World Directory

Australia Defends Extra Troops for Iraq, Polls Sour (Reuters)
Reuters - Australian Prime Minister John Howard defended on Wednesday his decision to change policy and send hundreds of extra troops to Iraq, as opinion polls showed Australians overwhelmingly opposed the move.

About 450 Quebec police officers take part in raids to bust trafficking ring (Canadian Press)
Canadian Press - QUEBEC (CP) - Police arrested about 30 people, including two with alleged ties to the Hells Angels biker gang, in a crackdown on a drug ring Wednesday. Various raids involved more than 450 officers and targeted a drug-distribution ring supplying cocaine, ecstasy and methamphetamines in Quebec City, Montreal and Gatineau, police said.

One dead, 30 injured as huge fire destroys 400 shops in Pakistan (AFP)
AFP - A huge fire erupted in a commercial district of the eastern Pakistani city of Lahore, killing one person and gutting at least 400 shops, police said.

Sudan Ammo Dump Explosion Kills 24 (Reuters)
Reuters - An explosion at an ammunition dump in the southern Sudanese town of Juba killed 24 people on Wednesday, a police statement issued by the Interior Ministry said.

Kidnapping Prompts Paraguayan Shakeup (AP)
AP - President Nicanor Duarte sacked his interior minister and 31 police officers Wednesday, shaking up his security forces a week after the kidnapped daughter of a former Paraguayan leader was found dead.

Abbas Quells Rebellion Over Cabinet (AP)
AP - Rebellious Fatah lawmakers on Wednesday accepted a Cabinet made up mostly of new faces after Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas, wielding unexpected political clout, called them together and told them not to provoke a crisis.

2 British Soldiers Guilty of Iraq Abuse (AP)
AP - A military jury convicted two British servicemen Wednesday of involvement in abusing Iraqi civilians after a monthlong court-martial that raised comparisons to abuse by U.S. forces at Abu Ghraib prison.

Mexicans living abroad closer to getting right to vote in elections (Knight Ridder)
Knight Ridder - MEXICO CITY - In a historical step that could have huge implications in Mexico's 2006 presidential race, Mexico's Congress on Tuesday approved a constitutional change that would allow millions of Mexicans living abroad, mainly in the United States, to vote in national elections.

Bush Turns Heat on Syria, But to Wait on Sanctions (Reuters)
Reuters - President Bush demanded Wednesday that Syria pull its security services as well as its army out of Lebanon, echoing France's remarks that Syrian intelligence controlled the country.

Britain Convicts 2 in Iraq Abuse; Sex Photos Unsolved (Reuters)
Reuters - Britain convicted two soldiers Wednesday for abusing Iraqi detainees, but failed to punish anyone for making prisoners pose for simulated sex pictures similar to those in the U.S. Abu Ghraib scandal.

Iran to Bush: Don't Meddle with Our Independence (Reuters)
Reuters - President Bush should be aware that the United States would pay a heavier price than Iran if it tried to encroach on the Islamic state's independence, President Mohammad Khatami said Wednesday.

Palestinians Reach Deal for New Cabinet -Lawmakers (Reuters)
Reuters - Palestinian Prime Minister Ahmed Qurie won lawmakers' support for his new cabinet on Wednesday by going some way toward meeting their demand for more reformers and fewer Arafat loyalists, legislators said.

UN Peacekeepers Accused of Rape in Haiti
PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti (Reuters) - The United Nations is investigating allegations that three Pakistani policemen raped a woman in Haiti while deployed on a U.N. stabilization mission, a spokesman said on Wednesday.

Iraqi PM Fights to Stay on in New Government
BAGHDAD (Reuters) - Iraq's interim Prime Minister Iyad Allawi sought to widen his support base Wednesday in a bid to keep his job and lead the country's next government.

