ISLAMABAD (AP) — The man set to become Pakistan's next prime minister after historic elections over the weekend could be called the Islamist comeback kid.
Nawaz Sharif has held the job twice before, but the last time didn't end so well. The 63-year-old was toppled in a coup by the country's army chief in 1999 and sent into exile in Saudi Arabia. He spent years in the steamy Gulf before brokering his return in 2007.
After serving as the country's main...
SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — North Korea has replaced its hard-line defense minister with a little-known army general, according to a state media report Monday, in what outside analysts call an attempt to install a younger figure meant to solidify leader Kim Jong Un's grip on the powerful military.
Jang Jong Nam's appointment is the latest move since Kim succeeded his late father in late 2011 that observers see as a young leader trying to consolidate control. The...
CANBERRA, Australia (AP) — Australia will slow a projected increase in foreign aid spending as a cost-cutting measure in the new annual budget plan to be revealed Tuesday.
Foreign Minister Bob Carr said Monday that Australia's long-standing pledge to increase its foreign aid spending to 0.5 percent of gross national income by 2015-16 would be postponed by two years.
The pledge already was delayed for the current fiscal year that ends June 30....
KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) — A truck bombing Monday killed three coalition service members in southern Afghanistan, NATO said in a statement. A local official said the attack targeted a base operated by troops from Georgia.
Omer Zawak, spokesman for the governor of the southern Helmand province, said the truck bomb exploded at the entrance to the Georgian outpost in the Musa Qala district of the province, one of the most volatile regions of Afghanistan.
...HONG KONG (AP) — Hong Kong's top court granted a transgender woman the right to marry her boyfriend Monday in a watershed ruling that falls short of allowing same-sex marriage.
The surprise decision only covers the right of a transgender person who was born male to marry a man, and for one who was born female to marry a woman.
The ruling by the Court of Final Appeal brings the semiautonomous Chinese city in line with many other places in the Asia-...
BANGKOK (AP) — Oil prices fell Monday as the dollar strengthened against the yen and other major currencies.
Benchmark oil for June delivery was down $1.11 to $94.93 per barrel at late afternoon Bangkok time in electronic trading on the New York Mercantile Exchange. The contract fell 35 cents to close at $96.04 a barrel on the Nymex on Friday.
The stronger dollar is causing oil prices to fall, analysts said. The dollar has risen in recent days...
BANGKOK (AP) — Asian stock markets rose Tuesday after data showed U.S. consumers revved up their retail spending last month.
The Commerce Department in Washington said retail sales increased 0.1 percent in April from March, an improvement from March's 0.5 percent decline. Economists had forecast that sales declined by 0.3 percent in April. The uptick in spending on items such as clothing, cars and electronics is likely to boost the country's growth figures for the...
MANILA, Philippines (AP) — Former Philippine President Joseph Estrada was leading in the vote-count for mayor of Manila on Tuesday in what could be his first elected post since he was ousted in a 2001 revolt on corruption charges.
In other partial results following Monday's congressional and local polls, nine senatorial candidates backed by President Benigno Aquino III took an early lead against three candidates backed by an opposition coalition. About half the votes...
BANGKOK (AP) — Japan's stock market jumped Monday after global finance leaders gave a seal of approval to the country's stimulus program and refrained from criticizing its weakening effect on the yen. Stocks were mixed elsewhere in Asia.
The benchmark Nikkei 225 index in Tokyo shot up 1.6 percent to 14,838.08. The index has soared nearly 43 percent since the beginning of the year.
Finance leaders from the world's seven leading industrialized...
SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — North Korea has replaced its hard-line defense chief with a little-known army general.
The significance of Jang Jong Nam's appointment wasn't immediately clear. The announcement comes amid tentative signs of an interest in diplomacy after weeks of rising animosity and dueling threats on the Korean Peninsula.
Little is known about Jang. Mention of his new role was buried Monday in a state media dispatch listing those who...
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