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How the French economy compares to Germany's, UK's

Here's how the struggling French economy stacks up compared to Germany's and Britain's:

SAfrican court acquits brother of Oscar Pistorius

Oscar Pistorius' older brother cried tears of relief Tuesday as a magistrate acquitted him of culpable homicide and negligent driving for the death of a woman in a road accident.

Pigeon sale yields world record for feathered Bolt

Flying high above Europe's economic crisis, a local lightning-fast pigeon called Bolt became the world's most expensive racing bird when his Belgian breeder sold it for 310,000 euros ($400,000) to a Chinese...

Saudi Arabia says arrests 10 from Iranian spy ring

A Saudi official says police have detained 10 more members of an alleged Iranian spy ring - eight Saudis, one Lebanese and one Turkish national.

Afghanistan: Deadly 24 hours leave 14 police dead

A coordinated Taliban assault on checkpoints in southern Afghanistan killed four police before a counterattack drove the insurgents back, Afghan officials said Tuesday. Also, at least 10 other police died in two attacks in...

Israeli military chief warns Syrian regime

Israel's military chief issued a stern warning to Bashar Assad on Tuesday, saying the Syrian leader would "bear the consequences" of any more attacks on Israeli forces near the Syrian border.

Clashes between Egypt troops and gunmen in Sinai

Egyptian security officials say police and military forces have clashed with armed tribesmen in a north Sinai village by the border with Israel, leaving one gunman dead.

Syrian, Hezbollah troops fight rebels in key town

Backed by elite troops of Lebanon's militant Hezbollah group, Syrian government forces fought rebels in a strategic opposition-held Syrian town near the Lebanese border for the third straight day Tuesday.

Does France have right plan to revive its economy?

The man charged with reviving France's shrinking economy and attracting businesses to invest here is gaining a reputation for doing the opposite.

Justin Bieber's monkey becomes German property

Justin Bieber's pet monkey is now the property of Germany.

Fighting for 2nd day between army, rebels in Congo

Fighting between the M23 rebels and the army continued for a second day Tuesday near Congo's eastern provincial capital of Goma, in clashes that have so far killed 20 people, all of them either soldiers or rebels,...

Uganda leader's legacy at stake in general's case

Analysts in Uganda say an army general's concern that officials are at risk of assassination if they oppose President Yoweri Museveni's plan to have his son succeed him is controversial because it challenges the...

Reports: Iran bars 2 top figures from June ballot

Iranian news websites boosted speculation Tuesday that election overseers have barred two prominent but divisive figures from next month's presidential ballot, in a move that would eliminate a threat to the country's...

Oman proposes ban on niqab veils for women drivers

A Saudi online newspaper says Oman is proposing that women be banned from wearing face veils when driving.

Group: More Afghan women jailed for 'moral crimes'

The number of Afghan women and girls jailed for "moral crimes" has risen dramatically in the past 18 months, raising concerns that gains in women's rights might be reversed with the withdrawal of most international...

Tunisia announces 3 cases of coronavirus, 1 death

A 66-year-old Tunisian man has died from the new coronavirus following a visit to Saudi Arabia and two of his adult children were infected with it, the Tunisian Health Ministry reported.

New rice contamination reported in China

Authorities are investigating rice mills in southern China following tests that found almost half of the staple grain in one of the country's largest cities was contaminated with a toxic metal.

Myanmar Muslims jailed for killing Buddhist monk

A Myanmar court sentenced seven Muslims to prison Tuesday - one of them to a life term - in the killing of a Buddhist monk amid deadly sectarian violence that was overwhelmingly directed against minority Muslims but has not...

Deadliest attacks in Iraq since US troop pullout Video included

Here is a look at the deadliest attacks in Iraq since the withdrawal of U.S. troops on Dec. 18, 2011:

Moscow blasts alleged vote theft at Eurovision

Russia's point man on Syria and on its relations with the U.S. on Tuesday turned his attention toward a subject close to Russian hearts - alleged vote theft at the Eurovision Song Contest.

South Africa: Winnie Mandela forced auction flops

An auction to pay off a debt of Nelson Mandela's ex-wife failed to take place because no one would open her home to the sheriff.

Seen and heard at the Cannes Film Festival Video included

Associated Press journalists open their notebooks at the 2013 Cannes Film Festival:

Israeli peace negotiator: Stalemate bad for Israel

Israel's chief peace negotiator with the Palestinians says the current stalemate is harmful for Israel.

