Russian aviation on stronger path (+video)

Fri, 11 May 2012 12:54:31 GMT

Russians are reeling today from a plane crash that seems likely to stall, or even thwart, a revival of its aviation industry, which has been plagued by high-profile disasters in recent years, including one that killed the Polish president and his entire entourage and another that wiped out an entire Russian hockey team.

Indonesian climbers near Russian plane wreckage

Fri, 11 May 2012 12:54:06 GMT

Rescue teams used climbing gear to scale the nearly sheer slopes of a dormant Indonesian volcano, hoping Friday to reach the wreckage of a Russian-made jetliner that crashed with 45 people aboard during a demonstration flight for potential buyers.

10 bodies found near Indonesia plane crash site

Fri, 11 May 2012 12:54:04 GMT

Search teams found at least 10 bodies Friday near where a Russian-made jetliner crashed into the side of an Indonesian volcano while on a demonstration flight for potential buyers from airlines, an official said.

Boycott of Ukraine during Euro 2012 carries risks

Fri, 11 May 2012 12:54:00 GMT

It's an ethical dilemma that has Western leaders in a bind: to boycott or not to boycott Ukraine-hosted matches in the European soccer championship over the alleged abuse of jailed opposition leader Yulia Tymoshenko?

Syrian regime 'trying to kill Annan plan'

Fri, 11 May 2012 12:53:59 GMT

Syria's government wants to destroy the UN-brokered peace plan aimed at ending 14 months of civil conflict, opposition leader Burhan Ghalioun told reporters in Tokyo on Friday.

12 bodies found at Russian jet crash in Indonesia

Fri, 11 May 2012 12:53:56 GMT

Search teams who scaled a volcano's steep slopes found at least 12 bodies Friday near the wreckage of a Russian-made jetliner that crashed in Indonesia during a demonstration flight for potential buyers, an official said.

Crash deals blow to Russian aerospace revival

Fri, 11 May 2012 04:47:48 GMT

PARIS/MOSCOW (Reuters) - The hilltop crash of a Sukhoi passenger jet ferrying journalists and dignitaries on a mission to drum up foreign sales in Indonesia potentially casts a shadow over Kremlin efforts to restore Russia's once mighty aerospace industry. Analysts can't yet say how far the loss of the first new passenger jet since the fall of the Soviet Union will damage the rebirth of Russian aviation, but agree it deals a psychological blow at a time when domestic air safety is also under scrutiny. ...

Putin flexes muscle in shunning U.S.-hosted G8 talks

Fri, 11 May 2012 04:47:47 GMT

MOSCOW (Reuters) - Of all the signals and symbols that shape Russian foreign policy, this one seemed particularly blunt: Vladimir Putin, in one of the first decisions of his new presidency, will shun a Group of Eight summit hosted by U.S. President Barack Obama. The May 18-19 visit was to have been Putin's first foreign trip since he returned to the Kremlin on Monday, a chance to begin putting U.S. ties back on track after a growth in tension over missile defense, Syria and Russia's presidential campaign. ...

Russia says it foiled terrorist plot against Sochi

Fri, 11 May 2012 04:47:45 GMT

Russia claimed it has foiled a plot to attack the host city of Sochi both before and during the 2014 Winter Olympics, saying its agents discovered caches of weapons that included grenade launchers and surface-to-air missiles.

Magna boosts sales forecast as profit rises

Fri, 11 May 2012 04:47:43 GMT

TORONTO (Reuters) - Magna International Inc posted market-beating quarterly results on Thursday and boosted its sales and margin forecasts, fueled by rebounding vehicle production in its key North American market and improving European operations. Shares in Magna, one of the world's biggest auto parts manufacturers, jumped as much as 7.5 percent after the results were announced before slipping back to a gain of 2.2 percent. Magna raised its total sales outlook for 2012 to between $29.0 billion and $30.5 billion, up from its previous forecast of $28.0 billion to $29.5 billion. ...

Mountainside crash of new Russian jet in Indonesia puts sales in limbo; 45 feared dead

Fri, 11 May 2012 04:47:40 GMT

MOUNT SALAK, Indonesia - The crash of a new, Russian-made jetliner into a jagged, Indonesian volcano during a flight to impress potential buyers threw doubt on dozens of plane sales Thursday just as Moscow seeks a comeback in foreign markets. All 45 people aboard were feared dead.

Too early to call U.N.-Syria peace plan failure: U.S.

Fri, 11 May 2012 04:47:38 GMT

BOCA RATON, Florida (Reuters) - It is too early to write off as a failure U.N.-Arab League mediator Kofi Annan's efforts to bring an end to 14-months of violence in Syria, U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Susan Rice said on Thursday. Rice spoke to Reuters in Florida hours after two suicide car bombers killed 55 people and wounded 372 in Damascus, Syrian state media said, the deadliest attacks in the Syrian capital since an uprising against President Bashar al-Assad began last year. "I don't think it's time yet to say that the (U.N. ...

Huge pageant of horses kicks off Queen's jubilee

Fri, 11 May 2012 04:47:36 GMT

Hundreds of horses and over 1,000 performers from around the world staged a glittering pageant in Britain in a stirring start to the major celebrations for Queen Elizabeth's diamond jubilee.

Indonesian rescuers climb to crashed Russian jet site

Fri, 11 May 2012 04:47:35 GMT

Indonesian searchers with body bags and hoists scaled a steep volcano Friday to retrieve at least 45 bodies spread over the jungly terrain where a Russian jet crashed during a sales flight.

International adoptions drop amid fraud crackdowns

Thu, 10 May 2012 19:49:37 GMT

The number of international adoptions has fallen to its lowest point in 15 years, a steep decline attributed largely to crackdowns against baby-selling, a sputtering world economy and efforts by countries to place more children with domestic families.

Putin ally Sechin ensured Russian oil sector role

Thu, 10 May 2012 19:49:36 GMT

MOSCOW (Reuters) - Russian Deputy Prime Minister Igor Sechin will join the board of the state oil and gas holding company, a sign he is likely to keep a leading role in the world's largest energy industry even if he quits the cabinet. Sechin's role in the new presidency of Vladimir Putin is a widely debated topic among Russian oil executives and foreign investors. Few doubt the close Putin ally will retain his grip on Russia's vital industry, which is seen by many as a guarantee that an 11th-hour push to win foreign capital and reform oil tax will continue. ...

Putin's reason for skipping US summit puzzles

Thu, 10 May 2012 19:49:33 GMT

The Kremlin on Thursday explained President Vladimir Putin's surprising decision to skip a planned high-profile visit to the United States next week by saying he needs to finish setting up his new government. Although this may sound like a lame excuse, it could actually be true. Or not.

Russia's secret service says it foiled terrorist plans in Sochi, the 2014 Winter Olympics host

Thu, 10 May 2012 16:50:36 GMT

MOSCOW - Russia's secret service said Thursday it had foiled terror attack plans in the Black Sea resort of Sochi ahead of the 2014 Winter Games.

Russia 'foils 2014 Winter Olympics attack plot'

Thu, 10 May 2012 16:50:35 GMT

Russia said Thursday its security service had foiled an attempt by Caucasus militants assisted by its foe Georgia to attack the Black Sea city of Sochi when it hosts the 2014 Winter Olympic Games.

Suicide bombers kill 55 in Syrian capital

Thu, 10 May 2012 16:50:32 GMT

Two suicide bombers killed at least 55 people and wounded nearly 400 in the Syrian capital Damascus on Thursday, authorities said, in the deadliest attacks of the country's 14-month uprising.

Russia condemns Syria attacks, sees foreign hand

Thu, 10 May 2012 16:50:31 GMT

MOSCOW (Reuters) - Russia condemned twin suicide bombings in Syria on Thursday, accusing unspecified foreign countries of encouraging such violence and saying Moscow would not yield to pressure to change its stance on a resolution to the conflict. In a meeting with the Syrian ambassador to Moscow, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Bogdanov "decisively condemned the terrorist acts that have taken place in Syria in recent days", the ministry said in a statement. Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov went further, saying foreign states shared the blame, Russian news agencies reported. ...

Russia says it foiled terrorist attacks in Sochi

Thu, 10 May 2012 16:50:27 GMT

Russian agents have foiled terror attack plans on the Black Sea resort of Sochi, host of the 2014 Winter Olympics, authorities said Thursday, blaming Chechen separatists and neighboring Georgia of jointly masterminding the plans.

Russian jet crash puts Indonesian sales in limbo

Thu, 10 May 2012 16:50:26 GMT

The crash of a new, Russian-made jetliner into a jagged, Indonesian volcano during a flight to impress potential buyers threw doubt on dozens of plane sales Thursday just as Moscow seeks a comeback in foreign markets. All 45 people aboard were feared dead.

Russia foils alleged plot on Sochi Olympics

Thu, 10 May 2012 16:50:25 GMT

MOSCOW (Reuters) - Russian authorities said on Thursday that security agencies had foiled a plot by Islamic militants to attack the 2014 Winter Olympics in the Black Sea resort of Sochi, an area they consider part of their historical homeland. Russia's National Anti-Terrorism Committee (NAC) said the special services had confiscated arms, ammunition and explosives - including surface-to-air missiles and a flamethrower - in the breakaway Abkhazia region of Georgia, the South Caucasus country with which Russia went to war in 2008. ...

Syria suicide bombers kill 55, ceasefire in tatters

Thu, 10 May 2012 16:50:24 GMT

BEIRUT (Reuters) - Two suicide car bombers killed 55 people and wounded 372 in Damascus on Thursday, state media said, the deadliest attacks in the Syrian capital since an uprising against President Bashar al-Assad began 14 months ago. The blasts further shredded a ceasefire that was declared by international mediator Kofi Annan on April 12 but which has failed to halt bloodshed pitting Assad's security forces against peaceful demonstrators and an array of armed insurgents. Opposition leaders said Annan's peace plan was dead, while Western powers insisted it remained the best way forward. ...

Bodies found near wreckage of Russian jet

Thu, 10 May 2012 11:33:14 GMT

Rescuers discovered bodies Thursday near the shattered wreckage of a new Russian-made passenger plane that smashed into the steep side of an Indonesian volcano during a flight to impress potential buyers. All 45 people on board were feared dead.

Putin pulls out of US summit, meeting with Obama

Thu, 10 May 2012 11:33:13 GMT

Russia's President Vladimir Putin will skip a planned visit to the United States this month for a key global summit and a much-anticipated meeting with President Barack Obama, the Kremlin confirmed Thursday, as he faced pressure from protests and opposition criticism at home.

Bodies found at Russian jet wreckage in Indonesia

Thu, 10 May 2012 11:33:10 GMT

Rescuers discovered bodies Thursday near the shattered wreckage of a new Russian-made passenger plane that smashed into the side of an Indonesian volcano during a flight to impress potential buyers. All 45 people on board were feared dead.

Russian plane on test flight vanishes in Indonesia

Thu, 10 May 2012 07:06:06 GMT

Rescuers were searching rugged, forested terrain Friday for a new Russian-made passenger plane lost over mountains in western Indonesia during a demonstration flight for potential buyers. Fifty people were on board, including diplomats, businesspeople and journalists.

Rescue teams hunt for lost Russian passenger jet

Thu, 10 May 2012 07:06:04 GMT

Search and rescue teams were scouring the slopes of a dormant volcano in western Indonesia early Thursday for signs of a new Russian-made passenger plane that dropped off the radar while on a demonstration flight. Fifty people were on board, including potential buyers, diplomats and journalists.

Indonesia steps up search for missing plane

Thu, 10 May 2012 07:06:01 GMT

Indonesian rescuers Thursday intensified a search for a missing Russian Sukhoi Superjet with about 50 people on board that disappeared in mountainous terrain during a demonstration flight.

Searchers in Indonesia hunt for lost jet with 48

Thu, 10 May 2012 07:06:00 GMT

Search and rescue teams scoured a dormant volcano's slopes in western Indonesia early Thursday for signs of a new Russian-made passenger plane that disappeared from radar while on a demonstration flight. The 48 people on board included potential buyers, diplomats and journalists.

Official says wreckage of new Russian jet spotted

Thu, 10 May 2012 07:05:59 GMT

An air force official says the wreckage of a Russian-made passenger jet that disappeared during a demonstration flight in Indonesia appears to have been spotted on the side of a volcano.

Factbox: Russian Sukhoi jetliner missing near Java

Thu, 10 May 2012 07:05:58 GMT

(Reuters) - A Russian Sukhoi Superjet 100 regional passenger jet with approximately 44 people on board went missing during a demonstration flight near a volcano on Indonesia's Java island on Wednesday, officials said. Here are some facts about the plane: * Preliminary design took place in November 2001 * Its first flight was in 2008. * In June 2011, the SSJ100 entered into commercial operation with Aeroflot. Six aircraft are currently flying, one with Armavia and five with Aeroflot. There are 168 orders globally. ...

Wreck found of Russia jet on Indonesia demo flight

Thu, 10 May 2012 07:05:57 GMT

Search and rescue teams found the wreckage a Russian-made passenger plane on a mountain Thursday after it disappeared during a demonstration flight in western Indonesia. The conditions of the 48 people on board are not known.

Putin not attending Camp David G8, will send Medvedev

Thu, 10 May 2012 07:05:56 GMT

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Russian President Vladimir Putin has pulled out of this month's Group of Eight summit in Maryland and will send Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev in his place, the White House said on Wednesday. Putin, who took the oath as Russia's president on Monday, informed President Barack Obama of his decision during a telephone call, citing the need to stay in Moscow to finalize appointments to his cabinet. Instead, the two leaders agreed to meet in Mexico in June. ...

Wreckage of Russian jet found on Indonesian volcano; 47 people were on demonstration flight

Thu, 10 May 2012 07:05:55 GMT

CIDAHU, Indonesia - Helicopters spotted the wreckage of a Russian-made passenger plane scattered on the green cliff of a mist-shrouded dormant Indonesian volcano Thursday after the demonstration flight disappeared with 47 people on board. There was no sign of survivors.

Indonesia finds wreckage of missing Russian plane

Thu, 10 May 2012 07:05:54 GMT

Indonesian rescuers Thursday spotted the wreckage of a missing Russian Sukhoi Superjet that disappeared in mountainous terrain during a demonstration flight with about 50 people aboard.

International adoptions plummet globally

Thu, 10 May 2012 07:05:54 GMT

The number of international adoptions has plummeted to its lowest point in 15 years, a steep decline attributed largely to crackdowns against baby-selling, a sputtering world economy and efforts by countries to place more children with domestic families.

Wreckage from plane strewn on Indonesian mountain

Thu, 10 May 2012 07:05:53 GMT

CIHIDEUNG, Indonesia (Reuters) - Wreckage of a Russian Sukhoi aircraft with about 50 people on board was found on Thursday strewn on a steep ridge on a mountain south of the Indonesian capital where it crashed during a demonstration flight. There was no sign of survivors. The Superjet 100 aircraft, Russia's first all-new passenger jet since the fall of the Soviet Union, went missing on Wednesday about 40 miles south of Jakarta. It was carrying Indonesian businessmen, eight Russians, including embassy officials, pilots and technicians, and journalists. ...

Wreckage of Russian jet found on Indonesian cliff

Thu, 10 May 2012 07:05:52 GMT

A flight showing off a new Russian passenger jet to potential buyers in Indonesia smashed into a steep volcano with 45 people on board, a helicopter team confirmed Thursday. There were no signs of survivors.

Russia's Putin says he's skipping US economic summit, planned White House meeting with Obama

Wed, 09 May 2012 23:07:26 GMT

WASHINGTON - The White House says Russian President Vladimir Putin is skipping a planned visit to the United States this month for an economic summit and a much-anticipated meeting with President Barack Obama.

Russia's Putin oversees military parade

Wed, 09 May 2012 19:48:12 GMT

Newly-inaugurated President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday presided over Russia's annual display of military power as missiles and thousands of troops paraded across Red Square to mark World War II victory.

Ex-Ukraine PM Tymoshenko leaves jail for hospital

Wed, 09 May 2012 19:48:05 GMT

Yulia Tymoshenko, Ukraine's imprisoned former prime minister, was moved Wednesday from jail to a hospital for treatment of a severe back condition under the supervision of a German doctor.

Putin promises a strong Russia on world stage

Wed, 09 May 2012 19:48:02 GMT

MOSCOW (Reuters) - President Vladimir Putin, speaking in Moscow's Red Square with military generals at his side, said he would promote Russia's might on the world stage in a patriotic speech on Wednesday glorifying the Soviet victory over Germany in World War Two. Two days after being sworn in for a six-year term that has drawn protests against his return to the Kremlin, Putin used the address to troops and war veterans at the annual military parade on Red Square to reinforce appeals for national unity. ...

Putin to parade: Russia will stand up for itself

Wed, 09 May 2012 19:47:58 GMT

Speaking to thousands of soldiers at the annual Red Square military parade, Russian President Vladimir Putin declared Wednesday that the country is a force for world security and that Russia will stand up for its positions.

Exclusive: Syria buys grain via Lebanon to beat sanctions

Wed, 09 May 2012 19:47:57 GMT

HAMBURG (Reuters) - Syria is importing significant volumes of grain via Lebanon to work around western sanctions and secure vital supplies, European traders told Reuters. The trade is not illegal because food imports are not included in sanctions imposed by the European Union, the United States and other Western countries on President Bashar al-Assad's government over his crackdown on a revolt. But the measures have blocked access to trade finance for Syria in the same way as similar penalties imposed on Iran over its nuclear program. ...

Activist hackers temporarily block Putin's website

Wed, 09 May 2012 19:47:56 GMT

MOSCOW (Reuters) - Hackers temporarily blocked President Vladimir Putin's web site on Wednesday, carrying out a promise to disrupt government information portals two days after his swearing-in for another six-year term that has drawn street protests. The hacker activist group Anonymous used the "Op_Russia" twitter account to publicize the attack, saying "kremlin.ru - TANGO DOWN" and "Anonymous shuts down Kremlin's websites". Internet users in Russia said they were unable to access the www.kremlin.ru website for several minutes on Wednesday. ...

Russian Sukhoi plane missing on test flight in Indonesia

Wed, 09 May 2012 19:47:54 GMT

JAKARTA (Reuters) - A Russian Sukhoi passenger plane with 46 people on board, including businessmen and Russian envoys, has gone missing during a demonstration flight over West Java in Indonesia, officials said on Wednesday. Indonesia's search and rescue agency said radio contact was lost with the plane after it descended to 6,000 feet. The Indonesia military said the plane "fell" from the sky. The plane was carrying Indonesia businessmen and Russian embassy officials, the transport ministry said. ...

Contact lost with Russian-made plane in Indonesia

Wed, 09 May 2012 19:47:49 GMT

A new Russian-made civilian plane carrying 46 people lost contact with air controllers in Indonesia while flying over mountains Wednesday in a demonstration flight for potential buyers and journalists, officials said.

Syria rebels kill 7, bomb explodes near U.N. monitors

Wed, 09 May 2012 19:47:48 GMT

AMMAN (Reuters) - Syrian rebels killed at least seven pro-government militiamen in a Damascus suburb on Wednesday, activists said, and an explosion wounded eight soldiers escorting U.N. ceasefire observers in the southern province of Deraa. The Damascus attack with rocket-propelled grenades on a bus carrying the fighters through the suburb of Irbin prompted the army to seal off the area and respond with shelling, activist Mohammad Saeed said. ...

Tymoshenko halts hunger strike after hospital move

Wed, 09 May 2012 19:47:46 GMT

Ukraine's jailed opposition leader Yulia Tymoshenko on Wednesday halted a 20-day hunger strike after she was moved to a hospital to defuse a crisis overshadowing the Euro 2012 football.

EU's Ashton discusses Iran talks with Israel PM

Wed, 09 May 2012 19:47:44 GMT

EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton met Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Wednesday to discuss the upcoming nuclear talks between world powers and Iran, an Israeli official told AFP.

Ex-Ukraine PM Tymoshenko ends hunger strike

Wed, 09 May 2012 19:47:42 GMT

The German doctor treating imprisoned former Ukrainian Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko says she has ended a hunger strike that lasted more than two weeks.

Russian plane with 50 aboard missing in Indonesia

Wed, 09 May 2012 19:47:41 GMT

A new Russian-made passenger plane went missing over mountains in western Indonesia while on a demonstration flight Wednesday arranged for potential buyers. Fifty people were on board, including diplomats, businesspeople and journalists.

Tymoshenko ends hunger strike in Ukraine; former premier moved from jail to hospital

Wed, 09 May 2012 19:47:39 GMT

KHARKIV, Ukraine - Yulia Tymoshenko ended a nearly three-week long hunger strike Wednesday as the imprisoned former Ukrainian prime minister was moved from jail to a hospital for treatment of a severe back condition under the supervision of a German doctor.

Russian jet with 50 aboard missing in Indonesia

Wed, 09 May 2012 19:47:38 GMT

A Russian Sukhoi Superjet 100 with about 50 people on board went missing in a mountainous area south of the Indonesian capital Jakarta during a demonstration flight Wednesday, officials said.

Russian opposition leaders sentenced to jail

Wed, 09 May 2012 19:47:37 GMT

Two of Russia's most prominent opposition leaders were sentenced Wednesday to 15 days in jail, while several dozen opposition activists who tried to stage a "people's stroll" through the city reportedly were detained.

Tymoshenko ends hunger strike in Ukraine

Wed, 09 May 2012 19:47:35 GMT

Yulia Tymoshenko ended a nearly three-week long hunger strike Wednesday as the imprisoned former Ukrainian prime minister was moved from jail to a hospital for treatment of a severe back condition under the supervision of a German doctor.

Oil falls to below $97 as US crude supplies jump

Wed, 09 May 2012 09:06:10 GMT

Oil prices fell to below $97 a barrel Wednesday in Asia, extending a weeklong slump after a report showed U.S. crude supplies jumped more than expected last week, suggesting demand remains weak.

Syria: Is This an Arab Spring or a Balkan Winter?

Wed, 09 May 2012 09:06:09 GMT

Special Envoy Kofi Annan told the U.N. Security Council Tuesday that his struggling peace plan is the last hope to prevent Syria from plunging into an all-out civil war. But the reason his cease-fire and political dialogue plan has not yet stopped the fighting despite the truce that was formally agreed a month ago, is that Syria is, in fact, already engaged in a civil war. Some 15 months after Syria's rebellion began, it is clear that President Bashar al-Assad has effectively eluded the narrative arc that would deliver him the fate of Egypt's President Hosni Mubarak or Libya's Muammar Gaddafi. ...

Putin to parade: Russia will stand up for policies

Wed, 09 May 2012 09:06:08 GMT

Russian President Vladimir Putin has told the annual massive military parade in Red Square that the country will stand up for its positions.

Oil falls to near $96 as US crude supplies jump

Wed, 09 May 2012 09:06:07 GMT

Oil prices fell to near $96 a barrel Wednesday in Asia, extending a weeklong slump after a report showed U.S. crude supplies jumped more than expected last week, suggesting demand remains weak.

Carlsberg in Q1 $13 million loss as Russia weighs

Wed, 09 May 2012 09:06:06 GMT

Danish brewer Carlsberg has reported a first-quarter net loss of 76 million kroner ($13.3 million) on flat growth, with de-stocking hitting the Russian market.

What Lies Beneath Russia's Latest Round of Protests

Wed, 09 May 2012 03:59:58 GMT

Has the Russian Spring -- so vibrant with huge demonstrations in the winter -- been revived? Even after Vladimir Putin was inaugurated on Monday, protesters, many identifiable simply by their white ribbons, managed to remain on the streets of Moscow. Activists including blogger Alexei Navalny and radical leftist leader Sergei Udaltsov declared a sit-in at a memorial on a square not far from Putin's presidential office. Hundreds gathered, someone brought tea, and inevitably a guitar. ...

Armenian opposition says election marred by fraud

Wed, 09 May 2012 03:59:47 GMT

YEREVAN (Reuters) - A leading opposition group in Armenia said on Tuesday a parliamentary election won by the president's party had been marred by fraud, and vowed to ask a top court to overturn the results. Two days after Sunday's election in the former Soviet Republic, about 5,000 supporters of former president Levon Ter-Petrosyan's Armenian National Congress took to the streets in central Yerevan. The Republican Party of President Serzh Sarksyan won about 68 seats, a majority in the 131-seat parliament, according to results released on Monday. ...

Fears of Syrian civil war deepen; U.S. aids opposition

Wed, 09 May 2012 03:59:41 GMT

UNITED NATIONS/BEIRUT (Reuters) - Security forces killed at least 10 people in fighting across Syria on Tuesday, activists said, in a 14-month-old revolt that international mediator Kofi Annan, the Red Cross and Arab League warned was deteriorating into a civil war. Clashes between government forces and rebels fighting to overthrow President Bashar al-Assad raged overnight in Syrian towns and flared again during the day, said the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. Despite an initial pause in fighting on April 12, a promised ceasefire has not taken hold. ...

Some Syria violence amounts to civil war: Red Cross

Tue, 08 May 2012 19:43:21 GMT

GENEVA (Reuters) - Fighting has been so intense in parts of Syria that at times it has qualified as a localized civil war, the head of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) said on Tuesday. Jakob Kellenberger said that conflict in Homs and the province of Idlib this year met the agency's three criteria of a non-international armed conflict - intensity, duration and the level of organization of rebels fighting government forces. ...

Putin strikes back at critical Russian lawmakers

Tue, 08 May 2012 19:43:20 GMT

Russian President Vladimir Putin had no trouble getting the Kremlin-controlled parliament to approve former President Dmitry Medvedev as his prime minister Tuesday, but he did not much like the startlingly critical questions Medvedev faced from lawmakers before the vote.

China urges Syrians to honour ceasefire pledges

Tue, 08 May 2012 19:43:19 GMT

China's foreign minister on Tuesday urged all parties in Syria to honour their ceasefire commitments, as the United Nations warned world powers were racing against time to stop war in the restive state.

Syria situation moving in "positive direction": Russia

Tue, 08 May 2012 19:43:17 GMT

UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) - There continue to be problems in Syria but an unarmed U.N. observer mission is deploying and the overall situation there is improving, Russian U.N. Ambassador Vitaly Churkin said on Tuesday. "Things are moving on in a positive direction. Many obstacles, but I think they can be overcome," Churkin told reporters after U.N.-Arab League mediator Kofi Annan gave the U.N. Security Council a bleak assessment of implementation of his peace plan aimed at ending 14 months of violence in Syria. ...

Afghan opium price hike to stir violence: minister

Tue, 08 May 2012 19:43:16 GMT

KABUL (Reuters) - The price of opium cultivated in Afghanistan is set to rise as the security forces step up their eradication efforts and a fungus ravages the poppies that yield it, squeezing supply and stirring violence, the country's drug chief said on Tuesday. Zarar Ahmad Muqbel Osmani, the Minister of Counter Narcotics, said the expected price rise coupled with increasing demand from regional nations would make poppy cultivation more attractive to cash-strapped farmers, forcing the government to intensify its fight against the trade. ...

Police keep anti-Putin protesters on the run

Tue, 08 May 2012 19:43:14 GMT

As many as 300 anti-Putin protesters took over a Moscow square for most of the day Tuesday until hundreds of helmeted riot police swept in to disperse the young crowd, detaining some of them seemingly at random.

Putin, Medvedev seal Kremlin-PM job swap

Tue, 08 May 2012 19:43:13 GMT

Russia's new President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday won parliamentary approval for his predecessor Dmitry Medvedev to become prime minister, as protesters tried new tactics to keep up pressure on the Kremlin.

U.N. hears bleak assessment of Annan's Syria peace push

Tue, 08 May 2012 19:43:09 GMT

UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) - U.N.-Arab League mediator Kofi Annan told the Security Council on Tuesday that peace in Syria remains elusive nearly a month after a nationwide truce was announced, while Washington declared it was stepping up "non-lethal" aid to the opposition. Speaking to reporters in Geneva after briefing the 15-nation council via video link, Annan said there were "worrying episodes of violence by the government" in Syria as well as attacks by the opposition in violation of the truce. He also referred to a recent "spate of bombings, which have been really worrying. ...

Medvedev confirmed as Russian prime minister

Tue, 08 May 2012 14:37:08 GMT

MOSCOW (Reuters) - Russia's parliament confirmed former president Dmitry Medvedev as prime minister on Tuesday, completing a job swap between the country's top two leaders a day after Vladimir Putin was sworn in as president. Lawmakers in the State Duma, the lower house of parliament in which the Kremlin-allied United Russia party holds a majority of seats, approved Medvedev in a 299-144 vote after Putin asked them to support his nominee. (Reporting by Gleb Bryanski; Writing by Steve Gutterman; Editing by Timothy Heritage)

Exclusive: Sanctions block Syria's vital grain trade

Tue, 08 May 2012 14:37:07 GMT

LONDON (Reuters) - Syria is finding it increasingly hard to buy grain on international markets because sanctions have blocked its access to trade finance, while growing numbers of its citizens are struggling to obtain food after more than a year of conflict. The European Union, the United States and other Western countries have imposed sanctions on President Bashar al-Assad's government in response to his bloody crackdown on a revolt that has cost more than 10,000 lives. The measures, which include asset freezes and financing restrictions, have hurt Syria's vital commercial grain trade. ...

Putin and Medvedev complete job swap in Russia

Tue, 08 May 2012 14:37:06 GMT

MOSCOW (Reuters) - Russia's lower house of parliament confirmed former president Dmitry Medvedev as prime minister on Tuesday, completing a job swap with Vladimir Putin that has sparked protests against the two leaders' grip on power. The approval vote, comfortably won by Medvedev as Putin looked on, ignored growing concern in the country that keeping power in the hands of the same men who have led Russia for the past four years will bring political and economic stagnation. ...

Police break up all-night anti-Putin protest

Tue, 08 May 2012 13:14:59 GMT

Police on Tuesday broke up a demonstration by hundreds of opposition activists who had spent the night outside the presidential administration offices to protest Vladimir Putin's return as Russia's president.

Arab League chief warns of civil war in Syria

Tue, 08 May 2012 13:14:58 GMT

BEIJING (Reuters) - Arab League chief Nabil Elaraby warned on Tuesday rising violence in Syria could tip the strife-torn country into civil war, and expressed support for the peace plan of U.N.-Arab League Special Envoy Kofi Annan. Elaraby also said that an escalation in violence in Syria, where 14 months of bloodshed has claimed more than 9,000 lives, could spill to neighboring countries. "Escalating military action in Syria will end up leading to a civil war in Syria, which no one wants to see," Elaraby told reporters at the League office in Beijing. ...

Russia's Putin asks parliament to back Medvedev

Tue, 08 May 2012 13:14:57 GMT

MOSCOW (Reuters) - President Vladimir Putin asked Russia's lower house on Tuesday to confirm his ally Dmitry Medvedev as prime minister in a job swap that has angered many Russians and sparked protests against the men's grip on power. "I count on your support," Putin said at the end of a brief speech to the State Duma in which he presented Medvedev, president for the last four years, as an experienced leader who would not let Russia down. The Communist Party, the second biggest in the lower house, said it would oppose Medvedev. ...

Moscow police detain anti-Putin protesters

Tue, 08 May 2012 09:40:49 GMT

Moscow police on Tuesday detained two prominent leaders of the protest movement against newly-inaugurated President Vladimir Putin after they staged an unusual night-time sit-in close to the Kremlin.

Statoil profits down, sales up in first quarter

Tue, 08 May 2012 09:40:48 GMT

Norwegian oil company Statoil ASA on Tuesday said net profit dropped 4 percent in the first quarter, though the decline had much to do with the sale of a stake in a Canadian oil sands project that boosted the same quarter a year ago.

Extreme Tourism: Couch Surfing Comes to Afghanistan

Tue, 08 May 2012 05:13:57 GMT

The patio of the one floor ranch house was packed. Smoke drifted from the grill and everyone seemed to have a red Solo cup in his or her hand. Were it not for the babel of languages and high walls topped with barbwire, it could have been a weekend BBQ anywhere in the world. But this was Kabul and the voices were those of aid workers, security contractors and journalists. They only died down when one of the guests began talking about hitchhiking to Khost.

Four Hundred Years of Xenophobia: Vladimir Putin, 1612 and All That

Tue, 08 May 2012 05:13:55 GMT

1612 means little to the Anglophone world. But during the last time Vladimir Putin was president, it became enshrined in an annual Russian ritual. Few of us noticed. Now, after a constitutional feint in which he served as Prime Minister, Putin has returned as president, by remarkable coincidence, on the year's 400th anniversary. We need to know why he thinks 1612 is sacred.

America Lost Its Most Pro-American French President

Tue, 08 May 2012 05:13:50 GMT

The United States just lost the most pro-American French President ever in Nicholas Sarkozy, when he was defeated. That can't be a good thing, especially as the financial crisis and foreign policy nightmares threaten to fracture ties between Europe and America.

Spain eye unique treble as Euro 2012 loom

Tue, 08 May 2012 05:13:47 GMT

Spain will begin as hot favourites to complete an unprecedented treble next month when the European Championship ventures into new territory in Poland and Ukraine.

The Syrian Elections: How the Regime's Official Media Covered It

Mon, 07 May 2012 20:53:16 GMT

The Syrian regime's mouthpiece, Addounia TV, was having technical difficulties with its blanket coverage of the country's first multi-party elections on Monday. Two attempts to provide live broadcasts from its correspondent in the hardscrabble Syrian province of Al-Raqqa had failed. Still, the journalist Hussein Makki, decked out in a neat cream-colored jacket over a pale blue shirt, waited patiently to deliver his report from a near-empty polling booth in a local school.

From jog up presidential steps to humiliating exit, Sarkozy leaves mark as French leader

Mon, 07 May 2012 20:53:06 GMT

PARIS - When Nicolas Sarkozy bounded up the steps of France's presidential palace in jogging shorts and shoes on his first day in office five years ago, many French instantly sensed they were in for something new.

Armenian president's party wins parliamentary vote

Mon, 07 May 2012 20:53:02 GMT

President Serge Sarkisian's party has won a majority of seats in a parliamentary election that international observers said Monday were competitive and peaceful, but undermined by organizational problems and some interference by political parties.

Russia's Putin orders investment in "new economy"

Mon, 07 May 2012 20:53:02 GMT

MOSCOW (Reuters) - Vladimir Putin ordered Russia's government to boost investment and shake up state-run industries in a flurry of decrees issued after he returned to the presidency on Monday with a call for a "new economy". Putin set out his long-term economic and social goals in the orders, issued on the first day of a six-year presidency during which he will face pressure to improve Russia's business climate, shrink the state's role and ease reliance on energy exports. ...

Putin steps up to run a vastly changed Russia

Mon, 07 May 2012 20:52:59 GMT

Vladimir Putin was sworn-in for a third term as Russia's president Monday, with czarist-era pomp in a lavish Kremlin ceremony and almost 2,000 guests on hand, including former Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi and ex-Soviet President Mikhail Gorbachev.

Armenia president's party wins election

Mon, 07 May 2012 20:52:50 GMT

YEREVAN (Reuters) - Armenian President Serzh Sarksyan's Republican Party won a parliamentary majority, election results showed on Monday, strengthening his position ahead of a presidential election next year. The Republican Party won 44 percent of the vote decided under a party list system in Sunday's election and won at least 28 seats contested by individual candidates, election officials said, giving it an overall majority in the 131-seat parliament. ...

Putin seeks close U.S. ties, missile guarantee

Mon, 07 May 2012 20:52:49 GMT

MOSCOW (Reuters) - Moscow will seek closer ties with the United States but will not tolerate interference in its affairs and wants guarantees a U.S. missile shield will not be used against Russia, under terms of a decree signed by President Vladimir Putin on Monday. Putin set out foreign policy priorities in a wide-ranging document signed hours after his inauguration to a six-year term as president, veering little from an article he wrote on the subject during the election campaign. ...

US, EU urge Iran to ease world nuclear concerns

Mon, 07 May 2012 20:52:46 GMT

The United States and Europe urged Iran on Monday to use upcoming talks with world powers to ease international worry that it may be aiming to develop nuclear arms, but Tehran said such concerns were based on "fake evidence" concocted to cause it political and economic harm.

Genetic study pins horse domestication to steppes

Mon, 07 May 2012 20:52:45 GMT

A genetic study of horses across Eastern Europe and Central Asia has traced the domestication of one of man's most powerful animal allies to wide-open grasslands shared by Ukraine, southwest Russia and Kazakhstan, researchers said Monday.

Putin sworn in as Russia's president

Mon, 07 May 2012 12:47:04 GMT

Vladimir Putin has been sworn in as Russia's president for a third term after four years as prime minister.

Russia's Putin appeals for unity on Kremlin return

Mon, 07 May 2012 12:47:02 GMT

MOSCOW (Reuters) - Vladimir Putin appealed for unity in Russia after being sworn as president on Monday and pledged to strengthen democracy in his new six-year term. "I will do all I can to justify the faith of millions of our citizens. I consider it to be the meaning of my whole life and my obligation to serve my fatherland and our people," Putin said in a brief speech at his inauguration in the Kremlin. (Reporting By Timothy Heritage, Editing by Steve Gutterman)

Angry Greek Voters Punish Leaders Over Austerity at the Ballot Box

Mon, 07 May 2012 12:47:01 GMT

In a deep repudiation of European austerity policies and the lawmakers forced to impose them at home, Greeks punished their ruling parties in parliamentary elections on Sunday and turned instead to an array of anti-bailout parties on the far left and right. PASOK and New Democracy, the two parties that have dominated Greek politics for nearly 40 years, received a combined 33% of the vote -- less than half what they garnered during the last elections in 2009. ...

Why a European Soccer Tournament is Turning Into a PR Disaster for Ukraine

Mon, 07 May 2012 12:47:00 GMT

When Ukraine was selected in 2007 to co-host this year's European soccer championship -- one of the biggest sporting events on the continent -- it was supposed to represent a chance for the former Soviet Republic to finally cast off its reputation as an Eastern European backwater and move closer to the West. Now, about a month before Euro 2012 is scheduled to kick off on June 8, the plight of jailed former Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko is threatening to turn the tournament into an own goal for the country and its authoritarian President Viktor Yanukovych.

Tension in the Balkans: Can Voting Be an Act of Aggression?

Mon, 07 May 2012 12:46:58 GMT

Nearly 13 years ago, the ethnic Albanians of Kosovo, backed by NATO, defeated Serbia. Now, however, the western Balkans are on edge again. Serbia, still angry about Kosovo's unilateral declaration of independence in 2008, has been accused of encouraging ethnic Serbs living in Kosovo, particularly in the Serb-majority areas in and around the city of Mitrovica, to vote in Serbia's May 6 parliamentary elections. Kosovo calls this an attack on its sovereignty and has complained that Serbia is trying to redraw the borders of its countries. ...

Could Chen Be Allowed to Leave China to Study Abroad?

Mon, 07 May 2012 12:46:57 GMT

For a blind man who managed to escape a security cordon around his home-turned-prison, it is perhaps no surprise that Chinese activist Chen Guangcheng's next feat was to address a U.S. congressional hearing. Speaking from a Beijing hospital, where he has been isolated from friends, supporters, media and the U.S. diplomats who had temporarily sheltered him, Chen repeated his desire to leave China with his family. ...

U.S. wants "urgent" Iranian steps in nuclear talks

Mon, 07 May 2012 12:46:56 GMT

VIENNA (Reuters) - The United States called on Iran on Monday to take "urgent practical steps" to build confidence during nuclear talks with world powers, and the European Union said Tehran must suspend sensitive atomic activities. Iran and the six powers resumed discussions in mid-April in Istanbul after a gap of more than a year - a chance to ease escalating tension and help to avert the threat of a new Middle East war. The major powers - the United States, France, Britain, China, Russia and Germany - and Iran are to meet again on May 23 in Baghdad. ...

Syria holds elections as violence rages

Mon, 07 May 2012 12:46:54 GMT

DAMASCUS (Reuters) - Syrians voted in a parliamentary election on Monday touted by authorities as a milestone of political reform but dismissed by the opposition as a facade while people are killed every day in an anti-government uprising. Violence persisted across the country between forces loyal to President Bashar al-Assad and rebels fighting to end four decades of dynastic rule by his family. "All of this is a theatre show. The candidates are businessmen and pawns of strong people in power," one man, who asked to remain anonymous, told Reuters near a polling station in the capital. ...

Clinton presses India to cut Iran oil imports

Mon, 07 May 2012 12:46:53 GMT

US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton called on India Monday to further cut its imports of Iranian oil, saying New Delhi should use its growing clout to help isolate the Islamic republic.

Socialists key for future Serbian government

Mon, 07 May 2012 12:46:51 GMT

The Serbian party founded by late strongman Slobodan Milosevic emerged on Monday as potential kingmakers, after general elections in which neither the pro-EU nor nationalist camps clinched clear victory.

Armenia president's party wins election-early results

Mon, 07 May 2012 12:46:51 GMT

YEREVAN (Reuters) - Armenian President Serzh Sarksyan's Republican Party won a parliamentary election, early results showed on Monday, in a poll that was seen as a test of democracy in Russia's main ally in the South Caucasus region. The Republican Party took 44 percent of votes in Sunday's vote, giving Sarksyan a platform to seek a second term as leader of the former Soviet republic. Voting ended without any of the violence that marred the 2008 presidential election - a fact that will come as a relief to Armenians hoping for a period of stability to support the battered economy. ...

Medvedev era as seen on Twitter

Mon, 07 May 2012 12:46:49 GMT

It was the end of an era, the kind of moment when a Twitter buff might unleash a barrage of 140-character spurts of sentiment, humor or self-aggrandizement.

Greek voters reject pro-austerity parties

Mon, 07 May 2012 12:46:49 GMT

Greece faced an uncertain future Monday after a stunning election shake-up by parties opposed to further vital austerity cuts, sending shockwaves through markets on fears of renewed eurozone turmoil.

Putin sworn in as Russia's president for 6 years

Mon, 07 May 2012 12:46:47 GMT

Vladimir Putin took the oath of office in a brief but regal Kremlin ceremony on Monday, while on the streets outside thousands of helmeted riot police prevented hundreds of demonstrators from protesting his return to the presidency.

Vladimir Putin sworn in as Russia's president for 6 years as riot police detain protesters

Mon, 07 May 2012 12:46:47 GMT

MOSCOW - Vladimir Putin took the oath of office in a brief Kremlin ceremony on Monday, while on the streets outside thousands of helmeted riot police prevented hundreds of demonstrators from protesting his return to the presidency.

Putin pledges unity on return to Kremlin

Mon, 07 May 2012 12:46:46 GMT

MOSCOW (Reuters) - Vladimir Putin took the oath as Russia's president on Monday with a ringing appeal for unity at the start of a six-year term in which he faces growing dissent, economic problems and bitter political rivalries. Outside the Kremlin's high red walls, riot police prevented protests by rounding up 120 people, including men and women in cafes wearing the white ribbons symbolizing opposition to Putin, a day after detaining more than 400 people during clashes. ...

As Russia's Medvedev says farewell, AP looks at his presidency - through his tweets

Mon, 07 May 2012 12:46:45 GMT

MOSCOW - It was the end of an era, the kind of moment when a Twitter buff might unleash a barrage of 140-character spurts of sentiment, humour or self-aggrandizement.

Flashy, fiery Sarkozy fades from French scene

Mon, 07 May 2012 12:46:44 GMT

When Nicolas Sarkozy bounded up the steps of France's presidential palace in jogging shorts and shoes on his first day in office five years ago, many French instantly sensed they were in for something new.

Protests as Putin returns to Kremlin

Mon, 07 May 2012 04:40:40 GMT

Vladimir Putin on Monday takes office as Russian president for a historic third term, facing the challenges of a fast-changing society and an outburst of protests against his 12-year domination.

Armenian president's party leads parliamentary election: CEC

Mon, 07 May 2012 04:40:36 GMT

YEREVAN (Reuters) - Armenian President Serzh Sarksyan's Republican Party is on course to win Sunday's parliamentary election, the Central Election Commission (CEC) said. Its main partner in the previous coalition, the Prosperous Armenia party led by wealthy businessman Gagik Tsarukyan, was set to finish second, the CEC said on its website. After counting results from more than 50 percent of the polling stations, the CEC said the Republican Party had won 46.23 percent and Prosperous Armenia 30.72 percent of the vote. ...

Medvedev sacks Russia navy chief on last day as president

Mon, 07 May 2012 00:06:41 GMT

MOSCOW (Reuters) - President Dmitry Medvedev dismissed the head of Russia's accident-prone navy and named a new air force chief on his last full day in office on Sunday as he prepares to take the No. 2 post under Vladimir Putin. Medvedev, who is on track to become prime minister after Putin returns to the presidency on Monday for a six-year term, has replaced the heads of the army, navy and air force in the past two weeks. ...

Putin inauguration: World view of a Russian feeling dissed

Mon, 07 May 2012 00:06:38 GMT

My first memory of Vladimir Putin – if you can call it a memory – goes back to late 1991, just a month before the collapse of the Soviet Union, when I caught sight of him, without knowing who he was, of course, in St. Petersburg. I was making a series of reports for the BBC in the city, which had just been given its original name back, after 67 years as "Leningrad." As we filmed a meeting between the mayor, Anatoly Sobchak, and a visiting British politician, a small, fair-haired man flitted anonymously in the background.

Armenia's parliamentary vote a test for president

Mon, 07 May 2012 00:06:37 GMT

Armenians voted for a new parliament on Sunday in an election that the nation's president hoped would give him a majority among the lawmakers.

Sarkozy's sparkle fades in re-election bid

Mon, 07 May 2012 00:06:36 GMT

PARIS (Reuters) - Nicolas Sarkozy's vigor at the podium, his man-of-the-people way of speaking and his impassioned promises of a break with a stagnant past in France swept him to the presidency in 2007. Yet his popularity ratings slid so fast and so far, as many found him brash and too chummy with the rich once in power, that his frenetic re-election campaign and his promise to govern differently have fallen flat. ...

Turkish premier: Syrian regime weaker every day

Mon, 07 May 2012 00:06:34 GMT

President Bashar Assad's grip on Syria is getting weaker by the day and "victory is close," Turkey's prime minister said Sunday in an address to thousands of cheering Syrians who fled a brutal crackdown on an anti-regime uprising.

On eve of Putin's inauguration, protest and reaction bigger than expected

Mon, 07 May 2012 00:06:33 GMT

Thousands of people marched through central Moscow Sunday, on the eve of Vladimir Putin's inauguration for an unprecedented third term as Russia's president, many chanting angry slogans such as "Putin out!" and "Putin is Russia's shame!"

Moscow protesters arrested in march against Putin

Mon, 07 May 2012 00:06:29 GMT

A demonstration by at least 20,000 people on the eve of Vladimir Putin's inauguration as president turned into a battle with police Sunday after some protesters tried to split off from the approved venue and march to the Kremlin.

Armenian president's party set to keep power - exit poll

Mon, 07 May 2012 00:06:28 GMT

YEREVAN (Reuters) - President Serzh Sarksyan's Republican Party will keep its grip on power after a parliamentary election in Armenia on Sunday, final results of an exit poll showed after voting ended in the South Caucasus country. The exit poll released by Gallup International Association put the party on course to win more than 43 percent of the votes in an election that passed off without any of the violence that marred the last national poll in 2008. ...

Greeks reject eurozone austerity in 'earthquake' vote

Mon, 07 May 2012 00:06:27 GMT

Greek voters dealt a blow to eurozone hopes that Athens will stick to its austerity commitments as parties opposing more cuts, including neo-Nazis, won almost 60-percent support in an election Sunday.

Putin to be sworn in as president of divided Russia

Mon, 07 May 2012 00:06:26 GMT

MOSCOW (Reuters) - Vladimir Putin will be sworn in as Russia's president at a glittering ceremony on Monday, hours after clashes between police and protesters laid bare the deep divisions over his return to the Kremlin for six more years. The former KGB spy will take his oath before nearly 2,000 guests in the Kremlin's St Andrew Hall, the former throne room with sparkling chandeliers, gilded pillars and high Gothic vaults, before being blessed by the head of the Russian Orthodox Church and taking charge of the nuclear suitcase. ...

Syrian opposition leaders urge election boycott

Sun, 06 May 2012 16:00:16 GMT

Exiled Syrian opposition figures on Sunday urged voters to boycott an upcoming parliamentary election, dismissing it as a cynical attempt by President Bashar Assad to hold on to power.

Syrian opposition to boycott parliament election

Sun, 06 May 2012 16:00:15 GMT

Syrian opposition leaders on Sunday dismissed upcoming parliamentary elections as a cynical attempt by President Bashar Assad to hold on to power and urged voters to stay away.

Biden says Chen's future is in United States

Sun, 06 May 2012 16:00:14 GMT

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Vice President Joe Biden said on Sunday the United States was ready to give blind Chinese dissident Chen Guangcheng a visa "right away" and warned Republican presidential contender Mitt Romney would be weak on the international stage. In a wide-ranging interview on NBC's "Meet the Press," Biden also signaled he was open to legalizing gay marriage and said Secretary of State and former first lady Hillary Clinton has not decided whether to seek the presidency again in 2016. ...

Syrian opposition urges boycott of this week's parliamentary election

Sun, 06 May 2012 16:00:10 GMT

BEIRUT - Syrian opposition leaders on Sunday dismissed upcoming parliamentary elections as a cynical attempt by President Bashar Assad to hold on to power and urged voters to stay away.

Heavy fighting rocks eastern Syria ahead of poll

Sun, 06 May 2012 16:00:09 GMT

AMMAN (Reuters) - Fighting between rebels and President Bashar al-Assad's forces erupted in an oil producing province in eastern Syria, residents and activists said on Sunday, the eve of a parliamentary election the authorities say shows reforms are under way. Rebels armed with rocket-propelled grenades attacked tank positions in the east of the provincial capital Deir al-Zor, in response to an army offensive against towns and villages in the tribal area bordering Iraq that has killed tens of people and stopped others reaching supplies and medical care, they said. ...

Armenia's parliamentary vote a test for Sarkisian

Sun, 06 May 2012 16:00:08 GMT

Armenians voted for a new parliament on Sunday in an election that the nation's president hoped would give him a majority among the lawmakers.

Russian police, protesters scuffle at anti-Putin rally

Sun, 06 May 2012 16:00:07 GMT

MOSCOW (Reuters) - Riot police hauled away dozens of protesters and at least two opposition leaders on Sunday after scuffles broke out at a demonstration against Vladimir Putin's return to Russia's presidency, witnesses said. A long line of OMON riot police held back protesters at a square across the Moscow river from the Kremlin and beat some with batons. Some of the protesters threw plastic bottles and one threw a smoke bomb, Reuters reporters on the scene said. Those taken away by police included two opposition leaders, Alexei Navalny and Sergei Udaltsov, the witnesses said. ...

Armenia's ruling parties set to keep grip on power

Sun, 06 May 2012 16:00:05 GMT

YEREVAN (Reuters) - Armenians looked set to return the two biggest parties in the ruling coalition to power on Sunday, in an election they hope will be free of the fraud and violence that marred the South Caucasus country's last national election in 2007. President Serzh Sarksyan's Republican Party and Prosperous Armenia, led by businessman Gagik Tsarukyan, were expected to remain in charge of the former Soviet republic, and the poll is seen as a test of strength between the two parties. ...

Syrian opposition urges election boycott

Sun, 06 May 2012 16:00:03 GMT

Syrian opposition leaders on Sunday dismissed upcoming parliamentary elections as a cynical attempt by President Bashar Assad to hold on to power and urged voters to stay away.

Clashes erupt as Russians protest against Putin

Sun, 06 May 2012 16:00:02 GMT

MOSCOW (Reuters) - Russian riot police beat protesters with batons and hauled away dozens on Sunday after skirmishes broke out at a demonstration in Moscow against Vladimir Putin on the eve of his return to the presidency. Opposition leaders Alexei Navalny, Boris Nemtsov and Sergei Udaltsov were among those detained at the rally, at which police tried to push back protesters who advanced towards them holding metal crowd barriers, Reuters reporters at the rally said. ...

