ENTERTAINMENT News, Jul 03, 2011

"Pirates" treasure mounts to $1 billion worldwide Sat,2 Jul 2011 01:40 PM PDT Reuters - LOS ANGELES (TheWrap) - Disney on Saturday confirmed that its fourth "Pirates of the Caribbean" movie, "On Stranger Tides," has grossed more than $1 billion worldwide since its May 20 release. Full Story1

Santana, McLaughlin open Montreux jazz on high note Sat,2 Jul 2011 12:05 PM PDT Reuters - MONTREUX, Switzerland (Reuters) - Carlos Santana and John McLaughlin performed tunes by John Coltrane, Bob Dylan and Led Zeppelin, ushering in the 45th edition of the Montreux jazz festival with a spiritual note from the 1960s and 70s. Full Story1

"Gleeks" say goodbye to Chord Overstreet Sat,2 Jul 2011 12:05 PM PDT Reuters - LOS ANGELES (TheWrap) - "Gleeks" worldwide say goodbye to Chord Overstreet, who plays "trouty-mouth" choir member Sam Evans on hit TV program "Glee." Full Story1

"Transformers" pushes box office up to $97.6 million Sat,2 Jul 2011 12:04 PM PDT Reuters - LOS ANGELES (TheWrap) - Paramount Pictures' "Transformers: Dark of the Moon" enjoyed a solid third day at U.S. and Canadian box offices, grossing $32.9 million Friday, according to the studio's estimate. Full Story1

Santana, McLaughlin open Montreux jazz on high note Sat,2 Jul 2011 01:26 AM PDT Reuters - MONTREUX, Switzerland (Reuters) - Carlos Santana and John McLaughlin performed tunes by John Coltrane, Bob Dylan and Led Zeppelin, ushering in the 45th edition of the Montreux jazz festival with a spiritual note from the 1960s and 70s. Full Story1

Fewer writers made money in 2010, says Writers Guild Fri,1 Jul 2011 07:33 PM PDT Reuters - LOS ANGELES (TheWrap) - Television writers saw their earnings increase in 2010, but the total number of writers reporting income fell -- and movie writers' income fell by nearly 10 percent -- according to a report the Writers Guild of America West released on Friday. Full Story1

"Citizen U.S.A." director Pelosi talks immigration Fri,1 Jul 2011 05:41 PM PDT Reuters - NEW YORK (TheWrap) - Alexandra Pelosi traveled the country interviewing new citizens for her documentary, "Citizen: U.S.A.: A 50 State Road Trip," and found they all shared one trait. Full Story1

Larry Flynt's daughter sued for sexual harassment Fri,1 Jul 2011 05:34 PM PDT Reuters - LOS ANGELES (TheWrap) - Stop the presses! Someone has filed a sexual harassment claim against a member of the Flynt family -- and it isn't Larry! Full Story1

Kate Moss marries rocker boyfriend Jamie Hince Fri,1 Jul 2011 04:28 PM PDT Reuters - LONDON (Reuters) - British supermodel Kate Moss married her rocker boyfriend Jamie Hince on Friday in a small English country church, accompanied by 15 bridesmaids. Full Story1

Adrianne Palicki is "G.I. Joe's" Lady Jaye Fri,1 Jul 2011 04:27 PM PDT Reuters - LOS ANGELES (TheWrap) - "GI Joe" is looking better than "Wonder Woman" for Adrianne Palicki. Full Story1

Shriver files for divorce from Schwarzenegger: documents Fri,1 Jul 2011 04:25 PM PDT Reuters - LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Former California first lady and TV journalist Maria Shriver filed for divorce on Friday from her estranged husband, Arnold Schwarzenegger, the ex-governor and film star who has admitted fathering a child out of wedlock more than a decade ago. Full Story1

Willie Nelson pot plea still not hashed out Fri,1 Jul 2011 04:06 PM PDT Reuters - LUBBOCK, Texas (Reuters) - Time's slipping away on a deal for iconic U.S. country singer Willie Nelson's misdemeanor drug charge. Full Story1

"Citizen U.S.A." director Alexandra Pelosi speaks Fri,1 Jul 2011 04:05 PM PDT Reuters - NEW YORK (TheWrap) - Alexandra Pelosi traveled the country interviewing new citizens for her documentary, "Citizen: U.S.A.: A 50 State Road Trip," and found they all shared one trait. Full Story1