Owner: Chinese boat's captain beaten by NKoreans

Gunmen wearing North Korean military uniforms released a Chinese fishing boat Tuesday after holding its crew for two weeks, beating up the captain and stealing the vessel's fuel, the boat's owner said. He added that...

More attacks across Iraq kill 7 people Video included

New attacks in Iraq killed seven people and wounded dozens on Tuesday, officials said, after a bloody day that claimed more than 100 lives across the country.

China's Xi will meet Obama earlier than expected

China's new leader Xi Jinping will confer with President Barack Obama next month in California, months earlier than expected, as both sides seek to stem a drift in relations, troubled by issues from cyberspying to North...

China's Li seeks stronger economic ties with India

Chinese Premier Li Keqiang told Indian business leaders Tuesday that developing stronger economic ties between their two nations would have huge benefits for both sides.

Besieged Mexican town cheers arrival of soldiers

Residents of a western Mexico area who endured months besieged by a drug cartel cheered the arrival of hundreds of Mexican soldiers Monday.

Guatemala top court overturns genocide conviction

Guatemala's top court overturned the genocide conviction of former dictator Efrain Rios Montt and ordered on Monday that his trial restart, throwing into disarray proceedings that had been hailed as historic for...

Kerry to Mideast to advance struggling Syria plan

Secretary of State John Kerry is headed back to the Middle East to press his case for peace talks between Syrian rebels and President Bashar Assad's regime amid increasing signs the new U.S. strategy to halt the war is...

Obama vows US support as Myanmar leader visits

President Barack Obama on Monday told Myanmar's president during a long-awaited White House meeting that he appreciates the Asian leader's efforts to lead the country on its sometimes difficult path to democracy and...

Attacks kill 95 in Iraq, hint of Syrian spillover Video included

Iraq's wave of bloodshed sharply escalated Monday with more than a dozen car bombings across the country, part of attacks that killed at least 95 people and brought echoes of past sectarian carnage and fears of a...

Tunisian feminist arrested for alleged provocation

A Tunisian feminist who scandalized her country by posting topless photos of herself online has been arrested after allegedly sneaking into Tunisia's holiest city disguised in a veil, then trying to get undressed during...

Church of Scotland takes step to allow gay clergy

Senior members of the Church of Scotland voted Monday to let some congregations choose ministers who are in same-sex relationships - an important compromise that must still pass further hurdles before it can become church...

Deadliest attacks in Iraq since US troop pullout Video included

Here is a look at the deadliest attacks in Iraq since the withdrawal of U.S. troops on Dec. 18, 2011:

Hezbollah pulled more deeply into Syria civil war

Hezbollah was pulled more deeply into Syria's civil war as 28 guerrillas from the Lebanese Shiite militant group were killed and dozens more wounded while fighting rebels, Syria activists said Monday.

Egypt: Security beefed up in Sinai after abduction

Dozens of Egyptian troops and armored vehicles moved into Sinai Monday as the government beefed up security in the volatile peninsula after the abduction of six policemen and a border guard by suspected Islamic militants.

Israel, Palestinians still arguing over epic image

A new Israeli report into the death of a Palestinian boy during a fierce gunbattle in the Gaza Strip more than a dozen years ago has reignited an emotional debate over who killed him - and how the incident has shaped...

Israel gunman shoots 4 dead at bank, kills self

A gunman stormed into a bank in the southern Israeli city of Beersheba Monday, killing four people in a gunfight and taking a hostage before killing himself, police said.

Saudi Arabia reports latest death from new virus

Saudi Arabia says it has recorded another death from a new respiratory virus related to SARS, bringing the total number of deaths in the kingdom to 16.

State Dept: Reports of anti-Semitism increase

The State Department appointed a special envoy to monitor and combat anti-Semitism Monday as a new report documents a global increase in incidents of anti-Semitism and Holocaust denial.

Russia claims to have foiled possible terror act

Russia's counterterrorism agency said Monday that its special forces killed two militants and detained a third believed to have been planning a terrorist act in Moscow.

Czech president in dispute over gay rights

The Czech Republic's controversy-courting new president is under fire for refusing to grant a university professorship to one of his critics and hinting that it is because the man is a gay rights activist.

Pakistan's presumptive PM calls for Taliban talks

Pakistan's presumptive prime minister called for peace talks with Taliban militants at war with the government Monday, potentially charting a course that could put him at odds with the country's powerful army.

