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Syria violence kills 4 even as UN mission grows

Violence in Syria killed four civilians on Saturday, one of them a woman, a rights watchdog said, even as a UN mission charged with overseeing a battered truce neared half its planned strength. Full story

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NATO summit must protect Afghan women

The United Nations mission in Afghanistan sounded warnings on Saturday over the future of women's rights and schooling for girls ahead of a NATO summit focused on the withdrawal of troops from the... Full story

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Greek president calls top parties to talks today

The top three parties that emerged from May 6 inconclusive elections are summoned to power-sharing talks on Sunday, the office of head of state president Carolos Papoulias said. ‘The president will summon... Full story

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US resumes Bahrain arms sales

The United States will resume some military sales to Bahrain, a key Gulf ally facing Iran, despite human rights concerns linked to months of popular protests against the island kingdom’s rulers, the State... Full story

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Delhi jailhouse rocks to live music therapy

Strutting across the stage wearing red stilettos, red lipstick and a flower in her hat, Samara Chopra was always going to be a hit with the inmates of Tihar high-security jail in New Delhi. Full story

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Mamata hints at snap polls

Hinting at early Lok Sabha elections, Trinamool Congress (TMC) chief and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee told her party men on Friday that she has information that a political party in Delhi had... Full story

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India agrees $560m US artillery deal

India has agreed a $560-million deal to buy 145 howitzer guns from BAE Systems of the United States as it upgrades its antiquated military hardware, an official said Saturday. Full story

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Tymoshenko’s daughter addresses Kiev protest

The daughter of Ukraine’s jailed former premier Yulia Tymoshenko addressed an anti-government protest in Kiev on Saturday demanding the release of the opposition leader. Full story

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Chavez shows strength after treatment

Venezuelan president Hugo Chavez strode, sang and gave a rousing speech on Friday in a careful show of vigour after his latest cancer treatment in Cuba fanned rumours he was dying five months before... Full story

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Bomb, mortar attacks kill two in Pakistan

Bomb and mortar attacks killed at least two people and wounded 21 others in Pakistan’s northwestern city of Peshawar, a gateway to the tribal badlands, the police said on Saturday. Full story

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Merkel sees stable tie with Hollande

German chancellor Angela Merkel said on Saturday she believes a stable partnership with French president-elect Francois Hollande is possible despite she backed his opponent Nicolas Sarkozy. Full story

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Hezbollah says able to strike anywhere in Israel

The leader of Lebanon’s Hezbollah said his militant group was capable of striking any target in neighbouring Israel, saying ‘the days when we fled and they did not are over’. ‘Today we are not only able to hit Tel Aviv... Full story

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Algeria Islamists reel from polls fiasco

Algeria's Islamists were reeling on Saturday from a stinging setback in legislative polls which saw the ruling party come out on top, resisting the Arab Spring's tide of democratic change. Full story

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S America doubled military spending in five years

Military spending across South America has doubled in the past five years, although there is no noticeable arms race, a report published by a regional grouping said Friday. Full story

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