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Syria's Assad: Nations who "sow chaos" will suffer

2012-05-16T17:32:53Z

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. ...

Israeli intelligence head 'visited US for Iran talks'

2012-05-16T16:40:29Z

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.

Syrians back regime, Assad tells Russia TV

2012-05-16T16:27:44Z

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.

Police uproot protest camp in Moscow

2012-05-16T14:49:12Z

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.

'Black box' found of Russia jet in Indonesia crash

2012-05-16T13:34:56Z

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.

UN team in Syria evacuated from tense town

2012-05-16T13:25:58Z

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.

Assad says Syrians support his reform efforts

2012-05-16T12:49:29Z

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

Ukraine dismisses EU plea over jailed Tymoshenko

2012-05-16T12:37:45Z

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. ...

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

2012-05-16T11:40:00Z

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. ...

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

2012-05-16T11:30:09Z

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.

Austerity to strain transatlantic ties at NATO Chicago summit

2012-05-16T09:36:51Z

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 concession would test big power unity

2012-05-16T09:29:17Z

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. ...

Indonesia finds black box from crashed Russian Sukhoi

2012-05-16T09:18:42Z

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. ...

Russian plane crash probe focuses on black box

2012-05-16T07:44:54Z

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.

NATO invites Pakistan to summit in Chicago

2012-05-16T05:32:55Z

NATO has 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.

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

2012-05-16T03:23:38Z

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. ...

EU navy, helicopters strike pirate supply center

2012-05-16T00:11:56Z

European Union naval forces in attack helicopters 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.

Iran nuclear talks: negotiators cite progress ahead of Baghdad meeting

2012-05-15T22:02:39Z

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.

U.N. and Iran agree to keep talking on nuclear

2012-05-15T21:48:30Z

VIENNA (Reuters) - Iran and the U.N. nuclear watchdog ended two days of talks on Tuesday by agreeing to meet again next week, just two days before Tehran resumes negotiations with world powers concerned it may be seeking to develop atomic bomb capability. While both sides were upbeat about the discussions, which will continue on Monday, there was no word on whether the U.N. agency had made progress towards one of its main aims - to secure access to a suspect military site near Tehran. ...

Indonesia team finds crashed Sukhoi's black box

2012-05-15T21:39:41Z

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

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

2012-05-15T21:06:31Z

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.

Putin praised by leaders of ex-Soviet states

2012-05-15T20:40:19Z

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's Wind Mobile growth slows sharply

2012-05-15T19:33:13Z

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. ...

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

2012-05-15T17:19:44Z

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.

Russia's Patriarch launches Facebook page

2012-05-15T17:11:46Z

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. ...

Tymoshenko appeal to be heard during Ukraine's Euro 2012

2012-05-15T16:31:47Z

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. ...

Somali pirate: EU airstrike destroyed equipment

2012-05-15T16:00:06Z

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.

NATO invites Pakistan to summit

2012-05-15T15:44:00Z

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.

EU carries out first air strikes on Somali pirates

2012-05-15T13:47:20Z

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 Chicago summit

2012-05-15T13:38:30Z

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. ...

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

2012-05-15T12:23:00Z

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.

EU force strikes Somali pirate land base

2012-05-15T11:46:55Z

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.

Somali pirate: EU aistrike destroyed our equipment

2012-05-15T11:44:18Z

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.

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

2012-05-15T11:07:43Z

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.

EU carries out first strikes on Somali pirates

2012-05-15T09:49:10Z

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.

Astronauts head towards ISS in Russian rocket

2012-05-15T06:39:09Z

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.

Three-man Soyuz crew departs for space station

2012-05-15T06:25:50Z

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.

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

2012-05-15T04:46:40Z

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.

Japan to launch 4 satellites Friday, 1 for SKorea

2012-05-15T04:21:16Z

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

Prison hunger strikers end mass fast in deal with Israel

2012-05-14T23:35:58Z

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