M23 rebels clash with soldiers in eastern Congo

Clashes erupted Monday in eastern Congo between government troops and a rebel group believed to be backed by neighboring Rwanda, escalating to the use of mortars and rocket launchers in the first fighting between the groups...

Explosions kill 4 in Russia's restive Dagestan

Two bombs exploded outside a court building in Russia's restive province of Dagestan on Monday, killing at least four people and wounding dozens of others, officials said.

Jordan: Arab Spring clears way for press freedoms

The Arab Spring uprisings that toppled four Arab leaders have forced Mideast governments to allow more freedom of expression and of the press, Jordan's prime minister said Monday, but critics charged that Jordan itself...

Uganda police raid newspaper over general's letter

Ugandan police disabled an independent newspaper's printing press after forcibly entering its premises to look for evidence against an army general who recently questioned the president's alleged plan to have his son...

Postponed US long-range missile test due Tuesday

The Air Force says its test launch of an intercontinental ballistic missile, which Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel had postponed in April because of tensions with North Korea, is now scheduled to happen on Tuesday.

Retired Anglican priest jailed for sex abuse

A retired Church of England priest was jailed for 10 years Monday after a jury found him guilty of 36 separate sex offenses against children in the 1960s and 1970s.

German FM criticizes remarks by Hungarian PM

It started out simple enough: German Chancellor Angela Merkel criticized constitutional changes that have been made in Hungary. But Hungary's leader not only objected, he also found what he called a veiled reference to...

Seoul: Day 3 of NKorea tests of short-range weapon

North Korea continued firing short-range weapons over its own eastern waters Monday after a weekend of what it called "rocket launching tests" intended to bolster deterrence against enemy attack. South Korean officials were...

Cannes rolls out red carpet for Indian movies Video included

Indian cinema is being feted in Cannes on its 100th birthday. But amid the celebrations, the B-word - "Bollywood" - remains controversial.

Seen and heard at the Cannes Film Festival Video included

Associated Press journalists open their notebooks at the 2013 Cannes Film Festival:

South Africa: Mandela name pulled into politics

Nelson Mandela, old and frail, lives in seclusion in his Johannesburg home. Beyond the high walls of the house, the fighting over his image and what he stood for has already begun.

Kerry challenges Congress on diplomats' security

Secretary of State John Kerry challenged Congress on Monday to go beyond its investigations of embassy security and help ensure that U.S. embassies and consulates abroad have the resources they need for appropriate security....

Militiamen attack gas complex in western Libya

A Libyan gas company official says militiamen have attacked a natural gas complex in the country's west, injuring two guards and stealing weapons and military vehicles.

Iran election overseers may bar former president

Iran's election overseers said Monday they will bar candidates who are physically weak from running in next month's presidential election, a reference to a former leader seen as a threat to hard-liners.

Riots in Stockholm suburb over police shooting

Gangs of youth angered by the police shooting death of an elderly man in a mainly immigrant neighborhood hurled rocks at police and set cars and buildings on fire in a Stockholm suburb early Monday, forcing the evacuation of...

Suicide bomber kills 14 at Afghan province council

A suicide bomber dressed in a police uniform killed 14 people including a prominent provincial council chief outside the council headquarters in northern Afghanistan on Monday, authorities said. The Taliban insurgency...

Rebels attack C. African Republic villages; 8 dead

Suspected foreign fighters backing a rebel movement now in control of Central African Republic's government invaded a remote north-central village and killed six people, residents said.

US says Pakistan curbing explosive fertilizers

Pakistan has taken a number of steps to prevent fertilizers made within its borders for agriculture from being used as explosives in roadside bombs that target American troops in Afghanistan, said a top U.S. military officer...

Measles surges in UK years after flawed research

More than a decade ago, British parents refused to give measles shots to at least a million children because of now discredited research that linked the vaccine to autism. Now, health officials are scrambling to catch up and...

Saudi women teachers demanding full time jobs

About 30 Saudi women teachers have demonstrated outside the kingdom's Education Ministry, demanding full time jobs.

Large earthquake strikes off coast of Chile

A magnitude-6.5 earthquake struck off the coast of Chile on Monday, the U.S. Geological Survey said, but Chilean officials said it was not felt on land and discarded the possibility that it might unleash a tsunami.

51 die in 2 South Sudan clashes; army retakes town

Twenty-four people died in a battle between South Sudan's military and rebel fighters the government believes to be supported by neighboring Sudan, while a tribe-on-tribe cattle-raiding attack elsewhere in the country...