Young Brits, Hollywood legends to meet Will and Kate Fri,1 Jul 2011 03:24 PM PDT Reuters - LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - "Larry Crowne" actress Gugu Mbatha-Raw and "Game of Thrones" actor Harry Lloyd will be among the up-and-coming British talent meeting Prince William and his new wife Kate Middleton at a black-tie gala in Los Angeles next week. Full Story1

MySpace owner talks Justin Timberlake's new job Fri,1 Jul 2011 02:48 PM PDT Reuters - LOS ANGELES (TheWrap) - Can MySpace be saved? Full Story1

Barnes art collection nears final days at old home Fri,1 Jul 2011 02:32 PM PDT Reuters - PHILADELPHIA (Reuters) - After nearly a decade of lawsuits and bitter debate, the world famous Barnes art collection is about to move from its original wooded, suburban setting outside Philadelphia to a bustling boulevard in the city's cultural district. Full Story1

Animated Martha Stewart reaches out to kid crafters Fri,1 Jul 2011 09:51 AM PDT Reuters - LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Lifestyle guru Martha Stewart is being reinvented as an animated 10-year-old in a bid to inspire young girls to take up cooking and crafting. Full Story1

Joss Stone sees positive side of kidnap/murder plot Thu,30 Jun 2011 08:56 PM PDT Reuters - DETROIT (Billboard) - Joss Stone has started her own label, recorded a new album and is working in the most talked-about supergroup of the year. Not bad for someone who was nearly the victim of a robbery and murder plot earlier this month. Full Story1

"Camelot" canned after one season on Starz Thu,30 Jun 2011 08:55 PM PDT Reuters - LOS ANGELES (Hollywood Reporter) - Starz has decided not to order a second season of its ambitious period drama "Camelot," citing "significant production challenges." Full Story1

Jon Stewart beats Jay Leno in Q2 demos Thu,30 Jun 2011 08:20 PM PDT Reuters - LOS ANGELES (Hollywood Reporter) - Jon Stewart has unseated Jay Leno to take the late-night ratings crown in the coveted adults 18-49 demographic during the second quarter. Full Story1

"The Hobbit" like a family reunion for Elijah Wood Thu,30 Jun 2011 07:11 PM PDT Reuters - LOS ANGELES (Hollywood Reporter) - Elijah Wood's return to New Zealand to shoot his part in "The Hobbit" falls on the 10th anniversary of "The Lord of the Rings," a fact not unnoticed to the actor, who likens it to a family reunion. Full Story1

Brooklyn Decker to play sports wife in "Expecting" Thu,30 Jun 2011 05:11 PM PDT Reuters - LOS ANGELES (Hollywood Reporter) - Brooklyn Decker, the model-turned-actress who made her feature debut opposite Adam Sandler in "Just Go With It," has joined the ensemble cast of "What to Expect When You're Expecting." Full Story1

Drew Barrymore to direct "Heist" thriller Thu,30 Jun 2011 05:10 PM PDT Reuters - LOS ANGELES (Hollywood Reporter) - Drew Barrymore has come aboard to direct and produce "Heist Society," a thriller based on the young-adult novel by Ally Carter. Full Story1

"Thor 2" headed to theaters in July 2013 Thu,30 Jun 2011 05:08 PM PDT Reuters - LOS ANGELES (Hollywood Reporter) - By Odin's beard, get ready for "Thor 2." Full Story1

Francis Ford Coppola back at Comic-Con after 20 years Thu,30 Jun 2011 04:30 PM PDT Reuters - LOS ANGELES (Hollywood Reporter) - Francis Ford Coppola is returning to Comic-Con next month for the first time since 1991, presenting portions of his latest film, "Twixt." Full Story1

Beyonce album off to strong start despite bad buzz Thu,30 Jun 2011 04:29 PM PDT Reuters - DETROIT (Billboard) - After reports of dissatisfaction, panic and other pre-release drama, Columbia Records executives say Beyonce's new album "4" is off to a strong start since going on sale worldwide on Monday. Full Story1

Selena Gomez not particularly appealing or funny Thu,30 Jun 2011 04:28 PM PDT Reuters - LOS ANGELES (Hollywood Reporter) - Flat champagne for the under-aged, "Monte Carlo" lays out yet another banquet of materialist fantasies for aspiring American princesses cloaked in reminders to obey your conscience and not to forget your true self. Full Story1

