Bush calls for democracy
US President George W Bush has urged Cubans to work for democratic change in his first public comments since Fidel Castro had stomach surgery on Monday.

He pledged Washington's support for Cubans who sought to "build a transitional government in Cuba committed to democracy".

The US blockade of Cuba began in 1962, three years after Mr Castro took power.

Since Mr Castr...

N Korea tests long-range missile
North Korea has test-fired at least six missiles, including a long-range Taepodong-2, despite repeated warnings from the international community.
US officials said the Taepodong missile - thought capable of reaching Alaska - failed shortly after take-off, while the others fell into the Sea of Japan.

The US called the tests "provocative" and Japan has threatened sanctions.

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Blast kills 66 in Baghdad Shiite district

BAGHDAD, Iraq - A huge car bomb exploded Saturday at a bustling outdoor market in a Shiite district of Baghdad, killing at least 66 people and injuring about 100 in the deadliest attack since the new national unity government took office six weeks ago.

Shortly before the midmorning blast, gunmen seized a female Sunni legislator at a checkpoint in a Shiite area of the capital. Both atta...

Bombings and kidnappings beseige Iraq after Maliki peace plan
BAGHDAD (AFP) - At least 57 people were killed in attacks and 10 students were kidnapped from their hostel in Baghdad, one day after the prime minister unveiled a peace plan aimed at easing the violence.

Moscow meanwhile confirmed the killing of four of its Baghdad embassy employees following an Internet statement by their kidnappers, an Al-Qaeda-led insurgent grouping, that they had been ex...

Bush gives Iran an ultimatum on uranium
President Bush told Iran on Monday that nations worldwide won't back down from their demand that Tehran suspend uranium enrichment.

"Iran's leaders have a clear choice. We hope they will accept our offer and voluntarily suspend these activities so we can work out an agreement that will bring Iran real benefits," Bush said a day before leaving for Vienna, Austria, where he will talk with ...

Qaeda's Iraq leader Zarqawi killed
U.S. warplanes killed Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, al Qaeda's Iraq leader who masterminded a campaign of bombings and beheadings, in a strike that President George W. Bush said could help to turn the tide against the insurgency.

"(The air strike) delivered justice to the most wanted terrorist in Iraq," Bush said in Washington on Thursday. But he signaled he did not expect an early end to the violen...

US offers to join Iran talks in deal with Russia, China
The United States, in a major policy shift, offered Wednesday to join talks on Iran's nuclear program in an apparent deal to win Russian and Chinese backing for UN sanctions against Tehran if needed.

As world powers geared to meet Thursday in Vienna to mull the standoff with Iran, Washington said it was ready to enter the European-led negotiations if Tehran suspended uranium enrichment activ...

Frist less concerned about FBI raid
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - An FBI raid on the Capitol Hill office of a congressman under investigation in a bribery scandal did not violate the constitutional separation of powers, Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist said on Sunday.

Frist, whose comments follow an uproar over the search, said he reviewed the Constitution's requirement on separation of powers and called the FBI's execution of a sea...