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Republican Senators block Iran sanctions vote

US Senate Republicans blocked legislation for new economic sanctions on Iran’s oil sector on Thursday saying they needed more time to study the bill, a surprise move that drew anger from Democrats... Full story

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Action on Syria, Iran may go nuclear: Russia

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... Full story

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Retired officials urge China’s ruling party to come clean

Three retired Chinese Communist Party officials issued a call on Friday for leaders to disclose their family wealth before a looming succession, warning that a scandal over the fallen politician Bo Xilai has exposed... Full story

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1,800 Russians evacuated for ammo blasts

Russian emergency workers evacuated about 1,800 people from their homes on Friday after a fire broke out at a military base in the country’s far-east, sparking an explosion of stored shells. Full story

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Gender, age may affect athletes’ recovery

Female and high school athletes may need more time to recover from a concussion than their male or college counterparts, according to a US study that comes amid rising concern about concussions in young... Full story

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Al Qaeda behind Syria car bombs: Moon

UN secretary general Ban Ki-moon said on Thursday he believed al Qaeda was responsible for two suicide car bombs that killed at least 55 people in Syria a week ago and that the death toll in the country’s... Full story

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US funding boost for Israel’s ‘Iron Dome’

The Pentagon will seek to provide Israel with an additional $70 million in the coming months for its short-range rocket shield, known as the ‘Iron Dome,’ US Defense Secretary Leon Panetta said after a meeting... Full story

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Baghdad pet market bombs kill five

Three near-simultaneous bomb blasts at a pet market in east Baghdad killed five people on Friday, officials said, just hours after an attack in the city’s southeast left five dead. Full story

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Two dead in Philippine Air Force crash

Two Philippine Air Force officers were feared dead after their plane crashed at the mouth of Manila Bay during a training mission on Friday. The military has launched search-and-rescue operations for the pair... Full story

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Taliban attack NATO base, 2 soldiers killed

A Taliban rocket attack on a NATO base in the eastern Afghan province of Kunar killed two international soldiers and wounded six, officials said. It came a day after gunmen dressed in Afghan police uniforms and... Full story

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Somali fishermen beg end to anti-piracy air strikes

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. Full story

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Vietnam bus plunge kills 34

A passenger bus plunged into a river in Vietnam’s Central Highlands at night killing 34 people and injuring at least 25 others, state-run newspapers reported on Friday. The bus slammed into Serepok River... Full story

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W African troops start arriving in G Bissau

About 70 soldiers from Burkina Faso were deployed in Guinea-Bissau on Thursday, the advance party of a 600-strong West African force that is due to replace Angolan troops and oversee a transition back to... Full story

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Seven killed in violence across Syria

At least seven people were killed in violence across Syria on Friday, including two children and a woman, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said. Regime forces killed a child and arrested her family... Full story

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Qaeda chief urges Saudis to topple ruling family

Al Qaeda chief Ayman al-Zawahri on Thursday urged Saudis to rise up against the kingdom’s ruling al-Saud family, suggesting they draw inspiration from uprisings that have deposed leaders across the Middle... Full story

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Breastfed baby may grow slim

Babies who are breastfed gain less weight over their first year of life compared to babies fed either breast milk or formula from a bottle, according to a US study. The report, in the Archives of Pediatrics... Full story

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