DAMASCUS (Reuters) - Hamas leader Khaled Meshaal urged Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas on Friday to stop seeking compromise with Israel but offered him an olive branch, saying Palestinians must end their divisions.
Haiti's planning chief clears first legislative hurdle on road to replace fired prime minister. Haitian senators have taken a key first step toward replacing the prime minister they ousted a week ago.
Explosions of anti-personnel mines kill 3 adults, wound 2 children in Colombian family. Colombian officials say three adults have been killed and two children wounded in two related anti-personnel mine blasts in the country's northwest.
Iraq again asks UN for envoy to investigate foreign involvement in recent bombings. Iraq's foreign minister has reiterated his country's request for a high-level international envoy to investigate the extent of foreign involvement in recent bombings of government institutions.
TEGUCIGALPA (Reuters) - An agreement to end a four-month political crisis in Honduras collapsed on Friday after two rival leaders failed to form a government of unity to heal the damage from a June coup.
Latin America news editors: Region's populist leaders restrict press freedom, silence critics. Populist leaders around Latin America are increasingly making legal and political moves to silence their media critics, the president of the Inter American Press Association said Friday.
In Britain, there are no long lines of people seeking swine flu vaccine. Doctor's offices aren't swamped with desperate calls. And there are no cries of injustice that the vaccine is going to wealthy corporations or healthy people who don't really need it.
No long lines, no cries of injustice; Europe has more orderly approach to swine flu shots. In Britain, there are no long lines of people seeking swine flu vaccine. Doctor's offices aren't swamped with desperate calls. And there are no cries of injustice that the vaccine is going to wealthy corporations or healthy people who don't really need it.
Egypt prevents prominent opposition leader who challenged Mubarak from traveling to US. Egyptian authorities have prevented a leading political dissident from traveling to the U.S., saying Friday that the conditions of his early release from prison do not permit him to travel abroad.
World leaders wanted: No climate deal without them at Copenhagen summit. After two years of tough U.N. climate talks often pitting the world's rich against the poor, negotiators said Friday a new global agreement now rides on industrial nations pledging profound emissions cuts next month in Copenhagen.
French police hunts for security driver in euro11 million ($7.4 million) bank heist. French police conducted a nationwide search Friday for a security driver who vanished with euro11 million ($7.4 million) in cash from a bank in the central city of Lyon, authorities said.
An international human rights group said Friday it has documented three cases of sexual assault against detainees arrested during Iran's postelection turmoil, including one that was supported by an official report but not investigated further.
Rights group says it has documented rape of detainees in Iran's postelection turmoil. An international human rights group said Friday it has documented three cases of sexual assault against detainees arrested during Iran's postelection turmoil, including one that was supported by an official report but not investigated further.
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. jobless rate unexpectedly jumped to 10.2 percent last month, a 26-1/2-year high, adding to pressure on the Obama administration to do more to tackle unemployment even as signs of recovery mount.
ORLANDO, Florida (Reuters) - An ex-employee of an engineering consulting firm who was laid off in 2007 opened fire at his former workplace in Orlando, Florida, on Friday, killing one person and wounding five others, police said.
SKorean woman passes driver's license test on 950th attempt over 4 years and $4,200. A woman in South Korea who tried to pass the written exam for a driver's license with near-daily attempts since April 2005 has finally succeeded on her 950th time. The aspiring driver spent more than 5 million won ($4,200) in application fees, but until now had failed to score the minimum 60 out of a possible 100 points needed to get behind the wheel for a driving test.
MADRID (Reuters) - Somali pirates have threatened to kill three captive crew members from a Spanish fishing vessel if two suspected pirates being held in Spain are not freed, a senior officer aboard the vessel said on Friday.
UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) - Two Iranian businessmen working at a Dubai-based firm were linked to video surveillance devices sold to Sudan and used in unmanned drones in Darfur in violation of a U.N. arms embargo, a U.N. report said.
Canada begins plans to remove troops from Afghanistan in 2011. Canada has begun preparations to withdraw its troops from Afghanistan in 2011.
Former Panamanian leader Manuel Solis dies at 91; was president under Noriega. Manuel Solis, who served briefly as president during Manuel Noriega's military regime, died Friday. He was 91.
Palestinian cousin of Fort Hood suspect says he complained of anti-Muslim bias in US military. A cousin of the man suspected of shooting fellow soldiers at a Texas military base says he had little contact with his Palestinian relatives in the West Bank but had told family there that he suffered discrimination in the U.S. Army because he is a Muslim.
20 years after Berlin Wall's fall, German love blind to old borders. In Katrin Roller's Berlin apartment, it's the toilet paper holder that stands out ? a homemade contraption of rope and a piece of a rolling pin.
Spain rules out freeing pirates as demanded by brigands holding Spanish trawler and crew. Spain said Friday it would not free two captured pirates as demanded by fellow brigands who are holding a Spanish trawler and 33 crew members off the coast of Somalia.
Monaco palace: suit being filed against American who claims he worked for prince as spymaster. Monaco's Prince Albert II is filing a lawsuit in the U.S. against an American who claims he once worked as the prince's personal spymaster and is owed back pay, the prince's French lawyer said Friday.
