Khaddam, the Syrian tsunami By CLAUDE SALHANI UPI International Editor WASHINGTON, Dec. 31 (UPI) --

Walker's World: The EU's grim year By MARTIN WALKER UPI Editor WASHINGTON, Dec. 30 (UPI) -- After a grim year of slow growth, riots and terror attacks from its Muslim immigrant underclass, rows over its budget and two thumping rejections by Dutch and French voters of its planned new constitution, the European Union's leaders can hardly wait for

Saudi women make modest gains By BRANDON THURNER UPI Correspondent WASHINGTON, Dec. 31 (UPI) --

Common Ground: Can Western Muslims talk? By GENEIVE ABDO BRUSSELS, Dec. 31 (UPI) --

Analysis: Germany's turbulent 2005 By STEFAN NICOLA UPI Germany Correspondent KEHL AM RHEIN, Germany, Dec. 31 (UPI) --

Analysis: Land of Prophets' hazy future By JOSHUA BRILLIANT UPI Israel Correspondent TEL AVIV, Israel, Dec. 31 (UPI) --

UPI Energy Watch By ANDREA R. MIHAILESCU UPI Energy Correspondent NEW YORK, Dec. 31 (UPI) --

Analysis: After Vajpayee what? By KRISHNADEV CALAMUR WASHINGTON, Dec. 30 (UPI) --

Analysis: A year of limited progress By DONNA BORAK UPI Business Correspondent WASHINGTON, Dec. 30 (UPI) --

Sudanese killed in demonstrations CAIRO, Dec. 30 (UPI) --

Historian claims Stalin was poisoned MOSCOW, Dec. 30 (UPI) --

Common Ground: Open societies and Muslims By HERA DIANI JAKARTA, Dec. 30 (UPI) --

Security alert sounded in India NEW DELHI, Dec. 30 (UPI) --

Analysis: U.K.'s year in review By HANNAH K. STRANGE UPI U.K. Correspondent LONDON, Dec. 30 (UPI) --

Pakistan destroys militant camps NEW DELHI, Dec. 30 (UPI) --

Nepal's Maoists to spare candidates NEW DELHI, Dec. 30 (UPI) --

U.S. renewable energy firms cash in By BRANDON THURNER UPI Correspondent WASHINGTON, Dec. 29 (UPI) -- With European nations struggling to keep their promised targets under the Kyoto Protocol for greenhouse gas emissions, U.S. firms are set to cash in.

Walker's World: Gorbachev or Pinochet? By MARTIN WALKER UPI Editor WASHINGTON, Dec. 29 (UPI) -- Gorbachev tried political reform first, and economic later. Chile's General Pinochet did the reverse. Which model will better serve the Bush administration plan to democratize the Middle East?

Analysis: N.Korea standoff back on By JONG-HEON LEE UPI Correspondent SEOUL, Dec. 30 (UPI) --

Analysis: Rise and fall of China in 2005 By EDWARD LANFRANCO BEIJING, Dec. 30 (UPI) --

A Palestinian house faces settlement By JOSHUA BRILLIANT BIL'IN, West Bank, Dec. 30 (UPI) --

UPI Energy Watch By ANDREA R. MIHAILESCU UPI Energy Correspondent NEW YORK, Dec. 29 (UPI) -- UPI's round-up of the latest news and developments in the world of energy.

Outside View: Putin's resolution? By ETHAN S. BURGER and PETER LAVELLE UPI Outside View Commentators MOSCOW, Dec. 29 (UPI) -- Russia may be in a position to influence the future of Belarus for better or for worse.

Analysis: Iran's dangerous gamble By ROLAND FLAMINI UPI Chief International Correspondent WASHINGTON, Dec. 29 (UPI) -- The key question facing the world in 2006 is not whether US troops will still be in Iraq by the end of the year, but whether Iran will become a nuclear power.

Analysis: Pakistan's mixed year By KRISHNADEV CALAMUR WASHINGTON, Dec. 29 (UPI) -- As its presence on the global stage increases, Pakistan finds itself pulled in a number of different directions, necessitating careful balance.

