The Star Online: World Updates

Over 200 people killed in Syria's Homs before U.N. vote

Sat, 04 Feb 2012 06:06:09 GMT

BEIRUT (Reuters) - More than 200 people were killed in shelling by Syrian forces in the city of Homs, activists said Saturday, as the U.N. Security Council prepared to vote on a draft resolution backing an Arab call for President Bashar al-Assad to give up power.

Sudan rebels "seeking way" to hand over abducted Chinese

Sat, 04 Feb 2012 05:10:25 GMT

BEIJING (Reuters) - Sudanese rebels said they are looking for ways to hand over 29 Chinese workers held in the border state of South Kordofan, Chinese state media said, as Sudan's government confirmed the death of one worker in a firefight.

Most Japanese towns undecided on nuclear stress tests - survey

Sat, 04 Feb 2012 04:38:47 GMT

TOKYO (Reuters) - Three Japanese towns would be willing to restart their nuclear reactors if they pass government stress tests, two were against the idea but most were undecided, a newspaper survey suggested Saturday.

Over 200 people killed in Syria as U.N. prepares to vote

Sat, 04 Feb 2012 03:29:08 GMT

BEIRUT (Reuters) - More than 200 people were killed in shelling by Syrian forces in the city of Homs, activists said on Saturday, as the U.N. Security Council prepared to vote on a draft resolution backing an Arab call for President Bashar al-Assad to give up power.

Rescuers find bodies from Papua New Guinea ferry disaster

Sat, 04 Feb 2012 02:50:35 GMT

SYDNEY (Reuters) - Rescuers searching for survivors after a heavily laden ferry sank off Papua New Guinea said on Saturday they had found four bodies and that the search would go on for about 100 still missing.

Over 200 people killed in Syria as U.N. prepares to vote

Sat, 04 Feb 2012 02:31:16 GMT

Over 200 people killed in Syria as U.N. prepares to vote

Sat, 04 Feb 2012 01:49:10 GMT

Death toll hits 217 in shelling of Syria's Homs - group

Sat, 04 Feb 2012 00:50:10 GMT

BEIRUT (Reuters) - At least 217 people were killed in shelling by Syrian forces in the city of Homs, the Syrian Observatory for Human rights said on Saturday.

Amid peace bid, U.S. got purported letter from Taliban

Sat, 04 Feb 2012 00:03:57 GMT

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The White House received a letter last year purported to come directly from Mullah Omar, the reclusive leader of the Taliban, asking the United States to deliver militant prisoners whose transfer is now at the heart of the Obama administration's bid to broker peace in Afghanistan.

Romania rescues children as Europe's freeze deepens

Fri, 03 Feb 2012 23:52:21 GMT

BUCHAREST (Reuters) - Nine Romanian children were taken into care after a baby died in an unheated house, joining at least 189 others killed by a Siberian front which strengthened its hold over Eastern Europe on Friday and spread further west.

South Sudan shoot-out kills 37, wounds U.N. policeman

Fri, 03 Feb 2012 23:44:26 GMT

JUBA (Reuters) - A shoot-out among South Sudanese security forces using truck-mounted machineguns killed 37 people and injured a United Nations policeman Wednesday, U.N. and government officials said Friday.

Bosnia passes laws key to EU bid, Muslims agree to census

Fri, 03 Feb 2012 23:09:03 GMT

SARAJEVO (Reuters) - Bosnia passed laws on Friday seen as crucial to reviving its European Union accession bid, with Serb, Croat and Muslim leaders agreeing to the first census since 1991 and to a single state-level body to coordinate EU aid programmes.

Cost drives NATO bid for smaller Afghan army

Fri, 03 Feb 2012 22:47:01 GMT

BRUSSELS (Reuters) - Afghanistan could end up fighting Taliban insurgents with a national army and police force two-thirds the size envisaged, if plans discussed on Friday by NATO defence ministers, trying to balance security needs with budget cuts, gain traction.

Syrian forces break up Hama protest marking killings

Fri, 03 Feb 2012 22:24:20 GMT

BEIRUT (Reuters) - Syrian forces shot dead one person in the city of Hama on Friday as they broke up a protest marking the anniversary of a 1982 massacre by troops loyal to President Bashar al-Assad's father, activists said.

Sudan's Bashir says tensions with South could spark war

Fri, 03 Feb 2012 20:58:50 GMT

KHARTOUM (Reuters) - Sudan's President Omar Hassan al-Bashir said on Friday tensions with South Sudan over oil transit payments could lead to war between the two countries.

Amid peace bid, U.S. got purported letter from Taliban

Fri, 03 Feb 2012 20:45:27 GMT

Romania rescues children as Europe's freeze deepens

Fri, 03 Feb 2012 20:12:53 GMT

Malaria kills twice as many as thought - study

Fri, 03 Feb 2012 19:54:47 GMT

LONDON (Reuters) - Malaria kills more than 1.2 million people worldwide a year, nearly twice as many as previously thought, according to new research published on Friday that questions years of assumptions about the mosquito-borne disease.

Iran threatens retaliation over oil embargo

Fri, 03 Feb 2012 19:52:11 GMT

TEHRAN (Reuters) - Iran's supreme leader threatened Friday to retaliate against the West for sanctions, a day after a U.S. newspaper said defense secretary Leon Panetta believed Israel was likely to bomb Iran within months to stop it building a nuclear bomb.

Street battle rages near Egypt's Interior Ministry

Fri, 03 Feb 2012 19:51:43 GMT

CAIRO (Reuters) - Rock-throwing protesters fought riot police through clouds of tear gas near Egypt's Interior Ministry on a second day of clashes triggered by the deaths in Port Said of 74 people - the country's worst soccer disaster.

Amid peace bid, U.S. received purported letter from Taliban

Fri, 03 Feb 2012 19:36:28 GMT

Syrian forces break up Hama protest marking killings

Fri, 03 Feb 2012 19:32:04 GMT

Sudan's Bashir says tensions with South could spark war

Fri, 03 Feb 2012 19:28:05 GMT

KHARTOUM (Reuters) - Sudan's President Omar Hassan al-Bashir said on Friday tensions with South Sudan over oil transit payments could lead to war, stepping up the rhetoric in a row over crude reserves between the two countries.

Street battle rages near Egypt's Interior Ministry

Fri, 03 Feb 2012 18:32:48 GMT

U.N. court rejects Italy's Nazi compensation claims

Fri, 03 Feb 2012 17:41:34 GMT

AMSTERDAM (Reuters) - Italy's courts were wrong to allow victims of Nazi war crimes to claim compensation against Germany, the highest U.N. court ruled Friday, given that Germany has immunity under international law.