Reuters: International News

Iranian plane crashes after fire, killing 168

Wed, 15 Jul 2009 09:40:23 -0400

TEHRAN (Reuters) - A Tupolev aircraft crashed in Iran on Wednesday on its way to Armenia killing all 168 people on board and one senior Iranian official said the plane had caught fire in the air after suffering technical problems.

July equals deadliest month of Afghan war

Wed, 15 Jul 2009 09:59:17 -0400

KABUL (Reuters) - The death toll for foreign troops in Afghanistan halfway through July equaled the highest for any month of the eight-year-old war, tallies showed on Wednesday, as a U.S. escalation has met unprecedented violence.

Chaos deepens in Japan's ruling party before poll

Wed, 15 Jul 2009 08:13:00 -0400

TOKYO (Reuters) - Chaos deepened on Wednesday in Japan's ruling party ahead of an expected August 30 election, as lawmakers fearing a crushing defeat persisted with efforts to ditch unpopular Prime Minister Taro Aso.

India, Pakistan officials talk in Egypt on tensions

Wed, 15 Jul 2009 09:27:50 -0400

SHARM EL-SHEIKH, Egypt (Reuters) - Top diplomats from India and Pakistan have begun talks to reduce tensions between the two states in a meeting on the fringes of a gathering in Egypt, sources close to the talks said.

Medvedev goes to Germany to defend key projects

Wed, 15 Jul 2009 09:55:03 -0400

MOSCOW (Reuters) - President Dmitry Medvedev will defend a Russia-backed deal to buy German car maker Opel and seek more support for the Nord Stream gas pipeline project when he visits Munich on Thursday, a top Kremlin aide said.

Kidnapped Russian rights activist is dead: interior ministry

Wed, 15 Jul 2009 10:27:15 -0400

MOSCOW (Reuters) - A prominent Russian human rights activist kidnapped in Chechnya on Wednesday has been found dead in woodland in a neighboring republic, the Chechen interior ministry said.

New Zealand quake tsunami warnings cancelled

Wed, 15 Jul 2009 08:36:58 -0400

WELLINGTON/SYDNEY (Reuters) - New Zealand and Australia canceled tsunami warnings on Wednesday after an earthquake struck the south of New Zealand, causing minor damage but no injuries.

Australian PM says world watching China spy case

Wed, 15 Jul 2009 08:30:05 -0400

SYDNEY (Reuters) - Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd warned China on Wednesday it had significant economic interests at stake in detaining an Australian mining executive on spying charges and the world was watching how it handled the case.

Iraq gears up for $30 billion housing projects

Wed, 15 Jul 2009 10:14:28 -0400

BAGHDAD (Reuters) - Iraq is lining up at least $30 billion in housing and commercial developments over the next decade as Baghdad looks for homes for a rising population. and hopes to revive a city shattered by war.

Islamist rebels holding French hostages

Wed, 15 Jul 2009 09:42:26 -0400

MOGADISHU (Reuters) - One of Somalia's militant Islamist rebel groups was holding two French security men on Wednesday after receiving them from abductors linked to the government, police said.