Suicide bomb attack hits passenger van in south Beirut
BEIRUT (Reuters) – A suicide bomber blew himself up in a passenger van in a southern suburb of Lebanon’s capital Beirut on Monday as the country continued to struggle with the fallout from the civil war in neighboring Syria.
U.N. nuclear agency may press Iran on rare isotope in probe
VIENNA (Reuters) – The U.N. nuclear watchdog says it wants Iran to clarify past production of small amounts of a rare radioactive material that can help trigger an atomic bomb explosion, but which also has non-military uses.
Iran foreign minister: nuclear deal possible in six months
BERLIN (Reuters) – Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Mohammad Zarif said on Monday a final deal with world powers on Tehran’s nuclear program is possible within six months if there is good will and he was not worried about the U.S. Congress trying to impo…
Moscow teen kills two in rare Russian school shooting
MOSCOW (Reuters) – A teenager described as a model student shot a teacher and a police officer dead and took more than 20 of his schoolmates hostage in a Moscow classroom on Monday, days before Russia hosts the Winter Olympics under tight security.
Italian poll shows reform plan could favor Berlusconi-led center-right
ROME (Reuters) – A center-right alliance led by Silvio Berlusconi would be the most likely winner if Italians were to vote now under a reform proposal currently before parliament, according to an opinion poll published on Monday.
UAE summons Qatari ambassador over Muslim cleric’s criticism
DUBAI (Reuters) – The United Arab Emirates summoned the Qatari ambassador over what it called insults against the UAE made by an influential Sunni Muslim cleric in a broadcast from Doha, state news agency WAM reported on Sunday.
Brahimi’s Palestinian deputy Kidwa leaves Syria talks team
GENEVA (Reuters) – Nasser al-Kidwa, deputy head of the international team running the Syria peace talks, has been removed from his job, diplomatic sources said on Monday, after repeated calls from the Syrian government for his dismissal.
Libya PM says he ordered troops towards occupied ports weeks ago
TRIPOLI (Reuters) – Libyan Prime Minister Ali Zeidan said on Monday he had given orders to move troops toward eastern ports occupied by protesters, but said deployment of the military was now in the hands of the army command.
Saudi Arabia to jail citizens who fight abroad
RIYADH (Reuters) – Saudi Arabia will jail for 3-20 years any citizen who fights in conflicts abroad, according to a royal decree released on Monday, in an apparent move to deter Saudis from joining rebels in Syria and then posing a security risk once t…
Crumbling Athens housing complex comes to life during economic crisis
ATHENS (Reuters) – It has been shelled, threatened with demolition and became such an eyesore that it was covered by a massive sheet during the 2004 Athens Olympics, but a historic 1930s housing complex built for Greeks fleeing Turkey is a hive of acti…