Riot police in Malaysia have fired tear gas to disperse thousands of people in Kuala Lumpur, who protested against the use of English in local schools.
Some 124 people were reportedly held, as the demonstrators tried to march to the royal palace in the capital.
The ethnic Malay protesters demanded a return to Malay as the teaching language for maths and science.
Both subjects have been taught in English since 2003 to improve pupils’ poor language skills, officials say.

China’s state-run media has said a Tibetan monk made up allegations that police shot another monk who set himself on fire to protest against Chinese rule in his homeland.
Activist groups reported police shot the monk when he protested in the flashpoint area of Aba in southwest China’s Sichuan province last week, and residents there contacted by AFP confirmed that they had heard guns fired.
But the Xinhua news agency issued a report on Thursday saying another monk had confessed to making up allegations about the police shooting, and cited residents saying …

Security forces killed up to 25 people in Madagascar on Saturday when they opened fire on an anti-government protest outside the presidential palace, a senior police officer at the scene said.
Two weeks of civil unrest stoked by a power struggle between President Marc Ravalomanana and the sacked mayor of the capital, Andry Rajoelina, have killed some 125 people and worried multinational firms investing in the giant Indian Ocean island.

PARIS: A nationwide protest against Nicolas Sarkozy’s economic policies drew more than one million demonstrators into the streets of France on Thursday, in the biggest popular challenge to the president since he took office in 2007.
Organizers hailed the demonstrations – meant to highlight unemployment and declining spending power in a time of crisis – as a great success.

GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip – Israel said it was approaching the “endgame” of its three-week offensive against Gaza’s Hamas rulers and scheduled a Security Cabinet vote Saturday on a truce proposed by Egypt. Under the cease-fire plan, fighting would stop immediately for 10 days, but Israeli forces would initially remain in Gaza and the border crossings into the territory would remain closed until security arrangements are made to ensure Hamas militants do not rearm.
If Israel agrees to stop shooting, Israel radio said a truce summit would be held in Cairo …

Thousands of demonstrators poured onto the streets of major European cities on Sunday to protest for a second day against Israel’s assault on Gaza, but there was no repeat of Saturday’s widespread violent clashes with police.
Around 30,000 people demonstrated in Brussels, some carrying models of bloodied Gaza children, while more than 1,000 formed a human chain to march through Rome as Italy’s defence minister warned Muslims against provocative prayers in public squares.

A number of prominent British Jews have written an open letter calling on the Israeli government to halt its military operations in Gaza immediately.
The letter, published in the Observer, warns the military action, far from improving security, will strengthen extremism and destabilise the region.
The signatories, who declare themselves “passionate supporters of Israel”, include several rabbis.
The first major rally in support of Israel in the UK will take place later.

ANKARA, Jan. 4 (Xinhua) — Thousands of people on Sunday joined demonstrations across Turkey to protest against the Israeli raids on Gaza, the semi-official Anatolia news agency reported.
Political parties and non-governmental organizations held demonstrations in different provinces protesting the Israeli strikes, according to the report.
Thousands of people attended the demonstrations, chanting slogans and carrying banners condemning Israel and demanding an immediate halt to Israeli bombing in Gaza Strip, said the report, adding that some protesters burnt Israeli flags and effigies.

SYDNEY, Australia (JTA) – Thousands of pro-Palestinian demonstrators rallied in Australia against Israel’s ground offensive in Gaza.
In Melbourne, about 2,000 anti-Israel protesters ground the city to a standstill Sunday as they marched from the State Library to Federation Square waving placards bearing slogans such as “Stop the Holocaust in Gaza” and “End the siege.”
In Sydney, several streets in the central business district were blocked off as about 3,000 pro-Palestinian protesters marched to Town Hall carrying coffins draped in the Palestinian flag.