Putin's Olympics end under a Crimean cloud
SOCHI, Russia (AP) -- Triumphant in the midst of global condemnation, Vladimir Putin clinked his champagne flute with sports leaders, toasting the success of his pet project in Sochi.... 3/16/2014 8:32 AM

Malaysia asks countries for data to help find jet
KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia (AP) -- Malaysia's government on Sunday asked for help from nearly a dozen Asian countries that the missing jetliner may have flown over, saying that finding the plane would be very difficult without additional data on its final movements.... 3/16/2014 8:06 AM

Crimea votes on whether to secede from Ukraine
SIMFEROPOL, Ukraine (AP) -- The Crimean region voted on Sunday about whether to demand greater autonomy from Ukraine or split off and seek to join Russia, in a referendum that has been condemned as illegal by the United States and European countries.... 3/16/2014 8:03 AM

Ex-defense minister drops out of Afghan race
KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) -- Afghanistan's former defense minister says he is withdrawing his candidacy for president in the upcoming election to be held on April 5.... 3/16/2014 7:50 AM

Iran doesn't expect deal in coming nuclear talks
TEHRAN, Iran (AP) -- Iran's foreign minister says his country doesn't expect to cement a final deal in the coming round of nuclear talks with world powers.... 3/16/2014 7:26 AM

Pilot suicide a taboo topic in past crash probes
CANBERRA, Australia (AP) -- As police investigate the two pilots of a Malaysian passenger jet that disappeared more than a week ago, a possibility they must consider is that one of them committed suicide by deliberately crashing the plane.... 3/16/2014 7:12 AM

German minister seeks tougher rules for tax cheats
BERLIN (AP) -- Germany's finance minister wants to tighten rules allowing tax evaders to escape punishment if they turn themselves in after the conviction of soccer giant Bayern Munich's ex-president highlighted the issue.... 3/16/2014 7:08 AM

Indian PM aspirant to contest from Hindu holy city
NEW DELHI (AP) -- The main opposition candidate for Indian prime minister will contest next month's elections from a revered Hindu holy city, a decision that analysts said was a sign of his commitment to Hindu nationalism.... 3/16/2014 6:54 AM

Syria: Government forces seize key rebel town
DAMASCUS, Syria (AP) -- Syria said its military seized a key town that served as a rebel supply hub on the Lebanese border on Sunday after a months-long army offensive. Activists said fighting was still ongoing but the government was in effective control of much of Yabroud.... 3/16/2014 6:43 AM

Malaysia's handling of lost plane irritates China
BEIJING (AP) -- The search for a missing jetliner with Chinese travelers aboard has revealed the limits of Beijing's influence in its own backyard and left communist leaders facing outrage from their public.... 3/16/2014 6:26 AM

Nigeria Navy destroys 260 illegal oil refineries
WARRI, Nigeria (AP) -- The Nigerian Navy says it destroyed 260 illegal oil refineries and burned 100,000 tons of contraband fuel to try to halt oil thefts bedeviling the economy of Africa's biggest petroleum producer.... 3/16/2014 6:17 AM

Parents of Japan abductee meet NKorean grandchild
TOKYO (AP) -- The parents of a Japanese woman abducted by North Korea in 1977 have met their Korean-born granddaughter for the first time.... 3/16/2014 6:02 AM

Crowd sets fire to Hindu center in Pakistan
KARACHI, Pakistan (AP) -- An angry crowd set fire to a Hindu community center in southern Pakistan after allegations circulated that a Hindu had desecrated Islam's holy book, police said Sunday.... 3/16/2014 5:43 AM

Monk sets himself on fire in northwest China
BEIJING (AP) -- A monk set himself on fire Sunday in an ethnic Tibetan area of northwest China, the country's official news agency reported.... 3/16/2014 5:30 AM

Slovakia to hold a presidential runoff election
BRATISLAVA, Slovakia (AP) -- Two candidates will compete in a runoff ballot to become Slovakia's next president, election results indicated Sunday.... 3/16/2014 5:15 AM

Crimea Secession Vote: How, Why and What Next?
SIMFEROPOL, Ukraine (AP) -- Crimea voted Sunday in a hastily organized referendum about whether to break away from Ukraine and join Russia, in defiance of broad condemnation from the international community, which has described the process as illegitimate.... 3/16/2014 5:01 AM

Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba gears for US IPO
HONG KONG (AP) -- Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba Group said Sunday that it will go public on a U.S. stock exchange in a move analysts say might raise up to $15 billion in the year's biggest initial public offering.... 3/16/2014 4:49 AM

EU mulling next steps against Russia over Ukraine
BRUSSELS (AP) -- The European Union is taking steps to increase sanctions against Russia over what many believe is a planned annexation of Ukraine's Crimea region, as Moscow has changed from a wary partner to a diplomatic adversary in the space of a few months.... 3/16/2014 4:13 AM

Serbia votes in early parliamentary election
BELGRADE, Serbia (AP) -- Serbs are voting in an early parliamentary election that is expected to benefit the governing Serbian Progressive Party, which has promised to fight crime and corruption in the troubled Balkan nation.... 3/16/2014 4:01 AM

Indian search for missing Malaysian plane on hold
NEW DELHI (AP) -- Massive Indian navy and air search operations for the missing Malaysian aircraft were suspended Sunday until fresh search areas are identified by the Malaysian government, an official said.... 3/16/2014 2:03 AM