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Turkey and Russia reach deal over gas pipeline
Turkey has reached agreement with Russia to allow a pipeline to be built under the Black Sea to transport Russian gas to Europe. The deal, removing a major obstacle to the South Stream project, was signed in Moscow after talks involving both countries’ governments and energy companies. It follows prolonged deadlock between Russia and Turkey over the proposed route which runs through Turkish territorial waters. Due for completion in 2015, South Stream is seen as a rival to the EU-backed Nabucco pipeline which is set to ship gas from the Caspian region to Austria. Vladimir Putin had declared that South Stream – which also involves Italian, French and German companies – could avoid Turkey by taking an alternative route. Relations have now warmed markedly, the Russian prime minister thanking Turkey over its decision. The EU has said it does not want to block South Stream, but it has admitted it wants to reduce European dependence on imported Russian gas. More about: Ankara, Russia, Transport, Turkey

Syria: Arab League mission head stirs opposition fears
He says he saw “nothing frightening” in the flashpoint city of Homs. However, it is Mustafa al-Dabi’s appointment as chief of the Arab League’s monitoring mission that has made opposition activists fearful. Dabi has held senior Sudanese military and government posts, including in the Darfur region, where the prosecutor of the International Criminal Court says the army carried out war crimes. The UN says 300,00 people may have died in Darfur, a figure disputed by Khartoum. Sudan’s President Omar al-Bashir has been indicted by the Hague-based ICC for genocide and crimes against humanity. He refuses to surrender, dismissing the charges as baseless and political. Syria’s opposition fears Sudan’s own defiance of a war crimes tribunal means that Dabi is unlikely to recommend strong action against the Assad regime. More about: Arab League, Bashar al-Assad, Clashes and riots, Syria

Indian cars vie for smallest, cheapest title
India seems to be locked in a contest to produce the world’s tiniest and cheapest cars. The latest, the Bajaj RE 60, has just been unveiled at the New Delhi Car Show made by a motorcycle and rickshaw manufacturer is intended as an upgrade for rickshaw drivers rather than as a rival to the Tata Nano, the previously touted world’s cheapest car. With few safety features, do not expect to seem either of them on Europe’s roads anytime soon. More about: Car industry, India, Transport

New Zealand mourns after deadly hot-air balloon crash
Eleven people have been killed in New Zealand’s worst air accident for more than three decades. The victims died when a hot air balloon burst into flames and crashed in Carterton, some 80 kilometres north of Wellington on the country’s North Island. It is a region well-known for hosting ballooning events and the tragedy has many people everyone hard. Ron Mark, Mayor of Carterton said: “the ballooning fraternity is a very respected fraternity in Carterton. Ballooning is very popular here. We host a national event every year and we know we will know all the personnel involved.” Witnesses say the balloon appeared to have clipped power lines before coming down fast in flames. “One side of the basket was on fire and the flames were licking up towards possibly the cords to start the balloon. The impact must have been terrible. I was unbelievably shocked when I saw it, especially to think that I’ve been up in that balloon myself,” said tourist David McKinlay. It is unclear what may have caused the crash. Authorities say an investigation is underway and that rules for commercial hot air ballooning have recently been reviewed. More about: Accident, New Zealand, Victims

Carla Bruni rejects charity misconduct claims
Carla Bruni-Sarkozy has rejected claims of financial irregularities linked to her charity work. In 2008, France’s First Lady signed up as an ambassador for The Global Fund to Fight Aids, Tuberculosis and Malaria. She also has her own charitable foundation. Reporting that France is a big contributor to the Global Fund, weekly magazine, Marianne, claims the Geneva-based body paid 2.7 million euros towards Bruni’s philanthropic activities and to ‘several agencies’ belonging to a friend of the ex-model. Bruni, whose brother died of an Aids-related illness, insists on her website that no public money has ever been received by her foundation. The Global Fund has also dismissed the French magazine report as “inexact and misleading.” The scandal comes just months before Bruni’s husband, French President Nicolas Sarkozy, is expected to stand for re-election. More about: AIDS, Carla Bruni-Sarkozy, Financial scandal, France

