Sudan's military says it has "liberated" several areas of war-torn South Kordofan state, but rebels on Saturday dismissed the claim as propaganda, saying a government offensive achieved "nothing".

The Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) said late Friday that it had taken over Abu Hassan, a rebel command center, "after a series of victories" elsewhere in the state.

China has denounced Japan's plans to boost military purchases, accusing it of playing up regional tensions as an "excuse" to ramp up defense spending.

The cabinet of hawkish Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe agreed Tuesday to spend 24.7 trillion yen ($240 billion) between 2014 and 2019 -- a five percent boost to the military budget over five years.

A Taiwanese court has suspended the trial of former President Chen Shui-bian on the ground that he is suffering from depression, dementia and other health problems, officials said Saturday.

Chen, who is already serving a 20-year jail term for corruption, has been on trial since last year for allegedly taking illegal possession of confidential documents while he was in office.

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry welcomed the Friday release of Russia's most famous prisoner and Kremlin critic Mikhail Khodorkovsky, while expressing concerns over the country's selective prosecution.

The former oil tycoon arrived in Germany a free man Friday after more than 10 years behind bars, in a whirlwind release hours after his surprise pardon by President Vladimir Putin.

U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-moon was welcomed Saturday with Christmas songs sung by children who lost their homes as he toured a central Philippine city devastated by a super typhoon that killed more than 6,100 people last month.

Ban flew to Tacloban on central Leyte island after meeting President Benigno Aquino III and other officials in Manila to discuss recovery efforts.

Six pro-Kurdish lawmakers on Friday ended a hunger strike they began on Tuesday to denounce court rulings against the release of jailed MPs with suspected links to Kurdish rebels.

"We have ended our action. We hope that our fellow lawmakers will be released," one of the strikers Sebahat Tuncel told journalists.

Thailand's main opposition Democrat Party on Saturday announced it would boycott snap elections in the crisis-gripped kingdom, piling further pressure on the government as protesters prepare to ramp up rallies aimed at suspending democracy.

Party members -- who resigned as MPs en masse to join the demonstrations that have rocked Bangkok for weeks -- voted against participating, according to Democrat leader Abhisit Vejjajiva.

The United States and other foreign powers stepped up pressure on South Sudan's feuding ethnic factions to settle their differences, as Washington dispatched an envoy to the violence-wracked region.

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry said Friday he was sending a special envoy to encourage talks between opposing factions in the world's newest country, which has erupted into brutal fighting with a mounting death toll.

Tanzania on Friday fired four key ministers for abuses committed by the security forces during a controversial anti-poaching drive, the Prime Minister said.

The officials fired are Defense Minister Shamsi Vuai Nahodha, Interior Minister Emmanuel Nchimbi, Natural Resources and Tourism Minister Khamis Kagasheki and Lifestock and Fisheries Minister David Matayo. All four are from the ruling party.

President Barack Obama issued a stern defense of his outreach to Iran on Friday, warning U.S. lawmakers not to derail diplomatic efforts to curtail the Islamic state's nuclear program.

In an end-of-year news conference, Obama said efforts in Congress to pass tougher economic sanctions could damage recent moves to halt Tehran's alleged drive to refine nuclear fuel and build a weapon.