Japan May Cut Funds to the UN
Stung by its failure to secure a permanent seat on the U.N. Security Council, Japan is signaling -- not for the first time -- that it may reduce its sizeable financial contribution to the world body. Read
scribbling on the state of the planet
Stung by its failure to secure a permanent seat on the U.N. Security Council, Japan is signaling -- not for the first time -- that it may reduce its sizeable financial contribution to the world body. Read
Asian health ministers were meeting Friday to discuss ways of combating the spread of bird flu, amid concerns about a possible global human flu pandemic. Read
The politically charged question of who will control the Internet in the future is dominating preparatory talks ahead of a global Internet summit. At the same time, a controversy over the choice of a host nation for the November gathering has focused attention on autocratic regimes' attempts to clamp down on the medium. Read
Iran says it will retaliate economically against countries that voted in favor of a resolution critical of its nuclear activities. The threat has particular relevance to energy-hungry India, which unexpectedly swapped sides and took a stand against Iran. Read
Australian Prime Minister John Howard said Wednesday he did not want to introduce "unpalatable" new anti-terror regulations, but the threat faced by the country was real and the government had to act. Read
The North Korean government worries about the security implications of having foreigners wandering around the country to monitor emergency food aid, and that's one reason it asked the U.N. to stop the food deliveries, a North Korean political analyst said Tuesday. Read
Iran has accused the U.N. nuclear watchdog of acting under American and European pressure, following passage of a resolution critical of its nuclear activities. India's vote in favor of the resolution at the weekend was seen as a particular victory for the U.S.-E.U. position. Read
Tens of thousands of Taiwanese marched on Sunday to urge their elected representatives to approve a major arms purchase offered by the Bush administration to help strengthen the island's defenses against China. Read
Authorities in China, where at least three journalists have been jailed this year for political "crimes" involving the Internet, clamped down further at the weekend by introducing new regulations for online news services. Read
An Anglican church leader in Baghdad has warned that Iraqi Christians could be adversely affected by a Church of England bishops' report criticizing the Iraq war and suggesting that Christians apologize to Muslims. Read
Savoring yet another reprieve in its nuclear standoff with the West, Iran has flexed its muscles with a show of military might and a warning that any nation considering attacking the Islamic republic would face a "destructive and fiery" response. Read
A United States-European drive to have the U.N. nuclear watchdog refer Iran to the Security Council this week looks set to fail -- a situation attributed in part to energy-hungry countries' reluctance to antagonize a major oil producer. Read
A Pentagon official has delivered a frank warning to Taiwan about its failure to invest in its own defense against a growing military threat from China, in a speech designed to spur on a long-stalled purchase of U.S. military equipment.. Read
Church of England bishops are calling for Christian leaders to apologize publicly, at a gathering attended by senior Muslims, for the war in Iraq. Read
Washington's decision to withhold funding for a U.N. agency for the fourth consecutive year because of links to controversial population control practices in China comes at a time when Chinese authorities are trying to focus more attention on incentives rather than punishment for enforcing its "one child" policies. Read
After two years of talks, North Korea supposedly agreed to abandon its nuclear weapons programs in exchange for incentives, but just hours after the deal was struck it became evident that Kim Jong-il's regime and Washington differ over how the agreement should work. Read
Weekend elections in two Western democracies ended with results so close that they will undergo a period of political limbo before a final outcome becomes clear. Read
In the latest example of Western business interests giving in to pressure by offended Muslims, Burger King reportedly has withdrawn an ice cream product after complaints that a label design looks like the Arabic script for "Allah." Read
One week after Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi won a sweeping election victory, Japan appeared to be moving towards more robust foreign and security policies and away from its war-renouncing constitution. Read
Given Iran's nuclear history and support for terrorism, the United States is particularly concerned about Iran providing nuclear technology to other countries, the State Department said on Thursday. Read
The people of Afghanistan go to the polls this weekend to cement a transition towards full democracy that began when U.S.-led forces set out to topple the Islamic fundamentalist Taliban regime almost four years ago. Read