UAE construction giant faces rare labor strike

United Arab Emirates-based construction company Arabtec says it's working to resolve a rare strike by laborers seeking higher wages.

Russia targets pollster for 'political activity'

Russia's only independent polling agency said Monday it may have to close after prosecutors targeted it for "political activity" under a law spearheading President Vladimir Putin's crackdown on civil society.

Spokesman for Ansar Dine arrested in Mauritania

The man who acted as the spokesman for one of the three al-Qaida-linked groups occupying northern Mali turned himself in over the weekend to Mauritanian authorities on the border, an intelligence official briefed on the...

Suspected US drone kills 2 in Yemen

Yemeni security and military officials say a suspected U.S. drone has killed two militants in a town in the center of the country.

Turkey: 2 Brazilians killed in balloon crash Video included

A hot air balloon collided with another balloon mid-air during a sightseeing tour of volcanic rock formations in Turkey and crashed to the ground on Monday, killing two Brazilian tourists and injuring 23 other people on...

Amalric plays a Frenchman in America in 'Jimmy P'

Playing a Freudian analyst helped Mathieu Amalric overcome his fear and loathing of psychotherapy.

Gunfire from Syria hits Israeli-controlled Golan

The Israeli military says gunfire from Syria has hit the Israeli-controlled Golan Heights overnight.

China sentences underground bank operator to death

A businesswoman in southern China has been sentenced to death on charges of defrauding investors as the government tightens controls on informal financing that is widely used by entrepreneurs.

Who is building what in Sochi for 2014 Olympics

The cost of the 2014 Winter Games in the Russian city of Sochi now stands at $51 billion, making it the most expensive Olympics in history. More than half of the bill is being footed by Russian state-controlled companies and...

Russian oligarchs foot most of 2014 Sochi Olympics

The mountains of Sochi are now home to Potanin's slope, Gazprom's gondola lift and Sberbank's ski jump. The nicknames used by locals and an army of construction workers leave no doubt about who is paying for the...

China asks NKorea to release fishing boat, crew

China is urging North Korea to release a Chinese fishing boat whose owner says it was seized by gun-toting North Koreans earlier this month and held for ransom, in the latest irritant in relations between the neighboring...

SKorea analyzing NKorea's 4 projectile launches

South Korea is analyzing whether projectiles North Korea fired into its eastern waters over the weekend are short-range missiles or a new type of artillery the country may be developing, officials said Monday.

Top Libyan official: Benghazi explosion accident

Libya's deputy prime minister says an investigation has indicated that a deadly explosion in Benghazi last week was an accident and not an attack.

AP CEO calls records seizure unconstitutional

The president and chief executive officer of The Associated Press on Sunday called the government's secret seizure of two months of reporters' phone records "unconstitutional" and said the news cooperative had not...

Video shows kidnapped Egyptian security officers

Seven men purported to be the members of Egypt's security forces kidnapped by suspected militants last week appeared in a video posted online Sunday and urged the government to secure their release by meeting their...

Syrian troops push into strategic rebel-held town

Syrian troops pushed into a rebel-held town near the Lebanese border on Sunday, fighting house-to-house and bombing from the air as President Bashar Assad tried to strengthen his grip on a strategic strip of land running...

Tunisia security blocks salafi conference, 1 dead

Around 11,000 police officers and soldiers blocked an annual conference Sunday at Tunisia's main religious center by a radical Islamist movement that has been implicated in attacks across the country, prompting clashes...

Nigeria military: 17 killed during offensive

Nigeria's military says its offensive against insurgents in the country's restive northeast has killed at least 14 suspected Islamic extremists and three soldiers.

Israeli seeks interim deal with Palestinians

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's senior coalition partner says that reaching a final peace agreement with the Palestinians is unrealistic at the current time and the sides should instead pursue an interim arrangement.

Chinese premier visits India to boost ties

Just weeks after a tense border standoff, China's new premier visited India on Sunday on his first foreign trip as the neighboring giants look to speed up efforts to settle a decades-old boundary dispute and boost...

Slim, broadcasters take fight to soccer field

Mexicans often feel that billionaire Carlos Slim owns everything in their country, from telephone and Internet companies to banks and chain stores, but his latest acquisitive foray is meeting resistance after touching a...

Algerian editor accuses government of censorship

An editor has accused Algeria's government of censorship after it blocked the publication of his two newspapers.

