Switzerland

Attack disrupts Syria peace talks

GENEVA — A deadly terrorist attack in central Syria on Saturday threatened to thwart efforts to wrest a political solution at peace talks in Geneva, with the UN mediator decrying ‘‘spoilers’’ who try to derail the efforts to end the country’s disastrous six-year war. The government’s envoy demanded a firm condemnation from all opposition groups of the synchronized attacks by insurgents on security offices in Homs that left dozens dead, while the opposition retorted that it has long denounced terrorism — even suggesting it may have been an inside job. The talks are the first under UN mediation in 10 months and build upon a fragile, repeatedly violated cease-fire that was wrested by Russia and Turkey. (AP)

Malaysia

Airport declared free of nerve agent

KUALA LUMPUR — Malaysia’s health minister said Sunday that autopsy results suggested a nerve agent caused ‘‘very serious paralysis’’ that killed the exiled half brother of North Korea’s leader, as police completed a sweep of the budget terminal where he was poisoned and declared it safe of any toxin. The investigation has unleashed a serious diplomatic fight between Malaysia and North Korea, a prime suspect in the Feb. 13 killing of Kim Jong Nam at Kuala Lumpur’s airport. (AP)

Germany

Germany spied on media outlets

BERLIN — Germany’s foreign intelligence service apparently spied on the phones, faxes, or e-mails of several foreign news organizations, including The New York Times, the British Broadcasting Corp., and Reuters, the German newsmagazine Der Spiegel reported Saturday. Der Spiegel said that it saw a list that indicated that the German intelligence service, the BND, had monitored at least 50 phone numbers, fax numbers, and e-mail addresses beginning in 1999. One number was listed for The New York Times in Afghanistan. Others monitored by the BND included Reuters offices in Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Nigeria, Der Spiegel reported. The surveillance targets also included news agencies in Kuwait, Lebanon, and India. (New York Times)