Japan asks WTO to intervene on S.Korean atomic fish ban
Japan has asked the World Trade Organisation to step into a row over Seoul's import ban on fish caught in waters near the crippled Fukushima nuclear plant, officials said Tuesday.
Australian PM in travel expenses furore
Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott was embroiled in a spiralling travel expenses scandal Tuesday as he defended his use of taxpayer money to take part in an ironman competition and other events.
08 October 2013
Default fears fuel angst in shutdown Washington
The "unthinkable" threat of a US default weighed on Washington Monday, as a standoff over raising the government debt ceiling drowned out angst over a week-long government shutdown.
08 October 2013
Canada threatens to pull Commonwealth funding
Canada's Prime Minister Stephen Harper has threatened to withdraw funding for the Commonwealth in an escalating row over rights abuses by Sri Lanka ahead of a summit next month.
08 October 2013
APEC leaders meet in shadow of US shutdown
Asia-Pacific leaders opened an annual economic summit on Monday in the shadow of global growth clouds that are darkening by the day as the United States struggles to shake off policy paralysis.
Azerbaijan cracks down on critics ahead of polls
Sakina Gurbanova says her son is facing 12 years in prison for daring to challenge Azerbaijan's government ahead of upcoming presidential elections in the tightly controlled ex-Soviet state.
07 October 2013
TENGRI LIFE
TENGRI TRAVEL
Kerry says Syrian chemical arms drive is to Assad's 'credit'
US Secretary of State John Kerry said Syrian leader Bashar al-Assad could take "credit" for quickly starting the process of destroying his regime's chemical weapons arsenal and thanked Russia for its help.
Ireland votes on scrapping upper house of parliament
Cash-strapped Ireland voted in a referendum on Friday on whether to back Prime Minister Enda Kenny's controversial proposals to abolish the upper house of parliament.
07 October 2013
Brazil environment icon to decide on presidential bid
The political future of former former Brazilian presidential candidate Marina Silva was unclear Friday after she failed to gather enough signatures to register her new party for next year's elections.
06 October 2013
Ireland set to vote on abolishing upper house of parliament
Ireland votes on Friday on whether to abolish its upper house of parliament, a historic move that Prime Minister Enda Kenny argues will save money but which critics say is a power grab.
04 October 2013
N. Korea warns 'imbecile' Park of confrontation
North Korea's top military body lashed out Friday at South Korean President Park Geun-Hye, warning that she was leading the Korean peninsula back into confrontation.
04 October 2013
Gambia pulls out of Commonwealth
The Gambian government announced Wednesday that the former British colony is pulling out of the Commonwealth with immediate effect, saying it would "never be a member of any neo-colonial institution".
04 October 2013
Maduro probes purported US involvement in Air France drug cache
Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro said Wednesday he was investigating whether US drug enforcement agents were involved in a huge cocaine drug bust as part of a plot to brand Venezuela a "narco state."
White House talks fail to end government shutdown
Talks between an exasperated President Barack Obama and top Republicans failed to end a government shutdown, with both sides accusing the other of refusing to negotiate.