TEHRAN, Feb. 4, 2012 (Reuters) — Iran's oil minister called on the European Union to review its decision to impose sanctions on the Islamic state's oil exports and said that the international oil market was balanced. ...  > full story

KABUL, Feb. 4, 2012 (Reuters) — More than 3,000 civilians were killed in the war in Afghanistan in 2011, the fifth year in a row the number has risen, the United Nations said on Saturday in a report likely to revive tension between the Afghan government and its Western backers. ...  > full story

Feb. 4, 2012 (Reuters) — Pakistan's prime minister will travel to Qatar next week to talk with officials from the Gulf Arab state on the Afghan reconciliation process, a senior government official said on Saturday. ...  > full story

BEIJING, Feb. 4, 2012 (Reuters) — Sudanese rebels said they are looking for ways to hand over 29 Chinese workers held in the border state of South Kordofan, Chinese state media said, as Sudan's government confirmed the death of one worker in a firefight. ...  > full story

TOKYO, Feb. 3, 2012 (Reuters) — Three Japanese towns would be willing to restart their nuclear reactors if they pass government stress tests, two were against the idea but most were undecided, a newspaper survey suggested Saturday. ...  > full story

SYDNEY, Feb. 3, 2012 (Reuters) — Rescuers searching for survivors after a heavily laden ferry sank off Papua New Guinea said on Saturday they had found four bodies and that the search would go on for about 100 still missing. ...  > full story

JUBA, Feb. 3, 2012 (Reuters) — A shoot-out among South Sudanese security forces using truck-mounted machineguns killed 37 people and injured a United Nations policeman Wednesday, U.N. and government officials said Friday. ...  > full story

SARAJEVO, Feb. 3, 2012 (Reuters) — Bosnia passed laws on Friday seen as crucial to reviving its European Union accession bid, with Serb, Croat and Muslim leaders agreeing to the first census since 1991 and to a single state-level body to coordinate EU aid programs. ...  > full story

BRUSSELS, Feb. 3, 2012 (Reuters) — Afghanistan could end up fighting Taliban insurgents with a national army and police force two-thirds the size envisaged, if plans discussed on Friday by NATO defense ministers, trying to balance security needs with budget cuts, gain traction. ...  > full story

TOKYO, Feb. 3, 2012 (Reuters) — Mayor Nobuto Hosaka had more than saving taxpayers' money on his mind when he recently invited bids from rivals of giant utility Tokyo Electric Power Co to supply power to his ward in Japan's capital. ...  > full story