LONDON — The XXX Olympiad ended Sunday with a blowout of British pop and circumstance, a closing-ceremony-cum-after-party offering a final dose of eccentricity to 17 days that saw the rise of girl power in sports, the coupling of Olympic solemnity … How Mitt Romney's choice of Paul Ryan has reshaped presidential campaign - Washington Post
We're 48 hours into the Paul Ryan era. Roughly two days after Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney plucked Ryan from near-total wonk obscurity -- those who knew his name before this past weekend generally resided at think tanks in Washington … Struggling to define the Syrian opposition - CNN (blog)
By Elise Labott In the weeks before he defected from Syria, then-Prime Minister Riad Hijab put feelers out to contacts in the United States and other governments. In addition to ensuring his family got out of the country, Hijab wanted guarantees that … Man shot by NYPD had history of arrests - San Francisco Chronicle
Ramdev announces protest outside Parliament, may be arrested - Hindustan Times
Speaking on fifth day of his agitation at Delhi's Ramlila Ground, Yoga guru Baba Ramdev on Monday asked his supporters to get ready to fight against black money and corruption. He told his supporters that they will march towards the parliament and … Gunmen kill Egyptian tribal leader and son in Sinai - Reuters
| AL-ARISH, Egypt (Reuters) – A group of armed men shot dead a tribal leader and his son on Monday in Egypt's Sinai peninsula on the border with Israel, a security source said, as violence escalated on the sixth day of a military crackdown on militants … Has Egypt's Muslim Brotherhood Staged a Coup Against the Military? - TIME
By Abigail Hauslohner / Cairo | @ahauslohner | August 12, 2012 | + From left: Field Marshal Mohamed Hussein Tantawi, Egyptian President Mohamed Morsy and armed-forces chief Sami Anan are seen in Cairo. Morsy recently fired both men It would seem that … Today's Top Stories: Nation | World - NewsOK.com
ASHEVILLE, NC -- A spokesman for Billy Graham, shown right, said the 93-year-old evangelist has been admitted to a North Carolina hospital for an infection in his lungs. A joint statement Sunday from Graham's spokesman and Mission Hospital says Graham … Twin Earthquakes Shake Iran, Killing 300 - TIME
Two earthquakes struck northwest Iran on Aug. 11, killing an estimated 300, according to local media reports. Villagers and soldiers banded together to search for survivors, reportedly saving some 200 from the rubble. An Iranian resident from the … Drug caravan to visit more than 20 US cities - MiamiHerald.com
AP SAN DIEGO — A coalition calling for an end to the war on drugs began its monthlong campaign Sunday in San Diego that will take it to more than 20 US cities. More than 200 people gathered at a park on the US-Mexico border as part of a movement known …
Family murdered in central Mexico, three children among the dead
MEXICO CITY (Reuters) – A family of seven, including three young children, were found murdered with their throats slit in a ranch outside the Gulf port city of Veracruz, a local official said on Sunday. The bodies were discovered after neighbors noted an awful smell coming from the home outside the town of Manlio Fabio Altamirano, the Veracruz state attorney general’s office said in a statement. The state of decomposition suggested they had been murdered at least 72 hours before they were found. …
South Korea's Ryu wins Jamie Farr Classic
South Korea's Ryu So-yeon posted six consecutive birdies en route to a nine under 62 and a seven-shot victory at the LPGA Tour's Jamie Farr Toledo Classic. S.Koreans start 230 km swim to disputed islands
A team of South Koreans on Monday began a 230 kilometre (144 mile) relay swim from an eastern port to the Dokdo islands, in Seoul's latest assertion of its sovereignty over the outcrops claimed by Japan. Panel urges Australia to send boatpeople offshore
Australia should transfer asylum-seekers offshore to places such as Nauru and Papua New Guinea to deter boatpeople from risking their lives at sea, a government-ordered report recommended. Mali's president backs controversial PM
Mali's interim president Dioncounda Traore has "renewed his confidence" in controversial transition prime minister Cheick Modibo Diarra, Traore's office announced. China's Li reaches Montreal final
China's Li Na won her semi-final match to book a berth in Sunday's final against Petra Kvitova at the $2.1 million WTA Tour Rogers Cup tournament. Taiwan vice president heads for US stopover
Taiwan's vice president left on Monday for a stopover in the United States on a trip considered a test of a "diplomatic truce" with China which has previously protested over such visits. Syrian rebels call for no-fly zone
ALEPPO, Syria (Reuters) – Syrian rebels fighting to oust President Bashar al-Assad need the protection of no-fly zones and safe havens patrolled by foreign forces near the borders with Jordan and Turkey, a Syrian opposition leader said. Battles raged on Sunday in the northern city of Aleppo, where tanks, artillery and snipers attacked rebels in the Saif al-Dawla district next to the devastated area of Salaheddine. Syrian civilians desperate to check on their homes pushed into fluid front lines around Salaheddine, even as sniper fire cracked out and rebels warned them to stay away. … 
A Hong Kong court on Monday approved the eviction of protesters camped outside the HSBC bank headquarters, in a major blow to one of the last outposts of the "Occupy" movement in Asia. 
