World News liveblog
Reuters live coverage of events around the world. Follow @ReutersWorld on Twitter for top news and @ReutersLive for live video events.
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The last three tweets from the Twitter account of Hugo Chavez translated to english, the last update on February 18th
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Reuters: Venezuela's army chiefs pledge to support President Nicolas Maduro after Hugo Chavez's death -
Readers, we welcome you to submit your thoughts: how will today's news change Venezuelan citizens and foreign relations in Latin America? You can share your comments here. -
Reuters photos: The life of Venezuela's Hugo Chavez
[Photo: REUTERS/Jorge Silva] -
Venezuela's Hugo Chavez dies from cancer
Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez has died after a two-year battle with cancer, ending the socialist leader's 14-year rule of the South American country, Vice President Nicolas Maduro said in a televised speech.
The flamboyant 58-year-old leader had undergone four operations in Cuba for a cancer that was first detected in his pelvic region in mid-2011. His last surgery was on December 11 and he had not been seen in public since.
"It's a moment of deep pain," Maduro, accompanied by senior ministers, said, his voice choking.
Read more on the death of President Hugo Chavez -
Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez has died, Vice President Maduro announced on Tuesday.
[File photo by REUTERS/Jorge Silva] -
Hugo Chavez's supporters gathered to say prayers following reports the Venezuelan President's health had taken a downturn. Deborah Gembara reports.
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Hugo Chavez suffering "most difficult hours" since operation, Venezuela VP Maduro says
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Venezuela VP Maduro says Chavez's doctors with him, nation praying, during cancer "complications"
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Maduro: Military conspiracy among plots against Venezuela, "special measures" being taken to counter sabotage, conspiracies
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Venezuela expels U.S. diplomatic attache for plotting against government, VP Maduro says.
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Reuters: Venezuela VP Maduro stresses military loyalty, denounces "conspiracies" against government at start of live address
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Reuters: Venezuela's Vice President Maduro to head cabinet meeting on live television shortly, information minister says.
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Two Frances on one street in "lazy" tire worker town
The U.S. tire executive who infuriated the French by calling workers at a doomed Goodyear factory "not worth saving" might have formed a different impression of France had he visited the Dunlop factory across the street.
Goodyear workers burn tires symbolizing 1,173 employees next to the Goodyear tyres factory in Amiens, February 26, 2013.
Credit: Reuters/Pascal Rossignolby Clare Richardsonon Mar 5, 2013 at 2:36 PM -
Reuters gallery: Living in a shipping container
A child stands at the door of a shipping container serving as his accommodation, in Shanghai, March 4, 2013.
REUTERS/Aly Songby Clare Richardsonon Mar 4, 2013 at 6:10 PM -
Italian priest burns photo of Benedict during Mass
VATICAN CITY, March 4 (Reuters)-- An Italian priest set fire to a photo of Pope Benedict during Sunday Mass in protest against his abdication, telling a shocked congregation that the former pontiff had abandoned his flock.
"It was wonderful," the Rev. Andrea Maggi from Santo Stefano Protomartire church in the small northern village of Castel Vittorio, told La Repubblica daily, defending his act.
He compared Benedict, who resigned as pope on Thursday, to Captain Francesco Schettino, who is accused of abandoning the Costa Concordia cruise ship that capsized off the Italian coast before all passengers were rescued.
Gian Stefano Orengo, mayor of the municipality in the northwestern Liguria region, told Italian radio the action had prompted half of the congregation to walk out.
"Before starting the homily, the priest took the photo of the pope and he said this is not a pope, this is not a shepherd, he abandoned his flock," Orengo said, adding that Maggi then used a candle flame set alight the photo of Benedict.
Orengo said he would inform Church authorities about the incident, adding that Maggi was going through a "fragile" time from a psychological point of view.
(Reporting By Catherine Hornby; Editing by Michael Roddy) -
The French military releases video showing paratroopers fighting in the Adra des Ifoghas mountains of north-eastern Mali.
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France says al Qaeda chief Abou Zeid "probably" killed
France gave the first indication on Monday it believed reports that Abdelhamid Abou Zeid, one of al Qaeda's most feared commanders in Africa, had been killed in Mali, an event that would deal a serious blow to the militants' leadership.
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Reuters Factbox: #Kenya's election and the main candidates http://reut.rs/Wqw3up via @reuters #Kenyadecidesby Bate Felix via twitter 3/4/2013 3:20:30 PM -
Gunmen kill at least 40 Syrians being sent home from Iraq
(Reuters) - Unidentified gunmen on Monday killed at least 40 Syrian soldiers and government employees who were being taken to the Syrian border by Iraqi authorities after fleeing into Iraq from a Syrian rebel attack, Iraqi officials said.
