Special Reports - UPI.com

Divided Europe veers between urgent growth and bleak austerity

Fri, 17 May 2013 17:19:28 -0400

BRUSSELS, May 17 (UPI) -- European Union leaders are increasingly split on the way forward for the 27-nation EU amid fears of a deeper recession and more demands on taxpayer funds for bailouts of troubled member states.

Nigerian security troubles United Nations

Fri, 17 May 2013 14:55:53 -0400

UNITED NATIONS, May 17 (UPI) -- All parties to the conflict in Nigeria are called on to do their utmost to ensure international laws are respected, U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said.

NATO can't build perfect Afghan state

Fri, 17 May 2013 14:52:43 -0400

LUXEMBOURG, May 17 (UPI) -- NATO Secretary-General Anders Fogh Rasmussen told an assembly meeting Friday in Luxembourg that the alliance wasn't tasked with building a perfect Afghan state.

Russia warms to Syrian weapons investigation

Fri, 17 May 2013 14:38:58 -0400

MOSCOW, May 17 (UPI) -- Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Friday his government would do what it could to advance efforts to investigate claims of chemical weapons in Syria.

Obama lauds Turkey's PKK initative

Fri, 17 May 2013 14:15:30 -0400

WASHINGTON, May 17 (UPI) -- Efforts to solve the crisis with the militant Kurdistan Workers' Party are commendable, U.S. President Barack Obama said.

Paraguay ups stakes in electricity row with Brazil, Argentina

Fri, 17 May 2013 14:08:33 -0400

ASUNCION, Paraguay, May 17 (UPI) -- It began as a Mercosur wrist-rapping of little landlocked Paraguay but an Argentine-Brazilian-Uruguayan diplomatic effort to isolate Asuncion is backfiring with more backlash against the trio from Paraguay's newly legitimized government.

Kenya reviewed on torture reforms

Fri, 17 May 2013 14:03:09 -0400

GENEVA, Switzerland, May 17 (UPI) -- There are two sides to the human rights story in Kenya and one of them deals with reports of torture and cruel treatment, the United Nations was told.

U.S. warns of violence in Ivory Coast

Fri, 17 May 2013 13:58:31 -0400

WASHINGTON, May 17 (UPI) -- The security situation in Ivory Coast could quickly deteriorate despite recent security gains, the U.S. State Department warned.

Yemen's political goals in jeopardy

Fri, 17 May 2013 13:50:25 -0400

GENEVA, Switzerland, May 17 (UPI) -- Political transition in Yemen could falter because of a severe humanitarian crisis, a U.N. envoy for Yemen said.

Iran's Rafsanjani draws conservative criticism

Fri, 17 May 2013 13:46:44 -0400

TEHRAN, May 17 (UPI) -- Iranian presidential hopeful Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani has a history of making "huge" political mistakes, a conservative rival candidate contends.

Hundreds march in opposition to Egypt's Morsi

Fri, 17 May 2013 13:38:55 -0400

CAIRO, May 17 (UPI) -- Protesters frustrated with Egyptian President Mohamed Morsi said three marches took place Friday to press for early elections.

Arab spending focus of U.S. hearing

Fri, 17 May 2013 13:35:28 -0400

WASHINGTON, May 17 (UPI) -- Corruption and economic growth must be considered when assessing the underlying cause of Middle East revolutions, a U.S. lawmaker said.

Taiwan piles pressure on Manila over killing

Fri, 17 May 2013 00:05:00 -0400

TAIPEI, Taiwan, May 17 (UPI) -- Taiwan threatened to cut direct air travel with the Philippines as the diplomatic row escalates over the death of a fisherman by the Philippines coast guard.

Iraq threatens Turkey peace plan with PKK

Thu, 16 May 2013 13:02:57 -0400

ERBIL, Iraq, May 16 (UPI) -- Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki's government is threatening to sabotage a peace process between Turkey and its Kurdish separatist rebels.

Situation in CAR 'horrifying,' U.N. told

Thu, 16 May 2013 12:22:33 -0400

UNITED NATIONS, May 16 (UPI) -- The Seleka rebel coalition has shown no respect for international law in the Central African Republic, a U.N. envoy told the U.N. Security Council.

Mali conference shows terror losing, EU says

Thu, 16 May 2013 12:12:49 -0400

BRUSSELS, May 16 (UPI) -- Threats against national security in Mali from foreign rebel and al-Qaida groups are moot in light of international support, an EU leader said.

Displaced Libyans afraid to return home

Thu, 16 May 2013 11:48:56 -0400

TUNIS, Tunisia, May 16 (UPI) -- Many Libyans who fled the country during the civil war are afraid to return home because of lingering security challenges, authorities said.

Syria urged to permit weapons inspections

Thu, 16 May 2013 11:15:41 -0400

LONDON, May 16 (UPI) -- The British government will exert pressure to convince the Syrian government to allow weapons inspectors into the country, the foreign secretary said.

EU's Ashton meets Iran's nuclear diplomat

Thu, 16 May 2013 10:50:34 -0400

ISTANBUL, Turkey, May 16 (UPI) -- Talks with EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton in Turkey were productive and could lead to further outreach, Iran's top nuclear negotiator said.

Kidnapped ICRC staffers freed in Yemen

Thu, 16 May 2013 10:26:04 -0400

SANAA, Yemen, May 16 (UPI) -- Three aid workers seized Monday by armed individuals in Yemen were freed and are safe in Aden, the International Committee of the Red Cross said.

Political violence leads to Egyptian alert

Thu, 16 May 2013 10:06:53 -0400

WASHINGTON, May 16 (UPI) -- Political violence that grew out of the January anniversary of the Egyptian revolution is likely to continue, a warning from the U.S. government said.

Intel, missiles top U.S.-Russian issues

Thu, 16 May 2013 09:58:51 -0400

MOSCOW, May 16 (UPI) -- Missile defense and intelligence sharing are issues the Russian government is considering with the United States, a Russian government aide said.

U.S. frets over Nigerian state of emergency

Thu, 16 May 2013 09:27:10 -0400

WASHINGTON, May 16 (UPI) -- A state of emergency declared in parts of Nigeria reflects a cycle of violence that's growing more severe, a U.S. State Department official said.

Sunni tribal forces fight with Iraqi troops

Thu, 16 May 2013 09:11:35 -0400

RAMADI, Iraq, May 16 (UPI) -- Tribal security forces in Anbar province will launch attacks on Iraqi forces if those forces aren't withdrawn immediately, a Sunni elder said Thursday.

Council of Europe: Governments must counter rise of racist parties

Thu, 16 May 2013 00:02:00 -0400

STRASBOURG, France, May 16 (UPI) -- European nations need to strengthen their response to the rise of racist extremist political parties, the Council of Europe's human rights leader says.