CIA accused of snooping on US Senate

A bitter dispute between the CIA and the US Senate committee that oversees it burst into the open on Tuesday when a top senator accused the agency of spying on Congress and possibly breaking the law.

Libyan PM ousted after oil tanker escapes port

Libya's General National Congress removed the prime minister from office on Tuesday after a tanker laden with crude oil from a rebel-held terminal broke through a naval blockade and escaped to sea, underscoring the weakness of the central government.

War brutalizes half of children in Syria: UN

The number of Syrian children affected by the civil war in their homeland has doubled in the past year to at least 5.5 million - more than half the country's children - with devastating effects on the health, education and psychological well-being of an entire generation, the United Nations children's agency said on Tuesday.

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Snowden defends his NSA leaks

National Security Agency leaker Edward Snowden, speaking via live video conference on Monday, told a packed audience at the South By Southwest Interactive Festival that he had no regrets and acted because he believed the US Constitution had been "violated on a massive scale".

Crimea declares independence, report claims

Crimea's parliament has adopted a declaration of independence from Ukraine ahead of a March 16 referendum, according to Russia Today.

Japan marks 3 years since disaster

Japan observed a moment of silence on Tuesday to mark the third anniversary of the earthquake-tsunami disaster that swept away thousands of victims, destroyed coastal communities and created a nuclear emergency that forced a global rethink of nuclear power.

Partnership pivotal to stability, Vietnamese general says

Beijing and Hanoi have to exercise utmost restraint to guarantee the resolution of maritime disputes in a peaceful and cooperative way, a senior Vietnamese general told China Daily on Tuesday.

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Crimea would offer choice of passport

Crimea's pro-Russian prime minister will give people living there the choice of taking Russian or Ukrainian passports if the Ukrainian territory becomes part of Russia in a March 16 referendum, RIA News Agency reported on Monday.

Sino-Vietnamese military border discussions begin

China and Vietnam vowed to boost exchanges along their border to better safeguard regional stability as the two nations' militaries launched their first high-level border talks on Monday.

Egypt military head wants to build 1m homes

Egypt's powerful military chief launched a housing initiative on Sunday that will build 1 million homes in cooperation with a major Emirati construction firm.