Tokyo rocked by New Year’s Day earthquake
A strong earthquake jolted eastern Japan on the first day of the new year. There were no immediate reports of injuries or damage and no tsunami warning was issued. Japan’s Meteorological Agency said the quake, which was close to magnitude 7.0 and deep in the earth, was centred off the southeastern Izu islands It occurred in the middle of the afternoon and was felt in and around Tokyo as well as further north in Fukushima, which was devastated by a quake and tsunami last March. The victims of that disaster were remembered on New Year’s Eve at a shrine that was inundated by the tsunami in the town of Minamisanriku. At a sombre ceremony people lined up to ring a huge bell. Afterwards, in the nearby city of Rikuzentakata, there was a fireworks display which was very poignant for one local man who lost friends in the disaster. He said: “I wish my friends could be here to watch the fireworks, I hope my thoughts and prayers reach them.” More than 20,000 people died or are listed as missing from the March quake and tsunami, which also triggered the world’s worst nuclear crisis since Chernobyl. A spokesman for Tokyo Electric Power said there were no reports of any abnormalities at the tsunami-crippled Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plan following the latest quake. On Saturday, an earthquake with a magnitude of 5.3 struck close to the New Zealand city of Christchurch, but did not cause any damage or casualties. It was the latest in a series of quakes that have rattled Christchurch since a major earthquake killed 180 people there 10 months ago. More about: Earthquake, Japan, Tsunami

Ethiopia jails Swedish reporters for aiding rebels
Two Swedish journalists have been jailed for 11 years in Ethiopia for entering the country illegally and helping an outlawed rebel group. Martin Schibbye and Johan Persson were arrested after crossing the border from Somalia with members of the Ogaden National Liberation Front. The pair denied aiding the rebels but admitted entering Ethiopia without permission. The court in Addis Ababa was told they had contacted the rebels as part of a news story into a Swedish oil company’s activities in the region. The reporters’ case has caused an outcry in Sweden with demands in the media for Stockholm to get the men freed. Some are suggesting that if diplomatic pressure fails, the Swedish government and the European Union should cut their humanitarian aid to Ethiopia. More about: Ethiopia, Journalist, Sweden, Trial

Split in Syria’s opposition over road map for future
Syrian opposition groups continue to try and agree on a common strategy for change in their country. The Syrian National Council met in Turkey after the collapse of a deal which had ruled out international intervention to topple President Bashar al-Assad. The pact was between Syria’s other main opposition faction, the National Coordination Body. The SNC will now draft their own road map for change. “There is a text which is not fully approved in all its components by the council. It is going to be rediscussed and modified, there will be amendments. With this text we will go to prepare for the conference at the Arab League,” explained Basma Qadmani, spokeswoman of the Syrian National Council. From Syria amateur videos, which have not been verified, show Arab League monitors in different parts of the country including one at a Christian mass for Syrians killed in the unrest. The League has opted to keep the observers in the country despite the governments failure to comply fully with the Arab peace plan. That has prompted accusations the action has given authorities more time to crush their opponents. National television showed pictures of two Russian warships berthed at the Syrian port of Tartus which Moscow uses as a naval maintenance and supply facility. One unnamed Russian officer said their presence was to strengthen ties between his country and Damascus. More about: Arab League, Bashar al-Assad, Istanbul, Turkey, Political crisis, Syria

Fire at Russian nuclear sub shipyard
A fire has broken out at a shipyard where a Russian nuclear submarine is being repaired. The blaze at Roslyakovo dock in the northern Murmansk region spread to the sub’s hull. Officials say there has been no radiation leak from the vessel and all weapons had been removed before it entered the dock. More about: Accident, Fire, Nuclear weapons, Russia