Analysis: Doubts over S. Asian trade deal By DONNA BORAK UPI Business Correspondent WASHINGTON, Dec. 29 (UPI) --

Common Ground: Bravo to the Arab media By HASSAN YASSIN RIYADH, Saudi Arabia, Dec. 29 (UPI) --

Cold War relations -- the panda effect LONDON, Dec. 29 (UPI) -- Newly released papers have revealed that in the mid-1970s, pandas were the center of political fervor in British-Chinese Cold War relations.

Hong Kong reopens markets to U.S. beef WASHINGTON, Dec. 29 (UPI) --

India gives nod for regional trade deal DHAKA, Bangladesh, Dec. 29 (UPI) --

Indian scientist killed in terror attack NEW DELHI, Dec. 29 (UPI) -- An Indian scientist was killed and five others wounded in a terror attack in southern Bangalore.

India, Sri Lanka discuss peace process NEW DELHI, Dec. 29 (UPI) -- India and Sri Lanka have agreed on the urgency of the resumption of peace talks with Tamil rebels.

S. Korea police chief quits over crackdown SEOUL, Dec. 29 (UPI) -- South Korea's policy chief resigned Thursday over a police crackdown that resulted in the deaths of two farmers.

No patient-specific stem cell in S. Korea SEOUL, Dec. 29 (UPI) -- South Korean investigators said Thursday scientist Hwang Woo-suk's claim of patient-specific stem cell creation was found to be another case of fraud.

N. Korean solider killed in car accident SEOUL, Dec. 29 (UPI) -- A North Korean soldier was killed when he was hit by a car driven by a South Korean near a mountain resort in the North, officials said Thursday.

U.K.: Calls for MI6 'abduction' inquiry By HANNAH K. STRANGE UPI U.K. Correspondent LONDON, Dec. 29 (UPI) --

Analysis: Another year without democracy By CLAUDE SALHANI UPI International Editor SAN DIEGO, Dec. 28 (UPI) --

Analysis: Corridors of Power - After Annan By ROLAND FLAMINI UPI Chief International Correspondent WASHINGTON, Dec. 29 (UPI) --

Analysis: India's promising year By KRISHNADEV CALAMUR WASHINGTON, Dec. 28 (UPI) -- India's future role on the global stage will depend on its relations with other nations and with its own disadvantaged citizens.

10 EU nations to miss Kyoto emissions goal By BRANDON THURNER WASHINGTON, Dec. 28 (UPI) -- Ten EU countries who have attacked the Bush administration's stance on global warming are failing to meet Kyoto Protocol targets for reducing emissions.

UPI Energy Watch By ANDREA R. MIHAILESCU UPI Energy Correspondent NEW YORK, Dec. 28 (UPI) -- The latest developments in the world of energy.

Israel establishes security strip in Gaza By JOSHUA BRILLIANT TEL AVIV, Israel, Dec. 28 (UPI) -- Israel Wednesday began enforcing a no-entry zone in the Gaza Strip to stop Palestinian militants from firing rockets and mortar bombs deep into its territory.

Analysis: Russia-Ukraine on the brink By PETER LAVELLE MOSCOW, Dec. 28 (UPI) -- Russia and Ukraine are facing a natural gas delivery crisis that could have serious international implications.

China's underground water polluted BEIJING, Dec. 28 (UPI) --

German economy enjoys Xmas boost By United Press International FRANKFURT, Germany, Dec. 28 (UPI) -- Germany's sluggish economy look set for a modest recovery next year after retailers reported improved Christmas sales, and a Deutsche Bank report found the car industry booming.

3 Britons kidnapped in Gaza GAZA, Dec. 28 (UPI) --

India asks U.S. to lift sanctions NEW DELHI, Dec. 28 (UPI) -- India Wednesday asked the United States to lift sanctions on two Indian firms penalized under the Iran non-proliferation act.

U.N. appoints German to Afghan post NEW YORK, Dec. 28 (UPI) -- Germany's top human rights official has been appointed head of the United Nations mission to Afghanistan, Secretary General Kofi Annan announced Wednesday.

General: 'Israel should deal with Hamas' By United Press International JERUSALEM, Dec. 28 (UPI) -- Israel should be prepared to accept a Hamas role in Palestinian government, since the PLO alone was never representative, says a senior Israeli military adviser.

Common Ground: On these Muslim streets By BILL GLUCROFT MILAN, Italy, Dec. 28 (UPI) --