Bay Ledger News Zonebill@blnz.comtag:www.blnz.com,2009:topics/politicstag: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/Korea_rows_back_China_link_12cf

South Korea said Friday that an IP address identified as a source of a major cyber attack this week was not based in China as originally believed.

2013-03-22T09:12:36ZAFP Global EditionBy Staff Reportertag:www.blnz.com,2009:2013/03/22/Italy_decision_government_c70d

Italy's President Giorgio Napolitano said he will hand out a mandate for the formation of a new government on Friday in a bid to break a deadlock created by elections last month, but the identity of the possible prime minister is still a mystery.

2013-03-22T09:02:14ZAFP Global Editionby Dario Thuburntag:www.blnz.com,2009:2013/03/22/Japan_purifier_sales_surge_amid_093a

Japan logged a huge surge in air purifier sales last month, as Tokyo warned that smog was blowing into its territory from China, which is grappling with an air pollution crisis.

2013-03-22T08:51:51ZAFP Asian EditionBy Staff Reportertag:www.blnz.com,2009:2013/03/22/Palestinians_invoke_civil_rights_Obama_7c9c

Palestinians sour at Barack Obama's perceived failure to honour their historical struggle have invoked the US civil rights movement and South Africa's apartheid in a bid to win his sympathy.

2013-03-22T08:49:09ZAFP Global Editionby Selim Saheb Ettabatag: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/jailed_over_Philippine_coup_after_1846

Two former Philippine soldiers who took part in a failed coup in 2003 were sentenced on Friday to long prison terms, officials said, after both spurned President Benigno Aquino's offer of pardon.

2013-03-22T08:43:30ZAFP Asian EditionBy Staff Reportertag:www.blnz.com,2009:2013/03/22/Cyprus_study_bailout_Plan_meltdown_bc60

Cyprus is scrambling to overhaul its banking sector to avoid financial meltdown, after the European Central Bank threatened to pull the plug on emergency funding for the island's lenders.

2013-03-22T08:39:33ZAFP Global Editionby Charlie Charalamboustag:www.blnz.com,2009:2013/03/22/Cyprus_parliament_delays_debate_bailout_5867

An emergency session of the Cyprus parliament to race through a raft of bills aimed at raising billions of euros to secure an international bailout was delayed on Friday, local media said.

2013-03-22T08:38:01ZAFP Global EditionBy Staff Reportertag:www.blnz.com,2009:2013/03/22/Cyprus_Sarris_leaves_Russia_without_5ddc

Cypriot Finance Minister Michalis Sarris left Moscow on Friday after two days of talks aimed at securing a financial lifeline from Russia without reaching an agreement.

2013-03-22T08:20:58ZAFP Global Editionby Maria Paninatag: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/Australian_seeks_rebuild_after_vote_5c7d

Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard set about rebuilding her Labor party's tainted image on Friday after a botched leadership coup as a slew of ministers who supported rival Kevin Rudd quit.

2013-03-22T06:42:44ZAFP Global Editionby Martin Parrytag: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,2009:2013/03/22/Congress_stopgap_broader_budget_battle_da93

American lawmakers averted a feared government shutdown by approving a stopgap spending bill, but heated debate over future federal spending took shape as they clashed over budget plans.

2013-03-22T06:35:14ZAFP Global Editionby Michael Mathestag:www.blnz.com,2009:2013/03/22/Putin_welcomes_Chinas_landmark_talks_b20d

Russian President Vladimir Putin and China's new leader Xi Jinping are to hold landmark talks Friday in the hope of further cementing the two countries' partnership with a range of strategic agreements.

2013-03-22T06:13:40ZAFP Global Editionby Anna Smolchenkotag:www.blnz.com,2009:2013/03/22/officials_China_cooperative_NKorea_sanctions_8ec1

US officials involved in enforcing international sanctions against North Korea expressed optimism on Friday that China was willing to cooperate to disrupt financing for Pyongyang's nuclear and missile programmes.

2013-03-22T06:06:53ZAFP American EditionBy Staff Reportertag:www.blnz.com,2009:2013/03/22/Murder_trial_Italian_marines_back_121f

Two Italian marines flew back to India on Friday to face murder charges, after Rome dramatically reversed a decision that they would not return which had triggered a diplomatic firestorm.

2013-03-22T05:31:07ZAFP Global Editionby Ammu Kannampillytag:www.blnz.com,2009:2013/03/22/Australia_seeks_rebuild_party_image_aac2

Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard on Friday set about rebuilding her Labor party's shattered image after a botched leadership coup dealt a huge blow to its already slim election prospects.

2013-03-22T05:17:04ZAFP Global Editionby Martin Parrytag:www.blnz.com,2009:2013/03/22/Mountaineer_helped_Hillary_conquer_Everest_e4d9

New Zealander George Lowe, the last surviving climber from the expedition led by Sir Edmund Hillary that conquered Everest in 1953, has died aged 89.

2013-03-22T04:40:42ZAFP Global EditionBy Staff Reportertag:www.blnz.com,2009:2013/03/22/Murder_charge_Italian_marines_Delhi_4727

Two Italian marines charged with murder in India are on their way back to New Delhi after the government in Rome agreed they should return to face trial, the foreign ministry said on Friday.

2013-03-22T04:28:52ZAFP Global EditionBy Staff Reporter