Britain's Brown stands firm on Afghanistan but says 'corrupt' government must reform. Prime Minister Gordon Brown, Washington's closest ally in Afghanistan, toughened his tone Friday with this harsh message for the Afghan leadership: Clean up your act ? for real this time ? or risk a cutoff of support.
HERAT, Afghanistan (Reuters) - More than 25 NATO and Afghan troops were wounded during a search Friday for two missing U.S. paratroopers in western Afghanistan, the NATO-led force said.
HERAT, Afghanistan (Reuters) - More than 25 NATO and Afghan troops were wounded during a search Friday for two missing U.S. paratroopers in western Afghanistan, the NATO-led force said.
Well known Czech theater director Otomar Krejca dies at 87. Otomar Krejca, a renowned theater director in the Czech Republic, has died at the age of 87.
An official says a swine flu victim has died in Slovakia, becoming the nation's first known fatality from the illness.
Saudi Arabia says airstrikes against infiltrators from Yemen were limited to Saudi territory. Saudi Arabia said Friday it carried out airstrikes against "infiltrators" from Yemen that were limited to areas inside Saudi territory, and vowed to press on with the military action until the border with its restive neighbor was secure.
Parents plan webcam broadcast for daughter with cerebral palsy, sparking debate in France. Disabled with severe cerebral palsy, 32-year-old Anne Lamic spends her days in southeastern France mostly in bed, surrounded by stuffed animals and dolls. She cannot speak or walk, and she sometimes has seizures.
RAMALLAH, West Bank (Reuters) - Younger Palestinian leaders were in no rush on Friday to step into the shoes of President Mahmoud Abbas after he said he did not want to run for re-election in January.
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A U.S. trade panel on Friday approved two new investigations into charges of unfair trade practices by China, but rejected another one week ahead of President Barack Obama's trip to Asia.
GENEVA (Reuters) - H1N1 swine flu is on the rise in China and Japan after triggering an unusually early start to the winter influenza season in Europe, Central Asia and North America, the World Health Organization said on Friday.
RIYADH (Reuters) - Yemen's Shi'ite rebels said they had captured some Saudi soldiers on Friday, after Riyadh said it would press on with its offensive until it had cleared them from its territory.
ST ANDREWS, Scotland (Reuters) - The International Monetary Fund warned global financial leaders on Friday not to repeat the mistakes of the Great Depression and choke off emergency support for their economies too quickly.
DUBAI (Reuters) - Yemen's Shi'ite rebels have captured an unspecified number of Saudi soldiers, a rebel spokesman told Al Jazeera television on Friday, following clashes near the border between the two countries.
Diamond watchdog gives Zimbabwe time to clean up lawless field. Investigators for the world's diamond control body say the gems were mined by virtual slaves who had been told to dig or die, and were smuggled out by soldiers who rape and beat civilians.
Dalai Lama trip to Tibet border highlights growing tensions between India and China. This remote town in the Himalayan foothills spruced up its monasteries Friday to prepare for the Dalai Lama's arrival, a trip highlighting the growing friction between China and India ? two nuclear-armed giants vying for economic and political power in the region.
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. House Democratic leader Steny Hoyer said on Friday "we're very close" to securing the 218 votes needed for passing a broad healthcare reform bill but Democrats still needed to win over some reluctant members.
Negotiators at UN climate talks discuss best formula for securing global warming agreement. U.N. climate negotiators said Friday that, despite low expectations for setting legally binding emissions targets next month, it is still possible to conclude a strong, 192-nation deal to define future work in fighting global warming.
US deputy defense secretary in Prague to discuss missile defense, military cooperation. Senior U.S. and Czech defense officials held talks Friday to discuss ways for the Czech Republic to participate in a reworked U.S. missile defense plan.
US Homeland Security Sec. defends move to impose $10 travel fee for visitors to US. European Parliament lawmakers on Friday demanded that U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano ease restrictions for Europeans traveling to the United States, saying plans to impose a new $10 (⁈entry fee are unfair.
German defense minister: Civilians likely killed in Afghan strike, but operation necessary. Germany's defense minister said Friday he believes civilians were killed in an airstrike in Afghanistan, but insisted that the German-requested attack was necessary from a military standpoint.
Key issues to resolve before concluding agreement at UN climate talks in Copenhagen. A list of key points negotiators hope to clarify before meeting for a decisive U.N. climate conference next month in Copenhagen, Denmark.
TEGUCIGALPA (Reuters) - An agreement to end a four-month political crisis in Honduras collapsed early on Friday after two rival leaders failed to form a unity cabinet to heal the damage from a June coup.
Beauty queen fight: Miss England gives up crown after reports of nightclub fracas. The reigning Miss England has relinquished her crown after being accused of a fight in a bar.
Lawyer says suspect in the killing of a human rights lawyer and a journalist has confessed. A suspect in the killing of a human rights lawyer and a journalist has confessed to the crime, his lawyer said Friday.
ANKARA (Reuters) - Turkey's President Abdullah Gul accused the European Union on Friday of "interfering" after the bloc asked Ankara to reconsider a decision to invite indicted Sudanese President Omar Hassan al-Bashir to an Islamic summit.
AGDAM, Azerbaijan (Reuters) - Brief snatches of color -- a washing line, a passing car -- break up the mass of rubble that was Agdam.
