Former Woodside advisor Australia's new resources minister
Australia's new Resources and Energy Minister Gary Gray on Monday denied there would be any conflict of interest stemming from his previous job as an advisor to oil and gas giant Woodside.
Capriles: Venezuela campaign a war of good vs evil
Venezuelan opposition candidate Henrique Capriles raised the rhetorical stakes Sunday, casting his campaign against interim president Nicolas Maduro as a spiritual struggle of good versus evil.
Obama sets off for Israel charm offensive
Barack Obama was on his way to Israel Wednesday for the first time as US president, hoping to ease past tensions with his hosts and under pressure to narrow differences over handling Iran's nuclear threat.
China's Xi tells US Treasury chief of 'shared interests'
Beijing and Washington have "enormous shared interests", China's new President Xi Jinping told the US Treasury chief on Tuesday in his first major diplomatic encounter since taking office.
Maduro wants US help to stop plot to kill Capriles
Venezuela's acting President Nicolas Maduro urged US President Barack Obama on Sunday to halt an alleged plot to kill opposition leader Henrique Capriles ahead of the April 14 presidential vote.
Leader of Malaysia incursion has fled: reports
The leader of a band of Filipino militants whose incursion in Malaysia has left scores dead has reportedly fled even as his own family insist he is still in the country.
Yemen to launch tough talks on reconciliation
Yemen, the only country where an Arab Spring revolt led to a negotiated settlement, is to launch a UN-backed national dialogue on Monday aimed at drawing the state's divisive players towards a reconciliation.
All aboard as Maduro takes the wheel in election stunt
Venezuela's acting president Nicolas Maduro got behind the wheel of a public bus -- his former job -- as he vowed to steer the country into a socialist future after the death of Hugo Chavez.
Afghanistan's Karzai out to prove he is no US puppet
As he contemplates retirement next year, Afghan President Hamid Karzai appears to have one over-riding ambition -- to ensure that his people do not remember him as a puppet of the United States.
Malta's opposition Labour party wins elections
Malta's opposition Labour party has won a general election for the first time in over 15 years, with leader Joseph Muscat claiming a "landslide victory" Sunday in the eurozone's smallest member.
Rivals trade barbs as race to succeed Chavez starts
Venezuela entered a bitter election race to succeed Hugo Chavez on Sunday, with his chosen successor branding his challenger a "fascist" after the opposition candidate accused him of lying about the late leader's death.
Chavez political heir takes over after rousing funeral
Venezuela's Nicolas Maduro took over as acting president late Friday in a ceremony rejected by the opposition after a tearful farewell to Hugo Chavez during a rousing state funeral for the firebrand leftist.
Iran's Ahmadinejad mourns 'martyr' Chavez
Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad paid tribute to late Venezuelan leader Hugo Chavez on Wednesday saying he had fallen "martyr" to a "suspect illness".
Venezuela-US ties unlikely to thaw soon: experts
The US has long hoped that a post-Chavez era could herald a new era in ties with Venezuela, but allegations of a US plot to kill the leftist leader show any rapprochement is still far off.
LatAm leaders mourn Chavez, US urges improved ties
Latin America mourned the death of Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez on Tuesday as the United States expressed hope his passing would lead to improved relations with the oil-rich state.
Chavez breathing woes worsen: govt
Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez is suffering from a "new and severe" infection that has worsened his breathing as he undergoes intensive chemotherapy.
Opposition march demands 'truth' about Chavez health
Hundreds of opposition protesters marched in Caracas on Sunday, chanting "we want the truth" as they demanded that the government reveal more about the health of cancer-stricken President Hugo Chavez.
Jackie Chan's China appointment draws Hong Kong ire
Hong Kong action star Jackie Chan this week joins China's top political advisory body in a move analysts say highlights Beijing's growing "soft power" efforts to project unity between itself and the former British colony.
Top Cuban dissidents launch opposition coalition
Top Cuban dissidents Guillermo Farinas and Jose Daniel Ferrer joined forces Wednesday to create a more powerful opposition as Raul Castro celebrates his re-election to lead the Communist-run island.
Italian leftist leader seeks way out of deadlock
Italian leftist leader Pier Luigi Bersani admitted Tuesday he had "come first but not won" key elections and asked parties to help him push through reforms amid a political deadlock that sent markets tumbling.