December 20 News international

Tuesday 20 December, 2011.

TOP STORY Syria to allow Arab monitors, 100 dead in violence Syria has agreed to an Arab League plan to send foreign monitors, bowing to growing international pressure to end its bloody crackdown on a nine-month uprising. HEADLINES Egyptian women to protest against mistreatment by military  Agitated over the brutal crackdown and mistreatment of women protesters by the Egyptian military, women are preparing for a massive rally in Cairo on Tuesday to denounce the atrocities committed by the armed forces. Dual nationality holders banned from contesting Pak polls  Pakistan's Election Commission has begun enforcing a law that bars persons with dual nationality from contesting elections or becoming members of parliament, with officials saying the move could even apply to incumbent MPs. US puts drone strikes inside Pak on hold: report  The US has put its covert air campaign that targets al-Qaeda and Taliban operatives in Pakistan's tribal agencies "on hold", in the wake of strained ties between the two countries. Kim Jong II body displayed, NKorea media hail son  The body of North Korea's long-time ruler Kim Jong II was laid out in a glass coffin on Tuesday as weeping mourners filled public plazas and state media fed a budding personality cult around his third son, hailing him as "born of heaven." AFRICA & SOUTH AMERICA ASIA PACIFIC EUROPE NORTH AMERICA SOUTH ASIA WEST ASIA

OTHER TOP STORIES Vaclav Havel, leader of "Velvet Revolution", passes away