Zimbabwe PM: We will end police, military abuse

Zimbabwe Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai said Sunday his party will end years of bias and abuse by the police, military and intelligence services and will make sure the services uphold the country's new constitution...

Russian TV: American accused of spying flies out

The U.S. Embassy employee accused of spying in Moscow flew out of Russia on Sunday, five days after he was ordered to leave the country, NTV television reported.

Pope: church should open up but follow teaching

Pope Francis is calling for renewal in the Catholic church as he wrapped up two days of mass gatherings in St. Peter's Square aimed at energizing the faithful.

Cairo airport baggage handlers end strike

Cairo airport officials say baggage handlers have resumed work after a strike that left passengers on 20 international flights from Europe and Arab countries waiting several hours for luggage.

Mice return from a month in space

A Russian capsule carrying mice, lizards and other small animals returned to Earth on Sunday after spending a month in space for what scientists said was the longest experiment of its kind.

Obama to speak on legality of drone program

President Barack Obama will discuss the legality of his administration's secret drone program and other counterterrorism practices during a speech Thursday, a White House official said.

Report: Iran hangs 2 men convicted of spying

Iran's state radio says authorities have executed two men convicted of spying for Israel's Mossad and the American CIA intelligence agency.

Karzai seeks Indian military aid amid Pakistan row

Afghan President Hamid Karzai will seek increased military aid from India during a three-day visit starting Monday and will discuss recent cross-border clashes with Pakistan, India's archrival, an aide said.

'Britain's Obama' urges ties with West Africa

A rising star in Britain's Labour Party, described by some as the "British Barack Obama," Chuka Umunna urged the United Kingdom to more aggressively forge ties with West Africa's fast-growing economies.

Tunisia security blocks salafi conference

Massive numbers of Tunisian police and army surrounded Tunisia's religious center of Kairouan to prevent a conference by a radical Islamist movement that has been implicated in attacks around the country.

Kenya police kill "terror couple"

Police shot dead a couple suspected to be terrorists after they threw four grenades, wounding five officers in an overnight stand-off, a police official said Sunday.

Saudi vegetable seller dies from self-immolation

A Saudi newspaper says a vegetable seller who set himself on fire in Riyadh after police confiscated his goods for standing in an unauthorized area has died.

Honeybees trained in Croatia to find land mines

Mirjana Filipovic is still haunted by the land mine blast that killed her boyfriend and blew off her left leg while on a fishing trip nearly a decade ago. It happened in a field that was supposedly de-mined.

Iran's Guard warns against post-election turmoil

A senior commander in Iran's Revolutionary Guard has warned that his forces will be on watch for possible unrest after next month's presidential election, calling the outcome "unpredictable" and sending the strongest...

UN chief hopes for Syria conference in early June

U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-moon is holding out hope that an international conference to negotiate a peaceful resolution to the Syrian civil war will be held in early June.

Pakistan repeats vote in Karachi despite killing

Pakistan held a repeat election on Sunday in an upscale area of the southern city of Karachi that was plagued with allegations of vote-rigging, despite the shooting death of a senior member of former cricket star Imran...

Cannes helps actors Bejo and Rahim cross borders Video included

The magic and glamour of Cannes can be hard to spot on a day when rain is lashing the palm trees, roiling the gray Mediterranean and pooling in puddles along the Croisette.

Pope leads pep rally at Vatican, meets with Merkel

Pope Francis lamented that investment losses by banks trigger more alarm in the economic crisis than the struggle of people to feed their families, as he led a huge rally Saturday to invigorate the church's moral...

20 flights without bags after Egypt airport strike

Egyptian officials say baggage handlers in Cairo's airport have gone on strike to protest a colleague's death, leaving passengers on 20 international flights from Europe and Arab countries waiting several hours for...

Reporter remembers fear in Videla's Argentina

It was just about a day after Argentine strongman Jorge Rafael Videla had seized power in March of 1976, and the bloodletting was already beginning.

Member of Pakistani cricket star's party killed

Police say gunmen on a motorcycle have shot and killed a senior member of a leading Pakistani political party.

Assad: Syria transition talks are internal matter

Syrian President Bashar Assad said in a newspaper interview Saturday he won't step down before elections and that the United States has no right to interfere in his country's politics, raising new doubts about a...

Suspected US drone in Yemen kills 4 militants

A suspected U.S. drone strike killed four al-Qaida militants Saturday in a southern Yemeni province once overrun by the group, according to security officials.

