Bay Ledger News Zonebill@blnz.comtag:www.blnz.com,2009:orgs/natotag:www.blnz.com,2009:2013/03/22/Frances_Sarkozy_charged_probe_illegal_bc32

Former president Nicolas Sarkozy has been charged with taking financial advantage of France's richest woman, as part of a probe into illegal party funding that could shatter his hopes of a political comeback.

2013-03-22T06:38:56ZAFP Global Editionby Odile Duperrytag:www.blnz.com,2009:2013/03/21/Frances_Sarkozy_charged_probe_illegal_bc32

Former president Nicolas Sarkozy has been charged with taking financial advantage of France's richest woman, allegations connected with a probe into illegal party funding that could shatter his hopes of a political comeback.

2013-03-22T03:05:06ZAFP Global Editionby Odile Duperrytag:www.blnz.com,2009:2013/03/21/Frances_Sarkozy_charged_with_taking_4e97

Nicolas Sarkozy's hopes of a political comeback lay in tatters Friday after the former French president was charged in connection with a criminal probe into illegal party financing.

2013-03-22T01:23:35ZAFP Global Editionby Odile Duperrytag:www.blnz.com,2009:2013/03/21/Sarkozy_comeback_dream_tatters_after_9f8e

Nicolas Sarkozy's hopes of a political comeback lay in tatters Friday after the former French president was charged in connection with a criminal probe into illegal party financing.

2013-03-21T23:32:54ZAFP Global Editionby Odile Duperrytag:www.blnz.com,2009:2013/03/21/Sarkozy_charged_with_taking_advantage_9dd8

Former French president Nicolas Sarkozy was on Thursday charged with taking advantage of the elderly L'Oreal heiress Liliane Bettencourt, his lawyer told AFP, adding that he would immediately appeal.

2013-03-21T21:58:36ZAFP Global Editionby Odile Duperrytag:www.blnz.com,2009:2013/03/21/What_butler_crucial_Sarkozy_back_ca36

Former French president Nicolas Sarkozy was unexpectedly hauled back before a judge Thursday over claims he accepted envelopes stuffed with cash from France's richest woman to illegally finance his 2007 election campaign.

2013-03-21T18:11:47ZAFP Global Editionby Odile Duperrytag:www.blnz.com,2009:2013/03/21/Karzai_claims_victory_over_abuse_733f

Afghan President Hamid Karzai on Thursday claimed victory in his latest dispute with the US after accusing its special forces of abusing civilians in the key strategic province of Wardak.

2013-03-21T13:17:44ZAFP South Asian EditionBy Staff Reportertag:www.blnz.com,2009:2013/03/21/Pakistan_refugee_camp_bombing_kills_8440

A car bomb tore through a refugee camp in northwest Pakistan Thursday, killing at least 12 people and wounding 30 others, in the latest in a wave of attacks ahead of general elections in May.

2013-03-21T08:48:04ZAFP South Asian Editionby S. H. Khantag:www.blnz.com,2009:2013/03/21/Pakistan_targets_Taliban_lair_secure_3af4

Pakistan is stepping up an offensive to dislodge the Taliban from a key stronghold in an effort to safeguard May's general election and crack down on militants behind a wave of attacks.

2013-03-21T07:00:12ZAFP Asian Editionby Sajjad Tarakzaitag:www.blnz.com,2009:2013/03/20/Kosovo-Serbia_solution_close_says_EUs_462d

A deal to normalise ties between Serbia and Kosovo is close and could be sealed next month, the European Union foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton said, following high-level talks in Brussels.

2013-03-21T00:56:14ZAFP Global EditionBy Staff Reportertag:www.blnz.com,2009:2013/03/20/Kabul_reach_deal_pullout_forces_9280

The United States and Kabul appeared Wednesday to reach an agreement on withdrawing coalition forces from part of a strategic province, after an ultimatum from Afghan President Hamid Karzai.

2013-03-20T16:39:54ZAFP Global Editionby Usman Sharifitag:www.blnz.com,2009:2013/03/20/commitment_Europe_missile_defence_ironclad_bd07

Washington's commitment to defending Europe from missile attacks remains unbending, a top US security official said Wednesday, after it froze the final phase of a plan to counter threats from North Korea and Iran.

2013-03-20T16:13:35ZAFP American EditionBy Staff Reportertag:www.blnz.com,2009:2013/03/20/Nearly_many_Afghan_troops_killed_5683

Almost 3,000 Afghan police and soldiers have been killed in the last 12 months, nearly the same as the number of NATO deaths in Afghanistan in the last 11 years of war, Kabul said Wednesday.

2013-03-20T15:35:53ZAFP South Asian EditionBy Staff Reportertag:www.blnz.com,2009:2013/03/20/Kabul_reach_deal_forces_pullout_cdf8

The United States and Kabul appeared Wednesday to reach an agreement on the pullout of coalition forces from a strategic province, nearly a month after an ultimatum from Afghan President Hamid Karzai.

2013-03-20T13:54:04ZAFP American Editionby Usman Sharifitag:www.blnz.com,2009:2013/03/20/Syria_regime_rebels_trade_chemical_c407

The US and UN were attempting to verify claims and counterclaims by Syrian troops and insurgents that chemical weapons were used for the first time in the two-year conflict.

2013-03-20T07:52:38ZAFP Global EditionBy Staff Reportertag:www.blnz.com,2009:2013/03/19/Wanted_cousin_Libyas_Kadhafi_arrested_7196

Egyptian police arrested on Tuesday Moamer Kadhafi's cousin Ahmed Qaddaf al-Dam, wanted by Tripoli for his role in the regime of the slain Libyan strongman, Egyptian officials said.

2013-03-19T20:19:12ZAFP Global Editionby Samer al-Atrushtag:www.blnz.com,2009:2013/03/19/Afghan_government_says_NATO_aimless_be84

Afghanistan's presidential spokesman on Tuesday described the NATO-led military operation in the war-torn nation as "aimless and unwise", in the latest broadside by Kabul against the international coalition.

2013-03-19T20:17:15ZAFP Asian Editionby Ben Sheppardtag:www.blnz.com,2009:2013/03/19/major_powers_warn_Afghanistan_over_4c5a

The United States and United Nations on Tuesday warned Afghanistan that ensuring a credible presidential election next year would be "critical" to maintaining international support after 2014.

2013-03-19T18:03:23ZAFP American EditionBy Staff Reportertag:www.blnz.com,2009:2013/03/19/Afghan_president_spokesman_says_NATO_bcd5

Afghanistan's presidential spokesman on Tuesday described the NATO-led military operation in the country as "aimless and unwise", in the latest government broadside against the coalition.

2013-03-19T14:59:00ZAFP Global EditionBy Staff Reportertag:www.blnz.com,2009:2013/03/18/Turkeys_secret-keeper_chief_Hakan_Fidan_efaf

The head of Turkish intelligence, Hakan Fidan, is the driving force behind the state's clandestine peace talks with a jailed Kurdish rebel chief that aim to end a bloody three-decade insurgency.

2013-03-18T20:41:34ZAFP Global Editionby Fulya Ozerkan