IMF promises Ukraine bailout of $14b to $18b

The International Monetary Fund has agreed a $14 billion to $18 billion two-year bailout for Ukraine, a deal to help it recover from months of turmoil that will also unlock further credits making a total of $27 billion.

Ex-PM Tymoshenko making new bid for top job

Ukrainian former prime minister Yulia Tymoshenko announced on Thursday that she will run again for president in an election on May 25.

Brazil passes anti-spy Internet bill

Brazil's lower chamber of Congress approved groundbreaking legislation on Tuesday aimed at guaranteeing equal access to the Internet and protecting the privacy of its users in the wake of US spying revelations.

Long-lost story by Tennessee Williams makes public debut

A little-known short story by US writer Tennessee Williams has been published in a mystery fiction magazine after lying hidden for decades in a literary archive.

Company Special: Chemical giant Evonik making big bet on China

Many chemical giants are suffering in the world's second-largest economy as demand ebbs in key energy-intensive industrial sectors such as steel, cement and automobiles.

Malfunction delays dock at space lab

Crew of three must orbit 34 times before second attempt on Friday

Iraq election chiefs quit amid violence

The board of Iraq's electoral commission resigned en masse on Tuesday in protest at political and judicial "interference", one month before a scheduled general election.

Arab summit struggles to heal rifts

Warning of "enormous" dangers, Kuwait urged fellow Arab nations on Tuesday to resolve disputes complicating crises such as Syria's war and unrest in Egypt, but diplomats said tensions rose behind the scenes at their annual summit.

IN BRIEF (Page 11)

Obama to urge revamp of phone call surveillance

The White House wants the US National Security Agency to get out of the business of sweeping up and storing vast amounts of data on US citizens' phone calls.

Apostrophes now: Britain at war over punctuation of street signs

Agence France-Presse

Taliban attackers storm election commission office

Suicide bombers and gunmen attacked an election commission office beside the home of Afghan presidential candidate Ashraf Ghani on Tuesday and engaged in a lengthy gun battle with Afghan security forces.