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Greek Radical Left Leader Refusing Coalition Talks

Posted May 13th, 2012 at 8:00 pm (UTC-5)
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The leader of a group of Greek far-left parties, which finished second in last week’s parliamentary elections, is refusing to take part in more talks to form a coalition government. Alexis Tsipras said Sunday he will not become what he calls an accomplice in a crime against Greek society. He said those who govern Greece […]

Tags: , , , Posted in Europe

Syrian Troops Storm Village; Violence Spills into Lebanon

Posted May 13th, 2012 at 7:45 pm (UTC-5)
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Syrian troops backed by tanks killed at least five civilians, torched homes and looted shops when they overran a rebellious Sunni Muslim farming village Sunday, as tensions from the 14-month-old uprising also spilled into neighboring Lebanon. Sunday’s raid against the impoverished village of al-Tamana, 55 kilometers northwest of Hama, cast further doubt on the viability […]

Tags: , , , Posted in Middle East

Top Afghan Peace Negotiator Assassinated

Posted May 13th, 2012 at 7:35 pm (UTC-5)
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Afghan officials say gunmen assassinated a top Afghan peace negotiator Sunday, dealing a major blow to efforts aimed at ending the decade-long war. Authorities say Arsala Rahmani, a senior member of the 70-member High Peace Council, was on his way to work when he was shot dead from a nearby car while stuck in heavy […]

Tags: , , , Posted in South Asia

US, Pakistan, Afghan Military Hold Talks

Posted May 13th, 2012 at 7:15 pm (UTC-5)
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The commander of NATO-led forces in Afghanistan met with the army chiefs of Pakistan and Afghanistan in Islamabad Sunday to discuss border security and anti-terror coordination. The meeting of the Afghanistan-Pakistan-ISAF Tripartite Commission came as Pakistani civilian and military leaders are preparing for talks Tuesday on ending the nearly six-month blockade of NATO supply routes […]

Tags: , , , Posted in South Asia

Merkel’s Conservatives Trounced in German State Election

Posted May 13th, 2012 at 5:50 pm (UTC-5)
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German Chancellor Angela Merkel’s conservatives suffered an embarrassing loss in Sunday’s legislative election in Germany’s most populous state as she continues pushing for economic austerity in Europe. Preliminary results show the opposition left-wing Social Democrats winning 39 percent of the vote in North Rhine-Westphalia. Ms. Merkel’s Christian Democrats won 26 percent. The Social Democrats will […]

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28 Dead as Yemen Launches Anti-Qaida Assault

Posted May 13th, 2012 at 4:40 pm (UTC-5)
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Yemeni officials say at least 16 militants and 12 government soldiers were killed Sunday as troops backed by warplanes and heavy artillery launched a major offensive to retake the al-Qaida-held southern city of Zinjibar. The attacks pounded areas of Ayban province including the city of Jaar, where al-Qaida has maintained control since March 2011. If […]

Tags: , , Posted in Middle East

Thousands March in Russian Capital, Police Stand By

Posted May 13th, 2012 at 4:35 pm (UTC-5)
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About 10,000 Russian opposition backers held what organizers called a “test stroll” through Moscow Sunday. The walkers said they wanted to test police tolerance of a large gathering in the Russian capital, a week after President Vladimir Putin was sworn-in for his third term. One of the organizers, novelist Boris Akunin, said he wanted to […]

Tags: , , , Posted in Europe

University Custodian Graduates with Honors from Columbia

Posted May 13th, 2012 at 4:25 pm (UTC-5)
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After years of mopping floors, cleaning toilets and taking out the trash at New York’s prestigious Columbia University, Gac Filipaj finally saw his dream come true. On Sunday, the 52-year-old immigrant from the former Yugoslavia graduated from Columbia with a degree in classics – with honors. Filipaj came to the United States in 1992. He […]

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Top Afghan Peace Negotiator Assassinated

Posted May 13th, 2012 at 4:00 pm (UTC-5)
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Afghan officials say gunmen assassinated a top Afghan peace negotiator Sunday, dealing a major blow to efforts aimed at ending the decade-long war. Authorities say Arsala Rahmani, a senior member of the 70-member High Peace Council, was on his way to work when he was shot dead from a nearby car while stuck in heavy […]

Tags: , , , Posted in South Asia

Greece’s President Tries to Broker Coalition Government

Posted May 13th, 2012 at 3:25 pm (UTC-5)
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Greece’s president has so far failed in his last-ditch effort to broker a new coalition government for the debt-stricken nation. President Karolos Papoulias held talks Sunday with the heads of the top three political parties – the conservative New Democracy party, the radically liberal Syriza party and the socialist PASOK party. He was also meeting […]

Tags: , , , Posted in Europe