These are bandits' - More from Yanukovych: "Everything happening today can primarily be described as vandalism, banditry and a coup d'etat. That is my assessment." "This is not an opposition," Yanukovych added. "These are bandits." 14:43 GMT - Army says will play no role - More from...

The Syrian army on Friday intensified its aerial bombardment of southern Syria as opposition fighters were preparing to launch a wide offensive in a province bordering Jordan, activists said. The Local Coordination Committees opposition network and an anti-government activist in the area...

Algerian President Abdelaziz Bouteflika, who suffered a stroke last year, will run for a fourth term in an election in April, Prime Minister Abdelmalek Sellal said on Saturday. The 76-year-old leader, who has ruled the North African nation since 1999, has not yet announced his own...

Fierce clashes raged Friday between Syrian troops and rebels in northeastern Damascus as government warplanes raided insurgent strongholds, a monitoring group said. The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said at least seven rebels were killed in regime shelling and air...