An Iranian semi-official news agency says the country has started building a $10 billion natural gas pipeline to Syria as part of efforts to boost its energy sector that has been battered by international sanctions.

Monday's report by the Fars news agency says the 1,500 kilometer (750 mile) pipeline will pass through Iraq before reaching Syria. It says Iran begun construction of the first phase of the project involving a 225 kilometer (140 mile) stretch at an estimated cost of $3 billion.

Officially at least, America still calls this Southeast Asian nation Burma, the favored appellation of dissidents and pro-democracy activists who opposed the former military junta's move to summarily change its name 23 years ago.

President Barack Obama used that name during his historic visit Monday, but he also called Burma what its government and many other people have been calling it for years: Myanmar.

An investment fund run by Qatar's government says it will team with an Italian holding company to channel up to €2 billion ($2.5 billion) to traditional Italian industries, including fashion, food and furniture design.

Monday's announcement of the four-year deal comes during a visit to Qatar by Italian Premier Mario Monti. It lists no specific companies for the new investments, but it deepens Italy's commercial links for Qatar, which already controls the Italian fashion house Valentino.

The United Nations says that Sudan has launched a massive vaccination campaign to immunize 2.4 million people against an outbreak of yellow fever in the restive region of Darfur.

The Monday statement from the U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs says Khartoum's Health Ministry received an initial shipment of 800,000 doses of vaccine on Friday.

The city of Rome unveiled a revamped statue of Pope John Paul II on Monday after the first one was pilloried by the public and the Vatican.

Artist Oliviero Rainaldi said he was pleased with the final product, saying it matched his original vision. He blamed workers for a botched assemblage the first time around.

Novak Djokovic and former three-time French Open champion Gustavo Kuerten both scored in a charity football game played before a Brazilian league match in Rio de Janeiro on Sunday.

The exhibition was organized by Djokovic's Serbian countryman, Dejan Petkovic, who starred for several Brazilian clubs in the past decade.

Humbled by Celtic in the latest shock result in the Champions League, Barcelona travels to Russia this week as the competition favorites attempt for the second time to seal a place in the knockout stage.

The Champions League has thrown up a string of unpredictable scorelines this season and none bigger than Barca's 2-1 loss in Glasgow two weeks ago, preventing the Spanish giants joining FC Porto, Malaga and Manchester United in the last 16 with two games to spare.

The revitalized Los Angeles Lakers ran past the Houston Rockets 119-108 on Sunday for their fourth victory in five games since firing coach Mike Brown.

Kobe Bryant had 22 points, 11 rebounds and 11 assists for his 18th career triple-double, Dwight Howard had 28 points and 13 rebounds, and Pau Gasol scored his 15,000th career point as the Lakers ran away from their second straight opponent since coach Mike D'Antoni took over their practices.

It's a job for two when the Czechs win Davis Cup finals.

Tomas Berdych and Radek Stepanek gave the Czech Republic the title for the first time as an independent nation by beating Spain 3-2 in the final on Sunday. Each spent about 10 grueling hours on court, playing the opening singles, teaming up for the doubles and then completing the reverse singles.

In a historic trip to a long shunned land, President Barack Obama on Monday showered praise and promises of more U.S. help to Myanmar if the Asian nation keeps building its new democracy. "Our goal is to sustain the momentum," he declared with pride as the first U.S. president to visit here.

Tens of thousands of people lined the streets as Obama packed in diplomacy and soaked in his steamy surroundings. He shared words and an affectionate hug with the Aung San Suu Kyi, the democracy activist who endured years of house arrest to gain freedom and become a lawmaker.