Reuters: World News

Australia fans election talk over carbon plan

Sun, 29 Nov 2009 08:44:49 +0530

SYDNEY (Reuters) - Australia on Sunday fanned talk of a snap election over climate change, effectively setting a Monday deadline for lawmakers to approve its scheme to cut carbon emissions or risk the wrath of voters.

Afghan talks to seek road to security handover

Sun, 29 Nov 2009 08:51:45 +0530

PORT OF SPAIN (Reuters) - Britain will host talks on Afghanistan on Jan. 28, British Prime Minister Gordon Brown said on Saturday, just days before U.S. President Barack Obama spells out his expansion of the war effort next week.

Canada, India reach nuclear cooperation pact

Sun, 29 Nov 2009 08:27:32 +0530

TORONTO (Reuters) - Canada and India agreed on Saturday to cooperate on nuclear issues, with a pact that ends a freeze in cooperation dating from 1974 and could offer new opportunities for Canadian uranium firms.

Russia says bomb caused deadly train wreck

Sat, 28 Nov 2009 23:04:41 +0530

UGLOVKA, Russia (Reuters) - A bomb caused the derailment of a Russian high-speed train that killed dozens and injured nearly 100, a senior official said on Saturday, in the worst attack on the country's heartland in five years.

Berlusconi not suspect in Florence Mafia bomb case

Sun, 29 Nov 2009 08:54:59 +0530

ROME (Reuters) - Italy's Silvio Berlusconi is not being investigated in connection with a Mafia bomb attack in Florence in 1993, a court said on Saturday after reports that he was being probed on the evidence of a mobster-turned-witness.

Commonwealth backs $10 bln climate adaptation fund

Sat, 28 Nov 2009 21:31:56 +0530

PORT OF SPAIN (Reuters) - Commonwealth leaders will lobby for an international climate deal that includes $10 billion for next year to help poor and vulnerable states fight the effects of global warming, the Maldives president said on Saturday.

FACTBOX - How Obama's Afghan strategy is shaping up

Sun, 29 Nov 2009 08:06:01 +0530

REUTERS - The centerpiece of President Barack Obama's revised war strategy in Afghanistan is expected to be the deployment of about 30,000 more U.S. troops to secure population centers and to train Afghan security forces to gradually assume control.

West aims to build Afghan forces with pay hike

Sat, 28 Nov 2009 18:49:28 +0530

KABUL (Reuters) - Afghanistan announced a pay rise of nearly 40 percent for police and military recruits on Saturday, as Western countries aim to increase the size and quality of Afghan security forces so their own troops can go home.

Commonwealth pledges backing for U.N. climate pact

Sat, 28 Nov 2009 23:23:02 +0530

PORT OF SPAIN (Reuters) - Commonwealth nations representing a third of the world's population pledged on Saturday to support negotiation of an "operationally binding" U.N. climate deal in Copenhagen next month, the group's leaders said.

Criminal gangs plunder Madagascar forests - report

Sat, 28 Nov 2009 23:06:04 +0530

ANTANANARIVO (Reuters) - Criminal gangs are stripping Madagascar's poorly-protected national parks every day of precious hardwood worth hundreds of thousands of dollars, two environmental campaign groups have said.