Iraqi parliament OKs new government
The Iraqi parliament on Tuesday unanimously approved a new government headed by Shiite Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki, who apparently has appeased the Sunni-backed bloc that bested his own party in the country's March elections.
Pentagon slammed for "hyper-secret" $2bn Afghan fuel deals
US Congress investigators have sharply criticised the Pentagon for allowing an "ultra-secretive" business group to control more than $2 billion in crucial Afghan fuel contracts, while turning a blind eye to the alleged elaborate fraud by which it sourced more than half a billion gallons of jet fuel from Russian refineries.
Turkey in last-ditch effort to block Armenian resolution
The Turkish government is making a last-ditch effort to prevent a vote by the US House of Representatives on a resolution declaring the World War I-era killings of Armenians a genocide and says it would deal a significant blow to the bilateral relationship between Ankara and Washington -- defined by US President Barack Obama himself as “a model” relationship.
Russians to face tougher restrictions on moving
Russians may face new restrictions when trying to move from the provinces to Moscow, St. Petersburg or other large cities, Prime Minister Vladimir Putin signale
What If the Palestinians Turn to the U.N.?
Arab diplomats are reportedly preparing a resolution that could put Washington in a tight spot by more forcefully reiterating U.S. demands rebuffed by Israel
2010 census says US population at 308.7 million
The Census Bureau says the U.S. population is 308.7 million, reflecting the lowest growth since the Great Depression....
Arms treaty with Russia nears Senate approval
President Barack Obama wrapped up enough support on Tuesday to win Senate approval for a strategic nuclear arms pact with Russia later this week, a key step in his drive to improve ties with Moscow and curb atomic weapons proliferation
Energy Policy in Iran Leaves Many Gasping
Officials ordered at least five major plants to switch to gasoline, adding to a thick blanket of smog.
Neutrality on Net, but not in sphere of politics
Setting the stage for a likely court battle and a showdown with Republicans in the new Congress, a sharply divided Federal Communications Commission on Tuesday approved sweeping Internet regulations designed to promote "net neutrality" and deliver on a key campaign promise of President Obama.
Turkey invites Greece to Anatolian Eagle aerial war games
Turkey has invited Greece to the Anatolian Eagle aerial war games set for next year in what is a first in its history, a move that could potentially eradicate the persisting mistrust and confrontation the two countries face in a number of areas, a news report said on Tuesday.
Preparing for the Return of Moqtada al-Sadr
The Iran-based cleric remains wildly popular in Iraq, which makes the democratic process a vehicle for his ambitions. Washington may simply have to get used to him
Isaf investigating Afghan deaths
The Nato-led International Security Assistance Force says it is investigating the deaths of five civilians in southern Afghanistan.
EU newcomers barred from Schengen
France and Germany decide to block Bulgaria and Romania from joining the Europe's Schengen zone in 2011.
UN is preparing for worst-case scenarios in Sudan
The UN is already preparing for the potential of significant violence following Sudan's Jan. 9 referendum, which could disrupt food supply and prompt mass migrations.
Rival Gas Producers Russia, Qatar Talk Reindeer Meat
When rival energy producers Russia and Qatar talk business, it's no longer only about natural gas - they're talking reindeer meat, which Russia has promised to export and butcher according to Muslim dietary law
Expensive railway set for its maiden journey
The Yichang-Wanzhou railway, which goes through some of the most difficult terrain in the country and is considered one of China's most expensive rail projects, will begin operations on Wednesday, though the line will not become fully operational until Jan 11, said Guo Bing, an official of the Yichang section of the Wuhan Railway Bureau.
Reserve ratio may rise to record high
The central government could raise the ratio of reserves it requires banks to hold against their loans to 23 percent in 2011, as it continues to try to curb inflationary credit growth in the financial system, Lu Zhengwei, chief economist at Industrial Bank, said
UK deficit reached record £23bn
George Osborne received a blowas it emerged that state borrowing soared to the highest on record for a single month despite the government's austerity measures to rein in the deficit.News that higher spending on defence, the NHS and contribution to the European Union had left Britain in the red by £23.3bn stunned the City, which had been expecting the early fruits from the chancellor's spending restraint to cut the deficit from the £17.4bn recorded in November 2009.
Graffiti art brightens war-torn Kabul
A group of women in burqas rises from the sea to symbolize cleanliness, while further down a factory wall a bus with no wheels and crammed with passengers is a stark comment on war-torn Kabul's appalling public transport.
Foreign words to be standardized
Chinese media organizations and publishers are banned from randomly mixing foreign languages with Chinese in publications. When it is necessary to use foreign phrases or words, they should be accompanied by a translation or explanation in Chinese, according to a new regulation.
St Petersburg's tower to the sky fails to get off the ground
Dreamed up in the heady days of ever-rising oil prices, before the financial crisis struck, it represented the optimism and swagger of the new cash-rich Russi
23 percent can't pass military exam
Nearly one-fourth of the students who try to join the military fail its entrance exam, painting a grim picture of an education system that produces graduates who can't answer basic math, science and reading questions.
Saudi Arabia girls' schools investigated over 'illegal' sports day
Private Saudi girls' high schools are being investigated by the education ministry for holding an "illegal" sports tournament.
Aramaic gets lease of life at Oxford
An Aramaic course offered by Oxford University is drawing scores of scholars from as far afield as Liverpool and London
Very good.
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