Thai PM rejects election call

Arguing that his government is legitimate, Somchai Wongsawat (photo, from bbc.co.uk), Thai prime minister, has rejected calls by the country’s military chief to stand down.

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Congo leaders ‘eliminated opponents’

Human Rights Watch (HRW) has accused the government of the DR Congo of using violence to eliminate political opponents since polls in 2006.

According to the rights group, Congolese security forces had deliberately killed more than 500 people in a campaign against opposition groups. (photo, from bbc.co.uk)

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Abbas threatens early elections

If Fatah and Hamas do not reconcile by the end of this year, Mahmoud Abbas (photo, from newsday.com), the Palestinian president, has said he would call for elections in 2009.

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Clinton to become secretary of state

Hillary Clinton, former Democratic presidential rival of the US president-elect Barack Obama will accept his offer to become secretary of state in his new administration, US media has reported. (photo, from cbc.ca)

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Tibetans back the Dalai Lama

The Dalai Lama’s policy of seeking autonomy rather than full independence from China, has been backed during the Tibetan exiles meeting in India. (photo, from legrandjournal.com.mx)

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New development in the Politkovskaya trial

Amid deepening controversy, judge Yevgeny Zubov has suspended the trial of three men suspected of involvement in the murder of Russian journalist Anna Politkovskaya (photo).

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US worldwide dominance to decline

US influence will be increasingly challenged by China, India and Russia, according to a new US intelligence report on global trends.

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Duma passes bill to extend presidential term

A bill extending the presidential term from four to six years has received final approval from the lower house of Russia’s parliament. The move is widely seen as paving the way for Vladimir Putin’s return to the presidency. (Putin left and Medvedev right on the photo, from aljazeera.net)

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Life term for South African racist killer

A 19-year-old white South African has been sentenced to four life terms in jail for killing four black people in a shooting spree in January.

Witnesses told the court that while shooting those people, among who were a three-month-old baby and a boy of 10, Johan Nel (photo, from AP) shouted racist abuse.

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Palestinians evicted from tent

Mohammed and Fawzeih al-Kurd have been evicted by Israeli police from a tent where they were living after Israeli authorities demolished their home.

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