Asia, Democracy | featured news

Myanmar authorities on Friday revised downward the death toll from this week's ethnic violence in the country's west after warning that the strife risks harming the country's reputation as it seeks to shift to democratic rule.

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton on Monday held up Mongolia's sometimes messy politics as a democratic model for Asia, and implicitly criticized political restrictions in China.

Myanmar held a landmark election Sunday that was expected to send democracy icon Aung San Suu Kyi into parliament for her first public office since launching her decades-long struggle against the military-dominated government.

Meanwhile, a refugee crisis keeps growing in Turkey, where at least 3,000 Syrians fled across the border in recent days to makeshift tent cities set up by relief agencies and the Ankara government.

Syria plunged deeper into chaos and bloodshed Friday as adamant pro-democracy protesters took to the streets across the country in cities and towns including Homs, Lattakia, Amouda, Izram, Dara, Der Ezzor and Qamishli in mass protests that mark what protestors have called "Friday of Tribes."

Freed democracy activist Aung San Suu Kyi addressed her supporters and reporters Sunday in Myanmar.

Burma's military government freed its archrival, democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi, on Saturday after her latest term of detention expired.

The mood in some parts of Myanmar seemed tense yet calm Saturday, one day before the nation holds it's first election in 20 years -- an electoral contest critics say is aimed at creating a facade of democracy.

A Burmese court rejects the latest appeal by pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi against an extended detention.

Myanmar's ruling junta released the deputy leader of the country's pro-democracy party from nearly seven years in detention, but offered no indication that he or still-detained party leader Aung San Suu Kyi would be allowed to take part in this year's elections.