The attack on the convoy carrying the Syrians occurred in Iraq's westerly Anbar province, they said.
The Iraqi officials said some 65 Syrian soldiers and government officials had handed themselves over to Iraqi authorities on Friday after anti-government rebels seized the Syrian side of the Yaarabiya frontier crossing.
(Reporting by Isabel Coles; Editing by Kevin Liffey) -
"Arab spring" brings new buyers for bulletproof cars
A car with bullet holes is seen during a test at the headquarters of Brazil's Dupont laboratory in Paulinia, 120 km (75 miles) southwest of Sao Paulo, April 13, 2012.by Clare Richardsonon Mar 4, 2013 at 3:06 PMIn a workshop in a dusty industrial area on the outskirts of Dubai, engineers are stripping down a Toyota Land Cruiser to install armored plating, bullet resistant glass and run-flat tires.
In the aftermath of the "Arab spring" revolts and with the wealth gap and social unrest rising in many parts of the world, there is no shortage of rich individuals and governments who suddenly feel they need a little extra protection.
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Suicide bomber kills at least 5 Iraqi policemen
A suicide bomber in a car killed at least five policemen and wounded 12 people, including civilians, on Monday in Iraq's northern city of Mosul, police and medics said.
It was not immediately clear who carried out the attack but suicide bombings are the hallmark of al Qaeda's local wing, the Islamic State of Iraq, which aims to take back ground lost to the Iraqi security forces.
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A Syrian Army officer briefs his men to prepare for an offensive in the northern city of Aleppo, March 4, 2013. REUTERS/George Ourfalian
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Forces loyal to Syria's President Bashar al-Assad applaud after being briefed by a Syrian Army officer in preparation for an offensive in the northern city of Aleppo, March 4, 2013. REUTERS/George Ourfalian
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Revellers are covered in coloured cornflour powder as they take part in the Holi One festival in Cape Town, March 2, 2013. The event is inspired by the Hindu Holi spring festival of colour which originated in India. Picture taken March 2, 2013. REUTERS/Mark Wessels
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NATO expects decision on post-2014 Afghan force by mid-year
NATO expects a decision by the middle of this year on the size of a training force to be kept in Afghanistan once most foreign troops leave in 2014, alliance Secretary-General Anders Fogh Rasmussen said on Monday.
The Pentagon has said a NATO-led training force of between 8,000 and 12,000 was under consideration.
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Introducing Connected China, the culmination of an 18-month project to explain the social and professional networks of China’s leaders, highlighting the interpersonal relationships that drive business, move markets and shape the political landscape in the world’s most populous nation.
VIEW IT HERE: Connected China on connectedchina.reuters.com -
Venezuela government mocks rumors over Chavez's death
Hugo Chavez's son-in-law mocked this week's crescendo of rumors that the Venezuelan president may be dead or dying from the cancer he has been treated for since mid-2011.
"The launching of absurd and bizarre rumors by the right wing simply discredits them and isolates them further from the people," wrote Jorge Arreaza, who is also Venezuela's science minister, on his Twitter account late on Thursday.
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Analysis: Chavez's cancer puts Venezuela on undeclared vote footing
Opposition leaders plot strategy behind closed doors. The government's presumed candidate blitzes the airwaves. Posters plaster walls.
Hugo Chavez is still president, but Venezuela feels like a nation heading fast towards an election for his successor.
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Special Report: Freedom fizzles out in China's rebel town of Wukan
Zhuang Liehong, a 28-year-old cigarette and liquor salesman, was fed up. Businessmen were seizing land here in Wukan, his hometown fishing village in southern China. Village officials not only didn't help - they had secretly sold the land. Outside authorities did nothing.
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Syria's Assad deluded by his inner circle, U.N. envoy Brahimi says
Syrian President Bashar al-Assad has been convinced by his inner circle that his country is the victim of a broad conspiracy led by terrorists, U.N./Arab League peace envoy Lakhdar Brahimi said on Thursday.
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North Korea's state media shows video of former American NBA star Dennis Rodman and members of the Harlem Globetrotters touring Pyongyang as guests of the North Korean government.
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Follow U.S. Army Private Bradley Manning's trial live here. Some background from my colleague Matthew Keys:
Joining the Bradley Manning trial in progress. Some background: Manning, the U.S. Army private at the center of the Wikileaks case, admitted guilt to charges of misusing classified material and several others. Manning refuted the most serious charge of "aiding the enemy."
