NASSIRIYA, Iraq (Reuters) – About 500 Australian combat troops pulled out of their base in southern Iraq on Sunday, fulfilling an election promise by Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd to bring the soldiers home this year. A British military spokesman in the southern city of Basra said the pullout from …

SKOPJE (Reuters) – Voting began in Macedonia’s parliamentary election on Sunday, widely seen as a test of its political maturity after campaign violence raised fears its slow march toward EU membership could be further delayed.

PARIS (Reuters) – Vladimir Putin was treated like a president in Paris on his first visit to a Western capital as prime minister, reinforcing an impression that he still runs Russia even after leaving the Kremlin.