Sharon Accuses France of 'Pro-Arab' Policies
JERUSALEM (Reuters) - Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon criticized France Wednesday for balking at a U.S.-backed proposal to declare Hizbollah a terrorist group.

EU Backs Bush on Russian Democracy Concerns
BRUSSELS (Reuters) - The European Union Wednesday cautiously echoed President Bush's concerns that Russia is backsliding on democratic standards.

Britain Convicts 2 in Iraq Abuse; Sex Photos Unsolved
OSNABRUECK, Germany (Reuters) - Britain convicted two soldiers Wednesday for abusing Iraqi detainees, but failed to punish anyone for making prisoners pose for simulated sex pictures similar to those in the U.S. Abu Ghraib scandal.

Iran to Bush: Don't Meddle with Our Independence
TEHRAN (Reuters) - President Bush should be aware that the United States would pay a heavier price than Iran if it tried to encroach on the Islamic state's independence, President Mohammad Khatami said Wednesday.

Palestinians Reach Deal for New Cabinet -Lawmakers
RAMALLAH (Reuters) - Palestinian Prime Minister Ahmed Qurie won lawmakers' support for his new cabinet on Wednesday by going some way toward meeting their demand for more reformers and fewer Arafat loyalists, legislators said.

Pizzeria owner denies Sgro's libel claims, countersues for $1.25 million (Canadian Press)
Canadian Press - TORONTO (CP) - The now deported pizza-store owner who brought down former immigration minister Judy Sgro with allegations of influence peddling is blaming the Media for any libel against her, and is counter-suing her for $1.25 million.

Winter Turns Deadly in Kashmir (AP)
AP - Avalanches and extreme cold have killed at least 244 people in the divided Himalayan province of Kashmir, and about 150 others are missing on both sides, Indian and Pakistani officials said Tuesday.

Rwanda's Genocide Suspects Urged to Confess (Reuters)
Reuters - Jean-Marie Vianney Ruzindana stared at the ground in the prison yard and whispered "I am a killer."

A List of Iraq's Most-Wanted (AP)
AP - The 29 most-wanted supporters of insurgent groups in Iraq, their alleged roles, and the rewards offered for them, as released by U.S. Central Command:

Britain unveils tough anti-terror bill amid storm of protest (AFP)
AFP - Britain's interior minister warned of the grave threat of a terrorist attack as he unveiled a tough anti-terror bill, which drew condemnation from opposition parties and human rights experts.

High in the mountains of Galicia, the modern age is finally turned on (AFP)
AFP - In the mountains of Galicia in northern Spain, the symbol of 21st-century progress is not the new European Union constitution, but rather a century-old convenience: electricity.

Jaafari Set to Become Iraq's Next PM (Reuters)
Reuters - Iraq's main Shi'ite alliance proposed Ibrahim al-Jaafari for prime minister Tuesday, signaling the soft-spoken doctor will almost certainly get the job after the alliance's success in last month's election.

Putin Says Russia Will Pursue Democracy on Its Own (Reuters)
Reuters - President Vladimir Putin said on Tuesday that Russia would pursue democratic change on its own and would not allow the issue to be used by other countries for their foreign policy goals.

Strong Earthquake Strikes Iran, Hundreds Dead (Reuters)
Reuters - A powerful earthquake struck southeast Iran Tuesday, killing 400 people, injuring hundreds and turning remote mountain villages into rubble, officials said.

Britain Proposes Sanctions on IRA Ally Sinn Fein
LONDON (Reuters) - The British government proposed financial sanctions on Northern Ireland's main Catholic party Sinn Fein Tuesday after allegations its leaders were linked to a huge bank robbery blamed on the IRA guerrilla group.

Iran Jails Editor for 14 Years for Insulting Leaders
TEHRAN (Reuters) - An Iranian journalist was jailed for 14 years on charges ranging from espionage to insulting the country's leaders in an unusually heavy sentence in Iran, where tens of journalists have been tried in recent years.

