site.news_by_theme politics
Japan's Abe appoints first ever female PM aide
Japan's Shinzo Abe on Friday named the country's first ever female aide to the prime minister, just weeks after Caroline Kennedy arrived as the first woman US ambassador to Tokyo.
29 November 2013
Fireworks at world's tallest tower as Dubai wins Expo 2020
Dubai beat off opposition from Brazil, Russia and Turkey on Wednesday to win the right to host the 2020 World Expo, sparking celebrations in the Gulf city and a stunning fireworks display at the world's tallest building.
29 November 2013
I'm no saint or icon, says Myanmar's Suu Kyi
Myanmar opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi on Thursday insisted she was no saint and no icon, saying she disliked the titles and had always seen herself as an honest politician.
28 November 2013
Summit to spotlight EU-Russia row over Soviet-era states
An EU summit designed to draw six ex-Soviet states to the West opens with its ambitions dented Thursday after Ukraine, the biggest of the six, caved into Moscow to hand Europe a mighty "Nyet".
28 November 2013
Hernandez declared winner of disputed Honduras vote
The head of Honduras' electoral tribunal on Wednesday declared conservative Juan Orlando Hernandez the winner of the presidential poll, amid allegations of vote-rigging from the losing leftist candidate.
28 November 2013
Syria regime, opponents dig in ahead of talks
Damascus vowed to keep fighting "terrorism" and the opposition insisted President Bashar al-Assad must go, as both sides dug in Tuesday after a date for long-planned peace talks was set.
27 November 2013
Angela Merkel sends friendly regards to Nursultan Nazarbayev
German Chancellor Angela Merkel has sent her friendly regards to Kazakhstan President Nursultan Nazarbayev.
26 November 2013
Tymoshenko goes on hunger strike in support of pro-EU protests
Jailed Ukrainian opposition leader Yulia Tymoshenko went on a hunger strike Tuesday in solidarity with thousands of pro-European protesters outraged with the ex-Soviet state's shock decision to scrap a key EU pact.
26 November 2013
Scotland to make case for independence
The Scottish government on Tuesday unveils its legal argument for independence from the United Kingdom, but nationalist leaders face an uphill battle in convincing voters to end the 300-year union.
26 November 2013
Japanese airlines say will obey China's air zone rules
Japanese airlines on Tuesday said they would follow rules set by China when it declared an air control zone over the East China Sea, even as Tokyo said they should ignore them.
26 November 2013
Vote looms to expel Italy's Berlusconi from parliament
Italy's Silvio Berlusconi is in for a tumultuous week that will likely see him booted out of parliament and shift into opposition to a government where he is still formally a coalition partner.
25 November 2013
Iran deal stirs history for Obama, suspicion for foes
For US President Barack Obama, the interim deal to cap Iran's nuclear program is a belated down payment on the transformative foreign policy he always envisioned.
25 November 2013
World powers, Iran clinch 'historic' nuclear deal
World leaders hailed Sunday a "historic" nuclear deal with Iran as a triumph for diplomacy, but cautioned the hard work was just starting to keep Tehran from building a bomb.
25 November 2013
UN watchdog demands Uzbekistan halt use of torture
Uzbekistan must halt its routine use of torture and cease reprisals against human rights campaigners who expose state abuses, United Nations monitors said Friday.
24 November 2013
China creates air defence zone over Japan-controlled islands
Beijing on Saturday announced it was setting up an "air defence identification zone" over an area that includes islands controlled by Japan but claimed by China, in a move that could inflame the bitter territorial row.
24 November 2013
Race for Arctic resources must be conflict-free: Pentagon
Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel said Friday the United States will assert its sovereignty in the rapidly thawing Arctic but called on countries to work together to avoid conflict over the untapped frontier.
23 November 2013
US marks 50th anniversary of JFK assassination
With flags fluttering at half-staff, the United States paused Friday to mourn President John F. Kennedy and a generation's shattered dreams, cut down 50 years ago by an assassin's bullet.
23 November 2013
Obama praises leadership of Morocco's Mohammed VI
President Barack Obama praised the "leadership" of Morocco's King Mohammed VI on Friday after holding wide-ranging talks with the North African monarch for the first time at the White House.
23 November 2013