Putin plots Syria strategy with Iran's Zarif
Russia launches a fresh round of Syrian diplomacy on Thursday when it receives the foreign minister of Iran before hosting his counterpart from Syria ahead of historic peace talks on the bloody crisis.
16 January 2014
Egypt votes on constitution as violence highlights divide
Egyptians queued to vote amid tight security Tuesday in a referendum on a new constitution likely to launch a presidential bid by the army chief who overthrew Islamist president Mohamed Morsi.
15 January 2014
Same-sex ban 'legalises' homophobic violence: gay Nigerians
Gay activists on Tuesday vowed to fight the Nigerian government after the country outlawed same-sex unions, warning the act legitimised homophobic violence and increased fears of persecution.
15 January 2014
Hollande vows to deal with affair fallout in private
French President Francois Hollande vowed to deal with the fallout from his affair with an actress in private, defiantly batting away questions over the future of Valerie Trierweiler.
15 January 2014
Kazakhstan prohibits Ponzi schemes
The new legislation introduces 7-12-year-long prison terms for those arranging Ponzi schemes and bans advertising of such schemes.
15 January 2014
Moscow expels US journalist
US journalist David Satter, a longtime critic of Russian President Vladimir Putin, has been banned from the country in one of the first such expulsions since the Cold War.
Egypt votes on new charter as army chief eyes presidency
Egyptians vote for a new constitution Tuesday in a referendum seen as a test of support for a presidential bid by army chief Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, almost seven months after he toppled Mohamed Morsi.
14 January 2014
Kerry seeks to bridge US-Russia gap with potatoes
After months of tension between the US and Russia, US Secretary of State John Kerry sought to bridge the diplomatic gap by giving his Russian counterpart an unusual gift of potatoes.
Spain satisfied with US explanation on NSA spying: PM
Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy said Monday after meeting with US President Barack Obama that Spain had received a "satisfactory" explanation of reports that American spies bugged European leaders' phones.
14 January 2014
Obama defends Afghan strategy after Gates comments
Barack Obama insisted Monday he had faith in the Afghan war mission after former Pentagon chief Robert Gates charged the president lacked passion for military action and soured on his own troop surge.
14 January 2014
Rumoured affair turns messy for France's Hollande
French President Francois Hollande's political and personal woes deepened on Sunday after it emerged that his girlfriend had been rushed to hospital following a report he has been having an affair with an actress.
13 January 2014
Iran's Zarif to visit Syria ahead of peace talks
Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif is due to travel to Tehran ally Damascus in the next few days, media reported Sunday, amid preparations for a Syria peace conference.
Israel unveils 1,800 settler homes after Kerry visit
Israel unveiled plans Friday for more than 1,800 new settler homes in a move the Palestinians said was aimed at forcing Washington to abandon its Middle East peace drive.