Just a day after the president of Argentina revealed that she is battling cancer, Venezuaelan president Hugo Chavez suggested in a televised speech that the United States may be plotting to infect Sout American leaders with cancer.

In a speech to troops on Wednesday, Chavez said:

"It would not be strange if they had developed the technology to induce cancer and nobody knew about it until now. It is very hard to explain, even with the law of probabilities, what has been happening to leaders in Latin America."

Chavez underwent surgery in June to remove a tumor from his pelvis. Argentine president Cristina Fernandez revealed this week that she has thyroid cancer, which she has been battling for a year. She will undergo surgery on January 4. Former Brazilian president Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva was diagnosed with throat cancer in October, and his successor, Dilma Rousseff, survived a battle with lymphoma in 2009. In August 2010, Paraguay president Fernando Lugo was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin lymphoma in August 2010.

Chavez insisted in his speech that he "wasn't accusing anyone", but noted that ex-Cuban dictator Fidel Castro had warned him of the U.S.'s biological cunning, saying:

North Korea's long criticized ruler, Kim Jong Il, has died at the age of 69.

Kim took over absolute control of community North Korea in 1994 following the death of his father. In recent years, Kim had been suffering from numerous health issues, and had nearly touched off a number of wars with his hatred of the world an love of accumulating weapons of mass destruction.

The dictator who infamously let his people starve while he built nuclear bombs, died of a heart attack at the age of 69 while riding aboard a train Saturday during a "high-intensity field inspection."

He was believed to have also suffered a stroke in 2008, and was a notorious drinker and chain smoker. He was mocked for his crazy hair and love of movies and choreography, but posed a real danger to the world as he was in control of the fifth largest military force in the world.

Kim's youngest legitimate son, Kim Jong Un, who is believed to be in his 20s, was announced as his successor in September 2010.

On Saturday, tens of thousands of people in Moscow, as well as thousands more in cities across Russia, assembled to demand an end to Vladimir Putin's rule and a rerun of a parliamentary election. These demonstrations mark the biggest opposition protests since Putin first rose to power 12 years ago, and the largest protest rally since the Soviet Union's collapse in 1991.

The largest protest was in Moscow, where riot police were ready and watching as protesters shouted and waved flags. The protests showed an outpouring of anger over the December 4 election, which the opposition claims was rigged to favor Putin and United Russia, and to show discontent with the current prime minister three months before Putin tries to reclaim the presidency at the polls.

Former prime minister Mikhail Kasyanov, who now leads an opposition movement that was banned from the election, said to a huge crowd at Bolotnava Square across the Moscow River from the Kremlin:

"Today 60,000, maybe 100,000 people, have come to this rally. This means today is the beginning of the end for these thieving authorities."

Watch a live stream of the Occupy Cleveland movement right here on our website (see video below). The group's permit to protest on Public Square expired at 10pm. Shortly after 10:30pm, police officers made the official call for dispersement and minutes later began making arrests. View what's going on live here:

The Occupy Cleveland movement, which is a part of the global revolt and demonstration against the world's largest financial institutions, is facing eviction from their headquarters on Public Square in downtown Cleveland after a permit allowing them to protest there expired at 10pm ET.

While the initial crowd of demonstrators was in the dozens, just ahead of the 10pm expiration, an additional 200 to 250 supporters joined in. 20 or so police officers were initially present, and then more were called in, including the Cleveland Police Departments riot police.

So far there have been no reports of any arrests. Just after 10:30pm, officers made the official call for dispersement.

Update 10:40pm ET: The crowd is now chanting "We are not violent. We are peaceful."

Update 10:41pm ET: The first arrest has been made.

Update 10:45pm ET: Crowd begins chanting "This is what a police state looks like", "Shame on you", "Shame, Shame, Shame!". Multiple arrests are now being made. More chanting - "Police are the 99 percent."

Vladimir Putin, Russia's top leader from 2000 to 2008, is seeking to regain his title as President. On Saturday, Putin agreed to run for the Russian presidency in 2012, virtually ensuring his return to office. In addition, the United Russia party approved Putin's proposal that current president Dmitry Medvedev take over Putin's role as prime minister.