Conservative rebel shakes up Greek politics

Sun, 06 May 2012 07:53:03 GMT

ATHENS (Reuters) - Conservative rebel Panos Kammenos has stormed out of nowhere to torpedo his old party's chances of winning outright victory in Sunday's Greek election and put himself in a strong position to be a power broker after the vote. Kammenos splintered from the main conservative party New Democracy in February when he launched the Independent Greeks movement. It is riding a wave of popular discontent against austerity policies demanded by international lenders. ...

Foes and fans rally ahead of Putin inauguration

Sun, 06 May 2012 07:53:03 GMT

Moscow prepared for rival rallies on Sunday between tens of thousands of Vladimir Putin supporters and members of Russia's nascent protest movement ahead of his inauguration to a third Kremlin term.

N. Korea vows to pursue nuclear programme

Sun, 06 May 2012 07:53:02 GMT

North Korea vowed on Sunday to push ahead with what it says are peaceful nuclear and space programmes, rubbishing calls from the five permanent UN Security Council members.

Foes of Russia's Putin plan "million-man march"

Sat, 05 May 2012 23:46:13 GMT

MOSCOW (Reuters) - Vladimir Putin's opponents plan a "million-man march" in Moscow on Sunday to revive their flagging protest movement and renew pressure on Russia's supreme leader on the eve of his return to the presidency. But the opposition leaders' first attempt to organize a big rally for two months could fall flat because protests against Putin have lost momentum since his election victory on March 4. ...

Putin returns to presidency in a changed Russia

Sat, 05 May 2012 22:24:56 GMT

Vladimir Putin's return to the presidency on Monday will technically give him greater powers than he wielded as prime minister. The irony is that his position will be arguably weaker than at any time since he first came to power more than 12 years ago.

Putin says ready to "go far" in U.S. relations: Ifax

Sat, 05 May 2012 22:24:52 GMT

Russia's President-elect Vladimir Putin is ready to go far in developing ties between Russia and the United States provided the relationship is equal, Interfax news agency quoted Putin's foreign policy aide as saying on Saturday. Putin discussed bilateral relations at a closed-door meeting with U.S. President Barack Obama's top security aide Tom Donilon at his Novo-Ogaryovo residence outside Moscow on Friday, three days before his inauguration ceremony at the Kremlin. ...

Medvedev quits Kremlin with a whimper

Sat, 05 May 2012 17:44:03 GMT

When the Kremlin door slams shut on Dmitry Medvedev after Vladimir Putin returns to the presidency on May 7, the sound reverberating off the ancient red-brick walls may be one of bitter failure.

Rival rallies in Moscow ahead of Putin's inauguration

Sat, 05 May 2012 17:44:00 GMT

Vladimir Putin supporters unveiled plans on Saturday to draw more than 50,000 people onto the streets of Moscow in a show of force ahead of the strongman's inauguration to a third term as president.

Ex-Milosevic's allies front-runners in Serbia vote

Sat, 05 May 2012 17:43:57 GMT

Former ultranationalist allies of Slobodan Milosevic may return to power in Serbia, 12 years after the late Balkan strongman was ousted by pro-Western forces seeking European Union membership.

"Sin" has led to Middle East unrest: Saudi cleric

Sat, 05 May 2012 17:43:56 GMT

JEDDAH, Saudi Arabia (Reuters) - Saudi Arabia's top religious official has blamed Muslim sinfulness for instability in the Middle East, where pro-democracy unrest has toppled four heads of state. "The schism, instability, the malfunctioning of security and the breakdown of unity that Islamic countries are facing these days is a result of the sins of the public and their transgressions," Grand Mufti Sheikh Abdulaziz Al al-Sheikh was quoted as saying by al-Watan newspaper. ...

Putin returns to the more powerful Kremlin post but as a weaker leader of a changed Russia

Sat, 05 May 2012 17:43:51 GMT

MOSCOW - Vladimir Putin's return to the presidency on Monday will technically give him greater powers than he wielded as prime minister. The irony is that his position will be arguably weaker than at any time since he first came to power more than 12 years ago.

Ex-Milosevic allies front-runners in Serbia vote

Sat, 05 May 2012 17:43:50 GMT

Former ultranationalist allies of Slobodan Milosevic may return to power in Serbia, 12 years after the late Balkan strongman was ousted by pro-Western forces seeking European Union membership.

Obama's Appeasement in Face of Russian Threats Not Working

Sat, 05 May 2012 17:43:49 GMT

COMMENTARY | Russia's threat to go to war over a missile defense shield being planned in Eastern Europe reveals the weakness of the Obama administration's policy of appeasement of enemies of the United States.

Rival Moscow rallies ahead of Putin inauguration

Sat, 05 May 2012 17:43:46 GMT

Vladimir Putin supporters unveiled plans on Saturday to draw more than 50,000 people onto the streets of Moscow in a show of force ahead of the strongman's inauguration for a third presidential term.

Rival rallies in Moscow ahead of Putin inauguration

Sat, 05 May 2012 09:37:52 GMT

Vladimir Putin supporters unveiled plans on Saturday to draw more than 50,000 people onto the streets of Moscow in a show of force ahead of the strongman's inauguration to a third term as president.

Russia threatens to take aim at NATO's missile defense shield

Sat, 05 May 2012 01:31:18 GMT

A 50-nation conference aimed at airing differences between Russia and the US over missile defense ended today in Moscow, apparently having accomplished its purpose all too well: Russia's top general threatened to attack NATO missile defense positions.

Non-nuclear states lobby big powers to disarm faster

Sat, 05 May 2012 01:31:09 GMT

VIENNA (Reuters) - Non-nuclear states are urging nuclear-armed nations to disarm faster, while nuclear powers say they are making "unprecedented progress" in doing so, a divide on display at this week's meeting to discuss the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT). Under the pact, which most countries have acceded to, the five recognized atomic bomb "haves" agreed to work towards eliminating their bombs, and the "have-nots" pledged not to pursue them. A treaty review conference is scheduled for 2015. ...

Analysis: West doubtful of U.N. Syria peace push, no "Plan B"

Sat, 05 May 2012 01:31:08 GMT

UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) - As corpses pile up in Syrian morgues, U.S. and European diplomats are growing increasingly skeptical that a U.N.-backed peace plan has a chance of ending more than a year of violence that has brought Syria to the brink of civil war. But with Russia firmly behind U.N.-Arab League mediator Kofi Annan's six-point peace plan to end the conflict between government forces loyal to President Bashar al-Assad and opposition fighters determined to oust him, Western powers have little choice but to stick with it for now. ...

Armenia campaign rally blast hurts 144-officials

Sat, 05 May 2012 01:31:05 GMT

YEREVAN (Reuters) - More than 140 people were hurt at a campaign rally in the Armenian capital Yerevan on Friday, when hundreds of small balloons went up in flames, burning people and sparking panic, two days before an election, an emergency official said. Gas-filled balloons appeared to have exploded after being ignited by a cigarette at the rally, staged by the ruling Republican Party in Republic Square in the centre of Yerevan, local media said. "I heard an explosion and saw flames rising high," said a 30-year-old woman who identified herself as Susan. ...

Canada pipeline delays won't stop China investment

Sat, 05 May 2012 01:31:03 GMT

CALGARY, Alberta (Reuters) - Delays in building pipelines to carry oil from the oil sands of Alberta to Canada's West Coast for shipment to Asia should not squelch a boom in investments in the country's energy resources by Chinese companies, China's ambassador to Canada said on Friday. Spending by Chinese state-owned enterprises in Canadian oil sands and shale gas companies and projects has hit roughly C$20 billion ($20.1 billion), with the first priorities to learn about the business and show a profit, Zhang Junsai told reporters after speaking to a conference on Chinese investment in Canada. ...

Armenians see election bringing stability at most

Fri, 04 May 2012 17:25:39 GMT

YEREVAN (Reuters) - Gurgen Badasyan has struggled to live on his Armenian state pension for years and holds out little hope that a parliamentary election on Sunday will improve his life in the mountainous South Caucasus state. The government raised his monthly teacher's pension in January by a few dollars, to $82 from $75, but Badasyan says it is still almost impossible to get by. "If not for my son and my daughter, I would not survive," the 68-year-old said, sipping his drink in a cafe in the landlocked former Soviet republic's busy capital, Yerevan. ...

Russian activist convicted under 'anti gay' law

Fri, 04 May 2012 17:25:38 GMT

A Saint Petersburg court on Friday fined a prominent gay rights activist for "propaganda of homosexuality" to minors, in its first conviction under a controversial new city law.

German doctors visit jailed Tymoshenko in Ukraine

Fri, 04 May 2012 17:25:37 GMT

German doctors traveled to Ukraine on Friday to examine ailing ex-Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko at the prison where she is being held, but a Ukrainian official said she will not be allowed to leave the country for medical treatment.

German doctors arrive at Ukraine prison to examine former Prime Minister Tymoshenko

Fri, 04 May 2012 17:25:36 GMT

KIEV, Ukraine - Ukraine's prison service said Friday that German doctors are at a prison colony to examine former Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko.

Iran urges West to help end nuclear dispute

Fri, 04 May 2012 17:25:35 GMT

The West must take concrete confidence-building steps in its nuclear negotiations with Iran, a senior Islamic republic official preparing the next round of talks said Friday, after returning from discussions with China and Russia.

NATO: Russia talk of pre-emptive strike unjustified

Fri, 04 May 2012 17:25:34 GMT

* NATO tells Russia its missile shield poses no threat * Rasmussen invites Russia to cooperate in shield BERLIN (Reuters) - A Kremlin threat to launch pre-emptive strikes on a planned NATO missile defense system in Europe is unjustified as the system poses no threat to Russia's security, the head of the Atlantic alliance said on Friday. NATO has long insisted that the anti-missile shield it is developing is aimed at protecting member states from a possible Iranian attack, but Russia fears the system could undermine the effectiveness of its own nuclear arsenal. ...

Tymoshenko to be treated at Ukrainian clinic

Fri, 04 May 2012 17:25:33 GMT

A German doctor who traveled to Ukraine to examine the jailed and ailing ex-Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko said Friday that she has agreed to treat her back condition at a local hospital.

Al-Qaida papers highlight tense dealings with Iran

Fri, 04 May 2012 17:25:31 GMT

In the rigid enemy-or-ally world view of Osama bin Laden and his chief lieutenants, Iran occupied a spot somewhere in between — a state seen as arrogant, enigmatic and driven by self interest, according to newly released al-Qaida documents.

Dagestan bombs shadow Putin's return to presidency

Fri, 04 May 2012 17:25:26 GMT

The twin thundering car bombs that shook the capital of Dagestan and killed at least 13 people were grisly reminders that Vladimir Putin, who came to power a dozen years ago as a hardliner against Caucasus insurgents, will have to confront more violence as he returns to a third term in the Kremlin.

Twin blasts kill 14 in Russian Caucasus

Fri, 04 May 2012 12:46:33 GMT

A double car bombing in Russia's troubled North Caucasus killed at least 14 people and injured more than 120 just days before Vladimir Putin returns to the Kremlin, officials said Friday.

13 dead, scores more injured in 2 separate blasts in Russia's restive North Caucasus

Fri, 04 May 2012 12:46:32 GMT

MAKHACHKALA, Russia - At least 13 people have been killed and scores more injured in two powerful explosions in Russia's restive North Caucasus.

Twin bomb attacks kill 12 in Russia's Dagestan

Fri, 04 May 2012 12:46:31 GMT

MAKHACHKALA, Russia (Reuters) - Suicide bombers killed 12 people and wounded 110 in attacks on a police post on the outskirts of the capital of Russia's Dagestan region, local investigators and law enforcement sources said on Friday. The attacks outside Makhachkala late on Thursday were the deadliest in months, undermining efforts by Russian security forces to contain an Islamist insurgency in the North Caucasus near Sochi, where Russia will host the Winter Olympics in 2014. ...

13 dead, scores wounded in blasts in Dagestan

Fri, 04 May 2012 12:46:30 GMT

Bombs hidden in two vehicles exploded outside a police station in the Russian republic of Dagestan, killing at least 13 people and wounding scores. Authorities said Friday it was probably a suicide attack by Islamic insurgents.

Assad side kills four at Syrian university: protesters

Fri, 04 May 2012 12:46:29 GMT

BEIRUT (Reuters) - Syrian security forces and students armed with knives stormed a protest march at Aleppo University early on Thursday, activists said, killing four and rounding up 200 demonstrators demanding President Bashar al-Assad step down. The pre-dawn raid was an unusually bloody incident for Aleppo, Syria's normally fairly peaceful commercial hub, and prompted condemnation from the White House. ...

Turkmens plan trans-Afghan gas sale deal in May

Fri, 04 May 2012 12:46:28 GMT

Senior officials in Turkmenistan say the energy-rich Central Asian nation plans to sign a natural gas sales agreement with Afghanistan, Pakistan and India this month.

Clinton presses China to help on global challenges

Fri, 04 May 2012 12:46:27 GMT

U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton on Friday urged China to play a responsible role in the world by respecting human rights and helping to deal with challenges posed by Iran and North Korea's nuclear programs and violence in Syria and Sudan and South Sudan.

Iran dismisses Western demand to close nuclear bunker

Fri, 04 May 2012 12:46:26 GMT

VIENNA (Reuters) - Iran said on Friday it will never suspend its uranium enrichment program and sees no reason to close the Fordow underground site, making clear Tehran's red lines in nuclear talks with world powers later this month. Last month a senior U.S. official said the United States and its allies would demand that Iran halt higher-grade enrichment and immediately close the Fordow facility at talks over Tehran's nuclear standoff with the West. ...

Analysis: The ins and outs of Russia's next government

Fri, 04 May 2012 12:46:25 GMT

MOSCOW (Reuters) - When Vladimir Putin stood for re-election to the presidency in 2004, he named a new government even before the vote. Now, days before he is sworn in as Kremlin chief for a third time, the shape of his next administration remains a mystery. Although outgoing President Dmitry Medvedev has been nominated by Putin to be prime minister in a job swap flagged as long ago as last September, it is not apparent that he will even rank as Russia's second most powerful man. ...

Russia's Medvedev seeks new lease of life as PM

Fri, 04 May 2012 12:46:24 GMT

MOSCOW (Reuters) - Dmitry Medvedev has a chance to prove he is more than just Vladimir Putin's sidekick when he becomes Russia's prime minister next week, but expectations are low after he failed to deliver much of what he promised as president. When he took over the presidency from Putin in 2008, he talked of enacting sweeping reform, but his four years in the Kremlin - which end on Monday when Putin is sworn in as head of state - turned out to be heavy on rhetoric and light on deeds. ...

Blasts hit police post in Russia's Dagestan area

Fri, 04 May 2012 04:40:49 GMT

Two powerful explosions went off Thursday night near a traffic police post in the capital of Russia's restive Dagestan region. There was no definitive word on casualties.

Europe calls Euro 2012 penalty on Ukraine for treatment of Tymoshenko

Fri, 04 May 2012 04:40:48 GMT

It is only a month from now that Ukraine and Poland will host Europe’s greatest sports event, the Euro 2012 soccer championship, but the relations between the political leaders in Kiev and their European counterparts could hardly be worse. The reason for the fallout? Opposition leader Yulia Tymoshenko.

Twin blasts kill 15 in Russia's Caucasus region

Fri, 04 May 2012 04:40:46 GMT

Two blasts near a police post late Thursday killed at least 15 people and wounded more than 20 in Dagestan, part of Russia's restive Caucasus region, the interior ministry said.

Russia's military threatens preemptive strike if NATO goes ahead with missile plan

Fri, 04 May 2012 04:40:43 GMT

MOSCOW - Russia's top military officer has threatened to carry out a pre-emptive strike on U.S.-led NATO missile defence facilities in Eastern Europe if Washington goes ahead with its controversial plan to build a missile shield.

Pro-EU vs. nationalist camps in Serbia vote

Thu, 03 May 2012 20:34:58 GMT

Serbia's bid to join the European Union will be strongly tested in elections this weekend that pit ruling pro-Western democrats against nationalists who are promising jobs, economic revival and closer ties with Russia.

Battles loom as Putin returns as Russian president

Thu, 03 May 2012 20:34:56 GMT

MOSCOW (Reuters) - Vladimir Putin will need to show less of his old swagger, master the art of compromise with opponents and restore control over battling clans if he is to do more than just see out his six-year term as Russia's president. No longer the all-powerful leader who stepped aside in 2008 after eight years as president, Putin must assert his authority quickly after he is sworn in on Monday if he is to prevent his third spell in the Kremlin being his last. ...

Timeline: New Russia president brings familiar face

Thu, 03 May 2012 20:34:55 GMT

(Reuters) - Here is a look at Vladimir Putin's career since he first took office as prime minister in 1999. August 9, 1999 - President Boris Yeltsin names Vladimir Putin, the hitherto low-profile head of the FSB security service, as his new prime minister and preferred successor. The fourth nominee in 17 months, few expected him to last. September - More than 300 civilians die in apartment block blasts blamed on Chechen rebels in cities including Moscow. Putin orders bombing raids against the Chechen capital Grozny followed by a full-scale land offensive. ...

Russia's Putin opposes snub of Ukraine over Tymoshenko

Thu, 03 May 2012 20:34:51 GMT

MOSCOW (Reuters) - Russian President-elect Vladimir Putin signaled on Thursday he opposed calls to boycott the European soccer championship in Ukraine next month over the treatment of jailed opposition politician Yulia Tymoshenko. "I think that under no circumstances should one mix politics, business and other issues with sports," Itar-Tass news agency quoted Putin as saying. "One should leave sports alone." (Reporting By Alexei Anishchuk, editing by Timothy Heritage)

World powers urge Iran cooperate with IAEA

Thu, 03 May 2012 20:34:50 GMT

The United States, China, Russia, France and Britain reiterated their call Thursday for Iran to cooperate with the UN nuclear watchdog over its disputed nuclear programme.

Renault-Nissan agree to buy Russian car maker

Thu, 03 May 2012 20:34:48 GMT

Car makers Renault and Nissan on Thursday signed a nonbinding agreement to buy a controlling stake in Russian car producer AvtoVAZ. But the deal will be complete only in 2014, later than some had expected, causing shares in the Russian company to slide.

NATO's Rasmussen hopeful on Russian missile pact

Thu, 03 May 2012 20:34:47 GMT

LONDON/MOSCOW (Reuters) - NATO is hopeful of reaching a deal with Russia on missile defense despite opposition from the Kremlin to the alliance's plans for a missile shield, Secretary-General Anders Fogh Rasmussen said on Thursday. However a conference in Moscow also on Thursday led to no agreement on the issue, with Russia using computer modeling to show how it believed the shield could threaten its security. The dispute has slowed improvements in Russian-U.S. ties and is likely to remain an irritant after Vladimir Putin returns to the Kremlin next week for a six-year presidential term. ...

Russia warns it may target US missile shield

Thu, 03 May 2012 20:34:44 GMT

Russia said Thursday its dispute with the United States over missile defence was near a "dead end" and warned it might have to deploy new rockets in Europe to take out elements of the controversial shield.

UN leader outraged at mounting media deaths

Thu, 03 May 2012 20:34:40 GMT

UN leader Ban Ki-moon on Thursday led international outrage at the growing number of journalists killed in the line of duty amid widespread calls for greater protection for reporters.

Russian military ups the ante on missile defense

Thu, 03 May 2012 20:34:38 GMT

Russia's top military officer has threatened to carry out a pre-emptive strike on U.S.-led NATO missile defense facilities in Eastern Europe if Washington goes ahead with its controversial plan to build a missile shield.

Merkel, others, urge treatment for Tymoshenko

Thu, 03 May 2012 20:34:37 GMT

German Chancellor Angela Merkel urged Ukrainian leaders on Thursday to give jailed ex-Premier Yulia Tymoshenko "proper treatment" for her ailments, as more top officials announced they would boycott the Euro 2012 soccer championship co-hosted by Ukraine.

Ukraine denounces 'destructive' Euro boycott

Thu, 03 May 2012 20:34:36 GMT

Ukraine on Thursday denounced a threatened EU boycott of its Euro 2012 football matches as a "destructive" attempt to politicise sport that will hurt mutual understanding and ties.

Obama invites African leaders to G8 food security talks

Thu, 03 May 2012 20:34:35 GMT

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Barack Obama has invited four African leaders to join the G8 leaders' summit at Camp David later this month for a session on food security, the White House said on Thursday. Those invited to participate are Benin's President Yayi Boni, Ethiopia's Prime Minister Meles Zenawi, Ghana's President John Mills and Tanzania's President Jakaya Kikwete, White House spokesman Jay Carney said in a statement. ...

Pro-Assad gun, knife attack kills 4: protesters

Thu, 03 May 2012 20:34:34 GMT

Blasts hit police post in capital of Russia's restive Dagestan region

Thu, 03 May 2012 20:34:33 GMT

Two powerful explosions have gone off near a traffic police post in the capital of Russia's restive Dagestan region.

Russia says it could pre-emptively strike missile shield

Thu, 03 May 2012 20:34:32 GMT

LONDON/MOSCOW (Reuters) - Russia's military chief of staff said on Thursday that Moscow could carry out pre-emptive strikes on future NATO missile defense installations in Europe to protect its security - a stark warning against a system the Kremlin sees as a threat. General Nikolai Makarov's remark underlined Russian opposition to an anti-missile shield the United States and NATO are developing, an issue that will continue to strain relations after Vladimir Putin starts a six-year presidential term on Monday. Makarov spoke at a conference where testy exchanges between the Russian hosts and U. ...

Blasts in Russia's Dagestan kill seven, wound dozens

Thu, 03 May 2012 20:34:31 GMT

MOSCOW (Reuters) - Two powerful blasts outside the capital of Russia's Dagestan region killed at least seven people and wounded up to 30 near a police post, Russian media reported on Thursday. At least one of the bombs that exploded outside the police post near the provincial capital of Makhachkala was planted in a car parked nearby, Itar-Tass reported citing a law enforcement official. "Fragments of human bodies are scattered at the post...," Interfax quoted a law enforcement official as saying. "Some people are reported missing. ...

Hollande: A kinder, gentler France ahead?

Thu, 03 May 2012 12:28:16 GMT

If polls are to be believed, leftist Francois Hollande will soon be French president, and will tell Barack Obama next month that France is speeding up its withdrawal of troops from Afghanistan — bucking NATO's slower timetable.

Russia: US missile defense talks close to dead end

Thu, 03 May 2012 12:28:12 GMT

Russia's defense minister warned Thursday that talks between Moscow and Washington on the U.S.-led NATO missile defense plan in Europe are "close to a dead end" as officials scrambled to save the deal at a top-level conference.

Russia says goodbye to a car and an era

Thu, 03 May 2012 12:28:11 GMT

MOSCOW (Reuters) - Russia is ending its long love affair with a car that was once prized by the nation but has come to symbolize the decline of its automobile industry and, for some, the country itself. The decision by state car maker AvtoVAZ to halt production of the last models in the Lada Classic series this year after four decades is more than just the end of the road for an automobile. ...

Russia pessimistic about US missile defense talks

Thu, 03 May 2012 12:28:09 GMT

Russia's defense minister warned Thursday that talks between Moscow and Washington on the U.S.-led NATO missile defense plan in Europe are "close to a dead end," as officials scrambled to save the deal at a top-level conference.

World powers expect concrete steps in Iran nuclear talks

Thu, 03 May 2012 12:28:09 GMT

VIENNA (Reuters) - The five permanent members of the U.N. Security Council put pressure on Iran on Thursday to allay international concern about its nuclear program, saying they expected talks with Tehran to lead to concrete steps toward a negotiated solution. In a joint statement issued at a nuclear meeting in Vienna, the United States, France, Russia, China and Britain also urged Tehran to urgently agree with the U.N. nuclear watchdog on access to "relevant sites and information." (Reporting by Fredrik Dahl; Editing by Janet Lawrence)

World powers urge North Korea to refrain from nuclear test

Thu, 03 May 2012 12:28:07 GMT

VIENNA (Reuters) - The five permanent members of the U.N. Security Council urged North Korea on Thursday to refrain from any new nuclear tests amid speculation Pyongyang may soon carry out such an explosion. North Korea, which tested plutonium devices in 2006 and 2009, has almost completed preparations for a third nuclear test, a senior source with close ties to Pyongyang and Beijing told Reuters last month. "We... ...

World powers urge Iran to give more nuclear access

Thu, 03 May 2012 12:28:06 GMT

VIENNA (Reuters) - The five permanent members of the U.N. Security Council put pressure on Iran on Thursday to allay international concern about its nuclear program, and said they expected talks with Tehran to lead to concrete steps toward a negotiated solution. In a joint statement issued at a nuclear meeting in Vienna, the United States, France, Russia, China and Britain pressed Tehran to agree urgently with the U.N. nuclear watchdog on access to "relevant sites and information". ...

NATO's Rasmussen hopeful of Russian missile pact

Thu, 03 May 2012 12:28:05 GMT

LONDON (Reuters) - NATO remains hopeful of reaching an agreement with Russia on missile defense, despite opposition from Moscow to the alliance's plans for a missile shield, Secretary-General Anders Fogh Rasmussen said on Thursday. "I'm hopeful that we can," Rasmussen said when asked whether NATO could reach agreement with the Russians. Speaking after talks in London with British Prime Minister David Cameron, Rasmussen said agreement would "obviously" not be reached before a NATO summit in Chicago on May 20-21. "We will continue our dialogue with Russia ... ...

Russian military raise the ante on missile defense

Thu, 03 May 2012 12:28:04 GMT

Russia's top military officer has threatened to deal a pre-emptive strike on U.S.-led NATO missile defense facilities in Eastern Europe if Washington goes ahead with its controversial missile defense plan.

Sudan border with South tense after UN ultimatum

Thu, 03 May 2012 12:28:01 GMT

Sudan and South Sudan's armies were locked in a tense standoff Thursday hours after a UN Security Council ultimatum to end hostilties or risk sanctions.

Russian media: True, we're 'not free' - but we're not Zimbabwe.

Thu, 03 May 2012 07:45:05 GMT

The New York-based human rights watchdog Freedom House released its annual survey of press freedom in almost 200 countries today. At first blush it may not seem surprising that Russia, which will inaugurate Vladimir Putin for his third presidential term on May 7, remains firmly in the "Not Free" category of nations, holding down a dismal 172nd place, together with Zimbabwe and Azerbaijan, just one slot higher than last year's rating.

Obama's top security adviser to travel to Russia

Thu, 03 May 2012 07:44:47 GMT

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Barack Obama's top security aide will be in Moscow this week for meetings with Russian officials on the U.S.-Russia relationship and other issues, the White House said on Wednesday. National Security Adviser Tom Donilon's two-day trip comes ahead of a G-8 leaders' summit the United States is hosting this month as well as an expected White House meeting between Obama and Russian President-elect Vladimir Putin. ...

Sudan says it seeks peace with South

Thu, 03 May 2012 07:44:46 GMT

Khartoum on Thursday said it seeks peace with South Sudan and hopes the small country responds favourably to African Union and UN resolutions for ending hostilities.

New N. Korea sanctions sets stage for nuclear showdown

Thu, 03 May 2012 07:44:44 GMT

The UN Security Council on Wednesday put three top North Korean state firms on a sanctions black list over the country's failed rocket launch.

Russia mobile company to return to Turkmenistan

Thu, 03 May 2012 07:44:41 GMT

Russian mobile phone provider MTS says it is returning to the isolated Central Asian nation of Turkmenistan almost 1½ years after its operations in the country were suspended.

N. Korea GPS jamming hits S. Korea flights: Seoul

Thu, 03 May 2012 07:44:40 GMT

Electronic jamming signals from North Korea which have affected hundreds of civilian flights in South Korea were continuing unabated on Thursday, officials said, amid simmering cross-border tensions.

UN threatens non-military sanctions against Sudan and South Sudan if they don't halt violence

Wed, 02 May 2012 23:38:05 GMT

The U.N. Security Council unanimously approved a resolution Wednesday threatening non-military sanctions against Sudan and South Sudan if they don't halt escalating violence on their border and return to negotiations.

Japan, South Korea urge no more North Korea "provocations"

Wed, 02 May 2012 23:38:02 GMT

VIENNA (Reuters) - Japan and South Korea urged North Korea on Wednesday to refrain from any new "provocations", amid concern the secretive Asian state will soon conduct a new nuclear test. North Korea, which tested plutonium devices in 2006 and 2009, has almost completed preparations for a third nuclear test, a senior source with close ties to Pyongyang and Beijing told Reuters last month. ...

Russian rights advisers balk at serving under Putin

Wed, 02 May 2012 23:38:00 GMT

MOSCOW (Reuters) - Several members of Russia's presidential human rights council said on Wednesday they planned to leave the advisory council, reflecting doubts that President-elect Vladimir Putin was dedicated to improving human rights. During Dmitry Medvedev's presidency, the rights council has drawn attention to reported abuses including in the case of Sergei Magnitsky, whose 2009 prison death has drawn widespread condemnation and strained Russian-U.S. ties. ...

U.N. council threatens Sudan, South Sudan with sanctions

Wed, 02 May 2012 23:37:59 GMT

UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) - The U.N. Security Council threatened Sudan and South Sudan with sanctions on Wednesday if the former civil war foes fail to halt an escalating conflict and resume talks within two weeks on a string of disputes over oil revenues and border demarcation. The 15-member panel unanimously approved a resolution after weeks of border fighting between the African neighbors that have raised fears Khartoum and Juba, which split when the south seceded last year, could launch an all-out war. "The fighting must stop, and stop now," U.S. ...

Sudan says it pumping oil from Heglig field

Wed, 02 May 2012 23:37:58 GMT

El-Tayeb Siddig HEGLIG, Sudan (Reuters) - Sudan said on Wednesday the Heglig oilfield, scene of intense fighting with South Sudan last month, has been repaired and has started pumping the oil that is the lifeblood of the north's economy. The two countries have been embroiled in weeks of fighting along their 1,800 km (1,200 mile) border, threatening to tip the region, which sits on one of Africa's most significant oil deposits, into a full-blown conflict. ...

Poland says boycotting Ukraine would push it towards Russia

Wed, 02 May 2012 23:37:55 GMT

WARSAW (Reuters) - The West should not boycott Ukraine during the European soccer championship in June as that would hamper its European ambitions and force the ex-Soviet country back into the arms of Russia, Poland's President Bronislaw Komorowski said on Wednesday. Led by Germany, leaders of several European Union countries have called off scheduled visits to Ukraine during the Euro 2012, a tournament co-hosted by Poland that starts in just over a month, in protest against the treatment of imprisoned former prime minister Yulia Tymoshenko. ...

Russia to make hi-tech case against NATO missile shield

Wed, 02 May 2012 23:37:54 GMT

MOSCOW (Reuters) - The United States said on Wednesday it was fully committed to completing an antimissile shield in Europe even as Moscow promised to use computer modeling to show an international conference how the NATO system threatens its security. A dispute over the system has slowed improvements in Russian-U.S. ties and is likely to remain an irritant after Vladimir Putin returns to the Kremlin next week for a six-year presidential term. Washington says the shield, due to be completed in four phases by roughly 2020, is meant to counter a potential threat from Iran. ...

Leading candidates back EU bid ahead of Serbia vote

Wed, 02 May 2012 15:31:23 GMT

BELGRADE (Reuters) - When Serbia's opposition leader Tomislav Nikolic took the stage at his presidential campaign finale, the sun bathed Republic Square in Belgrade and Eighties rock blared on loud-speakers over the young crowd. Gone were the grim posters of war crimes fugitives and the bloody anthems of Serb nationalism that shadowed Nikolic the last time he ran for president in 2008. The mood was more party than patriotic, and reflected a shift in the political landscape as the former Yugoslav republic votes for a new president and parliament on Sunday. ...

Russia says Syria rebels intent on ruining peace bid

Wed, 02 May 2012 15:31:22 GMT

MOSCOW (Reuters) - Russia on Wednesday blamed "terrorists" for recent attacks in Syria and accused rebels of conducting a concerted campaign to ensure U.N.-Arab League envoy Kofi Annan's peace plan fails. The remarks made clear that Russia, which Syrian President Bashar al-Assad has relied upon as a shield against global censure and Western pressure to cede power, continues to put most of the blame for ceasefire violations on his opponents. ...

Ukraine's image takes a beating as Euro Soccer nears

Wed, 02 May 2012 15:31:21 GMT

KIEV (Reuters) - It was never meant to be like this. When Ukraine was named co-host of Europe's biggest soccer feast in 2009, its leaders hailed the award as a milestone on the road to joining the European mainstream. A delighted Yulia Tymoshenko, then prime minister, told her compatriots her government had scraped together "every kopeck" to make the dream possible.` Her jubilant tone foresaw the former Soviet republic turning a confident, smiling face to the world in the month-long Euro-2012 soccer tournament which it will co-host with Poland, its cheer-leader in Europe. ...

Iran says seeks end to sanctions at talks with world powers

Wed, 02 May 2012 15:31:20 GMT

VIENNA (Reuters) - Iran said on Wednesday it was seeking an end to Western sanctions over its arms program during talks with world powers and criticized France for helping Israel, the only country in the Middle East widely believed to have atomic weapons. An adviser to Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said the talks in Baghdad on May 23 should lead to the lifting of sanctions, according to Iranian media. The comments reflect increasing emphasis in the Islamic Republic that an end to sanctions is vital to the success of the talks. ...

UN Council to vote on Sudan crisis

Wed, 02 May 2012 15:31:19 GMT

The UN Security Council hopes to vote Wednesday on a resolution that could threaten Sudan and South Sudan with sanctions if they do not stop fighting, diplomats said.

Olympic skeleton champion Williams 'retires'

Wed, 02 May 2012 15:31:17 GMT

Amy Williams, Britain's only medallist at the Winter Olympics in 2010 when she won skeleton gold, has retired from the sport due to injury, the BBC reported on Wednesday.

Syria accused of war crimes, rebels kill 15

Wed, 02 May 2012 15:31:16 GMT

BEIRUT (Reuters) - Syrian rebels killed 15 members of the security forces in an ambush on Wednesday, a monitoring group said, and a human rights organization accused Damascus of war crimes in last month's run-up to a U.N.-brokered truce. The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, which has been tracking the 14-month-old uprising against President Bashar al-Assad, said two rebel militiamen also died in clashes that followed the ambush in the northern province of Aleppo. ...

Blast at Russian ammunition disposal site kills six

Wed, 02 May 2012 15:31:15 GMT

MOSCOW (Reuters) - An explosion ripped through an ammunition disposal site in central Russia on Wednesday, killing six soldiers and injuring four, RIA news agency reported, citing an unidentified law enforcement official. The blast rocked the Mulino facility, some 360 km (223 miles) east of Moscow, when an expired ammunition round detonated while being carried by a group of soldiers. Explosions at ammunition dumps have plagued the army, whose critics often accuse it of negligence or lax compliance with regulations more than 20 years after the fall of the Soviet Union. ...

France fetes Joan of Arc's 600th birthday

Wed, 02 May 2012 02:45:25 GMT

The normally tranquil city of Orleans is buzzing with festivities over the next two weeks to mark the 600th birthday of one of France's best cultural exports: Joan of Arc.

Clinton lands in China as activist case looms

Wed, 02 May 2012 02:45:24 GMT

US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton arrived in Beijing on Wednesday for talks with Chinese leaders that risk being overshadowed by the case of an activist said to be under US protection.

An engineering mom leads effort to save an old-growth Russian forest

Tue, 01 May 2012 18:39:32 GMT

If all politics is local, Yevgenia Chirikova may have begun something that could change the course of Russian history.

Putin joins mass Soviet-style May Day march

Tue, 01 May 2012 18:39:04 GMT

Russia's president-elect Vladimir Putin on Tuesday joined over 150,000 people in a Soviet-style march through Moscow to celebrate labour day and show off public support ahead of his inauguration.

South Sudan says its oil region under attack again

Tue, 01 May 2012 18:39:03 GMT

JUBA (Reuters) - South Sudan accused Sudan of launching an attack in an oil region of the newly independent state on Tuesday and said it was preparing to strike back, in another sign of the festering violence along the frontier. The scale of the fighting was not immediately clear. Weeks of border clashes have stoked fears that South Sudan and its northern neighbor could return to all-out war after failing to resolve wrangles over oil revenues, border demarcation and other issues since the south seceded last year. ...

U.S. urges release of former Ukrainian prime minister

Tue, 01 May 2012 18:39:02 GMT

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The United States called for the release of former Ukrainian prime minister Yulia Tymoshenko on Tuesday, joining European leaders in condemning the conditions of her imprisonment amid allegations that she was beaten. U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, in a statement, said recent photos "further call into question the conditions of her confinement" and urged Ukrainian authorities to allow medical treatment and access to the U.S. ambassador. ...

Russian police detain 17 gay rights protesters: group

Tue, 01 May 2012 18:39:01 GMT

ST PETERSBURG, Russia (Reuters) - Russian police detained at least 17 gay rights demonstrators during May Day celebrations in St Petersburg on Tuesday, a rights group said. The detentions follow the adoption of a law by the city authorities which imposes fines for spreading gay "propaganda" among minors, which European diplomats have said lacks clarity and allows too much room for interpretation by police. Russian lawmakers are considering similar legislation nationwide. ...

A look at May Day moods around the world

Tue, 01 May 2012 18:38:59 GMT

A look at some of the moods during May Day protests Tuesday around the world.

Israel security boss 'meets EU brass over Iran talks'

Tue, 01 May 2012 18:38:58 GMT

Israel's National Security Adviser Yaakov Amidror is holding talks with European officials ahead of the next round of talks over Iran's disputed nuclear programme, a newspaper reported on Tuesday.

Japan FM warns on Iran strike at start of Israel visit

Tue, 01 May 2012 18:38:56 GMT

Japan's top diplomat on Tuesday reiterated Tokyo's concern over a strike on Iran's nuclear programme in an interview published as he began a two-day trip to Israel and the Palestinian territories.

South Sudan accuses Sudan of attacking oil region

Tue, 01 May 2012 18:38:55 GMT

JUBA (Reuters) - South Sudan accused Sudan of launching a ground attack in an oil region of the newly independent state on Tuesday and said it was preparing to strike back, in rising tension that shows no sign of abating. The scale of the fighting was not immediately clear. Weeks of border clashes have raised concerns that South Sudan and its northern neighbor could return to all-out war after failing to resolve wrangles over oil revenues, border demarcation and other issues since the south seceded last year. ...

Syria violence kills 23, U.N. criticizes both sides

Tue, 01 May 2012 18:38:54 GMT

BEIRUT (Reuters) - Violence hit two Syrian provinces on Tuesday with a rights group reporting 10 civilians dead in an army mortar attack and 12 soldiers killed in a firefight with rebel gunmen as U.N. monitors sought to shore up a flimsy ceasefire. The United Nations accused both sides of breaching the truce and said it had credible reports that at least 34 children had been killed since the accord took effect on April 12. ...

Workers express anger, gloom, elation on May Day

Tue, 01 May 2012 18:38:53 GMT

On the front lines of May Day protests this year, along with the traditional chants, banners and marches, a gamut of emotions flowed through the crowds.

China, Russia resist West's push to threaten Sudan, South Sudan

Tue, 01 May 2012 18:38:52 GMT

UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) - China and Russia are resisting a Western push for the U.N. Security Council to threaten Sudan and South Sudan with sanctions if the two countries fail to comply with demands to halt their escalating conflict, U.N. envoys said on Tuesday. The U.N. negotiations on Sudan and South Sudan, former civil war foes that split when the south seceded last year, follow weeks of border fighting that have raised fears Khartoum and Juba could launch an all-out war, after failing to resolve a string of disputes over oil revenues and border demarcation. ...

U.S., Japan still mulling regional trade pact: Obama

Tue, 01 May 2012 10:31:49 GMT

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Barack Obama voiced support on Monday for Japan joining talks with the United States and eight other countries on a free trade agreement in the fast-growing Asia-Pacific region, but said no final decision had been made. "We instructed our teams to continue our consultation regarding Japan's interest in joining the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), which would benefit both our economies and the region," Obama said at a joint news conference with Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda. ...

Report: Press freedom holds steady worldwide

Tue, 01 May 2012 10:31:49 GMT

As decades-old authoritarian regimes crumbled or eased their grip in countries as widespread as Myanmar, Egypt, Libya and Tunisia, freedom of the press gained precarious new footholds last year, according to a survey by a watchdog group released Tuesday.

China, Russia resist West's sanctions push for Sudan, South Sudan

Tue, 01 May 2012 10:31:48 GMT

UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) - China and Russia are resisting a Western push for the U.N. Security Council to threaten Sudan and South Sudan with sanctions if the two countries fail to comply with demands to halt their escalating conflict, U.N. envoys said. The U.N. negotiations on Sudan and South Sudan, former civil war foes that split when the south seceded last year, follow weeks of border fighting that have raised fears Khartoum and Juba could launch an all-out war, after failing to resolve a string of disputes over oil revenues and border demarcation. ...

Report: No retreat on freedom of the press globally for 1st time in 8 years

Tue, 01 May 2012 10:31:47 GMT

NEW YORK, N.Y. - As decades-old authoritarian regimes crumbled or eased their grip in countries as widespread as Myanmar, Egypt, Libya and Tunisia, freedom of the press gained precarious new footholds last year, according to a survey by a watchdog group released Tuesday.

Russia Announces Lunar Exploration Program

Tue, 01 May 2012 02:25:45 GMT

With the failure of Phobos-Grunt still being felt keenly, Russia has announced plans to explore the moon, ending in a manned landing before 2030, according to a report on the Roscosmos website, as reported by Moon Daily.

UN debating how to end Sudan-South Sudan fight

Tue, 01 May 2012 02:25:44 GMT

Diplomats from key nations are trying to reach agreement quickly on a new U.N. resolution that would threaten non-military sanctions against Sudan or South Sudan if they don't halt fighting and return to negotiations.

AP Interview: NATO confident about missile shield

Mon, 30 Apr 2012 21:44:45 GMT

NATO's top official on Monday defended the alliance's plan for a shield against ballistic missiles in Europe, insisting the system is on track despite two U.S. reports that describe it as over budget and plagued by technical problems.

Suicide blasts kill 9 in Syrian city of Idlib

Mon, 30 Apr 2012 21:44:43 GMT

Two suicide bombers blew up cars rigged with explosives near a military compound and a hotel in northwestern Syria on Monday, killing at least nine people and wounding nearly 100, state media said.

South Sudan says Sudan bombs oil region

Mon, 30 Apr 2012 21:44:42 GMT

JUBA (Reuters) - South Sudan said on Monday Sudanese war planes bombed an oil region in the newly independent state, a day after Khartoum declared a state of emergency in some border areas as tensions showed no signs of abating. Weeks of border fighting have raised fears Sudan and South Sudan could return to all-out war, after failing to resolve a string of disputes over oil revenues and border demarcation. Philip Aguer, spokesman for South Sudan's army, the SPLA, said Sudanese forces had bombed Panakuach in Unity State. "There was bombing in Panakuach yesterday. ...

New Sudan air raids alleged as hungry flee

Mon, 30 Apr 2012 21:44:41 GMT

A surging number of hungry refugees are fleeing fighting in Sudan where some are reduced to foraging in the wild, the UN said Monday, amid new allegations of Sudanese air strikes.

Fresh attacks target symbols of Syrian state power

Mon, 30 Apr 2012 21:44:40 GMT

In fresh attacks on symbols of state power, twin suicide bombs exploded Monday near a government security compound in northern Syria and rockets struck the central bank in Damascus, killing nine people and wounding 100.

Israel cannot afford to be 'duped' by Iran: Barak

Mon, 30 Apr 2012 21:44:38 GMT

Israeli Defence Minister Ehud Barak said Monday he had little confidence that key talks between Iran and world powers would succeed in resolving the standoff over Tehran's disputed nuclear programme.

Iran hopes for "successful" nuclear talks with U.N.

Mon, 30 Apr 2012 13:38:00 GMT

VIENNA (Reuters) - An Iranian envoy voiced hope on Monday that talks with the U.N. nuclear watchdog in mid-May would help resolve "outstanding issues", but he again ruled out any halt to Tehran's controversial uranium enrichment program. The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) said on Saturday it would resume discussions with Iran on May 14-15 - more than two months after the last meeting over concerns about Tehran's atomic activities ended in failure. ...

Jury still out on international war crimes system

Mon, 30 Apr 2012 13:37:59 GMT

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Former Liberian President Charles Taylor's war crimes conviction may be seen in some quarters as a victory for global justice, but a backlash against costly, lengthy international tribunals is also underway. Found guilty of aiding and abetting a host of crimes including murder, rape and torture as well as arming brutal Sierra Leonean rebels, Taylor became the first head of state to be convicted by an international tribunal since the Nuremberg Trials after World War Two. He will be sentenced on May 30. ...

AB InBev profit jumps 75 pct thanks to lower costs

Mon, 30 Apr 2012 13:37:58 GMT

The world's biggest brewer Anheuser-Busch InBev NV said Monday its first-quarter net profit jumped 75 percent thanks to lower financing costs and taxes as well as bigger beer sales.

Russia says U.N. resolution on Sudan, South Sudan is not sanctions threat

Mon, 30 Apr 2012 13:37:57 GMT

MOSCOW (Reuters) - Russia said on Monday a draft U.N. Security Council resolution on Sudan and South Sudan does not amount to a threat of sanctions if the two countries fail to comply with demands to stop hostilities. "There are no sanctions there," Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov told journalists at a joint news conference with visiting Sudanese Foreign Minister Ali Ahmed Karti. "There is not even a threat of sanctions." But Lavrov said the draft resolution mentioned the possibility of further steps, including "economic measures", under Article 41 of the U.N. ...

China wants "drastic" U.S., Russia nuclear arms cuts

Mon, 30 Apr 2012 13:37:55 GMT

VIENNA (Reuters) - China called on the United States and Russia on Monday to make further "drastic" cuts in their nuclear arsenals and said all states with atomic arms should undertake not to be the first to use them. The development of missile defense systems which "disrupt" the global strategic balance should be abandoned, a senior Chinese diplomat also told a nuclear meeting in Vienna in a possible reference to U.S. plans that have angered Russia. ...

Saleh to leave Yemen temporarily, militants free soldiers

Sun, 29 Apr 2012 21:25:50 GMT

SANAA/ADEN (Reuters) - Former president Ali Abdullah Saleh will leave Yemen temporarily after Gulf states leaned on him to get out of the way of his successor to ease tension complicating efforts to stabilize the country, a diplomatic source said on Sunday. The diplomat said he expected Saleh to travel next week, probably to the United Arab Emirates, to allow recently elected President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi to rule unhindered by his predecessor. Russia has said it is willing to take in Saleh. ...

Germany: Europe should boycott Ukraine matches

Sun, 29 Apr 2012 21:25:49 GMT

A top German official is urging European governments to boycott Euro2012 soccer championship matches in Ukraine to protest the detention of the country's former Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko.

Jordan weighs two offers to build nuclear plant

Sun, 29 Apr 2012 21:25:48 GMT

Energy-poor Jordan said on Sunday a Russian firm and a French-Japanese consortium are to compete to build the kingdom's first nuclear plant.

Russian activist detained for anti-Putin prayer

Sun, 29 Apr 2012 21:25:47 GMT

An opposition activist was detained and beaten Sunday after he tried to enter Moscow's landmark Christ the Savior Cathedral to pray to deliver Russia from Vladimir Putin.

New 007 film to depict spy's inner demons

Sun, 29 Apr 2012 21:25:46 GMT

The next James Bond movie, "Skyfall," promises the usual action, exotic locations, scheming villains and beautiful women. For fans of the original novels by Ian Fleming, there's more: a journey into the troubled psyche of the iconic spy.

Saleh to leave Yemen temporarily: diplomatic source

Sun, 29 Apr 2012 21:25:45 GMT

SANAA/ADEN (Reuters) - Former president Ali Abdullah Saleh will leave Yemen temporarily after Gulf states leaned on him to get out of the way of his successor in order to ease tensions complicating efforts to stabilize the country, a diplomatic source said on Sunday. The diplomat said he expected Saleh to travel next week, probably to the United Arab Emirates, to allow recently elected President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi to rule unhindered by his predecessor. Russia has said it is willing to take in Saleh. ...

Shot Russia banker 'points finger at compatriots'

Sun, 29 Apr 2012 05:30:08 GMT

A Russian banker critically wounded in a shooting in London last month has given his first interview since the attack, saying he has told police who he believes ordered the attempt on his life.

Lebanon impounds ship carrying Libyan weapons

Sat, 28 Apr 2012 19:00:49 GMT

BEIRUT (Reuters) - Lebanese authorities seized a large consignment of Libyan weapons including rocket-propelled grenades and heavy caliber ammunition from a ship intercepted in the Mediterranean, the army said on Saturday. It did not say where the vessel was heading but the ship's owner told Reuters it was due to unload in the northern Lebanese port of Tripoli. ...

Blind lawyer's escape to overshadow US-China talks

Sat, 28 Apr 2012 19:00:47 GMT

Less than a week before annual U.S.-Chinese diplomatic and economic talks, relations between the powers risked sharply deteriorating Saturday with an escaped Chinese activist reportedly under American protection and a U.S. fighter jet sale to Taiwan now being considered.

Syria derides UN chief as peace plan in crisis

Sat, 28 Apr 2012 19:00:46 GMT

Syria derided U.N. chief Ban Ki-moon as biased and called his comments "outrageous" Saturday after he blamed the regime for widespread cease-fire violations — the latest sign of trouble for an international peace plan many expect to fail.

Russia, China agree on Syria, North Korea: Chinese minister

Sat, 28 Apr 2012 19:00:45 GMT

MOSCOW (Reuters) - China and Russia agree entirely with each other's positions on the crisis in Syria and on North Korea's nuclear program, Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Cheng Guoping said on Saturday in Moscow. "The sides hold 100 percent coinciding positions on the issues of North Korea and Syria," Cheng, who was accompanying Vice Premier Li Keqiang on a visit to Russia, told reporters through an interpreter. Russia and China have protected Syrian President Bashar al-Assad by blocking two U.N. ...

Trial of Ukraine's Tymoshenko adjourned until May 21

Sat, 28 Apr 2012 16:31:55 GMT

KHARKIV, Ukraine (Reuters) - A court in Ukraine on Saturday adjourned the tax evasion trial of former Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko until May 21 due to the ill health of the opposition leader who is already in prison on an abuse-of-office conviction condemned by the West. Judge Kostyantyn Sadovsky told the court in the city of Kharkiv it would be impossible to conduct hearings in the absence of Tymoshenko, who says she is suffering from chronic back pain. ...

U.N. nuclear watchdog to resume Iran talks in mid-May

Sat, 28 Apr 2012 16:31:52 GMT

VIENNA (Reuters) - The United Nations nuclear watchdog confirmed on Saturday it will resume talks with Iran in mid-May, more than two months after the last meeting over concerns about the Islamic state's atomic activities ended in failure. Gill Tudor, spokeswoman for the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), said the meeting would take place on May 14-15 at the Iranian diplomatic mission in Vienna. "The purpose is to continue the negotiations started early this year," Tudor said in an email. ...

Iran: IAEA talks for May 13-14 in Vienna

Sat, 28 Apr 2012 16:31:49 GMT

A new round of talks between Tehran and the U.N.'s nuclear agency will be held in Vienna on May 13-14, Iran's state TV reported Saturday in a signal of possible progress after separate negotiations resumed with world powers over the country's controversial nuclear program.

China and Russia sign contracts worth $15 billion

Sat, 28 Apr 2012 16:31:48 GMT

Chinese Vice Premier Li Keqiang has announced the signing of contracts between China and Russia worth a total of $15 billion.

Limited success for Obama's Russia, China approach

Sat, 28 Apr 2012 16:31:47 GMT

President Barack Obama's "pivot" to China's neighborhood and the "reset" in relations with Russia have produced limited results for signature foreign policy initiatives designed to improved America's standing with its former Cold War rivals.

Veteran peacekeeper takes helm of UN Syria mission

Sat, 28 Apr 2012 16:31:46 GMT

A veteran Norwegian peacekeeper was heading to Damascus on Saturday to take charge of a UN mission overseeing a troubled truce as monitors reported 10 deserters killed in clashes with the army.

Tymoshenko court hearing postponed in Ukraine

Sat, 28 Apr 2012 16:31:45 GMT

A Ukrainian court on Saturday postponed a hearing in the second criminal case against the jailed former prime minister and opposition leader Yulia Tymoshenko, whose treatment in prison has raised concerns in Europe.

