France

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov will ask President Bashar al-Assad for rapid reforms on a visit to Syria this week, his ministry said Sunday, as Moscow hit back at Western outrage over its UN veto.Lavrov's visit to Damascus on Tuesday alongside the...

France’s Interior Minister Claude Gueant (pictured) has drawn angry criticism from opposition members after suggesting in a speech to a right-wing student group that all civilisations are “not of equal value”.

France’s Minister of Interior Claude Gueant (pictured) drew angry criticism from left-wing parties after he said that all civilisations were “not of equal value”, speaking at a conference organised by a right-wing student group.

Ireland go into Sunday's Six Nations match with Wales with revenge very much on their minds after losing to the Welsh twice last year including October's World Cup quarter-final.While the Irish will want to banish memories of that limp performance against...

Nonito Donaire knocked down Wilfredo Vazquez jnr in the ninth round en route to a split decision over the former champ in a super bantamweight title bout in San Antonio, Texas.Donaire, a former International Boxing Federation flyweight and World Boxing...

The UN Environment Programme (UNEP) is emerging as a hot issue in preparations for June's Rio conference, styled as a once-in-a-generation chance to restore a sick planet to good health.The US is fighting a proposal, backed according to France by least...

The death toll from the vicious cold snap across Europe has risen to more than 260, with the winter misery set to hit thousands of those seeking to escape it Sunday as air traffic was hit.Ukraine has suffered the heaviest toll with 122 deaths, including...

Russia and China blocked a UN Security Council resolution condemning Syria for its crackdown on protests, hours after Syrian forces bombed Homs, killing hundreds.The heaviest reported day of death since the Syrian uprising began coupled with the second UN...

Curtis Martin, fourth on the NFL all-time rushing list with 14,101 yards, was among six players voted into the American Football Hall of Fame on Saturday while some big names were snubbed.Defensive tackle Cortez Kennedy, offensive tackle Willie Roaf,...

Saboteurs on Sunday blew up a pipeline that supplies gas to Israel, the 12th such attack in a year, security officials said.Masked gunmen planted explosives under the pipeline in the Al-Massaeed area, close to the town of El-Arish in the north of the...