The Star Online: World Updates

Iran boosts nuclear work in bunker - diplomats

Mon, 06 Feb 2012 18:52:51 GMT

VIENNA (Reuters) - Iran is believed to be expanding uranium enrichment activity deep inside a mountain, diplomatic sources said on Monday, a move likely to add to tension with Western powers that suspect Tehran is seeking nuclear weapons capability.

Romanian President asks Intelligence head to form new government

Mon, 06 Feb 2012 18:22:18 GMT

BUCHAREST (Reuters) - Romania's President Traian Basescu said on Monday he asked foreign intelligence service head Mihai-Razvan Ungureanu to form a new government and seek parliament's vote of confidence.

Syria bombards Homs; West scrambles for new strategy

Mon, 06 Feb 2012 18:06:01 GMT

BEIRUT (Reuters) - Syrian forces bombarded Homs Monday, killing 50 people in a sustained assault on several districts of the city which has become a centre of armed opposition to President Bashar al-Assad, the Syrian National Council opposition group said.

"Malaria cure" claim sparks Vienna probe

Mon, 06 Feb 2012 18:01:25 GMT

VIENNA (Reuters) - A Vienna hospital is searching for long-retired staff who might hold clues to a man's claim that he was deliberately infected with malaria when he was a psychiatric patient nearly half a century ago.

Anti-cuts protests push Romania PM out

Mon, 06 Feb 2012 17:07:00 GMT

BUCHAREST (Reuters) - Romanian Prime Minister Emil Boc resigned on Monday, joining a list of European leaders felled by fury at the kind of spending cuts that prompted weeks of mass protests in Bucharest against IMF-backed austerity.

Election preparations start in conflict-torn Yemen

Mon, 06 Feb 2012 16:49:28 GMT

SANAA (Reuters) - Yemen has begun a publicity campaign to get citizens to vote in the upcoming presidential election, officials said on Monday, part of a deal to ease President Ali Abdullah Saleh out of office and pull the country back from the brink of civil war.

Egypt army urges swift move to presidential election

Mon, 06 Feb 2012 16:13:17 GMT

CAIRO (Reuters) - Egypt's military leadership called for a swift move to a presidential election on Monday and security forces sealed off the Interior Ministry in Cairo from stone-throwing protesters clashing with riot police for a fifth day.

Air France cancels fifth of flights as pilots strike

Mon, 06 Feb 2012 15:56:11 GMT

PARIS (Reuters) - Air France said it cancelled around 20 percent of its flights on Monday as pilots protested against government plans to make strikers give at least two days' notice when they planned to stop work.

Turkey summons Swiss envoy over genocide denial remarks

Mon, 06 Feb 2012 15:45:56 GMT

ANKARA/ZURICH (Reuters) - Turkey summoned the Swiss ambassador on Monday to complain about a decision by Swiss officials to launch checks to see whether Turkey's EU affairs minister had breached the law by denying Ottoman Turks had committed genocide against Armenians nearly 100 years ago, a Turkish Foreign Ministry official said.

Turkey summons Swiss envoy over genocide denial remarks

Mon, 06 Feb 2012 15:45:56 GMT

Syria bombards Homs; West scrambles for new strategy

Mon, 06 Feb 2012 15:16:51 GMT

BEIRUT (Reuters) - Syrian forces bombarded Homs on Monday, killing 50 people in a sustained assault on several districts of the city which has become a centre of armed opposition to President Bashar al-Assad, the Syrian National Council opposition group said.

Syria bombards Homs; West scrambles for new strategy

Mon, 06 Feb 2012 15:16:51 GMT

Cold kills 33 more in Europe, dam breaks in Bulgaria

Mon, 06 Feb 2012 15:03:02 GMT

SOFIA (Reuters) - Europe's bitterly cold weather killed another 33 people on Monday and melting snow caused a dam wall to break and flood an entire village in Bulgaria.

Cold kills 33 more in Europe, dam breaks in Bulgaria

Mon, 06 Feb 2012 15:03:02 GMT

SOFIA (Reuters) - Europe's bitterly cold weather killed another 33 people on Monday and melting snow caused a dam wall to break and flood an entire village in Bulgaria.

Children among 12 dead as quake hits Philippines

Mon, 06 Feb 2012 14:55:10 GMT

MANILA (Reuters) - A magnitude 6.7 earthquake struck the central Philippine island of Negros on Monday, triggering landslides that toppled houses and killing at least 12 people, including two children, officials said.

Children among 12 dead as quake hits Philippines

Mon, 06 Feb 2012 14:55:10 GMT

Many trapped after Pakistan factory collapses, three dead

Mon, 06 Feb 2012 14:46:24 GMT

LAHORE, Pakistan (Reuters) - A three-story factory collapsed Monday in the Pakistani city of Lahore after a gas explosion, killing at least three people and trapping dozens, emergency officials said.

Many trapped after Pakistan factory collapses, three dead

Mon, 06 Feb 2012 14:46:24 GMT

LAHORE, Pakistan (Reuters) - A three-story factory collapsed Monday in the Pakistani city of Lahore after a gas explosion, killing at least three people and trapping dozens, emergency officials said.

Palestinian rivals agree to form unity government

Mon, 06 Feb 2012 14:35:10 GMT

RAMALLAH, West Bank (Reuters) - The leaders of rival Palestinian factions Fatah and Hamas signed a deal in Qatar on Monday to form a unity government of independent technocrats for the West Bank and Gaza, headed by Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas.

Palestinian rivals agree to form unity government

Mon, 06 Feb 2012 14:35:10 GMT

U.S. closes embassy in Damascus due to Syria violence

Mon, 06 Feb 2012 14:22:15 GMT

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The United States announced on Monday it was closing its embassy in Syria due to the worsening security situation, further isolating Damascus over its bloody crackdown on anti-government protests.

U.S. closes embassy in Damascus due to Syria violence

Mon, 06 Feb 2012 14:22:15 GMT

Election preparations start in conflict-torn Yemen

Mon, 06 Feb 2012 13:47:39 GMT

SANAA (Reuters) - Yemen has begun a publicity campaign to get citizens to vote in the upcoming presidential election, officials said Monday, part of a deal to ease President Ali Abdullah Saleh out of office and pull the country back from the brink of civil war.

Election preparations start in conflict-torn Yemen

Mon, 06 Feb 2012 13:47:39 GMT

Analysis - Italy charm offensive more style than substance

Mon, 06 Feb 2012 13:28:55 GMT

ROME (Reuters) - The enthusiasm surrounding Mario Monti is excessive. He has not had time to address Italy's problems seriously, never mind fix them.