Russia condemns "barbaric" attacks in Syria

Sat, 28 Apr 2012 16:31:44 GMT

MOSCOW (Reuters) - Russia on Saturday condemned what it called "barbaric" attacks in Syria, stepping up criticism of rebels a day after an explosion authorities blamed on a suicide bomber killed at least nine people in the capital Damascus. Russia has protected Syrian President Bashar al-Assad by blocking two U.N. Security Council resolutions condemning a crackdown in which the United Nations says 9,000 people have been killed since March 2011. ...

Gunmen hit Syrian army from sea, Moscow slams rebels

Sat, 28 Apr 2012 16:31:43 GMT

BEIRUT (Reuters) - Gunmen in inflatable dinghies killed several security officials in an attack on a military unit on Syria's Mediterranean coast, state media said on Saturday, the first seaborne assault reported during the revolt against President Bashar al-Assad. The night raid, along with the killings of at least 15 people in violence in two areas near the capital, underlined the threadbare state of a U.N.-brokered ceasefire deal that has Western leaders talking of tougher steps to stop the bloodshed. ...

New coal giant Mozambique faces rising public anger

Sat, 28 Apr 2012 05:42:15 GMT

On a recent morning in western Mozambique, a group of 500 families in the district of Moatize fed up with Brazilian mining giant Vale do Rio Doce gave up on writing letters to the government and erected blockades instead. They hauled logs across the railroad and piled stones on the highway, halting the flow of Vale's coal.

Russia, China to announce progress on fund during Li visit

Sat, 28 Apr 2012 00:55:09 GMT

MOSCOW/NOVO-OGARYOVO, Russia (Reuters) - Russia and China will announce progress on a joint investment fund during a visit by the man expected to be China's next premier, while their leaders hinted on Friday at differences behind a show of amity and common ground on global issues. Chinese Vice Premier Li Keqiang, who is on track to succeed Premier Wen Jiabao this autumn, met Russian President-elect Vladimir Putin and outgoing President Dmitry Medvedev during a trip that will also take him to Hungary and Belgium. ...

Russia warns EU Iran oil embargo will be costly

Sat, 28 Apr 2012 00:55:07 GMT

MOSCOW (Reuters) - Russia pressed its case against new sanctions over Iran's nuclear program on Friday, saying an European Union ban on purchasing Iranian oil would end up hurting the bloc's member countries. "The European Union is rejecting purchases of Iranian oil, even though very many EU countries depend on this oil," Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said in an interview on state-run Rossiya 24 television. "One can say, of course, that the deficit will be covered, but (some) refineries are geared specifically to Iranian oil ... ...

Iran says to resume talks with nuclear watchdog in May

Sat, 28 Apr 2012 00:55:06 GMT

DUBAI (Reuters) - Iran will resume talks with the U.N. nuclear watchdog in Vienna on May 13-14, state media quoted the Iranian ambassador to the body as saying on Friday. Western diplomats said last week Iran had expressed readiness to restart discussions with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) two months after their last meeting ended in failure. But they added that Tehran still appeared to be stonewalling over the body's most pressing demand to let its inspectors visit a key military site. ...

Suicide bombing in Syrian capital kills 10

Sat, 28 Apr 2012 00:55:05 GMT

Two weeks into a cease-fire agreement, there still was no peace in Syria: Security agents in Damascus collected the remains of 10 people killed in a suicide bombing. Activists reported troops firing on protesters. Video showed a crowd carrying a slain boy to U.N. observers as proof of regime violence.

Syria suicide bombing kills 10; UN chief says regime clampdown 'intolerable'

Sat, 28 Apr 2012 00:55:04 GMT

BEIRUT - Two weeks into a cease-fire agreement, there still was no peace in Syria: Security agents in Damascus collected the remains of 10 people killed in a suicide bombing. Activists reported troops firing on protesters. Video showed a crowd carrying a slain boy to U.N. observers as proof of regime violence.

Canada condemns 'terror attacks' in Ukraine

Sat, 28 Apr 2012 00:55:03 GMT

Canada's top diplomat on Friday condemned what he called "terror attacks" in Ukraine after four successive blasts shook the eastern Ukrainian city of Dnipropetrovsk.

Myanmar changes bring new ASEAN-EU chapter

Fri, 27 Apr 2012 16:49:13 GMT

Europe and Southeast Asia on Friday pushed for a new chapter in relations, as Myanmar embraces democratic reforms and the EU seeks growth markets amid its crippling debt crisis.

Libya helps give Italy's Eni a Q1 profit boost

Fri, 27 Apr 2012 16:49:09 GMT

Italy's largest energy company Eni SpA said Friday that its first-quarter profits rose 42 percent on increased production in Libya and higher prices.

Russia hosts China's 'premier-in-waiting'

Fri, 27 Apr 2012 16:49:07 GMT

Russian strongman Vladimir Putin and outgoing President Dmitry Medvedev were set Friday to host a top Chinese official who is tipped to become premier amid transitions of power in both countries.

UN observers sent to hot spot in Syria's south

Fri, 27 Apr 2012 16:49:06 GMT

The U.N. says international monitors have moved into another hot spot in Syria to try to stop violence.

Tymoshenko's daughter afraid for mother's health

Fri, 27 Apr 2012 16:49:04 GMT

Opposition leader Yulia Tymoshenko's daughter says prison authorities in Ukraine are threatening to force-feed her mother, who is very weak from a hunger strike.

Russian-U.S. space station crew returns to Earth

Fri, 27 Apr 2012 16:49:03 GMT

KOROLYOV, Russia (Reuters) - A Soyuz capsule carrying two Russian cosmonauts and a U.S. astronaut from the International Space Station (ISS) landed safely in Kazakhstan on Friday. The Soyuz TMA-22 parachuted down onto the steppe in the former Soviet republic of Kazakhstan, landing on schedule and on target north of the town of Arkalyk after a three-hour descent from the orbital outpost. ...

Bulgaria, Azerbaijan agree on gas deliveries

Fri, 27 Apr 2012 16:49:00 GMT

Bulgaria and Azerbaijan have agreed on the delivery of Caspian gas, a deal Bulgaria hopes will ease its dependence on supplies from Russia.

Soyuz craft carrying three-man crew lands safely

Fri, 27 Apr 2012 16:48:57 GMT

A Soyuz space capsule carrying two Russians and an American touched down safely Friday on the sweeping steppes of central Kazakhstan, ending the men's 163-day stay on the International Space Station.

Tymoshenko: glamorous, divisive, imprisoned

Fri, 27 Apr 2012 16:48:56 GMT

Yulia Tymoshenko became a world icon of democratic change during Ukraine's Orange Revolution protests of 2004, a riveting figure both for her ringing denunciations of election fraud and the distinctive golden braid she wrapped around her head.

Bombs wound 27 in Ukrainian city

Fri, 27 Apr 2012 16:48:55 GMT

KIEV (Reuters) - Four bombs exploded in a city in eastern Ukraine on Friday, wounding 27 people, including nine children, in what authorities described as an "act of terrorism". President Viktor Yanukovich said the blasts in Dnipropetrovsk, six weeks before Ukraine plays host to the European soccer championship, represented "a challenge ... to the whole country." Bomb attacks are a rare occurrence in the former Soviet republic and the blasts one after the other traumatized people in the city, one of Ukraine's main industrial centers with a population of around 1.3 million. ...

Li praises China's 'unprecedented ties' with Russia

Fri, 27 Apr 2012 16:48:54 GMT

China's likely next premier Li Keqiang and Russian strongman Vladimir Putin on Friday praised close ties between the two giant neighbours as they met amid power transitions in both countries.

Amer Sports upbeat as Q1 profit hits $25 million

Fri, 27 Apr 2012 16:48:52 GMT

Global sports equipment maker Amer Sports Corp., whose brands include Atomic, Salomon and Wilson, saw first-quarter net profit grow slightly to €18.7 million ($24.7 million) on strong sales of sports clothes.

UN leader says Syria 'in contravention' of peace plan

Fri, 27 Apr 2012 08:42:15 GMT

UN leader Ban Ki-moon said the Syrian government is "in contravention" of an agreed peace plan by keeping troops and heavy weapons in cities.

Syria, rebels trade blame over fragile U.N. ceasefire

Fri, 27 Apr 2012 08:42:12 GMT

BEIRUT (Reuters) - The Syrian government and rebels traded blame on Thursday for a huge explosion which killed 16 people in the city of Hama, as a two-week-old U.N.-backed ceasefire looked increasingly fragile. U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon accused Damascus of breaking its pledge to withdraw heavy weapons and troops from towns, saying he was "gravely alarmed by reports of continued violence and killing in Syria." Syria blamed "terrorist" bomb-makers for Wednesday's blast. ...

Medvedev's legacy in Russia: small victories in Putin's shadows

Fri, 27 Apr 2012 00:19:44 GMT

Sergei Mokhnatkin walked out of a grim provincial prison a free man Wednesday, five days after outgoing President Dmitry Medvedev signed a decree ordering his release. Mr. Mokhnatkin had been arrested two years ago for trying to intercede with a police officer who was allegedly roughing up an elderly protester at an unsanctioned opposition rally.

Ukraine to investigate alleged Tymoshenko abuse

Fri, 27 Apr 2012 00:19:43 GMT

Facing deepening Western criticism, Ukraine's president on Thursday ordered a thorough probe into the alleged beating by prison officials of jailed former Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko.

China vows to defend rights in maritime row: Xinhua

Fri, 27 Apr 2012 00:19:42 GMT

China's military on Thursday vowed to defend the country's territory amid a stand-off with the Philippines in the disputed South China Sea, the official Xinhua news agency said.

Russia accuses Syrian rebels of using "tactics of terror"

Fri, 27 Apr 2012 00:19:41 GMT

MOSCOW (Reuters) - Russia accused Syrian rebels on Thursday of using terror tactics and suggested they were more to blame for ceasefire violations than President Bashar al-Assad's troops. The remarks by the foreign ministry differed from assessments by Western states which have been calling on government forces to end attacks and withdraw from cities and towns under a U.N.-backed truce. "We call upon the Syrian side to carry out in full its obligations..." Foreign Ministry spokesman Alexander Lukashevich told a weekly briefing. "Nonetheless ... ...

Georgia wants Russia out of separatist regions

Fri, 27 Apr 2012 00:19:40 GMT

The president of Georgia said Thursday he's willing to resign if Russia withdraws its troops from two separatist Georgian regions that split off in the 2008 war between the two countries.

Taylor conviction sends warning to tyrants

Fri, 27 Apr 2012 00:19:34 GMT

Former Liberian President Charles Taylor on Thursday became the first head of state since World War II convicted by an international war crimes court, a legal landmark observers say sent a clear message to tyrants around the world that their days of impunity are numbered.

Arabs to ask UN to review policy on Syria

Fri, 27 Apr 2012 00:19:32 GMT

The Arab League says it will ask the U.N. Security Council to "review" its policy on Syria if the regime there fails to fully and immediately honor its commitment to a cease-fire.

Syrian regime, rebels trade blame for deadly blast

Fri, 27 Apr 2012 00:19:30 GMT

U.N. observers on Thursday inspected the site of an explosion that flattened a block of houses in the central Syrian city of Hama and killed at least 16 people, while the government and the opposition traded blame over the cause of the blast.

U.S. draft warns Sudan, South Sudan of possible sanctions

Fri, 27 Apr 2012 00:19:29 GMT

UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) - The United States on Thursday circulated to the U.N. Security Council a draft resolution that warns Sudan and South Sudan of sanctions if they do not comply with African Union demands to swiftly stop border clashes and resolve their many disputes. U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Susan Rice told reporters the Security Council would begin discussing the draft resolution on Thursday and that it would likely need at least a few days of talks among members before going to a vote. ...

Charles Taylor conviction sends warning to tyrants

Fri, 27 Apr 2012 00:19:26 GMT

Former Liberian President Charles Taylor became the first head of state since World War II to be convicted by an international war crimes court, a historic verdict that sends a message that tyrants worldwide will be tracked down and brought to justice.

Syria blames rebels for massive blast in Hama

Thu, 26 Apr 2012 16:13:04 GMT

Syria's state news agency says a massive explosion that tore through a residential area and killed at least 16 people in the city of Hama was caused by anti-regime bomb-makers who mishandled explosives.

Mont. high court hears Hutterite workers' comp case; no immediate ruling

Thu, 26 Apr 2012 16:13:03 GMT

HELENA, Mont. - The Montana Supreme Court did not immediately rule after hearing competing arguments from a Hutterite colony and the state on whether Montana's requirement that employers carry workers' compensation insurance can be expanded to religious organizations.

Medvedev: modest result in anti-corruption crusade

Thu, 26 Apr 2012 16:13:02 GMT

Outgoing President Dmitry Medvedev laid blame for the failure of his anti-corruption drive on tightly knit world of bureaucrats who resist change and outside interference.

Bangladesh signs drill deal with Russia's Gazprom

Thu, 26 Apr 2012 16:13:00 GMT

Bangladesh's state-run Petrobangla has signed a deal with Russian energy giant Gazprom to drill 10 onshore wells.

How Russia, Iran keep fuel flowing to Syria

Thu, 26 Apr 2012 16:12:58 GMT

LONDON (Reuters) - Russia and Iran are helping Syria import fuel which it needs for heavy vehicles including army tanks, allowing Damascus to avoid the full impact of tightening Western sanctions imposed over its violent suppression of dissent. Syria received regular shipments of Russian gasoil and diesel over the winter and, despite Moscow's diplomatic support for demands that the government stop its attacks and pull back its forces, Russia sent another delivery this month. ...

Medvedev predicts long life for tandem with Putin

Thu, 26 Apr 2012 16:12:57 GMT

President Dmitry Medvedev on Thursday defended his upcoming job swap with Prime Minister Vladimir Putin as a move that will strengthen democracy, and predicted they will rule Russia together "for a long time."

Syria opposition urges UN meet over Hama 'crimes'

Thu, 26 Apr 2012 16:12:56 GMT

Syria's main opposition group on Thursday called for an emergency UN Security Council meeting as it accused regime forces of having killed more than 100 people in the central city of Hama.

APNewsBreak: UN finds cluster bombs in Sri Lanka

Thu, 26 Apr 2012 16:12:53 GMT

A report from a U.N. mine removal expert says unexploded cluster munitions have been found in northern Sri Lanka, appearing to confirm, for the first time, that the weapons were used in that country's long civil war.

Globalive wins court battle over foreign control

Thu, 26 Apr 2012 16:12:52 GMT

OTTAWA (Reuters) - A long-running Canadian legal battle ended on Thursday when the Supreme Court declined to hear a challenge to a government decision to allow Globalive to offer wireless services in Canada despite its close ties to a foreign company. The decision was a setback for Public Mobile, a Globalive rival that also offers a low-cost wireless service, and Canada's telecoms regulator, the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission. ...

Volkswagen profit rises on US, Russia

Thu, 26 Apr 2012 16:12:51 GMT

Sharply higher sales in the United States and a stronger foothold in Russia helped German carmaker Volkswagen AG beat market expectations for its first-quarter profits.

Report: German president cancels Ukraine visit

Thu, 26 Apr 2012 16:12:50 GMT

Facing deepening Western criticism, Ukraine's president on Thursday ordered a thorough probe into the alleged beating by prison officials of jailed former Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko.

Syria blames rebels for blast that killed 16

Thu, 26 Apr 2012 16:12:50 GMT

U.N. observers on Thursday inspected the site of a deadly explosion that flattened a block of houses in the central Syrian city of Hama a day earlier and killed at least 16 people.

Syria blames "terrorist" bomb factory for Hama blast

Thu, 26 Apr 2012 16:12:49 GMT

BEIRUT (Reuters) - Syria blamed "terrorist" bomb-makers on Thursday for an explosion that ripped through a building and killed 16 people in the restive city of Hama, where hostility to President Bashar al-Assad runs deep. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a British-based anti-Assad organization tracking the 13-month-old conflict in which at least 9,000 people have died, gave the same death toll but said the cause of Wednesday afternoon's blast was not clear. ...

Work begins on Chernobyl shelter on anniversary

Thu, 26 Apr 2012 16:12:48 GMT

Ukraine launched Thursday construction of a new shelter to permanently secure the stricken Chernobyl plant as it marked the 26th anniversary of the world's worst nuclear disaster.

France raises prospect of military action in Syria if peace plan collapses

Thu, 26 Apr 2012 03:48:15 GMT

BEIRUT - France raised the prospect of military intervention in Syria on Wednesday, saying the U.N. should consider harsher measures if an international peace plan that has been shaken by violence ultimately collapses.

France raises prospect of military action in Syria

Thu, 26 Apr 2012 03:48:14 GMT

France raised the prospect of military intervention in Syria on Wednesday, saying the U.N. should consider harsher measures if an international peace plan that has been shaken by violence ultimately collapses.

Russia says Iran, West "interested" in nuclear offer

Thu, 26 Apr 2012 03:48:13 GMT

MOSCOW (Reuters) - A Russian diplomat said on Wednesday that Iran and Western nations had shown interest in a Russian proposal aimed to help defuse the standoff over Tehran's nuclear program, but suggested it had not been the focus of talks this month. Russia has been calling for a "step-by-step" resolution to the dispute over Iran's nuclear program, which Western nations fear is aimed at developing nuclear weapons and Tehran says is purely peaceful. Moscow says Iran should take measures to ease concerns about its intentions and comply with U.N. ...

Wiggins overcomes puncture to take overall lead

Thu, 26 Apr 2012 03:48:12 GMT

British cycling star Bradley Wiggins donned the overall leader's yellow jersey here on Wednesday after winning the first stage of the Tour of Romandie, a 184.5km ride from Morges to here.

In the shadow of mad cow case, U.S. beef exports unfazed

Thu, 26 Apr 2012 03:48:11 GMT

CHICAGO (Reuters) - For California meat exporter James Geller, it's just business as usual one day after the first case of mad cow disease in six years was confirmed in the United States. For Geller, president of Geller International in Burlingame, California, that means putting together an order of choice grade beef for customers in Hong Kong. "My customers do not need reassurance. They know the food is safe," said Geller, who just returned from a business trip to Singapore and Hong Kong and handles meat and seafood imports for hotels and restaurants in Asia. ...

Mexico starts investigation in Wal-Mart bribery case

Thu, 26 Apr 2012 03:48:05 GMT

MEXICO CITY (Reuters) - Mexico said on Wednesday it would open an investigation into allegations that the Mexican unit of Wal-Mart Stores Inc bribed officials to expand its business there, piling pressure onto the embattled retail giant. The Mexican federal comptroller's office said it had begun checking the federal paperwork and permits that Wal-Mart de Mexico, known as Walmex, obtained to open and operate its stores in Mexico. The comptroller's office added that it would ask U.S. ...

Rosneft, Eni to jointly explore oil-rich Arctic

Wed, 25 Apr 2012 19:42:30 GMT

Rosneft, Russia's largest oil producer, and Italy's Eni signed a deal Wednesday to jointly explore for oil and gas in Russia's Arctic.

Russia's Lukoil starts drilling in Iraqi oil field

Wed, 25 Apr 2012 19:42:28 GMT

Russia's second-largest oil producer Lukoil has begun drilling in one of Iraq's biggest and most promising oil fields in the south.

British bobsleigher positive for banned substance

Wed, 25 Apr 2012 19:42:27 GMT

A British bobsleigh competitor has tested positive for a banned substance, it was announced Wednesday.

South Sudan troubles not unique among new nations

Wed, 25 Apr 2012 19:42:26 GMT

South Sudan emerged into the world as a new nation less than a year ago and already it is at the brink of war with its archenemy Sudan, with soldiers from both sides carrying out incursions and Sudan bombing the south with warplanes. But history shows that nascent nations often are plagued by troubles, while others have relatively easy early lives. Some fairly recent examples:

France: UN should prepare for possible military action in Syria

Wed, 25 Apr 2012 19:42:24 GMT

PARIS - France's foreign minister says the U.N. Security Council should consider allowing military action in Syria if an international peace plan fails.

EU urges Israel to reverse settler outpost decision

Wed, 25 Apr 2012 19:42:22 GMT

The European Union called on Israel on Wednesday to reverse its decision to legalise three settler outposts in occupied Palestinian territory.

Kremlin bill passes in parliament, but barely

Wed, 25 Apr 2012 19:42:18 GMT

The Russian parliament on Wednesday passed a Kremlin bill restoring gubernatorial elections, with opponents saying the new law will still allow the president to screen out undesirable candidates.

France: UN should prepare military option in Syria

Wed, 25 Apr 2012 19:42:17 GMT

France wants the U.N. Security Council to consider allowing military action in Syria if an international peace plan fails to stop the violence under Bashar Assad's regime, the French foreign minister said Wednesday.

Ukraine asks Germany to treat fasting ex-PM

Wed, 25 Apr 2012 19:42:15 GMT

Ukraine asked Germany on Wednesday to send a team of doctors to treat Yulia Tymoshenko after the opposition leader went on hunger strike to protest her alleged beating in jail.

Renault sales slump 8.6 percent in 1st quarter

Wed, 25 Apr 2012 19:42:13 GMT

Renault says a worse-than-anticipated slump in car markets in France and across Europe caused overall sales to fall 8.6 percent in the first quarter to €9.5 billion ($12.6 billion).

France warns Syria that UN clock is ticking

Wed, 25 Apr 2012 19:42:12 GMT

France on Wednesday warned that if Syrian President Bashar Assad's regime doesn't fully implement an international peace plan it will seek U.N. action under a provision that includes possible military action.

Kazakh president decries foreign influences

Wed, 25 Apr 2012 19:42:11 GMT

The president of the oil-rich former Soviet nation of Kazakhstan has criticized the West for what he said was its attempt to impose its values on the rest of the world.

Syria violence rages, France tells U.N. to hurry

Wed, 25 Apr 2012 19:42:10 GMT

BEIRUT (Reuters) - Syrian forces shot dead four civilians on a bus on Wednesday and fighting raged near Damascus, dissidents said, as international pressure built on President Bashar al-Assad to honor U.N.-backed ceasefire pledges to order his troops back to barracks. In defiance of a 13-day truce, shelling was relentless in Douma, east of the capital, residents said, giving further ammunition to Western states such as France that want broad U.N. sanctions to try to end more than a year of fighting in which 9,000 people have been killed. As well as urging faster deployment of U.N. ...

30 die in Syria as France says peace plan 'compromised'

Wed, 25 Apr 2012 19:42:07 GMT

Violence in Syria claimed the lives of another 30 people on Wednesday, as France said the UN-backed peace plan was "seriously compromised" and that the deployment of monitors should be speeded up.

France wants 300 U.N. observers in Syria in 2 weeks

Wed, 25 Apr 2012 19:42:06 GMT

PARIS (Reuters) - France wants to see 300 U.N. observers in Syria within two weeks and will push for a "Chapter 7" resolution at the United Nations unless Damascus complies with the terms of a peace plan by early May, Foreign Minister Alain Juppe said on Wednesday. Chapter 7 of the U.N. charter allows the Security Council to authorize actions which can ultimately include the use of military force. Speaking to reporters after meeting opponents of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, Juppe said there had to be a rapid deployment of observers as the plan was "extremely compromised". ...

Iraq West Qurna-2 field to hit 150,000 bpd in 2013

Wed, 25 Apr 2012 19:42:04 GMT

The West Qurna-2 field in south Iraq, which is being developed by Russia's Lukoil, will reach an output of 150,000 barrels per day by the end of 2013, Iraq's oil minister said on Wednesday.

Annan alarmed at Syria military action

Wed, 25 Apr 2012 12:45:39 GMT

International envoy Kofi Annan told the U.N. Security Council Tuesday that the situation in Syria is "bleak" and expressed alarm at reports that government troops are still carrying out military operations in towns where U.N. observers are not present.

Annan calls Syria situation bleak, expresses alarm at reports of government military action

Wed, 25 Apr 2012 12:45:36 GMT

FBI chief, Yemeni president pledge anti-terror front; Yemenis take heart of al-Qaida held city

Wed, 25 Apr 2012 12:45:33 GMT

SANAA, Yemen - The United States and Yemen have pledged to step up high-level co-operation in the fight against al-Qaida as government forces punch their way into the heart of a city long held by militants in the Arab nation's lawless south.

Global famine if India, Pakistan unleash nukes: study

Wed, 25 Apr 2012 12:45:30 GMT

More than a billion people worldwide could starve if India and Pakistan unleash nuclear weapons because even a 'limited' nuclear war would cause major climate disruptions, a study warned.

Israel army chief says Iran unlikely to make bomb

Wed, 25 Apr 2012 12:45:27 GMT

JERUSALEM (Reuters) - Israel's military chief said he does not believe Iran will decide to produce an atomic bomb, describing its leadership as "very rational" in an interview published on Wednesday. Lieutenant-General Benny Gantz's characterization of Iran's rulers appeared to be at odds with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's oft-stated warnings that Islamic leaders could opt to use nuclear weapons even at the risk of devastating retaliation. "Iran is moving step-by-step towards a point where it will be able to decide if it wants to make a nuclear bomb. ...

Sales of handset arm lifts Sweden's Ericsson in QI

Wed, 25 Apr 2012 12:45:25 GMT

LM Ericsson, the world-leading wireless equipment maker in terms of market share, saw its first quarter profits more than double, largely on the back of proceeds made from the sale of its stake in handset maker Sony Ericsson.

Ex-Iran negotiator: "historic" chance for nuke talks

Wed, 25 Apr 2012 12:45:25 GMT

VIENNA (Reuters) - Iran and major nations have a "historic opportunity" to settle their decade-old nuclear dispute, but requiring the Islamic state to stop higher-grade uranium enrichment would be discriminatory, Tehran's former chief nuclear negotiator said. Hossein Mousavian, now a visiting scholar at Princeton University in the United States, voiced optimism before next month's talks between Iran and the six major powers following a first meeting in Istanbul earlier this month. ...

Iran's cyber prowess: Could it really have cracked drone codes?

Wed, 25 Apr 2012 04:39:24 GMT

Iran claims to have unlocked the data secrets of the CIA stealth drone captured during a spy mission over Iran in December, signaling to Washington that the data was not destroyed and that Iran can crack the encryption codes.

US, Yemen pledge united front against al-Qaida

Wed, 25 Apr 2012 04:39:06 GMT

The United States and Yemen pledged Tuesday to step up high-level cooperation in the fight against al-Qaida as government forces punched their way into the heart of a city long held by militants in the Arab nation's lawless south.

Annan calls for quick deployment of Syria observers

Wed, 25 Apr 2012 04:39:01 GMT

UN-Arab League envoy Kofi Annan called for the rapid deployment of 300 ceasefire monitors in Syria but a top UN official said it will take at least one month to get the first 100 in place.

Mad cow disease found in California; no human threat seen

Wed, 25 Apr 2012 04:39:00 GMT

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. authorities reported the country's first case of mad cow disease in six years on Tuesday, swiftly assuring consumers and global importers that there was no danger of meat from the California dairy cow entering the food chain. Despite assurances from Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack that the finding posed "no risk to the food supply or to human health", two major South Korean retailers halted sales of U.S. beef and the government there said it may suspend quarantine inspections, a move that would effectively halt imports. ...

Syrian rebels target security officials, killing 3; bomb rocks Damascus

Tue, 24 Apr 2012 20:25:18 GMT

BEIRUT - Rebels seeking to topple Syrian President Bashar Assad killed three regime officers in separate attacks Tuesday around Damascus, activists and state media said, the latest violence targeting the security forces used by the government to quash dissent.

Annan to tell U.N. Syria fails to withdraw weapons

Tue, 24 Apr 2012 20:25:10 GMT

BEIRUT/GENEVA (Reuters) - Syria has failed to comply with a pledge to withdraw weapons from cities, and citizens who meet U.N. truce monitors may have been killed, international mediator Kofi Annan will tell the Security Council on Tuesday, his spokesman said. As violence flared in the Syrian capital Damascus, spokesman Ahmad Fawzi said Annan would ask for a "stronger presence" of monitors to watch over the country's ragged ceasefire. ...

Car bomb hits Damascus as more die in 'ceasefire'

Tue, 24 Apr 2012 20:25:08 GMT

A car bomb on Tuesday rocked central Damascus, a day after nearly 60 were killed across Syria despite a hard-won ceasefire and the upcoming deployment of 300 UN peace monitors.

U.N. chief "deeply troubled" by new West Bank outposts

Tue, 24 Apr 2012 20:25:07 GMT

UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) - U.N. chief Ban Ki-moon said on Tuesday that he was "deeply troubled" by Israel's decision to grant legal status to three settlement outposts in the occupied West Bank, describing the activity as illegal under international law. The three outposts - Bruchin, Sansana and Rechelim - were built on land Israel declared "state-owned" in the West Bank, an area it captured in the 1967 Middle East war and which Palestinians want as part of a future state. ...

Ukraine ex-PM on hunger strike after "beating": lawyer

Tue, 24 Apr 2012 20:25:06 GMT

KHARKIV, Ukraine (Reuters) - Former Ukrainian Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko has gone on hunger strike in prison after guards dragged her off her bed and punched her in the stomach, her lawyer said on Tuesday. Prison authorities deny the accusations. Tymoshenko, the main opponent of President Viktor Yanukovich, is in jail convicted of abuse of office. She said the beating took place while she was being moved to a state-run hospital last Friday after complaining of back pain. "They approached my bed, put a sheet over me and started dragging me off the bed, using brute physical force. ...

Putin quits as head of Russia's ruling party

Tue, 24 Apr 2012 14:42:32 GMT

President-elect Vladimir Putin said on Tuesday he would resign from his leadership post of Russia's increasingly unpopular ruling party and hand it over to his future premier Dmitry Medvedev.

Medvedev promises freedoms as Putin's premier

Tue, 24 Apr 2012 14:42:28 GMT

Russia's outgoing President Dmitry Medvedev outlined his liberal credentials on Tuesday as he prepared to assume the premiership post under his mentor and successor Vladimir Putin.

Syria car bomb wounds three amid ceasefire

Tue, 24 Apr 2012 14:42:26 GMT

A car bomb on Tuesday rocked central Damascus, a day after nearly 60 were killed across Syria despite a hard-won ceasefire and the upcoming deployment of 300 UN peace monitors.

Iran says new US sanctions could affect talks

Tue, 24 Apr 2012 14:42:26 GMT

Iran on Tuesday warned that new US sanctions targeting its access to surveillance technology were "negative" and could adversely affect its crucial talks next month with world powers over Tehran's nuclear programme.

Analysis: South Africa's Zuma on track for second term

Tue, 24 Apr 2012 14:42:24 GMT

JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) - South Africa's President Jacob Zuma is the favorite to win a second term to lead the ruling ANC in a race dominated by factional politics instead of policy reforms for Africa's most powerful economy. More than a dozen insiders in the ruling African National Congress told Reuters that Zuma had the race in hand even though there are strong factions in the party who want him out and could make things difficult. "It's Zuma's race to lose," said one senior ANC member. The winner of December's party vote is almost certain to be its nominee in the 2014 presidential election. ...

Putin steps down as United Russia party chief

Tue, 24 Apr 2012 14:42:22 GMT

MOSCOW (Reuters) - President-elect Vladimir Putin tried to distance himself from the fraud-tainted ruling United Russia party on Tuesday, announcing he was stepping down as its chairman. Keen to protect his own ratings which are higher than those of a party discredited by claims its victory in a parliamentary election in December was achieved with the help of fraud, Putin proposed outgoing President Dmitry Medvedev as its new leader instead. ...

US car part makers consider expanding in Russia

Tue, 24 Apr 2012 14:42:21 GMT

U.S. car part manufacturers are considering investing in Russia ahead of the country's entry into the World Trade Organization this summer.

Ukraine's jailed ex-PM goes on hunger strike

Tue, 24 Apr 2012 14:42:20 GMT

Ukraine's jailed ex-premier Yulia Tymoshenko has been on a hunger strike for the past five days to protest her treatment and demand an end to political repression, her lawyer said Tuesday.

Syrian rebels target security officials in capital

Tue, 24 Apr 2012 14:42:19 GMT

Rebels seeking to topple Syrian President Bashar Assad killed three regime officers in separate attacks Tuesday around Damascus, activists and state media said, the latest violence targeting the security forces used by the government to quash dissent.

US car part makers eye expansion in Russia

Tue, 24 Apr 2012 14:42:18 GMT

U.S. car part manufacturers are considering stepping up their investment in Russia ahead of the country's entry into the World Trade Organization this summer.

Is Russia's Orthodox Church privileged or persecuted?

Tue, 24 Apr 2012 10:02:06 GMT

Tens of thousands of people attended special services across Russia yesterday – about 50,000 in Moscow alone – to pray in defense of the Russian Orthodox Church, which insists that it is facing an unprecedented attack from irreligious social forces that are out to destroy its reputation and undermine the nation's faith.

Syrian group says 3 intelligence officers killed

Tue, 24 Apr 2012 10:01:43 GMT

Three Syrian intelligence officers were killed in Damascus on Tuesday, activists said, the latest attack on regime targets as the country's 13-month conflict grows increasingly militarized.

Russia's Medvedev vows to continue modernization

Tue, 24 Apr 2012 10:01:41 GMT

Russia's President Dmitry Medvedev has vowed to pursue his modernization agenda after shifting into the prime minister's job in a speech that summed up the results of his four-year presidency.

EU targets Assad couple's high-end lifestyle

Tue, 24 Apr 2012 01:55:38 GMT

The European Union turned its sights on the Assad couple's high-end lifestyle Monday, banning the export of luxury goods as part of new sanctions to punish the regime's relentless violence.

Russian to end hunger strike over mayoral vote

Tue, 24 Apr 2012 01:55:36 GMT

MOSCOW (Reuters) - A Russian politician whose hunger strike drew attention to allegations of electoral fraud in a mayoral vote announced plans on Monday to end his protest on its 40th day, saying he had achieved his goals. Oleg Shein, a former national parliament member, stopped eating on March 16 to protest results showing he lost the election in the southern city of Astrakhan to a candidate from President-elect Vladimir Putin's United Russia party. ...

U.N. says Syria violence continues despite pledges to end it

Tue, 24 Apr 2012 01:55:35 GMT

UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) - Fighting in Syria continues despite Syrian government assertions that it will comply with a U.N.-backed truce and has withdrawn troops and heavy weapons from cities and towns, the U.N. political affairs chief said on Monday. More than 9,000 people have died in Syria during 13 months of fighting sparked by a popular uprising against President Bashar al-Assad. At least 20 people were killed in shelling on Monday, activists said. "The cessation of armed violence remains incomplete," Lynn Pascoe, U.N. ...

Syrian forces kill dozens after UN monitors' visit

Tue, 24 Apr 2012 01:55:34 GMT

A day ago, crowds in the Syrian city of Hama welcomed a U.N. team sent in to observe a shaky truce. On Monday, government troops opened fire on the same streets, killing dozens, activists said, raising fears the regime is targeting opponents emboldened to protest by the U.N. monitors.

Russian envoy warns on U.S. human rights bill

Tue, 24 Apr 2012 01:55:33 GMT

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Proposed U.S. legislation to punish Russian officials involved in human rights abuses could have "a significant negative impact" on U.S.-Russian relations, Moscow's envoy to the United States warned on Monday Russian Ambassador Sergei Kislyak said the U.S. Congress should not tie the so-called Sergei Magnitsky bill to an expected vote this year on establishing "permanent normal trade relations" between the two countries. ...

Wal-Mart shaken by bribery probe, shares plunge

Tue, 24 Apr 2012 01:55:31 GMT

CHICAGO/MEXICO CITY (Reuters) - Wal-Mart Stores Inc lost $10 billion of its market value on Monday on concerns that a bribery investigation in Mexico could be very costly and hinder its plans to grow. In a sign that the problem was widening for the world's largest retailer, two U.S. lawmakers said they were launching their own investigation into allegations in a New York Times article that Wal-Mart de Mexico had engaged in a multi-year campaign of bribery to build its business. ...

UN observers visit suburb of Syrian capital

Mon, 23 Apr 2012 17:48:28 GMT

Syrian state television and a local activist say a United Nations team monitoring the country's shaky cease-fire is visiting the Damascus suburb of Zabadani.

Assad's actions in Syria spur US to consider intervening

Mon, 23 Apr 2012 17:48:25 GMT

The European Union slapped new sanctions on the Syrian regime on Monday, a gesture of further international pressure on President Bashar al-Assad amid widespread pessimism over UN envoy Kofi Annan's peace plan.

Thousands of tons spilled at oil field in Russia

Mon, 23 Apr 2012 17:48:24 GMT

Up to 2,000 tons of oil have spilled from a major field in northern Russia after workers struggled to contain the leak for two days, officials said.

Ukraine opposition parties unite for election

Mon, 23 Apr 2012 17:48:23 GMT

Ukraine's two biggest pro-Western opposition parties announced Monday they will be joining forces in the fall parliamentary election in order to challenge President Viktor Yanukovych's grip on power.

Iranian foreign minister 'optimistic' on nuclear talks

Mon, 23 Apr 2012 17:48:22 GMT

Iranian Foreign Minister Ali Akbar Salehi said Monday he was optimistic about upcoming nuclear talks in Baghdad with world powers.

Iran sees progress at Baghdad nuclear talks in May

Mon, 23 Apr 2012 17:48:21 GMT

TUNIS (Reuters) - Iran is optimistic that talks in Baghdad next month will make progress toward resolving its nuclear dispute with world powers, Foreign Minister Ali Akbar Salehi said on Monday. "I see that we are at the beginning of the end of what I call the 'manufactured Iran file'," he told reporters in the latest in a series of positive statements from senior figures on the long-running standoff. "At the Baghdad meeting, I see more progress," he said during a visit to Tunis, speaking in Arabic. ...

Russian opposition member to end hunger strike

Mon, 23 Apr 2012 17:48:19 GMT

Russian opposition member Oleg Shein, who has been on hunger strike for 39 days to protest vote-rigging in mayoral polls which he contested, said he would end his fast on Tuesday.

Scientists call for Arctic fishing moratorium, rules

Mon, 23 Apr 2012 17:48:19 GMT

Scientists on Monday urged Arctic rim nations to set fishing regulations for the Arctic Ocean, and order a moratorium on fishing until stocks are assessed, before trawlers soon start dropping nets in the pristine waters.

Medvedev pardons one of 32 "political prisoners"

Mon, 23 Apr 2012 17:48:18 GMT

MOSCOW (Reuters) - Russian President Dmitry Medvedev on Monday pardoned a man on a list of 32 people who opposition activists consider political prisoners, but gave no clue whether he might free others in his last two weeks in the Kremlin. Medvedev, who will be replaced as president by Vladimir Putin on May 7, signed a decree pardoning Sergei Mokhnatkin, 58, and 13 others. The Kremlin said on its website that the decision was "guided by the principles of humanity". ...

World champion Chan to work on new skating skills

Mon, 23 Apr 2012 05:00:30 GMT

World figure skating champion Patrick Chan, who suffered his first defeat this season at the World Team Trophy in Tokyo, pledged Sunday to develop new skills against rising competition.

Tens of thousands pray for Russia's church

Sun, 22 Apr 2012 20:54:34 GMT

Tens of thousands prayed outside Moscow's main cathedral on Sunday to show their support for the Russian Orthodox Church in a controversy over a punk rock protest that has added to the political tensions in Russia.

Iran says is building copy of captured US spy drone, releases what it says is recovered data

Sun, 22 Apr 2012 20:54:32 GMT

TEHRAN, Iran - Iran claimed Sunday that it had reverse-engineered an American spy drone captured by its armed forces last year and has begun building a copy.

Ukraine ex-PM refuses treatment, returned to jail

Sun, 22 Apr 2012 20:54:31 GMT

KIEV (Reuters) - Former Ukrainian prime minister Yulia Tymoshenko, whose jailing last year damaged the ex-Soviet republic's ties with the West, has been returned to a prison after refusing to be treated for back pain at a state-run hospital, her party said on Sunday. The seven-year prison sentence handed down last October to Tymoshenko, a fierce opponent of President Viktor Yanukovich, has been condemned by the European Union as an example of selective justice. ...

Orthodox Church under attack: Russian Patriarch

Sun, 22 Apr 2012 20:54:30 GMT

MOSCOW (Reuters) - The head of the Russian Orthodox Church warned tens of thousands of believers on Sunday they were "under attack by persecutors" on a nationwide day of prayer intended to heal divisions over a protest at the altar by a women's punk band. At least 40,000 people came to hear Patriarch Kirill lead them in prayer at Christ the Saviour Cathedral in Moscow, where Pussy Riot performed a "punk prayer" on February 21 deriding the Church's close relationship with President-elect Vladimir Putin. ...

Iran says it recovered data from captured US drone

Sun, 22 Apr 2012 20:54:28 GMT

Iran claimed Sunday that it had recovered data from an American spy drone that went down in Iran last year, including information that the aircraft was used to spy on Osama bin Laden weeks before he was killed. Iran also said it was building a copy of the drone.

Syria hotspot enjoys lull with UN monitors present

Sun, 22 Apr 2012 20:54:27 GMT

The deployment of U.N. truce monitors brought a lull in shelling of the Syrian opposition stronghold of Homs for a second day Sunday while President Bashar Assad's troops kept up heavy attacks on other areas where observers were not present.

Russians pray for 'correction' of anti-Putin punks

Sun, 22 Apr 2012 12:47:40 GMT

Church bells rang across Moscow on Sunday as tens of thousands of faithful gathered at Russia's main cathedral to pray for the "correction" of feminist punks who face jail for singing before its altar.

China-Russia Yellow Sea naval drills begin

Sun, 22 Apr 2012 12:47:37 GMT

China and Russia launched joint naval exercises Sunday that highlight warming ties between their militaries and growing cooperation in international affairs.

Iran military says copying U.S. drone

Sun, 22 Apr 2012 12:47:33 GMT

DUBAI (Reuters) - Iran's military has started to build a copy of a U.S. surveillance drone captured last year after breaking the software encryption, Iranian media reported on Sunday. General Amir Ali Hajizadeh, head of the Revolutionary Guards aerospace division, said engineers were in the final stages of decoding data from the Sentinel aircraft, which came down in December near the Afghan border, Mehr news agency reported. ...

U.N. council authorizes up to 300 Syria truce monitors

Sun, 22 Apr 2012 12:47:33 GMT

UNITED NATIONS/BEIRUT (Reuters) - The U.N. Security Council unanimously adopted a Russia-European drafted resolution on Saturday that authorizes an initial deployment of up to 300 unarmed military observers to Syria for three months to help bolster a fragile week-old ceasefire. But the 15-nation council's move to condition deployment of observers on a U.N. assessment of compliance with the truce reflected U.S. and European fears that the Syrian government's failure to stop shelling towns, return troops to barracks and withdraw heavy weapons from cities makes the prospects for success slim. ...

Annan welcomes monitors force, says "pivotal moment" for Syria

Sun, 22 Apr 2012 12:47:32 GMT

GENEVA (Reuters) - International mediator Kofi Annan said on Sunday that the U.N. Security Council's decision to deploy a further 300 ceasefire monitors in Syria marked a "pivotal moment for the stabilization of the country". In a statement issued in Geneva, he called on both Syrian government forces and opposition fighters to put down their weapons and work with the unarmed observers to consolidate the fragile ceasefire that took effect 10 days ago. ...

Iran says is building copy of captured US drone

Sun, 22 Apr 2012 12:47:31 GMT

Iran claimed Sunday that it had reverse-engineered an American spy drone captured by its armed forces last year and has begun building a copy.

Tanks raid Syrian capital as UN expands mission

Sun, 22 Apr 2012 12:47:30 GMT

Tanks raided a rebel bastion near Damascus on Sunday, activists said as UN observers toured Syrian hot spots, laying the ground for a 300-strong mission newly approved by the Security Council.

UN visits heart of Syria uprising; Security Council votes to enlarge observer team to 300

Sun, 22 Apr 2012 04:41:42 GMT

BEIRUT - Five unarmed U.N. truce monitors toured the battered city at the heart of the Syrian uprising on foot Saturday, encountering unusually calm streets after weeks of shelling as a throng of residents clamoured for foreign military help to oust President Bashar Assad.

China and Russia 'start first navy drills'

Sun, 22 Apr 2012 04:41:42 GMT

China and Russia on Sunday launched their first joint naval exercises, state media said, amid tensions between China and its Asian neighbours over regional territorial claims.

Europe warned not to ease up on dealing with debt

Sun, 22 Apr 2012 00:00:34 GMT

Finance ministers and central bankers hope a $430 billion-plus increase in assistance for the International Monetary Fund is enough to handle any fresh crisis among the 17 nations that share the euro as their currency. But they say European government cannot ease up on dealing with their debt problems,

European governments warned not to ease up on dealing with their mounting debt problems

Sun, 22 Apr 2012 00:00:31 GMT

WASHINGTON - Finance ministers and central bankers hope a $430 billion-plus increase in assistance for the International Monetary Fund is enough to handle any fresh crisis among the 17 nations that share the euro as their currency. But they say European governments cannot ease up on dealing with their debt problems,

Japan wins figure skating World Team Trophy title

Sun, 22 Apr 2012 00:00:30 GMT

Veteran Akiko Suzuki edged Italy's world figure skating champion Carolina Kostner in the final women's free skating to help host Japan lift the World Team Trophy in Tokyo Saturday.

Chinese PM wraps up Iceland visit

Sun, 22 Apr 2012 00:00:26 GMT

Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao wrapped up a visit to Iceland on Saturday, the first stage in a four-nation European tour, after concluding an accord on cooperation in the oil-rich Arctic region.

UN authorizes 300 Syria cease-fire observers

Sun, 22 Apr 2012 00:00:23 GMT

The Security Council unanimously approved a resolution Saturday expanding the number of U.N. cease-fire observers in Syria from 30 to 300 and demanding an immediate halt to the violence that has been escalating since the government and opposition agreed to end hostilities more than a week ago.

UN monitors visit Syria opposition stronghold

Sun, 22 Apr 2012 00:00:19 GMT

Five unarmed U.N. truce monitors toured the battered city at the heart of the Syrian uprising on foot Saturday, encountering unusually calm streets after weeks of shelling as a throng of residents clamored for foreign military help to oust President Bashar Assad.

IMF warns Europe not to ease up debt battle

Sun, 22 Apr 2012 00:00:16 GMT

An infusion of hundreds of billions of dollars will give the International Monetary Fund a badly needed boost to tackle Europe's prolonged debt crisis. But global finance officials sent a strong message Saturday that struggling governments must speed reforms or risk spooking jittery markets and raising the economic danger.

Syrian activists: Homs calm as observers expected

Sat, 21 Apr 2012 15:54:22 GMT

Activists say fighting and government shelling has stopped in Syria's central city of Homs in advance of an expected visit by U.N. observers.

Jailed Ukraine ex-PM Tymoshenko moved to hospital

Sat, 21 Apr 2012 15:54:21 GMT

KIEV (Reuters) - Ukraine's former prime minister Yulia Tymoshenko, whose jailing last year has soured the former Soviet republic's relations with the West, has been moved to hospital where she is expected to receive treatment for back pain. The imprisonment of Tymoshenko, a fierce opponent of President Viktor Yanukovich, has become a key issue in Ukraine's relations with the European Union, which saw her prosecution as an example of selective justice. ...

UN team visits Syria's battered Baba Amr

Sat, 21 Apr 2012 15:54:15 GMT

UN monitors visited the restive province of Homs on Saturday ahead of an expected Security Council vote on deploying hundreds of observers across Syria to monitor a shaky ceasefire.

Reports show critical weaknesses in Obama administration's European missile defence plans

Sat, 21 Apr 2012 15:54:13 GMT

WASHINGTON - Major delays, cost overruns and critical technological problems are plaguing a missile defence system designed to protect the United States and Europe from an Iranian attack, Pentagon advisers and government investigators say about one of President Barack Obama's top military programs.

IMF moves to calm market fears over European debt

Sat, 21 Apr 2012 15:54:10 GMT

UN Security Council to vote on up to 300 Syria monitors

Sat, 21 Apr 2012 15:54:04 GMT

UNITED NATIONS/BEIRUT (Reuters) - U.N. ceasefire monitors visited the Syrian city of Homs on Saturday after months of bombardment, hours before the U.N. Security Council was to vote on a draft resolution to authorize the deployment to Syria of up to 300 unarmed military observers. Opposition activists in Homs, epicenter of the 13-month-old revolt against President Bashar al-Assad, said shelling and gunfire stopped for the first time in weeks before Syrian authorities let the monitors into the city. ...

UN Council passes Syria monitors resolution

Sat, 21 Apr 2012 15:54:03 GMT

The UN Security Council on Saturday unanimously passed a resolution allowing a 300-strong ceasefire monitoring mission in Syria despite the strong doubts of many Western nations.

Valentin Pazhetnov, Russia's unconventional 'mama bear'

Sat, 21 Apr 2012 07:48:12 GMT

For centuries, Russia's winter bear hunt has been one of the world's great hunting experiences, beloved by czars, Communist Party general secretaries, and, lately, Russian oligarchs and rich foreign trophy seekers.

Iran's Parchin complex: Why are nuclear inspectors so focused on it?

Sat, 21 Apr 2012 07:48:03 GMT

Parchin. In the annals of Iran's controversial nuclear program, the sprawling military base southeast of Tehran may hold clues to past weapons-related work – or it may not.

U.N. council schedules Saturday vote on Syria monitors

Sat, 21 Apr 2012 07:47:54 GMT

UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) - The U.N. Security Council has scheduled a vote on a draft resolution on Saturday to authorize the deployment to Syria of up to 300 unarmed military observers, despite U.S. and European concerns that Damascus has yet to fully implement a ceasefire. The United Nations announced on Friday the 15-nation council planned to hold the vote at 11:00 a.m. EDT. It will be considering a compromise resolution that combines Russian and European drafts. ...

UN council reaches tentative agreement on Syria

Sat, 21 Apr 2012 07:47:53 GMT

The U.N. Security Council reached a tentative agreement Friday night on a resolution that would expand the number of U.N. cease-fire observers in Syria from 30 to 300 and let Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon decide on their deployment based on conditions on the ground and consolidation of a cease-fire.

UN Council reaches tentative deal on Syria observers

Sat, 21 Apr 2012 07:47:51 GMT

The UN Security Council has reached a tentative accord on a resolution to send a 300-strong ceasefire observer force to Syria which could be voted Saturday, diplomats said.

Jailed Tymoshenko moved to Ukraine hospital

Sat, 21 Apr 2012 07:47:48 GMT

Ukraine's jailed opposition leader Yulia Tymoshenko has been transferred to hospital for back pain that kept her from attending the opening of her new trial for tax fraud, officials said Saturday.

IMF raises $430 billion for crisis firewall

Fri, 20 Apr 2012 23:41:57 GMT

The IMF raised $430 billion in new funds for crisis intervention Friday, with China and other emerging economic giants taking part despite worries the money will be used for more eurozone bailouts.

IMF announces $430 billion to boost resources

Fri, 20 Apr 2012 23:41:55 GMT

The International Monetary Fund says it has raised more than $430 billion in an effort to assure finance markets that it has sufficient firepower to handle any new problems from Europe's prolonged debt crisis.

UN aims to triple Syria observer team next week

Fri, 20 Apr 2012 19:05:45 GMT

The United Nations hopes to have 30 cease-fire monitors in Syria next week and plans are already being made for the deployment of up to 300, a spokesman for international envoy Kofi Annan said Friday, as France called on the international community to prepare for the possible failure of the increasingly fragile peace deal.

EU could review Iran oil ban in coming months: official

Fri, 20 Apr 2012 19:05:44 GMT

BRUSSELS (Reuters) - European Union member states may review in the next two months an embargo on Iranian oil imports that is scheduled to take effect from July, a senior EU official said on Friday. For now, the official said there was no economic reason to change plans for the ban, which was agreed in January as part of EU efforts to put pressure on Tehran over its nuclear program. ...

