MiamiHerald.com: World Wires

Chavez has opponent in Venezuela election

Fri, 10 Feb 2012 19:38 EST

Once jailed governor hopes to give Hugo Chávez a run for the presidency Henrique Capriles, the energetic governor of Venezuela’s Miranda state, is leading the polls for Sunday’s opposition primary election. The winner will face President Chávez in October.

Bus rollover injures about 30 people

Fri, 10 Feb 2012 19:38 EST

The general manager of a Canadian motorcoach travel company says about 30 people have been injured after a bus rolled over on a highway near Edmonton, Alberta.

DEA: Mexican governor got millions in drug cash

Fri, 10 Feb 2012 18:58 EST

U.S. drug agents have uncovered evidence that cartel leaders paid millions to the governor of a Mexican border state and other members of Mexico's former ruling party in exchange for political influence, according to a court filing in Texas.

2 Venezuelans to court for posing kids with guns

Fri, 10 Feb 2012 18:28 EST

Venezuelan prosecutors say two women have been ordered to appear in court for allegedly posing children with assault rifles during a public event organized by an armed group that supports President Hugo Chavez.

Haiti 'Baby Doc' case spurs claim of gov't sway

Fri, 10 Feb 2012 17:18 EST

Before President Michel Martelly took office in May 2011, Haiti's top prosecutor had recommended that former strongman Jean-Claude Duvalier face trial for the abuses associated with his 15-year rule.

Argentine rights workers to Spain: Lay off Garzon

Fri, 10 Feb 2012 15:58 EST

The president of the Argentine human rights group Mothers of the Plaza de Mayo said Friday that Spain's prosecution of crusading judge Baltasar Garzon is an "assault on the entire human race."

Italy: Wrecked cruise ship moves in rough seas

Fri, 10 Feb 2012 15:34 EST

Italian officials say rough seas have increased movements of the crippled Costa Concordia and are thwarting the start of fuel removal a month after the cruise ship capsized off a Tuscan island.

Swiss detain man over gun linked to German murders

Fri, 10 Feb 2012 14:54 EST

Swiss police have detained a man in connection with a gun used by a German neo-Nazi group suspected of killing 10 people.

Jordan to contest EU extradiction ban on preacher

Fri, 10 Feb 2012 14:22 EST

Jordan says it will contest a European ban prohibiting Britain from extraditing to the kingdom a radical Islamist cleric alleged to have close ties to al-Qaida.

Europe's cold close zoo outside Paris

Fri, 10 Feb 2012 13:52 EST

A count who operates a zoological park on the grounds of his chateau outside Paris says some of his animals just can't take the cold this winter.

Egypt's military warns of plots on eve of strike

Fri, 10 Feb 2012 13:27 EST

Egypt's military rulers warned Friday that the country faces conspiracies that seek to topple the state and spread chaos, in a message intended to undermine activists who plan to mark the anniversary of President Hosni Mubarak's overthrow with anti-army protests.

Thousands in Slovakia protest corruption at top

Fri, 10 Feb 2012 13:27 EST

Thousands of Slovaks are protesting in the capital to demand that top politicians accused of corruption step down.

US increases travel warning to 14 Mexican states

Fri, 10 Feb 2012 13:12 EST

The U.S. State Department is recommending that Americans avoid travel to all or parts of 14 of 31 Mexican states in the widest travel advisory issued since Mexico stepped up its drug war in 2006.

Russian police chief fired after boy's death

Fri, 10 Feb 2012 13:07 EST

Russia's president has fired the police chief of St. Petersburg, where a 15-year-old boy died after being beaten while in police custody.

Officials: 2 held in death of Afghan peace broker

Fri, 10 Feb 2012 12:57 EST

Pakistan has arrested two people in connection with last year's assassination of a former Afghan president who was trying to broker peace with the Taliban, two Afghan government officials said Friday.

Syria says suicide bombers kill 28 in Aleppo

Fri, 10 Feb 2012 12:32 EST

Two suicide car bombers struck security compounds in Aleppo on Friday, killing 28 people, Syrian officials said, bringing significant violence for the first time to an industrial center that has largely stood by President Bashar Assad during the 11-month uprising against his rule.

Court OKs involuntary evaluation of Norway killer

Fri, 10 Feb 2012 12:27 EST

A Norwegian court has ruled that the right-wing extremist who confessed to killing 77 people in a bombing and shooting spree must undergo a second psychiatric evaluation against his will.

Peru says rebel leader may be wounded from battle

Fri, 10 Feb 2012 12:17 EST

One of two remaining fugitive leaders of Peru's once-powerful Shining Path rebel group may have been wounded in combat in a remote coca-growing region, the government said Friday.

Saudi press agency: 1 dead in gunfight with police

Fri, 10 Feb 2012 12:07 EST

Saudi Arabia's official press agency says one person was killed and three injured in a gunfight between "masked persons" and security forces in the country's eastern Qatif region.

Al-Shabab, al-Qaida: Linkup of groups in decline?

Fri, 10 Feb 2012 12:02 EST

Al-Qaida's decision to formally extend its terror franchise to what once was a nationalist movement in Somalia may only be a desperate joining of hands to prop up two militant groups that are both losing popular support and facing increasingly deadly military attacks, analysts said Friday.