Li Keqiang named China's new premier China's parliament installed bureaucrat Li Keqiang as premier Friday, putting him in charge of running the world's second-largest economy in a final step of a landmark power transition.
16 March 2013
Nordic women at home in the workplace A highly-educated woman who becomes a stay-at-home mum is a "complete waste" of a university degree, Danish Prime Minister Helle Thorning-Schmidt, herself a mother-of-two, lashed out in a British newspaper interview last year.
07 March 2013
Israel to delay settlement starts for Obama trip: report Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has banned settler housing tenders being issued for the West Bank and east Jerusalem when US President Barack Obama visits this month.
01 March 2013
Japan PM quotes Britain's Iron Lady on island dispute Japan's prime minister on Thursday quoted comments by former British premier Margaret Thatcher about the Falklands War as he spoke about Tokyo's acrimonious islands dispute with China.
28 February 2013
Obama, Japan PM firm on N.Korea, measured on China US President Barack Obama on Friday pledged with Japan's new leader to take a firm line on a defiant North Korea but the two sides also tried to calm rising tensions between Tokyo and China.
23 February 2013
Alliance in focus as Japan PM meets Obama Japan's new premier Shinzo Abe will meet US President Barack Obama this week for the first time since taking power, seeking to breathe new life into a key alliance at a time of heightened tensions across Asia.
Britain's Cameron stands firm in EU budget battle Prime Minister David Cameron stood firm on his demand for further cuts in the EU budget on Friday, despite coming under pressure over his pledge to hold a referendum on Britain's membership of the bloc.
08 February 2013
Cambodia's king is dead, long live the PM He towered over his kingdom through tumultuous decades. Yet when Cambodia's "king father" Norodom Sihanouk finally ceded power.
07 February 2013
Damaged by scandal, Spain PM holds on Spain's Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy will keep his job despite being named in a corruption scandal, but the affair leaves him weakened as he tries to steer Spain out of a deep economic crisis.
06 February 2013
Taiwan premier resigns over flagging economy Taiwanese Premier Sean Chen said Friday he has stepped down for health reasons, after the cabinet he heads came under fire for its poor handling of the economy.
01 February 2013
Japan PM says to change post-war constitution Japan's hawkish Prime Minister Shinzo Abe told parliament Thursday that he intends to change the country's post-World War II constitution, lowering the bar for further amendments.
01 February 2013
Change in Israel needed for peace talks: Palestinians The Palestine Liberation Organisation said Tuesday that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu would have to drastically change tack if peace talks were to resume.
Netanyahu wins but weakened by centrist newcomer Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is expected to remain in power despite the poor showing by his Likud-Beitenu list, which will push him into an alliance with the centrist Yesh Atid, the surprise winner of Tuesday's vote.
24 January 2013
Israelis vote in elections seen swinging to the right Polls opened on Tuesday in Israel's general election, which is expected to return Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to power at the head of a government of hardline right-wing and religious parties.
22 January 2013
British PM gambles with risky Europe speech British Prime Minister David Cameron gives a long-awaited speech in the Netherlands on Friday that could push his country towards the European exit door and put his own position at risk.
17 January 2013
Native leaders meet with Canada PM amid protests Indigenous Canadians marched on the capital and other major cities Friday threatening to bring the economy "to its knees" as their leaders met with officials to try to resolve a row over extreme poverty on reserves.
13 January 2013
Japan PM Abe wants new nuclear reactors: reports Japan's new prime minister Shinzo Abe has voiced his willingness to build new nuclear reactors, reports said Monday, despite widespread public opposition to atomic energy in light of the Fukushima crisis.
01 January 2013
Vatican backs Monti, the anti-Berlusconi The Vatican has thrown its weight behind outgoing prime minister Mario Monti, ditching the scandal-hit Silvio Berlusconi in favour of a practising Catholic they hope may lead Italy after February's general election.