Russia calls for swift U.N. approval of Syria mission

Fri, 20 Apr 2012 19:05:43 GMT

MOSCOW (Reuters) - Russia called on Friday for the swift adoption of a U.N. Security Council resolution to send hundreds of U.N. observers to monitor a shaky ceasefire in Syria, where government forces have killed thousands of civilians in 13 months of bloodshed. An advance team of U.N. observers is in Syria monitoring a 10-day-old truce that has not ended the violence. Deployment of a larger force, which U.N. chief Ban Ki-moon hopes will be up to 300 strong, needs Security Council agreement. Russia has armed Syria and shielded President Bashar al-Assad by blocking a Western and Arab-backed U. ...

300 monitors should be sent to Syria to stop violence: Annan spokesman

Fri, 20 Apr 2012 19:05:42 GMT

GENEVA (Reuters) - The United Nations should send 300 monitors to Syria as soon as possible to try to stop a wave of killing and violence that a ceasefire has failed to halt, a spokesman for U.N.-Arab League envoy Kofi Annan said on Friday. Seven unarmed U.N. observers are in Syria monitoring a week-old truce, with two to follow on Monday, and the full advance team of 30 due to be deployed in the coming week, the spokesman, Ahmad Fawzi, said. But preparations are already under way for the arrival of up to 300 more observers, whose deployment he said he hoped the U.N. ...

China's Wen visits Iceland, eyes on Arctic riches

Fri, 20 Apr 2012 19:05:39 GMT

REYKJAVIK (Reuters) - Chin's premier Wen Jiabao lands in Iceland on Friday to begin a tour of northern Europe that will focus on Chinese investment on a continent eager for fund from the fast-growing Asian power. That the prime minister of the world's most populous nation chose to start his trip on a remote island of just 320,000 has raised hopes for an injection of Chinese cash into an economy ravaged by the bursting of a financial bubble three years ago - but also suspicion of Beijing's hunger for natural resources. ...

UN aims for up to 300 Syria cease-fire monitors

Fri, 20 Apr 2012 19:05:38 GMT

It's all about emotion in French presidential race

Fri, 20 Apr 2012 19:05:35 GMT

Like Barack Obama, Nicolas Sarkozy swept to power on a wave of hope for change. Sarkozy's wave crashed on the global financial crisis and his own failings. On Sunday, the French leader faces a tough fight against nine challengers in presidential elections awash in fear and anger.

More U.N. monitors heading to Syria as 13 people killed

Fri, 20 Apr 2012 19:05:33 GMT

BEIRUT (Reuters) - An additional 30 United Nations monitors should arrive in Syria in the coming week to join an advance team of seven observing a fragile week-long ceasefire which has failed to end bloodshed in the country, a spokesman for envoy Kofi Annan said on Friday. At least 23 people were killed, 10 of them in a roadside bomb targeting security forces and most of the others in shelling by President Bashar al-Assad's forces on the city of Homs, further undermining the truce. ...

Russia, EU circulate U.N. drafts on Syria monitors: diplomats

Fri, 20 Apr 2012 19:05:31 GMT

UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) - Russia and the European Union circulated on Friday separate draft U.N. Security Council resolutions to authorize the deployment to Syria of up to 300 more ceasefire observers and there were hopes for a vote in the coming days, diplomats said. There are seven monitors already in Syria after the council authorized an advance team of up to 30 on Saturday. A new resolution is needed for a further "initial deployment" of up to 300 as recommended by U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon. ...

China's Wen in Iceland, eyes on Arctic riches

Fri, 20 Apr 2012 19:05:28 GMT

REYKJAVIK (Reuters) - China signed accords on energy cooperation and the Arctic in Iceland on Friday as Premier Wen Jiabao started a tour of northern Europe that will focus on Chinese investment in a continent eager for funds and to trade with the rising world power. Centrepiece of the trip will be a visit to Germany, where Wen and Chancellor Angela Merkel will on Sunday and Monday burnish industrial ties that have done much for both economies. ...

Europe, Russia propose rival resolutions on Syria

Fri, 20 Apr 2012 19:05:27 GMT

European nations and Russia proposed rival U.N. resolutions Friday, both calling for expanding the number of U.N. cease-fire monitors in Syria from 30 to 300 but disagreeing on possible sanctions and on how quickly the larger observer force should get on the ground.

Crisis proves a curse for Greece's Orthodox Church

Fri, 20 Apr 2012 19:05:26 GMT

ATHENS (Reuters) - Close links between the Greek state and the Orthodox Church are turning from a blessing for the clergy into a curse as the debt-laden government struggles to fund the ancient institution, just as impoverished Greeks need its charitable work most. Starved of money as the state makes huge spending cuts, the deeply conservative church which grew from one of the earliest centers of Christianity is seeking new sources of funds. ...

Syrian forces fire on anti-regime protesters

Fri, 20 Apr 2012 19:05:23 GMT

Syrian troops fired tear gas and bullets on thousands of protesters who spilled out of mosques after noon prayers Friday, activists said. State media reported that bombs and shootings killed 17 soldiers as the latest diplomatic efforts failed to halt more than 13 months of bloodshed in the country.

Candu applies to build Turkey nuclear plant

Fri, 20 Apr 2012 19:05:23 GMT

Turkey's energy minister said Friday that Canadian company Candu had applied to build the country's second nuclear power plant in cooperation with Turkish company EUAS.

Syria activists call protests in new truce test

Fri, 20 Apr 2012 10:58:59 GMT

Syrian opposition activists called for protests against President Bashar al-Assad's regime Friday in a new test of its readiness to honour a peace plan UN chief Ban Ki-moon said it has so far failed to honour.

Syria: What Can Be Done to Stop Assad's Bloody Crackdown?

Fri, 20 Apr 2012 10:58:58 GMT

Or else what?

Emerging powers ready to give IMF billions

Fri, 20 Apr 2012 10:58:57 GMT

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Major emerging powers stood ready on Friday to pledge money to bolster the International Monetary Fund's crisis-fighting war chest, though Brazil was holding out for promises that their voting power at the global lender would increase. Russia said that G20 advanced and emerging countries were ready at a meeting on Friday to commit enough new funds to fulfill IMF chief Christine Lagarde's request for at least $400 billion to draw a line under the euro-zone crisis. Russia itself, he said, would offer $10 billion. "Trust me that the G20 will announce the final amount. ...

France working on Syria U.N. observer mission resolution

Fri, 20 Apr 2012 10:58:55 GMT

PARIS (Reuters) - France is drafting a new resolution for the United Nations Security Council designed to allow a larger observer force to be deployed in Syria with up to 500 observers as well as helicopters, French Foreign Minister Alain Juppe said on Friday. The U.N. Security Council - divided between Western countries that want to topple President Bashar al-Assad, and Russia and China which support him - is supposed to endorse a proposal to send a larger observer force as part of a six-point U.N.-Arab League plan for a political transition in Syria. ...

Brief Russia-West détente on Syria conflict comes to an end (+video)

Fri, 20 Apr 2012 02:53:25 GMT

Russia today categorically refused to join about a dozen Western and Arab foreign ministers gathering in Paris to discuss ways to pressure Syrian leader Bashar al-Assad to abide by the terms of the United Nations peace plan, alleging that the meeting's intent was "counterproductive."

Russia urges NATO to stay in Afghanistan beyond 2014

Fri, 20 Apr 2012 02:53:20 GMT

Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov urged NATO to keep its forces in Afghanistan beyond President Barack Obama's 2014 deadline for withdrawing from the decade-old war.

Is Kim Jong Un Preparing to Become North Korea's Economic Reformer?

Fri, 20 Apr 2012 02:53:14 GMT

When young Kim Jong Un stood before the assembled throngs in Pyongyang on April 15, insisting that come hell or high water he would persist with his father's "military first" policies -- even in the wake of a humiliating failed missile launch -- the young dictator uttered one sentence that was mostly ignored in the speech's aftermath: "It is the party' steadfast determination to ensure that the people will never have to tighten their belt again, and make sure they enjoy the riches and affluence of socialism to their heart's content.''

Is Moscow Developing Super Duper Secret Mega Weapons?

Fri, 20 Apr 2012 02:53:11 GMT

Here is what the Kremlin wants you to believe about its secret weapons program: In about eight years, it may be able to warp your chromosomes, brainwash you with a "psycho-physical" mind zapper, and somehow release an invisible ray that turns diesel fuel into non-combustible goop, making engines stall within a radius of several miles. Never mind that most of this stuff would violate pretty much every law of physics. The Russian government is trying to outpace the Americans again, so propaganda is key. Physics is beside the point.

Russia slams NATO withdrawal plans from Afghanistan, calls them 'artificial'

Fri, 20 Apr 2012 02:52:57 GMT

BRUSSELS - Russia's foreign minister sharply criticized NATO's plan to withdraw its forces from Afghanistan by 2014, saying Thursday that coalition troops should remain in the country until Afghan government forces are capable of ensuring security.

Clinton calls for UN resolution authorizing arms embargo of Syria if truce conditions unmet

Fri, 20 Apr 2012 02:52:56 GMT

PARIS - U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton called Thursday for the U.N. Security Council to adopt a global arms embargo and other tough measures against Syria to reinforce existing Western embargoes if the country fails to abide by a cease-fire designed to end 13 months of bloodshed.

Annan's team urges swift deployment of Syria observers

Fri, 20 Apr 2012 02:52:54 GMT

UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) - U.N.-Arab League mediator Kofi Annan's deputy told the Security Council on Thursday that the swift deployment of more observers to Syria was needed despite continued risks and persistent violence, though some council members have expressed reluctance. A handful of observers have arrived in Syria after the Security Council authorized the deployment of up to 30 on Saturday. U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon is now recommending that the 15-nation council quickly pass a resolution authorizing a further "initial deployment" of up to 300 unarmed monitors. ...

"Friends of Syria" say Annan plan is last hope

Fri, 20 Apr 2012 02:52:51 GMT

PARIS (Reuters) - A "Friends of Syria" coalition meeting in Paris on Thursday called a U.N.-backed peace plan the "last hope" to resolve the crisis and said they would do all they could to help it succeed, according to draft conclusions obtained by Reuters. "Every day that passes means dozens of new Syrian civilian deaths," said the final declaration by the meeting's host, French Foreign Minister Alain Juppe. "It is not time to prevaricate. It is time to act. ...

Syria, U.N. agree on terms of monitoring mission

Fri, 20 Apr 2012 02:52:47 GMT

BEIRUT/UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) - Syria and the United Nations signed an agreement on Thursday on terms for hundreds of observers to monitor a ceasefire, but fierce diplomatic wrangling lies ahead to persuade the West the mission can have the authority and power to ensure peace. A handful of U.N. observers are already in Syria monitoring a week-old truce that has failed to stop bloodshed. The question of whether the mission can expand while violence continues is up in the air. A crowd mobbed the head of the advance party on Thursday, some demanding the death of President Bashar al-Assad. The ...

Clinton urges tougher UN pressure on Syria

Fri, 20 Apr 2012 02:52:46 GMT

U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton called Thursday for the U.N. Security Council to adopt an arms embargo and other tough measures against Syria to try to halt 13 months of bloodshed, but she acknowledged such diplomatic actions would likely be vetoed.

Azerbaijan's lack of media freedoms under fire

Thu, 19 Apr 2012 18:47:33 GMT

An attack on a group of journalists in Azerbaijan at a demolition site has drawn widespread international condemnation and is serving as a bitter reminder of the bleak conditions for media in this former Soviet nation.

Road to Damascus looks long and hard for U.N.

Thu, 19 Apr 2012 18:47:32 GMT

BEIRUT (Reuters) - Four military transport planes flew over the Mediterranean into Beirut this week from bases in Brindisi and Prague, carrying the first hardware for a U.N. peacekeeping mission in Syria whose ultimate outcome is unforeseeable. How and when the operation might end is a question the world body may have to grapple with for some time. The planes' cargo of 10 4x4s in the white paintwork of the United Nations, familiar on former battlefields the world over, was destined for an unarmed contingent of 30 ceasefire monitors which will expand over the coming weeks to 300 observers. ...

Ban: Syria failing to meet cease-fire conditions

Thu, 19 Apr 2012 18:47:31 GMT

Syria's government is failing to honor its pledges to implement a cease-fire plan aimed at ending more than a year of bloodshed, and violence there has escalated since a truce took effect a week ago, the U.N. chief told the Security Council before a meeting in Paris on the situation in the Arab state.

France pushes for more UN monitors in Syria

Thu, 19 Apr 2012 18:47:29 GMT

Top U.S., European and Arab diplomats have started talks on how to bolster an international mission to end the bloodshed in Syria. The meeting comes after U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon said Syria's government was not fulfilling its obligations in a cease-fire.

Tunisia sees tourists return after revolt

Thu, 19 Apr 2012 18:47:28 GMT

DJERBA, Tunisia (Reuters) - Tunisia hopes visitors from Russia, Asia and the United States and an "Open Skies" treaty with Europe will help tourism recover from the effect of last year's revolt that scared away foreigners, the country's top tourism official said. Visitor numbers slumped by 2.5 million to 4.5 million last year when autocratic leader Zine al-Abidine Ben Ali was ousted in a popular uprising that sparked the Arab Spring, causing tourists to flee or cancel bookings. ...

Russian court extends jail time for punk rockers

Thu, 19 Apr 2012 18:47:27 GMT

Three female punk rockers who mocked Vladimir Putin in a surprise protest inside Russia's main Orthodox church will be kept in jail, a Moscow court ruled Thursday.

UN: Syria failing to meet cease-fire conditions

Thu, 19 Apr 2012 18:47:26 GMT

Syria's government is failing to honor a cease-fire aimed at ending more than a year of bloodshed, and violence there has escalated since a truce took effect a week ago, the U.N. chief told the Security Council before a meeting Thursday in Paris on the situation in the Arab state.

Iran open for IAEA talks, no word on Parchin: diplomats

Thu, 19 Apr 2012 18:47:25 GMT

VIENNA (Reuters) - Iran says it is ready to resume talks with the U.N. nuclear watchdog two months after their last meeting ended in failure, but still appears to be stonewalling a request for access to a key military site, Western diplomats said on Thursday. Just days after Iran and six world powers restarted negotiations in Istanbul, the Islamic Republic delivered a letter to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) on holding new discussions with the U.N. body as well. ...

France says Syria faces civil war if UN plan fails

Thu, 19 Apr 2012 18:47:24 GMT

France warned on Thursday that Syria is on course for civil war, calling for a more robust UN mission there and accusing Bashar al-Assad's regime of failing to honour a ceasefire pledge.

"Friends of Syria say Annan plan is last hope

Thu, 19 Apr 2012 18:47:23 GMT

PARIS (Reuters) - The "Friends of Syria" coalition meeting in Paris on Thursday called a U.N.-backed peace plan the "last hope" to resolve the crisis and said they would do all they could to help it succeed, according to draft conclusions obtained by Reuters. "Every day that passes means dozens of new Syrian civilian deaths," the French-language statement said as French officials hosted senior diplomats from a dozen or so like-minded governments. "It is not time to prevaricate. It is time to act. ...

Allies: Annan plan 'last chance' for Syria peace

Thu, 19 Apr 2012 18:47:22 GMT

France's foreign minister says the so-called Friends of Syria group believes the peace plan for Syria laid out by special envoy Kofi Annan is the "last chance" for the country to avoid civil war.

Clinton wants tougher UN move on Syria

Thu, 19 Apr 2012 18:47:21 GMT

U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton has called for a new U.N. resolution authorizing an arms embargo and other stronger measures against Syria if it fails to abide by U.N.-backed cease-fire aimed at ending the bloodshed on its soil.

Russia, China seek info on US drone held by Iran

Thu, 19 Apr 2012 18:47:20 GMT

Iran's semiofficial Fars news agency says Russia and China have asked Tehran to provide them with information on a U.S. drone captured by the Islamic Republic in December.

Ukraine opens new tax trial against Tymoshenko

Thu, 19 Apr 2012 16:04:50 GMT

A Ukrainian court opened fresh criminal hearings Thursday against jailed opposition leader Yulia Tymoshenko in a case set to further dent the ex-Soviet nation's EU membership hopes.

Chan, Kostner headline figure skating's World Team Trophy

Thu, 19 Apr 2012 16:04:47 GMT

World champions Patrick Chan and Carolina Kostner will be looking to put the icing on the cake when they compete at the figure skating World Team Trophy in Tokyo this week.

Syria hasn't fully complied with Annan peace plan: U.N. chief

Thu, 19 Apr 2012 16:04:43 GMT

UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) - Syria has not fully complied with a U.N.-backed peace plan for the country and has yet to send a "clear signal" about its commitment to ending more than a year of violence, the U.N. chief told the Security Council in a letter obtained by Reuters on Wednesday. At the same time, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon voiced hope that there may be a chance for progress on ending a 13-month conflict that has brought Syria to the brink of civil war. Ban proposed an expanded U.N. ...

China says considering sending observers to Syria

Thu, 19 Apr 2012 16:04:40 GMT

BEIJING (Reuters) - China said on Thursday it was considering sending observers to monitor a week-old truce in Syria that has so far failed to put an end to a year of bloodshed. China is "seriously studying" the idea, Foreign Ministry spokesman Liu Weimin told a daily news briefing. United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said an expanded U.N. monitoring mission for Syria would be composed of "an initial deployment" of up to 300 unarmed observers who would supervise a fragile week-old ceasefire between forces loyal to President Bashar al-Assad and opposition fighters seeking to oust him. ...

IMF says secures $320 billion in drive for new funds

Thu, 19 Apr 2012 16:04:37 GMT

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The International Monetary Fund said on Wednesday it had raised $320 billion so far in a bid to boost its firepower to deal with the euro zone debt crisis, with Poland and Switzerland joining the effort. IMF Managing Director Christine Lagarde said she had received commitments of $34 billion on Wednesday, including $8 billion from Poland and "a substantial amount" from Switzerland. "Ensuring that the Fund has sufficient resources to tackle crises and to promote global economic stability is in the interests of all our members," she said in a statement. ...

Activists report clashes in eastern Syria

Thu, 19 Apr 2012 16:04:36 GMT

A Syrian activist group says clashes between troops and army defectors in an eastern city have left at least one person dead.

Seoul boasts of missile able to hit anywhere in North Korea

Thu, 19 Apr 2012 16:04:34 GMT

SEOUL (Reuters) - South Korea has added to its arsenal a cruise missile that can hit anywhere in the North, the Defense Ministry announced on Thursday, a day after Pyongyang said it was ready to retaliate in the face of international condemnation over its failed rocket launch. The reclusive North is widely expected to follow a pattern it set in 2009 with a successive missile and nuclear test by detonating an atomic device in coming weeks, possibly a device using highly enriched uranium for the first time. ...

France says wants Syria humanitarian corridors

Thu, 19 Apr 2012 16:04:32 GMT

PARIS (Reuters) - French President Nicolas Sarkozy called for aid corridors to be set up in Syria to protect opponents of Bashar al-Assad and urged major powers to show unity to persuade Russia and China to drop their support for the Syrian president. Ahead of a foreign ministers' meeting in Paris on Thursday, Sarkozy repeated calls to create a safe passage for relief organizations - with Syrian approval or an international mandate - to get food and medicine to about 1 million civilians caught up in the fighting. "Bashar al-Assad is lying ... ...

India tests nuclear-capable missile that can reach China

Thu, 19 Apr 2012 16:04:29 GMT

BHUBANESWAR, India (Reuters) - India successfully test-fired on Thursday a nuclear-capable missile that can reach Beijing and Eastern Europe, thrusting the emerging Asian power into a small club of nations that can deploy nuclear weapons at such a great distance. Footage showed the rocket with a range of more than 5,000 km (3,100 miles) blasting through clouds from an island off India's east coast. It was not immediately clear how far the rocket flew before reaching its target in the Indian Ocean. The defense minister said the test was "immaculate". ...

India tests new long-range missile amid China rivalry

Thu, 19 Apr 2012 16:04:28 GMT

India on Thursday successfully test fired a new missile capable of delivering a one-tonne nuclear warhead anywhere in rival China, marking a major advance in its military capabilities.

NATO, Russia mull closer cooperation in Afghan war

Thu, 19 Apr 2012 16:04:27 GMT

NATO and Russia on Thursday discussed a plan to give the alliance a new logistics facility on Russian territory for the transfer of military cargo to and from Afghanistan, diplomats said.

Russia says Friends of Syria meeting is destructive

Thu, 19 Apr 2012 16:04:26 GMT

MOSCOW (Reuters) - Russia said a meeting of foreign ministers from the Friends of Syria group in Paris on Thursday was "destructive" and could undermine U.N.-Arab League envoy Kofi Annan's peace efforts. U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton is holding talks on Thursday evening in Paris with European and Arab ministers from countries that had at previous meetings discussed support for opponents of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's government. ...

Belarus leader puts off speech over foreign policy

Thu, 19 Apr 2012 16:04:24 GMT

MINSK (Reuters) - Belarussian President Alexander Lukashenko, under growing Western pressure over human rights, has put off his annual address to the nation and told officials to soften its foreign policy message, his office said on Thursday. The European Union has introduced travel bans and asset freezes against Lukashenko and a number of Belarussian officials and businessmen in response to the veteran leader's crackdown on the opposition after his re-election in late 2010. ...

Sarkozy call for humanitarian corridors in Syria

Thu, 19 Apr 2012 16:04:23 GMT

President Nicolas Sarkozy has called for humanitarian corridors in Syria to help those opposing Syria's President Bashar Assad.

India tests nuke-capable missile able to hit China

Thu, 19 Apr 2012 16:04:22 GMT

India announced Thursday that it had successfully test launched a new nuclear-capable missile that would give it, for the first time, the capability of striking the major Chinese cities of Beijing and Shanghai.

Syria-U.N. sign agreement on monitoring mission

Thu, 19 Apr 2012 16:04:21 GMT

DAMASCUS/GENEVA (Reuters) - Syria and the United Nations signed an agreement on Thursday on the terms of a ceasefire monitoring mission, the Syrian Foreign Ministry said. "This preliminary agreement ... aims to facilitate the task of the observers within the framework of Syrian sovereignty," the statement said. A statement from U.N.-Arab League mediator Kofi Annan said the Syrian government and the United Nations had agreed a basis for a "protocol" on the deployment of more observers. ...

Russian court ponders keeping punk rockers in jail

Thu, 19 Apr 2012 16:04:21 GMT

Police arrested more than 20 demonstrators Thursday as a Moscow court considered extending the detention of three female punk rockers arrested after a surprise protest performance against Vladimir Putin.

US Syria policy a tacit nod to Assad's firm grip

Thu, 19 Apr 2012 16:04:20 GMT

Despite oft-repeated U.S. demands that Syrian President Bashar Assad step aside, the Obama administration's policy now reflects a consensus that Assad has a firm hold on power and that nothing short of an outside military strike will dislodge him quickly.

Russia slams NATO withdrawal from Afghanistan

Thu, 19 Apr 2012 16:04:18 GMT

Russia's foreign minister sharply criticized NATO's plan to withdraw its forces from Afghanistan by 2014, saying Thursday that coalition troops should remain in the country until Afghan government forces are capable of ensuring security.

Syria-U.N. agree on terms of monitoring mission

Thu, 19 Apr 2012 16:04:17 GMT

BEIRUT (Reuters) - Syria and the United Nations signed an agreement on Thursday on terms for hundreds of observers to monitor a ceasefire, but diplomatic wrangling still lies ahead to persuade the West the mission will have the clout needed to ensure peace. An advance party of half a dozen U.N. observers are already in Syria observing a week-old truce, but the question of whether that can be expanded to a full-blown monitoring mission is up in the air, especially as a week-old ceasefire has yet to halt violence in the worst-hit parts of the country. The 15-member U.N. ...

France favors more UN monitors for Syria

Thu, 19 Apr 2012 16:04:16 GMT

France took a tougher line in negotiations over Syria on Thursday, with French President Nicolas Sarkozy calling Syrian President Bashar Assad a "liar," while the French foreign minister urged a more robust international observer mission than Damascus has been willing to accept.

Azerbaijan: terror suspects have al-Qaida links

Thu, 19 Apr 2012 16:04:15 GMT

Members of a suspected terrorist group arrested this month in Azerbaijan had links to al-Qaida and some trained in neighboring Iran, officials said Thursday.

France: Syria needs more observers, backup plan

Thu, 19 Apr 2012 16:04:14 GMT

PARIS (Reuters) - France said on Thursday a U.N.-backed peace mission needed to send at least 300-400 observers to Syria to succeed - higher than previous estimates - adding foreign powers would discuss new ways to end the violence in case the mission failed. Damascus and the United Nations agreed on Thursday on the terms for observers to enter the country to monitor a ceasefire, called more than a year after the start of an uprising against President Bashar al-Assad. But many Western powers remain skeptical the mission will have the clout it needs. U.N. ...

Syria, UN agree on observers for shaky truce

Thu, 19 Apr 2012 16:04:11 GMT

Syria and the United Nations signed a deal on Thursday on the framework for observers monitoring a shaky ceasefire, as Arab and Western ministers gathered in Paris to pile pressure on Damascus.

Court keeps anti-Putin punk rockers in jail

Thu, 19 Apr 2012 16:04:10 GMT

A Moscow court Thursday extended until late June the pretrial detention of two young members of a feminist punk band whose stunt performance in Russia's main cathedral has drawn fury from the Church.

IMF chief says has around $316 billion in funding pledges

Thu, 19 Apr 2012 02:05:34 GMT

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The head of the International Monetary Fund said on Wednesday member countries had committed $316 billion toward new IMF resources to help contain the debt crisis in the euro zone. "We have commitments in excess of $316 billion and I have more in the bag," IMF Managing Director Christine Lagarde told the Bertelsmann Foundation think tank, speaking before meetings of global finance chiefs in Washington. The figure is more than the $286 billion tallied on Tuesday after Japan, Sweden and Denmark said they would contribute the IMF pot of money. ...

Shots fired in Syria town during UN observer visit

Thu, 19 Apr 2012 00:18:00 GMT

Gunfire erupted Wednesday as U.N. observers drove through an anti-regime demonstration in a Damascus suburb, sending people ducking for cover and raising questions about the safety of the monitors, according to activists and amateur video posted online.

Oil buyers cut more Iran imports due to sanctions

Thu, 19 Apr 2012 00:17:57 GMT

TOKYO/LONDON (Reuters) - Japan will slash crude purchases from Iran in April, and European and Taiwanese customers will also take less, industry sources told Reuters on Wednesday, adding to signs Western sanctions are curbing sales from OPEC's second-largest producer. Japan is cutting volumes by almost 80 percent in April compared with the first two months of 2012. The cuts, amounting to 250,000 barrels per day, are the steepest yet by the four Asian nations that buy most of Iran's 2.2 million bpd of exports. ...

Syrian agents fire at protesters near UN monitors

Thu, 19 Apr 2012 00:17:56 GMT

Plainclothes Syrian security agents opened fire at anti-regime protesters near the cars of U.N. monitors in a Damascus suburb Wednesday, a witness said. Amateur video showed people ducking for cover as gunshots rang out.

Norway gunman wants freedom or death for massacre

Thu, 19 Apr 2012 00:17:53 GMT

The right-wing fanatic on trial for massacring 77 people in Norway says he wants either freedom or death, calling the country's prison terms "pathetic" and arguing for the return of capital punishment, which was last used here to execute Nazi collaborators after World War II.

U.S. says Syria at turning point, stresses pressure

Thu, 19 Apr 2012 00:17:52 GMT

BRUSSELS (Reuters) - Syria is at a turning point where the violence must stop or the United States will find ways to increase pressure on the Damascus government, U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said on Wednesday. Clinton gave no details of what the United States or other nations might do if a much-violated ceasefire between government forces and rebels does not take hold and if U.N. monitors are unable to fully deploy in Syria. ...

Russia admits irregularities in regional vote after protests

Thu, 19 Apr 2012 00:17:46 GMT

MOSCOW (Reuters) - Russia admitted on Wednesday that some irregularities had taken place in the course of a disputed mayoral election in a southern Russian city last month, after the victory of a pro-Kremlin candidate there set off a wave of anti-government protests. The disputed election in Astrakhan has become a focus for the opposition as it tries to breathe new life into its protest movement which has lost steam since Vladimir Putin was elected president for a six-year term on March 4. ...

UN monitors flee Syrian protest after gunfire

Thu, 19 Apr 2012 00:17:44 GMT

Syrian security forces opened fire Wednesday on anti-regime demonstrators surrounding the cars of a U.N. team meant to monitor a shaky cease-fire, sending the observers speeding off and protesters dashing for cover, according to activists and amateur videos.

India readies for long-range missile test

Wed, 18 Apr 2012 16:12:20 GMT

India on Wednesday prepared for the first trial of a long-range nuclear-capable missile that could strike anywhere in China -- Delhi's main focus as it strives to modernise its military.

Argentina's defiance on YPF strikes chord at home

Wed, 18 Apr 2012 16:12:17 GMT

BUENOS AIRES (Reuters) - Argentina's drive to seize control of leading energy company YPF from Spain's Repsol may have outraged European trade partners and foreign investors, but many ordinary citizens hailed it as virtually heroic. The move by combative President Cristina Fernandez appealed to Argentines who are critical about the vagaries of global finance and the controversial privatizations of the 1990s - a decade remembered for rampant corruption and factory closures in Latin America's No. 3 economy. ...

Activists: Despite truce, Syria troops attack Homs

Wed, 18 Apr 2012 16:12:13 GMT

Activists say Syrian government forces are pounding a rebel stronghold with mortar fire, violating a week-old cease-fire the international community is reluctant to declare dead despite ongoing violence.

US, NATO ready plan to hand off frontline combat

Wed, 18 Apr 2012 16:12:11 GMT

The United States and its NATO allies are readying plans to pull away from the front lines in Afghanistan next year as President Barack Obama and fellow leaders try to show that the unpopular war is ending.

Despite truce, Syrian troops resume attack on Homs

Wed, 18 Apr 2012 16:12:10 GMT

Nearly a week after a cease-fire took effect, Syrian troops pounded a rebel stronghold Wednesday as the country's foreign minister met with his Chinese counterpart in Beijing during the latest round of talks aimed at preventing the truce from unraveling.

Green Nobel highlights water crises

Wed, 18 Apr 2012 16:12:06 GMT

UNITED NATIONS, Apr 16 (IPS) - A Catholic priest from the Philippines, a mother of three from Argentina, and the founder of the NGO Friends of Lake Turkana in Kenya all have one thing in common: they have helped to motivate their respective local communities to protect the natural environment around them and to stand up for their rights.

Russia says Syria rebels trying to stir up violence

Wed, 18 Apr 2012 16:12:03 GMT

Russia on Wednesday accused the armed opposition in Syria of trying to provoke violence that could involve foreign powers and said it saw nothing standing in the way of dialogue.

Chinese, Syrian foreign ministers meet in Beijing

Wed, 18 Apr 2012 16:12:02 GMT

Syrian Foreign Minister Walid Moallem said Wednesday that his country was observing the cease-fire plan laid out by special envoy Kofi Annan, despite the regime's continued assaults on rebel-held areas.

Philippines leads world 'in belief in God'

Wed, 18 Apr 2012 16:12:01 GMT

The Philippines leads the world in the number of people who believe in God, while the elderly across all countries tend to be the most religious, according to a US study out Wednesday.

US, NATO ready 2013 plan to step back from frontline Afghanistan combat, hand off to Kabul

Wed, 18 Apr 2012 16:12:00 GMT

BRUSSELS - The United States and its NATO allies are readying plans to pull away from the front lines in Afghanistan next year as President Barack Obama and fellow leaders try to show that the unpopular war is ending.

Morocco urges Russia to press Syria on ceasefire

Wed, 18 Apr 2012 16:11:58 GMT

MOSCOW (Reuters) - Morocco and a Syrian opposition group urged Russia on Wednesday to press President Bashar al-Assad's government to adhere to a ceasefire and pull back forces in accordance with U.N.-Arab League envoy Kofi Annan's peace plan. The separate calls on Russia to use its influence on Damascus to ensure a fragile ceasefire takes hold came in visits to Moscow by Morocco's foreign minister and members of the Syrian National Coordination Body, a centrist opposition group. ...

Despite widespread truce violations, Syrian FM says troops to be pulled from urban centres

Wed, 18 Apr 2012 16:11:57 GMT

BEIRUT - Syrian forces assaulted an opposition stronghold with a steady rain of mortar shells Wednesday even as the foreign minister promised the regime would respect a week-old cease-fire and withdraw troops from urban centres in line with an international peace initiative.

Shell looks at $4B in possible projects in Nigeria

Wed, 18 Apr 2012 16:11:55 GMT

Royal Dutch Shell PLC is considering $4 billion worth of onshore projects in Nigeria to help capture natural gas currently burning at oil wells that contribute to global warming and can sicken those living nearby, the company's CEO said Wednesday.

Syria's FM claims government abiding by truce

Wed, 18 Apr 2012 16:11:54 GMT

Syrian forces fired a barrage of mortar shells at an opposition stronghold Wednesday even as the foreign minister promised the regime would respect a week-old cease-fire and withdraw troops from urban centers in line with an international peace plan.

New Syria bloodshed clouds UN observer talks

Wed, 18 Apr 2012 16:11:53 GMT

Syrian forces shelled rebel areas anew on Wednesday, six days into a UN-backed ceasefire, sparking new pressure for unfettered nationwide access for an observer mission intended to oversee it.

Shots fired in Syria town where observers visit

Wed, 18 Apr 2012 16:11:50 GMT

Opposition activists say Syrian troops opened fire on protesters, wounding eight in a Damascus suburb visited by a U.N. observer team.

Muti brings Chicago Symphony Orchestra to Russia for first time since 1990

Wed, 18 Apr 2012 16:11:49 GMT

MOSCOW - The Chicago Symphony Orchestra is performing in Russia for the first time since the fall of the Soviet Union as part of U.S. efforts to improve relations between the two countries.

Russia says only UN can judge Annan's plan

Wed, 18 Apr 2012 16:11:48 GMT

Russia's foreign minister warned Wednesday that the implementation of special envoy Kofi Annan's cease-fire plan for Syria can only be assessed by the United Nations.

Ukraine's Tymoshenko refuses to attend opening of new trial

Wed, 18 Apr 2012 16:11:47 GMT

KIEV (Reuters) - A new trial of former Ukrainian prime minister Yulia Tymoshenko, already serving a seven-year prison term on abuse-of-office charges, is set to open in her absence this week after the opposition leader refused to attend it citing poor health. The jailing last October of Tymoshenko, the fiercest foe of President Viktor Yanukovich, has soured Ukraine's ties with the European Union and the United States, which saw the case as an example of "selective justice". ...

Exxon, Rosneft talk about $500BN joint investment

Wed, 18 Apr 2012 16:11:45 GMT

ExxonMobil and Russian oil giant Rosneft could invest over $500 billion in a joint venture to explore for and produce oil in the Arctic and the Black Sea.

Sudan, South Sudan clash on new front as U.N. mulls sanctions

Wed, 18 Apr 2012 16:11:44 GMT

KHARTOUM (Reuters) - Sudan and South Sudan accused each other on Wednesday of launching attacks on a new front near their contested border, stoking fears of a return to all-out war in the oil-producing region. South Sudan's army said a total of 22 soldiers died in the fighting. The reports of the fresh fighting south of the Sudanese town of Mairem late on Tuesday came as the U.N. Security Council discussed imposing sanctions on the African neighbors if they did not stop the escalating border clashes. ...

Homs shelled as Syria demands "neutral" U.N. mission

Wed, 18 Apr 2012 16:11:43 GMT

BEIRUT (Reuters) - Syria challenged the United Nations chief over the size and scope of a U.N. truce monitoring mission on Wednesday, resisting a larger presence as its army shelled targets in the city of Homs in violation of the ceasefire. Despite the seven-day-old truce agreement between government and rebel forces, explosions rocked the battered Khalidiyah quarter of Homs as the army resumed what has become a daily barrage of heavy mortar shelling, and plumes of black smoke drifted over the rooftops. ...

Exxon, Rosneft eye $500BN joint investment in oil

Wed, 18 Apr 2012 16:11:40 GMT

ExxonMobil and Rosneft, the U.S. and Russian oil giants, said Wednesday they could invest over $500 billion in a joint venture that would explore for and produce oil in the Arctic and the Black Sea.

India defers long-range missile test launch

Wed, 18 Apr 2012 16:11:39 GMT

BHUBANESWAR, India (Reuters) - India on Wednesday postponed the test-launch of its first long-range missile capable of reaching deep into China and as far as Europe due to bad weather, a government official said. The launch of the Agni V, which can carry nuclear warheads and has a range of 5,000 km (3,125 miles), will thrust the emerging Asian power into an elite club of nations with intercontinental nuclear defense capabilities. ...

US, NATO ready plan to hand off Afghanistan combat

Wed, 18 Apr 2012 16:11:38 GMT

NATO allies to debate Afghan war

Wed, 18 Apr 2012 06:02:32 GMT

NATO foreign and defence ministers gather for two days of talks Wednesday expected to focus on their troop withdrawal from Afghanistan as a Taliban onslaught underscores difficulties in ending the decade-old war.

Australia fired up for top-5 London Olympics finish

Wed, 18 Apr 2012 06:02:30 GMT

Australia's Olympic team chief on Wednesday said that he was confident of a top-five finish in London despite a renewed threat from the hosts, Japan, Germany and France.

British woman gears up to row across Pacific

Wed, 18 Apr 2012 06:02:29 GMT

Briton Sarah Outen is no stranger to adventure, but when she rows out from a small port in Japan this week she will be on her own -- all the way until she reaches Canada.

China meets with Syrian foreign minister

Wed, 18 Apr 2012 06:02:28 GMT

China's foreign minister met with his Syrian counterpart on Wednesday in the latest show of Beijing's support for Damascus despite its tentative engagement with Syria's opposition.

World powers cling to Syria truce despite violence

Tue, 17 Apr 2012 21:56:26 GMT

Artillery shatters homes in opposition areas. Regime tanks roll though city centers. Civilians dig graves for dozens of corpses, scrawling their names on headstones with black markers.

Syria regime's finances cut in half by sanctions

Tue, 17 Apr 2012 16:41:32 GMT

France's foreign minister says an array of international sanctions targeting Syria's repressive regime have depleted its financial reserves by half — and Damascus is actively trying to evade them.

Tajikistan says Russia is main partner, rejects foreign offers

Tue, 17 Apr 2012 16:41:28 GMT

DUSHANBE (Reuters) - Tajikistan, a former Soviet republic bordering Afghanistan, has rejected requests by foreign powers to allow them to set up military bases on its territory because it does not want to upset Russia, its president said on Tuesday. Central Asia has become an important alternative transit route for shipments of non-lethal supplies for NATO forces in Afghanistan but international powers have not made any public requests to open military facilities there. ...

Syrian troops widen shelling attacks to second town as UN observers demand free access

Tue, 17 Apr 2012 16:41:25 GMT

BEIRUT - The Syrian regime widened shelling attacks on opposition strongholds Tuesday, activists said, targeting a second town in a new sign that a U.N.-brokered cease-fire is quickly unraveling despite the presence of foreign observers.

France's Juppe says sanctions against Syrian regime have cut its financial reserves in half

Tue, 17 Apr 2012 16:41:22 GMT

and Damascus is actively trying to evade them.

Assange interviews Hezbollah chief in TV debut

Tue, 17 Apr 2012 16:41:19 GMT

WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange interviewed Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah on Tuesday in the debut of his "The World Tomorrow" talk show on Russia's state-funded RT cable broadcaster.

France: Syria regime finances halved by sanctions

Tue, 17 Apr 2012 16:41:16 GMT

International sanctions targeting Syria's repressive regime have depleted its financial reserves by half — and Damascus is actively trying to evade them, the French foreign minister said Tuesday.

Sanctions halve Syria's foreign reserves: France

Tue, 17 Apr 2012 16:41:15 GMT

PARIS (Reuters) - Western sanctions have halved Syria's foreign reserves and should be stepped up to force Damascus to comply with a U.N.-backed peace plan, France's foreign minister said on Tuesday. Alain Juppe told officials from 57 countries meeting in Paris to discuss the efficacy of the sanctions that President Bashar al-Assad's government should not be allowed to continue a 13-month violent crackdown on protesters with impunity. Assad, who agreed a peace plan with U.N. ...

Activists say Syrian troops widen shelling attacks

Tue, 17 Apr 2012 16:41:14 GMT

The Syrian regime widened artillery attacks on opposition strongholds Tuesday in another sign that the U.N.-brokered cease-fire is quickly unraveling despite the presence of foreign observers, activists said.

War planes 'strike suspected Somali pirate base'

Tue, 17 Apr 2012 16:41:13 GMT

War planes fired several missiles at a suspected Somali pirate base in the north of the war-torn country, wounding two civilians, a coastguard official said Tuesday.

Nuclear talks don't exempt Iran from attack: Barak

Tue, 17 Apr 2012 11:48:55 GMT

JERUSALEM (Reuters) - Israel's defense minister said on Tuesday that Israeli military action against Iran remains an option even while nuclear negotiations are under way, and voiced strong doubts whether the talks would succeed. Asked whether the negotiations, which began in Turkey on Saturday, could persuade Iran to halt uranium enrichment, Ehud Barak told Army Radio: "It does not look to me as if it is going to happen - not now, in the wake of Istanbul, and not ... after the (Baghdad round of talks next month)." Barak is due to meet U.S. ...

Syrian opposition hopes Russia to pressure Assad

Tue, 17 Apr 2012 11:48:53 GMT

Syrian opposition members say they have sensed a shift in Russia's stance on the conflict in their homeland and voiced hope Tuesday that Moscow will crank up pressure on Syrian President Bashar Assad's regime.

Syria violence puts U.N. mission in question

Tue, 17 Apr 2012 11:48:51 GMT

BEIRUT (Reuters) - Unrelenting bloodshed in Syria complicated preparations by a team of U.N. observers on Tuesday to monitor a truce that has brought only short-lived breaks in violence since President Bashar al-Assad pledged to enforce it last week. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, relaying reports from anti-Assad activists, said at least two people were killed and dozens wounded by shelling as troops sought to take control of the town of Basr al-Harir in the southern province of Deraa, which activists say has been a rebel stronghold. ...

Incensed Spain threatens Argentina after YPF seizure

Tue, 17 Apr 2012 11:48:50 GMT

MADRID (Reuters) - An incensed Spain threatened swift economic retaliation against Argentina on Tuesday after it seized control of YPF, the South American nation's biggest oil company, in a move which pushed down shares in Spanish energy giant Repsol, the major shareholder. Madrid called in the Argentinean ambassador in a rapidly escalating row over the nationalization order by Argentina's populist and increasingly assertive president, Cristina Fernandez, a move which delighted many of her compatriots but alarmed some foreign governments and investors. ...

Barak says Israel never ruled out attacking Iran

Tue, 17 Apr 2012 11:48:49 GMT

Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak said Tuesday his country has never promised the United States it would hold off from attacking Iran while nuclear talks were taking place.

China ready for more 'consequences' for N.Korea: Clinton

Tue, 17 Apr 2012 09:10:48 GMT

China and other world powers will back "further consequences" against North Korea if it undertakes new provocation following its rocket launch, according to US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.

Activists: Syrian troops widen shelling attacks

Tue, 17 Apr 2012 09:10:45 GMT

Syrian activists say the regime has widened shelling attacks on opposition targets in another sign that the U.N.-brokered cease-fire is unraveling.

Analysis: Marine insurance: the stranglehold on Iran?

Tue, 17 Apr 2012 09:10:44 GMT

HONG KONG/TOKYO (Reuters) - Marine insurance, or lack of it, may yet turn out to be the most effective sanction used by Western nations in 17 years of tightening the screws on Iran's nuclear program. A European Union oil embargo on Iran, set to take effect in July, prohibits EU insurers from covering Iranian oil exports anywhere in the world. With around 90 percent of the world's tanker insurance based in the West, the arcane world of reinsurance and liability coverage has become a powerful weapon. Iran, OPEC's second-largest producer, exports most of its 2. ...

Syria violence casts doubt on U.N. observer mission: U.S.

Tue, 17 Apr 2012 01:04:50 GMT

UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) - Sporadic violence across Syria in violation of a shaky 4-day-old truce cast doubt over U.N. plans to expand a small observer mission charged with overseeing an end to 13 months of conflict, the U.S. envoy to the United Nations said Monday. A handful of observers arrived in Damascus on Sunday, a day after the 15-nation U.N. Security Council voted unanimously to authorize an initial deployment of up to 30 unarmed observers. The council needs to pass a second resolution to expand the mission to 250 as requested by U.N. ...

Syrian opposition delegation holds talks in Moscow

Tue, 17 Apr 2012 01:04:48 GMT

Members of a Syrian opposition delegation said they had constructive talks with Russian diplomats in Moscow on Monday.

Analysis: Syria's Assad unbowed by Annan plan

Tue, 17 Apr 2012 01:04:45 GMT

The U.N. insists a fragile truce it brokered in Syria is holding, even though regime forces have been hammering the rebellious city of Homs with artillery for days.

The new Cold War? As climate change melts polar ice cap, militaries vie for Arctic advantage

Tue, 17 Apr 2012 01:04:44 GMT

YOKOSUKA, Japan - To the world's military leaders, the debate over climate change is long over. They are preparing for a new kind of Cold War in the Arctic, anticipating that rising temperatures there will open up a treasure trove of resources, long-dreamed-of sea lanes and a slew of potential conflicts.

UN toughens North Korea sanctions over rocket launch

Tue, 17 Apr 2012 01:04:41 GMT

The UN Security Council on Monday ordered tightened sanctions on North Korea over its failed rocket launch and warned of new action if the isolated state stages a nuclear test.

Iran wants sanctions eased, hints on enrichment

Tue, 17 Apr 2012 01:04:38 GMT

Iran on Monday called on the West to look to lifting its sanctions if it wants to quickly resolve the showdown over Tehran's disputed nuclear activities, and hinted it could make concessions on uranium enrichment in return.

UN strongly condemns NKorea rocket launch

Tue, 17 Apr 2012 01:04:37 GMT

The U.N. Security Council strongly condemned North Korea's rocket launch Monday, announcing it will impose new sanctions and warning of further action if Pyongyang conducts another launch or a new nuclear test.

U.S. lawmakers say Iran talks inadequate, urge more penalties

Tue, 17 Apr 2012 01:04:35 GMT

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. lawmakers on Monday pushed for more sanctions against Iran after talks between Tehran and global powers failed to stop Iran from developing its nuclear program. Although the talks between Iran, the United States and five other world powers were described as "constructive" by the European Union's foreign policy chief, Catherine Ashton, some U.S. lawmakers said they were unimpressed. "The United States should not mistake positive diplomatic dialogue for compliance with United Nations Security Council resolutions," said a spokesman for Republican Senator Mark Kirk. ...

Think-tank: Russia, China boost arms spending

Tue, 17 Apr 2012 01:04:34 GMT

The global financial crisis hit military spending in the U.S. and Europe last year, while Russia and China kept increasing their spending on weapons, a leading think-tank said Tuesday.

Think tank: Russia, China boost arms spending

Tue, 17 Apr 2012 01:04:30 GMT

The global financial crisis hit military spending in the U.S. and Europe last year, while Russia and China kept increasing their spending on weapons, a leading think tank said Tuesday.

Clinton says U.S. will keep sanctions on Iran

Tue, 17 Apr 2012 01:04:28 GMT

BRASILIA (Reuters) - The United States will maintain sanctions and other pressure on Iran as Tehran considers what it will bring to the table in the next round of talks over its nuclear program, U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said on Monday. Iran's foreign minister was quoted earlier as saying his country was ready to resolve all nuclear issues in the next round of talks with world powers if the West starts lifting sanctions. ...

Freed anti-government Belarus leader says was pushed to kill self

Mon, 16 Apr 2012 16:58:33 GMT

MINSK (Reuters) - Recently freed Belarussian opposition leader Andrei Sannikov spoke on Monday of how his country's authoritarian government had tried to push him to commit suicide in prison, urging it to release the other political prisoners it was holding. In an interview with Reuters two days after he was released and pardoned by President Alexander Lukashenko, Sannikov, 58, said the government had placed special provocateurs in prison with him who had tried to break his spirit and get him to take his own life. ...

EU court rules against Russia on 1940 Katyn massacre

Mon, 16 Apr 2012 16:58:31 GMT

STRASBOURG, France (Reuters) - The European Court of Human Rights ruled on Monday that Russia had violated the rights of relatives of thousands of Poles who were killed by the Soviet secret police in 1940, and described the Katyn massacre as a "war crime". The ruling followed a complaint by 15 descendants of 12 victims over the adequacy of Russia's enquiry into the massacre, in which some 22,000 Polish officers and intellectuals were murdered without trial, often by shooting them from behind. ...

U.N. condemns North Korea launch, warns on nuclear test

Mon, 16 Apr 2012 16:58:29 GMT

UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) - The U.N. Security Council on Monday strongly condemned North Korea's rocket launch, urged tightening of existing U.N. sanctions and warned of further action if Pyongyang carries out another missile launch or nuclear test. China, a permanent veto-wielding council member and North Korea's protector on the 15-nation panel, backed the council's "presidential statement," which was adopted unanimously. U.N. ...

Scandal-hit Russia Church vows to defeat critics

Mon, 16 Apr 2012 14:50:04 GMT

The powerful Russian Orthodox patriarch on Sunday vowed that the Church was stronger than its critics after a series of scandals tarnished its image in the run-up to Easter.

UN votes to send Syria monitors amid shaky truce

Mon, 16 Apr 2012 14:50:03 GMT

The U.N. Security Council voted unanimously Saturday to dispatch a first team of monitors to Syria to shore up a brittle cease-fire as escalating fighting between regime and rebel forces threatened the truce at the heart of special envoy Kofi Annan's peace plan.

U.N. votes to send Syria monitors, killings continue

Mon, 16 Apr 2012 14:50:00 GMT

UNITED NATIONS/BEIRUT (Reuters) - Russia and China joined the rest of the U.N. Security Council on Saturday to authorize deployment of up to 30 unarmed observers to monitor Syria's fragile ceasefire as activists reported more deaths in the country and renewed shelling of Homs. The resolution by the 15-nation Security Council is the first it has approved since the anti-government uprising in Syria began 13 months ago. Moscow and Beijing twice vetoed council resolutions condemning Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's assault on protesters opposed to his rule that has killed thousands of civilians. ...

Beyond monitors, world deeply divided on Syria

Mon, 16 Apr 2012 14:49:57 GMT

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - With a cease-fire barely holding and the deployment of unarmed foreign observers expected to ease but not end months of violence, world powers are still struggling to find a longer-term strategy for Syria. After heavy diplomatic wrangling, the United Nations Security Council on Saturday finally approved the deployment of what could be several hundred monitors amid reports of sporadic ongoing fighting. ...

Activists: Shelling of Syrian city resumes

Mon, 16 Apr 2012 14:49:54 GMT

Syrian troops resumed their shelling of residential neighborhoods dominated by rebels in the central city of Homs Sunday, activists said, after the U.N. Security Council voted to dispatch the first group of monitors to the country to shore up a shaky truce.

Iran media see nuclear 'rights' endorsed by talks

Mon, 16 Apr 2012 14:49:51 GMT

Iran's media, including outlets close to the leadership, on Sunday hailed renewed talks with world powers as positive -- and claimed EU governments were now recognising Iran's atomic "rights".

Syrian city shelled as advance UN team of observers heads to Damascus to observe shaky truce

Mon, 16 Apr 2012 14:49:48 GMT

BEIRUT - Syrian troops shelled residential neighbourhoods dominated by rebels in the central city of Homs Sunday, activists said, hours before the first batch of United Nations observers were to arrive in Damascus to shore up a shaky truce.

Syrian city shelled, UN truce observers to arrive

Mon, 16 Apr 2012 14:49:46 GMT

Syrian troops shelled residential neighborhoods dominated by rebels in the central city of Homs Sunday, activists said, killing at least three people hours before the first batch of United Nations observers were to arrive in Damascus to shore up a shaky truce.

Iran nuclear talks: Why all sides kept positive

Mon, 16 Apr 2012 14:49:43 GMT

In the forlorn panoply of Iran's nuclear negotiations with world powers over the years, the positive atmosphere that prevailed during Saturday talks in Istanbul was the best in nearly a decade.

