Bay Ledger News Zonebill@blnz.comtag:www.blnz.com,2009:orgs/united_nationstag:www.blnz.com,2009:2013/03/22/Obama_face_Syria_scrutiny_Jordan_c217

A day after challenging Israelis to embrace peace with Palestinians, US President Barack Obama Friday will face scrutiny over his strategy on Syria during an overnight stay in Jordan.

2013-03-22T09:19:08ZAFP Global Editionby Stephen Collinsontag:www.blnz.com,2009:2013/03/22/seeks_toilet_taboo_7cef

The United Nations launched a campaign Friday to lift a deadly taboo on talking about toilets and to turn the world into an "open defecation-free zone."

2013-03-22T08:45:22ZAFP Global EditionBy Staff Reportertag:www.blnz.com,2009:2013/03/22/Lanka_state_media_slams_panel_5f1a

Sri Lankan state media called Friday for the dismantling of the UN human rights chief's office after Colombo was angered by a resolution calling for a probe into alleged war crimes in the island.

2013-03-22T07:23:01ZAFP South Asian EditionBy Staff Reportertag:www.blnz.com,2009:2013/03/22/Bodies_streets_riot-hit_Myanmar_town_c0da

Charred bodies lay unclaimed on the streets of a riot-hit town in central Myanmar, witnesses said Friday, as global pressure mounted for an end to the Buddhist-Muslim unrest.

2013-03-22T06:43:58ZAFP Global EditionBy Staff Reportertag:www.blnz.com,2009:2013/03/22/Mobs_roam_streets_riot-hit_Myanmar_6220

Angry mobs took to the streets of a riot-hit Myanmar town for a third day on Friday, as international pressure mounted for an end to communal unrest that has left 10 people reported dead.

2013-03-22T04:26:54ZAFP Global EditionBy Staff Reportertag:www.blnz.com,2009:2013/03/22/Korea_video_depicts_invasion_South_ab14

North Korea posted a new propaganda video Friday, showing paratroopers descending on Seoul in an invasion scenario that envisages taking around 150,000 US residents in South Korea hostage.

2013-03-22T04:15:34ZAFP Asian EditionBy Staff Reportertag:www.blnz.com,2009:2013/03/21/SKoreas_defence_minister_nominee_resigns_0bef

In a fresh blow to South Korea's new president, Park Geun-Hye, her nominee for defence minister stepped down on Friday at a time of elevated military tensions with North Korea.

2013-03-22T03:23:50ZAFP Asian EditionBy Staff Reportertag:www.blnz.com,2009:2013/03/21/NKorea_video_depicts_invasion_South_25b4

North Korea posted a new propaganda video on Friday, showing paratroopers descending on Seoul in an invasion scenario that it said would see thousands of US citizens living in South Korea taken hostage.

2013-03-22T03:11:57ZAFP Asian EditionBy Staff Reportertag:www.blnz.com,2009:2013/03/21/Pro-Assad_cleric_among_killed_Damascus_63fa

A suicide bomb attack on a central Damascus mosque has killed 42 people, including Syria's most prominent pro-regime Sunni cleric, wounding dozens of others, the health ministry said.

2013-03-22T03:10:45ZAFP Global EditionBy Staff Reportertag:www.blnz.com,2009:2013/03/21/After_Boateng_Italy_looks_long_9f6f

It took a defiant gesture to reignite the debate on one of Italian sport's biggest demons, but the fight to rid football of racism in Serie A could be just beginning.

2013-03-22T02:26:23ZAFP Global Editionby Justin Davistag:www.blnz.com,2009:2013/03/21/Obama_direct_peace_appeal_young_8b56

In a powerful direct appeal to Israelis, President Barack Obama insisted that a two-state peace with the Palestinians could still be forged and is their only hope of true security.

2013-03-22T01:04:50ZAFP Global Editionby Stephen Collinsontag:www.blnz.com,2009:2013/03/21/Gunfire_kills_Lebanons_Tripoli_7437

Two people were killed and 18 more wounded in renewed violence in the northern Lebanese city of Tripoli on Thursday, a security source told AFP.

2013-03-21T22:45:49ZAFP Global EditionBy Staff Reportertag:www.blnz.com,2009:2013/03/21/indication_Syria_rebels_used_chemical_e265

The United States has found no evidence to support a Syrian government allegation that opposition rebels used chemical weapons in an attack this week, a US official said Thursday.

2013-03-21T22:34:04ZAFP American EditionBy Staff Reportertag:www.blnz.com,2009:2013/03/21/Brazil_China_deal_trade_national_c515

Brazil hopes to sign a bilateral accord with China to promote trade in their national currencies at next week's BRICS summit of the world's five emerging powers, Trade and Industry Minister Fernando Pimentel said Thursday.

2013-03-21T21:45:00ZAFP Global EditionBy Staff Reportertag:www.blnz.com,2009:2013/03/21/Gaza_hardline_Islamists_claim_rocket_9948

A hardline Islamist group claimed a rocket attack against southern Israel on Thursday, in a statement that condemned a historic visit by US President Barack Obama to the region.

2013-03-21T21:36:50ZAFP Global EditionBy Staff Reportertag:www.blnz.com,2009:2013/03/21/Obama_direct_appeal_young_Israelis_ce86

In a powerful direct appeal to Israelis, President Barack Obama Thursday insisted a two-state peace with the Palestinians could still be forged and was their only hope of true security.

2013-03-21T21:16:53ZAFP Global Editionby Stephen Collinsontag:www.blnz.com,2009:2013/03/21/Congo_rebel_transfer_wont_bring_1417

The transfer to the International Criminal Court of warlord Bosco Ntaganda would be a blow against impunity but will not fundamentally change the situation in eastern DR Congo, analysts say.

2013-03-21T21:12:01ZAFP Global Editionby Helen Vesperinitag:www.blnz.com,2009:2013/03/21/Gunfire_kills_Lebanons_Tripoli_9cd5

One man was killed and five others wounded in two separate exchanges of fire in the northern Lebanese city of Tripoli on Thursday, a security source said.

2013-03-21T21:00:46ZAFP Global EditionBy Staff Reportertag:www.blnz.com,2009:2013/03/21/least_dead_Myanmar_riots_28d6

At least 10 people have been killed in riots in central Myanmar, an MP said Thursday, prompting international concern at the country's worst communal unrest since a wave of Buddhist-Muslim clashes last year.

2013-03-21T20:45:54ZAFP Global EditionBy Staff Reportertag:www.blnz.com,2009:2013/03/21/drones_kill_four_Pakistan_officials_1476

US drones fired two missiles at a vehicle in Pakistan's northwestern tribal belt Thursday, killing four militants, security officials said.

2013-03-21T20:40:49ZAFP Asian EditionBy Staff Reporter