Azerbaijan
BAKU — Lighting candles and laying pink carnations on the steps of his office, mourners grieved Saturday for former Azerbaijani President Geidar Aliev, the one-time Communist stalwart who stifled dissent and realigned his predominantly Muslim country closer to the United States. The 80-year-old leader's death Friday at the Cleveland Clinic in Ohio puts the focus now on his son and successor in this former Soviet republic of 8 million.
Britain
LONDON — Queen Elizabeth II left a London hospital Saturday, a day after she underwent successful knee surgery and had benign skin lesions removed from her face. Buckingham Palace has said the arthroscopic surgery that removed torn cartilage from her left knee took about an hour and a quarter Friday.
Cuba
HAVANA — The door to American trade with Cuba was nudged open a bit more this weekend as more than 250 U.S. agribusiness representatives traveled here for sales talks, marking the second anniversary of the first U.S. commercial food shipments to the communist island.
Cyprus
NICOSIA — After 29 years of enforced separation, Greek Cypriots and the Turkish Cypriot opposition share hopes that today's election will lead to the reunification of Cyprus and its entry into the European Union.
Germany
FRANKFURT — Tens of thousands of students took to the streets of three German cities Saturday, protesting government plans to slash funding for universities. More than 20,000 students marched in Berlin, carrying banners that said "Berlin without education is like a motor without gas" and "Don't leave education out in the rain."
Iran
TEHRAN — Iran will sign an agreement in the next few days allowing unfettered inspection of its nuclear facilities, Iran's foreign minister said Saturday. The United States and the three main European powers have been pushing for the additional protocol of the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty.
Italy
MODENA — Luciano Pavarotti married his longtime partner and producer Nicoletta Mantovani on Saturday in a song-filled, celebrity-studded ceremony held in the main theater of the tenor's hometown.
VENICE — Christmas is coming early to this lagoon city as Venetians and opera lovers throughout the world regain their beloved La Fenice theater, which burned down seven years ago. Today, Riccardo Muti will inaugurate the rebuilt theater.
Ivory Coast
ABIDJAN — Ivory Coast officials said the situation was under control after state security forces put down an assault by gunmen against military police near the state television station that left 18 dead.
Mexico
MEXICO CITY — Chinese Premier Web Jiabao sought to assure Mexican leaders that their country's economy is not threatened by China's lower wages and cheaper goods, saying the two nations are partners, not rivals.
Peru
LIMA — Politicians were divided Saturday after the president demanded that Peru's first-ever woman prime minister step down, with some saying the action was unwarranted and others calling it the only way to end an embarrassing political feud.
Saudi Arabia
RIYADH — A jailed Muslim cleric renounced his calls for Islamic militants to attack non-Muslims during an interview aired on state-run TV Saturday, the third major Saudi clergyman to recant in less than a month.
Syria
DAMASCUS — U.S. legislation threatening sanctions against Syria makes it more difficult to improve relations with the United States, Syria said Saturday. However, visiting U.S. legislators who discussed the new law with President Bashar Assad on Saturday said U.S.-Syrian disagreements could still be resolved.
Yemen
SAN'A — A leading al-Qaida militant arrested last month in Yemen was trying to infiltrate the state's security forces, officials close to the investigations said Saturday. Mohammed Hamdi al-Ahdal, was arrested in late November by security forces that surrounded his hide-out west of the capital, San'a, and authorities have been interrogating him since.