French president signs gay marriage into law

France will see its first gay weddings within days, after French President Francois Hollande signed a law Saturday authorizing marriage and adoption by same-sex couples and ending months of nationwide protests and wrenching...

Russia's Karjakin wins Norway chess tournament

Russia's Sergey Karjakin won the €100,000 ($130,000) Norway chess championship on Saturday after drawing against Veselin Topalov of Bulgaria.

SKorea says NKorea fires 3 short-range missiles

North Korea fired three short-range guided missiles into its eastern waters on Saturday, a South Korean official said. It routinely tests such missiles, but the latest launches came during a period of tentative diplomacy...

Blasts rock Libya's capital and eastern city

Libyan officials say explosions went off in the capital Tripoli and the restive eastern city of Benghazi, but no casualties were reported.

AP PHOTOS: Palestinians in Egypt exiled, forgotten

In 1948, Suleiman Mamoudi fled by foot with his parents and other families from their village of Bir el-Sabae in Palestine. The 28-year-old and his family walked west for several hundred miles, crossing the Sinai Peninsula...

Plane catches fire landing in Moscow; no injuries

Part of an airliner carrying more than 130 people caught fire as it was landing in Moscow, and passengers evacuated the plane by jumping off one of its wings and shooting down an evacuation slide.

Ivory Coast army arrests militia leader

A militia leader accused of grave crimes during Ivory Coast's 2010-11 postelection violence was taken into custody Saturday not far from the national park where his forces had been illegally occupying in the...

Attacks kill 16 in Iraq, 8 police kidnapped Video included

A string of attacks killed at least 16 people in Iraq on Saturday, while gunmen abducted eight policemen guarding a post on the country's main highway to Jordan and Syria, the latest in a wave of violence to grip the...

Sea turtle comeback in a corner of the Caribbean

Giant leatherback turtles, some weighing half as much as a small car, drag themselves out of the ocean and up the sloping shore on the northeastern coast of Trinidad while villagers await wearing dimmed headlamps in the...

Union leads march in Rome calling for job creation

A union of Italian metal workers has led thousands of people in a march through the heart of Rome to press the new government for measures to spur job creation.

Journalist found dead in eastern Congo

The body of a Congolese journalist was found on the bank of the Ngezi River near the provincial capital of Bunia in eastern Congo, the city's mayor said Saturday.

Nigeria military declares 24-hour curfew in city

Nigeria's military declared a 24-hour curfew Saturday on neighborhoods in a northeastern city that's the spiritual home of an Islamic extremist network as soldiers continued the government's emergency campaign in...

Afghan lawmakers block law on women's rights

Conservative religious lawmakers in Afghanistan blocked legislation on Saturday aimed at strengthening provisions for women's freedoms, arguing that parts of it violate Islamic principles and encourage disobedience.

Politics, bribery charges swirl around Ugandan oil

Even before the first drops flow, Uganda's oil sector is beset by bribery allegations against officials, tax-related cases abroad that cost the government millions in legal fees, and the alleged interference of a...

A Native American tale with international pedigree

It took an international production starring a Puerto Rican and a Frenchman to bring the Native American tale "Jimmy P.: Psychotherapy of a Plains Indian" to the big screen.

Egypt Muslim-Christian clashes leave 1 dead

Egyptian security officials say clashes between Muslims and Christians in the Mediterranean port city of Alexandria left one man dead of a heart attack.

Blinking skirts, fake tans: It must be Eurovision

Flashy skirts, fake tans, fur and feathers: It's the 2013 Eurovision Song Contest.

Afghan police chief shot dead outside home

Motorcycle-riding gunmen assassinated a police chief in front of his house after he led an anti-Taliban campaign in western Afghanistan, an official said Saturday.

Egyptians targeted with blasphemy charges

The pale, young Christian woman sat handcuffed in the courtroom, accused of insulting Islam while teaching history of religions to fourth-graders. A team of Islamist lawyers with long beards sang in unison, "All except the...

OAS drug study eyes marijuana legalization

An Organization of American States study released Friday is calling for a serious discussion on legalizing marijuana.

Caribbean talks conservation on Branson's island

Surrounded by a turquoise sea and a menagerie of exotic animals on a billionaire's private island, political and business leaders gathered Friday to back an initiative aimed at expanding protection for the...