Talks on North Korea's nuclear weapons programs continued in Beijing Thursday, with no indication that the isolated communist regime is any closer to agreeing on a deal to end the crisis. Read
An American "peace activist" was kicked out of Australia Thursday after Prime Minister John Howard's government declared him a threat to national security and revoked a six-month tourist visa. Read
A year after President Bush called on the United Nations to create a fund to help promote democracy across the globe, he and Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh presided Wednesday over the international launch of the new initiative. Read
Leaders meeting for the World Summit in New York will be asked to endorse a document that stops short of defining terrorism, but at the same time does not seek to make exceptions for the use of violence during national liberation struggles. Read
Decisions on how to overhaul the United Nation's discredited human rights body -- a crucial element of the broad "reform" effort -- have been deferred because of a failure to reach agreement ahead of the World Summit that begins on Wednesday. Read
Wrapping up weeks of behind-closed-doors negotiations leading up to the World Summit beginning Wednesday, John Bolton, the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, called the final outcome document was "a good first step" in the process to reform the institution. Read
With time running out before the United Nations' World Summit, diplomats were battling down to the wire late Monday to overcome significant differences over a key document on reforming the institution and tackling poverty. Read
In an outcome welcomed by Washington, Japan's center-right Liberal Democratic Party was returned to power in Sunday's election. Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi's risky political gamble in calling an early poll over reform plans paid off. Read
As Indian leaders head into this week's U.N. summit and associated meetings, their country's significantly improved ties with Washington are somewhat overshadowed by India's ambivalent stance towards Iran. Read
Fallout continues over claims that Yahoo provided information that helped Chinese authorities jail a journalist, with a human rights group saying the Internet company's evident defense -- that it had to obey local laws -- doesn't wash. Read
In an echo of the current debate raging in Britain, Islamic groups in Australia complain that tough new counter-terrorism laws planned by Canberra will unfairly target Muslims. Read
A Christian Arab organization in California has invited two leading Muslim figures to publicly debate the question of whether Islam truly is a peaceful religion, but one of Muslims said on Thursday he would not "dignify" the event by taking part. Read
Internet giant Yahoo, accused this week of providing information that helped land a Chinese journalist in prison for 10 years, says it had no choice. Read
Former President Clinton is in China to address an Internet summit amid a new row over Beijing's campaign to control the medium and clamp down on free speech, with the alleged collaboration of Western companies. Read
Embattled Christians in Indonesia, facing intimidation and threats from militant Muslims, are getting offers of help from an unexpected source. Read
Iran is seeking support in its effort to avoid being referred to the U.N. Security Council, after the U.N.'s nuclear watchdog criticized Tehran's refusal to cease nuclear fuel activities. Read
Because of the devastation caused by Hurricane Katrina, Chinese President Hu Jintao has agreed to cancel a scheduled visit to the United States. Analysts say neither Washington nor Beijing was entirely happy about the visit anyway. Read
A European Union summit with China has ended with an accord on trade quotas, but no good news for Beijing on the lifting of an E.U. arms embargo. Read
Opposition parties in Pakistan planned protests Friday in response to their government's decision to hold the country's first acknowledged face-to-face encounter with a representative of Israel. Such a move eventually could lead to the establishment of diplomatic ties with the Jewish state. Read
The head of the U.N.'s nuclear watchdog is due at the weekend to issue a report on Iran's nuclear activities, which could finally prod the agency to back a U.S. push to refer Iran to the U.N. Security Council. Read
As graphic and disturbing footage of the devastation left by Hurricane Katrina fills TV screens around the world, the U.S. government has received numerous messages of condolence as well as offers of assistance from more than 20 countries. Read
Already under fire from United Nations rights officials, Prime Minister Tony Blair this week faces the possibility that the European Union may complicate plans to deport foreign-born radical Islamists who incite terrorism in Britain. Read
China Thursday marked the 40th anniversary of the establishment of an "autonomous region" in Tibet with upbeat newspaper headlines highlighting economic progress, but rights campaigners dismissed the event as a "propaganda extravaganza." Read