In the World

NORTH KOREA

Pyongyang says

Kim purged uncle

North Korea on Monday acknowledged the purge of leader Kim Jong Un's uncle on allegations of corruption, drug use, and a long list of other "anti-state" acts.

The lengthy dispatch by state media apparently ends the career of the country's second most powerful official and leaves Kim without a man long considered his mentor as he consolidated power after his father's death two years ago.

Jang Song Thaek was described as "abusing his power," having "improper relations with women," taking drugs, and gambling at casinos while undergoing medical treatment in a foreign country. He was last seen in state media about a month ago.

South Korean intelligence officials said days ago that two of Jang's aides had been executed for corruption, and a recent state documentary in the North had all images of Jang removed. - AP

CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC

From bad to worse

The rebel-leader-turned- president of Central African Republic acknowledged Sunday he did not have total control over former allies accused of killing scores of civilians. He said that even "an angel from the sky" could not solve all his country's woes. Violence in just the last few days has killed 400 people. French troops are set to try to disarm fighters Monday. - AP

THAILAND

Opposition quits

After days of relative calm in Bangkok, the main opposition party in Thailand raised the stakes Sunday by resigning en masse from parliament. The crisis began last month as Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra's government tried to pass a law to grant amnesty to her brother, telecom tycoon and former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, convicted of corruption in 2008 and in self-imposed exile since. - Los Angeles Times