RUSSIA

Syrian army defectors attacked an intelligence complex on the edge of Damascus early Wednesday, the first such reported assault on a major security facility in the eight-month uprising against President Bashar al-Assad, activists said.

Diplomatic tensions between Russia and Tajikistan ran high on Tuesday, as the Russian government deported the first 300 Tajik migrants in a promised wave of expulsions.

Ukraine's parliament on Tuesday rejected a move to downgrade the abuse-of-power offence under which former prime minister Yulia Tymoshenko has been jailed, dealing a blow to prospects of an early release for the charismatic opposition leader.

The world's leading economies are all heading for a period of slower growth, the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development said on Monday, highlighting signs of weakening economic activities across the board.

Oman Air, the Sultanate of Oman's flagship carrier, and Boeing (NYSE: BA) announced an order for six Boeing 787-8s at the Dubai Air Show.

Despite economic growth predicted to slide in the near future, U.S.-based tour operators estimate an increase in the outbound travel. The latest report by the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) and the European Travel Commission (ETC), the number of tourists to Europe, from the U.S. is expected to grow.

At a summit expected to produce at least the new outline of free trade agreements with key Asian markets, Middle East geopolitics took center-stage, at least initially, as the United States and Russia reaffirmed their intention to work and shape a common response regarding Iran's nuclear program.

Russia is scheduled to launch on Monday a Soyuz-FG rocket carrying three astronauts headed for the International Space Station (ISS), after a recent string of failures in the country's space program.

All efforts to make contact with the mission have apparently failed.

Kazakhstan, an oil- and gas-rich nation of about 16 million people wedged between China and Russia, has witnessed a number of attacks this year.

Compagnie Financière Richemont S.A., the world's second largest luxury goods holding company, has warned of the impact that global economic problems could have if they hit the industry.

From paintings reflecting New York's social stratification during the Great Depression Era to themes of revolution and class inequity - some of the major artworks by Mexican muralist, Diego Rivera will be presented at MoMA from Nov.13, 2011.

Vladimir Putin's United Russia party has released a steamy new ad encouraging people to go to the polls for the Dec. 4 parliamentary election.

NASA is preparing to launch its largest and most advanced Mars rover at the end of the month. It will spend nearly two years examining areas of the Red Planet.

United States Defense Secretary Leon Panetta does not think attacking Iran would be a good idea, even if Iran is building nuclear weapons.

In 2011, U.S. gamers have spent an estimated $1.2 billion on F2P games, which have taken up to 47 percent of all MMO expenditures. It has grown 24 percent in the last year, now seriously contending with pay-to-play MMOs like World of Warcraft for players' attention. The report says gamers spend about 26 million hours every day playing MMOs in the U.S.

A new study from the University of Michigan, has suggested that it may be possible for scientists to develop a device that measures blood sugar levels through tears instead of blood. If the Michigan study reaches ground reality, it could be a tearful adieu to the prick for diabetes checks.

Russia and China voiced their opposition to new round of sanctions against Iran in a meeting in Moscow. Russia and China have expressed “the mutual conviction that the application of new, additional sanctions against Iran will not lead to the desired result,” Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

Man landing on Mars and returning to the moon could happen sooner than some people may think. On Wednesday, NASA successfully tested a new rocket engine, the J-2X, that puts the organization on track for a new deep space launch in 2017.

A $14-million Internet advertising fraud scheme has been brought to a halt by a coalition of American and Estonian authorities, Preet Bharara, U.S. attorney for New York's southern district, said during a Wednesday afternoon press conference in Manhattan.

When major economic and social problems arise, it’s almost always preferable for the stakeholders to reform the existing economic system.