Kiev pledges more autonomy to east

Ukraine's president promised on Wednesday to introduce a bill as early as next week that would offer greater autonomy to the eastern region, where separatists have been battling government troops for almost five months.

Merkel urges EU to greenlight sanctions

German Chancellor Angela Merkel called on Wednesday for the European Union to move quickly on new sanctions against Russia, saying they could always be lifted if the Ukraine cease-fire holds.

Thousands flee as Kashmir flooding widens

Hundreds of thousands of people tried to escape flash flooding in Pakistan after having been warned to evacuate on Wednesday. The death toll from severe monsoon rains and floods in Pakistan and neighboring India has climbed to 457.

Kerry visits Iraq to build support for anti-jihadist campaign

US Secretary of State John Kerry arrived in Baghdad on Wednesday for talks with Iraq's new prime minister - an unannounced stop on a regional tour aimed at building support for an anti-jihadist campaign.

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Iraqi PM urged to name ministers

Iraqi lawmakers urged the country's new prime minister on Tuesday to quickly name leaders for the defense and interior ministries, as doing so would boost efforts to fight extremist Sunni militants.

Syrian media slams arab 'green light' for US attacks

Syrian media accused Arab governments on Tuesday of giving Washington prior agreement for military action against jihadists, with one newspaper calling for Damascus to form an alternative alliance with Moscow and Teheran.

Bomb blast brings terror to Chilean capital

A homemade bomb exploded on Monday next to a subway station in Chile's capital, Santiago, injuring 10 people, officials said.

Olympian Pistorius due to learn his fate at epic murder trial

The long-awaited verdict in the Oscar Pistorius trial, a blend of international soap opera and tragic TV reality show, is expected to be announced this week.

Five questions that may determine runner's fate

Olympic track star Oscar Pistorius returns to court on Thursday for judgment in his murder trial.

Greenhouse gas levels hit new high

Surging levels of carbon dioxide sent greenhouse gases in the atmosphere to a record in 2013, while oceans, which absorb the emissions, have become more acidic than ever, the UN said on Tuesday.

Russia denies military jets approached Canadian ship

A Russian Defense Ministry official dismissed on Tuesday a complaint by Ottawa that Russian military aircraft had acted provocatively by flying near a Canadian warship sailing in the Black Sea.