Chinese Raise Storm Online Over Official Abuses

In a year when China hosts the Olympics -- and faces unprecedented scrutiny from the outside world -- incidents of heavy-handedness by Communist Party and state officials are drawing unwelcome attention from ordinary Chinese. Read

China's Space Ambitions on the Rise

China has announced a further expansion in 2008 of a space program that includes capabilities with potentially hostile military application, the Pentagon has warned. Read

Columbia Profs to Visit Iran to Apologize to Ahmadinejad, Reports Say

Iranian media are reporting that a delegation of Columbia University faculty members is planning a trip to Tehran to apologize to President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad for the reception he received during his controversial visit to the school last September. Read

Missile Defense Plans Face New Hurdles

Kicking off a series of diplomatic initiatives that could decide the fate of the Pentagon's vision for ballistic missile defense (BMD) in Europe, Poland's new prime minister will visit the Czech Republic this week to discuss the plan. Read

Chinese Disobey 'One-Child' Restrictions

Hundreds of thousands of Chinese are defying Beijing's "one-child" policy despite incentives to comply. Deterrents include large fines and sometimes -- despite being outlawed -- forced abortions. Read

UK Bishop Sparks Row With Comments on Islam, Multiculturalism

The only Asian-born bishop in the Church of England is under fire for saying Islamic radicals have turned parts of Britain into "no-go" areas for non-Muslims. Read

Libya Shedding Pariah Tag, But Rights Abuses Continue

Libya's return from international outcast status edged forward Thursday with the first meeting in Washington between the top U.S. and Libyan diplomats in 36 years. For many critics, however, it is too soon to normalize ties with a regime with one of the world's worst human rights records. Read

South Korea's Next President Wants Nuke Shutdown Before Peace Treaty

South Korea's conservative incoming president will not push for a formal end to the Korean War unless North Korean denuclearization is complete -- a stance that puts Lee Myung-bak at odds with that of his liberal predecessor. Read

Sudan Says Diplomat's Shooting Not Terrorism

The government of Sudan says the murder of an American diplomat in Khartoum early New Year's Day was not an act of terrorism, but Washington is reserving judgment and FBI investigators are preparing to visit. Read

US Appeals for Calm in Kenya

The turmoil continued Thursday in Kenya, as the politician who claims he was cheated out of the presidency in Dec. 27 elections planned to defy a government ban and hold a mass rally in Nairobi. Read

China Postpones Democracy for Hong Kong - Again

Ten years after Hong Kong reverted to Chinese rule, pro-democracy residents of the territory are reeling after Beijing once again dashed hopes that they would soon be able to choose their leaders directly. Read

Sudanese Challenge '08 Candidates After Diplomat Shot Dead

Sudanese Americans rallying in Iowa on New Year's Day urged the U.S. presidential candidates to speak out on the situation in the northeast African country, where a U.S. diplomat was shot and killed Tuesday. Read