Aceh Rebels Ready to Drop Independence Bid
HELSINKI (Reuters) - Aceh separatists are ready to drop their 30-year struggle for independence from Indonesia in return for some degree of self-rule, a spokesman said Tuesday in what could be a turning point in peace talks.

Britain Races to Pass Tough Anti-Terrorism Laws
LONDON (Reuters) - Prime Minister Tony Blair diluted new anti-terrorism proposals Tuesday in a bid to convince critics his crackdown will preserve the best of Britain's centuries-old judicial system.

Putin Says Russia Will Pursue Democracy on Its Own
MOSCOW (Reuters) - President Vladimir Putin said on Tuesday that Russia would pursue democratic change on its own and would not allow the issue to be used by other countries for their foreign policy goals.

Australia commits 450 more troops to Iraq to protect Japanese (AFP)
AFP - Australia will send an extra 450 troops to Iraq to help protect a Japanese humanitarian mission in the south and bolster the country's transition to democracy, Prime Minister John Howard revealed.

Fire officials continue to probe Halifax apartment building blaze (Canadian Press)
Canadian Press - HALIFAX (CP) - Three months after arriving in Canada, West African refugee Vinolia Koumako, her husband Mensah and their five children have lost almost everything.

US says it wants North Korea to return to talks (AFP)
AFP - The United States wants North Korea to return to six-party talks aimed at ending the crisis over Pyongyang's nuclear program, the White House said.

U.S. Group Accuses Egypt of Torture (AP)
AP - A U.S. human rights group on Tuesday criticized the continuing detention of up to 2,400 people arrested by Egyptian security police following bombings that devastated the Taba Hilton hotel in October.

Brazil Leader Vows to Catch Nun's Killers (AP)
AP - The murder of an American nun during an Amazon land dispute will serve as a wake up call for Brazil's authorities to better protect the jungle from developers, Brazil's president said in his first comments since the Feb. 12 slaying.

Sinn Fein Punished in Wake of Bank Heist (AP)
AP - Britain said Tuesday it will impose new penalties on Sinn Fein, the Irish Republican Army-linked party, as punishment for the IRA's alleged robbery of a Belfast bank — the biggest cash theft in history — and other major crimes in Northern Ireland.

France's Chirac Condemns Racism, Jews Demand Action (Reuters)
Reuters - French President Jacques Chirac on Tuesday condemned an attack in which swastikas were daubed on the main mosque in Paris, and faced pressure from Jewish groups to intensify the fight against anti-Semitism and all racism.

Princess Aiko Is to Be Heir to Japan Throne -Reports
TOKYO (Reuters) - Japan looks ready for a modern-day reigning empress after a panel set up to address the succession crisis indicated it could change the law to allow the daughter of Crown Prince Naruhito to be his heir, media said on Tuesday.

Britain Attacks IRA, Sinn Fein Over Criminality
LONDON (Reuters) - Britain said Tuesday that hopes of a political settlement in Northern Ireland have been "very seriously damaged" by accusations of IRA criminality that have put Republican politicians on the defensive.

Charles, Camilla Wedding Plans Take Farcical Turn
LONDON (Reuters) - The wedding plans of Britain's Prince Charles and his long-time lover Camilla Parker Bowles are turning into a comedy of errors, royal-watchers agree.

Ukraine's Leader Seeks EU, NATO Integration
BRUSSELS (Reuters) - New President Viktor Yushchenko told NATO Tuesday that Ukraine sought long-term integration with both the 26-member defense alliance and the European Union without harming Kiev's ties with its giant neighbor Russia.

France's Chirac Condemns Racism, Jews Demand Action
PARIS (Reuters) - French President Jacques Chirac on Tuesday condemned an attack in which swastikas were daubed on the main mosque in Paris, and faced pressure from Jewish groups to intensify the fight against anti-Semitism and all racism.

