Suarez Navarro Trounces Petrova to Haul Spain Back Into Fed Cup

Carla Suarez Navarro hauled Spain back into contention in their Fed Cup quarterfinal in Moscow Sunday, beating a poor Nadia Petrova to reduce Russia’s lead to 2-1.

Protests in Syria

Russia Wants to Push Syria for Democratic Reform

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and Foreign Intelligence Service Chief Mikhail Fradkov intend to persuade Syrian President Bashar al-Assad to launch democratic reforms to stabilize the situation in the riot-hit Middle East country, Russia’s Foreign Ministry said on Sunday.

Riots in Egypt

Clashes between protesters and police have swept the central streets of the Egyptian capital in the past few days.

Russians Aboard Distressed Cargo Ship off Crimea

The crewmembers of the Maltese-flagged cargo ship on fire off Crimea in the Sea of Azov are Russian nationals, the Ukrainian Emergencies Ministry said on Sunday.

Petrova Replaces Sharapova for Fed Cup vs. Spain

Russia's Fed Cup captain Shamil Tarpishchev opted to rest Maria Sharapova for the second day of their Fed Cup quarterfinal against Spain on Sunday, with Nadia Petrova taking the place of the Australian Open finalist.

Magnitude 5 Earthquake Strikes Near Iran’s Bushehr Nuke Plant

A magnitude 5.0 earthquake struck near the Bushehr nuclear power plant in south Iran, the U.S. Geological Survey said on its website on Sunday.

Animal News: How Quadrupeds and Birds Stand the Cold

Hares at the Royev Ruchei Park of Flora and Fauna in Krasnoyarsk are not afraid of temperatures reaching minus 35 C while the Indian elephants at Hannover Zoo are barely able to survive Europe’s dropping temperatures.

Maltese-Flagged Ship with 14 Crew on Fire in Azov Sea

Maltese-Flagged Ship with 14 Crew on Fire in Azov Sea

Over 6,000 Individuals Apply for NASA’s Astronaut Corps

Over 6,000 individuals have applied for joining NASA’s astronaut corps, which is twice as many as the U.S. space agency typically receives, NASA said in a statement on Sunday.

Permafrost degradation

There has been an increase in the number of accidents and incidents of damage to various structures in the permafrost region in recent years.

U.S. missile shield in Europe

Russia to Build Effective Shield against NATO Missile Threat – Rogozin

Russia will build a reliable aerospace defense system to effectively counter NATO missile threats, Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Rogozin said on Sunday.

Gillard's Labor leadership 'heads for showdown'

TONY Abbott believes many Labor MPs will turn their backs on the Prime Minister in support of Kevin Rudd.

Bashed bus driver told attack 'his fault'

DRIVER who lost eye in vicious fight blamed for attack by the firm that employed him.

Top filmmakers die in chopper crash

AN Australian writer-producer and an award-winning US cinematographer have been killed in a helicopter crash.

Analysis: Romney win leaves rivals few options

Mitt Romney's decisive victory in Nevada was never much in doubt. He won the state's caucuses four years ago, kept his organization active and he could count on support from Mormons who made up a quarter of caucus goers this year.

Venice rebels against cruise ship intrusions

It's a matter of perspective. From aboard a 12-deck cruise liner, the sight of St. Mark's Square, the Doge's Palace and Bridge of Sighs gliding past from a cabin balcony is a breathtaking thrill.

Car bomb kills 7 people in southern Afghan city

A car bomb exploded just outside the police headquarters of a southern Afghanistan city on Sunday, killing at least seven people, officials said.

Fury after Russia, China block UN action on Syria

Moscow support for Assad well-calculated

By bluntly using its veto power to block a United Nations resolution urging Syrian President Bashar Assad to step down, Russia has shown a willingness to defy the West at a scale rarely seen since the Cold War times.

Queen prepares to mark 60 years on throne

Queen Elizabeth II has braved the cold and snow to attend church on the eve of her Diamond Jubilee anniversary.

HRW calls for Palestinian residency rights

A Gaza-born woman recently sneaked into her native land through a smugglers' tunnel because the legal route was blocked. A car mechanic who settled in the West Bank 15 years ago to raise a family lives in fear of deportation because his ID card says he's originally from Gaza.

Israeli prospector says natural gas found offshore

American and Israeli gas prospectors say they have discovered a large amount of offshore natural gas in Israeli waters near the Lebanese border.

Kuwait PM resigns after opposition election surge

Kuwait's caretaker prime minister has stepped down to clear the way for a new government after parliamentary elections dominated by hard-line Islamists and other opposition groups.

Egypt: can't influence democracy groups probe

Egypt's foreign minister insisted Sunday that the government can't intervene in an investigation of foreign-funded pro-democracy organizations that is straining ties with the United States, but underlined Cairo's commitment to the relationship with Washington.

Top Hamas member leaves Syria because of uprising

Hamas officials say a senior member of the Palestinian militant group has left Syria because of the government's crackdown on an uprising there.

North Korean accordion students take on A-ha

Gunmen kill Iraqi security officer

Authorities say gunmen have killed an Interior Ministry official in a drive-by shooting in central Baghdad.

Clinton urges Bulgaria to be energy independent

U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton is in Bulgaria, urging the country to break its energy dependence on Russia by diversifying its oil and gas supplies.

'Tebowing' Alec Baldwin hosts NFL Honors

Trying to do his best "Tebowing," Alec Baldwin got a bit of help on stage.

Norwegian royals evacuated from plane in Denmark

A Scandinavian airlines flight with 135 people on board, including the Norwegian Crown Prince and Princess, has been evacuated at Copenhagen's main airport Kastrup after smoke was detected in the cabin.

Nigeria oil line on fire; militants claim attack

An Eni SpA oil pipeline ruptured and caught fire as a militant group claimed responsibility for an attack in the region, their first alleged assault in months as its purported leader awaits trial on terrorism charges in South Africa.

Russia, China reject UN resolution on Syria

US, Australian filmmakers die in helicopter crash

Award-winning American cinematographer Mike deGruy and Australian television writer-producer Andrew Wight have died in a helicopter crash in eastern Australia, their employer National Geographic said Sunday.

Car bomb kills at least seven in Afghanistan

Away from Nevada, Santorum campaign is undeterred

Mass. boxer on '05 reality TV show dies

A boxer who appeared on the 2005 reality TV show "The Contender" has died after being struck by a Massachusetts commuter train while he was walking along the tracks.

Ex-MLB pitcher Penny signs with Softbank Hawks

The Softbank Hawks of Japan's Pacific League have signed former major league pitcher Brad Penny to a one-year contract.

Saudi women push challenge to driving ban

Saudi women leading a campaign against the kingdom's ban on female driving are calling on the courts to take up their lawsuits demanding the right to drive.

Pepperdine comes close, falls to No. 24 Gonzaga

Marty Wilson knows it's going to take some time for his team to regularly be among the upper echelon of the West Coast Conference.