Eurasia

Macedonia will not start European Union accession talks during the Czech presidency that runs until the end of June, Czech deputy Foreign Minister Tomas Pojar told local media. The Czechs would be happy to see this happening, Pojar told the “Evrozum” show on A2 TV late on Sunday, but “this …

The junior partner in the Bosnian Serb ruling coalition, the Party of Democratic Progress, PDP, said it was walking out of the government led by the Alliance of Independent Social Democrats, SNSD, and going into the opposition. The walkout does not affect the stability of the government in the Serb-dominated …

QUETTA, Pakistan – Gunmen abducted an American official of the U.N. refugee agency on Monday after shooting dead his driver in the southwestern Pakistani city of Quetta, police said. Police identified the official as John Solecki, head of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) office in Quetta. He …

CAIRO  – A Cairo court ruled on Monday that Egyptian gas exports to Israel can continue, pending a review of a November court verdict that the exports should stop. The government had ignored the November verdict anyway and the Israeli company which buys the gas has not complained of any …

NEW DELHI  – Pakistan seems serious about investigating the Mumbai attacks and has sought clarifications on a dossier of evidence from India, but still is not doing enough to tackle militancy, India’s national security adviser said. “What I am aware of is that after the receipt of the dossier by …

ASTANA  – Kazakhstan announced plans on Monday to effectively nationalize two of its leading banks as the global financial crisis tightened its grip on Central Asia’s biggest economy. The government said it will buy 78.14 percent of shares in the biggest bank, BTA, which has assets of $28 billion. BTA, …

TEHRAN (FNA)- Oil prices rallied to near $42 a barrel over threats of wildcat strikes by refinery workers on both sides of the Atlantic. US sweet crude for March delivery jumped 22 cents to $41.90 a barrel while London Brent crude increased 42 cents to $46.30. Dealers say a possible …

A World Bank project meant to safeguard Albania’s coastal zones was used to selectively demolish parts of a village in southern Albania and leave many families homeless, according to an internal report , which additionally notes allegations of corruption and efforts by World Bank officials to cover up the events …

Every Sunday, the Illegal Cinema puts on a movie that has never been regularly distributed. But, although the screenings are free, there are strings attached. Six o’clock had already come and gone while people were still piling in and taking their seats in the small 25-square-metre room that no one …

The European Union is trying to convince Belgrade not to pursue its plan for parallel structures in Serb areas of Kosovo, said the head of Kosovo’s International Civilian Office, Pieter Feith. Belgrade has vowed to never recognise Kosovo’s secession in February last year and is keeping a firm hold on …