Politics
Syrian officials and opposition to meet at Geneva peace talks
Senior representatives of the Syrian government and opposition are expected to hold their first direct talks after nearly three years of bitter ...UN envoy meets Syria foes to salvage talks after bitter start
U.N.-Arab League peace envoy Lakhdar Brahimi is due to meet Thursday in Geneva with representatives of the Syrian government and opposition, as ...Freedom declining worldwide despite democratization
Pro-democracy group Freedom House says the level of freedom around the world declined last year, with more than half the world\'s population ...Syria peace talks underway
U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon says "enough is enough" in Syria, calling the civil war there a breeding ground for extremists and terrorists.Ukraine opposition sets 24-hour deadline to ease crisis
Ukrainian protesters will go "on the attack" if President Viktor Yanukovych does not swiftly offer concessions, opposition leader Vitali Klitschko has warned.3 Ukraine protesters die as clashes with police escalate
Officials in Ukraine say three anti-government protesters have died in the capital, Kyiv, in new clashes with police.Syria accused of torture and 11,000 executions
Syria has systematically tortured and executed 11,000 of its citizens in the three-year war, according to a report by former war crimes ...Thailand declares state of emergency in Bangkok, surrounding areas
Thailand’s government has imposed a 60-day state of emergency in Bangkok and surrounding provinces following months of protests by anti-government demonstrators in ...Ukraine president warns Kiev protesters amid clashes
Clashes continue between police and protesters in the Ukrainian capital Kiev - prompting the president to warn of a threat to the ...UN revokes Iran invite to Syria peace talks
The UN secretary-general has withdrawn his invitation to Iran to join this week\'s Syria peace talks, saying he is "deeply disappointed" by ...