For two days, North Korea’s best-kept secret
SEOUL (Reuters) – When South Korean President Lee Myung-bak left on a state visit for Japan last week, North Korean leader Kim Jong-il had been dead for about four hours, indicating that neither Seoul nor Tokyo — or Washington — had any inkling of his death.

Analysis: Kim death complicates Obama’s N.Korea nuclear quandary
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The death of North Korean leader Kim Jong-il could dim hopes for fresh nuclear disarmament talks with the United States and its key Asian allies as an untested and largely unknown heir takes charge of one of the world’s most feared atomic renegade states. The most crucial immediate question for Washington, and close ally Seoul, is whether Kim’s hermetic state can survive his death and complete a power transition to his youngest son Kim Jong-un, named by state news agency KCNA as the “Great Successor” to his father. …

Protesters Camp Out at Obama Headquarters, Talk ‘Occupy Caucus’ Plans
DES MOINES, Iowa — A small group of protesters camped out overnight in front of President Obama’s re-election headquarters here, demanding to speak with someone in the president’s campaign office and air their concerns and vowing to stay planted in front of the office through…

Politics Live blog: Thursday 15 December – The Guardian (blog)

The Guardian (blog)

Politics Live blog: Thursday 15 December The Guardian (blog) As usual, I'll be covering all the breaking political news, as well as looking at the papers and bringing you the best politics from the web. I'll post a lunchtime summary at around 1pm and another in the afternoon. If you want to follow me on Twitter, … and more »

Russian speaker quits in bid to cool election fury
MOSCOW (Reuters) – Longtime Russian parliament speaker Boris Gryzlov, the day-to-day head of Prime Minister Vladimir Putin’s ruling United Russia party, said on Wednesday he would not take his seat in the State Duma lower house elected last week. The decision appeared aimed at cooling public anger over an election opponents say was rigged in the ruling party’s favor. Protests against the result have undermined Putin’s authority ahead of a March vote in which he plans to return to the presidency. …

“Dragon Tattoo” film will benefit babysitters: Daniel Craig

LONDON (Reuters) – Among the main beneficiaries of the graphic new movie “The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo” will be babysitters.

U.S. condemns Iran blocking of “virtual embassy”
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The White House on Wednesday condemned Iran for blocking a “virtual embassy” website the U.S. State Department launched to reach out to people in the Islamic Republic. “Through this action, the Iranian government has once again demonstrated its commitment to build an electronic curtain of surveillance and censorship around its people,” the White House said in a statement. (Reporting by Laura MacInnis and Jeff Mason; Editing by Eric Walsh)

AP Exclusive: Inside Romania’s secret CIA prison

WASHINGTON (AP) — In northern Bucharest, in a busy residential neighborhood minutes from the center of Romania’s capital city, is a secret that the Romanian government has tried for years to protect.

Japan mulls $13 billion Fukushima bailout -source

TOKYO (Reuters) – The Japanese government may inject about $13 billion into Tokyo Electric Power Co as early as next summer in a de facto nationalization of the operator of the crippled Fukushima nuclear power plant, sources said on Thursday. Tepco’s future as an independent firm has been in doubt since an earthquake and tsunami wrecked the plant in March, triggering the world’s worst nuclear crisis in 25 years and leaving it with huge compensation payments and clean-up costs. …

Boxer Khan could be Muslim ‘ambassador’: promoter

Britain’s Amir Khan, a talented world boxing champion on an eight-fight win streak, could also play an important role in combating anti-Muslim prejudice, according to his US promoter.