Chemical Arsenal

Russia's defence ministry said on Wednesday that a poisonous gas contamination in the Syrian town of Khan Sheikhoun was the result of gas leaking from a rebel chemical weapons depot after it was hit by Syrian government air strikes.

Chemicals from industrial toxins and pesticides in the soil contaminate the rice that is endangering the health of millions of people.

Libya has shipped the last of its chemical weapons stocks out of the country, officials said today, under a UN-backed plan to ensure the arsenal could not fall into the wrong hands.

Syria's declared chemical arms arsenal has been completely destroyed capping more than two years of delicate work, the global watchdog charged with eliminating the world's toxic weapons said today.

The spokesman for Ukraine's President has upbraided the country's Interior Minister and the Odessa Governor for a water-throwing and insult-laced clash during a meeting of the National Reform Council.

US container ship Cape Ray began neutralizing chemical materials on Monday that were once part of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's weapons arsenal, the Pentagon said.

The southern Italian port of Gioia Tauro stepped up security measures on Saturday ahead of the final transfer of Syria's chemical weapons arsenal next week.

Inspectors overseeing the destruction of Syria's chemical weapons arsenal have asked President Bashar al-Assad's government to clarify disparities in its original declaration on its cache of toxic gas, U.N. diplomats said on Wednesday.

Syria is starting to relinquish the remaining stockpile of materials from its chemical weapons arsenal after months of delay it blamed on security concerns, the Pentagon said on Tuesday.

Even after it surrenders 100 percent of its chemical weapons, Syria will have to take additional steps before achieving full compliance with commitments it made to eliminate its arsenal, the State Department's top arms control official said Friday.

Insecurity in war-torn Syria is hampering the final stages of work to dismantle its chemical weapons arsenal, the UN official overseeing the task told reporters on Thursday.

Syria still holds nearly eight percent of its chemical weapons arsenal as the deadline expired Sunday for it to be handed over, the task force charged with the operation said.

Syria shipped out a third consignment of chemical weapons materials on Monday and has also destroyed some materials on its territory, the international mission overseeing the elimination of its chemical arsenal said.

The head of an international chemical weapons mission in Syria said on Thursday she did not believe the Syrian government was intentionally delaying the removal of its arsenal, but that accelerated cooperation was vital to meet a June 30 deadline.

Syria has given up less than five percent of its chemical weapons arsenal and will miss next week's deadline to send all toxic agents abroad for destruction, sources familiar with the matter said on Wednesday.

Russia's defence ministry said on Wednesday that a poisonous gas contamination in the Syrian town of Khan Sheikhoun was the result of gas leaking from a rebel chemical weapons depot after it was hit by Syrian government air strikes.

Chemicals from industrial toxins and pesticides in the soil contaminate the rice that is endangering the health of millions of people.

Libya has shipped the last of its chemical weapons stocks out of the country, officials said today, under a UN-backed plan to ensure the arsenal could not fall into the wrong hands.

Syria's declared chemical arms arsenal has been completely destroyed capping more than two years of delicate work, the global watchdog charged with eliminating the world's toxic weapons said today.

The spokesman for Ukraine's President has upbraided the country's Interior Minister and the Odessa Governor for a water-throwing and insult-laced clash during a meeting of the National Reform Council.

US container ship Cape Ray began neutralizing chemical materials on Monday that were once part of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's weapons arsenal, the Pentagon said.

The southern Italian port of Gioia Tauro stepped up security measures on Saturday ahead of the final transfer of Syria's chemical weapons arsenal next week.

Inspectors overseeing the destruction of Syria's chemical weapons arsenal have asked President Bashar al-Assad's government to clarify disparities in its original declaration on its cache of toxic gas, U.N. diplomats said on Wednesday.

Syria is starting to relinquish the remaining stockpile of materials from its chemical weapons arsenal after months of delay it blamed on security concerns, the Pentagon said on Tuesday.

Even after it surrenders 100 percent of its chemical weapons, Syria will have to take additional steps before achieving full compliance with commitments it made to eliminate its arsenal, the State Department's top arms control official said Friday.

Insecurity in war-torn Syria is hampering the final stages of work to dismantle its chemical weapons arsenal, the UN official overseeing the task told reporters on Thursday.

Syria still holds nearly eight percent of its chemical weapons arsenal as the deadline expired Sunday for it to be handed over, the task force charged with the operation said.

Syria shipped out a third consignment of chemical weapons materials on Monday and has also destroyed some materials on its territory, the international mission overseeing the elimination of its chemical arsenal said.

The head of an international chemical weapons mission in Syria said on Thursday she did not believe the Syrian government was intentionally delaying the removal of its arsenal, but that accelerated cooperation was vital to meet a June 30 deadline.

Syria has given up less than five percent of its chemical weapons arsenal and will miss next week's deadline to send all toxic agents abroad for destruction, sources familiar with the matter said on Wednesday.