Venezuela steps up security along Colombia border
CARACAS, Venezuela (AP) -- About 3,000 Venezuelan soldiers have been sent to bolster security along the border with Colombia after the neighboring country's main rebel group carried out a deadly attack on a Colombian army patrol in the frontier region, Venezuela's defense minister said Thursday.... 5/24/2012 8:37 PM

Mexico gang launches car bomb near US border
MEXICO CITY (AP) -- Suspected drug cartel gunmen opened fire on a hotel being used as a police dormitory then attacked it with a car bomb Thursday, wounding seven officers less than 4 miles (6.5 kilometers) from the U.S. border, Mexican officials said.... 5/24/2012 8:35 PM

Venezuela: Fiber-optic cable to Cuba is working
CARACAS, Venezuela (AP) -- An undersea fiber-optic cable that was laid last year between Venezuela and Cuba is working, a Venezuelan government official said Thursday.... 5/24/2012 8:23 PM

Brotherhood claims lead as Egypt vote count begins
CAIRO (AP) -- The Muslim Brotherhood quickly staked a claim Thursday for its candidate to advance to a runoff vote, saying its exit polls showed him leading in Egypt's landmark presidential election to succeed ousted leader Hosni Mubarak.... 5/24/2012 8:08 PM

A smoke-free country? New Zealand taxes aim for it
WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) -- There are smoke-free bars, smoke-free parks, even smoke-free college campuses. But a smoke-free country?... 5/24/2012 8:01 PM

Ban tells CNN Annan plan is Syria's only choice
UNITED NATIONS (AP) -- U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon says international envoy Kofi Annan's peace plan is the only option right now for ending the violence in Syria.... 5/24/2012 7:41 PM

EU running out of time as Greece nears the exit
ATHENS, Greece (AP) -- European leaders insist they want to keep Greece in the eurozone, but are putting off any agreement on how they hope to accomplish that. Greece says it, too, wants to stay in the eurozone, but until after elections it's uncertain whether it can implement the austerity that Europe has set as a condition for doing so.... 5/24/2012 7:22 PM

Crime reporter accused of robbery, firing at cops
PORT-OF-SPAIN, Trinidad (AP) -- A reporter who led crime coverage for a Trinidad & Tobago newspaper and a TV news cameraman are being accused of robbing a liquor store and getting in a shootout with police.... 5/24/2012 7:21 PM

Mexican boy's eyes gouged out in apparent ritual
MEXICO CITY (AP) -- Police in a Mexico City suburb arrested a mother and several relatives Thursday for allegedly gouging out the eyes of her 5-year-old son in what authorities said appeared to have been a drug-fueled ritual.... 5/24/2012 7:19 PM

Vatican bank chief ousted in no-confidence vote
VATICAN CITY (AP) -- The president of the Vatican bank has effectively been ousted after receiving a unanimous vote of no-confidence from bank overseers for having leaked documents and failed to do his job at a critical time in the Holy See's efforts to show financial transparency, the Vatican and officials said.... 5/24/2012 7:18 PM

Gunman misses Colombia union leader, kills brother
BOGOTA, Colombia (AP) -- Colombian police say a gunman opened fire on a labor leader in Cali and killed the man's brother and wounded two other people, including a 4-year-old girl.... 5/24/2012 6:46 PM

Nepal court rejects new delay on constitution
KATMANDU, Nepal (AP) -- Nepal's highest court has ordered that the government finish the country's long-awaited new constitution by the Sunday deadline. The decision could force new elections if a political deadlock is not broken.... 5/24/2012 6:41 PM

Argentina drops train operator after deadly crash
BUENOS AIRES, Argentina (AP) -- Argentina's government on Thursday revoked the commuter railway concession for a company whose train crashed in February, killing 51 people and injuring 703.... 5/24/2012 5:47 PM

3 top Dominican Republic cops accused in drug case
SANTO DOMINGO, Dominican Republic (AP) -- Three high-ranking police officials in the Dominican Republic have been accused of providing security to drug traffickers, marking the latest public corruption case to hit the Caribbean nation as it tries to clean up its military and police.... 5/24/2012 5:34 PM

Nuclear talks with Iran set to resume next month
BAGHDAD (AP) -- Iran and six world powers wrapped up talks Thursday still far apart over how to oversee Tehran's atomic program, but with resolve to keep dialogue going as an alternative to possible military action.... 5/24/2012 4:46 PM

30 killed in clashes at Mali-Burkina border
OUAGADOUGOU, Burkina Faso (AP) -- At least 30 people from the Peul ethnic group were killed in clashes over land rights at the border between Burkina Faso and Mali this week, and as many as 1,000 others have fled fearing more violence, according to the governor of Burkina's northern region.... 5/24/2012 4:34 PM

In Egypt vote, families debate on generation lines
CAIRO (AP) -- Arwa el-Hussein, a 20-year-old pharmacy student, has been quarreling with her father for weeks, trying to get him not to back Hosni Mubarak's former prime minister for president.... 5/24/2012 4:32 PM

IOC-USOC revenue deal done; US can bid for games
QUEBEC CITY (AP) -- International and U.S. Olympic leaders finalized a new revenue-sharing agreement on Thursday that ends years of acrimony between the powerful bodies and clears the way for future American bids for the games.... 5/24/2012 4:19 PM

UK police seize record number of counterfeit coins
LONDON (AP) -- Scotland Yard has seized a record number of counterfeit coins in raids on three properties just outside of London, the force announced Thursday. Three suspects have been arrested in the case.... 5/24/2012 3:20 PM

Brazil Senate committee OKs gay civil unions
BRASILIA, Brazil (AP) -- A measure allowing same-sex civil unions passed its first legislative step in Brazil's Congress, where it has lingered for 16 years.... 5/24/2012 3:17 PM