Belarus opposition activist freed

Mon, 16 Apr 2012 14:49:41 GMT

A prominent Belarusian opposition activist was released Sunday in a move that followed crippling sanctions introduced by the West in response to a crackdown on dissent by the country's authoritarian president

Russian hunger-striker says may travel to Moscow

Mon, 16 Apr 2012 14:49:40 GMT

A Russian politician on hunger-strike to protest alleged fraud in a recent mayoral race says he may take up an offer to travel to Moscow to review evidence of vote-rigging, but only if doctors rule him fit enough.

Israeli leader says nuclear talks gave Iran 'gift'

Mon, 16 Apr 2012 14:49:37 GMT

Israel's prime minister says Iran got a "gift" from the world's big powers at nuclear talks this weekend.

Diplomacy will dampen Iran war talk - for now

Mon, 16 Apr 2012 14:49:36 GMT

ISTANBUL (Reuters) - Renewed diplomacy on Iran's nuclear program will muffle what Barack Obama last month called the "drums of war", but the beat will soon get louder if warm words do not lead swiftly to action that can defuse the decade-old dispute. For over a year until this weekend in Istanbul, negotiations had been frozen; aides to the U.S. ...

Belarus authorities release opposition activist

Mon, 16 Apr 2012 14:49:33 GMT

Belarus released a prominent opposition activist from prison Sunday, a move that suggested the authoritarian government is responding to pressure from Western sanctions aimed at curtailing its repression of dissent.

Syrian regime shells Homs before UN observers come

Mon, 16 Apr 2012 14:49:32 GMT

Syrian troops shelled neighborhoods dominated by rebels in the central city of Homs Sunday and activists said at least three people were killed hours before the first batch of United Nations observers were to arrive in Damascus to shore up a shaky truce.

Israeli PM says nuclear talks gave Iran 'freebie'

Mon, 16 Apr 2012 14:49:29 GMT

Israel's prime minister says Iran got a "freebie" from the world's big powers at nuclear talks this weekend.

Will You Catch the New Show from Julian Assange?

Mon, 16 Apr 2012 14:49:28 GMT

COMMENTARY | As soon as he began editing his website WikiLeaks, Julian Assange became as much of a hero to millions as he became an enemy to millions more. But in spite of threats to his life and conveniently timed sex crime allegations from Sweden, he perseveres. CNN reports that Tuesday, Assange takes his campaign of transparency to a new level with a TV show to be broadcast online, in partnership with Russia Today.

First UN observers land in Syria as clashes warm up

Mon, 16 Apr 2012 14:49:25 GMT

The first international observers tasked with monitoring a shaky UN-backed ceasefire arrived Sunday in Syria, where regime forces pounded a rebel city and killed five civilians.

Iran, big powers agree - to keep talking

Mon, 16 Apr 2012 14:49:23 GMT

ISTANBUL (Reuters) - After a year of sanctions and sabre-rattling over Iran's nuclear programme, negotiators from Tehran and six world powers finally resumed talks and found at least enough common ground to agree to meet again next month. With threats of war hanging over an already unsettled Middle East, U.S. and other Western diplomats welcomed an Iranian willingness in Istanbul on Saturday to discuss their nuclear activities - something they had refused since early last year. But though they will meet again, in Baghdad on May 23, they remained poles apart. ...

Obama says more Iran sanctions coming if talks drag

Mon, 16 Apr 2012 14:49:22 GMT

CARTAGENA, Colombia (Reuters) - President Barack Obama said there would be more sanctions imposed on Iran if there is no breakthrough in nuclear talks with global powers in the coming months, responding to Israeli accusations that Tehran has been given a "freebie." At a news conference in Cartagena, Colombia, where he was attending the Summit of the Americas, Obama said negotiations between Iran and six world powers that resumed on Saturday would not stretch on indefinitely and would require Iran to act. "We're going to keep on seeing if we make progress. ...

Truce eroding as first UN monitors head to Syria

Mon, 16 Apr 2012 14:49:20 GMT

Syria's 4-day-old cease-fire appeared to be quickly eroding Sunday, with regime forces firing dozens of tank shells and mortar rounds at neighborhoods in the opposition stronghold of Homs, hours before the arrival of a first team of U.N. truce monitors.

U.N. council set to condemn North Korean rocket launch

Mon, 16 Apr 2012 14:49:19 GMT

UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) - After several days of closed-door haggling, the U.N. Security Council is hoping to adopt a statement on Monday condemning North Korea's botched rocket launch, council diplomats said. U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Susan Rice said on Friday that the members of the 15-nation Security Council "deplored" North Korea's failed bid to launch a long-range rocket but that the council would continue talks on a formal condemnation of the actions of the hermit state. ...

Israel PM: Talks have given Iran a 'freebie'

Mon, 16 Apr 2012 14:49:17 GMT

Iran has bought itself extra time during a first round of key talks with world powers over its disputed nuclear programme, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Sunday.

Oil falls to near $102 after Iran nuclear talks

Mon, 16 Apr 2012 14:49:16 GMT

Oil fell to near $102 a barrel Monday in Asia after negotiators said meetings over Iran's nuclear program last weekend began on a positive note, easing tensions that had sent crude higher.

World markets muted as Spain borrowing costs jump

Mon, 16 Apr 2012 14:49:15 GMT

Another jump in Spain's borrowing costs weighed on world stock markets Monday amid fears one of Europe's biggest economies could eventually need a bailout.

Bombs kill FSB agent's wife, militant in Russia's Caucasus

Mon, 16 Apr 2012 14:49:14 GMT

MOSCOW (Reuters) - Bomb blasts killed the wife of a local Federal Security Service (FSB) officer and a suspected Islamist militant on Monday in the capital of Russia's turbulent North Caucasus province of Dagestan, Russian news agencies reported. An Islamist insurgency, business and political disputes and clan feuds result in daily violence in the mostly Muslim region on the Caspian Sea in southern Russia. The suspected militant was killed when a bomb he was making exploded during the night in an apartment in provincial capital, Makhachkala, state-run Itar-Tass reported, citing local police. ...

Shelling in Syria as UN monitors begin mission

Mon, 16 Apr 2012 14:49:11 GMT

An advance team of U.N. observers was negotiating the ground rules with Syrian authorities Monday for monitoring the country's 5-day-old cease-fire, which appeared to be rapidly unraveling as regime forces pounded the opposition stronghold of Homs with artillery shells and mortars, activists said.

UN's Ban calls Syrian cease-fire 'very fragile'

Mon, 16 Apr 2012 14:49:10 GMT

U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon is calling the cease-fire in Syria "very fragile," but says it's essential it hold so "inclusive political dialogue can continue."

Iran launches $1.5B water project from Caspian Sea

Mon, 16 Apr 2012 14:49:09 GMT

Iran has launched a $1.5 billion project to bring water for drinking and irrigation from the Caspian Sea to its central desert.

Oil prices drop after Iran nuclear talks

Mon, 16 Apr 2012 14:49:07 GMT

Oil prices slipped on Monday after nuclear talks over the weekend between major crude producer Iran and world powers eased concerns over Middle East supplies, analysts said.

As ice cap melts, militaries vie for Arctic edge

Mon, 16 Apr 2012 14:49:06 GMT

To the world's military leaders, the debate over climate change is long over. They are preparing for a new kind of Cold War in the Arctic, anticipating that rising temperatures there will open up a treasure trove of resources, long-dreamed-of sea lanes and a slew of potential conflicts.

Oil falls toward $102 after Iran nuclear talks

Mon, 16 Apr 2012 14:49:05 GMT

Oil fell to near $102 a barrel Monday after negotiators said meetings over Iran's nuclear program last weekend began on a positive note, easing tensions that had sent crude higher.

UN's Ban says Syria must guarantee freedom of movement to observers monitoring cease-fire

Mon, 16 Apr 2012 14:49:03 GMT

BEIRUT - U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said Monday it is the Syrian government's responsibility to guarantee freedom of movement within the country for U.N. observers monitoring the nation's 5-day cease-fire, which appeared to be rapidly unraveling as regime forces pounded the opposition stronghold of Homs with artillery shells and mortars, activists said.

UN's Ban: Syria must allow observers full access

Mon, 16 Apr 2012 14:49:02 GMT

U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said Monday the Syrian government is responsible for guaranteeing U.N. observers full freedom of movement to monitor the country's tenuous cease-fire, which appeared to be unraveling as regime forces pounded the opposition stronghold of Homs, activists said.

Spain's king slammed for hunting in Botswana

Mon, 16 Apr 2012 14:49:01 GMT

Spain's King Juan Carlos faced fire Monday for a hunting trip in Botswana during which the monarch, patron of a wildlife charity, broke his hip and ended up in hospital.

Shelling, shaky truce challenge U.N. few in Syria

Mon, 16 Apr 2012 14:49:01 GMT

BEIRUT (Reuters) - A handful of soldiers in blue caps put a tentative United Nations presence at the heart of the Syrian crisis on Monday, predicting success for their mission to stabilize a shaky four-day-old ceasefire even as shells continued to fall. Charged with overseeing an end to 13 months of violence, the unarmed multinational squad of six professed their optimism. ...

Fierce clashes as observers begin work in Syria

Mon, 16 Apr 2012 14:49:00 GMT

Syrian forces were locked in fierce gunfights with rebels in one city and shelled another on Monday, hours after UN peacekeepers arrived to oversee a truce aimed at ending a year of bloodshed.

Spain's king, WWF patron, slammed for hunting

Mon, 16 Apr 2012 14:48:58 GMT

Spain's King Juan Carlos faced fire Monday for a hunting trip in Botswana during which the monarch, patron of a wildlife charity, broke his hip and ended up in hospital.

Spain's king slammed for Botswana hunting trip

Mon, 16 Apr 2012 14:48:58 GMT

Spain's King Juan Carlos faced fire Monday for a hunting trip in Botswana during which the monarch, patron of a wildlife charity, broke his hip and ended up in hospital.

European court can't rule on World War II massacre

Mon, 16 Apr 2012 14:48:57 GMT

The European Court of Human Rights said Monday it cannot rule on whether or not Russia properly investigated a World War II massacre of thousands of Polish officers because it has not received vital documents from Moscow to properly judge the case.

Why outlook for US-Russia 'reset' looks bearish

Thu, 12 Apr 2012 01:29:47 GMT

Despite the best efforts of President Obama to tamp down controversy, the already troubled US-Russia relationship is looming as a potentially acrimonious foreign policy issue in the coming US presidential election.

Canada, Denmark could split tiny Arctic island

Thu, 12 Apr 2012 01:29:43 GMT

Canada and Denmark are close to settling a decades-old territorial dispute over a tiny island in the Arctic, a Canadian newspaper said Wednesday.

Britain to boost Syria opposition support if no ceasefire

Thu, 12 Apr 2012 01:29:40 GMT

Britain will boost support for Syria's opposition and seek tougher sanctions if government forces do not adhere to a ceasefire, Foreign Secretary William Hague warned Wednesday.

Why We Should Calm Down About the North Korean Rocket Launch

Thu, 12 Apr 2012 01:29:39 GMT

COMMENTARY | It wasn't long ago that peace seemed to be "at hand" on the Korean Peninsula, as North Korea appeared to give up their nuclear weapons in exchange for food from the West. Now the presence of a rocket launch this week may cause the whole deal to unravel and bring us again to the brink of a major crisis….

William Boyd to pen new Bond adventure

Thu, 12 Apr 2012 01:29:38 GMT

Author William Boyd is to follow in the footsteps of fellow novelists Kingsley Amis and Sebastian Faulks by penning a new adventure for 007 superspy James Bond, it was revealed on Thursday.

U.S. dismisses credibility of Syria ceasefire pledge

Thu, 12 Apr 2012 01:29:37 GMT

UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) - The United States dismissed Syria's new pledge to halt all fighting by dawn on Thursday, saying it holds "little if any credibility" and that caveats placed by President Bashar al-Assad's government on the ceasefire are worrying. U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Susan Rice said the commitment - made by Syria in a letter to U.N. and Arab League envoy Kofi Annan - could not be construed as complying with the former U.N. secretary-general's peace plan. ...

Fighting rages in countdown to Syria truce

Thu, 12 Apr 2012 01:29:32 GMT

BEIRUT (Reuters) - Syria was due to observe a ceasefire from dawn on Thursday, but its fierce attacks on opposition neighborhoods in the run up to the U.N. deadline fuelled widespread doubts it would comply. The Syrian army also showed few signs of withdrawing troops from urban areas, something supposed to have begun on Tuesday under the peace plan agreed with international envoy Kofi Annan. Activists reported more tanks moving in to a major city even as a pledge to halt operations on Thursday morning was broadcast on state television. ...

Kofi Annan in Tehran seeks Iran's help in solving Syria crisis; activists report new violence

Wed, 11 Apr 2012 20:49:44 GMT

Special envoy Kofi Annan said Wednesday in Tehran that Iran could help solve the crisis in Syria, where activists reported fresh violence a day before an international cease-fire is supposed to take effect.

Iran to offer new proposals at nuclear talks: Press TV

Wed, 11 Apr 2012 20:49:40 GMT

DUBAI (Reuters) - Iran will present new proposals at talks on Saturday aimed at easing concerns about its nuclear activity, state television said, but it was unclear if Tehran was willing to address its disputed uranium enrichment drive as six world powers want. It was the latest apparent attempt to strengthen Iran's position ahead of the talks, which the powers insists must tackle higher-grade enrichment by Tehran seen in the West as a disguised bid to develop the means to make nuclear weapons. The Islamic Republic says it is refining uranium solely for electricity and medical treatments. ...

Opposition challenges Putin with walkout

Wed, 11 Apr 2012 20:49:38 GMT

A entire opposition faction in Russian parliament has walked out in protest against Vladimir Putin's refusal to look into claims of vote rigging in a mayoral election in a southern city.

Several Russian deputies walk out after Putin speech

Wed, 11 Apr 2012 20:49:36 GMT

MOSCOW (Reuters) - Several opposition deputies walked out of Russia's lower house of parliament on Wednesday in protest at comments by Prime Minister Vladimir Putin about a dispute over a local election. Oleg Shein, a representative of the opposition Just Russia party, and a group of supporters went on a hunger strike after complaining of fraud in a mayoral election in the southern city of Astrakhan which he lost to a rival from a pro-Kremlin party. ...

Interview: Syria opposition urges UN unity if ceasefire fails

Wed, 11 Apr 2012 20:49:33 GMT

GENEVA (Reuters) - If Syria fails to respect a ceasefire, the world should unite against President Bashar al-Assad, using an arms embargo and other sanctions to force him to end the violence, the main opposition group said on Wednesday, hours before a truce deadline. The Syrian National Council (SNC) said it doubted Assad would respect the 0300 GMT Thursday ceasefire deadline and called for a new United Nations push to isolate him, something that would require the backing of reluctant Russia and China. ...

Russian opposition challenges Putin with walkout

Wed, 11 Apr 2012 20:49:30 GMT

A large opposition faction stormed out of Russia's parliament on Wednesday to protest Vladimir Putin's refusal to look into claims of vote-rigging in a mayoral election that has sparked nationwide anger.

Russia says Syria ceasefire success in opposition's hands

Wed, 11 Apr 2012 20:49:26 GMT

MOSCOW (Reuters) - The Syrian government's pledge to stop army operations on Thursday morning means the opposition must now also honor the ceasefire, Russia's deputy foreign minister said on Wednesday. "The Syrian government has declared it will cease fire as of 6 a.m. on April 12. Now it's up to the armed opposition," Deputy Foreign Minister Gennady Gatilov said on Twitter. "Those are the conditions of the Annan plan." (Reporting by Steve Gutterman, editing by Angus MacSwan)

Bulgaria plans third nuclear reactor

Wed, 11 Apr 2012 20:49:23 GMT

Bulgaria's government has announced plans to install a third reactor at the country's only nuclear power plant in Kozloduy.

Putin signals support for NATO Afghan supply hub

Wed, 11 Apr 2012 20:49:20 GMT

MOSCOW (Reuters) - President-elect Vladimir Putin on Wednesday called NATO a relic of the Cold War but said he supported letting the alliance use a Russian airport as a supply hub in support of its mission in Afghanistan. Moscow is studying a request from NATO for use of facilities at an airport in the Volga River city of Ulyanovsk as a transit point for shipments of non-lethal supplies to and from Afghanistan by air, rail and road. ...

G8 diplomats meet as Syria, N. Korea crises deepen

Wed, 11 Apr 2012 20:49:18 GMT

Foreign ministers of the Group of Eight major economies arrived for talks in Washington on Wednesday as pressure mounted for international action over security fears in Syria and North Korea.

Eyeing nuclear talks, Iran plays hard ball over oil

Wed, 11 Apr 2012 20:49:13 GMT

Just days before crucial talks with world powers on its disputed nuclear programme, Iran was presenting a defiant face on Wednesday, announcing the halt of oil exports to EU nations and warning the West to drop its "language of force."

Turkey steps up pressure on Damascus after border crisis

Wed, 11 Apr 2012 20:49:12 GMT

A furious Turkey has stepped up threats against Syria after escalating tensions on their common border while pushing for buffer zones to be established for refugees, say analysts.

Iran to offer new proposals at nuclear talks

Wed, 11 Apr 2012 20:49:11 GMT

DUBAI (Reuters) - Iran will present new proposals at talks on Saturday aimed at easing concerns about its nuclear activity, state television said, but it was unclear if Tehran was willing to address its disputed uranium enrichment drive as six world powers want. The report did not specify what Iran was set to offer and one western diplomat said he doubted it would be enough for any quick lifting of sanctions on the Islamic Republic which the West suspects may be seeking nuclear weapons capability. ...

Israel PM to seek direct talks with Abbas at Fayyad meet

Wed, 11 Apr 2012 20:49:10 GMT

Israel's Benjamin Netanyahu will propose holding direct talks with Palestinian leader Mahmud Abbas when he meets prime minister Salam Fayyad in Jerusalem next week, his office said on Wednesday.

Syria says it will stop fighting by UN deadline

Wed, 11 Apr 2012 20:49:08 GMT

Syria promised to stop fighting in time for Thursday's deadline for a cease-fire brokered by special envoy Kofi Annan but reserved the right to respond to any aggression, a hedge against any end in the fighting that has convulsed the nation for more than a year.

Syria crisis enters 'new phase' after Assad ignores UN deadline

Wed, 11 Apr 2012 12:43:05 GMT

A United Nations-brokered pullout deadline expired in Syria overnight Monday, with fighting continuing and a cross-border shooting into a refugee camp in Turkey threatening to widen the 13-month conflict.

Russian comments on Syria hint at mounting disapproval of Assad

Wed, 11 Apr 2012 12:42:50 GMT

After months of stubbornly backing Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, Russia signaled today that it's running out of patience and may be ready to pressure him into withdrawing Syrian troops from towns and cities – a key condition of the Moscow-backed peace plan authored by UN envoy Kofi Annan.

Annan says Syria promises to respect ceasefire

Wed, 11 Apr 2012 12:42:28 GMT

DUBAI (Reuters) - United Nations-Arab League envoy Kofi Annan said on Wednesday the Syrian government had assured him it will respect a ceasefire with rebel forces, less than 24 hours before a deadline to suspend hostilities. "I have received government assurances they will respect the ceasefire. If everyone respects it I think by 6 in the morning on Thursday we shall see improved conditions on the ground," Annan said during a visit to Tehran to shore up support for a peace plan backed by the United Nations and Arab League. ...

Kofi Annan says Iran can help solve Syria crisis

Wed, 11 Apr 2012 12:42:26 GMT

Special envoy Kofi Annan said Wednesday in Tehran that Iran could help solve the crisis in Syria, where activists reported fresh violence as a cease-fire deadline approached.

Putin calls on political parties to work together

Wed, 11 Apr 2012 12:42:24 GMT

Prime Minister Vladimir Putin has urged all political parties to work together for the good of the country, putting pressure on opposition groups protesting his leadership.

Kofi Annan seeks Iran's help in Syria crisis

Wed, 11 Apr 2012 12:42:24 GMT

Factbox: Largest earthquakes since 1900

Wed, 11 Apr 2012 12:42:22 GMT

(Reuters) - Here is a factbox showing the 10 strongest earthquakes recorded since 1900, by order of magnitude as Indonesia issued a tsunami warning after a huge 8.7 magnitude earthquake struck off its westernmost province of Aceh on Wednesday. May 22, 1960 - Chile - An earthquake of magnitude 9.5 struck Santiago and Concepcion, triggering tidal waves and volcanic eruptions. Some 5,000 people were killed and 2 million made homeless. March 28, 1964 - Alaska - An earthquake and ensuing tsunami killed 125 people and caused about $310 million in property loss. The magnitude 9. ...

Putin pledges to improve investment climate

Wed, 11 Apr 2012 12:42:22 GMT

Prime Minister Vladimir Putin on Wednesday pledged to improve the country's dismal investment climate, calling it crucial for the country's development.

Syrian military on offensive before truce deadline

Wed, 11 Apr 2012 12:42:20 GMT

BEIRUT (Reuters) - Syrian troops pummeled opposition neighborhoods in the city of Homs with heavy mortars on Wednesday, hours after President Bashar al-Assad assured the United Nations he will respect a ceasefire with rebels due to take effect in less than 24 hours. Activist videos posted on YouTube showed bombs crashing into the Khalidiya district, the latest target of Assad's drive to crush his opponents after troops overran the besieged rebel stronghold of Baba Amr in Homs a month ago. ...

Syria pounds protest hubs but peace envoy hopeful

Wed, 11 Apr 2012 12:42:19 GMT

Syria pounded protest hubs Wednesday, despite mounting pressure from world powers, as peace envoy Kofi Annan said there is still a chance to salvage his plan to halt hostilities within hours.

Russia's Putin supports cap on presidential terms

Wed, 11 Apr 2012 12:42:16 GMT

Russia's president-elect Vladimir Putin says he would support a motion that barrs a person from being elected to the presidency more than twice.

Russia may invest wealth fund in economy - Putin

Wed, 11 Apr 2012 12:42:15 GMT

MOSCOW (Reuters) - Russian President-elect Vladimir Putin said on Wednesday that the government should consider investing money held in the larger of its two sovereign wealth funds in regional development and strategic projects. Putin's comments, in an annual address to parliament, appeared to undermine efforts by Finance Minister Anton Siluanov to save Russia's windfall oil revenues as insurance against a possible oil-price collapse. Putin said Russia "can think about" investing some of the funds in the $89. ...

Russia's Putin calls for unity after protests, polls

Wed, 11 Apr 2012 12:42:14 GMT

MOSCOW (Reuters) - President-elect Vladimir Putin urged his opponents on Wednesday to put aside their differences with him for the sake of Russia's economic and political future after months of protests and elections that divided the country. But some deputies walked out of the State Duma lower house to protest his remarks about a disputed mayoral vote following his last annual speech to parliament as prime minister, underlining the growing challenge he faces from the opposition after the biggest protests of his 12-year rule. ...

Putin calls NATO 'relic of the Cold War'

Wed, 11 Apr 2012 12:42:13 GMT

Vladimir Putin on Wednesday called NATO a "relic of the Cold War era," but said Russia should nonetheless continue supporting the alliance's mission in Afghanistan.

UN Council facing Syria 'moment of truth'

Wed, 11 Apr 2012 04:36:00 GMT

Growing demands for tough UN Security Council action on Syria are putting increasing pressure on Russia's diplomatic shield around President Bashar al-Assad.

N.Korea to hold rare party meet ahead of launch

Wed, 11 Apr 2012 04:35:59 GMT

North Korea on Wednesday readied a historic party conference to bolster its young new leader as the US demanded the country call off a planned rocket launch in favour of a "better future."

Russia urges Syria, Annan to step up peace effort

Tue, 10 Apr 2012 20:30:11 GMT

MOSCOW (Reuters) - Russia urged the Syrian government on Tuesday to act "more decisively" to implement international envoy Kofi Annan's peace plan but said the opposition must also comply and called on other nations to use their influence to promote a ceasefire. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, speaking after talks with his Syrian counterpart, balanced a message of pressure on Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's government with pointed words for his foes and for Western and Arab states. "We told our Syrian colleagues ... ...

All-American Lama: How an 11th Century Mystic Was Reborn in Philadelphia

Tue, 10 Apr 2012 20:30:07 GMT

As a 5-year-old, Erdne Ombadykow began to display signs of eccentric behavior. While his many brothers and sisters were busy watching cartoons on TV or playing in the streets of their rough Philadelphia neighborhood, Erdne would bug his mother to take him to a nearby Buddhist temple.

Annan urges Syria to halt violence in 48 hours

Tue, 10 Apr 2012 20:30:05 GMT

International envoy Kofi Annan urged the Syrian government on Tuesday to withdraw its troops and halt all violence in 48 hours, saying its military operations and new conditions to implement his peace plan are putting a desperately needed ceasefire at risk.

China urges 'flexibility' in Iran nuclear talks

Tue, 10 Apr 2012 20:30:01 GMT

Iran's economic ally China urged all sides Tuesday in upcoming nuclear talks to show "flexibility and sincerity" even as Tehran sent mixed messages with hints of compromise and blasts of defiance.

Ukraine blocks film on soccer match against Nazis

Tue, 10 Apr 2012 20:29:59 GMT

It's a game that every Ukrainian knows about: The "Death Match" of 1942, when top Kiev soccer players trounced a team of Nazi occupiers and reportedly paid for it with their lives.

Syria defies cease-fire plan as peace hopes fade

Tue, 10 Apr 2012 20:29:57 GMT

Syrian troops defied a U.N.-brokered cease-fire plan Tuesday, launching fresh attacks on rebellious areas, but special envoy Kofi Annan said there was still time to salvage a truce that he described as the only chance for peace.

Envoys try to lay groundwork for restarting Mideast talks

Tue, 10 Apr 2012 20:29:54 GMT

Envoys were to meet here Tuesday to prepare for a high-level meeting of the Diplomatic Quartet aimed at reviving Israeli-Palestinian peace talks that stalled in 2010 just after they started.

Annan urges U.N. council to push for Syria truce by Thursday

Tue, 10 Apr 2012 20:29:51 GMT

UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) - U.N.-Arab League envoy Kofi Annan appealed to the Security Council on Tuesday to use its leverage to prevent the collapse of his efforts to end Syria's year-long conflict after Damascus ignored a deadline to withdraw troops from Syrian towns. Several Western diplomats complained privately that Damascus appeared to have won a two-day extension after flouting its first deadline under Annan's peace plan. But they said it was vital to keep the 15-nation body, which has faced deep rifts over Syria, united in order to maintain pressure on Damascus. ...

U.N. council urge Syria to live up to ceasefire pledge: Rice

Tue, 10 Apr 2012 20:29:50 GMT

UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) - Members of the U.N. Security Council expressed deep concern about the level of commitment to a ceasefire the Syrian government has demonstrated so far, U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Susan Rice said on Tuesday. She added that the 15-nation body may soon face a "moment of truth" when it will have to decide whether or not to increase pressure on the government of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, who has shown no signs of complying with a Tuesday deadline to withdraw forces from towns and stop using heavy weapons. ...

Russia calls on Syrian opposition, to cease-fire

Tue, 10 Apr 2012 15:48:35 GMT

Russia has called on the opposition as well as countries that "influence them" to use their powers to bring about a cease-fire in Syria.

Russia urges Syria to step up peace plan moves

Tue, 10 Apr 2012 15:48:34 GMT

MOSCOW (Reuters) - Russia urged the Syrian government on Tuesday to act "more decisively" to implement international envoy Kofi Annan's peace plan but also said foreign states should use their influence on opposition groups to press for an immediate ceasefire. "We told our Syrian colleague ... we think their actions could be more active, more decisive in regard to the fulfillment of the points of the plan," Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov told a joint briefing after talks with Syrian Foreign Minister Walid al-Moualem. ...

Syria calls for deployment of int'l monitors

Tue, 10 Apr 2012 15:48:33 GMT

Syria's foreign minister said Tuesday the government has already withdrawn some forces from some Syrian cities and that the U.N.-brokered cease-fire must start simultaneously with the deployment of the international observer mission.

Syria claims it started pulling back troops

Tue, 10 Apr 2012 15:48:31 GMT

Syrian activists reported military attacks on two towns Tuesday, even as the government claimed its military forces have begun pulling out of some towns in compliance with a U.N.-brokered truce deal.

Turkish PM, Saudi king to meet on Syria

Tue, 10 Apr 2012 15:48:30 GMT

JEDDAH, Saudi Arabia (Reuters) - The leaders of Saudi Arabia and Turkey will meet to discuss Syria on Friday, a Saudi official said on Tuesday, in a mark of accelerating diplomacy on a crisis in which both regional powers have condemned President Bashar al-Assad. "The Syrian issue is top of the agenda," the official told Reuters in confirming that Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan would hold talks with King Abdullah in Riyadh at the end of the week. A Turkish newspaper said Erdogan would fly there directly on Thursday on his way home from an official visit to China. ...

Apologetic Balotelli admits Euro fears

Tue, 10 Apr 2012 15:48:29 GMT

Mario Balotelli has apologised for his sending off in Manchester City's 1-0 defeat at Arsenal at the weekend, expressing fears that it could mean he misses the European Championships.

Russia charges Khodorkovsky's business partner, who lives in London, with tax evasion

Tue, 10 Apr 2012 15:48:27 GMT

MOSCOW - Russian prosecutors have charged a fugitive business partner of jailed oil tycoon Mikhail Khodorkovsky with tax evasion.

Iran can stand 2-3 year oil blockade: Ahmadinejad

Tue, 10 Apr 2012 15:48:24 GMT

DUBAI (Reuters) - Iran has enough funds to withstand a total embargo on its oil sales for two to three years, Iranian media quoted President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad as saying days before the resumption of talks with world powers on Tehran's nuclear programme. The European Union is set to impose a total embargo on Iranian crude oil from July following similar measures imposed by the United States to try to force Iran to abandon uranium enrichment. ...

Activists deny Syrian claims of pullback

Tue, 10 Apr 2012 15:48:23 GMT

Syrian activists reported military attacks and arrest raids in several towns across Syria on Tuesday and denied claims by the foreign minister that regime forces have begun pulling out of some areas in compliance with a U.N.-brokered truce.

Activists deny Syrian government claims that pullback has begun under international truce

Tue, 10 Apr 2012 15:48:21 GMT

BEIRUT - Syrian activists reported military attacks and arrest raids in several towns across Syria on Tuesday and denied claims by the foreign minister that regime forces have begun pulling out of some areas in compliance with a U.N.-brokered truce.

Poland honors president killed in 2010 plane crash

Tue, 10 Apr 2012 15:48:19 GMT

Polish politicians held dueling observances Tuesday for President Lech Kaczynski and 95 others killed two years ago in a plane crash in Russia, as conspiracy theories about the crash still smoldered.

Erdogan slams Assad for killing dozens "every day"

Tue, 10 Apr 2012 15:48:18 GMT

ANKARA (Reuters) - Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan accused Syrian President Bashar al-Assad of personal responsibility for killing civilians and said on Tuesday he would take unspecified steps after Syrian troops shot at refugees inside Turkey. "He is continuing to kill 60, 70, 80, 100 every day," Erdogan said of Assad, whom he once called a friend but whose troops were now, the Turkish premier said, "mercilessly" shooting fleeing women and children in the back. ...

Syrian opposition says 1,000 killed in last 8 days

Tue, 10 Apr 2012 15:48:15 GMT

Syria's main opposition group says 1,000 people have been killed by government forces in the last eight days.

Deadly shelling overshadows Syria truce deadline

Tue, 10 Apr 2012 15:48:14 GMT

Syrian forces killed at least seven civilians on Tuesday as they pounded protest hubs and deployed reinforcements in apparent breach of a UN-backed peace plan, activists and monitors said.

Activists deny Syrian claim of pullback

Tue, 10 Apr 2012 15:48:13 GMT

Syrian troops shelled and raided opposition strongholds across Syria on Tuesday, activists said, denying claims by the foreign minister that regime forces have begun pulling out of some areas in compliance with a U.N.-brokered truce.

Turkey:Syria apparently not complying on ceasefire

Tue, 10 Apr 2012 15:48:11 GMT

Turkey's deputy prime minister says Syrian forces do not appear to be complying with the cease-fire and are continuing their attacks, especially in the towns of Aleppo, Idlib and Homs.

Moscow seeks release of 2 Russians in Libya

Tue, 10 Apr 2012 15:48:10 GMT

Russia said Tuesday it is trying to secure the release of two Russians being tried in Libya for allegedly aiding Moammar Gadhafi's forces during last year's civil war.

Annan: No preconditions for end to Syria violence

Tue, 10 Apr 2012 15:48:09 GMT

Syrian troops shelled and raided opposition strongholds nationwide on Tuesday, activists said, prompting an urgent appeal by international envoy Kofi Annan to the Syrian regime to halt violence and give his truce plan a chance.

N.Korea says ready to launch rocket, prompts warnings

Tue, 10 Apr 2012 15:48:08 GMT

PYONGYANG (Reuters) - Isolated and impoverished North Korea said on Tuesday it was ready to go ahead with its proposed long-range rocket launch, an announcement that sparked immediate condemnation from South Korea and Russia and a plea from China, its main ally, for calm. The launch of the Unha-3 rocket, which North Korea says will merely put a weather satellite into space, breaches U.N. sanctions imposed to prevent Pyongyang from developing a missile that could carry a nuclear warhead. Russia, a former backer of North Korea which has boosted economic ties with Pyongyang, denounced the ...

Palestinians seek UN condemnation of settlements

Tue, 10 Apr 2012 15:48:07 GMT

The Palestinians have sent a letter to the UN Security Council seeking condemnation of Israeli settlement activity, the foreign minister said on Tuesday.

Russia urges Annan to press Syria opposition on truce

Tue, 10 Apr 2012 15:48:04 GMT

MOSCOW (Reuters) - Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov urged U.N.-Arab League envoy Kofi Annan on Tuesday to step up efforts to ensure Syrian opposition groups adhere to his ceasefire plan, the Foreign Ministry said in a statement. In a telephone conversation with Annan, Lavrov "put special emphasis on the fact that the Syrian opposition and countries supporting it must also take urgent measures aimed at providing for a stable ceasefire, calling on Annan to increase work with them in that direction," it said. (Writing by Steve Gutterman; Editing by Alissa de Carbonnel)

North Korea says ready to launch rocket, prompts warnings

Tue, 10 Apr 2012 15:48:04 GMT

Russia criticizes North Korea over launch plans

Tue, 10 Apr 2012 15:48:03 GMT

MOSCOW (Reuters) - Russia criticized North Korea on Tuesday over its plans to launch a rocket, saying the decision showed disregard for U.N. Security Council resolutions restricting such actions and calling for a diplomatic solution. "We consider Pyongyang's decision to conduct a launch of a satellite an example of disregard for U.N. Security Council decisions," state-run news agency RIA quoted Russian Foreign Ministry spokesman Alexander Lukashevich as saying. "It is necessary to seek a way out of the situation on the political-diplomatic track," he said. ...

Annan appeals to Syria to give peace plan a chance

Tue, 10 Apr 2012 15:48:02 GMT

Syrian opposition backs arms embargo if truce fails

Tue, 10 Apr 2012 15:48:00 GMT

GENEVA (Reuters) - Syria forces are not complying with a deal to halt violence and world powers should take a strong stand if a U.N. ceasefire plan fails, including imposing an arms embargo, a spokeswoman for the opposition Syrian National Council said on Tuesday. Basma Kodmani said there was no sign yet of government troops complying with an agreement to withdraw from urban areas on Tuesday since arrests, house demolitions and shelling were continuing in various parts of the country. "More time means more blood," Kodmani told reporters in Geneva. ...

Exclusive: China's ZTE planned U.S. computer sale to Iran

Tue, 10 Apr 2012 15:47:59 GMT

(Reuters) - China's ZTE Corp, which recently sold Iran's largest telecommunications firm a powerful surveillance system, later agreed to ship to Iran millions of dollars worth of embargoed U.S. computer equipment, documents show. The American components were part of an 8 million euro ($10.5 million) equipment-supply contract, dated June 30, 2011, between ZTE, a Chinese trading firm and a unit of the consortium that controls the Iranian telecom, Telecommunication Co. of Iran, according to documents reviewed by Reuters. ZTE is China's second-largest telecommunications equipment maker. ...

Syrian troops on offensive on deadline day

Tue, 10 Apr 2012 07:40:24 GMT

BEIRUT (Reuters) - Syrian troops shelled villages, fired across frontiers and were accused of massacres in the hours before a deadline on Tuesday that many doubt can usher in a U.N.-brokered ceasefire and halt a 13-month slide into all-out civil war. Diplomats trying to contain a crisis that has inflamed the Middle East and pitched old Cold War rivals into opposing camps will not wish to abandon their most comprehensive peace plan yet. The plan's author, international envoy Kofi Annan, visits Turkey and Iran on Tuesday, while Russia hosts the Syrian foreign minister. ...

Anti-poverty group ONE pushes for G8 food deal

Tue, 10 Apr 2012 07:40:22 GMT

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Leaders of the world's industrial powers should commit to boost agriculture investments in poor countries and end hunger and malnutrition among the poor when they meet outside Washington in May, a group co-founded by anti-poverty campaigners and rock stars Bono and Bob Geldof said on Tuesday. A new report by ONE Campaign said increased donor support for agricultural investment plans in 30 countries in Africa, Asia and Central America could lift about 50 million people out of extreme poverty. ...

At least 6 suspected militants said killed in Russia

Tue, 10 Apr 2012 07:40:21 GMT

MOSCOW (Reuters) - Security forces killed at least six suspected militants in a province bordering Russia's volatile North Caucasus on Tuesday, Russian news agencies reported. The government is struggling to contain an Islamist insurgency in the mostly Muslim region in southern Russia, and violence sometimes spills over into neighboring provinces. In one incident, law enforcement officers in a Stavropol province town killed four men who opened fire in response to demands they stop their car and produce identification documents, Interfax reported. ...

No sign of peace as Syria ceasefire deadline dawns

Tue, 10 Apr 2012 07:40:20 GMT

Syria faced a deadline Tuesday to withdraw its forces from urban areas as Washington said Damascus had shown no sign of complying with a peace deal amid fierce clashes that killed more than 100.

N. Korea set to install satellite on rocket

Tue, 10 Apr 2012 07:40:19 GMT

North Korea is set to complete the assembly of its latest rocket by installing the satellite payload later Tuesday, a senior space official said.

Report: Russia rebukes North Korea for planned satellite launch

Tue, 10 Apr 2012 07:40:18 GMT

MOSCOW - Russia has rebuked North Korea for planning a satellite launch in violation of U.N. resolutions.

Syria peace plan in jeopardy as clashes rage

Mon, 09 Apr 2012 23:35:41 GMT

A peace plan for Syria was in jeopardy on Monday as fresh clashes raged after President Bashar al-Assad's government laid down conditions for it to pull troops and armour out of protest hubs.

Russia's Transneft has 3 days of oil for Czechs

Mon, 09 Apr 2012 23:35:38 GMT

MOSCOW (Reuters) - Russian state oil pipeline monopoly Transneft only has sufficient volume in the Druzhba pipeline to supply the Czech Republic for three more days, after Russian oil companies failed to submit new requests for deliveries to Czech customers. "We are not limiting (supplies) to anyone, but they are not processing (the requests)," a Transneft spokesman said on Monday. Russia's oil majors have been shifting volume away from the Druzhba pipeline in recent years and a new outlet, at Ust-Luga on the Baltic, has allowed them to divert more supplies from the Soviet-era option. ...

Raging clashes ahead of Syria pullout deadline

Mon, 09 Apr 2012 23:35:34 GMT

Clashes raged in Syria Monday ahead of a UN deadline for the regime to pull its troops out of protest hubs, with the US saying Damascus has shown no sign of sticking to a plan to end the fighting.

U.N. chief "deplores" Syria border clashes

Mon, 09 Apr 2012 23:35:33 GMT

UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) - U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said on Monday he deplores the cross-border shootings from Syria into Turkey and Lebanon ahead of a ceasefire deadline in the yearlong conflict that has pushed Syria to the brink of civil war. Turkey said two officials working in a refugee camp near the country's border with Syria were among five people wounded on Monday by gunfire coming from Syria as troops clashed with rebels nearby. Lebanon's Al-Jadeed television channel said Syrian soldiers fatally shot a cameraman as he stood on the Lebanese side of the border. ...

Syria fires over borders with Lebanon, Turkey

Mon, 09 Apr 2012 23:35:29 GMT

Syrian forces opened fire across two tense borders Monday, killing a TV journalist in Lebanon and wounding at least six people in a refugee camp in Turkey on the eve of a deadline for a cease-fire plan that seems all but certain to fail.

Russia drops charges against doctor in Magnitsky case

Mon, 09 Apr 2012 23:35:28 GMT

Russia said Monday it had dropped charges against a doctor implicated in the prison death of lawyer Sergei Magnitsky, sparking accusations that the authorities had no interest in seeking justice in the case.

Timeline: Crackdown still on as Syria deadline nears

Mon, 09 Apr 2012 15:30:00 GMT

(Reuters) - Following is a timeline of events in Syria since protests began. For an Interactive look at Syria click on http://link.reuters.com/pyt37s March 15, 2011 - About 40 people join a protest in Hameediyeh market in Old Damascus, chanting political slogans in a brief first challenge to the Baath Party before dispersing into side streets. April 19 - Government passes bill lifting 48 years of emergency rule. July 31 - Syrian tanks storm Hama after a month-long siege. November 12 - Arab League suspends Syria. November 27 - Arab states vote to impose economic sanctions. ...

Gunfire along Syrian border kills journalist

Mon, 09 Apr 2012 15:29:59 GMT

Security officials says a Lebanese journalist has been killed by gunfire along the Lebanese-Syrian border.

Russia blames Georgia for swine fever in its south

Mon, 09 Apr 2012 15:29:57 GMT

MOSCOW (Reuters) - Russia blames Georgia for bringing African Swine Fever (ASF) into Southern Russia, the head of Russian state consumer protection agency Gennady Onishchenko told reporters on Monday. Onishchenko initiated an injunction banning wine and mineral water imports from Georgia in 2006, two years before the five-day war between two countries. "ASF came to us from Georgia. First, of course, to Ossetia, and then to the Krasnodar and Stavropol regions. ...

Differing approaches to Syria violence highlighted on Turkish PM's visit to China

Mon, 09 Apr 2012 15:29:54 GMT

BEIJING, China - China acknowledged differences with Turkey over their approach to the continuing violence in Syria on Monday as Turkey's leader made a rare official visit to Beijing.

Syrians fire across 2 borders as conflict deepens

Mon, 09 Apr 2012 15:29:50 GMT

The bloody conflict in Syria spilled across two borders Monday, killing a cameraman in Lebanon and wounding at least five people in a refugee camp in Turkey as gunfire flew across the tense frontiers, authorities said.

Ukraine's Tymoshenko says murder allegations "absurd"

Mon, 09 Apr 2012 15:29:48 GMT

KIEV (Reuters) - Former Ukrainian prime minister Yulia Tymoshenko, serving a seven-year jail sentence on abuse-of-office charges, on Monday dismissed new allegations against her of involvement in the murder of a parliament deputy almost 16 years ago. She said they were "absurd" and clearly politically driven. The jailing last October of Tymoshenko, the main opponent of President Viktor Yanukovich, has soured Ukraine's ties with the European Union and the United States, which say the case smacks of "selective" justice. ...

Former KGB boss wins presidential election in Georgia's breakaway republic of South Ossetia

Mon, 09 Apr 2012 13:09:13 GMT

TBILISI, Georgia - A former KGB chief has scored a victory in the runoff presidential election in Georgia's breakaway province of South Ossetia.

Ex-KGB man wins South Ossetia presidential election

Mon, 09 Apr 2012 13:09:12 GMT

TSKHINVALI, Georgia (Reuters) - A pro-Russian former KGB officer won the presidency in the breakaway Georgian region of South Ossetia, where Moscow is trying to re-assert control, election officials said on Monday. Leonid Tibilov, 60, received about 54 percent of the votes in a runoff on Sunday against regional human rights ombudsman David Sanakoyev, election commission chief Bella Pliyeva said. ...

Rights group: Syria troops executed civilians

Mon, 09 Apr 2012 13:09:11 GMT

A leading international human rights group says Syrian forces have summarily executed more than 100 people, most of them civilians.

Oil drops to near $102 ahead of Iran nuclear talks

Mon, 09 Apr 2012 13:09:10 GMT

Oil prices fell to near $102 a barrel Monday in Asia amid hopes international talks this week may help avoid military action over Iran's nuclear program.

Russia: working with Syria to end violence, start talks

Mon, 09 Apr 2012 13:09:08 GMT

MOSCOW (Reuters) - A Russian diplomat said on Monday that Moscow was working with the Syrian authorities to seek an end to violence and the start of talks with their opponents, but stopped short of publicly pressing the government to meet a military withdrawal deadline. Syrian Foreign Minister Walid al-Moualem was expected to arrive in Moscow on Monday and meet his Russian counterpart on Tuesday, the deadline for Syrian government forces to withdraw from cities and towns under mediator Kofi Annan's peace plan. ...

Ex-KGB boss wins prez election in South Ossetia

Mon, 09 Apr 2012 13:09:07 GMT

A former KGB chief on Monday scored a victory in the runoff presidential election in Georgia's breakaway province of South Ossetia that has been roiled by a political crisis over presidential succession.

Eto'o blames Russian pitches for goal drought

Mon, 09 Apr 2012 13:09:06 GMT

Russian big spenders Anzhi Makhachkala's star Cameroon striker Samuel Eto'o has blamed the poor state of the country's pitches for a goal drought that has seen him fail to score in the last five games.

World powers to hold nuclear talks with Iran on April 14

Mon, 09 Apr 2012 13:09:04 GMT

World powers will hold a fresh round of nuclear talks with Iran in Istanbul on Saturday, a spokesman for European Union foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton said.

Iran urges 'honesty' in crucial nuclear talks

Mon, 09 Apr 2012 13:09:03 GMT

Iran on Monday urged "honesty" at crucial talks with world powers due to be held this week in order to defuse a tense international showdown over its disputed nuclear activities.

Ex-KGB agent wins in rebel South Ossetia

Mon, 09 Apr 2012 13:09:02 GMT

A former top KGB agent on Monday won a tense run-off to lead Georgia's rebel pro-Russian region of South Ossetia after two earlier polls ended in turmoil and no recognition from the West.

Turkey: 3 wounded from Syrian gunfire over border

Mon, 09 Apr 2012 13:09:01 GMT

Syrian forces on Monday fired across the border at a refugee camp in Turkey, killing one and wounding four, activists said. It is the first such attack since Ankara began allowing thousands of refugees to find shelter in the country.

Activists: Syria gunfire kills 1 in Turkey

Mon, 09 Apr 2012 13:09:00 GMT

Shale gas exploration raises hope, fear in Poland

Mon, 09 Apr 2012 13:08:59 GMT

A slender shale gas rig rising from the midst of plowed fields and farm houses in Poland has inspired both hope for a local community's prosperity and fears it will ruin bucolic village life.

Iran not interested in nuclear fuel swap: atomic chief

Mon, 09 Apr 2012 13:08:58 GMT

DUBAI (Reuters) - Iran has no interest in reviving a failed nuclear fuel swap deal with Western powers, but might scale back production of higher-grade enriched uranium once it has the material it needs, the head of the country's atomic energy organization said. U.S. officials say that getting Iran to suspend high-level uranium enrichment and close an underground nuclear facility near the holy city of Qom are priorities for talks between Iran and world powers that are due to resume on Saturday. ...

Oil drops below $102 ahead of Iran nuclear talks

Mon, 09 Apr 2012 13:08:57 GMT

Oil prices fell below $102 a barrel Monday amid hopes that international talks between Tehran and the six major powers scheduled for this week may help avoid military action over Iran's nuclear program.

Activists: 1 dead, 4 wounded when Syrian forces open fire at refugee camp on Turkish border

Mon, 09 Apr 2012 13:08:56 GMT

ANKARA, Turkey - Syrian forces on Monday fired across the border at a refugee camp in Turkey, killing one and wounding four, activists said. It is the first such attack since Ankara began allowing thousands of refugees to find shelter in the country.

Syria demands guarantees, rebels say peace plan doomed

Mon, 09 Apr 2012 13:08:55 GMT

Syria on Sunday demanded written guarantees insurgents will stop fighting before it pulls back troops under the terms of a U.N. peace plan, and a rebel leader said the initiative was doomed. "The regime will not implement this plan. This plan will fail," Free Syrian Army (FSA) chief Riad al-Asaad told Reuters. Escalating violence has already raised questions over the ceasefire. Opposition activists said dozens of people were killed and wounded on Sunday when President Bashar al-Assad's loyalists shelled a rebellious area near the border with Turkey. U.N. ...

Cyprus Church wants to invest in energy sector

Mon, 09 Apr 2012 13:08:52 GMT

The leader of Cyprus' Orthodox Christian Church says it wants to invest in the country's energy sector.

Gunfire from Syria hits camp in Turkey, wounding 5

Mon, 09 Apr 2012 13:08:49 GMT

Syrian forces fired across the border Monday into a refugee camp in Turkey, wounding at least five people as a U.N.-brokered plan to end more than a year of violence this week all but collapsed, authorities said.

Russia drops charges in lawyer's prison death

Mon, 09 Apr 2012 13:08:48 GMT

Russia's top investigative body said Monday it has dropped charges against a doctor suspected of negligence in the case of a prominent lawyer who reported official corruption in Russia, then died in custody while suffering from untreated pancreatitis.

Ex-KGB officer wins vote in Georgia rebel region

Mon, 09 Apr 2012 13:08:47 GMT

TSKHINVALI, Georgia (Reuters) - A pro-Russian former KGB officer has won the presidency in Georgia's breakaway region of South Ossetia and suggested he would push for the tiny territory to join Russia. A mountainous region of about 30,000 people, South Ossetia has been at the heart of Georgia's bitter relations with Russia since breaking from Georgian control in a war in the 1990s. Moscow recognized it as an independent nation after a brief war with Georgia in 2008. Internationally it is only recognized by Venezuela, Nicaragua and the Pacific nation of Nauru. ...

U.S., allies to set demands for Iran nuclear talks: NYT

Mon, 09 Apr 2012 03:52:49 GMT

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The United States and other Western nations plan to demand that Iran immediately close and ultimately dismantle a recently completed nuclear facility deep under a mountain as part of new talks with Tehran over its nuclear program, the New York Times reported on Saturday. The Obama administration and its European allies also will call for a halt in the production of higher-level enrichment of uranium fuel, and the shipment of existing stockpiles of that fuel out of Iran, the newspaper said, citing U.S. and European diplomats. ...

Rebel South Ossetia holds run-off election

Mon, 09 Apr 2012 03:52:48 GMT

Georgia's breakaway region of South Ossetia held a run-off vote Sunday to elect a leader after months of political turmoil.

Israel accepts focus on curbing Iran's purer atom fuel

Mon, 09 Apr 2012 03:52:46 GMT

JERUSALEM (Reuters) - Israel has signaled it would accept, as a first priority, world powers focusing on persuading Iran to stop higher-level uranium enrichment when they resume stalled nuclear negotiations this week with Tehran. Israel, which has threatened last-resort attacks on its arch-foe's nuclear facilities if diplomacy fails, demanded last month that any negotiated resolution should end all uranium enrichment, high and low level, and remove all fuel already stockpiled by Iran. ...

South Ossetia holds runoff presidential vote

Mon, 09 Apr 2012 03:52:45 GMT

A former KGB chief and a human rights ombudsman faced each other in Sunday's runoff presidential election in Georgia's breakaway province of South Ossetia.

NKorea rocket launch draws more worry than Iran's

Mon, 09 Apr 2012 03:52:42 GMT

Just two months ago, amid celebrations of the 1979 Islamic Revolution, an Iranian rocket roared off a military launch pad and placed a 110-pound Earth observation satellite into orbit. The U.S. State Department grumbled about possible missile applications, but that was pretty much it.

Timeline: Flashpoints and flare-ups in India-Pakistan ties

Mon, 09 Apr 2012 03:52:40 GMT

(Reuters) - Here is a look some highs and lows in relations between India and Pakistan as Pakistan's President Asif Ali Zardari meets for lunch with Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in New Delhi on Sunday. 1947 - Britain divides its Indian empire into secular but mainly Hindu India and Muslim Pakistan, triggering one of the greatest and bloodiest migrations of modern history. 1947/48 - India and Pakistan go to war over Kashmir. The war ends with a U.N. ...

