Syria bombards Homs; West scrambles for new strategy

BEIRUT (Reuters) - Syrian forces bombarded Homs on Monday, killing 50 people in a sustained assault on several districts of the city which has become a centre of armed opposition to President Bashar al-Assad, the Syrian National Council opposition group said.

U.N. nuclear talks in Tehran: frustrated hopes

VIENNA (Reuters) - After two days of rare and intensive talks in Tehran, senior U.N. nuclear officials may have felt they were finally making headway towards getting Iran to address suspicions that it is bent on developing the ability to make atom bombs.

Palestinian rivals agree to form unity government

RAMALLAH, West Bank (Reuters) - The leaders of rival Palestinian factions Fatah and Hamas signed a deal in Qatar on Monday to form a unity government of independent technocrats for the West Bank and Gaza, headed by Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas.

Gunmen kill five in Libyan refugee camp: hospital staff

TRIPOLI (Reuters) - Gunmen killed five Libyan refugees at their camp in a Tripoli suburb Monday, residents and hospital sources said, underscoring the volatility in the country months after Muammar Gaddafi's overthrow.

Egyptians cancel meetings with U.S. lawmakers after aid warnings

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - An Egyptian military delegation abruptly cancelled its meetings with U.S. lawmakers to return to Cairo on Monday after warnings from both Congress and the White House that Egypt's crackdown on non-governmental groups could threaten its $1.3 billion in annual U.S. military aid.

Victims weep, ridicule Norway killer's court speech

OSLO (Reuters) - Survivors and relatives of those killed in a Norwegian mass-murder rampage wept and ridiculed the smiling attacker in court Monday as he defended his acts by issuing a tirade against immigration.

At least 18 dead in shipwreck off Dominican Republic

SANTO DOMINGO (Reuters) - Dominican officials were investigating the capsizing of an overloaded immigrant smuggling boat that killed 18 people and rescue teams were searching on Monday for 20 or more people missing off the Dominican Republic coast, authorities said.

Nigeria names seven behind Eni pipeline blast

PORT HARCOURT, Nigeria (Reuters) - Nigeria's military has named seven people it says were behind an attack on an oil pipeline belonging to Italy's Eni on Saturday, and denied a claim that a former separatist militia in the Niger Delta was responsible.

Egypt army urges swift move to presidential election

CAIRO (Reuters) - Egypt's military leadership called for a swift move to a presidential election on Monday and security forces sealed off the Interior Ministry in Cairo from stone-throwing protesters clashing with riot police for a fifth day.

Election preparations start in conflict-torn Yemen

SANAA (Reuters) - Yemen has begun a publicity campaign to get citizens to vote in the upcoming presidential election, officials said on Monday, part of a deal to ease President Ali Abdullah Saleh out of office and pull the country back from the brink of civil war.