Syria - Heavy fighting broke out late Sunday night between President Bashar al-Assad´s forces and rebels

Published on Mar 4, 2012 by Euronews

http://www.euronews.net/ Heavy fighting broke out late Sunday night between forces loyal to Syria's President Bashar al-Assad and rebels. According to activists, they launched small attacks on the military in the north, south and east of the country to relieve pressure in the city of Homs.

In Idlib, Free Syria Army fighters were said to be on alert after a warning that tanks and heavy artillery were being moved into position around the city.

Across the country, unconfirmed reports said 19 people died yesterday, 18 of them civilians.

In neighbouring Lebanon, hundreds staged a protest calling for Syria's president to be tried as a 'war criminal'. Syrian civilians have been streaming across the border to find safety from the fighting.

Meanwhile the Red Cross will renew attempts today to negotiate entry into besieged Homs after being blocked from doing so for the past three days.

Italy - Victims anger at Concordia cruise compensation

Published on Mar 4, 2012 by Euronews

http://www.euronews.net/ Victims of the Costa Concordia cruise liner, have refused the 11,000 euros offered as compensation for each victim.

The pre-trial hearing took place near Giglio island, where the cruise liner crashed. 25 people died and seven are still missing.

USA - Mitt Romney Hits Obama Over Iran

Published on Mar 4, 2012 by AssociatedPress

GOP presidential candidate Mitt Romney criticized President Barack Obama's comments on how to keep Iran from building a nuclear weapon, saying he would take a tougher stance. (March 4)

Syria - refugees flee to Lebanon

Published on Mar 4, 2012 by Euronews

http://www.euronews.net/ The fighting continues in Homs as up to 2,000 refugees, desperate to flee the violence, cross the Syrian border into northern Lebanon.

The border town of Qusair, south of Homs, has come under shelling by government troops, leaving many residents forced to make their getaway by foot.

While the Red Cross still tries to get supplies to the city, many other parts of the country have come under attack. These include Hama, Rastan and Jebel al Zawiya where raids have been reported.

In the northern city of Aleppo, activists claimed government forces used tear gas to disperse a protest against President Assad.

The outside world remains powerless to halt the killing in Syria. China and Russia have twice vetoed UN Security Council resolutions to condemn Damascus.

Although China is now urging the government and rebels to end the violence and start talks, it has reiterated its position opposing any foreign intervention

Congo - 150 feared dead in arms depot blasts in the capital Brazzaville

Published on Mar 4, 2012 by Euronews

http://www.euronews.net/ At least 150 people are feared killed and some 1,500 others injured after a series of explosions in an arms depot in Congo's capital Brazzaville.

The figures from a European diplomatic source have not been officially confirmed.

The blasts, reportedly caused by a fire, happened near a heavily-populated neighbourhood. Panic spread to Kinshasa in the neighbouring Democratic Republic of Congo, where windows were shattered.

Both governments urged calm and there was no immediate suspicion of anything but an accident.

In Brazzaville, reports said houses were flattened and the Russian embassy damaged.

Japan - Fukushima homeless struggle with exile

Uploaded by telegraphtv on Mar 4, 2012

Nearly a year on from the earthquake which crippled parts of Japan and a nuclear plant, radiation fears keep tens of thousands of people from returning to homes.

Today in History: March 4 Franklin Delano Roosevelt sworn in as president; President Ronald Reagan takes....

Published on Mar 4, 2012 by AssociatedPress

On this day in history: Franklin Delano Roosevelt sworn in as president; President Ronald Reagan takes responsibility for Iran-Contra; AAA founded. (March 4)

Russia - Claims of fraud in Presidential election / Россия - Требования в мошенничестве на президентских выборах

Published on Mar 4, 2012 by Euronews

http://www.euronews.net/ Euronews' correspondent Alexander Shashkov is among the 109 million eligible voters in Russia's presidential ballot.

Speaking at a polling station in Moscow, one of 96,000 nationwide, he said it was registering votes for local elections as well as the presidential ballot.

While everything there looked to be above board, opposition parties and an independent watchdog are already denouncing widespread irregularities.

Among the claims, some say groups of voters are being taken to one polling station after another to vote several times for Vladimir Putin.

But Takhir Nurmiev of the local Electoral Commission said: "These elections are different from others because we have installed video cameras that are live on line.

"Everyone can look at how the vote is unfolding and we have also got transparent ballot boxes to avoid fraud."

In an attempt to allay fears of vote rigging, Putin ordered the installation of 182,000 web cameras to stream footage of voting onto a website. International observers and opposition activists are also monitoring the polls.

"There have not been any serious irregularities in this polling station," said observer Sviatoslav Pavlov. However, he added that, despite promises made, the web cam images are not accessible in people's homes.

Critics claim the cameras were never going to prevent fraud with the counting process a serious concern when it comes to rigging an election.