Six In The Morning

North Korea holds funeral for Kim Jong-il

Procession moves through the streets with a clearly audible outpouring of grief from an estimated 200,000 mourners

• Justin McCurry in Osaka
• guardian.co.uk, Wednesday 28 December 2011 03.29 GMT

Tens of thousands of people lined the streets of Pyongyang to bid farewell to former North Korean leader Kim Jong-il, in a meticulously choreographed funeral designed to cement his legacy and pave the way for the transfer of power to his youngest son, Kim Jong-un.

Reports said that the funeral on Wednesday, originally scheduled for mid-morning, had been delayed by several hours after more than 5cm of snow fell in Pyongyang on Tuesday night.

Assad accused of hiding tanks to appease observers

Human rights groups say military will be back in force on streets of Homs once Arab League departs

LOVEDAY MORRIS

 

 

WEDNESDAY 28 DECEMBER 2011

The tanks that have terrorised the bullet-pocked, rubble-strewn streets of Homs were seen pulling out of its most restive neighbourhoods yesterday – but they are unlikely to have gone far.

Eleven tanks and other military vehicles were seen withdrawing from Baba Amr, the district that has borne the brunt of the army's bloody crackdown over the past few days, just ahead of the arrival of Arab League monitors.

Christian on death row fears poisoning

Rob Crilly

December 28, 2011

A PAKISTANI Christian on death row after being convicted of blasphemy has described how she has to cook her own meals for fear of being poisoned.

The case of Asia Bibi has been taken up by Pakistan's small band of liberal reformers since it was reported in November last year. It has also exposed the power wielded by extremist clerics and the persecution faced by a tiny Christian minority.

In her first interview from behind bars, she described the miserable conditions in prison as she waits for the chance to appeal against her conviction.

Mubarak trial resumes

Sapa-AFP | 28 December, 2011 07:36

An ailing Mubarak, 83, risks the death sentence if he is found to have been complicit in the killings of some 850 people who died during protests that overthrew him in February.

Mubarak, who is in custody in a Cairo military hospital, also faces charges of corruption, together with his two sons Alaa and Gamal.

Ex-interior minister Habib al-Adly and six security chiefs are also on trial for their role in quelling the protests.

Wednesday, Dec. 28, 2011

Government goes ahead with easing arms export ban

By MASAMI ITO

Staff writer

The government officially decided Tuesday to relax the nation's de facto ban on exporting arms, marking a turning point for Japan's defense policy.

This is the first time the government has drastically eased the "three principles" on banning arms exports since they were first introduced in 1967. The principles target communist nations, countries subject to an embargo under U.N. resolutions and states involved in international conflicts.

Iran to 'block' Gulf oil if sanctions proceed

Vice-president threatens to cut off shipments at Strait of Hormuz if West sanctions Iran's vital oil exports. Last Modified: 28 Dec 2011 08:28

No oil will be allowed to pass through the Strait of Hormuz if the West applies sanctions on Iran's oil exports, Iranian Vice-President Mohammad Reza Rahimi has warned.

The threat was reported on Tuesday by the state news agency IRNA as Iran conducted its fourth day of naval drills near the Strait of Hormuz, at the entrance to the oil-rich Gulf.

"If sanctions are adopted against Iranian oil, not a drop of oil will pass through the Strait of Hormuz," Rahimi was quoted as saying.

"We have no desire for hostilities or violence ... but the West doesn't want to go back on its plan" to impose sanctions, he said. "The enemies will only drop their plots when we put them back in their place."