News Headlines - 25 January 2014
▽Syrian government and opposition meet in presence of mediator | Reuters
Syrian government and opposition delegations met briefly in the presence of international mediator Lakhdar Brahimi at the United Nations on Saturday, their first session of talks aimed at launching political negotiations to end Syria's civil war.
▽BBC News - Ukraine crisis: Peaceful negotiations 'futile'
Efforts to resolve Ukraine's unrest in the capital Kiev by peaceful means are "futile", the interior ministry says.
Minister Vitaliy Zakharchenko said negotiations with the protesters had failed. He blamed "radical groups" for the unrest, adding protesters had arms.
On 25 January 2011, Egypt saw the start of the protests that toppled Hosni Mubarak and supposedly ended six decades of military rule. Three years on, however, there is not much to celebrate. Indeed, after the multiple explosions that rocked Cairo yesterday, less than a week after a referendum on yet another constitution billed as yet another new dawn, the promise of democracy looks further away than ever.
▽French President Hollande to separate from partner - report | Reuters
French President Francois Hollande is expected to announce his separation from partner Valerie Trierweiler on Saturday following a media storm over allegations he is having an affair with an actress, according to the Journal du Dimanche.
First lady Trierweiler, 48, Hollande's partner since 2006, plans to travel to India on Sunday for a charity trip and the president wants to settle the issue of their future before her departure, the newspaper said.
▽Pound Rises to 2 1/2-Year High on Carney Vow to Hold Down Rates - Bloomberg
The pound strengthened to a 2 1/2-year high versus the dollar as jobless data that beat analyst expectations prompted the Bank of England governor to pledged keep down interest rates to support the recovery.