Bombs kill 9 inside elite Afghan housing complex

Two bombs hidden in a motorcycle and a car exploded inside an elite gated community linked to the family of Afghan President Hamid Karzai on Friday evening, killing at least nine people and wounding more than 70 near the...

Weinstein showcases Grace Kelly, Mandela flicks

The Weinstein Company's fall slate of awards contenders will feature a glamorous Grace Kelly, a brawny Nelson Mandela and a mysterious J.D. Salinger.

Egypt security forces clash with Cairo protesters

Egyptian security forces have fired tear gas at protesters hurling firebombs at them in central Cairo, hours after hundreds of opponents of Egypt's President Mohammed Morsi rallied peacefully in the streets denouncing...

AP PHOTOS: Cuba's LGBT community celebrates

A week of drag shows, colorful marches and social and cultural events in Havana culminates Friday with celebrations of the International Day Against Homophobia.

Bombs targeting Sunnis kill at least 76 in Iraq Video included

Bombs ripped through Sunni areas in Baghdad and surrounding areas Friday, killing at least 76 people in the deadliest day in Iraq in more than eight months. The major spike in sectarian bloodshed heightened fears the country...

Canada abuzz over purported crack video of mayor

A video purportedly of Toronto Mayor Rob Ford smoking crack has caused an uproar in Canada. Ford on Friday called the allegations "ridiculous."

Argentine dictator Videla dies in prison at age 87

Former dictator Jorge Rafael Videla, who took power over Argentina in a 1976 coup and led a military junta that killed thousands of his fellow citizens in a dirty war to eliminate so-called "subversives," died quietly in his...

Official: Nigeria military attacks camps, kills 21

Soldiers in Nigeria launched their first raid against suspected Islamic extremists in a campaign to take back control of the nation's northeast, killing at least 21 people, a security official said Friday.

Iran's Farhadi and China's Jia make Cannes splash Video included

Two directors from countries with tough film censorship brought bold and probing movies to the Cannes Film Festival on Friday - one exploring China's social problems, the other delving into the mysteries of the human...

Venezuela's military enters high-crime slums

Stern-looking soldiers clutching assault rifles wave down the beat-up Chevy Caprice entering this sprawling slum on the outskirts of Caracas.

Egypt police close Gaza border to protest kidnap

Dozens of disgruntled border policemen forced the closure of Egypt's main crossing point into the Gaza Strip on Friday to protest the abduction of their colleagues by suspected militants, underscoring the lawlessness and...

UK police announce new leads in missing girl case

British police say they are investigating new leads in the case of Madeleine McCann, the Briton who disappeared six years ago in Portugal at the age of three.

Correction: Honduras-Death Squads story

In a story May 13 about suspects disappearing or dying after being in the custody of the Honduran National Police, The Associated Press misquoted U.S. Assistant Secretary of State William Brownfield as suggesting that the...

Hagel names general to lead US troops in SKorea

An Army general who served as a top official on U.S. joint military staffs in Afghanistan and at the Pentagon is the choice to command U.S. troops in South Korea.

Woman describes Berlusconi's 'bunga bunga' parties

Silvio Berlusconi's private disco featured not only aspiring showgirls performing striptease acts as sexy nuns and nurses, but one woman dressed up as President Barack Obama and a prominent Milan prosecutor whom the...

Report: Torture evidence found in Syrian prisons

Rights activists visiting abandoned government prisons in the first Syrian city to come under rebel control have found torture devices and other evidence that detainees were abused there, Human Rights Watch said in a report...

$1 million in jewelry stolen near Cannes film fest Video included

Thieves ripped a safe from the wall of a hotel room near the Cannes Film Festival and made off with around $1 million worth of jewelry, in a brazen late-night burglary just hours after the screening of a film about break-ins...

Retirement tests if Beckham built lasting brand

David Beckham's pecs are at least as much a part of his brand as his kick; his brand of shoes ultimately more lucrative than the game he's giving up. Listed as the world's highest-earning athlete for 2013,...

Bieber will have to pay for German monkey business

Justin Bieber will face a bill for thousands of euros (dollars) for his pet monkey's two-month stay at an animal shelter since it was seized by German customs, officials said Friday as a deadline expired for him to...

Zimbabwe PM confident he'll oust Mugabe in vote

Zimbabwe Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai said Friday he is poised to sweep to victory in upcoming presidential elections and return the nation to the world community after years of isolation.