Lynyrd Skynyrd hope to enter studio in November Thu,30 Jun 2011 03:54 PM PDT Reuters - DETROIT (Billboard) - Southern rockers Lynyrd Skynyrd are "just getting started" on a new album, their follow-up to 2009's "God & Guns," according to frontman Johnny Van Zant. Full Story1

"Twilight" director to shoot Swedish movie Thu,30 Jun 2011 02:59 PM PDT Reuters - COLOGNE, Germany (Hollywood Reporter) - "Twilight" filmmaker Catherine Hardwicke will direct Swedish actress Noomi Rapace ("The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo") in a biopic about '60s Swedish diva and pop culture icon Anita Lindblom. Full Story1

Vince Vaughn joining Stiller in Neighborhood Watch Thu,30 Jun 2011 02:33 PM PDT Reuters - LOS ANGELES (Hollywood Reporter) - Vince Vaughn is in negotiations to join Ben Stiller in "Neighborhood Watch," a sci-fi comedy set in the suburbs. Full Story1

"Voice" coaches to return to welcome NBC TV hit Thu,30 Jun 2011 02:25 PM PDT Reuters - LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Singers Christina Aguilera, Cee Lo Green, Blake Shelton and Adam Levine will return for a second season of "The Voice," which is ailing network NBC's most successful new show in years. Full Story1

"Love, Etc." an unwelcome reality show on big screen Thu,30 Jun 2011 02:24 PM PDT Reuters - NEW YORK (Hollywood Reporter) - Cheesy reality shows monopolize the TV schedule, but must they infect our multiplexes as well? "Love, Etc.," Jill Andresevic's documentary depicting the romantic travails of various New Yorkers, is a disturbing example of a trend that is to be soundly discouraged. Full Story1

Julia Roberts, Selena Gomez box office also-rans Thu,30 Jun 2011 01:44 PM PDT Reuters - LOS ANGELES (Hollywood Reporter) - While there's no doubt that the new "Transformers" sequel will crush the competition at the weekend box office, fellow newcomers "Larry Crowne" and "Monte Carlo" will hope to pick up some modest scraps. Full Story1

Comedian Colbert lampoons campaign finance laws Thu,30 Jun 2011 01:35 PM PDT Reuters - WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Political satirist Stephen Colbert won approval from the U.S. election regulatory agency on Thursday to form a political action committee that can raise and spend unlimited amounts of money on the 2012 elections. Full Story1

Wayans brothers face trial for alleged joke theft Thu,30 Jun 2011 12:45 PM PDT Reuters - NEW YORK (Hollywood Reporter) - Trial alert! On July 12th, the best comedy in Los Angeles will not be heard at the Improv, but rather a federal court as the Wayans brothers face down a former assistant who charges that they ripped off jokes for their book, "You Know You're a Golddigger When..." Full Story1

Book Talk: Fresh mayhem in chilly Stockholm Thu,30 Jun 2011 12:17 PM PDT Reuters - NEW YORK (Reuters) - Winter nights are long and cold in Stockholm. Their chill permeates some recent Swedish fiction. Full Story1

"Transformers" eyes best opening day of 2011 Thu,30 Jun 2011 12:14 PM PDT Reuters - LOS ANGELES (Hollywood Reporter) - Paramount Pictures' "Transformers: Dark of the Moon" grossed $37.2 million on Wednesday in its first full day of play at U.S. and Canadian box offices, giving it the best opening-day gross of 2011. Full Story1

"Tudors" star Rhys Meyers hospitalized: report Thu,30 Jun 2011 11:20 AM PDT Reuters - LONDON (Reuters) - Actor Jonathan Rhys Meyers, star of the "Tudors" television series, was taken to hospital this week after what tabloid newspaper The Sun reported was a suspected suicide attempt. Full Story1

British writer risks death in the afternoon Thu,30 Jun 2011 07:19 AM PDT Reuters - LONDON (Reuters) - The pavement outside a tapas bar in London's Old Brompton Road is a far cry from a bullring in Spain. Full Story1

Forgotten Chaplin film fails to find buyer at auction Thu,30 Jun 2011 04:54 AM PDT Reuters - LONDON (Reuters) - A forgotten short film featuring footage of comic legend Charlie Chaplin failed to sell at a London auction despite expectations it could raise a "significant six-figure sum." Full Story1

