World News
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Afghan president appeals for calm
KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) — The president of Afghanistan is appealing for calm, amid continued protests over the burning of Muslim holy books at a U.S. military base. The protests brought clashes today in several cities between Afghan security forces and demonstrators. Seven people were killed. In a statement, President Hamid Karzai said Afghans "have the right to protest peacefully," but
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Venezuela's Chavez says his cancer is likely back
CARACAS, Venezuela (AP) — President Hugo Chavez has raised serious doubts about whether he'll have the stamina for a successful re-election bid, revealing that he needs to return to Cuba to have a lesion removed that is probably malignant. Chavez was meeting with top aides on Wednesday to plan for his absence while expressions of support poured in from his
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Two foreign journalists killed in Syria
BEIRUT (AP) — Two foreign journalists have reportedly been killed by government troops shelling the city of Homs. Marie Colvin, who covered conflicts from Sri Lanka to Syria in her quest to bring stories about the world's most troubled places to light, is reportedly one of the journalists who has died in the shelling attack. French government spokeswoman Valerie Pecresse said
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Findings in Quran burning probe due soon
WASHINGTON (AP) — A spokesman for the international military force in Afghanistan says findings from an investigation into the burning of Muslim holy books at a NATO base may come out as early as today. German Brig. Gen. Carsten Jacobson told reporters at the Pentagon by video-teleconference from Kabul that Afghan authorities joined the probe of what he called a
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Australia's Foreign Minister resigns
SYDNEY (AP) — Australia's foreign minister has resigned amid an ongoing leadership squabble, saying he cannot continue in his role without the support of Prime Minister Julia Gillard. Foreign Minister Kevin Rudd announced his resignation during an early morning news conference Wednesday in Washington, where he is visiting on official business. His decision comes amid relentless speculation that he planned
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Deadly train wreck in Argentina
BUENOS AIRES, Argentina (AP) — Officials say a packed train has slammed into the end of the line in a busy train station in Buenos Aires, killing 49 people and injuring hundreds of morning commuters. It is Argentina's worst train accident in decades. The commuter train apparently came in too fast and hit the barrier at the end of the
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Date set for Mubarak verdict and sentencing
CAIRO (AP) — An Egyptian judge has set June 2nd as the date for the verdict and sentencing in the trial of ex-President Hosni Mubarak. Earlier in the day, Mubarak turned down the chance to address the court on the last session before the verdict in his seven-month trial. He is accused of complicity in the killing of protesters during the
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Divers in Italy report finding more ship bodies
ROME (AP) — Italian authorities say divers searching the capsized Costa Concordia have found what appears to be four more bodies on the cruise ship. The civil protection agency, which is monitoring the operation, said the bodies were found Wednesday but it will take some time before they are recovered. The Concordia struck a reef near the Tuscan island of
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Strauss-Kahn freed after French police questioning
PARIS (AP) — The former chief of the International Monetary Fund, Dominique Strauss-Kahn, has been released from a French police station after two days of questioning over a suspected hotel prostitution ring. Judicial officials say he will be summoned again next month by three judges who will decide if there is enough evidence to file charges in a case centering
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Union to halt Frankfurt airport strike
FRANKFURT, Germany (AP) — A strike at Frankfurt airport that has led to hundreds of flight cancellations is being halted ahead of new talks aimed at defusing a bitter pay dispute, a union said Wednesday. The strike at Europe's third busiest airport "will be halted with the beginning of the night shift" Wednesday, said Matthias Maas, a spokesman for the
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Gadhafi's daughter seeks death certificate
AMSTERDAM (AP) — Lawyers for the daughter of Moammar Gadhafi have filed a formal petition at the International Criminal Court seeking an authorized copy of the former Libyan leader's death certificate. Aisha Gadhafi's lawyer Nick Kaufman says the move is intended in part to show that Libya's National Transitional Council isn't capable of holding a fair trial for her brother
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U.K. emergency services hold big Olympics test
LONDON (AP) — Britain's police and emergency services are holding a massive Olympics security exercise centering on a mock emergency on the London subway system. The two-day test beginning today will start at the Aldwych tube station — a subway stop that has been shut to commuters since 1994. London Underground maintains the stop so it can be used in
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Leaders meet over fragile Somalia's future
LONDON (AP) — Somalia's prime minister says an international conference in London could mark the end of two-decades of chaos and violence in his impoverished country. Abdiweli Mohamed Ali said Wednesday that conflict-scarred Somalia was "moving from an era of warlordism, terrorism, extremism and piracy," and toward "stability and normalcy." About 50 nations and organizations will attend a one-day summit
