Irish police release three over cartoonist plot

Sun, 14 Mar 2010 02:44:17 -0600

DENVER (Reuters) - A Colorado woman who converted to Islam last year and was lured to Europe by online extremists is among seven people arrested in Ireland in connection with a suspected plot to murder a Swedish cartoonist, her parents said on Saturday.

Thousands of protesters gather in Bangkok, seek elections

Sun, 14 Mar 2010 01:59:05 -0600

BANGKOK (Reuters) - Thousands of protesters gathered in Bangkok on Sunday and planned to give Thailand's military-backed government an ultimatum: either call elections or face more pro-democracy demonstrations over the coming week.

Afghanistan eases ban on news coverage of raids

Sun, 14 Mar 2010 01:48:03 -0600

KABUL (Reuters) - Afghanistan rowed back on Saturday from a total ban on media broadcasts of "disturbing" images from insurgent attacks or live pictures of security operations.

Sweden, Turkey jointly denounce genocide vote

Sat, 13 Mar 2010 21:17:39 -0600

SAARISELKA, Finland (Reuters) - The foreign ministers of Turkey and Sweden condemned on Saturday a vote in the Swedish parliament that defined the early 20th-century killing of Armenians by Ottoman Turks as genocide.

China delivers Venezuela jets for anti-drugs fight

Sat, 13 Mar 2010 19:14:46 -0600

CARACAS (Reuters) - Venezuela on Saturday tested six training and light attack jets bought from China for defense and anti-drugs flights in a deal that dodges an embargo banning sales of U.S. weapons parts to oil exporter Venezuela.

Vatican says bid to link pope to abuse issue failed

Sat, 13 Mar 2010 18:30:10 -0600

VATICAN CITY (Reuters) - The Vatican rallied around Pope Benedict Saturday, dismissing suggestions he had tried to cover up priestly child abuse in Germany.

Netanyahu's position is "perilous": U.S. official

Sat, 13 Mar 2010 18:25:49 -0600

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's political standing is "perilous" because of divisions within his coalition over efforts to pursue peace with the Palestinians, a senior U.S. official said on Friday.

Iraq PM Maliki leads Baghdad, a big election prize

Sat, 13 Mar 2010 18:01:38 -0600

BAGHDAD (Reuters) - Shi'ite Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki held a wide lead on Saturday in early results from Baghdad, the major prize in a tight election race that Iraqis hope will bring stability after years of sectarian conflict.

Suicide bomber kills 11 in Pakistan's Swat

Sat, 13 Mar 2010 16:45:11 -0600

MINGORA, Pakistan (Reuters) - A Taliban suicide bomber targeting security forces killed at least 11 people on Saturday, Pakistani police said, part of a renewed push against the state after one of the biggest security crackdowns in years.

Google "99.9 pct" sure to shut China search engine: report

Sat, 13 Mar 2010 10:34:03 -0600

SHANGHAI (Reuters) - Talks with China over censorship have reached an apparent impasse and Google, the world's largest search engine, is now "99.9 percent" certain to shut its Chinese search engine, the Financial Times said on Saturday.