With a little British pomp and a lot of British pop, London brought the curtain down on a glorious Olympic Games on Sunday in a spectacular, technicolor pageant of landmarks, lightshows and lots of fun. 
Around the 2012 Olympics and its host city with journalists from The Associated Press bringing the flavor and details of the games to you: 
By Yolande Knell BBC News, Cairo The announcement that Egypt's armed forces chief Field Marshal Mohamad Hussein Tantawi and his number two, Sami Annan, were being forced to retire caught the nation by surprise. In total, seven members of the military's … 
Negotiations are underway for cricket-mad sprint king Usain Bolt to play in Australia's Twenty20 Big Bash League, with Shane Warne leading the campaign to bring him to Melbourne. 
TOKYO (Reuters) – Asian shares steadied on Monday but gains were limited by further evidence of slowing global growth, while the bleaker economic outlook kept hopes alive that authorities around the world will embark on more stimulus measures. After a deluge of weak data from several countries last week, topped by Friday's dismal Chinese trade figures, investors will be eyeing July U.S. retail sales and consumer prices as well as the euro zone's second quarter gross domestic product reading on Tuesday, which is expected to show a contraction. … 
China proved they've arrived as a genuine Olympic super-power, and both Koreas impressed — but Japan were top of the flops among Asian countries at the London Games. 
LONDON (Reuters) – Security firm G4S will donate 2.5 million pounds ($3.9 million) to British military sports and welfare organisations to thank troops who stepped in to secure Olympic venues after it failed to provide enough guards, the government said on Monday. Media coverage ahead of the London 2012 Games was dominated by G4S's admission it could not supply all of a promised 10,400 guards for the two-week sporting festival, which closed on Sunday. … 
CAIRO -- Egyptian President Mohamed Morsi on Sunday purged the nation's military leadership in a provocative move to expand his power and push aside generals who epitomized the inner circle of deposed leader Hosni Mubarak. The dismissals, including the … 
Australian media lavishly praised the London Olympics Monday, saying it came close to Sydney, as sports chiefs Down Under began dissecting what went wrong after the country's below-par medal haul. 
AL-ARISH, Egypt (Reuters) – A group of armed men shot dead a tribal leader and his son on Monday in Egypt's Sinai peninsula on the border with Israel, a security source said, as violence escalated on the sixth day of a military crackdown on militants in the area. "Tribal leader Khalaf Al-Menahy and his son were shot dead by militants on their way back from a conference organized by tribal leaders to denounce militancy," said the security source in Sinai. … 
o UN chief Ban Ki- moon said that he was "deeply saddened by the loss of hundreds of lives" in Iran. o Ban extends his sincere condolences to the Iranian government and people. o The death toll of Saturday's strong twin quakes in northwest Iran has … 
By AP | August 12, 2012 | + (CAIRO) -- Egypt's Islamist president ordered the retirement of the defense minister and chief of staff on Sunday and made the boldest move so far to seize back powers that the military stripped from his office right before … 
From the moment Kevin Pietersen walked out on South African cricket in protest at their selection policy it was clear the batsman's sublime skills would often be overshadowed by his penchant for emotional gestures generated by self-interest. 
By MATT BRADLEY CAIRO--Egypt's Islamist president shocked the country by dismissing the powerful military leadership on Sunday in a move that consolidated his civilian authority and expanded the power of his office. If the military accepts the decision, … 
By Simon Samano, USA TODAY Released from jail earlier in the day, Chad Johnson now has been released from the Miami Dolphins, too. FOX Sports NFL insider Jay Glazer first reported Sunday the team parted ways with the wide receiver, one day after … 
(CBS News) President Obama won Wisconsin in 2008, but with Wis. Rep. Paul Ryan on the ticket, Romney hopes to take the state's 10 electoral votes. Bill Campbell, who is head usher at the Catholic church Ryan attends when he's home in Janesville, … 
KIAWAH ISLAND, SC - Much like the daily slog to and from this barrier island, Rory McIlroy's road back to major championship glory was chock-full of congestion. After the Boy Wonder from Northern Ireland was anointed the game's next superstar at 22 … 
CAIRO -- President Mohamed Morsi of Egypt forced the retirement on Sunday of his powerful defense minister, the army chief of staff and other senior generals, moving more aggressively than ever before to reclaim political power that the military had … 
The New York police officers who fatally shot a knife-wielding man after he escaped arrest near Times Square did what they were trained to do, city officials and experts on police procedure said Sunday. Two officers fired 12 shots at the man, … 
LONDON -- Britain bid a lyrical farewell to the Olympics on Sunday in a manner reflective of the way the host country embraced these Games for the past two weeks: With a bit of self-deprecation, an exhibition of national pride and a genuine desire to … 
CHARLOTTE, NC — For the second time in less than a year, evangelist Billy Graham has been hospitalized in Asheville, NC, this time for a suspected case of bronchitis. The 93-year-old Charlotte native, admitted Saturday night to Mission Hospital, … 
| WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Former vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin will not speak at the Republican nominating convention in Tampa later this month, she said in statement on Sunday. "This year is a good opportunity for other voices to speak at the … 
India's Sushil Kumar wants to complete his Olympic medal collection by winning gold at the 2016 Games in Rio after taking wrestling silver on the final day of action in London. 