Bush, Clinton View Ravaged Aceh Province (AP)
AP - Former Presidents George H.W. Bush and Bill Clinton visited Indonesia's tsunami-ravaged Aceh province on Sunday, flying over a vast wasteland of destruction, the likes of which Bush said he'd never seen.

Presidential Hopefuls Compete in Honduras (AP)
AP - Presidential hopefuls from Honduras' two major political parties were competing for nominations on Sunday, as the country looks for answers to raging gang violence.

England defender Woodgate out for the season: report (AFP)
AFP - England international defender Jonathan Woodgate is expected to be out of action for the rest of the season, the BBC reported.

U.S. Marines Launch Bid to Secure Iraq's Ramadi (Reuters)
Reuters - U.S. forces launched a major security operation around Ramadi on Sunday, saying they hoped to restore order to a western Iraqi city which has been in rebel hands for much of the past year.

Russian Forces Kill Besieged Caucasus Rebels (Reuters)
Reuters - Russian troops on Sunday used heavy weaponry and gas to kill three rebels holed up in a house near Chechnya, local media reported.

Zimbabwe's Mugabe Turns 81, Defiant and Isolated
HARARE (Reuters) - Zimbabwe's President Robert Mugabe, who turns 81 on Monday, is celebrated by his admirers as a liberation war hero but his opponents say his legacy will be that of a dictator who ruined his country.

Slow Aid Frustrates India's Tsunami-Hit Isles
HUT BAY, India (Reuters) - For 15 days after the tsunami struck, thousands of people sheltered in the jungles of India's Little Andaman island, sleeping rough, drinking river water and eating meager rations of rice and lentils.

Togo's Leader Under International Pressure to Quit
LOME (Reuters) - Togo's leader looked increasingly isolated on Sunday after West African nations cut ties and international calls grew for the new president, installed by the army on his father's death, to step down.

Heavy Snowfall Paralyzes Indian Kashmir, 13 Killed
SRINAGAR/JAMMU, India (Reuters) - Thirteen people were killed and six others missing in avalanches in Indian Kashmir as the heaviest snowfall in nearly two decades brought the region to a standstill, authorities said on Sunday.

Putin to Look for Reassurance from Bush at Summit
MOSCOW (Reuters) - Russia's Vladimir Putin, chewing over some pointed criticism from George W. Bush's new team, will be looking for an unambiguous signal from the U.S. leader at this week's summit that their close partnership is still intact.

U.S. Marines Launch Bid to Secure Iraq's Ramadi
BAGHDAD (Reuters) - U.S. forces launched a major security operation around Ramadi on Sunday, saying they hoped to restore order to a western Iraqi city which has been in rebel hands for much of the past year.

Game (finally) over: NHL talks end badly despite presence of 99 and 66 (Canadian Press)
Canadian Press - NEW YORK (CP) - This time it is over. For good.

Britain invites India for July G-7 meet in Scotland: report (AFP)
AFP - Britain has invited India for a summit of the Group of Seven industralised nations and Russia to be held in Scotland in July, a report said.

Egypt Delays Mideast Reform Conference (AP)
AP - Egypt said Saturday it was putting off a U.S-backed conference originally scheduled next month to discuss plans for political reforms in the Middle East, apparently over a dispute over the detention of a prominent opposition leader.

Urbina Mom Was Held in Venezuela Jungle (AP)
AP - Kidnappers holding the mother of Detroit Tigers pitcher Ugueth Urbina kept her in a dense jungle and surrounded the area with explosives to keep her from fleeing, police said Saturday.

Chirac Accused of Backing Lebanese Group (AP)
AP - Two Cabinet ministers on Saturday angrily accused French President Jacques Chirac of supporting the Lebanese opposition's effort to unseat the pro-Syrian government, with one minister saying Chirac was leading the battle.

