Politics & Corruption
US Defense Secretary tries to soothe Saudis rattled by unrest
Defense Secretary Robert Gates tried to smooth the worst rift in years with Arab ally and oil producer Saudi Arabia on Wednesday, reassuring the Saudi king that the U.S. remains a steady friend despite support for pro-democracy revolutions in the ...
Libya: Col Gaddafi sends envoy to the West
Col Muammar Gaddafi yesterday sent a trusted adviser to Greece for talks that could signal the Libyan leader's readiness to stand down.
Syrian president blames protests on 'conspirators'
Syria's president has blamed the wave of protests against his authoritarian rule on "conspirators" - but he failed to offer any concessions to appease the extraordinary wave of dissent.
Clooney called by Berlusconi's defense as witness
Silvio Berlusconi's defense lawyers on Tuesday named George Clooney, the Italian foreign minister and a bevy of showgirls as witnesses at the premier's upcoming prostitution trial, an attorney and news reports said.
Merkel party in German state poll disaster
Chancellor Angela Merkel's conservatives lost power in their German heartland after nearly six decades, initial poll results showed Sunday, with the Greens likely to lead their first state government.
Conflicting Reports Whether Yemeni President Will Step Down
There are conflicting reports coming from Yemen on whether the country's troubled president will step down or not.
Obama ending Americas tour, cuts Mayan visit
President Barack Obama is leaving Central America earlier than scheduled, cutting short a tour dominated by the U.S.-led military action in Libya.
Syria Protests Spread, Authorities Pull Back
Unrest spread in southern Syria on Monday with hundreds of people demonstrating against the government in three towns near the main city of Deraa, but authorities did not use force to quell the latest protests.
Portugal braces for govt collapse amid debt crisis
The leader of Portugal's main opposition party says the minority government's downfall is "inevitable" after it failed to win political support for its latest plan to cut the country's huge debt burden.
Russian Duma Leader Wants Obama Stripped of Nobel Peace Prize
The controversial leader of the Russian Liberal Party, Vladimir Zhirinovsky, said in a statement on Monday that he will ask the Nobel Committee to strip President Barack Obama of the Nobel Peace Prize.
Nancy Pelosi hospitalised in Rome after feeling unwell
US Democratic House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi was hospitalised on Monday after feeling unwell during a visit to Rome, Italian news agencies said.
Now Saudis take to the streets to demand the release of prisoners held without trial
Dozens of Saudi men and women have gathered outside the Interior Ministry in Riyadh to demand the release of their relatives who have been held without trial for years.
Obama takes in Rio with Libya on his mind
President Barack Obama played grand tourist to Rio de Janeiro's vivid extremes on Sunday, motorcading from brilliant beaches to a notorious slum even as he monitored U.S. military strikes in faraway Libya.
'France is collapsing,' Le Pen says
After several polls showed Marine Le Pen more than holding her own against rivals in a hypothetical presidential match-up, FRANCE 24 sat down with the far-right leader for a wide-ranging interview touching on Europe, immigration and nuclear energy.
Rubber Bullets Fly at Anti-Obama Protest In Rio
A molotov cocktail was launched in front of the US consulate in Rio de Janeiro late Friday in protest of the arrival of President Barack Obama, the O Globo newspaper in Rio reported. Military police reacted by firing rubber bullets into the gathe...
Helen Thomas to Playboy: Jews 'own the White House'
Helen Thomas is not sorry, nor were the comments that ended her career accidental. “I knew exactly what I was doing – I was going for broke,” she told Playboy in the magazine’s April interview. “I had reached the point of no return. You finally ge...
Saudi King Orders Billions of Dollars in Handouts
Saudi King Abdullah announced on Friday billions of dollars in handouts for his people and boosted his security apparatus in a renewed effort to shield the world's top oil exporter from unrest rocking the Arab world.
Yemeni troops on streets as two party members quit
Two prominent members of Yemen's ruling party resigned on Saturday in protest against the killing of dozens of anti-government protesters, while troops enforced a state of emergency in the capital.
Thousands in Iran march in support of Arab revolts
Thousands of Iranians marched on Friday in Tehran in support of the revolts rocking Bahrain, Libya and Yemen, state television reported.
Obama cancels public speech in Rio square: embassy
President Barack Obama has cancelled a public speech he was scheduled to deliver Sunday in a Rio square during his upcoming visit to Brazil, the US embassy in Brasilia said.