Istanbul to host Iran nuclear talks: report

Mon, 09 Apr 2012 03:52:37 GMT

DUBAI (Reuters) - Istanbul will host the next round of nuclear talks between Iran and world powers, Iran's English-language Press TV reported on Sunday, citing unnamed sources. Iran's Fars news agency said the sides had also agreed to hold a second round of talks in the Iraqi capital Baghdad if they made progress in Turkey. There was no immediate comment from the world powers - the United States, Britain, France, Russia, China and Germany. ...

Talks in Istanbul to target Iran's purer atom fuel

Mon, 09 Apr 2012 03:52:34 GMT

JERUSALEM/DUBAI (Reuters) - Talks this week on Iran's nuclear standoff with the West will resume in Istanbul, Iranian media said, while the U.S. and its allies look set to demand an end to high-level uranium enrichment and the closure of a facility built deep under a mountain. Friday's return to negotiations after a year of tightening sanctions over what the West believes is a program to develop nuclear weapons had been in doubt after Iran and the P5+1 countries - the United States, Britain, France, Russia, China and Germany - released conflicting statements about the venue. ...

Palestinian leader to send Israel PM letter on peace talks

Mon, 09 Apr 2012 03:52:33 GMT

Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas will send a letter to Israel's premier on the state of stalled peace talks on April 17, a Palestinian official told AFP on Sunday.

Israel warns negotiators to be tough with Iran

Mon, 09 Apr 2012 03:52:32 GMT

Israeli Defence Minister Ehud Barak on Sunday warned the six-power group negotiating with Iran to set stringent limits on its nuclear enrichment at forthcoming talks.

Syria scuttles peace plan with new demands

Mon, 09 Apr 2012 03:52:31 GMT

A U.N.-brokered plan to stop the bloodshed in Syria effectively collapsed Sunday after President Bashar Assad's government raised new, last-minute demands that were swiftly rejected by the country's largest rebel group.

North Korea rocket installed on launch pad

Mon, 09 Apr 2012 03:52:30 GMT

North Korea's long-range rocket is on its launch platform, AFP reporters said Sunday, as the regime again insisted it was to send a peaceful satellite and not a missile.

World powers to hold talks with Iran on April 14: EU

Mon, 09 Apr 2012 03:52:29 GMT

BRUSSELS (Reuters) - World powers will hold the next round of nuclear negotiations with Iran on April 14 in Istanbul, a spokesman for EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton said on Sunday. Ashton represents six world powers - the United States, Russia, China, France, Britain and Germany - in dealings with Iran. "We have agreed to launch talks in Istanbul on April 14," the spokesman said. "We hope that this first round will produce a conducive environment for concrete progress. We are of course aiming at a sustained process," he said. ...

Syria scuttles truce plan with new demands

Mon, 09 Apr 2012 03:52:28 GMT

A U.N.-brokered plan to stop the bloodshed in Syria effectively collapsed Sunday after President Bashar Assad's government raised new, last-minute demands that the country's largest rebel group swiftly rejected.

West to target Iran's nuclear fuel work

Mon, 09 Apr 2012 03:52:27 GMT

JERUSALEM/DUBAI (Reuters) - The United States and its allies are pressing for an end to Iran's high-level uranium enrichment and the closure of a facility built deep under a mountain as talks on Tehran's nuclear standoff with the West resume this week. Iranian media and Western officials said the talks, which collapsed more than a year ago, would begin on Saturday in Istanbul. ...

Ex-KGB man wins presidency in South Ossetia

Mon, 09 Apr 2012 03:52:26 GMT

TSKHINVALI, Georgia (Reuters) - A pro-Russian former KGB officer appeared set on Sunday to win a presidential election run-off in the breakaway Georgian region of South Ossetia, where Moscow is seeking to re-assert control. Preliminary results announced by the election commission showed Leonid Tibilov, 60, leading human rights ombudsman David Sanakoyev with about 55.8 percent of votes against his rival's 41.3 after 67 percent of the ballots had been counted. ...

Ex-KGB chief ahead in breakaway Georgian region vote

Mon, 09 Apr 2012 03:52:25 GMT

Ex-KGB chief Leonid Tibilov was well ahead as votes were counted after Georgia's breakaway region of South Ossetia held a run-off vote to elect a leader following months of political turmoil.

US warns Syria it won't be able hide violations over cease-fire: more than 100 killed

Sun, 08 Apr 2012 05:04:25 GMT

BEIRUT - The U.S. warned Syria it won't be able to deceive the world about compliance with a cease-fire that is just days away, as regime forces pounded more opposition strongholds Saturday in an apparent rush to crush resistance before troops must withdraw. Activists said more than 100 people were killed, including at least 87 civilians.

US warns Syria it can't deceive world over pullout

Sat, 07 Apr 2012 20:58:05 GMT

The U.S. warned Syria it won't be able to deceive the world about compliance with a cease-fire that is just days away, as regime forces pounded more opposition strongholds Saturday in an apparent rush to crush resistance before troops must withdraw. Activists said more than 100 people were killed, including at least 87 civilians.

Aussie Stosur sinks Venus at WTA Charleston tennis

Sat, 07 Apr 2012 09:02:43 GMT

Australia's Samantha Stosur booked her semi-final spot at the WTA Charleston clay court event with a pair of three-set wins, ruining the prospect of an all-Williams clash.

Tens of thousands in anti-regime marches in Syria

Sat, 07 Apr 2012 09:02:42 GMT

Tens of thousands of Syrian protesters took to the streets for anti-government rallies, activists said, as regime forces pounded rebel cities, earning a stern rebuke from UN chief Ban Ki-moon.

U.N.'s Ban condemns Syria for new assault on civilians

Sat, 07 Apr 2012 09:02:41 GMT

UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) - U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon sharply criticized the Syrian government on Friday for its latest deadly attacks on civilians and demanded that it keep its pledge to halt all military operations, Ban's press office said in a statement. He suggested the killings were tantamount to a violation of Security Council demands that Damascus move toward a ceasefire. "(Ban) strongly condemns the latest escalation of violence," the statement said. ...

Syria's Muallem 'to discuss Russia ties in Moscow'

Sat, 07 Apr 2012 00:56:25 GMT

Syrian Foreign Minister Walid Muallem will discuss the crisis in his country and the development of relations with Russia on a rare visit to Moscow next week, the foreign ministry said Friday.

Russian Orthodox patriarch's watch causes buzz

Sat, 07 Apr 2012 00:56:22 GMT

Russia is abuzz with talk of the Orthodox Church's wealth and its close links to the Kremlin after an expensive watch was seemingly airbrushed from the wrist of the church's patriarch in a website picture.

Russia criticism of Assad hints at calculus change

Sat, 07 Apr 2012 00:56:21 GMT

After a year of iron support for its embattled Middle East ally, Russia's recent criticism of Syrian President Bashar Assad suggests that Moscow could be planning for a future without the Arab strongman.

Ukraine orders end to Euro 2012 price gouging

Sat, 07 Apr 2012 00:56:20 GMT

Ukraine's president ordered his government Friday to prevent hotels from charging exorbitant prices for fans attending the Euro 2012 soccer tournament.

What Brazil wants from White House visit: dinner

Sat, 07 Apr 2012 00:56:19 GMT

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff will have a long wish list when she visits the White House on Monday, but there's one goal that stands above the rest: Dinner with Barack Obama. It's not likely to happen. The U.S. president's decision not to fully roll out the red carpet for Rousseff in Washington symbolizes the relationship between two giant democracies that by most accounts want to become better allies, but have yet to find the common cause - or magic personal moment between leaders - that brings them closer together. More weighty topics such as Syria, U.S. ...

ICC prosecutor: Kony will be arrested in 2012

Sat, 07 Apr 2012 00:56:16 GMT

The prosecutor of the International Criminal Court says he has "no doubt" that fugitive African warlord Joseph Kony will be arrested this year because the international spotlight has helped boost the hunt for the Lord's Resistance Army leader.

Ban says Syria violating Security Council demands

Sat, 07 Apr 2012 00:56:15 GMT

UN leader Ban Ki-moon said that increased attacks by government forces on Syrian cities "violate" the UN Security Council's demand for an end to hostilities.

Russian sailing expedition 'missing' in Antarctic

Fri, 06 Apr 2012 15:59:35 GMT

A Russian-Ukrainian crew that set sail in September on an historic expedition around the South and North Poles went missing in the Antarctic on Friday after encountering gale-force winds.

Moscow condemns US sentence on Russian arms dealer

Fri, 06 Apr 2012 10:51:48 GMT

Moscow on Friday condemned a US court's sentencing of Russian arms smuggler Viktor Bout as "baseless and biased" and said it would do all it could to ensure his return home.

Syria fighting rages ahead of UN deadline

Fri, 06 Apr 2012 10:51:47 GMT

Fighting raged in Syria on Friday a day after 77 people were killed and envoy Kofi Annan spoke of "alarming" casualties despite the regime accepting an April 10 deadline to withdraw forces from protest hubs.

Syrian tanks in action four days before pullout date

Fri, 06 Apr 2012 10:51:46 GMT

BEIRUT (Reuters) - Syrian troops and tanks battled rebels on Friday, opposition activists said, only four days before a troop pullback agreed by President Bashar al-Assad as part of international envoy Kofi Annan's plan to end a year of bloodshed. The renewed violence erupted a day after U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said the conflict was worsening and attacks on civilian areas persisted, despite assurances from Damascus that its troops had begun withdrawing under the plan. U.N. ...

Annan tells Syria that conflict must end on April 12

Thu, 05 Apr 2012 22:34:51 GMT

UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) - U.N.-Arab League envoy Kofi Annan has told the Syrian government and opposition that the year-long conflict must end at 6:00 a.m. local time on April 12 if the government meets an April 10 deadline to silence its weapons, Annan said on Thursday. Speaking by video link from Geneva, Annan told the 193-nation U.N. General Assembly that he was urging "the government and the opposition commanders to issue clear instructions so that the message reaches across the country, down to the fighter and soldier at the local level. ...

Syrian assault undermines hopes for cease-fire

Thu, 05 Apr 2012 22:34:49 GMT

Syria launched a blistering assault Thursday on the outskirts of its capital, shelling residential areas and deploying snipers on rooftops as international envoy Kofi Annan demanded every fighter lay down arms in time for a U.N.-brokered cease-fire.

Harry Winston eyes growth in northern Canada

Thu, 05 Apr 2012 22:34:47 GMT

TORONTO (Reuters) - Harry Winston, jeweler to the rich and famous, is looking for new opportunities to mine diamonds in northern Canada, where it already owns a large stake in a project operated by Rio Tinto Plc, one of the world's largest miners. Toronto-based Harry Winston confirmed it has right of first refusal for Rio Tinto's 60 percent interest in their joint Diavik diamond mine in Canada's Northwest Territories, but it would not comment further on Rio's statement it might sell its stake. ...

IMF warns of economic overheating risks in Russia

Thu, 05 Apr 2012 22:34:46 GMT

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Russian economic growth is running at or ahead of its potential and there is a risk of overheating from a planned increase in the 2012 non-oil budget deficit, an International Monetary Fund spokesman said on Thursday. "The budgeted increase in the non-oil deficit of 2012 poses a risk of overheating," IMF spokesman Gerry Rice told a briefing for reporters. "We believe the government should take advantage of high oil prices by reducing its non-oil deficit and saving windfall oil revenues in the reserve fund. ...

Syrian attack in Damascus outskirts dims cease-fire hopes; France accuses regime of deception

Thu, 05 Apr 2012 22:34:45 GMT

BEIRUT - Syria launched a blistering assault Thursday on the outskirts of its capital, shelling residential areas and deploying snipers on rooftops as international envoy Kofi Annan demanded every fighter lay down arms in time for a U.N.-brokered cease-fire.

Grisly death fuels tales of Russian police torture

Thu, 05 Apr 2012 22:34:43 GMT

KAZAN, Russia (Reuters) - Albert Zagitov had barely set up his new fruit and vegetable stall at the bustling Volga market in the Russian city of Kazan when he was told by a stranger to pack up and go. After he refused, he was taken to a police car and driven to a police station where he says four officers took turns to hit him in the head and chest and threatened to rape him. "As soon as we sat in the car, they started behaving very cruelly, swearing at me and calling me names," said Zagitov, a Russian born in the Tatarstan region of which Kazan is the capital. "The threats were real. ...

Syria pressured from all sides at U.N. to halt violence

Thu, 05 Apr 2012 22:34:40 GMT

UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) - Syria faced pressure from all sides at the United Nations on Thursday as U.N.-Arab League envoy Kofi Annan set a precise deadline for an end to the conflict with clear backing from Russia, China and the rest of the U.N. Security Council. Speaking by video link from Geneva, Annan told the 193-nation U.N. General Assembly he was urging "the government and the opposition commanders to issue clear instructions so that the message reaches across the country, down to the fighter and soldier at the local level" at 6 a.m. (0400 GMT) on April 12. ...

Russian arms smuggler gets 25 years in US prison

Thu, 05 Apr 2012 22:34:39 GMT

A US judge on Thursday sentenced Russian "merchant of death" arms smuggler Viktor Bout to 25 years in prison for conspiring to sell a massive arsenal to anti-American guerrillas in Colombia.

Annan: 'Alarming levels' of Syria casualties

Thu, 05 Apr 2012 19:07:53 GMT

International envoy Kofi Annan says violence is clearly continuing in Syria, with "alarming levels" of casualties being reported daily.

UN team lands in Syria for cease-fire talks

Thu, 05 Apr 2012 19:07:51 GMT

A team led by a Norwegian major general arrived Thursday in Damascus to negotiate the possible deployment of U.N. monitors for any cease-fire between Syrian troops and rebel forces.

Annan tells Syria conflict must end 6 a.m. April 12

Thu, 05 Apr 2012 19:07:49 GMT

UN envoy reports alarming casualties in Syria

Thu, 05 Apr 2012 19:07:47 GMT

International envoy Kofi Annan reported "alarming levels" of daily casualties in Syria as a U.N. team arrived in Damascus to negotiate the possible deployment of U.N. monitors for any cease-fire between Syrian troops and rebel forces.

UN chief warns Syria crisis is getting worse

Thu, 05 Apr 2012 19:07:45 GMT

Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said Thursday the crisis in Syria is getting worse and claiming more lives every day even though President Bashar Assad's government insists it is withdrawing troops ahead of a U.N. deadline to end the violence.

Brazil wants BRICS united in World Bank choice

Thu, 05 Apr 2012 19:07:44 GMT

BRASILIA (Reuters) - Brazil wants emerging economic powers to rally around a single candidate to lead the World Bank as developing nations strive to bolster their influence at the global lender, Finance Minister Guido Mantega said on Thursday. Mantega met earlier on Thursday with the U.S. nominee for the top post, Jim Yong Kim, whom Mantega said showed vast experience in the developing world. He reiterated, however, that Brazil has not yet made up its mind. "By late next week Brazil should have a position on the matter, and I will talk with the other BRICS," Mantega told reporters in Brasilia. ...

Russia's veteran finance chief enters politics

Thu, 05 Apr 2012 19:07:43 GMT

Russia's ex-finance chief Alexei Kudrin formed a policy centre Thursday that cemented his return to politics and positioned him for a possible post under president-elect Vladimir Putin.

NKorea launch an intel oppportunity for US, allies

Thu, 05 Apr 2012 14:46:05 GMT

As the U.S. and its allies decry North Korea's planned rocket launch, they're also rushing to capitalize on the rare opportunity it presents to assess the secretive nation's ability to strike beyond its shores.

Heroes to villains: army is Bissau's big problem

Thu, 05 Apr 2012 14:46:04 GMT

BISSAU (Reuters) - Wounded fighting Portugal for his country's independence, Flif Ntchuque lived his younger years in uniform as a hero. Forty years on, he and the rest of the army of Guinea-Bissau are viewed as villains. Successive coups, assassinations and accusations of involvement in drugs smuggling have made the military look more like a threat to democracy in the West African nation than the guarantor Ntchuque and his fellow fighters thought it would be. ...

Exclusive: China ship insurer deals new blow to Iran oil exports

Thu, 05 Apr 2012 14:46:00 GMT

SINGAPORE (Reuters) - A major Chinese ship insurer will halt indemnity cover for tankers carrying Iranian oil from July, dealing a blow that narrows the insurance options for Tehran's main export already constricted by payment barriers caused by Western sanctions. With Western sanctions on Tehran increasing, sources at the China P&I Club told Reuters on Thursday it did not want to stand alone in the market, especially after insurers in Japan and Europe plan to either limit or ban their own coverage for tankers operating in Iran. ...

Russia says it may support UN motion on Syria

Thu, 05 Apr 2012 14:46:00 GMT

Russia could support a U.N. Security Council motion on Syria if it doesn't contain ultimatums to Bashar Assad's government, the Russian foreign minister said Thursday.

UN says Syria claims troop withdrawal has begun

Thu, 05 Apr 2012 14:45:58 GMT

The spokesman for U.N.-Arab League envoy Kofi Annan says Syria is claiming that it has already begun troop withdrawals in some areas.

UN expects Syria cease-fire in place by April 12

Thu, 05 Apr 2012 14:45:57 GMT

The United Nations expects a cease-fire between Syrian troops and opposition forces to be in place no later than April 12, a spokesman for the U.N.-Arab League envoy Kofi Annan said Thursday, as activists reported a fierce attack by government troops on a Damascus suburb.

NKorea launch an intel opportunity for US, allies

Thu, 05 Apr 2012 14:45:56 GMT

Syria fighting rages as Annan urges truce

Thu, 05 Apr 2012 14:45:55 GMT

UN-Arab League envoy Kofi Annan expects the Syrian government and the opposition to fully implement a truce by April 12, his spokesman said on Thursday, as fighting raged near the capital Damascus.

France not optimistic about Syria

Thu, 05 Apr 2012 14:45:54 GMT

France's foreign minister says he's not optimistic about a peace plan for Syria and is ready to push for stronger U.N. action if an April 12 deadline for a cease-fire is not met.

Veteran Russian official sets up opposition group

Thu, 05 Apr 2012 14:45:54 GMT

Russia's former finance minister on Thursday announced the creation of an independent committee to shape policies alternative to those of the government.

Syria negotiating deployment of UN mission

Thu, 05 Apr 2012 14:45:52 GMT

A team led by a Norwegian major general arrived in Damascus on Thursday to negotiate the possible deployment of a U.N. team that would monitor a cease-fire agreement between Syrian government troops and rebel forces, a spokesman for the U.N. Arab League envoy Kofi Annan said.

U.N. peacekeeper due in Damascus for ceasefire talks

Thu, 05 Apr 2012 06:05:01 GMT

BEIRUT (Reuters) - A senior Norwegian U.N. peacekeeper flies into Damascus on Thursday to try to broker an agreement that will allow observers to be deployed across Syria to monitor a ceasefire demanded by an international peace plan. Syrian President Bashar al-Assad has accepted the plan, which calls for him to withdraw heavy weapons from cities, and his ally Russia said Syrian forces had begun to pull back. ...

Russia warns West, Arabs against arming Syria rebels

Thu, 05 Apr 2012 06:05:01 GMT

MOSCOW (Reuters) - Russia warned Western and Arab nations on Wednesday against arming opponents of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, saying it would lead to years of bloodshed without helping the rebels to defeat government forces. Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said the "Friends of Syria" group of Western and Arab nations is undermining international envoy Kofi Annan's efforts to end more than a year of violence, and criticized countries that support arming the opposition. ...

US court to sentence Russian 'death merchant' Bout

Thu, 05 Apr 2012 06:05:00 GMT

A US court on Thursday was to sentence convicted "merchant of death" arms smuggler Viktor Bout for conspiring to sell a massive arsenal to anti-American guerrillas in Colombia.

Moscow Ambassador McFaul's 'reset' with Kremlin stumbles

Wed, 04 Apr 2012 21:59:13 GMT

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov took personal aim at US ambassador to Russia Michael McFaul today, charging that his remarks to a Russian news agency about US missile defense policy were "arrogant," and that as an envoy to a foreign country Mr. McFaul ought to know better.

Syria forces assault rebellious towns before truce

Wed, 04 Apr 2012 21:59:09 GMT

Syrian artillery pounded the rebellious city of Homs and tanks and troops stormed towns in the north and south on Wednesday, deepening doubts that President Bashar Assad will follow through on his commitment to a truce starting next week.

U.N. council draft demands Syria meet April 10 deadline

Wed, 04 Apr 2012 21:59:08 GMT

UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) - A U.S.-drafted U.N. Security Council statement would have the 15-nation panel step up the pressure on Syria by ordering it to comply with an April 10 deadline to halt fighting and withdraw its forces from Syrian population centers. U.N. Arab League envoy Kofi Annan told the council on Monday that the Syrian government had accepted the deadline, adding that he would push for an end of rebel operations within 48 hours after the government stops fighting and pulls its forces back. Annan urged the council to support the deadline. ...

Russia: Heavily armed foes would not beat Syria army

Wed, 04 Apr 2012 15:24:15 GMT

MOSCOW (Reuters) - Russia warned Western and Arab nations on Wednesday against arming Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's foes, saying it would lead to years of bloodshed and would not enable the opposition to defeat government forces. Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said the "Friends of Syria" group of Western and Arab nations is undermining international envoy Kofi Annan's efforts to end more than a year of violence, and criticized countries that support arming the opposition. ...

U.N. ceasefire moves fail to deter Syria violence

Wed, 04 Apr 2012 15:24:12 GMT

BEIRUT (Reuters) - At least 70 people were killed in intense fighting in Syria over the past 24 hours, activists said on Wednesday, despite the imminent arrival of a U.N. team to discuss a possible mission to monitor a ceasefire set for next week. Western powers were seeking U.N. Security Council endorsement of envoy Kofi Annan's deal with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad for an April 10 withdrawal of military forces, to be followed within 48 hours by a ceasefire by rebel forces. "Let me say that from the U.S. ...

Venue disaccord over Iran nuclear talks

Wed, 04 Apr 2012 15:24:08 GMT

Crucial nuclear talks due to take place next week between Iran and world powers have run into disagreement over the host city, with Tehran on Wednesday saying it no longer wants Istanbul as the venue.

Iran proposes Baghdad as nuclear talks venue

Wed, 04 Apr 2012 15:24:07 GMT

BAGHDAD (Reuters) - Iran has approached Baghdad to host forthcoming talks with six world powers over its disputed nuclear program, Iraq said on Wednesday, apparently departing from plans for an Istanbul meeting following Iranian frictions with Turkey. Iranian media quoted Iranian foreign minister Ali Akbar Salehi as saying the talks could take place in Baghdad or China. He gave no further details. U.S. ...

Clashes erupt after Syria claims troop pullout

Wed, 04 Apr 2012 15:24:06 GMT

Syrian troops clashed with army defectors and shelled rebellious districts in the central city of Homs Wednesday, killing at least 11 civilians a day after the government claimed it had begun a troop withdrawal ahead of the deadline to implement an international truce plan.

Clashes break out in Syria after government claims it has begun troop pullout

Wed, 04 Apr 2012 15:24:03 GMT

BEIRUT - Syrian troops clashed with army defectors and shelled rebellious districts in the central city of Homs Wednesday, killing at least 11 civilians a day after the government claimed it had begun a troop withdrawal ahead of the deadline to implement an international truce plan.

Amnesty urges Russia to free punks after protest

Wed, 04 Apr 2012 15:24:02 GMT

MOSCOW (Reuters) - Amnesty International has urged Russia to release three members of all-woman punk band Pussy Riot who were detained after the group stormed into Moscow's main cathedral to sing a protest song against President-elect Vladimir Putin. Amnesty said the three denied taking part in the protest launched by other members of the group who entered Christ the Savior Cathedral on February 21 and sang "Holy Mother, Throw Putin Out" wearing multi-colored masks. ...

Russian school notebooks with Soviet dictator Stalin's portrait on cover cause controversy

Wed, 04 Apr 2012 15:24:01 GMT

MOSCOW - School notebooks with a portrait of Soviet dictator Josef Stalin on the cover have been causing a controversy in Russia since they went on sale this week.

Analysis: Syria peace plan seen buying Assad time

Wed, 04 Apr 2012 15:24:00 GMT

BEIRUT (Reuters) - President Bashar al-Assad's acceptance of a plan that puts the onus on rebels as well as the Syrian army to end more than a year of bloodshed may buy him time and, at least temporarily, reduce world pressure against him. Syria has pledged to withdraw all military units from towns by April 10 to pave the way for a ceasefire, brokered by U.N.-Arab League envoy Kofi Annan, with armed rebels two days later. But by calling on the insurgents to stop fighting too, the deal provides a get-out clause for Assad. ...

Russia accuses U.S. envoy of arrogance over missile shield comment

Wed, 04 Apr 2012 15:23:56 GMT

MOSCOW (Reuters) - Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov accused the U.S. ambassador on Wednesday of arrogance over remarks he made on the contentious issue of missile defense, Russia's latest rebuke of an envoy whose three months in Moscow have been clouded by controversy. Lavrov said U.S. ambassador Michael McFaul had "arrogantly" rejected Russia's concerns about U.S. plans for a European missile shield in a recent interview with state-run RIA news agency, according to RIA and other Russian media. "Yesterday our colleague, the U.S. ...

UN: 2.4 million human trafficking victims

Wed, 04 Apr 2012 10:19:20 GMT

The U.N. crime-fighting office said Tuesday that 2.4 million people across the globe are victims of human trafficking at any one time, and 80 percent of them are being exploited as sexual slaves.

Clinton warns of 'destabilizing' Iran options

Wed, 04 Apr 2012 10:19:19 GMT

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton warned that a nuclear-armed Iran or a conflict over its program would both destabilize the region as she pressed Tehran for clear commitments in upcoming talks.

Analysis: Success of Annan peace plan for Syria hinges on Russia

Wed, 04 Apr 2012 10:19:14 GMT

UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) - The success or failure of Kofi Annan's peace plan for Syria will depend largely on how willing Russia is to keep sustained pressure on a government that Moscow is determined to protect from Western calls for "regime change." Even if, as expected, Syrian President Bashar al-Assad fails to comply fully with an April 10 deadline to halt military operations and pull its army out of population centers, U.N. diplomats say Annan will keep pushing Russia and China to help him pressure Damascus to end the year-long conflict. The former U.N. ...

Russia says "Friends of Syria" undermine peace bid

Wed, 04 Apr 2012 10:19:13 GMT

MOSCOW (Reuters) - The "Friends of Syria" group of Western and Arab nations is undermining international envoy Kofi Annan's efforts to end the bloodshed in Syria, Russian news agencies quoted Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov as saying on Wednesday. "Everyone has supported Kofi Annan's plan but decisions at the "Friends of Syria" group meeting aimed at arming the opposition and at news sanctions undermine peace efforts," state-run Itar-Tass quoted Lavrov as saying. ...

Russia's FM: arming Syrian opposition would only lead to more bloodshed

Wed, 04 Apr 2012 10:19:12 GMT

BAKU, Azerbaijan - Russia's foreign minister has warned against arming the Syrian opposition, saying it would only escalate hostilities.

Fierce clashes in Syria as regime reinforces

Wed, 04 Apr 2012 10:19:11 GMT

Fierce clashes erupted after Syria's regime sent reinforcements into rebel areas despite a truce pledge, as the UN said it was rushing a team to Damascus to pave the way for peace monitors.

Measure progress in happiness, not money, Bhutan urges

Wed, 04 Apr 2012 10:19:10 GMT

UNITED NATIONS, April 3 (IPS) - Which is more important in human life: money or happiness? Can money buy happiness? According to the tiny Himalayan nation of Bhutan, the time has come for the world to pay closer attention to this age-old question.

Russia's FM warns against arming Syrian opposition

Wed, 04 Apr 2012 10:19:09 GMT

Russia's foreign minister warned other nations again Wednesday not to arm the Syrian opposition, saying it would only escalate hostilities.

Failure to de-ice likely cause of Russia plane crash

Wed, 04 Apr 2012 10:19:08 GMT

MOSCOW (Reuters) - Failure to de-ice a Russian passenger plane before takeoff was the most likely cause of a crash in Siberia that killed 31 of the 43 people aboard the UTair ATR 72-200 craft, federal investigators said on Wednesday. "At the moment, on the basis of the materials received, the investigators consider the failure to conduct a de-icing procedure to be the most probable causes of the air crash (on Monday)," Russia's Investigative Committee said on its website. (Writing by Steve Gutterman, Editing by Timothy Heritage)

Russian notebooks with Stalin on cover cause stir

Wed, 04 Apr 2012 10:19:07 GMT

School notebooks with Soviet dictator Josef Stalin on the cover are causing controversy in Russia.

Serbian President Boris Tadic resigns

Wed, 04 Apr 2012 10:19:06 GMT

Serbian pro-Western President Boris Tadic said Wednesday he is resigning, paving the way for an early presidential election where he will face a strong challenge from a nationalist candidate.

Brits reclaim team pursuit title in record time

Wed, 04 Apr 2012 10:19:05 GMT

Britain reclaimed the coveted men's team pursuit title in a new world record time of 3min 53.295sec here at the track cycling world championships Wednesday.

Skyscraper fire reignites controversy over Moscow's building boom (+video)

Wed, 04 Apr 2012 00:26:54 GMT

A spectacular blaze atop a tower that is to be Europe's tallest skyscraper lit up the Moscow sky like a giant matchstick Monday night, reigniting controversy over how rapidly – and perhaps carelessly – the Russian capital's makeover is proceeding.

Israeli, Palestinian negotiators to hold talks

Wed, 04 Apr 2012 00:26:45 GMT

Israeli and Palestinian negotiators are to hold renewed talks, in what would be their first public meeting in more than two months, a senior official said on Tuesday.

Syrian official: Troops began pullout from cities

Wed, 04 Apr 2012 00:26:42 GMT

A Syrian government official says troops have begun withdrawing from some cities and are returning to their bases.

APNewsBreak: Syrian troops start pullout

Wed, 04 Apr 2012 00:26:41 GMT

Syrian troops began pulling out Tuesday from some calm cities and headed back to their bases a week ahead of a deadline to implement an international cease-fire plan, a government official said.

APNewsBreak: Nuke agency cautious on NKorea visit

Wed, 04 Apr 2012 00:26:38 GMT

As international tensions rise over a planned North Korean rocket launch, the U.N. nuclear agency is taking a wait-and-see attitude on an offer from the North to allow agency experts back into the country, according to a letter shared Tuesday with The Associated Press.

Russia says kills five Islamists in Caucasus

Wed, 04 Apr 2012 00:26:37 GMT

MOSCOW (Reuters) - Russian security forces killed five Islamist rebels suspected of plotting suicide attacks in the capital of the republic of Ingushetia on Tuesday, Russia's anti-terrorism committee (NAK) said in a statement. The Kremlin is struggling to contain an Islamist insurgency in the North Caucasus and President Dmitry Medvedev has called the North Caucasus separatist movement Russia's top domestic security problem. The NAK statement said the rebels opened fire on security forces after they attempted to stop their car. It said all five were killed in the shooting. ...

Titanomania: Museum charts obsession with Titanic

Wed, 04 Apr 2012 00:26:34 GMT

Somewhere between the black Titanic teddy bears and the pale Iceberg beer, the Titanic Barbie doll and the "Tubtanic" bath plug, the global obsession with the story of the doomed ocean liner began to border on the absurd.

Russian Church: under attack after backing Putin

Wed, 04 Apr 2012 00:26:32 GMT

MOSCOW (Reuters) - Russia's Orthodox Church said on Tuesday it was under attack from unspecified "anti-Russian forces" seeking to erode its authority after it threw its weight behind Vladimir Putin before last month's presidential election. The unusually strongly-worded statement listed a recent protest performance by an all-girl punk band in Moscow's main cathedral as well as media allegations against Patriarch Kirill as examples of such attacks. ...

Iran ex-president urges better ties with Saudis

Tue, 03 Apr 2012 16:20:25 GMT

Iran should forge better ties with regional rival Saudi Arabia to counter Western sanctions on Iranian oil, a former president who now chairs an advisory body to supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei urged on Tuesday.

Fire at Russian market kills 15 foreign migrants

Tue, 03 Apr 2012 16:20:15 GMT

MOSCOW (Reuters) - A fire ripping through a market warehouse on Moscow's outskirts on Tuesday killed 15 foreigners from former Soviet republics, Russian media and emergency officials said. Most of the victims were from Tajikistan and the others may have come from other Central Asian states, state media said, after a pre-dawn blaze that highlighted the dangerous conditions many labor migrants endure in Russia. The migrants appeared to have been living in makeshift quarters in the rear of the two-storey building used as a metal storage warehouse at a construction materials market. ...

Iranian suspicion grows over Turkey's regional role

Tue, 03 Apr 2012 16:20:12 GMT

DUBAI (Reuters) - A senior Iranian political figure has spoken out against Turkey hosting Iran's next talks with world powers on its disputed nuclear program, in the latest anti-Turkish broadside from politicians in Tehran, Fars news agency reported late on Monday. Last month Turkey offered Istanbul as the venue for talks expected to take place on April 13, a proposal which appeared to gather momentum last week when Iranian Foreign Minister Ali Akbar Salehi said Istanbul would be "the best option". Turkey has repeatedly backed Iran's right to develop peaceful nuclear technology. ...

Park Ji-Sung predicts Asian World Cup win

Tue, 03 Apr 2012 16:20:11 GMT

Manchester United's South Korean midfielder Park Ji-Sung has predicted that an Asian country will bring home the World Cup within a decade.

Syria: As His Adversaries Scramble for a Strategy, Assad Sets His Terms

Tue, 03 Apr 2012 16:20:09 GMT

That which has not been achieved on the battlefield can rarely be achieved at the negotiation table, and the harsh reality facing Syria's opposition is that the regime of President Bashar al-Assad has not been defeated, nor is it in danger of imminent collapse. Assad has promised, former U.N. Secretary General Kofi Annan announced Monday, to begin a partial implementation of Annan's peace plan by withdrawing troops and heavy weaponry from opposition-stronghold cities on April 10. ...

Fire at Moscow market kills 17 migrant workers sleeping in metal shed

Tue, 03 Apr 2012 16:20:05 GMT

MOSCOW - A blaze Tuesday at a Moscow market killed 17 migrant workers who were unable to escape from the metal shed where they were sleeping, the city fire department said.

Avon rejects $10 billion takeover bid from Coty

Tue, 03 Apr 2012 16:20:03 GMT

(Reuters) - Coty Inc disclosed on Monday that it had offered $10 billion for Avon Products Inc but the larger company, which is grappling with sliding sales and a bribery probe, rejected the bid as too low and "opportunistic". Combining Coty, maker of Stetson aftershave and Beyoncé fragrances, with Avon, the world's largest direct seller of cosmetics, would give Coty less reliance on fragrances and a bigger share of growing overseas markets. Investors sent Avon's stock soaring as high as $23.38 on Monday after news of Coty's offer. The shares closed up 17.3 percent at $22.70. ...

Turkey says U.N. "indirectly" backs Syria oppression

Tue, 03 Apr 2012 16:20:02 GMT

ANKARA (Reuters) - Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan accused the U.N. Security Council on Tuesday of indirectly supporting the "oppression" of the Syrian people by failing to adopt a united stance on Syria. Once a friend of Damascus, Turkey has become a fierce critic of President Bashar al-Assad over his year-long crackdown on his opponents and has called for the Syrian leader to step down. "In not taking a decision, the U.N. Security Council has indirectly supported the oppression. ...

Fire at Moscow market kills 17 migrant workers

Tue, 03 Apr 2012 16:19:59 GMT

A blaze Tuesday at a Moscow market killed 17 migrant workers who were unable to escape from the metal shed where they were sleeping, the city fire department said.

Russia: Syrian government has started fulfilling Annan's plan to end conflict

Tue, 03 Apr 2012 16:19:58 GMT

MOSCOW - Russia's Foreign Ministry says Syria's government has informed Moscow that it has started implementing U.N. envoy Kofi Annan's plan aimed at ending its yearlong conflict.

Syria steps up assault as UN moves to send monitors

Tue, 03 Apr 2012 16:19:57 GMT

Fierce clashes erupted on Tuesday as Syria's regime sent reinforcements into rebel areas despite a truce pledge, and the UN said it was rushing a team to Damascus to pave the way for peace monitors.

Russia's UTair grounds ATR 72-200 planes after crash

Tue, 03 Apr 2012 16:19:56 GMT

MOSCOW (Reuters) - Russia's UTair Aviation has suspended all its flights of ATR 72-200 aircraft until it knows the results of an investigation into a deadly crash in Siberia, the company said on Tuesday. A 21-year-old UTair ATR 72-200 crashed after takeoff from Tyumen in western Siberia on Monday, killing 31 of the 43 people on board. UTair said the plane crashed while trying to make an emergency landing shortly. ...

Russia: Syria has started observing peace plan

Tue, 03 Apr 2012 16:19:54 GMT

The Syrian government said it has begun implementing a U.N. envoy's peace plan that requires it to withdraw its forces from towns and cities within a week, Russia's Foreign Ministry announced Tuesday.

Architects' answer to rising seas: floating homes

Tue, 03 Apr 2012 16:19:54 GMT

A floating mosque and golf course for the submerging Maldives islands. Amphibious homes in the Netherlands lifted to safety as waters surge beneath them. A hospital perched on 400 stilts to protect patients from Thailand's devastating floods and the encroaching sea.

Syrian forces fight dissent ahead of peace plan

Tue, 03 Apr 2012 16:19:53 GMT

Syrian opposition activists charged Wednesday that the regime is trying to crush a yearlong uprising before a U.N. truce plan comes into effect next week, as troops carried out intense raids, arrests and shelling.

Moscow market fire kills 12 migrant workers

Tue, 03 Apr 2012 08:13:50 GMT

Twelve people died Tuesday when a night time fire tore through a two-story Moscow market warehouse that was being used by migrant workers from a former Soviet republic as a temporary residence.

Ukraine's ex-PM allowed treatment outside jail

Tue, 03 Apr 2012 06:21:11 GMT

Ukraine on Monday allowed jailed opposition leader Yulia Tymoshenko to receive medical treatment outside prison amid widening European concerns for the former pro-Western prime minister's health.

No date, place yet for Iran nuclear talks: Russia

Tue, 03 Apr 2012 06:21:05 GMT

Russia said Monday that the date and place for talks with Iran on its controversial nuclear programme have not been set, despite a US announcement over the first such meeting in more than a year.

Blaze at Moscow skyscraper set to be Europe's tallest

Tue, 03 Apr 2012 06:21:03 GMT

MOSCOW (Reuters) - Fire ripped through the top of a part-built skyscraper on Monday that is set to become Europe's tallest building and form the pinnacle of Moscow's new business district under plans to turn the Russian capital into a global financial centre. Helicopters buzzed around the building, returning repeatedly to drop water from the nearby Moscow river onto the blaze to help bring the fire under control. The tower, called Vostok or East, has a projected height of 360 meters. ...

Syria accepts April 10 peace deadline: Annan

Tue, 03 Apr 2012 06:21:02 GMT

UN-Arab League envoy Kofi Annan said Syrian President Bashar al-Assad had accepted an April 10 deadline to start implementing a peace plan, as more than 30 people died in new clashes.

Annan says Syria accepts peace plan deadline

Mon, 02 Apr 2012 21:18:42 GMT

UN-Arab League envoy Kofi Annan on Monday said Syrian President Bashar al-Assad has agreed on a deadline to start implementing a peace plan, as the Red Cross chief began a new humanitarian mission there.

Ukraine allows jailed Tymoshenko to be treated for back condition in local hospital

Mon, 02 Apr 2012 21:18:41 GMT

KIEV, Ukraine - Jailed former premier Yulia Tymoshenko will be allowed to leave prison to be treated for a back condition at a Ukrainian hospital, prosecutors said Monday as the government appeared to bow to Western pressure.

Syrian forces storm rebel towns, torch homes; UN envoy sets April 10 deadline for peace plan

Mon, 02 Apr 2012 21:18:40 GMT

BEIRUT - The Syrian government sent troops backed by tanks into rebellious areas Monday, hunting down activists and torching their homes and bulldozing others, opposition groups said.

Gulf plan could be blank check for Syrian rebels

Mon, 02 Apr 2012 21:18:39 GMT

A Gulf plan to funnel millions of dollars a month to Syrian rebels — payments earmarked for salaries for the fighters — could amount to a blank check for the opposition to build up an arsenal against President Bashar Assad's forces, analysts say.

Syrian forces storm rebel areas, torch homes

Mon, 02 Apr 2012 21:18:38 GMT

The Syrian government sent troops backed by tanks into rebellious areas Monday, hunting down activists and torching their homes and bulldozing others, opposition groups said.

'Friends of Syria' hit brakes to avoid conflict: analysts

Mon, 02 Apr 2012 21:18:36 GMT

Sunday's "Friends of Syria" conference sidestepped solid measures against the Damascus regime for fear of getting sucked into a conflict that could defy control, analysts and experts said.

Syria agrees to April 10 troop pullout from cities

Mon, 02 Apr 2012 21:18:35 GMT

Syria told international envoy Kofi Annan that its military will withdraw troops and heavy weapons from populated areas by April 10, in what could be a first step toward ending the bloody yearlong conflict, U.N. diplomats said Monday.

Greek firm halts heating fuel supply to Syria

Mon, 02 Apr 2012 17:01:04 GMT

LONDON (Reuters) - Syria's sole supplier of heating fuel has halted deliveries due to European Union sanctions, making it difficult for Syrians to cook and hear their homes and potentially widening opposition to the government of President6 Bashar al-Assad. Most major oil firms had already severed ties with Syria for fear of breaking the law or being linked to a bloody crackdown in which thousands have died. But a loophole allowed Naftomar, a little-known firm in Greece, to continue supplying Syria with liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), used widely for heating and cooking. ...

"Londongrad" on edge after attack on Russian banker

Mon, 02 Apr 2012 17:01:03 GMT

LONDON (Reuters) - A failed hit on a former Russian banker in London has sent a chill through Russian immigrant circles and shone an unwelcome spotlight on a hidden criminal underworld encroaching on the British capital. The shooting also raised concerns Britain might be turning into a playground for Russian mobsters as gangland violence appears to spill over Russian borders into European capitals. London is the chosen home for many Russians seeking a haven from the cut-throat world of their homeland where, 20 years after the Soviet collapse, they have little faith in the rule of law. ...

Insight: Invigorated Rousseff shifts focus to 'Brazil cost'

Mon, 02 Apr 2012 17:00:58 GMT

NEW DELHI (Reuters) - Standing before reporters on a trip to India last week, Brazil's generally stern President Dilma Rousseff flashed a wry smile, admitted to jet lag and said: "If I take a nap right here, cut me some slack, OK?" Humor is not the only new quality she's displaying lately. After taking office on the crest of an economic boom that allowed an unhurried approach to reforms, Rousseff is starting to take bold steps to cut Brazil's notoriously high business costs and taxes, driven by what advisers describe as a new sense of urgency to revive a stagnating economy. ...

Russian opposition candidate wins mayoral vote

Mon, 02 Apr 2012 17:00:57 GMT

An anti-corruption crusader has won a landslide victory in a mayoral election in a major Russian city, dealing a painful blow to the powerful pro-Kremlin party and energizing the beleaguered opposition.

Annan tells U.N. he wants deadline for Syrian peace

Mon, 02 Apr 2012 17:00:56 GMT

UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) - U.N.-Arab League envoy Kofi Annan has asked the U.N. Security Council for support in implementing an April 10 deadline for Syria to partially implement his peace plan, with a full ceasefire within 48 hours thereafter, envoys said on Monday. Annan told the 15-nation council behind closed doors that Syria has agreed to the idea of such a deadline, which would include the end of troop movements toward population centers, the withdrawal of heavy weapons and a start to the withdrawal of troops, U.N. diplomats told Reuters on condition of anonymity. ...

Pro-Putin party suffers new setback in polls

Mon, 02 Apr 2012 17:00:55 GMT

President-elect Vladimir Putin suffered a tough political blow Monday after seeing his party's candidate trounced in a mayoral race that became the focus of Russia's nascent protest movement.

Russia: Siberian plane in crash not de-iced right

Mon, 02 Apr 2012 17:00:51 GMT

The head of Russia's civil aviation agency says the airliner that crashed in Siberia, killing 31 people, appears to have been improperly de-iced before takeoff.

Passenger plane carrying 43 people crashes after takeoff in Siberia, some survive

Mon, 02 Apr 2012 14:34:49 GMT

MOSCOW - A passenger plane carrying 43 people crashed in Siberia shortly after taking off Monday morning, and Russian emergency officials said at least 16 are confirmed dead but that 12 survived.

Plane carrying 43 people crashes in Siberia

Mon, 02 Apr 2012 14:34:48 GMT

A passenger plane carrying 43 people crashed in Siberia shortly after taking off Monday morning, and Russian emergency officials said at least 16 were confirmed dead but at least 12 survived.

Plane crash in Siberia kills 32 of 43 on board

Mon, 02 Apr 2012 14:34:47 GMT

A passenger plane crashed in Siberia shortly after taking off Monday morning, killing 32 of the 43 people on board, Russian emergency officials said. The 11 survivors were hospitalized in serious condition.

Iran Talks: As the Clock Ticks Down, What Would Success Look Like?

Mon, 02 Apr 2012 14:34:46 GMT

The clock is ticking and the window is closing for a diplomatic solution to the Iran nuclear standoff, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton warned Saturday, ahead of talks scheduled for April 13 in Istanbul. "We are determined to prevent Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon," Clinton declared. Speaking of the planned meeting between Iran and the P5+1 group comprising the major Western powers, Russia and China, she added: "We enter into these talks with a sober perspective about Iran's intentions. ...

BASF sells fertilizer business to EuroChem

Mon, 02 Apr 2012 14:34:45 GMT

Germany's BASF SE says it has sold its Belgium-based fertilizers business to EuroChem of Russia in a deal worth €830 million ($1.1 billion).

Clashes across Syria ahead of Annan's UN briefing

Mon, 02 Apr 2012 14:34:43 GMT

Syrian government troops clashed with rebel forces across the country Monday as international envoy Kofi Annan prepared to brief the U.N. Security Council on the progress of his mission to ease the nation's crisis.

Ukraine allows Tymoshenko's treatment outside jail

Mon, 02 Apr 2012 14:34:42 GMT

Jailed former premier Yulia Tymoshenko will be allowed to leave prison to be treated for a back condition at a Ukrainian hospital, prosecutors said Monday as the government appeared to bow to Western pressure.

Russian plane crash kills 31, exposes safety record

Mon, 02 Apr 2012 14:34:41 GMT

MOSCOW (Reuters) - A passenger plane crashed and burst into flames after takeoff in Siberia on Monday, killing 31 people and putting the spotlight on Russia's poor air-safety record before Vladimir Putin's return as president. Thirteen survivors were pulled from the wreckage but one later died after being rushed by helicopter to hospital in the city of Tyumen, some 1,720 km (1,070 miles) east of Moscow, emergency officials said. Television footage showed the UTair airlines ATR 72, which had snapped in two, lying in a snowy field with only the tail and rear visible. ...

Europeans favor UN-mandated Syria intervention: poll

Mon, 02 Apr 2012 14:34:40 GMT

LONDON (Reuters) - Most Europeans support military intervention against Syria but fewer than a third would back action without a United Nations mandate, according to a poll carried out in six states. The YouGov survey in Britain, France, Germany, Denmark, Sweden and Finland showed a majority of those questioned backed action by Western powers against President Bashar al-Assad's government. But about half of Danish, Swedish, British and Finnish respondents wanted U.N. approval first, with more than a third in Germany and France thinking likewise. ...

Russia criticizes "Friends of Syria"

Mon, 02 Apr 2012 14:34:39 GMT

MOSCOW (Reuters) - Russia on Monday chided Western and Arab nations that set "ultimatums and artificial deadlines" for ending the bloodshed in Syria and said it was not their place to judge peace envoy Kofi Annan's ceasefire plan. Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov's remarks, quoted by Interfax news agency, were aimed at the "Friends of Syria" which said in Istanbul on Sunday that Syrian President Bashar al-Assad did not have an open-ended opportunity to meet his commitments to Annan. "Kofi Annan has a mandate from the (U.N.) Secretary General and the Security Council. ...

Violence tears Syria despite ceasefire pledge

Mon, 02 Apr 2012 14:34:38 GMT

BEIRUT (Reuters) - Syrian government forces bombarded opposition targets in the city of Homs on Monday despite President Bashar al-Assad's promise to international peace envoy Kofi Annan to cease fire and withdraw his tanks and artillery. Annan, who met Assad in Damascus on March 10 to discuss his peace plan, was due to brief the U.N. Security Council in New York later on Monday on whether he had seen any progress towards its implementation. "Today doesn't feel much different than yesterday or the day before, or the day before that," opposition activist Waleed Fares said from inside Homs. ...

Syria forces hit rebel bastions despite peace moves

Mon, 02 Apr 2012 14:34:36 GMT

President Bashar al-Assad's regime pressed its deadly bid to crush dissent Monday, reportedly targeting rebels near Turkey as it brushed off an Istanbul meeting of the "Friends of Syria" as a failure.

Plane crash in Siberia kills 31 of 43 on board

Mon, 02 Apr 2012 14:34:33 GMT

A Russian passenger plane crashed into a snowy field in Siberia shortly after takeoff Monday, killing 31 of the 43 people on board, officials said. The 12 survivors were hospitalized in serious condition.

Russia urges Assad to start troop pullout

Mon, 02 Apr 2012 14:34:32 GMT

Syria's government must take the first step toward settling the country's conflict by pulling troops from city streets, Russia's foreign minister said Monday, raising pressure on an old ally.

Obama team sharpens focus on Romney as Republicans rally behind front-runner

Mon, 02 Apr 2012 14:34:31 GMT

WASHINGTON - Mitt Romney's campaign has made a practice of tearing down fellow Republicans in the race for the presidential nomination, but now he's coming under heavy assault himself as President Barack Obama's team revs up its campaign for the November election.

Russia rejects deadline for Annan's Syria peace plan

Mon, 02 Apr 2012 14:34:30 GMT

Russia on Monday rejected Arab and Western calls for a deadline to be set for the Syrian regime's implementation of a peace plan put forward by international mediator Kofi Annan.

Siberian plane crash kills 31 in oil town

Mon, 02 Apr 2012 14:34:29 GMT

Thirty-one people died Monday when a Russian jet crashed and burst into flames moments after taking off from an oil-rich Siberian region, where another jumbo jet aborted its flight a few hours later.

That Giant Sucking Sound in the Arctic? Putin Funding His Campaign Pledges

Sun, 01 Apr 2012 21:43:09 GMT

The last stop on the railway running north from Moscow is Labytnangi, a small town just inside the Arctic Circle. The most reliable way to plow north from there across the great white emptiness is on a Russian-made TM-130 all-terrain vehicle, which drives on tank treads. "Just look around," yelled Vladimir Krivenko, a local railway boss riding shotgun on a recent icy afternoon as he ventured out to inspect work on rail tracks along the frozen tundra."Riches as far as the eye can see. Oil, gas, minerals. We've got the whole periodic table of elements in this ground."

Syria's "friends" urge Annan to set timeline

Sun, 01 Apr 2012 21:43:07 GMT

ISTANBUL (Reuters) - Western and Arab nations urged peace envoy Kofi Annan on Sunday to set a timeline for next steps, including a return to the U.N. Security Council, if President Bashar al-Assad fails to halt bloodshed in Syria. The "Friends of Syria" said, in a final communique obtained by Reuters, that Assad did not have an open-ended opportunity to meet his commitments to Annan, who is mediating on behalf of the United Nations and Arab League. "The regime will be judged by its deeds rather than its promises," the group of 83 nations said. ...

Red Square closed, 55 arrested to prevent anti-Putin rally

Sun, 01 Apr 2012 21:43:04 GMT

Russian authorities Sunday cordoned off Moscow's iconic Red Square and arrested 55 opposition supporters to prevent a rally against Vladimir Putin, who is due to take up his old Kremlin job.