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GREECE Today, Jul 03, 2011

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Statement by Euro-Area Finance Ministers on Aid Payment to Greece: Text Bloomberg Following is a statement issued today by euro-area finance ministers after a conference call on aid to Greece. Ministers welcomed the progress made by the Greek authorities in implementing the policy understandings reached with the European Commission, ... See all stories on this topic »

WORLD News, Jul 03, 2011

As Thais vote, red shirts rally behind opposition Sat,2 Jul 2011 11:16 PM PDT Reuters - BAN SAMPRAN, Thailand (Reuters) - In Thailand's rural "red shirt" heartlands, villagers set out for polling stations early Sunday, hoping to change the country's government and avoid further bloodshed after six years of sporadic unrest. Full Story1

Newsmaker: Thai PM Abhisit puts on brave face despite polls Sat,2 Jul 2011 08:56 PM PDT Reuters - BANGKOK (Reuters) - A Thai television presenter asked Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva if this would be the last time he would be interviewing him as prime minister. Full Story1

Factbox: Key facts about Thailand Sat,2 Jul 2011 08:39 PM PDT Reuters - BANGKOK (Reuters) - Thais were voting on Sunday in a crucial election meant to revitalize democracy after years of deep political polarisation since a 2006 coup against Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra. Full Story1

Factbox: How Thailand's election works Sat,2 Jul 2011 08:39 PM PDT Reuters - (Reuters) - Thais were voting on Sunday in a general election that Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva hopes will settle a long-running political conflict in the deeply divided country. Full Story1

Chavez foes say his absence a security risk Sat,2 Jul 2011 07:03 PM PDT Reuters - CARACAS (Reuters) - Venezuela's opposition said on Saturday President Hugo Chavez's prolonged convalescence from cancer in Cuba put the country's security and sovereignty at risk and it stepped up calls for him to delegate his powers. Full Story1

Clinton slams Gaddafi threat to attack Europe Sat,2 Jul 2011 06:20 PM PDT Reuters - MADRID/TRIPOLI, July 2 (Reuters) - Secretary of State Hillary Clinton stepped up Western calls on Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi to quit, brushing off his threat to attack Europeans in their homes and offices. Full Story1

Chavez foes say his absence a security risk Sat,2 Jul 2011 04:59 PM PDT Reuters - CARACAS (Reuters) - Venezuela's opposition said on Saturday President Hugo Chavez's prolonged convalescence from cancer in Cuba put the country's security and sovereignty at risk and it stepped up calls for him to delegate his powers. Full Story1

Clinton slams Gaddafi threat to attack Europe Sat,2 Jul 2011 04:08 PM PDT Reuters - MADRID/TRIPOLI, July 2 (Reuters) - Secretary of State Hillary Clinton stepped up Western calls on Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi to quit, brushing off his threat to attack Europeans in their homes and offices. Full Story1

Britain to pull 800 troops from Afghanistan: report Sat,2 Jul 2011 03:41 PM PDT Reuters - LONDON (Reuters) - Britain will announce this week that it is to withdraw up to 800 troops by the end of next year, according to a report in the Sunday Times newspaper. Full Story1

Edgy Thailand votes, bracing for further turmoil Sat,2 Jul 2011 03:15 PM PDT Reuters - BANGKOK (Reuters) - Thailand votes on Sunday in a general election that could trigger a new crisis after six years of turmoil centred on a man revered by the poor and living in luxury, and exile, in the Middle East. Full Story1

Hezbollah leader rejects Hariri court indictments Sat,2 Jul 2011 02:14 PM PDT Reuters - BEIRUT (Reuters) - Hezbollah leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah said on Saturday that authorities would never arrest members of the Shi'ite militant group indicted by a U.N.-backed tribunal seeking the killers of statesman Rafik al-Hariri. Full Story1

Serbia and Kosovo reach breakthrough on cooperation Sat,2 Jul 2011 01:56 PM PDT Reuters - BRUSSELS (Reuters) - Serbia and Kosovo agreed on Saturday to cooperate on several practical issues, taking their first step toward easing troubled relations and advancing toward European Union membership. Full Story1

Bahrain begins national dialogue after upheaval Sat,2 Jul 2011 01:44 PM PDT Reuters - MANAMA (Reuters) - Talks between Bahrain's opposition and pro-government groups began Saturday, aimed at healing deep rifts opened when the state's Sunni rulers crushed protests led by the majority Shi'ites earlier this year. Full Story1

