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Tennis: Sharapova pulls out of Rome as Paris beckons

Agence France-PresseMay 17, 2013 09:30

Ailing Maria Sharapova said the thought of not recovering in time for the French Open had prompted her to pull out of the Rome Open before her quarter-final match on Friday. Sharapova, a two-time winner and the world number two, had been due to play Italy's Sara Errani in the quarter-finals. However the Russian announced her withdrawal on Friday morning citing sickness and claiming she had run a temperature overnight.

Bangladeshi baby born in storm shelter named after cyclone

Agence France-PresseMay 17, 2013 07:47

A baby boy who was born in a Bangladeshi storm shelter was named after an impending cyclone by villagers who hoped the gesture would protect them from the storm's wrath, an official said Friday. Village elders named the youngster Mahasen after he was born early on Thursday morning at a shelter in the Patuakhali coastal district, only hours before the eponymous cyclone slammed into the seafront.

UN, Russia call for urgent Syria conference

Agence France-PresseMay 17, 2013 07:15

UN chief Ban Ki-moon and Russia agreed Friday that a peace conference on Syria should be held "as soon as possible" even as Moscow defied growing global pressure over its arms supplies to the Damascus regime. Ban met Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov ahead of talks later Friday with Russian President Vladimir Putin about an impending international meeting on Syria that should include representatives of the two warring parties for the first time.

Bangladesh cleans up after killer cyclone

Agence France-PresseMay 17, 2013 07:15

Bangladesh and Myanmar cleaned up on Friday after a killer cyclone wrecked thousands of homes, relieved that the damage was not much worse after the storm weakened as it made landfall. At least 46 people were either killed by Cyclone Mahasen or while trying to flee its impact, including 31 Muslim Rohingya whose bodies washed up on the shores of Bangladesh after their boat capsized while sailing from Myanmar.

Mali leader says Tuareg rebels 'ready for talks'

Agence France-PresseMay 17, 2013 07:15

Tuareg separatist rebels who held a chunk of Mali's vast north and still occupy the key town of Kidal are ready for talks to end the west African country's crisis, President Dioncounda Traore said Friday. Traore, who met French counterpart Francois Hollande at the Elysee presidential palace, also pledged that elections would be held on July 28 to replace his interim government. The Malian leader "repeated that the elections will be held on the scheduled date and that is our position as well," Hollande told journalists.

Turkey arrests prime suspect over car bombings

Agence France-PresseMay 17, 2013 07:15

Turkey has arrested one of the prime suspects responsible for the twin car bombings that killed at least 51 people in a city near the Syrian border, said the city's governor on Friday. "We captured one of the chief actors involved in the incident at 11:40 pm last night," said Celalettin Lekesiz, governor of southeastern Turkey's Hatay city where the bombs went off. "There are still two other major suspects at large," he added in televised remarks.

Behind the scenes at the Cannes Film Festival

Agence France-PresseMay 17, 2013 06:45

Behind the scenes at the May 15-26 Cannes Film Festival: BLOOD 'N' GUTS: Sex may be considered a bit passe at the movies these days. But directors seem to have no qualms about violence. Scenes of genitals being set alight and other horrors in Mexican film "Heli" on Thursday left some in the audience feeling distinctly queasy. And there's more bloodcurdling stuff coming up. A trailer shown on Wednesday gave a sneak preview of upcoming films including Ryan Gosling smashing a glass in a man's face in Nicolas Winding Refn's Bangkok underworld "Only God Forgives".

Japan man, 80, starts Everest ascent

Agence France-PresseMay 17, 2013 04:30

An 80-year-old Japanese mountaineer has begun his ascent of Mount Everest, his website said, in a bid to become the oldest man to reach the roof of the world. In a voice message recorded on his website, Yuichiro Miura said the expedition was setting off Thursday for a climb that was expected to take a little over a week. "We plan to stand on the summit on May 24... We are all doing well, getting in position to tackle the mountain." Miura is trying to get back a Guinness World Record that he first held in 2003 when he became the oldest man to climb Everest.

Bangladesh cleans up after killer cyclone

Agence France-PresseMay 17, 2013 04:00

Bangladesh and Mynanmar cleaned up on Friday after a killer cyclone wrecked thousands of homes, relieved that the damage was not much worse after the storm weakened as it made landfall. At least 40 people were either killed by Cyclone Mahasen or while trying to flee its impact, including 25 Muslim Rohingya whose bodies washed up on the shores of Bangladesh after their boat capsized while sailing from Myanmar.

High hopes for Palestinian 3D animated 'Scarecrow' film

Agence France-PresseMay 17, 2013 00:15

Filmmakers in Gaza have finished making what is believed to be the first Palestinian animated feature in 3D in a bid to show a fresh perspective on life through a child's eyes. Called "The Scarecrow", the 40-minute production tells the story of a nine-year-old orphan named Rima and the scarecrow she was given by her parents who died in a car crash. One day, the scarecrow -- who represents the guardian of Palestinian land -- is taken away by an Israeli soldier from the family's land near the border, and Rima sets off with her school friends on a mission to find it.