Moscow police detain 55 protesters near Red Square

Sun, 01 Apr 2012 21:43:03 GMT

Police detained about 55 protesters on Sunday outside the gates to Red Square, which was unexpectedly closed to all visitors and tourists to prevent an anti-Kremlin demonstration.

Chan makes Canada top figure skating nation

Sun, 01 Apr 2012 21:43:02 GMT

Patrick Chan may have been jeered by the crowd after a less than perfect free skate but he nevertheless ensured that Canada are the top figure skating nation with less than two years to go until the 2014 Olympics.

Russia shuts Red Square, detains dozens of activists

Sun, 01 Apr 2012 21:42:59 GMT

MOSCOW (Reuters) - Russian authorities closed Moscow's Red Square on Sunday and detained dozens of people trying to hold a silent anti-government protest there, prompting opposition charges that they were denying Russians their right to free assembly. Several hundred people responded to calls on the Internet to gather in Red Square outside the Kremlin wearing white ribbons or clothing as a symbol of protest, but found the iron gates to the sprawling square closed. ...

675 Russian fishermen rescued from an ice floe drifting out to sea

Sun, 01 Apr 2012 21:42:58 GMT

MOSCOW - Russia's emergency services have rescued a total of 675 fishermen from an ice floe that was drifting out to sea in the far east of the country.

Clinton to Iran: Show that nuclear arms not sought

Sun, 01 Apr 2012 21:42:58 GMT

U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton on Sunday urged Iran to back up its declaration that Islam bars weapons of mass destruction by agreeing to a plan that would prove it does not intend to develop nuclear arms.

Syria conference: Coalition moves to fund rebels

Sun, 01 Apr 2012 21:42:57 GMT

A coalition of at least 70 countries pledged several million dollars a month Sunday and communications equipment for Syrian rebels and opposition activists, signaling deeper involvement in the conflict amid a growing belief that diplomacy and sanctions alone can't end the regime's repression.

675 Russian fishermen rescued from drifting ice

Sun, 01 Apr 2012 21:42:55 GMT

Russia's emergency services rescued 675 fishermen on Sunday from an ice floe that was drifting out to sea in the far east of the country.

MI5 'uncovers plot to murder Russian in London'

Sun, 01 Apr 2012 13:36:17 GMT

Security services have uncovered a plot to assassinate exiled Chechen separatist Akhmed Zakayev in London, the Sunday Telegraph newspaper has reported.

UN must act to stop Syria violence, conference told

Sun, 01 Apr 2012 13:36:16 GMT

The United Nations must act to stop the violence in Syria, an Arab League official said Sunday as bloodshed on the ground claimed more lives.

In Turkey, nations meet to plan for new Syria

Sun, 01 Apr 2012 13:36:12 GMT

Dozens of countries on Sunday sought to set conditions for a new Syria, pushing for tighter sanctions and diplomatic pressure to further isolate President Bashar Assad, while urging the opposition to offer a democratic alternative to his regime.

Syria blasts international conference on crisis

Sun, 01 Apr 2012 13:36:11 GMT

Syria blasted an international conference on the country's spreading crisis before it even started Sunday, calling it part of an international conspiracy to kill Syrians and weaken the country.

Tighter sanctions sought against Syria

Sun, 01 Apr 2012 13:36:10 GMT

Myanmar: live report

Sun, 01 Apr 2012 13:36:09 GMT

AS THE POLLS BEGIN TO CLOSE IN MYANMAR, AFP IS NOW WRAPPING UP this live report on the landmark by-election, in which Nobel laureate Aung San Suu Kyi was allowed to stand for a seat in parliament for the first time in 22 years.

Syria conference: Gulf countries to fund rebels

Sun, 01 Apr 2012 13:36:08 GMT

Participants at a conference on Syria say Saudi Arabia and other Gulf countries are creating a multimillion-dollar fund to pay salaries to members of the rebel Free Syrian Army and soldiers who defect from the regime and join opposition ranks.

Turkey hosts meeting of nations to back Syrian opposition, increase pressure on Assad

Sun, 01 Apr 2012 06:35:18 GMT

ISTANBUL - Dozens of countries are making another push to isolate the Syrian regime at a meeting in Istanbul that is expected to focus on encouraging Syria's opposition to unite and seeking ways to deliver humanitarian aid to beleaguered civilians.

Fighting continues in Syria as West, opposition to meet

Sun, 01 Apr 2012 05:30:00 GMT

ISTANBUL (Reuters) - Syrians trying to topple President Bashar al-Assad meet their Western backers on Sunday while fighting has continued despite the Syrian government saying the year-long revolt is over. The political opposition remains divided and has not yet formally accepted a peace plan brokered by United Nations-Arab League special envoy Kofi Annan. Prospects of Western-led military intervention are close to zero, although Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Saud al-Faisal renewed calls on Saturday to arm the Syrian opposition, describing it as a "duty". ...

Riot police detain Russians demanding free assembly

Sun, 01 Apr 2012 00:50:34 GMT

MOSCOW (Reuters) - Anti-government protesters shouting "Russia without Putin!" tussled with police in Moscow on Saturday, and dozens of activists were detained and bundled into police vans. Police detained about 75 people rallying in Moscow and St Petersburg against Vladimir Putin - who will return to the presidency in May after four years as prime minister - and demanding the freedom of assembly. In Moscow, riot police in black helmets and body armor locked elbows and pushed a crowd of about 300 protesters and journalists along sidewalks and roadways near a central square. ...

Dissent among 'Friends of Syria' dims hopes for talks

Sun, 01 Apr 2012 00:50:31 GMT

Expectations are low of an international conference Sunday in Istanbul having much impact on the Syrian crisis, as discord among the so-called "Friends of Syria" outweighs their agreements.

Dozens of Russian opposition activists detained

Sun, 01 Apr 2012 00:50:30 GMT

More than 70 Russian opposition activists, including writer Eduard Limonov, were on Saturday arrested during unauthorised gatherings in Moscow and St Petersburg.

World landmarks dimmed for Earth Hour

Sun, 01 Apr 2012 00:50:28 GMT

Hundreds of world landmarks from Berlin's Brandenburg Gate to the Great Wall of China went dark Saturday, part of a global effort to highlight climate change.

Iraq may skip 'Friends of Syria' meet: spokesman

Sat, 31 Mar 2012 16:42:52 GMT

Iraq may not participate in the "Friends of Syria" conference in Istanbul on Sunday as it wants to maintain its ability to serve as a mediator, the Iraqi prime minister's spokesman said.

Afghanistan presses for answers on long-term U.S. military bases

Sat, 31 Mar 2012 16:42:51 GMT

Afghanistan wants the United States to clearly spell out what sort of military presence it will leave behind once most of its combat troops leave by the end of 2014, a senior Afghan official said. It is also pressing Washington in talks over future cooperation to detail to be more forthcoming on what will be on offer for Afghan forces as they ready to take over responsibility security in the country that is still at war. "These are issues that concern us. We want to know how many bases will be there, how many soldiers and what will be their mission. ...

Supporters of Syrian opposition to meet in Turkey

Sat, 31 Mar 2012 16:42:49 GMT

China and Russia turned down invitations. Iran didn't get one. The absence of these key supporters of the Syrian regime at a meeting in Istanbul on Sunday highlights the global division over how to stop the bloodshed in Syria as much as the unity of dozens of participating countries from the Western and Arab worlds.

Turkey hosts meeting to back Syrian opposition as Annan peace plan fails to take hold

Sat, 31 Mar 2012 16:42:48 GMT

ISTANBUL - China and Russia turned down invitations. Iran didn't get one. The absence of these key supporters of the Syrian regime at a meeting in Istanbul on Sunday highlights the global division over how to stop the bloodshed in Syria as much as the unity of dozens of participating countries from the Western and Arab worlds.

Clinton: New nuclear talks with Iran in April in Turkey, but time running short for diplomacy

Sat, 31 Mar 2012 16:42:47 GMT

RIYADH, Saudi Arabia - U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton made clear Saturday that time is running out for diplomacy over Iran's nuclear program and said talks aimed at preventing Tehran from acquiring a nuclear weapon would resume in mid-April.

Syria says revolt over, but army still shooting

Sat, 31 Mar 2012 16:42:46 GMT

Syria says the year-long revolt to topple President Bashar al-Assad is now over, but it will keep its forces in cities to "maintain security" until it is safe to withdraw in keeping with a U.N.-backed peace deal. The agreement proposed by United Nations-Arab League special envoy Kofi Annan says the Syrian authorities must be first to withdraw troops and stop violence immediately. The army kept up an offensive against opposition strongholds on Saturday, pummelling the Khalidiya district of Homs city. ...

Chan wins second gold for Canada despite fall

Sat, 31 Mar 2012 16:42:45 GMT

Patrick Chan successfully defended his men's figure skating title to give Canada their second gold at the world championships here on Saturday despite a fall during the free skate final.

SKorea to work with US to reduce Iran oil imports

Sat, 31 Mar 2012 08:36:20 GMT

South Korean officials said Saturday that they will continue working with the U.S. to reduce oil imports from Iran after President Barack Obama greenlighted potential sanctions against countries that continue to buy Iranian oil.

Russian Space Chief Criticizes Russian Space Spending

Sat, 31 Mar 2012 02:23:46 GMT

Vladimir Popovkin, the head Russian space agency Roskosmos, said what he termed "excessive" spending on space research in Russia is being conducted at the expense of the needs of ordinary Russians, according to RT.Com.

Clinton tackles Syria, Iran concerns during Saudi visit

Sat, 31 Mar 2012 02:23:43 GMT

US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton geared up for talks in Saudi Arabia on Saturday about plans for a Gulf missile shield against Iran and ways to press Tehran's ally Syria to stop killing Syrians.

U.S., EU blast Argentina's trade restrictions at WTO

Sat, 31 Mar 2012 02:23:39 GMT

GENEVA (Reuters) - Argentina came under a barrage of criticism at the World Trade Organization on Friday, where the United States, European Union, Japan and 10 other countries accused it of tying up imports in red tape. Argentina's center-left government has imposed a raft of sometimes unorthodox import restrictions in recent years as it battles to shield local industry and its trade surplus, which shrank 11 percent in 2011 to $10.4 billion. On February 1, President Cristina Fernandez's administration imposed a new system to pre-approve, or reject, nearly every purchase from abroad. ...

Putin ally seeking top economic post is accused of massive corruption

Fri, 30 Mar 2012 21:40:16 GMT

Russia's top anti-corruption blogger, Alexei Navalny, has taken aim at one of President-elect Vladimir Putin's top lieutenants, accusing longtime top Kremlin official Igor Shuvalov of amassing tens of millions of dollars through illicit transactions with Russian oligarchs.

US ambassador says Russia is a 'wild country'

Fri, 30 Mar 2012 21:40:15 GMT

The US ambassador to Moscow questioned Friday how a Kremlin-linked television channel accessed his private schedule, calling Russia a "wild country" in an altercation with its reporters.

New Iran talks may focus on higher-grade atom work

Fri, 30 Mar 2012 21:40:13 GMT

VIENNA (Reuters) - Getting Iran to stop the higher-level uranium enrichment it started two years ago and has since sharply increased will be a priority when world powers re-enter talks with the Islamic Republic in April, Western diplomats and analysts say. Tehran took a major step towards making potential atom bomb material after a previous attempt at diplomacy failed, spurning U.N. demands to halt all enrichment and, instead, ramping up uranium processing to 20 percent purity - goading the West to impose crushing sanctions on its banks and oil exports. ...

Headstone of Hitlers' parents' grave removed

Fri, 30 Mar 2012 21:40:11 GMT

The tombstone marking the grave of Adolf Hitler's parents, a place of pilgrimage for neo-Nazis, has been removed from an upper Austrian village cemetery at the request of a descendant, and the grave is ready for a new burial, officials said Friday.

Shaky Chan leads at world figure skating event

Fri, 30 Mar 2012 21:40:10 GMT

Canada's Patrick Chan admitted that even he was surprised by his score as despite struggling to stay on his feet he led the men's short programme at the world figure skating championships here on Friday.

Activists: Fresh clashes erupt in Syria

Fri, 30 Mar 2012 21:40:08 GMT

Fresh clashes between Syrian soldiers and rebels erupted across many parts of Syria Friday as U.N. envoy Kofi Annan urged the government to lay down its weapons first to immediately end the nation's yearlong crisis.

Headstone from grave of Hitlers' parents removed on request from relative

Fri, 30 Mar 2012 21:40:07 GMT

VIENNA - The tombstone marking the grave of Adolf Hitler's parents, a place of pilgrimage for neo-Nazis, has been removed from an upper Austrian village cemetery at the request of a descendant, and the grave is ready for a new burial, officials said Friday.

Diplomat: Russia, US need to do their 'homework' to settle missile defence dispute

Fri, 30 Mar 2012 21:40:06 GMT

MOSCOW - Russia and the United States need to do their "homework" on the technicalities of a proposed NATO missile defence shield in order to settle a dispute that has strained relations, the U.S. State Department's top arms control official said Friday.

Workers restoring Russian mansion find treasure

Fri, 30 Mar 2012 21:40:05 GMT

For years, kopek-pinching Soviets sat down in a cheap restaurant in a former mansion of the nobility for plain meals, unaware of the treasure secreted nearby.

Thousands gather for funeral of Tibetan activist

Fri, 30 Mar 2012 13:33:12 GMT

Thousands of emotional Tibetan exiles gathered in northern India on Friday for the funeral of a man who set himself on fire in protest of China's rule of his homeland.

In Wake of Demonstrations, India Confirms Commitment to Boosting Nuclear Power

Fri, 30 Mar 2012 13:33:11 GMT

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh took his moment at the podium at the Nuclear Security Summit in Seoul this week to re-assert India's commitment nuclear energy. "We must continue to harness the numerous developmental benefits that nuclear science and technology offer, especially for developing countries," Singh said in his speech at the summit. "Given India's growing energy demands, we see nuclear energy as an essential component of our energy mix."

Thousands attend India funeral of Tibetan activist

Fri, 30 Mar 2012 13:33:09 GMT

Thousands of emotional Tibetan exiles chanted prayers and shouted slogans in northern India on Friday as they attended the funeral of a man who set himself on fire in protest of China's rule of his homeland.

Syrian army must pull back first under Annan plan

Fri, 30 Mar 2012 13:33:08 GMT

BEIRUT (Reuters) - Syrian artillery hit parts of Homs city and at least five people were killed in clashes around the country on Friday, opposition activists said, as peace envoy Kofi Annan urged President Bashar al-Assad to order his troops stop shooting first. "The deadline is now," Annan's spokesman Ahmad Fawzi said in Geneva. "We expect him to implement this plan immediately. ...

Syrian military must cease fire first: Annan spokesman

Fri, 30 Mar 2012 13:33:05 GMT

GENEVA (Reuters) - Syrian President Bashar al-Assad must order a ceasefire without waiting for the opposition to make the first move under a peace plan proposed by international envoy Kofi Annan, Annan's spokesman said on Friday. There has been no let-up in violence despite Assad's declared acceptance of the peace plan. Syrian artillery targeted parts of Homs on Friday and at least five people were killed in clashes around Syria, opposition activists said. "We expect him (Assad) to implement this plan immediately," Annan's spokesman Ahmad Fawzi told a news briefing in Geneva. ...

Lithuania, Hitachi ink nuclear plant agreement

Fri, 30 Mar 2012 13:33:00 GMT

Lithuania and Japan's Hitachi have signed a concession agreement for the construction of a nuclear power plant in the Baltic state, which continues to rely on Russia for its energy supplies.

Clinton in Saudi Arabia for talks on Syria crisis

Fri, 30 Mar 2012 13:33:00 GMT

U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton sought to work out a unified strategy on the crisis in Syria in talks with Saudi officials on Friday as further violence stymied U.N. efforts to convince Damascus to implement a cease-fire.

Activists: Fresh clashes erupt in northern Syria

Fri, 30 Mar 2012 13:32:59 GMT

Fresh clashes between Syrian soldiers and rebels erupted Friday as U.N. envoy Kofi Annan urged the Syrian government to lay down its weapons first to immediately end the nation's yearlong crisis.

Whistleblower accuses Putin's ally of corruption

Fri, 30 Mar 2012 13:32:58 GMT

Russia's leading corruption whistleblower on Friday accused Prime Minister Vladimir Putin's close ally Igor Shuvalov of graft.

Diplomat: US, Russia have 'homework' on shield

Fri, 30 Mar 2012 13:32:57 GMT

Russia and the United States need to do their "homework" on the technicalities of a proposed NATO missile defense shield in order to settle a dispute that has strained relations, the U.S. State Department's top arms control official said Friday.

Clinton, Saudi Arabia explore Syria crisis

Fri, 30 Mar 2012 13:32:56 GMT

Terror in Europe fuels immigration tensions

Fri, 30 Mar 2012 13:32:55 GMT

An al-Qaida-inspired gunman kills paratroopers and Jewish children in southern France. A far-right fanatic enraged by Muslim immigration guns down dozens of youths at a summer camp in Norway.

Why India is trying to expand trade with Iran

Fri, 30 Mar 2012 05:25:57 GMT

As the United States isolates Iran by pushing countries to cut oil purchases and other commerce with the Islamic republic, India is building new trade ties there, saying Iran is its path to building the influence it needs in Central Asia and Afghanistan.

Murakami keeps Japanese hopes alive at F.skating worlds

Fri, 30 Mar 2012 05:25:55 GMT

Japan's Kanako Murakami outshone her more illustrious teammates Mao Asada and Akiko Suzuki to put herself within touching distance of gold at the world figure skating championships.

Polish prosecutor says there is no evidence 2010 plane crash was assassination

Thu, 29 Mar 2012 23:18:52 GMT

WARSAW, Poland - Poland's top prosecutor says no evidence to date supports theories that a 2010 plane crash that killed President Lech Kaczynski was an assassination.

Sunni rulers largely shun Iraq at Arab summit

Thu, 29 Mar 2012 21:47:46 GMT

Sunni Muslim rulers largely shunned an Arab League summit hosted by Shiite-led Iraq on Thursday, illustrating how powerfully the sectarian split and the rivalry with Iran define Middle Eastern politics in the era of the Arab Spring.

New torture case rocks Russian police

Thu, 29 Mar 2012 21:47:44 GMT

Russian investigators on Thursday charged four policemen with asphyxiating a witness using a gas mask as the force reels from a series of torture allegations.

Virtue, Moir dance to second world gold

Thu, 29 Mar 2012 21:47:43 GMT

Olympic champions Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir turned on the glamour of 1950s Hollywood to reclaim their ice dancing crown at the world figure skating championships here on Thursday.

Amid fresh diplomacy, U.S. still wary of direct Syria role

Thu, 29 Mar 2012 19:03:31 GMT

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton departs on Thursday for fresh diplomacy aimed at halting Syria's bloodshed, but there is little sign the Obama administration is ready to deviate from its hands-off approach. Clinton's talks in Riyadh with foreign ministers from Gulf states will likely be anchored by a new peace proposal from U.N.-Arab League special envoy Kofi Annan. It is the latest bid to broker a diplomatic end to more than a year of fighting between President Bashar al-Assad's troops and opponents to his family's decades-long rule. ...

No clear way to court for Syria war crimes suspects

Thu, 29 Mar 2012 19:03:27 GMT

GENEVA/NEW YORK, March 29 - U.N. officials have compiled a list of Syrian figures suspected of crimes against humanity in the uprising against President Bashar al-Assad, but opposition from Russia and China means the accused are unlikely to appear in the dock at the international war crimes court any time soon. As world powers press for an end to the violence that has racked Syria and claimed thousands of lives, pressure is building over accusations that Assad's security apparatus has committed crimes in suppressing the year-long revolt. Syrian government forces have been accused in a U.N. ...

Russian bill would impose fines for gay "propaganda"

Thu, 29 Mar 2012 19:03:24 GMT

MOSCOW (Reuters) - Russian lawmakers have submitted a bill that would impose fines for spreading gay "propaganda" among minors, setting up a tolerance test for the Kremlin-controlled parliament ahead of Vladimir Putin's inauguration as president. The bill echoes local laws whose adoption in cities including St. Petersburg has drawn an outcry from human rights and gay activists, who say they could be used to clamp down on the gay community. ...

BRICS back expanding capital base of multilateral institutions

Thu, 29 Mar 2012 13:44:22 GMT

NEW DELHI (Reuters) - The BRICS group of emerging market nations support an expansion of the capital base of the World Bank and have agreed to look more closely at a proposal to set up a South-South development bank, Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said on Thursday. Singh told reporters after a meeting of leaders from Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa that the group had agreed on the need to avoid political disruptions that cause volatility in global energy markets. He also decried the lack of political movement on reforming global institutions such as the U.N. ...

Rising powers: New bank can help developing world

Thu, 29 Mar 2012 13:44:20 GMT

India's prime minister said Thursday that international institutions are failing to lift up the developing world and endorsed the creation of a new development bank to be run by five fast-rising nations.

Why Syria's Peace Process is a Continuation of War By Other Means

Thu, 29 Mar 2012 13:44:18 GMT

Skepticism by Syrian opposition groups and their foreign supporters over the Kofi Annan peace plan ostensibly accepted by President Bashar al-Assad is hardly surprising: The plan specifies no timetable or sequence for its cease-fire and political solution to the power struggle that has claimed some 9,000 lives over the past year, and -- most galling to the opposition -- it doesn't require Assad to stand down. Assad, moreover, last November "accepted" a plan with many similar provisions, but made sure it was never implemented. ...

Myanmar shines spotlight on historic election

Thu, 29 Mar 2012 13:44:17 GMT

Myanmar has sent out a surprisingly broad guest list for elections Sunday, hoping to showcase its democratic credentials to the world.

Rising powers say new bank can help development

Thu, 29 Mar 2012 13:44:10 GMT

The leaders of five of the world's fast-rising powers agreed Thursday to move toward creating a new development bank that would improve access to capital for poor nations.

PetroChina profit down 5 pct on oil, gas costs

Thu, 29 Mar 2012 13:44:09 GMT

PetroChina, China's biggest oil and gas company, says profit fell 5 percent last year on soaring costs for imported crude oil and natural gas.

Russia's Duma to consider 'gay propaganda' bill

Thu, 29 Mar 2012 13:44:08 GMT

A controversial bill that is likely to fuel discrimination against Russia's embattled gay community has been submitted to Russia's lower house of parliament.

Polish official: No sign plane crash was an attack

Thu, 29 Mar 2012 13:44:07 GMT

Poland's top prosecutor says no evidence to date supports theories that a 2010 plane crash that killed President Lech Kaczynski was an assassination.

Arabs, U.N. push Syria to act on peace plan as 15 more killed

Thu, 29 Mar 2012 13:44:07 GMT

BAGHDAD (Reuters) - Arab leaders pressed President Bashar al-Assad to act quickly on a U.N.-backed peace plan he has agreed to, having dropped their demand that he leave power, as fighting between Syrian security forces and rebels killed at least 15 people on Thursday. "The solution for the crisis is still in the hands of the Syrians as a government and opposition," Arab League Secretary-General Nabil Elaraby told Arab heads of state at a summit meeting in Baghdad. ...

Police torture in Russia causes public outrage

Thu, 29 Mar 2012 13:44:06 GMT

Russia's top investigative agency filed new charges Thursday against police officers accused of torturing detainees amid growing public outrage over police brutality.

Intrigue, treachery charges fly in fight for U.N. post

Thu, 29 Mar 2012 07:34:59 GMT

UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) - Accusations of threats, Cold War-style treachery and backstage attempts by Russia to punish a former Soviet ally are turning a routine election for a high-profile but largely ceremonial U.N. post into a bitter diplomatic tussle. The countries vying for the presidency of the 193-nation U.N. General Assembly are Serbia and Lithuania. Both want the 12-month post that involves chairing the annual gathering of world leaders in New York in September and other U.N. events. The U.N. assembly has no real power. ...

Syria accused of ignoring peace plan

Thu, 29 Mar 2012 07:34:58 GMT

The United States accused Syria's President Bashar al-Assad of failing to respect a UN-Arab League peace plan as Syrian forces continued their assault on rebel bastions Wednesday.

BRICS summit focuses on new development bank

Thu, 29 Mar 2012 07:34:57 GMT

Leaders of the emerging world met in India Thursday to discuss creating a new development bank, at a summit in which the bloc will seek to convert its economic might into collective diplomatic clout.

BRICS summit in India to focus on boosting trade

Thu, 29 Mar 2012 07:34:56 GMT

The leaders of the five fast-growing BRICS powers are meeting in New Delhi to harness their collective clout on the global stage and push plans for a new development bank and for trade in each other's currencies.

BRICS nations voice concern over pace of IMF reforms

Thu, 29 Mar 2012 07:34:55 GMT

NEW DELHI (Reuters) - The BRICS group of emerging market nations voiced concern about the slow pace of reforms within the IMF in a draft summit declaration that also called for a transparent process to select the next World Bank president. The leaders of the so-called BRICS nations - Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa - were meeting in the Indian capital Delhi on Thursday. Promised changes to give the emerging powers greater voting rights at the International Monetary Fund have yet to be ratified by the United States, adding to frustration over reform of the G7 and the U.N. ...

Dead Tibetan activist's letter calls for freedom

Thu, 29 Mar 2012 07:34:54 GMT

The Tibetan who burned himself alive on the eve of a visit by China's president left behind a letter that urged the world to stand up for his homeland, activists said, while Indian authorities detained more Tibetans on Thursday in the Indian capital.

Poverty drives central Europe's great exodus

Thu, 29 Mar 2012 07:34:53 GMT

LUPSANU, Romania (Reuters) - Maria Ene's traditional white house on a muddy, unnamed Romanian street doesn't have running water, but it does have two satellite dishes sprouting from its fence. Three of Ene's five children have moved to Spain. It's not that far, but with everyone feeling the pinch of Europe's economic downturn, she sees them once a year at most, and needs to feel connected. "I saw them on the Internet," said Ene, 69, who lives in the small village of Lupsanu, 75 km east of Bucharest. ...

Syria urged to follow peace plan as violence continues

Thu, 29 Mar 2012 01:06:20 GMT

Syrian forces on Wednesday attacked rebel bastions as UN chief Ban Ki-moon urged President Bashar al-Assad to immediately implement a UN-Arab League peace plan he has reportedly accepted.

Tiny Qatar played outsized role as Arab League president. Will it last?

Wed, 28 Mar 2012 20:35:50 GMT

Tiny Qatar has emerged as one of the most unexpected and lauded stories of the Arab Spring – a gas-rich emirate heralded for "punching above its weight."

Belarus arrests 3 opposition leaders at airport

Wed, 28 Mar 2012 20:35:37 GMT

Belarus arrested three top opposition figures Wednesday who were on their way to Brussels to meet with European Union officials, a move certain to further fuel tensions with the EU.

Brazil's Lula in 'remission' from cancer: spokesman

Wed, 28 Mar 2012 20:35:36 GMT

Former Brazilian president Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva is in "complete remission" after treatment for larynx cancer, a spokesman for Lula's foundation said Wednesday.

Exclusive: Brazil to rally BRICS against rich countries

Wed, 28 Mar 2012 20:35:33 GMT

NEW DELHI (Reuters) - Brazil will push for its large emerging-market peers including China to denounce what it sees as unfair monetary policies by Europe and the United States, raising the stakes in a global confrontation over economic imbalances. Brazilian Trade and Industry Minister Fernando Pimentel told Reuters on Wednesday his country would seek such language in a communique at this week's BRICS summit, which brings together Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa. ...

Belarus arrests 3 leading opposition activists

Wed, 28 Mar 2012 20:35:31 GMT

Belarus arrested three top opposition figures Wednesday who were on their way to Brussels to meet with European Union officials, a move certain to further fuel tensions with the bloc.

China calls on Syria to 'honour commitments'

Wed, 28 Mar 2012 17:11:45 GMT

China on Wednesday urged Damascus to honour its "commitments" after the regime accepted a proposal crafted by Kofi Annan that pushed for an end to Syria's year-long bloody conflict.

Zuckerberg's China trip sparks Facebook frenzy

Wed, 28 Mar 2012 15:33:55 GMT

The sight of a vacationing Mark Zuckerberg in Shanghai has sparked a frenzy of online speculation over the possibility Facebook might return to China, even though the site remains firmly blocked.

Lugano life less sweet for the coal and steel men

Wed, 28 Mar 2012 15:33:51 GMT

LUGANO, Switzerland (Reuters) - The climate is not quite so balmy nowadays in Lugano, the Swiss idyll that discreetly stages the drama of international coal and steel trading with a colorful cast of Italian and Russian tycoons. The talk of the town is the demise of trader Carbofer, from trading billions of dollars of steel and coal in 2008 to a shutdown of trading after failing to secure much-needed cash injection. ...

Arab ministers push Annan's Syria plan

Wed, 28 Mar 2012 15:33:48 GMT

BAGHDAD (Reuters) - Arab foreign ministers met on Wednesday to discuss how to implement a U.N.-backed peace plan for Syria after President Bashar al-Assad agreed to the proposal that urges an end to violence but does not demand the Syrian leader step down. Arab leaders in Baghdad for an Arab League summit were expected to endorse the six-point proposal from special envoy Kofi Annan, which seeks a ceasefire and political dialogue in what Iraq called a "last chance" for Syria. The proposal by Annan, a U.N. ...

Tibetan dies from self-immolation in India before Hu visit

Wed, 28 Mar 2012 15:33:45 GMT

NEW DELHI (Reuters) - A Tibetan man died on Wednesday after setting himself on fire earlier this week in New Delhi to protest Chinese rule of the Himalayan region, activists said, hours before Chinese President Hu Jintao was due to arrive in India for a summit of emerging market nations. Thirty Tibetans, mostly Buddhist monks and nuns, have set themselves on fire, mostly in southwestern China, in the past year, according to Tibetan rights groups. At least 20 have died. Jamphel Yeshi, 27, set himself ablaze on Monday at a protest criticizing President Hu's visit. ...

3 Syrian soldiers die in clashes with rebels

Wed, 28 Mar 2012 15:33:42 GMT

Three Syrian soldiers died in clashes with rebels in the central province of Homs on Wednesday, an activist group said, just a day after President Bashar Assad said he has accepted a U.N. plan to resolve the country's crisis.

Iran says expects nuclear talks on April 13

Wed, 28 Mar 2012 15:33:37 GMT

DUBAI (Reuters) - Iran expects to reopen talks with world powers that could defuse mounting tensions over its disputed nuclear program on April 13, Iranian media quoted Foreign Minister Ali Akbar Salehi as saying on Wednesday. Turkey has offered to host the talks and the location will be decided in the next few days, Salehi said, after greeting Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan on his arrival in Tehran. A Brussels-based diplomat also said April 13 was the likely date. "Talks regarding the venue are underway," Salehi was quoted as saying by the Iranian Students' News Agency. ...

Syria forces 'storm rebel town despite peace pledge'

Wed, 28 Mar 2012 15:33:34 GMT

Syrian forces on Wednesday stormed a rebel bastion despite President Bashar al-Assad's reported acceptance of Kofi Annan's peace plan and an opposition plea that tanks be withdrawn, monitors said.

Greece, Israel, Cyprus eye gas exports in future

Wed, 28 Mar 2012 15:33:31 GMT

Energy Ministers from Greece, Israel and Cyprus promised Wednesday to increase cooperation to exploit natural gas deposits in the Mediterranean, but warned that large-scale exports could take a decade.

BRICS agree not bound by "unilateral" sanctions on Iran: South Africa

Wed, 28 Mar 2012 15:33:18 GMT

NEW DELHI (Reuters) - The BRICS group of countries have broadly agreed they are not bound by "unilateral" sanctions on Iran, measures that threaten higher global oil prices and could result in supply shortages, South Africa's trade minister said on Wednesday. The BRICS group of emerging world powerhouses - Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa - are meeting in New Delhi amid Western pressure to cut crude imports as part of sanctions designed to halt Tehran's suspected pursuit of nuclear weapons. ...

Arab ministers call for action on Annan's Syria plan

Wed, 28 Mar 2012 15:33:16 GMT

BAGHDAD (Reuters) - Arab foreign ministers on Wednesday called for a U.N.-backed peace plan for Syria to be put into action after President Bashar al-Assad agreed to the proposal that urges an end to violence but does not demand the Syrian leader step down. Arab leaders in Baghdad for an Arab League summit were expected to endorse the six-point proposal from U.N.-Arab League special envoy Kofi Annan, which seeks a ceasefire and political dialogue in what Iraq called a "last chance" for Syria. ...

Six Canada asylum seekers rescued at sea

Wed, 28 Mar 2012 15:33:15 GMT

Search teams and a commercial tanker have rescued six asylum seekers from a ship that capsized in the Atlantic in strong winds and 10-meter (30-feet) high waves, Canadian officials said Wednesday.

North Korea rebuffs Obama's warnings at nuclear summit (+video)

Wed, 28 Mar 2012 08:32:03 GMT

President Obama’s warnings of dire “consequences” if North Korea fires a long-range rocket next month encountered a quick and firm rebuff today from Pyongyang that underscored the North's determination to keep up its nuclear and missile programs in the face of widespread international condemnation.

U.S. Nuclear Stockpile Lowest Since 1956

Wed, 28 Mar 2012 08:31:55 GMT

Reuters reports President Barack Obama told an audience South Korea the U.S. has "more nuclear weapons than we need." Obama reiterated his goal of further reductions when he has high-level discussions with incoming Russian President Vladimir Putin in May. The remarks were made ahead of the Nuclear Security Summit being held in Seoul, South Korea.

Syrian opposition cautiously welcomes UN cease-fire plan

Wed, 28 Mar 2012 08:31:43 GMT

Syria's divided opposition is cautiously welcoming envoy Kofi Annan's cease-fire plan, accepted by Syria's government today, even as it struggles to find unity after a year of popular revolt and bloodshed.

Syria 'accepts' Annan peace plan

Wed, 28 Mar 2012 08:31:34 GMT

Syria has accepted a proposal crafted by Kofi Annan designed to end the bloodshed in the country, the envoy's spokesman said Tuesday, as opposition factions agreed to join forces against the regime.

Arab ministers to debate Syria draft resolution

Wed, 28 Mar 2012 08:31:33 GMT

Arab foreign ministers will discuss a draft resolution on Wednesday calling on Syria's government to hold talks with the opposition and to end the violence, on the eve of a landmark summit in Baghdad.

Rising powers mull bank for developing nations

Wed, 28 Mar 2012 08:31:32 GMT

Developing nations again seem unlikely to propel one of their own citizens to the World Bank presidency. It may not matter. A group of rising powers is mulling its own alternative to Western-dominated lending institutions.

Tibetan exile who set self on fire in India dies

Wed, 28 Mar 2012 08:31:31 GMT

A Tibetan exile who set himself on fire in India to protest Chinese President Hu Jintao's visit has died hours before the leader's expected arrival in New Delhi. Meanwhile Indian police are holding hundreds of other activists without charge.

Tibetan who set self ablaze in Delhi has died

Wed, 28 Mar 2012 08:31:30 GMT

A Tibetan exile who set himself alight two days ago in New Delhi in a protest against a visit to the city by Chinese President Hu Jintao died on Wednesday from severe burn injuries, a fellow activist said.

Annan says Syria accepts peace plan, U.S. skeptical

Wed, 28 Mar 2012 08:31:29 GMT

BEIRUT (Reuters) - Syria has accepted a U.N.-sponsored peace plan, international envoy Kofi Annan said on Tuesday, as troops loyal to President Bashar al-Assad raided rebel forces who have taken refuge across the border in Lebanon. The United States reacted skeptically to Annan's announcement, saying it would judge Assad's sincerity in agreeing to the peace plan by what he did and not by what he said, given his record of "over-promising and under-delivering. ...

Syria tops the agenda as Turkish PM visits Tehran

Wed, 28 Mar 2012 08:31:28 GMT

DUBAI (Reuters) - Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan arrived in Tehran on Wednesday for talks on Iran's nuclear program amid strained relations between the two countries over the continuing bloodshed in Syria. Erdogan will be meeting Iran's most powerful authority, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, as well as President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad during his two-day visit. Erdogan held talks about Iran with U.S. President Barack Obama on Sunday in South Korea, raising speculation Turkey was taking a message from Washington to Tehran - although a Turkish official dismissed that. ...

Nuclear talks with world powers on April 13 says Iran

Wed, 28 Mar 2012 08:31:26 GMT

Long-stalled talks between Iran and world powers are to be revived on April 13 at a place yet to be agreed, Iranian Foreign Minister Ali Akbar Salehi was quoted as saying on Wednesday by official media.

Moldovan PM: Despite euro crisis, EU remains goal

Tue, 27 Mar 2012 21:37:22 GMT

The European Union may be in the throes of its worst crisis ever, but for the small nation of Moldova membership hopes are undimmed.

Russian president suggests Romney use reason, head

Tue, 27 Mar 2012 21:37:16 GMT

Russian President Dmitry Medvedev on Tuesday sharply suggested that Mitt Romney use his head and remember what year he's living in after the Republican presidential contender said Moscow was America's "No. 1 geopolitical foe."

Syria accepts peace plan but clashes continue

Tue, 27 Mar 2012 20:30:53 GMT

Syria accepted a cease-fire drawn up by U.N. envoy Kofi Annan on Tuesday, but the diplomatic breakthrough was swiftly overshadowed by intense clashes between government soldiers and rebels that sent bullets flying into Lebanon.

Annan says Syria accepts U.N. peace plan

Tue, 27 Mar 2012 18:35:31 GMT

BEIJING (Reuters) - International envoy Kofi Annan said on Tuesday that Syria had accepted a U.N. peace proposal calling for a ceasefire but efforts had to be deployed to implement it. On a two-day visit to Beijing, Annan told Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao that he faced a long and difficult task in his mission to end fighting in Syria, but global cooperation with China and other countries was the only way to do it. ...

Summit to deter nightmare of nuclear-armed terror

Tue, 27 Mar 2012 18:35:30 GMT

Material that can be used to make nuclear bombs is stored in scores of buildings spread across dozens of countries around the globe. If even a fraction of that stockpile fell into the hands of terrorists, it could be catastrophic.

Oil hovers above $107 on Bernanke comments, Iran

Tue, 27 Mar 2012 18:35:28 GMT

Oil prices hovered above $107 a barrel Tuesday after Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke suggested that the U.S. central bank would continue its policy of low interest rates to help spur job creation and economic growth.

Syrian opposition welcomes UN peace plan progress

Tue, 27 Mar 2012 18:35:27 GMT

A member of the Syrian National Council says the opposition welcomes the government's acceptance of a U.N. peace plan.

Annan: Syria acceptance of peace plan key 1st step

Tue, 27 Mar 2012 18:35:26 GMT

U.N. envoy Kofi Annan said Tuesday he has received the backing of both Syria and China for his plan for a negotiated end to the bloody Syrian conflict.

Arab draft calls for Syria talks, end to violence

Tue, 27 Mar 2012 18:35:24 GMT

Arab states pushed for the Syrian government to end violence and hold talks with the opposition, while urging regime foes to unite, in a draft resolution obtained on Tuesday at the start of landmark regional talks in Iraq.

Summit aims to guard against nightmare of terrorists getting nukes from unsecured countries

Tue, 27 Mar 2012 18:35:23 GMT

SEOUL, South Korea - Material that can be used to make nuclear bombs is stored in scores of buildings spread across dozens of countries. If even a fraction of it fell into the hands of terrorists, it could be disastrous.

U.N. raises Syria death toll estimate to more than 9,000

Tue, 27 Mar 2012 18:35:22 GMT

UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) - The United Nations said on Tuesday that more than 9,000 civilians have been killed in the Syrian government's yearlong assault on protesters opposed to President Bashar al-Assad, an increase of nearly 1,000 over its previous estimate. "Violence on the ground has continued unabated, resulting in scores of people killed and injured," Robert Serry, the U.N. special coordinator for the Middle East peace process, told the 15-nation Security Council. "Credible estimates put the total death toll since the beginning of the uprising one year ago to more than 9,000," he said. ...

Summit seeks to deter nuclear-armed terrorism

Tue, 27 Mar 2012 18:35:20 GMT

Material that can be used to make nuclear bombs is stored in scores of buildings spread across dozens of countries. If even a fraction of it fell into the hands of terrorists, it could be disastrous.

Obama seeks thaw with Pakistan at Seoul summit

Tue, 27 Mar 2012 18:35:19 GMT

President Barack Obama, closing a nuclear security summit Tuesday, sought a thaw in the diplomatic chill with Pakistan, a critical but difficult U.S. partner whose nuclear weapons and historical links to terrorism make its arsenal among the world's most vulnerable.

Russia placing blockbuster $7 billion Eurobond deal

Tue, 27 Mar 2012 18:35:17 GMT

MOSCOW (Reuters) - Russia will raise $7 billion in Eurobonds in the largest emerging markets sovereign offering since at least 2000, fully covering its foreign borrowing plan for 2012, sources close to the deal said on Tuesday. Capitalizing on strong oil prices that have boosted confidence in Russia's fiscal performance, the dollar offering attracted bids of $17 billion, leading the Finance Ministry to slightly tighten yield guidance on the three-tranche deal. Russia plans to issue $3 billion in 30-year paper at 250-255 basis points over U.S. ...

Peru president's kin causes headaches for leader

Tue, 27 Mar 2012 18:35:15 GMT

LIMA (Reuters) - Oh, brother! It's apparently not enough that Peruvian President Ollanta Humala has to solve mining protests and figure out how to keep the Latin American country's economy booming. Now his own highly eccentric family is adding more trouble with their antics. One of his brothers was recently shown on television smoking pot in prison. Another brother told the media that Humala's wife actually runs the country. And a third embarrassed him by negotiating gas deals with Russia without permission. ...

One Year Later, Can Syria 'Reset' its Rebellion?

Tue, 27 Mar 2012 09:58:26 GMT

Three sets of meetings in different capitals on Tuesday offer a bleak reminder that Syria's uprising against President Bashar al-Assad faces something of a do-over. Syrian opposition figures are gathered in Istanbul at the behest of Turkey and Qatar, searching for the unity of purpose, organization and command that has thus far eluded them -- to the boundless frustration of their international backers. ...

Oil hovers above $107 as Iran nuclear talks set

Tue, 27 Mar 2012 09:58:25 GMT

Oil prices hovered above $107 a barrel Tuesday in Asia as an agreement between Iran and six world powers to meet next month raised hopes of a negotiated resolution to a dispute over the Middle Eastern country's nuclear program.

Activists: Latest attacks by Syrian troops kill 10

Tue, 27 Mar 2012 09:58:24 GMT

An activist group says Syrian security forces have killed 10 people as the regime pushes to retake areas still under rebel control.

Obama concedes strains between US, Pakistan

Tue, 27 Mar 2012 09:58:23 GMT

Conceding strained ties, President Barack Obama on Tuesday welcomed Pakistan's review of its relationship with the United States, saying it was important for the two countries to get their partnership right.

Iran nuclear talks likely next month: diplomats

Tue, 27 Mar 2012 09:58:22 GMT

VIENNA (Reuters) - Iran and six world powers are expected to resume in the next few weeks long-stalled talks about the Islamic state's disputed nuclear program, diplomatic sources said on Tuesday. One Western diplomat said he expected a meeting to be held on April 13-14, while another envoy said those dates had not been confirmed and a third suggested later in the month was possible. The venue was unclear, they said. ...

Obama: current climate not good for arms control, eyes 2013

Tue, 27 Mar 2012 08:24:44 GMT

SEOUL (Reuters) - President Barack Obama on Tuesday defended remarks he made the day before acknowledging that the U.S. election and a leadership transition in Russia meant that 2012 was not a good year for progress on arms control issues like missile defense. "The current environment is not conducive to these kinds of thoughtful consultations," he said with Russian President Dmitry Medvedev at his side. "I think we'll do better in 2013," he told reporters in Seoul. ...

GOP hits Obama for telling Russia his reelection will allow more missile defence flexibility

Tue, 27 Mar 2012 08:24:42 GMT

SEOUL, South Korea - President Barack Obama said Tuesday he is not trying to "hide the ball" in negotiations with Russia over U.S. plans for a missile defence shield in Europe, trying to put to rest a controversy over comments to Russia's leader that were picked up by an open microphone and quickly drew fire from Republican presidential contenders in America.

Oil falls below $107 as Iran nuclear talks set

Tue, 27 Mar 2012 08:24:41 GMT

Oil prices fell below $107 a barrel Tuesday in Asia as an agreement between Iran and six world powers to meet next month raised hopes of a negotiated resolution to a dispute over the Middle Eastern country's nuclear program.

Annan in Beijing for talks on ending Syria crisis

Tue, 27 Mar 2012 08:24:40 GMT

Kofi Annan, the United Nations and Arab League envoy to Syria, was in Beijing on Tuesday to seek China's backing for his plan for a negotiated end to the bloody conflict in Syria.

Obama says he's not 'hiding the ball' on Russia

Tue, 27 Mar 2012 08:24:38 GMT

Speaking to the microphones intentionally this time, President Barack Obama on Tuesday assured he had no hidden agenda with Russia for a second term, seeking to contain a controversial gaffe that bounded all the way to the campaign trail at home and back again.

Annan seeks China support for Syria peace plan

Tue, 27 Mar 2012 08:24:37 GMT

International envoy Kofi Annan was meeting Chinese leaders in Beijing on Tuesday to discuss how to end the bloodshed in Syria, while opposition factions at talks in Turkey mulled a united front against the Damascus regime.

Look who's saving the world: BRICS pump up foreign aid

Tue, 27 Mar 2012 03:23:12 GMT

Western donors are no longer the only significant providers of international aid as emerging powers are extending their outreach abroad.

Obama asks Russia to cut him slack until reelection

Tue, 27 Mar 2012 03:23:10 GMT

Barack Obama hopes that Russian President-elect Vladimir Putin will agree to another round of popular nuclear arms cuts when the two meet in May, but is asking the Kremlin to hold off on its potentially deal-breaking objections over NATO's projected European missile defense shield until he has been safely re-elected in November.

Annan due in China to bolster support for Syria plan

Tue, 27 Mar 2012 03:23:01 GMT

International envoy Kofi Annan arrives in China on Tuesday in a bid to secure further support for his proposal to end violence in strife-torn Syria, after winning the full backing of Russia.

Arab summit to back Annan's Syria plan: Iraq minister

Tue, 27 Mar 2012 03:22:55 GMT

BAGHDAD (Reuters) - Arab leaders will not call on Syrian President Bashar al-Assad to step down at a summit in Iraq on Thursday but will support Syrian-led transfer of power, Iraq's foreign minister said on Monday. Foreign Minister Hoshiyar Zebari said the summit is also expected to endorse a six-point peace proposal by U.N.-Arab League envoy Kofi Annan, which calls for a cease-fire, political dialogue between the government and opposition, and full access for aid agencies. Assad, who is facing a year-long revolt against his rule, was not invited to the three-day summit. ...

Syria replies to Annan; Homs shelled again

Tue, 27 Mar 2012 03:22:54 GMT

GENEVA/BEIRUT (Reuters) - Turkey and Norway closed their embassies in Syria on Monday, further isolating President Bashar al-Assad whose forces bombarded the battered city of Homs with mortars in an effort to quell unrest. Video showed towering flames and thick black smoke billowing from at least two locations in Homs, Syria's third largest city, which has become the epicenter for the year-long revolt. Residents accused the army of indiscriminate shelling. "Every day the shelling goes on. The regime is wiping out the city," said Waleed Faris, an activist who lives in Homs. ...

Obama jokingly moves to cover microphone after flap over unintentionally revealing comments

Tue, 27 Mar 2012 03:22:53 GMT

SEOUL, South Korea - President Barack Obama is making light of getting caught on an open microphone with Russian President Dmitry Medvedev.

U.S. seeks missile-defense shields for Asia, Mideast

Tue, 27 Mar 2012 03:22:52 GMT

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The United States is seeking to build regional shields against ballistic missiles in both Asia and the Middle East akin to a controversial defense system in Europe, a senior Pentagon official disclosed on Monday. The effort may complicate U.S. ties with Russia and China, both of which fear such defenses could harm their security even though the United States says they are designed only to protect against states like Iran and North Korea. The U.S. ...

Obama says threat of nuclear weapons remains

Tue, 27 Mar 2012 03:22:50 GMT

President Barack Obama said Tuesday the threat of nuclear weapons remains a potent challenge for the globe to confront, telling foreign leaders that "the security of the world depends on the actions that we take."

Obama Prepared to Appease Russia After the Election

Mon, 26 Mar 2012 19:00:16 GMT

COMMENTARY | Bill Kristol, writing in the Weekly Standard, reports on an exchange between President Barack Obama and Russian President Dmitri Medvedev that was meant to be private but was picked up on a live microphone.

Annan: Syrian crisis can't be allowed to drag on

Mon, 26 Mar 2012 19:00:14 GMT

Kofi Annan, the United Nations and Arab League envoy to Syria, said Monday that there can be no deadline for ending the Syrian crisis, but it can't be allowed to drag on indefinitely.

Syria troops shell; Muslim group wants democracy

Mon, 26 Mar 2012 19:00:10 GMT

Syrian forces fired shells at a central city that has come to symbolize the anti-government uprising Monday, activists said, while the country's Muslim Brotherhood branch said it would work for a democratic state if President Bashar Assad falls.

Turkey edges nearer to buffer zone for Syrians

Mon, 26 Mar 2012 19:00:08 GMT

Events are pushing Turkey ever closer to setting up a buffer zone in Syria to protect civilians.

Tibetan protester sets himself ablaze in New Delhi

Mon, 26 Mar 2012 15:57:09 GMT

A Tibetan exile set himself on fire and suffered life-threatening burns as he ran down a street in New Delhi on Monday to protest against a visit this week to India by Chinese President Hu Jintao.

Syrian forces shell Homs, Russia warns of civil war

Mon, 26 Mar 2012 15:57:06 GMT

Syrian forces sent shells crashing into a rebel neighbourhood of Homs city for a seventh straight day on Monday, monitors said, as Russia warned Damascus it must act to avoid civil war.

Turkey closes Syria embassy, Homs shelled again

Mon, 26 Mar 2012 15:56:57 GMT

BEIRUT (Reuters) - Turkey closed its embassy in Syria on Monday, further isolating President Bashar al-Assad, whose forces again bombarded the battered city of Homs with mortars in an effort to quell unrest. Video showed towering flames and thick black smoke billowing from at least two locations in Homs, Syria's third largest city, which has become the epicenter for the year-long revolt. Residents accused the army of indiscriminate shelling. "Every day the shelling goes on. The regime is wiping out the city," said Waleed Faris, an activist who lives in Homs. ...

Ahmadinejad tirade on Afghanistan prompts US walkout

Mon, 26 Mar 2012 15:56:53 GMT

A US delegation walked out of a conference in Tajikistan Monday during a speech by Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad lambasting US policy on Afghanistan as the source of all the nation's troubles.

China says supports Annan's Syria mediation efforts

Mon, 26 Mar 2012 15:56:52 GMT

China said Monday it supports Kofi Annan's efforts to help solve the Syrian crisis, on the eve of a visit by the special envoy aimed at seeking backing for a plan to end fighting there.

Obama assures Medvedev more flexibility after election

Mon, 26 Mar 2012 15:56:50 GMT

SEOUL (Reuters) - President Barack Obama was caught on camera on Monday assuring outgoing Russian President Dmitry Medvedev he will have "more flexibility" to deal with contentious issues like missile defense after the U.S. presidential election. Obama, during talks in Seoul, urged Moscow to give him "space" until after the November ballot, and Medvedev said he would relay the message to incoming Russian president Vladimir Putin. ...

Syrian troops shell Homs as Turkey closes embassy

Mon, 26 Mar 2012 15:56:47 GMT

Syrian troops shelled rebel-held neighborhoods in Homs on Monday, the latest barrage in a bombardment that has lasted several days and appeared to be the groundwork for an assault to push the fighters out of the country's third largest city.

North Korea rocket plan upstages summit on keeping nuclear material away from terrorists

Mon, 26 Mar 2012 15:56:46 GMT

SEOUL, South Korea - The security summit opening Monday was supposed to be an opportunity for President Barack Obama and other leaders to find ways to keep nuclear material away from terrorists. So far, North Korea has upstaged that agenda.