Journalists in a room where a video feed of the hearing is being provided tweet that Manning reached out to several news organizations before turning to Wikileaks to release material. "I believe that if the general public...had access to the information...this could spark a domestic debate as to the role of the military and foreign policy in general," Manning said in court.
Read the full Reuters report on Bradley Manning's court hearingSome more background: According to journalist Andrew Blake, currently filing reports for the website RT.com, Bradley Manning said in court that one of the piece of content he leaked -- an helicopter filmed from a U.S. Apache helicopter -- was to be sent to Reuters. The video shows the death of two Reuters staffers, including a photographer. According to Blake, Manning said he opted to send the video to Wikileaks instead after the website published a cable.
In 2007, Reuters profiled the two staff members -- Namir Noor-Eldeen and Saeed Chmagh -- in a blog post you can read here. In 2010, Reuters reported that Wikileaks had leaked the Apache helicopter video, dubbed "Collateral Murder," which showed the death of "a dozen people in Baghdad, including two Reuters news staff." (read the article here) -
Wild Weather:
A woman stuck in her car reacts as flood waters gush past her during heavy rain in Chalandri suburb north of Athens February 22, 2013.
REUTERS/John Kolesidisby Clare Richardsonon Feb 28, 2013 at 6:23 PMSee more scenes of the awesome and sometimes destructive power of nature here.
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Pope Benedict bid farewell to the Vatican, boarding a helicopter that soared over the Vatican grounds and Colosseum en route to the papal summer retreat.
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VICE published photos today showing former NBA star Dennis Rodman sitting next to North Korean leader Kim Jong-un as the two enjoy a basketball game. Rodman arrived in North Korea on Tuesday to film a documentary in a rare visit by a U.S. citizen. From VICE:
Following the game, Rodman gave a stirring speech that extended an olive branch to the Hermit Kingdom. The VICE crew is currently having a reception at the Supreme Leader's house, and Duffy has invited Kim Jung-un to America and to tour the VICE offices.
Click here to see the photos. -
Hollande least popular French president in 30 years: poll
Ten months into his mandate, President Francois Hollande scored the worst of any French president since 1981 in the TNS Sofres poll for Le Figaro magazine released on Thursday as he struggles to spur economic growth and create jobs.
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A helicopter carrying Pope Benedict XVI takes off from inside the Vatican on its way to the papal summer residence at Castelgandolfo, February 28, 2013. Pope Benedict slips quietly from the world stage on Thursday after a private last goodbye to his cardinals and a short flight to a country palace to enter the final phase of his life "hidden from the world". REUTERS/Stefano Rellandini
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The Pope as Diplomat, via Foreign Affairs:
As Pope Benedict XVI abdicates the papacy, retiring to a life of prayer and study, he leaves behind an admirable, if somewhat chequered, record in international relations.
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People in Saint Peter's Square in the Vatican City watch a giant screen of the helicopter waiting to carry Pope Benedict XVI to the papal summer residence at Castelgandolfo, February 28, 2013. Pope Benedict slips quietly from the world stage on Thursday after a private last goodbye to his cardinals and a short flight to a country palace to enter the final phase of his life "hidden from the world". REUTERS/Stefano Rellandini
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A woman reacts near a giant screen showing the departure of Pope Benedict XVI from the Vatican City, February 28, 2013. Pope Benedict slips quietly from the world stage on Thursday after a private last goodbye to his cardinals and a short flight to a country palace to enter the final phase of his life "hidden from the world". REUTERS/Stefano Rellandini
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Benedict pledges obedience to new pope on abdication day
Pope Benedict, with only hours left in his papacy, on Thursday pledged unconditional obedience to whoever succeeds him to guide the Roman Catholic Church at one of the most crisis-ridden periods in its 2,000-year history.
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Pope wrote three encyclicals, fourth will not be finished
(Reuters) - Pope Benedict wrote three encyclicals on spiritual, social and economic issues during his papacy and was working on a fourth when he decided to become the first pope in some six centuries to step down instead of reigning for life.
Encyclicals are the highest form of papal writing and give the clearest indication to the world's 1.2 billion Catholics - and to non-Catholics - of what the pope and the Vatican think about specific social and moral issues.
Read on and see the list here. -
The pope's goodbye:
Thank you for your love and support. May you always experience the joy that comes from putting Christ at the centre of your lives.
— Benedict XVI (@Pontifex) February 28, 2013
Battle rages near Aleppo, air onslaught continues
BEIRUT Syrian government and rebel forces battled for control of high ground on the Aleppo outskirts on Saturday as warplanes bombed the city's opposition-held east relentlessly in a Russian-backed offensive that has left Washington's Syria policy in tatters. | Video