Islamabad, Pakistan — The Supreme Court formally charged embattled Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani with contempt Monday, as his party and coalition in parliament rallied behind him. Gilani, who pleaded not guilty, has steadfastly defied court orders to reopen old corruption cases against Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari. If convicted, Gilani faces six months in jail and possible removal from office. Read full article > >

Excerpt from:
Pakistani prime minister to stand trial for contempt

CARACAS, Venezuela — State governor Henrique Capriles won Venezuela’s first opposition primary vote by a wide margin on Sunday, emerging as the single candidate who will try to end President Hugo Chavez’s 13 years in power. Read full article > >

Continue reading here:
Capriles wins Venezuela’s first opposition primary vote, will challenge Chavez

The man who is expected to become China’s next president will arrive in Washington on Monday for a visit crucial to his political ascension and also to U.S. hopes for easing the mounting tensions between two of the world’s most powerful nations. Read full article > >

See more here:
China’s president-in-waiting heads to Washington for a visit crucial to both nations

In the opening weeks of the Republican presidential race, Rick Santorum came across as a prickly, exasperated figure on the fringe of the debate stage, spending much of his airtime complaining about the lack of attention from the moderators. Read full article > >

Original post:
Rick Santorum has honed his image along the GOP campaign trail

Sarah Palin said Saturday that Republicans should be in no hurry to wrap up the presidential nominating contest, declaring that a competitive campaign until the August convention in Tampa would not complicate the party’s efforts to defeat President Obama.

Link:
The Caucus: Palin Says Brokered Convention Wouldn’t Hurt G.O.P.

BEIJING — As measured by China’s state-run media, the country’s leadership transition is already well underway. Vice President Xi Jinping , who will move up to Communist Party general secretary later this year and president of China in 2013, has appeared prominently on the front page of China Daily in recent weeks, signing ping pong paddles with former president Jimmy Carter, toasting the 40th anniversary of President Nixon’s visit to China, and being welcomed with honors in Thailand and Vietnam. Read full article > >

The rest is here:
In China, will transition bring real change?

Iran’s President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad says his country will announce major nuclear achievements in the next few days.

Original post:
Iran to make nuclear announcement

BEIJING — As China moves to invest billions in businesses around the world, one major industrial nation has so far soaked up very little of the cash: the United States. The issue will be on the agenda next week during Vice President Xi Jinping ’s official visit to the United States. The Obama administration has made seeking Chinese investment a priority, with an eye toward creating more American jobs. But the flow of funds dropped sharply last year, and experts say the task is complicated by a perception that the United States is an unfriendly place for Chinese investors. Read full article > >

Originally posted here:
U.S. says it wants investment, but China remains wary

BEIJING — As China moves to invest billions in businesses around the world, one major industrial nation has so far soaked up very little of the cash: the United States. The issue will be on the agenda next week during Vice President Xi Jinping ’s official visit to the United States. The Obama administration has made seeking Chinese investment a priority, with an eye toward creating more American jobs. But the flow of funds dropped sharply last year, and experts say the task is complicated by a perception that the United States is an unfriendly place for Chinese investors. Read full article > >

Read the original:
U.S. says it wants investment, but China remains wary

Blue Ivy Carter, the much-heralded baby daughter of Beyonce and Jay-Z , has officially made her public debut. The president and first lady of hip-hop have shared their first baby photos via Jay-Z’s Web site, Life + Times , an apparent follow-up to Beyonce’s public appearances earlier this week, her inaugural ones since giving birth . Read full article > >

Read more:
Blue Ivy Carter: The first photos of Beyonce and Jay-Z’s baby have been revealed

Blue Ivy Carter, the much-heralded baby daughter of Beyonce and Jay-Z , has officially made her public debut. The president and first lady of hip-hop have shared their first baby photos via Jay-Z’s Web site, Life + Times , an apparent follow-up to Beyonce’s public appearances earlier this week, her inaugural ones since giving birth . Read full article > >

Read more:
Blue Ivy Carter: The first photos of Beyonce and Jay-Z’s baby have been revealed

President Obama will send Congress a 2013 spending plan that would raise taxes on the rich and pump nearly $500 billion into new construction projects over the next decade, launching an election-year debate over the budget that promises starkly different visions for managing government debt and the sluggish economy. Read full article > >

View post:
Budget to raise taxes on the rich, hike federal spending

“No president since the modern state of Israel [was formed] has failed to stand by our ally Israel — only President Obama. …The president spurned the president of Egypt when he took his first foreign trip to Cairo… In May he even said that Israel should retreat to its indefensible 1967 borders… Obama’s State Department now designates Jerusalem as an international city and in a bizarre move our State Department will not even acknowledge that Jerusalem belongs to Israel.” Read full article > >

See the original post here:
Michele Bachmann at CPAC: History through a partisan lens

ISLAMABAD, Pakistan — Pakistan’s Supreme Court on Friday rejected a last-ditch appeal by Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani to drop a contempt charge against him for refusing to obey its order to reopen old corruption cases against President Asif Ali Zardari. Read full article > >

See more here:
Pakistan’s high court rejects prime minister’s appeal to block contempt charge

Republicans are expressing fresh concerns that Mitt Romney is limping toward the presidential nomination, suffering new blows at the very moment he needs to grow stronger if he is to take on President Obama in November. Read full article > >

See more here:
Mitt Romney’s presidential campaign stuck in lukewarm