PARIS (Reuters) – France hosts an international aid conference on Monday to raise funds for the Western-backed Palestinian Authority and strengthen President Mahmoud Abbas against Hamas Islamists as he negotiates peace with Israel.

MOSCOW (Reuters) – Russia and South Korea said on Friday they are discussing the creation of a joint venture that would export Russian uranium products, RIA news agency reported.

MOSCOW (Reuters) – Russian Finance Minister Alexei Kudrin has met his deputy Sergei Storchak, charged with attempting to embezzle $43 million, for the first time since Storchak’s arrest, his ministry said on Friday.