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Germany says no need to boost euro rescue fund
BERLIN (AP) — Germany says it still sees no need at present to increase the eurozone's planned permanent rescue fund after the currency bloc agreed on a new bailout for Greece. The country has faced widespread calls to agree to strengthen the €500 billion ($662 billion) European Stability Mechanism, which is to take over this year from the short-term fund
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U.N. nuke expert says no 'way forward' with Iran
VIENNA (AP) — A top U.N. nuclear official says his team could "could not find a way forward" in attempts to persuade Iran to talk about suspected secret work on atomic arms. Herman Nackaerts of the International Atomic Energy Agency says the talks in Tehran were inconclusive, although his mission approached the talks "in a constructive spirit." Nackaerts spoke to
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Court rejects Occupy London eviction challenge
LONDON (AP) — A British court has rejected a bid by Occupy London protesters to challenge an order evicting them from their camp outside St. Paul's Cathedral. Last month a High Court judge backed local authorities who are trying to remove the protest, but lawyers for the demonstrators sought to challenge the decision. On Wednesday three appeals court judges said
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U.S. and North Korea hold first post-Kim Jong Il talks
BEIJING (AP) — The United States and North Korea reopen nuclear talks this week that will provide a glimpse into whether a political transition to Kim Jong Il's young son is going smoothly two months after the longtime North Korean leader's death. Analysts say the talks Thursday could show North Korea's readiness to get back to a nuclear disarmament-for-aid deal
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Hamas irons out dispute over Palestinian unity
CAIRO (AP) — A senior Hamas official says the leadership of the Islamic militant group has settled internal disagreements and approved a unity deal with its political rival, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas. Izzat al-Rishq, who is an aide to Hamas chief Khaled Mashaal, says that Hamas' Syria-based political bureau met in Cairo Wednesday and okayed the agreement. Since 2007, the
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Dutch say no change in prince's condition
VIENNA (AP) — The Netherlands' royal information service says Prince Johan Friso remains in stable but life-threatening condition five days after he was buried by an avalanche in the Austrian Alps. The 43-year-old was rushed to the intensive care unit of Innsbruck's main hospital Feb. 17th after he was rescued from the snow. He had been skiing off marked trails
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Tony Blair's wife sues over U.K. phone hacking
LONDON (AP) — A lawyer says Tony Blair's wife Cherie is suing Rupert Murdoch's British newspaper company over phone hacking. Graham Atkins said in an email Wednesday that Cherie Blair is suing "in relation to the unlawful interception of her voicemails." Murdoch's News International did not immediately return a message seeking comment. ©2012 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material
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Greek Parliament to debate debt writedown deal
ATHENS, Greece (AP) — Greek lawmakers will start debating emergency legislation to approve the country's private debt relief deal, as unions plan a new anti-austerity rally outside Parliament. The €107 billion ($141 billion) writedown by banks and other private holders of Greek bonds will be debated at committee level on Wednesday. Parliament's plenary session will vote on the draft law
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Norway summer camp called off after massacre
OSLO, Norway (AP) — The youth wing of Norway's governing Labor Party says it will skip its annual island retreat after a gunman killed 69 people during last year's event. Instead, the organization, known by its initials AUF, says it will hold a "dignified" commemoration of the July 22nd massacre on Utoya island outside Oslo. AUF leader Eskil Pedersen said
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Slow progress one year after New Zealand quake
WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) — Christchurch, New Zealand remains a broken city as families of the 185 people killed in last year's earthquake mark the first anniversary of the tragedy. Hundreds of wrecked buildings downtown are still waiting to be torn down so reconstruction can begin in earnest — many of them within sight of the ceremony at Latimer Square.
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SKorean president says Seoul open to NKorea talks
SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — South Korea's president says Seoul is open to talking with an "open heart" if North Korea shows a willingness to improve ties. Lee Myung-bak's comments Wednesday at a news conference come during a tense time for the rival Koreas. Envoys from North Korea and the United States plan nuclear talks Thursday in Beijing. But Pyongyang
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Strauss-Kahn held in prostitution probe
PARIS (AP) — French police questioned former International Monetary Fund chief Dominique Strauss-Kahn all day Tuesday in a probe into a suspected hotel prostitution ring. Strauss-Kahn, a one-time French presidential hopeful whose chances were derailed by a sexual assault accusation in New York, arrived at the police station in the northern city of Lille for a prearranged morning appointment. He