Hagel pledges ‘world’s strongest military’

Hagel pledges ‘world’s strongest military’
Rajoy drawn into corruption scandal
Political gloom surrounds Italy election
Syria lashes out over Israeli strike
China’s workers endure unhappy new year
Riots highlight Morsi’s limits on power
Chicago toll rises despite gun clampdown
Pakistan to build $1.5bn Iran pipeline
Row erupts in India over free speech curbs
Russia’s growth slows to 3.4%

Posted: 31 Jan 2013 11:14 AM PST

The run-up to the confirmation hearing has been one of the most controversial in recent memory, with groups taking out adverts against him

Rajoy drawn into corruption scandal

Posted: 31 Jan 2013 09:23 AM PST

Spain's prime minister denies receiving secret payments as newspaper publishes what it claims are accounts showing kickbacks to ruling party leaders

Political gloom surrounds Italy election

Posted: 31 Jan 2013 08:50 AM PST

The poll campaign is becoming fraught with a hung parliament looking likely. Yet, the Milan stock market remains buoyant as investors shrug off instability

Syria lashes out over Israeli strike

Posted: 31 Jan 2013 10:29 AM PST

Diplomats and military analysts have played down the risk of retaliation from either Bashar al-Assad's embattled regime or its regional ally Hizbollah

China’s workers endure unhappy new year

Posted: 31 Jan 2013 10:40 AM PST

The austerity drive of the Chinese leadership has led government departments to cancel or radically scale back new year festivities this year

Riots highlight Morsi’s limits on power

Posted: 31 Jan 2013 10:31 AM PST

With thousands flouting a curfew imposed last week, the president is struggling to impose his authority on a divided country where violence has become more frequent

Chicago toll rises despite gun clampdown

Posted: 31 Jan 2013 08:27 AM PST

Last year, 506 people were murdered in Chicago, where gun laws are strict, up from 433 in 2011: the highest murder rate of any American city

Pakistan to build $1.5bn Iran pipeline

Posted: 31 Jan 2013 09:22 AM PST

Islamabad move to buy gas from neighbour to address chronic power shortages risks alienating the US at a time of tight western sanctions on Tehran

Row erupts in India over free speech curbs

Posted: 31 Jan 2013 07:24 AM PST

Reputation as a haven of free speech and the world's largest democracy has been tarnished amid protests over controversial publications and films

Russia’s growth slows to 3.4%

Posted: 31 Jan 2013 10:44 AM PST

Economists say the figure, which missed forecasts of 3.6 per cent, highlights need for reforms to diversify economy away from reliance on oil and gas