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Reuters World News Highlights at 0100 GMT, May 23

by Reuters
Monday, 23 May 2011 01:52 GMT

TOP STORIES

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KARACHI - A group of militants were holed up inside Pakistan's naval aviation base on Monday, six hours after they stormed the installation with guns and grenades, killing at least five people and blowing up a military aircraft.

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WASHINGTON - President Barack Obama on Sunday eased Israeli anger over his new Middle East peace proposals when he made clear that the Jewish state would likely be able to negotiate keeping some settlements in any final deal with the Palestinians.

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AMMAN - Thousands of Syrians attending the funerals of pro-democracy protesters called on Sunday for the removal of President Bashar al-Assad, witnesses said, in the latest outburst against his rule.

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SANAA - Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh refused to sign a deal to step down on Sunday, the third time such an agreement has fallen through at the last minute, despite pressure from Gulf Arab and Western mediators.

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KHARTOUM - Sudan's northern army seized control of the disputed, oil-producing Abyei region, officials said on Sunday, forcing thousands to flee and bringing the country's north and south to the brink of full conflict.

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PARIS/MEXICO CITY - French Finance Minister Christine Lagarde's candidacy for IMF chief gained momentum in Europe on Sunday while Mexico put forward its own candidate, ensuring competition for the top job.

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KHOST, Afghanistan - Taliban suicide bombers killed six people, during a siege in a police building in eastern Afghanistan on Sunday, officials said, the latest in a series of high-profile attacks.

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BAGHDAD - A string of bombings killed at least 15 people and wounded 74 more across Baghdad on Sunday and two U.S. troops were killed in central Iraq, officials said.

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BENGHAZI, Libya - European Union foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton pledged support for rebels in east Libya on Sunday, making the most senior visit to the area by a foreign official since the revolt against Muammar Gaddafi began.

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TOKYO - Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao defended six-party talks proposed by Beijing as the way to defuse volatile divisions on the Korean peninsula, even as China hosted North Korean leader Kim Jong-il, blamed by Japan and South Korea for inflaming regional tensions.

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NEW DELHI - India's Congress party-led coalition on Sunday promised to push a key land reform bill in the July session of parliament, trying to regain the initiative after months of corruption scandals and protests over prices.

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NICOSIA - The right-wing opposition won parliamentary polls in Cyprus on Sunday, denting the re-election chances of communist President Demetris Christofias who is handling complex reunification talks with Turkish Cypriots.

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MADRID - Spain's ruling Socialists suffered a crushing defeat in local elections on Sunday, punished by voters after a week of protests over the EU's highest unemployment level and a stagnant economy.

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REYKJAVIK - Ash from a massive plume of smoke from an eruption of Iceland's most active volcano could spread south to parts of Europe next week, but experts on Sunday still hoped the impact on air travel would be limited.

Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

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