Bombs at mosques in northwest Pakistan kill 15

Bombs that exploded outside two mosques in a village in northwestern Pakistan killed at least 15 people Friday, underlining the challenge of militant violence facing a new government set to take power under the leadership of...

French gay marriage law ruled constitutional

France's constitutional council has rejected a challenge by conservative lawmakers to the country's new gay marriage law, saying the law was constitutional.

Official: 10 killed in explosion in Turkey

Officials say a container of fuel being smuggled into Turkey from Syria has exploded, killing 10 people.

23 dead in initiation rites in South Africa

Twenty-three youths have died in the past nine days at initiation ceremonies that include circumcisions and survival tests, South African police said Friday.

Rights groups: Syria holds thousands incommunicado

About 30 security agents showed up just after midnight, breaking down the door to an apartment in the town of Daraya near the Syrian capital of Damascus. They grabbed a 24-year-old university student and drove off.

A look at 'enforced disappearances' worldwide

By The Associated Press The U.N. Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances is pressing governments to provide information about open cases. Over the past two decades, it received nearly...

George Michael injured in another car crash

George Michael was being treated at a hospital Friday for what his publicist called minor injuries after being a passenger in a car crash near London.

Hints of political change on horizon in Algeria

The Arab Spring may finally be en route to Algeria.

IMF says Cyprus at risk of even deeper recession

The International Monetary Fund said Friday that substantial risks still loom for the Cypriot economy even after a multi-billion dollar international bailout aimed at averting a debt default.

Czech, US cooperate in developing new reactors

The United States says it has completed a transfer of 75 kilograms (165 pounds) of salt coolant material to the Czech Republic as part of cooperation between the two countries in developing new nuclear reactors.

EU survey reveals many gays live in fear

Across Europe, gay couples are scared of publicly engaging in even the most basic expression of their affection: Holding hands.

Bulgarian parliament convenes Tuesday

Bulgarian President Rosen Plevneliev said Friday that he will convene the nation's newly elected Parliament next week to begin trying to form a government, a task complicated by the refusal of three parties to enter a...

UK: Undercover officers used IDs of dead children

A senior U.K. policeman says that British undercover officers often used the identities of dead children as aliases, confirming a recent newspaper report which first exposed the ghoulish practice.

Cultural attitudes impede organ donations in China

China is phasing out its reliance on executed prisoners for donated organs, but an architect of the country's transplant system said Friday that ingrained cultural attitudes are impeding the rise of donations among the...

Hot off the press: Seen and heard in Cannes Video included

Associated Press journalists open their notebooks at the 2013 Cannes Film Festival:

Gay pride rally in Georgia derailed

Thousands of anti-gay protesters, including Orthodox priests, occupied a central street in Georgia's capital Friday, with some threatening to lash with stinging nettles any participant in a gay pride parade which was to...

Iran may ban candidates who seek ties with US

The head of Iran's constitutional watchdog says it may disqualify candidates in June presidential elections who seek full relations with the United States.

S. Sudan: Doctors Without Borders hospital ruined

The medical aid group Doctors Without Borders says one of its medical facilities located in a rural but violent region of South Sudan has been ransacked and destroyed.

Report: Bahrain police search home of top cleric

A main opposition group in Bahrain says police have searched the home of the Gulf nation's most senior Shiite cleric, who has strongly sided with anti-government protesters.

CIA chief makes unannounced Israel visit

An Israeli defense official says the head of the American CIA spy agency has made an unannounced visit to Israel.

Indian circuses struggle to adapt after court bans

In the early morning heat and dust, daily practice at the Rambo Circus is in full swing. A trapeze creaks as two performers perfect their throws. A Colombian daredevil shouts to his colleagues scrambling atop a giant set of...

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    The car you drive may have one and you may not even know it. Event data recorders collect several pieces of information seconds before a crash such as: speed, brake pressure, and seat belt use. Troopers
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    A restaurant owner who got snagged in a gambling probe that grew out of the Brett Parker double murder investigation took the stand, as the trial entered its third week. The juror heard testimony Monday
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  • Tuesday, May 21 2013 10:36 AM EDT2013-05-21 14:36:49 GMT
    (RNN) – A day after long track tornadoes devastated Shawnee and Edmond, OK, another round has begun near Oklahoma City.KOCO broadcast a slow rotating cloud that slowly extended down towards the ground
    Dozens of people have died after a second day of tornadoes twisted through Oklahoma, this time taking aim at the town of Moore, south of Oklahoma City.