Madrid is bidding for a third consecutive time, Tokyo a second time in a row and Istanbul a fifth time overall.

In a further sign of the crisis, the oil ministry has stopped selling fuel to some airlines over unpaid bills.

Hagel and Brennan, in separate Senate confirmation hearings, will face sharp questions on a range of contentious issues.

A statement said the incident was under investigation and released no further details. U.S. officials in Washington.

Sony Corp is considering the sale of its battery business but has made no decision yet, Chief Executive Kazuo Hirai said.

Wildfires have razed 20,000 hectares (50,000 acres) of forests and farmland across southern Tasmania since Friday.

Bashar Assad appeared confident and relaxed in a one-hour speech — his first public address in six months.

Europe’s main stock markets fell on Monday, January 7 as investors took profits from big gains last week.

Experts quoted by Russian media believe a shortage of mountain hares has caused the migration of hungry wolves.

The creature is thought to be the genesis of the Nordic legend of Kraken, a sea monster believed to have attacked ships.

If confirmed, Brennan will replace Gen David Petraeus, who resigned last year after admitting to an affair.

The agreement covers a current slate of eight Warner Bros. shows and potential future shows, the companies said.

Le Jardin was taken from the Museum of Modern Art in Stockholm during a robbery in the early hours of 11 May, 1987.

The highway linking Russia to Georgia has been blocked for any transportation means due to heavy snowfall.

Syrian opposition has reported that the extremist al-Nusra Front has taken part in some of the fighting in Syria.

Families could be entitled to claim up to £2,000 per child every year from their tax bills to cover the cost of childminders.

With Iran’s economy reeling from previous sanctions, the new measures are intended to deliver blows against key industries.

A petition has launched on Obama administration web page, urging Turkey to open the border with Armenia.

Critics say the camps, which fall outside of the formal prison system, are often misused to persecute government dissidents.

The drama depicts an ageing couple’s attempts to cope when one of them is struck down with a debilitating illness.

The applications for appointment of the district election commission members must be submitted to CEC from January 19-24.

U.S. officials have criticized the four-day trip. North Korea on Dec. 12 fired a satellite into space using a long-range rocket.

U.S. Secretary of State suffered a series of ailments over the last month, including a stomach virus and a concussion.

Peter Jackson’s return to Middle Earth has so far taken $263.8m (£164m) in the U.S., and about $825m (£514m) globally.

The system will enable drivers who avoided insured accidents within 270 days prior to January 1 to get 3% discounts.

Floods caused damages to thousands of houses and public facilities with waters up to two meters deep in some areas.

No deaths have been reported in the fires, which broke out on Thursday, January 3 on the island’s south coast.

70 people had been arrested, including a 38-year-old man detained on suspicion of attempted murder over the shooting.

Salehi urged world and regional powers to support attempts to end the crisis through a “Syrian solution”.

The row was sparked last week when the paper’s New Year message was rewritten to become a Communist Party tribute.