Assad will be sworn in for another seven-year term at his palace overlooking the capital.

The 6,825-ton ferry Sewol sank in waters off the country's southwest coast on April 16 with 476 people on board.

This marks a major step towards restarting atomic plants that were shuttered after the Fukushima crisis.

Authorities say the first major storm of the country's brutal rainy season claimed at least four lives.

The extension would be months not weeks.

Some 400 people including parents gather at library branch to read banned books to their children as show of protest.

Some of the first raids on Wednesday morning targeted homes of senior Hamas officials.

Government ministries routinely use Twitter and 461 of the 650 members of the House of Commons have accounts.

Taliban violence, crippling power crisis and outdated production methods are taking their toll in Peshawar.

Hamas rockets claim its first victim in the eight day conflict as Palestinian toll tops 197.