RICE IN ASIA: The US secretary of state was to visit Northeast Asia to try to revive the 2005 denuclearization agreement that has stalled after a missed December deadline
US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said on Friday she would explore how to use a mix of carrots and sticks to address North Korea's nuclear program and proliferation during a visit to Asia this week.

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'UPS AND DOWNS': After being rebuked by an official, the heir to the monarchy also promised that he would visit the palace more frequently
Japan's crown prince, who turned 48 yesterday, said his wife needs more time to recover from an stress-induced illness before she can return to official duties.

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The Election Commission in Malaysia needs more power to prevent one-sided campaign coverage in local media or the entire electoral system will become a "laughingstock," the commission's chairman said.

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'CONSENSUS BUILDER': The leading parties in the parliament were leaning toward a Bhutto loyalist who served as a go-between with President Musharraf during her exile
A veteran politician with a reputation as a consensus builder emerged as the favorite to become Pakistan's next prime minister under an agreement by the two biggest opposition parties to form a new government together.

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East Timor's parliament extended by 30 days a state of emergency that was imposed after attacks by suspected rebels on the country's two top leaders.

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AGREEMENT?: The rival parties are reviewing a power-sharing bill, with the opposition threatening to take to the streets again on wednesday if its demands are not heeded
Negotiators for Kenya's rival political parties consulted their bosses yesterday and poured over a draft for a new prime minister's post to resolve a post-election crisis that has killed more than 1,000 people.

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STALLED INITIATIVE: The officials accused Israel of sabotaging their offer of peace and recognition by failing to act and warned that they could withdraw the proposal
Arab officials are warning they could withdraw their landmark offer of peace and full ties with Israel in exchange for a return of Arab lands, unless Israel explicitly accepts the initiative.

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Turkish President Abdullah Gul on Friday approved constitutional amendments allowing women to wear Islamic headscarves at universities, defying objections that the move is an attack on secularism.

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Passengers traveling between EU countries or taking domestic flights would have to hand over a mass of personal information, including their mobile phone numbers and credit card details, as part of a new package of security measures being demanded by the British government. The data would be stored for 13 years and used to "profile" suspects.

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BAGHDAD BLUES: Following a lull in such attacks, about 10 blasts were heard in the area, prompting the US public address system to call on people to duck and cover
A series of rockets or mortars were fired toward the US-protected Green Zone early yesterday, a day after Shiite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr ordered his Mahdi Army militia fighters to cease attacks for another six months.

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In his first comments since announcing he would step down as Cuban president after almost 50 years, Fidel Castro lashed out on Friday at US presidential hopefuls' calls for change in Cuba, saying the only change needed was in the US.

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CHOC TACTIC: The hostage takers threatened to kill the men unless the authorities released Ramiro Choc, a jailed farm leader accused of organizing land seizures
An angry mob took 29 policemen hostage in a Guatemalan town and held them for 32 hours before releasing the officers in exchange for talks about legalizing their lands and dropping charges against a jailed farm leader, an official said.

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Investigators in Venezuela were working to find out why a plane crashed into a mountain face shortly after take-off last week, killing all 46 people on board, President Hugo Chavez said on Friday.

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Canada's top general pressured lawmakers to support a motion extending the country's military mission in Afghanistan, saying extended debate may be opening its soldiers up to attacks by the Taliban.

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■ PHILIPINES
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