Israeli Cabinet Expected to Endorse Gaza Pullout (Reuters)
Reuters - Israel's cabinet was expected to give the go-ahead on Sunday to evacuate Jewish settlers from the occupied Gaza Strip and for the first time remove settlements from land where Palestinians want a state.

Africans Impose Sanctions Over New Togo President (Reuters)
Reuters - West African nations suspended Togo from their bloc and imposed an arms embargo on Saturday, piling pressure on the country's new leader as thousands of protesters took to the streets to demand he step down.

Bangladesh Ferry Sinks, at Least 37 Killed (Reuters)
Reuters - At least 37 people died and more than 150 were missing when a Bangladeshi ferry sank during a storm in a river near the capital Dhaka, police said on Sunday. The ferry, M.V. Maharaj, with some 200 people was bound for the southern town of Chandpur from Dhaka when it was hit by a sudden tropical storm in the Buriganga river late on Saturday.

Voter Turnout the Big Question in Spain's EU Poll
MADRID (Reuters) - Spaniards get the first chance to vote on the new EU Constitution in a referendum on Sunday with voter turnout the great unsettled question.

Israeli Cabinet Expected to Endorse Gaza Pullout
JERUSALEM (Reuters) - Israel's cabinet was expected to give the go-ahead on Sunday to evacuate Jewish settlers from the occupied Gaza Strip and for the first time remove settlements from land where Palestinians want a state.

Africans Impose Sanctions Over New Togo President
LOME (Reuters) - West African nations suspended Togo from their bloc and imposed an arms embargo on Saturday, piling pressure on the country's new leader as thousands of protesters took to the streets to demand he step down.

Bangladesh Ferry Sinks, at Least 37 Killed
DHAKA (Reuters) - At least 37 people died and more than 150 were missing when a Bangladeshi ferry sank during a storm in a river near the capital Dhaka, police said on Sunday. The ferry, M.V. Maharaj, with some 200 people was bound for the southern town of Chandpur from Dhaka when it was hit by a sudden tropical storm in the Buriganga river late on Saturday.

Australia Warns of Possible Attacks in Indonesia (Reuters)
Reuters - Australia warned on Saturday that Islamic extremists could be planning attacks against foreigners working on tsunami relief efforts in northern Sumatra but Indonesia said there was no evidence of a threat.

NHL talks resume Saturday without NHLPA boss Bob Goodenow (Canadian Press)
Canadian Press - (CP) - NHL labour talks resumed Saturday with Wayne Gretzky and Mario Lemieux leading the owners' side and Vancouver Canucks veteran Trevor Linden representing the players, a source close to the meeting confirmed to The Canadian Press.

Recalled Arshad Khan ready for India challenge (AFP)
AFP - Off-spinner Arshad Khan vowed to live up to the expectations of selectors following his recall after a five year absence for Pakistan's tour of India.

Some Find Hope After Horror of Darfur (AP)
AP - Violence in Darfur killed 13 members of Fatima Mohamed Ali's family. She saw some of them hanged, others set alight. But last week Mohamed Ali, cradling her 1-year-old daughter Amuna in her lap, joined hundreds of others who had fled Darfur's fighting at a reconciliation ceremony organized by the government.

Sharon Shoring Up Government Before Vote (AP)
AP - Prime Minister Ariel Sharon met Saturday with Israel's top opposition leader to try to shore up his coalition on the eve of major Cabinet votes on his Gaza withdrawal plan and a new route for the West Bank separation barrier, Israeli media reported.

Pope Criticized on Abortion View in Book (AP)
AP - A German Jewish leader criticized the pope Saturday for making what he called an unacceptable comparison between abortion and the Holocaust in a new book.

Egyptian Doctors Remove Baby's Second Head (Reuters)
Reuters - Egyptian doctors said they removed a second head from a 10-month-old girl suffering from one of the rarest birth defects in an operation Saturday.

