Pakistan reopens NATO supply routes: Clinton

Pakistan will reopen crucial supply routes into Afghanistan after the United States apologized for the killing of 24 of its soldiers.
The supply routes have been closed since a US airstrike against two Pakistani military positions posts close to the Afghan border last November.
The US Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton, made the apology in Washington on Tuesday, and expressed her hope that the two countries would work together to prevent future incidents.
Supply routes into Afghanistan are increasingly important as NATO prepares to withdraw all combat troops from the country in 2014.
Syria working on problems along two borders

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad says he regrets the downing of a Turkish jet by his military. Assad has made the comment during an interview with a Turkish newspaper.
He claims the jet was wrongly identified as an Israeli plane before it was shot down.
However, Assad said that the importance of incident should not be over-exaggerated.
US recovery "tepid", IMF report

An International Monetary Fund report is warning that the US recovery is still "tepid."
The report has cut its growth forecast for the world's largest economy to 2 percent this year, down 0.1 from an earlier estimate.
But IMF Director Christine Lagarde says there's a chance that the economy could recover faster.
Investigators search Sarkozy home and offices in campaign financing probe

French investigators have carried out a search of former President Nicolas Sarkozy's home and office.
It is related to an investigation of allegations that Sarkozy's 2007 presidential campaign received illegal donations.
Sarkozy, who's currently on holiday in Canada, has previously denied all wrongdoing.
His presidential immunity from prosecution expired in mid-June.
Russia's Medvedev visits disputed Far East island

Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev has arrived on a remote island chain seized by the Soviet Union at the end of World War Two, in a trip likely to renew a territorial dispute with Japan.
Medvedev caused uproar in Japan in 2010 when he became the first Russian leader to visit the so-called Southern Kuriles islands.
In Japan, the islands are known as the Northern Territories.
The island of Kunashir, the southernmost in the chain, lies only about 15 km from Japan's northern island of Hokkaido.
Another asylum boat to Australia makes distress call

The Australian government says a boat carrying some 180 people asylum seekers is in distress off the coast of Indonesia.
The boat made a distress call early Wednesday morning after launching from Indonesia's southern shore.
The boat is now attempting to return to Indonesia.
The Australian navy and some merchant vessels are on standby for a possible rescue operation.
A week ago, a boat carrying over 130 people sank mid-way between Australia's Christmas Island and Indonesia. Four people were killed.
UN chief calls for comprehensive conventional arms trade treaty

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon is urging the international community to work towards a treaty regulating the conventional arms trade.
Ban made the comments at the first UN Conference on the Arms Trade Treaty in New York.
The UN chief said creating a level playing field for international arms transfers would benefit world security.
Ban added the poorly regulated arms transfers play a big part in fuelling international conflicts that have displaced over 27.5 million people around the world.
Iran criticizes oil sanctions as US vows to keep Hormuz open

Iranian officials are criticising the oil sanctions on the country, as negotiators are meeting in the Turkish city of Istanbul to discuss Iran's nuclear issues.
Iran's Foreign Ministry says those sanctions "negatively affect" the nuclear talks between Iran and the world powers.
The latest expert-level P5+1 talks are designed to explore common ground for fully-fledged talks after previous meetings failed to make any breakthrough.
At the same time, the United States is now vowing to keep the Strait of Hormuz open, saying Iran's attempt to close it is inconsistent with international law.
Some Iranian lawmakers are preparing a bill calling for the closure of Hormuz, one of the world's most critical oil routes.
1.4 million homes still without electricty in US after storms

Over 1.4 million households in the eastern United States are still without electricity as sweltering temperatures continue across large swathes of the country.
Lights remain out in many areas of Maryland and Virginia and some Independence Day celebrations have been cancelled close to Washington DC.
Severe storms battered the region last Friday, knocking down power lines in a number of eastern states.
Record temperatures have also resulted in the deaths of 20 people.
Authorities claim that power should be fully restored by Friday this week.
Thai police issue arrest warrants for soldiers over murder of Chinese sailors

Thai police have issued arrest warrants for nine soldiers over their suspected involvement in the murder of 13-Chinese sailors along the Mekong River last year.
Thai police say over 100 witnesses were interviewed over the gruesome murder.
The sailors were on two cargo ships when they were attacked by armed men in October.
China, Thailand, Myanmar and Laos have launched joint efforts to protect cargo ships and crack down on drug trafficking along the Mekong River.
Notorious drug lord Naw Kham was arrested in Laos in April and extradited to China on suspicion of being linked to the murders.