December 19 News international

Monday 19 December, 2011.

TOP STORY Kim Jong II dies; North Koreans rally around his heir North Korea on Monday announced the death of supreme leader Kim Jong II and asked its people to rally behind his young son and heir-apparent, while the world watched for signs of instability in a nation pursuing nuclear weapons. HEADLINES Former PM, CJ ask Aus govt to protect Assange's human rights  Former Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Fraser and former chief justice of the Family Court Alastair Nicholson have joined the supporters of Wikileaks founder Julian Assange, asking the Federal Government to protect his human rights. Clashes continue in Egypt; toll increases to 14  Egyptian soldiers and protesters clashed for the fourth straight day in the iconic Tahrir Square here killing three more people and taking the four-day toll to 14 even as US Secretary of State Hilary Clinton appealed to the military to allow peaceful expression and assembly. Vaclav Havel, leader of "Velvet Revolution", passes away Vaclav Havel, an anti-Communist playwright who became Czech president and a worldwide symbol of peace and freedom after leading the bloodless "Velvet Revolution", died at the age of 75 on Sunday. Philippine floods toll 652 dead with 808 missing The death toll from mammoth floods unleashed in the southern Philippines by tropical storm Washi has climbed to 652 with 808 others missing, the Red Cross said on Sunday. AFRICA & SOUTH AMERICA ASIA PACIFIC EUROPE NORTH AMERICA SOUTH ASIA WEST ASIA

OTHER TOP STORIES 20 killed in Nepal bus accident Gunmen attack chopper near Indonesia Freeport mine  WTO approves Russia's membership; India, US welcomes this development  Gillard says her Govt would last full term UN lifts sanctions on Libya central bank