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Syria activists call protests as bomb kills 10

Syrian activists protested against Bashar al-Assad on Friday, saying the Syrian president will be defeated, as a bomb the government blamed on terrorists killed 10 security personnel. The latest violence... Full story

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Egyptians rally against military rule

Thousands of people rallied in Cairo’s Tahrir Square on Friday to protest against the ruling military and hold-overs from the regime of former president Hosni Mubarak’s. The demonstration comes ahead... Full story

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China beefs up presence in disputed waters

A large patrol ship arrived on Friday in disputed waters off the coast of the Philippines, China’s state media said, beefing up Beijing’s presence in a tense 10-day stand-off. The Philippines and China have... Full story

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Nepal war children head from poverty to university

The gates of one of Nepal’s top private schools swing open and 20 children who hope to be the doctors, lawyers and scientists of tomorrow spill out into a smart Kathmandu suburb. Full story

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Hollywood studios lose landmark case on download

Top Hollywood film studios on Friday failed in their attempt to stem the flow of illegal downloads when they lost a landmark appeal against an Australian Internet provider. A group of international and Australian... Full story

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India’s new missile ‘operational in two years’

India’s new long range missile, capable of delivering a nuclear warhead anywhere in China, will be operational within two years, its developers said Friday, a day after the weapon’s maiden test. Full story

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Berlusconi says strip shows were ‘burlesque contests’

Silvio Berlusconi on Friday said his wild parties were ‘burlesque contests,’ as the former Italian prime minister made a first appearance at his trial for having sex with an underage prostitute. Full story

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Ousted Mali leader in Dakar

Mali’s ex-president Amadou Toumani Toure, who formally resigned after being ousted by the military last month, has taken refuge in Senegal as the military released 22 soldiers and politicians. Full story

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Clashes in Bahrain ahead of Grand Prix

Bahraini security forces clashed with protesters against Bahrain’s controversial Grand Prix in Shia villages on Friday despite beefed up security for the start of practice sessions. Full story

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N Korea holds mass rally against S Korea’s Lee

North Korea on Friday held a mass rally vowing to ‘wipe out’ South Korean president Lee Myung-Bak for alleged insults during Pyongyang’s anniversary celebrations, state media reported. Full story

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Sudan retakes oil town Heglig

Hundreds of Sudanese converged on military headquarters, blowing whistles and honking car horns, after the defence minister said on Friday troops retook the oil town of Heglig from South Sudanese forces. Full story

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G Bissau junta, political backers face sanctions

Guinea-Bissau’s junta and political backers faced further sanctions Friday as the international community condemned the establishment of an ‘illegal’ two-year transition government. Full story

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Guantanamo detainee contests court’s secrecy rule

An accused September 11 conspirator filed a motion Thursday challenging a rule that keeps statements by the Guantanamo detainees secret, his lawyer said. Attorney James Connell called for... Full story

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Four US soldiers killed in Afghan helicopter crash

Four NATO troops—believed to be Americans—were killed when a helicopter responding to a suicide attack in southern Afghanistan crashed, military and Afghan officials said Friday. Full story

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Sarkozy threatens Left with a lesson’

With his back against the wall, the French president, Nicolas Sarkozy, brushed off opinion polls that show he will lose France’s presidential election to deliver a defiant speech three days from the first round of... Full story

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Mexico leftist moves into second place in presidential poll

Leftist Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador has moved ahead of the ruling party candidate in Mexico’s presidential race, but still badly lags front-runner Enrique Pena Nieto, a new poll showed on Thursday. Full story

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Genocide trial to be held in Rwanda for first time

The first genocide suspect to be transferred by an international genocide tribunal to Rwanda has arrived in the country’s capital. Rwandan officials said the transfer shows that the international... Full story

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Britain mired in row over cleric’s deportation

Britain voiced its frustration Thursday at the legal tangle in the European Court of Human Rights preventing London from deporting a radical cleric, as it hosted talks on taming the court’s powers. Full story

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