Author: RT

Syria's constitutional committee meets for 1st time at UN Geneva HQ Syria’s Constitutional Committee, composed of government and opposition members, met for the first time on Wednesday in the first step on what the United Nations described as “a long road to political reconciliation.” The 150-member body held an opening ceremony in a gilded hall of the UN European headquarters in Geneva, Reuters reports. The meeting was convened by UN special envoy Geir Pedersen with the backing of major powers. “This is a historic moment,” Pedersen told the gathering. The committee is beginning its work as the Syrian government has recently consolidated its military control on the ground. Syria's constitutional committee meets for 1st time at UN Geneva HQ Source: RT...

US envoy wraps up visit to Pakistan as Afghan’s govt hardens stance on Taliban talks US envoy Zalmay Khalilzad, who is trying to resume peace talks on ending Afghanistan’s 18-year war, has wrapped up his visit to Pakistan. The US Embassy said on Wednesday that Khalilzad had discussed the “Afghan peace process” with Pakistan’s top officials. This comes as the Afghan government set new conditions for talks with the insurgents and appeared to shed a previously conciliatory stand toward Pakistan, AP reported. Hamdullah Mohib, Afghan President Ashraf Ghani’s security adviser, said on Tuesday that Kabul wants Pakistan to not incite the conflict in Afghanistan and aid the Taliban. He also said Kabul insists on a one-month ceasefire as precondition for talks with the Taliban. Khalilza...

Little Russian engine that could: Villager spends decade building own railway, complete with steampunky locomotive (VIDEO) This little engine may look rusty and rugged, but it probably choo-choos ‘I can, I can’ when it runs around the tiny private railway line built by this enthusiast in Russia. Pavel Chilin started building a narrow-gauge railroad on his land over a decade ago, initially as part a hobby project and part a purely utilitarian undertaking: carting things around seemed easier than carrying them. A few years into it, he decided it made sense to complement the railway with an actual engine. It took eight years, lots of metal scraps and help from fellow tinkerer Sergey Trekhov to complete, but now it’s up and running. via GI...