Senator Charles Grassley (R-Iowa) waits on May 8 for a Senate Finance. Photograph by Joshua Roberts/Bloomberg. Senator Charles Grassley (R-Iowa) waits on May 8 for a Senate Finance Committee hearing to begin in Washington … 24-year-old Maryland card pro wins World Series of Poker, $8.53M title in marathon session
LAS VEGAS, Nev. – A 24-year-old Maryland poker professional won the World Series of Poker main event, outlasting his final opponents in a marathon card session of nearly 12 hours for the $8.53 million title on Wednesday.
Czech PM's support shrinks to minority as rebel deputy quits
PRAGUE (Reuters) – Czech Prime Minister Petr Necas's support in parliament dwindled to a minority on Wednesday when a deputy quit the ruling party, heightening a rebellion in its ranks and raising the risk of a government co llapse next week. The departure cut the centre-right coalition's official numbers in the lower house of parliament to 99 out of 200 seats, intensifying pressure on Necas before a vote on unpopular tax hikes after a congress of his party over the weekend. … Merkel reassures Turkey on EU talks, Erdogan raps Cyprus
BERLIN (Reuters) – German Chancellor Angela Merkel told Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan on Wednesday the European Union (EU) would pursue accession talks with his country in good faith, despite some persistent disagreements. Erdogan said on Tuesday the EU would lose Turkey if it did not grant it membership by 2023, the first time he has indicated how long Ankara might continue down the path towards EU entry. …
Parrot seeks new home: He swears and he bites, but other than that he's not half bad
LONDON – Everyone has a few faults. In Beaky’s case, he swears (a lot) and he bites.
South Africa's ANC, whites agree to silence "Shoot the Boer"
JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) – South Africa’s ruling African National Congress (ANC) pledged on Wednesday to stop its supporters singing the “Shoot the Boer” anti-apartheid anthem to avoid upsetting white farmers and stirring racial tension. The agreement between the ANC and white-minority interest group Afriforum ends a two-year legal battle over the song that had ignited a debate about freedom of speech, censorship of history and efforts to mend the racist rifts in South African society. …
The 2011 South Africa Census says that white South Africans earn six times more than black South Africans nearly two decades after the end of apartheid and despite income growth. 
Israel's deputy foreign minister says that if the country's new hawkish bloc forms the next government, it will do away with a contentious system of draft exemptions for ultra-Orthodox men. 
The USS Wasp, USS Carter Hall, and USS Mesa Verde will provide landing platforms for Coast Guard, National Guard and civilian agency helicopters if needed, the officials said, adding that the Atlantic Fleet command made the decision in the name of … 
Syrian warplanes pounded opposition strongholds around Damascus and in the north Wednesday as President Bashar Assad's forces intensified airstrikes following the failure of a U.N.-backed cease-fire, activists said. 
LONDON (Reuters) – Fresh allegations emerged on Wednesday of sexual misconduct by late BBC pr esenter Jimmy Savile, further damaging the corporation's reputation and increasing pressure on its management. Facing questions on how suspicions about Savile were handled are BBC head George Entwistle and his predecessor Mark Thompson, new CEO of the New York Times co. Two independent inquiries and a police investigation are under way. …