Russian punk band Pussy Riot, Iran's film-maker Jafar Panahi and rights lawyer Nasrin Sotoudeh, and Belarus dissident Ales Beliatsky were put on a final shortlist for the European Parliament's Sakharov rights priz.
Three people were dead and 13 missing Monday after a boat carrying illegal immigrants capsized in the Indian Ocean off the French overseas territory of Mayotte.
Russia and Kazakhstan are implementing perspective projects on the use of Baikonur cosmodrome, including creation of Baiterek joint launching facility.
Imran Khan, Pakistan's cricket hero turned politician, failed to reach the tribal badlands on a much-hyped march but did succeed in lighting up the political stage once more.
The IMF slashed its global growth forecast and warned things could get much worse if the eurozone crisis is not quelled and Washington fails to reverse the looming "fiscal cliff" austerity plan.
North Korea said Tuesday it possessed rockets capable of striking the US mainland, as it slammed a new US-South Korean deal to extend the range of the South's missile systems.
Kazakhstan convicted an opposition leader of inciting an attempted coup against President Nursultan Nazarbayev and sentenced him to seven-and-a-half years in a penal colony.
A Kazakh artist is aiming to smash the record for the country's largest painting with a gigantic Soviet-style canvas depicting its long-serving leader surrounded by white doves and a rainbow.
Hugo Chavez pledged to become a "better president" and work with the opposition after winning a tough re-election battle that betrayed simmering discontent at his socialist revolution.
