Japan summons China envoy for first time under PM Abe Tokyo summoned the Chinese ambassador Tuesday for the first time under the new nationalist government to "strongly protest" against the presence of official ships in waters around disputed islands.
08 January 2013 11:31
US politician hopes for 'positive' Pyongyang trip Former US governor Bill Richardson said Friday he hopes to assess what is happening in North Korea under its new leader Kim Jong-Un during what he hopes will be a "positive" visit.
06 January 2013 18:11
Venezuela assembly meets amid Chavez health crisis Venezuela's National Assembly meets Saturday to elect its leadership in a session that also is expected to thrash out the country's political future as President Hugo Chavez battles cancer in Cuba.
06 January 2013 17:19
Syria's Alawite area Assad's last resort: analysts The last option for Syria's President Bashar al-Assad, who is determined not to back down after 21 months of deadly conflict, is to battle to the end from a fortified Alawite statelet, analysts believe.
06 January 2013 12:34
Fresh start for Congress, but fiscal battles loom again With nearly 100 new members, the US Congress convened Thursday fresh from the year-end "fiscal cliff" fiasco, as lawmakers cast a wary eye towards the tough budget battles ahead.
04 January 2013 12:10
Talks stall as fiscal cliff looms Two days of last-gasp talks produced no deal Sunday between US political leaders struggling to averting a fiscal calamity due to hit the American and world economy within hours.
31 December 2012 12:15
Obama signs law against Iran's influence in Latin America President Barack Obama enacted a law Friday to counter Iran's alleged influence in Latin America, through a new diplomatic and political strategy to be designed by the State Department.
Abbas warns of disbanding PA if no peace talks Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas warned Thursday that he would disband his Palestinian Authority if there was no Israeli movement toward renewing peace talks after Israel's elections on January 22.
29 December 2012 15:57
Egypt adopts new constitution as opposition cries foul Egypt's electoral commission confirmed on Tuesday that a controversial, Islamist-backed constitution was passed by 64 percent of voters, rejecting opposition allegations of polling fraud.
26 December 2012 18:35
Hawkish Abe to be named Japan's next prime minister Japan's conservative leader Shinzo Abe is to be named as the country's new prime minister Wednesday, after he swept to power on a hawkish platform of getting tough on diplomacy while fixing the economy.
26 December 2012 16:52
Son of late icon Kennedy rules out US Senate run A son of late political icon Edward Kennedy said Monday he will not run for the US Senate in Massachusetts -- the same state his father represented for nearly five decades -- US media reported.
2012 an 'extraordinary year' for Britain: PM Prime Minister David Cameron said 2012 has been an "extraordinary year" for Britain in which the country "showed the world what we're made of" with the London Games and Queen Elizabeth II's diamond jubilee.
24 December 2012 13:33
Egypt opposition to appeal vote passing new constitution Egypt's opposition said on Sunday it will appeal a referendum seen as voting in a new constitution backed by ruling Islamists, and vowed to keep up a struggle that has spawned weeks of protests and instability.
24 December 2012 12:31
Italy election campaign kicks off as Monti quits Italy's election campaign kicked off in earnest on Saturday after Prime Minister Mario Monti's resignation opened the way for a contest dominated by a raging debate over austerity in the recession-hit country.
24 December 2012 11:22
Japan's incoming PM pledges to mend ties with China Japan's incoming premier Saturday pledged to seek a thaw in ties with China after a report said he will send a special envoy on a fence-mending mission to Beijing.
Russia negotiates union with ex-Soviet statesRussia sought Wednesday to expand its influence over former territories during integration talks that Washington has cast as a bid to "re-Sovietise" the region.
20 December 2012 10:32
'You need me': Berlusconi on new election run Italy's indefatigable former prime minister Silvio Berlusconi appeared on television Tuesday for the third time in as many days to vow a return to political life.
