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Lebanon road bomb wounds French peacekeepers - AFP
The official, who requested anonymity, said the bomb was hidden under dirt on the side of the road and detonated as the soldiers drove through an intersection on the town's southern outskirts. Andrea Tenenti, spokesman for the UN Interim Force in ...
Lieberman praise of Russia vote 'appals' Israel - AFP
These remarks in no way reflect our official position," a senior government official told AFP, speaking on condition of anonymity. Such comments give "an extremely bad impression" he said, adding that the Moldovan-born former bouncer had made his ...
Pakistan upgrades air defences on Afghan border - AFP
The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorised to speak to the media, said the step had been taken to avert air incursions from Afghanistan and to respond to any future air strikes. "The system has also been upgraded to ...
Lebanon blast hurts 5 French UN troops, 1 civilian - AFP
The official, who requested anonymity, said the bomb was hidden under dirt on the side of the road and was detonated as the soldiers were driving by in a Jeep at an intersection in the eastern part of the southern town. Two of the wounded soldiers were ...
Bin Laden not at Qaeda helm before raid: US source - AFP
The expert, who asked not to be named, said the 200 pieces of evidence -- notebooks, files, computers and USB drives -- recovered by the US commandos who staged the raid in which he died, showed "it had been quite a while since he was involved in the ...
Doubts Iran can make use of wrecked drone: US - AFP
But even if Iran succeeds in recovering some technology from the wrecked aircraft, Tehran is unlikely to be able to make use of it, said a US official who declined to be named. "US capabilities are remarkably advanced, and it's unclear that the ...
Bahrain security forces break up Shiite demo - AFP
After setting out from the village of Al-Daih, the protesters marched towards the city centre chanting "We want the regime to fall" and "We are returning to Pearl Square," said a witness who requested anonymity. Police fired tear gas and stun grenades ...
Iraq says US hands over key air base - AFP
BAGHDAD — The US army on Wednesday transferred to Iraqi forces a key military base in the western province of Anbar near the border with Jordan and Saudi Arabia, a government official said. "Today we took control of the Al-Assad air base in Anbar ...
Mauritania arrests two suspected of kidnapping Europeans - AFP
"The two men who kidnapped two Spaniards and an Italian in a Sahrawi refugee camp were arrested in their hotel in the town of Nouadhibou where they had been for 11 days," a police source said on condition of anonymity. ...
Chinese man stabs to death four children - AFP
"The suspect is a young man from Anhui (east China) and he lives with his mother in Shenqiu," said the official, who refused to be named. He would not provide further details. A spokesman for the county government, surnamed Yang, said the suspect was ...
Action by central banks unlikely to help euro banks - AFP
The new offer "is competitive in the current market conditions," said one bank executive who asked to remain anonymous, which he said could prompt European banks to begin borrowing dollars from the ECB. Such borrowing has been rare as banks are afraid ...
Russia goes back to school in parliament polls - AFP
A teacher of Russian language in the Moscow region, who chose to remain anonymous, told AFP that teachers were told recently to "ensure parents' turnout to the polling stations" by cold-calling their homes, and then providing authorities with a list of ...
Republican's surge freezes Obama-Romney duel - AFP
"There is a significant amount of Republican primary voters who will absolutely not support Mitt Romney, so Romney is trying to create an aura of inevitability that he is the nominee," said one Republican pollster who asked not to be named because of ...
African secures ICC prosecutor's post: sources - AFP
UNITED NATIONS — International Criminal Court member countries on Wednesday agreed to nominate Fatou Bensouda of Gambia as the chief prosecutor for the main war crimes tribunal, diplomatic sources said. An official announcement of the nomination to ...
Clinton in historic bid to open Myanmar - AFP
Senior administration officials said Clinton would not announce an end to sweeping economic sanctions on Myanmar, a step that would require approval by Congress. But top US diplomats rarely undertake such high-profile visits without being ready to ...
Catholic liturgy changes for first time in 40 years - AFP
Another churchgoer, who asked not to be named, said the new Mass was "fine, if a little confusing." "I think it would be important to explain what's important in the Mass -- to explain why they had to change it," he said. "Still it's so much based on ...
Three Nigerian policemen shot in sect attacks: source - AFP
A resident who stumbled while fleeing the scene of the attacks on Saturday also sustained injury, the source said, adding that the four injured people were being treated on Sunday at the town's government hospital. "Three policemen sustained gunshot ...
India-China meeting off over Dalai Lama: source - AFP
A senior Indian foreign ministry official, who declined to be named, said talks on long-standing border issues that were slated to begin in New Delhi on Monday had been called off. "Beijing wanted Delhi to cancel the Buddhist meeting where his holiness ...
Cuba repatriates three shipwrecked US sailors - AFP
HAVANA — Cuba has repatriated three Americans picked up recently in Cuban territorial waters after their sailboat ran aground, diplomatic sources said Friday. "We can confirm the handover and return of three people," a spokeswoman for the US Interests ...
Belgium in budget talks after credit downgrade - AFP
BRUSSELS — Talks among six parties trying to fix a deficit-cutting budget for Belgium after a crushing credit-rating downgrade could run through the night, party sources said early Saturday. After ratings giant Standard and Poor's downgraded Belgium ...
Afghans turn to people smugglers as NATO leave - AFP
"If you want to go to Turkey, you have to pay $4000 to get your visa but it will cost you $13000 if you want to reach Europe via Ukraine and Russia," says one trader at the market, speaking on condition of anonymity. "This year, the number of asylum ...
Pole dancing: seedy show or Olympic sport? - AFP
Smile so they know you are also enjoying it," said the instructor, who asked not to be named. "Remember, we are not in a hurry, take your time. Your number one tool: visual stimulation. Make eye contact and keep it." While pole-dancing may have a ...
Grenade attacks kill three in Kenya: police - AFP
One explosion in the local Holiday Inn killed two people while another in a street killed a third, a local police officer who asked not to be named told AFP, adding that 12 of the injured were in a serious condition. "Two people died at the new Holiday ...
China eases lending restrictions for small banks - AFP
"All of the more than 20 banks are included (in the cut)," said the official, who also declined to be named. The move, which reduces the amount of funds banks must set aside, is a sign the government is selectively easing tight credit restrictions put ...
Indian cabinet mulls retail revolution - AFP
The proposal to relax the investment retail rules was set to be discussed at a cabinet meeting at 1230 GMT, a government official said, after the finance ministry and a panel of top bureaucrats gave their consent. Supporters also see the opening up of ...