Crowds cheer Monaco's Prince Albert and new bride Sat,2 Jul 2011 01:20 PM PDT Reuters - MONTE CARLO (Reuters) - With a wink and a smile, Monaco's ruler Prince Albert married South African swimmer Charlene Wittstock on Saturday in a ceremony attended by a who's who of European royalty and the international elite. Full Story1

Chavez cancer rattles Venezuela politics Sat,2 Jul 2011 12:37 PM PDT Reuters - CARACAS (Reuters) - Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez's revelation he is being treated for cancer has cast doubt on the left-wing populist's capacity to sustain his self-styled revolution and raised the possibility of a power struggle among his allies. Full Story1

Yemen to step up army operations amid unrest in south Sat,2 Jul 2011 12:08 PM PDT Reuters - ADEN/SANAA (Reuters) - Yemen said they would step up military operations on Saturday as clashes with suspected Islamist militants raged in the south of the fractious Arabian Peninsula state. Full Story1

Gaza flotilla aims to leave Greece next week Sat,2 Jul 2011 12:07 PM PDT Reuters - ATHENS (Reuters) - A pro-Palestinian flotilla hopes to leave Greece early next week to challenge Israel's sea blockade of the Gaza Strip despite the arrest of the American captain of one of the vessels, organizers said on Saturday. Full Story1

Middle East Quartet discourages more flotillas Sat,2 Jul 2011 11:52 AM PDT Reuters - UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) - The Quartet of Middle East peace negotiators on Saturday said it is concerned about "unsustainable conditions" facing people in Gaza but said additional flotillas should be discouraged. Full Story1

Libya rebels say bracing for a new Tripoli push Sat,2 Jul 2011 10:36 AM PDT Reuters - BENGHAZI, Libya (Reuters) - Libyan rebels said on Saturday they were gearing up for a new advance on Tripoli from the southwest in the next two days after their forces were pushed back by government troops earlier this week. Full Story1

Analysis: Sudan's Bashir faces tough balancing act Sat,2 Jul 2011 10:35 AM PDT Reuters - KHARTOUM (Reuters) - As southern Sudanese count down the minutes to independence on July 9, northerners are anxiously contemplating a future with less oil, roaring inflation and emboldened rebellions. Full Story1

Protests set after Moroccan king wins referendum Sat,2 Jul 2011 09:46 AM PDT Reuters - RABAT (Reuters) - Morocco's "Arab Spring" protesters said they were undeterred despite a landslide victory for King Mohammed in a referendum on constitutional changes they say do nothing to ease his autocratic grip on power. Full Story1

Iran denies U.S. hikers were mistreated in jail Sat,2 Jul 2011 09:30 AM PDT Reuters - NEW YORK (Reuters) - Iran denied in a statement issued by its U.N. mission on Friday that two U.S. citizens detained on spying charges have been mistreated, saying they had consular contact and a visit from their families. Full Story1

Russia says resumes power exports to Belarus Sat,2 Jul 2011 09:13 AM PDT Reuters - MOSCOW (Reuters) - Russia's power group InterRAO has resumed electricity supplies to Belarus on Saturday, the company's spokesman said, ending nearly four days of power cuts over unpaid bills. Full Story1

Australia's Rudd says Suu Kyi will tour outside Yangon Sat,2 Jul 2011 09:07 AM PDT Reuters - SINGAPORE (Reuters) - Australian Foreign Minister Kevin Rudd met Myanmar's pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi in Yangon on Saturday and said she still intended to go on a tour outside the city despite government warnings. Full Story1

Abbas says Hamas row hobbles Palestinian bid at U.N. Sat,2 Jul 2011 08:33 AM PDT Reuters - RAMALLAH, West Bank (Reuters) - President Mahmoud Abbas urged Hamas on Saturday to relent in a dispute over the formation of unity government for the Palestinians, saying their bid to become a U.N. member state in September was at stake. Full Story1

Bahrain begins national dialogue after upheaval Sat,2 Jul 2011 06:51 AM PDT Reuters - MANAMA (Reuters) - Talks between Bahrain's opposition and pro-government groups began on Saturday, aimed at healing the deep rifts caused by protests earlier this year by majority Shi'ites that were stamped out by the Sunni rulers. Full Story1

Nigerian leader reappoints 12 ministers to old jobs Sat,2 Jul 2011 05:52 AM PDT Reuters - ABUJA (Reuters) - Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan reappointed 12 ministers from the outgoing government to their old jobs on Saturday following general elections in April, including oil minister Deziani Alison-Madueke. Full Story1

