Democrats on Friday named Carte Goodwin as the temporary replacement to take the West Virginia seat in the US Senate left vacant last month after the death of Robert Byrd, paving the way for the state’s governor to run for the seat in special elections later this year.
Governor Joe Manchin chose his former chief [...]

SYDNEY (AFP) –
Australian banking giant Westpac posted a 2.88 billion dollar (2.62 billion US)
for the six months to March 31 on Wednesday, citing better conditions and smaller losses from bad debts.
said the 32 percent rise from 2.18 billion dollars a year ago reflected “a much improved Australian economy and good momentum across all [...]

to prevent the country from sliding into violence and counter what he says are efforts to change the vote results.
, a secular Shiite whose cross-sectarian coalition narrowly won the most votes in the March 7 polling, said in an early morning interview with an Iraqi satellite channel that disqualifying candidates and holding recounts is [...]

BISHKEK, Kyrgyzstan – A top official in
’s interim government told The Associated Press on Saturday that the U.S. air base used to support operations in
is “not justified” — days after the leader announced it could remain.
Azymbek Beknazarov — a deputy head of the interim government that came to power last week after [...]

BISHKEK, April 14 -The US said on Wednesday it was prepared to help Kyrgyzstan’s new rulers, adding pressure on the ousted President Kurmanbek Bakiyev, who hinted that he may go into exile.
The uncertainty over Bakiyev’s position has disrupted flights out of the Kyrgyz air base which the United States rents to support the war [...]

HARARE, Zimbabwe – The first black
’s independence, Bishop
, died at his Harare home Thursday, his family said. He was 85.
Muzorewa, a Methodist bishop, joined the government of the short-lived Zimbabwe-Rhodesia in a deal with
, the last white prime minister, in 1978, two years ahead of the first all race elections that [...]

CONAKRY, Guinea –
says he will not run in presidential elections planned for June in the small West African country.
Gen. Sekouba Konate also said Saturday that prominent transitional government figures cannot stand in the June 27 election.
It could be the nation’s first democratic vote, as a coup leader grabbed in power in 2008 [...]

Tegucigalpa, Honduras and Mexico City –
For months, ousted Honduran President
– with the backing of the world community – has demanded that Roberto Micheletti step down as the interim president of this Central American nation roiled in political conflict.
Thursday evening, he may have gotten his wish: Mr. Micheletti told the nation that he will [...]

TEGUCIGALPA, Honduras – Honduras’ interim president said Thursday he may step down temporarily to allow voters to concentrate on the upcoming
.
Roberto Micheletti said he will consult his advisers and those who have supported his government on whether he should step aside ahead of the Nov. 29 election and until at least Dec. 2, [...]

TEGUCIGALPA, Honduras – The nephew of interim Honduran President Roberto Micheletti has been shot to death execution-style, police said Monday.
There is no indication that Enzo Micheletti’s killing was related to the June 28 coup that brought his uncle to power, police spokesman Orlin Cerrato said. Enzo Micheletti, 24, was not known to be involved [...]