Iran adds to atom capacity, holds down stockpile growth: diplomats
VIENNA (Reuters) – A report by the U.N. nuclear watchdog is expected to show that Iran is pressing ahead with its nuclear program by further increasing its capacity to enrich uranium, diplomats said on Monday.
Merkel allies stage 11th-hour revival behind young leader
BERLIN (Reuters) – Philipp Roesler, the young leader of Germany’s Free Democrats (FDP), looked like a dead man walking at the start of the year, until he took a major risk that turned his and his party’s fortunes around.
South African construction, airport workers widen wave of strikes
JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) – South African construction and airport workers went on strike for higher wages on Monday, extending a series of industrial action threatening to slow growth in Africa’s largest economy.
Four mortar bombs hit Damascus Old City
BEIRUT (Reuters) – Four mortar shells hit the historic Old City of Syria’s capital Damascus on Monday, wounding several people and damaging an Armenian church, state news channel El Ikhbariya reported.
Iran’s Khamenei blames outsiders for Middle East’s woes
DUBAI (Reuters) – Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei blamed countries outside the Middle East on Monday for the region’s turmoil and the Shi’ite cleric said regional states backing radical Sunni Islamists would be damaged by conflict.
U.N. team returns to Damascus hotel after visiting site of alleged gas attack
DAMASCUS (Reuters) – A team of United Nations chemical weapons inspectors returned to their hotel in Damascus on Monday after visiting one of the sites of an alleged poison gas attack, a Reuters witness said.
Russia warns against military intervention in Syria
MOSCOW (Reuters) – Russia warned Western powers on Monday against any military intervention in Syria, saying the use of force without a U.N. mandate would violate international law.
Italy PM meets with centre right to defuse growing row
ROME (Reuters) – Italian Prime Minister Enrico Letta met with a top official from Silvio Berlusconi’s center-right party on Monday to try to defuse a row which is threatening to bring down his fragile ruling coalition and has rattled financial markets….
Karzai stresses need for Pakistani help in Taliban peace process
ISLAMABAD (Reuters) – Afghan President Hamid Karzai on Monday stressed the need for Pakistan’s help in arranging peace talks with the Taliban in a meeting with Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif who assured him of his support.
Syrian Kurds trek to Iraq over parched hills
SUHILLA, Iraq (Reuters) – Mariam Bozan Khalil spent days avoiding Syrian rebel militiamen on the road to Iraq, only to be forced to finish her journey on foot through sun-scorched hills.
