World News Host

AP - President Hugo Chavez granted amnesty Monday to those accused of involvement in a failed 2002 coup that briefly drove him from power.

AP - North Korea failed to meet a year-end deadline to declare all its nuclear programs under an aid-for-disarmament deal, prompting disappointed reactions Monday from South Korea, the United States and Japan.

AP - Kenya’s president threatened a tough crackdown Monday as rioters rampaged for a third day to protest what they called his sham re-election ? a bloody convulsion threatening what has been East Africa’s most stable and prosperous democracy.

AFP - The United States called Monday for an immediate and complete ceasefire in Sudan’s conflict-riven western Darfur region to help a new hybrid peacekeeping force get up to speed quickly.

AP - Deadly clashes erupted Monday between rival factions in the Gaza Strip for the first time in more than a month, despite a conciliatory speech toward Hamas by Fatah’s leader, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas.

Reuters - The Archbishop of Canterbury has
followed the Queen’s lead in posting his annual message on
YouTube, where his green theme for the New Year is “God doesn’t
do waste.”

AP - A Venezuelan-led mission to rescue three hostages held by leftist rebels in Colombia’s vast jungles was tottering on the edge of collapse Monday, with guerrillas still not revealing where they’ll free the hostages.

AP - A joint African-United Nations force took over peacekeeping duties in Darfur on Monday, a long-awaited change that is intended to be the strongest effort yet to solve the world’s worst humanitarian crisis.

Reuters - The United States expressed concern
on Monday about any indefinite postponement of elections in
Pakistan after the assassination of Benazir Bhutto and
encouraged Islamabad to go ahead with the vote.

Reuters - A top aide to the French president
telephoned Syria’s foreign minister on Monday, a day after
Nicholas Sarkozy announced suspension of diplomatic contacts
with Syria over its role in Lebanon.