By PATRICK O'CONNOR and SARA MURRAY Presidential candidate Mitt Romney and his new running mate, Wisconsin Rep. Paul Ryan, greeted supporters in Mooresville, NC, on Sunday. MOORESVILLE, NC--Allies of the two presidential candidates moved Sunday to shape … 
KHARTOUM (Reuters) – Sudan is "very optimistic" it can reach a border security agreement with South Sudan that would allow a resumption of oil exports from the South, a senior official of the Khartoum government said. Sudan's Second Vice President al-Haj Adam Youssef said both sides did not need to solve all outstanding conflicts to reach such an agreement. "We are very optimistic about the (border) security issue," he told reporters on Saturday. His comments were the strongest indication yet that the border security issue between the two hostile African neighbors can be solved. … 
BAMAKO (Reuters) – Mali's interim president, Dioncounda Traore, reappointed his prime minister on Sunday, calling upon him to name a new government of national unity within 72 hours to form a united front against Islamists in the north. Once considered a democratic success story in a long troubled region, the West African nation has been split in two since a March 22 coup paved the way for a military advance by northern separatists and al Qaeda-linked Islamists. … 
The closing ceremony of the Olympics will be a global party, with a distinctively British flavor. Organizers say it will be "a celebration of all that's good about London, British people, our music and our culture." 
Around the 2012 Olympics and its host city with journalists from The Associated Press bringing the flavor and details of the games to you: 
LONDON (Reuters) – The London Olympics closed with a dazzling, and at times eccentric extravaganza of music and dance that rocked a main stadium filled with royalty, celebrities, 10,500 athletes and a sea of exuberant spectators. The three-hour show starred the latest names in pop, a holograph of late Queen frontman Freddie Mercury, the Spice Girls, and Monty Python actor Eric Idle singing "Bright Side of Life" with roller-skating nuns in Union Jack underwear. … 
Suspected Islamists attacked a military patrol im the restive northeastern Nigerian city of Damaturu on Sunday, in the latest assault by extremists in the region, police said. 
LONDON (Reuters) – U.S. President Barack Obama might rest soundly on Sunday night in the knowledge his country topped the medals table at the London Games, but he might be slightly put out to discover that as a head of state he still comes second to Britain's queen. Thanks to her role as head of state for 16 countries, Queen Elizabeth is the world leader whose athletes have won more gold medals at London 2012 than any other and in her diamond jubilee year too. That's 48 golds for Elizabeth to Obama's 46. … 
By Tarek El-Tablawy and Dahlia Kholaif on August 12, 2012 Egyptian President Mohamed Mursi ordered the retirement of the country's two top military officers amid a power struggle between the leader and the army. The retirement of Field Marshal Mohamed … 
Northern Ireland's Rory McIlroy won the 94th PGA Championship with a record-setting eight-stroke victory at the Ocean Course on Sunday. 
HIGH POINT, NC--The usually buttoned-up Mitt Romney repeatedly gave a thumbs-up. He passed around dozens of high fives. And at every stop, he clapped the back of his new sidekick, Paul Ryan. This was Romney unplugged, clearly energized by his youthful … 
By Steve Holland | HIGH POINT, North Carolina (Reuters) – Republican Mitt Romney's presidential campaign took on a celebratory tone on Sunday, as Romney and his new vice presidential running mate, Paul Ryan, basked in the support of cheering crowds in … 
By Steve Keating | LONDON (Reuters) – LeBron James and Kobe Bryant own National Basketball Association, Olympic and world championship titles and their trophy cases are packed with individual honors. Yet for all their success, two of the world's most … 
* Mursi acts after Sinai border killings * Retiring generals Tantawi, Enan become advisers * Tantawi had been Mubarak's defence minister for 20 years By Edmund Blair CAIRO, Aug 13 (Reuters) – Egypt's Islamist President Mohamed Mursi dismissed Cairo's … 
London (CNN) — The Olympics closing ceremony began Sunday night as organizers paid tribute to a day in the life of London and promised a celebration of British music. As the Games came to a close, the United States led the medal count with 104 overall … 
The London Olympics were declared closed on Sunday by IOC president Jacques Rogge following a ceremony which culminated in the handover of the Olympic flag to 2016 hosts Rio de Janeiro. 
Deadly floods, power blackouts and traffic gridlock — many of Asia's biggest cities are buckling under the strain of rapid economic development, extreme weather and an exodus from the countryside. 
Egyptian President Mohammed Mursi has said his move to order the retirement of two of the country's top generals was for "the benefit of this nation". He was speaking after replacing the powerful head of the armed forces, Field Marshal Mohamad Hussein …