Mali German defence minister visits troops in Mali German Defence Minister Thomas de Maiziere German troops in Mali on Monday, who have been sent to support French soldiers fighting Islamist 18/03/2013
India India: six held over gang-rape of Swiss tourist Six men accused of raping a Swiss tourist in Madhya Pradesh, India appeared in court on March 18 before a local magistrate and were remanded in 18/03/2013
Sport IOC visit Madrid After concluding its visit of Tokyo the International Olympic Committee on Monday began its inspection of Madrid’s venues for the city’s 2020 Olympic 18/03/2013
Sport Woods and Vonn officially dating Golfing great Tiger Woods and skiing speed queen Lindsey Vonn announced on Monday they are officially dating. 14-times major winner Woods confirmed 18/03/2013
Sport Maze at the summit At 29-years-old and after 14 years on the World Cup circuit Tina Maze has just completed her most successful winter to date and she did so in record 18/03/2013
Argentina Argentina asks for papal intervention in Falklands row with UK Argentina’s president Cristina Fernandez has asked the new pope to support Buenos Aires in a dispute with Britain over the Falkland Islands, or 18/03/2013
World Cyprus bank customers on bailout hook Anxious residents of Cyprus with money in the bank have been unable to take it out.Cash dispensers have dried up and bank doors are locked. The bank 18/03/2013
brussels bureau Farmers seek a better CAP “EU agriculture ministers are meeting in Brussels to seek a consensus on the reform of the Common Agricultural Policy. The aim is a greener, more 18/03/2013
United Kingdom British parties agree on press regulation Following days of heated debate, British politicians reached an agreement on press regulation on Monday, March 18, unveiling a new code designed to 18/03/2013
West Bank UN warns of widespread human rights abuses in occupied Palestinian territory The United Nations has warned that human rights violations are widespread in occupied Palestinian territory. Speaking at a meeting of the UN Human 18/03/2013
Somalia Somalia: Mogadishu car bomb kills at least 10 people In the Somali capital Mogadishu, a suicide car bomber has killed at least ten people near the presidential palace. Islamist militant group al 18/03/2013
world news Tuberculosis becomes more resistant to treatment - WHO warns The World Health Organisation (WHO) is warning that tuberculosis is quickly developing resistance to several of the drugs used to treat it. The 18/03/2013
Italy Pope's family origins in a small Italian village A village in Italy has been drawn out of obscurity by its ties with Pope Francis. Portacomaro Stazione, population 275, most of them farmers and 18/03/2013
Israel Bethlehem protesters give Obama poster the boot ahead of visit A group of Palestinians in Bethlehem in the West Bank showed disdain for President Obama’s forthcoming visit. He is due at the Nativity church 18/03/2013
Syria Syria fires on Lebanon border - Lebanese security sources Syrian air force jets fired four rockets at an uninhabited section of the border with Lebanon on March 18, according to security sources. The 18/03/2013
brussels bureau EU touchy over Cypriot deposit raid In the European capital Brussels there is nervousness over the Cypriot deposit seizure. Fears of social unrest and a run on the banks focused 18/03/2013
Cyprus Russia angered by Cypriot bank levy Moscow has reacted angrily to the levy on bank accounts in Cyprus. President Vladimir Putin says it is “unfair and sets a dangerous precedent,” and 18/03/2013
World Painting for change Scientists in the UK have been developing specially ‘conductive’ paints to be printed onto building materials, where they can then generate their own 18/03/2013
world news China becomes world’s 5th largest arms exporter China has become the fifth largest exporter of major conventional weapons worldwide, according to the Stockholm International Peace Research 18/03/2013
Israel Obama's middle east visit - security is high, hopes are not In Israel, they are getting ready for an official visit by the US president Barack Obama. He has already said he will not be bringing any new 18/03/2013
Syria Syrian main opposition in bid to elect prime minister Syria’s main opposition coalition has started a push to form an interim government to provide support and services to people living in rebel 18/03/2013
Business Airbus poaches Boeing customer Lion with huge order Underlining how big a deal this was, the presidential palace in Paris was the venue for the signing of a contract by Indonesia’s Lion Air for 234 18/03/2013
Hungary Hungarian government awards prize to far-right journalist Hungary’s right-wing government, headed by Prime Minister Viktor Orban, has given out awards to controversial far-right journalists to mark the 18/03/2013
World Julia Kristeva - Pope needs self-confidence and faith to fulfill mission Analyst, philosopher, psychoanalyst, Julia Kristeva is one of the few figures of the French intelligensia widely recognised throughout the world. Of 18/03/2013
Cyprus Cypriot ministers delay vote, try to revise bank tax plan Ministers in Cyprus are rushing to revise a plan to seize money from private bank deposits as part of a 10 billion euro EU bailout. The shock 18/03/2013
no comment Tehran residents head to the slopes to escape city life The sun is glistening on the snow and the skies are blue. It’s a perfect day to hit the slopes, but this isn’t Aspen, Whistler or Klosters…. This is 18/03/2013
Israel Obama heads back to the Middle-East with expectations less than high The US president, Barack Obama, is preparing for his first official trip to the middle east this week. But the whistlestop tour of Israel, the West 18/03/2013
no comment Amazing Northern Lights Aurora Borealis filmed over Alaska. Also known as the northern lights, it is a natural light display limited to Arctic and Antarctic latitudes. This 18/03/2013
Cinema Almodóvar Is So Excited Pedro Almodóvar’s new film – ‘I’m So Excited’ – is a far cry from his last directorial outing. Whilst “The Skin I Live In” was a Hitchcockian 18/03/2013