(Euronews: 0744 PT, May 3, 2011) Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper will head a majority government for the first time after his Conservative Party won Monday's parliamentary elections. The Conservatives picked up nearly 40 percent of the vote, taking 167 seats in Canada's parliament.

Harper, who had previously headed two minority governments in his five years as PM, says he can secure Canada's economic recovery and wipe out its budget deficit. The 52-year-old says this can be achieved by slashing public spending and cutting taxes.

(Democracy Now! 0758 PT, May 3, 2011) Democracy Now! interviews Stephen Lewis, long-time member of the National Democratic Party, about the results of the Canadian elections. The Conservative party, led by Prime Minister Stephen Harper, was elected to a majority in the Canadian parliament, ending five years of minority government.

(Euronews: 0413 PT, May 2, 2011) World leaders have been reacting to the death of Osama bin Laden. In Kabul, Afghan president Hamid Karzai said that the al-Qaeda leader's killing showed the fight against terrorism should be focused in neighbouring Pakistan. Turkish President Abdullah Gul said Bin Laden's death proved that all terrorist group leaders would eventually face justice. British Prime Minister David Cameron struck a cautious tone, welcoming Bin Laden's death but warning that the threat of terrorism had not yet been defeated.

(Associated Press: 0606 PT, May 2, 2011) Leaders, experts and citizens around the world are reacting to news of the death of Osama bin Laden in a US military operation.

(Euronews: 0925 PT, May 2, 2011) Reaction in the Arab world has been mixed. In the Gaza strip, Hamas's leader Ismail Haniyeh was guarded, yet also clear he saw no change for the better coming from it: "If the news is correct, we regard this as a continuation of the American policy that is based on oppression and shedding the Muslim and Arab blood."

(ITN News: 0724 PT, May 2, 2011) Former UK prime minister Tony Blair responds to death of Osama bin Laden.

(Euronews: 0410 PST, April 28, 2011) Palestinians in Hamas-ruled Gaza have been celebrating the news of a provisional agreement with the rival Fatah group to end their bitter feud. But reaction in Israel has been less positive, due to fears the more militant Hamas will take control of the West Bank.

(Russia Today: 0719 PST, April 14, 2011) Tensions between the US and Pakistan have risen sharply in recent weeks leading Islamabad officials to demand a cut in the number of CIA personnel in the country. It comes as its foreign office called American drone-attacks a "core irritant" in the fight against terror. The latest attack drew strong criticism after several civilians were killed in North Wariziristan on Wednesday.

(Associated Press: 0430 PST, April 12, 2011) Japan raised the crisis level at its stricken nuclear power plant to 7, the highest on an international scale and on a par with the 1986 accident at Chernobyl.

(Associated Press: 0554 PST, April 11, 2011) A strong new quake and other aftershocks rattled northeastern Japan hours after the country somberly marked one month since a deadly combination of quake and tsunami laid waste to the region.

(Al Jazeera English: 0726 PST, March 29, 2011) World leaders have met at a summit in London to discuss the ongoing conflict in Libya, and possible outlooks both for the military intervention, and humanitarian and development aid going forward.

Here are excerpts from comments made by David Cameron, the British Prime Minister, Hillary Clinton, the US Secretary of State, and Ban Ki-moon, the UN Secretary-General.

Obama Defends Libya Action

(ITN News: 0037 PST, March 29, 2011) President Obama appears on US television to defend the military action being taken in Libya.

(Euronews: 0800 PST, March 24, 2011) Europe's leaders are meeting today to sign off on a plan to defend the euro after months of financial turbulence, but Portuguese Prime Minister Jose Socrates resigned after parliament rejected his minority government's plan to avoid a bailout. Socrates' resignation causes a new dilemma for the EU and IMF if Portugal does decide to seek an financial bailout.

(Euronews: 0028 PST, March 7, 2011) Lebanese protesters have called for an end to the country's sectarian political system. Around 8,000 demonstrated outside the electricity ministry. They claimed it was a symbol of the corruption the long-established division of power among religious sects had produced.

Lebanon's constitution says the president must be a Maronite Christian, and the prime minister a Sunni Muslim. Critics say dividing power this way has fuelled self interested alliances.

(Al Jazeera English Headlines: 0600 PST, March 4, 2011) In Libya, rebel fighters are continuing to take on Colonel Gaddafi's security forces in towns across the country. Fresh fighting has erupted in the western towns of Az Zawiyah and Misurata, and there are reports of anti-government protests in the capital Tripoli.

And after Friday prayers there have been more protests calling for change across the Arab world, including demonstrations in Egypt, Iraq, and Yemen.