During Putin's reign last decade, he was widely criticized for his steely command, which many in the West said was a retreat from democracy. Constitutional powers have also extended the presidential term from four years to six, and as such, Putin is likely to have even more power in this position.

Putin's nomination at a congress of the United Russia party put an end to months of speculation about whether he would seek to return to the Kremlin or allow the milder Medvedev to seek another term in 2012.

The United Russia party has such an overwhelming presence in Russian politics that the election of Putin to president and Medvedev's switch to prime minister is virtually guaranteed. Putin's personal popularity is very strong among Russians, and genuine opposition parties have been marginalized.

According to British foreign secretary William Hauge, Iran has carried out secret tests of nuclear-capable missiles.

Iran is currently in the middle of conducting 10 days of war games, which has included the public testing of a new, medium range missile that is said to be capable of hitting U.S. bases in Afghanistan and other military assets in the Middle East. Hauge accuses Iran of using the public tests as a cover for testing out missiles capable of carrying a nuclear payload.

Hauge said:

"Iran has also been carrying out covert ballistic missile tests and rocket launches, including testing missiles capable of delivering a nuclear payload in contravention of UN resolution 1929."

He added that Tehran also "announced that it intends to triple its capacity to producer 20 percent enriched uranium. These are enrichment levels far greater than is needed for peaceful nuclear energy." Hauge said that England would "maintain and continue to increase pressure on Iran to negotiate an agreement on their nuclear program."

Meanwhile, the United States accuses Iran of "bragging" about its military threat after testing 14 missiles on Tuesday. State Department spokesperson Victoria Nuland said:

According to British foreign secretary William Hauge, Iran has carried out secret tests of nuclear-capable missiles.

Iran is currently in the middle of conducting 10 days of war games, which has included the public testing of a new, medium range missile that is said to be capable of hitting U.S. bases in Afghanistan and other military assets in the Middle East. Hauge accuses Iran of using the public tests as a cover for testing out missiles capable of carrying a nuclear payload.

Hauge said:

"Iran has also been carrying out covert ballistic missile tests and rocket launches, including testing missiles capable of delivering a nuclear payload in contravention of UN resolution 1929."

He added that Tehran also "announced that it intends to triple its capacity to producer 20 percent enriched uranium. These are enrichment levels far greater than is needed for peaceful nuclear energy." Hauge said that England would "maintain and continue to increase pressure on Iran to negotiate an agreement on their nuclear program."

Meanwhile, the United States accuses Iran of "bragging" about its military threat after testing 14 missiles on Tuesday. State Department spokesperson Victoria Nuland said:

President Barack Obama had flown into Ireland on Sunday, but has now been forced to cut his trip short as the volcanic ash cloud from Iceland threatens to disrupt flights across the United Kingdom.

Obama had been scheduled to spend Monday evening in Dublin, but will instead leave early to avoid the possibility of getting stuck on his first stop on his four-country, six-day tour of Europe. A White House official said:

'Due to a recent change in the trajectory in the plume of volcanic ash, Air Force One will depart Ireland for London tonight. The schedule for tomorrow will proceed as planned.'

Obama is scheduled to spend two days in London at Buckingham Palace. These plans haven't yet been disrupted. He is also due to visit France and Poland.

President Obama reaffirmed the "bonds of affection" today with a visit to his ancestral home, a pint of Guinness and a speech in the center of Dublin that even included him reciting a line in Gaelic.

Prior to his arraignment Monday morning, Dominque Strauss-Kahn, head of the International Monetary Fund, spent time in a holding pen behind the courtroom where he was arraigned a short time later. The court proceeding was delayed for a few hours while his lawyer and prosecutors argued over the money and circumstances under which the French politician could be potentially released. Manhattan Criminal Court Judge Melissa Jackson remanded Strauss-Kahn.

The defense had asked Judge Jackson to set the bail at $1 million. Prosecutors, however, asked that Strauss-Kahn be remanded.

Assistant district attorney John McConnell said:

“He has almost no incentive to stay in this country and every incentive to leave. If he went to France, we would have no legal mechanism to guarantee his return to this country.“

The criminal complaint charges Strauss-Kahn with two counts of criminal sexual act in the first degree, unlawful imprisonment, sexual abuse in the third degree and forcible touching.