British Fox Hunters Test Bounds of New Ban
DIDMARTON, England (Reuters) - Baying packs of hounds and a cavalcade of riders set out across the English and Welsh countryside Saturday to test the limits of a ban on the time-honored British sport of hunting foxes.

Raped Darfur Women Wrestle with Fate of Babies
KALMA, Sudan (Reuters) - When Hawa reported the rape of her and seven other women in Darfur by Arab militia, the police told her to forget it had happened.

Russian Police Lay Siege to Suspected Militants
MOSCOW (Reuters) - Russian police laid siege to an apartment block in the country's turbulent south Saturday, saying militants fighting for the independence of Chechnya were holed up inside, Russian media reported.

Africans Punish Togo as Opposition Protests Grow
LOME, Togo (Reuters) - West African nations imposed sanctions including an arms embargo on Togo Saturday, piling pressure on the country's new leader as thousands of protesters took to the streets to demand he step down.

Police: Cash Found in N.Ireland Came from Bank Raid
BELFAST, Northern Ireland (Reuters) - Cash dumped at a police sports club in Northern Ireland was stolen in a massive December bank raid which has provoked a political crisis in the British-ruled province, detectives confirmed Saturday.

Egyptian Doctors Remove Baby's Second Head
BENHA, Egypt (Reuters) - Egyptian doctors said they removed a second head from a 10-month-old girl suffering from one of the rarest birth defects in an operation Saturday.

China Tries to Woo N.Korea Back to Nuclear Talks
BEIJING (Reuters) - A senior Chinese Communist Party official held talks in North Korea Saturday, joining a flurry of diplomats trying to woo the isolated state back into talks on its nuclear weapons program.

Hizbollah Tells Lebanese to Cool Anti-Syria Line
BEIRUT (Reuters) - Hizbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah warned Saturday that popular agitation against Syria's grip on Lebanon after the killing of former Prime Minister Rafik al-Hariri could plunge the country back into civil war.

Jean Charest shuffles cabinet to improve his Liberal government's fortunes (Canadian Press)
Canadian Press - QUEBEC (CP) - Finance Minister Yves Seguin was dropped from cabinet in a major shuffle on Friday that also put new ministers in charge of the justice, public security and natural resources portfolios as Premier Jean Charest tries to improve his Liberal government's fortunes.

Gunmen Shown With Indonesian Reporters (AP)
AP - A video released Friday showed two missing Indonesian journalists flanked by masked gunmen.

Syria Gets New Intel Chief After Bombing (AP)
AP - Syrian President Bashar Assad replaced the chief of military intelligence with his brother-in-law, a Syrian official said Friday. The move came four days after the assassination in Beirut of Lebanon's former prime minister.

LUKOIL Sees Conoco Raising Stake (Reuters)
Reuters - U.S. oil major ConocoPhillips may raise its stake in Russia's LUKOIL to the maximum 20 percent from the current 10 percent ahead of schedule within the next 12 months, LUKOIL said on Friday.

English fox hunters enjoy one of the last hunts before ban takes effect (AFP)
AFP - Many of them holding a glass of sherry, scores of English men and women sat on their horses as they prepared to hunt one of their last foxes before a ban takes effect on Friday.

Lebanon Minister Quits; Syria Replaces Spy Chief (Reuters)
Reuters - Lebanon's tourism minister resigned Friday and Syria named a new military intelligence chief amid political turbulence following the assassination of former Lebanese prime minister Rafik al-Hariri.

Lebanon Minister Quits; Syria Replaces Spy Chief
BEIRUT (Reuters) - Lebanon's tourism minister resigned Friday and Syria named a new military intelligence chief amid political turbulence following the assassination of former Lebanese prime minister Rafik al-Hariri.

Six fishermen found alive off Samoa two days after cyclone strike (AFP)
AFP - A US Coastguard aircraft found six people safe on board their missing fishing boat off American Samoa 48 hours after radio contact with them ended when the vessel was crippled by Cyclone Olaf, rescue officials said.

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