· Ambassador: Satellite images prove Syria behind violence
The U.S. ambassador to Syria, Robert Ford, on Friday said he posted satellite imagery on Facebook to show proof of President Bashar al-Assad’s forces attacking residential neighborhoods.
· Syrian general gunned down, state TV says
Gunmen have assassinated an army general, the first killing of a high-ranking military officer in the Syrian capital since the uprising against President Bashar Assad's regime began in March.
· China to ban names that signal 'orphan' status

Institutions in China that care for orphans will no longer be allowed to name children in their care in ways that signal their parentless status, a government ministry said this week.

· British police arrest 5 at Murdoch's Sun newspaper

British police on Saturday arrested five senior members of staff at News Corporation's flagship newspaper The Sun, the company said, as part of investigations into alleged payments to police by journalists for information.

· Iran to announce 'very major' nuclear advance

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said Saturday that the Islamic Republic would soon announce "very major" advances in its nuclear program.

· Bodies of 2 girls, grandmother found in Quebec home
Police arrested a 35-year-old man after the bodies of two girls and their grandmother were found in a Quebec home, local media reported Saturday.
· Heavy snow in Italy cuts off villages

Heavy snow fell across Italy on Saturday, blanketing the capital Rome, cutting off mountain villages and disrupting roads, railways and airports around the country.

· Greek PM warns of collapse if bailout rejected
Prime Minister Lucas Papademos told Greeks they face a collapse in living standards and shortages of fuel and medicine if lawmakers on Sunday reject a multi-billion euro bailout deal and the country defaults on its debt.
· 30 million Iranians said to lose email access
An Iranian news agency reports that more than 30 million people in the country have lost access to foreign email services such as Gmail, Yahoo mail and Hotmail.
· At least 3 killed in avalanche in Kosovo

An avalanche hit a village in Kosovo's mountainous south Saturday, killing a married couple and their 17-year-old son and leaving nine others missing, police said, as heavy snow continued to blanket the Balkans.

· Panda diplomacy: China to give two to Canada

China is to send two giant pandas to Canada, it was announced Saturday, as Prime Minister Stephen Harper hailed the "mutual respect" and "goodwill" between the two countries.

· Another American in Libya no-fly limbo

A second American is in the same security limbo in Tripoli — also a Libyan-born businessman and naturalized citizen who lives in Portland, Oregon.

· Arms out of Libya fortify Tuaregs' Mali rebellion

As the anniversary of the February 17 uprising against Gadhafi approaches, Mali and other African states are paying a price for the revolution in Libya.

· Report: Saudi Arabia eyes nukes if Iran tests A-bomb
Saudia Arabia would move quickly to acquire nuclear weapons if Iran successfully tests an atomic bomb, according to a report.