Pope says condoms sometimes permissible to stop AIDS

VATICAN CITY (Reuters) – Using condoms may sometimes be justified to stop the spread of AIDS, Pope Benedict says in a new book, in surprise comments that relax one of the Vatican's most controversial positions.<

Rescue efforts at NZ mine face further delay

GREYMOUTH, New Zealand (Reuters) – Efforts to rescue 29 men trapped in a New Zealand coal mine faced more agonizing delays on Sunday when authorities said they needed to drill a new shaft to test air quality because toxic gases made it too dangerous for rescue teams go in.<

Colombia says apparently kills senior leftist rebel

BOGOTA (Reuters) – Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos said on Saturday that security forces apparently killed a senior commander of the leftist FARC guerrillas who is wanted by the United States.<

Few Afghans know reason for war, new study shows

KABUL (Reuters) – Afghans in two crucial southern provinces are almost completely unaware of the September 11 attacks on the United States and don't know they precipitated the foreign intervention now in its 10th year, a new report showed on Friday.<

Germany raises security alert after attack warnings

BERLIN (Reuters) – Germany said on Wednesday it had strong evidence Islamist militants were planning attacks in the next two weeks and ordered security at potential targets such as train stations and airports to be tightened.

Interior Minister Thomas de Maiziere said details of the plot emerged after parcel bombs were dispatched from Yemen to U.S.