Asia, Parliament | featured news

As its leader, Kim Jong-il, was watching, North Korea’s rubber-stamp Parliament fired its prime minister and elevated his brother-in-law to the regime’s No. 2 post on Monday in a sweeping government reshuffle analysts said was aimed at defusing public anger over a disastrous revaluation of its currency while consolidating Mr. Kim’s power.

Lawmakers scale walls and flee by helicopter after protesters storm Parliament. Thai Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva declared a state of emergency in Bangkok on Wednesday, handing the army broad powers to restore order after weeks of disruptive street protests by anti-government demonstrators.

Tens of thousands of red-shirted protesters rallied in Thailand's capital Sunday to press their demand that the government dissolve Parliament or face massive demonstrations at key sites in the city.

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