Syria's Assad sacks Hama governor after protests Sat,2 Jul 2011 05:32 AM PDT Reuters - BEIRUT (Reuters) - President Bashar al-Assad sacked the governor of Hama province on Saturday, a day after tens of thousands of protesters massed in the provincial capital to demand the Syrian leader step down. Full Story1

Insufficient funds hit Horn of Africa aid efforts Sat,2 Jul 2011 05:17 AM PDT Reuters - NAIROBI (Reuters) - Donor fatigue following recurrent humanitarian crises in the Horn of Africa has left aid agencies short of funds to carry out their work. Full Story1

Japan trudges into power-save mode as summer looms Sat,2 Jul 2011 03:37 AM PDT Reuters - YOKOSUKA, Japan (Reuters) - In the muggy, unlit shed next to a Nissan car factory near Tokyo, four men in polo shirts are spending their Saturday staring at computer screens, monitoring how much power the firm's plants and offices across eastern Japan are using. So far, on the first day of the working week under a new summertime schedule, there appears to be no danger of their setting off a warning alarm, triggered when near the limit on electricity use set by Japan's struggling utilities. ... Full Story1

Yemen militants blow up empty oil pipeline: officials Sat,2 Jul 2011 03:29 AM PDT Reuters - SANAA (Reuters) - Armed Yemeni tribesmen blew up an empty oil pipeline in Yemen's oil-producing Maarib province last week, officials said on Saturday, in a blow to the impoverished Arab nation's bid to get the key industry back up and running. Full Story1

Homemade bomb kills 13 civilians in Afghan south Sat,2 Jul 2011 01:37 AM PDT Reuters - KABUL (Reuters) - A roadside bomb exploded under a civilian van in southern Afghanistan on Saturday morning, killing 13 people, including four women and two children, the Interior Ministry said. Full Story1

Thaksin's sister shakes up Thai election Fri,1 Jul 2011 09:47 PM PDT Reuters - BANGKOK (Reuters) - With her telegenic good looks and powerful political support, Yingluck Shinawatra has shaken up Thailand's first parliamentary election since a wave of political violence last year. Full Story1

Tibetan writer jailed for 4 years in China: group Fri,1 Jul 2011 09:34 PM PDT Reuters - BEIJING (Reuters) - A Tibetan writer was sentenced to four years in jail last month after helping edit a magazine critical of Chinese policy in the restive region, a Tibetan self-determination advocacy group said. Full Story1

Scenarios: Trouble in store for Thailand after the election? Fri,1 Jul 2011 07:19 PM PDT Reuters - BANGKOK (Reuters) - Thailand holds a general election on Sunday that might be a step on the road to stability after five years of political turbulence. But it could just as easily prolong the crisis, especially if there is no clear-cut winner. Full Story1

Factbox: How Thailand's election works Fri,1 Jul 2011 07:15 PM PDT Reuters - (Reuters) - Thais vote on Sunday in a general election that Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva hopes will settle a long-running political conflict in the deeply divided country. Full Story1

Factbox: Election promises of Thailand's two main parties Fri,1 Jul 2011 07:15 PM PDT Reuters - (Reuters) - The two main parties contesting Thailand's parliamentary election on Sunday have proposed strikingly similar policies that focus heavily on winning over the rural poor, building up infrastructure and other populist measures. Full Story1

Factbox: Main parties contesting Thailand's election Fri,1 Jul 2011 07:08 PM PDT Reuters - (Reuters) - Forty-two parties will contest Sunday's general election in Thailand, with the ruling Democrat Party and opposition Puea Thai Party jostling for first place and others vying for stakes in what is expected to be a coalition government. Full Story1

Rockets push back rebels south of Libyan capital Fri,1 Jul 2011 04:37 PM PDT Reuters - BIR-AYYAD, Libya (Reuters) - Libyan rebels who had advanced to within 80 km (50 miles) of Muammar Gaddafi's stronghold in the capital were forced to retreat on Friday after coming under a barrage of rocket fire from government forces. Full Story1

Moroccan king triumphs in reform vote Fri,1 Jul 2011 04:29 PM PDT Reuters - RABAT (Reuters) - Morocco's King Mohammed scored a landslide victory in Friday's referendum on a new constitution he proposed to placate "Arab Spring" protests as voters defied critics who said it did little to curb his powers. Full Story1

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