Tymoshenko health alarm grows after leaked report

Mon, 26 Mar 2012 15:56:44 GMT

Supporters of Ukraine's jailed former prime minister Yulia Tymoshenko on Monday expressed grave concern for her health after a leaked medical report said she required urgent hospitalisation.

Syria tops Arab agenda at Iraq summit

Mon, 26 Mar 2012 15:56:43 GMT

After decades at the centre of the Arab world, Syria now sits in the dock with regional leaders meeting in Baghdad this week over how to end Bashar al-Assad's bloody crackdown on a popular uprising.

Obama to Russia: More flexibility after elections

Mon, 26 Mar 2012 15:56:42 GMT

President Barack Obama told Russia's leader Monday that he would have more flexibility after the November election to deal with the contentious issue of missile defense, a candid assessment of political reality that was picked up by a microphone without either leader apparently knowing.

Obama tells Russia he will have more flexibility on missile defence after November elections

Mon, 26 Mar 2012 15:56:40 GMT

SEOUL, South Korea - President Barack Obama told Russia's leader Monday that he would have more flexibility after the November election to deal with the contentious issue of missile defence, a candid assessment of political reality that was picked up by a microphone without either leader apparently knowing.

North Korea's rocket plan hijacks nuclear summit

Mon, 26 Mar 2012 15:56:37 GMT

The security summit that began here Monday was supposed to be an opportunity for President Barack Obama and other leaders to find ways to keep nuclear material away from terrorists. So far, North Korea has upstaged that agenda.

S. Ossetia needs 2nd round to choose a president

Mon, 26 Mar 2012 08:44:37 GMT

A former KGB chief in Georgia's breakaway province of South Ossetia finished on top in a presidential election, but without the majority necessary to claim victory in the first round, election officials said Monday.

Obama warns N. Korea, Iran their options are few

Mon, 26 Mar 2012 08:44:34 GMT

President Barack Obama is warning North Korea and Iran that their options are few and their friends fewer as those nations refuse to back down from actions the world sees as menacing.

Syrian troops shell central city of Homs

Mon, 26 Mar 2012 08:44:33 GMT

Syrian activists say troops are shelling rebel-held neighborhoods in the central city of Homs with at least five people seriously wounded.

Tibetan lights self on fire at anti-China protest

Mon, 26 Mar 2012 08:44:32 GMT

A Tibetan protester lit himself on fire at a demonstration Monday in the Indian capital ahead of a visit by China's president.

Iranian leader says U.S. can no longer dictate policy

Mon, 26 Mar 2012 07:43:53 GMT

DUSHANBE (Reuters) - Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said on Monday the United States could no longer dictate policy to the rest of the world and that relations between NATO and Pakistan would become more unstable. "NATO and the United States should change their policy because the time when they dictate their conditions to the world has passed," Ahmadinejad said in a speech during a conference on Afghanistan's economy in the capital of neighboring Tajikistan. "Relations between NATO and Pakistan, their unsteadiness and instability, will only grow," he said. ...

Obama squeezes N. Korea to change, China to help

Mon, 26 Mar 2012 06:13:57 GMT

President Barack Obama is broadening a squeeze play on North Korea from the heart of this tensely divided peninsula, pressuring China to show more influence and warning the unpredictable North that it is headed toward a crippling "dead end" of isolation.

Obama tells Iran time running out to end standoff

Mon, 26 Mar 2012 06:13:55 GMT

SEOUL (Reuters) - President Barack Obama said on Monday that time was running out to resolve Iran's nuclear standoff with the West. Tehran says its nuclear program is purely peaceful, but Israel and Western nations believe it is moving towards a nuclear bomb that could change the regional balance of power. "Once again, there is the possibility of a diplomatic resolution that gives Iran access to peaceful nuclear energy while addressing the concerns of the international community," Obama told students in Seoul. ...

Russia says Annan offers last chance for Syria

Mon, 26 Mar 2012 06:13:54 GMT

Russian President Dmitry Medvedev warned Syria that Kofi Annan represented the last chance for avoiding a civil war and offered the UN-Arab League envoy Moscow's full support.

Obama issues appeal to N. Korea to "have the courage to pursue peace"

Mon, 26 Mar 2012 06:13:52 GMT

SEOUL, South Korea - In a direct challenge to North Korean leaders, President Barack Obama implored them "to have the courage to pursue peace" while warning of the wrath of the world if they don't. Failure, he said Monday, would mean a future without dignity, respect or hope for its people.

Obama vows to pursue further nuclear cuts with Russia

Mon, 26 Mar 2012 06:13:51 GMT

SEOUL (Reuters) - U.S. President Barack Obama vowed on Monday to pursue further nuclear arms cuts with Russia, saying the United States has more warheads than necessary, even as he issued stern warnings to North Korea and Iran in their nuclear standoffs with the West. Speaking ahead of a global nuclear security summit in Seoul, Obama held out the prospect of new reductions in the U.S. arsenal as he sought to rally world leaders for additional concrete steps against the threat of nuclear terrorism. ...

Obama urges N. Korea to "pursue peace"

Mon, 26 Mar 2012 06:13:50 GMT

In a direct challenge to North Korean leaders, President Barack Obama implored them "to have the courage to pursue peace" while warning of the wrath of the world if they don't. Failure, he said, would mean a future without dignity, respect or hope for its people.

Nuclear summit to begin under N. Korean shadow

Sun, 25 Mar 2012 22:30:55 GMT

US President Barack Obama and dozens of other world leaders will begin a summit Monday on curbing the threat of nuclear terrorism, but North Korea's atomic plans will be in focus on the sidelines.

China, Singapore open team worlds with wins

Sun, 25 Mar 2012 21:24:04 GMT

China and defending champions Singapore both opened their bids to claim the women's title at the world team table tennis championships with solid wins on Sunday.

Obama: N. Korean rocket test would isolate regime

Sun, 25 Mar 2012 19:12:29 GMT

Warning North Korea from its doorstep, President Barack Obama said Pyongyang risks deepening its isolation in the international community if it proceeds with a planned long-range rocket launch.

Syria intervention talk as diplomacy withers

Sun, 25 Mar 2012 19:12:28 GMT

A year of sanctions, diplomacy and harsh rhetoric failed to stop Syria's bloody crackdown and oust President Bashar Assad. With frustration running high, Turkey and other countries that have staked moral credibility on ending the violence are increasingly looking at intervention on Syrian soil, a strategy they have so far avoided for lack of international consensus and fears it could widen the conflict.

Breakaway Georgia region South Ossetia votes for president

Sun, 25 Mar 2012 19:12:26 GMT

TSKHINVALI, Georgia (Reuters) - The Russian-backed breakaway Georgian region of South Ossetia voted for a new president on Sunday, with its former envoy to Moscow seen as the Kremlin favorite. The winner would become South Ossetia's first new president since Moscow recognized the small, mountainous region across its southern border as an independent nation after Russia's brief 2008 war with Georgia. Georgia says the vote in South Ossetia, which has run its own affairs with Russian backing since the early 1990s but is recognized as independent by only a handful of nations, is illegitimate. ...

Obama to China: Help rein in North Korea

Sun, 25 Mar 2012 19:12:24 GMT

SEOUL (Reuters) - U.S. President Barack Obama urged China on Sunday to use its influence to rein in North Korea instead of "turning a blind eye" to its nuclear defiance, and warned of tighter sanctions if the reclusive state goes ahead with a rocket launch next month. "North Korea will achieve nothing by threats or provocations," a stern-faced Obama said after a tour of the heavily fortified border between the two Koreas resonant with echoes of the Cold War. ...

Battles in Syria as Russia warns of 'last chance'

Sun, 25 Mar 2012 19:12:23 GMT

Syrian forces attacked flashpoint areas Sunday, carrying out raids and clashing with rebels as President Bashar Assad's allies in Russia said the country may be facing its last chance for peace.

Blasts shake Homs, Syria rebels hit back

Sun, 25 Mar 2012 19:12:22 GMT

Blasts rocked the flashpoint city of Homs on Sunday as Syria's regime pressed its assault on protest hubs, while rebels staged a dawn attack on a military base in Damascus province, activists and monitors said.

Medvedev: Annan's mission is Syria's last chance

Sun, 25 Mar 2012 19:12:21 GMT

Russian President Dmitry Medvedev told the U.N. and Arab League envoy to Syria on Sunday that his mission may be the final opportunity for Syria to avoid "a protracted bloody civil war" and promised Russia's full support.

US, Turkey agree 'non-lethal' aid for Syria rebels

Sun, 25 Mar 2012 19:12:20 GMT

US President Barack Obama and Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan agreed Sunday on the need to send "non-lethal" aid to Syrian rebels, including communications equipment, a US official said.

Russia's Medvedev: Annan's mission is Syria's last chance to avoid protracted civil war

Sun, 25 Mar 2012 19:12:18 GMT

MOSCOW - Russian President Dmitry Medvedev told the U.N. and Arab League envoy to Syria on Sunday that his mission "may be the last chance for Syria to avoid a protracted bloody civil war" and promised Russia's full support.

Obama visits border amid N.Korea tensions

Sun, 25 Mar 2012 11:06:19 GMT

US President Barack Obama visited the tense inter-Korean border Sunday, calling it "freedom's frontier", as he weighs a response to North Korea's planned rocket launch.

Annan to meet Russia's Medvedev on Syria mission

Sun, 25 Mar 2012 11:06:17 GMT

MOSCOW (Reuters) - U.N.-Arab League envoy Kofi Annan was in Moscow on Sunday for talks with President Dmitry Medvedev of Russia, which has crucial influence over diplomatic efforts to end the bloodshed in Syria. The former U.N. chief is visiting Russia and China - the two powers closest to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad as he seeks to crush an insurgency and silence protests in which the United Nations says his forces have killed more than 8,000 civilians. Russia and China have shielded Damascus from U.N. ...

Annan in Moscow seeks support for Syria peace effort

Sun, 25 Mar 2012 11:06:15 GMT

BEIRUT (Reuters) - Peace envoy Kofi Annan sought to shore up support from Moscow on Sunday for his efforts to end a year of fighting in Syria where 8,000 people have been killed in an anti-government uprising. Meeting in Korea, U.S. President Barack Obama and Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan discussed how to support the opposition with non-lethal aid. Western and Arab states want Syrian President Bashar al-Assad to stand down but Russia, Syria's long-time ally, says the armed rebels must also cease fire and withdraw their forces. ...

Last enriched uranium rumbles out of Ukraine

Sun, 25 Mar 2012 11:06:14 GMT

KIEV (Reuters) - A consignment of enriched uranium - enough to make a nuclear weapon, according to a U.S. expert - rumbled out of a Ukrainian railway depot late on Saturday bound for Russia, a move designed to coincide with an international summit on nuclear security. The 19 kilograms (42 pounds) of spent highly enriched uranium, loaded in four containers onto rail carriers in a high-security operation, was the last such material to be removed from the ex-Soviet republic under a two-year programme with the United States and Russia. ...

US to pursue 'non-lethal' aid for Syrian rebels

Sun, 25 Mar 2012 11:06:13 GMT

Seeking to stem the violence in Syria, the U.S. and other key allies are considering providing Syrian rebels with communications help, medical aid and other "non-lethal" assistance.

Syria forces accused of using civilians as shields

Sun, 25 Mar 2012 11:06:12 GMT

Human Rights Watch accused Syrian forces Sunday of using civilians as human shields during recent military operations, as diplomatic pressure on President Bashar Assad's regime intensified.

Blasts shake Homs as Syria rebels hit back

Sun, 25 Mar 2012 11:06:11 GMT

Blasts rocked the flashpoint city of Homs on Sunday as Syria's regime pressed its assault on protest hubs, while rebels attacked a military base in Damascus province, activists and monitors said.

Obama visits border amid N. Korea tensions

Sun, 25 Mar 2012 11:06:10 GMT

US President Barack Obama peered deep into North Korea Sunday, as he contemplated Pyongyang's planned rocket launch and his first showdown with untested leader Kim Jong-Un.

Syrian forces shell towns and clash with rebels; dozens killed

Sun, 25 Mar 2012 02:59:16 GMT

BEIRUT - Syrian troops shelled rebellious areas in central and northern Syria on Saturday in the latest push to quash the uprising against President Bashar Assad, but faced fierce resistance from army defectors, activists said.

U.S. World Bank pick to win broad support: Geithner

Sun, 25 Mar 2012 02:59:13 GMT

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Jim Yong Kim, the U.S. nominee to lead the World Bank, will win broad international support despite an unprecedented challenge by candidates from emerging economies, U.S. Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner said in an interview. Washington's hold on the World Bank presidency is being contested for the first time by candidates from emerging economies. Two respected economists and diplomats, Nigerian Finance Minister Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala and former Colombian finance minister Jose Antonio Ocampo, have been nominated. ...

Obama visits tense Korean border ahead of nuclear summit

Sun, 25 Mar 2012 02:59:10 GMT

CAMP BONIFAS, South Korea (Reuters) - President Barack Obama visited South Korea's tense border with the North on Sunday in a show of solidarity with U.S. ally Seoul and a message of resolve to Pyongyang's new young ruler in his country's nuclear standoff with the West. Arriving on the eve of a global summit on nuclear security hosted by South Korea, Obama flew by helicopter to a U.S. base on the edge of the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) to meet troops stationed there and get a first-hand look at one of the world's most heavily fortified frontiers. ...

Russian banker shot in London 'wanted in Moldova'

Sat, 24 Mar 2012 18:53:05 GMT

A Russian banker who was shot in London and is now in a coma is wanted in Moldova over financial crimes, a Russian daily reported on Saturday.

US still fixated by nuclear terror

Sat, 24 Mar 2012 18:53:04 GMT

Visions of a mushroom cloud over a US city may have led America into a dubious war in Iraq, but the threat of nuclear terror has lost none of its power to fixate US leaders and shape foreign policy.

Syrian tanks enter northern town, Homs pounded again

Sat, 24 Mar 2012 18:53:01 GMT

Syrian forces pounded the central city of Homs with mortar fire while troops backed by heavy armor stormed rebellious towns across the country on Saturday, leaving six civilians and four soldiers dead, opposition activists said. Ignoring a U.N. Security Council call for an end to hostilities, President Bashar al-Assad's forces clashed with rebel fighters and bombarded several towns and cities, aiming to crush a year-long uprising against the government. ...

Venezuela says gas project output to begin in December

Sat, 24 Mar 2012 18:52:59 GMT

GUIRIA, Venezuela (Reuters) - Venezuela's Mariscal Sucre offshore gas project will begin production in December after years of delays and difficulties in attracting foreign partners, the South American country's energy minister said. President Hugo Chavez's government wants to develop natural gas production to meet growing domestic demand that has forced Venezuela, despite sitting on some of the world's biggest gas reserves, to import supplies from neighboring Colombia. ...

Litvinenko widow urges justice ahead of nuclear summit

Sat, 24 Mar 2012 18:52:58 GMT

The widow of Russian dissident Alexander Litvinenko, who was poisoned with polonium in London in 2006, called Saturday for justice for his killers ahead of a global summit on nuclear security.

Syrian forces shell towns, clash with rebels

Sat, 24 Mar 2012 18:52:56 GMT

Syrian troops shelled rebellious areas in central and northern Syria on Saturday in the latest push to quash the uprising against President Bashar Assad, but faced fierce resistance from army defectors, activists said.

Ex-UN chief Annan to visit China for Syria talks

Sat, 24 Mar 2012 10:45:46 GMT

China says former U.N. chief Kofi Annan will visit next week to discuss efforts to mediate an end to the crisis in Syria.

Syria army pounds Homs as envoy heads to Russia

Sat, 24 Mar 2012 10:45:45 GMT

The army resumed shelling of the central Syrian protest cities of Homs and Hama on Saturday, monitors reported, as international envoy Kofi Annan headed to Russia in the latest push for peace.

Russia's Medvedev warns West over missile shield

Sat, 24 Mar 2012 02:38:43 GMT

MOSCOW (Reuters) - President Dmitry Medvedev said on Friday time was running out for the West to come up with new proposals to secure Russia's agreement to a missile defense shield in Europe. Ahead of talks with U.S. President Barack Obama next week, Medvedev gave a downbeat assessment of global security and international relations at the end of his four-year presidency, saying the "Euro-Atlantic" security community he had hoped to create remained a "myth". ...

Tens of thousands in Syria call for fall of regime

Sat, 24 Mar 2012 02:38:40 GMT

Tens of thousands of Syrians braved tear gas and gunfire to protest across the country Friday, vowing to storm the capital Damascus to oust President Bashar Assad as the European Union ramped up pressure on the regime by imposing sanctions on his wife and other close relatives.

Organ recipient testifies at trial in Kosovo

Sat, 24 Mar 2012 02:38:39 GMT

A Canadian man testified Friday that he paid $105,000 (€80,000) to an Israeli citizen in 2008 to organize a kidney transplant in a Kosovo clinic allegedly used by an international organ trafficking network for dozens of illegal operations.

UN rights council throws out Russia proposal on Libya detentions

Sat, 24 Mar 2012 02:38:38 GMT

The UN Human Rights Council on Friday adopted a resolution urging Libya's new rulers to probe all alleged abuses, but threw out a Russian proposal calling for a halt to arbitrary detentions.

Europe bishops slam Saudi fatwa against Gulf churches

Sat, 24 Mar 2012 02:38:36 GMT

PARIS (Reuters) - Christian bishops in Germany, Austria and Russia have sharply criticized Saudi Arabia's top religious official after reports that he issued a fatwa saying all churches on the Arabian Peninsula should be destroyed. In separate statements on Friday, the Roman Catholic bishops in Germany and Austria slammed the ruling by Grand Mufti Sheikh Abdulaziz Al al-Shaikh as an unacceptable denial of human rights to millions of foreign workers in the Gulf region. ...

Takahashi can topple Chan, warns Japan skating chief

Sat, 24 Mar 2012 02:38:35 GMT

Japanese star Daisuke Takahashi has what it takes to regain his world crown from Canadian rival Patrick Chan, Japan's figure skating chief Nobuhiko Yoshioka has warned.

UN says Annan heading to Moscow, Beijing for talks on Syrian crisis

Fri, 23 Mar 2012 18:32:04 GMT

GENEVA - The United Nations says the joint U.N.-Arab League envoy Kofi Annan is headed to Russia and China for more talks aimed at peacefully resolving the crisis in Syria.

UN rights body sharply condemns Syria violence and extends mandate of investigators

Fri, 23 Mar 2012 18:32:03 GMT

GENEVA - The U.N.'s top human rights body has sharply condemned Syria's bloody crackdown on opposition groups and extended the mandate of a U.N. expert panel tasked with reporting on alleged abuses in the country.

EU slaps sanctions on Assad's wife, relatives

Fri, 23 Mar 2012 18:32:00 GMT

EU foreign ministers have slapped sanctions on the wife and other close relatives of Syrian President Bashar Assad, freezing their assets and banning them from traveling to the EU in a continuing attempt to stop the violent crackdown on opposition, officials said Friday.

Sweden's Bildt warns against 'blowing up' talks with Iran

Fri, 23 Mar 2012 18:31:56 GMT

Sweden's Foreign Minister Carl Bildt, hailing plans to resume talks between global powers and Iran on its suspect nuclear drive, warned Friday against a "blow up" of the negotiations.

US-Pakistan talks to restart after airstrike probe

Fri, 23 Mar 2012 18:31:54 GMT

The United States and Pakistan will resume talks on the possible reopening of supply routes to Afghanistan after Pakistan completes its probe into an airstrike that killed 24 of its soldiers, a senior U.S. official said Friday.

Exclusive: Iran ramps up food imports via Turkish banks: trade

Fri, 23 Mar 2012 18:31:52 GMT

LONDON/HAMBURG (Reuters) - Almost half a million metric tonnes of grain has arrived at Iran's major food port and Turkish banks are being used by the Islamic Republic as an alternative trade financing route to sidestep Western sanctions, trade sources say. Iran has been shopping for wheat at a frantic pace, ordering a large part of its expected yearly requirement in a little over one month and paying a premium in non-dollar currencies to work around toughened sanctions and avoid social unrest. ...

Russia issues new warnings over US missile defense

Fri, 23 Mar 2012 18:31:51 GMT

A U.S.led NATO missile defense plan that Washington says is aimed at deflecting potential Iranian threats will break existing nuclear parity with Russia and prompt it to retaliate, President Dmitry Medvedev warned Friday.

US-Pakistan to discuss supply routes soon

Fri, 23 Mar 2012 18:31:49 GMT

The United States and Pakistan will resume talks about possibly reopening NATO and U.S. supply routes to Afghanistan once Pakistan concludes its debate about new terms of engagement with the U.S., an official said Friday.

Syria troops bomb towns, EU grounds First Lady

Fri, 23 Mar 2012 18:31:48 GMT

Syrian forces bombed towns and clashed with rebels in several regions Friday as activists said thousands staged anti-regime protests and the European Union slapped sanctions on the country's First Lady.

EU slaps sanctions on Assad's family; mortars hit Homs

Fri, 23 Mar 2012 18:31:47 GMT

BEIRUT (Reuters) - The European Union slapped sanctions on President Bashar al-Assad's powerful mother and wife on Friday, targeting his inner circle in an effort to force Syria to end its repression of a year-long uprising. The EU's latest round of sanctions hit 10 other prominent personalities, including Assad's sister and sister-in-law, banning them from visiting the 27-nation bloc, freezing their assets and stopping them from shopping with European firms. "With this new listing we are striking at the heart of the Assad clan, sending out a loud and clear message to Mr. ...

EU imposes sanctions on Assad's wife, relatives

Fri, 23 Mar 2012 18:31:46 GMT

EU foreign ministers imposed sanctions Friday on Asma Assad, the stylish, British-born wife of the Syrian president, banning her from traveling to European Union countries and freezing any assets she may have there.

EU bans Syrian president's wife from travel, shopping

Fri, 23 Mar 2012 18:31:44 GMT

BRUSSELS (Reuters) - The European Union banned the wife of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad from travelling to the EU or shopping with European companies in a move to stop her buying the Chanel dresses and Louboutin shoes she apparently craves. The EU's latest round of sanctions, which also targeted the president's mother and sister, is notable for including Assad's London-born wife Asma, whose luxury shopping habit was laid bare this month in a cache of hacked emails. ...

Timeline: Crackdown on protests in Syria

Fri, 23 Mar 2012 18:31:43 GMT

(Reuters) - Following is a timeline of events in Syria since protests began. March 15, 2011 - About 40 people join a Syrian protest chanting political slogans in a brief first challenge to the Baath Party, in Hameediyeh market in Old Damascus before dispersing into side streets. April 19 - Government passes bill lifting 48 years of emergency rule. April 22 - Security forces and gunmen loyal to President Bashar al-Assad kill at least 100 protesters, rights group says. July 31 - Syrian tanks storm Hama after a month-long siege. September 2 - EU imposes ban on purchases of Syrian oil. ...

Obama taps public health expert for World Bank

Fri, 23 Mar 2012 18:31:42 GMT

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Barack Obama on Friday nominated a Korean-American known for work fighting HIV/AIDS in impoverished countries to lead the World Bank, a job emerging economies are contesting for the first time. Jim Yong Kim, Obama's surprise choice for the job, is president of Dartmouth College, an Ivy League school in New Hampshire, and former director of the Department of HIV/AIDS at the World Health Organization. ...

Russia moves to simplify registration of parties

Fri, 23 Mar 2012 18:31:41 GMT

Russia's lower house of parliament has unanimously approved a Kremlin-drafted bill that simplifies registration requirements for political parties.

Annan heading to Moscow, Beijing for Syria talks

Fri, 23 Mar 2012 18:31:40 GMT

GENEVA (Reuters) - Kofi Annan, joint special envoy of the United Nations and Arab League, will leave this weekend on a trip to Moscow and Beijing for talks with senior Russian and Chinese officials on the crisis in Syria, his spokesman said on Friday. A team sent by Annan has returned from three days of "intensive and businesslike" talks in Damascus on implementing his six-point peace plan aimed at stopping the killing, securing humanitarian aid and launching a political dialogue with the Syrian opposition, spokesman Ahmad Fawzi said in a statement. ...

Japan prepares defences against N. Korean rocket

Fri, 23 Mar 2012 10:25:09 GMT

Japan on Friday readied its missile defence systems to shoot down a North Korean rocket if it threatens the country, as the UN chief warned that next month's launch could jeopardise food aid.

Europe makes its heaviest space launch ever

Fri, 23 Mar 2012 10:25:08 GMT

An automated craft laden with supplies for the International Space Station (ISS) headed into space on Friday in the heaviest launch ever undertaken by Europe.

Poland exhumes some 2010 plane crash victims

Fri, 23 Mar 2012 10:25:07 GMT

One autopsy report describes organs that had been removed years before. Another adds 20 centimeters (nearly 8 inches) to a short man, making no mention of bones disfigured by childhood polio. One family doubts whether an autopsy was performed at all.

Ukraine rape victim searches for justice

Fri, 23 Mar 2012 10:25:05 GMT

The 18-year-old woman, prosecutors say, was gang-raped by three young men, who tried to cover up their crime by strangling her with a cord, wrapping her naked body in a blanket and dumping her at an abandoned construction site — where they set her on fire.

Clashes in Syria's north as regime foes eye capital

Fri, 23 Mar 2012 10:25:04 GMT

Rebels and troops clashed in northern Syria as regime foes set their sights on the capital as the rallying cry for weekly protests on Friday, while the EU prepared to slap new sanctions on Damascus.

Syrian activists: Clashes near Turkish border

Fri, 23 Mar 2012 10:25:03 GMT

Syrian government forces fired machine guns and mortar rounds Friday in fierce clashes with rebel army defectors in a town near the Turkish border, a Syrian activist group reported, as a European Union official said the wife of Syria's president will be hit with a travel ban and have her assets in the EU frozen.

Russia exasperated with US over missile defense

Fri, 23 Mar 2012 02:18:16 GMT

A top Russian defense official warned Thursday that NATO's plans to install an anti-missile shield in Europe are a "litmus test" for future relations between Moscow and the West.

Finland to hike taxes, cut public spending

Fri, 23 Mar 2012 02:18:12 GMT

Finland's government on Thursday announced annual savings measures worth €2.7 billion ($3.5 billion) as the European financial crisis threatens the country's export-driven economy.

Russian lawmaker: Assad must pull out troops first

Fri, 23 Mar 2012 02:18:09 GMT

Syrian President Bashar Assad must take the first step toward settling his country's yearlong conflict by pulling his forces out of cities and allowing humanitarian assistance, a senior Russian lawmaker said Thursday, in a statement that signaled a marked shift in Moscow's stance.

Accordionists who gave Internet an A-ha moment challenge preconceptions about North Koreans

Fri, 23 Mar 2012 02:18:08 GMT

PYONGYANG, North Korea - Five teenagers in school uniforms hold accordions. On the wall is a giant painting of the secret mountain hideout of their nation's founder, Kim Il Sung. Small red stickers on their instruments mark them as gifts from Kim Jong Il.

Syria death toll mounts, opposition slams UN peace call

Fri, 23 Mar 2012 02:18:07 GMT

Fierce clashes erupted in Syria Thursday, with a busload of fleeing civilians among those killed, as President Bashar al-Assad's foes branded as toothless a UN Security Council call for peace.

UN chief urges cease-fire in Syria to speed up aid

Thu, 22 Mar 2012 18:11:18 GMT

Syrian regime troops and rebels clashed anew on Thursday as U.N. chief Ban Ki-moon said the Security Council sent a clear message to Damascus that all violence must stop immediately to allow for the delivery of humanitarian aid.

Sri Lanka should punish civil war crimes: U.N. forum

Thu, 22 Mar 2012 18:11:17 GMT

GENEVA (Reuters) - Sri Lanka should ensure government troops who committed war crimes during the final stages of its war against Tamil rebels are brought to justice, the U.N. Human Rights Council said on Thursday. Despite heavy lobbying by a 70-strong team from Colombo, the Geneva-based forum adopted a resolution put forward by the United States urging the Sri Lanka government to implement the recommendations of an official Sri Lankan probe. That commission called for the prosecution of soldiers guilty of misconduct. ...

Canada calls for further UN action on Syria

Thu, 22 Mar 2012 18:11:15 GMT

Canada welcomed the UN Security Council's demand that Syria immediately implement a new peace plan, but said more should be done and slammed countries still backing Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.

UN rights body presses Sri Lanka war crime probes

Thu, 22 Mar 2012 18:11:11 GMT

The U.N.'s top human rights body urged Sri Lanka on Thursday to properly investigate alleged war crimes committed by both sides during the country's quarter-century conflict with the Tamil Tiger rebels.

UN adopts resolution on Sri Lanka war crimes probe

Thu, 22 Mar 2012 18:11:10 GMT

The UN Human Rights Council Thursday passed a resolution urging Sri Lanka to conduct a credible investigation into alleged war crimes committed during its battle against Tamil Tiger separatists in 2009.

Airbus: 2,000 jobs at risk over China order freeze

Thu, 22 Mar 2012 18:11:09 GMT

The head of Airbus says up to 2,000 jobs are at risk because Chinese airlines have frozen orders for 55 jets worth $14 billion in protest at the European Union's emissions trading plan.

Clashes across Syria despite U.N. ceasefire call

Thu, 22 Mar 2012 18:11:08 GMT

BEIRUT (Reuters) - More than a dozen people died in clashes across Syria on Thursday, opposition activists said, as a U.N. Security Council call for an immediate end to the fighting fell on deaf ears. In the worst incident, 10 civilians, including three children and two women, died when their small bus was shot up in northern town of Sermeen as they tried to flee to Turkey, the British-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) said. The SOHR, which depends on a network of local contacts for its information, said it was not clear who was behind the killings. ...

Clashes rage across Syria despite UN statement

Thu, 22 Mar 2012 18:11:06 GMT

Syrian troops shelled and raided opposition areas and clashed with rebel fighters around the country Thursday despite U.N. efforts to stop the bloodshed so aid could reach suffering civilians.

Russia, a close ally of Syria, to discuss the crisis there with Kofi Annan

Thu, 22 Mar 2012 18:11:04 GMT

MOSCOW - A Russian official says U.N.-Arab League envoy Kofi Annan will visit Moscow this week to discuss his efforts to mediate a cease-fire in Syria.

Putin picks Rosneft man for energy post

Thu, 22 Mar 2012 18:11:03 GMT

MOSCOW (Reuters) - Vladimir Putin on Thursday made his first energy appointment since his re-election as Russian president, naming Rosneft first vice president Pavel Fedorov a deputy energy minister. Fedorov, a former Morgan Stanley banker who helped negotiate a landmark Arctic drilling deal with U.S. ExxonMobil during his tenure at the state oil firm, is expected to oversee efforts to pull foreign investment into the energy sector. ...

A look at NKorea accordionists behind A-ha moment

Thu, 22 Mar 2012 08:46:25 GMT

Five teenagers in school uniforms hold accordions. On the wall is a giant painting of the secret mountain hideout of their nation's founder, Kim Il Sung. Small red stickers on their instruments mark them as gifts from Kim Jong Il.

UN's Ban to raise N. Korea launch at Seoul summit

Thu, 22 Mar 2012 08:46:24 GMT

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said Thursday he would raise North Korea's planned rocket launch at a Seoul nuclear summit next week, expressing "deep concern" over the issue.

UN hopes to turn tide in Syria with peace plan

Thu, 22 Mar 2012 08:46:23 GMT

The UN Security Council on Thursday awaited Syria's response to its demand for the "immediate" implementation of a plan by special envoy Kofi Annan to rein in the government's bloody crackdown.

War-ravaged Chechnya shows a stunning rebirth - but at what price?

Thu, 22 Mar 2012 04:18:01 GMT

The part of Europe most thoroughly wrecked and ravaged by war in the past six decades, Chechnya, has undergone a stunning transformation from ruin to rebirth in the space of a few short years.

Clinton calls U.N. council's move on Syria "positive step"

Thu, 22 Mar 2012 04:17:49 GMT

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Secretary of State Hillary Clinton on Wednesday praised the U.N. Security Council for voicing united support for U.N.-Arab League envoy Kofi Annan's bid to end the violence in Syria and urged Syrian President Bashar al-Assad to "take this path" out of the crisis. "It is a positive step. The council has now spoken with one voice," Clinton said after the Security Council, including Russia and China, agreed on a statement backing the Annan plan. ...

UN Security Council backs Kofi Annan's peace plan for Syria and cease-fire proposal

Wed, 21 Mar 2012 20:11:35 GMT

The U.N. Security Council has strongly backed international envoy Kofi Annan's proposals to end the yearlong bloodshed in Syria.

NATO says Putin unlikely to attend Chicago summit

Wed, 21 Mar 2012 20:11:34 GMT

Russian President Vladimir Putin is unlikely to attend NATO's summit in Chicago due to his busy schedule at home, the alliance's top official said Wednesday.

Japan closes its embassy in Syria amid violence

Wed, 21 Mar 2012 20:11:33 GMT

Japan's foreign ministry on Wednesday said it would close its embassy in Syria, citing deteriorating security conditions amid a brutal crackdown on anti-government protestors.

Gorbachev says revive Russian social democratic party

Wed, 21 Mar 2012 20:11:32 GMT

MOSCOW (Reuters) - Former Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev proposed on Wednesday reviving a social democratic party in Russia in the hope of uniting leftist groups opposed to President-elect Vladimir Putin. Gorbachev, 81, was quoted by Interfax news agency as saying he was ready to relaunch a movement he led from 2001 until 2004 but that he would not be its leader. ...

NATO chief says Russian President Vladimir Putin unlikely to attend summit in Chicago

Wed, 21 Mar 2012 20:11:30 GMT

BRUSSELS - NATO says Russian President Vladimir Putin is unlikely to attend the alliance's upcoming summit in Chicago due to his busy schedule at home.

Estonia makes human trafficking illegal

Wed, 21 Mar 2012 20:11:29 GMT

Estonia's Parliament passed legislation on Wednesday banning human trafficking and making the Baltic nation the last EU country to enact such laws.

Myanmar will allow US, EU monitors for April vote

Wed, 21 Mar 2012 20:11:28 GMT

Myanmar's president confirmed Wednesday that his country will allow some foreign election observers, including from the United States and Europe, to monitor next month's polls, considered a crucial test of reforms he has taken in the military-dominated country.

EU to impose travel, shopping ban on Assad's wife

Wed, 21 Mar 2012 20:11:27 GMT

BRUSSELS (Reuters) - European Union states are set to ban Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's wife Asma from travel to and shopping in the EU, diplomats said, cranking up pressure on his government to end a bloody crackdown on popular unrest. A British-born former investment banker who had once cultivated an image of a woman inspired by Western values, Asma al-Assad has become a hate figure for many Syrians. She has stood by her husband during a year-long crackdown on popular unrest in which the U.N. says at least 8,000 people have died. ...

China tells Assad to stop violence: Xinhua

Wed, 21 Mar 2012 20:11:25 GMT

China on Wednesday hailed a UN statement on Syria as a positive step towards a political settlement and called on President Bashar al-Assad's government to "cease violence immediately".

Russia, China join U.N. council in call for Syria peace

Wed, 21 Mar 2012 20:11:24 GMT

UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) - In a major diplomatic blow for Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, Russia and China joined the Security Council on Wednesday in voicing support for U.N.-Arab League envoy Kofi Annan's bid to end violence that has brought Syria to the brink of civil war. Western diplomats said the agreement on a declaration of the "gravest concern at the deteriorating situation in Syria" should be a wake-up call for Assad, who has counted on support from staunch ally Russia to fend off international criticism of his yearlong attempt to crush anti-government protests. ...

UN Council demands Syria carry out peace plan

Wed, 21 Mar 2012 20:11:23 GMT

The UN Security Council Wednesday demanded that Syria immediately implement a peace plan by UN-Arab League envoy Kofi Annan, even as the army pounded a rebel-held area of Homs, raising the death toll.

UN chief: Syria unrest could have global impact

Wed, 21 Mar 2012 20:11:22 GMT

The "extremely dangerous" conflict in Syria could have global repercussions, U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said Wednesday, as fresh violence erupted and an al-Qaida-inspired group claimed responsibility for two suicide bombings in Damascus.

Revised Syria draft aims to win Russia support

Wed, 21 Mar 2012 13:22:24 GMT

In a bid to win Russian and Chinese support, France has watered down a proposed U.N. Security Council statement calling on the Syrian government and the opposition to immediately implement proposals by international envoy Kofi Annan to end the yearlong bloodshed.

Serious concerns over North Korea, Iran to come up in Seoul

Wed, 21 Mar 2012 13:22:23 GMT

SEOUL (Reuters) - South Korea said on Wednesday world leaders visiting Seoul for a nuclear summit next week will discuss North Korea and Iran's "illegitimate" atomic activities, angering the North that said such talk would be a "declaration of war". Foreign Minister Kim Sung-hwan told Reuters that while nuclear weapons and proliferation issues were not on the formal agenda at the Nuclear Security Summit in Seoul from Monday, Iran and North Korea would clearly be key issues on the sidelines. ...

Russian court rejects call to ban Hindu holy book

Wed, 21 Mar 2012 13:22:21 GMT

MOSCOW (Reuters) - A Russian court rejected a call from prosecutors on Wednesday to ban one of Hinduism's holiest books, avoiding a diplomatic tussle days before President Dmitry Medvedev's visit to India. Indian lawmakers had criticized the case strongly. Russia and India have vibrant trade ties dating back to the Soviet era and New Delhi is Moscow's top arms customer, buying several billion dollars in weapons every year. Prosecutors argue that the book - a translation of the Bhagavad Gita - included a commentary that was 'hostile to other faiths'. ...

Russia: Did Paid Demonstrators Attend Political Rallies?

Wed, 21 Mar 2012 13:22:20 GMT

Sergei Vasilievich, a gangly man with a clean shaved head and a smoker's raspy voice, gives his profession as a "brigadier." As martial as this sounds, it does not mean he joined the military. The term is Russian political slang, and it refers to a person who arranges crowds for hire, a very busy job during this year's election season.

Nissan not planning Datsun for developed markets

Wed, 21 Mar 2012 13:22:19 GMT

Nissan's revival of the Datsun won't include developed markets, Chief Executive Carlos Ghosn said Wednesday, outlining a strategy to target the revamped brand at emerging nations where the biggest growth is expected for affordable stylish vehicles.

What to do about Syria? Turkey wavers

Wed, 21 Mar 2012 13:22:18 GMT

Turkey stands at the forefront of calls for the ouster of Syrian President Bashar Assad, but there are an awful lot of red lines that it won't cross to realize that goal.

Russia hopes for Security Council Syria text on Wednesday

Wed, 21 Mar 2012 13:22:16 GMT

BERLIN (Reuters) - Russia's Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, whose country has so far shielded Syria from U.N. Security Council censure, said he hoped the body would approve on Wednesday a draft statement on the situation there. The 15-nation Security Council has been holding talks on the Western-drafted statement that would express "full support" for U.N.-Arab League Syrian envoy Kofi Annan's drive to end violence that has brought Syria to the brink of civil war. "The Council text reflects the reality in Syria and supports Annan's aims. ...

Two vetoes later, Russia says it will now back UN plan on Syria

Wed, 21 Mar 2012 05:14:35 GMT

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov today scoffed at reports that Moscow had sent troops to strife-torn Syria to deter outside intervention and implied that the allegations were an attempt by pro-interventionists to disrupt an impending agreement on a path to peace based on a plan by United Nations special envoy Kofi Annan.

Syrian rebels outgunned, struggling for supplies

Wed, 21 Mar 2012 05:14:21 GMT

Syrian rebel commander Ahmad Mihbzt and his ragtag fighters grabbed their aging rifles to fight Syrian troops advancing on their village, but soon fled under a rain of exploding artillery shells.

Estonia may crack down on human trafficking

Wed, 21 Mar 2012 05:14:20 GMT

Estonia is the only European Union country without a law about human trafficking, but legislators are expected to change that Wednesday in a vote largely prompted by concerns expressed by the United States.

Syria toll rises as Russia says Assad made 'mistakes'

Wed, 21 Mar 2012 05:14:17 GMT

The death toll in Syrian protests rose as long-time Damascus ally Russia said President Bashar al-Assad had made "a lot of mistakes" in clamping down on the year-old demonstrations.

West dilutes UN council text on Syria peace bid

Wed, 21 Mar 2012 05:14:15 GMT

UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) - In an effort to secure Russian support, Western powers on the U.N. Security Council on Tuesday diluted a draft statement backing U.N.-Arab League Syrian envoy Kofi Annan's drive to end violence that has brought the country to the brink of civil war. The 15-nation panel held two rounds of negotiations on Tuesday on a Western-drafted statement that would express "full support" for Annan's peace efforts while threatening Damascus with "further steps" if it failed to comply with the council's demands "in a timely manner," council diplomats told Reuters. ...

Tanks shell Damascus suburbs after rebel attacks

Wed, 21 Mar 2012 05:14:14 GMT

AMMAN (Reuters) - Two large suburbs of Damascus came under heavy tank bombardment on Wednesday following renewed Free Syrian Army attacks on forces loyal to President Bashar al-Assad, opposition activists said. Artillery and anti-aircraft gun barrages hit the suburbs of Harasta and Irbin, retaken from rebels by Assad's forces two months ago, and army helicopters were heard flying over the area, on the eastern edge of the capital, the activists said. ...

Five nations to press N.Korea on rocket launch

Wed, 21 Mar 2012 05:14:13 GMT

Leaders of five nations will discuss ways to press North Korea to scrap a planned rocket launch when they meet next week at a Seoul summit, South Korea's president said in interviews published on Wednesday.

Despite concerns, NKorea defends rocket launch

Tue, 20 Mar 2012 21:08:13 GMT

Despite China's concerns, a senior North Korean nuclear negotiator reiterated his government's position on a planned long-range rocket launch after holding talks Monday with his counterpart in Beijing.

RBS says selling assets to Royal Bank of Canada

Tue, 20 Mar 2012 21:07:45 GMT

Royal Bank of Scotland said on Tuesday it had agreed to sell some of its private banking business to Royal Bank of Canada (RBC) for an undisclosed amount.

The forgotten victims of Libya's war

Tue, 20 Mar 2012 21:07:43 GMT

Libyan schoolgirls stroll the streets of the close-knit neighbourhood of Arada without a second glance at the pile of rubble that was once a house for four families before NATO explosives blew it apart.

Jailed Tymoshenko accused of treason in Ukraine

Tue, 20 Mar 2012 21:07:41 GMT

Ukrainian authorities stepped up their legal assault on jailed former Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko on Tuesday when parliament accused her of committing high treason during natural gas import negotiations with Russia in 2009.

Iran will produce nuclear weapons if attacked: Russia

Tue, 20 Mar 2012 21:07:39 GMT

Russia warned Tuesday that Iran would have no option but to develop nuclear weapons if it came under attack from either the United States or Israel over its contested atomic programme.

Human Rights Watch accuses some armed Syrian opposition forces of abusing regime troops

Tue, 20 Mar 2012 21:07:37 GMT

BEIRUT - An international human rights group Tuesday accused some in Syria's armed opposition of carrying out serious abuses, including the kidnapping and torture of security forces, in a sign of the growing complexity of the year-old uprising against President Bashar Assad.

Syrian forces take eastern city after rebel

Tue, 20 Mar 2012 21:07:36 GMT

An anti-regime activist says the Syrian army has taken control of the eastern city of Deir el-Zour following brief clashes with rebel forces.

Poland may need to curb shale gas euphoria

Tue, 20 Mar 2012 21:07:35 GMT

In recent years, Poland has nurtured a hope that its large underground shale gas reserves could help ease its dependence on Russian energy imports — a costly and frustrating reliance for this former Soviet satellite.

'Window' closing to kick off talks with Iran: Ashton

Tue, 20 Mar 2012 21:07:31 GMT

EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton, who heads global nuclear talks with Iran, Tuesday said it was urgent to return to negotiations as "the window of opportunity is closing."

Syrian rebels outgunned, strugging for supplies

Tue, 20 Mar 2012 21:07:29 GMT

Syrian rebel commander Ahmad Mihbzt and his ragtag fighters grabbed their aging rifles to fight Syrian troops advancing on their village, but soon fled under a rain of exploding artillery shells.

Russia says Assad 'making a lot of mistakes'

Tue, 20 Mar 2012 21:07:27 GMT

Russia said Tuesday that Syrian President Bashar al-Assad was "making a lot of mistakes" despite repeated calls from Moscow for his troops and rebel forces to cease violence and seek dialogue.

Russia says Syrian leadership made "many mistakes"

Tue, 20 Mar 2012 21:07:25 GMT

MOSCOW (Reuters) - Syria's leadership has made "very many mistakes" that have aggravated the crisis, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said in remarks broadcast on Tuesday, seeking to distance Moscow from President Bashar al-Assad amid a diplomatic push for peace. Lavrov's comments were some of Russia's toughest criticism of Damascus in a year of bloodshed, but he also took aim at the West and reiterated Russia's position that Assad's exit must not be a precondition for a solution to the crisis. ...

Syrian forces take eastern city from rebels

Tue, 20 Mar 2012 21:07:22 GMT

Syrian soldiers backed by tanks seized the eastern city of Deir el-Zour from rebels on Tuesday, the latest opposition stronghold to fall to an offensive by the better equipped Syrian military.

North Korea invites UN nuclear agency to return to country, but details not revealed

Tue, 20 Mar 2012 13:00:17 GMT

VIENNA - North Korea has invited the International Atomic Energy Agency to return, three years after expelling its nuclear monitors, the agency said Monday. The U.S. said such a move would be welcome but remained critical of the North's rocket launch plans.

Five Tips For President Obama on Nuclear Negotiations With Iran

Tue, 20 Mar 2012 13:00:14 GMT

President Barack Obama is rolling the dice again: He's desperate to avoid getting dragged into a war over Iran's nuclear program, and appears to have restrained Israel -- at least for now -- from starting one by promising he'd do it himself if Tehran tried to build a nuclear weapon. And that means he really needs to make a success of the renewed diplomatic process he and Western allies are about to undertake with Iran. ...

Reluctant Russia wakes up to energy waste

Tue, 20 Mar 2012 13:00:11 GMT

MOSCOW (Reuters) - The world's top oil and gas producer may be watching its energy riches blow away in the wind. Russia, in 2008, was wasting enough energy to power Britain for a whole year. It was then that President Dmitry Medvedev set a target to reduce energy intensity, a rate of waste measure, by 40 percent by 2020. Russian companies were 10 to 20 times less energy efficient than their foreign rivals, he said. Not enough has changed since Soviet times, critics say, and wide-open windows remain a typical way of cooling overheated housing blocks. ...

Nissan reviving Datsun brand for emerging markets

Tue, 20 Mar 2012 13:00:08 GMT

Nissan is bringing back the Datsun three decades after shelving the brand that helped build its U.S. business. This time, Nissan hopes the name synonymous with affordable and reliable small cars will power its growth in emerging markets.

Russian president orders military to prepare countermeasures against US missile shield

Tue, 20 Mar 2012 13:00:04 GMT

MOSCOW - President Dmitry Medvedev says Russian armed forces must prepare to counter U.S. missile defence plans.

Greece mulled buying Acropolis marbles from Britain

Tue, 20 Mar 2012 13:00:02 GMT

Greece's Bavarian-born King Otto considered offering Britain cash or antiquities in the 19th century in exchange for marbles removed from the Acropolis, previously unpublished historical files have shown.

Medvedev: Military to counter US missile shield

Tue, 20 Mar 2012 13:00:01 GMT

The Russian military must prepare to counter U.S. missile defense plans in Europe even as talks between Moscow and Washington are ongoing, President Dmitry Medvedev said Tuesday.

HRW accuses some Syria opposition forces of abuses

Tue, 20 Mar 2012 12:59:59 GMT

An international human rights group accused Syria's armed opposition on Tuesday of carrying out serious abuses, including the kidnapping and torture of security forces, in a sign of the growing complexity of the year-old uprising against President Bashar Assad.

Syria rebels quit eastern city, army on offensive

Tue, 20 Mar 2012 12:59:56 GMT

BEIRUT (Reuters) - Rebel fighters were forced to flee the eastern Syrian city of Deir al-Zor on Tuesday in the face of a fierce army assault, suffering the latest setback in their bid to oust President Bashar al-Assad. In a separate blow to their cause, a respected human rights group accused the armed opposition of committing torture and arbitrary executions during the 12-month uprising - charges previously only leveled at the state security apparatus. Despite recent successes, Assad still faces significant outside pressure. Ally Russia signaled on Tuesday it would support a U.N. ...

Rights group accuses some Syrian rebels of abuses

Tue, 20 Mar 2012 12:59:55 GMT

An international human rights group accused some in Syria's armed opposition on Tuesday of carrying out serious abuses, including the kidnapping and torture of security forces, in a sign of the growing complexity of the year-old uprising against President Bashar Assad.

Russia offers to back Annan's Syria plan at UN

Tue, 20 Mar 2012 12:59:54 GMT

Russia said Tuesday it's ready to support a United Nations resolution endorsing Kofi Annan's plan for settling the Syrian crisis, signaling it is prepared to raise the pressure on its old ally.

NKorea invites UN nuke monitors to return

Tue, 20 Mar 2012 04:53:48 GMT

North Korea has invited the International Atomic Energy Agency to return, three years after expelling its nuclear monitors, the agency said Monday. The U.S. said such a move would be welcome but remained critical of the North's missile test plans.

North Korea invites IAEA, says US deal still in force

Tue, 20 Mar 2012 04:53:45 GMT

North Korea has invited UN inspectors to monitor a nuclear deal with the United States, insisting the pact remains in force despite its shock announcement of an upcoming satellite launch.

Russia joins Syria truce calls as fighting rages

Tue, 20 Mar 2012 04:53:45 GMT

Russia has added its voice to growing calls for a humanitarian truce in Syria, a move hailed by the US after deadly clashes rocked a district of the capital near the heart of the embattled regime.

Cyprus president appoints new finance minister

Mon, 19 Mar 2012 20:47:01 GMT

Cyprus' president appointed a veteran banker on Monday to replace a finance minister who resigned as the euro country struggles to recover from its economic crisis.

Russia's Defence Ministry: Russian navy's oil tanker calls at Syrian port

Mon, 19 Mar 2012 20:46:59 GMT

MOSCOW - Russia's Defence Ministry says one of the navy's support ships has called at the Syrian port of Tartus.

Clashes in Damascus as Red Cross aims for truce

Mon, 19 Mar 2012 20:46:59 GMT

Deadly clashes rocked a district of Damascus on Monday as international efforts picked up pace to initiate a daily humanitarian truce and for monitors to be deployed across violence-swept Syria.

Western powers draft new U.N. council statement on Syria

Mon, 19 Mar 2012 20:46:57 GMT

UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) - France submitted to the Security Council on Monday a Western-drafted statement supporting U.N.-Arab League envoy Kofi Annan's peace efforts in Syria and sending a strong message to Damascus to end violence against protesters, European diplomats said. The decision to prepare a "presidential statement" for the 15-nation council comes after Russia and China twice vetoed resolutions that would have condemned Syria's yearlong assault on demonstrators opposed to President Bashar al-Assad that the United Nations says has killed well over 8,000 civilians. ...

Russia backs Red Cross demand to Syrian government

Mon, 19 Mar 2012 20:46:56 GMT

Russia said Monday that Syria's government and rebels should halt their fighting once a day to give the Red Cross access to the wounded and that jailed protesters should be allowed to have visitors.

Clashes rock Syrian capital amid insurgency fears

Mon, 19 Mar 2012 20:46:53 GMT

Syrian rebels battled regime forces Monday in a heavily protected, upscale area of Damascus, activists said, in a sign that the country's outgunned opposition is increasingly turning to insurgent tactics.

Russia calls on Syria, rebels to hold daily truces

Mon, 19 Mar 2012 20:46:52 GMT

MOSCOW (Reuters) - Russia urged Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and his foes on Monday to agree to daily humanitarian truces, backing an initiative from the International Committee of the Red Cross to treat the wounded in the violence-torn country. Russia is one of Syria's main remaining international allies but it is unclear how much influence Moscow can wield over Damascus more than a year into a bloody uprising against Assad. ...