BAMAKO, July 23, 2008 (AFP) - After recent flare ups and clashes between the Malian army and Tuareg rebels in Northern Mali the peace process was revived this week in what is seen as a spectacular return of mediator Algeria.

BAMAKO, July 21, 2008 (AFP) - Mali's government and Tuareg nomads fighting for greater autonomy agreed Monday on a deal to end their conflict after talks brokered by Algeria.

ALGIERS, July 21, 2008 (AFP) - Mali's government and Tuareg rebels agreed Monday on an end to their conflict after talks in Algiers, mediator Algeria's ambassador to Mali said.

'The two delegations representing the Malian government and the May 23 Democratic Alliance for Change have reached an agreement on the cessation of hostilities,' Abdelkrim Ghrieb said.

NEW DELHI, July 21, 2008 (AFP) - India's government, which risks losing power over a nuclear accord with the US, on Monday urged lawmakers to back the pact, saying it is indispensable to the country's energy security.

KHANTY-MANSIYSK, June 27, 2008 (AFP) - Russia and the European Union on Friday launched talks on a long-delayed cooperation agreement to govern bilateral ties, a joint statement released after summit talks in Siberia said.

WASHINGTON, June 5, 2008 (AFP) - The big three credit rating agencies agreed to reform their practices relating to complex mortgage-backed securities, New York attorney general Andrew Cuomo said Thursday.

BUCHAREST, April 4, 2008 (AFP) - NATO and Russia have concluded a key agreement on the land transit of non-military freight destined for Afghanistan and will endorse it Friday, a NATO spokeswoman said.

'It's been done and it's going to be signed by (Russian Foreign Minister Sergei) Lavrov' at a NATO summit in Bucharest, she told reporters.

BRUSSELS, March 20, 2008 (AFP) - More than nine months after elections, Belgium's government can be sworn in Thursday after the five coalition parties agreed overnight on how to divide up portfolios, Belga news agency reported.

MOSCOW, March 18, 2008 (AFP) - Top US and Russian officials worked Tuesday to agree on the text of a document spelling out general guidelines for relations between the two countries, a senior US defence official said.

MOSCOW, March 5, 2008 (AFP) - Russia's Gazprom is close to ending gas cuts to Ukraine and will shortly issue a joint statement with Ukraine's Naftogaz, Echo of Moscow radio station reported on Wednesday.

The radio station quoted Gazprom spokesman Sergei Kupriyanov saying that the two companies would shortly announce the end to limits on gas supplies to Ukraine.