January 10, 2012
North Korea to Pardon Prisoners to Mark Kims’ Birthdays
North Korea plans to pardon an unspecified number of convicts next month to mark the upcoming milestone birthdays of its two late leaders, Kim Jong Il and Kim Il Sung. The official Korean Central News Agency said Tuesday the amnesty would begin…
January 10, 2012
Syria’s Assad blames ‘foreign conspiracy’
Syrian President Bashar al-Assad has blamed a foreign conspiracy for trying to destabilise Syria. He said the "external conspiracy is clear to everybody", as protests continue against his rule. In his first public remarks for months, he said:…
January 9, 2012
Malaysian Court Acquits Anwar of Sodomy
Malaysia's high court has acquitted opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim of charges of sodomy. The judge ruled Monday that the DNA used by prosecutors as evidence was unreliable. The judge also said there was not enough corroborating evidence proving…
January 9, 2012
Republican debate: Mitt Romney under fire
US Republican front-runner Mitt Romney has come under fire from fellow contenders ahead of Tuesday's primary vote in the state of New Hampshire. At a nationally televised debate on Sunday, the former Massachusetts governor's economic programme…
January 9, 2012
South Korean President to Visit China
South Korean President Lee Myung-bak arrives in Beijing Monday for an official visit that will focus on the North Korean leadership transition following the death last month of longtime President Kim Jong-Il. During his three-day stay, Mr. Lee is…
January 9, 2012
Ahmadinejad Begins Visit to Latin America
Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has started a five-day Latin American tour that U.S. officials have called a sign of desperation for the country heavily sanctioned over its controversial nuclear program. Mr. Ahmadinejad arrived Sunday…
January 9, 2012
Protests, Repression to Continue in Middle East in 2012
The international human rights group Amnesty International has warned of another year of protests and government repression in the Middle East and North Africa, if the region's rulers do not ensure democratic and human rights for their people. In…
January 8, 2012
Obama strengthens military in Asia-Pacific
US President Barack Obama has unveiled a defence strategy to expand the country’s military presence in the Asia-Pacific region amid defence cuts. It’s a time of transition for the world’s largest military power. To cope with budget cuts and…
January 8, 2012
Russian warships heading for Syria
The Russian Navy's warships patrolling the eastern Mediterranean Sea were heading for a Syrian port, the state-owned Itar-Tass news agency reported on Friday. The warships were scheduled to arrive in Tartus, a point of logistics supplies of the…
January 8, 2012
Pro-Democracy Demonstrators Rally in Bahrain
Hundreds of pro-democracy demonstrators in Bahrain gathered Saturday in the capital, Manama, for a protest led by the Shi'ite-led opposition, defying a government ban. The demonstration was organized by opposition groups led by Al Wefaq, a leader…