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Violence kills at least 12 people in Iraq

Attacks in Iraq killed at least 12 people and wounded dozens more on Friday, security and medical officials said, in the latest wave of violence sweeping across the country. Full story

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Australia fears refugee boat disaster toll could soar

Fears grew Friday that the death toll from a refugee boat disaster off Australia’s Christmas Island could soar, as ships and aircraft scouring the seas for the dozens still missing found only more bodies. Full story

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Suu Kyi makes history with UK parliament address

Myanmar democracy champion Aung San Suu Kyi became the first non-head of state to address both houses of Britain’s parliament on Thursday in a rare honor she used to ask for help in bringing... Full story

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Singur Land Act unconstitutional, rules Calcutta HC

In a setback to West Bengal government led by Mamata Banerjee, the Calcutta High Court on Friday held as unconstitutional and void Singur Land Rehabilitation and Development Act, 2011, under... Full story

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Egypt army warns against unrest as protesters fill Tahrir

Egypt’s ruling military warned on Friday that it would deal ‘firmly’ with any attempt to harm the public interest as thousands of people packed Cairo’s iconic Tahrir Square accusing it of a power grab. The Supreme Council of the Armed Forces (SCAF), which took over when... Full story

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Paraguay president faces impeachment

The job of Paraguay’s president is on the line after lawmakers voted Thursday to start impeachment proceedings against him over his role in deadly clashes between police and squatters. Full story

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Mongolia’s opposition takes lead ahead of polls

Mongolia’s opposition Democratic Party has established a strong lead over the ruling Mongolian People’s Party ahead of elections next week, according to an opinion poll released Friday. Full story

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Congress slams BJP, asks others to revisit stand on Pranab

Slamming the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) over its decision to oppose UPA’s Presidential nominee Pranab Mukherjee, the Congress party on Friday sought widest possible support for the leader and hoped... Full story

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Nigeria arrests Christmas bombing suspect

Nigerian troops have arrested a suspect in the Christmas Day bombings that killed at least 44 people, state television reported, as Washington put three Boko Haram leaders on its global terror list. Full story

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UN sees China behind N Korea embargo breach: report

A UN panel has found Chinese involvement in more than half of the suspected violations of the North Korean arms and luxury goods embargoes, a Japanese media report said Friday. Full story

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Assange says ready for life in Ecuador

WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange said on Friday that he was ready for a life in Ecuador and said the country had been ‘quite supportive’ of his bid for asylum. Assange is holed up in Ecuador’s... Full story

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Death toll rises to five in huge Mumbai fire

The death toll from a massive fire at the state government headquarters in Mumbai rose to five on Friday, reports said, as rescue workers found more bodies in the devastated building. Full story

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Syrian rebels slay 25 pro-Assad militiamen

Syrian rebels killed at least 25 members of a mainly Alawite militia loyal to president Bashar al-Assad on Friday and troops killed 10 anti-Assad protesters in the northern city of Aleppo, opposition activists said. Full story

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Pentagon chief rules out apology for Pakistan

US Defence Secretary Leon Panetta all but ruled out an apology over an air strike last year that killed 24 Pakistani soldiers and badly set back efforts to improve US-Pakistani ties, saying it was ‘time to move on.’ Full story

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Under-fire UN meet to issue environment, poverty plan

A global summit to root out poverty and fix Earth’s worsening environment was set to wrap up here Friday, issuing a roster of promises that many critics have already branded as pallid or gutless. Full story

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Walkout at Oslo trial as Breivik makes final remarks

Survivors and relatives of the 77 people Anders Behring Breivik killed in Norway last July walked out of the courtroom Friday as he began making final remarks on the last day of his trial. Full story

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Under the abaya, Saudi women grasp reform toehold

Deema al-Mashabi is eager to show off the gold brocade decorating the folds of her abaya. She designed her own robe - the traditionally all-black, enveloping gown that observant Muslim women wear in public. Full story

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Saddam ‘nephew’ seeks asylum in Austria: report

A man claiming to be the fugitive nephew of late Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein has requested asylum in Austria after being picked by police in a routine identity check, media reported Friday. Full story

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China, Bhutan look to establish formal ties

China and the remote Himalayan nation of Bhutan have agreed to establish diplomatic relations and resolve a long-standing border dispute, China’s foreign ministry said. Full story

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Solar plane makes successful flight over Moroccan desert

A solar-powered plane early Friday completed a flight over the Moroccan desert to showcase renewable energy, as a key summit in Rio discussed ‘greening’ the world economy. Full story

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Roman jewellery found in ancient Japan tomb

Glass jewellery believed to have been made by Roman craftsmen has been found in an ancient tomb in Japan, researchers said Friday, in a sign the empire’s influence may have reached the edge of Asia. Full story

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Former Murdoch executive Brooks faces British court

Former newspaper executive Rebekah Brooks, the woman at the heart of a scandal shaking Rupert Murdoch’s media empire and the British government, appeared in court on Friday at the... Full story

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Bangkok ‘Smoking Kid’ lights up Internet with quit message

A child casually approaches an office worker on a cigarette break. ‘Can I get a light?’ asks the boy. ‘Don’t you want to live and play?’ comes the shocked reply. The scene is part of a Thai anti-smoking... Full story

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