Obama urges 'new Afghan chapter'

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• Obama urges 'new Afghan chapter'
• North Korea calls for direct talks with U.S.
• Clinton Denies Easing Pressure on Israel
• Iran Guards warn opposition against rallies
• IMF Chief Warns of 'Business as Usual'
• Tokyo Mulls Cigarette-Tax Boost
• U.N. cuts aid to Congo army brigade
• US backs Karzai's presidential win
• Poll Surveys Eastern Bloc Residents
• U.K. Bankers Criticize 'Too Big' Rules
• Croat parliament approves Slovenia border deal
• Despite Slump, Venture Firm Sets Up $575 Million Fund
• Urban Hospitals May Feel Squeeze in Health Overhaul
• Businessman shot dead near Putin's office
• Putin says Berlin Wall's fall was inevitable
• Saudi Arabia warns against political activity at haj
• Canadian sent to Syria can't sue U.S. over torture
• Study: Support for democracy wanes in Eastern Europe
• 7 charged with aiding Madrid train bombers
• Iran Pressed on Nuclear Deal

Obama urges 'new Afghan chapter' Posted: 02 Nov 2009 12:52 PM PST Barack Obama urges Hamid Karzai to "write a new chapter" in governing Afghanistan, after its disputed presidential poll.

North Korea calls for direct talks with U.S. Posted: 02 Nov 2009 12:26 PM PST SEOUL (Reuters) - North Korea called on Monday for direct talks with its long-time foe, the United States, and gave the clearest signal so far it was ready to return to nuclear disarmament talks it has boycotted for almost a year.

Clinton Denies Easing Pressure on Israel Posted: 02 Nov 2009 12:41 PM PST The secretary of state said the Obama administration still wants Israel to freeze construction of Jewish settlements.

Iran Guards warn opposition against rallies Posted: 02 Nov 2009 11:28 AM PST TEHRAN (Reuters) - Iran's Revolutionary Guards, who helped quell protests after the June election, warned the opposition on Monday not to use anti-U.S. rallies this week to stage new demonstrations.

IMF Chief Warns of 'Business as Usual' Posted: 02 Nov 2009 11:51 AM PST World political leaders seem committed to better coordination in economic policy-making, but the financial sector is returning too rapidly to "business as usual," says Dominique Strauss-Kahn.

Tokyo Mulls Cigarette-Tax Boost Posted: 02 Nov 2009 11:50 AM PST Japan's new administration is considering raising cigarette taxes to European levels to help pay for an ambitious domestic spending plan, in a potential threat to partially state-owned Japan Tobacco.

U.N. cuts aid to Congo army brigade Posted: 02 Nov 2009 12:06 PM PST The United Nations has suspended assistance to a Congolese army brigade battling rebels amid allegations that its troops killed 62 civilians, including women and children, between May and September.

US backs Karzai's presidential win Posted: 02 Nov 2009 11:41 AM PST Incumbent congratulated after victory due to opponent dropping out of runoff.

Poll Surveys Eastern Bloc Residents Posted: 02 Nov 2009 09:33 AM PST People who lived behind the Iron Curtain are substantially happier today, but express reservations about democracy, capitalism and their lot in the modern market economy.

U.K. Bankers Criticize 'Too Big' Rules Posted: 02 Nov 2009 11:21 AM PST Bankers hit back at proposals from the U.K. Financial Services Authority to force systemically important banks to hold more capital.

Croat parliament approves Slovenia border deal Posted: 02 Nov 2009 10:51 AM PST ZAGREB (Reuters) - The Croatian parliament backed a border arbitration agreement with Slovenia on Monday, helping Prime Minister Jadranka Kosor's efforts to lift a major obstacle to Croatia's European Union bid.

Despite Slump, Venture Firm Sets Up $575 Million Fund Posted: 02 Nov 2009 12:29 PM PST SAN FRANCISCO — Even amid the contraction of the venture capital industry, which fertilizes the seeds of new technology start-ups, some firms are expanding.

Urban Hospitals May Feel Squeeze in Health Overhaul Posted: 02 Nov 2009 11:40 AM PST A House bill provision would order a study of regional variations in Medicare spending, pitting more rural hospitals against those in areas like New York City.

Businessman shot dead near Putin's office Posted: 02 Nov 2009 10:43 AM PST MOSCOW (Reuters) - Gunmen shot dead a prominent Russian businessman in his car on Monday a few hundred meters from the seat of Russia's government, state investigators said.

Putin says Berlin Wall's fall was inevitable Posted: 02 Nov 2009 10:25 AM PST MOSCOW (Reuters) - Vladimir Putin has spoken for the first time to a television interviewer about the fall of the Berlin Wall and his role in confronting an angry German crowd of protesters while working as a KGB officer stationed in Dresden.

Saudi Arabia warns against political activity at haj Posted: 02 Nov 2009 10:18 AM PST RIYADH (Reuters) - Saudi Arabia warned Monday against any attempts to politicize the annual haj pilgrimage, saying they would threaten the safety of more than two million Muslims expected to attend the ritual.

Canadian sent to Syria can't sue U.S. over torture Posted: 02 Nov 2009 11:30 AM PST NEW YORK (Reuters) - A Canadian man who was detained at a New York airport and then moved to Syria, where he says he was tortured, cannot sue the United States, a federal appeals court ruled on Monday.

Study: Support for democracy wanes in Eastern Europe Posted: 02 Nov 2009 09:53 AM PST A specter is haunting Eastern Europe: the ghost of Communism past.

7 charged with aiding Madrid train bombers Posted: 02 Nov 2009 09:37 AM PST A Spanish judge indicted seven suspected Islamic militants Monday for allegedly helping some perpetrators of the Madrid train bombings in 2004 to flee Spain after the attacks, according to a copy of the order.

Iran Pressed on Nuclear Deal Posted: 02 Nov 2009 12:25 PM PST World leaders pressed Iran to defuse a standoff over its nuclear program by accepting a deal to ship fuel abroad.

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